Letters of Spiritual Direction to a Young Soul - Letter Fifty-eight Part III and Letter Fifty-nine Part I

Tonight we concluded Letter 58 with another wonderful story from Abba John the Dwarf. We are reminded through it that no matter how far we distance ourselves from the passions, they will always seek us out. They will try to lure us back to a position where we will welcome them into our hearts. At that moment, it is most important to run to the inner chamber, the depths of the heart, and embrace the “Ruler“, that is Christ and allow him to restore peace and calm. When we do this, we are told, it will be as if those passions never existed. 

In Letter 59, Saint Theophan tells Anastasia that he has told her almost everything about spiritual warfare. There are many passions that approach us in many different ways. But the general method for combating them is the same. What he has set before her is nothing novel. St. Theophan is not an innovator. To show Anastasia this, he begins to quote at length St. Hesychius the priest.  In his writings we see the essence of everything that Theophan has taught. There are four fundamental things that we must have in the spiritual battle: humility, extreme attentiveness, refutation of the thoughts, and prayer. Through these, the ascetic will see the enemy bound or chased away by the honorable name of Jesus like dust in the wind.

---

Text of chat during the group:

00:29:44 renwitter: Ashley is going to catch on fire pretty soon :-D

00:52:28 renwitter: Same Anthony. Same.

00:53:39 Ashley Kaschl: Just saw this lol definitely had to blow one out 😂

00:53:46 Eric Williams: Sarcasm? *innocent whistling*

00:59:00 renwitter: They make you just too darn tired to speak unless absolutely necessary :-D

01:00:58 Eric Williams: Before you speak, THINK: Is it TRUE? Is it HELPFUL? Is it INTELLIGENT? Is it NECESSARY? Is it KIND? :)

01:02:45 Eric Williams: or exorcized ;)

01:02:56 Miron Kerul-Kmec Jr.: ^^^^

01:03:06 renwitter: Yep. Little demon child.

01:03:31 Daniel Allen: Oh that’s just a day in the life haha

01:03:33 Miron Kerul-Kmec Jr.: I can dunk it in the baptismal font! porblem solved!

01:03:43 Eric Williams: "St. Theophan would not approve of your behavior, child!"

01:03:51 Erick Chastain: can we have another session on Fridays that just consist of Fr David telling stories?

01:04:06 renwitter: I think they need a proper Byzantine exorcism.

01:04:28 Miron Kerul-Kmec Jr.: haha yep!