Letters of Spiritual Direction to a Young Soul - Letter Sixty-one Part I

Tonight we began Letter 61. St. Theophan begins to teach Anastasia about the necessity of guarding the senses, in particular hearing and sight. This is especially challenging in modern times when there are so many sources of stimuli. Nonetheless, Theophan tells her they all hold their influence on the person and guide them either toward the good or toward the evil. Therefore, one must not give free reign to the senses.

Do not allow yourself to see everything and hear everything but rather be extremely discriminating. A person who opens up a window and lets in bad air is doing wrong and likewise the person who fills a cup of dirty water from a puddle and pours it over himself is stupid. We do the same when opening ourselves to evil feelings and desires. We act without prudence and responsibility and we subject ourselves to stimuli through the things that we see in hear throughout the course of the day. It is necessary instead for us to rush immediately to blot out the stimulus and to suppress the thoughts by taking them captive through turning the mind and the heart to God in prayer.

By leaving evil within ourselves for a long time we give it the opportunity to become more deeply implanted and opposed to expulsion and cleansing. It can take possession of the mind. Theophan, in a very stark way, tells Anastasia that a person who has experienced harm from a stimulus and willingly allows himself to encounter the objects again shows that in reality he delights in the evil; and so is impure to the bottom of the heart. Again, to modern sensibilities this seems harsh or unyielding. But we hold something precious within us - the very love and grace of God and we are to protect it. And so as Jesus says: if your hand causes you to sin cut it off or if your eye causes you to sin pluck it out. There will be certain things that we have to do without in the course of our life in order to protect that which has greater value. In the struggle with temptations the coward is the victor - he who flees or rather runs toward God.

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Text of chat during group:

00:17:09 Joseph Muir: My wife is pretty spotty, so we’ll see if I make it through the whole group

00:17:15 Joseph Muir: WIFI*🤣

00:17:42 renwitter: hahahahahahaha

00:18:31 Ashley Kaschl: 😂😂😂

00:33:39 Edward Kleinguetl: "When a thought arises, cut it off at once with the Prayer of Jesus. If you start examining it, it will stick to you and you will get interested in it. It will chain you and you will have agreement with it and will start thinking how to fulfill it. And then you will perform it in deed, and this is how sin arises."  (Elder Michael the Recluse of Valaam)

00:44:51 Joseph Muir: All of this is why I stopped watching Black Mirror. As much of a fan as I am of dystopian literature and stories, I found that, as the seasons progressed, it more consistently went down paths that I, in good conscience, couldn’t justify in watching it anymore.

01:03:58 Lilly Crystal: Theology of the Body by St. P. John Paul II has been an amazing resource for my personal struggles regarding topics as such :

01:11:57 Ashley Kaschl: Well shoot 😂

01:13:30 Sheila Applegate: I had to stop Black Mirror too and keep far away from Games of Thrones which as a fantasy lover and reader of the first book (and appauled) I know I would be addicted too.

01:17:19 carolnypaver: “Renew the I Do” is an excellent pre-marriage prep program.

01:18:16 Lilly Crystal: @carolyn where can I find that?

01:18:37 Art: The Catholic Guide 
Friendship and Chastity for young adults and older teens (but great for all ages with great chapters on True Friendship and Choice of a Marriage Partner)

www.AngelusPress.org

01:20:37 carolnypaver: Contact Dolores Shipe and ask if there is a program in Canada.  412-760-3177 She is in the Pittsburgh Diocese.

01:21:36 Lilly Crystal: @carolyn thank you so much :)

01:21:47 Mark Cummings: Love will keep us together- Captain and Tennile

01:24:10 Lilly Crystal: Same here lol

01:24:55 renwitter: Father David has been known to honk at Newman Center couples when he drives by them holding hands and walking down the sidewalk :-D

01:25:08 Mark Cummings: Date night is the best night to shine up my shotgun

01:25:12 Ashley Kaschl: 😂😂😂

01:25:34 Callie Eisenbrandt: Lol