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MEDITATION FOR JANUARY 19TH
THE CHILD JESUS REMAINS IN THE TEMPLE
“And having fulfilled the days, when they returned, the Child Jesus remained in Jerusalem; and His parents knew it not, and thinking that He was in the company, they came a day’s journey and sought Him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance” (Luke 2, 43-44).
First Prelude: Behold Mary and Joseph, seeking the Divine Child amid great sorrow.
Second Prelude: Grant me, O Jesus, a right understanding of this mystery, that I may derive great benefit from its contemplation.
FIRST POINT
JESUS REMAINS IN JERUSALEM WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIS PARENTS
Jesus foresaw that His remaining in Jerusalem without the knowledge of His holy Mother and holy fosterfather should plunge them into the greatest anxiety and sorrow. The parents from whom Jesus severed Himself could not have been more worthy of His love than they were; nor could they have been more tenderly loved by Him. Without intimating His intention, without telling them how long they should be deprived of His presence, He separated Himself from His beloved parents. It was a source of unspeakable pain to His Sacred Heart, thus to grieve them, but He heeded not the pain to teach those called to follow Him in the religious state, a lesson of detachment from even the most legitimate natural affections, when the Will and the honor of God so demand it. He would teach His disciples to die wholly to tendencies grounded in flesh and blood, to transform the natural affection for parents, relatives and friends into a supernatural love, such as we bestow upon God, a love that springs from grace and is actuated by faith. Thus, natural affection is not destroyed, but merely perfected, and, as it were, divinized and rendered meritorious of an everlasting reward.
Alas, how many who have begun to walk the path of perfection, have become victims of a most deplorable delusion by refusing to accept, or rather, to practice this doctrine. Should we not be willing to sacrifice not only inordinate love for relatives and friends, but also all other natural affections which would captivate our heart and blight the love of God? The Lord requests of His spouses an undivided heart! He urges us to detach our hearts from any too natural affections, wholly unworthy of a soul called to greater things, to perfection. Divine graces and blessings will flow to us abundantly if we are generous in making the sacrifices God requires of us. On the contrary, our reserve and opposition to His counsels may frustrate God’s merciful designs in our regard, and draw down upon ourselves the divine vengeance.
SECOND POINT
MARY AND JOSEPH SEEK JESUS
In the throng of returning pilgrims, Mary and Joseph lost sight of the Divine Child. They believed, however, that the Child was in the company of friends and expected to meet Him in the evening at the first halting place. Not finding Him, and unable to gain information concerning His whereabouts, their anxiety and sorrow baffled description. What forebodings may have arisen in their hearts! Early at daybreak, they hurried back to Jerusalem, to seek the beloved Child, but for three days they had to suffer the pangs of bitter separation. What a bitter suspense for Mary and Joseph, who loved Jesus with all the ardor of their souls, yea, loved Him a thousand times more than their own life! O wonderful guidance of divine wisdom and love! Through this three days’ bitter trial, Mary and Joseph were perfected in love of God and prepared for newer and greater gifts of divine grace.
God deals likewise with souls whom He has called to perfection. He conceals Himself, as it were, to teach them that His presence and sensible delights in prayer are gifts to which they have no claim. He would teach them, further, to test their love and devotion in the fires of desolation and to serve God for Himself, alone, and not for the sake of His gifts. Often, however, we forfeit the sweetness of the divine presence through our fault. We are often deprived of the sensible effects of divine grace by our own neglect, by sloth and tepidity in prayer, by lack of good intention, sluggishness in the combat of temptations till we finally relapse into utter dryness and spiritual aridity. If in this self-imposed state of aridity and disconsolation we fail to seek Jesus with a humble and contrite heart, fervently and perseveringly, then our love is but slight, and we need not wonder to feel His chastening hand heavy upon us for our tepidity and infidelity. O Mary, O Joseph, teach me to seek Jesus as ye sought Him, that should I ever be so unhappy as to lose Him, I may deserve the happiness of finding Him again in a more intimate union.
Which faults most frequently deprive me of interior enlightenment and hinder the effects of divine grace in prayer?
Affections: Mary and Joseph lost Thee, O my Jesus, without any fault of theirs. Dare I wonder if, occasionally, Thou withdrawest Thy palpable presence and the genial light of Thy grace from me, a poor sinner? Though I have not anew offended Thee grievously, nevertheless, I displease Thee frequently through my utter neglect in Thy service. I repent of this fault with all my heart, and resolve to fulfill my duties with greater humility, solicitude, and love. Let me find Thee, dear Lord, when I seek Thee sorrowing, and grant me the grace to derive growth in virtue and an increase of fervor and love from the trials that Thou sendest for my sanctification.
Resolution: I will conquer that fault, especially, which is most opposed to my spiritual progress.
Spiritual Bouquet: “You shall find Me, if you seek Me with all your heart.”
