Wednesday, June 5 : Saint John Henry Newman

When our Lord was leaving his Apostles, and they were sorrowful, he consoled them by the promise of another Guide and Teacher, on whom they might rely instead of him, and who should be more to them even than he had been… At the same time this new and most gracious Comforter, while bringing a higher blessedness, would not in any degree obscure or hide what had gone before… How could the Holy Ghost, who was one with the Son, and the Spirit proceeding from the Son, do otherwise than manifest the Son, while manifesting himself? How could he fail to illuminate the mercies and perfections of him, whose death upon the Cross opened a way for himself, the Holy Ghost, to be gracious to man also?… On the contrary, Christ expressly announced to the apostles concerning him, in the words of the text: “He shall glorify me.”… The special way in which God the Holy Ghost gave glory to God the Son, seems to have been his revealing him as the Only-begotten Son of the Father (Jn 1,18)… Our Savior said most plainly, that he was the Son of God;… Our Savior said all that need be said, but his apostles understood him not. Nay, when they made confession, and that in faith, and by the secret grace of God, and therefore acceptably to Christ, still they understood not fully what they said… He purposely concealed that knowledge, which yet he gave; as if intending it should be enjoyed, but not at once; as if his words were to stand, but to wait awhile for their interpretation; as if reserving them for his coming, who at once was to bring Christ and his words into the light… Apparently, it was not till after his resurrection, and especially after his ascension, when the Holy Ghost descended, that the apostles understood who had been with them.

maronite readings – rosary,team