A warning, O my soul, against forgetting God in pride - instead, pressforward in imitating Mary, your Mother
In the Bible we read that Lucifer was 'a model of perfection', 'full of wisdom', 'perfect in beauty'. Further, he had a living creature to guard him. He was on the holy mountain of God. His behaviour was exemplary from the day he was created. (Ezekiel 28.12-15) However, his 'busy trading', 'multitude of his merchandise', 'abundance of trade' was what filled him with sin. (Ezekiel 28.16) O Lord, what does this trading and merchandise refer to in the spiritual world? Does it not stand for the rapid 'give and take', the exchange of glory, which constantly occurs between our soul, God and the world? For every grace and gift, we need to render God 'perfect praise'. When the world honours us, we need to carefully, righteously, justly, surely render God the glory which is his due. (Psalms 29.1) If we fail in this, we are filled with dishonesty. 'When someone speaks on his own account, he is seeking honour for himself; but w