Point I.—Mary's Return
We know nothing of what went on during those three months, but we may presume that things continued as they began. It is not likely that Elizabeth said her "Ave" only once, and only once spoke of the honour she considered it to have the Mother ofGodin her house. It is not likely that the unborn Forerunner never again saluted His Master, in Whose presence he so continually was. It is impossible to conceive that Mary sangGod'spraises and her own unworthiness no more during those three months. And what aboutJesus? These were the first three months of His life on earth, and grace wassurely going out from Him to His Blessed Mother first, and then to all who knew the secret. And we must not forget the head of the household, Zachary. He, at any rate after the birth of his son, knew the secret too, for he spoke in his song of praise of the "Orientfrom on High (which) hath visited us." (St Luke i. 78.) "Dumb" he had been and "unable to speak," but Mary with her Son had been sojourning in his house, with the result that his doubts had all disappeared, and that he understood already something of the "joy and gladness" which Gabriel had promised should be his (verse 14), and understood also how it came to pass that his son was "filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb." (verse 15.)
But the time comes when Mary has to leave this highly favoured household and go home. Her work of charity is over. Elizabeth no longer needs her, and her thoughts turn to Joseph, her husband, and to Nazareth—to the spot where Gabriel had visited her, and where the Holy Ghost had wrought such great things in her.
Point II.—Mary's Silence to St Joseph
When last we thought about St Joseph, he was abandoning himself to a life of self-sacrifice by his vow of virginity. Since then he has made the sacrifice of sparing Mary from their little home to go and do an act of charity for her kinswoman, and now that that is over, it is probably Joseph himself who goes to fetch her home again. Of the visit of the Archangel to his wife Joseph knows nothing, and Mary keeps the secret locked within her heart. She has not revealed it to anyone. (It was the Holy Ghost who told Elizabeth, andJesusHimself who saluted John.) But trouble is in store for those two faithful souls. This is natural. It would be strange ifGoddid not take us at our word when we make the sacrifice of ourselves to Him!It would look as if He did not believe us. "Mary was found 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." (St Matt. i. 18, 19.) How much is told in those few simple words! What anguish of soul do they cover! How could Joseph bear to have suspicions of his wife, whom he considered to be purity itself, and whom he loved so tenderly? And yet he was forced to suspect, and as a just man was obliged to keep the law—namely, write a bill of divorce, give it in her hand, and send her out of his house. (Deut. xxiv. 1.) He made up his mind to do this asprivatelyas possible, shielding her secret from everyone except the two witnesses who were necessary for the bill of divorce. How nobly Joseph acted! He was ready, for the sake of right, to sacrifice what was most dear to him, to crush at one blow his most cherished affections! No wonder the Holy Spirit calls him a just man! No wonder that he was the one in all the world whomGodcould trust to co-operate with Himself!
And if Joseph suffered, how much more did Mary in seeing him thus troubled, and knowing that she was the cause of his distress. One word from her would have been sufficient to clear away all the difficulties—and it almost seemed as if it would be for the glory ofGodto say the word—at any rate it would have justified her, put an end to Joseph's trouble, and saved her from suspicion, and even perhaps shame and humiliation. But Mary has made her sacrifice—has said herFiat—and this is her first great trial, caused entirely by the fact of her nearness toJesus, and of the union between her life and His. And so she does not say the word—she does not take back her sacrifice, but meets it generously. It is not for her to publishGod'ssecrets. His dealings with her are for herself, and are not to be shared even with one as dear to her as is St Joseph, unlessGodbids her. Mary is silent and abandons herself and her trouble and all that concerns her toGod.
And this isGod'smoment—when the need is at its height, when both His children have proved their fidelity, and their readiness to abandon themselves to Him and His Will, cost what it may. In his sleep an Angel appears to Joseph and reveals the secret to him, and his sorrow is changed to an unspeakable joy.
If I am striving to tread the way trodden by Mary and the Saints, I shall do well to let self-justification alone. I am not likely to be put to as great a test as were Mary and Joseph, but there are sure to be many little occasions in my life when it is left to my choice either to clear myself of suspicion or to leave the matter inGod'sHands, and out of love to Him keep silence, and thus sacrifice a little of my self-love. It is a difficult question, perhaps, when to keep silence and when to speak; but at any rate I need not be in such a hurry to excuse myself and shield myself from blame as I generally am. Nothing will be lost bywaiting. Mary and Josephwaited, with the result thatGodHimself cleared things up for them and brought them consolation. If Joseph had questioned Mary, or if Mary had allayed Joseph's suspicions, both would have acted in a most natural way; butGodwould not have been glorified, and they would have missed the consolation which He reserves for those who are generous in their sacrifices to Him.
