The Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas
St. Gregory of Palamas was a 14th-century monk and bishop of Thessaloniki.
He is most famous for defending the monks who practiced hesychasm (“silence” or “stillness”), which is the use of the Jesus Prayer.
The monks taught that the Jesus Prayer leads to real communion with God’s grace.
Other non-Orthodox theologians said that this was all too mystical and not in line with rational theology. They also taught that God’s grace is created and, thus, prayer was not real communion with God.
This all may seem abstract to us today, but it really boils down to this question: are we saved by being united to God (theosis, deification) or not?
Scripture: Hebrews 1:10-14; 2:1-3 (click here to read)
Bottom Line: God is truly and really present in creation, and that’s Good News!
Discussion Questions
- Name a time that God felt distant in your life. How did that feel? What made God feel so far away?
- Even if God felt distant, he’s always present in our lives. How did God transform the hardship you went through into a life-giving experience? Or, is God still at work transforming you and your experience? How so?
- Sometimes, to see God at work, we need to learn to see differently, find a new perspective. Talk about a time that you were able to change the way you viewed something. How did that help? What new perspective did you have?
Moving Forward
St. Gregory taught that God’s grace, which he called ‘energies,’ is uncreated and permeates all being.
Later, during his lifetime, a few local councils proclaimed St. Gregory’s theology to be Orthodox.
So, God is directly present in creation—including prayer.
Because grace is the very presence of God, and not just a created ‘thing,’ our salvation is based on a direct, personal relationship with God through the person of Jesus Christ.
Through Christ, our human nature is transfigured and we are united to God; we share in his life.
This isn’t an illusion, nor is it abstract theology.
St Gregory’s teaching is the basis for our belief that God is present in our lives, here and now.
It’s the basis of our theology which says that Christ is the ultimate physician who can heal all wounds and diseases, even after death.
We are simply called to respond and cooperate (synergia) with this grace that’s already healing us and giving us life.
Changing Your Mind
“ … all [things] will grow old like a garment; And you will furl them up like a mantle, and like a garment they will be changed; but you are the same and your years will not fail.” (Hebrews 1:11b-12)