St. Nicholas Cabasilas, Archbishop of Thessaloniki

 Seven Words on Life in Christ

Word one. That it is created through the Divine Sacraments: Baptism, Chrismation and Holy Communion

Life in Christ is born in this life and begins here, and is completed in the life to come, when we reach that day. And neither the present life can fully implant it in the hearts of men, nor the life to come, unless it receives the beginnings of it in this life. For since in the present life the things of the flesh are darkened, and the darkness of this world, and corruption, which cannot inherit incorruption, Paul thought it better to be departed, that he might be with Christ: "To be departed," he says, "and to be much better with Christ" (Phil. 1:23). And the life to come, even if it accepts people who do not have the strength and feelings that are necessary for this life, it will not serve for them in the least for their well-being, but they will dwell as dead and miserable in this blessed and immortal world. And the reason is that, although the light shines and the sun brings a pure ray, yet no man's eyes are formed, and the fragrance of the smell is poured out abundantly and spreads everywhere, but the sense of smell does not come from it to him who does not have it. By means of the sacraments it is possible on that day to communicate with the Son of God to his friends, and to learn from him what he has heard of the Father; but you must also come to him being his friend and having ears. For there it is not possible to form friendships, and to open ears, and to prepare the wedding garment, and to prepare the other things that are necessary in the wedding chamber, but the place for the preparation of all these things is the present life, and whoever does not have these things before his departure has nothing in common with this life. And the witnesses of this were the five virgins, and the one who was invited to the marriage, because they came without oil or wedding garments (Matt. 25), they could no longer acquire them. The truly inner new man, created according to God, is born in this world, and having already been conceived here and fully formed, he is born in this ageless world. For just as the embryo is still in the dark and nocturnal life, at the same time nature prepares it for life in the light, and forms it, as it were, according to the law of the life which it is to receive, so it is with the saints. And this is what the Apostle Paul said in his Epistle to the Galatians: "My child, by whom I am sick, Christ shall be imagined in you" (Galatians 4:19). But these germs never reach the sensation of this life; The blessed, even in the present life, have many sensations of the future. And the reason is that for the former, the present life does not yet come, but there is a literal future life for them. For in the receptacle of the germs there is no ray, nor anything else that sustains this life; It is not so with us, but this future life, as it were, flows and mixes with this present, and this sun shines forth for us in love with mankind, and the heavenly myrrh is exhausted in stinking places, and the bread of the angels is given to people as well. Therefore, not only to dispose oneself and prepare oneself for life, but also to live this life and act as a saint even in the present life. "Eat for eternal life" (1 Timothy 6:12), says Paul, "and I do not live by myself, but Christ lives in me (Galatians 2:20). And the divine Ignatius: "There is living water that speaketh in me" (Epistle to Romans, ch. 6), and many such things the Scripture is filled with. In addition to all this, when it is proclaimed that life itself is always present with the saints, for it is said, "Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matt. 28:20), why think otherwise?

For He who entrusted the earth with the seeds of life, who cast fire and sword upon it, did not depart at once, leaving men to return, to try to burn, and to use the sword, but He Himself is truly present, working in us both to will and to do, as Blessed Paul says (Phil. 2:13), and Himself kindles and brings forth, and holds the sword Himself. And truly, the axe will not be glorified without him who wields it, and where the Good One is not present, there can be nothing good. And the Lord promised not only to be present with the saints, but also to dwell with them and, what is better, to create a dwelling place in them. And what I say is that when it is said that he unites himself with them in such a loving way, that he is one spirit with them: "Cleave unto the Lord, and there is one spirit" (1 Corinthians 6:17), and again, "One body, and one spirit, for you are called" (Ephesians 4:4), according to the words of Paul. For how God's ineffable love for humanity and love for our race surpasses human reason and befits divine goodness alone. For this is the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding (Phil. 4:7); In like manner it follows that his union with his beloved is above all union, so that no one can understand it or depict it by any likeness. Wherefore many similitudes were necessary in the Scriptures, in order that it might be possible to signify this union, since the similitude alone was not enough, and he points now to the inhabitant and the house, now to the vine and its branches, now to the marriage, now to the members and the head, of which nothing is equal to this union, for from these similitudes it is impossible to arrive at the truth with certainty.