Colloquywith Mary.Resolution.To be silent the next time fault is found with me.Spiritual Bouquet."Fear not, Joseph."
Colloquywith Mary.
Resolution.To be silent the next time fault is found with me.
Spiritual Bouquet."Fear not, Joseph."
"His left hand is under my head, and His right hand shall embrace me." (Cant. ii. 6.)"My Beloved to me and I to Him." (verse 16.)1st Prelude.Mary and Joseph waiting.2nd Prelude.Grace to believe thatGod'splans are the best.
"His left hand is under my head, and His right hand shall embrace me." (Cant. ii. 6.)
"My Beloved to me and I to Him." (verse 16.)
1st Prelude.Mary and Joseph waiting.
2nd Prelude.Grace to believe thatGod'splans are the best.
Point I.—At Nazareth
We should like to penetrate into those remaining six months, which Mary and Joseph spent together, before the birth of the Holy Child. Scripture is silent about them, but it is not difficult for a sanctified imagination to picture something of what was taking place. Perhaps the thought of the Altar of Repose on Maundy Thursday will bring the realities home to us better than anything else could. Though He is hidden from our sight, all know that He is there. Angels are in constant adoration, and the faithful do not forget Him. All try to get near and to hold silent communion with Him; and all are expecting the great day when He will rise again and show Himself to them. And He is spending the time in giving His blessing and His grace to all who, by faith, seek Him. The house at Nazareth was in very deedGod'sSanctuary, containing the Altar of Repose, where the Saviour of the world was resting. Angels were in constant adoration before their King. The faithful consisted of Mary and Joseph, whose thought and conversation could be about nothing else but the Child Who was coming into the world. And who shall measure the graces and blessings, which that Child was showering upon Mary and her faithful spouse, during those months of waiting and prayer and holy converse, while they planned and arranged with such care and minuteness, as parents are wont to do, every detail connected with the birth of the firstborn?
But man proposes andGoddisposes.God, Who "ordereth all things sweetly," (Wisdom viii. 1), was stirring up the whole civilised world so that the Scripture might be fulfilled which said: "And thou,BethlehemEphrata, ... out oftheeshall He come forth to me, that is to be the Ruler in Israel; and His going forth is from the beginning, from the days of eternity." (Micheas v. 2.) It was inBethlehem—not atNazareth, that the Child was to be born. And to effect this, "in those days there went out a decree from Cæsar Augustus, that the whole world should be enrolled.... And all went to be enrolled, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went ... out of the city of Nazareth ... 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." (St Luke ii. 1-5.) What a trial this order must have been to Mary! To leave home, to forego all her plans, to take a long journey, to interrupt her days of solitude and calm and peace—and all at the bidding of a heathen Emperor. But Mary knew how to take her trials.Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum."Be it done to me according to Thy word." For her there were no second causes. It was everGodWho was ordering "all things sweetly" for her, and she had nothing to say but "Ecce ancilla—fiat." She waited for nothing butGod'swill. And asHearranged it, she could spend her time of waiting just as well on the public highway to Bethlehem as in the seclusion of Nazareth.
Oh, my Mother, teach me this lesson too: if I could only learn it, how different my life would be! My life—every detail of it—is inGod'sHands. He is "ordering it sweetly," and Icomplain! How little is my faith! When my faith is great enough, I shall take all things, as sweetly asGodorders them, even though they may upset my most cherished plans.
Point II.—On the Way to Bethlehem
And so, in obedience to the command, Mary and Joseph leave the calm and quiet and solitude of their little home, and go to face poverty and difficulties and the unknown. ButJesusis with them, and this makes them independent of exterior circumstances—their calm and quiet are unbroken, and they can find solitude even in the busy thoroughfares. Mary is communing with her Child, and is peaceful with the peace He gives. Joy, too, fills her heart as she thinks how fast the time is approaching when she will see His face.
Oh, how I should love to be allowed to go with them on this journey! At my request, Mary readily consents to take me as her servant, and I am so glad to be in that blessed company that I forego everything else—I know that the Family I have come to live with ispoor, and I am determined not to ask them to get any special things forme. The table has the barest necessities—perhaps hardly these, for true poverty consists in the want of necessities; but it is the company that I care about, and nothing else matters. I can see that all sorts of inconveniences and privations and hardships will be mine, but I cannot be an exception in that Family; and somehow, now that I am so close to the Blessed Mother, I do not wish to be. My great desire is to be like her, and to share all with her and her Son.
