Guarding the Inner Life
Posted by Rev. Dr. Lance Giuffrida on 08/05/2008
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Let us then guard our hearts, let us guard our mouths.... “Hedge thy possession about with thorns, and bind up thy silver and gold, and make a door and a bar for thy mouth, and a yoke and a balance for thy words.” Thy possession is thy mind, thy gold thy heart, thy silver thy speech: “The words of the Lord are pure words, as silver tried in the fire.”
A good mind is also a good possession. And, further, a pure inner life is a valuable possession. Hedge in, then, this possession of thine, enclose it with thought, guard it with thorns, that is, with pious care, lest the fierce passions of the flesh should rush upon it and lead it captive, lest strong emotions should assault it, and, overstepping their bounds, carry off its vintage. Guard thy inner self. Do not neglect or contemn it as though it were worthless, for it is a valuable possession; truly valuable indeed, for its fruit is not perishable and only for a time, but is lasting and of use for eternal salvation. Cultivate, therefore, thy possession, and let it be thy tilling ground. (Ambrose, Duties of the Clergy; Book I, ch. 3, sec. 11, c. 380 AD)
Cultivate your possession:
1. Mind
2. Heart
3. Speech
Build a hedge:
1. With thorns
2. To guard the inner self
Because it is valuable:
1. Do not neglect or contemn it
2. Let it be your tilling ground
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