LADDER OF DIVINE ASCENT STEP THREE
STEP THREE: LIVING AS STRANGERS
On Exile or Pilgrimage This is a double translation for a single Greek word xeniteia which means “living as a stranger” (not necessarily as a vagrant) and might be translated “unworldliness.” We are to “Live as Strangers to Unbelievers.”
With this third step, John concludes the first section of his treatise describing renunciation and the break with the world which is a prerequisite to the spiritual journey of the monk. As with the two previous steps, exile involves the painful stripping away of worldly attachments - renouncing all for God. Exile means leaving all that one finds familiar. For those in the religious life, it means separation from relations.
John is quick to point out that this does not mean hatred of family, but the recognition that even what is good can be used to draw one away from God. Once a person has renounced the world and entered the monastic life, the strength of his feelings for his family can draw him away from his commitment.
1 Exile means that we leave forever everything in our own country that prevents us from reaching the goal of the religious life.
The third step on our ascent to God is labeled by St John as Exile. He defines it this way:
3. Exile is a separation from everything, in order that one may hold on totally to God… An exile is a fugitive, from every attachment, running from all relationships with his own relatives and with strangers.
6. Detachment is excellent, but her mother is exile. Having become an exile for the Lord’s sake, we should have no ties of affection at all lest we seem to be roving in order to gratify our passions.
Someone withdrawing from the world for the sake of the Lord is no longer attached to possessions.
7. Have you become an exile from the world? Do not touch the world any more; because the passions desire nothing better than to return.
If you have left the world, then do not reach out for it. This is the battle ground, leaving allfor the sake of Christ. Then having left all, we get attacked by our own passions. Better known as the “old man” rises up again. By that, all the things we loved so much, that we walked from, tries to rise up and take control once again.
9. Run from places of sin as from the plague. For when fruit is not present, we have no frequent desire to eat it.
If you remove yourself from sin, or even from former passions that we have detached from, and have made distance between us and it, then there is not a temptation to eat thereof again.
11. Let us try to imitate not Lot’s wife, but Lot himself. For when a soul turns back to what it has left, like salt, it loses its savour and becomes henceforth useless. Run from Egypt without looking back, because the hearts which look back upon it with affection shall not see, the land of Jerusalem.
These words, which are indeed strong, are not only for monastics. It would certainly make our lives in the world a lot easier if we could simply dismiss this as advice only for monks and nuns. But it also would make our lives more empty of God! However, these words ring true for every Christian. St. John Climacus’ words remind us of St Peter’s description of every Christian:
“Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul..” (1 Peter 2:11)
And they also seem mild compared to the instruction of our Lord.
“He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son and daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.” (Matt 10:37-38)
Family relationships are good things, ordained and established by God. So too are our relationships and the deep love which comes from them. Marriage is an honorable estate, ordained and sanctified by God. However, even good things can get in the way of our ascent to God. The great danger is that we will allow our relationships to keep us from pursuing God.
This is most obviously true about relationships with people who are not pursuing God at all. St. Paul reminds us:
“Do not be deceived: ‘Evil company corrupts good habits.’” (1 Cor 15:33)
It is better to remain alone than to be attached intimately to and with someone who does not share our desire for God or our understanding of the Faith.
To follow hard after God means that we must often endure the offenses and insults of those around us who do not understand our desire to find God and to experience Him in our lives. To practice exile means that we choose God rather than them. We are encouraged by the example of Moses:
“By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin.” (Hebrews 11:24-25)
He made himself a “stranger to danger” or better “a stranger in a strange land.”
Note this, the very word ‘parish’ (as in church community), comes from the Greek word paroikia, which means ‘stranger.’ Therefore, every parish church is sailing the seas of this world leading her members out of exile to their heavenly home.
Let us explore how we, as laymen, can live as strangers in this world.
As Christians we do not belong to this world; Jesus reminds us that we are not of this world(John 15:19). In the world, yes, but of it, never! Therefore, we will often feel like strangers, whose who do not fit into the rhythms and patterns of this world. This is exile – to accept and rejoice in the loneliness of the Christians life in the world.
Our first means to living as strangers is to maintain a constant view of our true and heavenly home. Saint John Chrysostom says, “This is the root and foundation of all virtue: the one who is a stranger here will be a citizen up there; the one who is a stranger here will not be happy to live among present realities…”
Of course, it becomes much more difficult to discern how the virtue of exile applies to our relationships with fellow Christians. These relationships are good, and our tradition insists that they must not be neglected in the formation of our own spiritual lives. We need each other, together we find salvation.
However, there is a danger even in good relationships. These relationships can sometimes take the place of God in our lives. We can begin to look to people (even good people) to be God for us. We can substitute relationships with spiritual people for a relationship with God. Exile reminds us of this danger.
