Wednesday, February 28 : Saint John Damascene

Who is there who has won the power to open or shut the heavens, to hold back or send down the rain? Who was able to cause fire to descend on a sacrifice saturated with water or upon two companies of soldiers by reason of their misdeeds? Who, with burning zeal, caused the prophets of shame to perish on account of the offensive idols they venerated? Who saw God in a gentle breeze?… All these deeds belonged to Elijah alone and to the Spirit that was in him. But we might speak of even more prodigious events… Elijah is he who, to this very day, has not experienced death but has been carried up to the heavens and remains imperishable. Some people think he lives with the angels, whose incorruptible and immaterial nature he imitated through his pure life… And, in fact, Elijah appeared at the transfiguration of the Son of God, seeing him with uncovered face and standing face to face before him. At the end of time, when God’s salvation shall be manifested, it is he who will announce God’s coming before any other and will make him known to others. He will confirm the day kept secret by many extraordinary signs. On that day, too, if we are ready, we hope to go before this great man who is preparing the way that leads up to it. May he make us enter into the heavenly dwelling places, then, into Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom is due the glory and the power, now and for ever and for endless ages. (Biblical references : 1Kgs 17,1; 2Kgs 1,10; 1Kgs 18,40; 19,12; 2Kgs 2,1; Mt 17,3)

maronite readings – rosary,team