Cosmic
Century
The Cosmic Century below is not a typical kind of philosophical text. It is written in the format of a century. A century is a collection of a hundred "paragraphs" put together on a specific topic. The format was originally developed by Evagrius, and has been used by Eastern Christians ever since. They are often written to require the reader to think and ponder over what is being said. They are not necessarily written to be straightforward explanations on the spiritual life. Rather, they are to be deep, insightful and personal reflections. The reader is often required to ponder the meaning of the text, and look beyond the literal content on the page in order to do so.
The
Cosmic Century
as I have written it, is an examination of man's relationship to the cosmos, and
the relationship the cosmos has with God. The ideas contained in this text are taken
from several sources, and they have been adapted to fit together in a unified
whole. Much of what you find in here are contemplations I have had based upon
what I have studied. Occasionally, you will find that a paragraph will be in its entirety
a quote entirely from another author. When this occurs, at the end of the paragraph
I reference the source from which the quote comes from, and since the whole
paragraph is a long quote, I
did not include quotation marks in the paragraph itself. I tried to follow the
example I saw within the Philokalia
where several authors borrowed texts for their centuries from other sources in
a similar fashion.
1.
I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe
in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me
and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you
have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they
may be one, as we are one. I in them and you in me, that they may become
completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved
them, even as you have loved me (John 17: 20-23 NRSV).
2.
Before His death, Christ told the Church that He wished its members would
be united with each other. He wanted the members of the Church to have a strong integral
unity with each other, so that the members of the Church are united with the
each other in the Church the same way as the persons of the Trinity are united
in the Godhead. We are called to be one. We are not called to a unity which is
superficial and merely external in significance. Rather, we are called by
Christ to become one with each other even as the Godhead is One. Humanity, and
all of the cosmos through humanity, is called to partake of its original
integral unity. The cosmos lost its unity in a universal fall. This unity will
be restored slowly. First, the members of humanity will be united together and
become one, so that this one humanity will represent itself to God even as God is
represented as One to humanity. This will be only the beginning, because it is
not only humanity but also the cosmos that is called to be one. This one
humanity must work for the unity of the cosmos. After the whole
cosmos regains its original unity, it shall share in the divine life of the
Trinity: as the Father is united with and within the Son, the Son shall be
united with the cosmos. This restoration of unity in the cosmos requires the
full participation of the world in the process of Godmanhood. The cosmos, once restored
to its original integral unity, shall be fully strengthened against disharmony by
being united with the Godhead, and sharing in the divine life through God the
Son.
3.
The Church of Christ seeks to spread itself throughout the known world (kosmos), so
that it can reintegrate that unity which was lost by the cosmic
fall. This missionary zeal of the Church should not seek to destroy what it
finds, but to raise it up. It is to unite the world (kosmos) through agape
(love), and this agape is found
within the Church through its interaction with the Spirit of Christ, that is,
the Holy Spirit.
4.
The Incarnation of God, while it reveals something about God, also brings with
it a great mystery. In the Incarnation, God joined Himself to creation at a specific
point in time, at a specific location within the cosmos. Through
humanity's exploration of its own destiny and character, of its own
essence, the mystery that surrounds the Incarnation increases rather than decreases. As man explores the
cosmos, his own understanding of his place within the cosmos changes. This
provides even more mystery surrounding the Incarnation. When history seemed to
be limited to a few thousand years, the question of why the Incarnation occurred
at the time it did needed an explanation; now that the age of the cosmos
is known to be far older than had ever been considered, the question of why the
Incarnation happened at the precise time it did is much more difficult for us to
examine, and becomes even more difficult for us to find a logical answer. When
the physical range of the universe was limited to the domain of the Earth, the
significance of man could be easily understood: man was the height of physical
creation. Now that our understanding about the size of the universe has itself
been multiplied, the question: "What is man, O Lord, that you are mindful
of Him?" has itself taken on even a greater significance. Why has God
chosen man to be His vessel for the Incarnation?
5.
As man searches to understand his own place within the cosmos, man must not
neglect his duty to follow the guidance given by the Church. The Holy Spirit
guides the Church and provides the Church with insights that would be hard to
obtain elsewhere. The Holy Spirit has provided for us the path to follow.
This path, as it leads to knowledge and truth, is also the path by which the
cosmos can be reunified. Rather than removing the landmarks our fathers have set
before us, we must be mindful of them and look at them as insights that need to be
constantly reconsidered for the wisdom inherent within them.
6.
In the Incarnation the Logos became man. This tells
us that the principle of all creation has become one with creation itself. As
Jesus told us, He dwells in us even as the Father dwells in Him. Our nature has
been joined with the Logos and it has become the intermediary between the cosmos and its principle of being, that
is, the Logos. In the Incarnation, we are shown that the basis of
creation is none other that God, and that creation in itself is related to God.
As Vladimir Solvovyov pointed out, "Unless we would repudiate the very
notion of Godhead, we cannot admit outside of God any existence in itself, real
and positive. What is outside Godhead can therefore only be the Divine
transposed or reversed" [Russia and the Universal Church, Part III: IV).
7.
Because there was a universal fall, by which all the contents of the cosmos
entered into a process of disintegration, the restoration that
Christ enacts for man must itself not be limited to man, but must be seen as
beneficial for the whole cosmos. As it has been said, man must seek his
place within the cosmos. To do this, mankind must realize its priestly nature.
We have been put on the altar with Christ; our humanity has been sacrificed on
the Cross, in order to help bring a change within ourselves and within the
cosmos. Christ's blood was not shed just for man, but for all. The earth took
Christ within itself; His blood entered the earth, helping to bring about the
restoration of the earth. The earth is the cosmic grail by which the blood of
the God-man has been collected; its inhabitants are both its protectors of this
cosmic grail, and also the distributors of its grace to the rest of the cosmos.
8.
Liturgical celebrations of the Church, performed in a multitude of
manifestations within several particular churches, do not find themselves to be
limited to their physical locality, to their present time, for they are cosmic
events. Those who participate in a liturgy find themselves
uniting with the whole of the cosmos, in both its temporal and physical
parts. As Christ's body and blood entered into the earth, by partaking of His body
and blood we can see that our bond with the earth is firmly established; because
Christ ascended into heaven, we can see that this participation of His body and
blood unite us with those who are in heaven. Through the liturgy the cosmos is united: heaven is united with the earth, and
by this the restoration and deification of all can occur.
9.
In liturgical celebration we receive Christ in several ways. We receive Him in
word: by this we gain an insight into the hidden depths of all things, that is,
of the law which rules over all things. We do
not only partake of the Word in words, but we also partake of the Word in His
very substance, in His fullness. This Word is the Law of all things, and as we
are united with the Law, we become one with the Law. Through this we become
lawmakers in the Lawmaker, Jesus Christ. By our union with the Word we are to
give the gift of order to the cosmos: through Christ, we are able to transform the
cosmos even as He transforms us. We are called to be christs in Christ, and laws
within the Law. But how can we accomplish this, if we, who are to be law, act
without law? And how do we become without law? Through participation in chaos.
What is chaos? Nothingness. Through participation in nothingness, we become a
part of the void.
