MEDITATION FOR JANUARY 3RD

MARY AND JOSEPH AT THE CRIB OF JESUS

“And they found Mary and Joseph and the Infant, lying in the manger” (Luke 2, 16).

First Prelude: Behold Mary and Joseph in profound adoration at the crib of the Infant Saviour.

Second Prelude: O Jesus, grant me the grace to understand and to imitate the virtues of Thy holy Childhood.

FIRST POINT

MARY AT THE CRIB OF HER DIVINE CHILD

What a ravishing spectacle for the holy angels is Mary, the virginal Mother, at the crib of the Incarnate God! She is holier and more beautiful than all the angels and archangels, the cherubim and seraphim, and because of her nearness to God, was alone worthy to become the Mother of God! Let us, too, behold Mary and seek in some measure, at least, to fathom the joy that fills her purest heart when for the first time she sees her Divine Son, presses Him to her heart, and lavishes upon Him all the marks of her tender, maternal affection. How lively is her faith, and with what humble astonishment does she not oft repeat: This helpless Child is in truth the great God, the King of heaven and earth; the Saviour of the world, the Expected of the nations, the Salvation of Israel, and nevertheless, He is my Son! She ponders assiduously in her heart all that the prophets had foretold concerning this Child—what the angel had promised her, and what had already come to pass, thereby increasing her faith and love. Thus she preserved in her maternal heart as a precious treasure, the mysteries accomplished before her eyes, for according to the decrees of the Most High, Mary by becoming the teacher of the Apostles, was to transmit this treasure as a sacred heritage to the Church of Christ.

May the example of Mary animate us with an ardent desire to ponder the truths of our holy religion with lively faith and humble love. May all our thoughts, affections, and inclinations, like those of Mary, be ever directed to the Divine Child. And, lastly, we beg the Infant Saviour to regulate our interior and exterior in accordance with His example, that thus we may attain to an ever closer union with Him.

SECOND POINT

ST. JOSEPH AT THE CRIB OF JESUS

How could we contemplate Mary at the crib of the Divine Child without, at the same time, giving attention to St. Joseph! Like Mary, he, too, ardently longed for the Saviour. With loving hands he prepared, as well as his utter poverty permitted, the stable which the Son of God had chosen as His birthplace in preference to all the palaces of the earth. Now the sweet heavenly Babe has appeared, and the humble foster-father hardly ventures to gaze upon the countenance of Him Who is the Splendor of the Father. Joseph is, as it were, overwhelmed by the contemplation of the infinite love and mercy of God toward men manifested in this mystery, and by the thought of the great grace conferred upon him in being the chosen foster-father and protector of the Divine Child. His angelic purity and ardent love, his childlike simplicity, his living faith, and fear of God, his meekness, and all the virtues of his noble soul, are augmented by the contemplation of the Incarnate Word. How dear to him is his own retired, and, in the eyes of the world, despised, life, when he beholds the powerful God, Whose throne is heaven, and Whose foot-stool is the earth, profoundly abasing Himself, by choosing, as an outcast of human society, to be born in a cave and laid in a manger!

O precious poverty, O blessed seclusion, which merited for Joseph the happiness of witnessing all these miracles! In spirit, we will kneel beside the holy foster-father, and in all sincerity ask ourselves whether we love to be unknown to the world, and employed in the lowliest and most hidden services in the house? In such employments we are most certain of finding Jesus, in the company of Mary and Joseph.

Affections: O holy Virgin, Mother of my Saviour, and thou, St. Joseph, chosen foster-father of Jesus, in union with you, I prostrate myself before the crib of the Divine Child, and desire to participate in the sentiments of your loving hearts. Grant, that there I may learn to understand and imitate the virtues of His holy Childhood—His humility, silence, recollection, and above all, His perfect conformity with the Will of His heavenly Father.

Resolution: I will, in the course of the day, often recall the fruit of the morning’s meditation.

Spiritual Bouquet: “But Mary kept these words, pondering them in her heart.”

Prayer: O Jesus, living in Mary . . .

MEDITATION FOR JANUARY 2ND

THE HOLY NAME OF JESUS

“His name was called Jesus, which was called by the angel before He was conceived in the womb” (Luke II, 21).

