Christian Art | George Herbert | The Temple | The Church | Praise (1)
George Herbert | The Temple | The Church | Praise (1)
To write a verse or two, is all the praise,
That I can raise:
Mend my estate in any wayes,
Thou shalt have more.
I go to Church; help me to wings, and I
Will thither flie;
Or, if I mount unto the skie,
I will do more.
Man is all weaknesse; there is no such thing
As Prince or King:
His arm is short; yet with a sling
He may do more.
An herb destill’d, and drunk, may dwell next doore,
On the same floore,
To a brave soul: Exalt the poore,
They can do more.
O raise me then! poore bees, that work all day,
Sting my delay,
Who have a work, as well as they,
And much, much more.
George Herbert | The Temple | The Church | Praise
In this poem, Herbert reflects on the limits of human strength and importance of divine assistance. The poem begins with the modest admission that ‘to write a verse or two is all the praise, / That I can raise’, indicating that any expression of gratitude or devotion Herbert offers to God is inherently limited. This acknowledgment of inadequacy runs throughout the poem, shaping a tone of humility and dependence on divine strength.
The poem is structured around a sequence of conditional promises: if God improves Herbert’s situation or ‘mends’ his condition, Herbert pledges to offer more in return. In the second stanza, for instance, the poet states that he goes to church, but with divine help, he could ‘fly’ there, suggesting he desires not just to meet the minimum expectation but to exceed any such if enabled by God. The request for ‘wings’ evokes a desire for spiritual elevation, implying that mere attendance or passive devotion is insufficient; Herbert aspires to a more fervent, active spirituality, one he can achieve only through divine support.
The poem then transitions to a broader commentary on human frailty, emphasizing that ‘man is all weakness’ and dismissing a notion of human authority by stating that there is ‘no such thing as prince or king’. This statement positions human power as ineffectual, highlighting that even strongest individuals are limited without God’s strength. The reference to the ‘short arm’ of human beings suggests a physical and metaphorical limitation, underscoring humanity’s inherent helplessness in the face of divine power. Despite these limitations, the line ‘yet with a sling he may do more’ alludes to the biblical story of David and Goliath, where a seemingly insignificant weapon in a humble hand can be transformative. This story underscores the theme that God’s power, when granted, enables individuals to transcend limitations.
Herbert’s reflections deepen with the mention of ‘an herb distilled, and drunk’, which he says could reside ‘next door / On the same floor, / To a brave soul’. This suggests that even smallest elements of creation have inherent potency, potentially close to divine strength when magnified by God. Herbert emphasizes that if the humble and ‘exalted poor’ receive divine help, they too ‘can do more’. This theme of reversal—where weakness becomes strength through divine intervention—reinforces Herbert’s sense of reliance on God’s grace to achieve any meaningful or extraordinary accomplishments.
In the final stanza, Herbert likens himself to ‘poor bees’ who labour tirelessly. Here, bees serve as a metaphor for industriousness and purposeful work, qualities Herbert aspires to in his spiritual life. The reference to the bee also connects to the theme of collective humility, as each bee contributes to a larger purpose. Herbert acknowledges that he ‘has a work’ to do, paralleling the purposeful existence of the bees. His request for the bees to ‘sting my delay’ suggests that he recognizes a need to be jolted into action, spurred by a kind of spiritual urgency.
The poem explores a paradox that while human efforts are limited, such efforts are made meaningful through divine empowerment. The repetition of ‘more’ reflects Herbert’s desire to extend his own capacities, while continually acknowledging that such aspirations can only be fulfilled with God’s aid. The final line, ‘And much, much more,’ captures a yearning to transcend earthly limitations, a desire for divine enablement that would allow Herbert to fulfil his potential to its fullest extent. The poem presents a vision of spirituality grounded in humility, active purpose, and recognition of human dependence on God’s grace.
