Romana

The literature on Blessed Josemaria Escriva and his writings is constantly growing. Aside from historical, biographical and spiritual studies, others have appeared that are more expressly theological in their focus. Among these is included the recent monograph by Antonio Aranda, Professor of Dogmatic and Spiritual Theology at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, who has taken as his title: “El bullir de la sangre de Cristo” [Christ’s Blood Coursing through Your Veins: a Study of the Christocentrism of Blessed Josemaria Escriva] (Rialp, Madrid, 2000, 304 pages).

The title of the book, as the introduction explains, is taken from an expression Blessed Josemaria sometimes used: “I can see Christ’s blood coursing through your veins.” This eloquent expression summarizes his understanding of the Christian vocation in the midst of the world: a call that God directs to a person to be and to act as “another Christ” among his fellow men.

Professor Aranda’s book analyzes the central Christological focus of Blessed Josemaria’s life and teachings. He first considers some of his writings (chapter 1), then looks at his priestly life and foundational mission (chapters 2 and 3), and finally considers some of the essential elements of his message of sanctification in and through daily life (chapters 4 and 5), a message concretized in the stirring apostolic goal: “to place Christ at the summit of all human activities” (chapter 6).