Embracing Practical Spiritual Struggles

Once again, we are blessed by the practical counsel of the fathers in regard to the struggle with the passion of lust and fornication. What becomes evident is that the struggle is primarily with the thoughts and how we address them in our lives. The origin of such thoughts may be from ourselves and our own memories, what we experience with our senses in the present moment or from demonic provocation. Whatever their origin, our asceticism must be such that we are willing to lay all such thoughts aside in preference for remaining in stillness with our focus set upon Christ. 

It is always best not to engage the thoughts that rush upon us understanding that we will be overwhelmed, especially if their origin is from the demons. We are not to argue or wrestle with the thoughts but rather call upon the holy name of our Lord and to plead for his help and strength. 

This is the source of our healing, even in ways that we do not comprehend. The more we call upon the Lord, the deeper the healing becomes and the more free we become from our attachment to the things of this world. The Jesus Prayer in particular can be used as a gentle weapon to cut away the thoughts as they come upon us. When we are able, it is beneficial to say the prayer in an audible fashion making use of multiple senses. Having a chotki in hand as we say the Prayer and making prostrations repeatedly involves the whole self in the spiritual battle. When we humble ourselves in mind and body before God, He rushes to our aid. 

Thus, humility, vigilance and constancy of prayer must be the foundation of our ascetic practice. Furthermore, we must be simple and not count ourselves as clever in this battle. The wiles of the evil one can turn even our conversations about piety into instruments that agitate and stir up the heart. Let us examine our hearts well as we approach the Great Fast and ask the Lord to be our strength.

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Text of chat during the group:

00:11:46 Niño: Have a nice day everybody 💞 it's 830 am Feb 25 Tuesday here Philippine time

00:15:10 Bob Cihak: P. 210, # G

00:15:46 Kathleen: What is the name of teh beginner’s book?

00:16:07 Kathleen: Thank you

00:16:28 Myles Davidson: https://www.amazon.com/Beginners-Introduction-Philokalia-2016/dp/1880971798

00:16:39 Kathleen: Thank you Myles

00:17:05 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "Thank you Myles" with 🙏

00:20:50 Josh: Can anyone tell me what page we are on tonight? Thanks.

00:21:03 Bob Cihak: P. 210, # G

00:21:10 Josh: Thank you

00:28:40 Maureen Cunningham: Maybe it was to protect women. It seems that women were used like property and could be cast away and killed.

00:39:46 Myles Davidson: This advice at the end of this saying reminds me of this quote you posted today Fr.
“Unceasing calling upon the name of God cures one not only of passions, but also of actions; and as a medicine affects a sick man without his comprehension, similarly the invocation of the name of God destroys passions in a manner beyond our comprehension."

00:40:25 Adam Paige: We have to choose: the news or the nous ! ;)

00:40:30 Maureen Cunningham: Beautiful movie free

00:40:48 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "We have to choose: t..." with 😊

00:40:49 Bob Cihak: When I decided, a long time ago, to let passionate thoughts just go by me, and ignore them, it lightened me a lot. I call this my toreodor defense.

00:40:49 Forrest Cavalier: Reacted to "We have to choose: t..." with 👍

00:40:55 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "Beautiful movie free" with 👍

00:43:27 Niño: Is there a prayer before and after doing a prostration? I used to do prostrations 33 times while meditating on the passion of Christ ...

00:46:08 Niño: Reacted to We have to choose: t... with "❤️"

00:47:08 Adam Paige: Reacted to "Beautiful movie free" with 🎞️

00:47:24 Niño: The power of the name of Christ is calming the storms within and without ...

00:48:13 Maureen Cunningham: What is the nous

00:48:32 Nypaver Clan: Replying to "What is the nous"

The eye of the soul

00:48:39 sr charista: As well, regarding main stream news it is said that 6 people own all the stations, it is the deceptive mockingbird media with an nefarious agenda it seems.

