Sunday, June 7 : Saint José Maria Escriva de Balaguer

Christ dwells in his Church: in its sacraments, liturgy, preaching, and all its activities. Christ remains present among us in a special way in the daily gift of the holy eucharist. That is why the Mass is at the centre and root of christian life. In every Mass the whole Christ is always there, Head and Body (Eph 1,22-23). “Through him, with him, in him.” For Christ is the Way, the Mediator: in him we find our all; without him our lives are empty… Christ lives within the Christian. Faith tells us that the person in a state of grace is divinised. We are men and women, not angels, beings of flesh and bone, with heart and emotion, sadness and joy. But divinisation is accomplished within the whole person as an anticipation of our glorious resurrection. “Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead came also through a human being. For just as in Adam all die, so too in Christ shall all be brought to life” (1Cor 15,20-22). Christ’s life is our life as he promised his apostles at the Last Supper. “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.” Therefore Christians must live as Christ lived, making Christ’s feelings their own so that they too can exclaim with Saint Paul: “I live, no longer I but Christ lives in me” (Gal 2,20).

maronite readings – rosary,team