As we ascend to that which is more perfect, He who is without form or shape comes no longer without form or without shape. Nor does He cause His light to come to us and be present with us in silence. But how? He comes in a definite form indeed, though it is a divine one. Yet God does not show Himself in a particular pattern or likeness, but in simplicity, and takes the form of an incomprehensible, inaccessible, and formless light. We cannot possibly say or express more than this; still He appears clearly and is consciously known and clearly seen, though He is invisible. He sees and hears invisibly and, just as friend speaks to friend face to face (cf. Ex. 33:11), so He who by nature is God speaks to those whom by grace He has begotten as gods. He loves like a father, and in turn He is fervently loved by His sons.
("Symeon the New Theologian: The Discourses", p. 365)
This, invariably, is just what occurs concerning the invisible God. Whenever someone sees Him revealed, he sees light. While on the one hand he is amazed at what he has seen, on the other he does not know immediately who it is who has appeared, yet he dares not ask Him. And how could he? He is unable even to lift up his eyes and look on that grandeur. With fear and trembling he looks instead, as it were, at his own feet, knowing fully only that it is Someone Who has appeared before his face. And if there happens to be some other man who has told him beforehand about such things, as having known God from before, he goes to this man and says: "I have seen." And the other says: "What did you see, child?" "Light, O my father, so sweet, sweet! So much so, father, that my reason has not the strength to tell you." And, while he is saying this, his heart leaps and pounds, and catches on fire with longing for what he has seen. Then, with many warm tears, he begins to say again: "That light, father, appeared to me. The walls of my cell immediately vanished and the world disappeared, fleeing I think from before His face, and I remained alone in the presence alone of the light. And I do not know, father if this my body was there, too. I do not know if I was outside of it. For awhile I did not know that I carry and am clothed with a body. And such great joy was in me and is with me now, great love and longing both, that I was moved to streams of tears like rivers, just like now as you see." The other then answers and says: "It is He, child." And, at this word, he sees Him again and, little by little, comes to be completely purified and, purified, grows bold and asks that One Himself, and says: "My God, is it You?" And He answers and says: "Yes, I am He, God, Who for your sake became man; and behold, I have made you, as you see, and shall make you, god."
("On the Mystical Life (Vol. 2)", pp. 54)
{Christ} is not the Light of the world (Jn. 8:12) as though He were seen by the senses, but as contemplated by the mind. The visible sun gives light only to physical eyes, and not of men alone, but also of irrational beasts...; the intellectual sun, however, that has appeared in the world, gives light to rational souls only... Even though He is called "light" and "sun" (cf. Mal. 4:2), yet He is greater than every light and greater than the sun, in that He is the Maker and Master of the light and of the sun.
("Symeon the New Theologian: The Discourses", p. 303)
As Christ says, "If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees this light. But if any one walks in the night, he stumbles, because he has not the light in him" (Jn. 11:9-10). When He said "in him," he meant the divine and immaterial light, for no one can possess the physical light in himself.
("Symeon the New Theologian: The Discourses", pp. 339-340)
{Christ says} "The lamp of the body is the eye" (Lk. 11:34). What else does He mean by "the eye" than simply the mind, which will never become simple, unless it contemplates the simple light? The simple light is Christ. So he who has His light shining in his mind is said to have the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16). When your light is thus simple, then the whole immaterial body of your soul will be full of light. But if the mind be evil, that is, darkened and extinguished, then this body of yours will be full of darkness (cf. Lk. 11:34). "Therefore be careful lest the light in you be darkness" (Lk. 11:35). So He tells us, take heed lest you think that you have what you do not possess (cf. Lk. 8:18). See how the Master Himself addresses us in the same way as His own servants, when He tells us, "Take heed that you do not deceive yourself and think that you have light within you, when it is not light but darkness." See to it that we too utter the same words as the Master to our fellow-servants and do not say anything that is perverted or false.
("Symeon the New Theologian: The Discourses", pp. 340-341)
Your mind will see {God} in the form of a spiritual light with deep calm and joy. This light is the prelude of the eternal and primordial light; it is the reflected brightness of everlasting blessedness (cf. Heb. 1:3). When this appears every passionate thought will vanish and every passion of the soul be dispelled, and every bodily disease healed. Then the eyes of the heart are purified and see that which is written in the Beatitudes (cf. Mt. 5:8). Then the soul sees, as in a mirror, even its slightest failures; it is brought down to the abyss of humility. As it perceives the greatness of the glory it is filled with all joy and gladness; it is struck with amazement at this wonder beyond all hope and flows with tears as from fountains. Thus the man is entirely changed; he knows God and is first known by Him. It is this alone of all things earthly and heavenly, of both present things and things to come, of things troublesome and joyful, that makes a man despise them all. At the same time it makes him a friend of God and a son of the Most High, and, as far as this is attainable to men, a god (cf. Ps. 82:6).
