Every Christian who has taken the path of churching faces a lot of questions and bewilderments. One of these questions is the question of reading spiritual literature.
In the great variety of literature offered, it is very difficult for a beginner to figure out what to read first and what to leave for later. Before reading the books of church authors, it is necessary to remember that the holy fathers and devotees of piety “just like that” in order to leave a “mark in history” never wrote. Any of their works were written specifically for some reason.
The writings are an expression of their experience of life in the church. Therefore, when reading any work, you should carefully read the words, trying to grasp the main idea of the author. And this is very important: to discern the main thing, without focusing on the “forms”. Otherwise, the result may be the saddest. If, while reading, something seems incomprehensible, then most likely we are simply not mature enough to understand it.
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Ladder
So, first of all, this is the classic of ascetic literature “The Ladder”. Ladder - translated from Slavic, means a ladder leading from earth to heaven. This is exactly what this book is titled. It was written by John, abbot of Mount Sinai, at the request of a pious monk. This book is intended primarily for monks. Therefore, it will be very difficult for the laity to apply her advice regarding external exploits.
But this is not what makes this book so valuable. We have already mentioned form and content. And the contents of this book are an invaluable source of spiritual experience. Experience in dealing with passions. How often do Christians confess and continue to sin again, not realizing that they need to fight with a completely different passion. John Climacus wrote that there are “mothers” of passion, and there are “daughters” that grow from mother passions. Anyone who tries to fight “daughter passions” without killing the “basic passions” is doing futile work. Based on “The Ladder,” even a visual diagram of the interaction of passions and vices has been drawn up.
My life in Christ
The second book recommended for reading is the Diary of Archpriest John of Kronstadt. It's called "My Life in Christ."
In this diary, Father John made notes about the spiritual experience he was experiencing, the experience of life in the church. He was once asked where he got such ardent faith in the Savior. To which he replied: “I lived in the church.”
This book can be recommended to people when they are attacked by thoughts of unbelief, despair and cowardice, which will inevitably be on the path to churching. Father John was assigned to a church in a working-class port town called Kronstadt. This town is almost entirely mired in sins. Continuous drunkenness, theft, and fights were commonplace for him. And among all this, Father John appears, who managed to awaken the feelings of the believers. He organizes temperance societies and hospices, restoring the image of God among the people. This is the true lamp of faith.
Read online “Dreams Come True”
Patricia Matthews
Dreams Come True
I dedicate this book to my talented and never-failing editor, Dayana Mogi.
Parramatta.
Part one
July 1791
Chapter 1
The view that opened up was undoubtedly magnificent: beyond the blue of a huge bay, consisting of many small coves, into the depths of this unknown land, covering the horizon, green hills stretched in an endless series.
A fresh breeze was already carrying the delicious aromas of sushi - the smells of earth, fresh leaves and fire smoke. Faith felt that, despite the despair and extreme exhaustion that had not left her lately, her spirits were lifting. Whatever awaited them in New South Wales, it would be better than what they had experienced - traveling aboard a ship carrying convicts. In any case, they will feel solid ground under their feet.
Patting Hope on the head, Faith looked at the bay and the approaching rocky cliff, stretching out into the sea like a pointing finger. To his left he could see the river flowing into the bay. Huts seemed to be clinging to the foot of the rock, apparently built from bark, leaves and clay. In the distance, behind these shacks, larger structures made of wood, brick and stone could be seen. From the thickets of rubber trees that went down to the very edge of the water, the hubbub of birds could be heard. Faith saw brightly colored birds—probably parrots—flying noisily from branch to branch.
- Mother?
A small hand tugged at her skirt, and Faith looked at the pale face of her eldest daughter, raised towards her, framed by ringlets of light-ash hair that had not been washed for a long time. Bright green eyes looked inquisitively at her mother, and Faith felt her soul warm. Despite the terrible conditions of their ship life, Hope still glowed like a delicate but persistent flower. The girl endured eight months of sea motion, terrifying and often simply spoiled food and life without any amenities. Scurvy was rampant on board; rats roamed freely in the passenger holds; There was not enough fresh water for washing, and I had to wash with sea water, so salty that it burned my skin like fire, and there was no question of washing. Many, including Faith and Charity, suffered from seasickness and countless other ailments that plagued the ship's passengers. Some of them could not withstand the long journey and died on the road. Hope remained healthy and cheerful throughout the voyage. And the captains of the third flotilla were only happy about the death of extra people: in Sydney they sold the rations of the dead with great profit.
