Smith: the curse of war

Friday, September 27, 2019
    Feast of Vincent de Paul, Founder of the Congregation of the Mission (Lazarists), 1660
Meditation:
    In that day the Lord will use a razor hired from beyond the River—the king of Assyria—to shave your head and the hair of your legs, and to take off your beards also. In that day, a man will keep alive a young cow and two goats. And because of the abundance of the milk they give, he will have curds to eat. All who remain in the land will eat curds and honey. In that day, in every place where there were a thousand vines worth a thousand silver shekels, there will be only briers and thorns.
    —Isaiah 7:20-23 (NIV)
Quotation:
    The greatest curse which can be entailed upon mankind is a state of war. All the atrocious crimes committed in years of peace—all that is spent in peace by the secret corruptions or by the thoughtless extravagances of nations, are mere trifles compared with the gigantic evils which stalk over the world in a state of war. God is forgotten in war—every principle of Christian charity is trampled upon.
    ... Sydney Smith (1771-1845), Wit and wisdom of the Rev. Sydney Smith, New York: Redfield, 1856, p. 276 (see the book)
    See also Isa. 7:20-23; Dan. 4:31; Matt. 24:12
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, grant that Your people’s love shall not grow cold. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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