Philokalia Ministries The Evergetinos - Hypothesis XXXI, Part I
How do we view our life in this world? Such a simple and straightforward question, and yet one that we contort ourselves so as not to have to answer directly. It can be a frightening question to answer. Who am I? Who is God? What does this mean for my life in this world?
The fathers do not present us with a path that allows us to put on airs. The Christian life, or the monastic life in particular, is not about creating a self image that is pleasing to us, or that gives us a sense of identity that we are comfortable with or that fits in neatly with our perception of reality. What the fathers present us with is an unvarnished view of the gospel, the incarnation and the cross. God entered into our world, took our flesh upon himself, lifted us out of our passions, and then ascended the cross. God did all of these things, not in order that we might receive them in a passive fashion, but that we might enter into that reality to the fullest extent. The Paschal Mystery is the Reality in which we are called to live. The ascetic life is meant to free us in such a fashion that we hold nothing back from God, that we die to self and sin, and so become willing to pour ourselves out in selfless love for God and others.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:15:24 Fr. Miron Jr.: nope...not allowed 00:15:46 Cindy Moran: Allegheny County Airport West Mifflin 00:34:26 Bridget McGinley: Juan Diego was 57 with no children when Our Lady appeared to him. He was not a religious just a beautiful soul doing his simple duty.... a very humble example for me. 00:38:43 Anthony: This paragraph reminds me of "Luther and Lutherdom" by Fr. Denifle. Luther took concepts like this way our of context, and with the current of depravity among religious in the late middle ages, great harm came to the Church. 00:48:00 Ren Witter: What a perfect reading immediately following the Sunday of the Holy Forefathers! 00:48:32 Anthony: St. Vincent de Paul went from galley slave to a priest preaching and living the mercy of God. 00:57:48 carol: Like a wedding ring 01:01:42 Bridget McGinley: POWERFUL BOOK! Love it. Our Lady of Silence icon is beautiful! 01:02:25 Anthony: Father, it seems there is a contradiction between these paragraphs of waiting on the Lord and the (presumably bad) example of Ioannikos' mother in section B, who was content to labor with the other women but not formally take the yoke of a nun. It looks like maybe people should have left her alone. Am I wrong here? 01:03:36 Ashley Kaschl: I was learning about Biblical Botany on Saturday from a friend and this reminds me of the study of why the fig leaf is so important in the fall of Adam and Eve. The fig leaf excretes something that is very irritating to human skin. So, in their haste to remedy their shame, and to hide what they’d done, to solve their own problem, they actually made it worse and caused themselves pain. And this God gave them animal skins to wear. 01:06:34 Anthony: sorry...Alypios' mother 01:08:31 Ashley Kaschl: I had also not heard this before 😂😂 01:12:17 Ashley Kaschl: Sorry I have to run. Gotta get to Mass 🙏 thanks for tonight, Father! 01:16:22 Bridget McGinley: Thank you Father 01:16:47 Babington (or Babi): Thnx!