9781644135945

The Light of the World
possess us and make us happy, He accepted the cross and bought us with His own blood. At
baptism He made us children of God and received us into His Church. Gratefully we exclaim:
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.”
“I am the Lord thy God. . . . Thou shalt not have strange gods before Me” (Ex 20:2 f.). He
alone is God. We must do all for Him and according to His holy will. We can have no desire
or ambition that is opposed to His will. “Vow ye, and pray to the Lord your God, all you that
round about Him bring presents: to Him that is terrible, even to Him who taketh away the spirit
of princes” (Communion). He is my Lord, He alone. We must walk worthy of our vocation
as Christians, in charity and in love of our fellow man. Charity is humble, mild, and patient;
it tolerates the mistakes of others. It preserves unity of the spirit through peace, benevolence,
concord, and holy love. Do we walk thus?
Prayer
Grant Thy people, we beseech Thee, O Lord, to shun the defilements of the devil and with pure
hearts to follow Thee, the only God. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Monday
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord” (Gradual). Christ, enthroned at the right hand
of the Father and living in His Church, protects, supports, and guides her with His powerful
hand. What have we to fear?
“Sit on My right hand” (Gospel). The glorified Lord now participates in the glory of the Father,
even according to His human nature, thus sharing with His human and divine nature the majesty
and power of the triune God. “All power is given to Me in heaven and in earth” (Mt 28:18).
He has become “obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross, for which cause God also
hath exalted Him and hath given Him a name which is above all names” (Phil 2:8 f.). He is “the
Lord.” But the Church announces throughout all countries and all ages that He has suffered
and died, that He rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and is now enthroned at the right
hand of the Father. In union with the Church we believe in Him and pay homage to Him. We
rejoice that the Father has made Him Master and King of the world, of the angels, and of men,
Master also of the powers that are under the earth — the devils and the damned. He governs all
things; He rules the course of history; He guides the nations and the Church. He permits the
evil, injustice, and catastrophes which visit mankind and single nations, families, and individuals,
because He has the power to guide everything for the best. We believe in Him and trust His
rule of the world, of spirits, and of souls. “Thou alone art the Lord” (Gloria).
“Daniel prayed to God” (Offertory). The liturgy recognizes the Lord in the praying Daniel.
The Lord is in His Church, although He sits at the right hand of the Father. He is the same
praying high priest who places Himself at the disposal of the praying and sacrificing community.
He prays together with the faithful to the Father: “Hear, O Lord, the prayers of Thy servant;
show Thy face upon Thy sanctuary, and look down favorably upon this people, upon whom Thy
name is invoked, O God” (Offertory). The Lord is united with His people, with His Church,
with each one of us, praying, sacrificing, leading us all to the Father, that through the power of
the Holy Sacrifice we may receive the forgiveness of our sins, and that the holy and triune God
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