St. Isaak of Syria writes in his second “Word”: ”Take an effort to enter your own inner world, and you will see the heavenly world there, for the former and the latter are one and the same thing, and on entering one you see both. The Ladder to the Heavenly Kingdom is within you, hidden in your soul. Immerse into yourself away from sin, and you will find the steps along which you will be able to go up.”
The Lord said: “The Kingdom of God is within you.” For this reason the Holy Fathers urgently advise us to say the Jesus Prayer as often as possible. Man enters inside himself through this prayer. I am writing about this now, because during the long divine services in the church, especially during the Lent period, it feels good and easy to say the Jesus Prayer repeatedly for a longer period of time. I advise you not to ignore this precept of the Holy Fathers. The devil in every possible way tries to distract man from doing this. You must be aware of this and resist him, and induce yourself to this wonderful prayer.
The Lord has opened for us the entrance to the Kingdom of God here on earth, but we would rather look for the miserable crumbs of the truth in science, philosophy and elsewhere, except the Gospel and the works of the Holy Fathers, who have fulfilled the Gospel in their deeds. Miserable people we are, aren’t we? We voluntary doom ourselves to an almost animal-like existence, and at that, blame others for the hard life. The reward is due of our deeds.
One thing just came back to my mind: when attending a lecture you may find dull and uninteresting, but no other occupation is possible, why not taking “exercise” in the Jesus Prayer? The word “exercise” is a frequently used word, but using it with regard to a prayer, people show that they do not know what prayer is about. Man should not “exercise” praying (one can go as far as getting “training” in praying), but when praying he should stay in awe before God , and, fully admitting his own unworthiness even to pronounce the name of God and only hoping for His mercy, with fear and full attention say the words of the prayer.
The right prayer will soon teach man’s heart how to behave when praying. There is a precept telling us to pray incessantly. Prayer helps man rise from the worldliness, become untouchable for the bunch of creeps, ”cursed to go on their belly,” and be free like a bird breaking out from its cage. This is the implication of the expression of the Fathers “ to tear off the earth.”
But we, contrary to this good advice, have stepped away from God and tied ourselves to the earth and go on our belly there, eating dust – passions – and tormenting ourselves and others. We are going in the light of our own source, having rejected the light of God. Satan offered Jesus Christ all the kingdoms of the world for giving in to him. We, unlike Him, disregarding our dignity, willingly agree to submit to Satan, ready to bow and to be at his service any moment, like serves, just to have thin soup in abundance for our meals. This is how human soul may be blinded by man’s daily vanity. Again, it is pertinent to remember good advice: Do not overburden your hearts with overeating, hard drinking and vanity.
Alas! Man did not comprehend his honor, and became like unreasonable beast.
Forgive me for unrequested advising. May be something will stick to you, and I may at least have my “feelings vented,” for I just talk and do not do what I must. Woe to me!
I like the time of the Lent!
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