He who is drunk with compunction cannot lie

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 12 ~ On Lying

¶14. He who has become merry with wine involuntarily speaks the truth on all subjects, and he who is drunk with compunction cannot lie.
The twelfth step. He who has mounted it has obtained the root of every good.

You can become a channel of profit for many

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 12 ~ On Lying

¶5. When the demons see that, after the mischievous relater of jests has begun, we attempt to flee from hearing him, as it were from an infectious disease, then they try to catch us by two thoughts, suggesting to us: ‘Do not offend the story-teller,’ or: ‘Do not appear to love God more than they do.’ Be off! Do not dally, otherwise at the time of your prayer, the jokes will recur to your mind. And not only run, but even piously disconcert the bad company by offering for their general attention the thought of death and judgment. For perhaps it is better for you to be sprinkled with a few drops of vainglory, if only you can become a channel of profit for many.

The friend of silence draws near to God

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 11 ~ On Talkativeness

¶5. The friend of silence draws near to God and, by secretly conversing with Him, is enlightened by God.

He who has become aware of his sins has controlled his tongue

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 11 ~ On Talkativeness

¶4. He who has become aware of his sins has controlled his tongue, but a talkative person has not yet come to know himself as he should.

Cutting off thoughts

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 15 ~ On Purity and Chastity

¶74. The discerning Fathers have defined that assault is one thing, converse another, consent another, captivity another, struggle another, passion so-called in the soul, another. And these blessed men define assault as a simple conception, or an image of something encountered for the first time, which has entered the heart. Converse is conversation with what has presented itself, accompanied by passion or dispassion. And consent is the bending of the soul to what has been presented to it, accompanied by delight. But captivity is a forcible and involuntary rape of the heart, or a permanent association with what has been encountered which destroys the good order of our condition. Struggle, according to their definition, is power equal to the attacking force, which is either victorious or else suffers defeat according to the soul’s desire. Passion, they say, is preeminently that which for a long time nestles with persistence in the soul, forming therein a habit, as it were, by the soul’s longstanding association with it, since the soul of its own free and proper choice clings to it. Of all these states, the first is without sin, the second not always, but the third is sinful or sinless according to the state of the contestant. Struggle is the occasion of crowns or punishments. Captivity is judged differently, according to whether it occurs at the time of prayer, or at other times; whether in things indifferent [neither good, nor bad], or in the case of evil thoughts. But passion is unequivocally condemned in every case, and demands either corresponding repentance or future punishment. Therefore, he who regards the first assault dispassionately cuts off at a single blow all the rest which follow.

Intelligent silence is the mother of prayer

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 11 ~ On Talkativeness

¶3. Intelligent silence is the mother of prayer, a recall from captivity, preservation of fire, an overseer of thoughts, a watch against enemies, a prison of mourning, a friend of tears, effective remembrance of death, a depicter of punishment, a delver into judgment, a minister of sorrow, an enemy of freedom of speech, a companion of stillness, an opponent of desire to teach, increase of knowledge, a creator of divine vision, unseen progress, secret ascent.

Talkativeness is the throne of vainglory

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 11 ~ On Talkativeness

¶2. Talkativeness is the throne of vainglory, on which it loves to show itself and make a display. Talkativeness is a sign of ignorance, a door to slander, an inducement to jesting, a servant of falsehood, the ruin of compunction, a creator and summoner of despondency, a precursor of sleep, the dissipation of recollection, the abolition of watchfulness, the cooling of ardour, the darkening of prayer.

Take careful note of virtues in others, not faults

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 10 ~ On Slander

¶16. A good grape-picker, who eats the ripe grapes, will not start gathering unripe ones. A charitable and sensible mind takes careful note of whatever virtues it sees in anyone. But a fool looks for faults and defects. And of such it is said: ‘They have searched after iniquity, and in searching they are grown weary of searching.’

Judging others incompatible with repentance

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 10 ~ On Slander

¶8. Fire and water are incompatible; and so is judging others in one who wants to repent. If you see someone falling into sin at the very moment of his death, even then do not judge him, because the Divine judgment is hidden from men. Some have fallen openly into great sins, but they have done greater good deeds in secret; so their critics were tricked, getting smoke instead of the sun.

Judge not, that ye shall not be judged

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 10 ~ On Slander

¶7. Do not regard the feelings of a person who speaks to you about his neighbour disparagingly, but rather say to him: ‘Stop, brother! I fall into graver sins every day, so how can I criticize him?’ In this way you will achieve two things: you will heal yourself and your neighbour with one plaster. This is one of the shortest ways to the forgiveness of sins; I mean, not to judge. ‘Judge not, that ye shall not be judged.’

