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THE THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT

(Read John i, 19-28.)

CONSIDER FIRSTLY how perfectly St. John the Baptist followed the counsel contained in the words: the greater thou art, the more humble thyself in all things. (Ecclus. iii, 20.) Although in the sight of God and in the eyes of men he was so exceedingly great as to be thought to be the Messiah, yet he humbled himself, utterly refusing honour that became the Messiah alone: He confessed, I am not the Christ. Ambition for divine honours was the ruin of the first angels, and then of Adam. By the same way too did Lucifer hope to compass the fall of John the Baptist, but all to no purpose.

APPLICATION: Your pride probably does not make you aspire to divine honours. But how often do you seek after honour amongst men, and aim at an esteem out of all proportion with your merits? When you hear others out of mere flattery praise you, do you check them or are you not rather pleased and gratified? God grant that you be not of the number of those who seek to pass themselves off as being something much better than they are.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS: Thou wilt save the humble people, but wilt bring down the eyes of the proud. (Ps. xvii, 28.)

CONSIDER SECONDLY that St. John humbled himself not only in refusing honours that were due to God alone, but also those which he deserved, saying that he was neither Elias nor a prophet, although Christ Himself called him Elias and had extolled him as more than a prophet. In the same manner as the proud spare no efforts to gain honours which they do not deserve, so too do the humble  endeavour as far as ever they may to conceal all that might gain for them any respect or esteem.

APPLICATION: Reflect for a moment upon yourself and see if you try always to hide your talents, your knowledge and your gifts, in order to escape praise, or whether in your pride you do not rather seek to conceal your faults and your mistakes in order to escape all blame.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS: I am brought to nothing, and I knew not. I am become as a beast before thee, and I am always with thee. (Ps. lxxii, 22-23.)

CONSIDER THIRDLY that St. John, when obliged to give some account of himself, was silent as to his noble parentage and the dignity of his father in his sacerdotal character. He merely made allusion to what was absolutely necessary, namely to the office which he held as precursor of the Messiah: I am the voice of one crying in the way, make straight the path of the Lord. He called himself a voice to show that he aspired to no higher function than that of a voice, which has no merit and no worth of itself but derives all from him who moves it and makes it speak.

APPLICATION: Whenever you have to undertake some office such as that of preaching or teaching or some other honourable ministry, in which you must necessarily make some show of your knowledge or of your talent, learn then from St. John not to take the glory to yourself, but to refer all to God Who has given you the necessary gifts and the strength: What hast thou not received? And if thou hast received why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it? (I Cor. Iv, 7.)

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS: Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory. (Ps. cxiii, 9.)

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MONDAY AFTER THE THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT ~ CHRIST OFFERS HIMSELF AS OUR REDEEMER

I am come that they may have life, and may have it more abundantly. (John x, 10.)

CONSIDER FIRSTLY how the humanity of Jesus Christ, when in that first moment it beheld itself raised to an intimate union with the Divinity, seized with an ecstasy of intense wonder, forthwith poured itself out in affections of the most ardent love, of reverence, and of submission to the Sovereign Majesty. Burning to correspond entirely with the divine liberality, it offered itself completely to the good pleasure to the Father, and to all that it seemed good to Him to command. That was the first moment when God began to be fully recognized and honoured by human nature, for this could only be done by one who was at once God and man.

APPLICATION: You of yourself can never offer an act of worship proportioned to the greatness of the Divinity. Accustom yourself therefore to unite the acts of adoration that you offer to God with those of the most Sacred Humanity. In this manner then will they become supremely acceptable to God, for Jesus Christ even from Hi Mother’s womb began to honour in your behalf and in that of all the human race.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS: Then said I, behold I come. In the head of the book it is written of me that I should do thy will. (Ps. xxxix, 8-9.)

CONSIDER SECONDLY that Christ never once interrupted or relaxed that fervour of that offering to His Divine Father made from His Mother’s womb, but continually and constantly in every act and incident in His life: Those things which are pleasing to Him I do always. (John viii, 29.) Hence the whole life of Jesus was an uninterrupted continuation of that first offering which He made of Himself to His Divine Father.

APPLICATION: When you entered into yourself and began a life of Christina or of religious perfection, you meant to make an entire offering of yourself to God’s service. Exam now how far you have carried it out. How often have you, instead of doing the Divine Will, gone against the will of God in search of your own comfort and convenience! Humble yourself therefore and repeat often within yourself: Why hast thou come into this world, or into this particular state of life?

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS: Thou art the God of my heart, and the God that is my portion foe ever. (Ps. lxxii, 26.)

