9781644135945

The Light of the World
God chooses in His work. “He hath regarded the humility of His handmaid. For behold, from
henceforth all generations shall call me blessed, because He that is mighty hath done great
things to me, and holy is His name; and His mercy is from generation unto generations” (Lk
1:48–50). Mary desires to be nothing more than a handmaid, yet God elevates her to the
position of Queen of Heaven. This is the mystery of humility: “He that humbleth himself shall
be exalted” (Lk 14:11; 18:14).
“After her shall virgins be brought to the king; . . . they shall be brought with gladness and rejoicing”
(Ps 44:15 f.). They are the companions of the royal bride, her honored escort, themselves brides
of Christ, noble daughters of the King. “These are they who were not defiled with women, for they
are virgins” (Apoc 14:4). They leave earthly pleasures and take flight to the heavenly bridegroom.
Rejoice at the hour when He shall take you home to the blessed wedding feast in heaven. Virginity
and chastity are raised to the highest dignity. “Blessed are the clean of heart” (Mt 5:8).
“After her shall virgins be brought to the King.” Blessed are those souls called to the religious
life. “And I will espouse thee to Me forever, and I will espouse thee to Me in justice and judgment,
and in mercy and in commiserations” (Os 2:19). Truly He has “blessed thee forever” (Ps
44:3). “See” the bridegroom; to Him alone “incline thy ear. . . . Forget thy people and thy father’s
house” (Ps 44:11). Give up everything to gain all in Christ, imitating Mary, the royal bride.
“After her shall virgins be brought to the King.” Great as their number may be, do not take
heed to those who are concerned only with the things of the flesh. Learn to treasure, honor,
and love Christ.
Prayer
Protect us, O Lord, and grant that we may seek the things of God and serve Thee with body
and soul. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Thursday
“At that time there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee” (Gospel). At this wedding the bride and
the groom are not important. The groom is spoken to, but the Evangelist does not regard it
worthwhile to record what the bridegroom replies to the chief steward. We feel, when reading
this story, that the wedding feast itself is of little concern to the Evangelist. He uses it as the
background for another wedding feast, the marriage of Christ the King to His Church and to
the Christian soul. These thoughts are proposed to us by Epiphany.
Christ, the divine King, is the bridegroom of the soul. He is not satisfied with becoming our
brother, our Redeemer, the vine which upholds the branches and fills them with life; He desires
to be united in the most intimate union of which man is capable. “Wherefore a man shall leave
father and mother and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall be two in one flesh” (Gn 2:24).
“This is a great sacrament; but I speak in Christ and in the Church” (Eph 5:32). St. Paul points
out the great mystery in this union of a man and wife. But he also proclaims very clearly that
this union is great and holy because it is a symbol of the union of Christ the Lord with His
Church and with our souls. In this light the words of the Apostle take on a wider and deeper
meaning: “The husband shall leave father and mother and cling to his wife,” and the two shall
become one in spirit, one in thought, one in desire and will. They shall have one heart and
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