Christian Mystic Holy-Mother-Church Hermit: Origen on Being Espoused

 This, by Origen, priest and theologian c. 185-253, is absolutely beauty, truth, and goodness.  It's from one of his sermons on Genesis, and takes its title from Hosea 2:22.

God bless His Real Presence in us, and love in His Love!

This suffering-pained hermit is going to attempt a needed errand; the pups Love and Mercy are not able to come along due to the high heat.  I managed earlier in morning to paint a few more rows of planks on exterior lower level of Solus Deus Hermitage.  But the weakness, nausea, and bodily pain has increased.  

That's how it is with Jesus, as John the Baptist said, "He shall increase, and I shall decrease."  This pain that is Christ's and the sufferings of Holy Mother Church is increasing, and this my human body and existence is decreasing.  I must accept the reality that the Arachnoiditis is progressing, but I also can praise His Real Presence that Holy Trinity is progressing my mind, heart, and soul toward the purpose and desire of eternal bliss and union with the Divine His Real Presence!

“I will espouse you in fidelity and tenderness”

Rebecca used to come to draw water from the well”, Scripture tells us (Gn 24:16). Every day Rebecca came to the well and every day she drew water. And because she spent time at the well every day, Abraham’s servant was able to find her and give her in marriage to Isaac. Perhaps you are thinking that it’s a question of a story or fine tale told by the Holy Spirit in Scripture? No; the truth is that it consists of a spiritual teaching, an instruction that is addressed to your soul to teach it to come daily to the well of Scripture, the waters of the Holy Spirit, to draw tirelessly from it so as to bring back from them a pitcher filled to the brim. That is what holy Rebecca did; if she had done otherwise she would not have been able to marry the great patriarch, Isaac. (…) Now, everything in Scripture has a symbolical meaning: Christ desires to wed you too. It is you he is talking to in the promise made by the prophets when he says: “I will espouse you to me forever; I will espouse you in fidelity and in mercy, and you shall know the Lord” (cf. Hos 2:21 f.). Therefore, wanting to espouse you to himself, Christ sends you his servant – the inspired word. You cannot wed Christ before you have received it (…). Only those who know how to draw abundant water from the depths of the well (…), who have souls that do everything in patience, who are entirely available, who set themselves to get to the very bottom to draw the waters of understanding: that soul alone can know the marriage feast with Christ.