Chapter Seventeen.
Gerontas Ephraim the Arizonite
May the Lord our God give you peace and love, for God is love. Always remember the words of the Lord, Who said: “He who keeps My commandments, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father… and We shall come to him and make Our abode with him” (Jn. 14:21,23 ). Let us love God with all our soul, with all our heart, and with all our strength, and may our works keep in step. That is, our works should be a reflection of our love towards Him. And when our works are wrought lawfully, God will repay us with divine love in our souls. He who has found love partakes of Christ every day, and thus he becomes immortal. “If anyone eats of this bread, which I shall give, he will live forever” (cf. Jn. 6:51 ), says the Holy Gospel.
He who partakes of the love of Christ bears much fruit. The souls that love Jesus breathe the spiritual air of the other world, the world of the spirit, which is the kingdom of heaven. Even in this life they taste the waters that flow from the throne of God’s grace! The drink at the heavenly table is divine love. The licentious drank this drink, and the wounds of their sins were soothed; drunkards became fasters; rich men desired poverty in Christ; paupers were enriched with godly hopes; the weak became strong; the unlearned became wise! Love is the Christian’s triumph over the devil, hatred, and envy. In order to reach the divine harbor of God’s love, we must first fear Him as God, Who chastens sin and transgression. It is not possible to cross the sea and reach the harbor without a boat. Likewise, it is impossible to reach the harbor of love without repentance. The fear of God appoints us commander and captain in the boat of repentance, and it takes us across the murky sea of life and guides us to the divine harbor of divine love. Just as we are unable to live without air, likewise it is impossible to live in the eternal life with God if we do not breathe the very sweet and fragrant air of God’s love. Let us shake off the burden of our sins with the power of repentance, and thenceforth light and free as eagles, let us fly high above where the eternal God has stored up the inexhaustible treasures of virtue and wisdom, so that we may drink the waters of eternal life and be deified, as the Scriptures say: “You are gods, and all of you are the sons of the Most High” (Ps. 81:6 ). Let us compel ourselves, my children, for the love of God is not gained through negligence and sluggishness but through eagerness, obedience, patience, forbearance, silence, prayer, and forcefulness in everything. So shall we be negligent for such an eternal gift? No! Then let us cry out in lamentation: “Christ, our Master, shut us not out of Thy kingdom, but open unto us out of Thy compassionate mercy. Amen”.
Δεν υπάρχουν σχόλια:
Δημοσίευση σχολίου