PHILOKALIA MINISTRIES

“For him that would be wise towards God, there is no other way but to be a fool to the world and a hater of human glory.” This is not a gentle saying. It does not invite nuance. It does not leave room for compromise. St. Isaac speaks like a surgeon, not a counselor. He cuts cleanly. Either you consent to being a fool to the world, or you will never become wise toward God. There is no third path where one keeps a foot in both realms and remains intact. The desert fathers under