First Prelude: Consider that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bend in heaven, on earth, and under the earth.

Second Prelude: O my Jesus, grant me the grace to understand rightly the power of Thy holy name, that through It, my mind, my heart, and all my actions may be sanctified.”

FIRST POINT

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE HOLY NAME

As the Israelites received a name at Circumcision, so the Son of God, when in the form of a servant He submitted Himself to that painful ceremony, willed that St. Joseph and His spotless Mother should give Him a name. This was merely the fulfillment of the Divine Will manifested to Mary by the words of Gabriel: “Thou shalt call His name Jesus” (Luke I, 31), and to St. Joseph in the revelation: “And thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins” (Matt. I, 21). The heavenly Father reserved to Himself the right and power to give to His incarnate Son a name that should designate the sublime nature of His Being and divine mission.

The name, Jesus, tells us what the Son of God is for us,—our Saviour and Redeemer. With the name, Jesus, began the work of our redemption. By His voluntary submission to the law, He offered Himself to His Eternal Father as a victim, eager to embrace the privations and sufferings of a life to be terminated by a cruel and bloody death on the cross. “He humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross,” says the Apostle; “for which cause God also hath exalted Him and hath given Him a name which is above all names” (Phil. II, 8-9). Let us thank our amiable Saviour for having assumed the name, Jesus, for love of us and having willed to shed the first drops of His Precious Blood, even in infancy. In grateful love, we will reverence His holy name during this new year by placing all our trust in Its infinite power. The Incarnate God, in the mystery of the Circumcision, has given to all mankind the sweetest and most joyous salutation in His own sweet name, Jesus—Saviour—and as a further pledge of His love, He has added to it the rarest gifts,—the example of the most perfect obedience, the deepest humility and the most complete sacrifice. Shall we leave such love unheeded by neglecting to imitate these virtues so dear to Him, and so necessary for us? By our special calling to the religious state, the sweet Saviour wishes to impart to us the fulness of His virtues, if we but surrender ourselves wholly to Him, by perfect conformity to His adorable Will. To the practice of which particular virtue does the love of my Divine Saviour incite me?


SECOND POINT

WE SHOULD DO ALL IN THE NAME OF JESUS

The Apostle St. Paul admonishes us in his epistle to the Colossians: “All whatsoever you do in work or in word, do all in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ” (Col. 3, 17). In imitation of Jesus, Who, in the moment of His conception, offered to the Eternal Father solely for His honor and glory, His mortal life with all its privations and sufferings, and Who in His Circumcision gave His own Blood, as a pledge of His incomprehensible love for us, thus becoming in very truth our “Jesus,” we too will give our good God every day, hour and minute of this new year. In the name of Jesus, we will offer Him our thoughts, words, works and sufferings, that they may tend to His greater honor and glory. We will, in future, live and labor but for love of Him.

As the Spouse in the Canticle bore the name of her beloved on her arm, so we should bear the name of Jesus in our hearts, in our thoughts, and on our lips. “All for Jesus,” should be our motto,—naught for the world, and naught for self and selfish interests. All labor and rest, all joy and pain,—all shall be for Jesus. Such sentiments are befitting a soul consecrated to God, a soul espoused by the bonds of religious vows to the dear Saviour. Jesus should live and labor in us, and we, in all our thoughts, words and works, should live in Him. Our Saviour Himself has said: “He that abideth in Me and I in him, the same beareth much fruit” (John 15, 5). Let us permit the dear Saviour to produce in us these fruits of true virtue by our constant and intimate union with Him. Let us begin each day’s work, every occupation, with the invocation of His sweet name, “For there is,” says St. Paul, “no other name under heaven given to men whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4, 12). Do I always pronounce the holy name of Jesus with due reverence and devotion? Do I always strive to perform my actions with the invocation of this sweet name and in union with my dear Saviour?

