JANUARY 8TH

THE GIFTS OF THE MAGI

“And entering into the house they found the Child, with Mary, His Mother, and falling down they adored Him; and opening their treasures, they offered Him gifts, gold, frankincense and myrrh” (Matt. 2, 11).

First Prelude: Behold the Magi, prostrating themselves in adoration before the Child and offering their gifts.

Second Prelude: Replenish my heart with lively faith and burning love, O Jesus, that my offering, like that of the Magi, may be acceptable to Thee.

FIRST POINT

WITH WHAT SENTIMENTS DID THE MAGI OFFER THEIR GIFTS?

The gospel relates that after the Magi had adored the Child, they opened their treasures and offered gold, frankincense and myrrh. God guided them in the choice of their offerings, for according to the opinion of the divines, their gifts are mysteriously symbolical. As their King, they offered Him gold; as their God, frankincense; as Man, myrrh. Are not these gifts symbolical of the religious vows?

The vow of poverty, through which religious renounce all earthly possessions, is symbolized by the gold. Obedience, whereby religious renounce their own will, and, as it were, consume themselves in the service of God, is symbolized by the incense. The vow of chastity, because of the constant practice of mortification which it enjoins, is symbolized by the myrrh.

How happy should we esteem ourselves to be chosen by the Lord, like the Magi, to offer Him such precious gifts! Oh, that we were animated by the sentiments that filled their hearts! How acceptable should our offerings then be! With the profoundest humility, and regretting that they had not presents a thousand times more costly, the Magi offered their gifts to the Divine Child. With what love and unconditional surrender did they consecrate themselves forever to the service of Him Whom they had recognized as their King, their God and Redeemer!

On the day of our vows we, too, consecrated ourselves to the Lord, shouldered His sweet yoke and promised to carry it to the day of our death. Are we so generous toward our Bridegroom today, so willing to sacrifice, so full of burning zeal, as we were on the day of our profession? And if our fervor has waned we must diligently try to discover the cause. Our Lord says in Holy Scripture: “I counsel thee to buy of Me gold fire-tried, that thou mayest be made rich” (Rev. 3, 18). Let us immolate to the Lord a love that has been cleansed of the dross of self-love in the fires of tribulation, by mortification, by obedience and self-denial. Let it, at least, be our earnest endeavor to purify our soul more and more, from day to day, that our sacrifice may at all times be acceptable to the Lord.

SECOND POINT

HOW THE DIVINE CHILD ACCEPTS THE GIFTS OF THE MAGI

If God values our gifts not according to their material worth, but according to the intensity of the love with which they are presented, how great must then have been the pleasure of the Divine Child in accepting the gifts of the Magi! How lovingly must He have rested His eyes upon them and with what rare graces enriched their hearts! Father Nouet says that for the gold which they offered they received wonderful wisdom, which imparted to them the knowledge of the most sublime mysteries of faith. For the incense, the gift of prayer was bestowed upon them in most extraordinary measure, severing them wholly from the things of this world, and uniting them intimately with God. For the myrrh, He gave them knowledge of the cross, unfolded to them the value of suffering and imbued them with love of the cross. What sweet consolations permeated their interior, in virtue of which they experienced, in fullest measure, that the Lord gives Himself with all the love of His heart, in return for our gifts!

How consoling and encouraging are these considerations for us! Do they not call to mind the promises of our Lord that our smallest gifts, our most insignificant acts, even a glass of water given in His name, shall merit reward? Animated with this faith and encouraged by the words of Jesus, let us often renew the good intention, that all our actions may become more pleasing to God and thereby more meritorious.

O Divine Child, reveal also to me as Thou didst to the happy Magi, a few rays of Thy affability; the whole world shall then be as nothing to me—Thou alone shalt possess all my love.

Affections: With the holy Magi I kneel at Thy crib, O Jesus, and offer Thee my gifts, in the simplicity of my heart. I desire to present them at the throne of Thy mercy, with the deepest reverence, the purest intention and perfect love. Oh, give me the sentiments that Thou desirest of me: a heart, humble and contrite in the realization of its countless transgressions; a heart, consumed in holy longing for Thee, finding its highest bliss in intercourse with Thee; a heart, penetrated with childlike gratitude for all the graces with which Thou hast overwhelmed it; a heart, desirous to pour out its thanksgiving in uninterrupted love of Thee. O Jesus, sanctify my heart with the wealth of Thy graces that I may love Thee as Thou deservest to be loved.

