18. Those who have given up their hour-by-hour warfare, because of their distress at the rebelliousness of 'the body of this death' (Rom. 7:24), should blame not the flesh, but themselves. For if they had not given it the strength, providing for it so it could gratify its desires (cf. Rom. 13:14), they would not have been so greatly distressed by it. Do they not see how those who have crucified themselves together with their passions and desires, and who proclaim the death of Jesus in their mortal flesh (cf. 2 Cor. 4:10), have made the flesh tractable and obedient to the law of God, so that it proves an ally rather than an adversary in their aspirations towards the divine? Let them do likewise and they will enjoy the same peace.
19. Every assent in thought to some forbidden desire, that is, every submission to self-indulgence, is a sin for a monk. For first the thought begins to darken the intellect through the passable aspect of the soul, and then the soul submits to the pleasure, not holding out in the fight. This is what is called assent, which - as has been said - is a sin. When assent persists it stimulates the passion in question. Then little by little it leads to the actual committing of the sin. This is why the prophet calls blessed those who dash the children of Babylon against the stones (cf Ps. 137: 9). People with understanding and discretion will know what is meant.
20. Being servants of love and peace, the angels rejoice over our repentance (cf. Luke 15:7) and our progress in holiness. Hence they try to develop spiritual contemplation within us and they cooperate with us in the achieving of every form of blessing. The demons, on the contrary, being producers of anger and of evil, rejoice when holiness diminishes in us, and they attempt to seduce our souls with shameful fantasies.
21. Faith is a quality inherent in our nature. It begets in. us the fear of God. and fear of God instills that keeping of the commandments which constitutes the practice of the virtues. From such practice grows the previous flower of dispassion. The offspring of dispassion is love, which is the fulfillment of all the commandments (cf. Rom. 13:10), bidding and holding them in unity.
20TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
The Field 39
SUNDAY OF THE FATHERS OF THE 7TH ECUMENICAL COUNCIL
The Field 38
18TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
The Field 37
17TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
The Field 36
SUNDAY AFTER THE EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS
SUNDAY BEFORE THE EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS
Nativity of the Theotokos
14TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
The Field 35
13TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
12TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
The Field 34
11TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
The Field 33
10TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
The Field 32
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Cast The Word
Let Me Be Frank | Bishop Frank Caggiano’s Podcast | Diocese of Bridgeport, CT
The Kingdom Power Fellowship Podcast
The Bible Recap
The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)