A Reflection by Dcn. Michael Schlaack on the 4th Sunday of Great Lent
Today we enter the 4th week of Great Lent where we commemorate St. John Climacus, also known and St. John of the Ladder. We have already passed the mid-point of the Great Fast and so now we might think that we are on the downhill slide into Pascha. But as the Church understands, now the powers that are tugging at our souls are doubling their efforts. The current situation in the world has prevented us from having all the encouragement that we normally rely on to see us through this time of fasting and prayer. In past years we would have had the Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts, that beautiful service which gives us the spiritual sustenance that we need to continue our Lenten journey. Unfortunately, this year the forces have converged against us, denying us that most needed encouragement and strength. It is therefore even more fitting that during this fourth week of the Fast that the Church presents us with the encouragement of the teachings of St. John Climacus.
To help us understand the significance of the meaning of today’s commemoration, it is necessary to first understand the man and his contribution to the Church’s understanding of holiness. St. John Climacus was a 6th century monk living in the St. Catherine Monastery on Mt. Sinai in the Egyptian desert. And while very little is known about his life, we do know of his devotion to monastic holiness by his book, The Ladder of Divine Ascent. Specifically, it was a book written by a monk for monks, and therefore some of the ascetic directions are probably a bit strenuous for most of us who are not living in a monastery in the 6th century. However, the spiritual insight provided by St. John continues to guide and encourage Christians throughout the centuries.
For St. John Climacus, the path to sanctification is likened to a ladder reaching from earth to heaven. The ladder has 30 rungs which remind us of the number of years in the earthly life of Jesus. Each rung presents a different spiritual challenge—a passion to overcome or a virtue to master—that must be completed before progressing up the ladder. Each rung includes guidance from St. John on how we can improve our relationship with God, each other and ourselves. The information is too involved to explain in detail in one short lesson, so I encourage everyone to obtain a copy of The Ladder of Divine Ascent or find one of the many excellent commentaries that are available. But for our purposes this morning, I would like to break down The Ladder of Divine Ascent into three points that will have significance for us during our Lenten journey.
The first point we need to consider is that the ladder is just that: It’s a ladder, not an escalator. In other words, we must work to rise above this earthly domain and reach our heavenly goal. It will require a great deal of effort on our part to master each rung before moving on to the next. This is where the concept of synergia becomes important; that joint effort between God and each of us that is required to work out our salvation. God is always there providing His strength for those who are willing to accept it. As I said, it a ladder not an escalator, so we will not be able to move quickly up towards sanctification by simply standing still. True love for God will cause us to perform those good works that will help us to strengthen even further our faith. But to work out our “own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12) we will need to be willing to be used by God.
The spiritual works that St. John presents on the divine ascent become progressively harder and more intense. We see that the first three steps are foundational, calling us to give up the things of this world. If we are not willing to let go and turn our backs on this world, we will never make that initial step onto the first rung of the ladder. And that is the second point I wish to make: We need to be committed to our climb. Jesus said, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62). Our ascent to heaven cannot be “called in,” we must make that a solid commitment to attaining holiness. As I stated earlier, it is not an automatic ride to heaven—it requires work on our part. And we will not stick to the climb if we are not committed to reaching our heavenly goal.
This commitment to our heavenly climb may take many forms. There are people who, maybe as new Christians, try to race up the ladder. They are 110% committed to their new Orthodox faith. They are so strongly committed, even to the extent that they are willing to point out and criticize others for their lack of commitment. Then when they realize that the rest of the people on this ladder do not show the same level of zeal for personal holiness, they become disenchanted. After all, who wants to be standing on a ladder with a bunch of lukewarm climbers?
We need to understand that all of us are on a different rung on that ladder. Some are higher than others; possibly others have even stopped their ascent. In those cases, the best thing we can do is offer help and encouragement to our fellow climber. Maybe a helping hand to those below or a gentle nudge to those above us. This will not only encourage them with their commitment to reaching heaven, but it will also encourage us as well.
The last point I want to make goes together with the first two: When you fall off the ladder, get back up and keep climbing. St. Paul liken our journey of faith to a marathon. No one who starts out sprinting will make it to the finish line 26 miles later. That is because the marathon St. Paul refers to, like the ladder, can take a life time to reach the finish. No one starts out running a marathon with the intention of stopping before they reach the finish. If that is their intention, then why even bother starting the race? The same goes for the Ladder of Divine Ascent: If you begin your climb with the intention of never trying to finish, then you obviously have not made it onto the first rung.
So, what happens when you fall off the ladder? Just like with the foot race, you get up and get back into the race! We all fall at some point in our lives as Christians. The fall is not important; what’s important is whether you are willing to get back up. Satan does not win when we fall; he wins when we stay down. Those who give up their ascent are also giving up the heavenly crown that God has for those who complete the climb. St. Paul wrote, “Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Tim. 4:8). But we will never receive that crown if we do not complete the climb.
St. John Climacus describes the 30th step of the ladder this way: “And now at last, after all that has been said, there remains that triad, faith, hope and love, binding and securing the union of all.” This union is between the faithful Christian and God. It is theosis, our personal deification that joins us with the holy, Triune God. It is not achieved quickly and only through hard spiritual work. It is a commitment that lasts a lifetime.
So today, as we are past the mid-point of this year’s Great Fast, let us use The Ladder of Divine Ascentto help us take stock of where we are on our climb toward heaven. Regardless on which rung you find yourself today, make it a personal commitment to continue your climb. Let the words, “Keep climbing!” not only be our encouragement but the words of encouragement for other on the ladder as well. Make the promise to yourself and God that each day you will achieve “a little up,” heading just a little bit closer to heaven. So, brother and sisters, let me say to you, “Keep climbing!” And by the strength and mercy of God, we will all one day meet at the top of the ladder that leads to His Heavenly Kingdom.