10.
As we look at mankind, we can see that it bears within itself the stamp of
unity. That is, it bears within its existence the unity of all of creation. We
can see that it unites the incorporeal with the corporeal, for it possesses both
a spiritual and a fleshy nature. Through this humanity is one with both the
angels, who are spirit, and to animals, who are of flesh. It unites the heavens
(the spiritual realm) with the material universe. It can also be seen to unite
paradise (that pristine unity found at the beginning of creation ) with the
fallen cosmos. Despite its participation with the fall, the kingdom of heaven,
paradise, is still found within humanity. Humanity also unites the rational with the irrational, that is, the noetic
with the material. Humanity stands at the cornerstone of creation,
and its goal is to unite all of creation. From the fall, that which was once one
has become many, and now the many can once again become one. When the cosmos
becomes united, it shall join itself with the One, that is, the Godhead.
In the person of Jesus Christ there is already found this final unity, that
is, of creation with its Creator. Jesus Christ is the great
mediator: He is
the one Who bridges the ultimate gap between creation and the Creator.
11.
St. Symeon the New Theologian understood how humanity is to be used to help
restore the cosmos. "The elements themselves," he wrote, "which
share with us in that incandescence from above, and in the same way that we
shall be tried by fire, so, according to the Apostle, shall all of creation be
renewed through fire." (Ethical
Discource I:IV). He also wrote, "But then, when God makes man new
again and renders him immortal, incorruptible and spiritual, at that time, I
say, He will change all of creation itself together with man, and will bring it
to completion as immaterial and everlasting" (ibid.).
12.
"He [God] united men and angels so as to bestow deification on all
creation," St. Thallasios wrote (Philokalia,
Century I:99). Angelic existence is mixed with the destiny of man. As servants
of God, angels also serve man and will be judged and rewarded by this service.
By serving man, angels are united to us at the turning point of history and the
beginning of eternity. This is not the only common eschatological link between angels and man. For while angels were created first, and they serve man
and guide men, by the work of the Incarnation man has been made
first in the glory of deification. Our roles will become reversed: in
eternity, we will be the mediators, not only with the physical realm, but
also with the angelic realm, even as in temporal existence angels mediate between God
and man.
13.
The eschatological relationship between man and angels can be seen through the
greatest example of humanity, the Theotokos, that is, the Virgin Mary. She
represents our eschatological end. She already experiences the fullness of God's
grace. As she already experiences the full ramifications of Christ's
resurrection from the dead, death has no control over her. She has been taken up
into heaven to be beside Christ. Her glory far exceeds that of any angel. Partaking of the final glory of man, she now mediates for the whole
cosmos: she acts as an intercessor for all, not only for mankind, but also
for the angelic hierarchies.
14.
The Holy Virgin Mary is a figure that represents the Church, and the Church is
meant to follow her example. As the Mother of God dispenses grace upon the
cosmos, the Church also is meant to dispense grace to the cosmos. The Church's
mission is not limited to a small area of creation, but rather, as its name
signifies, it is universal. For it can not stop its mission until all have been
joined to itself, that is, all have been joined with it in God so that God can
be all in all.
15.
Creation has been made for the glory of God. We might not know all of its
contents now, but we should look at creation with a sense of wonder. We must allow it to produce
within us an awe of God as we explore His work. What is the purpose for all that
is within the cosmos? The abundant and seemingly infinite number of stars and
planets in creation can only make us wonder what glories await for man to
experience if we are ever able to visit all of them. We do not have to travel
through all of the cosmos to experience the wonder of creation. On our small
planet, the Earth, and within its history, we can see numberless elements of
creation fashioned by God. Of these, we have received a scarce understanding of
their meaning and purpose. We do not have to look at history, but we can examine
our own being, and this should be sufficient to bring about the awe we should
have for God. For within our own being we can find an
infinite amount of mystery. In all modes of existence we can examine and see that God has provided us with an infinite amount of mystery. Although we
might make progress in understanding creation, God still continues to show us
that what little we think we have learned is minuscule in comparison to what we
have yet to examine and to understand, and with this we can look to God and
praise Him for His great work.
16.
What constitutes creation? What is the framework of creation? Although we do not
know all the particulars of creation, it is quite obvious that God has
manifested His work in a systematic, orderly fashion. All of creation finds its
root within an order which lies beneath any chaos we might find within the
cosmos. All elements of creation have their archetype, that is their essence of
being, which is their logos. This logos
itself is rooted in something beyond itself: all of the logoi
of creation find themselves rooted in one central principle: they are united in
the fact that they have been created. But what is creation? Where does the
existence of these logoi
come from? Although temporally created, they must have some share in the
eternal Logos, otherwise the eternal Logos
would mutable, and if it is mutable, it either gains or loses something in that
change. If gains something, it was not perfect; if loses something, it loses its
own perfection. Hence, in some fashion, these logoi must have an eternal
existence: so
how can they be said to be created? Creation is where the realization of eternal
principles as they become established as fact, and in these facts, the individual
entities established are given a independent freedom for themselves
17.
The cosmos was created out of love, and it is preserved in love. We must
recognize that love itself moves and shapes the cosmos. It unites all things
together. It raises that which is ontologically lower to that which is
ontologically higher, and it brings about the reconciliation of all the members
of creation with each other and with God so that in the end, God will be all in
all.
18.
As a lover joins himself to his beloved, he gives to his beloved all of his
being; he empties himself of all that he is, and bestows it upon his beloved.
Through a union with his beloved, the lover regains what he has given up, for
the beloved also gives to her love all that she has, and this includes that
which she received from her beloved. Through this way, the lover and the beloved
are united and made one. They continuously share their being with each other,
neither possessing themselves except through the mediation of their beloved.
19.
God is the lover of the cosmos, and the cosmos is His beloved. God the Son
empties Himself and gives to His beloved His being. God therefore becomes one
with creation, and in doing so, and raises creation in the process to be one
with Himself. By this process, creation participates in the divine life of the Holy
Trinity.
20.
Through the lives of the Saints we are given a glimpse of the intended harmony
that is supposed to exist within creation. This includes a harmony between man
and beast. Although the cosmic fall prevented this harmony from becoming
established as fact, the Incarnation allows for man to now bring it about. We
have yet to see many examples of this occurring in history. However, we can see the beginning of
this side of man's destiny through the achievements of the Saints. The Incarnation's
mission is not intended to bring about this harmony by itself, but rather
it seeks for man to join in with its work and take on the role of cosmic mediator.
In doing so, man will be able to lift animals beyond their lower, irrational
state into a new, higher state of being. Both of these, that of man living in
harmony with nature, and that of man lifting up an irrational side of nature to
a rational order, can be seen within the lives of various Saints. For example,
Saint Francis of Assisi can be seen to have lived in harmony with nature, and
also to have partaken of the role of cosmic mediator and lifted it up. He was
able to change the nature of a savage wolf from that a wild, aggressive creature
to that of Brother Wolf: a creature capable of reason. Brother Wolf in his
newfound state formed a pact with Saint Francis and the village he used to
terrorize, and became a well love friend of those who once hated him.
21.
Man has been turned into a mediator for the cosmos. As mediators, we should imitate
Christ. He sought out man in order to deify man. As mediators, our task is to
unite the elements of creation with ourselves, even as God united humanity with Himself. Our mediation must follow the
example of our Lord. We are to seek out that which has become divided and
separated from us, and join it with ourselves in a newly restored unity. As
Christ unites man and God without confusion, we should unite ourselves with the
universe in all of its diverse natures without confusing those natures.
22.
Maintaining about himself as cause, beginning, and end all beings which are by
nature distant from another, he makes them converge in each other by the
singular force of their relationship to him as origin. Through this force he
leads all beings to a common and unconfused identity of movement and existence,
no one being originally in revolt against any other or separated from him by a
difference of nature or of movement, but all things combine with all others in
an unconfused way by the singular indissoluble relation to and protection of the
one principle and cause (St. Maximos the Confessor.
Mystagogy of the Church, Chapter One).
23.
The common bond found in all of creation is that all of creation shares in the
fact that its essence is sustained by and created by God. Through this, all
creation finds within itself an integral unity, for it is united in a common
origin. This integral unity demonstrates a fact about creation: only with God as
its root can creation continue to abide in existence. The cosmic fall shattered
the bonds formed because of this integral unity. Although still in
existence, the common bond which unites creation became ignored, and each
individual part of the cosmos sought to exist for and by itself. This brought
about self-deception, and that deception established an illusion over all of
creation. This is the origin of evil.
24.
God became a part of creation through man, and through man God seeks to bring back
the unity inherent in creation. A rational soul, a rational nature, is required
to bring this about because it requires the work of a rational creature to guide
and help re-establish the order that was lost. Other rational
creatures can and do share in our task, but currently only man has been called
to be a cosmic priest. We are to imitate Christ, who is our High Priest. Christ
has brought about the means by which order can be brought back into the cosmos;
it is only through Christ and in Christ that the full integral unity of creation
will be restored. It will be both the end of time and the beginning of eternity when this has been
accomplished.
25.
It must be said that all of creation, all of the cosmos, was in pain before the
Incarnation (cf. Rom 8:22). Through its fall, the cosmos brought about its own
destruction. Through the Incarnation, all of creation has been made to share in
the glory of God. The unity of creation that existed in its inception, and had
been lost by its own neglect, is to be found once again through Christ. We, that
is, mankind, are called to continue the work of Christ in creation. In doing so,
we must remember it is not we who do this, but Christ who is within our life
that makes it possible for us to imitate the mission of Christ and to bring
unity into the cosmos. It is only through the kingdom of God, which is found
within, that creation shall once again be made one.
26.
We are called to examine ourselves, and by examining ourselves, we can understand
the cosmos. St. Anthony the Great, in his letters to fellow monks, related this
as a command: "My beloved in the Lord, know yourselves" (Letter IV).
Why should self-knowledge be considered important? Man is a microcosm, he is a
reflection of the cosmos. Knowledge of the self gives knowledge of the
cosmos. Failure to understand the self will end in a failure to
understand, not only the cosmos, but also God. For St. Anthony, a representation
of such a lack of knowledge was Arius, "For if such a one had known
himself, his tongue would not have spoken that of which he had no knowledge. But
it is manifest that he did not know himself" (ibid.).
27. Knowledge of God is infused within the nature of man. We hold within us both the image and the likeness of God. By looking within, we can see God's kingdom. We can see that our life, our being, is grounded upon God for its existence. Those who fail to understand themselves will never be able to grasp that which sustains them. And that which sustains everyone, and all things, is God. Once one is freed from ignorance, once one is cleansed from the stains of sin, that image of God will come out and show itself fully to that person. The full glory of God will be revealed.
28.
If knowledge of God lies within, then the knowledge of the cosmos also lies
within. God is the ground of being for all that exists; He is both the maker and
sustainer of existence. By understanding oneself, one will understand the
cosmos. Thus truth lies within the microcosm known as the self. "Know
thyself" is both an order to know oneself and an order to know all that one
can learn through such examination. By self-knowledge, one is led to God; from
God, and through God, one is able to see all of creation.
29.
Our body is an orderly system, whereby knowledge of the whole body could be
extracted from any of its parts. Humanity is itself a part of a cosmic organism.
With a proper examination of ourselves, just as through a proper examination of
a part of our body, we can learn about the cosmos itself. Just like we are, the cosmos is
an orderly system and it is grounded upon God for its existence. We are a part of the
integral unity of creation; we are a part of the great chain of being. Through
any part of creation, the rest should be able to be ascertained. Through
ourselves, through knowledge of ourselves, knowledge of the cosmos is accessible
to us. We have the greatest immediate insight into our own selves. Through
proper knowledge of ourselves, we should be able to learn the need for and
existence of others as well as a ground for all within God.
30.
By an examining our own interior and exterior life we can begin to see some
aspects of the interior life of the Trinity. It is through this method, for
example, that many of the Saints taught about the Trinity to non-believers. It
must be remembered that this method is only done through analogy, and it is not
exact. But the triads which exist in our life, though they are not a perfect
representation of the Trinity, help one to understand how the Trinity can
be known to be One and yet have three personal existences contained within that
One.
31.
It is important to examine ourselves, and to seek out the means by which we can
have this understanding. When we do not know something, we should in humility
seek to learn, and know that we do not know. It is only by knowing ourselves
properly that we will know what we do not know, and by knowing what we do not
know, we can seek out the truth which has eluded us. The task is not easy, and
requires constant struggle to overcome all self-deception. Self-deception is
able to bind us to a state of ignorance, and like Arius, find ourselves falling
into a trap of heresy.
32.
As the kingdom of God is found within but we have lost our knowledge of it, so
is the unity of creation always in existence but self-deception and illusion
have made the universe seem to be divided. Hatred, strife, bitterness, rivalry,
and all other means of disunity exist only through deception. If we understood
properly our relation with each other, all discord would cease. We abstract from
the totality of being separate entities; in reality, there can be no death, no
dissolution, no destruction. It is only in constructions of thought which divide
that all discord finds itself the ability to consist. As the ground of being is
one and united, so is all of being itself one and united. It is only through
being's rejection of its ground that the illusion of discord is held to exist.
Discord, which is an evil, must itself be only an illusion: as evil itself can
not exist. All which is ground upon evil must also only be illusion.
33.
Virtue is one throughout all of creation. Virtue is grounded upon and in God,
because He is the source of all that is good. Vice, on the other hand, can not
exist. It must only be an illusion. Through self-deception, vice is given a form
of being, though in reality it must not be said to exist. By a proper
understanding of the self, the virtue that is natural to the self shall shine in
splendor. Through proper understanding of the self, sin itself is seen to not
exist; it is an illusion that is able to be removed: the ground of being that
the sin covered up shall be shown to exist. Thus St. Maximos the Confessor
wrote, "Therefore, when deception is completely expelled, the soul
immediately exhibits the splendor of its natural virtue. [...] Consequently,
with the removal of things that are contrary to nature only the things proper to
nature are manifest. Just as when rust is removed the natural clarity and glint
of iron [are manifest]" (Disputation with Pyrrhus. 95).
34.
The process by which the cosmos is restored to its pristine unity is the same
process by which man regains his own internal virtue. It is only through the
removal of self-deception that this will be able to be achieved. If in the
microcosm, that is, within the person, this can be seen to be accomplished, then
it is also can be achieved within the macrocosm. God, who is the ground of
being, desires this of His creation. The process by which this is accomplished
might seem to be within a wide scale of time; it is indeed a scale which seems
incomprehensible to man. Nonetheless, all of time is nothing in comparison to
eternity. Time itself seeks to divide eternity, but eternity remains as one.
35.
"For being all in all, the God who transcends all in infinite measure will
be seen only by those who are pure in understanding when the mind in
contemplative recollection of the principles of beings will end up with God as
cause, principle, and end of all, the creation and beginning of all things and
eternal ground of the circuit of things" (St. Maximos the Confessor, Mystagogy
of the Church, Chapter One). God is seen by those who are pure at heart;
purity of heart is attained through purification; purification is attained
through right knowledge; right knowledge comes about through the removal of all
illusion, that is the removal of all deception. The root of all evil is
ignorance. God as the light of truth, seeks to illumine all of creation, even as
the sun illumines the whole of the earth. It is through God that all are able to
obtain a reunion with each other, and it is through God that ignorance is able
to be removed. For God is Truth, and in the removal of ignorance, one puts on
Truth, that is God.
36.
The beauty that underlies creation, the beauty that sustains the cosmos, is
often unseen. There is much horror, much which is ugly within the universe. As
that which is beautiful has its ground within good, so that which is ugly finds
itself to be an illusion by grounding itself upon evil. As evil is itself
non-existent, so must the ugliness which is apparent in the universe itself be a
result of the fall, and hence, the result of ignorance. Indeed there is much
which is found within the external elements of the universe which is cruel, and
in that cruelty there exists much which is ugly. The initial splendor and
radiance of creation, its internal beauty, must be released; the internal
potentiality of this beauty must itself be seen, and through man, it is able to
be realized.
37.
Man as mediator must also be seen as a co-creator with God. Man does not bring
that which is new, but rather renews that which already exists. The internal
beauty of creation must be restored and brought forth. This is not an easy task:
we should remember the inner beauty found within each and every person is hard
to find. Without God as our co-worker, this would not be able to be accomplished
at all.
38.
All of the cosmos must be considered good in its creation. There can be nothing
which was made that was evil. To suggest something is totally evil is to say
something does not exist, therefore, there can be nothing in the cosmos that is
totally evil. To suggest something was created in total depravity would suggest
a totally depraved creator. This must be denied.
39.
When evil is encountered in the cosmos, it must always be remembered that the
foundation for its being is non-existence. One who is deluded believes evil
exists, and as such, interacts with this non-existent evil and allows the
illusion of evil to enter into it's being. The illusion thus takes the person
away from his ground of being (God) and closer to non-being.
40.
Although evil does not have any ground of being, and although pure evil is
non-existent, we must not use this to say that evil does not affect the cosmos.
The cosmos is certainly infected with evil, and that is through its own fall.
How was this done? By denying its own ground of being, the integral unity of
creation was lost. By denying its own ground of being and trying to be
self-sufficient, the cosmos brought about evil. In denying God, the only other
ground of being can be nothing.
41.
The cosmos was created from and within the uncreated energy of God. God, who is
without change, always possesses His own energy. The way by which the cosmos and
anything within the cosmos joins in union with God is by this same energy. It is
through the Holy Spirit, the treasury of blessings, that one is able to be
purified and united with this energy.
42.
God's uncreated energy, though it is one as God is one, is manifested in a
multitude of ways. All that exists share the one energy through their own
manifestations of that energy. The more one is united with God, the more one
shares in all the diverse manifestations of this one divine energy. The further
one moves away from God, the further one moves away from the ground of all
being, the less one participates in this uncreated energy, and thus, the
manifestation of this one energy will be less.
43. The uncreated energy of God is also called by theologians by the name of grace. Thus it must be said that the grace which is received into the cosmos through the Incarnation and through the Cross is an uncreated grace. Whence comes the need for the Incarnation and the Cross? It is through the Incarnation that this grace is able to be fully participated in creation by bringing creation into a union with God. The Cross brings the grace which is needed by the cosmos to where the cosmos is seen to be at the point of dissolution.
44.
The divine supraessentiality is never named in the plural. But the divine and
uncreated grace and energy of God is individibly divided, like the sun's rays
that warm, illumine, quicken and bring increase as they cast their radiance upon
what they enlighten, and shine on the eyes of whoever beholds them. In the
manner, then, of this faint likeness, the divine energy of God is called not
only one but also multiple by the theologians (St. Gregory Palamas, "Topics
of Natural and Theological Science", 68).
45.
As the sun shines upon the earth, giving light to the lowest as well as the
highest ontological beings upon the earth, so the grace of God shines throughout
all the cosmos, giving its strength of being to all that exists. As the light of
the sun goes through a process by which it is received throughout all the earth,
to those on land and to those within the deeps of the sea, the grace of Christ
goes through a process by which it reaches all those within the cosmos: some
more immediate, some through mediation. Man has been assigned the task in the
cosmos as being the bridge between God and creation, and history becomes where
this reality is made fact.
46.
As the one uncreated energy of God is found and used within the cosmos, it is
used in a manifold way. The manifestation of this uncreated energy makes a
division within this energy which is logical but not real. For as God is without
parts, God's uncreated energy itself must be without parts. Thus, it must be
said, that the one uncreated energy, as it is known in many manifestations,
shows that each manifestation it is known as, is the same in essence as any
other manifestation. If one discusses the "gifts" of the Holy Spirit,
each of which can be described as a manifestation of this one uncreated energy,
one must understand that within each gift there is to be found any other gift:
the gift of life, thus, must be said to include the gift of intellect.
47.
The process by which the cosmos regains its integral unity coincides with the
means by which the many manifestations of the uncreated energy of God are said
to joined one with each other, so that there can be no real differentiation seen
between them. This is the reason that man is said to be a mediator to that which
is beneath him ontologically: man brings about the process by which that which
is a lower ontological being is able to be joined with the higher manifestations
of the uncreated grace they participate in, and thus shown to include within
itself the potential for and the realization of being a higher ontological
being.
48.
Vladimir Solovyov described the process by which the cosmos reintegrates itself
in the process of Godmanhood. Since mankind has reached that stage of
development that he can finally regain the full potential of his being (that is,
he has attained the intellectual capacities to actualize the greater elements of
the energy of God), man is thus able to end the process and bring all of
creation back into unity with God. This of course man does not do unaided, but
rather it is by and with God through which man is reunited with God and then
Godmanhood is able to be realized. Godmanhood is the internal realization of the
cosmos with its ground of being, God, and the full realization of the potential
that this internal realization brings.
49.
To know oneself is to know oneself within the framework of the cosmos. To know
oneself within the framework of the cosmos, is to know the cosmos. To know the
cosmos requires one to know and join with God's uncreated energy. To fully join
with this energy, which is grace, one must be purified from the stain of sin.
