Lent with Bossuet – Meditations on the Gospel (26)

The Blindness of the Jews in Misunderstanding Christ

Jesus Christ is our rule and our judge. We fall on this stone and we bruise ourselves against this rule when we sin. It falls down upon us when He punishes us. One is followed by the other.

The sinner who has bruised himself, and has lost all his strength in transgressing the law of Jesus Christ, is crushed by His just and eternal vengeance. But we can unite ourselves to this stone in a happier and more suitable manner.

Approach, says St. Peter, “as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen and made honorable by God.” Establish yourselves upon this stone, and enter into the structure of this building, like living stones, and become the house of God. We must be united by faith and the fundamental stone, which is Jesus Christ, to the entire body of the faithful who are the stones of which this sacred edifice is composed. Take care, continues the Apostle, that Jesus Christ be not to you as to the faithless, a stone against which you will bruise yourselves, while stumbling against His word (I Peter 2:4-8).

If the foundation is solid, build upon it without fear; lean upon it. Fear not. Do not hesitate. The stone is solid, solid to those who lean upon it for support, and solid to those who stumble against it, to dash them to pieces.