“… but rather one whose work could change me …”
I do not want in any way the sort of God whom my desire could change from the truth of his Word to me, but rather one whose work could change me from the vanity of my word. I do not want a God who would begin to want something that he previously did not want for my sake, but rather one who would make me want what he always wanted for his sake.
My teacher and Lord Jesus Christ, true God, true priest, and true sacrifice, who made himself a victim and sacrifice for us to himself, the Father, and the Holy Spirit, prayed to the Father for nothing except what the Father wanted, and for those people whom the Father wanted, saying, Holy Father, keep those whom you gave me. I do not ask on behalf of the world, which you have not given me, but on behalf of these whom you have given me from the world.
These are the people, beloved, for whom he still stands and intercedes in the Father’s presence, having an eternal priesthood. Death does not deter him from continuing to offer an eternal sacrifice. For he has changed neither his speech nor his will in such a way that he could have prayed for some people here and interceded for others there.
There the crowd of the saints, as though standing in for the unlearned, constantly answers this High Priest, saying in response to this prayer, Amen. They perceived and will nothing contrary to him or opposed to him; ignorance does not darken them there, and no attachment disturbs them. And this is the prayer of the saints for us. For in his holy light the saints see what they should truly want, and in his power they can successfully carry out what they see they should do.
In union with these saints, beloved, let us love everything that God does as best as our smallness allows. Let us want what he wants because he wants it, not holding back anything in our hearts for ourselves. Let us say Amen and Thanks be to God in every circumstance in response to God, the agent and director of all, to whom be honor and power in all things and above all things, forever and beyond. Amen.
— Isaac of Stell, Sermon 36 —
