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THE LADDER of Divine Ascent.

Editor’s note: This is part of a series of articles from Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church in Barton regarding the Lenten season.

BARTON — It is likely you have heard somewhere of the saint commemorated on this the Fourth Sunday of Great Lent. Saint John Climacus was born in the early 600s. No one knows his birthplace, but when he was 16 years old he decided to travel to the great Monastery of Sinai, which was built by Emperor Justinian I from 548 to 565 a.d. The official name of the monastery, which is still occupied by monks to this day is the “Sacred Monastery of the God-Trodden Mount Sinai.” It is located at the site of Moses’ Burning Bush, at the foot of Mount Sinai.

Saint John’s most famous work is The Ladder of Divine Ascent. This book was considered through the ages to be of such importance, that it was the first book printed in the Western Hemisphere. In 1535 Viceroy Don Antonio de Mendoza brought the first printing press to Mexico from Spain. The book was translated from Latin to Spanish and published about 1537 by Don Juan Pablos. The book is a culmination of what Saint John had learned in his life as a monk and as the Abbot (leader) of Saint Katherine’s Monastery at Sinai. (The Inland Printer, pg 270, Vol XXXII, Oct. 1903-Mar. 1904 Chicago,IL 2016)

The example of Saint John’s life in pursuit of God encourages us to continue in our Lenten efforts, of prayer, fasting, scripture reading, and works of mercy. Saint John’s book, The Ladder of Divine Ascent was written as an instruction book to monastics, but contains a treasure trove of spiritual learning for the serious Christian. In the very first chapter we find the following gem:

“Let us fear the Lord, not less than we fear beasts. For I have seen men, who were going to steal, and were not afraid of God, but hearing the barking of dogs, they at once turned back; and what the fear of God could not achieve was done by the fear of animals.

“Let us love God at least as much as we respect our friends. I have often seen people who had offended God and were not in the least perturbed about it. And I have seen those same people provoke their friends in some trifling matter, and then employ every artifice, every device, every sacrifice, every apology, both personally and through friends and relatives, not sparing gifts, in order to regain their former love.” (Climacus revised 2001, Boston, Mass., Holy Trinity Monastery)

Let us examine ourselves, this Lenten Season, and search out the true nature of our commitment to God. Does He come first in our lives, or do we relegate Him to Sunday mornings only? Do we as Saint John said, fear Him less than beasts? Let us take real action this Lent to renew our commitment to Christ; let us take that first step on the Ladder of Divine ascent and, endeavor to, “… love Him at least as much as we respect our friends.”

Hurley, a St. Clairsville resident, has been a member of the Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church for 10 years.