glorycloud's Diaryland Diary

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the eyes of your understanding being enlightened

"Again, St. Diadochos says, "Our intellect often has a difficult time with prayer because of the seeming narrowness and restrictiveness of prayerful effort, but when it comes to theology it gives itself over joyfully because of the broad ken of its understanding and the lack of constraint in thoughts about the divine. So then, in order to prevent the intellect from being overly fond of speaking or becoming excessively elated in its joy, let us instead devote most of our time to prayer, psalmody, and the reading of the Holy Scriptures. On the other hand, neither should we neglect the thoughts of prudent men whose faith can be recognized by their words. For by doing this let us train the intellect not to confuse its own words with the words of grace, and prevent it from being dragged down by vainglory and carried away through elation and talkativeness. During the time of contemplation let us preserve the intellect free of all imagination, and take care that whatever thoughts we do have at least bring tears. When it finds itself at rest in times of stillness, and especially when it delighted by the sweetness of prayer, not only is it free of the faults we have mentioned, but it is constantly renewed in the way it acutely and effortlessly applies divine understanding, as it advances in great humility toward the knowledge of discernment. It is also necessary to know that there is a kind of prayer beyond the ken of human understanding; however, this prayer belongs only to those who have been filled with divine grace in full awareness and complete certainty."

Have you heard and understood? He explains that there is a prayer beyond the ken of human understanding, which is possible only for those who have been supernaturally and enhypostatically filled with the divine illumination of grace in 'unstamped remembrance', since it is uniformed, unshaped, and simple. And other Holy Fathers ascribe other names to it." pg. 91,92 'The Philokalia Of The Holy Neptic Fathers' The Full Text Volume 5

"[16] Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
[17] That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
[18] The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
[19] And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
[20] Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
[21] Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
[22] And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
[23] Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all." Ephesians 1:16-23

12:36 p.m. - 2023-11-14

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