Monday, May 13 : Blessed Columba Marmion

What truly makes our victory so precious is that it is in itself a signal gift of .lov.e which Christ makes to us : He has purchased it with His Blood. Listen to what our Lord said to His disciples at the close of His life : ” Have confidence. I have overcome the world ” (Jn 16:33) And how did He overcome the world ? With gold ? With the splendour of exterior actions ? No, in the eyes of the world, Christ was only the son of a carpenter of Nazareth. He was humble all His life. He was born in a stable, He dwelt in a workshop ; during His apostolic journeys, He had not always a shelter, or even anywhere to lay His head . The wisdom of the world would have scouted the idea that it could be overcome by poverty and renunciation. Did He overcome the world by the immediate temporal success of His undertakings or by other human advantages likely to impress or dominate it ? Again no. He was derided and crucified. In the eyes of the “wise ” of that time His mission ended in lamentable failure upon the Cross. His disciples are scattered, the crowd wag their heads ; the Pharisees laugh Him to scorn : ” He saved others : Himself He cannot save… Let Him now come down from the Cross, and then — but then only — we will believe in Him” (Mt 27:42) Yet the failure was only apparent ; it was precisely at this moment that in reality Christ won the victory ; in the sight of the world, from the natural point of view, He was overcome ; — but in the sight of God, He was the Victor over the prince of darkness and over the world. ” Have confidence. I have overcome the world ” : Confidite, ego vici mundum. And from that hour Christ Jesus has been appointed by His Father King, over the nations.

Roman Catholic Ordinary Calendar – rosary,team