Every week it is as if we are diving into living waters that renew and refresh the soul. This is particularly true of step 26 on Discernment and St. John’s summary towards its conclusion. So often as is true with the Fathers, St. John makes use of concrete and colorful imagery to capture for us the nature of the spiritual life and in this case discernment. 

What one gathers in so many of the teachings is that Faith involves seeing; a pulling back of the veil that allows us to see with perfect clarity the love and the mercy of God. St. John describes the many things that hobble us in that regard: Avarice, pride, attachment to our appetites and desire for the things of this world. It also describes the things that sharpen that vision and open us up to receive the gift of faith. Our pursuit of the virtues, and of the truth in our life lays the foundation to receive the greater gift of eternal Truth. This kind of seeing is not passive but rather involves the whole self. The deepest part of ourselves, the Nous, must be purified by Grace and asceticism so no impediment prevents us from moving toward God. The Nous becomes the “helmsman” then to lead us through the rough waters of this world.

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Text of chat during the group:

00:12:54 FrDavid Abernethy: page 219 number 42   00:49:30 Lisa Smith: It reminds me of the verse where Christ asked if there would be faith in the end time.   00:51:43 Wayne: How do you respond to the remark I am spiritual but not religious?   00:58:48 Lisa Smith: Thoughts on church attendance? I'm struggling with this presently. I'm not Catholic, but I'm interested in this faith. Thank you Fr.   01:00:34 Lisa Smith: 🙏 Thank you   01:03:14 Cindy Moran: Teilhard de Chardin comes to my mind as an example.   01:03:40 Cindy Moran: Too complicated   01:15:07 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂   01:15:10 sprou: did you see that a blind woman Dafne Gutierrez was healed by St Charbel?   01:15:12 Lisa Smith: God bless you Fr. Thanks for sharing   01:15:51 Andrew Adams: Thank you Father!   01:16:02 Jeff O.: Thank you! Great to be with you all.

 

The focus of the Evergetinos this evening was on praying the psalms. However, as always with the writings of the fathers, the focus isn’t simply on the external actions, but the meaning of them. How do we pray as members of the body of Christ? Is there a kind of liturgical asceticism that must match our bodily asceticism?  What is the measure of our prayer? In other words, as those who live in a spirit of repentance and seek purity of heart, how do these realities shape the way we pray. 

The fathers this understood very well our tendency to focus on externals and that we can fall back into a modern day Pharisaism. We can be satisfied with the appearance of religiosity while giving scant attention to what God has revealed to us and the life that he has called us to embrace. Whenever this happens, it not only weakens our capacity to bear witness to Christ but it can undermine the life of the Church as a whole. If our hearts are fragmented by our sin this will manifest itself or be mirrored in liturgy. And when this takes place the entire culture around us - as well as within the church - can collapse. 

It’s a sobering presentation, but something that afflicts the Church in every generation. If the Evil One is going to attack the Church, he is going to attack it at its heart; that is, how we pray.

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Text of chat during the group:

00:25:00 Kate : There’s also the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary which is very suitable for the laity.   00:25:13 Vanessa: Reacted to "There’s also the Lit..." with ❤️   00:25:22 Adam Paige: Reacted to "There’s also the Lit..." with ❤️   00:39:40 iPad (2): That is a wonderful book and he also has a podcast series on the book   00:50:47 Rod Castillo: The Endarkenment   00:54:30 Bob Cihak: Reacted to "The Endarkenment" with 👍   00:57:03 Maureen Cunningham: Oh no   00:57:07 Vanessa: Lol   01:04:40 Kate : Our family has witnessed many a liturgical battle which seemed good and urgent at the time, only to realize that God has been lost in the battle.  The battle took center stage, and striving for holiness took back stage.   01:14:53 Maureen Cunningham: Thank you It is wonderful .   01:15:48 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂   01:15:54 Troy Amaro: Thank You Father.   01:16:22 Andrew Adams: Thank you Father!   01:17:13 Maureen Cunningham: Wonderful choice I trust. The lord is leading you as the Captain of the ship in the studies   01:17:26 Vanessa: Reacted to "Wonderful choice I t..." with 👍   01:17:47 Maureen Cunningham: Where would we find the book   01:17:54 Lorraine Green: Thank you, Father, God bless!  The Divine Office talks sound very good too.

