Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:48
“The perfect person does not only try to avoid evil. Nor does he [or she] do good for fear of punishment, still less in order to qualify for the hope of a promised reward.
The perfect person does good through love.
His [or Her] actions are not motivated by desire for personal benefit, so he [or she] does not have personal advantage as his [or her] aim. But as soon as he [or she] has realized the beauty of doing good, he [or she] does it with all his [or her] energies and in all that he [or she] does.
He [or She] is not interested in fame, or a good reputation, or a human or divine reward.
The rule of life for a perfect person is to be in the image and likeness of God.”
Clement of Alexandria (c. 150-215) as cited in Drinking From The Hidden Fountain: A Patristic Breviary. Ancient Wisdom for Today’s World by Tomáš Špidlík.
My trip to Egypt has gone well. The service was fruitful. About seven hours after this posts I will arrive home to celebrate Christmas with my family.
One highlight on the trip was that a person said that attending the weekend generosity retreat with Patrick Johnson and me was like listening to Jesus.
Slowly but surely, the Holy Spirit is conforming and perfecting me into the image of His Son, Jesus. You too I pray. Our role is to surrender to this work.
Father, make us perfect people by your Spirit and be glorified in our being or abiding in Christ and in our doing good with love, all for Your glory. Amen.
I