A Mirror to the Soul

57. If ‘he who speaks evil of his brother, and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law, and judges the law’ (Jas.4:11), and the law of Christ is love, surely he who speaks evil of Christ’s love falls away from it and is the cause of his own perdition.

St. Maximus the Confessor Four Hundred Centuries on Love: #57

The law of Christ shines resplendent in the tapestry of divine wisdom, a radiant beacon pointing the way to righteousness, guiding the soul to the celestial realms of eternal grace. It is not a written law but a law written on the heart—above time and space, uniting soul with the very essence of divine love.

Reflect an image of the soul, polished to crystal precision, in a mirror. In that mirror of divine truth, every thought, every word, every deed is laid bare, casting light upon the hidden recesses of the heart. This is where the soul looks upon itself in its very nudity, facing back at the grim reality of all its imperfections.

Yet in the midst of human judgment and condemnation, the law of Christ rears up in defiance of the shadows. For one doing evil to his brother or sister, or despising and judging with contempt or condemnation, is violating the sanctity of human dignity, and is even blaspheming the substance of divine love itself.

Just think of a courtroom, where the accused man stands before the judge to hear judgment declared against him. And so in this august hall of justice, it is the law of Christ that stands as the supreme court of law weighing with unerring exactitude the deeds of the heart and giving judgment with perfect equity.

Therefore, let us heed the words of James and guard our tongues against the poison of slander and malice. Let us be aware that in speaking evil of Christ's love, we really speak evil of the law itself, and in such condemnation direct ourselves to the darkness of our own perdition.

But, let us remember also: the law of Christ is not a stern taskmaster—it is a merciful guide, showing the direction, beckoning to the soul, calling to accept the way of repentance and forgiveness. For in the limitless space of divine love, there is room for everyone who aspires to be saved, and no sin is so powerful that the tears of contrition cannot cleanse it.

May we, therefore, try to live the spirit of Christ's love in our hearts, and that we may be counted among the blessed, to inherit eternal life.