The kind of love acceptable to the Lord

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 10 ~ On Slander

¶4. I have heard people slandering, and I have rebuked them. And these doers of evil replied in self-defence that they were doing so out of love and care for the person whom they were slandering. I said to them: ‘Stop that kind of love, otherwise you will be condemning as a liar him who said: “Him that privily talked against his neighbour, did I drive away.” If you say you love, then pray secretly, and do not mock the man. For this is the kind of love that is acceptable to the Lord.’ But I will not hide this from you (and of course be careful, lest you judge the offender): Judas was in the company of Christ’s disciples, and the thief was in the company of murderers. Yet it is a wondrous thing, how in a single instant, they exchanged places!

Slander wastes and drains the blood of love

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 10 ~ On Slander

¶2. Slander is an offspring of hatred, a subtle yet coarse disease, a leech lurking unfelt, wasting and draining the blood of love. It is simulation of love, the patron of a heavy and unclean heart, the ruin of chastity.

The forgetting of wrongs is a sign of true repentance

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 9 ~ On Remembrance of Wrongs

¶17. The forgetting of wrongs is a sign of true repentance. But he who dwells on them and thinks that he is repenting is like a man who thinks he is running while he is really asleep.

If you forgive quickly, then you will be generously forgiven

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 9 ~ On Remembrance of Wrongs

¶16. Some, for the sake of forgiveness, give themselves up to labours and struggles, but a man who is forgetful of wrongs excels them. If you forgive quickly, then you will be generously forgiven.

Have remembrance of wrongs and spitefulness against the demons

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 9 ~ On Remembrance of Wrongs

¶9. Have remembrance of wrongs and spitefulness against the demons, and be at constant enmity with your body. The flesh is an ungrateful and treacherous friend. The more you care for it, the more it injures you.

Remove a splinter with a lancet, not a stick

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 8 ~ On Freedom from Anger

¶20. If you want, or rather intend, to take a splinter out of another person, then do not hack at it with a stick instead of a lancet, for you will only drive it in deeper. And this is a stick - rude speech and rough gestures. And this is a lancet - tempered instruction and patient reprimand. ‘Reprove,’ says the Apostle, ‘rebuke, exhort,’ but he did not say ‘beat.’ And if even this is a required, do it rarely, and not with your own hand.

Through wrath is mine eye become troubled

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 8 ~ On Freedom from Anger

¶19. It is bad to disturb the eye of the heart by anger, according to him who said: ‘Through wrath is mine eye become troubled.’ But it is still worse to show in words the turmoil of the soul. And to come to blows is utterly inimical and alien to the monastic, angelic and divine life.

An angry person is a willing epileptic

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 8 ~ On Freedom from Anger

¶11. An angry person is a willing epileptic, who due to an involuntary tendency keeps convulsing and falling down.
¶12. Nothing is so inappropriate to those repenting as a spirit agitated by anger, because conversion requires great humility, and anger is a sign of every kind of presumption.
¶13. It is a mark of extreme meekness, even in the presence of one’s offender, to be peacefully and lovingly disposed towards him in one’s heart, then it is certainly a mark of hot temper when a person continues to quarrel and rage against his offender, both by words and gestures, even when by himself.

Why have we not unceasingly mourned?

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 7 ~ On Joy-making Mourning

¶70. When our soul leaves this world we shall not be blamed for not having worked miracles, or for not having been theologians or not having been rapt in divine visions. But we shall certainly have to give an account to God of why we have not unceasingly mourned.
This is the seventh step. May he who has been found worthy of it help me too; for he himself has already been helped, since through this seventh step he has washed away the stains of this world.

Contrite heart is truly essential

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 7 ~ On Joy-making Mourning

¶64. However great the life we lead may be, we may count it dull and spurious, if we have not acquired a contrite heart. For this is essential, truly essential if I may say so, that those who have again been defiled after Baptism should cleanse the pitch from their hands with unceasing fire of the heart and with the oil of God.

Genuine compunction is undistracted pain of soul

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 7 ~ On Joy-making Mourning

¶27. Genuine compunction is undistracted pain of soul, in which it gives itself no relief but hourly imagines only its dissolution; and it awaits, like cool water, the comfort of God who comforts humble monks.

We cleanse baptism anew with tears

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 7 ~ On Joy-making Mourning

¶6. Greater than baptism itself is the fountain of tears after baptism, even though it is somewhat audacious to say so. For baptism is the washing away of evils that were in us before, but sins committed after baptism are washed away by tears. As baptism is received in infancy, we have all defiled it, but we cleanse it anew with tears. And if God in His love for mankind had not given us tears, those being saved would be few indeed and hard to find.