For it is very necessary that friendship should be followed by union; What can be equal to divine love? Further, it would seem that marriage and the concord of the members with the head are the best signifiers of bond and union, but even this is very far from the truth, and much more is needed to explain the essence of the matter. For marriage does not unite people in such a way that those united dwell and live in each other, as happened to Christ and the Church. Why did the divine Apostle, when he said about marriage, "This mystery is great," he added, "but I speak to Christ and to the church" (Ephesians 5:24), showed that he was surprised not at this, but at this marriage. The members are actually united to the head, and live by this union, and die when they are separated; but they also seem to be united to Christ more than to their head, and to live by Him more than by union with their head. And this is clear in the blessed martyrs, who endured one thing easily, but could not even hear of another; they laid aside their heads and limbs with pleasure, and could not depart from Christ even by the sound of their voice. And I'll say something new. For can anything be more intimately united to another than it is united to itself? But even such unity is less than this union. For each of the blessed spirits is one and the same with himself, but is more united to the Saviour than to himself. For he loves the Saviour more than himself, and Paul testifies to this word, praying to be separated from Christ (Rom. 9:3) for the sake of the wisdom of the Jews, that he might be given glory. If this is human love, it cannot be understood as divine. For if the wicked show such good reason, what is to be said of that goodness? When love is so supreme, it is necessary that the union in which he draws those who love should also exceed human thought, so that it is impossible to explain it by comparison.

Let us consider it in this way. There are many things that must be used for life, air, light, food, clothing, the very powers of nature and the limbs, but nothing has to be used every time and for everything, but sometimes one thing, and another at another time, because some other things help in other ways in the present need. For clothing clothes clothe us, but does not bring us food; But those who need a meal need to look for something else. And the light does not allow us to breathe, and the air is not for us instead of a ray; and the action of the senses of the members we do not always use and use them, but the eye, sometimes even the hand, is idle when it is necessary to listen; And to those who wish to touch, the hand is sufficient, and to smell, or to hear, or to see, the hand is not enough, but leaving it, we turn to another power. But the Saviour is always present with those who dwell in Him, so that He fills every need and is everything for them, and does not allow them to pay attention to anything else, nor to look for anything else. For there is nothing for those in need that He Himself is not for the saints, for He both gives birth and nurtures and nourishes them, and light and breath for them, and forms an eye for them by Himself, illumines them by Himself, and grants them to see Himself. He Himself is the Nourisher, but at the same time He is the food that He reveals as the bread of life. It also has what it delivers. He is life for the living, myrrh for the breathing, clothing for those who want to be clothed. By it alone can we walk, and it is also the way, and, moreover, the rest on the path, and its limit. We are members, He is the head. It is necessary to strive - He will fight, He is worthy of praise under and to put and to; we overcome, He is our crown ready. Thus, in all things, He turns to Himself and does not allow the mind to turn to anything else, nor to be inflamed with love for anything that exists. For if we direct our desire here, He Himself is present here and gives rest, if there he goes, and if he goes to another place, and on this path He supports and strengthens those who are ready to fall. "If I ascend to heaven, Thou art there ecu," it is said, "if I go to hell, if I take up my cry early, and dwell in the last seas, and there Thy hand shall guide me, and Thy right hand shall hold me (Psalm 138:8-10). By some amazing compulsion and by the violence of mankind, drawing to Himself alone, and uniting with Himself by one – such, I think, is the compulsion by which He compelled those whom He called to enter into the house and into the feast, saying to the servant, "Compel them to come in, that my house may be filled" (Luke 14:23).

That the life in Christ, not only in the life to come, but also in the present, is found in the saints, who both live and act by it, is evident from what has been said. And why is it possible to live in this way, and, as Paul says, to walk in the newness of life, that is, with those who do what works, Christ is so united and so attached to them, and I do not know how to express this, of this we will speak further. On the one hand, this comes from God, and on the other, from our diligence, and the one is entirely His doing, and the other requires zeal from us. However, we are. We contribute no more than is necessary, in order that grace may be preserved, and that the treasure may not be betrayed, and that the lamp which has already been lit may not be extinguished. And I mean those who bring nothing that opposes life and gives birth to death, for this is the only thing that every human good and every virtue serves, lest a man draw a sword against himself, and flee from prosperity, and cast down crowns from his head, since the essence of life is planted in our souls by Christ himself. co-existing with us in an ineffable way. For He is truly present and helps the firstfruits of life, which He Himself has given by His coming. And he is present, not as before, and in his manners, and in his conversation, and in his dealings with us, and in his fellowship, but in some other and most perfect manner, by which we become co-corporeal and co-living with him, members, and the like, which only pertains to this. For just as the love of humanity is ineffable, wherefore, having so much loved the most humbled, He wished to bestow upon them the greatest blessings, and as the union by which he unites himself with the beloved surpasses every image and every name, so the manner in which he is present and does good is wondrous and befitting the One Who does the wondrous. For those whom His death, by which He truly died for our life, are imitated in certain symbols, as in pictures, He renews and recreates by the very deed, and makes partakers of His life.

For in the sacred sacraments, depicting his burial and announcing his death, through them we are born and formed, and are prenaturally united with the Saviour. For it is through them, as the Apostle says, that we live in Him, and move and are (Acts 17:28). For Baptism bestows existence and full existence in Christ, for it is the first of all sacraments to bring them into life, having received the dead and corrupted. And the Anointing with Myrrh accomplishes the one who is born, imbuing him with the power of action corresponding to this life, while the Divine Eucharist preserves and sustains his life and health. For in order to preserve what has already been gained, and to strengthen the living, this gives the bread of life. That is why we live by this bread, we move in the world, having received our existence from the font. And in this way we live in God, having transferred life from this visible world to the invisible one, changing not the place, but the deeds and the life. For it was not we who moved or ascended to God, but He Himself came and descended to us. For it was not we who sought, but we were sought: for it was not the sheep that sought a shepherd, nor the drachma a mistress, but he himself came down to the earth, and found an image, and was in the places where the sheep had wandered, and raised it up, and raised it up from its wandering, without moving the people from thence, but made those who were on earth heavenly and put into them heavenly life. Not exalting them into heaven, but bowing down the heavens and bringing them down to them. For, as the prophet says, bow down the heavens and descend (Ps. 17:10). And so, by means of these sacred sacraments, as if by means of windows, the Sun of righteousness penetrates into this gloomy world, and mortifies the life in conformity with the world, and restores the life of the world, and the Light of the world overcomes the world, which is signified by the Saviour, saying: "For the world is victorious" (John 16:13), when He introduced into a mortal and changing body a permanent and immortal life. For as in a house, when a ray penetrates it, the lamp does not attract the eyes of those who behold, but attracts them by the all-conquering brightness of the ray: in like manner in this life the brightness of the future life, which penetrates into souls and penetrates them through the sacraments, overcomes the life in the flesh and darkens the beauty and brightness of this world. And such is the life in the Spirit, by which every desire of the flesh is conquered, according to Paul's words: "Walk in the Spirit, and do not commit the lusts of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16). The Lord continued this way, having come to us, and opened the door, having entered into the world, and having ascended to the Father, He did not allow it to be closed, but also from the Father through this door He comes to people, and moreover, He is always present with us, and abides, and will abide forever, fulfilling these promises. And so, this is not the house, but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven, the patriarch would say, by which not only angels descend to earth, for they are inherent in everyone who has been baptized, but also the Lord of angels Himself. For this reason, when, as if in writing, prescribing His baptism, the Saviour Himself wished to be baptized with the Baptism of John, showing that through Baptism only we can see the heavenly spaces, and thus it was indicated that it is impossible for an unbaptized person to enter into life, it is also indicated that the font is an entrance and a door. Open unto me the gates of righteousness (Ps. 117:19), says David, desiring, as I think, that these gates should be opened. For this is the very thing that many prophets and kings have desired to see, namely, the coming to earth of the Artist of these gates; Wherefore, saith David, if it should happen that he should take advantage of the entrance, and pass through this gate, he should have made a confession to the Lord that divideth the wall. "Having entered into it," he says, "let us drink of the Lord" (Psalm 117:19). For through these gates he would have been able to attain to the most perfect knowledge of God's goodness and love for mankind for the human race.