 

As St. John draws us forward with these simple sayings about discernment and its fruit, we begin to see the immeasurable beauty of the ascetic life and the action of God’s grace. The life that God calls us to is not one of frenetic activity but rather the cultivation of purity of heart and humility in order that He might act within us. We do not seek simply freedom from sin but rather the life of the kingdom. It is the love, the virtue, the goodness of Christ that transforms the world. It is our entrance into the Paschal Mystery, the dying and rising of the spiritual life (with and in Christ), that makes the love of the kingdom present to the world. 

The life of the hesychasts, the ascetics who set all aside for Christ, is at the very heart of the church. When we lose sight of their love and desire for God, the church grows cold.  It is in the spirituality of the desert that the church will find renewal; when the minds and the hearts of men and women are open to the beauty of the life that God has called us to by His Grace.

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Text of chat during the group:

00:37:24 Anthony: In a way, some of the response to church scandal has been like an ill- guided peasants crusade.   00:39:35 Anthony: The peasants crusade led to harm for thr peasants   00:54:23 sprou: does solitude equal spiritual warfare?   00:55:33 David: I liked what Bishop Barron said about love being willing the good of the other. (St. John Paul) but first one needs to know what the good is and what is truth.   00:56:03 Vanessa: Reacted to "I liked what Bishop ..." with 👍   00:56:58 Jeff O.: I’ve often wondered about the connection between the cultivation of hesychia and Paul’s admonition to stand in Ephesians 6…it seems there’s some sort of relationship there as it relates to warfare   00:57:01 David: This was in response to a lot of virtue signaling and some of the strange things in our culture.   01:04:43 Kate : A priest told me that hesychia is a form of quietism.  His comment confused me, and I did not know how to reply.   01:06:47 Anthony: Uh oh, Palmas vs Barlaam again..... 😉   01:08:39 David: In Latin America it is common with quasi liberation theology priest and lay people to call them navel gazers but this is just seeing the outside aspect not understanding what is being developed. I always call the fathers the intranauts boldly going to the root of our condition.   01:13:18 David: Holiness attracts and people seek what they feel and see in joy and peace of others. N   01:13:32 Vanessa: Reacted to "Holiness attracts an..." with ❤️   01:13:51 Vanessa: Really enjoying class tonight. Lots of good discussion.   01:14:25 Kate : Father, prior to listening to these classes and discovering the Fathers, my ladder was propped against the wrong wall for years…as you stated earlier.  These classes and the Fathers have so transformed my interior life.   I have only begun to understand the love of God.   01:15:04 Nick Bodmer: Jesus even rebuked Martha because she was discontent that Mary was not being "worldly enough" in her eyes.  The spiritual life was established even while Jesus was still with us.   01:21:40 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂   01:21:51 cmoran: Thank you, Father!   01:21:53 Lisa Smith: Thank you God bless you   01:22:29 Andrew Adams: Thank you, Father! Praying for you!   01:22:33 Jeff O.: Thank you! Blessing to be with you all.   01:22:41 David: Thank you father will pray for you!

 

 

We continued with St. John’s summary of discernment and its particular fruit in the spiritual life. However, it does not read like a summary. Each saying opens us up to a divine reality and a participation in the life of Christ that comes to us by grace and the ascetic life. One cannot help but be captivated by the beauty of what St. John describes. It becomes evident that what we are being drawn into is the very beauty of Christ and that of the kingdom. Grace has the capacity to transform even the darkest of things within us and to illuminate the mind and the heart to see clearly what has eternal value. With the reading of each saying one begins to experience a holy desire growing within the heart. Thanks be to God!

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Text of chat during the group:

