Saturday, December 4 : Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross [Edith Stein]

Woman (trans. ©Washington province of Discalced Carmelites, 1987, p.231-232 rev.) “Behold the bridegroom ; go out to meet him” The union of the soul with Christ differs from the union among people in the world: it is a rooting and growing in him, as we are told by the parable of the vine and the branches, which begins with baptism and is constantly strengthened and formed through the sacraments in diverse ways. However this real union with Christ implies the growth of a genuine community among all Christians. Thus the Church forms the mystical body of Christ. The body is a living body, and the spirit which gives the body life is Christ’s spirit, streaming from the head to all parts. The spirit which Christ radiates is the Holy Spirit; the Church is thus the temple of the Holy Spirit. In spite of the real organic oneness of head and body, the Church stands by the side of Christ like an independent person. Christ lived prior to all time and all humanity as Son of the eternal Father. Humankind came into being by the act of creation before Christ assumed its nature and entered into it. By entering into creation, he brought his divine life into it. From himself he generated human nature anew in that, through his redemption, he made humanity receptive to grace… The original cell of all redeemed humanity is Mary, in whom first took place the purification and sanctification through Christ and impregnation by the Holy Spirit. Before the Son of Man was born of the Virgin, the Son of God conceived of this very virgin as one full of grace, and he created the Church in and with her. Thus the Church stands as a new creation beside him, although it is indissolubly bound to him. Every soul purified through baptism and raised to the state of grace is thereby conceived through Christ and is born for his sake. Yet the soul is conceived and born through the Church… The Church is thus the mother of all the redeemed. But it is so because of its most intimate union with Christ, because it stands at his side as the Spouse of Christ and cooperates with him in his work, the redemption of humankind.

maronite readings – rosary,team