Although sin is itself grounded in evil, and evil is grounded upon nothing, the
process by which this groundless evil is removed from the soul is a process of
painful refinement.
50.
Asceticism, in its various manifestations, is the means by which evil is rooted
out of the soul. One must first renounce oneself to find oneself. The renouncing
of oneself helps remove from oneself all that is not natural, for by renouncing
oneself, one renounces all that one thinks about oneself. Once the self has been
renounced, the true ground of being from which the self rests upon is found, and
it is upon this truth that the true self is able to be found. It is found in its
original purity, devoid of the stain of evil. Once this evil is removed, once
ignorance is removed, one will finally be one with oneself, and being one with
oneself brings one into union with God.
51.
An ascetic is one who lives continuously renouncing himself. He loses his own
life for the sake of finding it. "For those who want to save their life
will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it" (NRSV
Matt 16:25). The ascetic understands that his life is filled with delusions and
that he must find a means of being liberated from them. He must lose all that he
has, including his self-identity, because it is only through the process of
denial that the true self can be found. If one is not willing to lose what they
have, one will continue to suffer from the same passions all of one's life and
will never advance in self-understanding. Thus asceticism is the key which
removes all the obstacles in one's life, and these obstacles are the same ones
which keep one deluded in ignorance. By removing the distractions of life, one
finds life itself.
52.
True asceticism seeks to find the truth from within. It removes all the barriers
one places upon oneself, and allows that which is within to be found. This
process must not be the negative process of nihilism which considers all that
exists to be evil, but rather one which seeks to find the proper relationship
one has with the rest of a good cosmos. Before one knows oneself, this right
relationship will not be had. Asceticism is not an end but a tool; it is not
destructive but rather creative. It is true that delusions must be removed, but
afterwards one will replace the delusions with the truth itself. From looking
within, one will be able to find what is outside of oneself. By knowing what is
outside oneself from what is within, one will be able to live in harmony with
nature.
53.
Asceticism is the process by which one finds one's true personality. There is a
distortion of personality through the presence of sin. Since sin has nothing of
its own in its being, but relies upon and corrupts that which is good, there is
the need for one to regain that which the evil has attempted to corrupt. This
requires one to engage in self-denial. Before one engages in self-denial, one
often desires that which is not purely good but rather a distortion of a good
through deception. Hence, Fr. Pavel Florensky wrote, "Evil is nothing but
spiritual distortion, and sin is all that leads to such distortion. But the
presence of this distortion of the personality requires a kind of spiritual
orthopedics, an orthopedics that is the 'narrow way' of asceticism as envisaged
by the holy fathers" (The Pillar and
Ground of the Truth, Letter Nine: Creation, p. 192).
54.
As man is required to be a mediator within the cosmos, he has been given vast
powers to achieve this goal. Because his power is strong in his ability to
create and unite, the power when used improperly is also strong in the ability
of destruction and dissolution. The man who uses his powers without wisdom, that
is, the one who uses his natural powers without the ability to know himself, is
one who will not live in harmony with nature. He will be selfish, he will be
egotistical, and he will ultimately be self-destructive. If one is not willing
to lose one's life to find it, one will lose it by not finding it. The first
loss allows for the soul's natural virtue to shine, the second seeks to destroy
all that is good within oneself and to annihilate that self. Thus everyone will
lose oneself, but the question is rather the end result: will it be creative or
nihilistic?
55.
Everyone needs to find themselves through the process of asceticism. Asceticism
is the reversal of the process by which deception entered into the universe. By
abandoning God, the universe sought out that which was not, and by seeking that
which was not for a ground of being, the universe and all within became
partakers of infirmity. "But by reason of the spread of infirmity, and the
heaviness of the body, and evil cares, the implanted law [natural virtuousness]
dried up and the senses of the soul grew weak, so that men could not find
themselves as they truly are according to their creation, that is to say, an
immortal substance, which is not to be dissolved with the body..." (St.
Anthony, Letter III). Through asceticism, the process by which infirmity entered
into the universe is reversed within the soul. Everyone who reverses the process
from within is able to apply the same principles to reverse the process outside
themselves, and therein lies the means of true mediation in the universe.
56.
Once one finds a proper understanding of one’s place within the cosmos, one
will be free to interact with the cosmos to improve the cosmos. Before one fully
knows oneself, it is possible to help the cosmos, but it is also possible
through ignorance to hurt the cosmos. When one speaks of making the cosmos
better or worse, it must be understood that this is within the framework of
time, and not within the framework of eternity. Since our immediate relationship
with the cosmos is currently within the framework of time, we must look at
making the environment and the cosmos of which we live in better. As mediators,
we have power to abuse and hurt the cosmos by hurting and hindering the
development of those within the cosmos. Those who are underneath us in the chain
of being are more capable of being harmed by us; those who are our betters will
only be hurt through the relationship they have with us: those underneath us in
that chain will be hurt by both our improper relationship and through our
ability to destroy them through our greater power.
57.
It is often believed that the flow and effects of time are in one direction:
from the past to the future. However, time flows in both directions. The events
of the future are able to influence the present just as the past is capable of
influencing the present. Because of our limited knowledge and perspective, we
generally are able to only see the effects of the past on the present, but even
then our perspective is weak. For many dismiss the past as being irrelevant,
just as they dismiss the future's significance on the present, because they have
no immediate and direct contact with the past or the future. Yet as the cosmos
is one, so must the events of time be one. As time must be understood as one,
there is an integral unity within the events of time that can be discerned only
when our ignorance has been eliminated.
58.
Just as the fall caused a process of dissolution into the cosmos, so there is
also a dissolution in the integral unity of time. Just as the Incarnation is
said to be the vehicle for which the cosmos is once again rejoined into its
pristine unity, so is it through the Incarnation that time is itself brought
back to its integral unity. The promise of the Gospel is a promise of more than
immortal life, but that of eternal life. Immortal life has been given to us by
the very nature of the soul, but eternal life is given to us through the
Incarnation. Because of the double-flow of time, it can be said of Christ, that
He is the "Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (cf. Rev. 13:
8) despite being slain at a specific point in time.
59.
Time itself can be seen to flow, not only forward and backwards, but also within
cycles. Just as the cosmos flows through cyclical events, so in the life of a
person, who is a reflection of the cosmos, there are cycles within his life.
These cycles can have many forms by which they take. One of the most common
cycles is that of pleasure and pain: here the deluded self seeks after some
inordinate pleasure, which they achieve. Once this pleasure is achieved, there
is in consequence an ontological loss in being, and the person suffers a loss
which brings with it pain. Since there is pain, there is a loss of peace and a
loss of harmony in the soul. The person seeks for some new pleasure to replace
the loss he feels in his soul, and thus the cycle continues to run, often times
throughout the whole life of an individual. This is a cycle that can be broken,
but to break it requires one to gain an insight into its makeup, and to totally
avoid both extremes of the cycle. The cycle relies upon ignorance and is broken
by knowledge.
60.
