The 400 Chapters of Love, by St. Maximos the Confessor
Talk by Metropolitan Jonah (Paffhausen), part 5

Chapters 161-225 
Includes discussions of 
1. The demons, their attacks, and why God permits them --- no salvation without temptation; 
2. Voluntary hardships --- living as a confessing Christian in a hostile world; 
3. Dealing with passions and growing in dispassion; 
4. "Natural Contemplation" and seeing God in His creation; 
5. True prayer: openness to God, a spiritual and Trinitarian ascent to God --- more discussion on the nature, goal, and fruits of prayer; 
6. Warning against yoga and things that have a form of controlling thoughts but yet invoke demons; 
7. More on the mother of passions, self-love, including fear over one's health; 
8. Very important discussion on the image of God in man:
   (a) The Orthodox view: The image of God is intact in each person, but must be actualized by goodness and wisdom, by synergy with God's grace, by conforming ourselves to God's will (His love and mercy) ... in order to fulfill the potential given by God to each of us. The image of God is perfect within each person --- the heart of it cannot be touched by the world; no matter how broken, there is something divinely beautiful and full of potential in each person.
   (b) Contrast with Protestant and even Roman Catholic views.
   (c) Applications: Entering into God's love for each person; Being adamantly pro-Life. 

Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St John the Baptist in Washington, DC
March 23, 2021
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