Affections: O divine, O sweet, O glorious name, which the heavenly Father had known and pronounced from all eternity! Ah, impress Thyself upon our souls, that through Thee they may be made worthy of eternal salvation. Relying upon Thy power, we will begin the new year with the firm resolve to die to self, in order to live for Him, Who died for love of us. May Thy name, O dear Jesus, be incessantly in our hearts and upon our lips, that through It we may conquer our enemies and persevere in good to the end. Grant, O Jesus, that having tenderly loved and honored Thy glorious name on earth, we may be made worthy to unite with Thy angels and saints in singing Its praises throughout eternity.

Resolution: We will frequently pronounce the holy name of Jesus with love and confidence.

Spiritual Bouquet: “O Jesus, be to me Jesus, and save me.”

Prayer: O Jesus, living in Mary . . .

MEDITATION FOR JANUARY 1ST

 

THE CIRCUMCISION OF OUR LORD

“And after eight days were accomplished, that the Child should be circumcised, His name was called Jesus, which was given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb” (Luke 2, 21).

First Prelude: Contemplate Jesus at His Circumcision, offering His Precious Blood for us to the heavenly Father.

Second Prelude: Inflame my heart with Thy love, my dear Jesus, that I may begin the new year with zeal and generosity.

FIRST POINT

THE LOVE OF JESUS IN THIS MYSTERY

Love constrained our Saviour even at the Circumcision to shed His Precious Blood for our salvation. “The souls of men were most precious in His sight,” says St. Charles Borromeo, in a sermon on this mystery, “hence, He wished to redeem them from the servitude of Satan and establish a security against such slavery. Filled with ardent love and tender solicitude, Christ begins, on the day of His Circumcision, that work of redemption which He wills to consummate on Calvary.” What love on the part of our Divine Saviour! Here He manifests Himself as the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world. At the price of His Blood, the God-Man purchases for Him- self the sweet name, Jesus, and by sufferings, reveals to us the excess of His love.

If Jesus is so eager to shed His Precious Blood for us, can we hesitate to give Him our hearts? Let us return love for love, by offering ourselves to Him anew at the beginning of this year. The strength so necessary for this generous self-immolation Jesus wills to impart to us in the Sacrament of His Love, by means of that same Precious Blood which He begins to shed for us on this day. It will fortify us for that spiritual circumcision of the heart by which the faults and the inordinate inclinations are re- moved. Let us then daily unite the offering of ourselves with the oblation Christ made of Himself to His Eternal Father. In loving gratitude for His first sacrifice, let us offer Him, at least, all those sacrifices, which we are able to make with His grace. What is there in me that must still be removed by the knife of spiritual circumcision? Is it vanity, sensuality, pride, self-will, impatience, or sloth?

SECOND POINT

CHRIST’S HUMBLE SUBMISSION TO THE LAW OF CIRCUMCISION

At the very beginning of His earthly career, our Divine Saviour willed, by perfect obedience, to atone for the disobedience of Adam. He, the Supreme Lawgiver, although not bound by the law, fulfills even its minutest details, thus showing by His example that He had not come to dispense from the law, but to fulfill it. We will admire the humble obedience of Jesus and learn from Him, our sublime Model, to fulfill the Divine Will by perfect observance of our Holy Rule. Thus we shall become true religious. We will observe not only rules that are easy and agreeable, but also such as demand sacrifices. Knowing that human pride is the cause of all disobedience to the law of God, Jesus abases Himself in the mystery of the Circumcision, by submitting to a rite to which sinners alone are subject. Are we not confounded at the sight of such abasement? We who, being sinners, fear to be considered as such, and much more, to be treated accordingly? Is it not pride that renders the humble duties of our holy calling fatiguing and burden- some at times? Let us bear in mind that loving and persevering fidelity in the performance of ordinary duties constitutes true greatness. It is this fidelity that makes us pleasing to God and secures for us the fullness of graces and merits. In future, we will seek our joy and happiness in the prompt and perfect observance of our Holy Rule. Love, yes, ardent love for Him “Who also loved us and gave Himself for us” (Gal. 2, 20), shall ever animate us in our earnest endeavor.