St. Patrick's Breastplate

St. Patrick's Breastplate (Lorica) Deer's Cry (Fáed Fíada)

I arise today through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, through belief in the Threeness, through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation. I arise today through the strength of Christ with His Baptism, through the strength of His Crucifixion with His Burial, through the strength of His Resurrection with His Ascension, through the strength of His descent for the Judgment of Doom. I arise today through the strength of the love of Cherubim, in obedience of Angels, in the service of the Archangels, in hope of resurrection to meet with reward, in prayers of Patriarchs, in predictions of Prophets, in preachings of Apostles, in faiths of Confessors, in innocence of Holy Virgins, in deeds of righteous men. I arise today through the strength of Heaven: light of Sun, brilliance of Moon, splendour of Fire, speed of Lightning, swiftness of Wind, depth of Sea, stability of Earth, firmness of Rock. I arise today through God's strength to pilot me: God's might to uphold me, God's wisdom to guide me, God's eye to look before me, God's ear to hear me, God's word to speak for me, God's hand to guard me, God's way to lie before me, God's shield to protect me, God's host to secure me: against snares of devils, against temptations of vices, against inclinations of nature, against everyone who shall wish me ill, afar and anear, alone and in a crowd. I summon today all these powers between me (and these evils): against every cruel and merciless power that may oppose my body and my soul, against incantations of false prophets, against black laws of heathenry, against false laws of heretics, against craft of idolatry, against spells of witches and smiths and wizards, against every knowledge that endangers man's body and soul. Christ to protect me today against poison, against burning, against drowning, against wounding, so that there may come abundance of reward. Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ in breadth, Christ in length, Christ in height, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me. I arise today through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, through belief in the Threeness, through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation. Salvation is of the Lord. Salvation is of the Lord. Salvation is of Christ. May Thy Salvation, O Lord, be ever with us.

Patrick and his followers used this most beautiful prayer to protect themselves from the people who wanted to kill them as they travelled across Ireland. It is also called the Deer's Cry (Fáed Fíada) because their enemies saw not men, but deer. It may not have been written by Patrick, but is considered to reflect his theological focus on the Trinity.

Remember thy last, and thou shalt never sin unto eternity

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 6 ~ On Remembrance of Death

¶24. It is impossible, someone says, impossible to spend the present day devoutly unless we regard it as the last of our whole life. And it is truly astonishing how even the Greeks have said something of the sort, since they define philosophy as meditation on death.
This is the sixth step. He who has mounted it will never sin again. Remember thy last, and thou shalt never sin unto eternity.

Do not despair! God's mercies welcome repentance

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 5 ~ On Repentance

¶38. Nothing equals or excels God’s mercies. Therefore, he who despairs is committing suicide. A sign of true repentance is the acknowledgment that we deserve all the afflictions, visible and invisible, that come upon us, and even greater ones. Moses, after seeing God in the bush, returned again to Egypt, that is, to darkness and to the brick-making of Pharaoh, who was symbolical of the spiritual Pharaoh. But he went back again to the bush, and not only to the bush, but also up the mountain. Whoever has known divine vision will never despair of himself. Job became a beggar, but he became twice as rich again.

Do not give up, but stand your ground courageously

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 5 ~ On Repentance

¶30. Do not be surprised that you fall every day; do not give up, but stand your ground courageously. And assuredly, the angel who guards you will honour your patience. While a wound is still fresh and warm, it is easy to heal; but old, neglected and festering ones are hard to cure, and require for their care much treatment, cutting, plastering and cauterization. Many from long neglect become incurable, but with God all things are possible.

Who would not run this fair course of obedience?

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 4 ~ On Obedience

¶ 105. From obedience comes humility, as we have already said earlier. From humility comes discernment as the great Cassian has said with beautiful and sublime philosophy in his chapter on discernment. From discernment comes clairvoyance, and from clairvoyance comes foreknowledge. And who would not run this fair course of obedience, seeing such blessings in store for him? It was of this great virtue of obedience that the good Psalmist said: Thou hast in Thy goodness prepared for the poor, obedient soul, O God, Thy presence in his heart.

Be zealous within your soul, not outwardly

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 4 ~ On Obedience

¶ 82. Be zealous within your soul, without showing it in the least outwardly, either by visible sign or by word or by a hint. And you will only do this when you stop looking down on your neighbour. But if you are still inclined to do this, become like your brethren so that you do not differ from them simply in being conceited.

Take up arms courageously

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 1 ~ On Renunciation of the World

¶22. Let us charge into the good fight with joy and love without being afraid of our enemies. Though unseen themselves, they can look at the face of our soul, and if they see it altered by fear, they take up arms against us all the more fiercely. For the cunning creatures have observed that we are scared. So let us take up arms against them courageously. No one will fight with a resolute fighter.

Introduction to the Ladder

Introduction to the Ladder of Divine Ascent
St. John Climacus
January 8-22, 2014
Reader Paul Winter

Introduction to the Ladder ~ Part 3 of 3

Introduction to the Ladder of Divine Ascent
St. John Climacus
Part 3 of 3
January 22, 2014
Reader Paul Winter