Exegesis on the Soul 5

1And so it is right to pray to the Father and call on him with our whole soul, sighing not outwardly with our lips, but with the inward spirit that comes from the depths. We must repent of the former life we lived, confess our sins, recognize the empty lie in which we lived and our hollow zealotry, wail because of the darkness and the wave that engulfed us, and weep for ourselves so that he may have compassion on us, hating ourselves because of what we are now.

2The Savior said again:

3“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be shown pity.

4Blessed are those who are hungry, for they will be filled.” (Matthew 5:4,6; Luke 6:21)

5He also said, “If someone does not hate his soul, he cannot follow me.” (Luke 14:26)

6This is because repentance is the beginning of salvation. And so, “Before Christ appeared, John came, preaching the baptism of repentance.” (Acts 13:24)

7Repentance takes place in pain and sorrow. The Father, however, is good and loves humanity. He listens to the soul that calls on him and sends it the light of salvation. Therefore, through the Spirit he said to the prophet:

8Say to the children of my people:

9“[If] your sins reach [from earth to] heaven,

10and if they are [red] as scarlet,

11and blacker than sackcloth,

12[and if] [] you return to me with your whole soul,

13and say to me, ‘My Father!’

14I will listen to you as a holy people.” (1 Clement 8:3)

15Yet another passage says, “Thus says the Lord, the Holy One of Israel: ‘If you return and weep, then you will be saved, and you will know where you were when you put your hope in what is empty.’” (Isaiah 30:15)

16And in another passage he said:

17Jerusalem wept greatly, saying, “Have pity on me.” He will be gracious to you at the sound of your weeping. When he saw, he answered you. The Lord will give you bread of adversity and water of affliction. From now on, those who lie to you will no longer approach you. Your eyes will see those who lie to you. (Isaiah 30:19-20)

18And so it is right to pray to God both night and day, stretching out our hands to him like those sailing in the middle of the sea. They pray to God with their whole heart and without duplicity, because those who pray with duplicity only lie to themselves. Indeed, so that he may know who deserves salvation, God examines the inward parts and searches the depths of the heart. For no one who is still in love with the place of lies deserves salvation.