In stillness and silence Moses, the Lord’s Prophet, seeks and searches for God in Himself. What or who he searches for is what is not anything that he has experienced or encountered in the universe around him. In the universe are changing, moving, growing, and becoming beings. In himself he finds a changing, moving, becoming, being. He knows himself to be never the same, always changing, always becoming something that he was not before. Not only can he not step in the same river twice but he is … [Read more...]
I AM
Lent II
He is no unkind physician who opens the swelling, who cuts, who cauterizes the corrupted part. He gives pain, it is true, but he only gives pain, that he might bring the patient on to health. He gives pain, but if he did not, he would do no good. (St. Augustine: Sermon xxvii) Last week we contemplated the temptations that Jesus withstood on our behalf in order to draw us deeper into His love for God our Heavenly Father. And I pray that we came away with a real sense of His desire … [Read more...]
Being Moved Back to God
Look at all Nature, through all its Height and Depth, in all its Variety of working Powers; it is what it is for this only End, that the hidden Riches, the invisible Powers, Blessings, Glory, and Love of the unsearchable God, may become visible, sensible, and manifest in and by it. (Spirit of Love: ii.1, William Law) When God the Holy Trinity makes, He makes as Being, Knowing, and Love. What we mean to say is that He who Is, Knows what He does, and Loves to do it. The three names of Being, … [Read more...]
The Society’s 2017 Conference (16-18 February)
The Prayer Book's 2017 conference was held on the theme: Anglicanism: Catholic and Reformed - Revisiting the Reformation Legacy 1517-2017. It took place at St John's Church, Savannah, Georgia, from midday on Thursday 16th to midday Saturday 18th, February 2017. In the anniversary year of Luther's ninety-five theses which started the Reformation, this conference explored how Anglicanism emerged with an identity that is both truly reformed and enduringly catholic. And we are pleased to … [Read more...]
Trinity XXII 2016
Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Rev. iii. 20) I think that it is probably the case that, more often than not, we do not think of God moving or coming towards us. Rather we think of our relationship with God as our moving or coming to Him. The most earnest of Christians come to the Lord with laundry lists of supplications and intercessions. Expecting to be heard and heeded, in … [Read more...]
Trinity I: Dives and Lazarus
Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. (St. Luke xvi. 25) Trinitytide is all about belief that grows into love. If Eastertide might be called the season of vision and knowledge, Trinitytide is about habituation to the good or the generation of love for God’s goodness. In Eastertide we were called to see and behold God the Father’s goodness in the historical life of … [Read more...]
Other Creatures and the Last End
Whether other creatures concur in that last end? Objection 1: It would seem that all other creatures concur in man's last end. For the end corresponds to the beginning. But man's beginning---i.e. God---is also the beginning of all else. Therefore all other things concur in man's last end. God is the beginning of all creation. By ‘beginning’ we mean the First Cause, Origin, Source, or Mover of all that is other than Himself. God makes time and space; He fills it with … [Read more...]
Infinite Goodness — Thomas Aquinas
Whether any created good constitutes man's happiness? Objection 1: It would seem that some created good constitutes man's happiness. For Dionysius says (Div. Nom. vii) that Divine wisdom "unites the ends of first things to the beginnings of second things," from which we may gather that the summit of a lower nature touches the base of the higher nature. But man's highest good is happiness. Since then the angel is above man in the order of nature, as stated in FP, … [Read more...]
Thomas Aquinas Virtue Operative Power
Article 2. Whether human virtue is an operative habit? Objection 1. It would seem that it is not essential to human virtue to be an operative habit or a principle of activity. For Tully says (Tuscul. iv) that as health and beauty belong to the body, so virtue belongs to the soul. But health and beauty are not operative habits. Therefore neither is virtue. An operative habit is a principle of activity. A principle of activity brings about an effect. But, as Cicero writes, as health … [Read more...]
Thomas Aquinas on Gluttony
Summa: II, ii, 148, 1. Article 1. Whether gluttony is a sin? Objection 1. It would seem that gluttony is not a sin. For our Lord said: Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man. (St. Matt. xv. 11) Now gluttony regards food which goes into a man. Therefore, since every sin defiles a man, it seems that gluttony is not a sin. Gluttony should not be considered as a sin since it relates to what goes into and does not come out of a man. Since no external and visible created thing is evil … [Read more...]
Thomas Aquinas On Covetousness
Summa: II, ii, 118, iv. Article 1. Whether covetousness is a sin? Objection 1. It seems that covetousness is not a sin. For covetousness [avaritia] denotes a certain greed for gold [aeris aviditas*], because, to wit, it consists in a desire for money, under which all external goods may be comprised. [The Latin for covetousness "avaritia" is derived from "aveo" to desire; but the Greek philargyria signifies literally “love of money": and it is to this that St. Thomas is alluding here]. … [Read more...]
Thomas Aquinas: Is Sloth a Mortal Sin?
1. It would seem that sloth is not a mortal sin. For every mortal sin is contrary to a precept of the Divine Law. But sloth seems contrary to no precept, as one may see by going through the precepts of the Decalogue. Therefore sloth is not a mortal sin. Sloth is not listed literally as what violates any of the Ten Commandments. The Commandments make no mention of sloth. So perhaps sloth is not a mortal sin. 2. Further, in the same genus, a sin of deed is no less grievous than a sin of … [Read more...]