Resolution: We will often renew the immolation of our holy vows to the Divine Infant.

Spiritual Bouquet: “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and never forget all He hath done for Thee.”

Prayer: Jesus, my Lord, my King.

These meditations come from a treasured old volume, copyright 1925 by Frederick Pustet Co., Inc. They are presented here exactly as found in the original book—word for word—and carry the quiet, steady tone of a guide long used in convents around the world. Yet their simplicity and directness remain just as helpful for anyone seeking a more prayerful, faithful daily life.

JANUARY 7TH

THE OBEDIENCE OF THE MAGI TO THE GUIDANCE OF THE STAR

“And behold, the star, which they had seen in the east, went before them until it came and stood over where the Child was” (Matt. 2, 9).

First Prelude: Behold the Magi on their tiresome and fatiguing journey, following the guidance of the star.

Second Prelude: O Divine Saviour, Who dost teach us in the obedience of the Magi, with what zeal we should correspond to Thy grace grant that we may fully comprehend and faithfully practice this great lesson.

FIRST POINT

THE MAGI FOLLOW THE LIGHT OF GRACE AT ONCE AND WITHOUT HESITATION

Our Saviour called the Magi to the crib, from the East, by a star which was to be their guide. At the same time, this star enlightened them interiorly, through the light of grace, which impelled them powerfully to obey its summons. How faithful were these truly wise men to the promptings of grace! Hardly had they seen the star and recognized the Will of God in their regard, when without delay they made preparations for the journey which they commenced at once. “We have seen”—this is the grace, which enlightens and speaks to the heart, and “We have come”—this is the ready acceptance and co-operation with grace. To know the Will of God and to fulfill it, are for them identical. In one moment, they pass from recognition to desire, from desire to determination, from determination to accomplishment.

What wisdom lies concealed beneath this ready acceptance of grace! What dangers, on the contrary, are implied in the idle neglect of grace! When God speaks, it would be an act of unfaithfulness to hesitate even for a moment; the least delay may be fraught with irreparable losses. St. Augustine says there are special moments of grace. If you hesitate, you run the risk of forfeiting it altogether. Or, are you perhaps of mind that the Lord will wait until it shall please you to accept the gifts of His love? How many, even countless, inspirations, are imparted to us in religious life, of which, alas, we hardly take notice! How often we can say with the Magi: “We have seen the star”—but dare we also add: “And we have followed the call?”

Oh, how the example of the Magi puts so many lukewarm, indifferent religious to shame, who offer stubborn resistance to the promptings of the Holy Spirit! How many, too, lag behind in their indifference, while they should and could be making rapid strides in perfection!

Let us not defer the correction of our faults to a later day, idly making resolutions and not keeping them.

What does the grace of God require of me? Am I docile to the inspirations of grace?

SECOND POINT

THE MAGI FOLLOW THE LIGHT OF GRACE PERSEVERINGLY

What great difficulties were encountered by the Magi on their way to Bethlehem! What discomfitures had they to overcome! How many dangers to brave! The star led them into a strange country; and when they believed themselves to be at their destination, it suddenly disappeared. Neither Herod nor the inhabitants of Jerusalem, could give them the desired information concerning the new-born King of the Jews. This trial could neither shatter their courage nor make their faith waver. They humbly followed the directions given them through Holy Writ; the star re-appeared and after all the trials they found themselves amply and gloriously repaid for their perseverance, despite hardships and disappointments. Thus do noble and magnanimous souls love to act; surmounting all obstacles, they go directly to God; they know how to use violence, to deny themselves, to suffer, to fulfill their duties, heedless of the talk of men. They seek God, alone, and esteem all else as naught.

