9781644135945

The Light of the World
these things?” He points to His own person, to the temple of His body, and says to them:
This is the sign which I shall show you. “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise
it up” (Gospel). Here there was question of two temples, the temple of stone in which they
stood, and the temple of Christ’s body. The Jews had already disgraced the stone temple of
Jerusalem, and they were soon to destroy the temple of Christ’s body. But Jesus has given them
the sign they demanded. After three days He raised up, by His glorious resurrection from the
dead, the temple which they had destroyed. The Jews did not understand what He meant. At
the moment not even the apostles understood Christ in the sense that He intended. But the
apostles held their peace, and “when therefore He was risen again from the dead, His disciples
remembered that He had said this”; that is, that He had prophesied His resurrection from the
dead after three days. Through their unshakable faith in their Master they are led to a more
perfect understanding of Christ. The Jews, on the other hand, because of their unbelief sank
deeper and deeper into their blindness. Men are divided in their attitude toward Christ, and
consequently “this child is set for the fall and for the resurrection of many” (Lk 2:34).
“Destroy this temple.” Jesus proves Himself by the cross: for the first time on Good Friday,
and daily in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, which is the living representation of His death and
resurrection. He proves Himself by the cross in the history of the Church and in the lives of His
saints. How are we to prove ourselves? By the amount of worldly goods that we accumulate?
By the honors and the temporal success we achieve? No, indeed. “If any man will come after
me, let him . . . take up his cross daily and follow me” (Lk 9:23). “With Christ I am nailed to
the cross” (Gal 2:19). This is the essence of Christianity. This is the Christianity of Christ, the
proof of the true Church of Christ. How little this truth is understood! How seldom do men
live in accordance with it! Do I myself really understand it and live by it?
“Save me, O God, by Thy name, and in Thy strength deliver me; O God, hear my prayer;
give ear to the words of my mouth” (Introit). This is the prayer of the Savior on the Mount of
Olives, at the pillar of the scourging, during the way of the cross, and on the cross itself. It is the
prayer of the suffering and persecuted Church. Today we unite ourselves and our prayers with
those of the suffering Savior.
In the Sacrifice of the Mass we enter into a union with the suffering Christ. We wish to be
true Christians; that is, martyrs. We are prepared to give up all things in order to be with Him.
We wish to renounce our passions, the world, and all that is evil, that we may be a pure oblation
to the Father. We wish to be martyrs to the love of God, and we wish to submit ourselves
perfectly to all His desires.
We thank God today that He has given us so good a mother at the moment of our baptism.
We have faith in her and surrender ourselves to her completely. We shall not be deceived when
we see her ill-treated and persecuted. On the contrary, her suffering is our most certain proof
that she is the spouse of Christ Crucified.
Prayer
Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord, almighty God, that by keeping the sacred observance with
devotion year by year, we may be pleasing to Thee both in body and soul.
Graciously hear our supplications, we beseech Thee, O Lord, and grant the help of Thy protection
to those to whom Thou dost give the spirit of prayer. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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