December 25

Twenty-third Wednesday after Trinity

For He hath made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21.

WE measure the height of our exaltation in Christ by the depth of His humiliation for us. His stooping to our sins, our rising to His righteousness; His sharing our sinful humanity, our sharing His Divine nature. We may well tremble as we rejoice. Let us place clearly before our minds in what "the righteousness of God" in us consists. The source and ground of our righteousness is the new creation in us of the glory of the sacred Humanity of our Lord, and through His Humanity a partaking of the Divine nature. As He is identified with us in our shame, so are we identified with Him in the powers of His new supernatural life. It exists in us as a new world of life, an actual indwelling of God in us, in all the capacities of its ultimate fulness, to be developed as we co-operate with its manifold energies of grace. Our "righteousness of God" is the actual presence of Christ within us. The powers of righteousness, the acts and sensations and triumphs of sanctity, are attained, as this His inward presence finds a ready response and a constant compliant will—as He, Whom we have received in a marvellous mystery, and in Whom appearing for us before the Father we are accepted, stirs within us with ever-fresh life, and ever more exuberant fulness, transforming us into Himself ever more and more.

Our great High Priest and Shepherd, Thou Within the veil art entered now, To offer there Thy precious Blood, Once poured on earth a cleansing flood. And thence the Church, Thy chosen Bride, With countless gifts of grace supplied, Through all her members draws from Thee Her hidden life of sanctity.