In the same way, then, the soul that is eaten away and devoured by sadness is certainly useless for that priestly garment which, according to the prophecy of holy David, is said habitually to receive the anointing of the Holy Spirit, coming down from heaven first to Aaron's beard and then to the edge of his garment.
As it says:
"Like oil on the head, which ran down to Aaron's beard, which ran down to the edge of his garment;" [Psalm 133:2]
Neither can it be part of the structure or furnishing of that spiritual temple whose foundations the wise architect Paul laid when he said: "You are the temple of God" [II Corinthians 6:16] and "the Spirit of God dwells in you." [I Corinthians 3:16] What its woodwork is like the bride describes in the Song of Songs when she says: "Our rafters are of cypress, the beams of our houses are of cedar." [Song of Solomon 1:16]
Hence wood of this sort, which is fragrant and incorruptible and cannot succumb to the decay of age or to being eaten by worms, is selected for the temple of God.'
St. John Cassian
