Posts
Dear Parish Faithful,
1. Origen on the Five Spiritual Senses
I am currently teaching a course at XU entitled "Christian Mysticism," which is essentially a course about Orthodox Christian spirituality. I let the students know that from day one. As we are now discussing the historical development of mysticism/spirituality, we covered the towering figure of Origen of Alexandria (+254), who profoundly shaped our spiritual tradition through his voluminous writings, primarily focused on scriptural commentaries. To be brief, Origen is the source of the doctrine of the five spiritual senses, a great influence on later Christian mysticism. If the body perceives reality through the five bodily senses, the soul has its own corresponding five spiritual senses:
"And perhaps as the Apostle says, for those who have their senses exercised to the discerning of good and evil, Christ becomes each of these things in turn, to suit the several senses of the soul. He is called the true sight therefore, that the soul’s eyes may have something to lighten them. He is the Word, so that her ears may have something to hear. Again, he is the Bread of Life so that the soul’s palate may have something to taste. And in the same way he is called spikenard or ointment, that the soul’s sense of smell may apprehend the fragrance of the Word. For the same reason he is also said to be able to be felt and handled, and is called the Word made flesh so that the hand of the interior soul may touch concerning the Word of Life. But all these things are the One, Same, Word of God, who adapts himself to the sundry tempers of prayer according to these several guises, and so leaves none of the soul’s faculties empty of grace." (Comm. On the Song of Songs II. 9: GCS, 167)
2. St. Nicholas Cabasilas - "In This Union Christ is All-Sufficient"
This second "fragment" is a passage from a true "classic" - The Life in Christ, by St. Nicholas Cabasilas (14th c.). Calling a book a "classic" is admittedly over-used today, but this work fulfills that accolade as well as any book or treatise in our entire theological Tradition. Someone in the parish recently read through The Life in Christ and brought it to my attention. I began reading through it yet again and was, as before, amazed by the book's beauty and depth. St. Nicholas focuses on the three Mysteries/Sacraments of Baptism, Chrismation and the Eucharist. He has famously referred to the Eucharist as the "sacrament of sacraments." Any passage in the book is a "spiritual gem," so here is one that captures some of the inexhaustible fulness of the "life in Christ." This passage is under the subheading "In This Union Christ is All-Sufficient:"
"There is nothing of which the saints are in need which He is not Himself. He gives them birth, growth, and nourishment; He is life and breath. By means of Himself He forms an eye for them and, in addition, He is the one who feeds and is Himself the Food; it is He who provides the Bread of life and who is Himself what He provides. He is life for those who live, the sweet odour to those who breathe, the garment for those who would be clothed. Indeed, He is the One who enables us to walk; He Himself is the way (Jn. 14:6), and in addition, He is the lodging on the way and its destination. We are members, He is the head. When we must struggle He struggles on our side. For those who are champions in the contest He is the awarder of the prizes; when we are victors He is the crown of victory." (The Life in Christ, The First Book, 4)
3. Fr. John Breck - "What is lacking in Christ's afflictions?"
The third and final "fragment" is very contemporary, and yet is consistent with the Church's Living Tradition. here is a very enigmatic verse in the Apostle Paul's Epistle to the Colossians, that has always proved a reach challenge to Christian interpreters: "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the Church ... " (Col. 1:24). Does this imply something lacking in the redemptive power of the Cross? Is the Cross, then, not "sufficient" for our salvation? My good friend, Fr. John Breck, has responded to this challenge with a remarkably profound insight into the meaning of this difficult passage. In so doing he brings a profound insight into the reality of human suffering, so difficult for us to bear and make sense of. This is found in his newest book, Beyond the Horizons - Quantum Theory and Christian Faith. This entire book is a real "eye-opener" about the relationship between Christian Faith and science. Not a simple treatise, the dialogue unfolds in the form of a simple novel. The main character is Robert Rives, a professor of physics. In a deep dialogue with his wife, he says this about the Apostle Paul's thought in Col. 1:24:
"I've always been struck by a verse early on in Paul's letter to the Colossians. He says something like, 'I rejoice in my sufferings, for through them I make up for what is lacking in Christ's afflictions - what he bears for the sake of his body, the Church.' I often asked myself what could possible be missing or lacking in the sufferings of this God-man who died a miserable death on a cross. And the answer to that, I think, is that the only thing lacking in Christ's afflictions is our participation in them. For some reason we may never understand, Christ's work of dragging this poor world out of the mire of sin and death can only be completed with our help, by our sharing in his ongoing suffering. This is the down side of what the Church calls synergy: our 'cooperation' with the crucified and risen Lord in his agonizing work of lifting us out of death and corruption, to set us on our own pilgrimage toward eternal life. Pascal was right: 'Christ is in agony until the end of the age.' The point of our life, its most basic meaning, I think, is to share totally in Jesus' own suffering in and for a broken world. And this, so that we and everyone else who really longs for it can also share eternally in his resurrection and glorification. That, as I understand it, is the Christian message, and it's about all that makes sense to me." (Beyond These Horizons - Quantum Theory and Christian Faith, p. 49-50)
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I hope everyone find here "more than enough" to be further enlightened through our shared Orthodox Christian Faith! These "fragments" can bring spiritual nourishment into our daily lives as we work out our salvation "in fear and trembling."
