The Word of God Abideth in You
by VP
Posted on Sunday October 06, 2019 at 12:00AM in Books
When men are, as Christians, feeble, unstable, childish, the Word of God abides not in them. That holy Word strikes no root in their soul, and fruit it cannot bear. They boast of their science, ability, experience, and knowledge of the world, but in all that goes to make a man they are wanting, for they are slaves to appetite and passion, to the lust of the flesh and the pride of life. Of them Christ's saying is true, "Everyone that heareth these my words and doth them not, shall be like a foolish man that built his house upon the sand, and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the wind blew, and they beat upon that house and it fell, and great was the fall thereof. " ( Matt. vii, 26-27)
The world is loud in praise of its politicians and warriors, but "better is he who rules his spirit than the taker of strong cities." Wheresover the Word of God abides, there the Spirit of God dwells, and there, also, dwells true freedom. For with the help of Heaven man then becomes a conqueror of himself and casts off the yoke of concupiscence and selfishness. The Spirit of the Lord is within him as "a fount of water, springing up unto eternal life, " to refresh and strengthen him in his triumphant struggle with the world, the flesh, and the spirits of evil.
Source: Within the Soul: Helps in the Spiritual Life, a Book of Little Essays by Fr. Michael J. Watson. 1914
