new church life: march / april 2014
them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” (John 20: 22)
Swedenborg explains: “Newness of life occurs when what is spiritual flows
in from the internal and acts from within on what is in the natural.” (Secrets
of Heaven 5972) And: “Breathing on (or into) was a sign that represented
the imparting of life through faith and love, as also in Genesis 2:7, ‘Jehovah
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul.’”
God created the world, He created us, and He is perpetually creating –
breathing life into us and into His Church. We are always growing, with new
life from all that we learn, and the Church that God is building within each of
us has new life breathed into it as well. By “stirring things up,” He continually
“makes all things new.” That is why we associate Easter with newness – a new
season, new opportunities, and new appreciation for the way the Lord is
constantly with us in our lives.
He is risen that we may be also.
(BMH)
new church virtues:
prudence and trust in providence
Prudence was one of the classical virtues of old, and a virtue it remains – but
it should be joined with another virtue: trust in Divine providence. Otherwise,
even if it brings success on the natural plane of life, it can easily be turned to
the service of evil.
In other words, we can be too smart for our own good. “For what profit
is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matthew
16:26)
Our needs as human beings are complex, both natural and spiritual, and
we must exercise prudence in the management of our lives. We need to acquire
knowledge, think carefully and plan for the future – but always recognizing
that the future we should plan for extends beyond our lives in this world. That
which seems expedient here and now may prove not to be for the best in the
long run.
The ideal, then, is to be prudent both spiritually as well as naturally. Truly
human intelligence includes the acknowledgment of God and Divine order.
Prudence is a virtue when we use it to cooperate with providence rather than
as an alternative to being led by the Lord.
Our intelligence itself is a gift of the Divine, and would not exist for a
moment if the life from God that sustains it were withdrawn. It is inspired
and guided by the love and wisdom flowing into our minds from the Lord.
Prudence itself, therefore – when properly used – is a work of Divine
providence. “That which is called providence in God is called prudence in
man.” (Divine Providence 201.3)
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