The water of baptism unites with the fire of the Spirit when Chrismation anoints baptised Christians, water purifying the heart, fire consuming whatever separates the heart from God. Water and fire are mystical symbols of the uncreated energies of wisdom and glory, communicating dynamic co-glorification, without which neither glorification of God nor glorification by God can flourish. The vitality of water conjoins with the energy of fire in deifying theosis, because both the water of metanoia and fire of theoria are indispensable for theosis. Wisdom unveils Christ’s hidden face of glory, turning awareness round to behold the uncreated energy of glory, enabling the waters of vitality to purify the heart and the fires of the Spirit to illumine the heart.
Water generates the etherial body of pure awareness whereas fire regenerates the spiritual body with uncreated light. The practice of turning generates the mystery of the pearl in baptismal waters, whereas the practice of seeing nurtures the pearl in the fires of Chrismation. The light of heaven descends to transfigure the pearl in the earthly waters of baptism when wisdom discerns the ineffable glory of the pearl in the sacramental mysteries. Wisdom stills distraction by turning, whilst glory heals dissipation by seeing, uniting waters of wisdom with fires of glory in mysteries of Holy Trinity. Wisdom centres where glory dwells, but the mind cannot grasp wisdom or subject glory to its control, whereas waters cleanse the mind with the fires of the Spirit, consuming infernal obstructions as deifying grace communicates communion.
Water and fire congeal as wisdom conjoins the body of light with the body of glory, stabilising water with fire and fire with uncreated light of glory. The ascetical alchemy of water and fire gives energetic depth to the wisdom of stillness, uncovering Mother Wisdom’s life-giving energy. Oblivious distraction dissolves as glorification deepens, whilst the inspiration of the Spirit reveals what respiration becomes when the body of gross matter transfigures into the body of etherial light. The power of glory has great potential, giving grace capacity to cure vainglory and pride. Wisdom washes hearts in purifying waters of baptismal light, empowering glory with chrismating fire, cleansing intention from self-interest as waters of wisdom join with fires of refining glory in reciprocal glorification.
Sunday of the Canaanite woman at Jacob’s Well at Shechem in Samaria