CONSIDER THIRDLY that the Father had given Him command that He should redeem the human race by making our debts His own, and by imparting to us His merits in order thereby to satisfy the Divine Justice. Moreover, He had declared it to be His good pleasure that He should accomplish this by suffering the death of the Cross, and that He would moreover accept on our behalf every other act of His, whether of suffering or of contempt, seeing that all was of infinite worth. Jesus then in order to perfectly fall in with the good pleasure of His Divine Father, accepted the death of the Cross accompanied as it was by an ocean of sufferings and an abyss of contempt: Who having joy set before Him endured the cross. (Heb. Xii, 2.)

APPLICATION: What have you to say for yourself who, in order to escape any little inconvenience or any trifling slight, have so often opposed the Divine Will in things expressly commanded you? Does not the example of Jesus Christ cover you with shame?

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS: The law of thy mouth is good unto me, above thousands of gold and silver. (Ps. cxviii, 72.)

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TUESDAY AFTER THE THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT ~ THE VISITATION

(Read Luke i, 39-56.)

CONSIDER FIRSTLY that Christ did not delay in beginning the work of redemption, but even before coming forth from His mother’s womb went to sanctify St. John. He might have done this without leaving Nazareth, nevertheless it pleased Him to inspire His Mother to visit St. Elizabeth and through her to work a signal blessing in St. John. Thus we see that as she was the means of the sanctification of St. John and also of the first miracle wrought by Christ at the marriage feast of Cana, so for us likewise is she at all times the channel of all those spiritual and temporal graces which we can hope for from the divine liberality. Such is the will of Him who has willed that we should have all things through Mary. (St. Bernard.)

APPLICATION: If you really grasped this great truth, how much more eager would you be to gain the protection of our Blessed Lady by your devotion to her and to have recourse to her in all your needs.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS: God is wonderful in His saints. (PS. lxviii, 36.)

CONSIDER SECONDLY the promptitude in which the Blessed Virgin obeyed the inspiration: She went into the hill country with haste. (Luke i, 39.) Neither her love of solitude nor the quite of contemplation could make her hesitate, nor the fear of those dangers which her Divine Son might encounter in such a perilous journey.

APPLICATION: And what is your manner of acting who either does not give ear to the inspirations of God, or are slow in responding to them by letting your self-love invent a thousand imaginary difficulties? If you knew what blessings you lose in thus making so little of inspirations from heaven, you would not be so careless in obeying the voice of God.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS: I will hearken what the Lord shall say within me, for He will speak peace unto His people. (Ps. lxxxiv, 9.)

CONSIDER THIRDLY that the Blessed Virgin did not take this wearisome journey merely to pay a visit of ceremony, nor from curiosity to discover what the Angel had spoken about Elizabeth were verified, still less from vanity to parade her dignity as mother of the Most High. She went simply moved by obedience to the Divine Will, and in order to co-operate in the sanctification of the Precursor.

APPLICATION: You willingly accept the discomfort of some hard work, or the fatigue of some course of study, appointed by those who are over you. But what as to your motives? Is it purely for the service of God or rather in order to follow the natural bent of your own nature, to gain praise to yourself or to make parade of your talents? Would you be equally ready to give up your own convenience, where there is question of doing some work for God’s good pleasure and where self-love would find no satisfaction? The workings of your heart are exceedingly subtle and very hidden. Examine therefore very carefully your motives of action, for upon them depends the solidity of your virtues.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS: Give me understanding and I will search thy law: and I will keep it with my whole heart. (Ps. cxviii, 34.)

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WEDNESDAY AFTER THE THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT ~ THE SANCTIFICATION OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST

(Read Luke i, 39-56.)

CONSIDER FIRSTLY that at the first salutation of the Blessed Virgin to St. Elizabeth, St. John was endowed by the Infant Jesus with three special blessings. The first was to be cleansed from original sin by the infusion of sanctifying grace. The second was to receive by anticipation the use of reason so as to be capable of gaining merit. The third was clearly to understand the great mystery of the Incarnation, and forthwith, even in his mother’s womb to rejoice and exult in it. All these blessings came to St. John by reason of and through the words of the Blessed Virgin. Similar blessings will she obtain for all those who have recourse to her, and who love to present themselves before her imploring her to be cleansed from their sins, to be assisted in the path of virtue, and to be enlightened in the divine mysteries.

APPLICATION: If you desire that the Divine Infant should enrich you with His gifts, do you also have recourse to the Blessed Virgin and beg of her to obtain for you that you may hear her words in your heart: Let thy voice sound in my ears. (Cant. Ii, 14.)

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS: The voice of joy and salvation is in the tabernacles of the just. (Ps. cxvii, 15.)

