October 8
Give love and receive the kingdom
od cries out
that the kingdom of heaven is for sale. The glorious bliss of this kingdom
surpasses the power of mortal eye to see, mortal ear to hear, mortal heart
to conceive. If anyone asks the price that must be paid, the answer is:
The One who wishes to bestow a kingdom in heaven has no need of earthly
payment. No one can give God anything he does not possess, because everything
belongs to him. Yet he does not give such a precious gift entirely gratis,
for he will not give it to anyone who lacks love. After all, people do
not give away what they hold dear to those without appreciation. So since
God has no need of your possessions but must now bestow such a precious
gift on anyone who disdains to value it, love is the one thing he asks
for; without this he cannot give it. Give love, then, and receive the kingdom:
love and it is yours.
From John E. Rotelle, O.S.A., Tradition Day by Day: Readings from
Church Writers. Augustinian Press. Villanova, PA, 1994.
HTML text prepared by David P. Steelman
