Saint Andrew 30 November 2011

Saint Andrew - Fife

Gospel:
Matthew 4:18-21.

Night Office - Alternative Reading

From a sermon by Meister Eckhart
(Meisler Eckhor), pages 175-179)

• God in creating all creatures instructs and enjoins, advises, and commands them, by the very fact that he creates them, to follow him and conform themselves to him, to turn and hasten back to him as the first cause of their entire being.
• There are some who follow God: these are the perfect. 
• Others walk close by God, at his side: these are the imperfect.  
• But there are others who run in front of God, and these are the wicked.
• These are the sort of people who never have an y thought of God in their actions, who do not care or consider what is good or evil, pleasing to God or displeasing. They throw all that behind them as an old woman might throwaway bad eggs or rotten apples and their sole concern is how to gain honors, wealth, and pleasure. These are the adversaries of God; they are devils, in fact they are the Devil himself, the adversary of God, as the Lord said to Peter: Get thee behind me, Satan. "Behind me," he says, not "before me."
• There are others who walk close by God, at his side, and these, although they are not wicked, are nevertheless imperfect. For instance, someone may suffer insults, poverty or physical infirmity and have no desire to be rid of this threefold suffering unless God so willed and it were his good pleasure. Nevertheless he would prefer it to be God's will that he should be well rather than ill. These people do not follow God: they wish to lead God rather than be led by him. They would like God to want what they want. Such as these run in step with God and at his side. It is true that they want what God wants, but they would prefer God to want what they want. They do not realize that God has no equal. Wherefore none should walk on equal footing with him and by his side. Inferior things must by their very nature be led by superior and not the reverse.
• Thirdly, there are others who do not run before God like the wicked, nor accompany him at his side like the imperfect, but follow him. Of these it is said: They left their nets and their father, and followed him. And this is what is expressed here in the words, Follow me. These are they who look at nothing behind them nor at anything standing apart to one side or the other but look only to God who is before and above them. Hence Augustine says: "He is thy best servant, a Lord, who is not so much concerned to hear from you what he himself wants as to want what he hears from you." Of these people it is said: They follow the Lamb wherever he goes.
• It is remarkable how happy such people are, even in this world. For things always turn out as they wish; they are always
• joyful, because they rejoice in all things alike. This is the fullness of joy spoken of in John: Ask and you shall receive, that your joy may be full. Augustine, speaking of this joy says: 
• "There is a joy which is not given to the ungodly, but to those who worship you without thought of reward, 0 Lord. You are yourself their joy, and this is the blessed life: to rejoice unto you, in you and for your sake."