When you attain to the region of tears,
then know that your mind has left the prison of this world
and has set its foot on the roadway of the new age.
St. Isaac the Syrian
During last week's winter weather, I went out into my garden to make this short video of the snow coming down on the coppery -orange Witch Hazel which is blooming profusely in February. Notice how the snow looks like bits of silver foil. The sound you hear is a nearby stream. Have you ever been stopped by somethng so beautiful it moves you to tears? St. Isaac sees the deep value of those moments.
The saint writes, "When you attain..." The word attain comes from the Latin attingere—to touch. So, "When you touch the region of tears..." What's that? It is that inner space where we are capable of the deepest sense-ing and silent appreciation. The region of tears, is the capacity (the power?) we have for feeling. Many people never cultivate that capacity, or they equate it with sentiment rather than deep looking, listening and discovering.
And when you touch the region of tears, know that you have left the prison of this world. What's that? It's our bubble-world of endless opinionating; our world of aggression; of selling and scheming to buy, get and own; the prison of our prestige, our pride-world; the superficial laugh-a-thon world; the prison which looks away, which chooses to stay ignorant—even comfortably stupid; our eating—like grazing, our cult-world of personalities and power; of living by violence and planet destruction for our greed.
And has set its foot on the roadway of the new age. What is this new age? Jesus proclaims God's kingdom, which is my life, indeed, this very moment of my life, synchronized with the heartbeat of God. I want to live in that. St. Paul writes:
"My brothers and sisters, I need only add this. If you believe in goodness and if you value the approval of God, fix your minds on whatever is true and honourable and just and pure and lovely and admirable."
"My brothers and sisters, I need only add this. If you believe in goodness and if you value the approval of God, fix your minds on whatever is true and honourable and just and pure and lovely and admirable."
My prayer for you (and myself) this week: May you come upon your own Witch Hazel-in-Snow moment, something so good and lovely that your "region of tears" is touched.
