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To go outward we must go inward

CopticSoldierCopticSoldier
edited December 1969 in Coptic Orthodox Church
Hi everyone,

I thought I would start a thread to kindle our evangelic spirit...

How do we stop judging and have the heart of the publican?

How do we stop misplaced criticisms like the apostles who followed after Judas criticising the woman who anointed you for burial under the pretence of helping the poor?

How do we stop being whitewashed tombs who endeavours to appear good in the eyes of others and not clean on the inside where God's Spirit dwells?

How do we follow after Christ's example when he spoke to the Samaritan woman with patience and mercy?

How do we follow Christ's immaculate example and not return evil for evil?

How do we follow the only instruction given to us in the our Father prayer and forgive my debts as my debts have been forgiven?

How do we have the wisdom to know the right time and way to defend and cleanse the temple?

How do we correct our brothers without giving way to anger or hypocrisy?

How do we take lowest seat at the table if we somehow manage to follow all of the commandments?

How do we understand that the greatest will not be the loudest or the cleverest but the one who is servant of all and the one who is the smallest in their own sight?

How do we follow Christ's commandment and not rejoice if we posses any gift such as knowledge, wisdom or learning but that our names are written in God's Kingdom?

How do we defend the truth and remain faithful in never denying God to our last breaths?

How do we live in readiness for Christ coming which will be like a thief in the night?

Glory be to God.

LiD

Comments

  • George_Mina_Awad
    Great questions.

    I'm currently reading St. Augustine's Confessions, and I'm blown away by his perspective on things. It certainly opens up your mind to seek to become Christians in the manner these questions address.
  • CopticSoldierCopticSoldier
    Absolutely!

    I remember that St Philoxenus at the start of his ascetic discourses set out a list of questions about what we need to do to lead a pure life, this is quite a length paragraph on the types of thoughts and how we overcome them and I had an answer to none of these nor do I suspect that many priests in the Churches do either.  We give ourselves an ungodly state of peace when we don't look at the commandments and teachings honestly to understand how we really don't measure up to them in any way, shape or form.  We need to understand the scale Christ measures us against and how short from this we really are and equally how small the spiritual difference is between us and other brothers and sisters who we tend to judge.

    Knowledge is not an excuse to lord oneself over others, if we're called to share the faith with our brothers and sisters, how can we do so if we're filled with conceit and pride much like the serpent who is granted greater gifts of knowledge than us???
  • f753789f753789
    [quote author=LifeInDeath link=topic=11151.msg134898#msg134898 date=1301622656]
    Absolutely!

    I remember that St Philoxenus at the start of his ascetic discourses set out a list of questions about what we need to do to lead a pure life

    Can you post this list? or Direct me to its location? I would love to read it and benefit from it. Thanks! :)
  • CopticSoldierCopticSoldier
    Some of his writings can be found here:

    http://www.ccel.org/ccel/pearse/morefathers/files/index.htm#Philoxenus_of_Hierapolis

    The ascetical discourses on Faith and Simplicity are amazing, if you can handle the antiquated English.

    My friend has also done a commentary which can be found here:

