The Ladder of Divine Ascent - Chapter XXVIII, Part III

Joy! Suddenly, as we read through the Ladder of Dive Ascent every cross, every struggle in the spiritual life, while still present, begins to fade into the background. The costs involved in this struggle pales in comparison to the blessings and the fruits that God bestows upon us, especially prayer .

St. John places before us the essentials of prayer - as well as what can undermine it. We continue to struggle to confine our thoughts and then to completely still the mind and the heart. When this takes place, prayer becomes perfection and rapture in the Lord. 

This joy, however, especially among the anchorites is marked by humility. One does not expose the deepest elements of the most intimate relationship indiscriminately with others. In any case, it would be impossible to do so. As we are drawn along in faith, as we begin to encounter and experience God as he is in himself, words fail us.

What we must do is hold on to what is precious. Imperfections and anxieties can pull us away from God and our trust in his love. Furthermore the evil one is ever set on disrupting that relationship. Plotting and conniving as he is, he will stir an emotion within our heart; or influence another to engage us in such a way so as to agitate or distract. But we must keep our eyes upon the Beloved. 

St. John asks, “For what have I in heaven? Nothing. And what have I desired on earth beside Thee? Nothing, but to cling continually to Thee in prayer without distraction.”  Hearing these words, one can never look upon prayer simply as an activity or discipline. It is life. It is love. We are to become prayer.

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Text of chat during the group: 

00:06:52 Bob Cihak, AZ: P. 235, # 19

 

00:11:46 Myles Davidson: Greetings from New Zealand! (my apologies for turning up at the end of the last session… got the time zone conversion wrong). Anyway, delighted to be here. These discussions have been an immeasurable blessing to this baby Catholic. Thanking you profusely Father, and God bless you and your ministry!!

 

00:20:15 Myles Davidson: Do you have any tips for developing watchfulness of thoughts. Is this just a constant practice of mindfulness of thought?

 

00:29:37 Kate : What about the publication of saints’ diaries or journals?  What would the Fathers say about this?

 

00:30:01 Anthony: Replying to "What about the publi..." 

 

 I love this question

 

00:30:36 iPhone: Can you explain vigils? Is it vespers and compline?

 

00:31:17 Rod Castillo: My Life in Christ by John of Kronstadt ????

 

00:32:42 Anthony: So the idea popular in "evangelicalism" (and now with Catholics and Orthodox) of a tell-all conversion story is not appropriate.

 

00:33:02 Jeff O.: Reacted to "So the idea popular ..." with 🎯

 

00:34:59 iPhone: This is a fascinating topic, this saying too much   Thank you

 

00:35:31 Rebecca Thérèse: Is there any evidence of changes in attitudes towards publishing personal spiritual journals since the advent of the printing press?

 

00:37:00 iPhone: Why is this tell-all trend happening? Because so many people have not read the Fathers?

 

00:37:23 iPhone: Blogs! Immodesty personified!

 

00:37:30 Myles Davidson: People aren’y going to confession perhaps?

 

00:56:33 Anthony: Wow.  So excessive chasing after goods and the obsession with trans- stuff us a war on prayer.

 

01:03:27 Rebecca Thérèse: There was a real antipathy towards ancestral religions by many of the founders of modern psychology and psychiatry including Freud. There are also nefarious financial and political interests in these areas

 

01:06:37 Bob Cihak, AZ: Too true. Too often, it's the easy way out, just prescribing drugs.

 

01:07:48 Nypaver Clan: An instructor I had at Duquesne U.  who was a therapist, often said that the majority of her clients would have best been served in the confessional.

 

01:13:01 Cameron Jackson: Thank you Father. A great blessing.

 

01:13:05 Leilani Nemeroff: Thank you, Father! This is a Blessing!

 

01:13:42 Cindy Moran: Thank you Father!

 

01:13:43 Andrew Adams: Thank you, Father!

 

01:13:45 David: Thank you father!

 

01:13:47 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂

 

01:13:51 Jeff O.: Thank you! Great to be with you all.