Беседа 7. Его же. От чего рождается в душе духовное чувство 384 и сколь возвышена мера его.

1. There is a spiritual feeling that is born from meditation: it gives pleasure, joy and exultation to the soul. There is also another kind, which by itself 385 falls on a person. For at the beginning of that knowledge, which from reflection, from love of learning, from godly deeds 386 and conversation, the mind constantly reflects on this or that. And from time to time, because of this beautiful meditation on the love of God and thoughts of the divine, he who engages in this with love, hoping to find his own way of service, 387 is constantly born within 388 a spiritual vision of things. When his soul is a little purified in the service of the fear of God and sobriety, then spiritual contemplation of its own falls from time to time on his soul without any care. And all the time that person encounters some kind of insight in his mind, and suddenly his mind finds itself motionless, as if in some kind of divine cloud, which stuns and silences. 2. It also happens that, without any insight, from time to time a certain silence falls on a person, and the mind becomes collected and plunges into itself in an incomprehensible stupor. This is a haven full of peace, about which the Fathers speak in their writings, 389 that sometimes nature enters where it approaches the threshold of the spiritual way of life. 390 With this begins the entry into the third level, that is, into spiritual existence. 391 And when the eyes of a monk 392 are directed towards this haven from the very beginning of his apprenticeship until the grave, he endures all sorts of physical and mental toil, and various misfortunes pursue him along this path. 393 But as soon as the monk approaches this threshold, he heads straight to the harbor and approaches the spiritual way of life. And from this amazing things happen to him, and he receives the guarantee of a new century. 3. Anyone who reads this, let him remember that composure of the mind, 394 which was discussed at the end of the fourth hundred 395 “Chapters on Knowledge.” 396 For it is in this way that the ascetics reach this harbor on their journey. And this is the ministry of perfect monks; 397 and thanks to this their journey ends, and the heavy ship of their asceticism reaches the harbor. From this they are rewarded with love for Jesus Christ our Lord, 398 and from time to time they behold the glory of His nature, for such is the crown of the righteous. And what was said is fulfilled in them: You, Father, are in Me, and I in them, so that they too may be one in Us. 399 For the unity of Christ in the Trinity is mysteriously depicted 400 by the saints by their perfect fusion with God. Our Firstborn 401 brought us closer to this by His coming, and such perfection brings His teaching to believers. So, until a person withdraws from people and achieves silence, 402 and until he turns to the thought of his soul, 403 the good hidden inside him will not be revealed. Var. “spiritual perception”, “spiritual sensation” (Sir. marganuta ruhanayta). Var. "spontaneously", "unexpectedly". Lit. “from doing fear”, “from doing god-worship.” Lit. "from one who engages in these things for the love of exercise for the establishment of his own ministry." Wed. Rev. Macarius of Egypt. Spiritual conversations 49.4. Var. "to the entrance into the spiritual form of being." Var. “This is the beginning of entering the third peak, which is the spiritual way of life.” Var. "hermit", "monk". A literal translation of this sentence is difficult. Lit. “Let him understand with the composure of his mind.” Lit. "fourth word". Wed. Rev. Isaac the Syrian. Chapters on knowledge 4,92–93. Var. “hermits, maturity”, “monks, successful ones”. Var. "the love of Jesus Christ our Lord." Var. “symbolically represent.” Lit. “until a person comes to silence from people (i.e. silence in relation to people).” Var. "to reflect on oneself." You might be interested in: