" 96
6 February 1955
... I like to read the sayings of the Holy Fathers, for they spoke 'much sense in short words'.
A certain staretz said: 'If the soul has only words but no deeds, it is like a tree which has blossoms but no fruit'.
You are wonderful, staretz; how well you explained the spiritual life in short words. Flowers only attract the eye: when you leave them you forget them; but the fruit of the tree satisfies a man's hunger and gives strength to support his life. It is the same with those who speak: when they 'speak from deeds', their words fall on the heart like plaster on a wound. But if a person speaks from instruction, one feels that his words are only in his head. Water and vinegar are the same colour, but the throat knows which to drink. "
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Theory vs. experience.
.jpg)
No comments:
Post a Comment