Sermo 28 recensio expletior

I consider that the saying of the prophet now suits me as well: "I have been patient like a woman giving birth," ever longing for the progress of the Holy Spirit in you, a progress found not in word and shadows but accomplished in the activity of "truth" and "power of God" according to the Lord's own declaration, that the kingdom is not "in word" "but in" deed and "power," and again: "the kingdom" "is within you." For some philosophize about Christ in outward form, others also in word, and still others in the deed itself, for those "in the power of God" are very rare. But these are the ones upon whom "the" "Holy Spirit will come" and "the power of the Most High will overshadow." For it is fitting that every soul that flees the grief arising from the condemnation given to Eve and pursues the joy of Mary should be preserved virgin, blamelessly and irreproachably, for the undefiled bridegroom Christ. For just as through the earthly mindset and the fleshly passions we recognize ourselves as sons of Eve and Adam, so must we recognize our adoption through the heavenly mindset and the passions of Christ. "Test" "yourselves," "examine yourselves," "whether you are in the faith," whether "Jesus Christ" dwells "in you." For if, while bearing "the image of the earthly," we perceived the activity of evil, shameful, and filthy thoughts, how much more must we, having borne "the image of the heavenly," perceive the activity of the holy and venerable Spirit.

Let the wise virgin know, therefore, that she ought to have Christ within herself just as Mary did, and as she had him in her womb, you have him in your heart, and then you will be able to sing and say with understanding: "Because of fear of you, Lord, we conceived in the womb and travailed and gave birth to a spirit of salvation." So also the Preacher has said: "As the bones of a pregnant woman," so "is the way of the spirit." If, then, you have "this treasure" in your earthen vessel, if "the one who said, 'Let light shine from darkness,' has shone" in your heart "for the illumination of the knowledge" of the Gospel, if "the peace of God" presides in your heart unceasingly, if having pursued you have overtaken "peace" together with sanctification, if Christ has taken up residence "in your inner" "man," if "the Father" together with his only-begotten has made "a dwelling" with you, if you have been deemed worthy of the beatitude through purity of heart, if you have become "a temple of God" "and his spirit" has dwelt in you, if "in full assurance of faith" you have your heart sprinkled "from evil conscience," if "the God of peace" has sanctified you completely "and your whole" "spirit" and soul "and body blamelessly," if you are a wise virgin having the lamp and the oil in the vessel, if you know what it is: "your loins girded and your lamps burning," if you have put on the "garment" of "the wedding," if you have had experience of all these things through the activity in the heart, then you will be able to be worthily wedded to the heavenly bridegroom; but if not, even if I am silent, "the stones will cry out.

Therefore, I call as witness before my master himself and the venerable Holy Spirit that, just as an earthly virgin, even if she receives a betrothal gift, even if after the betrothal gift she receives many gifts, even if she becomes mistress of the entire estate, but does not attain that carnal union, she is a stranger to the man betrothed to her, so also the soul that is a virgin for Christ, even if it receives a betrothal gift through baptism (for baptism is a perfect "betrothal gift" of the future "inheritance"), and immediately after baptism receives many gifts, whether of speech or interpretation or healing or some other charism, but is not deemed worthy of the union with the incorruptible bridegroom, it remains a stranger to him. For the anointing of "exultation" and the "garment" of the "marriage" are not recognized in charisms, but in the adoption itself, in which is the unchangeable love. Therefore, having the betrothal gift of baptism, you have the perfect "talent," but if you do not work it, you will be imperfect, and not only that, but you will be deprived of it. So do not consider that you have fed your "possessions" to be something. And even if you have speech, speaking "in the tongues of angels and of men," do not be elated; for you have not yet received "the perfect." And if you have "interpretation," do not rest in it. And even if you possess "all faith," come to "love," which does not allow you to fall. For "love never falls," for being unchangeable, it renders those who yearn for it dispassionate and unshakable.

Therefore, the gifts are performed for the sake of economy according to the division of God's will for those who are still infants and imperfect, but love (as I said before) renders those deemed worthy of it dispassionate and unchangeable, for it is "God," as we have learned in the Catholic Epistles. Every soul, then, that is activated by filthy thoughts and evil intentions is not a virgin for Christ, for it is adulterated by the adversary. But the one who has purely desired to stand before the Lord lives in purity of heart, as the bridal guide says: "For I have betrothed you to present a pure virgin to one husband, Christ; but I fear lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your thoughts be corrupted." Therefore, those whose thoughts are corrupted are in the communion of the devil's corruption and not in the communion of the Savior's incorruption; "for what communion has light with darkness" or "what agreement has a temple of God with idols"? So let us believe these things, that we may also read without falsehood: "I no longer live, but Christ lives in me." For in those in whom Christ does not dwell, being dead, they do not genuinely praise God, since in the prophet: "The dead will not praise you, Lord." Let then "the life of Jesus" reign in our mortal flesh. Let us acquire in ourselves "the spirit of Christ," that we may be his; for "if anyone," it says, "does not have the spirit of Christ, that one is not his." Let us destroy the nations within us; let us say to God, "Scatter the nations that desire wars," "Flash lightning and you will scatter them," for we accuse ourselves, not the Israelites, saying:

