MATHETΩN

There is an idea in much religion of a metaphysical foundation upon which practical action can be taken. For example, Islam erects the “Five Pillars”

Profession (of the creed),
Prayers,
Charity,
Fasting,
Pilgrimage (to the holy cities).

And ancient Jewish rabbis proposed seven precepts upon which all the world should base behavior; they are the Noachide Laws:

Monotheism,
No murder,
No robbery,
Sexual purity,
No blasphemy,
Kindness to animals,
Just courts.

Another example are the various Catholic religiouses, who generally profess four vows:

Poverty,
Celibacy,
Obedience,
and the fourth varies (e.g., stability, silence, loyalty to the pope).

The Religious Society of Friends has its “testimonies”, which by now have been narrowed to

Honesty,
Simplicity,
Non-violence,
Abstinence from nicotine, alcohol, or recreational drugs.

The Amish – Mennonites among whom I grew up base their copious lifestyle-laws on a three-cornered platform, viz.:

Nonconformity (to American life),
Uniformity,
Obedience.

Perhaps it is my knowledge of these religions that has gotten me thinking: What “pillars” could I discern in Jesus’s and his Envoys’ teaching upon which to base my life’s acts? To list them accurately, I would need to put out of my head all Christian dogma, to read thoroughly but sweepingly, to think systematically. Here, tentatively, is what I propose (roughly in the order the reader can find them):

Slavery,
Poverty,
Love and non-resistance,
Honesty,
Liberty,
Chastity (with a special meaning for the married).

John Climacus’s “thirty steps to heaven” go something like this:

• Renounce the world
• Detach oneself from one’s habits, wishes, &c.
• Exile oneself from one’s career, family, &c.
• Become wholly obedient to God’s orders
• Repent and learn always to be repenting
• Remember, every moment, one’s death
• Shed tears for one’s evil, others’ suffering
• Abandon: anger, maliciousness, judging others, talkativeness, lying, depression
• Overcome: lusts for food, sex, money; cynicalness, fears; looking good, egoism
• Live frugally
• Desire humiliation
• Discern right and wrong for oneself and others
• Be still without
• Pray
• Be still within
• Love

She’s been wearing contact lenses; so now her beautiful bruised-looking eyes are always in front of me, and it is impossible not to be moved. I wonder — and less idly than this sounds — if I will love her as I ought to some day.

[The WITNESSES assembled.]

[Entered the BRIDE and GROOM, robed in white, to stand before them; behind whom was a small, white-clad table holding white flowers, the wedding certificate, bread, and wine.]

[Said the GROOM (paraphrased):]

We welcome you to our wedding. Christian witnesses are a most-important function of holy Christian sacrament; and a holy Christian sacrament we believe a wedding to be. As baptism is a confession before witnesses of Jesus’s Spirit’s washing a Follower from sin, and as communion is a confession before witnesses of Jesus’s Spirit’s abiding in a Follower until He comes again, so wedding is a confession of Jesus’s Spirit’s already having drawn together forever two Followers’ hearts. Some of you will have additional roles; we thank all of you for attending.

[They sat down among the WITNESSES. WITNESS A offered a brief benediction (the words of which were not recorded).]

[WITNESS B read the following psalm, chosen and arranged by the GROOM:]

And upon his right hand did stand the queen, in gold of Ophir.

Hearken, O daughter, and consider and incline your ear: Forget your own people and your parents’ house: so will the King greatly desire your beauty — for he is your Lord — and worship you him.

And the daughters of Tyre will be there with a gift; the rich among the people will ask your favor. A king’s daughter is all glorious within. Your clothing is of wrought gold. You will be brought to the King in raiment of needlework. With gladness and rejoicing will you and the virgins your companions be brought; and you will enter the King’s palace.

And in the stead of your father and grandfathers will be — your children: You may make them princes of all the earth.

I will make your name to be remembered in all generations. The people will praise you forever and ever. My heart indites this good matter; for a tongue I have the pen of a ready writer.

[The BRIDE and GROOM resumed the fore. They faced the WITNESSES for a short time, and then faced each other.

[The GROOM took both the BRIDE'S hands, and recited this vow:]

In the name of God who is love, I, Porter Daniel Martin Doran, take thee to my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness in health, to love, cherish, and serve thee until death us do part, according to God’s holy sacrament; and thereto I give thee myself your friend, your brother, your spouse.

[He placed a ring on the BRIDE'S finger and kissed her lips.]

[The BRIDE took both the GROOM'S hands, and recited this vow:]

In the name of God our Father above, I, Bonnie Jean MacDonald, take you to be my husband, for as long as we both shall live, to hold your heart in mine no matter what may come ahead, to love you with an undying love; and I give myself to be your wife, lover, friend, and companion.

[She placed a ring on the GROOM'S finger and kissed his lips.]

