Sunday, June 19 : Saint John of the Cross

The chief reason in the Old Law that the inquiries made of God were licit, and the prophets and priests appropriately desired visions and revelations from him, was that at that time faith was not yet perfectly grounded, nor was the Gospel law established… But in this era of grace, now… there is no reason for inquiring of him in this way, or expecting him to answer as before. In giving us his Son, his only Word (for he possesses no other), he spoke everything to us at once in this sole Word—and he has no more to say. This is the meaning of that passage where Saint Paul says to the Hebrews…: “God formerly spoke to our fathers through the prophets in many ways and manners, now, finally, in these days he has spoken to us all at once in his Son” (Heb. 1,1-2)… Those who now desire to question God or receive some vision or revelation are guilty not only of foolish behavior but also of offending him by not fixing their eyes entirely on Christ and by living with the desire for some other novelty. God could answer as follows: “If I have already told you all things in my Word, my Son, and if I have no other word, what answer or revelation can I now make that would surpass this? Fasten your eyes on him alone because in him I have spoken and revealed all and in him you will discover even more than you ask for and desire… On that day when I descended with my Spirit on Mount Tabor proclaiming: “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased: hear him” (Mt 17,5), I gave up these methods of answering and teaching… Hear him because I have no more faith to reveal or truths to manifest. If I spoke before it was to promise Christ. If they questioned me, their inquiries were related to their petitions and longings for Christ in whom they were to obtain every good, as is now explained in all the doctrine of the evangelists and apostles.
maronite readings – rosary,team