They did not destroy the nations, which the Lord commanded them." We accuse ourselves, not the idols; for we have "ears" and do not hear, we have "eyes" and do not see, nor is there spirit in us. Therefore, let us pray that "the eyes" of our mind "be illuminated," so that we may know what it is: "Reveal my eyes, and I will contemplate your wonders from your law." Let us cry out from the heart "Rabbouni," so that we may look up. He who looks up, even if he is "in the flesh," does not serve "according to the flesh"; for "the weapons of his service" are "not fleshly but powerful with God for the destruction of strongholds, destroying thoughts and every height raised up against the knowledge of God." Let us raise "holy hands" in unceasing prayers "without anger and disputations." Let us become fellow tribesmen of the Lord who arose from the tribe of "Judah." Let us Judaize in the hidden; "for not the Jew in the visible," "but the one in the hidden," the one who through the idleness of vain thoughts and filthy notions always keeps the Sabbath and has received circumcision in his inner man. Therefore, let us circumcise the unclean foreskin of the "heart," cutting off the excess of the mind, which is "the sting of death, sin," which was sown through the enemy in the disobedience. Let us receive in our hearts the law in the spirit of God, which he promised, saying: "Giving my laws in their hearts, and I will inscribe them on their minds," and from David: "The law of God is in their hearts, and their steps will not be tripped up.

If, then, you wish not to be tripped up, receive the law of God in the hidden place, the law that through sanctification establishes you in dispassion. These are our things, or rather the things of God, having true intellect but simple expression. Having been deemed worthy of these, let us pray to have the "mind of Christ" and to walk "in newness of life," not showing one thing in the heart and another on the surface. For a false and deceitful character is hateful to God. Therefore the Lord clearly and distinctly indicated that "the things that defile a person" go forth from within "from the heart," and again, condemning the Pharisee, or rather each of us, as one who is blind in the inner man regarding divine mysteries, he says: "Blind Pharisee, wash the inside of the cup, so that the outside may also become clean." For one who places his zeal on the utmost brightness of the inner things, that is, who is constantly occupied with the mind and the soul, also washes the outside, clearly. I exhort you, therefore, let us not remain in external habits and forms; let us become a pure "temple of God," let us hear him who exhorts us: "So that you may become blameless and innocent, unblemished children of God." For unblemished is one who does not work lawlessness in his heart, one who has "no spot or wrinkle or anything of the sort," one who knows what it is: "All the glory of the king's daughter is within" and not without, one who says without falsehood:

You have given joy to my heart,” the one marked by the face of Christ, or rather the one energized, the one striving to reach “a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,” the one avoiding good repute among men, but pursuing the glory from God that works in the pure heart. For just as the radiance of the glory of this sun works upon the bodily eyes, so the glory of the Holy Spirit works upon the pure eyes of the inner man, so that he who strives to be justified through the achievements of the outer man and his vain power is like one having “zeal for God” “but not according to knowledge,” like one who ought to be a teacher according to “the time” and yet “again” needs teaching, like one who ought to be deemed worthy of “solid food” but partakes of “milk,” like one who began “in spirit” but now “in flesh” accomplishes. Let such a one know, then, that “all” the “righteousness” of the outer man “was accounted as a rag of a menstruating woman” by the prophet, and by the apostle as “refuse.” But may it be for us to be subject to the righteousness of God that is accomplished in the inner man, in which the tribunal of Christ stands together with the immaculate sanctuary.

For this," he says, "is a labor before me, until I enter into the sanctuary of God," so that "the testimony of conscience" may boast "in the cross of Christ," who ransoms our life from corruption and cleanses our conscience from "dead works," that we may serve "the spirit" of God and not be "trusting in the flesh," that we may know what we worship according to the one who said, "We worship what we know." For the witness of these things is faithful in heaven, since "we speak before God in Christ," thinking nothing other than that "it is good for the heart to be confirmed by grace" and "not to be carried away by various and foreign teachings." And we pray that you be delivered from the good repute among men which, as it seems, cunningly and wisely ensnares, lest you acquire the governance that comes from the power of God, so that you may neither ever be defeated by the disparagement of men, nor again be elated by their praise. Be persuaded by the one who leads you "into all his truth." Let your soul commune with Christ, as a bride communes with a bridegroom; for "this mystery is great, and I speak of Christ and the" blameless soul; for no one is enrolled in the "church" of the "firstborn in heaven" except the blameless soul, and no one "is crowned unless he has lawfully contended.