Lent 4 Meditation
Collect
Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, whose mercies are new to us every morning, and who, though we have in no way deserved Your goodness, abundantly provides for all our wants of body and soul: give us, we pray You, Your Holy Spirit, that we may heartily acknowledge Your merciful goodness toward us, give thanks for all Your benefits, and serve You in willing obedience, through Jesus Christ, Your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Brandenburg-Nuremburg kirchenordung, 1533
The Trinity with the Dead Christ by Lodovico Carracci
Saint John Chrysostom (AD c. 347 - 407 ) - from Homily 52 on the Gospel of John
And He places Himself first; “I am One that bear witness of Myself.” Here He shows His equality of honor, and that they were profited nothing by saying that they knew God the Father, while they knew not Him. And He says that the cause of this [ignorance] was that they were not willing to know Him. Therefore He tells them that it was not possible to know the Father without knowing Him, that even so He might draw them to the knowledge of Him. For since leaving Him they even sought to get the knowledge of the Father, He says, “You cannot know the Father without Me. (John 8:19) So that they who blaspheme the Son, blaspheme not the Son only, but Him that begot Him also.
This let us avoid, and glorify the Son. Had He not been of the same Nature, He would not have spoken thus. For had He merely taught, but been of different Substance, a man might not have known Him, and yet have known the Father; and again, it would not have been that one who knew Him, would have altogether known the Father; for neither does one who knows a man know an Angel. “Yes,” replies some one, “he that knows the creation, knows God.” By no means. Many, or rather I should say, all men know the creation, (for they see it,) but they know not God. Let us then glorify the Son of God, not with this glory (of words) only, but that also which is by works. For the first without the last is nothing. “Behold,” says St. Paul, “you are called a Jew, and restest in the Law, and makest your boast of God — thou therefore that teachest another, teachest thou not yourself? Thou that makest your boast of the Law, through breaking of the Law do you dishonor God?” (Romans 2:17-23) Beware lest we also who make boast of the rightness of our faith dishonor God by not manifesting a life agreeable to the faith, causing Him to be blasphemed. For He would have the Christian to be the teacher of the world, its leaven, its salt, its light. And what is that light? It is a life which shines, and has in it no dark thing. Light is not useful to itself, nor leaven, nor salt, but shows its usefulness towards others, and so we are required to do good, not to ourselves only, but to others. For salt, if it salt not, is not salt. Moreover another thing is evident, that if we be righteous, others shall certainly be so also; but as long as we are not righteous, we shall not be able to assist others.
Jesu, Meine Freude
Johann Franck, 1655
Hence, all fear and sadness!
For the Lord of gladness,
Jesus, enters in.
Those who love the Father,
Though the storms may gather,
Still have peace within.
Yea, whate’er I here must bear,
Thou art still my purest Pleasure,
Jesus, priceless Treasure.