Sexagesima - 21 Feb 1954

The Collect: O Lord God, who seest that we do not put not our trust in anything that we do; Mercifully grant that by thy power we may be defended against all adversity; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

In the lessons last Sunday we learnt that it is the duty of every Christian to make an effort to live a life that Christ wants us to live. Self-discipline was the theme last Sunday. Today we are warned against trusting in anything that we do. When we have done all we can, we must remember that by our own efforts we cannot save ourselves. We want God’s help. In the Collect we pray: ‘Lord, … that we put not our trust in anything that we do.’ In the Epistle St. Paul is brought before us as the example of one who while doing everything for Christ, trusted in nothing that he did, and exhibiting the very spirit of today’s Collect.

The rivals of St. Paul boasted about their own achievements and powers. This made it necessary for St. Paul to speak about his own sacrifices and achievements. He admits that it is foolish to talk like that but he is forced to glory in his own doings because his rivals had forced him to do so. The apostle’s humility had been taken as a sign of his weakness. So, after due apology, he speaks about the many dangers he had to face for Christ, his constant self-denials and the burdens he had to bear always. In St. Paul we have one who truly combined the fullest activity with the deepest humility. He trusted in Christ to do all for him, in Him and by Him; and Christ did it. The apostle did his best, ye not he, but Christ that lived in him. Thus he becomes a fitting example both of Lenten effort and Lenten humility.

(Editor: The blank space in paragraph 3 – where smudging of the handwriting has made the words illegible.)