"It was to gather into one the dispersed children of God"
“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all things to myself” (Jn 12,32). O wondrous power of the Cross! O ineffable glory of the Passion, in which is contained the Lord's tribunal, the world's judgment, and the power of the Crucified! For you drew all things to yourself, Lord, and when “you stretched out your hands all the day long to an unbelieving and rebellious people” (Is 65,2; Rm 10,21), the whole world was at last brought to confess your majesty... You drew all things to yourself, Lord, when the veil of the temple was rent in two (Mt 27,51), and the symbol of the Holy of Holies was made manifest in truth, when prophecy found its fulfillment and the Old Law became the Gospel. You drew all things to yourself, Lord, so that the worship of all peoples should be celebrated in its fullness by that mystery which, veiled until now beneath the rites of a single temple in Judea, is at last openly made known...
For your cross is the source of all blessings, the origin of all grace. From the weakness of the cross believers gain strength, glory for shame, life for death. Now, too, the proliferation of sacrifices has ceased: the one offering of your body and blood fulfills all those different sacrifices offered throughout the world. For you are the true Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (Jn 1,29). In yourself you bring to completion all religions of all peoples so that all these peoples might make up but one Kingdom.
| Saturday, March 23, 2013 Lenten Weekday |
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