Thursday, July 25 : Saint Augustine

“Christ laid down his life for us; so we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers” (1Jn 3,16)… Jesus said to Peter: “When you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old,… someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go…” (Jn 21,18). It was the Cross, the Passion, he promised him. “Go even so far as to pasture my sheep, suffer for my sheep.” This is what a good bishop is to be like. If he is not, he is no bishop… Now listen to this other testimony. Two of his disciples, the brothers John and James who were sons of Zebedee, were ambitious for the first place without consideration for the others… Our Lord answered them: “You do not know what you are asking”, for he added: “Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?” What cup is this if not that… of the Passion?… And they, forgetting their weakness, immediately said: “We can”. Then he said to them: “My cup you will indeed drink. But to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father”… In this way he gave proof of his humility for, in fact, everything the Father prepares is prepared, too, for the Son… He came in humility: he, the Creator, was created amongst us; he made us, but he was made for us. God before time began, man in time, he delivered man from time. This great physician has come to heal our cancer…; by his example he has come to heal pride itself. This is what we must give our attention to in the Lord: let us consider his humility, drink the cup of his humility, clasp him, contemplate him. How easy it is to have elevated thoughts, easy to take pleasure in honors, easy to give one’s ear to flatterers and people who praise us. But to bear with insult, patiently undergo humiliation, pray for those who persecute us (Mt 5,39.44): that is the Lord’s cup, that is the Lord’s feast.

Roman Extraordinary (Tridentine) Daily Readings – rosary,team