In the last several issues of this article I have begun presenting Maximus the Confessors’ ideas on divinization and spiritual progress. It must be noted that Maximus drew his ideas – theories and practices – of spirituality from monasticism whose traditions about “life in Christ” he reasoned were relevant for the entire Body of Christ – the Church. The theories and practices that he identified are mutually interdependent and, in their correlation, represent the fruition of spiritual life.

Practice acquires, in the Confessors ideas, a double perspective, including both purification from passions and attainment of virtues. Maximus defines passions “as a movement of the soul contrary to nature either toward irrational love or senseless hate of something”. Passions spring up as a resultof the disoriented will that chooses the sensible over the spiritual. And precisely in the quality of being falsely preferred, the sensual or visible becomes sinful, dangerous, venomous, and evil. For Maximus passions have to be eradicated at the root level, that is, in the domain of the will, whereby sin has entered the human arena. Human will needs to be   reoriented toward divine will, for “only God is good by nature, and only the one who imitates God is good by his will”, says Maximus. The Spirit is able to convert those who are willing to cooperate with the plan of deification.

So think about what Maximus states. If we don’t consciously and voluntarily make God a central focus in our lives, the things of this world become the central focus. The things of this world can seduce us to think that they are more important than those things connected with God’s Kingdom. Once a person wills to allow the world to be his/her primary focus, distortion of things spiritual typically follows.

Passions, which are a normal part of human life, actually serve as primary opportunities to use our will to focus on the spiritual instead of the material and sensual. God knew when He created mankind with free will, that humans would be constantly faced with a desire for the things and pleasures of this world. He also know that this constant challenge is capable of bringing about great spiritual growth.   Human passions present opportunities to utilize free will to focus on spiritual things instead of worldly things.

In addressing the problem posed by passions, Maximus relies on detachment, that is “a peaceful state of the soul in which it becomes resistant to vice.” Unassisted by detachment, the mind – which Maximus identifies with the inner man – easily loses its spiritual focus. For Maximus detachment leads to spiritual liberation that opens one up to a direct divinizing relationship with God.

Think about this!