22강

[김창원요한]

하느님 등정의 사다리

   가. The passions that pertain to the body differ from those that pertain to the soul

St Gregory of Sinai The passions that pertain to the body differ from those that pertain to the soul . . .

Icon of St. Gregory of SinaiThe passions that pertain to the body differ from those that pertain to the soul; those affecting the appetitive faculty differ from those affecting the incensive faculty; and those of the intelligence differ from those of the intellect and the reason.

But all intercommunicate, and all collaborate, the bodily passions with those of the appetitive faculty, passions of the soul with those of the incensive faculty, passions of the intelligence with those of the intellect, and passions of the intellect with those of the reason and of the memory.

+ St. Gregory of Sinai

   나. John Climacus Biography Ἰωάννης τῆς Κλίμακος

Born ca. 525 C.E. in Syria Died March 30, 606 C.E. Feast March 30

John Climacus (Ἰωάννης τῆς Κλίμακος) (ca. 525 – March 30, 606 C.E.), also known as John of the Ladder, John Scholasticus and John Sinaites, was a sixth century Christian monk at the monastery on Mount Sinai. He is best known for his pious and prayerful lifestyle, which culminated in the composition of the "Ladder of Divine Ascent" (Scala Paradisi)—a practical manual detailing the stages along the path to spiritual truth. Though originally intended for an ascetic audience, the Scala gradually became a classic account of Christian piety.

Biography

As with many other Syrian monastic saints, little is known of the life of John Climacus prior to his high profile involvement with the monastery at Mount Sinai. In particular, different accounts provide varied (and mutually exclusive) renditions of his early life, with some claiming that he sought the monastic novitiate as early as sixteen and others that he joined the order after the premature death of his young wife.[1] Regardless of the specific circumstances of his entrance into monastic life, John thrived in this new environment and, after completing his novitiate under Martyrius, he withdrew to a hermitage at the foot of the mountain to practice further austerities.

In the year 560, and the thirty-fifth of his age, he lost Martyrius by death; having then spent nineteen years in that place in penance and holy contemplation. By the advice of a prudent director, he then embraced an eremitical life in a plain called Thole, near the foot of Mount Sinai. His cell was five miles from the church, probably the same which had been built a little before, by order of the Emperor Justinian, for the use of the monks at the bottom of this mountain, in honour of the Blessed Virgin, as Procopius mentions. Thither he went every Saturday and Sunday to assist, with all the other anchorets and monks of that desert, at the holy office and at the celebration of the divine mysteries, when they all communicated. His diet was very sparing, though, to shun ostentation and the danger of vainglory, he ate of everything that was allowed among the monks of Egypt, who universally abstained from flesh and fish. Prayer was his principal employment; and he practiced what he earnestly recommends to all Christians, that in all their actions, thoughts, and words they should keep themselves with great fervour in the presence of God, and direct all they do to his holy will. By habitual contemplation he acquired an extraordinary purity of heart, and such a facility of lovingly beholding God in all his works that this practice seemed in him a second nature. Thus he accompanied his studies with perpetual prayer. He assiduously read the holy scriptures and fathers, and was one of the most learned doctors of the church.[2]

After forty years of prayer, study and quiet contemplation, when John was about seventy-five years of age, the monks of Sinai persuaded him to accept the leadership of their abbey (ca. 600 C.E.). He acquitted himself in this role with the greatest wisdom, and his reputation spread so far that Pope Gregory the Great wrote to recommend himself to his prayers, and sent him a sum of money for the hospital of Sinai, where the pilgrims were wont to lodge. At this time, he also wrote the Ladder of Divine Ascent, a manual of ascetic practice that has remained a staple of Christian devotionalism throughout the fourteen centuries since its composition (as described below). Four years later, he resigned his charge and returned to his hermitage to prepare for death:

St. John sighed continually under the weight of his dignity during the four years that he governed the monks of Mount Sinai; and as he had taken upon him that burden with fear and reluctance, he with joy found means to resign the same a little before his death. Heavenly contemplation, and the continual exercise of divine love and praise, were his delight and comfort in his earthly pilgrimage: and in this imitation of the functions of the blessed spirits in heaven he placeth the essence of the monastic state. In his excellent maxims concerning the gift of holy tears, the fruit of charity, we seem to behold a lively portraiture of his most pure soul. He died in his hermitage on the 30th day of March, in 605, being fourscore years old.[3]

The Ladder of Divine Ascent

The Scala Paradisi ("Ladder of Divine Ascent" or Klimax (from which the name "John Climacus" was derived)), John's textbook of practical spirituality, is addressed to anchorites and cenobites, and treats of the means by which the highest degree of religious perfection may be attained. Divided into thirty parts ("steps") in memory of the thirty years of the hidden life of Christ, it presents a picture of the virtuous life of an idealized ascetic, brought into sharp focus through the use of a great many parables and historical touches. Unlike many spiritual texts, whose meaning is often obfuscated through mystical language, the Scala is notable for its practical, incremental approach to theosis (the divinization of the mortal flesh). To this end, it is one of the first Christian texts to recommend the practice of Hesychasm—the quelling of internal conflicts and stimuli in the service of spiritual ends. As suggested in the Scala, "Hesychasm is the enclosing of the bodiless mind (nous) in the bodily house of the body."[4]

Further, the book discusses monastic virtues and vices and holds dispassionateness (apatheia) as the ultimate contemplative and mystical good for an observant Christian. This attitude is pithily presented in the second "step" of the ladder, "On Detachment":

If you truly love God and long to reach the kingdom that is to come, if you are truly pained by your failings and are mindful of punishment and of the eternal judgment, if you are truly afraid to die, then it will not be possible to have an attachment, or anxiety, or concern for money, for possessions, for family relationships, for worldly glory, for love and brotherhood, indeed for anything of earth. All worry about one's condition, even for one's body, will be pushed aside as hateful. Stripped of all thought of these, caring nothing about them, one will turn freely to Christ. One will look to heaven and to the help coming from there, as in the scriptural sayings: "I will cling close to you" (Ps. 62:9) and "I have not grown tired of following you nor have I longed for the day or the rest that man gives" (Jer. 17:16).

It would be a very great disgrace to leave everything after we have been called—and called by God, not man—and then to be worried about something that can do us no good in the hour of our need, that is, of our death. This is what the Lord meant when He told us not to turn back and not to be found useless for the kingdom of heaven. He knew how weak we could be at the start of our religious life, how easily we can turn back to the world when we associate with worldly people or happen to meet them. That is why it happened that when someone said to Him, "Let me go away to bury my father," He answered, "Let the dead bury the dead" (Matt. 8:22).[5]

The teachings of the Scala were sufficiently prominent to justify their visual representation in iconic form (as seen above). These icons generally depict several people climbing a ladder; at the top is Jesus, prepared to receive the climbers into Heaven. Also shown are angels helping the climbers, and demons attempting to shoot with arrows or drag down the climbers, no matter how high up the ladder they may be. As with all Orthodox icons, one of the primary functions of these images was to engender the teachings of the text in such a way that it was understandable even to those who were unable to experience it directly (due to the preval‎‎ence of illiteracy and the paucity of physical texts).

The ladder image, more visually compelling for a start, was in any case used for a substantially different purpose. Though not the only structural principle in operation in the work, this device, with its thirty steps, supplies a definite, if somewhat lightly attached, framework. It is true that the text of Climacus, as laid out, does not show anything like a strict hierarchical progression from one spiritual step to the next; however, it is not quite fair to conclude, as is sometimes done, that the presentation of vices and virtues is unsystematic. In fact, as Guerric Couilleau has demonstrated, there is a surprisingly high degree of pattern to be detected in groups of steps and some subtle thematic correspondences between groups and individual topics within them. One might call this logical or even theological order, because it is based on doctrinal content.[6]

   다. Ladder of divine ascent Step 2 On detachment 번호순 인용색인

1. The man who really loves the Lord, who has made a real effort to find the coming Kingdom, who has really begun to be troubled by his sins, who is really mindful of eternal torment and judgment, who

really lives in fear of his own departure, will not love, care or worry about money, or possessions, or parents, or worldly glory, or friends, or brothers, or anything at all on earth. But having shaken off all ties with earthly things and having stripped himself of all his cares, and having come to hate even his own flesh, and having stripped himself of everything, he will follow Christ without anxiety or hesitation, always looking heavenward and expecting help from there, according to the word of the holy man: My soul sticks close behind Thee,6 and according to the ever-memorable author who said: I have not wearied of following Thee, nor have I desired the day (or rest) of man, O Lord.7

2. After our call, which comes from God and not man, we have left all that is mentioned above, and it is a great disgrace for us to worry about anything that cannot help us in the hour of our need—that is to say, the hour of our death. For as the Lord said, this means looking back and not being fit for the Kingdom of Heaven.8 Knowing how fickle we novices are and how easily we turn to the world through visiting, or being with, worldly people, when someone said to Him: ‘Suffer me first to go and bury my father,’ our Lord replied, ‘Leave the dead to bury their own dead.’9

1 Proverbs iv, 28.

2 Numbers xx, 57.

3 Ecclesiastes iv, 10.

4 St. Matthew xviii, 20.

5 The order of these words varies in different MSS.

6 Psalm lxii, 9. (R.V. Psalm lxiii, 8); ‘My soul followeth hard after Thee’. Using the Old Latin, Agglutinata est

anima mea post Te, my soul is glued behind Thee, St. Augustine asks: ‘What is that glue? It is love.’ And St.

Chrysostom compares this close union to the nails of the Cross.

7

Jeremiah xvii, 16.

8 St. Luke ix, 62.

9 St. Matthew viii, 22.

6

3. After our renunciation of the world, the demons suggest to us that we should envy those living in the world who are merciful and compassionate, and be sorry for ourselves as deprived of these virtues. The aim of our foes is, by false humility, either to make us return to the world, or, if we remain monks, to plunge us into despair. It is possible to belittle those living in the world out of conceit; and it is also possible to disparage them behind their backs in order to avoid despair and to obtain hope.

4. Let us listen to what the Lord said to the young man who had fulfilled nearly all the commandments: ‘One thing thou lackest; sell what thou hast and give to the poor1 and become a beggar who receives alms from others.’

5. Having resolved to run our race with ardour and fervour, let us consider carefully how the Lord gave judgment concerning all living in the world, speaking of even those who are alive as ‘dead’, when

He said to someone: Leave those in the world who are ‘dead’ to bury the dead in body.2 His wealth did not in the least prevent the young man from being baptized. And so it is in vain that some say that the Lord commanded him to sell what he had for the sake of baptism. This3 is more than sufficient to give us the most firm assurance of the surpassing glory of our vow.

6. It is worth investigating why those who live in the world and spend their life in vigils, fasts, labours and hardships, when they withdraw from the world and begin the monastic life, as if at some trial or on the practising ground, no longer continue the discipline of their former spurious and sham asceticism. I have seen how in the world they planted many different plants of the virtues, which were watered by vainglory as by an underground sewage pipe, and were hoed by ostentation, and for manure were heaped with praise. But when transplanted to a desert soil, in accessible to people of the

world and so not manured with the foul-smelling water of vanity, they withered at once. For waterꠓloving plants are not such as to produce fruit in hard and arid training fields.

7. The man who has come to hate the world has escaped sorrow. But he who has an attachment to anything visible is not yet delivered from grief. For how is it possible not to be sad at the loss of something we love? We need to have great vigilance in all things. But we must give our whole attention to this above everything else. I have seen many people in the world, who by reason of cares, worries, occupations and vigils, avoided the wild desires of their body. But after entering the monastic life, and in complete freedom from anxiety, they polluted themselves in a pitiful way by the disturbing demands of the body.

8. Let us pay close attention to ourselves so that we are not deceived into thinking that we are following the strait and narrow way when in actual fact we are keeping to the wide and broad way.

The following will show you what the narrow way means:mortification of the stomach, all-night standing, water in moderation, short rations of bread, the purifying draught of dishonour, sneers, derision, insults, the cutting out of one’s own will, patience in annoyances, unmurmuring endurance of scorn, disregard of insults, and the habit, when wronged, of bearing it sturdily; when slandered, of not being indignant; when humiliated, not to be angry; when condemned, to be humble. Blessed are they who follow the way we have just described, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.4

9. No one will enter the heavenly bridechamber wearing a crown unless he makes the first, second and third renunciation. I mean the renunciation of all business, and people, and parents; the cutting out

of one’s will; and the third renunciation, of the conceit that dogs obedience. ‘Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate,’ saith the Lord, ‘and touch not the unclean world.’5 For who amongst them has ever worked any miracles? Who has raised the dead? Who has driven out devils? No one. All these

1 St. Mark x, 21.

2 St. Matthew viii, 22.

3

I.e. the story of the rich young man.

4 St. Matthew v, 3—12.

5 2 Corinthians vi, 17.

7are the victorious rewards of monks, rewards which the world cannot receive; and if it could, then what is the need of asceticism or solitude?

10. After our renunciation, when the demons inflame our hearts by reminding us of our parents and brethren, then let us arm ourselves against them with prayer, and let us inflame ourselves with the

remembrance of the eternal fire, so that by reminding ourselves of this, we may quench the untimely fire of our heart.

11. If anyone thinks he is without attachment to some object, but is grieved at its loss, then he is completely deceiving himself.

12. If young people who are prone to the desires of physical love and to luxurious ways wish to enter the monastic life, let them exercise themselves in all fasting and prayer, and persuade themselves to abstain from all luxury and vice, lest their last state be worse than the first.1 This harbour provides safety, but also exposes one to danger. Those who sail the spiritual seas know this. But it is a pitiful sight to behold those who have survived perils at sea suffering shipwreck in harbour. This is the second step. Let those who run the race imitate not Lot’s wife but Lot himself, and flee.

