Saturday of the Third week of Lent
Commentary of the day
John Tauler (c.1300-1361), Dominican
"O God, be merciful to me a sinner"
Sermon 48, for the 11th Sunday after Trinity
Dear Sisters, be assured of this, truly, if I were to find someone who really possessed the publican's feelings, who genuinely took themself for a sinner, so long as that person had a desire to be good while in this feeling of humility... I would give the body of our Lord to them every other day with a good conscience!... If someone wants to carry on defending themself from falls and grave sins then it is extremely necessary they should be sustained by this noble and strong food... That is why you ought not to abstain lightly from communion because you know yourselves to be sinners. To the contrary, you ought to hasten to the holy table all the more, for it is from there that comes, there that are placed and hidden all strength, all holiness, all help and all consolation.
But you are not to judge those who don't do this either... You should bear no judgment so as not to become like the Pharisee who glorified himself and condemned the man standing behind him. Watch yourselves against that as from the loss of your souls;...watch yourselves against the dangerous sin of condemnation...
When someone reaches the heights of all perfection nothing has ever been more necessary to them than to plunge into the lowest depths and penetrate to to the roots of humility. This was why the publican, having acknowledged the ultimate depths of his lowliness to the point of not daring any more to raise his eyes to heaven, was raised up on high since “he went back to his house justified”.
| Saturday, March 29, 2014 Lenten Weekday |
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