A distinctive characteristic of our divine religion is that it is not only adherence to some formulae, but loving submission to a Person. In our study of the Pythagorean theorem, the life of Pythagoras means little to us; nor are we interested in the lives of Ampere or Mariotte when studying their laws in physics; nor would we be concerned very much in our reading of Polyeucte or l'Aiglon with the story of their authors' lives. But Christianity is not the words of Christ so much as it is the very Person of Christ. The words of Christ, were we to assemble them, would compose a discourse of scarcely two hours. His few words have for their purpose to reveal Him to whom we owe all our homage and who is the Way to the Father.
The liturgy of Christianity is for us poor individuals who must have everything reduced to sensible form, the perpetual presentation of this Unique Person, our Divine Savior, under diverse aspects bringing back to us according to the Mysteries of the seasons, memories of His Advent, Nativity, Childhood, Public Life, Passion and Glorious Life.
I will utilize the texts of the liturgy, of course, but I will go beyond it to this Blessed Someone who comes to meet me, be it the Divine Infant, Jesus the Man, the Preacher of the Kingdom, or the Crucified of Golgotha. I will pour out to Him the fullness of my love. Mary! Rabonni! Master, O good Master!
I will prepare in advance for Mass and for the Divine Office if I have to say it. I will try at least to so use the words of prayer that I may draw from them, to the best of my ability, their significance and spirit, that I may live what I read or sing and put the maximum of prayer into my prayer._________________
Adapted from Meditations for Religious
by Father Raoul Plus, S.J. (© 1939, Frederick Pustet Co.)
No comments:
Post a Comment