Andrew Louth - Syriac Christian Church

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DIFFICULTY 5 177
So also in the mystery of the divine Incarnation: 22 the
Godhead and the humanity are united hypostatically, but
neither of the natural energies is displaced by the union, nor
are they unrelated to each other after the union, but they are
distinguished in their conjuncture and embrace. For by the
active power of his own Godhead, the Word made flesh,
possessing the whole power of his humanity, with all its
openness to suffering, quite unimpaired by the union, being
humanly God, performs wonders, accomplished through the
flesh that is passible by nature, and being divinely man, he
undergoes the sufferings of nature, making them perfect by
divine authority. Or rather in both he acts theandrically, being
at the same time both God and man, sufferings showing that
he is what we have become, and by performing wonders
demonstrating to us what we are to become, and by both
confirming the truth of those things from which and in which
and which he is, as the only true and faithful One, who wishes
to be confessed as such by us. Having this One who has taken
form, O those made holy by word and life, let us imitate his
long-suffering.
Take this present writing, 23 and show me that you are kind
judges of what is contained in it, overcoming with sympathy
the slips of your child, who presents this to you only as a work
of obedience. Be mediators for me of the reconciliation with
Him, creating the peace that passes all understanding (Phil. 4:
7). Of this peace the prince 24 is the Saviour himself who frees
those who fear him from the trouble of the passions through
the endurance of ascetic struggle, and the Father of the age to
come, who begets in the Spirit through love and knowledge
those who will fill the upper world. To him be glory, majesty
and might, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, to the ages.
Amen.