Wake Up, O Sleeper!

The learned discipline of attentiveness is at the heart of a Normal Orthodox life.

St. John of Damaskos says: “Without attentiveness and watchfulness of the intellect we cannot be saved and rescued from the devil, who walks about ‘like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour’.”

Sounds pretty serious. And yet, the virtue of attentiveness is so challenging and elusive. I guess it’s so tricky because it is exhausting to think about staying attentive constantly.

I get it.

It’s discouraging.

And yet, the Fathers often teach us that attentiveness and discernment are the greatest virtues for developing and maintaining spiritual health. There seems to be no doubt that reading the Scriptures and the Wisdom of the Church Fathers, learning the marathon path of attentiveness means “praying without ceasing” and bringing “every thought captive to Jesus Christ.” No wonder the Church gives us the spiritual discipline of confession to reset our attention and correct our thinking.

But how do you develop attentiveness? How can I increase my stamina so that I can stay attentive and awake?

Look at our lesson today in Ephesians 5:8-19:

Brethren, walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is a shame even to speak of the things that they do in secret; but when anything is exposed by the light it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light.” Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart.

St. Paul tells his parish in Ephesus that the fundamental struggle is between being asleep in the dark or awake in the light. But the greatest danger is being asleep in the Light! That fatal inattentiveness to when to be awake means my life misses essential opportunities to wake up to reality.

And that, my dearest, is the most pressing need in my life – being awake to reality and not asleep in the delusions of my passions. Notice the list of the deadly, undisciplined passions St. Paul mentions. He calls these “unfruitful works of darkness.”

He says the best way to deal with them is through an honest confrontation in the light of reality.

Those behaviors, lifestyles, actions, choices, and priorities that are “unfruitful” and love darkness produce “death” in our lives. They “kill” relationships. They “kill” hope and dreams. These “unfruitful” works make us dead.

But NOW it’s time to WAKE from the sleep of death enslaved to “unfruitful” lives.

And there’s only ONE WAY to wake up. Jesus Christ, the One Who “trampled down death by death.”

He is the Light that makes us alive and calls us to know Him SO THAT I can know myself. All the other delusions of darkness lead to a foolish way of living; being drunk with wine to numb us from our pain only leads to deeper slavery to death. But being “filled” with the Spirit builds true life in community so that we are free to experience the joy of “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.” Being awake to the JOY of life in Christ is the choice of wisdom and peace.

The story of St. Syridon of Trimythus powerfully illustrates this attentive wakefulness to reality. He is attentive BECAUSE he makes his life simple. His holiness is the holiness of a simple shepherd in his native Cyprus. When he and his wife have a child, they name her Irene, which means “peace.” When his wife passes, the people insist this simple shepherd become their bishop. And now St. Spyridon is a shepherd of souls. His simplicity doesn’t mean he is shallow. Far from it. His pious life saw many miracles to the point that he is still called “the Wonderworker.” His simple words put the heresy of Arius to shame as St. Spyridon spoke to defend the Orthodox Faith at the First Ecumenical Council. Thus, this simple, pious, powerful, miracle-working hero of the Faith reposed in peace in 350. His simplicity made being attentive possible.

So, today, are you awake to Jesus Christ in your life? Have you finally realized that living life asleep to the deadly darkness of a purposeless life only makes you a slave to death? The Light is shining now. The Day has come! The Lord wants you to be truly alive! And it all starts when you focus on living a Normal Orthodox life.

P.S. O Father, God-bearer, Spyridon, you were proven a champion and Wonder Worker of the First Ecumenical Council. You spoke to the girl in the grave and turned the serpent to gold. And, when chanting your prayers, most sacred One, angels ministered with you. Glory to Him who glorified you; glory to Him who crowned you; glory to Him who, through you, works healing for all.

Fr. Barnabas Powell is the parish priest at Sts. Raphael, Nicholas, and Irene Greek Orthodox Church in Cumming, GA. He is also the founder of Faith Encouraged Ministries and produces the Faith Encouraged Daily Devotional on Substack. Watch the Faith Encouraged YouTube Channel here - https://www.youtube.com/@FaithEncouragedTV

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