Mirrors
“…we cannot see ourselves accurately simply by looking at ourselves. The soul does not serve as a private mirror. Who and what we are is the product of those who have gone before us as well as those who are all around us, including God. We do not exist as a self-generated identity. The love of self that we designate as pride is a distorted self-above-all. Shame plays the major role in its creation.” (Father Stephen Freeman)
“How often do we do something considered spiritual- prayer, church attendance, fasting, some alms-giving- and think we’ve become ‘Saint Anthony’. Because we compare ourselves… to ourselves. We ourselves are the criterion. It’s like somebody going on a run and thinking they’re running quickly. Then a proper athlete turns up alongside them and they realize that they might as well be running on the spot. Scripture points this out directly: ‘Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight’ (Isaiah 5:21). So our delusion is obvious: we’re living in a dream-world, under the false impression that we’re ‘magnificent’ and ‘saintly’. Because naturally, we could, in fact, compare ourselves to other people and become aware of our real stature- other people are our mirror.” (Protopresbyter Georgios Dorbarakis)
“A priest close to our hearts once talked about how my husband and I are mirrors for each other, which was a very eye-opening statement. I look in a mirror multiple times a day to make sure that my lipstick isn’t smudged, that I do not have food stuck in my teeth, etc. Even though mirrors show my flaws and imperfections, I am thankful, for without them I would never see the things I need to fix about my physical appearance. In the same way, our true inner selves are reflected in the “mirror” of our spouse. When you live so closely with another human being, you get a much fuller picture of what you truly look like, not physically but in your heart and soul. When my husband and I point out to each other something that was said or done that was hurtful or selfish, it can be painful to hear and hard to admit, but seeing our flaws reflected in each other is the best way for us to better ourselves. As uncomfortable as this process can be at times, I am realizing the value of this necessary step toward transformation and repentance.” (Maria Diveris McMullen)
“The holy Fathers offer us a mirror in which to look at ourselves and see whether we love truly, if we think we love and if we want to know perfect love. Saint Maximos the Confessor says: ‘People who change their attitude towards others in accordance with their characters have not yet acquired perfect love. They may love one person and hate another, or even sometimes love and sometimes hate the same person, for the same reasons.’ He goes on to explain ‘perfect love’, saying that we’re all people, with the same nature. All of us are good and bad. And God loves all of us with the same intensity, even if we ourselves don’t understand this.” (Fr. Andreas Agathokleous)
“If by nature God is love, someone who has acquired perfect love and mercy towards all creation becomes godlike: his perfect state of love towards creation is a mirror wherein he can see a true image and likeness of the Divine Essence. All the saints ‘for themselves the sign of complete likeness to God: to be perfect in the love of the neighbor.’” (Hilarion Alfeyev, St. Isaac the Syrian)
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