The "All in All," a gift from 1862

J.M.J. + O.B.T. + M.G.R.*

The "All in All" may be an apt expression for the Bread of Life, for the absolute fullness of Jesus Christ—his body, blood, soul and divinity—is found in the real presence of the Holy Eucharist.

I found this little pearl via a Google Search on the terms Light, Life and Love. After scanning hits and seeing a 5-1 ratio in favor of those who would deny the divinity of Christ, my eyes fell upon this humble little devotional from England, circa 1862.

Excepts from:

The “All in All” for Every Day

Rev. David Martin

(1862)

DEDICATORY PRAYER

O Lamb of God! who hast sacrificed Thyself for us, condescend to accept this trifle dedicated to Thy glory. O Jesus, Head of all principalities and powers! King of Kings and Lord of Lords! bless the book, and make it a blessing to millions. Guided by Thy grace, may multitudes be led to read it; and as they read do Thou, as of old, breathe upon their souls the Holy Ghost: that reading they may remember; remembering they may reflect; that the seed of Thine own truth may become rooted, and grow up to be vigorous plants of righteousness and peace.

O Jesus, Saviour of Sinners, who didst promise to draw all unto Thee when lifted up, deign to draw multitudes by this magnet from sin and Satan and death to Thyself, to Thy Father, and to eternal glory.

O Jesus, Husband of Thy Church, Redeemer of Thy people, so precious to Thee; our Light, our Life, our Love, our All in All, make this little book a blessing to them. By this may the hungry be fed daily with the Bread of Life, the finest of the wheat; by this may the fainting soldier be cheered on the field of battle; by this may the panting pilgrim be comforted; may the young and the aged, the weak and the strong, be helped onward to heaven; and to Thee shall be all the glory, forever."

“O what shall I do my Saviour to praise,

So faithful and true, so plenteous in grace,

So strong to deliver, so good to redeem

The weakest believer that hangs upon Him!"

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February 13

"Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be My disciple." –Luke xiv. 33.

Jesus gives all and takes all. Amazing love! He gives His entire self; His humanity and His divinity—the combined value of both; His unsearchable riches: his infinite resources; eternal life! He gives them, and out of His fullness do we receive according to our capacity to contain such blessedness. He requires from us all we are, and all we have, or can be; a full surrender, the actual yielding up of self to be saved, the devotement of ourselves to His service and glory forever.

Give thyself to Jesus, and from Him, as from an infinite fountain, will flow into you an eternal stream of light, life, love, and blessedness, forever and forever.

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December 24

"The love of Christ, which passeth knowledge." –Ephes. iii. 19.

The love of Jesus is not only a life study, but an immortal study. Could you live to the age of Methuselah, and were it your sole occupation to contemplate this love, you could not see it in all its endless varieties and unfoldings. Should it be your unutterable privilege to reach heaven, and study it in the light of glory, as the ages roll on you will be no nearer to the height of it. Could you converse with every angel, and hear their testimony, or listen to the story of every redeemed soul recounting its wonders, you would still be immeasurably behind the mark; it will for ever be the love which passeth knowledge. Blessed, brilliant, rapturous prospect! feasting on this love for ever.

_____________

December 25

"Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? " –John vi. 67.

What a painful, humiliating spectacle is a deserter, handcuffed, and marched off between bayonets, to be flogged, drummed out of the regiment, or shot! But more pitiable is the sight of a deserter from Jesus. What a Master to leave! What a Prince to rebel against! What love to slight! What threatenings to despise! What prospects for the future! Ah! ye who have left off to be wise and do good, return to your loving Lord, and He will have mercy, and abundantly pardon.

"Return, O wanderer, to thy home,

'Tis Jesus calls for thee;

The Spirit and the Bride say, Come;

O now for refuge flee."

Good fruit from England...

we have to seek it out, but when we find it, it is of rare beauty

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And how about this fruit from an Orthodox Priest:

http://frted.wordpress.com/2008/02/27/great-lent-a-time-to-see

Great Lent:
A time to see

February 27, 2008 — bobosht

In the beginning, God said, “Let there be light, and there was light” (Gen 1:3). This was before God had created the sun or the moon, those greater and lesser lights which He called into being not until creation’s fourth day. This first light had no physical source for its only source was the voice of God. A light with no created source and thus an uncreated light willed by God for His purposes. And yet, it belongs to creation for God called it into being as the “first thing”, the first principle of creation. When at the very beginning of creation God spoke light into existence, there were no eyes to see this light, for no creatures who can see had yet been created. Even angels (if they existed yet) have no eyes, for they are bodiless hosts. (Has God privileged humans to see what angels cannot? Certainly an incarnate Word of God is more visible to us than them!) So this was anunseen light, and yet its existence was bright and clear and it pierced the lifeless darkness with its life-giving power. It is a light which darkness cannot overcome. As it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him”- these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. (1 Cor 2:9-10) This unseen and uncreated light did not ever disappear because of darkness or sin, nor because the sun, moon and stars made it unnecessary. Even if it remained somehow hidden from human eyes and memory, it still lit the universe which God had made. Even if the serpent’s deceptive promise of opened eyes (Gen 5) caused us to lose sight of God’s spoken light, it still was there, though hidden and waiting for the right time to be revealed. For God’s creating is both about timing and visibility: in the beginning… light. And the fullness of time came, the right time to transfigure the world, a time for some to have their eyes opened to this uncreated and previously unseen light. And Jesus “was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light” (Matt 17:2). And the three disciples saw what God had prepared for those who love him - even the depths of God.Lent is a time for us to do what it takes to see that to which we usually are blind - in ourselves (our own sins), in our neighbor (their needs, their god-likeness), and in God (light, life, love).

Sincerely yours in Jesus and Mary,
Mike Rizzio, SOLT

Imitate Mary
Become like Jesus
Live for the Triune God

Seek the Light of Our Lord Jesus Christ
See you on the High Ground!

If you have a few minutes please go to the following sites
and see what I have been compelled to work on since 2004.

http://soltlaity.org/breadoflife.htm

http://soltlaity.org/slideshow.htm

I will attempt to answer any and all inquiries at jmjriz@aol.com.

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* - J.M.J. + O.B.T. + M.G.R. stands for: Jesus, Mary and Joseph;
O Beata Trinitas; St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael