The Ladder of Divine Ascent - Chapter XXIV: On Meekness, Part IV and XXV: On Humility, Part I

Elder Porphyrios wrote “whoever wants to be a Christian must first become a poet”.  I mention this because the truth of it plays out in St. John’s writing tonight on humility. One indeed must become a poet - one who has the capacity to capture the deepest of mysteries with a few words. 

However, what we see in St. John’s writings is that even this capacity fails us when we begin to speak about “Holy Humility” - our call to participate in the very life and virtue of God;  “Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart.”We must become docile; that is, teachable in the most radical fashion. There must be a willingness on our part to let go of all conceit, prudence, and cunning. What is being spoken of is not simply a natural virtue, but a participation in the divine. It is that which can only be understood through experience. 

Such a path will always be challenging because it means letting go of our perception of reality, even religious reality. As God draws us into greater intimacy with himself, we are called to walk along the dark and obscure path of faith. This faith is a kind of knowing, but it is dark and obscure because it is beyond the limitations of intellect, reason, and imagination. To experience God “as he is in himself” means to let go of the boundaries, the foot holds, and the crutches that we have used to move forward in our understanding. It can be a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God: Fearful, precisely, because it means letting go of reality as we have known it. 

We can feel as though we are being brought to the edge of insanity and so St. John warns us that we must let go of prudence and its delusion. Prudence often masks a lack of courage. It is a human wisdom that tells us, warns us, not to go to extremes. In this sense, it is good. Yet, it can also be deadly to true faith. It can cripple us with fear and make us choose the path of safety, rather than entrusting ourselves wholly to God.

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Text of chat during the group:

00:14:25 FrDavid Abernethy: Step 24 number 27 page 179

 

00:15:25 Suzanne: Moment of silence for that pie! Yum!!

 

00:15:32 Sean: home made cranberry is killer

 

00:15:44 Suzanne: Replying to "home made cranberry ..."

 

Just made mine!

 

00:31:20 Anthony Rago: The submission of Christians and Muslims who lost children recently in the Holy Land is a concrete example of carrying a cross.

 

00:32:13 Anthony Rago: They take it so graciously

 

00:40:34 Sharon Fisher: Could it be like being wishy-washy,  choosing no path?

 

00:41:02 Cindy Moran: My version reads "cleverness" instead of prudence

 

00:43:35 Fr Marty, ND, 480-292-3381: The reading on our calendar for today was to leave 99 to find one. That doesn't seem prudent

 

00:44:33 Carol: the widow with the 2 mites is imprudent too

 

00:57:50 Fr Marty, ND, 480-292-3381: Over the years, I have at times imitated humility, but never acquired it. I depend on God to grant me humility as His gift and I hope asceticism and prayer helps me recognize and receive it.

 

01:00:48 Suzanne: Reacted to "Over the years, I ha..." with ❤️

 

01:01:10 Fr Marty, ND, 480-292-3381: Sounds like you're saying becoming humble is becoming like Christ. Part of theosis.

 

01:01:13 Santiago Bua: Before humillity is a decision is a prayer for. Greetings from Argentina

 

01:01:16 Louise: Humility baffles me. Maybe humility is something like ''I do not know.

Only God knows.'' In contrast, pride would be ''I know better than God.''

 

01:02:48 Sam: This also reminds me of the need for humility acceptance of spiritual direction as many have fallen along the path to asceticism where pride cones and destroys the child like humility needed through spiritual direction and discernment  of guidance or advice

 

01:04:57 Sean: I practise humility e.g. stepping aside on a narrow walkng path, allowing the other to pass easily or waiting patiently in line saying the Jesus praayer and avoiding the thoughts of 'I'm in a hurry, come on'. I don't know if that makes me humble or making just faking it til i make it.

 

01:05:03 Alexandra K: You recognize your own pride when you are not looking for humility and it comes to you right in your face.

 

01:06:59 Christian Corulli: Are there some points in the spiritual life where we need a spiritual director to grow in humility further?

 

01:08:09 Louise: I am concerned about the diabolic trap of euthanasia offered to people in Canada. Individuals choosing ''medical assistance in dying'' or MAIDS, as part of the ''human dignity to chose,'' are basically saying to God, ''I decide when I die, not You! I chose not to suffer.'' I am afraid that they can only end up in hell. What would the Desert Fathers say?

 

01:13:49 Anthony Rago: I enjoy a particular craft. To really know it, I have to stop reading, stop being distracted by other crafts, and just work, interacting with the metal and tools. In experiencing this vocation it's an analogy to discovering God. You just have to quit the inaction, focus, and do it....and you grow without fixation on laws, on control, on growing.  You just do, and the beauty (& truth & goodness) comes.

 

01:16:53 Suzanne: Thank you, Father, and Happy Thanksgiving to all!

 

01:17:00 Sr Mary of our Divine Savior solt: Reacted to "Thank you, Father, a..." with 🙏🏼

 

01:17:08 Lorraine Green: Thank you Father

 

01:17:21 sue and mark: Thank you.  Happy Thanksgiving.

 

01:17:41 mflory: Thank you!

 

01:17:42 Art: Happy Thanksgiving to all!

 

01:17:46 Sharon Fisher: And to your spirit! Thank you!!

 

01:17:55 Cindy Moran: Happy Thanksgiving Father! Thank you for great session