   라. mourning Step 7 On mourning which causes joy.

ladder of divine ascent online

1. Mourning, according to God, is sadness of soul, and the disposition of a sorrowing heart, which ever madly seeks that for which it thirsts; and when it fails in its quest, it painfully pursues it, and follows in its wake grievously lamenting. Or thus: mourning is a golden spur in a soul which is stripped of all attachment and of all ties, fixed by holy sorrow to watch over the heart.

2. Compunction is a perennial testing of the conscience which brings about the cooling of the fire of the heart through spiritual confession. And confession is a forgetfulness of nature, if anyone because of this really forgot to eat his bread.1(시편102.5)

3. Repentance is the cheerful deprival of every bodily comfort.

4. A characteristic of those who are still progressing in blessed mourning is temperance and silence of the lips, and of those who have made progress—freedom from anger and patient endurance of injuries; and of the perfect—humility, thirst for dishonours, voluntary craving for involuntary afflictions, noncondemnation of sinners, compassion even beyond one’s strength. The first are acceptable, the second laudable; but blessed are those who hunger for hardship and thirst for dishonour, for they shall have their fill of the food that does not cloy.

5. If you possess the gift of mourning, hold on to it with all your might. For it is easily lost when it is not firmly established. And just as wax melts in the presence of fire, so it is easily dissolved by noise and bodily cares, and by luxury, and especially by talkativeness and levity.

6. Greater than baptism itself is the fountain of tears after baptism, even though it is somewhat audacious to say so. For baptism is the washing away of evils that were in us before, but sins committed after baptism are washed away by tears. As baptism is received in infancy, we have all defiled it, but we cleanse it anew with tears. And if God in His love for mankind had not given us tears, few indeed and hard to find would be those in a state of grace.2 (Lit. ‘who are being saved’.)

7. Groanings and sorrows cry to the Lord. Tears shed from fear intercede for us; but tears of all-holy love show us that our prayer has been accepted.

8. If nothing goes so well with humility as mourning, certainly nothing is so opposed to it as laughter.

9. Keep a firm hold of the blessed joy-grief of holy compunction, and do not stop working at it until it raises you high above the things of this world and presents you pure to Christ.

10. Do not cease to picture and scrutinize the dark abyss of eternal fire, and the merciless servants, the unsympathetic and in exorable Judge, the bottomless pit of subterranean flame, the narrow descents to the awful underground chambers and yawning gulfs, and all such things, so that the sensuality in our soul may be checked by great terror and give place to incorruptible chastity, and itself receive the shining of the immaterial light which radiates beyond any fire.

11. During prayer and supplication stand with trembling like a convict standing before a judge, so that both by your outward appearance as well as by your inner disposition you may extinguish the wrath of the just Judge; for He will not despise a widow soul standing before Him burdened with sorrow and wearying the Unwearying One.3(루까18 5)

12. He who has obtained heartfelt tears will find any place convenient for mourning. But he whose weeping is only outward show will spend endless time discussing places and manners. Just as hidden treasure is safer from robbery than that exposed in the market, so let us apply this to what we have just said.

13. Do not be like those who in burying their dead first lament over them and then get drunk for their sake. But be like the prisoners in the mines who are flogged every hour by the gaolers.

14. He who sometimes mourns and sometimes indulges in luxury and laughter is like one who stones the dog of sensuality with bread. In appearance he is driving it away, but in fact he is encouraging it to be constantly with him.

15. Be concentrated without self-display, withdrawn into your heart. For the demons fear concentration as thieves fear dogs.

16. It is not to a wedding banquet that we have been called here—certainly not—but He who has called us has called us here to mourn for ourselves.

17. When they weep, some force themselves unseasonably to think of nothing at all during this blessed time, not realizing that tears without thought are proper only to an irrational nature and not to a rational one. Tears are the product of thought, and the father of thought is a rational mind.

18. Let your reclining in bed be for you an image of your declining into your grave—and you will sleep less. Let your refreshment at table be for you a reminder of the grim table of those worms—and you will be less luxurious. And in drinking water, do not forget the thirst of that flame—and you will certainly refuse your nature all it wants.

19. When we suffer from the Superior honourable dishonour, scolding or punishment, let us remember the fearful sentence of the Judge, and we shall kill with meekness and patience, as with a two-edgedsword, the irrational sorrow and bitterness which will certainly be sown in us.

20. The sea wastes with time, as Job says.1 And with time and patience the things of which we have spoken are gradually acquired and perfected in us.

21. Let the remembrance of the eternal fire lie down with you every evening, and let it rise with you too. Then sloth will never overwhelm you at the time of psalmody.

22. Let your very dress urge you to the work of mourning, because all who lament the dead are dressed in black. If you do not mourn, mourn for this cause. And if you mourn, lament still more that you have brought yourself down from a painless state to a painful one by your sins.

23. In the case of tears as in everything else our good and just Judge will certainly take into consideration the strength of our nature. For I have seen small tear-drops shed with difficulty like drops of blood, and I have also seen fountains of tears poured out without difficulty. And I judged those toilers more by their toil than by their tears, and I think that God does too.

24. Theology will not suit mourners, for it is of a nature to dissolve their mourning. For the theologian is like one who sits in a teacher’s seat, whereas the mourner is like one who spends his days on a dung heap and in rags. That is why David, so I think, although he was a teacher and was wise, replied to those who questioned him when he was mourning: ‘How shall I sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?‘2 —that is to say, the land of passions.

25. Both in creation and in compunction there is that which moves itself and that which is moved by something else. When the soul becomes tearful, moist and tender without effort or trouble, then let us run, for the Lord has come uninvited, and is giving us the sponge of God-loving sorrow and the cool water of devout tears to wipe out the record of our sins. Guard these tears as the apple of your eye until 1Job xiv, ii.2 Another reading is: ‘how shall we sing… (Cf. Psalm cxxxvi, 4.)40they withdraw. Great is the power of this compunction—greater than that which comes as a result of our effort and meditation.1

26. He who mourns when he wishes has not attained the beauty of mourning, but rather he who mourns on the subjects of his choice, and not even on these, but on what God wants. The ugly tears of vainglory are often interwoven with mourning which is pleasing to God. Acting devoutly, we shall find this out by experiment when we see ourselves mourning and still doing evil.

27. Genuine compunction is pain of soul shorn of all elation,2 in which it gives itself no relief but hourly imagines only its dissolution; and it awaits, like cool water, the comfort of God who comforts humble monks.

28. Those who have obtained mourning in the depth of their being hate their own life as something painful and wearisome, and a cause of tears and sufferings; and they turn and flee from their body as from an enemy.

29. When we see anger and pride in those who seem to be mourning in a way pleasing to God, then their tears are to be regarded as a repugnant to God. For what fellowship has light with darkness?3

30. The fruit of morbid compunction is self-esteem, and the fruit of meritorious compunction is consolation.

31. Just as fire is destructive of straw, so are pure tears destructive of all material and spiritual impurity.

32. Many of the Fathers say that the question of tears, especially in the case of beginners, is an obscure matter and hard to ascertain, as tears are born in many different ways. For instance, there are tears from nature, from God, from adverse suffering, from praise worthy suffering, from vainglory, from licentiousness, from love, from the remembrance of death, and from many other causes.

33. Let us, stripped by the fear of God, train ourselves in all these ways, and acquire for ourselves pure and guileless tears over our dissolution. For there is no dissimulation or self-esteem in them, but on the contrary there is purification, progress in love for God, washing away of sin and the sublimation of the passions to dispassion.

34. It is not surprising if mourning begins with good tears and ends with bad. But it is praiseworthy if reprehensible and natural tears are sublimated to spiritual tears. People inclined to vainglory understand this problem clearly.

35. Do not trust your fountains of tears before your soul has been perfectly purified. For wine cannot be trusted when it is drawn straight from the vats.

36. No one will dispute that all our tears according to God are profitable. But we shall only know at the time of our death what the profit is.

37. He who wends his way in constant mourning according to God does not cease to feast daily; but eternal weeping awaits him who does not cease to feast bodily.

38. Convicts in prison have no joy or delight, and true monks have no feast on earth. Perhaps that is why that excellent mourner, sighing, said: ‘Bring my soul out of prison4 that it may rejoice henceforward in Thy ineffable light.’

39. Be like a king in your heart, seated high in humility, and commanding laughter: Go, and it goes; and sweet weeping: Come, and it comes; and our tyrant and slave, the body: Do this, and it does it.1

(1 Note in this paragraph the difference between ascetical and mystical activity.2 Or, ‘unwavering pain of soul’.3 2 Corinthians vi, 14.4 Psalm cxli, 8.)

40. He who is clothed in blessed and grace-given mourning as in a wedding garment knows the spiritual laughter of the soul.

41. Can anyone be found who has spent all his days in the monastic life so piously that he has never lost a day, or hour, or moment, but has spent all his time for the Lord, bearing in mind that never inyour life can you see the same day twice?

42. Blessed is the monk who can lift up the eyes of his soul to the spiritual powers. But he is truly safe from falling who from the remembrance of sin and death constantly moistens his cheeks with living waters from his bodily eyes. And it is not hard for me to believe that the second condition leads on to the first.

43. I have seen shameless petitioners and beggars with clever words soon incline even the hearts of kings to compassion. And I have seen men poor and needy in virtue, with words not clever but rather humble, vague and stumbling, call shamelessly and persistently from the depths of a desperate heart upon the Heavenly King and by their violence force His inviolable nature and compassion.2

44. . He who in his heart is proud of his tears, and secretly condemns those who do not weep, is like a man who asks the king for a weapon against his enemy, and then commits suicide with it.

45. My friends, God does not ask or desire that man should mourn from sorrow of heart, but rather that out of love for Him he should rejoice with spiritual laughter. Remove sin, and the tear of sorrow is superfluous for your eyes of sense. What is the use of a bandage when there is no wound? Before his transgression, Adam had no tears, just as there will be none after the resurrection when sin will be abolished; for pain, sorrow and sighing will then have fled away.3

46. In some I have seen mourning, and in others I have seen mourning for lack of mourning. Though having it, they are as if they were without it. And through this splendid ignorance they remain inviolate; and of them it is said: The Lord makes wise the blind.4

47. Tears often lead frivolous people to pride, and that is why they are not given to some. And such people, seeking tears in vain, consider themselves unfortunate, and condemn themselves to sighing, lamentation, sorrow of soul, deep grief and utter dismay. All of which, though profitably regarded by them as nothing, can safely take the place of tears.

48. If we watch carefully we shall often find a bitter joke played on us by the demons. For when we are full they stir us up to compunction, and when we are fasting they harden our heart so that, being deceived by spurious tears, we may give ourselves up to indulgence which is the mother of passions. We must not listen to them but rather do the opposite.

49. When I consider the actual nature of compunction I am amazed at how that which is called mourning and grief should contain joy and gladness interwoven within it like honey in the comb. What then are we to learn from this? That such compunction is in a special sense a gift of the Lord. There is then in the soul no pleasureless pleasure, for God consoles those who are contrite in heart in a secret way. But as an inducement to most splendid mourning and profitable sorrow, let us hear a soulprofiting and most pitiful story.

50. There lived here a certain Stephen who had embraced an eremitic and solitary life, and had spent many years in the monastic training. His soul was especially adorned with tears and fasting, and was bedecked with other good achievements. He had a cell on the slope of this holy mountain where the holy prophet and seer Elijah once lived. But later this famous man resolved upon a more effective, austere and stricter repentance, and went to a place of hermits called Siddim. There he spent several 1 St. Matthew viii, 9.2 Cf. St. Matthew xi, Il; St. Luke xvi, i6.3Isaiah xxxv, 10. Cf. Apocrypha vii, 17; xxi, 4.4 Psalm cxlv, 8.42years in a life of great austerity. This place was bereft of every comfort, and was almost untrodden by the foot of man, being about seventy miles from the fort.1 Towards the end of his life the elder returned to his cell on the holy mountain where he had two extremely pious disciples from Palestine who took care of the elder’s cell. Having passed a few days there he fell into the illness from which he died. On the day before his death, he went into ecstasy of mind and with open eyes he looked to the right and left of his bed and, as if he were being called to account by someone, in the hearing of all the bystanders he said: ‘Yes indeed, that is true; but that is why I fasted for so many years.’ And then again: ‘Yes, it is quite true; but I wept and served the brethren.’ And again: ‘No, you are slandering me.’ And sometimes he would say: ‘Yes, it is true. Yes, I do not know what to say to this. But in God there is mercy.’ And it was truly an awful and horrible sight—this in visible and merciless inquisition. And what was most terrible, he was accused of what he had not done. How amazing! Of several of his sins the hesychast and hermit said: ‘I do not know what to say to this,’ although he had been a monk for nearly forty years and had the gift of tears. Alas, alas! Where was then the voice of Ezekiel to say to the tormentor: ‘As I find you, I will judge you, says God.’2 Truly he could not say anything of the sort. Why? Glory to Him who alone knows! And some, as before the Lord, told me that he even fed a leopard from his hand3 in the desert. And while being thus called to account he was parted from his body, leaving us in uncertainty as to his judgment, or end, or sentence, or how the trial ended.

51. Just as a widow bereft of her husband and having an only son finds in him her sole comfort after the Lord, so for a soul that has fallen there is no other consolation at the time of its departure but the toils of fasting and tears.

