passions

Who Killed Christ?

CrucifixionA question was asked “In the Brother’s Karamazov, Fr. Zosima mentions that a man must realize he is responsible for all the sins of mankind. How is this possible?”

Answer: Every time I have sinned, I am again guilty of the entire fall of all creation into Death. Each time. When I sin, I bring death to the world again as the first time. Every child that starves. Every forest that dies. Everyone who anywhere suffers illness, want, or in any way. All suffering and pain is my fault. It is all my fault. My own most grievous fault. It is like the old catechetical question: “Who killed Christ?” There is only one answer, and every Orthodox person must learn it: I did.

So who brought death into the world, and every result of death, every frustration of man, every harm, and all sins, which result of death? I did.

Mine is the first sin. Which is why every liturgy, when with the psalter we pray “Deliver me from bloodguiltiness O God,” I know truly that I am speaking of my great crime. I am the original mass murderer. The original genocidal maniac. The willing destroyer of babes. It is a difficult answer to hear, and not easily digested by everyone. It is often thought such an answer is overstated, but it is confirmed again and again by our fathers in the desert. When they teach us, “consider yourself inferior to all men”, they aren’t being coy. I think they know that when one of us gives account for all the crimes of the world, he no longer thinks himself greater than his Master, but knowing his crimes, can make his life a metanoia before God.

Warfare: the Enemy, the World, the Passions

“I have written to you, fathers, because you have known Him Who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the Word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one. Love not the world, nor the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and its lust: but he that does the will of God abides forever.” – St. John the Apostle

Comment: Throughout all stages of our lives, we are called to continual warfare. With the Enemy and against his works, with the World and against its system, attitudes, and values, and with the Passions, because the greatest conquest is the conquest of self. – DD

Fierce Faith

“Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.” – The Holy Apostle Paul to the Church at Rome

The Passions vs. True Learning

“This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. ” – St. Paul the Apostle

Excess: Results for Body & Soul

“For in our bodies too all distempers arise from excess; and when the elements thereof leave their proper limits, and go on beyond moderation, then all these countless diseases are generated, and grievous kinds of death.” — St. John Chrysostom

A Cause of Listlessness

“Do not befoul your intellect by clinging to thoughts filled with anger and sensual desire. Otherwise you will lose your capacity for pure prayer and fall victim to the demon of listlessness.” – St. Maximus the Confessor

The Passions

A (very) partial list of the passions that St. Peter of Damascus (Damascene) found mentioned or discussed in the Holy Scriptures.

    • Listlessness
    • Despair
    • Mindlessness
    • Cowardice
    • Idle chatter
    • Dissipation
    • Lack of progress
    • Voracity
    • Exasperation
    • Implacability
    • Drowsiness of soul
    • Mindless enjoyment
    • Feigned affection
    • Pettiness
    • Contemptuousness
    • Mindless friendship
    • Silly talk
    • Irritability
    • Clinging to life
    • Affectation
    • Scorn for one’s neighbor
    • Mercilessness
    • Insensitivity
    • Spiritual paralysi

    Constant Stimulation vs. Calm and Control

    “He who is under the power of sin cannot by himself prevail over the will of the flesh, because he suffers continual stimulation in all his members.” — Saint Kosmas Aitolos

    Free Will vs. the Passions

    “A passion which we allow to grow active within us through our own choice afterwards forces itself upon us against our will.” — Saint Kosmas Aitolos

    Comment: Heraclitus said, “Character is destiny.” For those interested in predestination, the war that Orthodox are called to make continually upon the passions is an interesting corollary. – DD

    Resist More

    The Holy Apostle Paul to the Hebrews  Chapter 12, 1-15.

    Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

    Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

    For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

    Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. …

    Resist MoreRead More »

    What is Insight?

    “Spiritual insight is characterized, first, by awareness of one’s own failing before they issue in outward actions, as well as of the stealthy tricks of the demons; and, second, by the knowledge of the mysteries hidden in the divine Scriptures and in sensible creation.” – St. Peter of Damaskos.

    The Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian

    O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, meddling, lust of power and idle talk.  But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to Thy servant.  Yea, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own sins and not to judge my brother, for Thou art blessed unto ages of ages.  Amen.

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