Being and Doing – 26 November – Rules

RULES of holy living may be a snare, and prove burdensome and entangling rather than helpful, if, in administering them to ourselves, we do not continually keep our eye fixed on the spirit and principle of them.   ‘The end of the commandment is love,’ a growing and ever deepening recognition of God as our tender Father through Christ, and of men as our brethren.

GOULBURN

LOVE is higher than duty, just as it is more excellent to worship God than to hold fast by a rule, however excellent that rule may be.   But the reason is that love in reality contains duty in itself.   Love without a sense of duty is a mere delusion from which we cannot too soon set ourselves free.   Love is duty and something more.   Love is a noble tree of which duty is the trunk.   Love is a beautiful plant, with a beautiful flower, of which duty is the stalk.

Bishop TEMPLE

HE said, ‘It was not well to be so wedded even to the most pious observances…  as never to break through them, lest under the garb of faithful adherence to rule self-love should creep in.   And moreover,’ he added, ‘consideration for others is the offspring of love, and worth more than strictness.’

From Life of S. Francis de Sales

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These quotes are from ‘Being and Doing’ A selection of helpful thoughts from various authors arranged for daily reading.

Collected by Constance M Whishaw and first published in 1908 for members of the Being and Doing Guild whose object is to do all they can for the relief of suffering and misery.

Most of the writers are 19th Century Christians from Britain and Europe who were committed to living their faith through deeds as well as words – Being AND Doing.

For many years these words have kept me company and encouraged me on the journey of faith.  I hope they will encourage others also.