The glory of Hesychast Ortho-doxology is ineffable glorification and the uncreated grace of purification, illumination and glorification that understands it or stands under it. Hesychast wisdom discerns love’s glory at the heart of the Eternal Gospel, a love that seeks not its own, a love that embraces all mankind, leaving none shut out, abandoned outside in outer darkness. The temporal gospels tell the story of Jesus, who came unto his own, but they received him not. His own crucified him for his Name’s sake having persecuted him with cruel thongs and a crown of thorns. The Fourth Gospel unveils these mysteries of glorification in seven signs, seven I AM sayings with predicates like ‘I AM the way, the truth and the life,’ and seven I AM sayings without predicates like ‘Before Abraham was, I AM.’
The temporal gospels see the crucified and his resurrection and pray to see him come again in glory. The Eternal Gospel sees love’s glory unveiled in the eternal glorification of Christ which Hesychast Ortho-doxology lives out as purification, illumination and glorification. Love’s doxological embrace descends under both persecutor and the persecuted, calling, ‘Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.’ Hesychast Ortho-doxology embraces its orthodox persecutors out of this unconditioned love, because ‘they know not what they do.’ It perceives that the Eternal Gospel stands under all temporal gospel dramas and their endless repetitions, eternally transmitting love’s glory at the heart of glorification. It bears witness to Christ’s holy at-onement that undoes all condemnation to outer darkness, his one doxological at-onement that saves both persecutor and persecuted from persecutory violence, undoing the scapegoat mechanism that subjects both to its irrational violation. Radical forgiveness forgives as a spontaneous expression of this uncreated cross of love. It is not self-interested and does not preen itself on its forgiving sentiments. It sees that doxological at-onement stands under all dramas of persecution, inspiring a glorious love that raises all into its hallowing Kingdom.
Hesychast Ortho-doxology is witness to the Eternal Gospel which embraces orthodox persecutors together with the persecuted, raising both into love’s glory, which is the experience of glorification. The Name of glory saves those who crucify together with the crucified. Love’s uncreated cross leaves no outer darkness unsaved. All are healed through the Name, in the grace of the Name, giving all glory to God in his Name. Triune glory purifies, illumines and glorifies, leaving no one outside in the dark. Holy Orthodoxy is love of enemies extinguishing enmity over and over again. It gives thanks in the midst of persecution knowing that love’s doxological at-onement raises the drama of persecution out of itself into glorification, leaving no enemies. There will always be orthodox persecutors of Orthodox Hesychasts, as Saint Silouan the Athonite knew, but Hesycahsm bears witness that this endless drama is eternally overcome in love’s glory, which is experienced in Orthodox right-glorification.