This is a very encouraging thought. God does not require a pure heart before embracing us. Even if we return only because following our desires has failed to bring happiness, God will take us back. Even if we return because being a Christian brings us more peace than being a pagan, God will receive us. Even if we return because our sins did not offer as much satisfaction as we had hoped, God will take us back. Even if we return because we could not make it on our own, God will receive us. God's love does not require any explanations about why we are returning. God is glad to see us home and wants to give us all we desire, just for being home. (page 68 - 69)
This book is arranged around the major hours followed by Thomas Merton's order, the Trappists, also known as Cistercians. Compline is prayed at 7:30pm.
This illustration was made around 1240 and is the earliest surviving English book of hours. The artist who made it signs himself ‘W. de Brailes’ and it seems very likely that he was the William de Brailes who lived in Catte Street in Oxford around 1230–1260. This image is of the Betrayal, the Scourging of Christ, the Mocking of Christ, and Peter’s third denial, with Peter shown weeping outside of the frame of what may be an initial D(omine) of the first word (Lord).
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