Nearing The Lord

Appropinquate Deo et appropinquabit vobis. Appropinquate Domino per humilitatem ejus vestigia sectando, et appropinquabit vobis per misericordiam, vos de angustia liberando. Non enim regionibus longe est quisque a Deo, sed affectibus. Namque uno commorantes terrae loco, is qui virtutibus studet, et is qui defluit sordibus vitiorum, longe est a Deo, alius proximum habet Deum. Unde et Psalmista dicit: Prope est Deus omnibus invocantibus eum in veritate. Rursumque: Longe est a peccatoribus salus. Illa utique salus cui canimus: Dominus illuminatio mea et salus mea, quem timebo? Et ipse Dominus, cum nos sibi appropinquare suaderet dicens: Venite ad me, omnes qui laboratis et onerati estis, et ego reficiam vos, continuo quia non hoc pedibus, sed actibus esset implendum demonstravit, cum subdidit: Tollite jugum meum super vos, et discite a me quia mitis sum, et humilis corde. Emundate manus, peccatores, et purificate corda, duplices animo. Hoc est veraciter Domino nos appropinquare, operis videlicet munditiam, et cordis simplicitatem habere. Innocens, inquit, manibus et mundo corde, hic accipiet benedictionem a Domino, et misericordiam. Et hoc est veraciter Dominum appropinquare nobis, suae nobis dona pietatis simpliciter quaerentibus dare. Sanctus enim Spiritus disciplinae effugiet fictum, et auferet se a cognitionibus quae sunt sine intellectu. Sanctus Beda, Super Divi Jacobi Epistolam, Caput IV Source: Migne PL 93 34

Draw near to God and He shall draw near to you. 1 Draw near to the Lord by the humility that adheres to His way, and He shall draw near to you by mercy, liberating you from distress. God is not far from anyone in respect of space, but by condition. For remaining in one place in the earth, one man exerts himself in virtues and one man tumbles into filthy vices, and one is far from God and the other is near God. Whence the Psalmist says, 'God is near to all those who invoke him in truth.' 2 And again, 'Salvation is far from sinners.' 3 That salvation concerning which we sing, 'The Lord my enlightenment and my salvation, whom shall I fear?' 4 And the Lord Himself has encouraged us to draw near to Him, saying, 'Come to me, all you who labour and are burdened, and I shall give you rest.' and immediately, to show that this is fulfilled with deeds and not feet, He adds, 'Take my yoke on you, and learn from me, because I am meek and humble in heart.' 5 Clean your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, deceitful in soul. This is truly to come near the Lord, to have cleanliness in works and simplicity of heart. It says, 'He who has innocent hands and a clean heart, he shall receive a blessing from God and mercy. 6 And this is truly to bring the Lord near to us, that He give to us who seek sincerely the gifts of His own piety. 'For the Holy Spirit flees the fiction of discipline and He takes himself away from the thoughts of those who are without understanding.' 7 Saint Bede, from the Commentary on the Letter of Saint James, Chapter 4  1 Jam 4.8 2 Ps 144.18 3 Ps 118.155 4 Ps 26.1 5 Mt 11.28-29 6 Ps 25.11? 7 Wis 1.5