Philotheus of Sinai: On Sobriety

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Barbara
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Re: Philotheus of Sinai: On Sobriety

Post by Barbara »

Thank you, Maria, that is a great reply via the Text number 10 passage.
A lot to think about !

How, though, to wake the chatterer, any chatterer, up so they can see what harm they do to themselves, incurring the
condemnation of God even. And resulting in causing sorrow to the Holy Spirit.

Worse in fact is that some people don't just chatter mindlessly ; they 'motormouth' [much as i dislike that word ] on and on deliberately to distract others and take them out of their daily disciplines and duties. It is not merely a noxious habit but actually a malicious endeavor !

Probably this text answers that problem as well.

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Maria
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Re: Philotheus of Sinai: On Sobriety

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Test #13, p. 327-328

This text is probably one of the most important passages written by Philotheus.
I have tried to summarize this longer text without omitting anything essential:

Sobriety is only possible when one possesses a great humility towards God and one's neighbors.
The memory and sorrow of one's former sinful life and God's loving kindness and mercy towards us,
the constant memory of death, and the remembrance of the Holy Passion of Christ will keep us humble.
Great humility is paramount because spiritual warfare is waged against proud ungrateful demons.

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner.

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Maria
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Re: Philotheus of Sinai: On Sobriety

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Discernment.

Before summarizing text #14, as it talks about angels and demons, mention should be made about certain videos and publications that discuss angelic appearances. How does one discern if an angel is of God or is demonic?

Humility and sobriety.

People who have died and who have returned to life note that a very quiet, humble, and sober person comes to lead them to the afterlife where they are detained in a line or waiting room before meeting the Most Holy Theotokos or Christ who judges them. In total silence, the person who guides them is unassuming and respectful. Only when asked if he is one's guardian angel, will he simply respond, "Yes." Nothing more needs to be said.

On the contrary, in books from our saints, Mt. Athos and the Desert Fathers, Lucifer frequently appears in grandeur as an "Angel of Light" who will lead one to all wisdom if one will bow down and worship him. Nevertheless, as this shapeshifter's very appearance is subject to change, deep down one feels slightly uneasy, uncertain, and confused. However, the appeal to pride prevents discernment, so either the person will not reveal this vision to one's priest or spiritual father and/or he will boast about it to others.

One of my former acquaintances told me that an Angel of Light had appeared to her while she was driving into Los Angeles in the summer of 1994. He suddenly sat down in the passenger seat beside her. As the Angel was very beautiful and bright, she thought that he must be a good angel, so she followed his instruction to execute a U turn on the freeway and head back to Santa Maria going the wrong way as he had informed her that a Big Earthquake was going to happen. This maneuver could have killed both her and countless others, but somehow she was preserved from harm, so she continued in her delusion. Once pulled over by the California Highway Patrol, she realized that something was wrong. As soon as she arrived home, she called me and told me that she would appear on KNBC Channel 4 News at 5 PM where she boasted to the world about her angelic vision. Channel 4 also reported that a total of 13 people had to be escorted off the freeway by the CHP around 3 PM for driving the wrong way. All told of a splendid Angel of Light who advised them about the Big Shaker which was to occur around 3:15 PM. None of the 13 knew each other, so the CHP did not cite them for any infraction, but said that it was obviously a case of mass hysteria as no earthquake occurred.

After the news aired, she called me back an hour later. She did not call her priest. That she could have been so easily deceived by Lucifer was a shock to her as she piously prayed morning, midday, and evening prayers. However, no significant earthquakes occurred that day, the month following, or a year afterwards. The "Big One" had failed to materialize.

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner.

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Barbara
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Re: Philotheus of Sinai: On Sobriety

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Wow.
Your friend should not have been so gullible.
Angels do NOT just appear in the front seat of a car ! They will guide in more subtle ways than that. People need to be more
educated.

Perhaps responsible for this mass misconception regarding the ability of Angels to help us here on earth was that craze in America about "angels" probably around that very time, in fact. The early to mid-90s, approximately. Then the flow of books and tapes and videos on Angels tapered off. Probably this is what you meant, Maria, when you mentioned videos and publications on Angels. I thought the accounts I read were fictional. But perhaps a lot of people mentally imagined themselves "seeing Angels" as a result -- and like your friend, conjured up demons due to that openness and lack of discernment to distinguish Angels from demons.

A sidenote : I figured the next popular "craze" would be for Saints. That never materialized.

Instead, it seems that devils and horror movies took over the popular imagination -- and never left it for a minute since then, sadly.

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Maria
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Re: Philotheus of Sinai: On Sobriety

Post by Maria »

Maria wrote:

Test #13, p. 327-328

This text is probably one of the most important passages written by Philotheus.
I have tried to summarize this longer text without omitting anything essential:

Sobriety is only possible when one possesses a great humility towards God and one's neighbors.
The memory and sorrow of one's former sinful life and God's loving kindness and mercy towards us,
the constant memory of death, and the remembrance of the Holy Passion of Christ will keep us humble.
Great humility is paramount because spiritual warfare is waged against proud ungrateful demons.

Some thoughts:

Our word for "Eucharist" comes from the Greek meaning to give thanks, and a truly humble person is always grateful. We express gratitude to others by thanking them for their gifts.

So too, we express gratitude to God by receiving Christ, His gift of Eternal Life, in the Holy Eucharist.

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner.

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