Monday
1 Cor. 15:12-19; Matt. 21:18-22
The Lord condemned the fig tree to fruitlessness because in appearance it was so covered with leaves that there ought to have been fruit on it, but none could be found. In applying this to the Christian life, the leaves represent outward words of piety and outward spiritual asceticism, while the fruits represent inner dispositions. According to the law, the former should proceed from the latter. However, out of condescension to our infirmity, the latter should at least develop together with the former. When the former are strong but the latter are not even budding, a false life results, which expresses itself like this: to seem, but not to be. At first, perhaps this unfortunate state is not in one's thoughts, but then it appears unnoticeably and establishes itself as a way of life. When one applies himself excessively to externals and becomes passionately attached to them, his attention toward his heart is suppressed, his spiritual feelings die away, and coldness settles in. At this stage, spiritual life freezes, and there remains only an appearance of piety, but no piety. One's behavior is proper on the outside, but inwardly everything is wrong. The consequence of this is spiritual fruitlessness-works are done, but they are all dead.
-From St. Theophan the Recluse
No comments:
Post a Comment