Gleanings from Orthodox Christian Authors and the Holy Fathers

memory

3 Entries

First the memory brings some passion-free thought into the intellect. By its lingering there, passion is aroused. When the passion is not eradicated, it persuades the intellect to assent to it. Once the assent is given, the actual sin is then committed. St. Maximos the Confessor (First Century on Love no. 84)

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Not to accept some temptation through one sense or another is easily managed; but it is very difficult to control the imagination and memory of it, once it is accepted. For example, to see or not to see some face, or to look at it with passion or without passion, is not very difficult and does not need much effort; but after you have seen it and looked at it with passion, to banish from your memory the image of this face is already not easy, but demands much effort and no small inner struggle. And the enemy can play with your soul as with a ball, tossing your attention from one memory to another, stirring up desires and passions beneath them, and so keeping you always in a passionate state. Therefore I say to you: stay awake and, above all, watch imagination and memory. Lorenzo Scupoli (Unseen Warfare: Chapter 26)

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133. When the enemy has booked against a man many forgotten sins, he forces his debtor to recall them in memory, taking full advantage of 'the law of sin' (cf. Rm 8:2). REF:Saint Kosmas Aitolos +1779

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