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From the book of James:
"[FONT=arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif]But some man will say: Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without works; and I will shew thee, by works, my faith. Thou believest that there is one God. Thou dost well: the devils also believe and tremble."
Look at the peril of that statement. Devils are fully aware of God and are terribly afraid of Him. So what do we do? How do we differentiate ourselves from the devils and ensure our salvation? Look to the Gospels:
"[FONT=arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif]Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. And the second is like to this: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."
[FONT=arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif]"There is no other commandment greater than these"
So what does it mean? Look at what St. Paul says:
"[FONT=arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif]If I speak with the tongues of men, and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And if I should have prophecy and should know all mysteries, and all knowledge, and if I should have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And if I should distribute all my goods to feed the poor, and if I should deliver my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing."[/FONT][/FONT][/FONT]
[/FONT]
Without charity, it is all meaningless. Charity or love is the very essence of God. And what does this entail?
"[FONT=arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif]And to some who trusted in themselves as just, and despised others, He spoke also this parable: Two men went up into the temple to pray: the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
The Pharisee standing, prayed thus with himself: O God, I give thee thanks that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, as also is this publican. I fast twice in a week: I give tithes of all that I possess.
And the publican, standing afar off, would not so much as lift up his eyes towards heaven; but struck his breast, saying: O God, be merciful to me a sinner.
I say to you, this man went down into his house justified rather that the other: because every one that exalteth himself, shall be humbled: and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted."
So, perhaps this is something that you would want to say to yourself everyday:
"[FONT=arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif]O my God! I love Thee above all things, with my whole heart and soul, because Thou art all-good and worthy of all love. I love my neighbor as myself for the love of Thee. I forgive all who have injured me, and ask pardon of all whom I have injured. "
This is a traditional Act of Charity. Pray it for yourself. Don't be like the devils!
Conversion of the Heart: Love and Penitence[/FONT]
[/FONT]
"[FONT=arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif]But some man will say: Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without works; and I will shew thee, by works, my faith. Thou believest that there is one God. Thou dost well: the devils also believe and tremble."
Look at the peril of that statement. Devils are fully aware of God and are terribly afraid of Him. So what do we do? How do we differentiate ourselves from the devils and ensure our salvation? Look to the Gospels:
"[FONT=arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif]Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. And the second is like to this: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."
[FONT=arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif]"There is no other commandment greater than these"
So what does it mean? Look at what St. Paul says:
"[FONT=arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif]If I speak with the tongues of men, and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And if I should have prophecy and should know all mysteries, and all knowledge, and if I should have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And if I should distribute all my goods to feed the poor, and if I should deliver my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing."[/FONT][/FONT][/FONT]
[/FONT]
Without charity, it is all meaningless. Charity or love is the very essence of God. And what does this entail?
"[FONT=arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif]And to some who trusted in themselves as just, and despised others, He spoke also this parable: Two men went up into the temple to pray: the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
The Pharisee standing, prayed thus with himself: O God, I give thee thanks that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, as also is this publican. I fast twice in a week: I give tithes of all that I possess.
And the publican, standing afar off, would not so much as lift up his eyes towards heaven; but struck his breast, saying: O God, be merciful to me a sinner.
I say to you, this man went down into his house justified rather that the other: because every one that exalteth himself, shall be humbled: and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted."
So, perhaps this is something that you would want to say to yourself everyday:
"[FONT=arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif]O my God! I love Thee above all things, with my whole heart and soul, because Thou art all-good and worthy of all love. I love my neighbor as myself for the love of Thee. I forgive all who have injured me, and ask pardon of all whom I have injured. "
This is a traditional Act of Charity. Pray it for yourself. Don't be like the devils!
Conversion of the Heart: Love and Penitence[/FONT]
[/FONT]
