Our Father, Who is in heaven, our Lord Jesus Christ esteemed the unquenchable thirst for knowledge as something admirable, stating: "Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." It is fitting to perpetually crave those things that cultivate a deep love for divine glory and genuine engagement in righteous acts. To those who possess such yearning, Christ unveils the path necessary to fulfill it. However, above all, it is crucial for the faithful to grasp the art of prayer, ensuring their petitions are pleasing to the Almighty. As the wise Apostle Paul reminded us: "We know not what to pray for as we ought." Let us, then, approach Christ, the Source of wisdom, and plead, "Teach us to pray." Let us emulate the holy apostles, who prioritized this valuable and life-giving lesson. During our last gathering, we reflected on the Gospel that recounts Christ, our Savior, stating, "it came to pass, that as He was in a certain place praying by Himself." We endeavored to explain the context of His prayer, and having reached a certain point in our discussion, we set aside the remainder for a more appropriate occasion, which has now arrived. Thus, let us proceed. The Savior instructs us, "When you pray, say, Our Father." One of the holy evangelists adds, "who is in heaven." O infinite generosity! O unmatched kindness, befitting Him alone! He imparts to us His own glory, elevating servants to the status of freedom, bestowing upon humanity an honor that surpasses nature's capacity: fulfilling the ancient words of the Psalmist: "I said, You are gods: and all of you children of the Most High." For behold, He rescues us from the confines of servitude, granting us, through His grace, that which we did not possess by nature: and allowing us to address God as Father, having been conferred the status of children. We have received this, along with our other benefits; and the wise John, the Evangelist, attests to this by writing: "He came to His own, and His own received Him not: but to all who received Him He gave power to become the sons of God, even to those who believe in His Name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." By this spiritual birth, we have been made children, "not by corruptible seed, but rather by the living and abiding Word of God," as Scripture states. "By willing it, He fathered us by the Word of truth, that we might be a kind of first-fruits of His creatures," as one of the holy apostles reveals. And Christ Himself, in a certain place, clearly elucidated this birth, declaring: "Verily I say to you, that unless a man be born of water and Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." Or rather, since it is fitting to address even the mysteries, He Himself became both the path and the entrance, and the cause of the grace bestowed upon us, which is so glorious and worthy of our acquisition, by taking on our likeness. Although He is recognized to be God and is free, He assumed the form of a servant, that He might grant us His own gifts, enriching the servant with His own virtues. He is the only one who is truly free by nature, being the Son of the Father, the supreme Sovereign who reigns over all and is genuinely free. For everything that exists submits to the authority of the Creator. The Psalmist sings to Him, saying, "all things are Your slaves"; yet, in His divine plan, having taken upon Himself what belongs to us, He granted us what was His. The wise Paul, the minister of His mysteries, substantiates this, writing: "That when He was rich, He made Himself poor, that we by His poverty might be rich." The state of human nature is poverty to the Word of God; while it is wealth to humanity to receive what is His. Among these gifts is the dignity of freedom, a blessing especially fitting for those called to sonship. This, as I mentioned, is also His grace, for He instructed us: "And call no man your Father on earth: for One is your Father, Who is in heaven: and you all are brethren." Furthermore, out of His infinite love for humanity, He is not ashamed to call us brethren, saying: "I will proclaim Your name to My brethren." For by becoming like us, we have gained kinship with Him. Thus, He commands us to have the confidence to say in our prayers: "Our Father." We, the children of earth and servants bound by the natural order to our Creator, dare to call Him Who is in heaven our Father. He ensures that those who pray comprehend this distinction: if we refer to God as Father and have been deemed worthy of such an esteemed title, should we not strive to lead lives of holiness and righteousness, comporting ourselves in a manner pleasing to our Father, and refrain from harboring thoughts or uttering words unworthy of the freedom bestowed upon us? Hence, one of the holy apostles admonishes us: "If you call Him Father, Who without respect of persons judges according to every man's work, let your conversation during the time of your sojourning be in fear." It is a grave matter to offend and provoke a father by straying into wrongdoing. How do earthly fathers behave, or what sentiments do they harbor towards their sons? When they see them aligning themselves with their desires and choosing paths that please them, they love and honor them, granting them access to their home, lavishing gifts, and recognizing them as heirs. However, should they be disobedient and unruly, showing no reverence for natural law or the affection instilled within them, they cast them out, deeming them unworthy of honor, indulgence, or love; they even refuse to recognize them as their own children and do not record them as heirs. Let us now ascend, above earthly matters, to the transcendent. You call God Father: honor Him with prompt obedience; yield submission as is His due; live in accordance with His desires; exhibit neither harshness nor pride, but instead be pliable and humble, and ready to follow His guidance without hesitation, so that He may honor you in return and appoint you a co-heir with Him Who is the Son by nature. For if "He gave Him for us, how