Order of the day

Sermon on the Mount. St Luke.

(The Gospel History, Section 43)

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a lamp, and put it under the bushel, but on the stand; and it shineth unto all that are in the house. Even so let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Think not that I came to destroy the law or the prophets: I came not to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law, till all things be accomplished. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Order of the day

(The Saviour of the World, Vol II Book III Poem XXXIV)

The Lord taught them, saying:
No man counts salt itself a thing of worth,
Nor numbers, amongst treasures of the earth;
But, salt away, how vapid is our meat!
Lacking his salt, who would persist to eat?

Ye, Twelve, small handful in a mighty whole,
Salt of the earth are ye, and every soul
Shall savour life as ye shall make it good,
Or, turn disgusted from insipid food.

But take ye heed, its savour salt may lose,
And he who tastes, offended, shall refuse;
“Cast out the worthless thing,” saith he, “’tis waste,
“False promised good, deceitful to the taste!”

The world immense in darkness lieth quite,
And ye, poor Twelve, its single glimmering light;
All that ye are stands clear revealed to men,
As city set on hill towers o’er the plain.

A bushel-measure makes a useful stand
For lamp, that who would work may have at hand;
On all within the house it shineth free;
But, light ’neath o’erturned measure, who shall see?

A lamp must shine; e’en so must ye give light;
Men seeing all ye do, must judge it right;
Good works done simply (as a lamp doth shine),
Men recognise as wrought through grace divine.

Think ye I came to make an easier lot
For them should follow Me, the Law, forgot;
Its binding precepts, things of small concern
If one from Moses to My kingdom turn?

To keep the Law, not to destroy, I came!
Nor shall one least commandment, without blame
By him be broken who is called by Me
To manifest God’s light that men may see.

The Pharisees, think ye, are over strait;
But whoso entereth at the Kingdom’s gate,
Not less, but greater righteousness must show;
In straiter ways must rule his feet to go!

St. Matthew v. 13-20