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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260825
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260826
DTSTAMP:20260823T130808Z
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UID:15399-1787616000-1787702399@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading
DESCRIPTION:A reading from \nISAAC OF STELLA \n◊◊◊ \n“Happy are the meek\, they shall possess the earth.” The disease \nof desire for gain closely accompanies the vice of pride. For the wisdom that is \nnot from above is earthly\, sensual\, of the devil\, full of jealousy and contention. It \nequates domination with happiness and buys a farm so that it can dominate \nothers and quarrel endlessly. This wisdom is truly of the devil\, it is the firstborn \nof him who sought to set his throne above the other stars. But the disciples\, \nleaving behind that disordered and disordering wisdom together with the \ncrowd\, were privileged to hear the words: “Happy are the meek\, they shall \npossess the earth.” \nHe does not say this or that or any section of earth\, however large\, but \nsimply “the earth.” Did ever a man\, for all his sweat and toil\, his money and his \nfists\, gain more than a part of the earth? Even in this\, few have succeeded and \nmany failed. And who has been able to keep possession of what he has won? \nWhat profit is there in working hard and long to gain something that of \nnecessity must quickly be lost? Heaven is for the poor\, the earth for the meek\, \nwhat is left for the contentious? What else do they want\, in their desire of riches? \nIf heaven and earth do not suffice them\, what then?… Earthly dominion is \nbut an illusion of power\, dignity and happiness. Why be content with only a \npart? Why covet so little and aim so low? The whole is promised and the way is \nshown. By voluntary poverty we go and by meekness we move still more \nspeedily. The truly poor man has the happiness of heaven\, the meek man the \nhappiness of earth. \nWhat remains then for those restless with ambition except the misery of \nhell? You who are wealthy and powerful\, what will you do? Think carefully. You \nhave wealth on the one hand and meekness on the other and a thief is \napproaching. If you defend your property\, you will lose your meekness. If you \nhold fast to meekness\, you will be throwing away your money. I am caught on \neither side\, for at one and the same time the thief may take my money and the \ndevil my patience. \nIndeed\, would that money had never existed\, for in these evil times it \ncannot be possessed together with meekness\, nor may it be carried on the road \nby the disciples of Jesus. Perhaps that is why the Wisdom which is from above \nand is pure and peaceable\, instructed us to carry neither purse nor money on the \njourney\, to go to law with no one\, to give even more than what is robbed\, and not \nto ask for the return of what has been taken; in short\, to hold fast to meekness \nwhich is the way to happiness. The Apostle praises this when he says: “You \ngladly bear with fools\, being wise yourselves. Why\, you let others prey upon you\, \ntake advantage of you!” \nLord Jesus\, is there anyone today “who believes what we have heard?” Is \nthere anyone to whom your way is revealed in the way he lives? How very \nnarrow is your way and how few tread it! this was “your way through the mighty \nsea” of this present world\, but in our times “your footprints are unheeded.” the \nApostle [Paul] named your way “wisdom” but today it is called the greatest folly\, \nidleness\, inertia. Alas\, these footprints are read of everywhere\, but how often \ndisregarde
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-459/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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