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The Light of the World
to be reconciled to thy brother; and then coming thou shalt offer thy gift” (Gospel). How can
we participate in the sacrifice of Him who offers Himself out of love for us and our brethren,
while we foster anger, aversion, grudges, and uncharity in our heart? How can we, sacrificing
with Him, become a holy sacrifice to the Father, while envy and jealousy, hatred and disdain
contaminate our souls?
The liturgy of the Mass strongly emphasizes the fact that we can offer the Eucharistic
sacrifice and share its graces and blessings only in so far as we, having renounced our own
self, are devoted to each other in sincere charity. “Be ye all of one mind, having compassion
one of another, being lovers of the brotherhood, merciful, modest, humble; not rendering evil
for evil, . . . but contrariwise, blessing.” Such is the spiritual disposition necessary for a fruitful
celebration of the Holy Sacrifice. We therefore pray in the Agnus Dei: “Grant us peace” and a
mutual harmony, that we, being one heart and one soul, may be free from any shadow of deliberate
aversion, hatred, and discord. Only then are we allowed to accept the fruit of the Holy
Sacrifice, Holy Communion.
Prayer
O God, who hast prepared invisible goods for those who love Thee, pour forth Thy love into
our hearts, that loving Thee in all things and above all things, we may be worthy to receive Thy
promises, which exceed all our desires. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Monday
The spirit of man separates and isolates; it is a spirit of selfishness and pride. The spirit of God,
however, unites hearts in an understanding love and sincere benevolence. No sooner had the
Holy Ghost come down upon the apostles and the young Church in Jerusalem on the day of
Pentecost, than “the multitude of believers had but one heart and one soul; neither did any one
say that aught of the things which he possessed was his own; but all things were common unto
them” (Acts 4:32). “They were persevering in the doctrine of the apostles, and in the communication
of the breaking of the bread, and in prayers; . . . praising God, and having favor with all
the people” (Acts 2:42, 47). When the Spirit of God guides the hearts of men, He unites them
in a holy and selfless love. His Church, therefore, receiving her life from the Spirit of Christ, must
necessarily be “a covenant of love” (St. Ignatius of Antioch) and harmony, a community of love.
The model of the community of love is the triune God. “That they all may be one, as Thou,
Father, in Me, and I in Thee; that they also may be one in Us” ( Jn 17:21), the Father, Son, and
Holy Ghost, who are a trinity of persons in a perfect unity of essence and being, of will, love,
action, power, wisdom, beatitude, and glory. Likewise we also, the children of His Church, are
to be one as the Father and the Son are one. “And the glory which Thou hast given Me, I have
given to them; that they may be one, as We also are one” ( Jn 17:22). The glory of this sonship
of God has been imparted to us by Christ in the grace of our being children of God; that is, in
sanctifying grace. By sanctifying grace we possess the life of the Blessed Trinity, illuminating us
and working within us. Thus we also, though being many, become “one body in Christ” (Rom
12:5), one sublime community like that of the three divine Persons in God. Sanctifying grace, the
sonship of God, therefore, establishes the community-forming spirit by uniting hearts and souls
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