9781644135945

The Light of the World
den of the tomb, and although He surrendered to death, God raised Him up to victory. He has
triumphed through His cross. “Let them trust in Thee who know Thy name, O Lord; for Thou
dost not forsake them that seek Thee. Sing ye to the Lord who dwelleth in Sion [in His Church],
for He hath not forgotten the prayers of the poor” (Offertory).
Daniel in the lions’ den is a figure of Christ persecuted by His enemies. His person, His doctrine,
His commandments, His moral precepts, His holy sacraments, His Church with its supreme
ruler, His bishops, and His priests are all attacked and slandered. So it must be, for Christ is like
Daniel in the lions’ den. Daniel is also a figure of the Church, persecuted and hated like its Master.
Christ and His Church must suffer persecution and hatred and so enter into glory (Lk 24:26).
“Go into Judea, that Thy disciples also may see Thy works which Thou dost,” His brethren
urge Him. “For there is no man that doth anything in secret, and He Himself seeketh to be
known openly. . . . Manifest Thyself to the world” (Gospel). Thus is Christ advised by worldly
men, even His friends and members of His own family, for the world has only ridicule and misunderstanding
for Christ and His mission. With divine consideration Jesus answers them, “My
time is not yet come; but your time is always at hand.” They would have Christ seek a career of
earthly honor; but Christ seeks only the path of humiliation. Exaltation and glory are His, but
they are deferred to another time. “Lofty is the home; but lowly the way to it. . . . The home is
Christ’s repose (at the right hand of the Father); the way to it is by suffering” (St. Augustine).
“My time is not yet come.” Thus we also speak, the members of Christ’s mystical body. If
the lovers of this world tempt us, we answer, “My time is not yet come.” When, then, will our
time come? “When Christ shall appear, who is your life, then you also shall appear with Him
in glory” (Col 3:4). That indeed will be our time.
We shall therefore gladly follow Christ in His humiliation. His time came at Easter. Our
time will also come in the blessed Easter of our eternal glorification. “Let them trust in Thee
who know Thy name, O Lord; for Thou dost not forsake them that seek Thee” (Offertory).
Prayer
May our fasts be acceptable to Thee, O Lord; may they atone for our sins and render us worthy
of Thy grace; and may they lead us to eternal remedies.
Grant us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, persevering service in Thy will, that in our time the
people that obey Thee may increase both in merit and number. Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Wednesday
Today with the holy pope and martyr, St. Marcellus, we take part in the scrutinium, the examination
of the catechumens. They are to be examined regarding the commandments of God,
which fourteen days ago they were given to learn. This is a day of examination for us also. We
must inquire of ourselves how we have kept the commandments which we vowed to keep at
the time of our baptism.
“My sheep hear My voice, . . . and they follow Me” (Gospel). Christ is the shepherd; the Church
is the flock. She listens to His voice, and for two thousand years she has conformed herself to
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