"We love God's picture, we love His image shining in the saints. 'He that loves Him that begat, loves him also that is begotten of him'. It is possible to love a saint, yet not to love him as a saint; we may love him for something else, for his ingenuity, or because he is affable and bountiful. A beast loves a man, not because he is a man, but because he feeds him, and gives him provender. But to love a saint as he is a saint, this is the sign of love to God.
We love a saint, thought he be poor. A man that loves gold, loves a piece of gold, though it be in a rag; so, though a saint be in rags, we love him, because there is something of Christ in him.
We love a saint, though he has many personal failings. There is no perfection here. In some, rash anger prevails; in some, inconstancy; in some, too much love of the world. A saint in this life is like gold in the ore, much dross of infirmity cleaves to him, yet we love him for the grace that is in him. A saint is like a fair face, with a scar: we love the beautiful face of holiness, though there be a scar in it. The best emerald has its blemishes, the brightest stars their twinklings, and the best saints have their failings. You that cannot love another because of his infirmities, how would you have God love you?"
Photo by Mitchell Kanashevic
2 comments:
Christ did not come to judge the world, but to save it. I try to remember that it is not my job to judge, but that my highest calling as a redeemed sinner is to love God and to love people. One of my favorite quotes is this: "We all need love, but we need it most when we deserve it least--when we have sinned against someone, when we have made poor choices, when we have failed. In these situations, ordinary love must become extraordinary love." -- Barbara Rosberg. (I think.)
Your blog is an encouragement, Fred, as always. :)
Hi Mel,
I like that quote, "ordinary love must become extraordinary love".
Good stuff.
Bless you Mel,
Fred
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