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

In the writings of Saint Isaac the Syrian, we see so beautifully the desert fathers emphasis on praxis; that is, how we concretely live out our faith in our day-to-day life and relationships. They knew that Christ can be lost to the mind and the heart not only through sin but also simply in the warp and wolf of day-to-day life. We surround ourselves with things that provide us with a sense of security and identity. This goes beyond material goods and includes our being driven by busyness and the pursuit of the world‘s respect of our accomplishments. We can lose time through idle chatter, laziness, and sloth. With anxious hearts, we direct our energy toward pursuing the things that we have come to love within the world; education, art, athletics, and entertainment. We are zealous for what we love and willing to invest ourselves without counting the cost to pursue it. 

However, Saint Isaac reminds us of the meaning and the weight of those small moments and affairs in our day-to-day life. Do we hold in mind the brevity of our life and that it has been entrusted to us in such a way that we will have to give an account before God for how we have used the gift? Do we see the “other” and Christ within the poor or those who are suffering and alone? More often than not our minds and hearts are abstracted by the things that titillate the senses and emotions.  Thus, Saint Isaac tells us acquire freedom in your manner of life; in particular freedom from turmoil. Do not find your freedom by what simply gives pleasure and so become a slave of slaves. Surrounded by abundance and conveniences we often have the sense that we are dependent upon them. Yet we do not realize that they will never help us to acquire humble thoughts or a pure minds. St. Isaac, therefore, describes renunciation as weaning ourselves from our attachment to the things of this world as well as from our own ego. Our dignity and destiny is found in Christ Who is our hope, our salvation, and our Love!

---

Text of chat during the group:

00:05:37 susan: been away  what page are we on?

00:11:58 Myles Davidson: Page 143 “Love chastity…..”

00:13:11 Una: Trouble with my sound

00:13:11 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 143 paragraph 11

00:13:20 Una: Whose feet are those?

00:14:19 Adam Paige: Technical difficulties, please stand by ! ☺️

00:14:37 Jamie Hickman: jealous!

00:29:05 Maureen Cunningham: How do you know you are killing the ego . How would you be different

00:31:33 Julie: Should I feel bad for liking  or surrounding myself with nice things

00:32:41 Eleana: I agree, the tentation when he have a spiritual life is to feel "good" and dressing to be seen or perceive as humble; it can also be false humility that I believe to be the worst pride.

00:33:07 Una: That false self can manifest in busy busy busy

00:34:15 Thomas: I’ve always thought that remembrance of death was about remembering our sins and that we will be judged and so forth, but Isaac says rejoicing, is this just a different aspect

00:34:44 Rebecca: “I live now. Not I.  But Christ live in me”  St Paul the Apostle

00:41:59 Jamie Hickman: The Mother Teresa story reminds me of paragraph 14: "Conduct yourself with knowledge..." -- this knowledge is intimacy, experience as you've called it, Father. She conducted herself with the love of her Love, He Who Thirsts. She really saw him thirsty there on the sidewalk, and she attempted to satiate him.

00:43:08 Joanna Martinez: There is a beutifuly done documentary film on Amazon Prime called "Sacred Alaska" about the life of small Orthodox community and their saints. The film is not free, costs $4.25, but highly recommended by way of illustrating exactly what St. Isaac speaks abot, living in the hands of God, with freedom to not have control over anything, but living by the grace of God

00:44:08 Nicholas B. Besachio: How does one stay humble when they hold a high position that comes with a lot of priviledge, nice things, and command over others. How does one direct those things toward the good.

00:48:32 Ryan Ngeve: Father what would be the proper approach about people who use busy-ness as an escape from sloth and sinful passions

00:48:51 Ryan Ngeve: To people *

00:49:36 Anthony: Replying to "How does one stay hu..." 

 Privilege and honor and authority includes responsibilities including in a way responsibility for souls under us.

00:51:04 Una: Interesting question, Ryan

01:02:14 Rebecca: Father, do you have any suggestions on how to ‘order the sense?

01:02:53 Jamie Hickman: Speaking of senses, I'd go to hearing. Music is more accessible, perhaps, than in ages past due to recording devices and proliferation of devices that play music. We know that faith comes from hearing, and so when much of our music is contrary to the Gospel, it is perhaps unsurprising that contemporary man struggles to believe.

01:07:30 Myles Davidson: St Paisios had only a tin can and a teaspoon as his only cooking and eating utensils

01:07:59 Julie: Silence can be scary with your own thoughts

01:08:07 Anthony: Reacted to Silence can be scary... with "👍"

01:08:27 Anthony: Replying to "Silence can be scary..." 

 Yes. That's a reason I constantly listen to something

01:09:35 Alan Tarantino: My wife started using an app called Dumb Phone to reduce screen time.

01:09:54 Jamie Hickman: Reacted to "My wife started us..." with 👍

01:11:06 Erick Chastain: This is st junipero serra's cell

01:12:21 Anthony: Reacted to pic-4977f22d-6b5b-42ed-be9d-c2aac9403110.jpg with "👍"

01:12:28 Jamie Hickman: Reacted to "IMG_8737.jpg" with 😂

01:12:38 Jacqulyn: Reacted to "IMG_8737.jpg" with 😂

01:12:46 Ben: Reacted to "IMG_8737.jpg" with 😂

01:12:58 Ryan Ngeve: Reacted to "Interesting question…" with 👍

01:13:07 Ryan Ngeve: Reacted to "IMG_8737.jpg" with 😂

01:13:39 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "pic-4977f22d-6b5b-42ed-be9d-c2aac9403110.jpg" with 🙏

01:14:16 Andrew Adams: Reacted to "IMG_8737.jpg" with 😂

01:18:04 Jamie Hickman: ad multos annos

01:18:53 Rebecca: Thank so much for this session.  Wonderful teaching and help.

01:20:09 Gwen’s iPhone: Thank you. Grateful.

01:21:02 Andrew Adams: Thanks be to God! Thank you, Father!

01:21:03 David: Thank you Father may God bless you and your mother!

01:21:03 Joanna Martinez: Thank You.

01:21:07 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️

01:21:15 Jeffrey Ott: Thank you Father!

01:21:16 Jacqulyn: Thank you!

01:21:23 Jeffrey Ott: Are you going to continue substack?

01:22:27 Alan Tarantino: Thank you Father

01:22:34 cameron: Thank you Fr

01:22:40 Diana Cleveland: Thank you!