The first “memorial stone” which the soul picks out of the river of death (Js 4. 8) here in the entrance to the courtyard in order to make a garland or a Gilgal (circle) around the Tabernacle of her heart is the emerald. It is the first radiant light beam which the Holy spirit reveals by this jewel which shall be the first rung or step in the Ladder of Love which as John of the Cross said rightly is “living faith.” [2]  First of all the soul must realize what living faith actually means – this second stage of faith – as the holy fathers said.
   The Greek word pistis in the New Testament does not simply mean “theoretical belief in the dogmatic truths of Christianity, but an all embracing relationship, an attitude of love and total trust in God.” [3] This faith is a gracious favor which God gives the soul by the renewal of her baptismal wove when He touches her heart in the gracious effects of the Holy Spirit. The prayer is an authentic token of the presence of sanctifying grace in the soul appearing as efficacious grace and cooperating grace as the soul desires to walk the Sacred Way of the Tabernacle in her heart.

When these effects of the prayer begin to work in the soul God “rescues her from the snare of the fowler's set on destruction” (Ps 91. 3). Now the soul can recite with David, “Blessed be Yahweh for not letting us fall a pray to their teeth! We escaped like a bird from the fowler's net. The net was broken and we escaped; our help is in the name of Yahweh” (Ps 124 7, 8). Of course this is a reference to the enemy of our salvation and his demonic powers in the air. Thus the first step of catechism in the ancient Church consisted in a rite of exorcism. [4] And still today in the mass on Good Friday the believers renounce thrice  Satan's power in the renewal of the baptismal wove. Recently I read an account by a priest where he told of his experience in the charismatic movement. He said that he and other leaders had wondered why people were not freed by their baptism in the spirit from their impediments and vices. They new that the Spirit was present in these people – deep within in their spirit – but it seemed as it reached not out to their bodies and souls. This is what we will experience in an authentic way in this Sanctuary of our Living God as a Recycling Plant of the Holy Spirit when our Lord begins to clean His temple as it shall be a house of prayer and praise to the glory of His father (Jn 2. 15).

The first effects of this purification appears in the illumination of the emerald when the soul gazes to the entrance into the courtyard. Gregory of Nyssa had a keen understanding into the meaning of this mystery. He emphasized that although the entrance of the soul into the Sanctuary demanded decision on behalf of a free will, he gave God´s grace preference as the dynamic force of all sanctification leading the soul through the gate.

The soul can thus certainly carry forth her first offer of praise to her heavenly Father of mercy. As it is the choir of the guardian angels who enkindles her love here in the entrance to the courtyard the praise will involuntarily stream forth when the soul discerns the sublime message of the emerald. Thus her first offering of praise is a resonance of the angelic praise at the birth of our Lord and Redeemer, “And all at once with the angel there was a great throng of the hosts of heaven, praising God,”

It is the purity and innocence of the sibling in the cradle which God emphasizes by the shining wide screen of pure linen which was 20 cubits in breath and separated the Sanctuary from the world of the desert outside – a token of the world under the oak of the spirits in the air (Ep 6. 12). It is this purity which must so to say be the background of our Royal Image in the live of grace, and the breath of the screen is an admonition of the fact, that even a “fool” (Is 35. 8) will not miss mark if he follows this truth as an instrumental sign in the live of grace. It are only souls who are fettered by the vices of three giants of the heart who are unable to follow this light house in the live of grace in obedience, poverty of heart and purity.
In spite of the fact that the prayer at this stage is only vocal all depends on cultivating the prayer and as Teresa of Avila said souls who don't pray are crippled in the live of grace,


This is in full conformity to what Gregory of Nyssa said formerly, that the prayer were the “leader of the choir of the virtues.” [6] It is thus most important to ask the Holy Spirit to enkindle still further the virtues of obedience, poverty of spirit and purity in order to be able to see our Royal Image of Glory as He reveals Himself in the tools and other items of the Sanctuary. Thus we can look to Him in faith and speak to Him as King of Life in an worthy manner: with humbleness.