CONSIDER SECONDLY how this salutation illuminated the soul of St. Elizabeth making her discern the dignity of Mary and the mystery of the Incarnate Word, break forth as she did into most exalted praises of the Blessed Virgin and extol her with the glorious title of Mother of God. Neither did she omit to thank her for having deigned to visit her and to have undertaken such a perilous journey: and whence is this to me that the Mother of my Lord should come to me?

APPLICATION: You too should excite in your own heart similar affections of praise and of gratitude, whenever you receive any grace through the Blessed Virgin, extolling her loving goodness in deigning from her exalted throne to look down with her eyes of mercy on upon one so unworthy as you are, and yet how easily do you forget her in whose favours you so often rejoice.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS: If I forget thee, O Jerusalem; let my right hand be forgotten; let my tongue cleave to my jaws if I do not remember thee. (Ps. cxxxvi, 5-6.)

CONSIDER THIRDLY how the Blessed Virgin made no reply to all these praises, but all aflame with love of God set herself with her most glorious canticle to magnify the Lord and to humble herself: My soul doth magnify the Lord, because He hath regarded the humility of His handmaiden.

APPLICATION: How far different are your sentiments when you are praised! Instead of acknowledging and thanking the giver of all the good you have, you become vain and proud. Beseech then the Blessed Virgin to obtain for you a true spirit of humility, and a lively desire of directing all your actions to the glory of God so that you also may be able to say, My soul doth magnify the Lord.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS: Thou art a strong helper. Let my mouth be filled with praise that I may sing of thy glory and of thy greatness all the day long. (Ps. lxx, 7-8.)

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THURSDAY AFTER THE THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT ~ THE TRIAL OF ST. JOSEPH

(Read Matt. I, 18-25.)

CONSIDER FIRSTLY that Joseph, who was so holy and so pleasing to God as to merit to be the spouse of the Mother of God and the guardian of the Word Incarnate, could never have contemplated that his espousals to Mary would have brought him such bitter sorrows. For so it was that the mystery of the Incarnation was concealed from him, although it had been clearly revealed to St. John and St. Elizabeth. But this is the ordinary way of Divine Providence, which afflicts those who are most just in order to enrich them the more with merits, and that they may be examples of more heroic virtues. What an admiral example St. Joseph gave of prudence, of patience and of charity! Notwithstanding the knowledge of her condition, he does not condemn the Blessed Virgin, he does not inwardly complain to God or outwardly manifest his grief.

APPLICATION: When you imagine that you have been in some way injured, you at once become disturber and grow indignant. You instantly condemn the offender for what in fact does not exist or for more than there really is. You cry out and complain. Learn from Joseph patience in bearing the wrongs you may have to suffer, prudence in not noticing them, charity in concealing them.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS: Thou art my patience, O Lord, my hope, O Lord, from my youth. (Ps.lxx, 5.)

CONSIDER SECONDLY that our Blessed Lady was well aware of Joseph’s intense affliction and the thought he entertained of putting her away. Able as she was to calm this anguish in the heart of her spouse by discovering to him the mystery, she choose at all costs rather to keep silent about her great privilege and to leave to Divine Providence the defence of her innocence.

APPLICATION: Does not this make you ashamed of being so ready to publish whatever may redound to your own praise, and so quick to excuse yourself whenever you happen to be blamed? Let it suffice that God sees your innocence. Leave the care of defending you from calumnies to Him Who knows well how to turn them to your profit.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS: In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; I said, thou art my God. (Ps. xxx, 15.)

CONSIDER THIRDLY the consolation of St. Joseph, in finding himself delivered by the loving providence of God from his extreme anguish. Through the ministry of an angel there was revealed to him the mystery of the Divine Incarnation, and the incomparable sanctity of the Blessed Virgin. Thereupon he realised that he himself was no other than the spouse of the Mother of God, and the guardian on earth of the Son of God. Forthwith he would have exclaimed with the Psalmist: According to the multitude of my sorrows in my heart, thy comforts have given joy to my soul. (Ps. xciii, 19.)

APPLICATION: So too it will be with you, if you know how to bear your afflictions in a truly Christian spirit, so as even in this life to enjoy a hundredfold of the divine consolations, and in the next to receive eternal reward.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS: Oh let thy mercies be my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant. (Ps. cxviii, 76.) 

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FRIDAY AFTER THE THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT ~ EXPECTATION OF THE NATIVITY

It came to pass that her days were accomplished. (Luke ii, 6.)

CONSIDER FIRSTLY the ardent desires of the ancient Fathers to see the promised Messiah. Listen to their sighs and prayers through the long ages. Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the Just. (Is. xlv, 8.) It pleased God that His coming should be so long deferred, because the more intense is the desire the more ceaselessly does it make us plead and pray, and earnest prayer is the surest means of gaining all that God has ordained to bestow upon us.

