Into God's hands let us now -- for the coming year, and for all the years of time, and for read more

Into God's hands let us now -- for the coming year, and for all the years of time, and for Eternity -- commend our spirits. Whether for the Church or for ourselves, let us not take ourselves into our own hands, or choose our own lot. "My times are in Thy hand." He loveth the Church, which He died to purchase, His own Body, and all the members of the Body, better than we can; He loveth us better and more wisely than we ourselves He who made us loveth us better than we who unmade ourselves; He who died for us, better than we who destroy ourselves: He who would sanctify us for a Holy Temple unto Himself, better than we who have defiled what He has hallowed. Fear we not, therefore, anything which threateneth, shrink we not back from anything which falleth on us. Rather let us, though with trembling, hold up our hearts to Him, to make them His Own, in what way He willeth.

Feast of Barnabas the Apostle Lord, when we are wrong, make us willing to change; and when we read more

Feast of Barnabas the Apostle Lord, when we are wrong, make us willing to change; and when we are right, make us easy to live with.

Commemoration of Peter Chanel, Religious, Missionary in the South Pacific, Martyr, 1841 The [Roman] imperial coinage (which was read more

Commemoration of Peter Chanel, Religious, Missionary in the South Pacific, Martyr, 1841 The [Roman] imperial coinage (which was regularly used as a propaganda medium... is full of the characteristic motifs of Advent and Epiphany, celebrating the blessings which the manifestation of each successive divine emperor was to bring to a waiting world. Among the adulatory formulas with which the emperor was acclaimed, Prof. Ethelbert Stauffer mentions, as going back to the first century, "Hail, Victory, Lord of the earth, Invincible, Power, Glory, Honour, Peace, Security, Holy, Blessed, Unequalled, Great, Thou alone worthy art, Worthy is he to inherit the Kingdom, Come, come, do not delay, Come again" (p. 155) [in Christ and the Caesars]. Indeed, one has only to read Psalm lxxii, in Latin, in the official language of the empire, to see that it is largely the same formal language which is used alike in the Forum for the advent of the emperor, and in the catacombs for the celebration of the "Epiphany of Christ" (p. 251). Who was worthy to ascend the throne of the universe and direct the course of history? Caesar, or Jesus?

Commemoration of Crispin & Crispinian, Martyrs at Rome, c.285 The word "sinner" often proves a great obstacle to read more

Commemoration of Crispin & Crispinian, Martyrs at Rome, c.285 The word "sinner" often proves a great obstacle to understanding, but let us use other words. Let us say that man is the kind of creature who naturally sees the world from a very limited perspective, that he tends to be self-centered and to prefer the interests that are closest to himself and to his own social group. Let us say that man is naturally unwilling to accept his limited or finite status, that he is always seeking to extend his control over others, that he seeks to maintain his own security by means of power over all who may threaten it, that he likes to be in a position to compare himself with others to their disadvantage, that he seeks to be self-sufficient and to deny in effect his dependence upon God and to set up his own group or system or ideal in the place of God.

Persons of mean understandings, not so inquisitive, nor so well
instructed, are made good Christians, and by reverence and read more

Persons of mean understandings, not so inquisitive, nor so well
instructed, are made good Christians, and by reverence and
obedience, implicity believe, and abide by their belief.

Receive every day as a resurrection from death, as a new enjoyment of life; meet every rising sun with such read more

Receive every day as a resurrection from death, as a new enjoyment of life; meet every rising sun with such sentiments of God's goodness, as if you had seen it, and all things, new-created upon your account: and under the sense of so great a blessing, let your joyful heart praise and magnify so good and glorious a Creator.

Any single verse of the Bible, taken in isolation, may actually be dangerous to your spiritual health. Every part of read more

Any single verse of the Bible, taken in isolation, may actually be dangerous to your spiritual health. Every part of it must be read in relation to the whole message.

Lord, come away; Why dost thou stay? Thy road is ready and thy paths made straight With longing expectations wait read more

Lord, come away; Why dost thou stay? Thy road is ready and thy paths made straight With longing expectations wait The consecration of thy beautious feet. Ride on triumphantly; behold! we lay Our lusts and proud wills in thy way. Hosannah! welcome to our hearts: Lord, here Thou hast a temple too, and full as dear As that of Sion; and as full of sin -- Nothing but thieves and robbers dwell therein; Enter and chase them forth, and cleanse the floor, Crucify them, that they may never more Profane that holy place Where thou hast chose to set thy face. And then if our still tongues shall be Mute in the praises of thy deity, The stones out of the temple wall Shall cry aloud and call Hosannah! and thy glorious footsteps greet.

If we see a speck in a brother's eye, we must first see if there is a log in our read more

If we see a speck in a brother's eye, we must first see if there is a log in our own eye; perhaps that speck in our brother's eye is only a reflection of the beam in our own.