00:06:34 FrDavid Abernethy: page 217 page 14   00:25:57 Anthony: He says this while I'm making dinner....   00:31:19 David: Despair is suffering without meaning- Victor Frankl   00:49:34 Eric Ewanco: Reacted to "Κλίμαξ αγίου Ιωάννου.LadderClimatuspdf" with ❤️   00:49:43 Eric Ewanco: Reacted to "TheLadderofDivineAscent.pdf" with 👍   00:50:29 Lisa Smith: Reacted to "TheLadderofDivineAscent.pdf" with 🙏   00:57:24 David: The gate also opens like Grace and one needs to be drawn to the opening in the fence.   01:02:59 Anthony: If our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts....   01:20:11 David: They are finding so much in neuroplasticity that the fathers described ages ago. One the pathways are established it becomes a cycle. Lots of talk about "rewiring the mind". I think fasting might actually help with rewiring because you are not rewarding a undesired behavior.   01:20:36 Rachel: That was in relation to the other discussion   01:21:56 David: No money in fasting   01:22:10 Rebecca Thérèse: Fasting literally rewires the brain because the body starts to generate new neurons after 48 hours of fasting.   01:22:24 Vanessa: Reacted to "Fasting literally re..." with 👍   01:22:30 David: Autophagy as well   01:23:28 Rebecca Thérèse: Reacted to "Autophagy as well" with 👍   01:25:14 Rebecca Thérèse: Autophagy is where the cells start to digest damaged parts of the body and damage interior to cells   01:26:04 Bob Cihak: Autophagy is also known as apoptosis. I call it cellular recycling.   01:26:32 Rebecca Thérèse: Fasting stimulates growth hormone which os useful in repairing damage and is also useful if you're a body builder   01:26:49 Susanna Joy: Love this clas🙏🏻💖   01:26:59 Lisa Smith: Too Fast. Thank you Fr   01:27:41 Sophia: God bless you fr.Abernethy!   01:27:42 Susanna Joy: Thank you, Father.   01:27:42 Art: Thank you Father!   01:27:43 Jeff O.: Thank you!   01:27:43 Cindy Moran: Thank you Father   01:27:43 David: Thank you father !   01:27:51 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂

 

We continued our discussion of prayer and the things that often become an obstacle to it. Much of the discussion this evening focused upon the things that make us lazy or weary in prayer or lead us to drowsiness. One of the important things that the fathers teach us is that sleep is an appetite that is to be ordered like any other appetite. Our life has been given to us for repentance; that is, to turn toward God and to seek to love him with all of our heart. It is this reality that should shape the way that we look at prayer, the way that we discipline ourselves - and yes - even how we sleep.   Rising at night is one of the most wonderful times for prayer for a number of reasons. The mind and the body are humbled. The thoughts are often not moving so rapidly nor the world around us and its noises. Praying at night provides us with an opportunity to enter into deep silence, so as to listen to God and the word he wishes to utter in the depths of our hearts.   Therefore, there are times when we will have to force ourselves in order to strengthen our will to not only bring ourselves to prayer but to remain there. Whenever we experience drowsiness, we must resist it firmly. Often we will give up a discipline when we face difficulty. It is our love for the Lord, however, that must send us out at night seeking He alone who can satisfy the longings of our heart. --- Text of chat during the group:   00:02:04 FrDavid Abernethy: we can hear you   00:02:21 FrDavid Abernethy: page 89   00:21:49 Anthony: I did that. I'd go back. It drove me nuts, playing on scrupulous feelings   00:49:25 Ann Thelen: Quick question regarding food/fasting...how do we deal with the temptation to vanity when we are attempting to fast? We know fasting has wonderful health benefits. One of those benefits is that we look better and more healthy which can feed into vanity.   01:04:22 Anthony: Menaion?   01:17:14 Lisa Smith: Thank you & God bless   01:17:56 Andrew Adams: Thank you Father!   01:17:57 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂   01:18:04 Nicole Dillon: Thank you ☺️   01:18:08 Troy Amaro: Thank You Father. Praying for you.   01:18:19 Ann Thelen: Thank you.   01:18:26 Cindy Moran: Thanks

 

As we come toward the end of Step 26 on Discernment, St. John begins to offer us a summary of all that we have considered in the previous pages. In doing this, he alters his typical way of writing. One may speculate that he does this because of the importance of the virtue of discernment; both in fostering it and in protecting it.  Using brief sayings, very much like those found in the Philokalia, St. John begins to lay out for us the path to perfecting this virtue as well as to speak of the fruits of it in our lives. 

Our capacity to see spiritual realities in an unimpeded fashion allows us to be attentive to all of the vices as well as the remedies that the fathers set before us for overcoming them. In summarizing the step in this fashion, St. John presents us with the truth very much in the way that we receive it from the gospel. It overturns the worldly way of viewing things. It allows us to experience the discomfort of having our sensibilities challenged in regards to our patterns of thought and our most basic desires. It compels us to ask ourselves, “For whom  do I live? Who do I love above all things?”