At Bethlehem Joseph begins his weary and anxious search for a lodging; but all in vain—no one wants the Holy Family. How Joseph suffers at each refusal—not for himself but for Mary! Mary is too much taken up with her joy to heed the suffering. And the servant—does she regret that she is not in one of the big hotels, as she might have been, or does she turn with joy to follow the Holy Family to the cave, saying: WithJesusand Mary I have all I want, and I love every hardship and everyprivation which comes to me, because I have made myself one with them?
Oh, my Mother, I thank thee for allowing me to be thy servant; I thank thee for bringing me into such close contact with thy Son; I thank thee for every privation, every difficulty, every hardship, every inconvenience, every crossing of my own will which has come to me, because I chose to be in thy company and in that of thy Son. Help me to persevere bravely, thinking all worth while for the sake of the company.
Colloquywith Mary, asking her to get me grace to be always joyous, because I am living my life with her and her Blessed Son.Resolution.To show myself worthy of the company I am in, by the way I face the little difficulties of my everyday life.Spiritual Bouquet."I am Thy servant and the son of Thy handmaid." (Ps. cxv. 16.)
Colloquywith Mary, asking her to get me grace to be always joyous, because I am living my life with her and her Blessed Son.
Resolution.To show myself worthy of the company I am in, by the way I face the little difficulties of my everyday life.
Spiritual Bouquet."I am Thy servant and the son of Thy handmaid." (Ps. cxv. 16.)
"Mary kept all these words, pondering them in her heart." (St Luke ii. 19.)1st Prelude.Mary and Joseph, and the Infant lying in the manger.2nd Prelude.Grace to ponder with Mary
"Mary kept all these words, pondering them in her heart." (St Luke ii. 19.)
1st Prelude.Mary and Joseph, and the Infant lying in the manger.
2nd Prelude.Grace to ponder with Mary
Point I.—The Birth of Her Son
"She brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him up in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger." She has seen His face at last; she has folded Him in her arms and pressed Him to her bosom—her Son and herGod. And she ponders—she meditates—she cannot tell her thoughts to any human soul—but she can tell them to her Son.Dico ego opera mea Regi.I will speak of my worksto the King. (Ps. xliv. 2.) Many works had been wrought in and through Mary by the Holy Ghost, but they were all the King's secrets, and she pondered over them, speaking of them to Him alone. There was her vow of virginity, which she did not even speak of to her parents; there was the visit of the King's messenger, of which she spoke to no one—not to Elizabeth, nor even to St Joseph; there was the painful journey to Bethlehem, and the difficulty about finding a lodging. She might have told St Luke all about it, and had it all written down in the Gospel—but no, there is not a word except the mere fact that they went to Bethlehem, and that there was no room for them in the inn. Her sufferings were those of the King, and she shared them with Him alone.
And now that she has got herJesus, she spends her time in pondering—in telling Him her thoughts and her secrets, which are His too.
How much I should gain if I could be a little more like my Mother in this!—if, instead of being so ready to go and talk of all the things that have been said and done to me, or of what I have said or done, or of what I have had to suffer, I were just to speak to my King about it—let it be something between us which nobody else knows anything about. It may often be my duty to speak, as it was Mary's later on, when she was obliged, for example, to tell St Luke all about the Angel's visit and what he said to her, becauseGodwanted that piece of revelation to be written. But this was later. She did not go at once and tell Elizabeth all about it. Let us learn from Mary to let ourfirstwords, at any rate, be for our King; and, if this is so, it is probable that in many cases the matter will go no further, and others as well as ourselves will be saved from the miseries which so often follow from our being too ready to talk.Dico ego opera mea Regi.ToHimI can never say too much, and He loves those silent heart-to-heart colloquies. He lovesthe things which are talked over with Him only—the King's secrets.
Point II.—The Shepherds
"They came with haste, and they found Mary and Joseph, and the Infant lying in a manger." And during their visit they "understood," and went away to tell the good news to wondering listeners, leaving Mary still pondering. Each moment of her Son's life on earth brings her fresh matter for meditation. She has scarcely time to think of the miraculous birth before she hears "a multitude of the Heavenly Army" proclaiming the birth, praisingGod, and telling of the glory that is being given to Him, and of the peace that is being brought to earth. And Mary realises that she no longer has her Babe all to herself, that Heaven and earth claim Him. Then the Shepherds arrive; and after they have adored the Saviour Who is born to them, they tell His Mother of all the wonders of that night: of the Angel of the Lord who suddenly stood by them in the night watches; of the "brightness ofGod"; of how they feared; of how the Angel bid them: "Fear not"; of the good tidings that he brought, and of the great joy which was to be for everyone; that the Angel had actually told them that the Child was the Messias, and that he had given them the strangest sign by which they could know Him—He will be wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger! And lastly, how they had come in haste, as soon as the Angels had gone back to Heaven, and had found it all to be true. What joy this beautiful, simple, story must have brought to the Mother's heart! What fresh subjects for meditation now were hers! What a tender welcome she would give to these simple shepherds, whomGodhad picked out for such signal favours, and had allowed to be the first worshippers of her Son! How she would realise all the "great things" thatGodwas doing now that sheheard them from the mouths of these "little ones" to whomGodhad revealed them! (St Matt. xi. 25.) How graciously she would accept the poor offerings of these poor men to her Child Who had chosen to be poor! And how proud she would be that she, as His Mother, had the right to lift that little Hand, to convey the blessing which His Heart was giving to those who were going to be His first witnesses and apostles.
