Monday, October 11 : Symeon the New Theologian

I am Shepherd and Lord of those who desire it; on the other hand I am most certainly the Creator and God by nature of those others too, but I am absolutely not the King or Guide of those who have not taken up their cross to follow me — in fact they are the children, slaves and instruments of the Enemy. See these redoubtable mysteries, their lack of consciousness, see and grieve over them at every moment, if you can. Indeed, while they are called from darkness to light that never sets, from death to life, from the underworld to the heavens, from what is temporary and corruptible to eternal glory, they give way to anger, furious with those who teach them, and they devise all kinds of ruses against them, they prefer death to abandoning darkness and the works of darkness so as to follow me. (…) Don’t force them to carry out what you are teaching them: simply repeat my words to them and exhort them to observe them as being that which gains them eternal life, and those words will themselves arise when I come for Judgement and will judge everyone, one by one, according to their merits, whereas you, you will remain without responsibility, without any kind of condemnation, since you will not have falsified the silver of my words but will have lavished on everyone all you have received. This is what pleases me, this is the work of my apostles and disciples who have acted according to my commandments: announce God throughout the whole world, teach my will and commands and bequeath them for people in writing. So strive to act and teach as they do. (…) Try hard to help yourself, you and those who listen to you, if by chance you find on earth a man who has ears to hear and listens to your words!

Roman Catholic Ordinary Calendar – rosary,team