Tag archive for ‘watchfulness’
There was a monk from Rome…
There was a monk from Rome who lived at Scetis near the church. Having lived twenty five years at Scetis, he had acquired the gift of insight and became famous. One of the great Egyptians heard about him and came to see him…
Seven deadly definitions
Sloth… is not merely idleness of mind and laziness of body: it is that whole poisoning of the will which, beginning with indifference and an attitude “I couldn’t care less,” extends to the deliberate refusal of joy and culminates in morbid introspection and despair. One form of it which appeals very much to some modern minds is that acquiescence in evil and error which readily disguises itself as “Tolerance.”
Go Small
Thinking about men I admired, it dawned on me that most had a quiet contempt towards any excess of material possessions. Their expertise and confidence were displayed by the fact that they did not require much to live successfully. Possessions had no control over the trajectory of their lives…
Happiness linked to self-discipline, research says
A Greek word for self-discipline is the root of the Christian idea of “asceticism.” Behavioral people call it “delayed gratification.” Scripture calls it denying oneself and taking up the cross. Nobody ever became an Olympic athlete, a musician, or even an effective professional or a good spouse, without practicing the skills and habits they mean to embody.
The Communion of Prayer
“Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God” (Luke 6:12). Have you ever wondered what Jesus did when He prayed all night? Have you ever tried to pray all night? If your conception of prayer is a monologue of needs, information and requests, then your experience of prayer is either that it is very short or very repetitive…
When peace of heart is a problem
A brother said to an old man, “I see no warfare in my heart.” The old man said to him, “You are a building open on all sides, and whoever wishes can pass through you and you are unaware of it. If you have a door, you should shut it, and not allow evil thoughts to enter through it; for then you will see them standing outside, banging on the door, and attacking you.”
Consent
A brother overcome by lust went to see a great old man and besought him, saying, ‘Be so good as to pray for me, for I am overcome by lust.’ And the old man prayed to God for him. A second time he went to the old man and said the same thing, and once [...]
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