Sunday, March 6 : Saint Paschasius Radbertus

Every day, the Lord heals the soul of each person who begs him to, who worships him reverently and proclaims these words with faith: “Lord, if you will to do so, you can cure me,” and this no matter how many faults he has. For “faith in the heart leads to justification.” (Rom 10:10) Thus, we must address our requests to God in complete trust, without doubting his power in any way… That is why the Lord immediately answered the leper who begged him: “I do will it.” For the sinner has hardly begun to pray with faith than the hand of the Lord sets to work to heal the leprosy of his soul… This leper gives us very good advice on how to pray. He does not doubt the Lord’s will as if he were refusing to believe in his goodness. But he is aware of the seriousness of his faults, and so he does not want to presume on that will. In saying that, if the Lord wills, he can cure him, he affirms that the Lord has this power, and at the same time, he affirms his faith… If faith is weak, it must first be strengthened. Only then will it reveal all its power so as to obtain healing for the soul and the body. Without doubt, the apostle Peter was speaking of this faith when he said: “He purified their hearts by means of faith” (Acts 15:9)… Pure faith lived in love, maintained through perseverance, patient in waiting, humble in its affirmation, firm in its trust, full of respect in its prayer and of wisdom in what it asks, is certain of hearing this word of the Lord’s in every circumstance: “I do will it.”

maronite readings – rosary,team