00:50:03 Niño: Yperagia Theotoke Soson Imas

00:50:41 Suzanne Romano: Reacted to We have to choose: t... with "😊"

00:54:05 Adam Paige: Replying to "Yperagia Theotoke So..."

Yperagia Theotoke Soson Imas  ΥΠΕΡΑΓΙΑ ΘΕΟΤΟΚΕ ΣΩΣΟΝ ΗΜΑΣ// Most Holy Mother of God save us

01:01:17 Niño: Thus having an icon that would remind us of our goal and skull to remind us of death would help our imagination to focus on the things that are eternally true

01:02:05 Adam Paige: Reacted to "Thus having an icon ..." with 💀

01:07:20 Kathleen: You mentioned earlier about conversations that go in an unholy direction…it’s awkward at best finding ways to change the subject or exit or be silent without any body language or gestures that may indicate approval of the conversation.  i find myself in these situations so looking for ways to handle

01:07:38 Niño: Reacted to You mentioned earlie... with "❤️"

01:08:06 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "pic-a711b3ac-351b-4294-8af5-576d965386f4.jpg" with 👍

01:09:31 Josh: Reacted to "You mentioned earlie..." with ❤️

01:09:40 Josh: Reacted to "pic-a711b3ac-351b-4294-8af5-576d965386f4.jpg" with 👍

01:12:02 Adam Paige: Replying to "You mentioned earlie..."

"7. Do not regard the feelings of a person who speaks to you about his neighbour disparagingly, but rather say to him: ‘Stop, brother! I fall into graver sins every day, so how can I criticize him?’ In this way you will achieve two things: you will heal yourself and your neighbour with one plaster. This is one of the shortest ways to the forgiveness of sins; I mean, not to judge. ‘Judge not, that you be not judged.’" - THE LADDER OF DIVINE ASCENT, St. John Climacus, Step 10 - On slander or calumny

01:13:35 Kathleen: Haha

01:14:27 Maureen Cunningham: Praying for you when do we start fast

01:15:30 Niño: Grateful always to be part of this group 🙏 thank you Padre For making this platform public(what I mean free)

01:15:40 ANDREW ADAMS: Thanks be to God! Thank you, Father!

01:15:41 Bob Cihak: Thank you, father.

01:15:42 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂

01:15:50 Adam Paige: Replying to "Praying for you when..."

Praying for you when do we start fast depends on your rite !

01:16:06 Kathleen: I have no books yet. Is this info on your website?

01:16:15 Niño: Pls pray for me ..I'm planning to go back to the sacrament of penance after a long time of being away 🥹

01:16:22 Adam Paige: Reacted to "Pls pray for me ..I'..." with 😇

01:16:26 Josh: Reacted to "Pls pray for me ..I'..." with ❤️

01:16:26 Nypaver Clan: Reacted to "Pls pray for me ..I'..." with 🙏🏼

01:16:29 Suzanne Romano: Reacted to Pls pray for me ..I'... with "🙏🏼"

01:16:39 Kathleen: Hahaha

01:16:44 Niño: Reacted to Hahaha with "😂"

01:17:05 Francisco Ingham: Thank you father! Let’s all offer our prayers and fasts for the Pope this week 🙏

01:17:14 sr charista: what is the name again

01:17:45 Adam Paige: I have no books yet. Is this info on your website? https://www.ctosonline.org/patristic/EvCT.html

01:18:10 Anthony: Reacted to When I decided, a lo... with "👍"

01:18:26 Adam Paige: I have no books yet. Is this info on your website? https://www.bostonmonks.com/product_info.php/products_id/635/?srsltid=AfmBOooAjdCUbwFztCJTIdrREtqfZwwp9RRgofV0q8U344Uov_z8_8q5

01:18:28 sr charista: Replying to "I have no books yet...."

thank you much :)

01:18:46 sr charista: BEAUTIFUL

01:18:46 Nypaver Clan: zacharias zacharou