The outstretched arm is a sign (1) of _power_. The little One Whom we
are expecting, though so winning and gentle and loving, is nevertheless
the Almighty and All-powerful God. He it is Who said: "I made the earth
and the men and the beasts that are upon the earth by My great power and
by My stretched out arm" (Jer. XXVII. 5). He it is Who said of those who
would not acknowledge Him as their King: "I will Myself fight against
you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm" (chap. XXI. 5). He
it is Who "with a strong hand and a stretched-out arm" delivered His
people of old out of the land of Egypt (Deut. XXVI. 8). He it is Who
gave the law on Sinai, when "the thunders began to be heard and
lightning to flash and a very thick cloud to cover the mount, and the
noise of the trumpet sounded exceeding loud and the people ... feared."
Why? Because "the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai in the very top of
the mount" (Ex. XIX. 16, 20). He came then in power to give with His own
outstretched arm His commandments to His people; but now He is coming in
the silence of the night to win them by His love and no one will be
afraid of a little Child.
Oh! come, and redeem us by Thy stretched out arm. Come in all Thy might
to save us from our sins--our past sins and the evil habits they have
left, our present attachment to venial sins which we are ashamed of, but
are obliged to confess lingers still; come and deliver us from our
countless imperfections: "Lord if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean"
(St. Matt. VIII. 2).
The outstretched arm is also a sign (2) of _pity_, of _yearning_, of
_longing_. A mother stretches out her arms to receive her babe taking
its first tottering steps, to welcome her prodigal, to protect those in
danger, to help in every time of need.
When God was longing to deliver His people of old from the cruel bondage
in Egypt, He attracted Moses' attention by a burning bush, so that He
could tell him of His yearnings towards His people. Moses saw that the
bush was on fire and was not burnt and he said: "I will go and see why
the bush is not burnt" (Ex. III. 2-3). That bush hid two mysteries which
were beyond Moses' power of reason, but God revealed them later to His
Saints. The fire that burned was the Divinity and the bush which was
impregnated by the fire and yet not burnt was the Sacred Humanity.
Again, the bush was a figure of Mary who though she received the God-Man
into her sacred womb yet remained a virgin--the bush held the flame of
fire which lighted the whole world and yet remained intact. Moses though
he did not see the things which we see, nevertheless saw a "great sight"
and "when the Lord saw that he went forward to see, He called to him out
of the midst of the bush" and told him not to come too near and to take
off his shoes for the ground was holy. He then told him Who He was and
why He had come: "I have seen the afflictions of My people.... I have
heard their cry ... and knowing their sorrow, I am come down to deliver
them" (verses 7, 8). It was the Heart of God yearning for His children.
His Hands were stretched out in pity and love, but His hour was not yet.
He waited and "when the fulness of the time was come, God sent His Son"
(Gal. IV. 4); and now we are kneeling before the Sanctuary wherein He
has still a few days to wait; we have turned aside to see the "great
sight," we know that we are treading on holy ground. "_Rubum quem
viderat Moyses incombustum conservatam agnovimus tuam laudabilem
virginitatem_; _Dei genitrix intercede pro nobis._" In the bush which
Moses saw unconsumed, we acknowledge thy admirable virginity preserved:
intercede for us, O Mother of God. (Little Office. B. V. M.--A Christmas
antiphon).
As we keep near to the Burning Bush we wonder more and more at the
mystery; we ask why, but we never receive a satisfying answer, for who
can fathom the mystery of the love of God? The Word is silent yet. Could
He speak, we should hear the same words as Moses heard, for the Heart of
God changes not: "I have seen the afflictions of My people.... I am come
down to deliver them." How intense were His yearnings! How great was His
expectation! Let me try to make Him some little return by my desires and
my yearnings for Him! Oh! come, little Saviour, come and redeem us by
Thy outstretched Arm!
_Colloquy_ with Him Who is so soon to come.
_Resolution._ To wait with His Mother to-day asking her to give me some
of her desire.
_Spiritual Bouquet._ "A little Child shall lead them" (Is. _XI._ 6).