52. People like that never sing, nor do they shout loudly to themselves in songs, because such things dissipate mourning. And if you hope to summon it by such means, then you are a long way from achieving your aim. For mourning is the characteristic pain of a soul on fire.

53. In many people mourning has been the precursor of blessed dispassion, and it prepared, ploughed, and got rid of sinful matter.

54. One skilled practiser of this virtue told me: ‘Frequently, as soon as I tried to surrender myself to vanity, or anger, or over-eating, the thought of mourning protested within me and said: “Do not be vain, or I shall leave you.” And so too, at the urge of other passions. And I would say to the thought: “I shall never disobey you until you present me to Christ.”’

55. The abyss of mourning has seen comfort, and purity of heart has received illumination. Illumination is an ineffable activity which is unknowingly perceived and invisibly seen. Comfort is the solace of a sorrowing soul which, like a child, at once both whimpers to itself and shouts happily. Divine intervention is the renewal of a soul depressed by grief which in a wonderful way transforms painful tears into painless ones.

56. Tears over our departure produce fear; and when fear begets fearlessness, joy dawns. And when joy is unfailingly obtained, holy love bursts into flower.

57. Drive away with the hand of humility every transitory joy, as being unworthy of it, lest by readily admitting it you receive a wolf instead of a shepherd.

58. Do not hasten to contemplation when it is not time for contemplation, that it may pursue and embrace the beauty of your humility, and unite with you for ever in immaculate marriage.

59. As soon as a baby begins to recognize its father, it is all filled with joy. But if the father goes away for a time on business and then comes home again, the child becomes full of joy and sorrow—joy at seeing the beloved, and sorrow at being deprived for so long of that fair beauty. And a mother 1 See above, p. 37, note 143.2 Cf. Ezekiel xxxiii, 13—20. This ‘unwritten saying’ of Christ is recorded by St. Justin (Dial. 47).3 Another reading is: ‘reared a leopard by hand’.43sometimes hides herself from her child, and when she sees with what sorrow it seeks her, she is delighted; for thus she teaches it to be attached to her for ever, and fans the flame of its love for her. He who has ears to hear, let him hear, says the Lord.1

60. A condemned man, who has heard the death sentence, will not worry about how theatres are managed. So too, he who is truly lamenting will never return to luxury, or glory, or anger, or irritability. Mourning is the characteristic sorrow of a penitent soul who adds sorrow to sorrow, as a woman suffers when she bears a child.

61. Just and holy is the Lord.2 He leads him who is reasonably silent into reasonable compunction, and He daily gladdens him who is reasonably submissive. But he who does not practise rightly one of these two ways is deprived of mourning.

62. Drive away the hell-dog that comes at the time of your deepest mourning, and suggests that God is not merciful or compassionate. For if you watch it, you will find that before the sin he calls God loving, compassionate and forgiving.

63. Practice3 produces habit, and perseverance grows into a feeling of the heart; and what is done with an ingrained feeling of the heart is not easily eradicated.

64. However great may be the life we lead, if we have not acquired a contrite heart we may count it stale and spurious. For this is essential, truly essential if I may say so, for those who have again been defiled after baptism that they should cleanse the pitch from their hands with unceasing fire of heart and with the oil of God.

65. I have seen some who had attained to the last degree of mourning; for I saw them literally pouringout of their mouths the blood of a suffering and wounded heart. And I remembered him who said: ‘I am cut down like grass, and my heart is withered.’4

66. Tears caused by fear bring protection with them. But tears produced by love which has not attained perfection, as may happen in the case of some, are easily stolen away. Unless perhaps the memory of the eternal fire, at the times of its effective influence, should kindle the heart. And it is surprising how much safer is the humbler way in its season.

67. There are material substances which dry the fountains of our tears, and there are others which give birth to mud and reptiles in them. From the former Lot had illicit intercourse with his daughters, and from the latter the devil fell from heaven.5

68. Our enemies are so wicked that they turn even the mothers of virtues into the mothers of vices, and those things which make for humility, they make into a cause for pride. Frequently the very setting and sight of our dwellings are of a nature to rouse our mind to compunction. Let Jesus, Elijah and John who prayed alone convince you of this. I have often seen tears provoked in cities and crowds to make us think that crowds do us no harm and so draw nearer to the world. For this is the aim of the evil spirits.

69. One word has often dispelled mourning. But it would be a wonder indeed if one word brought it back.

70. When our soul leaves this world we shall not be blamed for not having worked miracles, or for not having been theologians or contemplatives. But we shall certainly have to give an account to God of why we have not unceasingly mourned. 1 St. Luke xiv, 35.2 Psalm cxliv, 18.3I.e. practice of mourning.4 Psalm ci, 5.5 Genesis xix, 30—8. ‘Materials’ that dry up tears are wine and food taken to excess, while honours, power and authority are fuel for pride.44This is the seventh step. May he who has been found worthy of it help me too; for he himself has already been helped, since through this seventh step he has washed away the stains of this world.

   마. On Discrimination in respect of Passions and Thoughts

Evagrios the Solitary

1. Of the demons opposing us in the practice of the ascetic life, there are three groups who fight in the front line: those entrusted with the appetites of gluttony, those who suggest avaricious thoughts, and those who incite us to seek the esteem of men. All the other demons follow behind and in their turn attack those already wounded by the first three groups. For one does not fall into the power of the demon of unchastity, unless one has first fallen because of gluttony; nor is one's anger aroused unless one is fighting for food or material possessions or the esteem of men. And one does not escape the demon of dejection, unless one no longer experiences suffering when deprived of these things. Nor will one escape pride, the first offspring of the devil, unless one has banished avarice, the root of all evil, since poverty makes a man humble, according to Solomon (cf. Prov. 10:4. LXX). In short, no one can fall into the power of any demon, unless he has been wounded by those of the front line. That is why the devil suggested these three thoughts to the Savior: first he exhorted Him to turn stones into bread; then he promised Him the whole world, if Christ would fall down and worship him; and thirdly he said that, if our Lord would listen to him, He would be glorified and suffer nothing in falling from the pinnacle of the temple. But our Lord, having shown Himself superior to these temptations, commanded the devil to 'get behind Him'. In this way He teaches us that it is not possible to drive away the devil, unless we scornfully reject these three thoughts (cf. Matt. 4:1-10).

2. All thoughts inspired by the demons produce within us conceptions of sensory objects; and in this way the intellect, with such conceptions imprinted on it, bears the forms of these objects within itself. So, by recognizing the object presented to it, the intellect knows which demon is approaching. For example, if the face of a person who has done me harm or insulted me appears in my mind, I recognize the demon of rancor approaching. If there is a suggestion of material things or of esteem, again it will be clear which demon is troubling me. In the same way with other thoughts, we can infer from the object appearing in the mind which demon is close at hand, suggesting that object to us. I do not say that all thoughts of such things come from the demons; for when the intellect is activated by man it is its nature to bring forth the images of past events. But all thoughts producing anger or desire in a way that is contrary to nature are caused by demons. For through demonic agitation the intellect mentally commits adultery and becomes incensed. Thus it cannot receive the vision of God, who sets us in order; for the divine splendor only appears to the intellect during prayer, when the intellect is free from conceptions of sensory objects.

3. Man cannot drive away impassioned thoughts unless he watches over his desire and incensive power. He destroys desire through fasting, vigils and sleeping on the ground, and he tames his incensive power through longsuffering, forbearance, forgiveness and acts of compassion. For with these two passions are connected almost all the demonic thoughts which lead the intellect to disaster and perdition. It is impossible to overcome these passions unless we can rise above attachment to food and possessions, to self-esteem and even to our very body, because it is through the body that the demons often attempt to attack us. It is essential, then, to imitate people who are in danger at sea and throw things overboard because of the violence of the winds and the threatening waves. But here we must be very careful in case we cast things overboard just to be seen doing so by men. For then we shall get the reward we want; but we shall suffer another shipwreck, worse than the first, blown off our course by the contrary wind of the demon of self-esteem. That is why our Lord, instructing the intellect, our helmsman, says in the Gospels: 'Take heed that you do not give alms in front of others, to be seen by them; for unless you take heed, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.' Again, He says: 'When you pray, you must not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in synagogues and at street-corners, so as to be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they get the reward they want. . . . Moreover when you fast, do not put on a gloomy face, like the hypocrites; for they disfigure their faces, so that they may be seen by men to be fasting. Truly I say to you, they get the reward they want' (cf. Matt. 6: 1-18). Observe how the Physician of souls here corrects our incensive power through acts of compassion, purifies the intellect through prayer, and through fasting withers desire. By means of these virtues the new Adam is formed, made again according to the image of his Creator - an Adam in whom, thanks to dispassion, there is 'neither male nor female' and, thanks to singleness of faith, there is 'neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free; but Christ is all, and in all' (Gal. 3:28; Col. 3: 10:11).

4. We shall now enquire how, in the fantasies that occur during sleep, the demons imprint shapes and forms on our intellect. Normally the intellect receives these shapes and forms either through the eyes when it is seeing, or through the ears when it is hearing, or through some other sense, or else through the memory, which stirs up and imprints on the intellect things which it has experienced through the body. Now it seems to me that in our sleep, when the activity of our bodily senses is suspended, it is by arousing the memory that the demons make this imprint. But, in that case, how do the demons arouse the memory? Is it through the passions? Clearly this is so, for those in a state of purity and dispassion no longer experience demonic fantasies in sleep. There is also an activity of the memory that is not demonic: it is caused by ourselves or by the angelic powers, and through it we may meet with saints and delight in their company. We should notice in addition that during sleep the memory stirs up, without the body's participation, those very images which the soul has received in association with the body. This is clear from the fact that we often experience such images during sleep, when the body is at rest.

Just as it is possible to think of water both while thirsty and while not thirsty, so it is possible to think of gold with greed and without greed. The same applies to other things. Thus if we can discriminate in this way between one kind of fantasy and another, we can then recognize the artfulness of the demons. We should be aware, too, that the demons also use external things to produce fantasies, such as the sound of waves heard at sea.

5. When our incensive power is aroused in a way contrary to nature, it greatly furthers the aim of the demons and is an ally in all their evil designs. Day and night, therefore, they are always trying to provoke it. And when they see it tethered by gentleness, they at once try to set it free on some seemingly just pretext; in this way, when it is violently aroused, they can use it for their shameful purposes. So it must not be aroused either for just or for unjust reasons; and we must not hand a dangerous sword to those too readily incensed to wrath, for it often happens that people become excessively worked up for quite trivial reasons. Tell me, why do you rush into battle so quickly, if you are really above caring about food, possessions and glory? Why keep a watchdog if you have renounced everything? If you do, and it barks and attacks other men, it is clear that there are still some possessions for it to guard. But since I know that wrath is destructive of pure prayer, the fact that you cannot control it shows how far you are from such prayer. I am also surprised that you have forgotten the saints: David who exclaims, 'Cease from anger, and put aside your wrath’ (Ps. 37:8. LXX); and Ecclesiastes who urges us, 'Remove wrath from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh' (Eccles. 11:10. LXX); while the Apostle commands that always and everywhere men should 'lift up holy hands, without anger and without quarrelling’ (1 Tim. 2:8). And do we not learn the same from the mysterious and ancient custom of putting dogs out of the house during prayer? This indicates that there should be no wrath in those who pray. 'Their wine is the wrath of serpents' (Deut. 32:33. LXX); that is why the Nazarenes abstained from wine.

It is needless to insist that we should not worry about clothes or food. The Savior Himself forbids this in the Gospels: 'Do not worry about what to eat or drink, or about what to wear' (cf. Matt. 6:25). Such anxiety is a mark of the Gentiles and unbelievers, who reject the providence of the Lord and deny the Creator. An attitude of this kind is entirely wrong for Christians who believe that even two sparrows which are sold for a farthing are under the care of the holy angels (cf. Matt. 10: 29). The demons, however, after arousing impure thoughts, go on to suggest worries of this kind, so that 'Jesus conveys Himself away', because of the multitude of concerns in our mind (cf. John 5:13). The divine word can bear no fruit, being choked by our cares. Let us, then, renounce these cares, and throw them down before the Lord, being content with what we have at the moment; and living in poverty and rags, let us day by day rid ourselves of all that fills us with self-esteem. If anyone thinks it shameful to live in rags, he should remember St Paul, who 'in cold and nakedness' patiently awaited the 'crown of righteousness' (2 Cor. 11:27; 2 Tim. 4:8). The Apostle likened this world to a contest in an arena (cf. 1 Cor. 9:24); how then can someone clothed with anxious thoughts run for 'the prize of the high calling of God' (Phil. 3:14), or 'wrestle against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world' (Eph. 6:12)? I do not see how this is possible; for just as a runner is obstructed and weighed down by clothing, so too is the intellect by anxious thoughts - if indeed the saying is true that the intellect is attached to its own treasure; for it is said, 'where your treasure is, there will your heart be also' (Matt. 6:21).

6. Sometimes thoughts are cut off, and sometimes they do the cutting off. Evil thoughts cut off good thoughts, and in turn are cut off by good thoughts. The Holy Spirit therefore notes to which thought we give priority and condemns or approves us accordingly. What I mean is something like this: the thought occurs to me to give hospitality and it is for the Lord's sake; but when the tempter attacks, this thought is cut off and in its place he suggests giving hospitality for the sake of display. Again, the thought comes to me of giving hospitality so as to appear hospitable in the eyes of others. But this thought in its turn is cut off when a better thought comes, which leads me to practice this virtue for the Lord's sake and not so as to gain esteem from men.

