❦

Alfred Petit (French, d. 1895) ~ Wild Roses, n/d

🎼 Für Hildegard von Bingen • Devendra Banhart

“Show respect to your neighbor, regardless of age, status, or any other distinguishing factor—and gradually, holy love will begin to appear in your heart. The source of that holy love—is not flesh and blood, it’s not affection—it is God. Those who are deprived of the glory of Christianity are not deprived of another glory, which they received at creation: they are icons of God. If the icon of God is thrown into the fire of the terrible hell, I still must respect it there too. Why do I care about fire, hell! There the icon of God will be thrown by the judgment of God: my duty is to preserve respect for the icon of God, and thus to preserve myself from hell. And to the blind, the leper, the one with impaired mind, the infant, the last transgressor, and the heathen, I will show respect, as to the icon of God. What concern have you with their weaknesses and shortcomings! Take care of yourself, so that you do not lack in love.”