Spiritual Discourses
Index

Discourses and instructions on the practice of the Christian spiritual life; includes teachings from: St. Dorotheos of Gaza, St. Seraphim of Sarov, St. John Cassian, St. John Climacus, and others on topics ranging from the aim of the Christian life, the conscience, mercy, humility, and not judging the faults of our neighbors to the Jesus Prayer, fasting, and the practice of the ascetic life.

St. Ambrose of Optina

• Concerning Progress

Holy Hieromartyr, Patriarch Anastasios II of Antioch

• A Homily on the Holy Eucharist and on Not Judging Others or Remembering Wrongs

St. Anastasius the Sinaite

• What Is the Mark of the True Christian?

Saint Anthony the Great

• 170 Texts on Saintly Life

• Directions on Life in Christ

St. Dorotheos of Gaza

• On Enduring Temptation Calmly and Thankfully

• On Refusal to Judge Our Neighbor

• Sermon on the Conscience

St. Ephraim the Syrian

• On Love, and other texts.

• Ascetical Exhortations

• Letter to Publius - Concerning the Last Judgement

St. Gregory Palamas

• 170 Texts on Saintly Life

• On Prayer and Purity of Heart : three Chapters

• How all Christians in general must pray without ceasing

St. Innocent of Alaska

• The Way into the Kingdom of Heaven

St. Isaac the Syrian

• Homily on Faith, Repentance, Love, and the Fear of God

St. John Maximovitch

• Watch!

St. Kosmas of Aitolia - Apostle of the Poor

• Preface
• First Teaching
• Second Teaching
• Third Teaching
• Fourth Teaching
• Fifth Teaching
• Sixth Teaching
• Seventh Teaching
• Letters
• Parables and Stories
• Prophecies
• Fragments of the Teaching

Letters of Elder Macarius of Optina

• On Spiritual Learning
• Introduction
• I. Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven
• II. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted
• III. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth
• IV. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled
• V. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy
• VI. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God
• VII. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God
• VIII. Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven

St. Peter of Damascus

• The Seven Forms of Bodily Discipline

To the Young People of the Church
On the Law of God
by Saint Philaret the Confessor

A Workbook for Young People to Study about the Spiritual Life
(Also good for adults)

Table of Contents

St. Seraphim of Sarov

• A Wonderful Revelation to the World

Saint Symeon the New Theologian

• The Three Ways of Attention and Prayer

St. Theodore the Studite

• Letter to the Nun Anna
• Two Letters from Exile
• Catechesis 2 - That we must always die the chosen death, and on good order.
• Catechesis 4 - On taking care for ourselves and fleeing sin’s destructive places and ways.
• Catechesis 6 - That one must give off a sweet fragrance through acquiring the virtues.
• Catechesis 7 - On the Ascension of our Saviour Jesus Christ and on conducting ourselves in a manner pleasing to God.
• Catechesis 20 - That we must preserve the beauty and untarnished loveliness of the soul, and about repentance.
• Catechesis 24 - Of the surpassing gift of God, of love for him and hatred of the devil, and of humility. It was spoken at the beginning of the year.
• Catechesis 32 - On the Nativity of the Saviour and the vigorous pursuit of our ascetic life.
• Catechesis 78 - On listening with understanding to the holy Scriptures.
• Large Catechesis 14 - On freedom from affections and on self-mastery.

These Concern the Great Fast and Holy Week.

• Catechesis 103 - On keeping God’s commandments and the just threat against those who neglect them.
• Catechesis 40 - That we should conduct ourselves in newness of life, just as we promised through the holy Schema.
• Catechesis 49 - On self-mastery and our present confession. On Friday of Meat Week.
• Catechesis 50 - On the great and manifest day of our Lord Jesus Christ. It was spoken on Meat Sunday.
• Catechesis 51 - On being confident and courageous in the present persecution. Given on Wednesday of Cheese Week.
• Catechesis 52 - On self-mastery and prayer; spoken on the Friday of Cheese Week.
• Catechesis 53 - On fasting; and that the true fast of the obedient and the subject is the cutting off of one’s will. Given on Cheese Sunday.
• Catechesis 54 - On fasting and dispassion; spoken at the beginning of the fast. Given on Wednesday of the First Week.
• Catechesis 55 - On decorating our incorruptible house through the assumption of the virtues. Given on Friday of the First Week.
• Catechesis 56 - On not being stretched beyond our power in our works of zeal for God and about nourishing the soul with spiritual speculations. Given on the First Sunday, which was not yet the Sunday of Orthodoxy.
• Catechesis 57 - On guarding the soul from destructive passions. Wednesday of the Second Week.
• Catechesis 58 - On harmony and love and on nobly enduring the toils of virtue for gaining the kingdom of heaven. Friday of the Second Week.
• Catechesis 59 - On our accomplishing the days of the fast gently and readily in the hope of life without end. There is no indication of date for this Instruction, but since it comes between the ones for Friday of the 2nd Week of Lent and Wednesday of the 3rd, it is reasonable to allocate it to the 2nd Sunday.
• Catechesis 60 - On our sudden departure from here and teaching about keeping safe watch over our senses and our mind from unseemly desires. Given on Wednesday of the 3rd Week.
• Catechesis 61 - That we must not submit ourselves in temptations, and about fasting. Given on Friday of the 3rd Week.
• Catechesis 62 - On our imitating the Lord’s sufferings. [Migne adds: On the Forty Martyrs [March 9th]. But it seems to have been given after the day itself.]
• Catechesis 63 - Historical, concerning the Christians who were massacred in Bulgaria during the holy Lent, on account of meat-eating. On the 3rd Sunday.
• Catechesis 64 - On the incarnate dispensation of our Lord Jesus Christ, and that we should celebrate spiritually. It was spoken on the day of the Annunciation.
• Catechesis 68 - That we must be renewed for what is ahead through endurance of the trials that fall upon us, both visible and invisible. [On the 5th Sunday.] So the list in Migne [PG 99:28].
• Catechesis 69 - That those who have passed through life in afflictions and miseries enjoy a pleasure which is without sorrow and ineffable. In PG the title adds ‘In memory of the godly Platon’. [It was given on Wednesday of the 5th week of Lent.]
• Catechesis 70 - That we should endure every torment in imitation of Christ and the saints. Given on the Friday of the 5th week of Lent.
• Catechesis 72 - On the saving Passion; and teaching on humility and patient endurance. Given on the Wednesday of Holy Week.
• Catechesis 73 - On the saving passion of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ. Given on Good Friday.

Archbishop Gregory
P.O. Box 3177
Buena Vista, CO 81211-3177
USA
Email: ArchbishopGregory@starband.net

Copyright 2005.