Just as one can enter into a cycle of self-destruction, one can enter into a
positive cycle of self-improvement: that of knowledge and bliss. Here the soul
gains some insight into being, and through this knowledge finds the ability to
enter into greater harmony with God. From this greater harmony, the soul
experiences greater bliss. However, this bliss itself influences the soul to
seek out more knowledge, and in doing so, the soul gains even more bliss. This
is the cycle of happiness by which the soul joins in union with God, and it is a
cycle of progression-- eternal progression within God.
61.
As God is the ground of all being, God must be considered omnipresent. This
omnipresence is found through the participation that all things have with God.
All that has existence participates in being, and being is grounded within God,
so God must be considered present within all things. This presence is through
God's uncreated energy. As all essences have an energy which provides for the
essence to act, God's essence has an uncreated energy which acts a-temporally,
but those within the temporal sphere have immediate understanding of this
a-temporal act temporally. This allows God to seem to interact and change within
the sphere of time, despite God being without change.
62.
As God is said to be omnipresent, God must also be said to be nowhere. To be
somewhere requires one to be limited in place and to be circumscribed by that
location. God, however, is unlimited, and being unlimited, cannot be limited by
place. Since there is no place where it can be said "There God is, but not
there", God is not limited to locality and is thus said to be nowhere.
63.
The Absolute Maximum is that which there is nothing greater. That which is there
is nothing greater must itself be considered whole. Thus, that which is the
Absolute Maximum is also that which is One. That which is Absolutely Maximum,
that which is One, is God. As God is the Absolute Maximum, all things which
exist participate in God and are found within God, for there can be nothing
which exists outside of God. If something existed apart from God, God
would not be that which is Absolutely Maximum and Absolutely One, for there
would be an opposition to God. The sum of God and that which was in opposition
to God would be greater than God.
64.
As there can be no opposition to God, Who is that which is absolutely Maximum,
all things coincide with God. Thus the Absolute Minimum coincides with the
Absolute Maximum.
65.
God as the root of all existence is the source of existence. As God is the
source of existence, God Himself cannot be considered to exist. Existence
is posterior to God, and must be considered to participate in God, and not
to be God as God is in His supraessentiality. God provides for existence, but He
is not limited by existence. If God is limited by existence, God would not be
that which is Absolutely Maximum, for there would be found a limit for God.
66.
There is a gradation of reality. That which participates in God more, is itself
more real than that which participates in God less. For if God is that which is
the source of all existence, the more one participates in God, the more
existence one has, and thus, the more real one is. The more real one is, the
more one is able to know oneself. For as there is more for oneself to know, as
one participates in God more, there is more of oneself that allows oneself to
know the self. That which participates in God less will be less perfect in
knowing the self, and will participate more in ignorance, for the root of that
entity will be less with God and more with non-existence. Since pure evil is
non-existent, and deception is from that which is evil, the less one is, the
more one is deceived. Thus, as one grows in knowledge of oneself, one grows in
participation with God.
67.
Since it takes the Absolutely Maximum to comprehend that which is Absolutely
Maximum, only God fully knows Himself. All those who participate in God, know
God as much as they know themselves. The more one knows oneself, the more being
there is, and the more being there is, the more one is like God. Thus there is a
continuous growth within God, whereby one continuously advances in knowledge of
God and self at the same time.
68.
Since God is the Absolute Maximum, God knows all things which have existence.
God knows all things within their own being. As evil has no existence, God has
no knowledge of evil. God can not know that which does not have existence, for
there is nothing to know. Knowledge of evil is in itself not really knowledge,
but rather a way to indicate ignorance. To have knowledge of good is to have
knowledge of God; to have knowledge of evil is to lack some knowledge of the
good. To purposefully go and search for knowledge of evil is the desire for
self-deception, and by it one willingly abandons God for that which is not.
69.
God's supraessentiality is eternal, and God's energy is uncreated and eternal.
The Incarnation of the second person of the Trinity, as the bridge between the
temporal and the eternal existence, has a personal existence as the Second
person of the Godhead, but assumed and added to His personal existence the
nature of man. Through the assumption of human nature, God the Son includes
within Himself a temporal energy. The one person, God the Son, possesses eternal
personality and temporal energy (while still also having the one uncreated
energy of God). Thus the person of the Incarnation is the bridge between
uncreated and created energy.
70.
Just as the Logos is the bridge between uncreated and created energy,
between all natures that exist, there is something which mediates between them
and joins them together. As there is in Christ the mediation between uncreated
and created, that is, He is the bridge between God and the cosmos, there are
also bridges between all levels of being that exist. These bridges are unitive
individuals who are both the maximum of their species as well as minimum of a
new species. They share qualities of two species, but have one personal
existence. Rather than all things being separated within the universe, all
things share and are united in an integral unity. If one denies the reality of
these bridges, one denies the unity of the cosmos.
71.
If God does not know any evil, then anything which is known by God must have
innate goodness. Anything which would seem to exist, if it is not known by God,
does not really exist. If God is said to know someone, then that person must
possess goodness so that he can be known by God. Whatever is known by God about
that person must be whatever is good. Any evil found within the person does not
really exist on an ontological level, and is thus not known by God. However, God
also knows what each person is supposed to be, that is, what each person is
ideally, and if a person fails to meet that standard- though there is something
known by God, there is also something which is lacking within that person in
accordance to his ideal self. The person who is not exactly as God knows him
will need to be healed from his infirmity, that is, given that which is
different between his factual person and his ideal persona, before he will be as
God knows him.
72.
It is quite significant to be remembered or known by God. The ancient world knew
that there was an importance in being remembered: they understood that through
memory, one's existence is continued. To be found within the memory of God is to
be found within an eternal memory: "One who exists in Eternity 'knows' in
Eternity, but that which he 'knows' in Eternity appears in time at a single,
definite moment" (Fr. Pavel Florensky, The Pillar and Ground of the Truth, Letter 10: Sophia).
73.
The key to understanding someone's desire to be known by God is that there is an
ontological significance to being remembered or known by God. To be remembered
by God-- for example, being found in the Book of Life-- is an indication that
God knows you and your existence is eternally found within the mind of God. To
be remembered by God is to exist, and to exist eternally. To not be known or
remembered by God can give one great horror: if one is not known by God, one
would not even really exist. As Fr. Florensky wrote, "They whom God does
'not know' do not exist in the spiritual world, in the world of true reality,
and their being is illusory. They are empty, and in the Triradiant Light it
becomes clear that they do not exist at all, that they only appeared to
exist" (Fr. Pavel Florensky, The
Pillar and Ground of the Truth, Letter 10: Sophia).
74.
God knows all things in their true nature, that is, in their ideal nature. He
knows all things as they interrelate to each other, even if they do not know
this themselves. The integral unity of all that exists, the cosmos, is also
known by God in its own natural qualities. The cosmos is more than the mere
collection of its parts, but rather each part when united together form a new,
higher ontological entity. God knows this entity in its whole as the other who
is beside Himself. This other shares in the qualities of God, but imperfectly:
it is the Relative Maximum which participates in God's Absolute Maximum.
75.
