59. Thursday after the Epiphany

Meditations no. 53 (unofficial computer-aided translation)

Jesus: the Way we are to follow.

Jerusalem, your salvation comes quickly: why are you consumed by sorrow? Have you no one to console you? I will save and deliver you, have no fear.

Through the Incarnation of the Word, not only have the gates of heaven been opened to us, but the way to happiness has also been clearly marked out for us. Before the Redeemer’s arrival, those who made up the People of God found themselves in an imperfect state, a state from which we have now been freed. As St John reminds us: The law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. Through him, with him and in him, we have received the light and strength we need in order to carry out God’s will.

Ego sum via, Veritas et vita. I am the way, the truth and the life. In these clear and unmistakable words our Lord traces out for us the true path leading to everlasting happiness. Ego sum via: he is the only road linking heaven and earth. He is speaking to all men, but in a very special way he is thinking of people who, like you and me, are determined to take our Christian vocation seriously, so that God may always be present in our thoughts, on our lips and in everything we do, including our most ordinary and routine actions.

Jesus is the way. Behind him on this earth of ours he has left the clear outlines of his footprints. They are indelible signs that neither the erosion of time nor the treachery of the evil one have been able to erase. Iesus Christus heri, et hodie; ipse et in saecula. “Jesus Christ, yesterday and today, now and forever.” How I love to recall these words! Jesus Christ, the very Jesus who was alive yesterday for his Apostles and the people who sought him out; this same Jesus lives today for us, and will live forever. Yet, at times, we poor men fail to recognize his ever-present features, because our eyes are tired and our vision clouded. Now, as we begin this time of prayer close to the tabernacle, ask him, like the blind man in the Gospel: Domine, ut videam! Lord, that I may see! Enlighten my intelligence and let Christ’s words penetrate deep into my mind. Strengthen his Life in my soul so that I may be transformed in readiness for eternal Glory.

His way is one of renunciation, but not resignation.

God is light and in him is no darkness at all … If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

To know Jesus, we must contemplate his life and words in the light of faith - a faith that is continually growing stronger, purer and more trusting. Then, as our Father tells us, how crystal clear Christ’s teaching is. As usual, let us turn to the New Testament, this time to St Matthew, chapter eleven: Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart. Don’t you see? We have to learn from him, from Jesus, who is our only model If you want to go forward without stumbling or wandering off the path, then all you have to do is walk the road he walked, placing your feet in his footprints and entering into his humble and patient Heart, there to drink from the wellsprings of his commandments and of his love. In a word, you have to identify yourself with Jesus Christ, trying to become really and truly another Christ among your fellow men.

To make sure there is no mistake here, let us read another quotation from St Matthew. In chapter sixteen, our Lord makes his doctrine even clearer: If anyone wishes to come my way, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me. God’s way is one of renunciation, of mortification and of self-surrender, but it is not one of sadness or faint-heartedness.

Reflect on the example that Christ gave us, from the crib in Bethlehem to his throne on Calvary. Think of his self-denial, of all he went through: hunger, thirst, weariness, heat, tiredness, ill-treatment, misunderstandings, tears… But at the same time think of his joy in being able to save the whole of mankind. And now I would like you to engrave deeply in your mind and upon your heart - so that you can meditate on it often and draw your own practical conclusions -the summary St Paul made to the Ephesians when he invited them to follow resolutely in our Lord’s footsteps: Be imitators of God, as very dear children, and walk in love, as Christ has loved us and delivered himself up for us, a sacrifice breathing out fragrance as he offered it to God.

We can’t follow Christ without mortification.

Every day the Church’s liturgy reminds us, in different ways, that the Son of God has become incarnate, that he has given himself for us out of love. We are constantly being called to respond to that love, and to follow his example.

Jesus gave himself up for us in a holocaust of love. What about you, who are a disciple of Christ? You, a favoured son of God; you, who have been ransomed at the price of the Cross; you too should be ready to deny yourself. So, no matter what situation we may find ourselves in, neither you nor I can ever allow ourselves to behave in ways that are selfish, materialistic, comfort-loving, dissipated or - forgive me if I speak too candidly -just plain stupid! If all you want is the esteem of your fellow men, and you long to be respected and appreciated, and you only seek a pleasant life, then you have strayed from the path… Only those who travel the rugged, narrow and austere path of tribulation are allowed to enter the city of the saints, there to rest and reign with the King for eternity.

You yourself must decide of your own free will to take up the cross; otherwise, your tongue may say that you are imitating Christ, but your actions will belie your words. That way, you will never get to know the Master intimately, or love him truly. It is really important that we Christians convince ourselves of this. We are not walking with our Lord unless we are spontaneously depriving ourselves of many things that our whims, vanity, pleasure or self-interest clamour for. Not a single day should pass that has not been seasoned with the salt and grace of mortification; and, please get rid of the idea that you would then be miserable. What a sad little happiness you will have if you don’t learn to overcome yourself, if you let your passions and fancies dominate and crush you, instead of courageously taking up your cross!

It is time for us to renew our decision to be truly generous. Let us examine how we practise habitual mortifications. Can we add, improve or change anything? We can ask ourselves whether they truly make us feel the sweet weight of the cross of Christ, through whom all gifts come down to us. And we should also seek the help of our Lady. Our mother is a model of correspondence to grace. If we contemplate her life, our Lord will give us the light we need to divinize our everyday existence. Throughout the year when we celebrate feasts dedicated to Mary and frequently on other days, we Christians can think of the Virgin. If we take advantage of these moments, trying to imagine how she would conduct herself in our circumstances, we will make steady progress. And in the end we will resemble her, as children come to look like their mother.