+(Intro) Today we have the memorial of St Teresa Benedicta or of Edith Steir as she is better known. She is an outstanding example of one who lived in the mystery of Christ suffering, death and rising to new life so as we begin this Eucharist let be mindful of the ways we may fail to live into the mystery we celebrate.
(After the Gospel) The reading we had at Vigils this morning from St Teresa Benedicta gives an excellent interpretation of the gospel we just heard so let me quote from it. St Teresa or Edith Stein tells us:
“Christ’s suffering and death are continued in His mystical Body and in each of His members. Everyone must suffer and die. But if that person is a living member of the Body of Christ, their suffering and death will receive redemptive power from the divinity of the Head. This is the objective reason why all the saints have desired to suffer. This is not a pathological pleasure in suffering.
It is true, to natural reason it appears as a perversion. But in the light of the mystery of salvation, it shows itself to be highly reasonable. And thus, the one who is united to Christ will remain unmoved even in the dark night of feeling estranged from and abandoned by God. Perhaps divine providence is using his or her agony to deliver another, who is truly a prisoner cut off from God.
Therefore, we will say: “Thy will be done” even, and particularly so, in the darkest night… For God has come to redeem us, to unite us to Himself and to each other, to conform our will to His. He knows our nature. He reckons with it and has therefore given us every help necessary to reach our goal…” St Teresa Benedict pray for us.
Nahum 2:1; 3; 3:1-3,6-7 Matt 16:24-28