The light of the inner self
34 The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.
35 Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness.
36 If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.
37 And as he spake, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat.
38 And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that he had not first washed before dinner.
39 And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.
40 Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also?
41 But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.
Inner purification
Saint John Cassian, The monachal settlements, the 5th book, chapter 20-21, in Church Fathers and Writers (1990), vol. 57, p. 175
„(…) Who could not stop his irrational passions which are manifested in the eyes of all and which are easily controlled how will he be able to overcome by the helm of his own judgment the hidden ones which are burning inside without having any of us as a witness?
That is why in any feeling the will of the spirit shows its force: if this is overcome by the smallest visibly manifested cravings, the consciousness will give proof to everyone that it won`t be able to stand against the greater, stronger more hidden passions. We should not be afraid of the enemies from the outside; the enemy is hidden inside us and he fights every day an inner fight against us. By overcoming this one all the outside hostilities will be weakened, all will be defeated and sudued to the soldier of Christ. We won`t have any enemy to fear if those from inside us are subdued to the spirit.
Saint John Cassian, Spiritual talks, 1st part, The communication of father Serapion, Chapter IV, 5-6, in Church Fathers and Writers (1990), vol. 57, p. 379
Those who try to reach inner purification get rid from the beginning of the opportunities for carnal passions so that the soul can`t be sickened anymore by the remembrance of those passions. To a doubled disease it should be applied a double care. For the body it is necessary to be removed the image and matter which tempts so that the craving may not be unleashed and for the soul it is the same so that no filthy thoughts may appear in it. It is useful to focus mainly on the careful meditation upon the Scriptures, the careful watchfulness and the retreat in seclusion. For the other vices the living in society is not harmful, on the contrary of a great use for those who want for real to get rid of them as by the relations with the people they may be revealed and being visibly shown and put to trial they may heal easily.
Source: http://ziarullumina.ro
