Roots of Faith

I've really got to change those book links on the side. They are crumbling and ancient. But the sun is finally out and I also have to mow the lawn and pull weeds before I cannot see my books for the many green things.

I'm currently reading a small (and therefore manageable) book called Roots of Faith: An Anthology of Early Christian Spirituality. It's a beautiful little hardcover with shiny pages and paintings throughout. Each page contains a mere paragraph from the writings of Plycarp, Justin, Irenaeus, Tertullian. One paragraph gives me the courage to go on (which is why we include a feature called Farther In in Beyond - one little bit of classic literature because sometimes a snack may be all you need.) I just finished reading the section with writings by Clement of Rome:

Do not be irritated or angry when someone corrects you, turning you from evil to goodness. Sometimes we do wrong without knowing it because we are double-minded: we can deceive ourselves into thinking that evil is good. Equally do not be irritated or angry when you see sinful people enjoying great welath and luxury. They are winning the contest for this world's prize, but we are running in the race for a far greater prize. The righteous person does not win his reward quickly, but must wait for it. This is because we have to train hard and long in order to win the race. After all, the crown of eternal life cannot be won easily with little effort; the person who wins it must have every spiritual muscle at the peak of fitness. It does not matter if you are weak in the affairs of commerce and trade, and so live in poverty. What matters is that you are strong in the affairs of the soul.

2nd Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians
Chapters 19 and 20