www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology How does one apply the Philokalia to ones life?

I have been reading and studying the "Philokalia" for several months now. It has been more precious than gold for me. The wisdom of the Eastern Fathers really speaks to me on a personal level. Anyway; does anybody have any thoughts as to how one can apply the principles in the "Philokalia" to modern life? I'm a husband, father, and employee; yet I want to live the "Philokalia" as best as I can in my situation.

How do you make the ascetic life practical these days?

Thank you

Columcille

Dear Columcille,

So glad to hear you've been reading the Philolkalia! I too have a set and read it very often. I can't wait for the final volume to be published!

You ask a great question. I think tha application of the teachings in the Philokalia is something best undertaken with the guidance of a spiritual director, someone with plenty of experience living the 'life in Christ' which is essentially what the Philokalia is about.

Hope this is of some help!

In Christ,
Mike (poor sinner)

Thank you! Of course, being Roman Catholic, I probably wouldn't be able to find a Roman priest who is very familiar with the Philokalia.

But thank you again for your advise

Columcille

Dear Columcille,

It would be very difficult to find a spiritual Father trained in the discerning teachings of the Philokalia, but that is not to say it is impossible.

The number one message of the Philokalia, of course, is the Prayer of the Heart.

Living in the world as we do, we are faced with challenges in our spiritual life, let alone something of the spiritual magnitude of the Philokalia.

But we can set aside two types of prayer times for the Jesus prayer, formal and informal.

The formal side is to have a set rule of Prayers to say morning and evening.

The Carmelite Father, Rev. Poslusney, wrote several pamphlets on the prayer of the heart where he uses the Jesus Prayer - most Catholic bookstores would have them or can get them.

He describes how one may spend an hour in such prayer of the heart etc.

Throughout the day, we can and should use the Jesus Prayer.

I must confess that I find the Old Believer's tradition of saying the Jesus Prayer with the Sign of the Cross to be an excellent way to focus amid the bustle of the day.

Sometimes a good way to do this is to begin each new hour with a few Jesus Prayers or even 12, following the advice of the Angel to St Pachomios in the desert. Of course, the Monks were prescribed 100 prayers for each hour, but 12 said by us in the world is a discipline too.

Bless your meals with the Jesus Prayer, bless your child with the Jesus Prayer, morning and night, bless your bed at night, bless everything with the Name of Jesus.

Give yourself over the Fathers of the Philokalia and they will become your Elders and spiritual guides.

St Seraphim of Sarov told his spiritual children to come to his grave and to tell them their spiritual difficulties and he would hear them and help them.

Do this as well and choose St Seraphim as your spiritual Guide. He said 150 Our Fathers and Hail Marys daily. He prayed the entire New Testament each week. He practiced unceasingly the Jesus Prayer. He was favoured with visitations from the Most Holy Mother of God. And he is venerated by the Russian Catholics and many others in communion with Rome.

Alex

Hi Alex,

Not to change the subject, but...

What book(s) would you recommend for a biography and/or spiritual writings of St Seraphim of Sarov.

One day, for some reason, I prayed to St Seraphim and he immediately came to my aid. Who says you can't pray to strangers?

Columcille,
I too am a father, husband and employee. Living a life of holiness as an employee is tough stuff, especially nowadays. As an accountant, it is even more difficult.

I use to be a Latin Catholic (Roman). And I was involved with Opus Dei...you know, the ultra-secretive cult with lots of money They taught that the main path of holiness for laypeople was their everyday work. Since you are Roman Catholic, you might want to look into this group. However, they don't have anything close to an Eastern spirituality...they are as far west as you can get.

Blessings!

Greg

Dear Greg,

There are numerous books on St Seraphim of Sarov, "Flame in the Snow" is a popular one and any Orthodox on-line bookstore would carry several.

The famous article by Motovilov relates a journalist's actual visit to the Holy Elder in the forests of northern Russia.

He relates how St Seraphim tells him to look at him and how a delicious warmth envelopes him etc.

Yes, he is a great miracle-worker and Elder.

His icon, which is a western-style one, is that of the Annunciation.

Seraphim foretold the fall of communism and his icon of the Mother of God became the most popular one throughout the tenure of soviet communism.

His great devotion to the 150 Our Fathers and 150 Hail Marys truly does bring one close to God!

And he never discriminates - so come one, come all and rejoice in having a spiritual Father like St Seraphim of Sarov!

Alex

I cannot recommend devotion to St. Seraphim highly enough!

A friend of mine was miraculously cured by St. Seraphim when a priest prayed for his intercession and she was blessed with one of his relics.

Both she and the priest are Catholics of the Latin Church.

God (and the Saints) show no partiality.

Dear Ignatius and Greg and Columcille,

In fact, the shrines of Orthodox saints, like those of many CAtholic ones, are visited by Christians and non-Christians alike.

There is an iconographic representation in Pochayiv where the miraculous Icon of Our Lady is honoured of a Roman Catholic lady who was healed of blindness at the Shrine.

As a way to say "thank you," she became Orthodox, but she didn't have to.

The Icon itself was declared miraculous by Rome and was crowned with a papal crown when it was under Catholic control.

The Orthodox Saint Job of Pochayiv had his cause looked at by the Congregation of Saints in Rome.

They decided to canonize him a Roman Saint, but the whole matter died away when the Pochayiv monastery reverted back to Orthodox hands.

I have in my possession an antique medal of the icon with the papal crown and St Job on the other side, since his local cult was so great among both Catholics and Orthodox.

Alex

The very best English biography is by Archimandrite Lazarus Moore. It was originally published by New Sarov Press (Blanco, TX) but that monastery has had some problems. You might still try them or I believe that "Light and Life" Publishers has that book. It is absolutely excellent and gives a very detailed biography as well as a very complete and descriptive spiritual portrait. It is in paperback. Well worth every penny!!
Silouan

The traditional way one applied the Philokalia to one's life is very different
than things are today. In terms of reading,
first a well-established reading of the calendar (such as the Prologue of Ochrid).
Then the Evergenitos. And then a portion of the Philokalia that one had been given access to by one's Spiritual Father could be read when he determined that one was at the phase in the spiritual life that the text would be helpful for. In other words, an experienced Spiritual Director applied it to one's life. It was not something one tried oneself. Accomodation to the times was made when the smaller Russian Philokalia was published. As for the fifth volume, it might not see the light of day I was told. Some of the translators have died and the rest are up there in years. The project of translating the fifth volume, several years overdue, has come to a slow, grinding, near halt. I used to be in publishing and still have connections. I got this from Faber and Faber directly.