Philokalia Ministries The Ladder of Divine Ascent - Chapter XXV: On Humility, Part V
Tonight we concluded our reading of step 25 on humility. I have no other way to describe my experience of reading this step other than the fact that it makes something within the heart leap for joy. For over the past months, what we have been shown is that humility is not simply a virtue that one strives to attain but rather a kind of truthful living that acknowledges God as the source of all.
Beyond that, however, we are shown that humility is part of the very essence of God that has been revealed to us through the incarnation. God shows himself as Holy Humility. In loving us, God comes down to us and takes our life, our identity, our burden upon himself. The sense of lack and incompleteness at the very heart of our lives is filled by the God who comes to us and gives himself to us.
Humility is so often presented to us as a kind of self hatred; whereas, in reality, it allows us to see not simply our weakness and our sin but the love of God with perfect clarity. Above all, St. John tells, us we should strive for humility. It is the narrow way. One must acknowledge one’s smallness in order to receive and participate in the greatness of the love of the one who created us. What better means do we have to do so than the Feast of the Nativity - unto us and child is born!
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Text of chat during the group:
00:56:01 Sharon Fisher: Backing up a bit — the fasts can be harmful, physically. I’ve experienced and know of others who had negative physical effects trying to do the prescribed thing. Yet, I haven’t had a priest directly suggest that it can be modified as necessary — but they say it’s not to be taken legalistically. 01:04:12 Ambrose Little, OP: Transfers liquid from one container to another 01:04:38 Ambrose Little, OP: Sucks you up into heaven. 🙂 01:04:40 Art: carries a liquid from a higher level up and over a barrier and then down to a lower level 01:04:49 Mitch: “Waterspout” in the translation in front of me 01:04:52 Sean: I thought of it as like a tornado sucking one up to heavan 01:10:14 Victor: Reacted to "I thought of it as l…" with 👍 01:11:06 Victor: Thanks, Father. Merry Christmas to all! 🎄💐 01:11:11 Daniel Allen: What’s interesting to me is that it seems all other virtues do not by nature exclude pride, a type of natural perfection, only humility excludes pride and why it’s the only virtue that cannot be imitated by the demons as John said. But the difference is that all other virtues can be beautifully acquired, while humility is only received by acknowledgment of our own lack. Our own lack of other virtues even. Does that make sense? If so, while humility may be the God like virtue it is also terrifying. 01:11:25 Brian L: Reacted to I thought of it as l... with "👍" 01:11:46 Jeff O.: Reacted to "What’s interesting t..." with 👍 01:11:48 Vanessa: Reacted to "What’s interesting t..." with 👍 01:15:42 Art: Merry Christmas everyone!! 01:15:43 Lorraine Green: Merry Christmas! Thank you Father 01:15:45 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you. Happy Christmas everyone🙂 01:15:48 Ambrose Little, OP: 🎄 01:15:48 mflory: Thank you, Father! Merry Christmas! 01:15:48 Jeff O.: Merry Christmas! Thank you 01:15:49 TFredman: Thank you, Merry Christmas everyone! 01:15:51 Deiren: Merry Christmas father and everyone! 01:15:58 Sr Barbara Jean Mihalchick: Blessed Christmas! 01:16:01 Mitch: Merry Christmas!! Thankyou very much