Friday, May 31 : Saint Irenaeus of Lyons

The Spirit promised by the prophets descended upon the Son of God made Son of man (Mt 3,16), accustoming himself in this way to dwell alongside Him within the human race, to rest over humankind and reside in God’s workmanship, working the Father’s will in them and renewing them by causing them to pass from their old way of life to the newness of Christ. This is the Spirit David requested for the human race, saying: “And with your guiding Spirit, sustain me” (Ps 51[50],14 LXX). This is also the Spirit who, as Luke says, descended upon the disciples after the Ascension on the day of Pentecost, having power to give all nations entrance to life and to open up the New Covenant to them. Stirred by one feeling, the disciples uttered the praises of God in every language while the Spirit gathered together into unity a dispersed peoples and offered to the Father the first-fruits of all nations (Acts 2). Therefore the Lord promised to send the Comforter who would bind us to God. For as a lump of dough and single loaf cannot be formed of dry wheat without water, neither could we, being many, be made one in Christ Jesus (1Cor 10,17) without the Water come down from heaven. And as dry earth does not bring forth fruit unless it receive moisture, so we also, who were to begin with but dry wood, could never have brought forth fruit unto life without generous Rain from above. For our bodies have received the union that leads to incorruptibility by the washing of baptism, but our souls, by means of the Spirit. That is why both are necessary, since both contribute towards our life in God.
maronite readings – rosary,team