Alessandro Dehó, an Italian hermit, was inspired by a passage in Isaac of Nineveh, also known as Isaac the Syrian. In this passage, the desert father of the eighth century observed how it was challenging to find a human who would not succumb to the allure of honors, even if they had been living an exemplary life!
Rev. Dehó was astounded to encounter this profound truth presented with such clarity. We, too, experience moments of temptation disguised as theoretical humility, as we offer all honor and glory to God and His Church. However, we must not mistake this for genuine engagement; it is merely a superficial display of humility. If angels are susceptible to succumbing to this temptation, how much more are we, as humans, prone to such superficial humility. The antidote to this poison lies in seeking refuge in our spiritual desert and subjecting ourselves to the rigorous and demanding domain of prayer. Prayer is the realm of truth.
In the sacred sanctuary of prayer, we shall embark on a journey to unveil the hidden treasures of our subconscious, the honors that we unconsciously seek to fill the void within our souls. This emptiness, so eerily reminiscent of the impending darkness that envelops our existence, is a source of profound fear. However, prayer emerges as a beacon of salvation, breaking the chains of vanity and adulation that bind us to the allure of honors and praise. It elevates us to the heights of divine sacrifice, to the altar where we shall sever our ties to the familiar, much like the umbilical cord that connects us to our birth, ushering us into a new life, a new humanity.
Initially, the act of renunciation in prayer fills us with a sense of exhilaration, but as time passes, the weight of solitude crushes us, exposing our vulnerability and the realization that we are cast out of the confines of our certainties. Yet, through this journey, we shall find our way to the divine, embracing the freedom that comes with being children of God.
On the altar of truth, we stand in the presence of our Lord Christ and His Body, nailed to the cross. Through this cross, we traverse our entire existence, our desires, and our plans, purifying ourselves from all honors bestowed without much substance and from all fleeting human glory.
Are we prepared to venture into this realm of prayer and confront God’s saving power? Are we ready not only to be purified from every trace of sin, but also to remain steadfastly devoted to our Lord Jesus, with the nails of His cross serving as a constant reminder of His love, and to be replenished with the divine affection of our Heavenly Father?
This will mark the commencement of our worship in spirit and truth (John 4:23), which is impossible to offer through mere “reading,” “singing,” or “saying.” Instead, it can only be achieved by living a life that mirrors the life of God. This prayer has the potential to infuse life into the world around us.
Are you ready to pray?