Prayer: Soul of Christ . . .
THE CHILD JESUS REMAINS IN THE TEMPLE
“And having fulfilled the days, when they returned, the Child Jesus remained in Jerusalem; and His parents knew it not, and thinking that He was in the company, they came a day’s journey and sought Him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance” (Luke 2, 43-44).
First Prelude: Behold Mary and Joseph, seeking the Divine Child amid great sorrow.
Second Prelude: Grant me, O Jesus, a right understanding of this mystery, that I may derive great benefit from its contemplation.
FIRST POINT
JESUS REMAINS IN JERUSALEM WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIS PARENTS
Jesus foresaw that His remaining in Jerusalem without the knowledge of His holy Mother and holy fosterfather should plunge them into the greatest anxiety and sorrow. The parents from whom Jesus severed Himself could not have been more worthy of His love than they were; nor could they have been more tenderly loved by Him. Without intimating His intention, without telling them how long they should be deprived of His presence, He separated Himself from His beloved parents. It was a source of unspeakable pain to His Sacred Heart, thus to grieve them, but He heeded not the pain to teach those called to follow Him in the religious state, a lesson of detachment from even the most legitimate natural affections, when the Will and the honor of God so demand it. He would teach His disciples to die wholly to tendencies grounded in flesh and blood, to transform the natural affection for parents, relatives and friends into a supernatural love, such as we bestow upon God, a love that springs from grace and is actuated by faith. Thus, natural affection is not destroyed, but merely perfected, and, as it were, divinized and rendered meritorious of an everlasting reward.
Alas, how many who have begun to walk the path of perfection, have become victims of a most deplorable delusion by refusing to accept, or rather, to practice this doctrine. Should we not be willing to sacrifice not only inordinate love for relatives and friends, but also all other natural affections which would captivate our heart and blight the love of God? The Lord requests of His spouses an undivided heart! He urges us to detach our hearts from any too natural affections, wholly unworthy of a soul called to greater things, to perfection. Divine graces and blessings will flow to us abundantly if we are generous in making the sacrifices God requires of us. On the contrary, our reserve and opposition to His counsels may frustrate God’s merciful designs in our regard, and draw down upon ourselves the divine vengeance.
SECOND POINT
MARY AND JOSEPH SEEK JESUS
In the throng of returning pilgrims, Mary and Joseph lost sight of the Divine Child. They believed, however, that the Child was in the company of friends and expected to meet Him in the evening at the first halting place. Not finding Him, and unable to gain information concerning His whereabouts, their anxiety and sorrow baffled description. What forebodings may have arisen in their hearts! Early at daybreak, they hurried back to Jerusalem, to seek the beloved Child, but for three days they had to suffer the pangs of bitter separation. What a bitter suspense for Mary and Joseph, who loved Jesus with all the ardor of their souls, yea, loved Him a thousand times more than their own life! O wonderful guidance of divine wisdom and love! Through this three days’ bitter trial, Mary and Joseph were perfected in love of God and prepared for newer and greater gifts of divine grace.
God deals likewise with souls whom He has called to perfection. He conceals Himself, as it were, to teach them that His presence and sensible delights in prayer are gifts to which they have no claim. He would teach them, further, to test their love and devotion in the fires of desolation and to serve God for Himself, alone, and not for the sake of His gifts. Often, however, we forfeit the sweetness of the divine presence through our fault. We are often deprived of the sensible effects of divine grace by our own neglect, by sloth and tepidity in prayer, by lack of good intention, sluggishness in the combat of temptations till we finally relapse into utter dryness and spiritual aridity. If in this self-imposed state of aridity and disconsolation we fail to seek Jesus with a humble and contrite heart, fervently and perseveringly, then our love is but slight, and we need not wonder to feel His chastening hand heavy upon us for our tepidity and infidelity. O Mary, O Joseph, teach me to seek Jesus as ye sought Him, that should I ever be so unhappy as to lose Him, I may deserve the happiness of finding Him again in a more intimate union.
Which faults most frequently deprive me of interior enlightenment and hinder the effects of divine grace in prayer?
Affections: Mary and Joseph lost Thee, O my Jesus, without any fault of theirs. Dare I wonder if, occasionally, Thou withdrawest Thy palpable presence and the genial light of Thy grace from me, a poor sinner? Though I have not anew offended Thee grievously, nevertheless, I displease Thee frequently through my utter neglect in Thy service. I repent of this fault with all my heart, and resolve to fulfill my duties with greater humility, solicitude, and love. Let me find Thee, dear Lord, when I seek Thee sorrowing, and grant me the grace to derive growth in virtue and an increase of fervor and love from the trials that Thou sendest for my sanctification.
Resolution: I will conquer that fault, especially, which is most opposed to my spiritual progress.
Spiritual Bouquet: “You shall find Me, if you seek Me with all your heart.”
Prayer: Soul of Christ . . .
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