Romans 12:17-18
- From: "Hildi" <hildigard8@xxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 30 Mar 2006 11:53:32 -0600
Bible Verse
-- Romans 12:17-18 --
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of
everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with
everyone.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Forgiveness saves the expense of anger, the cost of hatred and the waste of
spirit.
- - Hannah More
March 30th - St. John Climacus, Abbot (RM)
(Also known as John Scholasticus)
Born in Syria or Palestine; died on Mount Sinai on March 30, c. 650 (many older
scholars place his death as early as 600).
"God does not insist or desire that we should mourn in agony of heart; rather,
it is His wish that out of love for Him we should rejoice with laughter in our
soul. Take away sin and tears become superfluous; where there is no bruise, no
ointment is required. Before the fall Adam shed no tears, and in the same way
there will be no more tears after the resurrection from the dead when sin has
been destroyed. For pain, sorrow, and lamentation will then have fled away." A
learned Syrian abbot and spiritual director, Saint John authored "The Ladder to
Paradise" or "Ladder of Perfection", from which he acquires the appellation,
"Climacus," which is Greek for "ladder." John's early life is hidden in
obscurity. Farmer says that he was married and became a monk at the death of his
wife. He joined the monastery of Mount Sinai when he was only 16. His novitiate
was spent in a hermitage near the monastery under the discipline of Martyrius.
By silence, he learned to curb the insolent need to discuss everything, an
ordinary vice in learned men, but usually a mark of pride and self-sufficiency.
Instead he adopted humility and obedience, and never contradicted or disputed
with anyone. After four years of training with the ancient anchorite, he was
professed.
From the age of 35, after the death of Martyrius, John spent many years as ahermit at Thole at the foot of Mount Sinai, where he studied the Scriptures and
the lives of the Fathers of the Church. He practiced the normal austerities of
the desert monks: frequent fasting, nights of prayer, and abstinence from meat
and fish. He is another of the saints who exhibited the gift of tears. Because
he became a popular spiritual advisor, who was especially known for his ability
to comfort the distraught, he often sought solitude in a nearby cave. When some
who were jealous of his gifts accused him of spending too much time in vain
discourse, he kept complete silence for a year until the accusers begged him to
resume giving counsel. He went to the monastery only to celebrate the Eucharist
with his brother monks on Saturdays and Sundays.
When he was about 70, he was elected abbot of the monks of Mount Sinai over his
objections. Soon after his election, there was a severe draught in Palestine.
The people beseeched him to storm the gates of heaven in intercession for rain.
He earnestly begged God on their behalf and it immediately began to rain. John's
contemporary, Pope Saint Gregory the Great wrote to the holy abbot asking his
prayers, and sent him beds, other furniture, and money for his hospital near
Mount Sinai for pilgrims. He governed the monastery until four years before his
death in his hermitage on Mount Sinai.
At the request of the abbot of Raithu, John wrote his masterpiece, which uses
the vehicle of a spiritual ladder with thirty rungs-one for each year of
Christ's earthly life until His baptism-to discuss monastic spirituality and the
pursuit of apartheia (passive disinterestedness), which was regarded as a
perfect state. This work was enormously popular during the Middle Ages and was
published in English in 1959 under the title "The ladder of Divine Ascent". The
book was the source of the Byzantine iconographic theme of the ladder to heaven,
which is seen at Mount Athos and elsewhere.
In describing a monastery of 330 monks, which he had visited near Alexandria,
Egypt, John mentions one of the principal citizens of that city, named Isidore,
who, petitioning to be admitted into the house, said to the abbot: "As iron is
in the hands of the smith, so am I in your hands." The abbot ordered him to
remain outside the gate and to prostrate himself at the feet of every passerby,
by begging their prayers for his soul struck with a leprosy. Thus, he passed
seven years in profound humility and patience. He told Saint John that during
the first year he always considered himself as a slave condemned for his sins,
and sustained violent conflicts. The second year he passed in tranquillity and
confidence; and the third with relish and pleasure in his humiliations. So great
was his virtue, that the abbot determined to present him to the bishop in order
to be promoted to the priesthood, but the humility of the holy penitent
prevented it-he begged respite and died within 10 days.
John also admired the cook of this community, who seemed always recollected, and
generally bathed in tears amidst his continual occupation. When asked how he
nourished so perfect a spirit of compunction in the midst of his busy work, the
cook replied that, in serving the monks, he considered that he was serving not
men but God in his servants. Additionally, the fire that always burned before
his eyes reminded him of that fire which will burn souls for all eternity.
(Attwater, Attwater2, Benedictines, Bentley, Delaney, Farmer, Encyclopedia,
Husenbeth). Inevitably, Saint John is portrayed in art as an abbot carrying a
ladder or having a vision of monks climbing one (Roeder).
This Version taken from:
http://users.erols.com/saintpat/ss/ss-index.htm
<><><><>
Whoever will come after Me, let him deny himself. (Matthew 16:24)
"Everyone has opinions of his own, nor is this opposed to virtue. It is only the
love and attachment we have to our own opinions, and the high value we set on
them, which is infinitely contrary to our perfection. This is the last thing to
be abandoned, and the cause why so few are perfect"
-St. Francis de Sales
This Saint succeeded in abandoning this last thing, so that he was once able to
write to a friend that he had no such attachment to his own opinion as to wish
anyone ill who did not follow it, and that he did not claim that his sentiments
should serve as a rule to anyone.
(Taken from the book "A Year with the Saints". March - Mortification)
Bible Quote:
16 Jesus answered them, and said: My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
17 If any man do the will of him; he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be
of God, or whether I speak of myself. 18 He that speaketh of himself, seeketh
his own glory: but he that seeketh the glory of him that sent him, he is true,
and there is no injustice in him. (John 7:16-18)
<><><><>
Here are some of the spiritual maxims from Saint John's book:
"Rule your own heart as a king rules over his kingdom, but be subject above all
to the supreme ruler, God Himself." "A person is at the beginning of a prayer
when he succeeds in removing distractions which at the beginning beset him. He
is at the middle of the prayer when the mind concentrates only on what he is
meditating and contemplating. He reaches the end when, with the Lord, the prayer
enraptures him."
"Without weapons there is no way of killing wild animals. Without humility there
is no way of conquering anger." "It is not without risk that one climbs up a
defective ladder. And so with honor, praise, and precedence which are all
dangerous for humility."
"In an instant many are pardoned for their mistakes, but no one, in a moment's
time, acquires calmness of the soul which requires much time, much trouble and a
great deal of help from God." "The one who is dead can no longer walk. The one
who despairs can no longer be saved."
"A small fire is enough to burn down an entire forest; a little hole may destroy
an entire building." "Just as clouds hide the sun so bad thoughts cast shadows
over the soul."
"Birds which are too heavy cannot fly very high. The same is true of those who
mistreat their bodies." "A dried-up puddle is of no use for the pigs and a
dried up body is of no use to the devils."
"A tool which is in good condition may sharpen one which is not in good
condition, and a fervent brother may save the person who is only lukewarm about
his faith." "The one who says he has faith and continues to go against it
resembles a face without eyes"
.
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