Moral Theology, by Metropolitan Philaret (Voznesensky)

The influence of Christianity on all aspects of life. The Christian family. The mutual relationship between husband and wife, parents and children. The respect for authority civil and spiritual. Photo: pravpokrov.ru Photo: pravpokrov.ru The basic aim of Christianity is to teach man God’s Will, thus bringing them to eternal beatitude. In vain do some want to compare Christianity only to a narrow, isolated sphere of religious experiences. No, Christianity is life, Christianity puts a new stamp on all of life’s relationships between people. Its influence on life is unarguable and indubitable for every unprejudiced person. It suffices to indicate that even if life and conduct of people in our time have departed from Christian ideals, their understanding and views were formed by Christianity. The work and creations of the best, most sincere servants of Science and Art, carry within themselves a clearly Christian mark. Further, such consoling phenomena as the disappearance, of slavery, the appearance of many philanthropic and educational institutions, and many others are undoubtedly indebted to Christianity for their existence. But perhaps the family, as the first structural cell of social life, experienced the most reformative and educational influence of Christianity. Of course, it is a great responsibility for a Christian man and woman to choose for themselves a friend for their entire life. God’s Word declares that in a Christian marriage, “two will be one flesh”; two people in marriage seem to compose one organism, one common life. A Christian wife thinks of her husband before everything else and only then of herself. Exactly in the same way, the husband first cares for his wife and only then for himself. The Lord strengthened such a Christian unity of spouses with His Divine Word, What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder. It is remarkable that the love: of husband and wife has the same unselfish, self-sacrificing character that generally distinguishes Christian love. Not in vain does Apostle Paul compare conjugal unity to the unity of Christ and the Church, saying, Husbands love your wives as Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself for it (Eph. 5:25). In Christian marriage, the unity of the two beloveds becomes so all-encompassing and complete, the mutual devotion of the spouses is so deep and unconditional that they resemble each other, and at times even begin to look like each other towards old age. Their life flows in utter harmony, in full devotion to the laws of Christ the Savior and His Holy Church. In our days it is so difficult to bear watching the impetuous, irrational, imprudent and completely un-Christian relationship of youth to this serious question. We continuously observe today how marriages are contracted not from a serious, deep, tested feeling of love but from the emotionality of “being in love”, a feeling which is not serious, not deep, and morally not very high. Often, the substance of “being enamored” is, alas, essentially only animal sensualism, only the “agitation of young blood”, sometimes not even young but dirty, and quarrelsome. At the same time, deceit, the self-adornment of body and soul, and the hypocritical desire not to be but to seem better and more beautiful, of which we spoke earlier, is continuously observed in the premarital period of such “marriages”. But life can be built only on truth, it cannot remain upright on falseness. The disappointment of spouses in each other and the indecent practice of divorces stems so often from this. Who has not heard of these “loves” being continuously resolved today into “civil marriages”, that is, illegal ties, systematically, continuously violating the Seventh Commandment, for which the Holy Church forbids receiving Holy Communion. All this ends most tragically, not only in quarrels but in crimes, murder, and suicide. Christian marriage is one life with two alive in a single union. With the advent of time, conjugal love in marriage strengthens, becomes deeper, more spiritual. Sensuous love enters into this conjugal love as a known item in Christianity. Sensuous love is tied to the natural, sexual instinct peculiar to man and to the purely physical inclination and attraction to the other sex. In a genuinely Christian marriage, such physical love is only one part in the attachment of the spouses and never has such meaning and power as in non-Christian marriages. In the Lives of the Saints, we see several examples of how Christian spouses refused a sexual life by reciprocal agreement, either from the very beginning of the marriage or after forty years. It is amazing that in such marriages, where spouses-ascetics live “as brother and sister”, their mutual love is distinguished by a special power of attachment, all-encompassing faithfulness, and mutual respect. Christianity has thus enlightened, elevated, and transformed marital unity. Children and parents, besides the husband and wife, are included in the Christian family. Christianity again leaves its characteristic stamp on the mutual relationship of those and others. In every good family, there