Missing the mark, an Orthodox Christian reflecting on his journey through this world
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Venerable Paphnutius the Recluse of the Kiev Caves
Saint Paphnutius had the gift of tears, which St John of the
Ladder says (Step 6:1) is preceded by the remembrance of death. For
worldly people, this remembrance may lead to fear and distress, but for
St Paphnutius it led to constant prayer and the guarding of his mind.
By
remembering the hour of death and God’s judgment, St Paphnutius was
able to free himself from worldly distractions and passions through
prayer, repentance and fasting. This, in turn, led to tears.
No comments:
Post a Comment