This morning at the Third Nocturn of Vigils, Saint Augustine offered a splendid commentary on today's Gospel. I will hold it in my heart all day. This is what He said:
Arise to Come to Him Continually
Modo ergo quod illum sequuntur isti duo, non quasi non recessuri sequuntur; sed videre voluerunt ubi habitaret, et facere quod scriptum est: Limen ostiorum eius exterat pes tuus; surge ad illum venire assidue et erudire praeceptis eius. Ostendit eis ille ubi maneret; venerunt et fuerunt cum illo.
On the present occasion these two followed Him, not as those who were not again to leave Him, but to see where He dwelt, and to fulfill the Scripture: Let your foot wear out the threshold of His doors; arise to come to Him continually, and be instructed in His precepts. (Sirach 6:36-37) He showed them where He dwelt: they came and remained with Him.
Blessed Day and Blessed Night
Quam beatum diem duxerunt, quam beatam noctem! Quis est qui nobis dicat quae audierint illi a Domino? Aedificemus et nosmetipsi in corde nostro, et faciamus domum quo veniat ille, et doceat nos; colloquatur nobis.
What a blessed day they spent, what a blessed night! Who can make known to us those things which they heard from the Lord? Let us also build in our heart, and make a house into which He may come and teach us, and have converse with us. (Tractate on Saint John's Gospel 7, 9)
That He May Have Converse With His Priests
This is an extraordinarily evocative text for one called to a life of Eucharistic adoration. I should like to see the passage from Sirach carved in stone over the door of the chapel of perpetual adoration that I hope to see built here: "Let your foot wear out the threshold of His doors; arise to come to Him continually." Does this word not speak to your heart? This is what the Cenacle of the Eucharistic Face of Jesus is meant to be: "a house into which Our Lord may come and teach His priests and deacons, and have converse with them."
An Appeal
Unfortunately, we still lack adequate financial support for the project. There have been a few generous donations, but nowhere near enough to begin construction. Who knows? Someone may read this text of Saint Augustine today and be moved to make a substantial gift toward the building of the Cenacle. I can be contacted at: cenacle at sbcglobal dot net.
His Excellency, Bishop Edward J. Slattery of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa, Oklahoma has given
Father Mark a special mandate to live under the Rule of Saint Benedict in adoration before the Eucharistic Face of Jesus, offering thanksgiving, intercession, and reparation for all his
brothers in Holy Orders. In this way, Father is preparing the foundation of the new Diocesan Benedictine Monastery of Our Lady of the Cenacle. Father Mark is available to the
priests and deacons of the Diocese for spiritual and sacramental support in their pursuit of holiness. He is also charged with the spiritual formation of women who desire to dedicate themselves to spiritual motherhood in favour of priests.
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