7. We have learnt, after much observation, to recognize the difference between angelic thoughts, human thoughts, and thoughts that come from demons. Angelic thought is concerned with the true nature of things and with searching out their spiritual essences. For example, why was gold created and scattered like sand in the lower regions of the earth, to be found only with much toil and effort? And how, when found, is it washed in water and committed to the fire, and then put into the hands of craftsmen who fashion it into the candlestick of the tabernacle and the censers and the vessels (cf. Exod. 25:22-39) from which, by the grace of our Savior, the king of Babylon no longer drinks (cf. Dan. 5:2, 3)? A man such as Cleopas brings a heart burning with these mysteries (cf. Luke 24:32). Demonic thought, on the other hand, neither knows nor can know such things. It can only shamelessly suggest the acquisition of physical gold, looking forward to the wealth and glory that will come from this. Finally, human thought neither seeks to acquire gold nor is concerned to know what it symbolizes, but brings before the mind simply the image of gold, without passion or greed. The same principle applies to other things as well.

8. There is a demon, known as the deluder, who visits the brethren especially at dawn, and leads the intellect about from city to city, from village to village, from house to house, pretending that no passions are aroused through such visits; but then the intellect goes on to meet and talk with old acquaintances at greater length, and so allows its own state to be corrupted by those it encounters. Little by little it falls away from the knowledge of God and holiness, and forgets its calling. Therefore the solitary must watch this demon, noting where he comes from and where he ends up; for this demon does not make this long circuit without purpose and at random, but because he wishes to corrupt the state of the solitary, so that his intellect, over-excited by all this wandering, and intoxicated by its many meetings, may immediately fall prey to the demons of unchastity, anger or dejection - the demons that above all others destroy its inherent brightness.

But if we really want to understand the cunning of this demon, we should not be hasty in speaking to him, or tell others what is taking place, how he is compelling us to make these visits in our mind and how he is gradually driving the intellect to its death - for then he will flee from us, as he cannot bear to be seen doing this; and so we shall not grasp any of the things we are anxious to learn. But, instead, we should allow him one more day, or even two, to play out his role, so that we can learn about his deceitfulness in detail; then, mentally rebuking him, we put him to flight. But because during temptation the intellect is clouded and does not see exactly what is happening, do as follows after the demon has withdrawn. Sit down and recall in solitude the things that have happened: where you started and where you went, in what place you were seized by the spirit of unchastity, dejection or anger and how it all happened. Examine these things closely and commit them to memory, so that you will then be ready to expose the demon when he next approaches you. Try to become conscious of the weak spot in yourself which he hid from you, and you will not follow him again. If you wish to enrage him, expose him at once when he reappears, and tell him just where you went first, and where next, and so on. For he becomes very angry and cannot bear the disgrace. And the proof that you spoke to him effectively is that the thoughts he suggested leave you. For he cannot remain in action when he is openly exposed. The defeat of this demon is followed by heavy sleepiness and deadness, together with a feeling of great coldness in the eyelids, countless yawnings, and heaviness in the shoulders. But if you pray intensely all this is dispersed by the Holy Spirit.

9. Hatred against the demons contributes greatly to our salvation and helps our growth in holiness. But we do not of ourselves have the power to nourish this hatred into a strong plant, because the pleasure-loving spirits restrict it and encourage the soul again to indulge in its old habitual loves. But this indulgence - or rather this gangrene that is so hard to cure - the Physician of souls heals by abandoning us. For He permits us to undergo some fearful suffering night and day, and then the soul returns again to its original hatred, and learns like David to say to the Lord: 'I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them my enemies' (Ps. 139: 22). For a man hates his enemies with perfect hatred when he sins neither in act nor in thought - which is a sign of complete dispassion.

10. Now what am I to say about the demon who makes the soul obtuse? For I am afraid to write about him: how, at his approach, the soul departs from its own proper state and strips itself of reverence and the fear of God, no longer regarding sin as sin, or wickedness as wickedness; it looks on judgment and the eternal punishment of hell as mere words; it laughs at the fire which causes the earth to tremble; and, while supposedly confessing God, it has no understanding of His commandments. You may beat your breast as such a soul draws near to sin, but it takes no notice. You recite from the Scripture, yet it is wholly indifferent and will not hear. You point out its shame and disgrace among men, and it ignores you, like a pig that closes its eyes and charges through a fence. This demon gets into the soul by way of long-continuing thoughts of self-esteem; and unless 'those days are shortened, no flesh will be saved' (Matt. 24:22).

This is one of those demons that seldom approach brethren living in a community. The reason is clear: when people round us fall into misfortune, or are afflicted by illness, or are suffering in prison, or meet sudden death, this demon is driven out; for the soul has only to experience even a little compunction or compassion and the callousness caused by the demon is dissolved. We solitaries lack these things, because we live in the wilderness and sickness is rare among us. It was to banish this demon especially that the Lord enjoined us in the Gospels to call on the sick and visit those in prison. For 'I was sick,' He says, 'and you visited Me' (Matt. 25:36).

But you should know this: if an anchorite falls in with this demon, yet does not admit unchaste thoughts or leave his cell out of listlessness, this means he has received the patience and self-restraint that come from heaven, and is blessed with dispassion. Those, on the other hand, who profess to practice godliness, yet choose to have dealings with people of the world, should be on their guard against this demon. I feel ashamed to say or write more about him.

11. All the demons teach the soul to love pleasure; only the demon of dejection refrains from doing this, since he corrupts the thoughts of those he enters by cutting off every pleasure of the soul and drying it up through dejection, for 'the bones of the dejected are dried up' (Prov. 17:22. LXX). Now if this demon attacks only to a moderate degree, he makes the anchorite more resolute; for he encourages him to seek nothing worldly and to shun all pleasures. But when the demon remains for longer, he encourages the soul to give up, or forces it to run away. Even Job was tormented by this demon, and it was because of this that he said: '0 that I might lay hands upon myself, or at least ask someone else to do this for me' (Job 30:24. LXX).

The symbol of this demon is the viper. When used in moderation for man's good, its poison is an antidote against that of other venomous creatures, but when taken in excess it kills whoever takes it. It was to this demon that Paul delivered the man at Corinth who had fallen into sin. That is why he quickly wrote again to the Corinthians saying: 'Confirm‎‎ your love towards him . . . lest perhaps he should be swallowed up with too great dejection' (2 Cor. 2:7-8). He knew that this spirit, in troubling men, can also bring about true repentance. It was for this reason that St John the Baptist gave the name 'progeny of vipers' to those who were goaded by this spirit to seek refuge in God, saying: 'Who has warned you to flee from the anger to come? Bring forth fruits, then, that testify to your repentance; and do not think that you can justsay within yourselves. We have Abraham as our father' (Matt. 3:7-9). But if a man imitates Abraham and leaves his country and kindred (cf. Gen. 12:1), he thereby becomes stronger than this demon.

12. He who has mastery over his incensive power has mastery also over the demons. But anyone who is a slave to it is a stranger to the monastic life and to the ways of our Savior, for as David said of the Lord: 'He will teach the gentle His ways' (Ps. 25:9). The intellect of the solitary is hard for the demon to catch, for it shelters in the land of gentleness. There is scarcely any other virtue which the demons fear as much as gentleness. Moses possessed this virtue, for he was called 'very gentle, above all men' (Num. 12:3). And David showed that it makes men worthy to be remembered by God when he said: 'Lord, remember David and all his gentleness' (Ps. 132:1. LXX). And the Savior Himself also enjoined us to imitate Him in His gentleness, saying: 'Learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart: and you will find rest for your souls' (Matt. 11:29). Now if a man abstains from food and drink, but becomes incensed to wrath because of evil thoughts, he is like a ship sailing the open sea with a demon for pilot. So we must keep this watchdog under careful control, training him to destroy only the wolves and not to devour the sheep, and to show the greatest gentleness towards all men.

13. In the whole range of evil thoughts, none is richer in resources than self-esteem; for it is to be found almost everywhere, and like some cunning traitor in a city it opens the gates to all the demons. So it greatly debases the intellect of the solitary, filling it with many words and notions, and polluting the prayers through which he is saying anything that contributes to the sense of your own importance.

14. When the intellect of the solitary attains some small degree of dispassion, it mounts the horse of self-esteem and immediately rides off into cities, taking its fill of the lavish praise accorded to its repute. But by God's providence the spirit of unchastity now confronts it and shuts it up in a sty of dissipation. This is to teach it to stay in bed until it is completely recovered and not to act like disobedient patients who, before they are fully cured of their disease, start taking walks and baths and so fall sick again. Let us sit still and keep our attention fixed within ourselves, so that we advance in holiness and resist vice more strongly. Awakened in this way to spiritual knowledge, we shall acquire contemplative insight into many things; and ascending still higher, we shall receive a clearer vision of the light of our Savior.

15. I cannot write about all the villainies of the demons; and I feel ashamed to speak about them at length and in detail, for fear of harming the more simple-minded among my readers. But let me tell you about the cunning of the demon of unchastity. When a man has acquired dispassion in the appetitive part of his soul and shameful thoughts cool down within him, this demon at once suggests images of men and women playing with one another, and makes the solitary a spectator of shameful acts and gestures. But this temptation need not be permanent; for intense prayer, a very frugal diet, together with vigils and the development of spiritual contemplation, drive it away like a light cloud. There are times when this cunning demon even touches the flesh, inflaming it to uncontrolled desire; and it devises endless other tricks which need not be described.

Our incensive power is also a good defense against this demon. When it is directed against evil thoughts of this kind, such power fills the demon with fear and destroys his designs. And this is the meaning of the statement: 'Be angry, and do not sin' (Ps. 4:4). Such anger is a useful medicine for the soul at times of temptation.

The demon of anger employs tactics resembling those of the demon of unchastity. For he suggests images of our parents, friends or kinsmen being gratuitously insulted; and in this way he excites our incensive power, making us say or do something vicious to those who appear in our minds. We must be on our guard against these fantasies and expel them quickly from our mind, for if we dally with them, they will prove a blazing firebrand to us during prayer. People prone to anger are especially liable to fall into these temptations; and if they do, then they are far from pure prayer and from the knowledge of our Savior Jesus Christ.

16. As sheep to a good shepherd, the Lord has given to man intellections of this present world; for it is written: 'He has given intellection to the heart of every man' (cf. Heb. 10:16). To help man He has given him incensive power and desire, so that with the first he may drive away wolflike intellections, while with the second he may lovingly tend the sheep, even though he is often exposed to rains and winds. In addition, God has given man the law, so that he may shepherd the sheep; He has given him green pastures and refreshing water (cf. Ps. 23:2), a psaltery and harp, a rod and staff. In this way he gathers hay from the mountains, and is fed and clothed from his Hock; for it is written, 'Does anyone feed a Hock and not drink its milk?' (1 Cor. 9:7). Therefore the solitary ought to guard this Hock night and day, making sure that none of the lambs is caught by wild beasts or falls into the hands of thieves. Should this happen in some valley, he must at once snatch the creature from the mouth of the lion or the bear (cf. 1 Sam. 17:35).

What does it mean for the lambs to be caught by wild beasts? It means that when we think about our brother we feed on hatred; when we think about a woman we are moved with shameful lust; when we think about gold and silver we are filled with greed; and likewise when we think about gifts received from God, our mind is gorged with self-esteem. The same happens in the case of other intellections if they are seized by the passions.

We must not only guard this flock by day, but also keep watch at night; for by having fantasies of shameful and evil things we may lose some of the sheep entrusted to us. And this is the meaning of Jacob's words: 'I did not bring you a sheep which was caught by wild beasts; I made good of myself the thefts of the day and the thefts of the night. I was parched with heat by day, and chilled with frost by night, and sleep departed from my eyes' (Gen. 31:39-40. LXX).

If a certain listlessness overtakes us as a result of our efforts, we should climb a little up the rock of spiritual knowledge and play on the harp, plucking the strings with the skills of such knowledge. Let us pasture our sheep below Mount Sinai, so that the God of our fathers may speak to us, too, out of the bush (cf. Exod. 3) and show us the inner essence of signs and wonders.

17. Our spiritual nature, which had become dead through wickedness, is raised once more by Christ through the contemplation of all the ages of creation. And through the spiritual knowledge that He gives of Himself, the Father raises the soul which has died the death of Christ. And this is the meaning of Paul's statement: 'If we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him' (cf. 2 Tim. 2:11).

18. When the intellect has shed its fallen state and acquired the state of grace, then during prayer it will see its own nature like a sapphire or the color of heaven. In Scripture this is called the realm of God that was seen by the elders on Mount Sinai (cf. Exod. 24:10).

19. Of the unclean demons, some tempt man in so far as he is man, while others disturb him in so far as he is a nonrational animal. The first, when they approach us, suggest to us notions of self-esteem, pride, envy or censoriousness, notions by which non-rational animals are not affected; whereas the second, when they approach, arouse incensive power and desire in a manner contrary to nature. For these passions are common to us and to animals, and lie concealed beneath our rational and spiritual nature. Hence the Holy Spirit says of the thoughts that come to men in so far as they are men: 'I have said, you are gods, and all of you are children of the most High. But you shall die as men, and fall as one of the princes' (Ps. 82:6-7). But what does He say of the thoughts which stir in men non-rationally? 'Do not be as the horse and mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be controlled with bit and bridle in case they attack you' (Ps. 32:9). Now if 'the soul that sins shall die' (Ezek. 18:4), it is clear that in so far as we die as men we are buried by men, but in so far as we are slain or fall as non-rational animals, we are devoured by vultures and ravens whose young 'cry' to the Lord (Ps. 147:9) and 'roll themselves in blood' (Job 39:30. LXX). 'He that has ears to hear, let him hear' (Matt. 11:15).

