Synergy with God

About Bishop St. Theophane the Recluse

About "old" and "new" calendar

September 24 (October 7)

2Cor. 9:6-11; Lk. 5:1-11

The fishermen were laboring through the entire night, and took nothing; but when the Lord entered their boat and, after His sermon to the people, told them to cast down the net, they got so much that they could hardly pull it out, and the net broke [Lk.5:1 - 6].

This is an image of any effort with and without God’s help. As long as man is working alone, willing to achieve something useful with his own power, nothing works out well — but as soon as the Lord comes nigh unto him, good luck turns around and flows abundantly.

In moral and spiritual matters, it is absolutely clear that no success can be achieved apart from the Lord: “Without Me ye can do nothing”, — said He [Jn.l 5:5]. This law is in effect in every human soul. Like a branch severed from the tree not only bears no fruits, but also withers and loses life in itself, — so also human beings, unless they maintain the living contact with the Lord, can bear no fruits of truth and righteousness which have value in the life eternal. Whenever there is some good in such people, it is only good by appearance, not in essence, just like a wild apple, pleasing to the eye but sour to the mouth.

The same is also evident in the external matters of our everyday life: you might struggle on and on. seeing no light at the end of the tunnel, — and then, with the Lord’s blessing descending upon you, all pieces of the life puzzle suddenly start coming together. Those who are attentive to themselves and to the ways of earthly life are familiar with this from their own experience.

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