In St. John’s discussion of discernment, he reveals to us the beauty of a human being transformed by the grace of God and living in communion with Christ by removing every impediment within the heart and by constantly crying out to him in prayer. At the very center of this reality is the “eye of the soul”. It is extremely beautiful, St. John explains, and next to the angels it surpasses all things. The angels constantly gaze upon God and the purified eye of the soul, the nous, allows us to contemplate the beauty of God‘s love.
There is also a freedom that comes to the soul through this purification. Our capacity to discern spiritual realities enables us to engage in the warfare with the demons more diligently and to avoid the pitfalls that are set for us. Furthermore, it allows us to understand that there is no such thing as a small sin. If neglected, it can consume the entire person. Likewise, there is no part of our life that we are to take for granted. The eye of the soul allows us to see that each moment is an opportunity for us to respond to God and to others with love; an opportunity embraced or lost. Thus, it is a very high view of the human person that is set before us; a view that allows us to understand the radical communion that exists between each of us and to see our destiny in Christ. Beautiful indeed!
The Ascetical Homilies of Saint Isaac the Syrian - Homily Forty-eight Part III
The Ascetical Homilies of Saint Isaac the Syrian - Homily Forty-eight Part II
The Ascetical Homilies of Saint Isaac the Syrian - Homily Forty-seven Part II and Homily Forty-eight Part I
The Ascetical Homilies of Saint Isaac the Syrian - Homily Forty-six Part II and Homily Forty-seven Part I
The Ascetical Homilies of Saint Isaac the Syrian - Homily Forty-six Part I
The Ascetical Homilies of Saint Isaac the Syrian - Homily Forty-five
The Ascetical Homilies of Saint Isaac the Syrian - Homily Forty-four
The Ascetical Homilies of Saint Isaac the Syrian - Homily Forty-three
The Ascetical Homilies of Saint Isaac the Syrian - Homily Forty-two Part II
The Ascetical Homilies of Saint Isaac the Syrian - Homily Forty-two Part I
The Ascetical Homilies of Saint Isaac the Syrian - Homily Forty-one
The Ascetical Homilies of Saint Isaac the Syrian - Homily Forty Part III
The Ascetical Homilies of Saint Isaac the Syrian - Homily Forty Part II
The Ascetical Homilies of Saint Isaac the Syrian - Homily Forty Part I
The Ascetical Homilies of Saint Isaac the Syrian - Homily Thirty-nine Part II
The Ascetical Homilies of Saint Isaac the Syrian - Homily Thirty-eight and Homily Thirty-nine Part I
The Ascetical Homilies of Saint Isaac the Syrian - Homily Thirty-seven Part VIII
The Ascetical Homilies of Saint Isaac the Syrian - Homily Thirty-seven Part VII
The Ascetical Homilies of Saint Isaac the Syrian - Homily Thirty-seven Part VI
The Ascetical Homilies of Saint Isaac the Syrian - Homily Thirty-seven Part V
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Straight TV
The Tangent on Veritas Catholic Network
Life After Ministry
Beyond the Broomstick - with Medium Matilda
Conspirituality