Reading the Ascetic Discourses of Saint Isaac the Syrian as a Layperson

By Monk Damaskenos the Hagiorite

 

The more someone studies Abba Isaac and ascends his spiritual steps, the more one becomes aware of their spiritual poverty, that is, of their distance from the measure of the Saints, and of how far they are from the perfection of humility and love. Moreover, Abba Isaac gives them the possibility, if they desire it, of attaining this perfection, with the cooperation of Grace.

But here I must point out the following as well:

Abba Isaac reveals to the reader the full truth about how God acts in order to save man. He emphasizes that God acts like a father who loves and disciplines his son, not only to protect him from the dangers of life, but also to educate him spiritually and lead him to spiritual perfection. And he points out that although God is generally merciful, philanthropic, and compassionate toward all people, toward His own children, His chosen ones, while He provides in all things for their biological and spiritual survival, He simultaneously desires that they always follow the narrow and afflicted path, so as to secure their spiritual progress and deem them worthy of participation in His Kingdom. That is, He desires them to live continually in affliction, with only brief periods of relief and respite. This, moreover, is the spirit of the gospel, which is completely opposed to the spirit of this world, which wants and seeks for people to live continually in comfort and to avoid difficulties and afflictions.

This is precisely what Abba Isaac also emphasizes, as he reveals without reserve the truth of the gospel and God's will for His servants. For this reason, we recommend — in fact, we would say it is necessary—that before someone decides to follow the narrow and affliction-filled path of God, he should carefully study Abba Isaac and then make his decisions.

This is Abba Isaac. He is a complete guide to self-knowledge and a complete guide for every person who wishes to pass from earth to heaven, from here to the Kingdom of God. He takes fallen man, who nevertheless desires from this life to enter the Kingdom of God, and raises him to Mount Tabor, provided, of course, that he applies what Abba Isaac says and that the Grace of God cooperates.

But every reader or hearer of the words of Abba Isaac should know and firmly establish in his mind something that every monk knows: although Abba Isaac may be studied freely by anyone, he cannot be put into practice without the guidance of a spiritual father or Elder. And this is because the beginner in the spiritual life has neither the experience nor the discernment to put into practice what Abba Isaac says in such a way as always to derive benefit from it. Therefore, when a layperson wishes to apply the words of Abba Isaac to his personal life, he needs to have a blessing — that is, permission — and guidance from an experienced and discerning spiritual father.

This is because Abba Isaac addresses himself primarily to hesychast monks, or to those who desire the life of hesychia, just as Saint John of the Ladder addresses himself to cenobitic monks. And when we speak of the “life of hesychia,” we do not mean merely a life free from noise and cares, but the life of prayer, the life in which the practice of Hesychasm is applied, that is, the tradition of the Orthodox Christian way of asceticism. In other words, the text of Abba Isaac is the gospel put into practice specifically in the case of the hesychast monk, that is, one who chooses to apply the gospel in the desert.

Since, however, there is no corresponding systematic guide to purification and sanctification within the Church for laypeople, the Ascetic Discourses of Abba Isaac, as well as the Ladder of Saint John of Sinai, could serve as such a guide for a layperson who desires to apply the gospel in his life, provided, however, as we said, that he has received a blessing and secured the guidance of an experienced and discerning spiritual father.

 

Greek source: Τα ευρεθέντα ασκητικά, Kellion of the Holy Forerunner, Holy Monastery of Karakallos, Mount Athos, 2020.

English source:

https://www.mystagogyresourcecenter.com/2026/09/reading-ascetic-discourses-of-saint.html