must be an unfailingly unified family life. The common “our” must always stand higher than the personal “my”. It is not in vain that all the members of a family have one name in common and they must live a friendly life together. The head of the family is usually considered to be and must be the husband. The well-being of the family is based on his labors. The family is his first responsibility. Apostle Paul says tersely but with sufficient intelligibility concerning those who do not care for their families that, If any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel (1 Tim. 5:8). It is common to see in life that parents, directing their children on that or another path, act contrary to their children’s inclinations and heart’s desires. And sometimes they are even unfair. The Apostle says straightforwardly in opposition to this, Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged (Col. 3:21), and, Ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Eph. 6:4). Being excessively demanding beyond the children’s strength, only plunges them into despondency. Unfairness does that so much more; the father, for the child is the highest authority and woe if that authority will go against the feeling of truth so much stronger in each child than in adults. This creates a desperate situation for the child’s soul. But worse things occur when parents spoil their children overly much, are too indulgent towards them and often leave them without supervision. From here stems great moral damage to the child; especially since we have seen that God’s Word directly orders parents to raise and guide their children in our Lord’s Law. The raising of children, of course, largely rests upon the mother. And this is natural, as no one is so close to the soul and heart of a child as his mother. Not in vain does he run to her with the cry “mama” when he has been hurt. A great problem lies before the mother to raise the son or daughter as a faithful Christian, a kind, sensitive, industrious, good worker for the Church and state, to raise with words and by example, with fondness and sternness. The husband must appreciate this enormous work of childrearing. This is the altar of her service to the Lord, a work which is no less important than his work for the family. Shame and disgrace on those mothers who feel burdened by having to raise their children and often give them up entirely in the care of hired servants, forgetting how easy it is to hurt or defile the child’s soul. Can anyone really replace a child’s mother? Children must remember their responsibilities no less than their parents. Everyone knows the Fifth Commandment of God’s Law about honoring one’s parents. Children, wrote Apostle Paul, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right (Eph. 6:1). And of course, this demand is evoked precisely by Justice. Children are indebted for everything to their parents who care for them, loving them, working, denying themselves in much, raising them with their love, often helping them even when they have become adults and independent people. How often is the Fifth Commandment broken today? Even those children who are convinced that they sincerely and firmly love their parents are often disobedient and thus do not honor them. Love is always tied to obedience. The older such children become, the more self-willed they become, being rude to their parents, reproaching them for their “backwardness” and disregarding their authority. Is this the honoring of parents? In the Old Testament, it is said directly that, Who speaks evil of his father or mother must be put to death”. In the New Testament the Savior, remembering this law, called it the Lord’s Commandment. How many terrifying instances there are in life when the Lord severely punishes (sometimes fatally) offenders of their fathers or mothers! It is not said in vain that a mother’s prayer saves (a child) from water and fire, and that, “A parent’s blessing confirms their children’s house”; on the other hand, who has not heard of what terrible unhappiness it is to inflict upon yourself a mother’s or father’s curse. Thus, basically the meaning of the Fifth Commandment speaks about respecting our parents. But of course, for a Christian included here is everyone taking the parent’s place: teachers, governesses, and so forth, and especially the representatives of the legal authorities who preserve the state’s order. Apostle Paul directly orders us to pray for the Kings and for all that are in authority (1 Tim 2:2), and in many other places of his Epistles he teaches us to submit ourselves to the authorities. Even more important for a Christian is to honor the spiritual authorities—the Church pastors, especially the bishops and also that pastor who is our spiritual father and answers before God for our souls. Apostle Paul said, Obey them that have rule over you and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account (Heb. 13:17). The Lord Himself said to His Apostles and through their person to the Church pastors, He that heareth you heareth Me, and he who despiseth you (does not listen to you) despiseth Me...” -0-

How to Make Your Life an Unceasing Prayer

