I was becoming more miserable, and Thou nearer.
Confessions
St. Augustine
Category: BEST OF
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Propound to thyself (if thou beest in a capacity) a constant rule of living, of eating and drinking: which though it may not be fit to observe scrupulously, lest it become a snare to thy conscience, or endanger thy health upon every accidental violence; yet let not thy rule be broken often nor much, but upon great necessity and in small degrees.
—Rev. Jeremy Taylor, On Christian Sobriety – Rules for obtaining temperance., The Whole Works of the Right Rev. Jeremy Taylor, Volume 3. THE RULE AND EXERCISES OF HOLY LIVING AND DYING….: The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living and Dying
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If you’ve been taught that it is okay to be in this self-sacrificed type of environment and stay away from relationships, you will never, ever grow. That is not spirituality.
That spirituality that says, I’m going to be on my own—read, pray, do whatever, and I don’t care about anybody else—you are not part of the body of Christ. You are dismembering yourself from the body of Christ.
—Fr. Paul Girguis, Redeeming the Time: Setting Boundaries
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In his heart, he knows those of whom it was said that they were “light.” The righteous person is light, of whom the Lord said: “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5.14). If such a person is in any place, darkness disappears because of his light. It is as if a lamp were placed in a dark place, so that darkness is dispersed and the place becomes luminous. The same thing happens with the presence of the righteous in any place they stay; light spread and darkness disappears.
Similarly, with the saints, because of their spiritual reverence, darkness can find no opportunity for itself in their presence. Sinners are embarrassed to be around them on account of their dignity and holiness. No one dares in their presence to act in a degrading way, or say a bad word, but rather he is ashamed of himself and his conduct. The people present feel that a spiritual atmosphere has prevailed in that place as a result of the presence of one of these righteous people. If there was a sinful talk before their entrance, it stops, and everyone is quiet and the darkness disappears when they enter. No one can sin in their presence.
Are you the same? Have you become light after your repentance? Have you become even a small candle, giving dim light but in any case dispersing darkness? If you have not become such a light, then be very cautious of darkness. Remember at all times the saying of the Lord: “Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning” (Luke 12.35).
—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, The Life of Repentance and Purity -
Each of us, then, should be cautious. If you have repented, then listen to this advice: It is not enough to come out of Sodom, if you do not continue to Zoar. Lot’s wife came out of Sodom, with her hand in the hand of the angel. She was not burned with the burning city. She did not, however, continue walking with God, but looked back (Genesis 19.16). She perished by one look. How terrifying!
Be cautious, then, about looking behind you. Think no longer about the world you left for the sake of the Lord. Do not try to remember the pleasures of sin from which you repented. Do not in any way look back, but rather “stretch forward.” Try to grow in your repentance without returning to sin.
—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, The Life of Repentance and Purity -
Whoever repents, bearing his disgrace, accepts two types of punishment. The first type is the punishment he inflicts on himself, whether by bitter reprimand or by forbidding himself from things he loves, so that he renounces this world he previously loved. The second type is all of the punishments that come to him from the outside, whether from God or from other people. He accepts all of these punishments with satisfaction, without grumbling or complaining. He is convicted by them and feels that they are less than what he deserves.
Even those punishments which afflict him unjustly he also accepts with satisfaction, like what happened to Saint Ephraim the Syrian. He was imprisoned once unjustly, so he accepted this and said that he deserved it for an old sin which had no relation to this matter.
—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, The Life of Repentance and Purity -
But if you love God, then you will be unable to sin, and the wicked one cannot touch you (1 John 3.9, 5.18).
Then the commandments will not be burdensome. Instead, the sin will be burdensome. The sin will be difficult, for no matter how the enemy tries to pressure your will, you resist and refuse to sin, and you say with all your heart: “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Genesis 39.9). You will find the Lord’s commandments joyful and luminous, enlightening the eyes (Psalm 18.9). Repentance becomes easy for you, and from it you obtain purity of heart.
—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, The Life of Repentance and Purity -
Obedience is rendered first to God, and from His love proceeds all other love. Obedience is rendered first to God, and from this obedience proceeds all other obedience. The Bible said about the obedience of parents: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right” (Ephesians 6.1). It is thus an essential obedience, but “in the Lord.”
Jonathan did not obey his father Saul in his persecution of David but rather rebuked him, saying: “Why then do you sin against innocent blood, to put David to death without cause?” (1 Kingdoms 19.5). King Saul was a cause of stumbling to his son Jonathan, but Jonathan overcame this stumbling. In the same way King Solomon, even though he had a great respect for his mother Bathsheba, did not obey her in her intercession for Adonijah, his brother (3 Kingdoms 2.19-23).
The limit of obedience precludes stumbling. From your association with people and your experiences in life, you can realize the sources of stumbling for you. Benefit, then, from this experience by surrounding yourself with a pure atmosphere as much as you can. Those whom you cannot avoid physically, avoid with respect to your thoughts and direction of life.
—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, The Life of Repentance and Purity
