Wednesday, February 18 : Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross [Edith Stein]

In those who have entered into the unity of the divine inner life, everything is one: rest and activity, contemplation and action, silence and speech, listening and communicating, loving receptiveness, and loving gift of self in thanksgiving and praise… We need hours of silent listening, when we allow the divine Word to work in us, until it craves to become fruitful in the sacrifice of praise and of action. We need the traditional forms and participation in the set forms of acts of regular worship, so that the inner life can be awakened and guided and find a suitable expression. The solemn divine praise must have its homes on earth where it is developed to the greatest perfection possible to human beings. From these it ascends to heaven for the whole Church and becomes effective in the members of the Church, quickening their interior life, inviting their participation. But it must itself be quickened from within even in these places by leaving space for silence and depth. Otherwise it would degenerate into mere lip-service. Contemplative houses where souls stand in solitude and silence before the face of God are a protection against this danger. They wish to be in the heart of the Church the love that vivifies all.

Roman Extraordinary (Tridentine) Daily Readings – rosary,team