"Mary kept all these words, pondering them in her heart." How easy meditation was to Mary! Why? Because she lived always in the closest possible union withJesus. If I find my meditations difficult, let me examine myself, and see whether the cause may not be that my union with Him is not so close as it was, that I have let something come between us, that I am not telling all my secrets to the King. If this is so, let me hasten to put things right with Him; and then I shall find again that my most precious moments are those in which I can devote my thoughts entirely to my King and ponder over the simple stories told of Him and His Blessed Mother.
Colloquy.TheAlma Redemptoris Mater:—"Sweet Mother of our Redeemer, gate whereby we enter Heaven, and star of the sea, help us, we fall; yet do we long to rise. Nature looked upon thee with admiration when thou didst give birth to thy Divine Creator, thyself remaining before and after it a pure Virgin. Gabriel spoke hisHailto thee; we sinners crave thy pity." (Anthem from Advent to the Purification.)Resolution.To ponder more and speak less.Spiritual Bouquet."Dico ego opera mea Regi."
Colloquy.TheAlma Redemptoris Mater:—"Sweet Mother of our Redeemer, gate whereby we enter Heaven, and star of the sea, help us, we fall; yet do we long to rise. Nature looked upon thee with admiration when thou didst give birth to thy Divine Creator, thyself remaining before and after it a pure Virgin. Gabriel spoke hisHailto thee; we sinners crave thy pity." (Anthem from Advent to the Purification.)
Resolution.To ponder more and speak less.
Spiritual Bouquet."Dico ego opera mea Regi."
"And after eight days were accomplished that the child should be circumcised, His name was calledJesus, which was called by the Angel before He was conceived." (St Luke ii. 21.)1st Prelude.Mary with her Child.2nd Prelude.Grace to learn more about them both.
"And after eight days were accomplished that the child should be circumcised, His name was calledJesus, which was called by the Angel before He was conceived." (St Luke ii. 21.)
1st Prelude.Mary with her Child.
2nd Prelude.Grace to learn more about them both.
Point I.—The Circumcision
After one week of peace and joy, Mary is called upon to suffer with, and on account of, her Son. The Law ofGodis clear. "On the eighth day, the infant shall be circumcised." (Lev. xii. 3.) And there is no doubt in the minds of Mary and Joseph, that, though the Holy Child has no need of the rite which probably cleansed away original sin, He must nevertheless submit to it, as being part of His Father's law, every jot and tittle of which He has come to fulfil. SoJesus, of His own free will, classes Himself with sinners, and offers toGodthe firstfruits of that Blood which He will shed for them on Calvary.
The Circumcision of her Son means much to Mary; she sees Him suffer; she hears His cry of pain; she sees the Blood flow; and she understands that to be the Mother ofGodmeans being theMater Dolorosa; and now she has fresh matter for her Meditations. Her Son is to be the Victim for sin, and she unites her sacrifice to His.
The rite of Circumcision was to the Jew a sign of the Covenant thatGodhad made with his nation—it marked him out as one ofGod'sown people; it was a mark of his dependence onGod, and also of his slavery to sin tillGodset him free.
"Circumcision is that of the heart," St Paul tells us, "in the spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but ofGod." (Rom. ii. 29.) By assisting with Maryat the Circumcision of her Son, I mean that I want to understand something of this circumcision of theheart—understand, that is, thatGodhas made a covenant with me, that I belong to Him, and am dependent on Him; I mean that I am ready with the knife of mortification to cut away all that prevents me from being a good servant, ready to "resist unto blood," if need be, but, at any rate, ready to make myself a victim withJesus, as Mary did, willing to suffer anything which He calls upon me to suffer.
