Reminds me of a bit from the Anonymous Collection of the Desert Fathers:
A monk read the scriptures day and night for two decades then suddenly quit his home, sold his books, and left for the wilds. An elder monk stopped him and asked where he was going. “I have spent twenty years only hearing the words of the [sacred] books,” he answered, “and now I finally want to make a part on putting into action what I have heard from the books.”
Good stuff. I went on a book buying frenzy about 3 years ago (when I got introduced to Orthodoxy). I've read about half the books, and only half way through half the books I read, and stopped reading about 6 months ago.
I was wandering why my desire to 'know more' or 'know the real truth' wasn't there anymore. I think you nailed most of the reasons. Thank you.
There might be a person out there who is a better Christian and has more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and self-control because they can explicate the essence/energies distinction of the divine nature according to St. Gregory Palamas... but I haven't met that person yet. :)
Amen, amen, amen. A lot of this has been my own journey as well. Left Bible school an ultra correct, unyielding zealot who had all the answers. Went to the mission field and there discovered Orthodoxy, but kept the same mindset, arguing with family about all the ways they were wrong (before I myself had actually entered the Church). Slowly God has brought me to heel. I still struggle with the voracious appetite for more information; another book, another blogpost another podcast etc. I’ve largely exited most online Orthodoxy. I go back and forth on whether I think it’s a net good or net bad avenue for encountering Orthodoxy. I know it’s been the starting point for so many of us in discovering the Faith, and for that I give thanks. But the way we sometimes (often?) behave online, the rancor, factiousness and unmercifulness with which we treat each other is a stain on our witness. Lord have mercy.
Reminds me of a bit from the Anonymous Collection of the Desert Fathers:
A monk read the scriptures day and night for two decades then suddenly quit his home, sold his books, and left for the wilds. An elder monk stopped him and asked where he was going. “I have spent twenty years only hearing the words of the [sacred] books,” he answered, “and now I finally want to make a part on putting into action what I have heard from the books.”
Good stuff. I went on a book buying frenzy about 3 years ago (when I got introduced to Orthodoxy). I've read about half the books, and only half way through half the books I read, and stopped reading about 6 months ago.
I was wandering why my desire to 'know more' or 'know the real truth' wasn't there anymore. I think you nailed most of the reasons. Thank you.
There might be a person out there who is a better Christian and has more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and self-control because they can explicate the essence/energies distinction of the divine nature according to St. Gregory Palamas... but I haven't met that person yet. :)
Amen, amen, amen. A lot of this has been my own journey as well. Left Bible school an ultra correct, unyielding zealot who had all the answers. Went to the mission field and there discovered Orthodoxy, but kept the same mindset, arguing with family about all the ways they were wrong (before I myself had actually entered the Church). Slowly God has brought me to heel. I still struggle with the voracious appetite for more information; another book, another blogpost another podcast etc. I’ve largely exited most online Orthodoxy. I go back and forth on whether I think it’s a net good or net bad avenue for encountering Orthodoxy. I know it’s been the starting point for so many of us in discovering the Faith, and for that I give thanks. But the way we sometimes (often?) behave online, the rancor, factiousness and unmercifulness with which we treat each other is a stain on our witness. Lord have mercy.
Brilliantly insightful as always.