9781644135945

The Light of the World
the passion of St. Vitalis, the Church participates in the passion, humiliation, and death of the
Lord. Really the Church herself is a martyr and treads the path of Christ. She allows herself to
be hated by the world, to be calumniated and crucified and abused by her enemies. In this way
she proves that she belongs entirely to Christ, that she is His bride, His true Church. The word
of the Psalmist is true of her. “The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the
head of the corner” (Ps 117:22).
When we celebrate Mass in the church of St. Vitalis, we likewise choose to follow the path
of suffering with Christ. At the Consecration we will be sanctified and crucified with Him. In
Holy Communion we receive the flames of the martyr’s love and the strength to share faithfully
and steadfastly the way of the cross. With Him whose disciples we are, we may expect to be
hated, calumniated and persecuted. “But if doing well you suffer patiently, this is thankworthy
before God. For unto this are you called” (1 Pt 2:20).
Through baptism we are called upon to suffer with Christ. We renew our choice
in every Mass and Communion. Now is the time to share the sufferings of Christ, and
we pray: “In my trouble I cried to the Lord” (Gradual). Now is the hour of suffering,
but when that hour has passed, the day of exaltation will come. “Thou, O Lord, wilt
preserve us and keep us from this generation for ever” (Communion); in virtue of Holy
Communion, may we remain faithful to You in our suffering, and thus also arrive with
You at a common glorification. Yes, we must be faithful to our suffering Savior, that we
may be glorified with Him.
Prayer
Grant we beseech Thee, O almighty God, that with the sacred fast to purify us, Thou mayest
cause us to come with sincere minds to the holy things that are before us.
Grant unto Thy people, we beseech Thee, O Lord, health of soul and body, that by persevering
in good works we may deserve to be defended by the protection of Thy power. Through
Christ our Lord. Amen.
Saturday
The stational saints, Peter and Marcellinus, remind us of the two brothers of the Old Testament,
Esau and Jacob, and of the two brothers mentioned in today’s Gospel. The story of Esau and
Jacob reminds us of the mystery of our being called to membership in the Church. The parable
of the prodigal son reminds us of our call to conversion. “The law of the Lord is unspotted,
converting souls. . . . The heavens show forth the glory of God, and the firmament declareth
the work of His hands” (Introit).
By the mysterious operation of God, Jacob, the younger son, is preferred to Esau, the first-born.
Jacob receives the great blessing of his dying father Isaac: “God give thee the dew of heaven and
of the fatness of the earth, abundance of corn and wine; and let people serve thee, and all tribes
worship thee. Be thou lord of thy brethren, and let thy mother’s children bow down before thee.
Cursed be he that curseth thee, and let him that blesseth thee be filled with blessings” (Epistle).
Here Jacob represents the Church, which comprises souls taken from the pagan nations. We
are Gentiles; but we are preferred to the chosen people, Israel, without any merit on our part
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