20. When one of the enemy approaches you and wounds you, and you wish to turn his sword back into his own heart (cf. Ps. 37:37:15), then do as follows: analyze in yourself the sinful thought that has wounded you, what it is, what it consists of, and what in it especially afflicts the intellect. Suppose, for instance, that a thought full of avarice is suggested to you. Distinguish between the component elements: the intellect which has accepted the thought, the intellection of gold, gold itself, and the passion of avarice. Then ask: in which of these does the sin consist? Is it the intellect? But how then can the intellect be the image of God? Is it the intellection of gold? But what sensible person would ever say that? Then is gold itself the sin? In that case, why was it created? It follows, then, that the cause of the sin is the fourth element, which is neither an objective reality, nor the intellection of something real, but is a certain noxious pleasure which, once it is freely chosen, compels the intellect to misuse what God has created. It is this pleasure that the law of God commands us to cut off. Now as you investigate the thought in this way and analyze it into its components, it will be destroyed; and the demon will take to flight once your mind is raised to a higher level by this spiritual knowledge.

But before using his own sword against him, you may choose first to use your sling against him. Then take a stone from your shepherd's bag and sling it (cf. 1 Sam. 17) by asking these questions: how is it that angels and demons affect our world whereas we do not affect their worlds, for we cannot bring the angels closer to God, and we cannot make the demons more impure? And how was Lucifer, the morning star, cast down to the earth (cf. Isa. 14:12), 'making the deep boil like a brazen cauldron’ (Job 41:31. LXX), disturbing all by his wickedness and seeking to rule over all? Insight into these things grievously wounds the demon and puts all his troops to flight. But this is possible only for those who have been in some measure purified and gained a certain vision of the inner essences of created things; whereas the impure have no insight into these essences, and even if they have been taught by others how to outwit the enemy they will fail because of the great clouds of dust and the turmoil aroused by their passions at the time of battle. For the enemy's troops must be made quiet, so that Goliath alone can face our David. In combat with all unclean thoughts, then, let us use these two methods: analysis of the thought attacking us, and the asking of questions about inner essences.

21. Whenever unclean thoughts have been driven off quickly, we should try to find out why this has happened. Did the enemy fail to overpower us because there was no possibility of the thought idea of bread persists in a hungry man because of his hunger, and the idea of water in a thirsty man because of his thirst, so ideas of material things and of the shameful thoughts that follow a surfeit of food and drink persist in us because of the passions. The same is true about thoughts of self-esteem and other ideas. It is not possible for an intellect choked by such ideas to appear before God and receive the crown of righteousness. It is through being dragged down by such thoughts that the wretched intellect, like the man in the Gospels, declines the invitation to the supper of the knowledge of God (cf. Luke 14:18); and the man who was bound hand and foot and cast into outer darkness (cf. Matt. 22:13) was clothed in a garment woven of these thoughts, and so was judged by the Lord, who had invited him, not to be worthy of the wedding feast. For the true wedding garment is the dispassion of the deiform soul which has renounced worldly desires. [In the texts On Prayer it is explained why dwelling on ideas of sensory objects destroys true knowledge of God.]

23. As we stated at the beginning, there are three chief groups of demons opposing us in the practice of the ascetic life, and after them follows the whole army of the enemy. These three groups fight in the front line, and with impure thoughts seduce our souls into wrongdoing. They are the demons set over the appetites of gluttony, those who suggest to us avaricious thoughts, and those who incite US to seek esteem in the eyes of men. If you long for pure prayer, keep guard over your incensive power; and if you desire self-restraint, control your belly, and do not take your fill even of bread and water. Be vigilant in prayer and avoid all rancor. Let the teachings of the Holy Spirit be always with you; and use the virtues as your hands to knock at the doors of Scripture. Then dispassion of heart will arise within you, and during prayer you will see your intellect shine like a star.

   바. orthodox it does not lie within our power

"It does not lie within our power to decide whether or not the passions are going to harass and attack the soul. But it does lie within our power to prevent impassioned thoughts from lingering within us and arousing the passions to action.

The first of these conditions is not sinful, inasmuch as it is outside our control, where the second is concerned, if we fight against the passions and overcome them we are rewarded, but we shall be punished if because of laziness and cowardice we let them overcome us." St. Theodoros the Great Ascetic

"There are three principal passions, through which all the rest arise: love of sensual pleasure, love of riches, and love of praise. Close in their wake follow five other evil spirits, and from these five arise a great swarm of passions and all manner of evil. Thus he who defeats the three leaders and rulers simultaneously overcomes the other five and so subdues all the passions." St Theodoros the Great Ascetic

"Stillness is an undisturbed state of the intellect, the calm of a free and joyful soul, the tranquil unwavering stability of the heart in God, the contemplation of light, the knowledge of the mysteries of God, consciousness of wisdom by virtue of a pure mind, the abyss of divine intellections, the rapture of the intellect, intercourse with God, an unsleeping watchfulness, spiritual prayer, untroubled repose in the midst of great hardship, and fially, solidarity and union with God." Nikitas Sitthatos

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passion 52 entries 에서

Fire, darkness, worm, hell correspond to passions - lusts of all kinds, the all-embracing darkness of ignorance, the unquenchable thirst for sensual pleasures, the stench of evil-smelling sin, which, like precursors and foretastes of the torment of hell, even now begin to torture sinners in whose souls they take root through long-established habit. St. Gregory of Sinai (Texts on Commandments and Dogmas no. 34)

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)

If, then, the Creator of everything that is beautiful is superior to all His creation, on what grounds does the intellect abandon what is superior to all and engross itself in ... the passions of the flesh? Clearly this happens because the intellect has lived with these passions and grown accustomed to them since birth, whereas it has not yet had perfect experience of Him who is superior to all and beyond all things. Thus, if we gradually wean the intellect away from this relationship by long practice of controlling our indulgence in pleasure and by persistent meditation on divine realities, the intellect will gradually devote itself more and more to these realities, will recognize its own dignity, and finally transfer all its desire to the divine. St. Maximos the Confessor (Third Century on Love no. 72)

Passionate habits are the precursors of the torment of hell, just as active virtues are the forerunners of the kingdom of heaven. By good deeds one should understand actions in accordance with the commandments, and by virtues good tendencies rooted in habit ... all alike will receive their reward according to their merits. The amount and nature of the reward will be determined either by virtues or passions, rooted in habit. St. Gregory of Sinai (Texts on Commandments and Dogmas no. 35-36)

There is no shorter ascent to the royal and Divine mansions...than through subduing the five passions hostile to obedience, namely: disobedience, argumentativeness, self-gratification, self-justification and pernicious high opinion of oneself...Disobedience is the mouth of hell; argumentativeness its tongue, whetted like a sword; self-gratification is its sharp teeth; self-justification its throat; high opinion of oneself, which casts one into hell, is the belching of its all-devouring belly. But he who, through obedience, conquers the first, by one stroke cuts off all the rest and with one stride reaches heaven. St. Gregory of Sinai (Texts on Commandments and Dogmas no. 121)

They were the same three principal lusts which provoked the heart of Eve, so that her heart being emptied of love, it tasted the same evil spirits as Christ the Savior encountered in the wilderness near Jericho. These are: desire for earthly satisfaction, desire for worldly possessions that the eye sees, and desire for recognition - all outside and contrary to God and the love of God. But Jesus imperiously drives them away from Himself - and like Eve - with the words: `Get thee hence, Satan' (Mt. 4:10). Kassiana: Lessons in Divine and Christian Love

... when the intellect has been perfected, it unites wholly with God and is illumined by divine light, and the most hidden mysteries are revealed to it. Then it truly learns where wisdom and power lie...

While it is still fighting against the passions it cannot as yet enjoy these things... But once the battle is over and it is found worthy of spiritual gifts, then it becomes wholly luminous, powerfully energized by grace and rooted in the contemplation of spiritual realities.

A person in whom this happens is not attached to the things of this world but has passed from death to life." St. Thalassios, "On Love, Self-control and Life in accordance with the Intellect" Philokalia (Vol. 2)", p. 355)

A brother questioned Abba Poemen in these words, "What does the Scripture mean: 'See that none of you repays evil for evil?'" The old man said to him, "Passions work in four stages: first, in the heart; secondly, in the face; thirdly, in words; and fourthly, it is essential not to render evil for evil in deeds. If you can purify your heart, passion will not come into your expression‎‎; but if it comes into your face, take care not to speak; but if you do speak, cut the conversation short in case you render evil for evil." The Desert Fathers

There exists three states of soul: natural, unnatural, and supernatural. `The natural state of the soul is the knowledge of God's creation, both visible and spiritual. The supernatural state of the soul is the contemplation of the super-essential Divinity. The unnatural state of the soul is its involvement in the passions,' for the passions do not belong to its nature. Passion is an unnatural state of the soul, but virtue is its natural state. St. Justin Popovich, The Theory of Knowledge of St. Isaac the Syrian (in Orthodox Faith and Life in Christ)

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the 8 passions and their respective treatments

The passions are not evil in and of themselves. God gave us certain powers for self-preservation, but because of our fallen human nature we choose to misuse these abilities. When the soul goes against nature, she is being moved passionately (The Ascetical Homilies 18).

Hierotheos Vlachos, citing “The whole biblico-patristic tradition”, writes that the passions are “Natural powers of the soul which have been corrupted by sin and by our withdrawal from God” (Orthodox Psychotherapy 247). It is only with the grace of God that we can return our passions to their original purposes (Philokalia 1 359). There are eight passions: gluttony, unchastity, avarice, anger, listlessness, dejection, vainglory, and pride. The passions do not automatically lead to their corresponding sins, and the two are quite different. Nicetas Stethatos clearly distinguishes the passions from actual sins: “A passion is not the same thing as a sinful act: they are quite distinct. A passion operates in the soul, a sinful act involves the body” (Philokalia 4 89). Every sin has its beginning in an evil thought. St. Hesychios explains that once we accept this thought, we begin the downward spiral into sin (Philokalia 1 193-194). In order to prevent ourselves from falling into sin, we must subdue the passions. The passions are subjugated by various treatments which the Holy Fathers of the Church have passed down to us. In what follows each passion will be explained, as well as its corresponding remedies. Due to the interconnectedness of the passions (Kontzevitch 39), there is also an overlap in the treatments for the passions. Often what is prescribed for one passion has a cursory or direct effect on the other passions. Now we will investigate each individual passion, and its respective cure, so that by better understanding the passions, we are more able to combat them, because as St. Isaiah the Solitary says: “We should know which virtue comes first, and which second or third; which passions attack the soul and which the body” (Philokalia 1 27).

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what are the passions에서

갈라디어5장24절 마르7장21절 23절 루가8장14절

Passions are no more than forces that dominate your soul and are etched into your brain and its neural structure, programing your automatic responses. They need to be rooted out, or overlaid with new programs. You can assume that some of this programing is hereditary. We know we inherit ancestral sin from Adam and Eve. This means this task is not a simple one. It requires God’s help along with a committed effort on your part.

Traditionally the passions are gluttony, unchastity, avarice, anger, dejection, listlessness, self-esteem, pride and vainglory. We can think of them in two types: natural and unnatural passions.

Saint Maximus says,

“The natural passions become good in those who struggle when, wisely unfastening them from the things of the flesh, use them to gain heavenly things. For example, they can change appetite into the movement of a spiritual longing for divine things; pleasure into the pure joy for the cooperation of the mind with divine gifts; fear into care to evade future misfortune due to sin; and sadness into corrective repentance for present evil.”

Then there are the unnatural passions. These are our natural passions that we mistakenly connect with our longing for spiritual wholeness. We continually seek happiness only to find pain on the other end. Then feeling pain or dissatisfaction, we again seek more pleasure only again to find again pain. Saint Maximos reminds us,

When man isn’t focused on distinguishing between what is spiritual and things of the senses, he disobeys the divine command. He errs when the irrationality of feeling is the only form of discernment. He is captured by pleasure and avoidance of pain.

Saint Anthony writes,

Things that are done according to nature aren’t sins, but those done by choice; it’s not a sin to eat, so that the body will be properly maintained in life without any evil thought, but it is to eat without gratitude and improperly and without restraint; neither is it a sin to look with chastity, but it is a sin to look with envy, pride and desire; it is not a sin to listen quietly, but it is with anger. It’s not a sin to let the tongue be unrestrained in thanksgiving and prayer, but it is to speak evil; to not let your hands do acts of mercy, but to commit murder and theft. So each of our members sins if it does evil instead of good, doing things its own way and not according to the will of God.

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spiritual deception에서

What do we mean by “passions”? Fr. Dn. Steenberg says that “‘passions’ are those impulses of the soul, of the heart (and thus, also of the body), which it suffers ‘passively’. God gave us natural impulses. When the soul is no longer in control of them they become “Passions.” Notice the emphasis on “passive.” We find ourselves in a condition where we do not seem to be in control of all our actions and can easily fly off into a fit of anger or show our hatred of another person. This is the result of a God given gift turned into an evil action. Our soul has relinquished it power to another power.