“Mom,” the girl asked, “are we going to live here?” And will we be able to get off the ship?
- Yes darling. – Face smiled encouragingly at her daughter. - This will be our new home.
. Of course, at first everything here will seem strange to you and Charity, but you will soon get used to it. The main thing is not to be afraid of anything.
“Okay, Mom,” Hope said decisively, “I’ll be brave.”
Faith pulled her daughter closer. Tears blurred her eyes, but she stubbornly peered at the approaching shore. Bravery alone was not enough to survive, she knew that well. Charity whimpered, and Faith lowered her head and touched her lips to the baby's cheek. When they sailed from England, Charity was only two years old, and Faith was afraid that she would not survive the journey. But Hope turned out to be a great helper. She looked after her sister when Faith was sick or tired, and she was not offended if her mother gave Charity most of their meager ration. And Charity survived. They all survived.
Faith loved her daughters very much. She had no one else in this world. She felt tears welling up in her eyes again. How she would like to provide them with a better life! What did they get? They were taken from their native land, sent to a prison colony in a strange, distant country and branded as the daughters of a thief! When did the series of these terrible events begin? When did Luther abandon them? Or even earlier, when she first married him?
The words of her father, whose face she could now hardly remember, echoed painfully in her ears for a long time: “Remember my words, girl. One day you will bitterly regret marrying this man. He will simply use you and throw you away as a useless thing. But don't expect that when you're alone with your baby, you'll be able to come back! I warned you, but you didn't listen. So now rely only on yourself!” Face grinned: she still didn’t understand whether her father turned out to be a true expert on human destinies or simply “crawled” trouble for her.
Faith, the daughter of a prosperous merchant, grew up in prosperity. Her mother, who gave birth to six children, of whom only two survived, died of the plague when Faith was fifteen years old. The father did not show much desire for a new marriage, and Faith became the mistress of the house, and her only brother, with whom she was not very close, hired himself as a sailor on a ship.
So she lived in peace and prosperity until she married Luther Blackstock...
Invisible abuse
The next book recommended for reading by Orthodox Christians is called “The Invisible Warfare.” It was written by the Athonite monk Nicodemus, nicknamed Svyatogorets. The book was translated from Greek by Saint Theophan the Recluse. This book describes the inner struggle that occurs in the soul of every person leading an attentive spiritual life.
The value of this book for our time lies in the fact that it reveals the essence of Christian achievement. She points out that the whole point of Christianity is to fight sin within yourself. This collection of instructions is permeated with centuries of experience in the fight against sin. He teaches that the beginning of sin is a thought that is born within us. And it is up to the person to reject or accept this thought.
Words of Elder Paisius the Holy Mountain
Paisius the Svyatogorets also teaches about this struggle with thoughts. This Athonite monk had only eight classes of education, but his heart, cleansed of passions, became the receptacle of the Holy Spirit. He was canonized as a saint by the Ecumenical Patriarch.
Now the works of Elder Paisius have been published in five volumes. These are words, instructions, stories that were spoken at different times to people who visited him. Both monks and lay family people will be able to find answers to a wide variety of questions in his creations. His instructions cover such topics as raising children, public service, choosing a spouse, and relationships with loved ones. And it is especially valuable that Elder Paisios was our contemporary and, living in our difficult, evil times, was able to embody the Christian ideal in life. His life once again confirmed that Christ is the same before and now.
Ascetic experiences
I would also like to recommend reading the book of St. Ignatius Brianchaninov. All modern elders advised their children to study the works of this saint. He collected and systematized all patristic experience in his books.
His first two volumes, entitled “Ascetic Experiences,” are especially valuable. They contain the basic religious truths and experience of the ancient fathers, adapted for our time.
