Since our little blog has launched on the feast of St. Therese of Lisieux, the little flower, it seems right to take our inspiration from her and her incredibly child-like (not childish) spirituality.
Having accomplished so much for the Church in her short 24 years on this earth, I think its perfect that we, the young clergy, are up and running on this day.
Here's some wisdom from her that ought to speak to us during these times of tension:
"Sometimes, when I read spiritual treatises, in which perfection is shown with a thousand obstacles in the way and a host of illusions round about it, my poor little mind soon grows weary, I close the learned book, which leaves my head splitting and my heart parched, and I take the Holy Scriptures. Then all seems luminous, a single word opens up infinite horizons to my soul, perfection seems easy; I see that it is enough to realize one's nothingness, and give oneself wholly, like a child, into the arms of the good God. Leaving to great souls, great minds, the fine books I cannot understand, I rejoice to be little because 'only children, and those who are like them, will be admitted to the heavenly banquet'."
My hope and prayer is that all of us here in the Diocese of Fort Worth will take comfort in knowing that we stand with the Saints in our devotion to the Holy Scriptures and the Catholic Faith.
St. Therese, pray for us.
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For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people ...
-- Apostle Paul
1 Timothy 2:5
St Therese: "small deeds done with great love." Great patron saint for a great blog.
Amen, Dr. Dave. And may blessed Therese lift us up in her prayers to that great Mediator and Savior constantly.
Welcome to the worldful world of blogging, my brothers. I will link you in my blogroll right now. May God bless your on-line ministry richly.
Randall "Texanglican" Foster+
This blog is a blessing already - thanks for these words this day.
TexanAnglican, I wasn't aware the resurrection had happened. St. Therese can't pray for anybody and even if she could, why would you waste a second of the Lord's precious breath of life, praying to disembodied spirits when you can pray directly to our only mediator, Christ. Praying to dead people has a remarkably occult feel to it. (Se Article 22 of the 39 Articles) You folks in Fort Worth are going to have to come to terms with the Reformation.
drdave:
Please read page 862 in the Catechism section of our prayer book. It discusses The Communion of Saints.This is current teaching on the subject. The Articles of Religion are under " Historical Documents of the Church" and should be viewed upon as such.
Jim
jim: Why should the Diocese adhere to the heretic's prayerbook while throwing off their deplorable theology and practice? The recent Jerusalem Conference re-affirms in its declarations the 39 articles as the true exposition of Anglican faith.
drdave:
I am not sure what you mean by " the heretics prayer book." Hopefully you are not saying the authors of The Book of Common Prayer are heretics. If you are, then I have nothing more to say.
Article 22 refers to the " Romish Doctrin" and should be understood in historical terms of what the abuses were at the time of it's writing. Yes, they are an exposition of faith but with an historical prepective. Do you not believe in the communion of saints?
Jim
The TEC Book of Common Prayer is an embarrassment to Anglican orthodoxy. It's corruption of the 1928 Book laid the groundwork for much of the current problems of orthodoxy in the TEC (see especially the baptismal covenant that redacts any need for repentance and living a new life in Christ). Prayer to saints was condemned by 39 Articles and is still affirmed by the Jerusalem Conference.
Friends-
I pray that we can keep our eye on the ball here. Conversations about the 39 Articles and their historical context and current applications are valid topics for discussion. But this blog(IMO), at least right now, is a witness to our Diocese and the wider Christian community that we are in good hands for a long time to come...and as a father of two great kids I take great comfort that. We all should. Thank God for these warriors for the faith!
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