G
GregoryPalamas
Guest
One passage that has many time inspired me over the years and I’ve even written one college and two seminary papers in part based upon it is John 1:9 in which St. John the Baptist declared of Jesus “He is the Light that enlightens everyone who comes into the world.” The Church has never eliminated the Light of Christ that has come through even some of the pagan philosophers. All of this Light comes from Christ and leads back to Him. So the first principle is: 1. All the Wisdom of the World, all that is genuine, holy, and that leads to God, leads from Christ and leads us back to Christ. The second is like unto the first: 2. The wisdom of Christ is found wherever it is found.
The second collections of truth has to do with being In Christ. When we are in Christ and He in us we move toward unity with Him. The third principle is: 3. We can with serious focus remain in Christ and delve more deeply into Him. The fourth is: 4. Being in Christ is the only identity that matters. Everything else is secondary.
The third truth is that the New Birth which is the redemption of humanity that makes it possible for us to choose life instead of being doomed to death. So the fifth is: 5. Through the baptism of water and the Spirit we become what we were made to be. The sixth is like unto the fourth and is: 6. Life leads to life. We are adopted into the Godhead and if faithful are destined to be one with Him. Or as Sts Irenaeus and Athanasius based upon John 1 “God became man that man might become God.”
The purpose of our lives here is twofold: To be cleansed of sin and death and to become through holy living one with God. We do that through receiving the sacraments with an open heart and gently saying yes to every call of God. The monastics model this, help us do this, and pray for us as we do it.
CDL
The second collections of truth has to do with being In Christ. When we are in Christ and He in us we move toward unity with Him. The third principle is: 3. We can with serious focus remain in Christ and delve more deeply into Him. The fourth is: 4. Being in Christ is the only identity that matters. Everything else is secondary.
The third truth is that the New Birth which is the redemption of humanity that makes it possible for us to choose life instead of being doomed to death. So the fifth is: 5. Through the baptism of water and the Spirit we become what we were made to be. The sixth is like unto the fourth and is: 6. Life leads to life. We are adopted into the Godhead and if faithful are destined to be one with Him. Or as Sts Irenaeus and Athanasius based upon John 1 “God became man that man might become God.”
The purpose of our lives here is twofold: To be cleansed of sin and death and to become through holy living one with God. We do that through receiving the sacraments with an open heart and gently saying yes to every call of God. The monastics model this, help us do this, and pray for us as we do it.
CDL