Do we act likewise? Do we not grow mutinous in hours of trial? We know that in the spiritual life hours will inevitably come when it would seem that God withdraws from the soul, and His presence is no longer felt. Do we, therefore, love Him the less, or are we in a lesser degree the object of His love? Not at all—God merely demands the sacrifice of natural tendencies and the crucifixion of self-love. Confiding in God, should we not courageously penetrate these difficulties and this darkness. As soon as the honor of God and our salvation render it necessary, the sweet moments of perceptible grace will return; the star will reappear, and our joy will be the greater, the more sincere our humility and resignation were at its disappearance. Oh, how wise are souls who thus bear interior trials! What progress do they make and what merits can they accumulate!

Affections: How does the docility of the Magi to the guidance of the star put me to shame! How  zealously and perseveringly did they seek Thee, my Jesus, and that, too, when the star had disappeared—they continued the search with the same longing and eagerness. Henceforth, I will always be prepared to fulfill the holy Will of God as soon as the star of faith bids me recognize it, without even a moment’s hesitation, since my sanctification and eternal happiness may be dependent upon one moment, a single act of obedience. Have compassion, O Jesus, with my weakness; since Thou dost imbue me with the desire to be faithful to Thee, do Thou Thyself support my fidelity. May Thy grace, mighty in the weak, strengthen me in the time of tribulation, that I may praise and bless Thee, also at such times, by the perfect accomplishment of Thy holy Will, which shall henceforth constitute all my happiness!

Resolution: We will faithfully follow the promptings of grace and practice the virtues to which they incite us.

Spiritual Bouquet: “Draw me, O my God, and I will follow Thee in the odor of Thy ointments.”

Prayer: Take, O Lord . . .

These meditations come from a treasured old volume, copyright 1925 by Frederick Pustet Co., Inc. They are presented here exactly as found in the original book—word for word—and carry the quiet, steady tone of a guide long used in convents around the world. Yet their simplicity and directness remain just as helpful for anyone seeking a more prayerful, faithful daily life.

JANUARY 6TH

FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY

“Behold there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem saying: ‘Where is He that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the east and are come to adore Him’ ” (Matt. 2, 2).

First Prelude: In spirit, behold the Magi, following the guidance of the star; they seek the Saviour of the world to tender Him their homage and adoration.

Second Prelude: O Jesus, true Light, come to enlighten our darkness; let us comprehend the great benefit of the gift of faith, that, with grateful love, we may discharge the duties it imposes on us.

FIRST POINT

THIS FEAST, A REMINDER OF THE GREAT BLESSING OF THE GIFT OF FAITH

Because our Divine Saviour, by manifesting Himself to the Gentiles, revealed Himself to the whole world, the Church calls this feast Epiphany—revelation of the Lord. We commemorate, therefore, the call of all Gentile peoples to the faith in Christ, Jesus. The Magi, the first-called among the Gentiles, came to Bethlehem to adore the new-born King of the Jews and the Light of the Gentiles, the Saviour of the world, and by the mysterious offering of gold, frankincense and myrrh, to confess their faith in His royal power, in His Divine Majesty, and in His Humanity. The wonderful star, which they beheld with joy and astonishment, and which announced to them the birth of the Saviour, Who would rise out of Jacob (4 Mos. 24, 17), was the mystic type of the light of faith, which, through the Apostles and their successors, was to illumine the darkness of heathendom.

Were not the interior light of grace, which enlightened them as to the significance of this heavenly sign, and the inner promptings which moved them to heed its invitation, harbingers of those abundant graces with which God soon would flood the earth to lead all pagan nations to Christ? “Let us, therefore,” says Pope Leo the Great, “recognize our first call to the true faith and celebrate the dawning of our blessed hope and exultation, in the three kings who adored Christ.” Let us rejoice in the fulfillment of the glorious prophecy of Isaias: “Arise, be enlightened, O Jerusalem, for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee” (Is. 60, 1). For us, too, the glory of the Lord, the God-Man, has risen; for us, too, grace and salvation stream in abundance from the new Sion, the Catholic Church.

Do I frequently thank the Lord for my call to the true faith? What have I done in the past, to prove my gratitude? What will I do in the future?

