Categories: uncategorized
Date: 24 July 2005 05:05:38
I'm up to the penultimate chapter of Bishop Ignatius' The Arena. I'm thankful I heard the tape of a talk given by Fr Thomas Hopko in which he recommended this book. I've found myself re-reading and re-reading chapters, and I pray I may put into practice what I have learnt. Most importantly: repentance. As Bishop Ignatius writes, the most important spiritual activity is repentance, and we must immerse ourselves in it thoroughly.
I found this passage from St Symeon the New Theologian, quoted by Bishop Ignatius, particularly beautiful (I quote only part of it):
Without [compunction] he will never see his soul pure; and unless he acquires a pure soul he will never acquire a pure body. A dirty garment cannot be washed without water: and without tears it is impossible for the soul to be washed and cleansed of its defilements and impurities....let us seek with all our might the queen of virtues. Whoever seeks her with all his soul finds her; or rather, she comes and finds him who is seeking her with anguish. And even if he has a heart harder than brass or iron or stone, by her coming she makes it softer than any wax. She is the divine fire that destroys mountains and rocks, levelling and changing everything, transforming into gardens those souls that receive her. In the heart of these souls she makes a fountain flow with the water of life. This water as from some cistern unceasingly descends on near and distant (parts of the garden) and fills to overflowing souls that receive the Word with faith.