Friday, January 25, 2008

"Living In Christ" Part 2

I really feel that I have been missing out so much because I have not studied the scriptures...hardly at all. I haven't moved past chapter 2 of this book yet. It's only 5 pages long but I've read it 3 times now, each time getting more. Going back to the study of scripture and the importance of it I want to share some more from this chapter. I'm not sure why I never really gave too much time and attention to studying the scriptures, I'm just not sure at all. But this next portion I will share really has me looking at things differently.


Even St. Anthony the Great and St. Pachomius, two great founders of monasticism, who did not have backgrounds in secular learning, insisted on the necessity of study. St. Anthony, who could not read, based his whole life on the impact of the Scripture readings he heard and memorized by attending Church from the time he was a young child. Pachomius insisted his monks be taught to read and that they spend every possible free moment memorizing the Scriptures; the Psalms and the entire New Testament were the required minimum. They were to recite these as they worked, walked, etc., as modern monastics might recite the Jesus Prayer.

Living in Christ: Essays on the Christian Life by an Orthodox Nun

I can tell you that the study of Scripture just moved from the middle/bottom of the home school curriculum all the way to the top of the list!

3 comments:

Xenia Kathryn said...

Wow, this is really humbling and amazing.

A few weeks ago I was just pondering my protestant upbringing, and I was a bit baffled at the constant Sunday School encouragement to memorize scripture. I was never very diligent about it myself...

You make a great point, though. It really IS important, much more than I give it credit for. Lord have mercy.

I like that you're making it a priority in your homeschooling! Very inspiring...

Mimi said...

I agree, very humbling!

Bluecanopy said...

i have this book and have read it but i think i need to pick it up again. thanks for the blessing of inspiration and motivation to stop wasting my time with nonsense.