[The BRIDE and GROOM turned to face the table and, holding hands, kneeled and prayed:]

[The Lord's Prayer; followed by a vow and thanks to God, the record of which has been temporarily lost.]

[The BRIDE and GROOM rose and turned to face the WITNESSES, still holding hands. Said the BRIDE:]

“What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” Will you witnesses do all in your power to uphold this marriage?

[Said the WITNESSES:]

We will.

[The BRIDE and GROOM turned to the table. Together they lifted the bread, a hand of each on the round. The BRIDE tore a piece from the round and placed it in the GROOM'S mouth, while reciting:]

This is Jesus’s body, which was broken for you; this do in remembrance of him.

[The GROOM did the same to her.]

[The BRIDE and GROOM returned the bread, and together they lifted the wine goblet, a hand of each on the stem, and lifted it to the GROOM'S lips, as the BRIDE recited:]

This cup is the new testament in Jesus’s blood; this do ye in remembrance of him.

[They did the same to the BRIDE.]

[ALL then sang a hymn, chosen by the BRIDE:]

Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee.

Take my hands and let them move
at the impulse of thy love.

Take my feet and let them be
swift and beautiful for thee.

Take my voice and let me sing
always, only for my King.

Take my love, my Lord: I pour
at thy feet its treasure store.

Take myself and I will be
ever, only, all for thee.

[The BRIDE and GROOM exeunted, and the WITNESSES signed the wedding certificate.]

Have you been in love?

“In some countries there is no hunger for bread — but people are suffering from terrible loneliness, terrible despair, terrible hatred; feeling unwanted, helpless, hopeless. They have forgotten how to smile, they have forgotten the human touch; they are forgetting what is human love. The greatest poverty is loneliness.

“And you have great loneliness here in your country. Any nation that kills its own children is the poorest of nations. If there is a lonely person in your home or family, you will be judged. If there is a spouse or an elderly parent who is lonely, you will be judged. If there is someone who lives on your street who is without care and human affection, you will be judged.

“Our calling as Missionaries of Charity is not a special calling. God calls everyone to be holy. Holiness is a simple duty for you and for me.”

– Mother Teresa

“I plead of you, O Lord, that the fiery and sweet strength of your love may absorb my soul from all things beneath Heaven so that I may die for love of your love as you did descend to die for love of my love.”

– A prayer of Francesco d’Assisi

I urge you, brothers [and sisters], by God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living holy sacrifice pleasing to God. This is your reasonable service. And do not pattern yourselves after this age, but transform yourselves through a renewal of the mind, to study the nature of the will of God, what is good, and pleasing, and perfect.

For through the grace that has been granted to me I say to every one among you: Do not think thoughts beyond the thoughts you should have, but think to be moderate, according to the measure of faith God has given to each. As in our bodies we have many parts, but the parts do not all have the same function, so we many are one body in Christ, and individually parts of each other. We have different gifts which vary according to the grace that has been given us. If the gift is for prophecy, it should be based on faith. If one is gifted for service, he should serve; the teacher should teach, the comforter should bring comfort; the contributer should show his generosity, the leader his energy, the charitable man his graciousness. Let love be sincere. Hate the bad, hold fast to the good; love each other as brothers, prize each other more than yourselves; be unflagging in energy, seething with enthusiasm, serving the Lord, rejoicing in hope, steadfast against oppression, devoted to prayer; contribute to the needs of the saints, cultivate hospitality. Bless your persecutors, bless them, do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. Agree with each other in your thoughts, and do not be haughty but accommodate yourselves to modest thoughts. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Return no one evil for evil. Have good intentions in regard to all men. If it is possible, be for your part at peace with all men. Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, but give way to God’s anger, since it is written: ‘Mine is the vengeance, mine the retribution, says the Lord.’ Then if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; so doing, you will heap coals of fire on his head. Do not let yourselves be overcome by evil, but overcome evil through good.

” ‘He who is unmarried cares for the things that belong to the Lord: how he may please the Lord; but he who is married cares for the things that are of the world: how he may please his wife. There is difference also between a wife and a maiden. The unmarried woman cares for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit; but she that is married cares for the things of the world: how she may please her husband. …

” ‘I wish that all persons were as I myself[, unmarried]. But every person has his proper gift of God: one after this manner, and another after that.

” ‘[Yet] I say of the unmarried and widows: It is good for them if they abide as I. But if they cannot contain, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn.’

“When Paul Apostle speaks of burning, I suppose he speaks of someone who contains so flammable a love or desire for another that the pain prevents his doing the work of Heaven. But what of he who, with everyday effort, is able to stand that flame but finds himself also frozen, in inaction, in despair — in a Ninth Circle of loneliness? Ice, touched, burns too.”

“The vow of chastity means more to Trappist monks than sexual abstinence. According to an old tradition, Chastity is modesty. That is: selfish thought and carnal desire must be restrained and retrained into friendly humility and attentive care.”