Sunday, November 18, 2012

Devotion for today: Desire knowledge with prudence and charity




A thought by St. Bernard


"There are some who desire knowledge merely for its own sake; and that is shameful curiosity.

 And there are others who desire to know, in order that they may themselves be known; and that is vanity, disgraceful too.

Others again desire knowledge in order to acquire money or preferment by it; that too is a discreditable quest.

But there are also some who desire knowledge, that they may build up the souls of others with it; and that is charity.

Others, again, desire it that they may themselves be built up thereby; and that is prudence.

 Of all these types, only the last two put knowledge to the right use"

 (St. Bernard, Sermon on the Canticle of Canticles).

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