A son honors his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is my honor? and if I be a master, where is my fear?
says the LORD of hosts unto you,
O priests, that despise my name. And you say, How have we despised your name?
All Commentaries on Malachi 1:6 Go To Malachi 1
Maximus of Turin
AD 423
Last Sunday I spoke at sufficient length for the correction of those who do not give thanks to the Creator for the divine gifts that they enjoy and who, while benefiting from heavenly kindness, like ungrateful and unworthy persons do not acknowledge the author of kindness. They are ungrateful, I say, who neither fear God as slaves do their master nor honor him as children do their father. God says through the prophets, “If I am a master, where is my fear? If I am a father, where is my love?” That is to say, if you are a slave, render the master service of fear; if you are a son, show your father a reverent love. But when you do not give thanks, you neither love nor fear God; hence you are an insolent slave or a proud son. The good Christian, therefore, ought always to praise his Father and Master and to do all good things with a view of his glory, as the blessed apostle says: “Whether you eat or drink or do anything, do all for the glory of God.”
