The Daily Ladder, S1:3
Why Some Listen and Some Do Not
This segment is dedicated to my daily readings of The Ladder of Divine Ascent by Saint John Climacus. I’ve recently completed Step 26 on Discernment, and now I’m returning to the very beginning for a more thorough reading. Today, I begin with Step 1.
“God belongs to all free beings. He is the life of all, the salvation of all—faithful and unfaithful, just and unjust, pious and impious, passionate and dispassionate, monks and laymen, wise and simple, healthy and sick, young and old—just as the effusion of light, the sight of the sun, and the changes of the seasons are for all alike; ‘for there is no respect of persons with God.’”
— St. John Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, Step 1:3
God spreads His love across all. Take for example, the murderer, the proud father, and the repentant monk. Despite their pitfalls, doubts, devotions, and despairs—He pours out His love upon all of us, in every moment.
What, then, distinguishes these three men? It is not ability, but disposition. All can listen; yet one is deaf, another hears, and the last listens.
Their battles differ in shape and ferocity, but the war is the same: to silence the evil within, so that the voice of God may be heard.
The Murderer
In the murderer, the cry of God has been drowned out. The flame of divine love still burns, but he refuses to listen. Instead, he acts out his twisted passions in acts of evil. Yet all the while, God loves him. I do not shame the murderer—I pray for him, that he may yet turn and win the battle against his inner darkness.
The Proud Father
The proud father hears God’s call to love and provide for his children, and he obeys—but with pride. He exalts his own strength and condemns his children when they fail to meet the standards he has set. When they succeed, he glorifies them—and they, too, grow prideful. When they fall, they fall hard, carrying the weight of the pride he unknowingly gave them.
If only he had seen that it was God—the Giver of all good—who instilled in him the love to provide, he might have taught his children humility instead of pride, and spared them such pain.
The Repentant Monk
The monk hears God constantly and is overwhelmed by His love. He falls to his knees in gratitude and sorrow, knowing that even his best efforts fall short of what God deserves. He hesitates to eat or to create, unworthy of the gifts he has received. He prays for words sufficient to give thanks. He offers his body, mind, and soul to God daily, cleansing himself in the hope that his soul may be lifted toward the Spirit.
It is in the monk that we glimpse the reason for our unease in this world. The whisper that tells us there is more—that whisper is real. It is God Himself calling us toward what exceeds all we can imagine.
Yet faced with the greatness of this calling, the Ego recoils. Fearing discomfort, it turns to Pride. Worse, in confusion and despair, it may retreat further still—into Hell, dwelling among the adulterers and the murderers.
Ultimately, our battle is one of Free Will: choosing God or choosing Evil, moment by moment. When we choose ourselves, we choose Evil. But when we choose God, we relinquish concern for self—and paradoxically, receive what is best for us. In choosing God, we become able to receive the gifts He longs to give.
One of those gifts is the great work of Saint John Climacus—a ladder to help us climb from earth to Heaven, step by step.