We know that what God has created is “good.” (Gen 1) Therefore, our impulses that lead to behavior such as anger must, in some form, also be good. For example, anger directed at the demons is appropriate and necessary for our spiritual growth. But anger that lashes out at friends and neighbors is not. One is where the soul is in control and the other is where the soul remains passive. When the demons are active within us, our soul is no longer in control. It becomes like a prisoner, captured by a demonic force. The soul becomes passive, constrained in its actions. Under this condition our natural instincts turn into “passions,” taking control of our life without proper restraint by our soul. Rather than being used to help us attain God’s Kingdom, they cause us to lead a sinful life and distance us from God.

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인간 영혼이 몸을 떠날 때 악마가 와서 우릴 고발시 어찌 대항하여야 하나요

When the soul of a man departs from the body St. Macarius the Great

“When the soul of a man departs from the body, a certain great mystery is there enacted. If a person is under the guilt of sin, bands of demons and fallen angels approach along with the powers of darkness which capture the soul and drag it as a captive to their place. No one should be surprised by this fact. For if, while a man lived in this life, he was subject to them and was their obedient slave, how much more, when he leaves this world, is he captured and controlled by them?”

St. Theognostos: When the soul leaves the body, the enemy advances to attack it . . .

“When the soul leaves the body, the enemy advances to attack it, fiercely reviling it and accusing it of its sins in a harsh and terrifying manner. The devout soul, however, even though in the past it has often been wounded by sin, is not frightened by the enemy’s attacks and threats.

Strengthened by the Lord, winged by joy, filled with courage by the holy angels that guide it, and encircled and protected by the light of faith, it answers the enemy with great boldness: ‘Fugitive from heaven, wicked slave, what have I to do with you? You have no authority over me; Christ the Son of God has authority over me and over all things.

Against Him have I sinned, before Him shall I stand on trial, having His Precious Cross as a sure pledge of His saving love towards me.

Flee from me, destroyer! You have nothing to do with the servants of Christ.’ When the soul says all this fearlessly, the devil turns his back, howling aloud and unable to withstand the name of Christ. Then the soul swoops down on the devil from above, attacking him like a hawk attacking a crow. After this it is brought rejoicing by the holy angels to the place appointed for it in accordance with its inward state.”

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prayer for war against the evil spirits of darkness that are involved in lust itself.

The priest says: Let us pray to the Lord.

The penitent responds: Lord, have mercy.

O God of powers, who healest every infirmity and every wound in thy people, cleanse thy servant and grant that the demons not have communion with this man (or woman). Interdict the unclean spirits, crush Satan under the feet of thy servant, and renew him (or her) by thy Holy Spirit, joining him (or her) to thy holy Church, delivering him (or her) from all action of the adversaries. Present him (or her) to thy holy table of oblation, and grant him (or her) thy heavenly and life-creating mysteries. For thou art our God, the God of those who repent, and to thee do we send up glory: to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

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교부들의 글을 어찌 읽어야 하나요

The Blessed Elder Macarius of Optina (+ 1860) found it necessary to write a special "Warning to those reading spiritual Patristic books and desiring to practice the mental Prayer of Jesus." [2] Here this great Father almost of our own century tells us clearly what our attitude should be to these spiritual states: "The holy and God-bearing Fathers wrote about great spiritual gifts not so that anyone might strive indiscriminately to receive them, but so that those who do not have them, hearing about such exalted gifts and revelations which were received by those who were worthy, might acknowledge their own profound infirmity and great insufficiency, and might involuntarily be inclined to humility, which is more necessary for those seeking salvation than all other works and virtues." Again, St. John of the Ladder (6th century) writes: "Just as a pauper, seeing the royal treasures, all the more acknowledges his own poverty; so also the spirit, reading the accounts of the great deeds of the Holy Fathers, involuntarily is all the more humbled in its way of thought" (Step 26:25). Thus, our first approach to the writings of the Holy Fathers must be one of humility.

Macarius the Great says (Homily 17:9): "Just as one clothed in beggarly garments might see himself in sleep as a rich man, but on waking from sleep again sees himself poor and naked, so also those who deliberate about the spiritual life seem to speak logically, but inasmuch as that of which they speak is not verified in the mind by any kind of experience, power, and confirmation, they remain in a kind of fantasy."

   사. What Are The Passions?

Passions (πάθος) are the emotions that control you. They include sexual desire, anger, envy, desire for material goods, rejection, fear and love to name a few. They are all desires that cannot be satisfied. You can never gain all the material goodies you desire. You will never gain all the recognition you feel you deserve. You will always have a desire for tasty food, but if you fill your desire for it you will get sick. The same goes for sex and many other desires. Passions are an expression‎‎ of your ego-centeredness. It’s all about yourself and what you want for your own pleasure and gratification. In reality, your passions are futile attempts to satisfy your spiritual longing by this world’s means and are doomed to failure.

Paul reminds us, Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (Gal 5:24) Jesus reminds us, From within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these things come from within and they defile man.” (Mark 7: 21-23)

You can also look at the parable of the sower where Christ tells us about the seeds that were sown among the thorns. He tells His disciples, “As for what fell among the thorns, they are those who, hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.” (Luke 8:14) The passions that come from your inner bodily programming do block you from your goal to be united with Christ.

Passions are no more than forces that dominate your soul and are etched into your brain and its neural structure, programing your automatic responses. They need to be rooted out, or overlaid with new programs. You can assume that some of this programing is hereditary. We know we inherit ancestral sin from Adam and Eve. This means this task is not a simple one. It requires God’s help along with a committed effort on your part.

Traditionally the passions are gluttony, unchastity, avarice, anger, dejection, listlessness, self-esteem, pride and vainglory. We can think of them in two types: natural and unnatural passions.

The natural passions depend on our physical nature and the maintenance of our physical being. These include our appetite for food, our fear of being harmed, and our sexual attraction to the opposite sex. These are all necessary for our preservation. They are a central part of our animal nature and common to all animals. These are not a problem unless they go beyond the need for self-preservation.

Saint Maximus says,

“The natural passions become good in those who struggle when, wisely unfastening them from the things of the flesh, use them to gain heavenly things. For example, they can change appetite into the movement of a spiritual longing for divine things; pleasure into the pure joy for the cooperation of the mind with divine gifts; fear into care to evade future misfortune due to sin; and sadness into corrective repentance for present evil.”

Then there are the unnatural passions. These are our natural passions that we mistakenly connect with our longing for spiritual wholeness. We continually seek happiness only to find pain on the other end. Then feeling pain or dissatisfaction, we again seek more pleasure only again to find again pain. Saint Maximos reminds us,

When man isn’t focused on distinguishing between what is spiritual and things of the senses he disobeys the divine command. He errs when the irrationality of feeling is the only form of discernment. He is captured by pleasure and avoidance of pain.

Saint Anthony writes,

Things that are done according to nature aren’t sins, but those done by choice; it’s not a sin to eat, so that the body will be properly maintained in life without any evil thought, but it is to eat without gratitude and improperly and without restraint; neither is it a sin to look with chastity, but it is a sin to look with envy, pride and desire; it is not a sin to listen quietly, but it is with anger. It’s not a sin to let the tongue be unrestrained in thanksgiving and prayer, but it is to speak evil; to not let your hands do acts of mercy, but to commit murder and theft. So each of our members sins if it does evil instead of good, doing things its own way and not according to the will of God.

Recently scientists have studied similar issues from the perspective of the physical world. One of these is Dr. Antonio Damasio who developed a theory about how emotions work in us. He says that first something from our senses initiates a response. Then the brain sends a command to the other regions of the brain and to most everywhere in the body. This happens through chemical injections into our blood stream that act on receptors in the cells of our body tissues. This tells us that its even more complex that just the trillions of connections in our brain, but our entire body acts as an integrated organism. In the neuron pathways, commands take the form of electromechanical signals that act on the other neurons or on muscular fibers or organs which in turn can release chemicals of their own into the blood stream. The result is a response that causes a change of state of our entire organism. Once this happens we become aware of a feeling. We feel irritated, angry, pleased and so forth. This tells us that we cannot simply rely on the idea that we can wait for our feelings to develop to control our behavior, but that we have to change the programing that leads to the response of feelings. By the time we have an emotion the organism is already jolted into action and it is difficult to change its course and we may have already sinned.

The bottom line is that you cannot wait for your feelings to develop to control your behavior. You need to interact at the time of the stimulus and change the automatic responses that lead to the emotional response of the body. Of course you can also try to avoid the situations where you are stimulated to some degree as well, like what you do and who you do it with.

There are two places where you can interrupt this cycle. One is when you first receive the sensual stimulus. The second is when you notice the emotional feeling, but before you automatically take an action. The Church Fathers instruct us to do both of these and especially the first. This is called guarding your “Heart” or ”Watchfulness.”

Daniel Siegel is another modern scientist who gives us insight into this issue. He says we can actually focus our minds in a way that changes the structures and function of the our brain.

He proves that attentional processes, emotion regulation and capacity to observe internally, to introspect and reflect are all considered trainable skills.

By developing this attentiveness in your mind you can prepare yourself to act in cooperation with God. You will see later in our discussion of prayer, fasting and worship that our Orthodox religious practices can help you develop this attention.

You need to first recognize the limited nature you have of your understanding of what you sense. You must realize that your brain is taking shortcuts all the time. What you sense, what you have in your memory and the mental images you have, only give you a symbolic representation of the world. You will never have the whole picture of reality. These shortcuts allow your brain to identify what it believes to be significant so it can ignore the rest and take appropriate action.

There are numerous brain imaging studies that suggest the frontal lobe of our brain is critical in directing our ability to act freely and to make decisions. This shows that free will is a conscious choice involving an introspective monitoring of the self.

The studies show that the more you concentrate on a moral idea, the easier it becomes to act on that belief. In other words, the brain becomes reprogrammed. The frontal lobes monitor our ability to stay attentive and alert, helping us to focus on a task. They have done studies on nuns in prayer. Their brain scans show a different brain pattern when they are in prayer that involves a greater activity of the frontal lobes of the brain indicating this attentiveness. We don’t fully understand this, but we do know that the brain is functioning different when in prayer than otherwise.

Andrew Newberg also adds to our understanding in his studies reported in Why we Believe What We Believe. He found that if you want to maintain a sense of well being you have to work at it continually reinforcing positive feelings and beliefs. This is clearly one of the benefits of prayer, worship and other spiritual practices. The key to creating any reality is based on a concentrated repetition of ideas.

The more you stay focused on an object of contemplation the more real the thought becomes. You must be careful about what you pray for or meditate on, because it may eventually become your personal truth. If you want to make spirituality a central part of your life, he says, then by all means focus on spiritual ideals as often as you can.

Of course you don’t have to turn to modern scientists for this kind of advice. Apostle Peter says, Gird up the loins of your mind... not conforming yourselves to the former lusts but ... you also be holy in all your conduct. (1 Peter 1:13-15) Abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul... submit yourself to every ordinance... (1 Peter 2:11, 13)

Apostle Paul says, Put to death therefore what is earthly in you; unchastity, uncleanness,, passion, evil desire and greed, which is idolatry... But now put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander and foul talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old nature with its practices and have put on the new nature which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. (Col 3: 5-10)

   아. Fundamental movements of sense appetite.

Concupiscible Appetites: Simple inclination with respect to sensible object	Attraction towards object (object is good)	Repulsion away from object (object is evil)
	Love (good as such)	Hatred (evil as such)
	Joy (present good)	Sadness (present evil)
	Desire (absent good)	Aversion (absent evil)

Irascible appetites: Inclination in virtue of an arduous object	Good that is difficult to attain	Evil difficult to avoid
	(N/A – no present good difficult to attain)	Anger (present evil)
	Hope (absent but attainable good)	Courage (threatening but conquerable evil)
	Despair (absent, unattainable good)	Fear (threatening but unconquerable evil)

   자. 영적 등정의 사다리 요한 클리마코

첫 번째 계단: 삶을 부인하는 것에 관하여

두 번째 계단: 이탈

세 번째 계단: 유랑생활에 관하여

네 번째 계단: 순종

다섯 번째 계단: 참회

여섯 번째 계단: 죽음을 기억하는 것에 관하여

일곱 번째 계단: 애통

여덟 번째 계단: 평온과 온유

아홉 번째 계단: 악의

열 번째 계단: 비방

열한 번째 계단: 수다와 침묵

열두 번째 계단: 거짓말

열세 번째 계단: 무기력

열네 번째 계단: 탐식

열다섯 번째 계단: 순결

열여섯 번째 계단: 탐욕

열일곱 번째 계단: 가난

열여덟 번째 계단: 무감각

열아홉번째 계단 : 잠, 기도, 시편찬송

스무번째 계단 : 깨어 경계함

스물한번째 계단 : 두려움

스물두번째 계단 : 허영

스물세번째 계단 : 교만

스물네번째 계단 : 온유, 단순, 순진 그리고 사악함에 관하여

스물다섯번째 계단 : 겸손

스물여섯번째 계단 : 분별

지금까지의 계단에 대한 개요

스물일곱번째 계단 : 정적

스물여덟번째 계단 : 기도

스물아홉번째 계단 : 무정념

서른번째 계단 : 믿음과 소망과 사랑

요한 클리마쿠스 삶의 여정

요한 클리마쿠스의 생애는 잘 알려져 있지 않다. 단지 동시대인으로 추정되는 라이투의 다니엘이 쓴 짧은 문헌이 유일한 원전이다. 그나마 단편적 정보만을 제공해 줄뿐 그의 출생과 초기 생애를 전혀 언급하지 않는다. 다니엘의 증언에 따르면, 요한은 16세 때 시나이 수도원의 마르티리오스의 제자가 되었고, 스승이 죽자 시나이 산 발치 톨라스의 한 동굴에 은거하여 40년 동안 은수생활을 했다. 이 기간 동안 한 번 이집트를 방문하여 그곳 ‘참회자들의 공동체’에서 한 달간 머물며 깊은 인상을 받았다. 후에 몇 년간 시나이 수도원의 원장이 되어 공동체를 다스렸고, 노년에 원장직을 물려주고 다시 고독 속으로 은거하여 650년경 생을 마감했다.

