41 Let your love, God, shape my
life with salvation, exactly as you promised; 42 Then I'll be able
to stand up to mockery because I trusted your Word.
43 Don't ever deprive me of truth, not ever - your commandments are what I depend on. 44 Oh, I'll guard with my life what you've revealed to me, guard it now,
guard it ever;
45 And I'll stride freely through wide open spaces as I look for your truth and your wisdom; 46 Then I'll tell the world what I find, speak out boldly in public, unembarrassed. 47 I cherish your commandments - oh, how I love them! - 48 relishing every fragment of your counsel. 49 Remember what
you said to me, your servant - I hang on to these words for dear life!
I came across Gracian. Some things never change. I found these words on the Art of Living well which is what i believe we are called to. The temptation after Pentecost is perhaps be encouraged that the Spirit is at work still in Christ's Church and so we set about getting busy in order to prosper and grow the church. I think not.
Baltasar Gracian was a Spanish Jesuit. (1601-1658) a philosopher and writer, scholar and satirist, he frequently expressed himself in epigrams. A Jesuit priest he was counselor to kings. He made a careful study of the powerful and elite. His work spoke wisdom, like Solomon's, into the then chaos of the world and perhaps they still have relevance. Needless to say his writings were later confiscated and banned by the Church.
THE ART OF LIVING WELL
The art of living well. Of living abundantly! Two are done quickly with life,
the fool, and the dissolute. The one because he does not know how to preserve
it, and the other because he does not know its value. As virtue is its own
reward; so is vice its own punishment: for he who lives too fast is quickly
through, and in a double sense: while he who rests in virture, never dies. For
the life of the spirit becomes the life of the body, and the life lived well
gathers unto itself not only fullness of days, but even length.
Gracian’s Manual, § 90 (see here)
the fool, and the dissolute. The one because he does not know how to preserve
it, and the other because he does not know its value. As virtue is its own
reward; so is vice its own punishment: for he who lives too fast is quickly
through, and in a double sense: while he who rests in virture, never dies. For
the life of the spirit becomes the life of the body, and the life lived well
gathers unto itself not only fullness of days, but even length.
Gracian’s Manual, § 90 (see here)