Point II.—His Name—JESUS
His Name was chosen by His Heavenly Father, and revealed both to Mary and Joseph before His birth—to Mary by the Angel Gabriel at the Annunciation, and to Joseph by the Angel who was sent to allay his suspicions about his wife.Jesus—the "name which is above every name"!Godgave it Him because "He humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death—even the death of the cross." (Phil. ii. 8.) He earned His Name by the Cross, and it was given Him at the moment when He shed the first drops of His Precious Blood. He could have allowed this first shedding of His Blood to redeem the world, had He so willed. He could have made it theredeemingBlood, but it was not yet His Will; His time had not yet come; He wished to live and to suffer long years on earth before He shed the Blood which He intended to be efficacious for the Redemption of the world. "Thou shalt call His NameJesus, for He shall save His people from their sins." (St Matt. i. 21.) And when at length He did shed His redeeming Blood on Calvary, there was a title nailed to the Cross, proclaiming His Name to all: "This isJesus," the Saviour. He is saving His people from their sins.
It cost Him much to be the Saviour, and it cost Mary much to be the Mother of the Saviour; but both cheerfullymade the sacrifice in advance—both entered intoGod'splan for my salvation.Jesushad come to do His Father's will—He was content to do it—and His Mother was content to be identified in everything with her Son, and to say herFiat. If my salvation costJesusand Mary so much, ought it not to cost me something too? Would it be fair if all were easy and smooth for me? Surely not. Surely, if I have a part in the Saviour, I ought to have a part in His Cross. Let the thought of the Holy Babe shedding His first drops of Blood on His Mother's knee brace me up to meet suffering, of whatever kindGodchooses for me; let it hush my murmurs and my discontent; let it make me not only willing but anxious to suffer, and thus to have an opportunity of being like Him, Who was in such a hurry to shed His Blood, that it seemed as though it were too long for Him to wait till Calvary. He must make the sacrifice in advance, and offer at any rate the firstfruits of His Blood to His Father.
Colloquywith Mary, who is identifying herself with the sufferings, intentions, and desires of her Son. Teach me, my Mother, not only to expect but to appreciate suffering. How can I be likeJesus, and a child of thine without it? I want to look upon it always as a sign of love, as a sign that I am recognised as one of the Holy Family.Resolution.To understand that my very existence on earth means suffering, and that my identification withJesusand Mary means suffering willingly and cheerfully.Spiritual Bouquet."I come to do Thy Will, O myGod."
Colloquywith Mary, who is identifying herself with the sufferings, intentions, and desires of her Son. Teach me, my Mother, not only to expect but to appreciate suffering. How can I be likeJesus, and a child of thine without it? I want to look upon it always as a sign of love, as a sign that I am recognised as one of the Holy Family.
Resolution.To understand that my very existence on earth means suffering, and that my identification withJesusand Mary means suffering willingly and cheerfully.
Spiritual Bouquet."I come to do Thy Will, O myGod."
"They carried Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord."1st Prelude.Jesus, Mary, and Joseph going to the Temple.2nd Prelude.Grace to go too, and learn the lessons.
"They carried Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord."
1st Prelude.Jesus, Mary, and Joseph going to the Temple.
2nd Prelude.Grace to go too, and learn the lessons.
Point I.—Mary's Purification
It is the fortieth day after the birth of her Son, the day when it is Mary's turn to keep the legal observances, and so to identify herself in all things with her Son. There is no need for her to be purified, before she is allowed to enterGod'sTemple; neither is there any need for her to present her Firstborn in the Temple and pay the ransom money for Him, for His Name is Saviour and He is Himself the Ransom for His people. There is noneed; but Mary gladly does both, that she may enter more closely into the spirit of her Son, Who had undergone the rite of circumcision.
How many unnecessary humiliations and unpleasant duties do I undertake just for the sake of identifying myself withJesusand Mary, and sharing their spirit?
We may imagine the Holy Family quietly setting out for their two hours' walk to the Temple, attracting no more notice than was usually attached to an event so common. Passing remarks were probably made as to its being the first time she was out; as to the disparity in their age; as to their poverty, for Joseph was carrying two doves, the offering of the poor, to be offered by Mary for her Purification.
Ah, how little the world sees! Extraordinary things are going on, though they are hidden, as is everGod'swont, under things most ordinary. Mary, the purest of creatures, the Virgin of virgins, the Queen of Heaven, of Angels and of men, is bearing in her arms the Lord of glory, Who is on His way to visit His Temple for the firsttime, and thus to fill it with a greater glory than ever Solomon's Temple had possessed. Angels are worshipping and adoring at every step of that journey, and presently they will throw open wide the gate of the Temple to let the King of Glory in. And the humble and silent Joseph is playing a part which no Jew before or since has ever played; for though the verdict of the world is that he is too poor to afford to take a lamb, in reality he is too rich to need one, for is he not bringing to the Temple the Lamb ofGod—an offering which no one has ever been rich enough to make before? Let us try to see things and judge them fromGod'spoint of view—not from the world's.
Point II.—The Presentation of Her Son
This involved three sacrifices.
