"fervour and desire," for this is an undertaking of such a nature that, if it be not undertaken with fervour of spirit, it cannot be brought to a happy completion" (a). From which we see how grossly those persons deceive themselves, who fancy that they ought, in this second week, to relax somewhat their first fervour. III. The soul having formed, in the past meditation, a general resolution to imitate Jesus Christ in the way of perfection, seeks this perfection in a special manner in the following meditations on the Incarnation, the Nativity, and the other principal mysteries of his life; minutely observing in what manner and in what circumstances it ought to imitate its Captain. But, since Jesus Christ, in all the acts of His life, has but waged incessant war against those three capital passions of the world—avarice, sensuality, and pride-by constantly opposing to them, poverty, sufferings, obscurity, and humiliations, we also, if we desire to follow Him, ought to keep always before our eyes those three great enemies of our perfection and salvation, in order to wage a bitter warfare against them; and we ought to allow ourselves no rest until they are not only routed and destroyed, but until, by constant practice, we shall have acquired the three opposite virtues, namely, the love of poverty, of tribulation, and of humility. Wherefore, the ardent desire and firm resolution of following Jesus Christ in acquiring these virtues, is the fruit which we ought to gather from the past meditation. We shall succeed the better in effect (a) Directory, ch. xviii. n. 4. ing this, if (as S. Ignatius desires) we do nothing else during the entire of this day but occupy ourselves with these truths, adapting the spiritual reading to the matter of the meditation, and taking care that all our thoughts during the day be directed to bring our resolutions to maturity, while we should remove from our minds all thoughts, even pious ones, which could distract us from our principal object. SECOND MEDITATION. On the Incarnation. FIRST POINT. The Second Person of the most Holy Trinity, who assumed human nature, teaches us to esteem, to love, and to desire humility, that is, self-abasement: "Learn of me, for I am meek and humble of heart" (a). And, in truth, the mystery of the Incarnation is an astounding instance of this abasement, and this principally for three reasons: 1. Because of the union which exists between the Word and human nature, since, on account of this union, the immortal and impassable God, "who is strong and mighty, and the king of glory" (b), now hears Himself called mortal, passable, a man of sorrows" (c), and the outcast of the people" (d). By the same union, He who is "the Being," by essence, unites Himself (a) Matt. xi. 29. (b) Psalm xxiii. 8. (d) Psalm xxi. 1. 66 eternally to our nothingness by a bond so close, that one and the same Christ is both man and God. O stupendous humiliation! to be measured only by the infinite distance that exists between the condition of man and that of God. O my Jesus! and shall I resent being called by others low, ignorant, imprudent, and full of defects, when God, through pure love of me, hears Himself called poor, weak, an impostor, a worm, and the outcast of the people” (a). 2. The mystery of the Incarnation is a prodigy of humility, because of the body which the Divine Word assumed. For since the soul of Jesus Christ enjoyed, from the first moment of its creation, the beatific vision, and an equal glory being consequently due to His flesh, Christ could have united to Himself a glorious body, endowed with the four privileges of the blessed, and therefore, immortal, impassible, and subject to no miseries. He could have He taken to Himself a body, robust and grown to perfect manhood, as was that of Adam at his creation. might have assumed a merely apparent body, as He caused to happen in the cases of Raphael and Gabriel. And yet, O wonderful humiliation! He clothes Himself, instead, with a body which is subject to all kinds of misery; weak, delicate, in a state of infancy, and in need of the help of everyone. order to liken himself in all things to his brethren, He came "in the likeness of sinful flesh" (b), renouncing His right to those marks distinctive of glory, and other prerogatives, that He might destroy the body of your pride, by "the body of his lowness" (c). You (a) Psalm xxi. 7. (c) Phil. iii. 21. (b) Romans viii. 3. In believe all this, and yet you, dust and ashes, are proud! 3. Finally, the mystery of the Incarnation is a prodigy of humiliation, because of the place wherein Jesus Christ confined Himself. For "this most wise prince, like the most tender little worm of the wood” (a), lay concealed in the womb of the Virgin Mary. Here consider who and how mighty He is who lies concealed, and the place of His concealment. He who is Immensity itself, is confined for nine long months in the dark prison of His mother's womb, where, like a condemned criminal, he offers Himself to the Divine Justice, while awaiting a disgraceful death for our sake; and this He does (ye angels be astounded!) in order that we, wretched little worms, induced by His example, may moderate our innate craving for distinction; and that we may learn to live with equal pleasure should we be hid away in some corner of the world, employed in some low office, and placed in some low degree, wherein, to our thinking, our talents are not duly appreciated, and our merits held in low esteem. O vain being, it is pride which cries into thy ear, "Manifest thyself to the world" (b). In another state, in another place, in another office, in a different degree of perfection, you might accomplish much more good; you have the talents to do so. Unhappy man! these are the whisperings of the infernal serpent. Be persuaded that that is not thrown away which is offered to the Lord. You have been created by God and for God, that you should serve Him, and imitate Jesus Christ in the manner which He (a) 2 Kings xxiii. 8. (b) John vii. 4. desires. If it should be His wish, then, that you serve Him by following Jesus Christ in retirement, in obscurity, and in lowly and common employments; and if He is more honoured by having your talents thrown into the shade, than by having them held up to the admiration of the world, who are you that you should dare to question Him saying, " Why dost thou 80?" (a). "Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Or hath not the potter power over the clay of the same lump, to make one vessel unto honour and another unto dishonour?" (b). AFFECTIONS. O my Lord God! you come down upon earth to hide yourself beneath the humble covering of our flesh, and I with Lucifer mount up into heaven above the stars of God, and desire “to be like the Most High" (c). You, the Holy of holies, appear in the likeness of sinful flesh" (d); and I, who was born covered all over with sin, wish to get the reputation of sanctity. When you were in the form of God you annihilated yourself, taking upon you the form of a servant; and I, who am but dust and ashes, the dregs and off-scouring of the world, lift myself up with pride "as if I were something, whereas I am nothing" (e). Be amazed, ye heavens!" God became humble, that even thus the pride of the human race might not refuse to follow the footsteps of God" (f); and, nevertheless, (a) Ecclesiastes, viii. 4. (b) Romans ix. 20, 21. (f) S. Augustine in Ps. 33. |