Philokalia Ministries

The dialogue centers on the challenges of detachment from worldly possessions and the importance of humility. Monastic life anecdotes reveal how even monks can cling to unnecessary comforts. Insights from an elder monk stress self-reflection and the danger of seeking validation. The life of Saint John the Merciful illustrates the moral dilemmas of wealth and the calling to help the impoverished. Ultimately, the focus shifts to the value of spiritual over material wealth, encouraging a richer connection with the soul.

Delving into the dangers of deceitful disposition and misused intelligence, the podcast explores the impact of guile on virtues like humility and repentance. It contrasts genuine piety with sham reverence, emphasizing living upright lives centered on God. The discussion touches on the complexities of distinguishing between genuine intentions and manipulative behavior.

Exploring the virtues of humility and self-reproach, the podcast delves into the importance of detaching from worldly desires and embracing weakness to draw closer to God. It highlights overcoming disturbances with humility, navigating criticism gracefully, and seeking healing in the spiritual journey. Emphasizing selfless sacrifice and choosing the path of divine love, the podcast offers profound insights into the essence of humility.

This podcast delves into the virtues of meekness and simplicity, emphasizing the importance of reshaping our experiences through humility and truth. It explores the challenges of cultivating simplicity in a complex world and warns against the pitfalls of deception and self-delusion. The discussions touch on the transformative power of meekness in relationships and the significance of interceding for others with love and compassion.

Delving into the transformative power of humility, the podcast explores the beauty of acknowledging our need for healing and the destiny to share in God's life. It emphasizes the journey of perfecting humility through struggles and grace, leading to a vision of spiritual life centered on God's love and virtue.

Explore the transformative power of solitude in the desert fathers' writings and the deep understanding of the interior life. Compare psychoanalysis introspective practices with spiritual traditions. Reflect on personal trauma, family dynamics, and psychology. Delve into activating aggressive faculties and spiritual therapy. Discover the influence of the desert fathers on emotional growth and challenges in maintaining authentic spiritual traditions.

This podcast explores the struggles with blasphemous thoughts and the importance of entrusting them to the Lord. It also delves into the virtues of meekness, simplicity, and guilelessness and how they provide stability and growth. Meekness is a strength that allows for unconditional love and maintaining perspective in a chaotic world.

Coming towards the end of the first volume of the Evergetinos, it is clear that we are being nourished upon solid food. During these many weeks, the fathers have been leading us into a deeper understanding of the virtue of humility. It is one thing to understand the definition of humility; even something as clear as “truthful living”. However, it is only in the illustrative stories that the fathers give us that we move from the realm of imagination, personal judgment and reason to see this virtue with the eyes of faith. What we are called to is the perfect humility of Christ; he who sought only to do the will of his heavenly father. Christ sacrifices himself for the sake of love. What we see in the stories is the subtlety with which we focus upon the ego even as we pursue things that are religious. We are presented in particular with a powerful story about Saint Anthony the Great. He is told that a cobbler in the city has reached a level of greater sanctity than he has despite his ascetic rigors. This cobbler saw himself as the least of all the people in the entire city and the most worthy of condemnation and judgment by God. He would tell himself this in the morning and at night. What is significant about this is that he does not compare himself with any other person in acknowledging this truth. Looking at God he can only see his need for mercy and for complete gratitude. Yet Anthony as great as he was and having sacrificed so much still had a question within his heart. Is there anyone out there who has attained a level of greater sanctity? At that moment, Anthony turns his gaze away from God in order to compare himself with others. He loses sight, if only for a moment, of God. To gaze only upon God and his love drives out every element of ego. There is only Christ! --- Text of chat during the group: 00:08:36 FrDavid Abernethy: page 400 para 76   00:09:41 Suzanne: LOL!!!   00:41:23 sharonfisher: I hope everyone knows about the Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry. Poor or wayward folks that end up imprisoned could benefit so much from the work these folks do. I feel like the prison cell could be substitute for a monk’s cell or the isolation of the desert fathers. (Not sure where this fits in the discussion, but seems relevant.)   00:42:11 sharonfisher: AGREE!   00:43:54 Michael Hinckley: St Thomas Moore choose to see his cell in the tower as such I believe.   00:46:24 Suzanne: I think that I've actually made myself sick from self-reproach because of my past. Thirty years of extreme desolation has warped my perception of God's love for my soul. Self-reproach can be a form of self-torture. The desert fathers is the first time anything I've come across has given me courage.   00:48:00 Lee Graham: Hear, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest.   01:12:13 Sean: Anthony's ego? gosh...he's called Great.   01:16:29 Sean: compare and despair   01:16:55 Steve Yu: Reacted to "compare and despair" with 👍   01:17:29 Maureen Cunningham: How do you not get into a self hate toward you life. did not the church father warn against self pity   01:18:46 Suzanne: Did you see the Russian movie, The Island, about the monk who was tortured by guilt, yet worked miracles?   01:19:17 Maureen Cunningham: Yes I saw movie wonderful   01:19:40 Suzanne: Incredible movie!   01:20:04 Nypaver Clan: Father, at the start of this discussion, you mentioned that the slightest turning toward God fills the heart with great Grace.  Likewise, the slightest turning away from God fills the heart with pride.   01:22:01 Maureen Cunningham: Thank you  Blessing prayers for you Father   01:22:09 sharonfisher: And with your spirit!   01:22:12 Suzanne: Thank you so much!   01:22:13 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂  

The podcast discusses the destructive nature of pride and the importance of humility in the spiritual journey. It explores the role of humility in drowning evil spirits, the deceptive nature of pride, and the triumph of virtue in the face of adversity. The chapter also touches on the experience of facing death, the practice of standing during liturgy, and the importance of constant prayer.

The podcast explores the virtue of humility and the difficulty of letting go of our own perspective. It highlights the importance of embracing the virtue of Christ and surrendering self-esteem and ego. The discussion touches on forgiveness, the power of prayer, dealing with challenging relationships, and the role of humility in spiritual growth. The chapter on purification by fire emphasizes accepting unjust criticism and the value of humility in overcoming hardship.