Joy in the Soul

About Bishop St. Theophane the Recluse

About "old" and "new" calendar

September 21 (October 4)

Eph. 5:33-6:9, Lk. 4:16-22

Not only Jesus has come “to preach the favorable year of the Lord" [Lk. 4:19], but to actually bring it to the people. So, where is it? It is in the hearts of the faithful.

The earth will never become Paradise, — not until the order of things in the universe remains what it is, — but the earthly life is and will always be a training ground for the life in the Heavens. Origins of the heavenly life are implanted in the human soul; what makes them develop is the Grace of God delivered by our Lord Jesus Christ. — in this sense He has brought us “the favorable year of the Lord".

Heeding to the Lord and following His commandments invites the Grace which brings forth the joy of the favorable year. This is truly happening in all those who are earnestly faithful to God and live according to the faith. No mental process can yield this kind of joy: by doing good we make it emerge in our soul as if spontaneously, along with the inner peace, inseparable from Christ, though the external conditions might remain far from peaceful. However, as it always happens, if the inner peace reigns in the soul, external troubles cause us very little pain or bitterness. Thus, on this side there will be a favorable year as well, even if from the outside it looks like horrible weather.

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