The Voice

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Only the Voice, of He whose words made the world, can bring the dead…back to life. So we say, to Him, “Arise oh God…oh Ancient Beauty,” and, “speak forth your mysteries.”

This is the meaning of worship.

Socrates relied upon the inner voice, his diamon; and, like all men, battled as best as he could, the demons within. He called the inner voice, which he heard, “his,” and this voice guided him as best as it could. This voice was Socrates — his own intuition. But, again, Socrates was a man, and like all men, he experienced many voices from within; like all men, Socrates had his demons.

It should come as no surprise then to hear that the Greeks took great interest in this One called “Messiah,” or in their tongue, “The Christ.” The question now rises: “Why did the Greeks take such great interest in this “Jesus Christ,” this “Jesus from Nazareth?”

Well, unlike the common situation of man, where we have many voices inside — and we all battle our demons internally. It was said of Jesus, that Satan, and his demons, had to approach him…from the outside, and wait… even for opportune times. For, the only voice that he heard was his Father’s — only those words which poured forth from the mouth of God gave him life. His was the only voice inside. The Greeks had heard that when he left the wilderness, full of power in the Holy Spirit, he went out and he destroyed the work of the devil, the demons, the evil spirits. They had heard that Satan had nothing in him, because he himself was Eden; the place where all of God meets Man; the place in which all of God fully dwells, in bodily form. They heard his followers call him, “the anointed One,” “the eternally begotten self-same son; our ever-lasting Lord.”

When we read the scriptures we find that Jesus, knowing that man cannot live on bread alone, but relies on every word which comes from the mouth of God for their very life, made the decision to climb the mount and then opened his own mouth and began to teach them, saying, “blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.”

You have to know that, in this setting, Heaven spoke of Heaven. This was not a philosophic dialogue, a practice of introspection, or an investigation of reality. But, the heart of reality himself is telling you how he made the world, and how he will save the world. And this good news draws the fundamental distinction between the Gospels and the dialogues, Theology and philosophy, the wisdom of man, and the Revelation that all of God was active in Christ’s ministry; that all of God is in Christ subsisting, in his impenetrable mysteries.

Therefore, in this process of self-understanding, there is no competition between what we hear from, or about Socrates, and what we receive as a free gift from this King. Philosophy is a great gift, as well, and Socrates lived it. Yet, Theology takes us higher, and the Scriptures (which bear infallible witness to his deeds, to his miracles, to his teaching, and his great mercy), and the precepts found inside, surpass even fulfill the Highest philosophic dialogues. For, although Socrates indeed lived out philosophy, only the man who embodied the Scriptures, the very Voice and Word of God, saved the world. He who made the world saved the world; and, in our experience, this begins with each individual soul, to which he comes, that he might make for himself a home, and dwell with man.

This is why he said, “it is better that I go” and “Blessed are those who have not seen, and still believe,” due to the Holy Spirit’s ministry; His pervasive power to present Christ before and within the heart, and give the whole being, body and soul, “eyes to see.” For, those who believe without seeing have still indeed seen God, and met the Lord, but in the Heart, where as the scripture says, “their treasure is stored,” and there, thief cannot steal nor moth destroy. For, the King of the earth invincibly dwells with these through faith, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The state, of believing even though we do not yet see, is called “Blessed” because it is impervious to decay, be it because of physical distance, or even the destruction of the body. Nothing can separate us from Christ, and the love of God for us in Christ, which is poured out on the heart according to the measure of his faithfulness, and, lets not forget, according to the measure of his great joy; as Zephaniah says, the joy by which he rejoices over us with dancing and singing ~ until, indeed, His Kingdom comes, and God is all in all.