Affections: O dear Jesus, to prove Thy infinite love for me Thou didst will to shed Thy Precious Blood. Should not the consideration of such love fill me with sincere gratitude, and cause me to exclaim: “Lord, I will give Thee love for love, sacrifice for sacrifice. Thou offerest for me today the first droplets of Thy Precious Blood, and I give Thee the first moments of the new year which, with the assistance of Thy grace, I resolve to spend in the earnest pursuit of genuine virtue and sanctity. Sup- port my good will, dear Jesus. May Thy holy name be my strength, my hope, my salvation, my consolation, and my life. In Thy name, I shall courageously undertake the battle against the enemies of my soul, and shall carry the yoke of Thy law with unflinching fidelity.”

Resolution: Animated with grateful love, I will begin a life of love and sacrifice.

Spiritual Bouquet: “I have said it: ‘Today I will begin.’”

Prayer: Take, O Lord . . .

MEDITATION FOR DECEMBER 31ST

 
THE LAST DAY IN THE YEAR

“Work whilst it is day; the night cometh when no man can work” (John 9, 4).

First Prelude: Imagine yourself before the judgment seat of Jesus Christ, to render an account of your past life.

Second Prelude: O my Saviour, grant me grace to know my faults of the past year, and to recognize the means to regulate my interior for the future, and thus to promote my spiritual welfare.

FIRST POINT

REVIEW OF THE PAST

Now, at the close of the year, let us reflect upon the innumerable benefits that God in His infinite goodness has bestowed upon us. He has preserved our life, and with paternal care, provided for all our needs. He has lavished His graces upon us to purify and sanctify our souls. Daily He has called us to the Banquet of His Love, to confidential intercourse with Him in prayer. Daily, too, by loving inspirations He has taught us, admonished us and incited us to the practice of virtue. Filled with profound gratitude ought we not cry out with the Psalmist: “What shall I render to the Lord for all the things that He hath rendered to me?” (Ps. 115, 12). We ought, likewise, be thankful for the sufferings and tribulations which the heavenly Father in His infinite wisdom and love has sent us.

When we consider the innumerable benefits of our God, does not the question force itself upon us: Have I used all these things as God willed that I should use them, for the correction of my faults and for the acquisition of virtue? Oh, of how much sloth, lukewarmness, and ingratitude have I been guilty in the service of my God! How many faults have I committed! How many opportunities of practicing charity, patience, fervor, humility and mortification have I neglected! Let us, in bitterness of soul, lament our great loss, and ask forgiveness. Hastening to the crib of the Divine Saviour, Who has assumed all our guilt and has become our hostage, we will place all our confidence in His infinite love and mercy, and by way of expiation for our faults and negligences we will present to the heavenly Father the sufferings and humiliations of His Divine Son.

Which infidelity of the past year do I now most regret? Which cross has brought me the greatest blessings?

SECOND POINT

WHOLESOME CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE FUTURE

Having concluded the past, we will now consider the future. How much time God has apportioned for us to work at our salvation, is not known to us. Perhaps the coming year will be the last of our lives. Oh! how zealously ought we then begin it! How forcibly should we not rouse all our energy to labor at our sanctification! Let us rivet our attention particularly upon that point against which we failed most in the past year. With great solicitude, let us seek the most appropriate means to guard against it, and to ensure daily progress in virtue. May we not consider as directed to us the warning of the Lord: “Work whilst it is day; the night cometh when no man can work” (John 9, 4) ? Oh, how wise are the religious who always live as if each day were their last; how calm they will be when their last hour is sounding! With what hope, with what confidence, can they not appear before the judgment seat of God!

Although God, in His infinite Wisdom, has withheld from us the number of our days, we are certain that these days will bring us sufferings, crosses, tribulations. We will, however, with loving resignation, accept in advance the crosses God has destined for us, and magnanimously submit to all the discomforts, mortifications and reverses inseparable from our daily duties and from the zealous striving for perfection. What graces and blessings will not the cross borne humbly, patiently, and lovingly, merit for us!

Let us ask ourselves today: “What sacrifice does God demand of me? What means must I employ in order to correspond to His designs?”