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Text of chat during the group:

00:02:46 FrDavid Abernethy: page 215   00:02:51 FrDavid Abernethy: number 85   00:03:29 FrDavid Abernethy: number 185   00:08:47 Tracey Fredman: Thank you, Fr. David for referencing the book "Toward God" by Michael Casey. It's amazing!   00:08:57 FrDavid Abernethy: great!!   00:09:11 FrDavid Abernethy: he’s a wonderful writer   00:09:40 Kate : I am reading it too!  It is wonderful.   Like nothing I have read before.   00:09:41 FrDavid Abernethy: his book on lectio divina called Sacred reading is great too   00:26:15 Anthony: Do you have any comments on discerning the origin of thoughts without playing with the thoughts?   00:43:12 Anthony: That makes sense since Eros is a seeking, inquisitive movement.   00:51:38 David Swiderski: Especially prayer with gratitude.   00:52:19 Andy Nguyen: Replying to "Especially prayer wi..."     Yup   00:52:21 Wayne: Reacted to "Especially prayer wi..." with 👍   00:58:03 Lisa Smith: I just read this today.   01:01:41 Andy Nguyen: Social media in general is an addiction   01:02:00 Rod Castillo: I go on to Facebook every day to see what you have posted, Father   01:02:36 Lee Graham: I go to X   01:03:05 Susanna Joy: Reacted to I go on to Facebook ... with "❤️"   01:03:35 Lisa Smith: Yeah, there was a time I would turn the internet off totally. It was easier to pray more fully then. I struggle with that these days.   01:03:44 Susanna Joy: Replying to "I go on to Facebook ..."     I do too...you often...   01:04:26 Lisa Smith: But on the flip side I discovered Eastern Christianity online.   01:04:40 Art iPhone: Reacted to "But on the flip side…" with 👌   01:04:46 Art iPhone: Reacted to "I go on to Facebook …" with 👌   01:05:45 Art iPhone: Your posts Have real value Father.   01:05:49 BRIAN L: Your posting of On the Passion of the Saviour became part of my daily Lenten prayer so thank you 😃   01:09:17 David Swiderski: I have read this before with the Fathers I think Issac and I don't understand the relation between deer and snakes. Deer seem like fragile creatures and I grew up always being close to them. Destroyers of roses and alfalfa yes.   01:11:14 Jeffrey Fitzgerald: Father, what is the next book after Climacus?   01:11:24 Sr Barbara Jean Mihalchick: Prayers, Father!   01:11:38 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂. Have a good retreat🙏   01:11:39 Jeff O.: Many blessings on your time there!!   01:11:49 Lori Hatala: and i will be guilty of jealousy   01:11:53 Susanna Joy: Praying for you.🙏🏻   01:11:55 Wayne: Replying to "Father, what is the ..."   good question   01:11:56 Art iPhone: Prayers!!   01:12:35 Andrew Adams: Thank you Father! Have a blessed retreat!!   01:12:37 David Swiderski: Safe travels and God Bless you father!   01:12:39 Jeff O.: Thank you Father!

 

Breaking the night for prayer!!  The very idea either never comes into the mind of modern Christians or it sends a shudder through the heart. The idea of limiting something like sleep for the sake of prayer, of humbling the mind and body in such a way on purpose and regularly seems to express a type of insanity. Would I not make myself sick or incapable of working the next day if such a practice were embraced in modern times.

Yet, it is a constant practice throughout the spiritual tradition; to sanctify time and foster an urgent longing within the heart for God that causes the soul to rise, even in the night, to seek him. Admittedly, this may require that we simplify our lives. There is already a frenetic pace in our day-to-day lives; a busyness that is almost suffocating. Such makes the idea of adding night prayer to that seem impossible and even frightening.

One can only come to know the fruit of this through experience. In the stillness of the night, impediments that often plague us throughout the course of the day fall away. Creation itself grows quiet and with it the human heart. Such a heart filled with urgent longing for the Lord will rise eagerly and with joy to taste the sweetness of his presence!

