I meditated yesterday on the fact that Christ in coming upon earth fulfilled a double mission-the glorification of His Father by offering Himself as reparation for the original disobedience of man and by this same atonement, the restoration of divine life to the human race--His redemptive mission as Savior.
Just because Jesus is the Redeemer of the world, He ought to be especially dear to the human race.
The interesting thing for me, however, is not that Jesus is the savior of mankind, but that I am one with this sole Savior of the world, for the very reasons I considered in the preceding meditation. Yesterday, I saw that there is only one Christ, but that this one Christ is of a double character: I am the vine, said Our Lord, you are the branches, and Vine and branches compose but one Christ.
Christ in the plural - the Head and members, - is the sole Savior; that is the point of departure for this meditation - the marvelous explanation of my redemptive mission.
There is only one Savior, but I am one with this Savior. The Redemption is a corporate redemption, a work of many, and I am one of the many. Every being is by divine destination a part of it, not only as redeemed but as redeemers; not only as saved but as saviors. I am an essential actor in the salvation of the world, not that my contribution is worth as much as Christ's, for that of the Head is full atonement; although mine is a mere participation, it is imperative nevertheless. Our Lord did not need it, but since He deigned to claim it, it becomes an obligation; He counts on me to complete what is wanting in the Passion. I am responsible, then for the sanctification of a greater or lesser number of souls. Can I afford to be slothful for even a moment?
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Adapted from Meditations for Religious
by Father Raoul Plus, S.J. (© 1939, Frederick Pustet Co.)
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