Affections: O my God, what a plenitude of graces and benefits has Thy infinite generosity bestowed upon me during the past year? Can I ever thank Thee adequately? Alas! To my great confusion I must acknowledge that I justly deserve Thy chastisements because of my ingratitude and my abuse of Thy benefits. Pardon, O benign Father, the negligence, the indolence and the infidelity of Thy poor, weak child. By means of prayer and the Sacraments, Thou didst offer me abundant graces to enable me to fulfill Thy holy Will zealously in the duties of my vocation, but I have shamefully abused Thy love by resisting grace. Do Thou, O my beloved Jesus, supply all my negligences through Thy infinite merits; increase Thy love in my heart, that in the future I may courageously and steadfastly follow Thee on the way of the cross, to Thy glory.

Resolution: Today I will perform all my duties with special fervor and zeal.

Spiritual Bouquet: “Work whilst it is day.”

Prayer: Soul of Christ . . .

MEDITATION FOR DECEMBER 30TH

 
THE SHEPHERDS AT THE CRIB

“And it came to pass that after the angels departed from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, ‘Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this Word that is come to pass, which the Lord hath showed to us!’ And they came with haste and they found Mary and Joseph and the Infant lying in the manger” (Luke 2, 15, 16).

First Prelude: In spirit kneel in the stable at Bethlehem, and see the shepherds prostrating themselves in adoration before the sweet Infant.

Second Prelude: O my Saviour, grant that I may learn from the shepherds to follow Thy inspirations promptly and joyfully, and to labor zealously for the promotion of Thy glory.

FIRST POINT

THE SHEPHERDS HASTEN TO THE CRIB OF THE SAVIOUR

With reverence and holy awe, the shepherds receive the tidings of the angels. Animated with a lively faith, they hasten to Bethlehem to see Him for Whom they so ardently longed, and for Whose advent they so frequently and fervently sighed. They do not tarry until daybreak but putting aside their concerns, the guarding of their flocks, they depart. They are intent only upon reaching Bethlehem, to see that which had been announced to them. What an admirable example of correspondence to divine grace! When prompted by grace are we eager to co-operate with it? We should be ready to go everywhere, to do whatsoever we have recognized as the holy Will of God, and not permit ourselves to be intimidated by human respect or earthly considerations. Who could describe the faith and the devotion with which the pious shepherds adored the great God in the tiny Babe! How highly must they not have prized their simple life on beholding such humility! How dear must not their poverty have been to them! Let us thank the Divine Child for the consoling lessons He gave us by calling the shepherds to His crib. Even here our Saviour shows that He manifests to the simple and lowly of heart what He withholds from the wise and learned. Let us then love simplicity and candor, for possessing these, we may approach our Blessed Saviour with confidence, especially in the Sacrament of His Love.

SECOND POINT

THE SHEPHERDS ANNOUNCE THE JOYFUL TIDINGS

The evangelist relates that the shepherds returned from the crib, praising and glorifying God because of all they had seen and heard. Indeed, they had reason to rejoice that among so many millions they were deemed worthy to see and adore the newborn Saviour, the Redeemer of the world, the Expected among nations. In the words of the angel, that all peoples would rejoice, they recognized the commission to announce the wonders they had witnessed and to give testimony of the fulfillment of the promise made to Israel. Let us admire here the workings of divine love in the hearts of the Shepherds. Filled with holy gratitude, they desire to draw all hearts to the crib, that all may participate in the same graces. But far greater than the joy and happiness which the shepherds experience, is that which the dear Lord affords us when we are permitted not only to adore and praise Him, but to receive Him into our hearts. If we wish to determine the fruit we derive from our prayers and Holy Communions, we should note whether we are animated with an ardent desire to promote the honor of God and the salvation of souls. Whoever neglects the opportunities of promoting the welfare of souls, loses much merit and manifests but little love of Jesus. Let us implore the Divine Child to inflame our hearts with His ardent love.

Affections: O my beloved Saviour, filled with joy, I also appear at Thy crib, in order to adore Thee, to love Thee and to offer Thee the gratitude of my heart, in union with the happy shepherds. How pleasing to Thee were the faith, the simplicity, the candor of these loyal, childlike souls! How bounteously didst Thou reward them with graces and blessings! Oh, let my heart be filled with their sentiments! Let me participate in the enlightenment and the operations of grace which Thou dost so generously impart to simple, candid souls who seek Thee alone in the fulfillment of their duties. Grant me zeal animated by Thy love, that I may lead others to Thee, so Thou mayest be known, loved and praised by all in time and in eternity.