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Text of chat during the group:

00:59:01 Anthony: Perhaps a principle issue I'd reconciling the mind / interior thoughts with the heart / the noetic sentiment of affection for one's true calling.   01:02:04 Kate : Do the Fathers differentiate between vocal prayer and mental prayer, or is that a Western distinction?  Is there a recommendation to the kind of prayer that would take place during a night vigil?   01:02:34 Lisa Smith: I find the setting has a huge impact on prayer/ like a noisy city compared to the quiet woods. I find it easiest to pray in a rural solitary place. With minimal distractions   01:03:31 Ann Thelen: what is the best way to discern if waking in the night to prayer is something we are called to? or are we all called to this? Maybe I am overthinking this.   01:06:22 Ann Thelen: fear of failure in this resolve seems to be the thing that immediately presents itself when thinking about rising in the night for prayer.   01:08:42 Lisa Smith: Catherine Daughtery wrote a series called Poustina. I've been meaning to read that.   01:10:38 Wayne: Replying to "Catherine Daughtery ..."   I do have a copy of this book   01:10:58 Lisa Smith: Replying to "Catherine Daughtery ..."   🙏   01:10:59 Ambrose Little: I wouldn’t suggest that’s a healthy model! 😄   01:11:07 Rebecca Thérèse: Before the modern era it was common for the night to be divided into "two sleeps". It was really the industrial revolution that ended this practice.   01:11:50 Ambrose Little: Replying to "I wouldn’t suggest t..."   Saying that as one who’s helped his wife stay sane through 7 kiddos. It’s not a time we want to extend or further.   01:14:47 Anthony: Another ill effect of the "reformation," particularly the English variety.   01:16:37 Anthony: Yes   01:17:15 Ann Thelen: I appreciate the analogy of nursing the baby. We have five children and the youngest is 7 now. My excuse has been that I will be tired if i get in the night to pray. That analogy shed light on my excuse. It actually spoke to my heart saying "Ann, you've done this before. Don't be afraid of it"   01:20:00 Maureen Cunningham: Susan Wesley would put an apron over her head she 12 children everyone new she was in prayer   01:23:31 Lisa Smith: Thank you Fr. God bless you.🙏   01:23:32 Maureen Cunningham: Blessing Father   01:24:09 Andrew Adams: Thank you Father!   01:24:10 Ann Thelen: Thank you   01:24:11 Dave Warner (AL): Thank you Father!   01:24:20 Steve Yu: Thanks, Father!   01:24:22 Maureen Cunningham: You are to kind of   01:24:25 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂   01:24:43 Leilani Nemeroff: Thanks

 

With each passing week, as we read St. John’s thoughts on discernment, we begin to see how it touches every aspect of our life. So often we confuse this gift with intellectually analyzing the circumstances around us or internal experiences and feelings or our perception of others’ actions. 

Yet discernment is not rooted in our private judgment. Rather, it arises out of union and communion with He who is Truth and Love. We engage in the ascetic life and seek purity of heart in order that we comprehend the truth unimpeded, to see things as God sees them and to see and respond to what he wants us to perceive.

Anything less than this leaves us completely vulnerable. St. John says, “let us watch and see which demon uplift us, which cast us down, which harden, which comfort, which darken, which pretend to communicate enlightenment to us, which make us slothful, which make us cunning, which make us sad, and which cheerful.”  It is only in Christ that we have the capacity to see these things. Strength and virtue of any kind comes not from climbing up a ladder of virtue on our own, but rather having Christ live within us. His virtue must become our virtue and his strength must becomes our strength. This is a difficult thing because it means letting go completely of the illusion that we can see the truth of the spiritual realities outside of our relationship with Him. It means being humble.

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00:02:32 FrDavid Abernethy: page 214 number 172   00:26:36 David Swiderski: I struggled with discernment most of my life and got far too intellectual analyizing everything. A  wise friend made a comment that helped me- you only need to think of two things- does this lead us closer to God or away from God.   00:27:10 Lisa Smith: Reacted to "I struggled with dis..." with 👍   00:30:31 David Swiderski: My grandfather always said wisdom is absorbed slowly over time while being intellectual is something to grasp.   00:32:37 Jeff O.: julian of norwich seems to say the same thing about affliction going so far as to say to actually pray for it as it is one of the greatest graces of God.   00:36:27 Lisa Smith: Sufficient is the evil of today, Is that what Christ said?   01:02:47 Johnny Ross: God forgives seven times seventy-so long as the will is there   01:03:12 Vanessa: Reacted to "God forgives seven t..." with ❤️   01:12:15 Kate : At what point and in what circumstances can we make a judgement about a situation?   01:14:50 David Swiderski: Everytime I see arguments on how to make the sign of the cross or taking communion in the hand or on the tongue I feel like both sides want to be right rather than acknowledge each is seeking to get close to God.   01:16:11 David Swiderski: The focus falls to Pride as you mentioned before.   01:19:11 Tracey Fredman: Most recently, Romans 15:1-6 has been quite helpful for me - it's not about pleasing myself, but for building up others and letting go of what I think they should do: St. Paul wrote "... let each of us please our neighbor for the good , for building up. For Christ did not please himself …"   01:23:55 Rebecca Thérèse: God is often presented to us by people who want to control us.   01:24:06 Ambrose Little: Avoid “Catholic” Twitter/X. Social media in general.   01:24:27 sheri: Thanks Father.  Gotta go...   01:24:52 Kevin Burke: Thank You Father!   01:25:30 Andrew Adams: Thank you Father!   01:25:36 Jeff O.: Thank you!!   01:25:36 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂   01:25:43 David Swiderski: Thank you!