Especially during Lent, when we are encouraged to practice silence and solitude, it is good to reorient ourselves toward God alone. Not that we stop pursuing our healthy and positive relationships, but rather that we determine in our hearts and minds that these relationships are important to us, not because of how they make us feel, but rather because of how they help us pursue God. As St John writes:
15 Let your father be the one who is able and willing to labor with you in bearing the burden of your sins, and your mother the compunction that is strong enough to wash away your filth. Let your brother be your companion and rival in the race that leads to heaven, and may the constant thought of death be your spouse. Let your longed for offspring be the moanings of your heart. May your body be your slave, and your friends the holy powers who can help you at the hour of dying if they become your friends. (paraphrased)
16. No man can serve two masters (Matt 6:24). I have not come, says the Lord, to bring peace on earth (that is, love of parents among sons and brothers who have resolved to serve Me) but war and a sword (Matt 10:34), in order to separate lovers of God from lovers of the world, the material from the spiritual, the proud from the humble…
Note closely: separate lovers of God from lovers of the world, the material from the spiritual, the proud from the humble… “Come out from among them and be ye separate….” (2 Cor. 6:17)
An interesting shift now takes place… “Concerning Dreams that Beginners Have.” Note how he shares this block of teaching………….
25. It is impossible to hide the fact that our mind, which is the organ of knowledge, is extremely imperfect and full of all kinds of ignorance. The palate distinguishes different foods, the hearing discerns thoughts, the sun reveals the weakness of the eyes, and words betray a soul’s ignorance. But the law of love is an incentive to attempt things that are beyond our capacity. And so I think (but I do not dogmatize) that after a chapter on exile, or rather in this very chapter, something should be inserted about dreams, so that we may not be in the dark concerning this trickery of our wily foes.
26. A dream is a movement of the mind while the body is at rest. A phantasy(fantasy) is an illusion of the eyes when the intellect is asleep. A phantasy is an ecstasy of the mind when the body is awake. A phantasy is the appearance of something which does not exist in reality.
27. The reason why we have decided to speak about dreams here is obvious. When we leave our home and relatives for the Lord’s sake, and sell ourselves into exile for the love of God, then the devils try to disturb us with dreams,representing to us that our relatives are either grieving or dying, or are captive for our sake and destitute. But he who believes in dreams is like a person running after his own shadow and trying to catch it.
Pay attention to the direction that he is leading too. He said the devils try to disturb us with dreams. The reason they are doing this. He clearly says just before that statement, you have left your home and relatives (For the Lords sake), and “sold” yourselves into exile “for the love of God.” Always remember, your enemy, the devil, does not want you following Christ, becoming like Christ, being a Christian sold out and totally seeking God. Remember from the first step of the ladder: “The aim of this demon is to make the very outset of our spiritual life lax and negligent…” Key word: “negligent..” Which is a word that means to habitually fail to do the required thing.
28. The demons of vainglory prophesy in dreams. Being unscrupulous, they guessthe future and foretell it to us. (HEAR THIS!) When these visions come true, we are amazed; and we are indeed elated with the thought that we are already near to the gift of foreknowledge. A demon is often a prophet to those who believe him, but he is always a liar to those who despise him. Being a spirit he sees what is happening in the lower air, and noticing that someone is dying, he foretells it to the more credulous types of people through dreams. But the demons know nothing about the future from foreknowledge. For if they did, then the sorcerers would also have been able to foretell our death.
This “death” is not our physical death. No longer being alive on this earth. This “death” is our death to the world and its things and ways.
29. Devils often transform themselves into angels of light (2 Cor 11:14) and take the form of martyrs, and make it appear to us during sleep that we are in communication with them. Then, when we wake up, they plunge us into unholy joy and conceit. But you can detect their deceit by this very fact. For angels reveal torments, judgments and separations; and when we wake up we find that we are trembling and sad. As soon as we begin to believe the devils in dreams, then they make sport of us when we are awake, too. He who believes in dreams is completely inexperienced. But he who distrusts all dreams is a wise man. Only believe dreams that foretell torments and judgment for you. But if despair afflicts you, then such dreams are also from devils.
This is a major need of understanding when “interpreting” dreams. Godly dreams, dreams from God, speak of godly things, even may call for repentance. Godly dreams are uplifting, never despairing. Godly dreams, however, will show us end results, if we neglect truth in matters. Godly dreams, are not puffed up, full of pride. Demonic dreams, again, always never uplift, never bring happiness or joy, always brings despair, confusion, pride to ego, restlessness from ungodly insights and so forth. Know the difference!!!
