“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.
No comments:
Post a Comment