SECOND POINT

THE DUTIES IMPOSED UPON US BY OUR CALL TO THE TRUE FAITH

Through our call to the faith in Christ, Jesus, we become members of His Holy Church and, as such, we participate in the bountiful fruits of the Redemption, upon which rest our sole happiness in life, our consolation in death, and our hope for eternity. How great must be our gratitude for a grace of such inestimable worth! What a strict duty does it enjoin upon us of manifesting our gratitude in deeds, by regulating our lives in accordance with the spirit and the principles of faith. Without our co-operation, the gift of faith should only add to our responsibility.

The spirit of faith elevates and ennobles man, and renders all his actions meritorious in the sight of God. It teaches us to pray with reverence and attention, to be solicitous in the discharge of our duties. Faith inspires us with love, meekness and patience in bearing with the faults of others. It makes us humble and resigned in pain and mishap, generous and detached in happiness. Happy the souls possessing this spirit of faith!

Furthermore, the grace of the true faith imposes upon us the sacred duty of co-operating to the best of our ability in the propagation and extension of faith. How many souls will thus attain to intimate knowledge and love of Jesus Christ! Let us pray the Lord to send many zealous laborers into His vineyard. Let us offer our Holy Communions and good works to implore the grace of faith for those who sit in the darkness of infidelity and heathendom. How could we claim to love Jesus and still be indifferent to the perdition of so many souls for whom He shed His most Precious Blood?

Affections: O Jesus, Thou Divine Light of the world, I thank Thee for my call to the true faith, to Thy Holy Church. I adore Thee on this day with the holy Magi, in the poverty and lowliness of Thy Sacred Humanity. I behold Thee, concealed beneath the veil of faith, on our altars. But, is my faith also as lively, and are my sentiments as noble as were those of the three Kings? Animate and strengthen my weak faith, O Jesus, that from this day forward I may live in accordance with the spirit of faith, generously co-operating with Thy grace, and thus merit to behold Thee in Thy glory for all eternity.

Resolution: I will often thank God for the call to the true faith.

Spiritual Bouquet: “The just man liveth by faith.”

Prayer: Take, O Lord . . .

These meditations come from a treasured old volume, copyright 1925 by Frederick Pustet Co., Inc. They are presented here exactly as found in the original book—word for word—and carry the quiet, steady tone of a guide long used in convents around the world. Yet their simplicity and directness remain just as helpful for anyone seeking a more prayerful, faithful daily life.

JANUARY 5TH

“And this shall be a sign unto you, you shall find the Infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger” (Luke 2, 12).

First Prelude: In spirit kneel reverently at the crib of the Divine Child.

Second Prelude: O Jesus, let me realize Thy love for humility and simplicity, and give me grace to imitate Thy holy example.

FIRST POINT

THE BEAUTY OF SIMPLICITY

In the Divine Child we behold the greatest simplicity ever found on earth in all its lovableness. No one can ponder the beauty of this heavenly virtue in the Christ Child without feeling himself comforted and touched. There lies the amiable Child, wrapped in swaddling clothes, on the coarse straw, His bright eyes announcing to us peace of heart. Even now, He inflames all who are of good will with the fire of divine love. Our Lord’s primary motive in teaching holy simplicity by His example was His desire to lead mankind, caught in the snares of deception and cunning laid by the tempter, back to their God.

Simplicity is characterized by complete conformity of the will with the Divine Will, and the sole desire to seek the divine pleasure, saying with Jesus: “My meat is to do the Will of Him that sent Me” (John 4, 34). In virtue of such complete surrender, simple souls walk under the divine guidance enjoying absolute security. Like a child, serving a loving father, they labor cheerfully, with the pure intention, without solicitude for the future. Simple, upright souls, free from ambiguity and artifice, are universal favorites, and not infrequently will the presence of one such soul in a community suffice to create enthusiasm for this lovable virtue. Simplicity lends to religious the amiability and charm of a child; their countenance mirrors the purity and joy of hearts that belong solely to God, whose peace, consequently, cannot be disturbed.

Instead of growing disheartened at sight of their faults and weaknesses, they take occasion to humble themselves, entrusting themselves anew to God’s loving protection. O holy virtue of simplicity, enter my heart that with thee I may walk secure.

