[continued from previous message]   
      
   By means of the incomplete elevations of the virtues, we make the   
   charisms that have been shared out to us, converge towards their   
   cause, with the help of God, so that, by letting ourselves drift   
   little by little into negligence, we might make our faith blind and   
   sightless, deprived of the lights that the works of the Spirit gives   
   us and may be justly punished for endless ages, for having blinded the   
   divine eyes of faith in ourselves, insofar as it was in our power. (…)   
      
   The person who does not fulfil the divine commands of faith, has a   
   faith that is blind. For if God’s Commands are lights (cf Is 26:9),   
   this means, that whoever does not fulfil the Commands of God, is   
   without divine light. He leaves the divine call without an answer. He   
   does not really respond to him.”   
      
   Nicholas was loved for one reason. He loved. He loved God and God’s   
   people so much that he would do anything for them. He was so grateful   
   for the life God had given him that he just couldn’t stop giving joy   
   and hope to others—no matter how far he had to travel or how many   
   roofs he had to climb!   
   St Nicholas, Pray for Us!   
      
   Saint Maximus the Confessor (c 580-662) Monk and Theologian   
   Fifth Century on Theology, nos. 34-35, 42, 45   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)