Monday, December 19 : Isaac of Stella

The Lord Jesus, the Savior of all, “made himself all things to all men” (1 Cor 9:22) in such a way that he revealed himself as being littler than the little ones, he who was greater than the great. To save a soul who was surprised in adultery and accused by the demons, he lowered himself to the point of writing on the ground with his finger… He himself is the holy and sublime ladder that the traveler Jacob saw in his sleep (Gen 28:12)…, the ladder that was set up from the earth to God and that God held out to the earth. When he wants, he goes up to God. Sometimes he is accompanied by a few people… and sometimes no one can follow him. And when he wants, he joins the crowd of people…, he heals the lepers, eats with publicans and sinners…, touches the sick in order to heal them. Blest is the soul that can follow the Lord Jesus wherever he goes, going up to the rest of contemplation… and on the other hand, going down by means of the practice of charity, following him to the point of lowering itself in service, of loving poverty, of bearing with… fatigue, work, tears, prayer, and finally compassion and the passion. For he came in order to obey even to death, to serve and not to be served, and to give not gold or silver, but his teaching and his help to the many, his life for the many (Mk 10:45)… So, brothers, may this be the model for your life: … to follow Christ by going up to the Father, … to follow Christ by going down to your brother, refusing no practice of charity, making yourselves all things to all men.
maronite readings – rosary,team