For of all the works of God, so many, and so beautiful and great, there is none that shows more clearly than others the wisdom and skill of the Creator, and it cannot be said that anything better or more varied can be made of what exists. But if it is possible for the work of God to be so good, so good, that it contends with wisdom and power and art, and, so to speak, is equal to infinity and, like an imprint, shows all the greatness of Divine goodness, thinking that it can overcome everything. For if this is always the work of God, to give good things, and for this He does all things, and this is the purpose of what has already been, and of what is to come, then this is the work of goodness, and the end of goodness. And this is the work of house-building done for people. For here God has not merely bestowed upon human nature a few blessings, reserving more for Himself, but He has invested the whole fulfillment of the Divinity, His whole Self, into it as its natural riches. Wherefore Paul said that the righteousness of God was chiefly revealed in the Gospel (Rom. 1:17): for if there be any virtue of God and righteousness, it consists in bestowing upon all without envy his blessings and the fellowship of blessedness. Wherefore the most sacred sacraments may rightly be called the gates of righteousness, because the love and goodness of God, which is extreme to the human race, in which Divine virtue and truth consist, have made them for us an ascent into heaven.

And in another way, according to some judgment and righteousness, the Lord raised up this trophy and gave us this door and this way. For he did not snatch away the corruptible by force, but gave a ransom for them, and bound the strong man, not because he had great power, but having condemned him with righteous judgment, he reigned in the house of Jacob, destroying the power of violence in the souls of men, not because he was able to destroy, but because it was right to destroy it. And David pointed to this, saying, "Righteousness and judgment are the preparation of the throne" (Ps. 88:15). Truth has not only dissolved these gates, but has also reached our race through them. For in the early days, before God came to men, there was no righteousness to be found on earth. For God Himself received her from heaven and sought her, from Whom she could not be hidden, even if she had existed, and yet did not find her: "All," it is said, "turned away, and together with the unspeakable, there are no theories of goodness, not one to one" (Ps. 13:3).

For the Saviour, by His death, not only freed us and reconciled us to the Father, but also gave us the realm to be children of God, uniting our nature with Himself through the flesh which He received. uniting each of us to his flesh by the power of the sacraments. And in this way He brought down His truth and life into our souls, so that through the sacred sacraments it became possible for men to know and do the true truth. If, according to the Scriptures, there were many righteous and friends of God before the coming of the Justifier and Reconciler, this must be understood chiefly in relation to the future, namely, that they were made so, and were prepared to have recourse to the righteousness that was to be revealed, and were set free when redemption was given, and saw when the light appeared, and forsook the images when the truth was revealed. And this is the difference between the righteous and the wicked, who were in bondage in the same and subject to the same bondage, that some endured this bondage and bondage with displeasure, and prayed that the prison might be broken and the bonds loosened, and desired that the head of the tyrant should be crushed captives, while to others nothing real not only did not seem strange, but they were also comforted; being enslaved.