Wednesday, November 8 : Saint Augustine

O good Jesus, with the eyes of the faith you have opened up within me, I see you crying out and saying to all humankind: “Come to me and seat yourself in my school.” What is the lesson…, O you by whom all things were made…, what is the lesson we come to learn at your school? “That I am meek and humble in heart.” For it is to this that “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” concealed within you can be reduced: to learn this primary lesson, that you are “meek and humble of heart”… May they listen, those who seek your mercy and your truth, may they come to you and learn from you to be gentle and humble, living for you and not for themselves. May they hear these things who toil and are heavily laden, who so labor beneath their burden as not to dare lift their eyes to heaven, sinners who beat their breasts and stand far off. May the centurion hear, who was not worthy that you should enter into his house. May Zacchaeus, the leading publican, hear when he restores fourfold the fruit of his sins. May the woman who had been a sinner in the town hear, who shed as many more tears at your feet as she had been the more distanced from your steps. May they hear all those women of evil life and publicans who go before scribes and Pharisees into the Kingdom of heaven. May they hear all those with every kind of sickness of whom you were accused of being the table companion… All these quickly become gentle and humble before you when they turn towards you at the remembrance of their sin filled-life and of your mercy full of forgiveness. For “where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more.” (Biblical references: Col 2:3; Lk 18:13; Lk 7:6; Lk 19:8; Lk 7:37; Mt 21:31; Mt 9:11; Rm 5:20)

maronite readings – rosary,team