Manning at His Best

The chapter on the Beatitudes includes a long section on the need for perfection for priests and bishops. I shall let those two groups of men read that section, rather than comment here.

However, I do want to quote a long section for the laity.

“We have come to the foot of the mountain of Beatitudes, from which the new law of perfection has gone forth to the ends of the earth. We see the companies of the elect going up each in its order. First the poor, wayworn, and footsore; here and there one who on earth was great, and noble, and rich, but poor in spirit, in the great multitude who eat bread in the sweat of their face. Then the meek, noiseless as the flight of doves; then the mourners, with their heads covered, following the Man of Sorrow by the strait, sure road of affliction. After them those that hunger after God in the vehemence of the spirit, speeding upward and saluting no man by the way; next come the merciful, with their hands full of alms, which look like roses.  After them the clean in heart, scaling the mountain like rays that run upward with the speed of lightning; then come the peacemakers in the majesty of calm and joy; and in the rear of all, the soldiers of Jesus, the heralds of the Holy Ghost to a world of sin, which smote them and slew them for their charity.  All these are going upward. Shall we be left behind? Aim higher and higher. Desire the best gifts. Be faithful over the least.  Commit yourself to the guidance of the Spirit of God, for He is Love, and Light, and Power. Ispe perficiet. As He began so He will make perfect.”

How wonderful, how beautiful…

One or two most posts on Manning to come….