July 11, 1999
Humility and Love -- Part VII
In this installment we will conclude our seven-part
series of teachings by St. Theophan the Recluse, a Russian father of the 19th century who
lived in the frozen deserts of the Russian north. Although he is a modern saint in
chronological terms, he is spiritually at one with the ancient Desert Fathers of Egypt and
Palestine. Part I of this series was "War With Passions," Part II was "Know
Yourself," Part III was "Inner and External Work," Part IV was
"Solitude," Part V was "Times of Desolation," Part VI was
"Illusion," and this concluding chapter is, "Humility and Love." Much
of St. Theophan’s teachings come to us in the form of letters he wrote to lay persons
so his advice is very practical and down-to-earth for those who are trying to grow
spiritually. Unless otherwise noted, all quotations are from St. Theophan.
BEGIN: You say that you have no humility or love. So
long as these are absent, everything spiritual is absent. What is spiritual is born when
they are born and grows as they grow. They are the same for the soul as mastery of the
flesh is for the body. Humility is acquired by acts of humility, love by acts of love.
-- Keep both eyes open. This is the measure of
humility: if a man is humble he never thinks that he has been treated worse than he
deserves. He stands so low in his own estimation that no one, however hard they try, can
think more poorly of him than he thinks himself. This is the whole secret of the matter.
-- The Lord sometimes leaves in us some defects of
character in order that we should learn humility. For without them we would immediately
soar above the clouds in our own estimation and would place our throne there. And herein
lies perdition.
-- There is no need for me to repeat to you that the
invincible weapon against all our enemies is humility. It is not easily acquired. We can
think ourselves humble without having a trace of true humility. And we cannot think
ourselves humble merely by thinking about it. The best, or rather, the only sure way to
humility is by obedience and the surrender of our own will. Without this it is possible to
develop a satanic pride in ourselves, while being humble in words and in bodily postures.
I beg you to pay attention to this point and, in all fear, examine the order of your life.
Does it include obedience and surrender of your will? Our of all the things you do, how
many are done contrary to your own will, your own ideas and reflections? Do you do
anything unwillingly, simply because you are ordered, through sheer obedience? Please
examine it all thoroughly and tell me. If there is nothing of this type of obedience, the
kind of life you lead will not bring you to humility. No matter how much you may humble
yourself in thought, without deeds leading to self-abasement humility will not come. So
you must think carefully how to arrange for this.
-- Spiritual unrest and passions harm the blood and
effectively damage our health. Fasting and a general abstinence in our daily life are the
best way to preserve our health sound and vigorous.
Prayer introduces the human spirit into God’s
realm where the rock of life dwells; and the body also, led by the spirit, partakes of
that life. A contrite spirit, feelings of repentance, and tears – these do not
diminish our physical strength but add to it, for they bring the soul to a state of
comfort.
You wish that contrition and tears would never leave
you, but you had better wish that the spirit of deep humility should always reign in you.
This brings tears and contrition, and it also prevents us from being puffed up with pride
at having them. For the enemy manages to introduce poison even through such things as
these.
There is also spiritual hypocrisy which may accompany
contrition. True contrition does not interfere with pure spiritual joy, but can exist in
harmony with it, concealed behind it.
And what of self-appreciation? Take up the sword of
humility and meekness, hold it always in your hand, and mercilessly cut off the head of
our chief foe. END
From "The Art of Prayer: An Orthodox
Anthology," (London: Faber & Faber, 1966), pp. 271 - 274.
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