Resolution: With zeal and joy, we will fulfill the holy will of God in the duties of our vocation.

Spiritual Bouquet: “Let us go over to Bethlehem and let us see what the angel has announced to us, this word that is come to pass.”

Prayer: O Jesus, living in Mary . . .

MEDITATION FOR DECEMBER 29TH

THE CANTICLE OF THE ANGELS

“And behold an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the brightness of God shone round about them and they feared with a great fear. And the angel said to them: ‘Fear not: for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, that shall be to all the people. For this day is born to you a saviour, Who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David. And this shall be a sign unto you; you shall find the Infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God and saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will’ ” (Luke 2, 9-14).

First Prelude: Imagine you hear the canticle of the angels on the plains of Bethlehem, and follow them to the manger where they adore the Divine Child in profound humility.

Second Prelude: O Jesus, give me a heart that will seek Thy honor, so that I may taste the fullness of the heavenly peace announced by the angels.

FIRST POINT

THE CANTICLE OF THE ANGELS

Scripture tells us “The heavens show forth the glory of God” (Ps. 18). This took place in a most particular manner in that holy night when Christ, the Lord, appeared on earth as a sweet Infant. Behold, the heavens are opened, and with the voices of unnumbered angels, resounds the canticle: “Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will’ ” (Luke 2, 14). Here-with they announced the design which the Divine Saviour had in His Nativity, the glory and the salvation of mankind. Indeed, glory was offered to God in this mystery, since He received from His only begotten Son in human form, a homage that was worthy of Him.

To glorify God and promote His honor must be our aim in all our actions and omissions. Nothing will then be able to disturb our peace, for we shall possess that good will to which peace has been promised. The more intensely a soul is imbued with the burning desire to glorify God and to fulfill His holy Will perfectly, the richer and rarer is the peace that she enjoys. Let us strive, then, to remove from our will everything contrary to the good pleasure of God, so that even on earth, we may possess the peace that surpasses all understanding and is a foretaste of that eternal peace, wherewith God will reward and rejoice His faithful ones throughout eternity.

SECOND POINT

CONTEMPLATE THE ANGELS OFFERING THEIR HOMAGE TO THE DIVINE LORD

How great must not the astonishment, reverence and love of the holy angels have been when they saw their Lord and King reposing in the crib, under the humble semblance of a child! But with a still greater humility, they adored Him as their God and venerated His exalted majesty hidden under the veil of profound abasement. St. Paul says: “All the angels of God adore Him” (Hebr. 1-6). Let us rejoice in the profound homage proffered the Christ-Child, let us ardently long to possess their love, that we may worthily praise our Divine Saviour; to emulate their purity, that we be worthy to draw upon ourselves His divine complacence; to be imbued with their zeal for His honor, that we may be consumed with the desire to win all hearts for Him.

May the angels be our models in adoring the Blessed Sacrament where we perpetually find the Divine Child that once lay in the stable in Bethlehem. We were not privileged to adore Him there, but here in union with the angels we may in our feeble way participate in their homage. The words of the Psalmist: “Thou hast made man a little less than the angels” (Ps. 8, 60), refer to religious, in particular; hence their lives must be angelic,—more heavenly than earthly. While they perform their vocational duties, in which they are actually carrying out the designs of God, the spirit should lift itself to Him in prayer, and contemplate Him in union with the angels.

Am I solicitous to imitate the purity of the angels in my conduct, and thus to render my prayer more acceptable to my Divine Redeemer?

Affections: O Divine Saviour, Thou joy of angels and of men, I prostrate myself in adoration before Thy crib and offer Thee, in reparation for my unworthiness, the pure and lofty homage which the angelic choirs present to Thee unremittingly. In profound reverence, I consecrate my heart and soul, all that I am and have to thee, to be employed in Thy service, solely for Thy honor and glory. O Divine Infant, that camest down to earth to restore the honor of the heavenly Father, give me the good will that seeks naught, desires naught, but to please God alone and win all hearts for Him. Grant us, O Lord, Thy peace which is the embodiment of all good and the pledge of the blissful peace that awaits us in heaven.

