Sunday, March 22 : Saint Ephrem

Abraham and his wife were unable to give life because of their own great age. Youth had been snuffed out in both their bodies yet their hope in God was alive and well; never faltering, it could not be destroyed. Hence, contrary to all expectation, Abraham fathered Isaac who was the perfect image of our Lord. For it was wholly unnatural that Sarah’s womb, already dead, should conceive Isaac and she should nourish him with her milk. It was no less so that the Virgin Mary, without knowing man, should conceive the Savior of the world and give birth to him without losing her virginity… Standing before the tent, the angel had said to the patriarch: “Next year at about this time, Sarah will have a son” (Gn 18,14). And the angel, too, said to Mary: “Behold, the Favored One will bear a son” (Lk 1, 28.31). Sarah had laughed when she thought of her barrenness and her age (v.12), not believing the word she exclaimed: “How could Abraham and I have a child? We are both withered!” Mary, thinking of the virginity she wished to preserve, hesitated. She said: “How can this be since I have no relations with a man?” And indeed, the promise was contrary to nature, yet he who, contrary to all expectation, gave Isaac to Sarah, was himself truly born of the Virgin Mary according to the flesh. When Isaac entered the world according to God’s word, Sarah and Abraham were full of joy. When Jesus came into the world as announced by Gabriel, Mary and Joseph were full of happiness… “Who would have told Abraham that Sarah would nurse a child in her old age?” the barren one exclaimed. “Who would have said to the world that from my virginal womb I would nurse a baby with my milk?” cried Mary. And in fact it wasn’t for Isaac’s sake that Sarah started to laugh but because of him who was born of Mary. And just as John the Baptist showed his joy by leaping in his mother’s womb, so Sarah showed hers by laughing.

Roman Extraordinary (Tridentine) Daily Readings – rosary,team