Divine Liturgy ( 13.05.2006 )
Today, on the day of the holy apostle James, Metropolitan Nahum of Strumica celebrated Divine Liturgy in the chapel of Saints Gregory Palamas and Joseph the Spilaioti in the Vodoča monastery.
“There are two highest states of pure prayer. The one is correspondent to them who are gaining practice in virtues (praxis), and the other to them who practice the feat of contemplation (theoria). The first is born in the soul by the fear of God and good hope, and the second by Divine love and perfect purity (of heart). An indicator of the first state is the mind being collected within itself, far from all worldly ideas and praying without any distraction and hindrances, as if God Himself stood before it—as He stands indeed. An indicator of the second state is when the mind in the very yearning of prayer is taken up by Divine and boundless light, so neither does it feel itself nor anything else existing, except for the One Who acts in it through His love, bestowing it with such illumination. Then the mind, being in the uncreated Divine light, receives pure and clear revelations about Him” (Saint Maximus the Confessor).
