Friday, 23 December 2005

Combating the Passion of Vainglory 3 — Sobriety and Vainglory

Monks and nuns who have progressed in Hesychasm to the stage where they have a modicum of sobriety have the ability to discern whether the decision they are taking is motivated by vainglory or by a love of the Lord.

If they have a love of the Lord, they will act out of that love, avoiding actions which are motivated by vainglory.

We beginners have to use more prosaic criteria: does my action redound to my own glory?

In general, it is best to do our actions in such a way that we are ‘inconspicuous’—so that our left hand does not know what our right hand is doing.

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