 

The fathers continue to speak to us about service and work and the disposition that we are to have in doing it. Our understanding must move from a functional understanding of labor; engaging in it in a way that is determined by private judgment or by the desire for worldly things. 

Everything that we do must be tied to our service of the providence of God. In other words, we are responding to the call of Love. The way that the Christian works and responds to the needs of others (as well as the one’s own needs) is tied to our relationship with the Lord. We are given the task of being the guardian of souls; our own and others’. We are to attend to our own needs, trusting that God will provide us with what is needed. We are to serve others without making excuses for our avoidance or negligence in doing so. 

We are to seek first the kingdom of heaven. This is what shapes everything for us. We always return to the nest of prayer, there to be nourished upon the love and the grace of God. And it is only from that nest that we step out in response to His call to love and serve others. 

So often we fill our life with needless tasks; more often than not to give us a sense of security and safety. Yet to do so draws us away from He who is the Lord of love and the Governor of history; the One who provides for every one of our needs.

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Text of chat during the group:

00:10:07 Ann Thelen: hello everyone. I've been listening to these podcasts for the last year or so. tonight is the first time i've been able to jump in live due to Easter Break. No children's activities. Happy and grateful to be joining you.   00:10:25 Adam Paige: Reacted to "hello everyone. I've..." with 👍   00:10:32 Ambrose Little: Southerner joining early…   00:10:37 FrDavid Abernethy: Reacted to "hello everyone. I've..." with 👍   00:10:41 Lori Hatala: Reacted to "hello everyone. I've..." with 👍   00:18:13 Dave Warner (AL): Reacted to "hello everyone. I've..." with 👍   00:22:01 Steve Yu: Social media has enhanced the spirit of rudeness. I think it has to do with interacting with others in a non physical manner.  We gain a certain “freedom” from politeness and respect, in my opinion.   00:22:15 David C: Reacted to "Social media has enh..." with 👍   00:23:54 Carol Roper: Reacted to "hello everyone. I've..." with 👍   00:24:23 Steve Yu: Cultural difference?   00:40:24 Nypaver Clan: Do you think St. Philip got that imagery from St. Isaac?   00:47:28 Susanna Joy: On the previous section: The bird has to hurry back to the nest because the egg needs warmth or the baby bird is hungry and waiting...what stuck with me from the nido image is taking what gleaned from the world and hurty back to care for this tender growing "baby" life within the love Divine...the goodness received from the sheltering nest of the hand of God...   00:51:34 David C: Reacted to "On the previous sect..." with 👍   00:55:23 Erick Chastain: where are we in the evergetinos?   00:55:41 Nypaver Clan: Top of 85   01:04:49 Ann Thelen: Is there a book or something of the sorts that gives a good recommendation for what the structure of what our daily prayer life should look like as someone who is married or taking care of family. Specifically, the amount of time spent in prayer that should be non negotiable.   01:10:48 Ann Thelen: haha   01:12:47 sharonfisher: Thank you — I needed this instruction and I need to heed it.   01:13:06 Lori Hatala: Reacted to "Thank you — I needed..." with ❤️   01:13:16 Kevin Burke: Me too.. “Prayer is a relationship”     01:13:46 Ann Thelen: Thank you. Thats very helpful   01:16:02 Kevin Burke: Thank you Father, very profound teaching tonight…   01:16:02 sharonfisher: And with your spirit!!   01:16:04 Susanna Joy: When my son was small I was at a retreat, and some were going to devotions while those of us with small ones to the children out on a hike. A community member remarked to me, too bad you cant be in worship...It occured to me that my life with my child is a devotion...   01:16:06 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂   01:16:15 Troy Amaro: Thank You   01:16:20 Erick Chastain: have a good night father   01:16:31 Lisa Smith: God bless   01:16:33 David C: Thank you God Bless all   01:16:40 Susanna Joy: Thank you, Father

 

Discernment, St. John tells us, arises out of humility. It also allows us to see the value of humility in the spiritual life. It is the virtue above all virtues, that we must cling to in the spiritual battle. The enemy will seek to confuse us in one way or another; by flattery or by seemingly knowing our thoughts and placing ideas before us which then make us fear their control over us. However, discernment and humility, both protect our capacity to live in He who is the truth. 

