The Ladder of Divine Ascent

St. John of the Ladder Step 1 Turning Our Backs on the World

1. Ask yourself which one are you? Of all created and rational beings, endowed with the dignity of free will, some are friends of God, some are His servants, some are useless servants, some are entirely estranged, and there are some who for all their weakness, take their stand against Him. 2. Have you been baptized? Have you honored this gift from God? (Mt 7:13, 14). Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Mt 7:21) God belongs to all free beings. He is the Life of all, the salvation of all. 3. Do you have a pleasant loving disposition? 4. What value do you place on your soul? The irreligious man is a mortal being with a rational nature, who of his own free will turns his back on life and thinks of his own maker. The lover of God is he who lives in communion with all that is natural and sinless. The content man is one who lives in the midst of temptation, snares and turmoil and who is eager to initiate with all his might those who are free from turmoil. 5. Positive steps you can take to bring God back into your life a. Attend church with fellow believers. Those who have surrendered themselves to God deceive themselves if they suppose that they have no need of a director. Those who came out of Egypt had Moses as their guide, and those who fled from Sodom had an angel. b. Take time each day to pray, read scripture and be silent. c. Do something kind for someone each day. d. Acquire the desire for innocence, fasting and temperance. Let us love God at least as much as we respect our friends. I have seen people who offended God and were not in the least perturbed. I have seen these same people provoke their friends in a trying matter, and then employ every sacrifice, every apology in order to regain their former love. 6. Thoughts to Ponder! Do all the good you can, do not speak evil of anyone, do not steal from anyone, do not lie to anyone, do not be arrogant towards anyone, do not hate anyone, do not be absent from the divine services, be compassionate to the needy, do not offend anyone, do not wreck another persons domestic happiness and be content with what your own wives can give you. If you believe in this way, you will not be far from the Kingdom of Heaven. Accomplish these and you will have ascended the first rung of the ladder!!