The Forgotten Way

Drowsiness of soul is a lack of watchful attentiveness to the thoughts that try to enter into our heart.

Dull-wittedness is being mentally slow. It is a lack of keenness in our understanding. 

Obedience is not achieved through coercion but by growth in sanctity.  

Disobedience is the refusal to follow a command from a lawful authority.

Frivolity is a lack of serious. Frivolity is a waste of time in silliness and lightheartedness.

Impassionedness is being tied to the habits that keep us from purity of heart.

Attraction to what is fleeting is being preoccupied with the passing and temporal concerns of the world.

Anger often comes along with a bad friend that makes our anger feel justified. 

The spiritual struggle lasts until we are in the coffin. 

Mental blindness is spiritual ignorance and darkness.

Obtuseness is lacking a sharpness and quickness of the mind. It is a soul that is becoming insensible. 

Obfuscation of thoughts is to have disorganized thoughts that are unclear and confused. 

Impudence is having a rude boldness and disregard for others. 

Shamelessness is being insensitive to disgrace and embarrassment caused by our sin.  

Harshness is the impatience with the faults, imperfections, and limitations with our neighbor and is shown in our abruptness of manner and speech towards them.

What are the worldly cares you have refused to set aside. 

The flames of the passions can flare up long after we thought the fire of sin was out.

Covenant breaking is to violate a solemn vow. 

Implacability is having strong opinions or feelings that are difficult to change.

Heartlessness is showing a lack of sympathy or consideration for our neighbor. 

To throttle is to choke or strangle. 

Hanging is the act of suspending a person by the neck resulting in asphyxiation. 

Remembering your death is more important in choosing a spouse than most people consider. 

Making sport of others is to ridicule, insult, and laugh at our neighbor's for enjoyment.

Flogging is to beat with a whip or a rod; it is to scourge. 

Disdain of one's neighbor is the feeling that someone is unworthy of consideration or respect.

St. Isaac the Syrian says, "For a man can never complete the work of repentance."  

Bewitchment is casting a magic spell or curse on someone. 

Oppression is being weighed down in body, mind, or soul.

Exploitation is the unfair use of someone to gain a benefit.

Derision is to use ridicule or scorn to show contempt. 

Mockery is insulting and contemptuous speech. It is derision. 

Vilification is the making of false statements that damage another person's reputation. 

Jesting is something done for amusement and joking. 

St. Augustine teaches, "If you have found and not restored you have stolen."

Indecency is being morally offensive, improper, or vulgar in our conduct. 

Envy is a sense of deprivation, sadness, and feeling discontent about the excellence or success of another person. 

Strife is angry and bitter conflict. 

Jealousy is a longing and sadness for what our neighbor has.

Rapine is the violent seizure of someone's property. 

Theft is the unlawful taking of property that belongs to another.

Acceptance of bribes is the receiving of money or gifts for an action that violates our duty.

"Do you not know that those who run in a race all run but one receives the prize, run in such a way that you may obtain it." 1 Corinthians 9:24 

Laxity is a lack of strictness, rigor, and attention.

Breaking fasts is to prematurely relax a fast by eating early, eating more, or eating foods that were to be abstained from.

Matricide is to kill one's mother.

Patricide is the killing of one's father.

Partiality is treating people differently based on the external standards like wealth, power, and status.

Hatred of one's brothers is to have contempt or dislike for those we should be closest to.

A lack of compassion is to be unaware of our neighbor's suffering and fail to try to alleviate it.

"There is an evil spirit, called the forerunner, who assails us as soon as we awake from sleep and defiles our first thought." - St. John Climacus

Oathtaking is to solemnly swear and needs to be avoided if done falsely or without a grave cause. 

Foreswearing oneself is to make a liar of yourself under oath or to commit perjury.

Aggressiveness is an inclination to fight and towards hostility. It is a lack of gentleness and meekness. 

Severity is the quality of being rigid, inflexible, unpleasant, or harsh.

Frenzy is a state of wildly excited activity or emotion.

Ferocity is acting with extreme, unrestrained violence and brutality.

There is an often a disconnect in the words we pray and the actions we take.

Dishonor is to treat in a degrading manner, to bring shame, and a loss of reputation and this is what we must expect from the world if we desire the honor that comes from God alone.

Insolence is disrespectful, argumentative speech given in response to a command or request.

Railing is abusive, scornful language which is characterized by harsh criticisms and insults.  

Hatred is an extreme dislike or disgust for someone.

Accusation is a charge that someone has committed a fault.

Condemnation is to declare something reprehensible, wrong, or evil. To condemn our neighbor is a usurpation of God's power.

Calumny is making false statements to damage someone's reputation. It is slander.

God calls us to Himself when our soul is most ready. 

Censure is to rebuke or reprimand sternly. 

Slander is to attribute a fault to our neighbor that is false with the intent to hurt their reputation.

Asperity is harshness in speech and manner.

Chicanery is the use of deceptive means to gain a political or financial gain. 

Meddlesomeness is being intrusive and interfering with our neighbor's affairs. 

Enmity is a feeling of hatred, hostility, and animosity. It is being in full opposition against someone or something. 

"The person who will not accept reproof whether it is just or unjust renounces his own salvation. But the person who accepts reproof will soon receive the remission of sins." St. John Climacus

Taking up the cross to instill virtue in young men who will become Christian's of the true faith.

Giving offense is to cause hurt, anger, or resentment in our neighbor. It can be intentional or unintentional. 

Brazenness can plunge us over cliffs, fear can paralyze us, but trust keeps us moving forward on the path.

Exasperation is to become intensely irritated and frustrated.

Gall is a brazen boldness fueled by self-confidence. 

Mindless desire is a longing for something with little awareness often driven by habit and emotion.

Rage is a fit of violent wrath.

Fighting is engaging in violent, combative, and aggressive behavior.

Brawling is to fight or quarrel in a rough and loud way. The incisive part of our soul can choose to brawl against our neighbor or against the enemy. 

Shouting is to yell emphatically and can indicate poor control of anger.

Have I watched over my children and the company they keep, the books they read, the entertainments they engage in, the social media they use?

Seeking spiritual consolation is to desire of feeling of warmth, delight, and comfort in prayer. It risks placing our will ahead of God's will. 

Abusiveness is to use something for the wrong purpose. It is to take advantage of a good thing for a bad purpose. 

Quarrelsomeness is being disposed to respond in a petty, contentious, and aggressive manner.

Contentiousness is being prone to disagreement and argument.

Rudeness is a lack of manners and courtesy. 

Boorishness is being rude, insensitive, ill-mannered, and coarse.

Lightmindedness is a frivolous, trifling, or immature attitude. Repentance is contrary to lightmindedness.

Meaningful moments in the mundane. 

Gaucherie is lacking social grace and awareness. It is awkwardness.

Uncouthness is a lack of hospitality, manners, and etiquette.

Ignorance of beauty is failing to see, comprehend, and penetrate the truth and goodness of God in the created world.

Love of popularity is to enjoy being well liked, praised, and applauded by many.

Self-satisfaction is smug complacency and conceit.

Ambition is the desire from our own will to do or achieve something that typically requires determination and hard work.

Thoughtlessness is being careless, unalert, and inconsiderate. 

He who loves father, mother, or children more than Me is not worthy of me.