Christian Art | A Boy At Prayer With Jesus | Eucharist Office Of Readings | Eastertide Week 3, Sunday | A Reading From The First Apology Of Saint Justin Martyr In Defence Of The Christians | Celebration Of The Eucharist ‘Celebration of the eucharist.’ Saint Justin Martyr: Celebration of the Eucharist Saint Justin Martyr’s account of Christian Eucharistic worship, written around 155 AD, is one of the earliest and most significant descriptions of the liturgy outside of the New Testament. Composed as part of his First Apology—a formal defense of Christianity addressed to the Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius—this passage reveals not only the centrality of the Eucharist in the life of the early Church but also the theological, communal, and sacrificial dimensions of Christian worship as it was practised just a few generations after the apostles. Faith, Baptism And The Moral Life As Prerequisites Justin opens by affirming that no one may partake of the Eucharist unless they believe the Church’s teachings, have been baptized (‘washed in the regenerating waters’), and live according to Christ’s commands. This threefold requirement—orthodoxy (right belief), sacramental initiation (baptism), and orthopraxy (right living)—highlights the deeply integrated nature of early Christian identity. Eucharistic communion was not a casual or symbolic act; it was a profound participation in the mystery of Christ, accessible only to those who were fully incorporated into his Body, the Church. Real Presence And Eucharistic Transformation Justin’s teaching on the Eucharist is unmistakably clear: the bread and wine, through the ‘prayer of thanksgiving’ (Greek: eucharistia), become the body and blood of the incarnate Jesus Christ. This is not metaphorical language. Drawing on the Incarnation itself as an analogy, Justin explains that just as Christ became flesh by the power of the Word, so the Eucharistic elements become his flesh and blood by the power of the same Word, invoked in prayer. This theological reasoning lays a foundation for later doctrinal developments such as the Church’s formal teaching on the Real Presence and transubstantiation. Notably, this passage predates the formalization of these doctrines by centuries, yet the essential belief is already fully formed—a powerful testimony to the apostolic origin of the Church’s sacramental theology. The Apostolic Command And Continuity Justin grounds the Eucharistic rite in the direct command of Jesus: Do this in memory of me. He attributes this tradition to the apostles’ ‘recollections’ (anamneses), which are equated with the Gospels. This demonstrates the early Church’s consciousness of its liturgical life being not a novel invention but the faithful continuation of Christ’s instruction, carried on through apostolic succession. The fact that this teaching is described in a public defence of Christianity underscores Justin’s desire to correct Roman misunderstandings about Christian worship, which had been accused of cannibalism due to misinterpretations of Eucharistic language. Sunday Worship And Scriptural Proclamation Justin describes the Sunday assembly (koinē synaxis) as a weekly gathering of Christians from both city and countryside, centered around the reading of Scripture—first the writings of the prophets (the Old Testament), then the apostolic writings (what we now call the New Testament). After the readings, the presider (likely a bishop or priest) offers a homily, encouraging moral and spiritual growth. This structure is clearly recognizable in the Mass today: the Liturgy of the Word followed by the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Importantly, Justin situates this practice within the broader theological framework of the Lord’s Day—the first day of creation and the day of the Resurrection. Thus, Sunday worship is simultaneously eschatological and cosmological: it celebrates not only the new creation in Christ but also the re-creation of the world through his rising from the dead. The Eucharistic Prayer And Communion Justin’s account continues with the presentation of bread, wine, and water, followed by a Eucharistic Prayer during which the president offers thanks ‘to the best of his ability’, and the people respond with ‘Amen.’ This prayer is the epicentre of the liturgy, paralleling the Canon of the Mass. The Eucharist is then distributed to those present, and deacons carry it to those absent—perhaps the sick or imprisoned. This detail reveals the strong pastoral and communal dimension of the Eucharist. It is not a private devotion but a gift of Christ shared with the whole body, particularly the vulnerable. Charity And Ecclesial Responsibility The offering of gifts by the wealthy, administered by the president and used for the support of the poor, widows, orphans, and the imprisoned, reflects how closely the Eucharist was tied to practical charity. The Eucharist made real the communion of the faithful with Christ and with one another. It was not only a mystical participation in Christ’s body but also a lived expression of solidarity and sacrificial love. This aspect finds resonance in Acts 2:42–47 and remains central to Catholic social teaching. Apostolic Tradition In Action Justin’s testimony, written a mere century after the Resurrection, powerfully confirms that the early Church’s Eucharistic worship—centred on the Word, Sacrament, community, and charity—was already well-developed and firmly grounded in apostolic tradition. His witness is critical not only for understanding the historical roots of the Mass but also for deepening modern appreciation of the Eucharist’s enduring meaning. In our own time, when the mystery of the Eucharist is often misunderstood, taken for granted, or even rejected, Justin’s words remind us that the Church has always confessed the true and substantial presence of Christ in the Eucharist. His account also reinforces the communal, sacrificial, and transformative nature of this sacrament, which, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church states, is the ‘source and summit of the Christian life’ (CCC 1324). A Reading From The First Apology Of Saint Justin Martyr In Defence Of The Christians | Celebration Of The Eucharist No one may share the Eucharist with us unless he believes that what we teach is true, unless he is washed in the regenerating waters of baptism for the remission of his sins, and unless he lives in accordance with the principles given us by Christ. We do not consume the eucharistic bread and wine as […]
The poem contemplates the nature of spiritual growth and the relationship between the soul and the body in a Christian context. It begins with a recognition of the ‘narrow way and little gate’, referencing a biblical metaphor for the difficult path of righteousness (Matthew 7:13-14). The poet reflects on his early spiritual awakening (‘on my infancy / Thou didst lay hold’) and the idea that God preemptively initiated his faith before he could fully comprehend it (‘antedate my faith in me’). This expresses the belief that faith is a gift from God, implanted at an early stage [ … ]
Liberation theology is a movement that emerged in Latin America in the 1960s and 1970s as a response to the region’s deep social and political injustices. It is a theology that emphasizes the importance of social and political action as a means of achieving liberation for the poor and marginalized. At its core, liberation theology seeks to address the structural roots of poverty and oppression, and to empower marginalized communities to take control of their own lives and destinies [ … ]
