St John Damascene on Holy Images (πρὸς τοὺς διαβάλλοντας τᾶς ἁγίας εἰκόνας). Followed by Three Sermons on the Assumption (κοίμησις)John of Damascus, Saint
Religion
St John Damascene on Holy Images (πρὸς τοὺς διαβάλλοντας τᾶς ἁγίας εἰκόνας). Followed by Three Sermons on the Assumption (κοίμησις)
John of Damascus, Saint
Icons -- Cult; Idols and images -- Worship; Mary, Blessed Virgin, Saint -- Assumption -- Sermons -- Early works to 1800
The second kind is the worship of admiration and desire which we give to
God on account of His essential glory. He alone is worthy of praise, who
receives it from no one, being Himself the cause of all glory and all
good, He is light, incomprehensible sweetness, incomparable,
immeasurable perfection, an ocean of goodness, boundless wisdom, and
power, who alone is worthy of Himself to excite admiration, to be
worshipped, glorified, and desired.
The third kind of worship is that of thanksgiving for the goods we have
received. We must thank God for all created things, and show Him
perpetual worship, as from Him and through Him all creation takes its
being and subsists. He gives lavishly of His gifts to all, and without
being asked. He wishes all to be saved, and to partake of His goodness.
He is long-suffering with us sinners. He allows His sun to shine upon
the just and unjust, and His rain to fall upon the wicked and the good
alike. And being the Son of God, He became one of us for our sakes, and
made us partakers of His divine nature, so that we shall be like unto
Him, as St John says in his Catholic epistle.
The fourth kind is suggested by the need and hope of benefits.
Recognising that without Him we can neither do nor possess anything
good, we worship Him, asking Him to satisfy our needs and desires, that
we may be preserved from evil and arrive at good.
The fifth kind is the worship of contrition and confession. As sinners
we worship God, and prostrate ourselves before Him, needing His
forgiveness, as it becomes servants. This happens in three ways. A man
may be sorry out of love, or lest he should lose God’s benefits, or for
fear of chastisement. The first is prompted by goodness and desire for
God himself, and the condition of a son: the second is interested, the
third is slavish.
What we find worshipped in Scripture, and in how many ways we show
worship to creatures.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account