Sometimes…while prayer remains for its part, the intellect is taken away from it as if into heaven, and tears fall like fountains of waters, involuntarily soaking the whole face. All this time such a person is serene, still and filled with a wonder-filled vision. Very often he will not be allowed even to pray: this in truth is the state of cessation above prayer when he remains continually in amazement at God’s work of creation – like people who are crazed by wine, for this is ‘the wine which causes the person’s heart to rejoice’…. Blessed is the person who has entered this door in the experience of his own soul, for all the power of ink, letters and phrases is too feeble to indicate the delight of this mystery.
Quoted by Bp. Hilarion Alfeyev in The Spiritual World of Isaac the Syrian
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One of St. Isaac’s favorite phrases is “sober inebriation.” It is much like the common phrase “joyful sorrow.” Both bear the inner contradiction that shares something of the character of the God Who is Beyond Knowing actually making Himself known. We cannot have such knowledge and not somehow be raised to heights of sober inebriation and joyful sorrow.
Most Sweetest Jesus, have mercy!
Glory to God for All Things 
March 6, 2009 at 5:22 am
Father Bless,
“BEHOLD, He cometh leaping upon the mountains (Cant. 2:8). For in coming to the task of our redemption He [Christ] made, if I may so speak, certain leaps. Do you desire, dearest brethren, to learn what those leaps were? From Heaven He came down to a womb; from the womb to a crib; from the crib to a cross; from the cross to a tomb; from the tomb He returned to Heaven. Behold how the Truth, made known in the flesh that He might induce us to run after Him, made for us certain leaps: For He rejoiced like a giant to run His course (Ps. 18:6), that we from our hearts might cry out to Him: Draw us after Thee; we will run after Thee to the odour of Thy ointments” (Cant. 1:3).
Saint Gregory the Great, Pope of Rome, + 604 A.D.
We should know the Truth,with joyful sorrow.
March 6, 2009 at 6:58 am
Many years ago I went to the tomb of Jesus in the Holy Sepulcher during lent, before I was serious about being Orthodox. I distinctly remember being overwhelmed, and when I keeled in the small tomb to pray I was unable to find any words. What could I say? Instead I weeped, speechless and thoughtless.
March 6, 2009 at 7:45 am
I have experienced that involuntary shed of tears a few times and as I prayed or listened to scripture readings my soul was enveloped in this sentiment of embrace and consummation. It is true, words and thoughts are vanished momentarily and after a few seconds it all ceases leaving me peaceful.
March 6, 2009 at 9:30 am
Fr. Stephen,
What do you mean by the title “A now a word from”? Is this a typo or intentional for some reason? Maybe “And now a word”?
March 6, 2009 at 11:45 am
Expressing the inexpressable, it is what the Saint’s do so well!
March 7, 2009 at 9:54 am
[…] of established plants and new leaves. Often this is punctuated with great mystery, as noted by Saint Isaac the Syrian: Sometimes…while prayer remains for its part, the intellect is taken away from it as if into […]