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In the second part of the prayer of Saint Ephrem the Syrian, we ask God to grant us four great virtues.
These virtues are the answer to the spiritual illnesses of the human heart. If in the first part of the prayer a person asks to be delivered from sins, then in the second part he asks for what should fill his soul.
Prayer teaches us that spiritual life is not only a struggle against sin, but also a gradual restoration of a person.
1. Integrity (chastity)
Integrity means the inner unity of a person.
The Holy Fathers explain that this is a state when a person's mind, heart, and will live in harmony. A person ceases to be torn between different desires.
In the Fall, this unity was lost. Man became divided. A struggle arose within him between the different forces of the soul.
In our lives it often happens like this:
- mind
- сила бажання
- irritability
each of these forces begins to act on its own,
then the mind ceases to govern, and the person loses inner balance.
Our feelings can turn into either strong desires or irritability.
Instead of fighting sin, a person begins to get angry at other people.
The Holy Fathers explain this through an image:
- excess - breeds laziness
- Insufficiency - creates irritability and desire
Therefore, a person who seeks spiritual life must return to inner integrity.
Wholeness also means that a person returns to God and to unity with Him.
The Apostle Paul writes:
“May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely,and may your spirit, soul and body be preserved blameless"(1 Thess. 5:23)
Wholeness means harmony of all the forces of the soul.
The devil tries to destroy this unity so that a person ceases to be a true person.
2. Humble wisdom
Humility means thinking humbly about oneself.
This means not artificially humiliating yourself, but seeing the truth about yourself.
Man is called to humility.
Christ himself said:
“Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart” (Matthew 11:29)
In the Gospel, Christ shows the difference between pride and humility using the example of the Pharisee and the tax collector.
The tax collector received mercy from God through humility,
and the Pharisee was confident in his own righteousness.
Christ says:
"Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees,you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:20)
Humility helps a person live in truth.
Humility is not weakness.
Humility is knowing the truth about yourself,
to live truthfully before God.
The devil fears humility the most.
Pride closes a person to God,
and humility opens the heart to God's grace.
3. Patience
Patience is the path to spiritual maturity.
In prayer, we ask God to give us patience, for it is a great virtue.
In everyday life, people often get nervous when something goes wrong.
But spiritual life teaches otherwise.
Patience means:
- endurance
- constancy
- ability to wait
This is not a weakness.
This is the power of the soul that knows how to keep peace.
The Holy Fathers say that patience is a virtue through which a person can more easily become sanctified.
God knows the state of our soul.
He knows what is good for us.
Sometimes the Lord does not immediately give what we ask for.
But He knows what we need.
The Holy Apostle James writes:
“Let patience have its perfect work” (James 1:4)
It is no coincidence that patience is called the path to love.
4. Love
Love is the pinnacle of all spiritual life.
The Holy Fathers say that a person's spiritual path has three stages:
- cleaning
- enlightenment
- unity with God
Love is this unity.
Love is not just a feeling.
Love is sacrifice.
God created man out of love and loves each of us.
Christ showed this love on the cross.
A person cannot truly love God if he does not have love for his neighbor.
The Apostle John says:
"He who does not love his brother whom he has seen,"He cannot love God whom he cannot see."(1 John 4:20)
Patience helps a person purify their heart.
And when the heart is purified, love is born within it.
