WE can never meditate too much upon the great and cruel sorrows with
which the heart of the august Virgin Mary was afflicted during the
whole course of her life; yet she was the most holy of creatures, the
most beloved by God. 'You,' exclaims St. Chrysostom, 'who bitterly
weep and lament, under the contradictions and afflictions that assail
you, are you not ashamed to desire and seek for such a happiness as
even the Holy Family did not enjoy? Ponder, I beg of you, the
vicissitudes and changes to which they were exposed!'
Mary receives the glad tidings that, by the operation of the Holy
Ghost, she should conceive a Son, the Lord and Saviour of the world.
What a joy to her heart is this! and what rapturous delight filled her
soul at the moment of the Incarnation of the Word in her most chaste
womb! But this celestial joy is quickly followed by sorrow. Her
Spouse, St. Joseph, is alarmed at the prodigy, and thinks of secretly
abandoning her. Oh! the affliction of Mary when she sees the
perplexity of St. Joseph, whom, through her humility and modesty, she
is unable to comfort. After this most excruciating trial, the Angel
discloses the celestial secret to her Spouse, and orders him to remain
with her. What consolation fills the heart of these two Angelic
Spouses at this announcement! But God had prepared new afflictions for
them. They must abandon their happy retirement, and journey to
Bethlehem in obedience to the order of the Emperor Augustus. Faithful
souls, lose not sight of Mary in this mystery; remain near this
Mother, and abandon her not for an instant, whilst she journeys from
Nazareth to Bethlehem. Without any painful solicitude, but with most
ardent desires, she awaits the birth of the Blessed Fruit of her
immaculate womb. You will see this beautiful Lady, the fortunate
Daughter of Sion, beg hospitality, and not find a shelter in the whole
of Bethlehem, although she is the Mother of the King of Glory.
However, she blushes not for her poverty and misery, but considers it
rather an honour to have to endure it.
Many holy affections are awakened in our hearts by this Divine birth;
but we are especially taught the spirit of perfect detachment from all
worldly pomps and worldly gratifications.
It seems as if there were no mystery that so much unites tenderness
with austerity, love with rigour, bitterness with sweetness, as this
mystery of the Nativity. Where can we find a poorer, and yet a more
illustrious birth, or a Mother so blessed? She who gives birth to the
Son of God has certainly no need of the consolations of the world!
Let us then delight to dwell near the sacred manger, where the Saviour
of our souls so powerfully speaks to us in His silence and teaches us
so many virtues; and let the joy and consolation of the Son and of the
Mother form all the happiness of our souls! How well it becomes Mary
to caress this Infant! How enchanting her charity in allowing all who
wish it to look at Him, to touch and embrace Him! Do you also ask her
to give Him to you, and she will do so.
O my Jesus! what a sweet night is this! The Church sings that the
heavens everywhere distil honey. It would seem that those blessed
Angels, who make the air resound with their song, gather this
celestial honey from the breast of the sweet Virgin Mary, and from her
chaste Spouse St. Joseph.
What is there that we can give to our little King that we have not
received from His Divine abundance? Let us, then, give Him our hearts,
which He prizes above all. O Saviour of our souls, transform our
hearts into gold, through charity; into myrrh, through mortification;
into incense, by prayer; and then receive us within the arms of Thy
Divine Protection, and let us hear Thee say, from Thy Sacred Heart, 'I
am thy Salvation for ages of ages.'