Thursday, May 5 : Symeon the New Theologian

Such is the first man, earthly; such also are all those born of him, earthly; but such, too, is Christ our Lord, heavenly; heavenly, too, are all those who believed in him, were reborn from on high and, equally, have been baptized in the most holy Spirit (cf. 1 Cor 15:48; Jn 3:3; Acts 1:5). Such is the Spirit who brought them to birth, truly God, such are those who are born of him, gods by adoption from God and all sons of the Most High, as was spoken by the divine mouth. (…) Be no longer hesitant: if you are a christian such is Christ, heavenly, such, too, must you be; but if you are now, why call yourself Christian ? Indeed, if as the Lord is heavenly so, in the same way, according to him, are all those who have believed in him, namely heavenly; therefore all those who have worldly minds, all who live according to the flesh, do not belong to the Word of God who came down from on high but to him who has been fashioned of earth, yes, to the earthly man. This is how you should think, judge, believe, and seek to become such, according to the word of him who came down from heaven and gave life to the world (cf. Jn 6:33). It is he, too, the bread from on high, so that those who eat it should no longer know death (cf. Jn 6:50 f.) for, being heavenly, they will certainly always be freed from corruption and clothed in incorruptibility, freed from death and completely united to life, and, because of this, they are called heavenly.
Roman Catholic Ordinary Calendar – rosary,team