While there is much in the world to love, it is best loved in relation to the One who made it. The world is beautiful, but much fairer is the One who fashioned it. The world is glorious, but more delightful is the One by whom the world was established. Therefore, let us labor as much as we can, beloved, that love of the world as such may not overwhelm us, and that we may not love the creature more than the creator. God has given us earthly possession in order that we may love him with our whole heart and soul. But sometimes we provoke God’s displeasure against us when we love his gifts more than God himself. The same thing happens in human relationships. Suppose someone gives a special gift to his protégé. But the protégé then begins to despise the giver, and loves the gift more than the one who gave. Suppose he comes to think of the giver no longer as friend but enemy. Just so it is with our relationship with God. We love more those who love us for ourselves rather than our gifts. So God is known to love those who love him more than the earthly gifts he gives.
Caesarius of Arles
Sermons
- A new study from BARNA highlights the technology gap within generations, and within the Church.
- Books & Culture features an interesting article by Michael McConnell on reformed theology and America’s founding.
- This weekend, author and fatherhood expert David Blankenhorn (who wrote a piece for our most recent issue) had a controversial but interesting column in the New York Times written with Jonathan Rauch, proposing a compromise position on same-sex marriage intended to protect churches.
- The EPPC’s Yuval Levin has a piece in the March edition of First Things describing the coming ethical issues in the biotech arena.
- Over at First Principles, you can find an excerpt of David Novak’s upcoming book, In Defense of Religious Liberty. It’s worth reading, and will be published by ISI Books later this year.
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