Sunday, October 16 : Homily attributed to Saint Macarius of Egypt

The soul that really loves God and Christ, even if it has done thousands of good works, thinks it has done nothing because of its insatiable hunger for God. Even if it has exhausted the body through fasting and vigils, it believes that it has not yet begun to be virtuous. In spite of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the heavenly revelations and mysteries, it believes that it has not yet done anything because of its immense and insatiable love of the Lord. In faith and in love, it is always hungry and thirsty. Persevering in prayer, it insatiably desires the mysteries of grace and to acquire every virtue. Wounded by love of the heavenly Spirit, animated by an ardent desire for its heavenly Spouse, it aspires to the grace of perfect, mysterious and ineffable communion with him, in the sanctification of the Spirit. It is waiting for the veils to fall before his face and that it might see its Spouse face to face in the spiritual and indescribable light, that it be united to him in all certainty, that it be transformed into the image of his death. In the soul’s great desire to die for Christ, it awaits with certainty its deliverance from sin and from all the darkness of the passions. Thus purified by the Spirit, sanctified in body and soul…, it has been made worthy to welcome the true King, Christ himself.

maronite readings – rosary,team