How to Make Your Life an Unceasing Prayer Protosinghel Petroniu (Tănase) On April 27, 2023, the relics of a modern ascetic of piety, the abbot of the Romanian Athonite Prodromou Skete Protosinghel Petroniu (Tănase), who reposed in the Lord twelve years prior on February 22, 2011, were uncovered at the skete. Elder Petroniu is one of the Romanian spiritual confessors proposed for canonization in 2025. We present in this article the Elder’s counsel on the work of prayer. Protosinghel Petroniu Protosinghel Petroniu —Tell us about unceasing prayer. —The Holy Fathers call prayer the “breath of the soul.” As the body can’t live without air and must constantly breathe, so the soul can’t live a moment without a connection with God; it must always be connected with Him and pray unceasingly. Therefore, St. Paul exhorts the Thessalonians, and through them all Christians: Pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17). Throughout the centuries, Christians have tried to fulfill this commandment from the Apostle. But as it’s not such a simple matter, the Fathers of the Church have taught us how to pray unceasingly. St. Maximus the Confessor says, describing the conversation of a brother with his spiritual father: And the brother said: “How can the mind pray without ceasing? After all, when we sing or read, when we meet with others and serve, we turn away towards many thoughts and contemplations.” And the Elder responded: “The Divine Scriptures don’t command anything impossible, for the Apostle also sang, read, and served, but nevertheless he prayed unceasingly. Continuous prayer consists in reverently and lovingly keeping your mind attached to God, always hanging on Him with hope, relying on Him in everything, no matter what you do and no matter what happens. True, unceasing prayer consists, first of all, in the soul constantly hoping in God,” and not in verbosity. True faith in God lives by this prayer, full of simple hope. Being in such a disposition, the Apostle Paul says: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress? And: For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels… (Rom. 8:35, 38). And also: We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body (2 Cor. 4:8-10). In this state, the Apostle prayed without ceasing, because in everything he did and everything that happened to him, he placed his hope in God. In his Dialogues and Homilies, St. Basil the Great teaches us how to attain unceasing prayer: Prayer is a petition sent by the faithful to God for the acquisition of some good. The petition doesn’t necessarily have to be sent in words, and I don’t think that God needs us to remind Him in words of our desires, for He knows what’s good for us, even if we don’t ask Him for it. It’s not necessary to pray with articulation of the words—it’s better to replenish the power of prayer with the free will of the soul and virtuous deeds that would extend throughout our lives. Whether therefore ye eat, says the Apostle, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31). When you sit down at the table, pray; when you take your bread to eat, give thanks to Him Who gave it to you; when you strengthen the weakness of the flesh with wine, remember Him Who gave you this gift for the gladdening of the heart and the weakening of diseases. When you eat your fill, don’t forget about your Benefactor; when you put on a robe, give thanks to Him Who gave it to you; when you put on your outer garment, may your love for God multiply, for Him Who gave us a garment suitable for winter and summer—a garment that preserves our life and covers our shame. When the day has passed, thank Him Who gave us the sun to serve our daily affairs; Him Who gave us fire to enlighten the night and to serve our other daily needs. May the night give you other reasons for prayer. When you raise your eyes to Heaven and behold the beauty of the stars, pray to the Lord of what you have seen and worship God, the all-surpassing Master of the universe, Who created all things with wisdom. When you see that all living things have sunk into sleep, again worship Him Who allowed us, against our will, to suspend work for sleep, to rest a little and thereby renew our strength for further work. Don’t allow your whole night to be devoted to sleep; don’t make half your life useless by allowing yourself to sleep, but divide the night between sleep and prayer. Even dreams give you the opportunity to think about faith. Most of the time images in our dreams are echoes of our concerns during the day. What concerns we have during the day we also have in our dreams. By doing so, you will pray without ceasing. Don’t pray with words alone, but by uniting your whole life to God, and your life will be an unceasing and continuous prayer.1 —Tell us about the unceasing prayer that comes from saying, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” —This is the hesychast or hermit prayer, because in a special way, it’s the monastics who have renounced and fled the world in order to be in constant prayerful contact with God who repeat this prayer. To this end, they found a simple prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” Every monastic, when he