Commemoration of Martin Luther, Teacher, Reformer, 1546 The authority of Scripture is greater than the comprehension of the whole read more

Commemoration of Martin Luther, Teacher, Reformer, 1546 The authority of Scripture is greater than the comprehension of the whole of man's reason.

The Word of God is the informing power of the revelation of God in the finite world. It is not, read more

The Word of God is the informing power of the revelation of God in the finite world. It is not, by any figure, to be identified with a book, or a temple, or a minister, or a shrine.

Wisdom begins at the end.

Wisdom begins at the end.

Men are apt to offend ('tis true) where they find most goodness to forgive.

Men are apt to offend ('tis true) where they find most goodness to forgive.

Commemoration of Birinus, Bishop of Dorchester (Oxon), Apostle of Wessex, 650 If our faith is not relevant to our read more

Commemoration of Birinus, Bishop of Dorchester (Oxon), Apostle of Wessex, 650 If our faith is not relevant to our daily life in the world and in the parish, then it is no use; and if we cannot be Christians in our work, in the neighborhood, in our political decisions, then we had better stop being Christians. A piety reserved for Sundays is no message for this age.

The wonder of the life of Jesus is this -- and you will find it so and you have found read more

The wonder of the life of Jesus is this -- and you will find it so and you have found it so if you have ever taken your New Testament and tried to make it the rule of your daily life -- that there is not a single action that you are called upon to do of which you need be, of which you will be, in any serious doubt for ten minutes as to what Jesus Christ, if he were here, Jesus Christ being here, would have you do under those circumstances and with the materials upon which you are called upon to act.

This insensibility of ours is a bad symptom. For one thing, it implies that we have no spiritual ambition, else read more

This insensibility of ours is a bad symptom. For one thing, it implies that we have no spiritual ambition, else we should not be satisfied with such poor lives; that we cannot have thought out the fact of Jesus Christ, and how immeasurably He has raised the standard. Will you hang your wretched daubs beside the works of Titian and Michelangelo and not be shamed by the enormous contrast -- stand back and say, with a satisfied smirk, "That is pretty good, you know!"? And can you live face to face with Jesus Christ, and be content with what you are?

Feast of Harriet Monsell of Clewer, Religious, 1883 The New Jerusalem, when it comes, will probably be found so read more

Feast of Harriet Monsell of Clewer, Religious, 1883 The New Jerusalem, when it comes, will probably be found so far to resemble the old as to stone its prophets freely.

Commemoration of Martyrs of Papua New Guinea, 1942 I know there are many who have pitied my beginnings, read more

Commemoration of Martyrs of Papua New Guinea, 1942 I know there are many who have pitied my beginnings, thinking it tragic that I had to endure such traumas both as a child and throughout my life, but I confess that I have rather pitied those who have never tasted the bitterness of a trial "too severe." For how is one to appreciate the contrast of light's dawning hope if his soul has never trembled through the dark hours of a nightmare's watch? Or how can one prove God's faithfulness if he never is granted the privilege of wandering through a barren desert, where only pools of Christ's Presence can possibly provide survival? It is a great honor to be apportioned pain. Christ Himself, though God incarnate, learned obedience through what He suffered. Dare we assume that we as His children can be taught by any wiser or kinder instructor than the severity of unwanted pain? We dare not steel ourselves against our trials, running away from the fires where our pruned branches crumble to ashes. For if we escape those flames, we will risk barrenness of soul and will miss out on the beauty that only is born through the ashes of yesterday's grief.