The Word of Life

Augustine opened his sermons on 1 John by saying, “This book is very sweet to every healthy Christian heart that savors the bread of God, and it should constantly be in the mind of God's holy church. But I choose it more particularly because what it specially commends to us is love. The person who possesses the thing which he hears about in this epistle must rejoice when he hears it. His reading will be like oil to a flame. For others, the epistle should be like flame set to firewood; if it was not already burning, the touch of the word may kindle it.”

I have selected 1 John, in particular, because of the contrast in style and content between 1 John
and Ezekiel and Book 3 of the Psalms.

It seemed to me that after several months of exile and judgment, the epistle that sets forth love most clearly would be in order!