Some people want to know just for the sake of knowing, and this is a shameful curiosity. Some people want knowledge in order to trade their knowledge, and this is shameful. But there are some who want knowledge to benefit others, and this is praiseworthy. Some people desire knowledge for their personal development, and this is wise. (Bernard’s quote)
Bernard’s quote gave birth to a prayer within me: O Lord, protect me from idle knowledge and from every shameful curiosity, and nullify within me every desire for knowledge to trade in.. and it gave birth within me longings and passion for knowledge that benefits those around me, changes me, and develops me.
Through present diligence we prepare for future blessing.
Eternal matters are important, and the souls that depend on our teaching are precious and numerous. This places on us a great responsibility to take care of the needs of individuals and communicate Christ to them.
Ministers must observe their flock to know what is most necessary for them.
Ensuring that our education is simple and clear, far from any linguistic philosophy that separates us from the people.
Truth loves light and is more beautiful when it is not hidden.
The best evidence that people understand what we know is their ability to present it clearly to others… Therefore, it is important that we make sure that the matter is as clear as possible.
It is important in care to be careful to be humble and to expel pride from our hearts just because we have reached positions in the church. We always pray that God will test our hearts and purify our depths of all pride.
God, who expelled an arrogant angel, does not allow the presence of an arrogant preacher or shepherd.
In our care, we must combine rigor and kindness… because rigor puts things in perspective and does not allow for disdain and recklessness, and kindness balances the matter because it conveys to the parish that we do not abuse power.
It is important that we incite our spiritual awakening and do not stop seeking spiritual growth, because this will spread and affect the parish as well.
Our spiritual awakening allows us to awaken others as well and pull them toward heaven, no matter how earthly things try to pull them down.
In our pastoral service, we must be careful to have tender love toward our people…to share with them their joys and sorrows, to care for their concerns, and to have our main concern with them be their salvation.
It is a fact that the more people see our love for them, the more they will hear and tolerate anything from us.
Throughout the care journey, it is important to realize that we are supported by God’s grace and that we learn care from His care for us.
In our pastoral service, we pray every now and then that God gives us patience and endurance, taking Christ himself as a model for us, for patience and endurance of wounds and insults.
We must strive for our pastoral service to be with dignity, and dignity is that feeling that stems from a deep fear of God.
The greater the divine presence in our actions, the greater its authority over people.
Our primary reliance in care must be on the Word of God, and various readings and writings will help us, but the Word of God cannot be dispensed with or compared to any other spiritual book.
We may be frustrated in caring when we do not see the fruit of this service, but let us have this certainty that God looks at our effort and diligence.
Our goal in care is not to obtain a reward, but rather to save souls.
One of the most important values of care is maintaining the unity of the church through pastoral service.
It is a great privilege to live as students and preachers of Christ.
We ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit every time because it qualifies us and gives us help and guidance for various matters.
Those souls that God purchased with the blood of His Son, and purchased at a great price, are a great responsibility that God has entrusted to us to care for. We must maintain the trust and work hard for them and for their salvation.