Just posting this as was forwarded to me. Excellent. I'm personally in a situation in which I need far more faith and to keep focused on faith rather than on words, on disputation. Best to seek faith without seeing and accept what one cannot understand.
Saint Columbanus (563-615)
monk, founder of monasteries Instruction 1, 2-4; PL 80,231 |
"They have truly understood that I came from you, and they have believed "
| Who can penetrate the inexpressible and incomprehensible being of the Most High God? Who can sound the depths of God?... For who is God? Father, Son and Holy Spirit: God is one. Ask nothing more concerning God. As for those who want to know the deep things of God, let them begin by reflecting on the natural order. Rightly, in fact, has understanding the Trinity been compared to the depths of the sea, of which God's Wisdom has said: “What exists is far reaching; it is deep, very deep: who can find it out?” (Eccl 7:24)... Just as the bottom of the sea is invisible to human sight, so the divine Trinity cannot be grasped by human understanding. Hence, if someone should wish to understand what he ought to believe, let him not think himself better able to do it by reasoning than by faith since the divine wisdom you are looking for in this way will only withdraw even further away. |
| So seek out this pre-eminent knowledge, not through disputation but by leading a life of perfection, not with the tongue but through faith that springs out of the simple heart and is not the result of knowledgeable speculation. For if you seek what is ineffable with reasoning, it will escape you even further; if you seek by means of faith, Wisdom will be standing where it dwells: at your gates (Pr 1:21). And where she stands she can be seen, even if only in part. Truly, she is attained the instant you believe in what is unseen while accepting that you cannot understand it. Since God is invisible we have to believe in him. Nevertheless, God can be seen, after a fashion, by the pure in heart (Mt 5:8). |
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