In this short chapter
Anonymous asks us to examine the way we
think: how we use our thoughts and how our thoughts use us. Review what we said last Tuesday as to what
our Desert Mothers and Fathers, St. Hesychios the Priest, and Paul Evdokimov
have said concerning the movement of our logismoi (thoughts, passions)
as they begin, develop, and reach conclusions within us. Watching thoughts-- the act of spiritual
attentiveness, watchfulness, and the guarding of one’s heart-- has always been
a key practice among contemplatives throughout the great traditions of the
world.
Once again St. Hesychios the Priest provides
numerous insights as to how we may effectively “watch” our thoughts. Among his suggestions are the following two which
are especially helpful. First, do some
“thought watching” at dawn. In other
words, get up a bit early and quietly, before you do your Centering Prayer,
allow yourself to see what you are thinking.
That practice, begun at dawn, can then be carried on periodically during
the day. One stops and looks as his or
thinking and thereby get to know something true about one’s self. Second,
St. Hesychios recommends that we couple our watchfulness with
fasting. Strongly encouraged by Jesus
himself, fasting (perhaps by not eating till satiation, but being just a bit
hungry after eating) is to accompany prayer (see Matthew 6.5-18); the two
complement each other.
How do you,
as Anonymous recommends, “[pay] attention to the sudden allure of each thought?
Read Chapter 12, “How
contemplation destroys sin and nurtures virtues” (35-36). For the first time, Anonymous mentions “virtues,”
and you should read Butcher’s note to understand our use of the word. In medieval times, the Seven Deadly Sins
were often presented as opposites to the Virtues . (I will provide a handout in class showing you the two trees.)
Over the centuries,
however, the presentation of “virtues” moved in directions that did not always
compare them with the “seven vices.” As
a consequence, the so-called seven virtues were divided into two classes: the
cardinal virtues and the theological virtues, and often they were discussed with the fruits of the Holy Spirit as St. Paul
describes them in Galations 5.
As good as all this is (and difficult to keep straight as
to what goes where), perhaps the Boy Scout Oath is about as good as it gets
(outside The Cloud of Unknowing) when it comes to describing a virtuous
life: "A Scout is trustworthy,
loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave,
clean, and reverent." And yet, as
Anonymous will remind us, there’s more to it all than that. No self-help program comes close to his
wisdom.
As Anonymous encourages us to think about vices and
virtues, he admits that some practices are “good” and that “they help [us] grow
in grace.” (35-36). What are such practices?
But as good as these
habits, disciplines, and practices are, they are not equal to the one practice
that truly helps us destroy sin and nurture the virtues. What is that “work” that “trumps everything
else” and how does he describe it?
Anonymous’ final paragraph
in Chapter 12 is powerful, well worth reading over and over, many times, so
that it sinks into our awareness of what’s important when we wish to cultivate
a life characterized by everything that’s on the tree of virtues. What two virtues—Anonymous will discuss them
at length in the upcoming chapters-- are especially important to cultivate as a
contemplative?
Next week's class will be on Monday, July 30, at 10:00 a.m. Our special guest will be Cherry Haisten, whose introductions to the practice of praying The Welcoming Prayer is known throughout the world. Do be sure to come as she shares her insights of this contemplative practice with us!
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