Friday, April 30, 2010

Some Definitions for Reflection

Faith:  Dispassionate understanding of God.


Hope: The flight of the intellect in love towards that for which it hopes.


Patience: With the eyes of the mind always to see the invisible as visible.


Freedom from avarice:  To desire not to have possessions with the same fervor as men generally have to have possessions.


Knowledge: To lose awareness of oneself through going out to God in ecstasy.


Humility: Attentive forgetfulness of what one has accomplished.


Freedom from anger: A real longing not to lose one's temper.


Purity: Unwavering perception of God.


Love: Growing affection for those who abuse us.


Total transformation: Through delight in God, to look on the repulsiveness of death as a joy.


Saint Diadochos of Photiki (400 - 486)
Philokalia Vol 1, p 252.

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