Monday, September 12 : Saint Patrick

Once I was a crude and ignorant exile who didn’t even know how I would take care of myself in the future. This much I know for certain “before I was afflicted” I was like a stone stuck deep in a mud puddle. But then the Lord, the mighty one, came along and in his compassion reached down and pulled me out, raised me up, and placed me on top of a wall. Because of this I must proclaim my good news, I must pay God back in some way for all that he has done for me here on earth and what he will do in eternity – blessings no one can even imagine. So listen to me well, “all of you, small and great, everyone who has any fear of God”, and especially you wealthy landowners so proud of your education, listen and consider this carefully: God chose foolish little me from among all of you who seem so wise and so expert in the law and “so mighty in deed and word”. He picked ignorant me ahead of all of you, even though I am not worthy. He picked me to go forth “with reverence and awe”… to serve the people faithfully. The love of Christ carried me here to be a help to these people for the rest of my life, if I may be worthy, and to work for them with humility and in sincerity. “According to the measure of my faith” in the Trinity… I must choose to proclaim the gift of God and his “everlasting ecouragement” confidently and without fear. I must make known God’s name everywhere, so that even after I die it might be a kind of spiritual legacy left behind for my brothers and sons, so many thousands I baptized for God. (Biblical references : Eccl 4,13 Vulg; Ps 119[118],67; Lk 1,49; Rv 19,5; Lk 24,19; Heb 12,28; Rm 12,6; 2Th 2,16)

maronite readings – rosary,team