First, Thanksgiving

A friend has asked me to read St. John Climacus’ Ladder of Divine Ascent with her for Great Lent. We’re starting Bp. Kallistos Ware’s introduction to the Classics of Western Spirituality version now. Here’s a wonderful insight from the intro:

Thanksgiving, penitence, petition — such is the basic sequence to be followed when praying:

Heartfelt thanksgiving should have first place in our book of prayer. Next should be confession and genuine contrition of soul. After that should come our request to the universal King. (Step 28, p. 275 in this edition)

We are not to begin by confessing our sins. Before peering downward at our own ugliness, we are to gaze outward and upward at the beauty of God. So it is in the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom (not that St. John Climacus appeals to this particular example): we do not commence with an act of penitence but with a proclamation of divine glory, “Blessed is the Kingdom of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit… ” Only after receiving a glimpse of this heavenly Kingdom can we begin to repent as we should. Otherwise penitence becomes a form of grumbling, an expression of bitterness or self-loathing rather than hope. Penitence, John adds, should accompany us throughout the journey of prayer: “Even if you have climbed the whole ladder of the virtues, pray still for the forgiveness of sins.” (Step 28, p. 276)

Why give thanksgiving first? Because then we have a standard to judge our sinfulness by. It’s not possible to know one’s sins, or to repent of them, until you come into contact with God’s holiness. And when this happens, you will also know His mercy, His goodness, and His power to forgive all sin, all weakness, all lack of courage, lack of virtue, and lack of beauty of soul on our part. For His mercy, the only possible response — when one realizes how good God is — is to give thanks. That’s what we do in the Liturgy, and why the thankfulness of liturgical prayer — the Divine Liturgy’s realization of the Kingdom — becomes the touchstone for all else.

Here is the preceding paragraph to what’s above:

“Prayer,” says St. John Climacus, “is by nature a dialogue and a union of man with God.” As such, it is cosmic in scope, the foundation of the universe: “Its effect is to hold the world together.” (Step 28, p. 274) It is the primary end for which the human person was created — “What higher good is there than to cling to the Lord and to persevere in unceasing union with Him?” (Step 28, p. 278) — and it constitutes the touchstone of a monk’s entire existence: “Your prayer shows where you stand…. Prayer is a monk’s mirror.” (Step 28, p. 278) In the words of Bishop Theophan the Recluse: “Prayer is the test of everything…. If prayer is right, everything is right.” (in The Art of Prayer, ed. Igumen Chariton, p. 51)