"Among all things, however disparate, there reigns an order, and this gives the form that makes the universe resemble God," she said; "therein God's higher creatures see the imprint of Eternal Excellence - that goal for which the system is created, and in this order all created things, according to their bent, maintain their place, disposed in proper distance from their Source; therefore, they move, all to a different port, across the vast ocean of being, and each endowed with its own instinct as its guide. This is what carries fire toward the moon, this is the moving force in mortal hearts, this is what binds the earth and makes it one. Not only living creatures void of reason prove the impelling strength of instinct's bow, but also those with intellect and love.... But, it is true that just as form sometimes may not reflect the artist's true intent, the matter being deaf to the appeal, just so, God's creature, even though impelled toward the true goal, having the power to serve, may sometimes go astray along his course; and just as fire can be seen as falling down from a cloud, so too man's primal drive, twisted by false desire, may bring him down."
~Dante, Paradise, Canto 1
Here is my prayer today. Lord, help me keep to the order ordained for me at the beginning of time. Help me move when I should move and stay when I should stay. Guard me from the twistings of false desire. Keep me from going astray and being deaf to the appeals of my own artist: yourself. Lord, keep me searching for angel's bread.
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