And because He speaks in loving-kindness, Not in words of terror, as of yore, Shall we strive less anxiously to please Him, Strive less hard to keep His holy law? Friday. CLEANLINESS. TEXT: I COR. VI. 19. 'Know ye not that your bodies are the temples of the Holy Ghost.' WE are told that God created man in His own image, and breathed into his nostrils. the breath of life. Thus to each one of us God has given a body and a soul. Our souls will live for ever, and our bodies will return to dust until the Great Day of Resurrection when all men shall rise again with their bodies to give account of their own works. Let us pray that God will then change our vile body into the likeness of His glorious body, and thus once more restore to us His own image. But, though our bodies must die, we must not think they are of no account and neglect them. We must honour them as having been made after God's image. We must keep them pure and holy, as fit temples for His Holy Spirit. A temple means a sacred dwellingplace. God has promised to send His Holy Spirit to dwell within us if we ask Him. Shall we not try and make our bodies fit to receive Him? Now, if we neglect them, if we defile them by sin and uncleanness, can we feel that they are fit to be a sacred dwellingplace-a temple of the Holy Ghost? If you remember this text, I think it will be a reason for you to try and keep yourselves always neat and clean. It will make you try to be modest and quiet in your appearance, to be careful in your behaviour and to avoid everything that could defile the temple of God's pure Spirit. The Catechism reminds you that you have a duty towards your body as well as towards your soul. soul. You must keep your hands from picking and stealing, and your tongue from evil speaking, as well as your thoughts from what is wrong. The outward sign of Baptism reminds you that your soul needs cleansing as well as your body, so every morning and evening as you wash your mortal body pray to God to cleanse your immortal soul. PRAYER. Grant, O God, I beseech Thee, that in all things, both in my body and in my spirit, I may glorify Thee. As I wash my body in pure water, I would pray Thee to wash my soul in Thy cleansing blood. As I clothe myself with earthly garments I would pray Thee to clothe my soul in Thy righteousness. As I feed on earthly food I would pray Thee to feed my soul with the bread of life. I beseech Thee thus to guard me from all sin, to make me, both in soul and body, a fit temple of the Holy Ghost.' Grant this, for Thy dear Son's sake. Amen. HYMN. Pure in the sight of God- Ah, would I were ! Washed-soul and body-both, All white and fair. Then in Thy dwelling-place I might behold Thy face, And white robes wear. Cleanse Thou my heart, O God, From stain of sin; Descend, O Holy Ghost, And enter in ; Armed with Thy two-edged sword, And victory win. Then shall I reach at last The happy land; Then shall I join in song, The white-robed band; Then hymn His praise alone, Who sits upon the Throne At God's right hand. |