December
6

“He Departed to His Own House”

And it came to pass that when the days of his ritual were accomplished, he departed to his own house. (Luke 1:23)

But a life of charity is to will well and do well to the neighbor; to act in every work from justice and equity, from good and truth, and also in every duty; in a word, the life of charity consists in performing uses. Divine worship consists primarily in such a life, and secondarily in a life of piety … for the life of charity is the primary thing, and such as this is, such is the life of piety. (Apocalypse Explained 325.4)

Worship does not consist in prayers and in external devotion, but in a life of charity; prayers are only its externals, for they proceed from the man through his mouth, consequently men’s prayers are such as they themselves are in respect to life. … In each thing that a man utters there is affection, and every man, spirit, and angel is his own affection, for their affection is their life; it is the affection itself that speaks, and not the man without it; therefore such as the affection is such is the praying. Spiritual affection is what is called charity towards the neighbor; to be in that affection is true worship; praying is what proceeds …. From this it is clear that those who place all Divine worship in oral piety, and not in practical piety, err greatly. Practical piety is to act in every work and in every duty from sincerity and right, and from justice and equity, and this because it is commanded by the Lord in the Word; for thus man in his every work looks to heaven and to the Lord, and thus is conjoined with Him. (Apocalypse Explained 325.3‒4)

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