Wednesday of week 24 in Ordinary Time
Saint Robert Bellarmine, Bishop, Doctor
Saint Hildegard of Bingen, Virgin, Doctor
First reading: 1 Timothy 3:14-16
Saint Paul summarizes in a hymn the heart of the Christian faith: the mystery of devotion. It is the mystery of Christ, which is manifested in the flesh, vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed to the nations, believed in throughout the world, taken up in glory. This is the core of our devotion, the reason for our worship, and the foundation of our hope. Faith is not built on abstract ideas but on the living Person of Jesus, whose life, death, and resurrection reveal God’s plan of salvation. Saints Robert Bellarmine and Hildegard of Bingen, both Doctors of the Church, lived this mystery deeply: Robert through his theological clarity and defence of the faith, Hildegard through her mystical vision and prophetic voice. Their lives remind us that to hold fast to Christ is to be rooted in this mystery, a truth so vast it can never be exhausted, yet so concrete it transforms daily life. To profess Christ in word and deed is to let this mystery of devotion shine through us, proclaiming Him not just with lips but with a life lived in His light. Let’s reflect: Do I let the great mystery of Christ, manifested in the flesh, proclaimed to the nations, and glorified in heaven, shape not only my faith but also the way I live, and bear witness each day?
Don Giorgio