From Sanctity to Charity

"Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD, keep watch over the door of my lips! Incline not my heart to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds in company with men who work iniquity; and let me not eat of their dainties!" (1)

"To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace." (2)

"For charity delivers from death and keeps you from entering the darkness; and for all who practice it charity is an excellent offering in the presence of the Most High." (3)

Vigil of the Soul

The prayerful vigil of the soul
Allows the Master to control:
The whining of the narcissist;
The groaning of the hedonist;
The rise of idols from their hole.

The mind which ponders on the Word
Allows the Master to be heard:
His peace descends to set things right;
The Word opens in a new light;
The faculties are stilled, not stirred.

The humble service of the heart
Allows the Master to impart:
His charity to needy ones;
A warm embrace for His lost sons;
Our walls of mistrust fall apart.

Prayer's vigil preserves sanctity;
The Word pondered sets the mind free;
Humble service yields charity.






(c) Paul Buis, 2001

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(1) Psalm 141:3-4
(2) Romans 8:6
(3) Tobit 4:10-11