SECOND POINT

THE PRACTICE OF THE VIRTUE OF SIMPLICITY

The words of Scripture: “Unless you become as little children you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 18, 3), apply primarily to religious. Sad to say, the virtue of simplicity is no longer found in the world; all the more diligently should it be fostered in the cloister. What will it avail religious, no matter how skilled they are, if in true simplicity they look not solely to God, thereby to make themselves worthy of reward. Besides, in virtue of the purity and simplicity of our sentiments, we resemble God, Whose very essence is simplicity. He enlightens the hearts of the simple, in whom dwells not even a shadow of insincerity, and manifests to them His mysteries. He loves to impart to them an abundance of graces, because they justly ascribe all to Him.

To despise, from the bottom of our hearts, all considerations prompted by self-love and all less good intentions, is the first step toward simplicity. The next step consists in our endeavor to suppress every trace of insincerity in our thoughts, words, desires and actions, and in striving to discharge our duties to please God, alone, in accordance with His holy designs.

A simple soul is unruffled and charitable towards all, without distinction; accommodates herself to all; yields to others; makes sacrifices, preferably secretly and unnoticed; is moderate in work, not busying herself with many things at a time; avoids everything that might appear singular in her exercises of devotion; is as equally opposed to depression as to the lofty flight of presumption. How happy the religious who strive daily to execute these counsels!

Affections: O Divine Saviour, by Thy prophet Thou hast said: “Wisdom shall perish from their wise men, and the understanding of the prudent men shall be hid” (Is. 29, 14). Therefore, Thou, O God didst will to appear on earth clothed with the weaknesses of human nature, by the simplicity of childhood to manifest the depths of Thy unfathomable wisdom and to annihilate human pride. Enlighten my understanding, O Jesus, that I may rightly comprehend the sweet mysteries of Thy sacred Infancy. Strengthen my will, that, disregarding the opinion of men, I may aim at the one end, to walk before Thee in childlike simplicity, seeking Thy pleasure in all my thoughts, words, and actions. Give me this grace, O Lord, I pray Thee, by the merit of Thy holy Childhood.

Resolution: In all my actions I will seek to please God alone.

Spiritual Bouquet: “Unless you become as little children you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 18, 3).

Prayer: O Jesus, living in Mary . . .

These meditations come from a treasured old volume, copyright 1925 by Frederick Pustet Co., Inc. They are presented here exactly as found in the original book—word for word—and carry the quiet, steady tone of a guide long used in convents around the world. Yet their simplicity and directness remain just as helpful for anyone seeking a more prayerful, faithful daily life.

JANUARY 4TH

 

POVERTY OF JESUS IN THE CRIB

“And she brought forth her first-born Son and wrapped Him up in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2-7).

First Prelude: Represent to yourselves the wretched stable and the hard crib in which the Divine Child reposes.

Second Prelude: O Divine Saviour, teach us by Thy example to esteem, and cheerfully to practice holy poverty.

FIRST POINT

JESUS TEACHES US TO ESTEEM POVERTY

Faith teaches us that this poor Child, bedded on straw, in the manger at Bethlehem, is He of Whom the Psalmist says: “The earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof: the world and all they that dwell therein” (Ps. 23, 1). Why is it that the Lord, Who has the wealth of all creation at His command, chooses poverty for His inseparable companion through life? Why does He despise all splendor, all excess, all convenience, to be the poorest among the poor? Jesus willed to sanctify poverty, since He wills it to be the portion of His elect in this life, that He might insure to them the riches of heaven. O precious virtue, up to the time of Christ but slightly recognized among men, how wert Thou exalted at the crib! How has Jesus, Himself, exalted thee and animated thousands for thee! How many, O my Jesus, have been taught, by Thy example, patiently to suffer poverty and privations and thus to enrich themselves for heaven! Countless souls, enamored of Thee, have voluntarily despised the goods of his world, to embrace Thy life of renunciation.

