Classical Christianity is Searching for Gold

Just as there are hidden deposits of gold in the depths of the earth, so in spiritual literature one can find many golden words awaiting their gold-diggers. To pan for gold is no easy chore: one has to dig, wash, sift and so on. Yet this uneasy task has always had and still has those who are willing to do it. Similarly, a soul seeking truth is drawn to appreciate and distinguish genuine gold from extraneous, at times meaningless, contaminants. In some long forgotten, rare book, a golden thought will suddenly flash forth as a ray of sunshine, bringing joy, comfort, and consolation to the seeker. This ray will not return to obscurity, but will travel the world, carrying within itself unseen beauty and a quiet joy for others, who were otherwise ready to fall into gloom and even despondency. (“Gold” by Fr. Nicholas Deputatov, Orthodox Life Vol. 63 No. 1: January-February 2012)