It is the Tree of Jesse which stands as an ensign, about which Our Lord
says: "I am the Root and Stock of David" (Apoc. XXII. 16). He then is
the Standard-bearer and the Standard is His Cross. "Bearing His own
Cross He went forth" (St. John XIX. 17). He is the "_sign_ which shall
be contradicted" by His enemies (St. Luke II. 34), but when the sign of
the Son of Man shall appear in the Heavens (St. Matt. XXIV. 30) it will
bring joy and hope to the hearts of all those who love His Coming (2
Tim. IV. 8). "My beloved is white and ruddy, chosen out of thousands,"
or according to another translation: "My beloved is white and ruddy a
_Standard bearer_" (Cant. V. 10 A. V. Margin), chosen for His strength
as well as for His beauty. To Him shall the nations make supplication,
for He said: "I, if I be lifted up from the earth will draw all things
to Myself" (St. John XII. 32).
There are only two standards in the world--that of JESUS Christ and that
of the devil. Both leaders want me to enlist; both are trying to win me;
but by what different means! The devil strives to entrap me with the
silken threads of sin which seem so insignificant and harmless, but
which if I allow myself to be trapped by them, he will twine into a
thick rope and hold me fast; while JESUS draws me to Himself with the
cords of love. Both are infinitely more powerful than I am, and yet all
depends on _me_, that is, on my will. The cords of love are far
stronger than the cords of hate, so I need not be afraid of the devil's
capturing me against my will; but on the other hand JESUS will not draw
me with the cords of love against my will. "_If thou wilt_, ... come,"
is His method. There _are_ chains, there _is_ a cross, but all is love.
A little Child holds the Standard, a little Child leads, and all He asks
is that we should follow Him and do as He does.
Come, then, little JESUS, set up Thy Royal Standard, come, tarry no
longer. I am longing to show Thee that I am not going to be a soldier in
name only; longing to show Thee that I understand that a soldier who has
pledged himself to fight under Thy Standard must adopt Thy methods, that
if I would be a soldier on whom Thou canst count, I must be really
mortified, really poor, really ready to give up my own will and my own
methods, really anxious to have humiliations because I know that there
is no other way of attaining the beautiful virtue of humility. I am
longing to show Thee that I understand that those who march under Thy
Standard must be marked by the Cross. Oh! come, and set me free from all
that keeps me from offering myself whole-heartedly for Thy service. Come
and cut all the many little cords that still bind me to the service of
self. Thy Mother wants Thee, the Angels are longing to look upon Thy
Face, the world wants Thee though it knows it not, and I am longing to
want Thee too. Oh! teach me to want Thee more.
_Colloquy_ with the Branch and the Flower.
_Resolution._ To examine myself to-day as to my attachments.
_Spiritual Bouquet._ "Come and set us free, tarry now no longer."