The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily III, Part IV

As we listen to St. Isaac the Syrian in Homily Three his focus shifts from speaking of the necessary foundation to be laid in the spiritual life, purity of mind, to drawing us further to purity of heart. Purity of mind is established through the toils of the ascetic life, including vigils, fasting, prayer and meditation upon the scriptures, etc.  One’s attraction to the life of virtue grows. However, Isaac warns us that as quickly as it is formed within us, it can be lost. A soul may allow into the mind a thought or image that once again stirs up the passions and what has been gained through much prayer and struggle is lost quickly.

Purity of heart, however, is something that only emerges by the grace of God and His action in our lives. All that St. Isaac speaks of in the ascetic life continues. However, purity of heart, the purification of the “sense of senses” comes only by many afflictions, deprivations, separation from fellowship with the world, and deadness to all things. It is truly a dying to self and self will and abandoning oneself to God completely. This is the stumbling block for the majority of mankind, including many Christians. It is to embrace the Cross. One is no longer soiled by little things, nor dismayed by conflicts and struggles. What Isaac is suggesting here is that a soul begins to be fed on solid food indigestible to those who are weak. Such purity of heart comes through many afflictions and is acquired over a long period of time.

One’s focus becomes fixed upon the Beloved and he becomes the lens through which one views everything. Saint Isaac describes it as a state of limpid purity, of that natural innocence once lost.  To regain such a state is difficult living in a world surrounded by so many things that foster not knowledge of God but rather knowledge of many evil realities. There is only one path to this purity and that is simplicity – desiring the one thing necessary and shaping one’s whole life around that reality. This is the immediate goal of the spiritual life as St. John Cassian teaches. We are to abandon what is small in order that we might find what is truly great. We are to spurn what is superfluous and without value in order to discover that “treasure hidden in the field”. We are to become dead to the world in order that we might not live unto death. Saint Isaac reminds us that martyrs are not only those who have accepted death for belief in Christ, but those who die for the sake of keeping his commandments. He does not varnish the gospel for us, but rather brings into clear view the necessity of loving Christ above all things, including our own lives. What the world needs is martyrs – those who bear witness to the very love of the kingdom.

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Text of chat during the group:

00:01:31 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: The receptacle of grace, the "place" of the presence of divine life, is where we encounter God and in union with God become integrated and transfigured beings. The art of the spiritual life is therefore to become conscious of the "treasure hidden in the heart" —to become conscious of the real but unapprehended presence of God in the heart; and this art is effectuated by inducing the intellect, freed from extraneous thoughts and images, to
"descend" into the heart and so to become conscious of the divine presence hidden there.

00:01:55 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Heart as explained by Philip Sherrard

00:02:16 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: One of the translators of the Philokalia

00:03:37 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 133, first paragraph on this page, 22nd paragraph from start of this homily

00:08:57 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: The receptacle of grace, the "place" of the presence of divine life, is where we encounter God and in union with God become integrated and transfigured beings. The art of the spiritual life is therefore to become conscious of the "treasure hidden in the heart" —to become conscious of the real but unapprehended presence of God in the heart; and this art is effectuated by inducing the intellect, freed from extraneous thoughts and images, to
"descend" into the heart and so to become conscious of the divine presence hidden there.

00:09:14 Adam Paige: The monastery in Egypt is working on a legal appeal at the moment https://www.ekathimerini.com/politics/foreign-policy/1272520/sinai-monastery-working-out-legal-appeal/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email#

00:09:45 Adam Paige: Reacted to "The receptacle of gr…" with ❤️

00:12:22 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: The receptacle of grace, the "place" of the presence of divine life, is where we encounter God and in union with God become integrated and transfigured beings. The art of the spiritual life is therefore to become conscious of the "treasure hidden in the heart" —to become conscious of the real but unapprehended presence of God in the heart; and this art is effectuated by inducing the intellect, freed from extraneous thoughts and images, to
"descend" into the heart and so to become conscious of the divine presence hidden there.

00:13:59 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: The receptacle of grace, the "place" of the presence of divine life, is where we encounter God and in union with God become integrated and transfigured beings. The art of the spiritual life is therefore to become conscious of the "treasure hidden in the heart" —to become conscious of the real but unapprehended presence of God in the heart; and this art is effectuated by inducing the intellect, freed from extraneous thoughts and images, to
"descend" into the heart and so to become conscious of the divine presence hidden there.

00:14:02 Myles Davidson: I’m quite happy to pay for your content Fr

00:24:44 Jamie Hickman: The purification of the mind seems more possible on earth whereas the purification of the heart seems more likely to occur in purgatory 🤷🏻‍♂️

00:29:05 Paisios: St Silouan

00:30:32 Joshua Sander: Can you repeat the name of that book by Fr. Benedict?

00:31:16 Myles Davidson: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/0824506286?ref_=mr_referred_us_au_nz

00:33:21 Myles Davidson: Replying to "https://www.amazon.c..."

Sorry, That’s Amazon Australia

00:34:14 Kevin Burke: How does this concept of purity of heart relate to the traditional Catholic devotion to the Sacred Heart?

00:34:33 Janine: Fr Grochel used to say that he hoped he made it to Purgatory!

00:38:04 Jamie Hickman: I agree, Father, but union with God is a lifetime work even if the immediate goal...seems achieved for many of us through purgatory even if we are aiming for heaven. Just suggesting this isn't easily attainable in short time for many of us

00:38:53 Nypaver Clan: Page?

00:39:03 Erick Chastain: 133

00:39:28 Erick Chastain: Now 134

00:39:47 Nypaver Clan: thanks

00:45:11 Erick Chastain: How does one avoid perception without being a hermit?

00:51:29 Rick Visser: Kierkegaard: "Purity of Heart is to will one thing."

01:02:43 Jamie Hickman: No rush, could be for the end: Father, what are your thoughts on the four/five volume Philokalia in separate books vs the more recent publication of all the volumes in a single book? I think the two follow different translations.

01:03:34 Jamie Hickman: Haha love this and thank you, Father!

01:04:04 Ben: Replying to "No rush, could be fo..."

I always wondered how the Pilgrim carried the whole Philokalia in his sack! 😝

01:04:21 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "I always wondered ho..." with 🤣

01:10:13 Anthony: I miss visiting with relatives over coffee. "Americans" just don't do that.

01:12:34 Art: You’ve mentioned “to give up Christ for Christ”, with regards to prayer, for example.

01:15:07 Mark South: Fr David: You posted an article regarding Satan in the Church on Facebook a month or so ago. I believe it was written by a Father or Abbot from Mt Athos. Do you recall?

01:15:38 eleana: "The greatest Glory" the movie about the christeros

01:15:44 Mark South: The name of the article?

01:15:48 Nypaver Clan: Brother Andres at Epiphany Church

01:16:44 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️

01:17:04 Jamie Hickman: Thank you, Father!

01:17:07 Nypaver Clan: Brother Andres is also at Assumption Church, Bellevue

01:17:14 Catherine Opie: Thank you. Apologies we will be at mass on Sunday at that time

01:17:16 Elizabeth Richards’s iPhone: & with you 🙏🏼