Divine Love - St Symeon the New Theologian

My dear fathers and brethren, as soon as I called to mind the beauty of undefiled love, its light suddenly appeared in my heart. I have been ravished with its delight and have ceased to perceive outward things; I have lost all sense of this life and have forgotten the things that are at hand. Yet again – I am at a loss how to say it – it has removed far from me and left me to lament my own weakness.

O all-desirable love, how happy is he who has embraced you, for he will no longer have a passionate desire to embrace any earthly beauty! Happy is he who is moved by divine love to cling to you! He will deny the whole world, yet as he associates with all men he will be wholly untainted. Happy is he who caresses your beauty and with infinite desire delights therein, for he will be spiritually sanctified by the water and blood (cf. John 19:34) that in all purity issue from you!

Happy is he who passionately embraces you, for he will be wondrously changed! In spirit and in soul he will rejoice, because you are the ineffable joy. Happy is he who gains possession of you, for he will count the treasures of the world as nothing, for you are indeed the truly inexhaustible riches. Happy and triply happy is he whom you accept, for though he be without any visible glory he will be more glorious than all that is glorious, more honored and august than all that is honored. Worthy of praise is he who pursues you; even more praiseworthy is he who has found you; more blessed he who is loved by you, received by you, taught by you, he who dwells in you and is fed by you with Christ, the immortal food, Christ our God!

– St Symeon the New Theologian, The Discourses I.3