Claude Monet, Fisherman’s Cottage on the Cliffs at Varengeville, 1882
Poem for the Nineteenth Day of Lent
If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. —John 15:10-12
Where shall we choose to dwell: in a palace or
the love of God? Bricks and mortar have no soul;
oak and cedar cannot take the place of joy. But a
cottage swept clean of malice, with anger and
jealousy washed away, is hospitable to gentleness
and tranquility. They grow and thrive there, and
make the pleasantest of neighbors. Sweet and
fragrant is the household where God’s
commandment reigns: Love one another. The
gardens flourish and the larder swells with the
fruits of the spirit. All the castles on all the
continents cannot shelter God’s children with
security if love does not abide in them as well.
Sons and daughters of God, build your house
upon the firm foundation of compassion, charity,
and kindness. Let the walls echo with songs of
praise. Furnish your house with wisdom and
justice. Open wide the windows, let the spirit flow
through every passageway, refreshing every
room and cupboard, flushing out all that spoils
and decays. From this moment forth, abide in the
love of God and the truth of Jesus Christ, and live
in peace.
Sister Alma Rose Has the Last Word 