The commandment which says, ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind’, more than the world, nature, and all that pertains thereto, is fulfilled when you patiently endure in your stillness. And the commandment that speaks of the love of neighbour is included within the former. Do you wish to acquire in your soul the love of your neighbour according to the commandment of the Gospel? Separate yourself from him, and then the heat and flame of love for him will burn in you and you will rejoice at the sight of his countenance as though you beheld an angel of light. And do you wish that those who love you should thirst for you? See their faces on fixed days only. Truly, experience is the teacher of all.
Mâr ’Ishâq was not speaking of a public health crisis, and he was talking to solitaries. Even so. Patiently endure in stillness, not in fear; and if you love your neighbour, separate yourself from him for the time being.
Solitary confinement brings out whatever is in us. For those open to repentance and divine love, it brings forth compassion and unity. For those who are full of fear and contempt, it breeds disgust and selfishness. The most disturbing element of this whole event are the wiping out of basic supplies and hording. Though perhaps not a majority of any population, it only takes one drop of poison to contaminate a glass. And yet God doesn't abandon us and redeems plague-bearers such as ourselves to die and rise into incorruptible life.
ReplyDeleteWell-said, Cal. I agree.
ReplyDeleteStay healthy and stay safe, brother!