Tonight we picked up halfway through letter 31. Saint Theophan begins to lay out more clearly how Anastasia is to give herself over to her yearning for God and to foster it. Above all she must to embrace life prayer. She is to focus on allowing her heart to grow warm in her love and devotion for God. If she is unable to do this by using the prayer books, in an unrestrained way, she is to use her own words and keep them simple. She is to express her basic need for God, thanksgiving for his gifts, and ask for his protection. No more is needed at the moment. She should prepare herself for the time set aside for prayer as well as for the Divine Liturgy by reading the prayers ahead of time and meditating upon them. In this way their meaning will stir up even greater devotion within her heart. She is to memorize prayers to the best of her ability so that they come to her at the moment of need. Likewise, she is to focus on remembering God at every moment while also remembering death. Such a thought will lead her to be careful and to abstain from everything that could possibly poison her life. Pride is to be shunned and she is to make this her primary lesson. Learn this above all, he tells her.
In letter 32 Theophan continues to speak with her about the specifics of the path to a virtuous life. He sets before her the fundamental discipline and asceticism of the fasting periods within the church. He wants her to understand all that is necessary to prepare herself for a worthy reception of the holy Eucharist. She must fast, seclude herself, read and study, repent with all of her heart and with sincere contrition and the desire never to sin again. The Divine Mysteries of Christ are at the heart of our life and Theophan would see her well prepared to receive them.
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00:18:44 The Pittsburgh Oratory: http://orthodoxwayoflife.blogspot.com/2010/03/ongoing-effort-of-fasting-confession.html
00:19:08 Margie: self mastery
00:40:09 Eric Williams: I grew up in that kind of awkwardly motionless Protestant environment. I call those folks the Frozen Chosen. ;) (I can't take credit for that name, though.)
00:56:39 Margie: If you want JOY then you need to put Jesus first, Others second, and Yourself last.
01:19:42 Eric Williams: If I correctly understand the Church Slavonic guide I found, "govenie" sounds like "goh-vyeh-nyi-eh". I'm sure Fr. Ivan would do a far better job. ;)
The Ladder of Divine Ascent - Chapter VIII: On Freedom from Anger, Part III
The Ladder of Divine Ascent - Chapter VIII: On Freedom from Anger, Part II
The Evergetinos - Hypothesis XXXIII, Part II
The Ladder of Divine Ascent - Chapter VII: On Joy-Making Mourning, Part VII and Chapter VIII: On Freedom from Anger, Part I
The Evergetinos - Hypothesis XXXII, Part IV and Hypothesis XXXIII, Part I
The Ladder of Divine Ascent - Chapter VII: On Joy-Making Mourning, Part VI
The Evergetinos - Hypothesis XXXII, Part III
The Ladder of Divine Ascent - Chapter VII: On Joy-Making Mourning, Part V
The Evergetinos - Hypothesis XXXII, Part II
The Ladder of Divine Ascent - Chapter VII: On Joy-Making Mourning, Part IV
The Evergetinos - Hypothesis XXXI, Part II and XXXII, Part I
The Ladder of Divine Ascent - Chapter VII: On Joy-Making Mourning, Part III
The Evergetinos - Hypothesis XXXI, Part I
The Ladder of Divine Ascent - Chapter VII: On Joy-Making Mourning, Part II
The Evergetinos - Hypothesis XXX, Part I
The Ladder of Divine Ascent - Chapter VI: On the Remembrance of Death and Chapter VII: On Joy-Making Mourning
The Evergetinos - Hypothesis XXIX, Part III
The Ladder of Divine Ascent - Chapter V: On Repentance, Part IV and Chapter VI: On Remembrance of Death, Part I
The Evergetinos - Hypothesis XXIX, Part II
The Ladder of Divine Ascent - Chapter V: On Repentance, Part III
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