("Symeon the New Theologian: The Discourses", p. 236)
Display a worthy penitence by means of all sorts of deeds and words, that you may draw on yourselves the grace of the all-holy Spirit. For this Spirit, when He descends on you, becomes like a pool of light to you, which encompasses you completely in an unutterable manner. As it regenerates you it changes you from corruptible to incorruptible, from mortal to immortal, from sons of men into sons of God and gods by adoptions and grace -- that is, if you desire to appear as kinsman and fellow-heirs of the saints and enter with all of them into the kingdom of heaven.
("Symeon the New Theologian: The Discourses", p. 337)
Whenever therefore we seek with all seriousness,with all our faith and longing -- not indeed to see the light which lies outside this prison {i.e. the material, perceptible world}, nor the things which exist in that light and in that world {i.e. the kingdom of heaven} (for no one who ever sought these things was found worthy of seeing them, nor certainly ever will behold them) -- but who instead seek first of all to keep the commandments of God, to repent, to grieve, to be humbled, and all the rest of what we talked about above, then indeed something is opened up in us... And what is opened? Heaven? I do not know. The eye of the heart? Again, I do not know whether to say the one or the other. Yet, but that light and within the house of the soul -- I mean clearly this tabernacle of flesh -- that wonderful light beyond brightness enters in and lightens him according to the measure which nature allows. And, when he has thus further persevered so that, little by little, he becomes used to the light and lives as if he had always been within it, then, if I may put it so... he both sees and knows, is initiated into and taught wonders upon wonders, and mysteries upon mysteries, and visions upon visions... Now, as in the light or -- better -- as united with it, and as no longer in ecstasy...
(On the Mystical Life, Vol. 1, pp. 77-78)
Hitherto I had frequently seen a light, at times within, when my soul had enjoyed calmness and peace. At times it appeared to me externally, from afar, or even it was completely hidden, and by its hiddenness caused me the unbearable pain of thinking I would not see it again. But when I lamented and wept and displayed complete solitude and obedience and humility it appeared to me again. It was like the sun as it penetrates through the thickness of mist and gradually shows itself a gently glowing sphere. Thus Thou, the ineffable, the invisible, the impalpable, the immovable, who always are everywhere present in all things and fillest everything, at all times, or if I may say so, by day and by night, art seen and art hidden. Thou goest away and Thou comest, Thou dost vanish from sight and Thou suddenly appearest. So bit by bit Thou didst scatter the darkness that was within me; Thou didst dispel the mist and dissolve the thickness; Thou didst clean the dim eyes of my intellect. Thou didst remove the barriers of my eyes and didst open them; Thou tookest away the veil of insensitivity. At the same time Thou didst put to sleep all passion and every fleshly pleasure and totally expel them from me. Having thus brought me to this state Thou didst clear the heaven of every mist. By "the heaven" I mean the soul Thou hast cleansed in which Thou comest invisibly (how or from whence I know not). Thou who art everywhere present art suddenly found and manifested like another sun. O ineffable condescension!
("Symeon the New Theologian: The Discourses", pp. 364-365)
Though Thou thus didst often silently appear to me, hidden so that I could not see Thee at all, yet I saw Thy lightning flashes and the brightness of Thy countenance, as aforetime in the waters. Again and again they encompassed me, but I was unable to seize hold of them; so I was mindful of how I had seen Thee on high... I sought with tears that I might see Thee again. Thus, when I was in great sorrow and affliction and distress (cf. Rom. 8:35) I was overwhelmed. I forgot myself and the whole world and the things in the world (cf. 1 John 2:15) and thought not of a shadow nor anything else that existed or anything visible whatever. Thou who art invisible to all, beyond touch of comprehension, didst appear to me, and it seemed to me as though Thou wast cleansing my mind and increasing its vision, permitting me to see Thy glory even more. It was as if Thou Thyself didst grow and shine yet more brightly. As the darkness vanished I perceived Thee swiftly drawing near as a moon rushing through the clouds. Thy coming was like as when we see the moon appearing and the clouds, as it were, walking over the sky. We see the moon and it seems to move at great speed, though it does not rush more quickly than its usual pace or change its original course. Thus, O Master, Thou who art unmoved didst seem to come, and didst appear to become greater and to take form, even though Thou are beyond all change and the limitation of form.
("Symeon the New Theologian: The Discourses", pp. 373-4)
.. through {the Holy Spirit} and in Him we are first enlightened in mind. We are purified and illuminated with the light of knowledge; we are baptized from on high and born anew (cf. Jn. 3:3, 5) and made into children of God.
("Symeon the New Theologian: The Discourses", p. 343)
Make no mistake! God is a fire, and has come as fire, and has cast fire on the earth. The same Fire goes about looking for kindling to seize upon, for a ready disposition and will, in order to fall upon it and ignite it. And in those in whom it is kindled, it rises up into a great flame and reaches to the heavens, and it allows the one so enflamed neither delay nor rest. Neither, as some people imagine about the dead, does it consume the burning soul unawares -- for the soul is both feeling and rational. Afterwards, when it has completely cleansed us of the filth of the passions, it becomes food and drink, light and joy without ceasing within us, and, by participation, it makes us light ourselves. It is like a clay pot that has been set on the fire. At first it is somewhat blackened by the smoke of the burning fuel, but after the fuel has begun to burn fiercely, then it becomes all translucent and like the fire itself, and the smoke can communicate none of its blackness to it. Just so, indeed, does the soul which has begun to burn with divine longing see first of all the murk of the passions within it, billowing out like smoke in the fire of the Holy Spirit. It sees in itself as in a mirror the blackness which accompanies the smoke, and it laments. It senses its evil thoughts like thorns, and its preconceptions, being consumed like dry kindling by the fire and reduced completely to ashes. After these things have been utterly destroyed and the essence alone of the soul remains, quite without passion, then the divine and immaterial fire unites itself essentially to the soul, too, and the latter is immediately kindled and becomes transparent, and shares in it like the clay pot does in the visible fire. So, too, with the body. It, too, becomes fire through participation in the divine and ineffable light.