In his creations, Saint Ignatius strongly recommends looking for the spirit, and not the “letter.” He directly writes that the external ascetic feats that the ancient fathers performed are beyond the capabilities of modern man. The criterion for correct spiritual experience is not exploits or even miracles, but a deep repentant and humble feeling.
About reading the holy fathers
Conversation and the company of neighbors has a great effect on a person. A conversation and acquaintance with a scientist reveals a lot of information, with a poet - a lot of sublime thoughts and feelings, with a traveler - a lot of knowledge about countries, about the morals and customs of people. It is obvious: conversation and acquaintance with saints communicate holiness. “You will be reverent with the venerable, and with the innocent man you will be innocent, and with the chosen you will be chosen” (Ps. 17:26-27).
From now on, during your short earthly life, which Scripture did not even call life, but a journey, get acquainted with the saints. Do you want to belong to their society in heaven, do you want to be a participant in their bliss? from now on, enter into fellowship with them. When you leave the temple of the body, they will accept you as their acquaintance, as their friend (Luke 16:9).
There is no closer acquaintance, no closer connection than the connection by unity of thoughts, unity of feelings, unity of purpose (1 Cor. 1:10).
Where there is unanimity, there is certainly unanimity, there is certainly one goal, equal success in achieving the goal.
Assimilate the thoughts and spirit of the Holy Fathers by reading their writings. The Holy Fathers achieved their goal: salvation. And you will achieve this goal in the natural course of things. As one of one mind and one accord with the Holy Fathers, you will be saved.
Heaven received the Holy Fathers into its blessed bosom. By this he testified that the thoughts, feelings, and deeds of the Holy Fathers were pleasing to him. The Holy Fathers expressed their thoughts, their hearts, their way of acting in their writings. This means: what a true guide to heaven, attested by heaven itself - the writings of the Fathers.
The writings of the Holy Fathers were all compiled under the inspiration or influence of the Holy Spirit. Wonderful harmony in them, wonderful anointing! Anyone who is guided by them is, without any doubt, guided by the Holy Spirit.
All the waters of the earth flow into the ocean, and perhaps the ocean serves as the beginning for all the waters of the earth. The Scriptures of the Fathers are all united in the Gospel; everyone is inclined to teach us the exact fulfillment of the commandments of our Lord Jesus Christ; of all of them, both the source and the end is the holy Gospel.
The Holy Fathers teach how to approach the Gospel, how to read it, how to understand it correctly, what helps and what hinders understanding it. And therefore, first, spend more time reading the Holy Fathers. When they teach you to read the Gospel, then read the Gospel primarily.
Do not consider reading the Gospel alone sufficient for yourself, without reading the Holy Fathers! This is a proud, dangerous thought. It is better to let the Holy Fathers lead you to the Gospel, like their beloved child, who has received preliminary upbringing and education through their writings.
Many, all of them, who madly and arrogantly rejected the Holy Fathers, who approached the Gospel directly, with blind audacity, with an unclean mind and heart, fell into a disastrous error. The Gospel rejected them: it admits only the humble.
Reading the scriptures of the fathers is the parent and king of all virtues. From reading the scriptures of the Fathers we learn the true understanding of the Holy Scriptures, right faith, living according to the commandments of the Gospel, the deep respect that one should have for the commandments of the Gospel, in a word, salvation and Christian perfection.
The reading of the Fathers' writings, in derogation of the Spirit-bearing mentors, became the main guide for those wishing to be saved and even achieve Christian perfection15.
The books of the Holy Fathers, as one of them put it, are like a mirror: by looking at them carefully and often, the soul can see all its shortcomings.
Again, these books are like a rich collection of medical remedies: in it the soul can find saving medicine for each of its ailments.
