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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260901
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UID:15426-1788220800-1788307199@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading
DESCRIPTION:A reading from \nISAAC OF STELLA \n◊◊◊ \n“Jesus\, when he saw how great was their number\, went up to the \nmountainside.” Today\, dear friends\, we see our heaven-sent Physician \nunsealing the precious perfumes that he has brought with him from the bosom \nof the Father; brought to heal the wounds of the man who\, on his way down \nfrom Jerusalem to Jericho\, fell in with robbers. This unnamed man on his way \ndown represents Adam and all his descendants. It was only right that he should \nfall in with robbers\, he was but paying for the freely chosen folly of his journey. \nHad he but chosen it\, Adam could have remained in the happy state bestowed \non him at his creation\, in that wealth of good things safe from all loss. He freely \nfell because he chose to do so\, and because he journeyed down\, he fell into the \ngrip of the ruthless. He had to endure what he did not wish precisely because he \nrefused to stay where suffering could never have touched him. \nThese malicious robbers are not only the evil spirits\, but also the many \npassions of our bodies and spirit that wounded the Psalmist and made him \ngroan\, “Oh\, how often you have burdened me with bitter trouble.” Yes\, he \nsuffers unwillingly although deservedly; the price (I beg to repeat) of his freely \ndeciding to descend was his meeting robbers and suffering at their hands. Never \nwould the Lord of mercy have allowed man to fall into such cruel hands had not \nman by his own personal and conscious wickedness first deserted him to whom \nhe should have looked for strength. Man forsook God\, man went his way down\, \nand because he went down\, he was forsaken by him who did not go down. \nForsaken by God\, man fell into the power of him to whom such power was \npermitted\, the devil. He showed no pity\, but robbed\, wounded\, and left him \nhalf-dead. He who is altogether dying left man half-dead\, in other words \nhalf-alive. And such is the life of mortal man: a living dying. The devil’s dying\, \non the other hand\, is completely deadly\, leaving no room for recall to life. The \nangels’ living in its turn\, is fully vital\, having no tendency toward death. \nMortal man\, then\, is left half-dead — though alive\, he tends inevitably \ntowards death\, though dead\, he is open to cure. “They wounded him\,” the \nGospel tells us. We must look into this\, see what these wounds are\, even if our \nsituation teaches us what it means far better than any explanation. In addition \nto the weaknesses and afflictions of the body\, themselves “past all numbering”\, \nthe wounds inflicted on and infecting mankind\, in and from our first parent\, are \nof seven kinds\, of many species\, and beyond all counting. The infections that \nstem from Original Sin and afflict us all are only seven\, but they beget a \nwayward\, viper-like brood that caters to all sorts of sinful tendencies.
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-461/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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