Note: Only the first bits of the excerpts are available free subscribers. To read the rest you will have to become a paid subscriber.
If you like this, do become a paid subscriber, not only to be able to read the fulness of every excerpt from Fr Harton’s superb Life in Christ, but to have access to all paid content here and to support the ministry of Akenside Institute for English Spirituality.
CHAPTER 4: THE BREAD OF LIFE (part 3)
But the analogy must be pressed a stage further. We may partake of the most wholesome and nourishing meal, but if our digestion is impaired we shall not receive the benefit of it; likewise if our spiritual digestion is sick we shall indeed partake of Christ, but we shall not be transformed into Him. Our Lord does not ask of us great virtue when we come to receive Him, for He comes to bring forth His virtues in us; but He does require the two first requisites of spiritual health: simple faith and sincere penitence. By faith we place ourselves simply and wholly in His hands for Him to do in us what He will, and by penitence we disengage ourselves from our sinful tendencies and seek His pardon for sin done. If these are present the divine food cannot fail of its effect.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Fr Matthew C. Dallman's Substack to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.