Monday, October 30 : Saint Irenaeus of Lyons

It was Christ who was present to all those to whom, from the beginning, God communicated his Speech and Word. If any one, therefore, reads the Scriptures with attention, he will find in them an expression of Christ and a foreshadowing of this new calling. For Christ is the treasure which was hidden in the field, that is, in this world (Mt 13:38): a treasure hidden in the Scriptures, since it was alluded to by means of symbols and parables which, humanly speaking, could not be understood prior to the fulfilment of prophecy, that is to say before the coming of the Lord. That is why it was said to Daniel the prophet: ” Keep secret the message and seal the book until the end of time ” (12:4)… And Jeremiah also says, “In the last days they shall understand these things.” (23:20)… When read by Christians, the Law is a treasure, hidden beforehand in a field, but brought to light and interpreted by the cross of Christ. It shows forth the wisdom of God and makes known his intentions with regard to our salvation; it prefigures the kingdom of Christ, and preaches by anticipation the Good News of our inheritance of the holy Jerusalem. It proclaims beforehand that those who love God shall advance even to hearing and seeing his word and that they will be glorified by this word… Thus it was that the Lord explained the Scriptures to his disciples after his resurrection from the dead, proving to them by their means that “it was necessary the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory” (Lk 24:26). So if anyone should likewise read the Scriptures, that person will become a perfect disciple, “like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom things both new and old.” (Mt 13:52).

maronite readings – rosary,team