Sunday, October 3 : Origen

“A very large part of the land still remains to be conquered” (Jos 13,1)… Consider our Lord and Savior’s first coming, when he came to sow the word on earth. He gained hold of the whole earth by force of this sowing alone. He put opposing powers and the rebel angels who control the nations to flight and, at the same time, sowed his word and spread abroad his churches. This is his first possession of the land. Follow me, however… through the subtlety of Scripture and I will show you what the second conquest of the land means, of which it was said to Joshua / Jesus that much had been left. Hear Saint Paul’s words: “He must reign until he has made all his enemies his footstool” (cf. 1Cor 15,25; Ps 110[109],1). This is the land of which it was said that it had been left until everything has been completely subjected under his feet and that thus he would make all people his heritage… With regard to our own times, we are well aware of things “that remain” and are not yet subject under Jesus’ feet, yet he must take possession of all things. For there is no end to the world until everything has been subjected to him. Indeed, the prophet said: “All nations shall be subject to him, from the ends of the rivers to the ends of the earth; the Ethiopians shall bow before him” (cf. Ps 72[71] LXX) and “From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia they shall bring him offerings” (Zeph 3,10). From this it follows that, at his second coming, Jesus will rule over that land of which there remains much to possess. But how blessed will be those who were his subjects from his first coming! Truly, they will be loaded with gifts in spite of the resistance of so many enemies and the attacks of so many foes; they will receive… their share of the Promised Land. But when submission has been carried out by force, on that day when “the last enemy, who is death, shall have been destroyed” (1Cor 15,26), there can be no more favor for those who refuse to submit.

maronite readings – rosary,team