Resolution: We will unite ourselves frequently during the day with the holy angels, to offer the Christ-Child our adoration.

Spiritual Bouquet: “Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will!”

Prayer: Take, O Lord . . .

MEDITATION FOR DECEMBER 28TH

FEAST OF HOLY INNOCENTS

“Then Herod perceiving that he was deluded by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and sending, killed all the sons that were born in Bethlehem and in all the borders thereof from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men” (Matt. 2, 16).

First Prelude: Call to mind the sequence of events leading to the massacre of the holy infants.

Second Prelude: O my Jesus, through the sufferings of Thy holy Childhood, infuse into my heart courage and resignation, that I may carry my daily cross meritoriously.

FIRST POINT

THE DESIGNS OF GOD CONCERNING THE HOLY INNOCENTS

We read in Holy Scripture: “The Souls of the just are in the hands of God” (Wis. 3, 1). The Holy Innocents, the victims of the cruelty of Herod, were fortunate, indeed, since in return for short sufferings they were admitted into the kingdom of everlasting peace. By their early death, God preserved them from the innumerable dangers and storms of this woeful earthly existence. They escaped not only temporal needs, but also the serious perils that threaten the welfare of the soul. Had a long life been their portion perhaps they, too, would have rejected the God-sent Messiah, would have made themselves guilty of deicide, and incurred eternal damnation. As it was, however, they were permitted to give testimony of Jesus Christ by their blood; they were permitted to be the first flowers of that abundant harvest of martyrs; they were destined to glorify the crib of the Son of God through the sacrifice of their lives. What a tribute of thanks will they not offer to the Divine Redeemer throughout all eternity, for the incomparable grace of their glorious election!

The mothers of these innocent victims did not fathom this mystery of grace and were inconsolable in their grief. They considered the death of their little ones as the greatest misfortune, as the shattering of their fondest hopes. How would they not have rejoiced, had it been revealed that God would draw so much good from the malicious act of Herod, that a transient tribulation could be converted into a source of so much joy! How often do we conduct ourselves similarly in depressing recurrences, which in reality are only the workings of divine mercy! Let us, therefore, take to heart the salutary lesson of this feast, namely, that God directs all things, even the apparently evil, to the welfare of His chosen ones, that He directs all things to ultimate good.

SECOND POINT

IT IS A BENEFIT TO SUFFER FOR THE HONOR OF GOD

Although we are not exposed to the painful tortures of martyrdom, in religious life, and especially as Christian educators, we will find various discomforts, mortifications and sufferings. Ascetics compare religious life to martyrdom, and concede also that the length of the former renders it more burdensome. All the exercises of religious life are directed to the subjugation of the passions and the mortification of self will, with the ultimate purpose that the spirit may rise to heavenly things and live for God alone. The Holy Innocents, in their sufferings, testify to the designs of our Lord relative to the elect. He Himself proclaims, through His example in the crib, the great truth that innocence, too, must perform penance. All who wish to resemble the Redeemer must suffer in union with Him.

To suffer for the love of God is, therefore, a sign of predilection, it is the means by which a soul can prove her love for God, it is the measure of our eternal happiness. Oh, how we deceive ourselves if we try to evade sufferings, if we consider them as a punishment and endure them with ill will! How happy, on the contrary, are they who suffer for justice’s sake and live for God!

Do I consider the sufferings of life as the coin wherewith to purchase my future happiness? Do I bear the little hardships of my holy vocation with the sincere desire to resemble my Saviour?

Affections: O Divine Child, Who camest into the world to redeem and sanctify us, what great sacrifices didst Thou not impose upon Thyself, even in the crib, that I might recognize that only a penitential, mortified life can lead to Thy love, and to perfect union with Thee. Yes, henceforward, with the help of Thy grace, I will work zealously at my sanctification. With childlike confidence I will submit to the direction of Thy Divine Providence. Through the voluntary acceptance of the daily contradictions, I will try to secure strength and courage to overcome all difficulties in the road to perfection.

Resolution: I will unite the mortifications that God may require of me today, with the sufferings that my dear Saviour endured for me in the crib.

Spiritual Bouquet: “To those who love God, all things tend to good.”

Prayer: Take, O Lord . . .