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| Saint Sophrony the Athonite. |
If we recognise the greatness of
our calling in Christ - that we have been chosen before the foundation of the
world [cf. Eph. 1:4] by the eternal Divine Providence to receive the
adoption of sons [Gal. 4:5] - we shall be, not puffed up but genuinely humble.
A downward movement, into the blackness of hell, is indispensable for all of us
if we are to continue steadfast in the Christian spirit. So we must be ever
conscious of our primeval nothingness, continually condemning ourselves
harshly in all things. And the more man abases himself in self-condemnation,
the higher will God exalt him. 'I tell you . . . everyone that exalteth
himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted' [Luke 18:14].
Vast numbers of people with no
experience of the beneficial action of prayer do not know that a world of
indescribable magnitude is disclosed to the spirit of man through prayer.
Prayer unfolds both the dark
depths of hell and the luminous heavenly spheres. Without faith in the
resurrection almost all suffering is unmeaning, pointless. It may subdue the
obstinate soul but does not cure her of the pride hidden in her depths. Suffering
may enrich one's experience but in the absence of prayer it does not rid the
soul of passion. Suffering gradually destroys the body, the heart and the mind,
without perfecting them in the knowledge of God. But when the Light of Supreme
Being approaches the soul, all is changed: earthly passions die away and the
spirit rises to contemplation of the Eternal. The man endowed with this
blessing regards worldly status, whether social, material or even cultural, as
a sort of temporary 'extra', and does not worry about a career. And if he
persists in his humble opinion of himself, the more knowledge will he be given
of the mysteries of the world to come.
Uniting himself through prayer
with Christ, man within himself, in his heart and mind, is made aware that in
eternity the whole Content of God-man will be given to him imprescriptibly.
Because of this, every good deed on the part of anyone whomsoever gladdens him
here and now with the joy of salvation for all [cf Luke 15:31-32]. A brother's
renown will be his renown. He will delight in seeing others glorified by Divine
Light; and the more radiant they are, the lovelier the vision. In the Kingdom
to come of the saints there is a wealth oflove, of which God grants us a
foretaste here on earth. Divine love embraces hell, too. And we know now that
our descent into hell in the course of this life is the true road to
perfection.
There are two stages to victory
over hell. The first is the mastery of the blackness within us ourselves; the
second, compassionate love, natural to Divinity, for all creation. Yea, this
love through the Holy Spirit is conveyed to all who are saved. Eternity knows
no duration of time but contains in itself the full compass of the centuries.
Eternity without space includes in itself all the expanses of the created
world.
Though our earthly
experience is incomplete - we know 'in part' - it is nevertheless reliable. St.
Paul tells us, 'Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they
shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be
knowledge, it shall vanish away ... But when that which is perfect is come,
then that which is in part shall be done away ... For now we see through a
glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know
even as also I am known' (by God). 'And now abideth faith,' - the beginning of
love - 'hope,' - the ripening of love - 'charity,' - the perfection of love.
'But the greatest of these is charity' [cf. I Cor. 13: 8- 13].
Reference:
We shall see Him as He Is.
Archimandrite Sophrony(Sakharov), 1988.