On the Sublime Nature of #Creation
👉🏾 The Quadruple Essence
On the sacred Sabbath, in preparation for the Lord’s Day, the Almighty, in His infinite wisdom and power, brought forth into being seven distinct entities. Amongst these were the four cardinal qualities, the celestial realms, the angelic hosts, and the enigmatic darkness. He who is ineffable declared, “In My divine nature are these four qualities,” and thus, He wove the fabric of existence.
The four cardinal qualities, reflections of the Divine Nature, are as follows:
1. Potency: The Almighty, in His omnipotence, created fire. Fire, a manifestation of power, holds the capacity to consume both the mighty and the meek, the righteous and the wicked. Yet, God, in His merciful judgment, is slow to anger and abounds in steadfast love (Psalm 103:8).
2. Liberation: The Creator, in His freedom, fashioned the winds. The winds, embodying liberation, serve to separate the wheat from the chaff, as depicted in the teachings of our Lord (Matthew 3:12).
3. Purity: The Divine Artisan, in His immaculate purity, called forth water. Water, a symbol of cleansing, purifies and sanctifies, just as we are cleansed in the sacred waters of baptism.
4. Abundance: The Bountiful Giver of Life, in His richness, brought forth the earth. The earth, a vessel of abundance, sustains and nourishes all of creation.
👉🏾 The Interplay of the Qualities
These four cardinal qualities, by the Divine decree, interact in a sublime dance, governed by the will of the Almighty. Fire may conquer water, yet water quenches fire. Wind scatters the earth, while the earth confines the wind. In this divine choreography, balance and harmony prevail.
To reconcile these forces, the Creator endowed them with specific attributes:
1. Fire: luminosity, heat, and aridity.
2. Wind: warmth, coldness, and mobility.
3. Water: brilliance, wetness, and coolness.
4. Earth: dryness, solidity, and coolness.
In this celestial equilibrium, the Almighty wove the tapestry of creation, harmonizing these qualities in a symphony of existence.
👉🏾 Part II: The Celestial Realms
The Ascension to the Heavens
Having established the foundational qualities of creation, the Divine Architect turned His gaze to the heavens. In a vision reminiscent of the Prophet Isaiah, we perceive the Lord, seated on His majestic throne, His glory filling the celestial expanse (Isaiah 6:1).
The Creation of the Heavens
1. The First Heaven: Out of the primordial fire, God crafted the first heaven, a realm of divine splendor, enveloping creation.
2. The Second Heaven: The Almighty, in His creative prowess, sculpted the second heaven, a sanctuary for the righteous and the martyrs.
3. The Third Heaven: From the celestial fire, God shaped the third heaven, a realm beyond comprehension, sealed with His divine mystery.
These heavens, sublime in their grandeur, are a testament to the infinite nature of God, a realm where angels dwell in perpetual adoration.
👉🏾 The Heavenly Jerusalem
In the culminating act of creation, God envisioned the Heavenly Jerusalem, a city of unparalleled splendor, reserved for those who love Him (1 Corinthians 2:9). Here, the saints and martyrs find their eternal rest, surrounded by the brilliance of divine light.
👉🏾 The Angelic Creation
Having woven the tapestry of the cosmos and the celestial realms, the Creator, in His boundless love and wisdom, brought forth the angelic hosts, divine messengers, and guardians of creation. In their celestial hymns, they proclaim the glory of God, participating in the divine dance of creation.
Let us, therefore, beloved brethren, contemplate the profound mystery of creation, embracing the divine wisdom that permeates the cosmos. In doing so, we draw nearer to the Almighty, the Source of all being, and find our place in the celestial harmony of existence.
May the name of the Holy God be praised forever and ever in every tongue that He has created, today and always.
© John's Repentance
https://linktr.ee/johnsrepentance
About our father #Abune #Aregawi
Oh beloved in Christ, children of the holy Orthodox Church, today we gather in spirit and truth to delve into the life of a great saint, Abune Aregawi, whose ascetic life and divine struggles transcend time and space, nourishing our souls and kindling the flame of divine love within our hearts.
Abune Aregawi, a spiritual luminary of the 5th century, was born in the imperial city of Rome, under the protective wings of his parents, Isaac, a king of noble stature, and Adhana, a queen of pious heart. His birth name was Zemikael, a name that foretold his celestial journey towards the heavenly kingdom.
From his youth, Zemikael exhibited an insatiable hunger for divine wisdom, dedicating himself to the study of the Holy Scriptures and the lives of the saints. At the tender age of 14, the world laid before him its earthly treasures and royal betrothals, yet his heart yearned not for temporal glory but for the eternal. He renounced the world and entered the sacred grounds of the Daunas monastery in Tsyre, where he was clothed in the angelic habit and embraced monastic life with fervor.
In the divine providence of God, Abba Pakoumis, the abbot of the monastery, discerned the heavenly calling upon Zemikael and ordained him a monk, setting him on the path of ascetic struggle and divine contemplation.
His zeal for Christ was contagious, and soon, seven of his kin, ignited by the same celestial fire, joined him in monastic life. Together, they embarked on a journey of ascetic labor, emulating the good shepherd who tends to his flock with unwavering care and love.
However, the news of Zemikael’s renunciation reached the ears of his mother, Queen Adhana, whose heart was pierced with both sorrow and awe. She journeyed to see her son, now Abune Aregawi, a name that signifies his spiritual ascent. Though he initially resisted her visit, her maternal plea struck a chord within him. She implored, "My son, what is the world that you despised in your childhood of use to me?” Overwhelmed by her faith, Abune Aregawi welcomed her into the monastic fold, placing her under the care of the holy nuns.
In due course, the call of the divine led Abune Aregawi and his brethren to the sacred lands of Ethiopia, a nation steadfast in faith and untainted by apostasy. Carried by the wings of Saint Michael the Archangel, they set foot in Axum, fulfilling the divine prophecy and enriching the spiritual tapestry of the Ethiopian Church.
Yet, the solitude of the desert called out to Abune Aregawi, urging him to seek the hermit’s life and immerse himself in uninterrupted contemplation. He parted ways with his brethren, each finding solace in solitary prayer and divine labor.
Abune Aregawi, guided by divine grace, reached the summit of Debre Damo, a sanctuary suspended between heaven and earth. Here, he battled the forces of darkness, his faith unwavering, his heart aflame with divine love. The devil, envious of his sanctity, sought to tempt him, yet Abune Aregawi, armed with the sword of faith, vanquished the foe, turning the beast into a vessel of divine ascent.
For years, he subsisted on heavenly manna, his body sustained by divine grace, his soul aflame with unceasing prayer. He became a beacon of sanctity, drawing thousands to the monastic life, guiding them on the path of salvation.
As his earthly sojourn neared its end, the Lord appeared to him, bestowing upon him the crown of righteousness and assuring him of his heavenly inheritance. Abune Aregawi, having fought the good fight, having kept the faith, entrusted his flock to worthy successors and entered into the joy of his Master.
Dear brethren in Christ, the life of Abune Aregawi stands as a testament to the transformative power of divine grace and the unfathomable depths of ascetic struggle. He renounced the world, yet gained the kingdom of heaven. He embraced solitude, yet became a father to thousands. He battled the forces of darkness, yet shone with the uncreated light.