“For the Kingdom is the Holy not the moral; the Beautiful not the correct; the Perfect not the adequate; Charity not law.”
– from my morning readings in “Abba” by Evelyn Underhill
Sacred Heart of Jesus, a photo by Lawrence OP on Flickr.
It is never enough to “lead a good life”. To join the Kingdom we must embrace salvation. We must accept God’s charity towards us to escape the law.
“To live by faith is to pursue quietly and in peace the path on which we are set, in the midst of the conflicts and confusions of the creature.”
From my morning readings in “Abba” by Evelyn Underhill
Paddleboard in Hawaii, a photo by Stuck in Customs on Flickr. Used under Creative Commons Attribution License.
It’s not about drama, denunciation, extravagant acts. It’s about bringing a sense of our goals, our passions, to service in whatever quiet way works for us.
“… prayer must overflow the boundaries of selfhood to include the life, the needs of the race; accepting as a corollary of its filial relation with God a brotherly relation with all other souls however diverse, and at every point replacing ‘mine’ with ‘ours’. “
From my morning readings in “Abba” by Evelyn Underhill
Prayer Wheel, a photo by darkmatter on Flickr. Used under Creative Commons Attribution License.
If I claim God as my Father, I must accept all His children as my brothers. I must pray not for me, but for us.
“And moreover in these first words, the praying soul accepts once for all its true status as a member of the whole family of man. Our Father. It can never again enter into prayer as a ring-fenced individual, intent on a private relation with God; for this is a violation of the law of Charity.”
From my morning readings in “Abba” by Evelyn Underhill
Praying hands, a photo by Wiedmaier on Flickr. Used under Creative Commons Attribution License.
We are not made to be alone. By accepting our place in the family of man, we gain the love of Father as well as brothers and sisters. This must be reflected in our prayer.
“This wide spreading love, this refusal of private advantage is the very condition of Christian prayer; for that prayer is an instrument of redemptive action, not merely of personal achievement.”
From my morning readings in “Abba” by Evelyn Underhill
new commandment-s, a photo by John Leech ~ Wedding Photographer, Cumbria on Flickr. Used under Creative Commons Attribution License.
We are commanded to love one another, and not just in a conceptual way, but through service, as our Lord loved us. Prayer is a primary mechanism of this love. We must pray for each other, loving each other, looking for the best for all God’s children. But we must also do practical things for those we love. Combining active service with serving prayer is a high calling for all of God’s children.
“May [Thy] Name,too, be hallowed in my work, keeping me in remembrance that Thou art the doer of all that is really done: my part is that of a humble collaborator, giving of my best.”
From my morning readings in “Abba” by Evelyn Underhill
Worship BG – Not To Us, a photo by bemky on Flickr.
What more can I say?
“… the work that we love done with zest and care, but done God’s way not ours, at His pace not ours, for His glory not ours, and laid down without reluctance, as the movement of the Will demands. Also the drudgery that we do not love done too, because that is His will and not ours.”
From my morning readings in “Abba” by Evelyn Underhill.
The Secret Room, Deep in the Abbey, a photo by Stuck in Customs on Flickr. Used under Creative Commons Attribution License.
This reminds me that my NeedlePrayer work, which I love, is done for God’s glory, and must be done according to His will, and in service of Him and His people and His plan. Also, no craft or service is free of drudgery, and I can to do that cheerfully as well, as an essential part of my work.
“We all have a preconceived idea of the path which we are to follow, the way in which we shall use our talents best. But in the world of prayer, our eyes cleansed by adoration, we perceive and acknowledge that the initiative lies with God; and only with us insofar as we give up our energy to Him and take up our inheritance as Children of God, recognizing and welcoming His quiet directive action, His steady pressure within life as the only thing that really matters about it.”
From my morning readings in “Abba” by Evelyn Underhill
trevose head lighthouse explore #197, a photo by Darren Shilson on Flickr.
NeedlePrayer 