GOD resolved to confer on mankind the most signal and loving benefit
of the Incarnation, and came down upon earth into the desert of this
world like a celestial manna, that He might become our food, during
our journey to the promised land of Paradise. Our adorable Saviour
rendered Himself visible to us at His birth, as a beautiful little
Infant, lying in a manger, and this was in the night, when the world
was covered with darkness. The Divine Nature of Our Lord Jesus Christ
is represented by the honey contained in the manna--because honey is a
celestial liquor gathered by the bees from flowers, and it is not
distilled from their sap, but collected by them as it descends from
heaven with the dew. In like manner the Divine Nature of our adorable
Redeemer came down from Heaven, at the moment of the Incarnation, upon
this blessed flower of the earth, the Most Holy Virgin, and, having
become united with a human nature, preserved it in the bosom of the
Most Chaste Mary, as a sweet hive, during the space of nine months.
But let us consider more at length this miracle of Divine Mercy.
The Most Holy Mother of God gave birth to her Divine Son as the stars
produce their light; and on this account her name Mary truly signifies
Star of the Sea, or Morning Star. The star of the sea is the Polar
star, towards which the mariner's needle continually turns; and
through this star those who navigate the ocean know how their course
is directed.
The Patriarchs, Prophets, and Fathers of the Church turned their eyes
towards the Most Holy Virgin, and she was ever the Polar Star and the
chosen Port for all poor mortals who navigate the sea of this
miserable world, and by her means they may avoid those shipwrecks
which occur so often on the rocks and precipices of sin.
Mary was, also, that beautiful Morning Star which brought the joyful
news of the coming of the Sun of Justice. The Prophets knew well that
a Virgin would conceive and give birth to a Son, at once God and Man,
through the operation of the Holy Ghost, and would still remain a
Virgin, though she became a Mother: _Ecce Virgo concipiet et pariet
Filium et vocabitur ejus Emanuel._ How should He Who selected her for
His Mother, on account of her virginity, impair her integrity? How
could the Eternal Word, Purity itself, lessen the virginal purity of
His Mother? From eternity He is generated and virginally produced in
the bosom of His Father; and although receiving from Him the Divinity,
it is not divided, but the Word is always one and the same God with
the Father. The Most Holy Virgin here on earth also produces
virginally her Divine Son, Our Lord. There is this difference,
however, that He will never again enter the bosom of Mary, but He will
be eternally generated in the bosom of His Father, being One with Him,
in virtue of the unity of the Divine Essence.
This Divine generation may indeed be made the foundation of our
meditations on the mystery of Our Lord's Nativity; but it does not
admit of a curious inspection, nor should we weary our mind by
endeavouring to examine into that which is too sublime for our weak
understanding: _Generationem ejus quis enarrabit?_--'Who shall declare
His generation?' says the Prophet Isaiah.
But now, after having considered the virginal purity of the Most Holy
Virgin in giving birth to her Divine Son, let us turn our eyes to this
Divine Infant, and see how He allows Himself to be cared for by His
Holy Mother, as if He could not do otherwise. Why is this? It is to
teach us how to act, Religious especially, who are bound by the sweet
chains of the holy vow of Obedience. Our Lord certainly could not make
bad use of His Will, or of His liberty, being the Eternal Wisdom;
nevertheless He concealed His knowledge, and all His perfections as
God and those of His perfect human intellect, under the swathing bands
of infancy. He keeps hidden under the veil of holy obedience to the
Eternal Father, Who had willed that He should be, as St. Paul says, in
all things like to His brethren, excepting sin. Behold our Model! Let
us often visit this Child, lying in a manger; and let us learn from
Him how to act in all things according to His Most Holy Will.
But shall we visit Him empty-handed? The shepherds took with them some
of their little lambs to present to Him. What can we offer more
acceptable to this Divine Pastor of our souls than our hearts as a
little offering of our love and the choicest part of our spiritual
flock? How dear will this offering be to Him! He will look upon us
with mercy in return for our gift; and we shall gladden the Most Holy
Virgin, who so much desires our welfare. Let us take with us from her
Divine Infant one of His precious tears, the sweet dew of Heaven, and
place it on our heart, that it may henceforth feel no other sorrow
than that which rejoices this Blessed Infant--that is, sorrow for sin!
We should all be like so many simple shepherds watching over the
flocks of our affections, ready to adore this our Infant Saviour, as
soon as the Angels call us. We should offer Him, as a pledge of our
eternal service, the finest lamb we possess; that is, all our love,
without any reserve or exception.
Oh, how happy shall we be, and what great consolation shall we
receive, if we thus visit the Saviour of our souls!
As the manna had the taste of every kind of food, so this Divine
Infant contains in Himself every kind of consolation. Each one can
find in Him what he desires, and proportionate to his capacity,
provided that he possess the requisite dispositions.