The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily XVIII, Part I

Podcast: Philokalia Ministries · Father David Abernethy

Opublikowano: 2026-07-30

There is a temptation to read St. Isaac’s description of the ascetic life as though he were outlining a ladder by which we ascend to God through effort. Nothing could be further from his mind. The ascetical life is not an achievement but a preparation. It removes what clouds the eyes of the heart so that grace may reveal what has always been present: the inexhaustible love of God. Isaac begins with struggle. The soul embraces fasting, watchfulness, vigil, prayer, reading, prostrations, and stillness with determination. Yet these labors are never an end in themselves. They ar...