St Symeon the New Theologian | The Church - the bride-to-be composed of all thee faithful...

Before the marriage, the bride-to-be receives nothing but the pledge given by her future husband; she waits until after the marriage to receive the dowry that has been agreed upon and the gifts promised with it.

So the Church - the bride-to-be composed of all thee faithful - and the soul of each of us first receive from Christ, the bridegroom-to-be, only the pledge of the Spirit.

The eternal blessings and the kingdom of heaven are given subsequent to this earthly life, though both the Church and the individual soul have the assurance of them through the pledge they have received, in which, as in a mirror, what has been agreed is disclosed and confirmed by their Lord and God.

St Symeon the New Theologian