Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Worthy to keep before your Eyes

The Second Reading from today’s Office of Readings, taken from St Cyprian's treatise on the Lord's Prayer, concludes with this paragraph:


“But it is the will of God that Christ both did and taught. Humility in dealings with others; steadfastness in faith; modesty in words; justice in deeds; mercifulness in works; discipline in morals. To be unable to do a wrong, and to be able to bear a wrong when it is done; to keep peace with the brethren; to love God with all one’s heart; to love God because he is a Father but fear him because he is God; to prefer nothing whatever to Christ because he preferred nothing to us; to adhere inseparably to his love; to stand faithfully and bravely by his cross; when there is any conflict over his name and honour, to exhibit in discourse that steadfastness in which we proclaim him; in torture, to show that confidence in which we unite; in death, that patience in which we are crowned – this is what it means to want to be co-heirs with Christ, this is what it means to do what God commands, this is what it is to fulfil the will of the Father.”

If I had a refrigerator of my own, I would print this one out big on some sort of bright colored paper and in bold. I'd magnet it on at eye level and resolve not to open the door without a quick read-through and a brief pause for recognition.

Yes, that is what I would do!


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