It also allows us to see the truth about ourselves as human beings and our dignity. We are not created with the passions. They rise out of our sin and the distortion of the desire that God has placed in us naturally. It is desire that makes us long for him and the life of virtue and it is anger that allows us to fight the good fight of faith and strike down the evil one and the temptations that are placed before us.  

We also find, over the course of time, that discernment allows us to let go of our judgment and what gives us security in the spiritual life and to trust wholly in God. Therefore, when life seems to crumble around us and all seems to be wrapped in darkness, discernment allows us to step forward with trust in God and his love. While it keeps us from acting in rash way it also protects us from false prudence that hides cowardice and lack of courage. 

What we begin to see is that any struggle in the spiritual life to overcome the passions, any sacrifice that we make to follow the Lord, promises what is beyond imagination. Even to lose all in this world is to lose nothing if we have Christ.

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Text of chat during the group:

00:06:22 Rachel: Hello everyone   00:11:11 Rachel: lol   00:12:42 Rachel: No one will take me😭 I guess trying to convince people what sinners they are and so need to go to the Holy Annointing as well as drive me was not a good stategy   00:13:28 Rachel: I have been but I went to Mass at noon, and others have other obligations   00:13:42 Rachel: When Rory gets home, Ill try to convince him. LOL   00:14:08 Rachel: He will gladly go. He loves the Byzantine Liturgies   00:17:48 Ambrose Little: I resemble that.   00:31:21 David: Virtue is nothing without the trial of temptation, for there is no conflict without an enemy, no victory without strife.-St. Leo the Great   00:33:09 David C: Reacted to "Virtue is nothing wi..." with ❤️   00:34:12 mhinckley: incisive anger: I always struggle with being just with it   00:34:36 David C: Reacted to "incisive anger: I al..." with 👍   00:34:39 mhinckley: not to mention charitable   00:40:01 mhinckley: I have always appreciated the use of "thorn" with sin. You never intentionally grasp for a thorn, only things that thorns surround.   00:40:51 David C: Reacted to "I have always apprec..." with 👍   00:42:58 Rachel: no. he is frozen   00:43:03 Lisa Smith: Same here.   00:43:04 Bob Cihak: Me too.   00:43:08 David C: Yeah he was frozen on my screen as well   00:43:29 Rachel: I only have Rens screen   00:43:38 Bob Cihak: Rising from the Frozen!   00:43:43 sprou: Reacted to "Rising from the Froz..." with 👍   00:43:46 David C: Reacted to "Rising from the Froz..." with 👍   00:47:29 David: I always try to remember what Mother Teresa said - I am a little pencil in the hand of God. At least when good flows through me however I often need frequent sharpening and a good eraser when I write :)   00:48:11 David C: Reacted to "I always try to reme..." with 👍   00:49:53 mhinckley: Reacted to "I always try to reme..." with 👍   00:53:40 Bob Cihak: What about St. Paul? "You have fought the good fight."   00:57:29 Sr Barbara Jean Mihalchick: Examples??   00:59:26 David: Would this be something like instead of dwelling on a temptation and agonizing vs. simply casting the thought from our minds in the beginning?   01:00:26 David: Evargius a good example   01:15:38 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂   01:16:13 Bob Cihak: Blessings to you, Fr.   01:16:20 Andrew Adams: Thank you Father!   01:16:21 David: Thank your Father!   01:16:24 Rachel: thank y ou   01:16:25 Jeff O.: Thank you Father!   01:16:25 mhinckley: buona pasqua tutti!   01:16:31 Semai: Oh i joined late 😭   01:16:38 Sr Barbara Jean Mihalchick: Blessed Easter!   01:16:41 Mitch: Thanks!

 

What a beautiful group! Beauty, however, is not only found in the things that are attractive or appeal to our sensibilities. What is beautiful is found in the truth – the truth that speaks to the depths of our hearts and our religiosity. Once again, the fathers speak to us and present to us the gospel in unvarnished fashion. 