(1)The sacrifice made byJesus.Ecce Venio."Lo, I come to do Thy will, O myGod." He has come to the Temple to offer Himself as a sweet-smelling sacrifice to His Father. This is the morning sacrifice—the evening sacrifice will be on Calvary. This is like theOffertoryat Mass, when the Priest offers toGodthe Bread and Wine which He will use presently to accomplish the sacrifice at the Consecration. He is the "Firstborn amongst many brethren," (Rom. viii. 29), that is why He must be presented in the Temple. He is our Elder Brother. He represents us all, and answers toGodfor all those who are united to Him. He offers Himself as a Ransom that all the rest of the family may go free.
Am I prepared to ratify this offering that my Elder Brother made in my name? Have I any right to claim the privileges? Yes, if I am united with Him, identified with Him; if I am saying as He did: "Behold, I come to do Thy Will," and this in the little sacrifices of my everyday life.
(2) The sacrifice made by Mary.Ecce ancilla."Behold the handmaid of the Lord." Mary knows perfectlywell what she is doing when she puts herJesusinto the arms of the Priest. She knows that she is offering toGodthe firstfruits—the earnest of what is to come; and she makes her sacrifice whole-heartedly, zealously, lovingly. She said herFiatat the Incarnation, and she will never take it back. She is His Mother—it is with Blood drawn from her veins that He will one day redeem the world; and she offers toGodnow, not only the Victim Who is to be the Redeemer, but herself as a co-victim—herself to suffer with Him. "Behold the Handmaid of the Lord"—ready to give Him all that He requires. How perfectly Mary identifies herself withJesus! It is her intense love which enables her to copy so exactly.
(3) The sacrifice made by Joseph.Ecce adsum."Behold, I am here too, ready for any sacrifice." Joseph is so closely connected withJesusand Mary that he must share their spirit and do what they do. But his sacrifice is made in the dark, as ours are for the most part. He does not know whatJesusand Mary are doing. He cannot gauge the extent of their sacrifices—enough for him to unite his intention with theirs, and to offer with perfect detachment his two treasures toGod, begging Him to use them as He will. Am I ready to make my sacrifice—even a blind one—ready to say:Ecce adsum—"Behold, here I am"—and to trust where I cannot understand?
Point III.—The First Dolour
The sacrifice was no sooner made thanGodtook Mary at her word. Simeon, holding "the Christ of the Lord" in his arms, called Him "thesalvationwhich Thou hast prepared; a light to the revelation of the Gentiles and the glory of Thy people Israel." And while His father and mother were wondering at these things which were spoken concerning Him, Simeon addressed himself to "Mary His Mother," and spoke in no hidden languageof the Passion; and the sword pierced her soul, for though she knew it all, it was the first time she had heard it from the lips of another. It was the first of theSeven Dolours. She heard that her Child was to be:—
1. "...for the fall of many": that is, theruinof many. What a lifelong sorrow for the heart of Mary to know that for many her Son's Passion would be in vain—that He was to be the "touchstone," with the result that, in many cases, He would be "rejected of men"!
2. "...for a sign which shall be contradicted." War was to be waged against Him in all places, and that to the end of time. This was the treatment He, Who had come to be the Saviour and the Light of the World, was to receive.
And then Simeon added: "Thy own soul a sword shall pierce." He identified Mary with her Son, and spoke not only of His Passion but of her Compassion. The Queen of Sorrows was now on her throne; there was no longer any doubt about it.Godhad accepted her sacrifice.Jesuswas the Victim, and she was His Mother—theMater Dolorosa.
But Simeon's prophecy was not the last word that Mary was to hear before she left the Temple courts, which she loved so well.God, Who in His love had permitted the wound, had provided also some balm to be poured into it. A little act of courtesy was waiting for Mary to do before she was free to ponder over all that had happened in the Temple, and especially over the new revelation which had stabbed her to the quick. Well did old Anna, the Prophetess, know the maiden whose happy childhood had been spent in the Temple! How gladly Mary went up to her and renewed her friendship with her! How proud she was to show her little Son to her! Mary was wondering how much Anna knew; but she did not speak, she revealed nothing. Soon she found out that the holy old woman had been rewarded for her fasting and prayersand vigils, by a special revelation, in consequence of which she "confessed to the Lord and spoke of Him to all that looked for the redemption of Israel." And Mary heard, and balm was poured into that first sword-wound.
Can I, sweet Mother of Sorrows, pour balm into that terrible wound? I cannot bear to think of thee going home, pressing thy Babe against thy aching heart. Let me accompany thee; I will keep close to thee, and I will speak continually of thy Child. Never will I speak against Him—to me, at least, He shall not be a contradiction, but a resurrection from all from which He has come to save me.