The cosmos is the Relative Maximum because it is the integrated unity of all
creation. It is maximum because, as the integrated unity of all creation, it
circumscribes all of creation. It is relative because its maximum nature is not
absolute, and when it is compared to the Absolute Maximum, the cosmos is found
to be closer to nothingness than it is to the Absolute Maximum. Thus, it is the
maximum of creation, but it is not the Absolute Maximum, but it has the Absolute
Maximum as its one foundation.
76.
As the cosmos is known as the created other, the Created Maximum, it
participates in the Absolute Maximum relatively. As the Absolute Maximum is
Maximum, One, and without parts, the Relative Maximum must itself be found to be
one, but it is one in composition: it contains many parts. God is thus
Absolutely One, and being Absolutely One, Absolutely Maximum, while the cosmos
is not Absolutely One, but rather a united plurality.
77.
As a united plurality, the cosmos represents relative infinity. The difference
between relative infinity, that is the cosmos, and absolute infinity, that is
God, can be seen in relation to the difference between temporal immortality and
eternal existence. Temporal immortality has no end and it is infinite, but it
has a beginning. Eternal existence, on the other hand, has neither beginning nor
end. Thus, if it has neither a beginning nor an end, eternal existence has for
itself, as a whole, its center. If all that is in eternal existence is found to
be its center, then there can be no parts-- because if one tried to make parts
out of eternal existence, everything will still be the same: the center. If
there is no difference, there would be no separate existence, and hence, neither
would be a separate part. Thus a relative infinity would be an infinity which
can be said to have parts, but absolute infinity would itself have no parts.
78.
A well-orchestrated symphony can be seen to be as a representation of the
cosmos. As a symphony is composed of many parts, played by many different
instruments, nonetheless the whole of the symphony when listened together is
more than the collection of the individual parts. Each individual participates
in the whole, and gives to the whole its share of the integrated unity found in
the symphony, and without each part the symphony would be incomplete.
Nonetheless, the symphony is not just the collection of the individual parts.
There is an underlying principle that unites the parts together, and allows them
to form one complete whole work-- a work which shows itself in its parts, but
which can only be perfectly known as a whole.
79.
As a symphony is only known when it is complete and together as one piece, so
the cosmos is known when all the parts and inter-relations of the parts of the
cosmos are known. Nonetheless, even before a whole symphony is ended, the
guiding principle found within the symphony can be ascertained. A symphony can
be seen to have a strong, intellectual guiding principle, and that unity is
found to be beautiful when it is examined. The same must be said about the
cosmos: although one might not have a grasp of all the elements of the cosmos,
through what is known, the principle behind the cosmos can begin to be seen.
This does not mean that one will be completely accurate in ascertaining this
principle within the cosmos, but rather, as one grows in understanding of the
cosmos, the more accurate one will be in one's understanding of this guiding
principle.
80.
Another analogy of the integral unity of the cosmos and its relation with God
can be viewed with an example of a wheel. In the wheel, God would be the center
of the wheel, and all the things which exist would be spokes on the wheel. As
the spokes of the wheel draw closer the center, they also draw closer to each
other. They become one at the center, that is, they become one when they are one
with God. Thus it can be said that the integral unity of the cosmos finds itself
only within God. When God is neglected, the parts which compose of this
integrated unity separate from each other, and their interrelations are harder
to find. Yet no matter how far apart they are from each other, they still are
grounded upon the center, that is God, and they are thus also connected to each
other.
81.
As a man is a microcosm of the cosmos, that which makes up a man must also be
reflective of that which makes up the cosmos. Since a man is composed of an
intellect, a soul, and a body, it is only proper to think that these are also
found in the integral unity of the cosmos. Indeed, if the cosmos is all that
exists, it must be said that the cosmos must not only have an intellect-- but
the greatest intellect-- for otherwise, a part would be found to be greater than
the whole.
82.
Since man possesses a material body, and this body is seen to be composed of
many smaller material objects which are united and interrelated in one body, so
we can see that the cosmos itself possess its own body which is composed of many
smaller organs which are interrelated and united to form one whole. In the
material universe, these systems can be seen on many levels: planets, solar
systems, galaxies, et., al.. These systems must be seen to be united together to
form one whole universe, and each universe (if there are many), must be formed
together to make one whole cosmos. Many complexities in astronomy might make
sense following this analogy-- for example, the mystery of the great attractor
might itself be a macrocosmic representation of some similar attraction found
within our own bodies.
83.
As a man possesses a soul that gives him life, that animates him, so the cosmos
itself must have one universal soul that unites it together and provides for
universal motion. As motion is the key to time, the movement caused by the
cosmic soul forms the framework for time. As the cosmos moves, so time flows.
Some areas of the cosmos are in more rapid motion than in other places, just as
within our own body. Some areas of the cosmos have a quicker succession of time
than in other places: this provides a ground for dissolution. Nonetheless,
despite this differentiation of time-- the cosmic soul unites the cosmos, and
keeps it together, even in its own non-consistent movement.
84.
Just as a man possesses an intellect, so the cosmos possesses an intellect. This
intellect within the cosmos provides the cosmos the ability of self-revelation.
Movement in time within the cosmos must be understood as directed by the will
through the cosmic intellect, and through the cosmic intellect, the cosmic soul
moves. The movements of the cosmic soul provide a form of revelation of the
cosmos for itself. In one respect, the enfolding of time is the process by which
the cosmos produces for itself a means of examining itself by enfolding its own
plurality in time and space.
85.
Therefore, philosophy is not the most abstract but the most concrete, or rather,
the only concrete science. For, directed at total unity, philosophy deals with
reality in all its fullness, and, hence, with the only genuine reality. Today
cannot be understood outside its connection with yesterday, and hence, with the
deep past. What is here and now is
knowable only in connection with what is always and everywhere, for only in this
connection, or, rather, in this unity is it genuinely real. (S. L. Frank, The
Spiritual Foundations of Society: Introduction).
86.
Philosophy at its hearts seeks out to understand all things which exist, and the
foundation by which they are formed. Philosophy is itself the love of Wisdom,
and as such, Wisdom is the object of philosophy. However, if the cosmos is said
to be the integral unity of all things which exist, then philosophy seeks out
the cosmos. Thus Wisdom is the cosmos, that is, the cosmos is the object of
philosophy, and as such, the cosmos itself must be considered to be Wisdom. In
Greek, Wisdom is known by the name of Sophia. Thus the Greek name for the cosmos
can be seen to be Sophia
87.
"Thou shalt proclaim wisdom (Sophia), that understanding may be obedient to
thee. For she is on lofty eminences, and stands in the midst of the ways"
(Proverbs 8:1-2, LXX). Wisdom is described as lofty and stands in the midst of
the ways-- but how lofty is she? "The Lord made me the beginning of his
ways for his works. He established me before time was
in the beginning, before he made the earth... I was that wherein he took
delight; and daily I rejoiced in his presence continually." (Proverbs 8:
22-23; 30b LXX). Sophia was with God, and God delighted in Sophia. Sophia, the
cosmic unity, was found in the beginning-- and She was loved by God. Sophia,
as the
integrated unity of the cosmos, was a reflection of God's own nature.
88.
A philosopher must be a lover of Sophia, and as a lover of Sophia, he must seek
out an understanding of his beloved, Sophia. He must also help Sophia recover
from her weakness. A human, being a mediator between God and the cosmos, is a
mediator between God and Sophia. A philosopher who understands this, understands
that his place within the integral unity of creation, that is, within Sophia, is
at a place of reconciliation. He must seek out the integral unity inherent within
all things, and help set about the reunification of the parts of Sophia with
their source, Sophia.
89.
A philosopher, however, must also be a lover of God. As a philosopher loves all
of creation, and so also the base of creation, he loves both Sophia (creation),
and God (the ground of existence). As a lover of the two, he seeks to unite the
two in perfect harmony. The process of Godmanhood is the process of integrating
Sophia within God. A philosopher seeks to aid this task, but he also knows
that by himself, he is limited in what he can do. It is for this reason that a
philosopher will love the Incarnation, for the Incarnation of God is the
manifestation of the goal of philosophy: for in the Incarnation, Sophia and God
are one.
90. Sophia, being a created other to experience God, is a reflection of the divinity from which She has existence. She is a reflection of God who is Her spouse. God is beyond creation and He is the Unity which unites all unities; Sophia is the unity of all creation; She brings creation together as one before God and this allows God to interact with all of creation as one entity.
91.
Sophia fell from her initial position in heaven. Her fall is the cosmic fall
that destroyed the integrity of creation. As we find in the book of Genesis a
description of the Adamaic fall, we can use it to understand the original cosmic fall. In
Genesis we see that man tried to be self-sufficient, that is, to be like God.
Man desired to be what he was not: the ground of his own being. Man fell
through disobedience. His disobedience was based upon pride, and that pride was the thought that he could be the ground of his own
being. In trying to do so, man's position with God was lost, and man was said to
have fallen. The fall
of man can be seen to be a microcosmic representation of the pre-Adamaic cosmic
fall.
92.
As the mission of the Catholic Church is to bring about cosmic reintegration,
and as the Catholic Church is itself the center and ground of this
reintegration, the Catholic Church is in reality Sophia. As Sophia is said to be
with God from the beginning, so it is said that the Church is with God from the
beginning. The Church as the Bride of God, is also found to be Sophia. She was
found at the beginning of creation, and later she was restored by Christ.
93.
As Sophia is the Bride of God, she is radiant in her God-given glory. As Sophia
is fallen, Sophia is in this sense fallen Israel restored by God. How is she
restored? God took on the fallen nature of Sophia, and joined it together with
His own. He raised up the Sophianic nature back to its original glory,
and then He joined this restored nature with Himself. By God's love,
Sophia became one with God. At the center of Sophia, the pure and original
glory of Sophia was always found. It was here that God the Son joined in union
with Sophia. In the heart of Sophia, uncorrupted and pure, there was found a
radiant and holy person. And who was that person? Mary, the Mother of God.
94.
If Sophia is the Church, then the soul and conscience of the Church, the Church
of the Saints, is Sophia par excellence. If
Sophia is the Church of the Saints, then the soul and conscience of the Church
of the Saints, the Intercessor for and the Defender of creation before the Word
of God, Who judges creation and divides it into two, The Mother of God,
'Purifier of the Word', is once again, Sophia par excellence. But the true sign of Mary Full of Grace is Her
Virginity, the beauty of Her soul. This is precisely Sophia. Sophia is 'the
hidden man of the heart, in which that which is not corruptible, even the
ornament of a meek and quiet spirit.' She is the true ornament of a human being,
permeating all of his pores, shining out in his gaze, reflected in his every
gesture, surrounding a man, at moments of spiritual uplift, by a fragrant cloud
and radiant nimbus, raising him above 'the world's confusion', so that,
remaining in the world, he becomes 'not of the world', supramundane. (Pavel
Florensky, The Pillar and Ground of the
Truth, Letter Ten: Sophia).
95. If a man truly knows himself, he will discover that the kingdom of God dwells within. This kingdom is a kingdom of purity, a kingdom of love, a kingdom of might, a kingdom of truth, and a kingdom of wisdom. If he looks within he will see both God and the cosmos, together as one, staring back at him, giving to him a glimpse of the glory to come. The light which shines in the darkness is the light which comes from within. It is both being and the foundation of being joined together as one. The one who knows himself will find himself known within this kingdom of God. He will be remembered by God.
96.
When the light shines within, darkness is dispelled. All that is found to exist,
it seen within the light and it is of the light. Evil is shown to not exist, for
how can darkness conquer the light? The light shines within. It is a living flame that
shines in such a way that no evil, no darkness can remain in its way. The living
flame of love, God, goes forth consuming the darkness: It shows that the
darkness has no existence, it has no means by which to stand its own ground, for
there is no ground in which evil can remain. God goes within, and purifies the
soul, and man comes to know Himself from within. The pain of the transformation
might be great, but the joy will be even greater. For when one comes out of
darkness and into the light, the light is at first painful and blinding--- as
one becomes adjusted to the light, one's pain turns into joy. This is what
happens to the soul, when it is time for the soul to see itself for what it is.
97.
Once the soul has been purified from the stain of darkness, a stain that is
shown to not have any ground of being and not to have any existence of its own,
one is ready to look into the flame itself. It is here that one achieves the
beatific vision. Once the soul is clean, once the speck in the eye has been
removed, once one has been made ready to see within, God will show Himself as He
truly is.
98.
As long as the soul is not purified, as long as we are not joined with God in
the union of marriage, we will remain in ignorance and sin. Ignorance becomes
the cause of sin, and sin the cause of personal and universal suffering. We
desire happiness, and yet we can not achieve it outside of union with God.
Ignorant of our end being in God, we avoid God and cause more harm to ourselves
through our sin. When we come to realize this, we turn around and try to move
closer to God instead. But this will not end our suffering, for our suffering
will only be over when we are united with God. As we develop spiritually, we
find our suffering comes from our longing to be with God. This is the pain that a lover suffers when he is separated
from his beloved. The closer one comes to his beloved, the closer to the time
that one knows he shall be with his beloved, as he is not yet with his beloved, the greater
the anxiety, the greater the pain he will suffer. This is the pain of the soul
in its dark night before it reaches the light of day, the pain of one who loves
God who is not yet ready for God.
99. We can never comprehend God. As He is the Absolute Maximum, God is beyond our comprehension, and our ignorance will always be there, no matter how learned it becomes. Our knowledge becomes a learned ignorance. As it comes to know more and more about God, it is nonetheless ignorant of the fullness of God. In being learned, it knows of its own ignorance, and so it continues to motivate us to move deeper into the mystery of the Godhead.
100.
See to it, says our learned ignorance, that you discover yourself in Him. Since
in Him all things are Him, it will not be possible that you lack anything. Yet,
our approaching Him who is inaccessible is not our prerogative; rather, it is
the prerogative of Him who gave us both a face which is turned toward Him and a
consuming desire to seek [Him]. When we do [seek Him], He is most gracious and
will not abandon us. Instead, having disclosed Himself to us, He will satisfy us
eternally 'when His glory shall appear.' (Nicholas of Cusa, On
Learned Ignorance, Book II:180).
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