This is the third step, equaling the number of the Three Persons. Whoever has reached it should look neither to right nor left.
On Exile or Pilgrimage This is a double translation for a single Greek word xeniteia which means “living as a stranger” (not necessarily as a vagrant) and might be translated “unworldliness.” We are to “Live as Strangers to Unbelievers.”
With this third step, John concludes the first section of his treatise describing renunciation and the break with the world which is a prerequisite to the spiritual journey of the monk. As with the two previous steps, exile involves the painful stripping away of worldly attachments - renouncing all for God. Exile means leaving all that one finds familiar. For those in the religious life, it means separation from relations.
John is quick to point out that this does not mean hatred of family, but the recognition that even what is good can be used to draw one away from God. Once a person has renounced the world and entered the monastic life, the strength of his feelings for his family can draw him away from his commitment.
1 Exile means that we leave forever everything in our own country that prevents us from reaching the goal of the religious life.
The third step on our ascent to God is labeled by St John as Exile. He defines it this way:
3. Exile is a separation from everything, in order that one may hold on totally to God… An exile is a fugitive, from every attachment, running from all relationships with his own relatives and with strangers.
6. Detachment is excellent, but her mother is exile. Having become an exile for the Lord’s sake, we should have no ties of affection at all lest we seem to be roving in order to gratify our passions.
Someone withdrawing from the world for the sake of the Lord is no longer attached to possessions.
7. Have you become an exile from the world? Do not touch the world any more; because the passions desire nothing better than to return.
If you have left the world, then do not reach out for it. This is the battle ground, leaving allfor the sake of Christ. Then having left all, we get attacked by our own passions. Better known as the “old man” rises up again. By that, all the things we loved so much, that we walked from, tries to rise up and take control once again.
9. Run from places of sin as from the plague. For when fruit is not present, we have no frequent desire to eat it.
If you remove yourself from sin, or even from former passions that we have detached from, and have made distance between us and it, then there is not a temptation to eat thereof again.
11. Let us try to imitate not Lot’s wife, but Lot himself. For when a soul turns back to what it has left, like salt, it loses its savour and becomes henceforth useless. Run from Egypt without looking back, because the hearts which look back upon it with affection shall not see, the land of Jerusalem.
These words, which are indeed strong, are not only for monastics. It would certainly make our lives in the world a lot easier if we could simply dismiss this as advice only for monks and nuns. But it also would make our lives more empty of God! However, these words ring true for every Christian. St. John Climacus’ words remind us of St Peter’s description of every Christian:
“Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul..” (1 Peter 2:11)
And they also seem mild compared to the instruction of our Lord.
“He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son and daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.” (Matt 10:37-38)
Family relationships are good things, ordained and established by God. So too are our relationships and the deep love which comes from them. Marriage is an honorable estate, ordained and sanctified by God. However, even good things can get in the way of our ascent to God. The great danger is that we will allow our relationships to keep us from pursuing God.
This is most obviously true about relationships with people who are not pursuing God at all. St. Paul reminds us:
“Do not be deceived: ‘Evil company corrupts good habits.’” (1 Cor 15:33)
It is better to remain alone than to be attached intimately to and with someone who does not share our desire for God or our understanding of the Faith.
To follow hard after God means that we must often endure the offenses and insults of those around us who do not understand our desire to find God and to experience Him in our lives. To practice exile means that we choose God rather than them. We are encouraged by the example of Moses:
“By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin.” (Hebrews 11:24-25)
He made himself a “stranger to danger” or better “a stranger in a strange land.”
Note this, the very word ‘parish’ (as in church community), comes from the Greek word paroikia, which means ‘stranger.’ Therefore, every parish church is sailing the seas of this world leading her members out of exile to their heavenly home.
Let us explore how we, as laymen, can live as strangers in this world.
As Christians we do not belong to this world; Jesus reminds us that we are not of this world(John 15:19). In the world, yes, but of it, never! Therefore, we will often feel like strangers, whose who do not fit into the rhythms and patterns of this world. This is exile – to accept and rejoice in the loneliness of the Christians life in the world.
Our first means to living as strangers is to maintain a constant view of our true and heavenly home. Saint John Chrysostom says, “This is the root and foundation of all virtue: the one who is a stranger here will be a citizen up there; the one who is a stranger here will not be happy to live among present realities…”
Of course, it becomes much more difficult to discern how the virtue of exile applies to our relationships with fellow Christians. These relationships are good, and our tradition insists that they must not be neglected in the formation of our own spiritual lives. We need each other, together we find salvation.
However, there is a danger even in good relationships. These relationships can sometimes take the place of God in our lives. We can begin to look to people (even good people) to be God for us. We can substitute relationships with spiritual people for a relationship with God. Exile reminds us of this danger.