Saint Epiphanius of Cyprus said: “One glance at the sacred books excites one to a pious life.”16
The reading of the Holy Fathers must be thorough, attentive and constant: our invisible enemy, “hating the voice of affirmation” (Prov. 11:15), hates especially when this voice comes from the Holy Fathers. This voice exposes the machinations of our enemy, his deceit, reveals his networks, his way of action: and therefore the enemy arms himself against the reading of the Fathers with various proud and blasphemous thoughts, tries to plunge the ascetic into vain worries in order to distract him from saving reading, fights him with despondency and boredom , forgetfulness. From this battle against the reading of the Holy Fathers, we must conclude how saving the weapon, so hated by the enemy, is for us. The enemy is very concerned about tearing him out of our hands.
Everyone choose a reading of the Fathers that suits their lifestyle. Let the hermit read the Fathers who wrote about silence; a monk living in a dormitory, - the Fathers who wrote instructions for monastic dormitories; a Christian living in the middle of the world - the Holy Fathers, who pronounced their teachings for all of Christianity in general. Everyone, no matter what your rank, draw abundant instruction from the writings of the Fathers.
Reading that suits your lifestyle is a must. Otherwise, you will be filled with thoughts, although holy, but unfulfilled by deed itself, arousing fruitless activity only in the imagination and desire; works of piety, befitting your way of life, will slip out of your hands. Not only will you become a fruitless dreamer, but your thoughts, being in constant contradiction with the circle of actions, will certainly give rise to confusion in your heart, and uncertainty in your behavior, painful, harmful for you and your neighbors. If you incorrectly read the Holy Scriptures and the Holy Fathers, you can easily deviate from the path of salvation into impassable jungles and deep abysses, which is what happened to many. Amen.
We are left to repent
And, as it were, echoes Saint Ignatius, another ascetic of piety, who lived quite recently in the 1960s. This is Abbot Nikon (Vorobiev). His book, “Repentance is Left to Us,” is a source of spiritual wisdom.
The book is written in the form of letters to different people. In an accessible form and simple language, Father Nikon instructs, consoles, and encourages his spiritual children. The main idea of his letters is that we are saved not by our own deeds and exploits, but only by the grace of God. The Lord cares about the salvation of each of us, but we can only accept without complaint and with gratitude everything that is sent down to us in the form of life circumstances.
Holy Fathers: 395 books - download to fb2, txt for Android or read online
The fourth volume of “The Complete Works of the Holy Fathers of the Church and Church Writers” is dedicated to the theological heritage of St. Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea of Cappadocia (330–379), and his contemporary and associate St. Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium (340–394).
The Church awarded Saint Basil the honorary title “The Great,” among other things, for his special services in the development of Christian theology and Church Tradition. Saint Basil made a huge contribution to the formation of Eastern Christian monasticism and, in general, to the content of Orthodox spiritual life, including his ascetic creations, which most often represent a collection of rules regulating internal and external monastic life.
This volume contains moral and ascetic works, including the treatise “On Baptism” published in Russian for the first time and letters of the saint. Such a complete collection of letters of St. Basil (368 in total) is being published in Russia for the first time: here, in addition to those published before the revolution (336), translations of letters addressed to St. Basil by other persons, and also considered dubious and inauthentic, are included here.
In his epistolary heritage, the holy father appears not only as an outstanding Orthodox theologian, a fighter against heresies, a wise archpastor, a subtle church diplomat, a legislator in the field of canon law, a spiritual leader, but also as the most educated person of his time, an extraordinary and versatile personality.
The appendix contains the most complete collection of the works of St. Amphilochius of Iconia in Russian translation with an introductory article by Abbot Vassian (Zmeev), as well as a number of scientific and theological works on the legacy of St. Basil the Great: S. M. Zarin, Archbishop Vasily (Krivoshein), T.
Nalimov and P. Smirnov. The publication is preceded by a foreword by Metropolitan Vladimir of Tashkent and Central Asia. The texts of Saint Basil's works are accompanied by theological, church-historical and textual commentaries. At the end of the book there is an index of quotations from the Holy Scriptures, as well as an alphabetical index to both volumes of the Works of St. Basil.
The editors hope that this publication will attract the attention of teachers and students of theological educational institutions and simply thoughtful Orthodox readers who are not indifferent to the patristic heritage and its integral component - the theology of the Cappadocian Fathers, St. Basil the Great and St. Amphilochius of Iconia.
