The Pilgrim Path---Isaiah 61:10

“My soul shall be joyful in my God; for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation.”

Every now and then, we need something like a “song” from the past. Here is a piece from St. Gregory of Nyssa, one of the tremendous Cappadocian Fathers (335-394). He really brought the “fire power” against false teachers in his time. His areas of specialization were the Holy Trinity and Christian Living. He taught the Eastern/ Greek Church how to stand for Jesus Christ our LORD. He taught the Saints how to begin to relish the Gospel. See if you can find that in his “Song” below:

You, Lord, are truly the pure, eternal Wellspring of kindness,

Who justly turned away from us, and then in compassion had mercy on us.

You hated, and then were reconciled; You cursed, and now You bless.

You stripped away our fig leaves, a crude garment, clothing us with costly attire.

You opened the prison and freed the condemned.

You sprinkled us with fresh water, washing us from our filth.

No longer will Adam be ashamed when you call him,

Nor hide himself, condemned by his conscience, trembling in the foliage of Paradise.

No longer will the fiery sword surround Paradise,

Barring the entrance to those who approach.

All has become joy for us, the heirs of sin:

Humanity may walk in Paradise, indeed heaven itself!

Creation, earth and heaven alike, once divided, is united in friendship!

We join in the angel’s song, worshipping with them in praise of God!

For all these things, let us sing to God that joyful hymn,

Sung loudly, long ago, by Spirit-touched lips:

“Let my soul rejoice in the Lord! He has clothed me with salvation’s robe,

And the garment of joy: He has put a mitre on me as a bridegroom,

And adorned me with ornaments as a bride! (Isa. 61: 10, Septuagint)

He who adorns the bride is Christ, who is, and was, and shall be,

Blessed now and for evermore. Amen.

Now, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit alike give sanctification, life, light, comfort, and all similar graces. No one should reckon the activity of sanctification especially and exclusively to the Spirit, after hearing the Savior in the Gospel saying to the Father concerning His disciples, “Sanctify them by Your name” (John 17: 11, 17). Likewise, all other divine activities are equally carried out in the godly by the Father, by the Son, and by the Holy Spirit. This includes every grace and power, guidance, life, comfort, transformation to immortality, the passage to freedom, and every other good thing that comes down to humanity. St. Gregory of Nyssa

Grace and Peace in Jesus Christ Our Risen LORD, Pastor Jason