13 February 2006
Patristic Quote for the Day
A soul can never attain the knowledge of God unless God Himself in His condescension takes hold of it and raises it up to Himself. For the human intellect lacks the power to ascend and to participate in divine illumination, unless God Himself draws it up - in so far as this is possible for the human intellect - and illumines it with the rays of divine light. - St. Maximos the Confessor, *First Century on Theology* #31
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2 comments:
I like that :)
It points to the fact that our faith is in a very real sense beyond mere human comprehension/reason, without making it utterly subjective and therefore relative (ie it can be attained, but it's attained through God).
Maximos explains this balance very well.
Isn't he awesome? I've really come to appreciate his writings - not that I get the half of what he says. His intellectual world is light years beyond me. But when I do get what he says (or at least think I do!), he always delights, and invariably points me to the grace of God!
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