December
8

“They Were Both Blameless”

There was in the days of Herod the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the daily ministry of Abia; and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And° they were both just in the sight of God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. And they had no child, because° Elizabeth was barren, and they were both far advanced in their days. (Luke 1:5–7)

Those who are in a state of innocence attribute … wish to be led by the Lord and not by themselves; they love everything that is good and find delight in everything that is true, because they know and perceive that loving what is good, that is, willing and doing it, is loving the Lord, and loving truth is loving the neighbor; that they live contented with their own, whether it be little or much, because they know that they receive just as much as is good for them …. As they love nothing so much as to be led of the Lord, attributing all things they receive to Him, they are kept apart from what is their own [proprium]; and to the extent that they are kept apart from what is their own the Lord flows into them; and in consequence of this whatever they hear from the Lord, whether through the Word or by means of preaching, they do not store up in the memory, but instantly obey it, that is, will it and do it, their will being itself their memory. These for the most part outwardly appear simple, but inwardly they are wise and prudent. (Heaven and Hell 278)

The Lord’s Divine cannot be received except in innocence …. Innocence is a willingness to be led by the Lord. (Arcana Cœlestia 9262:2; Heaven and Hell 281)

Innocence and peace are the two inmost things of heaven. They are called inmost because they proceed immediately from the Lord, the Lord being Innocence and Peace itself. (Conjugial Love 394)

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