THE LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF THE ELDERS THE PATH TO A PERFECT LIFE

Many Holy Fathers testify that the guarding of the heart and mind is beneficial to those who, by the grace of God, wish to be spiritually educated. First, we know the words of the Lord Himself, Who said: "Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts... and this defiles a person (Matt. 15. 18). He taught that the inner vessel should be cleansed (Matt. 23:26) and that the Lord should be worshipped in Spirit and truth (Jn. 4. 24). The Apostle also spoke about the same thing: When I pray with my tongue, although my spirit prays, my mind remains without

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Fetus... I will pray in the spirit, I will sing also with the mind (1 Cor. 14. 14). 1ak ska. The Apostle spoke about the prayer of the spirit, and said even more strongly: "I would rather hock five elephants with my mind than ten thousand with my tongue" (1 Cor. 14. 19). St. Agathon remarks: "External work is like a leaf, internal, that is, spiritual, is like fruit." And then we find in him the frightening words: "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire" (Matt. 3. 10; Lux. 3. 9). And the Fathers also said: "Whoever prays only with his lips and forgets about the mind, prays into the air, while God pays attention to the mind."

In former times, not only those of the Holy Fathers who lived in secluded places and distant deserts, but also those who lived in monasteries located near cities or even in crowded cities, kept their minds pure, received grace, and attained impassibility and purity of soul. Thus, for example, Symeon the New Theologian and his elder Simeon, who asceticized in the Studite monastery, shone like luminaries with spiritual gifts in the midst of populous Constantinople. Similar to them is Nicetas Stifatus, and many others. That is why St. Gregory of Sinaite taught sobriety and silence, which consists in guarding the mind, not only of hermits and in the solitude of those who live, but also of those who asceticized in the community.

Like a dog picking up crumbs that fall, I have gathered this little from the great meal of the writings of the Holy Fathers, so that we too may at least partially become their imitators.

From Word 1

On the difference between mental warfare against us, on victory and defeat in it, on strong opposition to the passions

Manifold is the struggle with thoughts that conquer or are defeated, said the Fathers. First there is a "preposition," then a "combination," then a "addition," then a "captivity," and finally a "passion."

A "pretext" is a simple temptation which, like a picture, arises, penetrates into the heart and reveals itself to the mind.

"Combination," as they say, is the acceptance, with or without passion, of temptation from an enemy who is secretly present, in other words, a conversation with him; In this case, we do not push the thought away and allow it to enter our consciousness and be discussed. And this, they say, is already a sin.

"Addition," they say, is the sinful sympathy of the soul with the temptation that appears or its picture; At the same time, whoever accepts temptations or pictures coming from the enemy, occupies his thoughts with them and begins little by little to incline towards the temptation offered.

"Captivity" is when a thought involuntarily and forcibly takes possession of our heart, settles in it, and destroys our good disposition.

"Passion," as they say, is when sin becomes our custom. For the most part, this happens because we treat many people boldly, follow our own will in the worst sense. Passion

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