The senseless world

… you are at a standstill because you have approached the mystery of existence with the mind, with questions and demands for explanations; whereas it can only be approached through prostration, humility, prayer—and acceptance. Accept all, take all into yourself—all that is given you. If you do not do this, if you shield yourself from one smallest bit of suffering so as to take refuge in the rational attitude of doubt, then the fault lies in yourself, and the world fails to make sense precisely because you, who look at it, make no sense. You are foul, and constantly contradict yourself, yet you expect to see the world pure, and making sense! … The saint, perhaps, who has gone through doubt and yet asked for more, and accepted it – he might be able to make “sense” of the world. But the saint is never a philosopher; he has given up merely trying to understand, and asks only to be given what is given him; he has accepted the world, and there is no longer any question of its making “sense” or not. It makes “sense,” but in no way that can be experienced in words; its “sense” must be lived, not spoken about. … We know existence is suffering, and we know that our God loves us and for this love suffered even more intensely than the greatest saint; we know this, and yet we presume to “doubt,” to offer our petty questioning of the “meaning” of it all. O vile man! Accept it and suffer more, and pray to God – pray for no object, for no cause, merely give your heartfelt prayers and tears to Him. He knows the “why” of it. He knows all.
Fr. Seraphim (Rose)