Notes on Spiritual Direction

The precepts outlined in the paragraphs below have been taken from instruction given to the sisters of the Convent of the Annunciation in Willesden, during their days of training in the Holy Land under the direction of Archbishop Anthony of Los Angeles and the late Father Lazarus (Moore). They were preserved in the notes of one of the sisters and prepared for publication by Mrs. Tanya James. This article was first published in the June 1996 issue of ‘The Shepherd’.

 

 

THE NEED OF A SPIRITUAL GUIDE

The young Tobias, when told to set out on his journey, said, ‘I have no knowledge of the way.’ His father Tobit replied: ‘Go and seek one man to guide thee.’ Do you wish to set out on the way of God? Find some man to guide and conduct you. You will never find out the will of God so surely as by the way of humble obedience, so much recommended and practised by all the holy fathers. The world defames the good life and especially spiritual guidance, saying that it is wretched and unbearable to be ‘under the will of another’. But the Holy Spirit assures us by the mouth of all the Saints, and our Divine Saviour does by His own, that the good life is sweet, happy and agreeable (Matt. 11:28-30), in fact a triumphant progress from strength to strength, from victory to victory. Thanks be to God Who in Christ ever leads us in His triumphal procession (2 Cor. 2:14).

THE GOOD OF A SPIRITUAL GUIDE

A faithful friend is a strong defence; and he that hath found him hath found a treasure. A faithful friend is a medicine of life; and they that fear the Lord shall find him.

(Ecclesiasticus 6:14,16)

Those divine words refer to life, as you see, and chiefly to eternal life, for which it is necessary to have a faithful friend to indicate our delusions from the evil one. He will be a treasure of wisdom in our affliction, in our doubts, in our sorrows and in our falls. He will serve as a medicine to ease and heal our hearts in our spiritual sicknesses. He will keep us from evil and, if we stumble and fall, he will lift us up and set us on our feet again – our two feet, of love of God and of our neighbours, by which we run to our heavenly home.

But who will find this friend? God has given us the answer: They that fear the Lord, that is to say, the humble, who sincerely desire their spiritual progress, and who fear to displease their Lord. As it is so important to go with a good guide on this holy journey, pray to God with great earnestness to provide you with one, and have no doubt; for even if He has to send an Angel from heaven as He did to Tobias, He will give you one that is good and faithful and suitable to your needs.

HOW TO REGARD YOUR SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR

This guide ought always to be an Angel in your eyes; that is to say, when you have found him, do not look upon him as a mere man, but put your trust in God, Who will bless and speak to you by means of this man and will put into his heart and mouth whatever is necessary for your salvation and happiness. ‘A priest is an angel and not a man,’ says Father John of Kronstadt.

THE CHOICE OF A CONFESSOR

Let those that are at peace with thee be many, but thy counsellors one of a thousand.

(Ecclesiasticus 6:6)

Though you may have many teachers in Christ, you should only have one father for the direction of your soul. Bearing in mind that God chooses the weak to be vessels of His grace that all the glory may go to Him (cf. 1 Cor. 1:27).

Choose if possible a confessor who is not afraid to humiliate his penitents, and who takes care at the same time to support them in the war to the death against their corrupted nature and passions. Pray to God to give you such a guide, and when you have found him, thank God and remain constant and do not seek for any others, but go on your way humbly and trustfully, sure of a prosperous journey.

DUTIES OF CHRISTIANS TOWARDS THEIR SPIRITUAL FATHER

1. Faith

If you know the gift of God and Who it is that speaks to you by the mouth of the priest, you would always listen to him as to an Angel given you by God to guide you to Heaven. Faith is a gift of God, obtained by prayer. Even our Lord Jesus Christ could do nothing when people had no faith in Him.

2. Respect

You should think of your confessor as a Judge, Physician and Representative of God, as well as a Shepherd, Guide and Father. Your confidence must be combined with a holy reverence for him. In a word, this friendship must be strong, holy and spiritual.

3. Humility

This will prevent you from regarding rebuffs, reproaches or marks of indifference as a great misfortune. You will desire healing, sanctification and direction rather than comfort and tender words.

4. Simplicity

The more you become like a little child, the more you will enter into the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory, and the more will the confessor be your father. You must have an open heart with him, and tell everything with all frankness and simplicity.

5. Constancy

You should confess only to your own spiritual father and, without previously asking his blessing, should never think of confessing to another priest. This is because

(a) penances (such as deprival of Holy Communion) may have been given of which the other priest knows nothing;

(b) spiritual food and direction should be regular and progressive, and another priest cannot know where you stand and what you need in the same way;

(c) it is more crucifying to repeat our sins and show our wounds and weaknesses to the same priest, and therefore that act of confession is a more purifying process and a means to greater grace, for only if we suffer with Christ are we glorified together (Rom. 8:17).

6. Obedience

Love is shown by obedience. We should follow the advice of the Mother of God: ‘Whatever he saith, do it.’ (John 2:5).

7. Prayer

The more you offer fervent prayer to God for your spiritual father, the more abundant will be the light and grace which God will give for the direction of your soul.

CONCLUSION

Let those who complain that they do not meet with direction much as they desire, turn to their own hearts. The confessor will be judged at the Supreme Tribunal if he has carried out the work of God carelessly. But how many Christians will have to answer for want of faith, humility and obedience which they have shown in their relations with their spiritual father.

 

Source: The Shepherd: An Orthodox Christian Pastoral Magazine, Vol. XLVI, No. 9, May 2026, pp. 3-6.