The Laws that Falsely Bind Us

Do you feel that you are bound up by social norms? Do you find you schedule controlled by others?  Are you driven by some external force to unending busyness?  Do feel you have to dress in a certain way and adhere to certain social norms in your group?  Is there a part of you that feels like you can't act the way you really want too?  Do your Orthodox values and way of life seem to conflict with these other forces?


Marcarius the Great says,

The children of this age have become like wheat poured into the sieve of this earth, and then scattered among the inconstant dreams of this world, in the presence of the unending turmoil of earthly cares, desires and maze of material concepts. Satan shakes the souls, and with the sieve, that is, the earthly cares, scatters the entire sinful human race. ...The more the wheat in the sieve is shaken about, turned over and cast up, the more the prince of darkness takes over all people with their earthly cares: he shakes them, agitates them and alarms them, forcing them to flee to vain thoughts, unclean desires, earthly and worldly bonds.... The prince of this world disturbs every soul which is not born from God, and he disturbs human ideas, which are like what constantly being shaken in the sieve leading everyone into uncertainty, and ensnaring them with worldly seductions, pleasures of the flesh, terrors and confusions." (Homily 5:1,2)

Shaken in the Sieve of earthly cares, we must realize that the chains that seem to bind us are the very forces that are trying to keep you from a God pleasing life. Most of us  find ourselves caught up in a  life which is lived to satisfy the needs of a godless society that promotes a life based on pride and egoism.  We want to be accepted according to others norms and values.  The goals of others are impeding on our desire to live a life according to the Will of God.  Even the so called good deeds are no more than acts done to satisfy social norms and our own egos. 


Here is some advice from Saint Theophan the Recluse:

For you to shun everyone is, of course impossible; but refuse as much as possible to enter into this circle of worldly life.  When it does pull you against your will, act as if you were not there; look, but do not see; listen but do not hear.  Let what you see pass by your eyes, and what you hear pass by your ears.  Outwardly behave like everyone else, be straightforward and sincere; but guard your heart from sympathies and attractions.  The main thing is to guard your heart.

This is our challenge: to live a live according to Orthodox values while acting in a world which is not based on these values. This requires a strong faith nourished by the Orthodox way of Life. 

Source: The Spiritual Life p.39 - 44

Awakening Grace is not Enough

Most who have come to believe in Jesus Christ have been awakened by divine grace.  But this is not enough!
Saint Macarius the Great says the grace does not bind our will to forcefully make us act with goodness.  Grace that resides in a Christian does the opposite.  "Most want to possess the kingdom without labors and struggles, but this is impossible," he tells us.

Awakening grace gives us total freedom.  It discloses our human will given to man at the time of Creation, being made in God's image.  With the awakening to grace we now have to choose whether we agree or disagree with grace. This struggle is the beginning of the unification of the human will with the will of God.  With grace we have the desire to do good, but not the natural inclination to do so.  We must force ourselves based on this desire.  Grace confirms this desired goodness and will continue until we master ourselves in a life that is pleasing to God.

Many have a conversion experience and many become participators of heavenly grace and are wounded by heavenly love, but, because of the daily battles and struggles and the work involved and the various temptations from the evil one that they have not conquered, they do not persevere.  they are overwhelmed by various worldly passions, because everyone has something of this world that he loves and he does not detach himself completely from that attachment.
(Saint Macarius the Great, Homily 5, p 66)

Saint Theophan says tour normal actions follow a pattern: "Usually after a thought is born to do something, we lean toward that thought with our desire, then act to remove the obstacles and resolve to do it. It is just the same with the resolve to live the Christian life.
     1. Lean towards the Orthodox Christian way of life with desrie given though recept of grace.
     2. Remove the obstacles that stand in the way by developing our resolve to make changes.
     3. Commit to do so and act.

Theophan tells us that even though grace awakens the spirit within us "nevertheless its suggestion to change our life is only a thought."

Upon receiving this awakening grace we must hasten to act on it immediately!

Finally Saint Macarius the Great says,
Therefore, it is necessary that whoever wishes truly to please God and receive from him the heavenly grace of the Spirit and to grow and be perfected in the Holy Spirit should force himself to observe the commandments of God and to make his heart submissive, even if he is unwilling according to the saying, ‘Therefore, I observe all thy commandments and every false way I abhor’ (Ps 119:128). As one pushes and compels himself to persevere in prayer until he succeeds, similarly, if he wishes and forces and compels himself to practice all the virtues and develops a good habit, he thus asks and begs of the Lord always. And obtaining his request and receiving a taste for God and becoming a participator of the Holy Spirit, he makes the gift given to him to increase and to thrive as he rests in humility, in charity, and in meekness.
(Homily 19.7, The Fifty Spiritual Homilies, Maloney, p. 149)

The Apostle says, "Through many tribulations we must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven" (Acts 14:22).  The Lord says, "In your patience you will possess your souls." (Lk 21:19), and "In the world you will have tribulation." (Jn 16:33)

Reference: Path to Salvation, pp 154-156

St. Macarius the Great on Prayer

We ought to pray, not according to any bodily habit nor with a habit of loud noise nor out of a custom of silence or on bended knees. But we ought soberly to have an attentive mind, waiting expectantly on God until He comes and visits the soul by means of all of its openings and its paths and senses. And so we should be silent when we ought, and to pray with a cry, just as long as the mind is concentrated on God. For as when the body does any task, it is completely occupied with the word and all its members help one another, so also the soul should be totally concentrated on asking and on a loving movement toward the Lord, not wandering and dispersed by its thoughts but with concentration waiting expectantly for Christ.

And thus He will enlighten, teaching on how to ask, giving pure prayer that is spiritual and worthy of God and bestowing the gift of worship “in spirit and in truth” (Jn 4:24).

Except taken from the book: Pseudo-Macarius: the fifty spiritual homilies and the great letter.

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