| The Glory of the Common Life |
Chapter 11 |
Page 5 |
A good man said that the evening family worship had saved his home and its love. The days were full of little frictions and irritations. He was a man of quick temper and hasty speech, and often was the home music jangled. The close of the day was unhappy. But the evening prayer set all things right again. The father and mother knelt, side by side, with their little children, and as they prayed, “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors,” they were drawn close together again in love. The little strifes were healed, and their wedded joy was saved. The sun was not allowed to go down upon their differences. This is one of the blessings of family prayer. Christ comes and appears to us alive beside the sacred home altar and shows us his hands and speaks his word of peace.
In every part of true home life Christ is always coming in little kindly, beautiful ways. In all pure friendships he comes continually with words and acts of cheer. Human kindness is simply God revealing himself, Christ showing his hands. The world and all life are full of lovely things. In the darkest gorges among the mountains men find lovely little flowers blooming, which brighten the ruggedness; so the tender things of divine grace make beautiful the most painful experiences.
All this is meant to keep our lives cheerful. The joy is to dispel the sorrow. The sweetness is to overcome the bitterness. Jesus comes in a thousand ways, with cheer and comfort, to make us brave and strong, to keep us from despair. But how often do we miss the beautiful things, the pleasure, the happiness, the comfort that God send to us. We always find the thorns, but we do not always see the roses. We feel the pangs, the sufferings, but do not get the pleasure, the joy, and the cheer. We miss seeing Jesus when he appears alive, shows his hands, and speaks his words of peace, but we always see the cross, the grave, the darkness.
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