Colloquywith Mary, about theFourth Joyful Mystery, and theFirst Dolour.Resolution.To throw in my lot withJesusand Mary.Spiritual Bouquet."Ecce adsum."
Colloquywith Mary, about theFourth Joyful Mystery, and theFirst Dolour.
Resolution.To throw in my lot withJesusand Mary.
Spiritual Bouquet."Ecce adsum."
"Thy heart shall wonder and be enlarged when the strength of the Gentiles shall come to Thee." (Isaias lx. 5.)1st Prelude.A picture of the Wise Men.2nd Prelude.Grace to understand that nearness toJesusand Mary means the Cross.
"Thy heart shall wonder and be enlarged when the strength of the Gentiles shall come to Thee." (Isaias lx. 5.)
1st Prelude.A picture of the Wise Men.
2nd Prelude.Grace to understand that nearness toJesusand Mary means the Cross.
Point I.—The Wise Men
Mary had much to meditate about as she turned her steps homewards to Bethlehem. She knew, for the Angels had said so at His birth, that her Son was to be the Saviour for "all the people"; but Simeon in his song of praise had gone further, and said that He was to be for "all peoples," emphasising the fact that He was to be "a light to the revelation of theGentiles." And so the subjects to ponder over were ever increasing, and Mary's heart was ever enlarging. She had nowto pray for the great world outside, as well as forGod'schosen people. Thus was her heart being prepared to receive the next worshippers at the shrine of the InfantGod, and it may be that when they arrived—perhaps soon after the first anniversary of her Son's birth—it was no surprise to her that they wereGentiles. "Gentiles shall walk in Thy light, and kings in the brightness of Thy rising; they shall come from afar, bringing gold and frankincense and showing forth praise to the Lord." (Isaias lx. 3-6.) All this was fulfilled in the little house at Bethlehem. The Wise Men, firstfruits of the Gentile world, had had faith enough to overcome every obstacle, and during their journey of, perhaps, some months, had had but one idea—namely, to follow the star whichGodhad put in the heavens for them, and by its means to find the new King, Who was to be their Saviour. Mary's prayers had no doubt helped them to make light of their many difficulties, and when their star had brought them right to the house which they sought, "they entered in and found the Child with Mary, His Mother." They were quite at home at once; their faith was so strong, that the unexpected surroundings and the poverty did not strike them as incongruous. They had found what they sought, and their joy and satisfaction were complete. As soon as they were in the Real Presence their conversion was an accomplished fact. Mary showed them her Child, "and falling down they adored Him." It was toMarythat they offered their gifts out of gratitude for all that the Holy Child, to Whom they felt that they now belonged, had done for them. It wasMarywhom they thanked for her gracious hospitality. It wasMarywho guided the little Hand to bless them ere they took their departure. It was toMarythat they explained that from henceforth their lives would be devoted to the service of the new King and the spreading of His kingdom among the Gentiles. It wasMary, the Motherof the Way, who bade them Godspeed on their journey. How interested she was in those first great converts from the Gentiles! How their visit widened her outlook, and enlarged her maternal heart!
She is not less interested now in converts than she was then. She has been praying for them ever since. "Mary's prayers shall bring them back." Let us remember this when we are dealing with them; we are not working alone. Mary, the great advocate, is pleading with Her Son. Let us bring them, as often as we can, into the Real Presence—they may be all unconscious, butHeis not. He will act upon them. Virtue will go out of Him to them: they will not go empty away, for it is impossible for them to be under the direct rays of His Presence without being influenced.
Point II.—The Baby Martyrs
Their visit over, the three Kings took leave of the Holy Child and His Mother, and, warned byGodnot to go and give their good news to Herod, they returned to their country by another way. This so exasperated Herod that he gave an order which plunged not only Bethlehem but all the neighbourhood into the most profound grief and desolation. How the heart of Mary went out in sympathy to the bereaved mothers! How big her heart felt as it dilated to take them all in! She understood now what it meant to be the Mother of Sorrows, and that only by having this title could she have the other—Consolatrix afflictorum(Consoler of the afflicted). How quickly Simeon's prophecy was being fulfilled! Her Son was already a sign being contradicted, in those Hebrew mothers and their innocent babes. Each mother was sacrificing her babe that Mary might not have to sacrifice hers. Each babe was giving its life to save the life ofJesus. Their sufferings were all because ofJesusand Mary. How the sword pierced Mary's heart as she heardthe bitter cries of mothers and children! "Poor banished children of Eve," born to sorrow and trouble! But from henceforth their cause will be espoused by a "most gracious Advocate," who will take a special interest in all troubles and sufferings that come to her children on account of the sacrifices that they make for her Son, or which are caused by their nearness to Him. At that moment of anguish the Jewish mothersweremaking a sacrifice, though it was an unwilling one and made in ignorance.God, in His mercy, rewards even such. Had their children lived, they might have been among the murderers ofJesus; now they are saved from all sin, they escape Purgatory, and, the first to give their lives for Him, they will follow the Lamb for ever. Happy little Innocents! Happy those who have the honour to be their mothers! Happy all those who make the least sacrifice for Him! And happy, thrice happy, the Queen of Martyrs, who is now entering into the possession of her new kingdom!
