March 10

Fifth Sunday after Epiphany

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. Colossians 3:12-14.

IN the Collect for this week we pray God to keep His "Church and household continually in" His "true religion;" and the Epistle consists of a beautiful exhortation to all the graces of the Christian family, as it thus continues to abound more and more in all goodness and love. For that love which the Epistle inculcates is indeed the remedy, the safeguard, and the light in all our troubles. Nothing can be right without it, nothing can be very wrong while this humble love continues. Love God and love your neighbour, and try to do so more and more, humbling yourself. God is love, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God. "By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one towards another."

Art thou a saint? and doth

Thy God thee own?

Call thee a child, an heir, a chosen one,

One with Himself and His beloved Son,

Heir of His crown?

Hast thou the love of Christ

Thy Saviour known?

The love that passeth knowledge, the rich grace

That stooped to poverty and death, to place

Thee on His throne?

Knowest thou the Christ of God,

His cross and love?

Then art thou severed from this drossy earth,

Linked to the city of thy better birth,

The land above!