Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world – the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions – is not from the Father but from the world. And the world is passing away, along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

   - 1 John 2.15-17

Victorious Brigid did not love the world:
she perched in it like a bird on a cliff.

   - Broccàn, Hymn to Brigid, Irish, late 7th century

One of my favorite paintings by the whimsical still-life artist Philip R. Jackson is entitled, “Party’s Over.” 

It features an origami bird perched on the stern of little boat made from a soap dish, a party favor, and a tongue depressor. The bird has its arms raised, ready to leap into the air, and the tongue depressor on which it is perched is bent under the weight of its imminent thrust.

The first time I saw this wonderful piece I immediately thought of Broccàn's comment about Brigid. The great 6^th-century Irish saint lived a most ascetic life, devoted to ministry and the pleasure of God. Her orientation was ever toward things that are above, and she was constantly, through prayer and meditation, engaging realities beyond this world in order to sustain her service in it.

The things of the world are wonderful gifts from God, if we receive them as such, and use them as stewards in His service. But when we regard them as ends in themselves – sources of pride or means to happiness – they become idols which can never satisfy. Celtic missionaries traveled light. Besides the clothes on their backs and the books in their satchels, they had few, if any worldly possessions.  And what they did retain was solely for the purpose of honoring God by serving others.

Our possessions, prestige, and pride can easily be the death of our service to Christ if we are not careful to maintain a heavenly orientation in all our doings, at all times. This is the work of prayer and meditation, which, if we spread these out throughout the day, even creating brief oases for prayer in the course of our regular activities, we may be able to achieve the kind of heavenly orientation that will fit us for service and keep us perched on the brink of eternity at all times.

T. M. Moore, Principal

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For Christmas, order T. M.'s dramatic new book, Satan Bound: A Theology of Evil. Here you'll get a better idea of how evil works, and how you can resist the devil and live for Christ.