takes on the angelic habit, is given a commandment to say this prayer without ceasing, for which he’s given a prayer rope with which he recites it. However, in the monastery, the monks have the liturgical life, the daily Church services, and work for the good governance of the community, and therefore unceasing prayer became the work of hermits leading a solitary life, simple and ascetic, whose main work is unceasing prayer. While practicing this prayer, the hermits encountered some difficult obstacles, therefore certain Fathers who succeeded in prayer developed a spiritual art—methods for overcoming these obstacles. We find several such methods in the Philokalia, from St. Nikephoros the Hermit, St. Gregory the Sinaite, St. Symeon the New Theologian, and others. Whoever desires to engage in unceasing prayer must first of all acquire a certain inner disposition, having a pure conscience in relation to God, neighbor, and things: towards God not doing anything that displeases Him; towards his neighbor not doing anything he wouldn’t want done to him; towards material things abstaining in everything: in food, in drink, in clothes, save for what’s necessary. Do everything as before God, and then add dispassion; that is, be free from every passion. Only after you have acquired all of this do you begin to pray without ceasing. Practicing unceasing prayer isn’t so easy even for hermits, and even less so for men in the world. A man in the world can also pray the hermit’s prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner,” but that doesn’t mean he becomes a hermit, a hesychast, or that hesychasm has descended into the world—that would be the easiest path for men today, as some have said. Christians in the world also pray the hermit’s prayer, but to the extent that it’s possible in the world and with the corresponding result. In this regard, there’s a saying in the spiritual world: “For the small, the great is not great, and for the great, the small is not small.” The meaning is clear: Hesychastic prayer is simple and brief, but for hermits it’s not small; and conversely, hermetic prayer is great for the hermits, but small for a man in the world. —How can we acquire a peaceful conscience towards things? —God created things and we can’t live without them. Some serve us for food, others for other needs. We use things our entire lives, but they were created not only for bodily use, but also for the soul. Things have their own language, and if we understand it, we learn how to live in a spiritually correct way. In the third volume of the Philokalia, St. Maximus the Confessor explains in detail how this should be understood.2 God created man with a need for food,3 although He could have created him without it. God created man to live at the expense of lower things so he would understand that he’s not an autonomous being, that he doesn’t live by himself. He didn’t create himself, because he lives thanks to things lower than himself. And then the need for food forcing him to be humble, and see that he isn’t as Lucifer considered himself to be, pridefully imagining he could ascend to Heaven by himself to become higher than God. Man is not only a body but also a soul, and as the body needs food, so the soul needs God and must find spiritual food. The food of the soul is prayer, divine contemplation. Because just as a man can’t live without air and food for the body, so he can’t live without Divine food for the soul. He must always be connected with God by unceasing prayer. God created him for a purpose. And if we understand why God created him this way, then we learn how to lead a spiritual life. Not seeing the spiritual side, man has violated nature. He didn’t use it properly, he abused it with the rights he has over it, and now nature is taking its revenge. Not having the right understanding he overused it for the body alone; and as a result, all the mistakes wreak havoc on him. Man must always be sparing with his use of food and things. For example, television isn’t useful for man, because it isn’t necessary. If man lived without television for two thousand years, that means it’s not a real human need, but a false one, made up. One need is to cover my body, but I cover it with a simple garment, not something made of very expensive silk. Moderation is very important. I wear inexpensive clothing because it makes less fuss, I spend less, and there’s more time left for spiritual things. People who live in moderation are healthier than those who live in satiety. Protosinghel Petroniu (Tănase) Translation by Jesse Dominick Pravoslavie.ru 5/18/2023 1 St. Basil the Great, Dialogue 5: In Memory of the Martyr Julitta 2 In the Romanian Philokalia, the entire third volume is dedicated to the 65 Questions of Thalassius by St. Maximus. 3 To be more precise, man was created such that he would have a need for food after he sinned. Man was created without any bodily needs and would not have died if not for sin. St. Maximus teaches in Ambiguum 8: “God, at the very moment humanity fell ... gave the body the capacity to suffer, undergo corruption, and be wholly dissolved—as was evinced when God covered the body with garments of skin.”