The Glory of Jesus

When Christ decided to give sight to a man blind from birth, he placed mud on the man's eyes, an action that was much more suited to blinding those who see than to giving sight to the blind who could not see.  So, too, the passion and death of Christ was more likely to destroy the faith of those who believed that he was the only-begotten Son of God, as was clear in the case of the apostles and disciples, than to commend faith to non-believers.  And yet as he says:  "When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all to myself (Jn 12: 32).  After the cross, after my suffering, after my disgraceful, shameful, repulsive death of the cross, I shall turn the world to faith in me, so that the world will believe that I am the Son of God, the true Messiah."

We see with utter clarity that this is what has happened.  Christ came into this world to do battle against Satan, to do away with idolatry, and to turn the world to faith and piety and the worship of the true God.  He could have accomplished this by using the weapons of his might and coming as he will come to judge, in glory and majesty, just as he manifested himself in his transfiguration.  Who would not then have believed in Christ?  But in order that his victory might be more glorious, he willed to fight Satan in our weak flesh.  It is as if an unarmed man, right hand bound, were to fight with his left hand alone against a powerful army; if he emerged victorious, his victory would be regarded as all the more glorious.  So Christ conquered Satan with the right hand of his divinity bound and using against him only the left hand of his weak humanity.

Saint Lawrence of Brindisi

-Saint Lawrence of Brindisi (1619) was minister general of the Capuchins.  He is a Doctor of the Church.