And what is the reason that men who have joyfully

[Mary Naeem]

And what is the reason that men who have joyfully given up themselves up for Christ find it so hard to give themselves up for their brethren? Is the church not to blame? It has so little taught its members that the humility of Christ is the first of the virtues, the best of all the graces and powers of the Spirit. The church not preached humility as needed and possible not placed it first as Christ did. But let us not be discouraged. Let the discovery of the lack of this grace stir us to larger expectation from God. Let us look upon every brother who tries or vexes us, as God's means of grace, God's instrument for our purification, for our exercise of the humility that Jesus, our Life, breathes within us. And let us have such faith in the all of God, and the nothing of self, so that we may, in God's power, only seek to serve one another in love.