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Christ, like all fascinating personalities, had the power not merely of saying beautiful things himself, but of making other people say beautiful things to him; and I love the story St Mark tells us about the Greek woman—the γυν? ?λληνí? —who, when as a trial of her faith he said to her that he could not give her the bread of the children of Israel, answered him that the little dogs—κυν?ρια, “little dogs” it should be rendered—who are under the table eat of the crumbs that the children let fall.[116.1] Most people live for love and admiration. But it is by love and admiration that we should live[116a].[116.2] If any love is shown us we should recognise that we are quite unworthy of it. Nobody is worthy to be loved. The fact that God loves man shows that in the divine order of ideal things it is written that eternal love is to be given to what is eternally unworthy. Or if that phrase seems to you a bitter one to hear, let us say that everyone is worthy of love, except he who thinks that he is. Love is a sacrament that should be taken kneeling[116b], and Domine, non sum dignus[116.3] should be on the lips and in the hearts of those who receive it. I wish you would sometimes think of that. You need it so much.
基督就像所有个性迷人的人物那样，不但自己有能力讲出美好的道理，也能叫别人对他讲出美好的道理。 我喜欢圣马可讲的那个希腊妇人的故事。为了考验她的信念，基督对她说不能把以色列孩子们的面包给她，她听了回答说小狗——照希腊文应该译为“小狗”的——在桌子底下，吃孩子们丢下的碎渣儿呢。大部分人活着是为了爱和赞美。但我们应该是凭借爱和赞美活着[116a]。假如有任何爱向我们显露了，我们应该认识到这爱自己是很不配的。没有谁配得到爱。上帝爱世人，这一事实显示，在神定下的事物的理想法则中，写明了要把永恒的爱给予那些永远不配的人。倘若那话你不高兴听，那就这么说吧，每个人都配得到爱，除了那些自认为配得到爱的人。爱是神圣的，必须双膝跪接[116b]，承受的人嘴里和心里都要默念“主啊，我不配。”我希望你有时会想想这一点。这对你太需要了。
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