Friday, March 10, 2006

"Words of Life - on the margin of the Missal" by D. Columba Marmion Abbot of Maredsous

Friday of the First Week of Lent - Christ Jesus affirms and proves His Divine Sonship

See how, on the Sabbath day, Jesus heals the paralytic man (Cf. Gospel of the Mass), telling him to take up his bed and walk. Immediately the Jews, scandalized, reproach the Saviour with not observing the Sabbath day. In order to show that He is, by the same right as His Father, the supreme Master of the Law, our Lord replies to the Pharisees: "My Father worketh until now; and I work." His hearers so thoroughly understand that, by these words, He claims to be God that they seek to put Him to death; "because He did not only break the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal to God." Far form contradicting them, Our Lord confirms their interpretation: "Amen, Amen, I say unto you, the Son cannot do anything of Himself, but what he seeth the Father doing; for what things soever He doth, these the Son also doth in like manner. For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth Him all things which He Himself doth..." In reading the sequel and development of these words, you will see with what authority Christ Jesus proclaims Himself in all things equal to the Father, God with Him and like to Him.
From 'Christ in His Mysteries', p.202.