Great reading from St. Irenaeus in the Office today. He makes the case for humility. An excerpt, my English translation:
“He commands us to follow him, not because he has need of our service, but to give us salvation. To follow the Lord, in fact, is to participate in salvation, just as to follow the light means to be surrounded and infused with brightness/clarity….
“And so it is with our service to God; it adds nothing to God, and on the other hand, God does not have need of the service of men; to those though that serve him and follow him, he gives life, incorruptibility and eternal glory. He apportions his benefits to those who serve him because they serve him….
“The glory of man consists in persevering in his service. While God has need for nothing, man has need of communion with God.” — St. Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Lib IV, 13
Attention Deacons! Just in case we start having an ego problem. We are merely the messengers. God gives salvation to his people. We help others follow.
