Thursday, March 21 : Saint Augustine

“It is vain for you to rise early.” (Ps 127:2 – LXX Ps 126:2) What does that mean? … Christ, our Day, has risen. It is good for you to rise after Christ and not before him. Who are those who rise before Christ? … Those who want to be raised up here below, where he was humble. So may they be humble in this world, if they want to be raised up where Christ is raised up. For he said of those who adhered to him by faith – and we are among them: “Father, all those you gave me I would have in my company where I am.” (Jn 17:24) A magnificent gift, a great grace, a glorious promise… Do you want to be where he is raised up? Be humble where he was humble. “No pupil outranks his teacher.” (Mt 10:24)… And yet, before undergoing humiliation in conformity with the Lord’s Passion, the sons of Zebedee had already chosen their places, one at his right side, the other at his left. They wanted to “rise early”. That is why they were walking in vain. The Lord called them back to humility by asking them: “Can you drink the chalice that I must drink? I came to be humble, and you want to be raised up before me? Follow me on the path where I am going, he said. For if you want to go by a path where I am not going, it is in vain.”

maronite readings – rosary,team