    http://www.erkohet.com/index.php/in-depth/69-patristic-studies/201-spc

    Now those lusts which fight against us in the beginning of our youth are well known, and also those which war against us in the middle of youth, and at the end of the period of youth. And those which fight against us in the beginning, and middle, and end of [our] manhood, and those [which fight against us] in the stage which is after manhood in the self-same manner, even from the beginning until the end of this period, are well known; and also those passions, which in the time of old age war against us until our going forth from the world, and also what are those which come into being from us in infancy and childhood in emotions and natural movements, before the discernment of freewill hath been moved in it, and before we arrive at the knowledge which distinguisheth virtues from vices. And moreover, it is meet that we should know at the time when we are leading the Christian life and doing the works thereof which passion fighteth with which, and which lust contendeth with which, and at the end of that good work what evil thing can be stirred up against us, and how in [our] overcoming one lust another gaineth the victory, and how when we have subdued the lusts of the body there is stirred up against us the war of the passions of the soul, and how when we have cast out the evil thing from us it returneth to array itself with our innermost thoughts, and when we have slain it in our bodily members it cometh to life in the living motions of the soul, and when we have cut it off and cast it out from us it entereth and lieth in ambush that it may be within us. And [we should know] what feeling is born to the soul by the fasting of the body, and what feeling by self-denial, and what feeling by singing psalms and hymns with the voice, and what feeling by prayer in silence, and what feeling by the lack of possessions, and what feeling by poverty of dress. And [we should know] what feeling is born in us by general loving-kindness to all mankind, and what feeling is stirred up in us when our conduct of life is more excellent than that of our brother, and what feelings arise from the knowledge of the mind, and what feelings arise from words of instruction, and what feelings arise from the words which are handed on to us in books. And [we should know] into what feeling we shall fall when we have conquered the lust of the belly in everything, and what feeling is stirred up against us at the end of the triumph of the war against fornication, and what feeling is born in us by obedience to those in authority, and by obedience to every man, and what are the feelings which arise in us when we resist obedience, and by what doctrine the opinion which will not be persuaded by its teachers may be abated, and by what consideration we may root up from ourselves the doubt [which cometh] from knowledge which ariseth in us against our soul. And [we should know] what feelings can be conquered by other feelings, and what lusts can be abated by others, and of what [nature] is the war against things of the body, and of what [nature] is that which is against the things of the soul and against things of the spirit, and [we should know] what it is meet that corporeal beings should do when they wish to overcome the lusts of the body, and what beings endowed with souls [should do] to overcome the passions of the soul, and what spiritual beings [should do] to be delivered from the failings which befall spiritual beings in the country of the spirit. And [we should know] how far the fight can be extended in each one of these series, and how we may know when the emotion of lust springeth from ourselves, and how and when it befalleth us externally at the instigation of the Enemy, and by what things the lust which is born of ourselves and that lust which the Adversary stirreth up against us may be overcome, and whether by any means that same lust can be overcome at all times, or whether in order to overcome at other times other means are necessary to us. And [we should know] how, and by what [means], we may perceive when, either by the power of our endurance or by the grace of God, our lusts have been vanquished by us, and what manner of strife may be stirred up against us when we are among men, and also what manner of strife may be raised up against us when we are in solitude, and how the soul may be especially purified and cleansed, and what place is an assistance to the labour of the body. And [we should know] with what things it is meet that we should begin when we have drawn nigh to the discipleship of Christ, and what feeling will be aroused in us at the praise which may be bestowed upon us by people in authority, whether by reason of our knowledge or on account of our rule of life, and what feeling will be aroused in us when we are applauded by the greater number of the assembly in church. And [we should know] with what thoughts we should observe the onset of passions, and how we may guard ourselves from being disturbed by them when they attack us, and what opinions we may take unto ourselves when we overcome their struggling. And [we should know] how we may obtain the possession of humility, and with what thoughts we may abate in us the pride which is the opposite of humility, and with what minds we may hold fast patience within ourselves. And [we should know] what is the poverty of the body, and what is the renunciation of [the things of this] world, and what is the poverty of the soul, and how when we have made ourselves beggars in respect of the riches of the things which are seen we may possess the wealth of the gifts of Christ. And [we should know] what commandments are meet for us to observe at the beginning of our instruction, and how we should listen to our teachers, who give us counsel and teach us good things, without observing their shortcomings. And [we should know] what power our soul obtaineth from each, one of the virtues which are exercised by us, and how it is meet for us to bear ourselves in a correct manner in the dwellings of our brethren. And [we should know] to what extent it is right for us to fast, and how at all times likewise [we may know] how to add unto or to diminish our bodily food, and how and in what way it is meet for us to endure patiently when the war of lust attacketh us. And [we should know] what to do when we desire to quench the passions of the soul in ourselves, and with what meditation of the mind we may root out enmity from us. And [we should know] how and whence pure prayer is born in us, and what intuitions strike us by the admiration of God, and how we should move within ourselves at all times a passion for God, and how many are the feelings and aspects which belong to this passion for God, and how when we come into a life of contemplation we may preserve our thoughts from wandering outside ourselves. And [we should know] what loss will arise to a man from communion with heretics, and how by human conversations and meetings our heart is made thick, and how the remembrance and the thought of God are darkened. And it is meet that we should know what is fasting of the body, and what is fasting of the soul, and what is fasting of the spirit; and what is purity of the body, and purity of the soul, and purity of the spirit; and what is poverty of the body, and poverty of the soul, and poverty of the spirit. And [we should know] what are the distinguishing characteristics of contemplation of the body, and of the soul, and of the spirit; and how the soul may be taught to fast from evil things, even also in like manner as the body is taught to fast from meats.

    I also have an inkling that Fr Peter has republished some of these writings... :)

    God bless,

    LiD
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