Thomas Aquinas on Wrath or Anger
Thomas Aquinas Wrath or Anger St. Paul tells us, Be ye angry and sin not. Anger is a venial sin if it does not proceed to action. Certainly there is a place for righteous anger. Righteous anger hates the sin but not the sinner. Righteous anger is the justifiable detestation and opposition to sin that a man must have in his heart if he is to be saved. This kind of anger is best turned back upon the self. In that place, a man prays for the man whose sin has made him angry. … [Read more...]
Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas: Pride
Thomas Aquinas: Pride, Summa: II, ii. 162, 1. It would appear that Pride is not a sin. On the Contrary: Pride or superb is so called because a man thereby aims higher [supra] than he is; wherefore Isidore says (Etym. x): A man is said to be proud, because he wishes to appear above (super) what he really is; for he who wishes to overstep beyond what he is, is proud. Now right reason requires that every man's will should tend to that which is proportionate to him. Therefore it is evident that … [Read more...]
Septuagesima Sunday
So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen. St. Matthew xx. 16 The Church in her ancient wisdom is nothing if she is not keenly aware of the dangers that human nature poses for the process of redemption and salvation. Think about it. If the Church were not aware of human nature’s tendency to fall away from the vigilance that is required in the process of salvation, she would not provide seasonal themes in her lectionary that remind man of the … [Read more...]
1928 Ordo Calendars
St. Andrew's Academy: 1928 Ordo Calendars and more. http://whithornpress.standrewsalmanor.org … [Read more...]
Advent Sunday
Come, true light. Come, eternal life. Come, hidden mystery. Come, nameless treasure. Come, ineffable reality. Come, inconceivable person. Come, endless bliss. Come, non-setting sun. Come, infallible expectation of all those who must be saved. Come, awakening of those who are asleep. (Mystical Prayer of St. Simeon) It is hard to believe, but Advent has arrived once again. Advent means coming and for Christians it means … [Read more...]
Stir Up Sunday: The Sunday Next Before Advent
Whereby He shall be called, The Lord our Righteousness. (Jeremiah xxiii. 6) Last week you and I reflected upon a sick woman who pressed through the crowded, noisome business of this world, with persistent faith, to touch the hem of the garment (St. Matthew ix. 20) that Jesus wore, hoping that her effort would rid her of a persistent disease. That woman’s faith stirred her on to reach out to Jesus, the source of all transformation and betterment. That woman was stirred up. Her faith … [Read more...]
Pre-Advent: Thomas Aquinas with Commentary
The day is at hand. (Rom. xiii. 12) THIS word Day is to be taken in a four-fold sense. The Day is at hand. The day of mercy, the day of grace, the day of justice, and the day of glory. That Sun makes this a four-fold day, whose advent holy Church now celebrates. The day of mercy is the birth-day of the Lord, in which the Sun of Righteousness arises upon us ; or more truly, He Who made that day so glorious. The day of grace is the time of grace ; the day of justice is the day of … [Read more...]
Trinity XXII Epistle: Thomas Aquinas with Commentary
THE INNOCENT. That ye may be sincere and without offence, till the day of Christ. (Phil. i. 10) THE Apostle in this Epistle exhorts us to three things. Firstly, to the avoiding of sin. That ye may be sincere. Secondly, to all love: Filled with the fruits of righteousness. Thirdly, to the possession of a right intention: With the glory and praise of God. On the first head it is to be noted, that three commands are given. (1) That we should seek after purity of mind. That ye may be sincere. … [Read more...]
Trinity XXI
Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. (St. John iv. 48) It does seem that most men tend to call upon God when they are in trouble and to leave Him alone when things are going well. Francis Chan has said that The irony is that while God doesn’t need us but still wants us, we desperately need God but don’t really want Him most of the time. God doesn’t need us, since He is purely and perfectly Himself and in need of absolutely nothing, and yet desires … [Read more...]
William Law: Address to the Clergy xxix, xxx
[Addr-29] Now this middle Way has neither Scripture nor sense in it; for an occasional Influence or Concurrence is as absurd, as an occasional God, and necessarily Supposes such a God. For an occasional influence of the Spirit upon us supposes an occasional Absence of the Spirit from us. Christianity is not an occasional religion. It calls forth every fiber of human nature to fight the good fight of faith. ‘Occasional Christians’ are no Christians at all. It is tantamount to saying … [Read more...]
Trinity XIX
There is none to plead thy cause, that thou mayest be bound up: thou hast no healing medicines. All thy lovers have forgotten thee; they seek thee not; for I have wounded thee with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the multitude of thine iniquity; because thy sins were increased. (Jeremiah xxx. 13, 14) Our opening verses come to us from the 30th Chapter of the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah. What the prophet is describing is the sorry and desperate … [Read more...]
Trinity XIX Epistle: Thomas Aquinas with Commentary
Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: But rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. (Ephes. iv. 27, 28) THE Apostle lays down three propositions in this Epistle. Firstly, he exhorts the faithful lest they should give place to the devil in their heart. Neither give place to the devil. Secondly, he bids them avoid those things which prepare a place for him: Let him that stole steal … [Read more...]
Trinity XVIII
Lord we beseech thee, grant thy people grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh and the devil; and with pure Hearts and minds to follow thee. (Collect Trinity XVIII) In the Gospel for Trinity XVII you and I were advised by our Master to take the lowest seats in the community of men, spiritual spaces of little interest to people of the world, and a disposition or character of lowliness and humility in an effort to better situate ourselves in relation to God’s Grace. … [Read more...]
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