St. John Climacus offered instruction on attaining spiritual perfection

On the fourth Sunday of Lent, the Orthodox Church commemorates St. John of the Ladder, St. John Climacus.

Little is known of his personal life. What is known comes largely from his work, Ladder of Divine Ascent.

His book and sayings still provide guidance for those seeking a spiritual life today.

By tradition, in the sixth century, John left his urban life at age 16 and joined the monastery of St. Catherine in the Sinai, a monastery continually in existence since before the fourth century.

Placing himself under a spiritual guide, he became a monk after four years.

For several decades, he progressed in his spiritual life.

Upon the death of his elder, he lived in solitude for 40 years, living a life of silence, fasting and prayer.

He followed the model of the monastic life, but not strictly: “I do not fast excessively … nor do I give myself over to intense all-night vigil, … but I restrain myself.”

At one point, envious monks came to him and accused him of being too talkative so St. John kept silent for a year.

Even in his solitude and withdrawal from the world, monks and visitors continued to seek his guidance.

After his 40 years of struggle, at age 75, he was chosen to lead the monastery of St. Catherine at Mount Sinai as abbot.

The writings and sayings of St. John are preserved in his Ladder of Divine Ascent, a book of instruction for monks who wished to attain spiritual perfection.

The book gives readers a window into what early Christian monastic life was like and still provides guidance.

The book and its guidance and sayings are often read or referenced during Lent.

Using Jacob’s ladder as a framework, St. John offers the analogy of a ladder from earth to heaven.

Each of the steps or rungs on the ladder is a flaw or sin that needs to be conquered in one’s spiritual life.

The ladder is needed to reach perfection or heaven.

St. John offered 30 steps in the process, corresponding to the age of Jesus when he started his earthly ministry.

For St. John, the ladder, this is a lifelong struggle – climbing and falling off, getting back on the ladder to trying and ascend.

St. John’s guidance starts with a renunciation of the world, and ends with God, who is love.

Although the book was written for monks, anyone can benefit from the guidance of St. John and his work.

His sayings still resonate, like a wise Confucius. These include:

A vain person seems to honor God, but strives to please men rather than God.

Only the holy and righteous hear praise without harm.

When a neighbor or friend slanders you behind your back, praise and love him.

Whoever is proud of natural gifts – intelligence, learning, skill in reading – will never obtain supernatural gifts.

Whoever is not faithful in small things, is unfaithful in large things.

Fear the shame which follows dishonor.

In the icon for this Sunday in Lent, St. John Climacus is shown at the top of a ladder, his brother monks trying also to ascend the rungs of spiritual perfection, some falling away, each chapter a “step,” a separate spiritual subject and goal for the reader to ascend.

For those who desire a spiritual life, many analogies and methods have been used – spiritual warfare, an athletic race, or a narrow path.

St. John gives readers another model: the ladder.

Readers can ascend from a life that misses the mark.

David Gemmel is a deacon at St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church in Campbell.