Today I thought I would offer
you a few quotations from Theophan the Recluse (1815-94), a Russian priest and
monk and eventually hermit. I’ve quoted him in the past and I discovered his
writings in a book called The Art of
Prayer which is an anthology of writings of Russian mystics from the 19th
century.
Today’s selections are about
anger and the passions and the use of the Jesus Prayer to help dispel them.
On the face of it, there is nothing at all in the world over which it
is worth losing our temper; for what is more valuable than the soul and its
peace? This peace is destroyed by anger.
Deep in the heart we cling to our right to judge and punish others for
their sins, instead of ourselves. That is all there is to it. If a man saw
himself as a sinner, being vividly conscious of all the consequences of sin,
anger would be far from him.
We recognize that God permits troubles to come in order to try us and
thus demonstrate the strength of our virtue; and this helps us to preserve our
temper in such cases, for we believe that God Himself is watching us at such a
moment.
. . . examine our thoughts and feelings, so as to discover which way
they tend: towards pleasing God or towards pleasing ourselves. It is quite easy
to do this. All you have to do is to watch yourself.
Self-gratification is the cause of all evils. If you examine all the
bad things that you have done, you will see that in each case they originated
from pandering to yourself.
As a general rule, decide whether a thing is permissible by the effect
it produces within. Permit yourself what
is constructive, but never what is destructive.
. . . we must direct all our attention to this warfare against the
passions—and that is constant remembrance of the Lord and prayer to Him.
Acquiring the habit of the Jesus Prayer is the external aspect of this weapon.
In its inner reality, it may best be described as ‘being always at home’.
We must stay always in our heart with the Lord, calling to Him; and
this banishes everything evil.
There is no need . . . to be disturbed and perplexed when passions rise
up from our fallen nature or when they are spurred on by evil spirits. Since
passions are tamed by prayer, when they arise we should practice the Jesus
Prayer inwardly, very quietly and without haste: little by little this will
allay the upsurging passions.
When you talk to someone, above all refrain from upsetting him by
aggressiveness, or by expressing an opinion directly opposed to his, from an
obvious desire to have your own way. It is the enemy who inspires you to do
this, in order to start an argument and by this means to bring about discord.
Avoid equally speaking of spiritual things in order to display your own wisdom.
This too is a suggestion of the enemy, and if you follow it you will be laughed
at by men and will gain God’s displeasure.
God bless you.
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