다니엘은 요한을 인격이 출중한 탁월한 영적 사부라고 증언한다. 그를 만난 사람은 누구나 그의 인격에 감화되었고, 많은 이가 그에게 와서 영적 조언을 구했다고 한다. 이것은 어떤 사람들의 시기심을 야기했고, 그들은 그의 사목활동에 대해 거짓 고발과 비난을 퍼부었다. 요한은 시종일관 침묵을 유지했고, 고발자들은 마침내 그의 겸손과 인내에 탄복하게 되었다고 한다. 그 결과 요한은 뜻하지 않게 시나이 수도원의 원장으로 선출되었던 것 같다. 이 시기에 수도 영성의 고전이라 할 수 있는 『천국의 사다리』를 저술했을 것으로 추정된다.

그는 성경 본문을 금욕적 열쇠로 삼아  
수도승이나 그리스도인에게 적용하는 
영적여정을 30개의 사다리로 묘사한  
천국의 사다리를 썼습니다. 
 그곳에는 모세가 본 떨기나무가 있습니다.
그리고 천국의 사다리 이콘도 있습니다. 


 누구나 천국의 사다리에 오를 수 있지만
그렇다고 천국에 모두가 다 들어간다는 것은 아닐 것이다.  
누구나 정의를 외치는 곳에 함께 할 수는 있지만 
 그렇다고 모두가 다 진정한 마음으로 있지는 않을 것이다.  
누구나 불의를 보고 울분을 터트릴 수는 있지만  
그렇다고 모두가 다 진실된 행동을 하는 것은 아닐 것이다.  
고운 채로 사금(沙金)을 걸러내듯 진실은 양심으로 걸러지리라. 
 바로 그것이 하느님의 심판이다  

영적등정 사다리 해설 Analysis of the Iconography

The Ladder of Divine Ascent derived from manuscripts of the 11th and 12th century, pictorially bringing insight to heaven from a 30 rung ladder. The strategic placement of the ladder which cuts the icon into two complimentary triangles, representing heaven in the higher triangular module and earth in the lower.[2] The journey to the top of the ladder where Jesus reaches with open hands is rife with obstacles of sin represented by the demons with bow and arrows ready to take the souls of those who lack perseverance. The imagery is figurative in the sense that the demons represented visually in the icon are the sins that man battles with internally. In this case the monks that climb each rung with pain as they reach new heights. The act of climbing represents physical pain as well which is true of any exercise that defies gravity. In this sense the weight the monks feel is both physical, mental, and spiritual. The icon shows several examples of monks that gave into temptation of sin as the demons with dark chains hoist their victims off the ladder and into hell. These battles are represented visually between the monks and their sin. Lord Nikon shows leadership through perseverance as he reaches the top rung. His inspirational position close to Christ serves as a guide to those still struggling in their journey.[3] Between the danger of climbing the ladder is a group of brothers gathered at the lower right, arms raised in prayer to the angels above in the upper left. This represents the thoughts and prayers that cut through the battlefield giving support to those on the path to heaven by way of virtue. A life based on prayer and penance as the way to salvation is the virtue they live by. The angels above to the left represent the righteous climbing the ladder below in the same way that the holy brethren to the lower right mirror the angels above.[4]

At the top of the ladder is archbishop Holy Antonios in a white robe with golden trim embracing the invitation to heaven with God. The white robe that archbishop Antonios wears is of silk with gold cuffs or “epimanikia” and a sash or “epitrachelion” that distinguishes himself from the others on the ascent. The imperial status held by archbishop Antonios implies a close relation to the icon itself. A symbol of his prominence within the religious community. His hands are lifted openly to mirror the grace Christ has given him. Lord Nikon is in front of the archbishop and leads the same hand gesture. Many inscriptions state that Lord Nikon has been “made one with God.” The icon has been venerated with Lord Nikon in mind as much as archbishop Antonios. According to Hans Belting it is not known if archbishop Antonios came from the capital of Sinai or was even an archbishop.[5] Those that suggest he was the archbishop include Doula Mouriki for one. This controversy remains today over the imperial patronage of the icon.

   차. 제7계단 애통

요한 클리마쿠스, 『거룩한 등정의 사다리』, 은성출판사 최대형번역

1. 하느님께 합당한 애통은 영혼의 우울증으로 자신이 갈망하는 것을 열정적으로 추구하다가 얻지 못할 때 부지런히 그것을 추적하며 슬퍼하면서 그 뒤를 따르는 영혼의 성질입니다. 애통은 모든 속박과 무거운 짐을 벗어버리고 거룩한 슬픔에 의해서 마음을 지키는 영혼 안에서 활동하는 황금 박차입니다.

2. 양심의 가책은 영원한 양심의 고통과 침묵으로 죄를 고백함으로써 마음의 불을 식게 만드는 것입니다. 사람은 죄 고백 때문에 빵을 먹는 일을 망각하므로 죄고백은 본성의 망각입니다. (시편102.5)

3. 회개는 모든 피조물의 위로를 기꺼이 부인하는 것입니다.

4. 복된 애통에 있어서 어느 정도 진보하는 사람은 말이 없고 절제합니다. 진정으로 진보한 사람들은 성내지 않고 불평을 품지 않습니다. 완전한 사람들은 겸손하며 수치를 갈망하며 본의 아닌 고난을 기다리며 죄인들을 단죄하지 않고 엄청나게 동정심이 많습니다. 첫째 부류의 사람들은 겨우 조건에 맞는 사람들이며 둘째 부류의 사람들은 칭찬받을 만합니다. 그러나 고난과 수치를 갈망하는 사람들은 확실히 복된 사람들입니다. 그들은 자신을 물리게 할 수 없는 음식을 배불리 먹을 것입니다.

5. 만일 당신에게 애통이 주어진다면, 힘을 다해 그것을 굳게 붙드십시오. 그것은 제대로 확보하지 않으면 쉽게 잃어버릴 수 있습니다. 밀랍이 불 가까이에 있으면 녹듯이, 비탄도 소음·세상의 염려·사치 등에 의해서 특히 천박함과 수다에 의해서 쉽게 사라집니다.

6. 세례를 받은 후에 흘리는 눈물은 세례 자체보다 위대합니다. 세례는 이전에 우리 안에 있던 악들을 씻어내며, 세례 후에 범한 죄들은 눈물에 의해 씻겨나갑니다. 우리는 어렸을 때 받은 세례를 완전히 더럽혔지만, 눈물로 그것을 다시 깨끗하게 합니다. 만일 인간을 사랑하시는 하느님께서 우리에게 눈물을 주시지 않았다면, 구원 받는 사람은 정말 찾기 어려울 정도로 드물 것입니다.

7. 신음과 비애는 주님께 소리치며, 떨며 흘리는 눈물은 우리를 위해 중재해주며, 지극히 거룩한 사랑으로 흘리는 눈물은 우리의 기도가 받아들여졌다는 것을 보여줍니다.

8. 겸손만큼 애통에 어울리는 것은 없으며, 웃음만큼 애통과 반대되는 것도 없습니다.

9. 거룩한 양심의 가책에서 나오는 복되고 즐거운 슬픔을 굳게 붙드십시오. 그리고 그것을 얻기 위해서 끊임없이 노력하십시오. 그리하면 마침내 그것은 우리를 세상이 주는 것들 너머로 들어 올려 그리스도께 바치는 깨끗한 제물로 만들어줄 것입니다.

10. 어두운 불의 심연, 그것의 잔인한 앞잡이들, 무자비하고 냉혹한 심판관, 지하에서 타오르는 불길의 끝없는 혼돈, 하계의 방들과 입을 벌리고 심연으로 내려가는 좁은 내리막길 등의 영상을 쉬지 말고 상상하며 조사하십시오. 그렇게 하면 엄청난 공포에 의해서, 썩지 않을 순결에 복종함에 의해서 우리 영혼 안에 있는 욕정이 억제될 것이며, 모든 불을 너머 비추어주는 비물질적인 빛을 받게 될 것입니다.

11. 기도하고 탄원할 때는 재판관 앞에 선 죄수처럼 두려워 떠십시오. 당신이 바라보는 방법과 마음의 성향은 의로우신 재판관의 분노를 극복할 것입니다. 그분은 슬픔의 짐을 지고 서서 지치지 않으시는 분을 귀찮게 하는 과부같은 영혼을 외면하지 않으실 것입니다(cf. 루카18:5)

12. 영적 눈물의 은사를 가진 사람은 어디에서든지 애통할 수 있습니다. 그러나 만일 그것이 순전히 외적인 겉치레에 불과하다면, 장소와 수단에 대한 그의 논의는 끝이 없을 것입니다. 보물은 시장에 진열된 때보다 숨겨질 때 더 안전합니다. 이것을 깊이 생각하고 당신 자신에게 적용하십시오.

13. 죽은 자를 매장하는 자리에서는 그의 죽음을 애도하다가도 자리를 떠나서는 술을 마시는 사람들을 본받지 마십시오. 그보다는 광산에서 매 시간 감시인으로부터 매질을 당하는 죄수들처럼 되십시오.

14. 애통한 후에 상류생활과 웃음을 즐기는 사람은 음란의 개에게 빵을 던져주는 사람과 흡사합니다. 그 사람은 개를 쫓아내는 것처럼 보이지만, 실제로는 개가 자기 곁에 머무는 것을 장려하고 있습니다.

15. 묵상할 때는 자신을 드러내지 마십시오. 당신의 마음 속으로 물러가며, 도둑이 개를 두려워하듯이 마귀들은 묵상을 두려워한다는 것을 기억하십시오.

16. 우리는 혼인잔치에 초대받아 이곳에 온 것이 아닙니다. 우리는 자신을 위해 애통하라는 부름을 받았습니다.

17. 맹목적인 눈물은 비이성적인 존재들에게만 어울리지만, 개중에는 울면서 모든 생각을 억누르려고 애쓰는 사람들이 있습니다. 눈물은 실제로 생각의 산물이며, 생각의 근원은 이성적인 정신입니다.

18. 당신이 침대에 누워있는 것을 무덤에 누워있는 것의 상징으로 여기십시오. 그리하면 지나치게 많이 잠을 자지 않을 것입니다. 식탁에서 음식을 먹을 때는 구더기들이 득실거리는 음식을 기억하십시오. 그리하면 사치하게 살지 않을 것입니다. 물을 마실 때는 불길의 갈증을 기억하십시오. 그리하면 당신은 분명히 자신의 본성을 거역할 것입니다.

19. 상급자가 우리를 책망하거나 견책하거나 벌할 때는 영원한 심판관의 두려운 선고를 잊지 마십시오. 그리하면 양쪽에 날이 선 칼인 온유함과 인내로써 우리 안에 뿌려질 비이성적인 슬픔과 괴로움을 죽일 수 있을 것입니다.

20. 욥은 “(때가 지남에 따라) 바다에서 물이 빠져나가고”(욥 14:11)라고 말합니다. 시간과 인내는 우리 안에서 점진적으로 획득되며 완전해집니다.

   카. Ladder of Divine Ascent 22

On the many forms of vainglory.

1. Some like to distinguish vainglory from pride and to give it a special place and chapter. And so they say that there are eight capital and deadly sins3. But Gregory the Theologian and other teachers have given out that there are seven; and I am strongly inclined to agree with them. For who that has conquered vainglory has pride within him? The only difference between them is such as there is between a child and a man, between wheat and bread; for the one is the beginning and the other the end. And so now that the occasion calls for it let us speak briefly about the beginning and sum of the passions, unholy self-esteem.

For if anyone were to try to philosophize at length on this subject he would be like someone who fusses over the weight of the winds.

2. With regard to its form, vainglory is a change of nature, a perversion of character, a note of blame. And with regard to its quality, it is a dissipation of labours, a waste of sweat, a betrayal of treasure, a child of unbelief, the precursor of pride, shipwreck in harbour, an ant on the threshing-floor which, though small, has designs upon all one’s labour and fruit.

The ant waits for the gathering of the wheat, and vainglory for the gathering of the riches of virtue; for the one loves to steal and the other to squander.

3. The spirit of despair rejoices at the sight of increasing vice, and the spirit of vainglory at the sight of increasing virtue. The door of the first is a multitude of wounds, and the door of the second is a wealth of labours.

4. Observe and you will find unholy vainglory abounding till the very grave in clothes, oils, servants, perfumes and the like.

5. The sun shines on all alike, and vainglory beams on all activities.

For instance, I am vainglorious when I fast, and when I relax the fast in order to be unnoticed I am again vainglorious over my prudence.

When well-dressed I am quite overcome by vainglory, and when I put on poor clothes I am vainglorious again.

When I talk I am defeated, and when I am silent I am again defeated by it.

However I throw this prickly-pear, a spike stands upright.

6. A vainglorious person is a believing idolater; he apparently honours God, but he wants to please not God but men.

7. Every lover of self-display is vainglorious. The fast of the vainglorious person is without reward and his prayer is futile, because he does both for the praise of men.

8. A vainglorious ascetic is cheated both ways:

he exhausts his body, and he gets no reward.

9. Who will not laugh at the vainglorious worker, standing for psalmody and moved by this passion now to laughter and then to tears for all to see?