("On the Mystical Life (Vol. 2)", pp. 98-99)
Let no one deceive you! God is light (1 John 1:5), and to those who have entered into union with Him He imparts of His own brightness to the extent that they have been purified. When the lamp of the soul, that is, the mind, has been kindled, then it knows that a divine fire has taken hold of it and inflamed it. How great a marvel! Man is united to God spiritually and physically...
("Symeon the New Theologian: The Discourses", p. 195)
... "the light" already "shines in the dankness" (Jn. 1:5), both by day and by night, both within and without -- within in our hearts, without in our minds. It shines on us without evening, without change, without alteration, without form. It speaks, works, lives, gives life, and changes into light those whom it illuminates. We bear witness that "God is light," and those to whom it has been granted to see Him have all beheld Him as light. Those who have received Him have received Him as light, because the light of His glory goes before Him, and it is impossible for Him to appear without light.
("Symeon the New Theologian: The Discourses", p. 298)
It is therefore thus that the saints for ages, both those of old and those who now have spiritual sight, see no shape or form or impression, but formless light, in as much as they themselves have taken on the quality of light, in the light of the Holy Spirit... the bodies of the saints partake of the divine fire, and are sanctified, and burn incandescent, and become themselves translucent, and are restored as more excellent, more precious by far, than other bodies.
("On the Mystical Life (Vol. 1)", p. 34)
Each one of the saints, while yet in the body, is like that evening sky, and the heart of each like the moon's disk. Holy love is the all-efficacious and all-powerful light... which touches their hearts and, waxing in accordance with the capacity of each, fills them perfectly. Neither does it ever wane, like the light of the moon, but is always kept all light through the zeal and good works of the saints. And holy dispassion, like an aureole and a tabernacle, surrounds and cares for them, covers them wholly, and preserves them unwounded by any evil thought, let alone by sins, and sets them up as unhurt and free from all their foes.
("On the Mystical Life (Vol. 2)", p. 36)
Like unbelievers and those completely uninitiated into the divine mysteries when they hear anything about divine illumination, or of the enlightenment of soul and mind, or of contemplation and freedom from passion, or of humility and tears that are poured out by the working and grace of the Holy Spirit, straightway the eyes of their hearts (cf. Rom. 1:21, 11:10) are darkened rather than enlightened, as though they could not endure the exceeding great light and power of the words. They audaciously aver that these things come from the deceit of demons. They do not tremble either before the judgment of God or at the damage they inflict on those who hear them. These imprudent men shamelessly affirm to everybody that nothing like that comes from God to any of the faithful in our day. This is more of an impiety than a heresy. It is heresy when someone turns aside in any way from the dogmas that have been defined concerning the right faith. But to deny that at this present time there are some who love God, and that they have been granted the Holy Spirit and to be baptized by Him as sons of God, that they have become gods by knowledge and experience and contemplation, that wholly subverts the Incarnation of our God and Savior Jesus Christ. (Tit. 2:13)! It clearly denies the renewal of the image {of God in man} that had been corrupted and put to death, and its return to incorruption and immortality.
("Symeon the New Theologian: The Discourses", p. 336)
But if you wish to learn how the illumination comes about in those who love the Lord, listen to Paul himself as he says, "We have this treasure in earthen vessels" (2 Cor. 4:7), that is, in our bodies. But, you say, there is no such person at the present time! Tell me, why not? You may say, "Because, in my opinion, no one could become such a person at the present time, even if wanted to, any more than one who does not want to." But if you claim that even he who wishes cannot become so, what shall we make of the passage, "But to all who received Him, He gave power to become children of God" (Jn. 1:12), and, "If you will, you are all gods, and sons of the Most High" (Ps. 82:6), and, "You shall be holy, for I am holy" (1 Pet. 1:16)? But if it is impossible for one to become such without desiring it, see that you have condemned yourself by neither wishing nor choosing to become holy; for if you want to, you are able to become that!
("Symeon the New Theologian: The Discourses", p. 353)
God, to repeat myself, my brothers, is light, as when He says Himself: "I am the light of the world" [Jn 8:12]... If, however, you confess that He is the light of the world by virtue of His divinity, how can you say that you do not see Him while imagining that He is within you? If Christ is the light of the world, those who do not see Him are obviously blind; and if the Holy Spirit is also light -- as He is indeed also light -- how can you say you do not see Him and yet think that He is within you without being aware of it?
("On the Mystical Life (Vol. 1)", p. 161)
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