Dear Fr. Raphael,Evlogeite!
Dear +++
O Kyrios
I'm still going through my hard drive, and came across this quote from a French Catholic priest who died in 1751. Does it reflect an Orthodox understanding of surrendering to God?
I am interested in your opinion but since you ask, I will of course give you my opinion which undoubtedly will, if nothing else, at least confirm what I don't know.
Perfection consists in doing the will of God, not in understanding His designs.
From reading Abba Dorotheos, he describes perfection as the acquisition of virtue. I'm sorry I can't provide the reference. As for me personally, the oneness we have in Christ is everything. Whatever He chooses for me to understand or be made privy to is another of His gifts, which are outside of all things. Forgive me, I don't intend to stake any kind of claim, I simply repeat what the fathers have revealed to all of us.
The designs of God, Isn't the design that all men should be saved? the good pleasure of God, Isn't God's good pleasure that all men should be saved? the will of God, Isn't His will that all men should be saved? the operation of God and the gift of His grace are all one and the same thing in the spiritual life. It is God working in the soul to make it like unto Himself. What is the soul if not the image and likeness of God? It is however stained with sin but the Light of God, when acquired washes away the stain. Is anything lacking once someone is saved? Perfection is neither more nor less than the faithful co-operation (I'm not to fond of the use of co-operation in this) of the soul with this work of God, and is begun, grows, and is consummated in the soul unperceived and in secret. (?) [The science of theology is full of theories and explanations of the wonders of this state in each soul according to its capacity. One may be conversant with all these speculations, speak and write about them admirably, instruct others and guide souls; , one is, compared with those who, without any knowledge of these theories, receive the meaning of the designs of God and do His holy will, like a sick physician compared to simple people in perfect health. The designs of God and his divine will, accepted by a faithful soul with simplicity, produces this divine state in it without its knowledge, just as a medicine taken obediently will produce health, although the sick person neither knows nor wishes to know anything about medicine. As fire gives out heat, and not philosophical discussions about it, nor knowledge of its effects, so the designs of God and His holy will work in the soul for its sanctification, and not speculations of curiosity as to this principle and this state. When one is thirsty, one quenches one’s thirst by drinking, not by reading books which treat of this condition. The desire to know does but increase this thirst. Therefore when one thirsts after sanctity, the desire to know about it only drives it further away. Speculation must be laid aside, and everything arranged by God as regards actions and sufferings must be accepted with simplicity, for those things that happen at each moment by the divine command or permission are always the most holy, the best and the most divine for us.]
If I understand this clearly, I agree with it.
If you will indulge me, I had many sessions with an individual, who was far, far more well read in Orthodoxy dogmatics, history, practice, etc. than me (which isn't saying much) and could question and answer just about everything, but he lacked the following. Once I realized we both were at a dead end, I prayed silently. As a result I felt the following was appropriate. Everyone must understand what Christ requires when He says that anyone who seeks to lose His life forHis sake, will have it. In other words, we must deny (St. Matt. 16:24) ourselves (the self)entirely. Subsequently I advised this person, to forget everything he knew. As time went on, he remained entangled and shackled. After all, without Christ we can do nothing (St John 15:5). The question asks,If without Him we are nothing, than what if we are with Him? But to be worthy of Him, we must love Him above father, mother, son or daughter..... (St. Matthew 10:37).
At our last meeting, I suggested he stop studying, fretting, and trying to understand God, etc., etc., until he could forget himself and simply be the prodigal that we all are. Imagine returning home having spent your inheritance, shaming your own being, shaming your father and so on, and yet the virtue of humility is acquired. Without it, nothing would have been gained. Although it is difficult to give up pride, could the rest have been any more simple? Did he go through any interrogation from his father? Did his father not come out to meet him? Didn't he kiss him on the neck and make a banquet for him?
Once we acquire virtue and repent, our Father comes to meet us, embraces and kisses us and we are home.
If you will indulge me, I had many sessions with an individual, who was far, far more well read in Orthodoxy dogmatics, history, practice, etc. than me (which isn't saying much) and could question and answer just about everything, but he lacked the following. Once I realized we both were at a dead end, I prayed silently. As a result I felt the following was appropriate. Everyone must understand what Christ requires when He says that anyone who seeks to lose His life forHis sake, will have it. In other words, we must deny (St. Matt. 16:24) ourselves (the self)entirely. Subsequently I advised this person, to forget everything he knew. As time went on, he remained entangled and shackled. After all, without Christ we can do nothing (St John 15:5). The question asks,If without Him we are nothing, than what if we are with Him? But to be worthy of Him, we must love Him above father, mother, son or daughter..... (St. Matthew 10:37).
At our last meeting, I suggested he stop studying, fretting, and trying to understand God, etc., etc., until he could forget himself and simply be the prodigal that we all are. Imagine returning home having spent your inheritance, shaming your own being, shaming your father and so on, and yet the virtue of humility is acquired. Without it, nothing would have been gained. Although it is difficult to give up pride, could the rest have been any more simple? Did he go through any interrogation from his father? Did his father not come out to meet him? Didn't he kiss him on the neck and make a banquet for him?
Once we acquire virtue and repent, our Father comes to meet us, embraces and kisses us and we are home.
+ I pray you find, from trying to make sense of what I have said, that which can only be granted to those who keep their lamps burning with the oil of virtue, while knocking on the doors of Paradise.
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12:25 AM (6 hours ago)
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To me, the text struck a cord. It is part of a larger work, but I believe in this case the author was discussing the will of God and His designs not from a macro point of view, but from a micro one. The will of God (of course) is for all of us to be saved, to acquire the virtues and struggle against the passions, to bring ourselves as close to Him as possible. But how are we to deal with day-to-day challenges, or profoundly significant ones, in terms of “understanding His designs”? Having a close friend or family member die, or losing a job, losing a spouse, coming down with a fatal illness, losing your home to a fire or natural disaster… I think we all – even people of faith – try to intellectually rationalize what God’s purpose is in sending such trials, and I think the whole point of the article is… don’t. Your struggle isn’t to know what God’s purpose in such things are, particularly if you can’t find any obvious one. (I suppose if you can, it’s a blessing.) We should simply follow the example of Job, embrace the good and the bad, and take comfort in the knowledge that if we are doing what we should – struggling, fighting the good fight – that is enough. Accept what He has given you and continue on. Knowing “why things happen” isn’t necessary; we need to simply be faithful to Him… I didn’t know if the text was too fatalistic in its approach, at least from an Orthodox perspective.
Your last comments about putting aside all our questions and just accepting our role as the prodigal - that is something I need to work on! Thank you for your insights – I’m getting too tired to think, so better head to bed!
In Christ,
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