"Reproach from the Lord for the indifferent soul" (Saint Ephraim the Syrian)
Reproach from the Lord for the indifferent soul
ith the eyes of my heart have I seen the Lord sitting in great glory and I seemed to hear Him say to my soul: how can it be, O soul, that thou hast found thy heavenly bridal chamber, filled with the light of glory, abhorrent? How can it be that thou wast repelled by the good things that I have prepared for thee in the land of life? How can it be that thou hast become alienated from Me through indecent deeds and thoughts? How can it be that thou carest not to prepare thyself to stand worthily before Me in My coming? How can it be that thou dost not keep thy lamp ready in expectation of the call: Behold, the bridegroom cometh — so that thou mightest go out to meet Me with joy? How can it be that thou takest no pains to prepare a proper wedding garment? How can it be that thou dost not prepare thyself to enter with joy into the holy, heavenly bridal chamber? How can it be that thou dost not join thyself to Me, Who have redeemed thee from death?
I have partaken of death in order to prepare thee as My bride. I have prepared the eternal kingdom for thee as an inheritance. All My good things have I, as the King, bestowed upon thee. For thy sake I even became a man, for I desired to redeem thy life from corruption. For thee have I prepared a bridal chamber in the heavens and arranged for the angels to lead thee into that bridal chamber, that thou mightest enter therein with joy.
Yet hast thou turned away from Me, from thy Groom, and from the ineffable good things that I have prepared for thee.
But who is more desirable than I, Who save all creation through My compassion? What father gives life as I do? Yet thou hast left Me, O soul, and loved another, a despicable stranger.
Who would not begin to tremble in terror upon hearing these words?
Who would not fall down ashamed, shed tears and cry out: for what purpose did I come forth from my mother’s womb, to anger the Good, Holy, and kindhearted God?
But, O Lord, grant that we may be sobered and detach ourselves from vain cares, that we may come to our senses and return to Thee, in Whom alone lies all true good for our sake.
From A Spiritual Psalter or Reflections on God, compiled from the works of Saint Ephraim the Syrian