Word from the Desert

Meditations on the Orthodox Life from the Early Church Fathers, Ascetics, Saints and Righteous

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Prayer, fasting, vigils, and all other Christian practices, however good they may be in themselves, certainly do not constitute the aim of our Christian life: they are but the indispensable means of attaining that aim. For the true aim of the Christian life is the acquisition of the Holy Spirit of God. As for fasts, vigils, prayer and almsgiving, and other good works done in the name of Christ, they are only the means of acquiring the Holy Spirit of God. Note well that it is only good works done in the name of Christ that bring us the fruits of the Spirit.
~St. Seraphim of Sarov

In order for one to understand the Saints and Fathers of the [Orthodox] Church, it is not sufficient to merely read them. The Saints spoke and wrote after having lived the mysteries of God. They personally experienced the mysteries.

In order for one to understand them, he too must have progressed to a certain degree of initiation into the mysteries of God by personally tasting, smelling, and seeing. You can read the books of the Saints and become very well versed in them with a ‘cerebral’ knowledge without even minutely tasting that which the Saints tasted who wrote these books through their personal experience.

In order to understand the Saints essentially, not intellectually, you must have the proper experience for all that they say; you must have tasted, at least in part, of the same things as they. You must have lived in the fervent environment of Orthodoxy; you must grown in it… A Whole new world must be born in a Westerner’s heart in order for him to understand something of Orthodoxy.

~Alexandar Kalomiros, Against False Union, 1959

The mysteries of our Faith are unknown and not understandable to those who are not repenting.

~Archpriest Nicholas Deputatov, ‘Awareness of God’ in the Orthodox Word Magazine, July-August 1976

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Tuesday

12May2009

The fathers used to tell...

May 12, 2009 |

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…how Abba Serapion sold himself to some Greek actors in one of the towns for twenty coins. He wrapped up the coins and kept them on himself. He stayed with the actors who had bought him for a long time, until he had made them Christians, and then withdrew from the theater, taking nothing but bread and water. Nor did his mouth ever cease from discussing the Scriptures.

After some time the actor was seized with compassion, then the actress, then their whole family. It was said that for as long as they did not recognize him, he would even wash the feet of both of them. In any case, both were baptized and gave up performing on the stage. They led a holy and pious life, and they had the highest respect for him and told him, “Come, brother, let us set you free, since you freed us from our shameful slavery.” He said to them, “Since God worked grace in your souls and saved you, I may tell you the secrets of my business. I had compassion on your souls. I am a free man, and an Egyptian ascetic, and I sold myself for your sakes so that you might be saved. Now since God brought this about and your souls have been saved through my debasement, take your money so that I may go and help others.” They entreated him and gave their assurance that “we will have you as our own father and master; only stay with us!” Still they could not persuade him. Then they told him, “Give the money to the poor, for it is our first pledge of salvation. But at least visit us once a year.”

Palladius, Lausiac History, 37.2 4
Abba Serapion the Sindonite (Linen-Wearer)
commemorated 14 May