The Words Require Faith

What is that you say? Taking dust from the earth he shaped the human being? Yes, it says; it did not simply say ‘earth’ but ‘dust,’ something more lowly and substantial even than earth, so to say.

You think the saying amazing and incredible; but if you recall who is the creator in this case, you will no longer withhold faith in the event but marvel at the Creator’s power and bow your knee to it.  If, on the other hand, you chanced to put your mind to these matters in light of the limitations of your powers of reason, you would likely get this strange idea into your head, namely, that a body could never be made from earth a brick or a pot, yes, but never could such a body be made. Do you see that unless we take into account the Creator’s power and suppress our own reasoning which betrays such limitations, we will be unable to accept the sublimity of the message? After all, the words require the eyes of faith, spoken as they are with such great considerateness and with our limitations in mind…

“God shaped the human being, and breathed,”

Saint John Chrysostom

+ + +

 Great is this Mystery

Man was formed of the dust of the ground – what good thing can there be in him?

Behold, God in His goodness adorned man with the grace of the Holy Spirit,

and he became after the likeness of Jesus Christ, Son of God.

+

Great is this mystery, and great is the mercy of God towards man.

Saint Siouan the Athonite