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SUMMARY:Vigils Reading
DESCRIPTION:PRAYER\, FASTING\, \nAND MERCY \nFrom a homily by St Peter Chrysologus \n◊◊◊ \nPerseverance in faith\, devotion\, and virtue is assured by three things: \nprayer\, fasting\, and mercy. Prayer knocks at the door\, fasting gains entrance\, \nmercy receives. These three things\, prayer\, fasting\, and mercy are all one and \nthey give life to each other. \nFasting is the soul of prayer\, mercy is the lifeblood of fasting. Let no one \ntry to separate them\, for this is impossible. If we have only one of them\, if we \nhave not all three together\, we have nothing. Whoever prays\, then\, must also \nfast; whoever fasts must also show mercy. If we want our own petitions heard \nwe must hear the petitions of others. God’s ear will be open to us if we do not \nturn a deaf ear to other people. \nWhen we fast we should understand what it means to be really hungry. If \nwe want God to take account of our hunger we must feel for the hunger of \nothers. If we hope for mercy we must show mercy. If we look for kindness we \nmust show kindness. If we want to receive we must give. Only a shameless \nperson would ask for himself what he refused to give to others. In showing \nmercy this should be the rule: show it in the same way\, with the same \ngenerosity\, with the same promptness as you would wish it to be shown to you. \nLet prayer\, mercy\, and fasting\, then\, be one single appeal to God on our \nbehalf\, one speech in our defense\, one threefold plea in our favor. What we have \nlost by despising others let us regain by fasting. By fasting let us offer our souls \nin sacrifice\, for we can make no better offering to God\, as is proved by the \nprophet’s words: A sacrifice pleasing to God is a contrite spirit. A contrite and \nhumbled heart\, O God\, you will not spurn. \nOffer your soul to God\, make him an oblation of your fasting so that your \nsoul may be a pure offering\, a holy sacrifice\, a living victim\, remaining your own \nand at the same time made over to God. Whoever fails to give this gift to God will \nnot be excused for you are never without the means of giving if the gift to be \ngiven is yourself. \nTo make these offerings acceptable mercy must be added. Fasting bears \nno fruit unless it is watered by mercy. When mercy dries up fasting is arid. \nMercy is to fasting as rain is to the earth. However much you may cultivate your \nheart\, clear the soil of your nature\, root out your vices and sow virtues\, if you do \nnot release the springs of mercy your fasting will bear no fruit. When you fast a \nthin sowing of mercy will mean a thin harvest. When you fast what you pour out \nin mercy overflows into your barn. So do not lose by saving\, but gather in by \nscattering. Give to the poor and you give to yourself. You will not be allowed to \nkeep what you have refused to give to others.
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-271/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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