The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian - Homily XV, Part II

When we read a passage like this from St. Isaac, it is tempting to focus on the warnings. We notice his words about passions, distraction, worldliness, anger, vainglory, and talkativeness. We see the severity of his language and immediately begin examining ourselves.

Yet I do not think that is where Isaac wants us to begin.

He wants us first to behold the beauty.

Again and again throughout his writings, Isaac speaks as one who has glimpsed something almost too wonderful for words. He has seen what a human being becomes when Christ reigns in the heart. He has seen the Kingdom hidden within. He has seen the glory for which every man and woman was created.

Listen to his words.

The country of the pure soul is within. The sun shining there is the Holy Trinity. The air breathed there is the Holy Spirit. Christ Himself is the joy, life, and happiness of that realm.

Isaac is describing nothing less than the transfiguration of the human person.

So often we think of the spiritual life as self-improvement. We focus on our weaknesses, our failures, our habits, our mistakes. We become preoccupied with ourselves. Even our repentance can become a subtle form of self-absorption.

But Isaac speaks of something infinitely greater.

He speaks of a life so united to Christ that the human heart becomes a dwelling place of divine glory.

He speaks of a man whose deepest identity is no longer found in his wounds, his history, his successes, his failures, or even his struggles. His identity is found in Christ who dwells within him.

This is why Isaac can speak of the soul beholding its own beauty.

At first this sounds strange to modern ears. We are accustomed either to pride or self-hatred. We know how to admire ourselves and we know how to despise ourselves. We know very little of seeing ourselves truthfully.

The saints do not admire themselves.

They behold Christ shining within them.

They see the image of God being restored.

They see the Holy Spirit at work.

They see what humanity looks like when it becomes transparent to divine life.

And this vision fills them with wonder.

To glimpse this beauty is enough to make one weep.

Not sentimental tears.

The kind of tears that come when one suddenly realizes what God intended from the beginning.

The tragedy is that most of us live far beneath this reality.

We spend our lives fascinated by lesser things.

We cling to distractions.

We become consumed with opinions, arguments, comforts, entertainments, possessions, ambitions, resentments, and anxieties.

All the while a kingdom lies hidden within us.

This is why Isaac’s words become so mournful near the end of the passage.

“I know not what to say of him,” he writes concerning the man bound to worldly consolations, “except to weep with inconsolable cries of lamentation.”

Why such grief?

Because Isaac is not merely lamenting moral failure.

He is lamenting blindness.

He sees human beings starving while seated before a banquet.

He sees heirs of the Kingdom living like beggars.

He sees those created for divine glory settling for distractions.

He sees men and women called to become children of God nursing themselves instead upon the passing consolations of the world.

The image that perhaps strikes me most deeply is the one with which he concludes.

The man born of God is nursed by the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit Himself becomes his nourishment.

The Spirit Himself becomes his life.

The Spirit Himself becomes his joy.

What extraordinary words.

Isaac is saying that the Christian life is not ultimately sustained by ideas, techniques, achievements, accomplishments, or even religious activity.

It is sustained by communion.

The soul learns to live from God.

It receives its life from Him as naturally as an infant receives life from its mother.

This is the true vocation of every Christian.

Not merely to behave better.

Not merely to become more religious.

Not merely to avoid sin.

But to become a living Jerusalem.

A dwelling place of the Trinity.

A soul illumined by the light of Christ.

A child nourished by the Holy Spirit.

And once we see this, two kinds of tears appear.

The first are tears of wonder.

The second are tears of repentance.

Wonder because of the beauty for which we were created.

Repentance because we have spent so much of our lives looking everywhere except where the Kingdom has been hidden all along.

“The Kingdom of God is within you.”

Isaac spent his entire life trying to convince us that these words are true.

The saints believe them.

May God grant that we do as well.

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Text of chat during the group:

00:29:55 Ryan Ngeve: Father I have heard different interpretations of Christ’s words in Luke 17. The kingdom of God is “within” you vs “among” you. How does one fit the latter into Isaac’s words here

00:34:57 Jessica McHale: That is why some of the most "fallen" men who do experience a conversion and turn totally to Christ make the very best priests. For God and outward toward others.

00:37:47 Jessica McHale: It's not even embraces others in struggles, it's right praise to GOd that inspires the people

00:37:57 David Swiderski, WI: Interesting in the Greek the word is used in Matthew as the inside of the cup-.ἐντὸς (entos) — 2 Occurrences Matthew 23:26 Adv GRK: πρῶτον τὸ ἐντὸς τοῦ ποτηρίου NAS: clean the inside of the cup KJV: first that [which is] within the cup Luke 17:21 Adv GRK: τοῦ θεοῦ ἐντὸς ὑμῶν ἐστίν NAS: the kingdom of God is in your midst. KJV: of God is within you.

00:43:43 Erick Chastain: How do you ignore and undervalue all beautiful things outside us as st Isaac says?

00:43:53 Erick Chastain: (Practically)

00:45:28 Jessica McHale: I think it's simple: God is first, everything else is beautiful, great, wonderful and to be enjoyed but it's not God.

00:46:19 Julie: Or seeing God in everything who is all Love

00:48:12 Bob Cihak AZ: I've learned most about Christ from other people who humble me in their more Christly life in some aspect. So, I haven't yet experienced God alone or only.

00:48:22 Jessica McHale: What it IS like. You still are. A priest. (you said "was")

01:12:29 Sr Barbara Jean Mihalchick: Would Isaac counsel a monk-priest not to accept appointment as a Bishop since he must be in frequent involvement with all kinds of people?

01:15:04 Joan Chakonas: The best evangelists are these monks because they took the huge step( to civilians like me- so unimaginable) of separation from the world- to live in a monastery- and share this priceless wisdom- I am in awe.

01:15:40 Eleana Urrego: Reacted to "The best evangelists..." with ❤️

01:19:28 Ryan Ngeve: Father Isaac says the “youth should…..pay heed to himself”. To what degree is he to do this as opposed to obedience to a spiritual father

01:20:02 Art: Reacted to "The best evangelists..." with 👍

01:23:41 Bob Cihak AZ: Bless you, Father.

01:23:42 Art: Thank you father!

01:24:05 Catherine Opie: Apologies cant attend as I sing the mass