Saturday, November 20 : Saint Irenaeus of Lyons

Since Abraham was a prophet he saw the day of the Lord’s coming in the Spirit as also the designs of his Passion, through which both he and all those like him who believed in God would be saved. And he was seized with great joy. Thus the Lord was not unknown to Abraham since he longed to see his day… He longed to see his day so that he, too, might clasp Christ to himself, and having seen him prophetically in the Spirit, he rejoiced. That is why Simeon, who was of his descendants, fulfilled the patriarch’s joy and said: “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all peoples”… And Elizabeth said [according to some manuscripts]: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior”. Abraham’s rejoicing descended, as it were, on those who were watching and who saw Christ and believed in him. And this rejoicing returned back to Abraham through his children.       So it was altogether fitting that our Lord bore witness to him when he said: “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: he saw it and was glad”. Nor was it only with regard to Abraham that he said this but of all those who, from the beginning, had come to know God and prophesied of Christ’s coming. For they had received this revelation from the Son himself: that Son who, in these the last days, became visible and palpable and talked with men so that he might raise up sons from Abraham out of stones and make his posterity to be like the stars of the heaven. ( Biblical references : Gn 17,17; Lk 2,29s; Lk 1,46; He 1,2;  Bar 4,38; Mt 3,9; Gn 15,5)

maronite readings – rosary,team