APPLICATION: If you do not feel a real longing for Jesus to be born spiritually within your heart, you will not be worthy to receive Him. Redouble therefore at this season your supplications as did the ancient Fathers, so that you may deserve to rejoice at His coming.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS: Stir up thy might, and come and save. (Ps. lxxix, 3.)

CONSIDER SECONDLY the intense longing of the Blessed Virgin, to bring to the light of day her divine offspring. This desire was increased in her heart specially for two reasons. The first was in order herself to be able to worship and serve the Son of the Divine Father, Who had deigned to choose her as His Mother, the other in order to give to the world its Redeemer, for the salvation of mankind, and to rescue the human race from all its miseries.

APPLICATION: You too should desire that Jesus Christ may come to you spiritually, not only for your own advantage, but much more that you may offer Him your homage, and that you also may co-operate with Him in the salvation of others.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS: O Lord God of hosts, convert us; and show thy face, and we shall be saved. (Ps. lxxix, 20.)

CONSIDER THIRDLY the still more fervent longings of Jesus Himself. He had remained for nine months within the narrow limits of His Mother’s womb, offering to His Father on our behalf the keen suffering He underwent in that darksome prison. When however He saw the hour of His going forth approach, He rejoiced, not indeed to leave that straitened space, but from His longing to begin at once His journey from cave to Calvary for the redemption of mankind. He hath rejoiced as a giant to run the way. (Ps. xix, 6.)

APPLICATION: How different are your desires and what quite other longings are yours. You are immediately displeased at some work that has been given to you, you are vexed at being made subject to another’s will, because you wish to enjoy more liberty and greater ease, but if you really loved Jesus you would not grow weary of suffering some trifle for love of Him. Love never gets weary nor complains, nor in fact is there ever greater proof of love than when there is labour and suffering for the beloved. Only love Jesus truly and every suffering and all labour will seem to you easy and delightful.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS: What have I in heaven but thee, and besides thee what do I desire upon earth? (Ps. lxxii, 25.) 

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SATURDAY AFTER THE THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT ~ THE DECREE OF CAESAR AUGUSTUS

(Read Luke ii, 1-5.)

CONSIDER FIRSTLY that from all eternity the Divine Father had decreed not only the time of the birth of Christ, but also the place, the manner, and all the circumstances of it, which had also been foretold by the prophets. Consequently it came to pass that at a given time, Caesar Augustus in his pride and avarice issued an edict that the whole empire should be enrolled, and that a tax should be paid by each one, and all this in order to bring about that the Word Incarnate should be born not in Nazareth, but in a cave that served as a shelter for beasts of burden.

APPLICATION: And to you how often does that which is a most wise design of God seem merely to be the work of your fellow-beings? And consequently you are disquieted and disturbed; you revolt against trials that thereby you are put to. Happy indeed would you be, did you but know how to recognize the loving dispositions of God Who for your good sometimes makes use of evil designs of others.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS: Let me know that this is thy hand; and thou, O Lord, hast done it. (Ps. cviii, 27.)

CONSIDER SECONDLY that the Blessed Virgin bowed her head in submission to the decree. She did not excuse herself from obedience by reason of her weakness, nor from paying the tribute because of her poverty. She recognized in the unjust decree of Augustus the most perfect will of God, conformably to that of the Apostle: Be obedient to them that are your lords according to the flesh with fear and trembling in the simplicity of your heart, as to Christ, not serving to the eye, as it were pleasing to men, but as servants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart. (Eph. vi, 5, 6.)

APPLICATION: You, who have so often bound yourself to obey those whom God has placed over you as superiots, in order to interpret for you the Divine Will, are you prompt in carrying out whatever is commanded of you? Or do you not rather draw back and excuse yourself and show your repugnance? Oh how ashamed ought you not to feel of yourself, when you reflect upon the obedience of the Mother of God to this edict of Caesar!

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS: Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God. (Ps. cxliii, 10.)

CONSIDER THIRDLY that the Blessed Virgin together with St. Joseph undertook this long and painful journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem in winter time, and with all the inconvenience of extreme poverty. Small account however did she make of these discomforts, because she recognized therein that they were obeying the will of heaven, and because she carried her Divine Son with her in order that He might be born in a stable, according to the dispositions of Divine Providence.

APPLICATION: If you will but stay in the company of Jesus and by your love bear Him in your heart, every affliction will seem to you light in the hope of one day rejoicing in His presence.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS: Thou art the God of my heart, and the God that is my portion for ever. (Ps. lxxii, 26.)

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