Is the Spirit Within You?

Monday. [Eph. 5:9–19; Matt. 18:10–20] Comforting His disciples, the Lord said that it will be better for them if He rises to heaven, for upon rising, in place of Himself He will send the comforter — the Spirit. The Holy Spirit has descended and a?bides in the Church, accomplishing in each believer the work of Christ. Each Christian is a communicant of the spirit. This is something so nec?essary, that in fact whoever does not have the Spirit is not of Christ. Look closely at yourself — is the Spirit of grace within you? For it does not remain in everyone; it can depart. Here are the signs of its presence: first it finds a spirit of re?pentance and teaches a Christian to turn to God and correct his life; the spirit of repentance, accomplishing its work, passes the Christian on to a spirit of holiness and purity, which is succeeded, at last, by a spirit of Sonhood. The characteristic of the first is a work-loving zeal; the char?acteristic of the second is warmth and a sweet burning of the heart; the characteristic of the third is a feeling of Sonhood whereby the heart sighs to God: Abba, Father! (Mk. 14:36). Examine which of these levels you are on. If you are not on any of them, take care for yourself.

Saint Theophan the Recluse