"There is so much bad in the best of us,
There is so much good in the worst of us,
That it ill behooves any of us
To rail at the faults of the rest of us."
Source: "My Prayer Book," Father Lasance, Imprimatur 1908
St. Paul, writing to the Corinthians, ascribes to charity all the virtues that make a perfect man: "Charity is patient, is kind; charity envieth not, dealeth not perversely; is not puffed up, is not ambitious; seeketh not her own; is not provoked to anger; thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth with the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, endureth all things" (i Cor. xiii. 4-7). And writing to the Colossians he says: "Above all things have charity, which is the bond of perfection" (Col. iii. 14). "Let each one love his brother"; says St. Alphonsus Liguori. "We have each our faults. He, who has to put up with his brother's fault today, will have to be borne with himself tomorrow." "Bear ye one another's burdens," writes the Apostle to the Galatians, "and so you shall fulfill the law of Christ; for if any man think himself to be something, whereas he is nothing, he deceiveth himself" (Gal. vi. 2, 3). The following homely lines contain a beautiful truth: --
"There is so much bad in the best of us, There is so much good in the worst of us, That it ill behooves any of us To rail at the faults of the rest of us." Source: "My Prayer Book," Father Lasance, Imprimatur 1908
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Our happiness depends to a great extent on our observance of the law of fraternal charity: "Thou Shalt love thy neighbor as thyself," and of the golden rule announced by our blessed Saviour: "As you would that men should do to you, do you also to them in like manner" (Luke vi. 31). In doing good to others we become like to Christ, of whom we read in the Gospel that "He went about doing good to all." "This commandment we have from God," says the disciple, whom Jesus loved, "that he, who loveth God, love also his brother" (I John iv. 21). And St. Paul observes. "He, who loveth his neighbor, hath fulfilled the law" (Rem. xiii. 8).
What Shakespeare says of mercy, pertains also to charity and kindness: "It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven; it is twice blessed; it blesseth him that gives and him that takes." We reap what we sow. Kindness begets kindness. Man can scarcely enjoy sweeter satisfaction than that which results from good deed generously performed or a kind word unselfishly spoken. "Happy is he, who has charity for every one," says the Blessed Egidius of Assisi; "happy is he, who performs great services for his neighbor, yet does not trouble about receiving anything in return." Our deeds of disinterested charity are recorded in the Book of Life. On the great day of recompense, our blessed Saviour will say: "Come, ye blessed of My Father, possess the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave Me to eat ; I was thirsty and you gave Me to drink; was a stranger and you took Me in; naked, and you covered Me ; sick, and you visited Me ; I was in prison, and you came to Me; . . . As long as you did it to one of these little children you did it to Me" (Matt. xxv. 34-36). "In charity," says St. Mary Magdalen of Pazzi, "we must be cheerful and prompt, knowing that by serving our fellow-creatures, we serve God in His members, and that He regards a service done to our neighbor as done to Himself." Source: "My Prayer Book," Father Lasance, Imprimatur 1908 "If I should have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing." (I Cor. xiii. 2).
"Now there remain faith, hope, and charity - these three: but the greatest of these is charity" (I Cor. xiii. 3) "God is charity. By this hath the charity of God appeared toward us, because God hath sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we may live by Him.... "My dearest, if God hath so loved us, we also ought to love one another. . . . Let us love God because God first hath loved us. And this commandment we have from God, that he, who loveth God, love also his brother " (i John iv). "And this is charity, that we walk according to His commandments" (2 John vi). "Before all things have a constant mutual charity among yourselves: for charity covereth a multitude of sins" (I Peter iv. 8). "Love is the fulfilling of the law" (Rom. xiii. 10). "All the law and the prophets depend upon the law of love" (Matt. xxii. 40). A rightly ordered love moves us to the observance of every law. A loving soul is most obedient to the law. Love is the spring of its actions. Its love impels it to obey. St. Augustine understood this so well, that he hesitated not to say: "Dilige et fac quod vis": "Love, and do what you will" —St. Augustine, Tract. vii, in Epis. "The end of the commandment is charity from a pure heart, and a good conscience, and an unfeigned faith" (1 Tim. i. 5). And this is the "game of love". "By how much the more a man dies to himself, by so much more he lives to God." — St. Catherine Siena, Dialogue on Perfection. All good things, all great things, in the world, have been accomplished through self-denial and self-control. St. Teresa says: "Love spurs us on to do great things, and makes all that is bitter sweet and savory." — St. Teresa, Foundat. c. v. The perfection of charity is attained by self-renunciation, by entire mortification, by purity of heart, and total abandonment to God. Our Lord says : " Learn of Me;" "He that followeth Me walketh not in darkness" ; "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me" (Matt. viii. 34). Father Buckler, speaking of charity, the essence of perfection, asks: "How are we to follow Christ?" And he replies: "The answer is, that Our Lord's way is the way of perfect love. He is the divine Lover of God and of men. For the love of God and of men He became incarnate, lived on earth, taught the law of love and the life of love, suffered for love and died for love sent down the Spirit of His love upon the Church, to be the ruling power of our lives and actions, by the charity of God poured forth into our hearts (Rom. v. 5), and left us the marvelous gift of Himself, to the end of the world, in the mystery of love on the altar, wherein He dwells as the divine Lover in the midst of those He loves — working with us, nourishing and perfecting His life of love in the souls of men. 'Be ye followers of God,' says St. Paul, 'and walk in love, as most dear children ' (Eph. v. 2)." It is by charity that we follow Our Lord in the way of perfection. Source: "My Prayer Book," Father Lasance, Imprimatur 1908 "Thou Shalt Love the Lord Thy God with Thy Whole Heart"
The human heart craves and seeks unceasingly for happiness in this life because they lose sight of their eternal destiny — the object of their creation — which is to know God, to love Him, to serve Him, and to be happy with Him. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart and thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself " (Matt. xxii. 37, 39). The whole law depends on these two commandments; so Our Lord Himself assures us. The fullest measure of happiness even here on earth is attained by harmonizing one's conduct with the commandments of God, by doing well one's duties to God and man; for this means the possession of a peaceful conscience, a clean heart, a sinless soul; and this is essential to happiness; hence, St. Ignatius prays: "Give me, Lord, only Thy love and Thy grace; with these I shall be rich enough; there is nothing more that I desire." To be in the state of grace — to have God's love —that is essentially necessary to true happiness. "Si Deus pro nobis, quis contra nos?" "If God be for us, who is against us?" (Rom. viii. 31.) The end of man's creation is to glorify God. But in promoting God's glory we are at the same time promoting our own. Many find but a small measure of happiness. Ergo, let our watchword be: "Omnia ad majorem Dei gloriam!" "All for the greater glory of God!" "Know then this truth —enough for man to know: Virtue alone is happiness below." -- Pope. "Happiness and virtue are the same." — Francis. "There can be no harmony in our being except our happiness coincides with our duty." -- Whewell. "Chain down some passion; do some generous deed; Teach ignorance to see; or grief to smile; Correct thy friend; befriend thy greatest foe; With warm heart and confidence divine, Spring up and lay strong hold on Him who made thee." — Young. "All who joy would win Must share it —happiness was born a twin." — Byron.Source Source: "My Prayer Book," Father Lasance, Imprimatur 1908 |
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