Sunday, October 29 : Nicholas Cabasilas

“When he had accomplished purification from sins, he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Heb 1,3)… Thus it was to serve us that he came into the world from his Father’s side. And this exceeds all else: it wasn’t only for the time he appeared on earth clad in human weakness that he manifested himself under the form of a slave and concealed his position as lord, but later, too, on the day he comes in all his power and appears in all the glory of the Father at his manifestation. It is with reference to his rule that it is said: “He will gird himself, invite his servants to recline at table, and proceed to wait on each of them in turn” (Lk 12,37). This indeed is he through whom monarchs reign and princes govern! This is how he will exercise his true and blameless royalty…; this is how he carries with him those he has subjected to his power: more loving than a friend, more just than a prince, more tender than a father, more intimate than one’s limbs, more indispensable than the heart. He does not impose himself through fear, he does not subject with a wage. He finds the strength of his might within himself alone; by himself alone he binds his subjects. Since to reign through fear or with the aim of payment is not to govern in one’s own right but through hope of gain or by means of threat… Christ must reign in the full sense of the word; any other form of authority is unworthy of him. He knew well how to achieve this by an unusual means…: in order to become truly Master he embraced the condition of a slave and made himself the servant of slaves even to the cross and to death. Thus he seized hold of the souls of slaves and gained direct possession of their wills. Knowing that this was where the secret of this royalty lies, Paul wrote: “He humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this God greatly exalted him” (Phil 2,8-9)… Through the first creation Christ is lord of nature; through the new creation he has been made lord of our will… That is why he said: “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Mt 28,18).
maronite readings – rosary,team