Gleanings from Orthodox Christian Authors and the Holy Fathers

Living_in_the_world

In Categories: Miscellaneous Topics

Those who live in the world -- or rather who live after the fashion of the world, for this includes many so-called monks -- should try to attain a measure of devotion, as did the righteous men of old, so as to examine their unhappy souls before their death and to amend or humble them, and not to bring them to utter destruction through their total ignorance and their conscious or unconscious sins. David, indeed, was a king; but every night he watered his bed with tears because of his sense of the divine presence (Psalms 6:6). And Job says: "The hair of my flesh stood up" (Job 4:15).

Let us then, like those living in the world, devote at least a small part of the day and night to God; and let us consider what we are going to say in our defense before out righteous Judge on the terrible day of judgment. Let us take trouble over this, for it is essential in view of the threat of age long punishment; and let us not be troubled about how we shall live if we are poor or how we can grow rich so as to give alms, thus stupidly devoting all our attention to worldly matters. REF:St. Peter of Damaskos, "The Bodily Virtues As Tools For The Acquisition Of The Virtues Of The Soul ", from G. E. H. Palmer, Philip Sherrard, and Bishop Kallistos Ware, "The Philokalia: Vol. III," (London: Faber and Faber, 1984), pp. 103 - 104

---