 

What is the disposition that we are to have in our service of God and others? If we give ourselves over to task with obedience, then we can be assured that God will provide all the grace that is necessary. If we do these tasks poorly, if we make mistakes, these do not diminish the value of our work. What gives shape to the work is the love and the humility of Christ. 

 

There are so many things that rush to our minds as to why we cannot bear something or why we cannot do a certain work. However, the fathers show us that so often such things are excuses; that is, plausible lies. They are reasonable because they are rooted in the reality of our own weaknesses. They are lies because they do not take into account the grace and the mercy of God. So often when we take up a task we engage in the labor abstracted from Christ. However, if we simply offer that labor to Christ, if we take it up by his grace and for his glory, then it has more value than we could ever imagine.

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Text of chat during the group:

00:03:54 FrDavid Abernethy: page 78   00:04:01 FrDavid Abernethy: New Hypothesis Tonight   00:06:45 Arthur Danzi: Hi Fr David   00:07:01 Arthur Danzi: I’m fine, how are you?   00:07:06 Arthur Danzi: My internet connection is poor…   00:29:12 Rachel: yes   00:40:27 sharonfisher: Thank you for the comment that even the monks struggle. My priest, after 2.5 or 3 years, revealed that he, too, sometimes struggles to keep the prayer rule. It was helpful to me to hear that.   00:54:21 Rachel: This is a magnificent passage. It needs to be read very slowly. Finding humility, doorkeeper, etc. This is so rich and multilayered. One can only understand through experience I am sure.   00:55:08 Rachel: No,but I think it needs to be unpacked   00:55:17 sharonfisher: 😂   00:55:29 Tracey Fredman: Experiential understanding is really hard to go through, though. This discussion is really helpful to me this evening.   00:55:49 Rachel: There is more to it..when one finds humility, one finds Christ, but what happens when we become the doorkeeper, or christ becomes the doorkeeper of our heart?   00:58:16 Rachel: He speaks about finding salvation by finding humility. Either way, we learn by experience whether we want to or not. But we may not experience what Our Lord desires that we experience. We may go kicking and screaming instead of finding the humility that the desert fathers speak of. He desire that we experience Himself   00:58:21 Liz D: It is consoling that you have shared this Father, about persecition with the Church, thank you. It can difficult to trust people in the Church when one experienced being persecured from within the Church. Also, to remember to go to Christ first-because sometimes I realize I go to God last for some areas of my life. As if in some things I subconsciously believe I am expected (by God) to go it alone--only turning to Jesus for help when things become nearly unbearable   00:58:39 sharonfisher: Reacted to "He speaks about find..." with ❤️   00:59:56 sharonfisher: Reacted to "It is consoling that..." with ❤️   01:00:06 Keith Abraham: Reacted to "It is consoling that…" with ❤️   01:00:56 Rachel: Oh we can trust them alright! trust them to be very human like ourselves lol   01:01:31 Lisa Smith: My favorite verse is where Christ speaks of faith as a grain of mustard seed.   01:01:56 Rachel: I'm too melancholic for my own good, sorry i will be quiet again.   01:02:13 Rachel: lol   01:04:11 Lisa Smith: lol Amen on the doorkeeper, Fr   01:04:23 Adam Paige: Saint Brother André was a porter   01:05:11 Lisa Smith: not for the socially anxious.   01:07:23 Steve Yu: I love the parable of the mustard seed because Jesus starts by comparing the Kingdom to someone who plants such a seed in a garden. The problem with that is someone would have to be crazy to do that. They grow enormous and quite ugly in my opinion. It would ruin a garden.     Isn’t that reflective of the spiritual life? We search for the beautiful garden not realizing that the ugly or inconvenient event may have Christ hidden within. I *think* this is attributable to humility. Christ has us see Him where we least expect Him.   01:09:07 Andrew Adams: Reacted to "I love the parable o..." with ❤️   01:12:48 Keith Abraham: “Domesticating” Christianity is one of the worst things we can do.   01:12:49 Steve Yu: That went by fast   01:12:56 Rebecca Thérèse: thank you🙂   01:13:37 Andrew Adams: Thank you Father!   01:13:42 sharonfisher: And with your spirit!!   01:13:43 Dave Warner (AL): Thank you   01:13:49 Troy Amaro: Thank You