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On Lion's Wings
May 9, 2010
“The Love of God Above All”
by Fr. Timothy Perkins, SSC
Though I came into
Anglicanism because of its claim to catholicity,
attended Nashotah House, which is typically acknowledged
as the Anglo-catholic seminary of this country, and
belong to overtly Anglo-catholic Society of the Holy
Cross, one of the positive influences in my Christian
life was an Evangelical clergyman from the Church of
Ireland, one of the most thoroughgoing Protestant
provinces in the Anglican Communion. His name was the
Reverend Francis Hipwell. His son was a friend and
“running buddy” (literally, we completed a couple of
marathons and countless other races together) of mine
while I served St. Luke’s Church, Baton Rouge.
Frank was retired
when I met him, and he and his wife attended the “early
service” at St. Luke’s. From time to time, he would
preach, and we had frequent conversation about matters
ecclesiastical. Because we came at issues concerning the
Church from divergent perspectives, his thoughts
provided me with a helpful challenge to my own
first-formed impressions. I believe he considered me a
friend.
One particular thing
he encouraged in me was a thorough consideration of the
origins and theological meanings of the Collects of the
Book of Common Prayer. About the one appointed for this
Sixth Sunday of Easter, I remember his criticism. He
disliked the wording in the ’79 BCP, because it departed
from the original. The prayer begins and ends with the
love of God; but in the modern book the original
wording, “loving thee above all things” is altered. Our
present book reads, “loving thee in all things
and above all things.” The point this faithful man made
stays with me: Unless we love God above all else, we
simply do not recognize him as he is and are thus
incapable of loving him in any created things.
This morning, as always, we will pray the
collect in the words found in the book we are presently
authorized to use. But in my soul, I will intend to love
God above all else. Thus loving him fully, I may hope
to love him in all his works. Will you join me in this
prayer?
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