From St. Isaac of Syria, a Christian monk who lived in the 7th Century:
No one has understanding if he is not humble, and he who lacks humility is devoid of understanding.
No one is humble if he is not at peace, and he who is not at peace is not humble. And no one is at peace without rejoicing.
In all the paths on which people journey in this world they will find no peace until they draw near to the hope which is in God.
The heart finds no peace from toil and from stumbling-blocks until it is brought close to hope — which makes it peaceful and pours joy into it.
This is what the venerable and holy lips of our Lord said: ‘Come unto me all who are weary and heave laden, and I will give you rest.’
Draw near, he says, to hope in me; desist from the many ways and you will find rest from labor and fear.
3 replies on “Hopeful Thought for the Day”
Thanks David
Except I am not sure about:
“No one is humble if he is not at peace”
when old age, illness and remembered abuse gang up
Dave W
Good point Dave. I suspect that peace, like humility, is one of those things that doesn’t usually come all at once, and maybe never comes completely in this life. A concept I’ve been thinking alot about lately personally is “acceptance” — not meaning approval of wrongs, or saying they are “ok,” but accepting my past and my limitations. Acceptance, humility, peace — not easy things for us!
Yes, Dave W, a good point. In the context of St. Isaac’s other writings, I think the intended message – one I struggle to apply – is that much of our pushing, directing, navigating, demanding, insisting, foot-stomping robs us of peace. The lack of peace, then, becomes an indicator of a failure of humility.
So, yes, the acceptance Dave O describes is important.