On June 5/18, the Orthodox Church commemorates St. Dorotheos of Palestine, a teacher of asceticism, ascetic, and spiritual author.
St. Dorotheos was born around the year 510 into a wealthy family. He spent his youth in Gaza in Palestine. His brother built a hospital at the Monastery of Abba Seridus. Abba Dorotheos’ life was later connected with this cenobitic monastery near Gaza.
In his youth, the future ascetic studied secular sciences, but above all he studied spiritual science through books of the Holy Fathers. While still in the world, he followed the spiritual advice of Elders Barsanuphius and John the Prophet from the Monastery of Abba Seridus. Finally, having wholly loved monastic life, he resolved to abandon the world and entered the cenobitic community under the guidance of these holy elders. Learning the wisdom of monastic asceticism, for several years he perfected himself in the virtues, patience, and thanksgiving. As an obedience he became the head of the hospital opened by his pious brother, setting others an example of love for their neighbors.
Gradually, St. Dorotheos grew unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ (Eph. 4:13) and himself became a skilled mentor. Meanwhile, let us mention one of his blessed disciples.
One day, the monastery abbot called Abba Dorotheos and asked him to take a young man named Dositheus under his spiritual wing. The Abba declined for a long time, but finally yielded. The young man turned out to be quiet, with a sensitive soul, and obedient to his mentor to the point of self-forgetfulness. St. Dorotheos commanded him to pray like this: “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me”, and, “Son of God, help me.” Five years later, St. Dositheus became terminally ill. Even on his sickbed, he remained obedient to his elder. Finally, he heard these words from Abba Dorotheos: “Go, my child, in peace. Stand before the Holy Trinity and pray for us.” And instantly St. Dositheus blissfully commended his soul to God. Soon one of the brethren had a vision that Dositheus was in Paradise on a par with the great fathers. Abba Dorotheos’ disciple was vouchsafed to live in the Heavenly abodes for the most important monastic virtue—obedience to his elder and cutting off his will.
It is known that Abba Dorotheos left the Monastery of Abba Seridus after the death of his disciple and his elder-mentors, and founded another one, gathering followers around him. The saint left behind teachings, letters, words, and questions with recorded answers that have come down through the centuries to the present day. Since time immemorial, the teachings of Abba Dorotheos have been an ABC on spiritual life for monastics and pious laypeople alike. Let us now have a glimpse of the spiritual instructions of this Palestinian ascetic.
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In His goodness, God has given us the commandments that purify us, so that if we want, by observing the commandments we can be cleansed not only from sins, but also from the very passions. For passions are one thing and sins are another thing. The passions are anger, vanity, sensuality, hatred, evil lust, and the like. Sins are actions of the passions when someone acts on them—that is, he does with his body the things to which his passions drive him; for you can have passions, but not act on them.
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I always tell you that from minor relaxations we come to serious sins. What is worse than the sin of judging your neighbor? What does God hate so much and what does He turn away from so much? And yet, a person comes to such a great evil from something insignificant, apparently from allowing himself to be a little angry with his neighbor. For when this is allowed, the mind begins to ignore its sins and notice the sins of its neighbor. And from this habit gossip, reproaches, backbiting and, lastly, pernicious condemnation occur. But nothing angers God so much, nothing strips someone (of grace) so much and does not lead to perdition as rebuking, slandering and condemning others.
Fresco of the Church of the Meeting of the Vladimir Icon of the Theotokos of the Sretensky Monastery
Wretched are we who sin daily and satisfy our passions! We have abandoned the right path, which was shown to us by our fathers—the path of self–reproach; and we instead walk the wrong path of reproaching our neighbor. And in every situation each one of us tries to shift the blame and all the burden onto his brother; everyone is lazy and does not fulfil a single commandment, while demanding that his neighbor keep all the commandments.
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Humiliation is when you not only judge another, but also despise him—that is, abhor your neighbor and turn away from him as from some abomination. It is worse than condemnation and much more destructive.
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A person cannot get angry with his neighbor unless his heart is first exalted above him.
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In any case, we must set our minds on things above. Whether someone does good to us or we suffer evil from someone, we must look above and thank God for everything that happens to us, always reproaching ourselves and saying that if something good happens to us, it is the work of the merciful Providence of God for us; and if something bad, it is for our sins.
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There are three states in people: they either act out of a passion, resist it, or eradicate it. Those who act out of the passion implement it and satisfy it. Those who resist it do not act out of it and do not cut it off, but prudently avoid the passion, while having it in themselves. And those who eradicate the passion struggle and act against it.
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When the soul is insensitive, frequent reading of the Divine Scriptures and the touching words of the God-bearing Fathers is useful, while remembering the Last Judgment of God, the departing of the soul from the body and the imminent meeting with the terrible dark spirits with which it has done evil in this passing and miserable life.
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The first humility is to regard yourself as the lowest. The second humility is to attribute your feats to God.
Wherever a self-reproaching person goes, no matter what harm, dishonor, or other sorrow may befall him, he considers himself as deserving all sorrow and is never troubled.
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Don’t say anything when troubled, because evil doesn’t beget good. But be patient until your mind calms down, and then you will speak peacefully.
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Trample on passions so that they won’t trample on you and harm you violently. Don’t judge, belittle or tempt anyone. Don’t attribute to anyone what you don’t know about him reliably, for this is spiritual death. Be watchful and wait for the approaching death.
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In relation to every passion, there is nothing more useful than to invoke the name of God.
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If someone has a friend and is certain that he loves him, then when he suffers something from him—even if it is hard to bear—he thinks that he did it out of love and will never believe about his friend that he wanted to harm him. All the more we should think so about God Who created us.
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Try to draw edification out of everything. Do not wish to show off vainly, either in word or deed. Acquire moderation in food and words, even in small things.
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Counting yourself as nothing means not comparing yourself with anyone and not talking of your virtue, “I did it too.” Beware of haughtiness so as not to lose everything.
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Do not demand love from your neighbor, because those who demand it will be troubled if they do not find it; but rather show love yourself for your neighbor, and you will find peace.
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Passions are eradicated by invoking the name of Jesus.
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To have a commandment and try to keep it is both obedience and the remembrance of God.
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Just as a ship cannot be built without nails, so is it impossible to be saved without humility.
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Everyone who prays to God, “Lord, give me humility”, should take into account that he is asking God to send him someone to insult him.
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Judging yourself is a work of humility, and having mercy on your neighbor is a work of charity.
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Before we say or do anything, let us test whether it is in accordance with God’s will; and then, after praying, let us say or do this and submit our frailty to God, and His goodness will help us in everything.
Holy Father Dorotheos, pray to God for us!
