Tonight we came to the conclusion of homily 75. Saint Isaac continued to explain to us the blessings of Night Vigils. They give light to the thinking; having purified the mind and the heart through limiting sleep, one begins to discern the things of the kingdom through prolonged prayer and watchfulness. The Light shines upon the mind and one begins to perceive that which is Divine.
To help us understand this Isaac gives us a number of examples of those who are exemplars of holiness and lifetime practitioners of night vigils. In them we see not only the discipline that is needed but also the fruit of the practice; unyielding fortitude to produces transfiguration of the body. The Fathers came to acknowledge this as a sweet labor.
However, Isaac does not want us to have any illusions about the practice or its difficulties. One must ask oneself honestly if there is a desire not only to practice Vigils, but to foster constant stillness and a willingness to endure the afflictions that these practices bring. Are we willing to make the necessary sacrifices to live a holy and undistracted life? Without this desire, the attempt to practice Vigils would be foolhardy.
St. Isaac closes with a comforting word as one who understands the weakness and the fragility of human nature. We may struggle throughout our whole life to engage in the practice of stillness. But we will undoubtedly experience losses and gains, victories and defeats. In all of this we must never lose patience and, most importantly, we must not lose our joy in the Lord and our trust in His grace.
The Ladder of Divine Ascent - Chapter XV: On Chastity, Part XI and Chapter XVI: On Avarice, Part I
The Evergetinos - Hypothesis XLI, Part II
The Ladder of Divine Ascent - Chapter XV: On Chastity, Part X
The Evergetinos - Hypothesis XL, Part VII and Hypothesis XLI, Part I
The Ladder of Divine Ascent - Chapter XV: On Chastity, Part IX
The Ladder of Divine Ascent - Chapter XV: On Chastity, Part VIII
The Evergetinos - Hypothesis XL, Part VI
The Ladder of Divine Ascent - Chapter XV: On Chastity, Part VII
The Evergetinos - Hypothesis XL, Part V
”The Prayer of Fire” - A Pentecost Retreat, Session Three
”The Prayer of Fire” - A Pentecost Retreat, Session Two
”The Prayer of Fire” - A Pentecost Retreat, Session One
The Ladder of Divine Ascent - Chapter XV: On Chastity, Part VI
The Ladder of Divine Ascent - Chapter XV: On Chastity, Part V
The Evergetinos - Hypothesis XL, Part IV
The Ladder of Divine Ascent - Chapter XV: On Chastity, Part IV
The Evergetinos - Hypothesis XL, Part III
The Ladder of Divine Ascent - Chapter XV: On Chastity, Part III
The Evergetinos - Hypothesis XL, Part II
The Ladder of Divine Ascent - Chapter XV: On Chastity, Part II
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