St. Theophan the Recluse: Bridling the Flesh

St. Theophan the Recluse: Bridling the Flesh

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23.03.2023, 01:50

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Thursday, March 23 (10), 2023
No Liturgy ─ no New Testament reading appointed

“He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes” [Prov. 13:24]. For the time being, let us leave little children alone and see how this can be applied to us adults: “Don’t be lenient to yourself, chasten yourself vigorously”.

Self-pity is at the root of all our sinful inclinations. Conversely, if you have no lenience to yourself, you will always be firm in goodness. Least of all deserves lenience our flesh, that dumb slave of ours. As long as you treat it harshly, it remains humble, but give it even a small liberty, and right away it turns into a brazen bully, pumped up by sinful passions.

Amazingly, though, that in spite of all the facts, people are so concerned with catering to their flesh, ever inventing new pleasures to pamper it. Even education is said to be impossible without it. What kind of education might that be?...

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