Especially during Lent, when we are encouraged to practice silence and solitude, it is good to reorient ourselves toward God alone. Not that we stop pursuing our healthy and positive relationships, but rather that we determine in our hearts and minds that these relationships are important to us, not because of how they make us feel, but rather because of how they help us pursue God. As St John writes:
15 Let your father be the one who is able and willing to labor with you in bearing the burden of your sins, and your mother the compunction that is strong enough to wash away your filth. Let your brother be your companion and rival in the race that leads to heaven, and may the constant thought of death be your spouse. Let your longed for offspring be the moanings of your heart. May your body be your slave, and your friends the holy powers who can help you at the hour of dying if they become your friends. (paraphrased)
16. No man can serve two masters (Matt 6:24). I have not come, says the Lord, to bring peace on earth (that is, love of parents among sons and brothers who have resolved to serve Me) but war and a sword (Matt 10:34), in order to separate lovers of God from lovers of the world, the material from the spiritual, the proud from the humble…
Note closely: separate lovers of God from lovers of the world, the material from the spiritual, the proud from the humble… “Come out from among them and be ye separate….” (2 Cor. 6:17)
An interesting shift now takes place… “Concerning Dreams that Beginners Have.” Note how he shares this block of teaching………….
25. It is impossible to hide the fact that our mind, which is the organ of knowledge, is extremely imperfect and full of all kinds of ignorance. The palate distinguishes different foods, the hearing discerns thoughts, the sun reveals the weakness of the eyes, and words betray a soul’s ignorance. But the law of love is an incentive to attempt things that are beyond our capacity. And so I think (but I do not dogmatize) that after a chapter on exile, or rather in this very chapter, something should be inserted about dreams, so that we may not be in the dark concerning this trickery of our wily foes.
26. A dream is a movement of the mind while the body is at rest. A phantasy(fantasy) is an illusion of the eyes when the intellect is asleep. A phantasy is an ecstasy of the mind when the body is awake. A phantasy is the appearance of something which does not exist in reality.
27. The reason why we have decided to speak about dreams here is obvious. When we leave our home and relatives for the Lord’s sake, and sell ourselves into exile for the love of God, then the devils try to disturb us with dreams,representing to us that our relatives are either grieving or dying, or are captive for our sake and destitute. But he who believes in dreams is like a person running after his own shadow and trying to catch it.
Pay attention to the direction that he is leading too. He said the devils try to disturb us with dreams. The reason they are doing this. He clearly says just before that statement, you have left your home and relatives (For the Lords sake), and “sold” yourselves into exile “for the love of God.” Always remember, your enemy, the devil, does not want you following Christ, becoming like Christ, being a Christian sold out and totally seeking God. Remember from the first step of the ladder: “The aim of this demon is to make the very outset of our spiritual life lax and negligent…” Key word: “negligent..” Which is a word that means to habitually fail to do the required thing.
28. The demons of vainglory prophesy in dreams. Being unscrupulous, they guessthe future and foretell it to us. (HEAR THIS!) When these visions come true, we are amazed; and we are indeed elated with the thought that we are already near to the gift of foreknowledge. A demon is often a prophet to those who believe him, but he is always a liar to those who despise him. Being a spirit he sees what is happening in the lower air, and noticing that someone is dying, he foretells it to the more credulous types of people through dreams. But the demons know nothing about the future from foreknowledge. For if they did, then the sorcerers would also have been able to foretell our death.
This “death” is not our physical death. No longer being alive on this earth. This “death” is our death to the world and its things and ways.
29. Devils often transform themselves into angels of light (2 Cor 11:14) and take the form of martyrs, and make it appear to us during sleep that we are in communication with them. Then, when we wake up, they plunge us into unholy joy and conceit. But you can detect their deceit by this very fact. For angels reveal torments, judgments and separations; and when we wake up we find that we are trembling and sad. As soon as we begin to believe the devils in dreams, then they make sport of us when we are awake, too. He who believes in dreams is completely inexperienced. But he who distrusts all dreams is a wise man. Only believe dreams that foretell torments and judgment for you. But if despair afflicts you, then such dreams are also from devils.
This is a major need of understanding when “interpreting” dreams. Godly dreams, dreams from God, speak of godly things, even may call for repentance. Godly dreams are uplifting, never despairing. Godly dreams, however, will show us end results, if we neglect truth in matters. Godly dreams, are not puffed up, full of pride. Demonic dreams, again, always never uplift, never bring happiness or joy, always brings despair, confusion, pride to ego, restlessness from ungodly insights and so forth. Know the difference!!!
This is the third step, equaling the number of the Three Persons. Whoever has reached it should look neither to right nor left.
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