And His mercy is from generation unto generations, to them that fear Him. He hath showed might in His arm: He hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart. He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich He hath sent empty away. He hath received Israel His servant, being mindful of His mercy. As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed for ever. And Mary abode with her about three months; and she returned to her own house. VIEW OF THE PRESENT CONDITION OF NAZARETH. § 3. The Birth of St. John the Baptist. Now Elizabeth's full time of being delivered was come, and she brought forth a son. And her neighbours and kinsfolks heard that the Lord had showed His great mercy towards her, and they congratulated with her. And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they called him by his father's name Zachary. And his mother answering, said: 'Not so; but he shall be called John.' And they said to her: There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.' And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. And demanding a writing-table, he wrote, saying: 'John is his name.' And they all wondered. And immediately his mouth was opened, and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. And fear came upon all their neighbours; and all these things were noised abroad over all the hill-country of Judea. And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying: 'What an one, think ye, shall this child be?' For the hand of the Lord was with him. And Zachary his father was filled with the Holy Ghost; and he prophesied, saying: THE CANTICLE, BENEDICTUS. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; because He hath visited and wrought the redemption of His people: And hath raised up an horn of salvation to us, in the house of David His servant, As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, who are from the beginning. Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us. To perform mercy to our fathers, and to remember His holy testament. The oath which He swore to Abraham our father, that He would grant to us, That being delivered from the hand of our enemies, we may serve Him without fear, In holiness and justice before Him, all our days. And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways. To give knowledge of salvation to His people, unto the remission of their sins. Through the bowels of the mercy of our God, in which the Orient from on high hath visited us. To enlighten them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death; to direct our feet into the way of peace. And the child grew, and was strengthened in spirit; and was in the deserts until the day of his manifestation to Israel. § 4. The Birth of Jesus Christ at Bethlehem. Now the birth of Christ was in this wise: when His Mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to be with child, of the Holy Ghost. Whereupon Joseph her husband being a just man, and not willing publicly to expose her, was minded to put her away privately. But while he thought on these things, behold, the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in his sleep, saying: 'Joseph, son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost; and she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins' (Matt. i. 18-21). And it came to pass, that in those days there went out a decree from Cæsar Augustus, that the whole world should be enrolled. This enrolling was first made by Cyrinus, the governor of Syria. And all went to be enrolled, every one into his own city. And Joseph went up also from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth into Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his espoused wife, who was with child. And when they were there, her days were accomplished that she should be delivered; and she brought forth her first-born Son and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for Him in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds watching, and keeping the night-watches over their flock. And behold an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the brightness of God shone round about them; and they feared with a great fear. And the Angel said to them, 'Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, that shall be to all the people for this day is born to you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David. And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the Infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger.' And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God, and saying: 'Glory to God in the highest; THE HOLY CHILD JESUS IS ADORED BY THE SHEPHERDS OF BETHLEHEM. and on earth peace to men of good-will.' And it came to pass, after the angels departed from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another: 'Let us go over to Bethlehem, and let us see this word that is come to pass, which the Lord hath showed to us.' And they came with haste; and they found Mary and Joseph, and the Infant lying in the manger. And seeing, they understood of the word that had been * * Thus was fulfilled the prophecy of Isaias (vii. 14): 'Behold, a Virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and thou shalt call His name Emmanuel' (that is, God with us). As Moses was found laid in a cradle of bulrushes, so Jesus Christ is found laid on straw in a manger. spoken to them concerning this Child. And all that heard wondered at those things that were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these words, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them (Luke ii. 8-20). § 5. The Infant Jesus is circumcised and presented in the Temple. And on the eighth day they circumcised Him, and called His name JESUS, which was so called by the Angel before He was conceived in the womb. And after the days of purification were accomplished they carried Him to Jerusalem, to present Him to the Lord, as it is written in the law of the Lord: 'Every male opening the womb shall be called holy to the Lord,' and to offer a sacrifice, according as it is written in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtle doves and two young pigeons. And behold there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Ghost was in him. And he had received an answer from the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death before he had seen the CHRIST of the Lord. And he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when His parents brought in the Child Jesus to do for Him according to the custom of the law, he also took Him in his arms, and blessed God, and said: Now Thou dost dismiss Thy servant, O Lord, according to Thy word in peace because my eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people: a light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel.' And His father and mother were wondering at those things which were spoken concerning Him. And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother: 'Behold, this Child is set for the fall and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted; and thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that, out of many hearts, thoughts may be revealed.' And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser. She was far advanced in years, and had lived with her husband seven years from her virginity. And she was a widow until four score and four years, who departed not from the temple, by fastings and prayers serving night and day. Now she at the same hour coming in, confessed to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all that looked for the redemption of Israel. And having performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee to their city Nazareth. 6. The Holy Family return to Bethlehem. Arrival of the Wise Men in Jerusalem. The Wise Men adore the Infant Jesus. The Flight into Egypt. King Herod murders the Innocents of Bethlehem. The Holy Family remain in the land of Egypt till the death of Herod. When Jesus therefore was born in Bethlehem of Juda, in the days of king Herod, 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 |