Day 14

 The Power of the World

 

It is, next, certainly clear to us that the great ills of the world are caused by pride and self-will, combined with the little perspectives of men.  The world puts itself before God, either individually, or corporately in family, class, race, or nation; and the result is the breaking of community, and anarchy.  But do not for a moment underestimate the power of the world, for it can reach its hand into the pew or chancel and corrupt the Church.  There are guilds, parishes, and parties which seem to think chiefly of themselves; and when this happens, the salt has lost its savour, the devil has conquered, and we bear no salvation to men.  We may sugar the self-will of our guild or our parish with the noble language of the Prayer Book, and we may light candles all around it;  but it is still the self-will (my guild, my parish) that refuses to consider God’s great will for His people.  This can occur on a local level when a parish, turned in on itself, will not minister to a changing area; or when a parish or diocese, because it is primarily concerned with itself, gives token gifts to the larger work of the Church.  For the good of our own souls, I want you to see a danger that comes to us in the Church.  Just as there are selfish doctors in the noble profession of medicine who do not see their selfishness because they are identified with a noble profession and a serving hospital, so there are people in the Church who fail to see their self-will because they are surrounded by holy things in a body which exists for service.

The deep question we must ask ourselves is this: What kind of people are we becoming?

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