Anchored in Christ: Keeping Spiritual Canons 

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. (Matthew 5:6)

     As summer comes to an end and the school year begins again, it is important to remind ourselves of where exactly our true priorities lie. Amidst the chaos and stress that comes with our busy schedules, we are still called to be grounded and disciplined in our spiritual lives. St. Paul tells us “But we all with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 3:18). With our spiritual canons we are given a way to grow in our relationship with God gradually and individually. By being consistent in our spiritual canons we truly can be transformed through Christ and restore the image of God that we were intended to bear.

    Spiritual canons become a vital part of your everyday routine. Whether it be reading chapters from the Bible, praying a few Psalms from the Agpeya in the morning and night, reading a spiritual book, fasting, doing metanoias, journaling, and attending liturgy a certain number of times each week, your spiritual routine and canons can be established with the guidance of your spiritual father or father of confession. College and work can often be a time of spiritual warfare as we enter into challenging and new environments. To be grounded in the truth and to have a well maintained routine with your spiritual canons gives you the strength and faith that God is always with you.

    Spiritual canons are deeply personal, as it connects to each individual’s gradual and uniquejourney with Christ. It is important as we enter into the fall semester that we do not delay incorporating these canons and practices into our everyday routine. I am sure we are all familiar with the risk and danger of ‘waiting until tomorrow’ to start something as it is a trap that we all constantly fall into. However, just as we schedule the time to grow intellectually and socially through work and school, it makes sense to also prioritize time to grow spiritually closer to God. As we also take time out of our day to spend with our friends, family, or just downtime, we should also work to include Our Father in all that we do, not because he needs us, but because we truly need him. Recall that “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5).

    Spiritual canons are not just another busy task or burden to add to your never-ending schedule, but it is your spiritual nourishment. These canons teach us not to be lazy and to be prepared just as the five wise virgins were from the parable provided in the book of Matthew chapter 25 verses 1-13. While only five of the ten were ready for the bridegroom, this parable reminds us to “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.” (Matthew 25:13). In a biblical commentary, the extra oil that the five wise virgins carried represents the grace and responsibility that we each have. You can not share this grace or oil with another person nor take it from anyone as it is up to you to be consistent and diligent in your own spiritual life with God. Incorporating spiritual canons into our lives manifests itself in disciplining and preparing our hearts for Christ to enter and work with you. Only if we have the will to grow in our relationship with God will there be a clear path for us. Remember God’s love for us and how “Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.” (Isaiah 43:19).

    St. Paul also clearly says that “24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 25And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26Therefore I run thus: not with any uncertainty.” (1 Corinthians 9: 24-26). This chapter teaches us that we are actively in a race as Christians working to get the imperishable crown of eternal life with Christ. As a sermon from a priest comments, you can not grow spiritually without having your canons and the discipline to follow what our mother the Church teaches us. We need to learn to be motivated and determined in our relationship with God like the saints and fathers of the church were.

    Just as we were forced to wake up at 8 A.M. for liturgy on a Sunday as kids for our benefit, even if you did not see it at the time, you need to force yourself to be committed to God via spiritual canons. Recall “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.” (Matthew 11:12). (*Note not physical violence but rather determination and spiritual discipline). We are blessed to live in a time where everything is a tap away and are surrounded by so much knowledge and wisdom from the fathers and congregations around the world. This puts a responsibility on you on whether or not you take advantage of these blessings and add spiritual canons into your routine despite how busy you may be.

   Your spiritual canons are what eventually allow you to bear the fruit that gets you through the everyday challenges of life whether it be from school, work, or other people. There are numerous examples from the Bible of people who instilled some form of spiritual canons in their lives to get closer to God. David expresses his love and dedication to God through “Seven times a day I will praise You, Because of Your righteous judgments.” (Psalm 119:164). Daniel also shows to be disciplined in his spiritual canon of fasting as “...Daniel purposed in himself that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, not with the wine which he drank;” (Daniel 1:8). We learn that fasting is a key to self control and Daniel refused any temptation that would affect his spiritual life with Christ.

    Spiritual canons are your path and foundation to your relationship with God. Just as we continue to work towards our own material goals we must also train our hearts and minds through prayer, fasting, and scripture reading (as a start) that shape us into Christ’s own image. Again David reminds us of the zeal and dedication we should have in vigilantly seeking Christ to transform us. “3 Surely I will not go into the chamber of my house, Or go up to the comfort of my bed; 4 I will not give sleep to my eyes Or slumber to my eyelids, 5 Until I find a place for the Lord, A dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.” (Psalm 132:3-5).