Sunday, August 16 : Blessed Guerric of Igny

Come then, Lord, “save me and I shall be saved” (Jer 17:14). Come and “smile upon us and we shall find deliverance” (Ps 79[80]:4,8,20). We have waited for you, “be our stronghold, our deliverer in time of trouble” (Is 33:2). In this fashion did the prophets and holy men, with great desire and longing, run to greet the Christ who was to come, hoping if possible to see with their eyes what they foresaw in their hearts. Hence the words of the Lord to his disciples: “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see; I tell you there have been many prophets and holy men who longed to see what you see and never saw it, to hear what you hear and never heard it.” Abraham, our father, “was full of joy to see the day” of Christ. “He saw it” — but in the lower regions — “and rejoiced” (Jn 8:56). In that day the coldness and hardness of our hearts will be greatly punished—I mean, if we do not look forward with joy of spirit to the anniversary of Christ’s birth which, we are promised, we shall, God willing, see very soon. In fact Holy Scripture seems to insist we have such joy so that our spirit, lifted out of itself, may run to meet the arrival of Christ in transports of joy, and, straining forward impatient of delay, may strive to pierce the future even now.

Roman Extraordinary (Tridentine) Daily Readings – rosary,team