The more closely I am identified withJesusand Mary, the more I must expect suffering. The training for the kingdom is the same, whether for Wise Men or Babes. The Wise Men learnt from the child on Mary's knee to view suffering in a new light, and they went back to their country prepared to sacrifice all for the Child and His Mother, shrinking from nothing till they laid down their lives for Him Whose star they had so diligently followed. So Simeon's sword is piercing; the Cross is already showing that the followers of the Babe are to be victims too—all is getting clearer and clearer to Mary, and as she wonders her heart is enlarged.
Colloquywith Mary.Resolution.To follow the generosity of the Wise Men and the Babes.Spiritual Bouquet."Mater Dolorosa, Consolatrix afflictorum, Regina Martyrum, ora pro nobis."
Colloquywith Mary.
Resolution.To follow the generosity of the Wise Men and the Babes.
Spiritual Bouquet."Mater Dolorosa, Consolatrix afflictorum, Regina Martyrum, ora pro nobis."
"That it might be fulfilled which the Lord spake by the prophet, saying: Out of Egypt have I called My Son." (St Matt. ii. 15.)1st Prelude.Picture ofJesus, Mary, and Joseph.2nd Prelude.Grace to believe that no circumstances in whichGodhas placed me can hinder my spiritual life.
"That it might be fulfilled which the Lord spake by the prophet, saying: Out of Egypt have I called My Son." (St Matt. ii. 15.)
1st Prelude.Picture ofJesus, Mary, and Joseph.
2nd Prelude.Grace to believe that no circumstances in whichGodhas placed me can hinder my spiritual life.
Point I.—The Flight into Egypt
Only one child escaped the cruel sword of Herod, and that one was Mary's Son. He was safe in the arms of His Mother, who was fleeing with Him into Egypt, with an anguish of heart so great that it constituted theSecond Dolour. But no design of Herod, however powerful and clever, could touch that life before His hour was come. The child knew it, and His Mother knew it—yet they fled from those who sought His life; for in all things Mary's Son must be made like unto His brethren. He could have protected Himself, had He so wished, without giving so much trouble and anxiety to His parents. He heard "Rachel bewailing her children"; He heard the cry of each one of those little Innocents, who was giving his life for Him—yet He did not raise a finger to prevent all the misery, because He had come to do His Father's Will, and He left all in His Hands; and also because He is our model, and He was showing us how to act. He wants us to have a perfect acquiescence inGod'sWill, a boundless confidence, a profound peace, and evenjoy, in the midst of the most trying and perplexing circumstances. He wants us to lie quiet inGod'sarms, as He lay in His Mother's, content to know nothing except thatGod'swill is being done.
He who knew least about it all, and yet had apparently to take the chief part and bear all the anxiety, was Joseph. He it was who received the warning message from theAngel; he it was who had to break the news to Mary that the Child's life was in danger and that they must fly immediately—even in the middle of the night. He it was who took the Child and His Mother into Egypt, in accordance with what to anyone else but Joseph would have seemed a very arbitrary and unreasonable command. But those who live their lives close toJesusand Mary do not criticiseGod'sdealings: such an idea never occurs to them; they have only one thing to do—to obey. When a criticising, discontented spirit comes over me, I shall find that the reason is always the same—I have not been keeping close toJesusand Mary.
How much Mary suffers during that long journey across the desert—anxiety, fatigue, hunger, thirst, want of shelter! But it is all on account of her Son; the sword is piercing her heart every day, but the Babe is pressed against the wounds. Angels are following and longing to help their Queen, but they cannot without a permission from their little Master, and the permission will not be given, for He and His Mother have made their sacrifice—they have laid themselves on the Altar as victims and are already being consumed; and the desert is rejoicing and flourishing like the lily, (Isaias xxxv. 1), because Mary with her child is passing through it. O Mary, look upon thy children who are crossing the desert of this world. The wilderness has lost all its terrors since thou with thy Son didst pass through it. Thou knowest its difficulties and its hardships; "turn, then, thine eyes of mercy towards us, and after this our exile show unto us the blessed Fruit of thy womb,Jesus."