Restoring our Baptismal Grace
Grace abides in us from the time of our Holy Baptism; but, through our inattention, vanity and the wrong life we lead it is stifled, or buried. When a man resolves to lead a righteous life and is zealous for Salvation, the fruit of his whole labour is, therefore, the restoration in force of this gift of Grace.
It comes to pass in a two-fold manner: first, this gift becomes revealed through many labours in following the Commandments; insofar as a man succeeds in following the Commandments, this gift becomes more radiant and brilliant. Secondly, it manifests and reveals itself through constant invocation of the Lord Jesus in prayer.
The first method is powerful, but the second is more so, so that even the first method gains power through it.
Thus, if we sincerely wish to open the seed of Grace concealed in us, let us hasten to train ourselves in this latter exercise of the heart, and let us have only this work of prayer in our heart, without forms, without images, till it warms our heart and makes it burn with ineffable love of the Lord.
St Gregory of Sinai
It comes to pass in a two-fold manner: first, this gift becomes revealed through many labours in following the Commandments; insofar as a man succeeds in following the Commandments, this gift becomes more radiant and brilliant. Secondly, it manifests and reveals itself through constant invocation of the Lord Jesus in prayer.
The first method is powerful, but the second is more so, so that even the first method gains power through it.
Thus, if we sincerely wish to open the seed of Grace concealed in us, let us hasten to train ourselves in this latter exercise of the heart, and let us have only this work of prayer in our heart, without forms, without images, till it warms our heart and makes it burn with ineffable love of the Lord.
St Gregory of Sinai
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