St. Isaac the Syrian on Love That Seeks God
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The post shares a saying attributed to St. Isaac the Syrian that contrasts two kinds of love. The first kind seeks something in return; St. Isaac compares it to a small lantern that shines only while it is fed oil, or to a winter stream that flows only when rain falls. The second kind has God as its end, and he calls God "the only Fountain of love."
This love is likened to a river whose current never ceases and whose waters never run dry. The text presents the analogy without additional commentary or explanation.
Main points
- St. Isaac distinguishes love that seeks a return from love whose end is God.
- Conditional love is compared to a lantern needing oil and a winter stream needing rain.
- Love directed to God is compared to a perpetual river.
- God is identified as "the only Fountain of love."
- The quote comes from St. Isaac the Syrian, a recognized Church Father.
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