Der erste Teil: Von des Menschen Elend — 2. Sonntag
The Mirror of the Law
The law of God serves as the primary means by which we recognize our own misery.
How do you recognize your misery? From the law of God.
The Great Commandment
Christ summarizes the entirety of the law and the prophets in the twofold command to love God and neighbor.
What does God's law require of us? Dies lehrt uns Christus mit folgenden Worten: "Du sollst den HERRN, deinen Gott, lieben von ganzem Herzen, von ganzer Seele und von ganzem Gemüt. This is the greatest and most important commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. All the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments."
The Reality of Our Nature
We are unable to keep the law perfectly because our natural inclination is toward hatred rather than love.
Can you keep all of this perfectly? No, because by nature I'm inclined to hate God and my neighbor.
Read the original Latin
Woher erkennst du dein Elend? Aus dem Gesetz Gottes.
Was fordert denn Gottes Gesetz von uns? Dies lehrt uns Christus mit folgenden Worten: "Du sollst den HERRN, deinen Gott, lieben von ganzem Herzen, von ganzer Seele und von ganzem Gemüt. Dies ist das höchste und größte Gebot. Das andere aber ist dem gleich: Du sollst deinen Nächsten lieben wie dich selbst. In diesen beiden Geboten hängt das ganze Gesetz und die Propheten."
Kannst du das alles vollkommen halten? Nein, denn ich bin von Natur aus geneigt, Gott und meinen Nächsten zu hassen.
Heidelberg Catechism (Heidelbergse Catechismus) companion
Rule yourself daily, not just on retreat
Chosen Portion turns the mirror into a daily practice — a short reading and examining question each morning before you lead anyone.
Chosen Portion makes the mirror daily: the ruler-formation questions this collection preserves become a two-minute morning examination in the app.
- A daily formation reading drawn from centuries of counsel to those in authority
- One pointed examination question a day — two minutes, before the meetings start
- Track your practice over weeks and watch the examined life become a habit