will He not with Him also give us all things," as the blessed Paul expresses. However, if you disregard yourself and neglect the generous gift extended to you, you expose yourself as presumptuous, and, so to speak, lacking in substance, favoring pleasure over allegiance to the Father. Therefore, fear lest God utter against you the words spoken to the Israelites through the prophet Isaiah: "Hear, O heavens; and give ear, O earth, for the Lord has spoken: I have begotten and brought up children, but they have rejected Me." The weight of guilt rests heavily upon those who rebel; the crime of rejecting God is most grievous. Therefore, wisely does the Savior of all permit us to call God Father, that we, fully aware of our status as sons of God, may conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of Him Who has so honored us; thus He will receive the prayers we offer through Christ. To Him and with Him, may praise and dominion be rendered to God the Father, with the Holy Spirit, forever and ever, Amen. "Hallowed be Your Name." All who thirst for the sacred words of God, the prophet Isaiah exhorts: "You who thirst, come to the waters"; for whosoever desires can draw from this life-giving fountain. And who is this fountain? Clearly, it is Christ and His teachings. For He has declared, "Whosoever thirsts, let him come to Me and drink." Therefore, let us once more approach as to a fountain: let us fill our souls; let us satiate ourselves from the torrent of joy. For the blessed David says to God the Father in a psalm: "They shall be satisfied with the fatness of Your house: and You shall make them drink of the torrent of Your pleasure. For with You is the fountain of life." The river of divine joy pours forth abundantly for us, that fountain of life existing in Christ, Who, by one of the prophets, spoke concerning us, saying: "Behold, I bend down to them as a river of peace, and as a torrent flooding them with the glory of the Gentiles." Observe how Christ nourishes us with abundant streams of spiritual benedictions. What will He next instruct us? He says, "When you pray, say, Our Father, Hallowed be Your Name." Now, notice! We have already discussed profitably how to say "Our Father." And I trust you recall my words, being eager for learning. Thus, to avoid repetition, let us proceed to what follows, namely, "Hallowed be Your Name," and contemplate how this must be understood. Do we ask for additional holiness to be added to the supremely holy God? How absurd would that be! For if anything were lacking in God’s perfect nature, one might argue that He would require more holiness; yet He is complete as He is, perfect in every regard, and grants holiness to creation from His own fullness. What increase could He possibly receive? For all things belong to Him, and He has achieved the utmost perfection in every good, which is an innate attribute of His being. Furthermore, it is foolish and illogical for those who pray to presume they are petitioning on God’s behalf, rather than their own. Therefore, what does it mean to say, "Hallowed be Your Name"? We propose that individuals do not seek to add holiness to God; who could surpass Him, and who could impart anything to Him? "For without all doubt the less is blessed of the greater." Instead, they implore that this blessing may be granted to them and all of humanity. For when we are firmly convinced that He, Who is God by nature, is Holy of Holies, we acknowledge His glory and supreme majesty; then we invite His reverence into our hearts, striving to lead lives upright and worthy of Him, that we may be able to draw near to the Holy God. For it is written: "Become holy: for I am holy." He also said to Moses: "I will be hallowed in them that draw near to Me." Thus, our prayer signifies that His Name may remain holy within us, in our thoughts and desires; this is the essence of the term "Hallowed." Just as a person afflicted with an ailment of sight, who can barely see and struggles to see clearly, prays: "O Lord of all, grant that the light from the sun may also illuminate me," does not intend to direct his request towards the sun itself, but rather for himself; so too, when someone says, "Our Father, hallowed be Your Name," they are not asking for an addition to God's holiness but are instead requesting that they may possess an understanding and belief that recognizes His Name as honorable and sacred. This mindset is the source of life and the foundation of every blessing: for to have this regard for God is deserving of the highest respect and critical for the salvation of the soul. However, do not believe that those relying on His grace, in their sincere petitions toward God, seek these things solely for themselves; know instead that they intend to intercede on behalf of all the inhabitants of the earth, for both those who have believed and those who have yet to embrace the faith or acknowledge the truth. For those who have already believed, they ask for their faith to be fortified, that they may live in ways that reflect the glories of a higher calling; for the others, they implore that they may be summoned and their eyes opened, faithfully following the example of Christ, Who, according to John's words, is "the Advocate with the Father for our sins: and not for ours only, but for the whole world." He, Who intercedes for the saints and the entire world, desires His disciples to mirror Him in this way. Therefore, when men pray to the Father, saying, "Hallowed be Your Name," consider that among those still in darkness, the Name of God is often disdained. It does not yet appear to them as holy, honorable, and worthy of reverence. But as soon as the light of truth dawns upon them, and they awaken from the night of ignorance, they come to recognize Who He is and how great He is, acknowledging Him as Holy of Holies and adopting corresponding beliefs. Hence, saying that God is hallowed by us serves as a confession of our recognition of His holiness rather than conferring any additional holiness upon Him.
THEOSIS