Animated by such an example, we will, with all our heart, renew our vow of poverty, at the crib of the Divine Child. We will thank Jesus for having called us to the practice of this virtue, which contains in itself the secret of sanctity. Earthly goods fetter the heart and hinder it from raising itself to God; but the heart free from all earthly desires and affections, cleaves to God and is inebriated with the delights that result from this loving and intimate union. We will thank our dear Saviour for having atoned for our sins, by a life of extreme poverty. Let us say with a great saint: “Thou wert poor, O Jesus, to enrich me—yea, to enrich me with graces and everlasting goods.” Do we manifest our esteem and love of holy poverty by cheerfully bearing all the privations met with in religious life?

SECOND POINT

JESUS TEACHES US HOW TO PRACTICE HOLY POVERTY

“Let us consider,” says St. Charles Borromeo, “the profound poverty and abasement that the King of Heaven chose at His birth.” His dwelling is poor; poor, His crib; Mary, His Mother, is poor, everything about Him breathes poverty, and, yet He shares His poorly shelter with the irrational creatures. Such is the advent of the Creator of the world, such the royal splendor of His holy Nativity. Religious poverty, which we have the happiness to profess, requires that we love it, especially in its effects—namely, hunger, thirst, cold, fatiguing labors, privations and the contempt that it frequently elicits from the world. This truly evangelical virtue requires many great sacrifices, but Jesus generously requites all that we suffer for love of Him, so that afflictions and privations are as naught. Therefore, St. Magdalen of Pazzi admonished her religious: “Rejoice in misfortune and affliction, because after a little while you will receive a crown of eternal glory, and for a slight privation you will enjoy bliss without end.” Are we animated with an ardent love of poverty at the sight of Jesus, Who in order to redeem and enrich mankind, subjects Himself to a life of suffering and privations? Though it is impossible for us to imitate Jesus in the excess of His poverty, yet love of our Divine Spouse, and love of that sweet bond that unites us with Him, ought to make us ingenious in choosing for ourselves what is least gratifying and most fatiguing to nature.

Are these my sentiments? Have I ever complained of the effects of the poverty I have vowed to God?

Affections: O my beloved Saviour, how little and poor art Thou for love of me! To elevate me, Thou dost abase Thyself; to enrich me with grace in this life, and with everlasting glory in the world to come, Thou art the poorest of all the children of men. Full of reverence and grateful love, I kiss, in spirit, Thy poor crib; and with all the fervor of my soul renew my holy vow of poverty renouncing all attachment to earthly things, and willingly, yea, cheerfully accepting the privations, discomforts and the apparent forgetfulness of creatures. By the merits of Thy poverty, O my Jesus, replenish me with the wealth of Thy divine wisdom and love; enrich me with graces and virtues, that Thou mayest be my sole good here and in eternity.

Resolution: I will deposit the little privations that I meet with today, as an oblation at the feet of Jesus in the crib.

Spiritual Bouquet: “He has become poor that He might enrich us through His poverty” (Cor. 2, 9).

Prayer: Take, O Lord . . .

These meditations come from a treasured old volume, copyright 1925 by Frederick Pustet Co., Inc. They are presented here exactly as found in the original book—word for word—and carry the quiet, steady tone of a guide long used in convents around the world. Yet their simplicity and directness remain just as helpful for anyone seeking a more prayerful, faithful daily life.

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 . . .

These meditations come from a treasured old volume, copyright 1925 by Frederick Pustet Co., Inc. They are presented here exactly as found in the original book—word for word—and carry the quiet, steady tone of a guide long used in convents around the world. Yet their simplicity and directness remain just as helpful for anyone seeking a more prayerful, faithful daily life.

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 . . .

These meditations come from a treasured old volume, copyright 1925 by Frederick Pustet Co., Inc. They are presented here exactly as found in the original book—word for word—and carry the quiet, steady tone of a guide long used in convents around the world. Yet their simplicity and directness remain just as helpful for anyone seeking a more prayerful, faithful daily life.

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 . . .

These meditations come from a treasured old volume, copyright 1925 by Frederick Pustet Co., Inc. They are presented here exactly as found in the original book—word for word—and carry the quiet, steady tone of a guide long used in convents around the world. Yet their simplicity and directness remain just as helpful for anyone seeking a more prayerful, faithful daily life.