The faith of our fathers - Carmel Apologetics

"366 THE FAITH OF OUR FATHERS.a kind of external homage. In the Prophet Daniel,we read : Sun and moon bless the Lord, stars. . .of heaven bless the Lord, praise and exalt Himabove all forever." l But man, by possessing a soulor spiritual substance, partakes of the nature ofangels, and by possessing a body, partakes of thenature of the heavenly bodies. It is therefore, hisprivilege, as well as his duty, to offer to God the, twofold homage of body and soul in other; words, tohonor Him by internal and external worship.Genuine piety cannot long be concealed in theheart without manifesting itself by exterior practices of religion ;and hence, though interior andexterior worship are distinct, they cannot be separated in the presentlife. The fire cannot bumwithout sending forth a flame and heat. Neithercan the fire of devotion burn in the soul withoutreflecting itself on our countenance, and even on ourspeech. It is natural for man to express his sentiments by signs and ceremonies, for, "from the fulness of the heart the mouth speaketh." And asthe fuel is necessary to keep alive the fire, even sothe flame of piety is nourished by the outward formsof religion.The fruit of a tree does not consist in its bark 01its leaves and branches. Nevertheless, you neversaw a tree bearing fruit, unless when clothed withbark, adorned with branches, and covered with1Dan. iii. 62, 63. Though this passage is omitted in the Protestant Bible, it is retained in the Book of Common Prayer.