A Different Way of Life

Photo by Mike Labrum on Unsplash

I came across this quote from St. Basil about living a life of faith through prayer. He says that if prayer is not merely with words but is to unite yourself to God in everything (that is, using every opportunity to pray with words and turning every action--something as small as putting on your coat--into thanksgiving), then you can achieve ceaseless prayer. Recently in my Old Testament class, we talked about the desire to discount difficult commandments as merely metaphorical, like saying that Paul did not really intend for us to bring every thought captive before God.

However, the Fathers say otherwise. They teach that everyone, not just monks or teachers or priests or missionaries, should pray without ceasing, should literally present every thought to God. The remarkable thing is they say this not from theory (that is, not simply from biblical interpretation, commentaries, or their favorite notes in a study Bible), but by practice and personal experience. St. Porphyrios says that the secret behind the man of God is that "he turns everything into prayer."

To me, it seems that such a way of life is free of anxiety. Modern notions about faith treat it like an accessory. Certainly no Christian would admit this, but we "put on" and "take off" our faith like a pair of earrings. We strive to meet both worldly standards of what it means to be secure (whether they be our community's, family's, sibling's, friend's, or parents' approval of a way of life) and at the same time, say that everything is by the grace of God. The result is a radical double mindedness that swells into a life of anxiety, bitterness, despair, and worry. I used to find such sayings as, "Die to your neighbor that you may not harm him" from St. Moses The Ethiopian to sound ironic. But we know all too well the resulting internal resentment of living for others and conforming our wills to theirs and then "Christianizing" the edges of our lives with good American morality, proper church attendance, and charitable donations. May we, however, ever more see this and learn to embrace the words of St. Paul to be content in all things. And, as Christ said, have our joy be truly full not because of a specific way of life (one that we selfishly pursue or reluctantly pursue on behalf of others. Let us remember the words of St Porphyrios: 

"It is a great art to succeed in having your soul sanctified. A person can become a saint anywhere. He can become a saint in Omonia Square, if he wants. At your work, whatever it may be, you can become a saint through meekness, patience, and love. Make a new start every day, with new resolution, with enthusiasm and love, prayer and silence — not with anxiety so that you get a pain in the chest."

Also:  

"As thou takest thy seat at table, pray. As thou liftest the loaf, offer thanks to the Giver. When thou sustainest thy bodily weakness with wine, remember Him Who supplies thee with this gift, to make thy heart glad and to comfort thy infirmity. Has thy need for taking food passed away? Let not the thought of thy Benefactor pass away too. As thou art putting on thy tunic, thank the Giver of it. As thou wrappest thy cloak about thee, feel yet greater love to God, Who alike in summer and in winter has given us coverings convenient for us, at once to preserve our life, and to cover what is unseemly. Is the day done? Give thanks to Him Who has given us the sun for our daily work, and has provided for us a fire to light up the night, and to serve the rest of the needs of life. Let night give the other occasion of prayer. When thou lookest up to heaven and gazest at the beauty of the stars, pray to the Lord of the visible world; pray to God the Arch-artificer of the universe, Who in wisdom hath made them all. When thou seest all nature sunk in sleep, then again worship Him Who gives us even against our wills release from the continuous strain of toil, and by a short refreshment restores us once again to the vigour of our strength. Let not night herself be all, as it were, the special and peculiar property of sleep. Let not half thy life be useless through the senselessness of slumber. Divide the time of night between sleep and prayer. Nay, let thy slumbers be themselves experiences in piety; for it is only natural that our sleeping dreams should be for the most part echoes of the anxieties of the day. As have been our conduct and pursuits, so will inevitably be our dreams. Thus wilt thou pray without ceasing; if thou prayest not only in words, but unitest thyself to God through all the course of life and so thy life be made one ceaseless and uninterrupted prayer." --St. Basil The Great