This evening we began Letter 64 where St. Theophan discusses with Anastasia solitude as well as how to avoid boredom and idleness. Theophan is very direct and one might even say stern about this subject. The feeling of loneliness or boredom should be out of place for us if we understand our true identity. We are in reality never alone. The Lord is always close by as well as our Guardian Angel. Therefore, each time we find ourselves alone we must renew as quickly as possible the conviction that the Lord and our Guardian Angel are with us and, in fact, we must rush to take advantage of these moments. Solitude, Theophan tells her, in this spirit is sweet and he prays that she will one day desire it as Paradise on earth. He goes on to tell her that she should avoid idleness at all costs. She should keep the mind focused when her tasks of the day are complete. There are many things that we can do to help us in this regard. Best of all, however, is reading spiritual books. This is the sphere of the most serious subject of all. In it everything is new and never becomes obsolete. The more you learn, the more you will discover subjects that are yet unfamiliar.
Moving on to Letter 65, Theophan begins to share with Anastasia the writings of Saint Poemen that relate to what he has been explaining to her for a long time. Repentance and grieving over one’s sins is the beginning of the divine path. “Repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” A person who repents and grieves over his sins will naturally shun evil and do good. Just as a woman who grieves over the loss of her husband and weeps bitterly can think of nothing else, so a soul that weeps over the loss brought by its sin can’t think of anything else but restoring their relationship with God and weeping over their fall.
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Text of chat during the group:
Repentance
City a Desert Lecture Series, Lecture One: Introduction to Interiorized Monasticism
The Ladder of Divine Ascent - Chapter XII: On Lying
The Evergetinos - Hypothesis XXXV, Part II and Hypothesis XXXVI
To Love Fasting
The Ladder of Divine Ascent - Chapter XI: On Talkativeness and Silence
The Evergetinos - Hypothesis XXXV, Part I
The Ladder of Divine Ascent - Chapter X: On Slander or Calumny, Part II
The Evergetinos - Hypothesis XXXIV
The Ladder of Divine Ascent - Chapter IX: On Remembrance of Wrongs, Part II and Chapter X: On Slander or Calumny, Part I
The Evergetinos - Hypothesis XXXIII, Part IV
The Ladder of Divine Ascent - Chapter IX: On Remembrance of Wrongs, Part I
The Evergetinos - Hypothesis XXXIII, Part III
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
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