10. God often hides from our eyes even those perfections that we have obtained. But he who praises us or, rather, misleads us, opens our eyes by his praise, and as soon as our eyes are opened, our treasure vanishes.

11. The flatterer is a servant of devils, a guide to pride, a destroyer of contrition, a ruiner of virtues, a misleader. Those who honour you deceive you, says the prophet.

12. People of high spirit bear offence nobly and gladly, but only holy people and saints can pass through praise without harm.

13. I have seen people mourning who, on being praised, flared up in anger; and as at a public gathering one passion gave place to another.

14. Who among men knows the thoughts of a man, except the spirit of the man within him? And so let those who try to praise us to our face be silent and ashamed.

15. When you hear that your neighbour or friend has abused you behind your back or even to your face, then show love and praise him.

16. It is a great work to shake from the soul the praise of men, but to reject the praise of demons is greater.

17. It is not he who depreciates himself who shows humility (for who will not put up with himself?) but he who maintains the same love for the very man who reproaches him.

18. I have noticed the demon of vainglory suggesting thoughts to one brother, while he reveals them to another, and he incites the latter to tell the former what is in his heart, and then praises him as a thought reader.

And sometimes, unholy creature that he is, he even touches the bodily members and produces palpitations.

19. Do not take any notice of him when he suggests that you should accept a bishopric, or abbacy, or doctorate; for it is difficult to drive away a dog from a butcher’s counter.

20. Whenever he sees that any have acquired in some slight measure a contemplative attitude, he immediately urges them to leave the desert for the world, saying:‘Go away in order to save the souls which are perishing.’

21. Ethiopians have one kind of face, and statues another; so too the vainglory of those living in a community takes a different form from that of those living in a desert.

22. Vainglory incites monks given to levity to anticipate the arrival of lay guests and to go out of the cloister to meet them. It makes them fall at their feet and, though full of pride, it feigns humility.

It checks manner and voice, and keeps an eye on the hands of visitors in order to receive something from them. It calls them lords and patrons, graced with godly life. To those sitting at table it suggests abstinence, and it rebukes subordinates mercilessly. It stirs those who are slack at standing in psalmody to make an effort; those who have no voice become good singers and the sleepy wake up. It flatters the conductor, and begs to be given first place in the choir; it calls him father and master as long as the guests are still there.

23. Vainglory makes those who are preferred, proud, and those who are slighted, resentful.

24. Vainglory is often the cause of dishonour instead of honour, because it brings great shame to its enraged disciples.

25. Vainglory makes quick-tempered people meek before men.

26. It has great ambition for natural gifts, and through them often hurls its wretched slaves to destruction.

27. I have seen a demon injure and chase off his own brother. For just when a brother had lost his temper, secular visitors suddenly arrived; and the wretched fellow resold himself to vain-glory. He could not serve two passions at the same time.

28. He who has sold himself to vainglory leads a double life. Outwardly he lives with monks, but in mind and thought he is in the world.

29. If we ardently desire to please the Heavenly King, we should be eager to taste the glory that is above. He who has tasted that will despise all earthly glory. For I should be surprised if anyone could despise the latter unless he had tasted the former.

30. Often after being stripped by vainglory, we turn and strip it more cleverly. I have seen some who began spiritual activity out of vainglory, and although they made a bad start, yet the end proved praiseworthy, because they changed their intention.

31. He who is proud of his natural advantages, I mean cleverness, ability to learn, skill in reading, a clear pronunciation, quick understanding and all such gifts received by us without labour, will never obtain the supernatural blessings, because he who is unfaithful in a little is also unfaithful and vainglorious in much.

32. For the sake of extreme dispassion, rich gifts, miracle-working and prophetic powers, many exhaust their bodies in vain. They do not know, poor wretches, that it is not toil so much as humility that is the mother of such perfections.

33. He who asks God for gifts in return for his labours has laid unsure foundations. He who regards himself as a debtor will unexpectedly and suddenly receive riches.

34. Do not believe the winnower when he suggests that you should display your virtues for the benefit of the hearers. For what shall a man be profited if he shall bring profit to the whole world, and forfeit his soul? Nothing so edifies our neighbour as sincere and humble speech and manners; for this serves as a spur to others never to be puffed-up. And what can be more beneficial than this?

35. One who had the gift of sight told me what he had seen. ‘Once,’ he said, ‘when I was sitting in assembly, the demon of vainglory and the demon of pride came and sat beside me, one on either side.

The one poked me in the side with the finger of vain-glory and urged me to relate some vision or labour which I had done in the desert. But as soon as I had shaken him off, saying:

Let them be turned back and put to shame who plot evil against me,then the demon on my left at once said in my ear:

Well done, well done, you have become great by conquering my shameless mother. Turning to him, I made apt use of the rest of the verse and said:

let them be turned back and put to shame who said to me:

Well done, well done.And to my question:

How is vainglory the mother of pride? he replied:

Praises exalt and puff one up; and when the soul is exalted, then pride seizes it, lifts it up to heaven and casts it down to the abyss.’

36. There is a glory that comes from the Lord, for He says:

Those who glorify Me, I will glorify. And there is a glory that dogs us through diabolic intrigue, for it is said:

Woe, when all men shall speak well of you. You may be sure that it is the first kind of glory when you regard it as harmful and avoid it in every possible way, and hide your manner of life wherever you go. But the other you will know when you do something, however trifling, hoping that you will be observed by men.

37. Abominable vainglory suggests that we should pretend to have some virtue that we do not possess, spurring us on by the text:

Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works.

38. The Lord often brings the vainglorious to a state of humility through the dishonour that befalls them.

39. The beginning of the conquest of vainglory is the custody of the mouth and love of being dishonoured; the middle stage is a beating back of all known acts of vainglory; and the end (if there is an end to an abyss) consists in trying to behave in the presence of others so that we are humbled without feeling it.

40. Do not hide your sins with the idea of removing a cause of stumbling from your neighbour; although perhaps it will not be advisable to use this remedy in every case, but it will depend on the nature of one’s sins.

41. When we invite glory, or when it comes to us from others uninvited, or when out of vainglory we decide upon a certain course of action, we should remember our mourning and should think of the holy fear with which we stood before God in solitary prayer; and in this way we shall certainly put shameless vainglory out of countenance—if we are really concerned to attain true prayer. If this is insufficient, then let us briefly recollect our death. And if this is also ineffective, at least let us fear the shame that follows honour. For he who exalts himself will be humblednot only there, but certainly here as well.

42. When our praisers, or rather our seducers, begin to praise us, let us briefly call to mind the multitude of our sins, and we shall find ourselves unworthy of what is said or done in our honour.

43. No doubt there are certain prayers of some vainglorious people that deserve to be heard by God; but the Lord has a habit of anticipating their prayers and petitions so that their conceit should not be increased because their prayers have succeeded.

44. Simpler people are not much infected with the poison of vainglory, because vainglory is a loss of simplicity and an insincere way of life.

45. It often happens that when a worm becomes fully grown it gets wings and rises up on high. So too when vainglory increases it gives birth to pride, the origin and consummation of all evils.

46. He who is without this sickness is near to salvation, but he who is not free from it is far from the glory of the Saints.

This is the twenty-second step. He who is not caught by vain-glory will never fall into that mad pride which is so hateful to God.

   타. 허영 22번째 계단 36번부터

ladder of divine ascent 하느님 등정의 사다리

36 그러나 야훼께로부터 오는 영광이 있습니다. 야훼께서는 “나를 존중히 여기는 자를 내가 존중히 여기리라”(2사2:30)라고 말씀하셨습니다. 또 그 뒤를 이어 임하는 마귀들이 고안해낸 영광이 있습니다. 성경은 “모든 사람이 너희를 칭찬하면 화가 있도다”(루까6:26)라고 말합니다. 첫째 종류의 영광은 당신이 그것을 위험한 것으로 여겨 온갖 방법으로 그것에게서 도망치며, 어디에서나 당신 자신의 생활방식을 숨길 때 알아볼 수 있습니다. 비록 작은 일이라도 사람들의 주목을 받기 위해 행할 때 둘째 종류의 영광을 확신할 수 있을 것입니다.

36. There is a glory that comes from the Lord, for He says:

Those who glorify Me, I will glorify. And there is a glory that dogs us through diabolic intrigue, for it is said:

Woe, when all men shall speak well of you. You may be sure that it is the first kind of glory when you regard it as harmful and avoid it in every possible way, and hide your manner of life wherever you go. But the other you will know when you do something, however trifling, hoping that you will be observed by men.

37 가증스러운 허영은 우리로 하여금 실제로 소유하지 않은 덕을 우리 자신의 것 인체 하라고 강요합니다. 그것은 다음과 같은 성경 말씀을 가지고 우리를 격려합니다: “너희 빛을 사람 앞에 비취게 하여 저희로 너희 착한 행실을 보게 하라”(마5:16).

37. Abominable vainglory suggests that we should pretend to have some virtue that we do not possess, spurring us on by the text:

Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works.

38 종종 주님은 허영심이 강한 사람들에게 굴욕을 주심으로써 그들을 겸손하게 만드십니다.

38. The Lord often brings the vainglorious to a state of humility through the dishonour that befalls them.

39 허영을 극복하는 첫 단계는 침묵하면서 굴욕을 기꺼이 받아들이는 것입니다. 중간 단계는 우쭐대려는 행동과 관련된 생각을 저지하는 것입니다.

마지막 단계는 사람들 앞에서 모욕을 느끼지도 않은채 굴욕을 받아들이는 것입니다.

39. The beginning of the conquest of vainglory is the custody of the mouth and love of being dishonoured; the middle stage is a beating back of all known acts of vainglory; and the end (if there is an end to an abyss) consists in trying to behave in the presence of others so that we are humbled without feeling it.

40 이웃을 걸려 넘어지게 해서는 안 된다는 생각 때문에 당신의 죄를 감추지 마십시오. 물론 이 권고를 맹목적으로 받아들이지는 마십시오. 그것은 우리의 죄의 본질에 따라서 행해야 합니다.

40. Do not hide your sins with the idea of removing a cause of stumbling from your neighbour; although perhaps it will not be advisable to use this remedy in every case, but it will depend on the nature of one’s sins.

41 만일 우리가 영광을 얻으려 한다면, 만일 원하지 않는 영광이 우리에게 임한다면 또는 우리가 허영심 때문에 어떤 행동을 계획한다면, 홀로 하나님 앞에 서서 기도하면서 우리의 애통과 복된 두려움을 생각해야 합니다. 이렇게 행한다면, 즉 참된 기도를 바라는 우리의 소원이 참되다면, 확실히 염치없는 허영을 꺽게 될 것입니다. 그러나 이것으로 부족할 경우에는, 우리가 반드시 죽는다는 사실을 기억하십시오. 이것도 효과가 없으면, 항상 명예의 뒤를 따라오는 수치를 두려워하십시오. 자신을 높이는 사람은 분명히 수치를 당할 것입니다.

41. When we invite glory, or when it comes to us from others uninvited, or when out of vainglory we decide upon a certain course of action, we should remember our mourning and should think of the holy fear with which we stood before God in solitary prayer; and in this way we shall certainly put shameless vainglory out of countenance—if we are really concerned to attain true prayer. If this is insufficient, then let us briefly recollect our death. And if this is also ineffective, at least let us fear the shame that follows honour. For he who exalts himself will be humbled not only there, but certainly here as well.

42 우리를 칭찬하는 사람들 아니 오히려 우리를 나쁜 길로 꾀여내는 사람들이 우리를 칭찬하기 시작하면, 우리는 자신의 많은 죄를 기억해야 합니다. 그렇게 함으로써 우리를 존경한다며 행한 그들의 말이나 행동은 받을 가치가 없다는 사실을 발견할 것입니다.

42. When our praisers, or rather our seducers, begin to praise us, let us briefly call to mind the multitude of our sins, and we shall find ourselves unworthy of what is said or done in our honour.

43 허영심이 강한 사람들이 드리는 기도라도 어떤 기도는 분명히 하느님께서 들어주실 만하지만, 하느님은 그들이 기도에 성공하여 교만이 커지지 않도록 그들의 소원과 청원을 미리 막곤 하십니다.

43. No doubt there are certain prayers of some vainglorious people that deserve to be heard by God; but the Lord has a habit of anticipating their prayers and petitions so that their conceit should not be increased because their prayers have succeeded.

44 단순한 사람들은 일반적으로 허영에 굴복하지 않습니다. 허영은 결국 단순성의 상실이요 위선적인 행동 방식입니다.

44. Simpler people are not much infected with the poison of vainglory, because vainglory is a loss of simplicity and an insincere way of life.

45 구더기가 완전히 성장하면 날개가 생겨서 하늘 높이 날아오를 수 있습니다. 허영이 완전히 성장하면 교만을 낳을 수 있는데, 그것은 모든 악의 시작이요 또한 마지막입니다.

45. It often happens that when a worm becomes fully grown it gets wings and rises up on high. So too when vainglory increases it gives birth to pride, the origin and consummation of all evils.

46 허영에 얽매이지 않는 사람은 구원에 접근합니다. 허영의 영향을 받는 사람은 성도들의 영광에서 멀리 내쫓깁니다. 이상이 스물두 번째 계단입니다. 허영을 접하지 않은 사람은 하나님이 미워하시는 교만에 빠지지 않을 것입니다.

46. He who is without this sickness is near to salvation, but he who is not free from it is far from the glory of the Saints.

This is the twenty-second step. He who is not caught by vain-glory will never fall into that mad pride which is so hateful to God.