CHRIST YOUR JUDGE.

"Behold the Lord cometh with thousands of His Saints, to execute judgment upon all." (Jude, 14:15)

I.

The Gospel of this day tells us that Jesus Christ is to be the Judge of all mankind. We ought to dread His judgment. 1. On account of His supreme jurisdiction, from which there can be no appeal. 2. On account of the rigor of His justice; for no entreaties can affect Him, no bribes divert the course of His justice. 3. On account of His infinite knowledge, from which nothing can be concealed. 4. Because Jesus Christ will not only be the Judge, but also the party offended.

II.

How great would be the favor if the judge himself should in the most friendly manner visit a criminal in his prison, and inform him of the means by which he might secure success in his trial. This favor Christ will show you this day. Receive Him, therefore, as He deserves, with love and gratitude, and now, whilst you can, endeavor by earnest prayer to gain His favor against that dreadful day on which prayers and entreaties will have no avail. That day will certainly arrive, and perhaps sooner than you expect.

III.

It is your duty, then, to take care that there exist nothing in your soul which may be displeasing in the eyes of your pure Judge when He condescends to visit you. He will search the inmost recesses of your heart. Purify it, therefore, most diligently from every imperfection. Say, with the humble prophet, "enter not into judgment with Thy servant, O Lord" (Ps. 142:2), but rather, in the bowels of Thy infinite mercy, "O orient, Thou brightness of eternal light and sun of justice, come and enlighten those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death." Well, therefore, does Boëthius observe that "it is necessary to live well, since we do everything in the presence of the Judge, who sees all things." Consider this well and prepare for judgment.

IMITATING THE LIFE OF CHRIST. I.

I.

The Son of God descended into this world, from the bosom of His eternal Father, for two objects, as the holy Fathers unanimously assert. The first was to redeem us, and the second, to give us a model which we might imitate, and by that means become pleasing to His father. His life, then, should be the mirror of ours. Reflect on your obligations to God for having condescended to give you this model, and by that means facilitated your progress in virtue. It is much easier to imitate the actions of another than to do those actions if they are only commanded.

II.

How glorious it is to follow so great an example! "It is glorious," says Ecclesiasticus, "to follow the Lord." (Ecclus. 23:38) By following the example of men, whoever they may be, you may err, because they are men, capable consequently of being themselves deceived, and of wishing to deceive others. But, by imitating the Son of God, you cannot wander astray, because He is "the way;" you cannot be deceived, because He is "the truth;" you cannot perish, because He is "the life." " He is the way in example," writes St. Bernard, "the truth in promise, and the life in reward." Finally, Christ commands nothing which He has not first performed Himself. He may justly say, as Gideon did, "What ye shall see me do, do ye the same." (Judges 7:17)

III.

How foolishly you have acted when, in your conduct, you followed any other rule than that of the life of Christ. Every other rule is incorrect and vicious. "The wisdom of this world (according to which every sinner acts when he sins), is foolishness with God." (1 Cor. 3:19) Ask pardon for your past folly, and beg our Lord to admit you among the number of His followers.

IMITATING THE LIFE OF CHRIST. II.

I.

The followers of Christ may be divided into three classes. Some are Christians in name only; they confess Him in words only, "but in their deeds they deny him." (Titus 1:16) They take no pains in avoiding sin, and their actions crucify (in as much as they can), their Redeemer afresh. They are, in fact, only nominal Christians, for they do not follow Christ, but His enemy, the devil. Reflect how often you have ranked in this class. Repent and amend.

II.

Others follow Christ, but (like St. Peter, when his Master was taken) at a great distance. This was probably the cause of Peter's fall and denial of our Lord. Persons of this second class follow Christ, but coldly. They purpose indeed to keep the Commandments, but care not to aim at higher perfection, and, therefore, often fail even in the observance of these. When they are addressed in these words: "If thou wilt be perfect, go sell what thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come follow me," they go away sorrowful, like the young man in the Gospel (Matt. 19:21), and reject the Divine admonition. Examine whether or not you be one of these.

III.

The third class consists of those who, with a generosity of mind and steadiness of resolution, attempt to follow Christ, even to the cross, "through honor and dishonor, through infamy and good fame." (2 Cor. 6:8) With St. Paul, "they count everything as dung that they may gain Christ." (Phil. 3:8) Lastly, they endeavor to conform their actions in everything to His. Choose to which of these classes you will belong, and remember that your glory in the next life will be proportionate to the exactness with which you follow Christ in this.

THE DIVINE DECREE CONCERNING THE INCARNATION. I.

I.

What was the state of creation before the coming of Christ? A great part of the Angels had fallen, and all mankind were the guilty descendants of guilty parents. The apostate Angels were banished from heaven, and sent into hell. All mankind were in a state of banishment, they were slaves to the devil and enemies to God; and falling from one sin into another, they exposed themselves to undergo all those pains which God had reserved for His enemies. There were no possible means of appeasing the justice of God; for no creature could make sufficient atonement for original sin.

II.

The three Divine Persons are employed in consultation to remedy the distresses of mankind. The First Person required satisfaction for the offense of original sin; and the Second Person voluntarily offered Himself as an atonement for that guilt. And when His Father said: "Sacrifice and oblation I did not desire," then He said, "behold I come." (Ps. 39:7) Admire this voluntary self-oblation of the Son, and admire, the Father's acceptance of it. O, ineffable effect of charity! To redeem His slave, the Father did not refuse to deliver up His only Son. Give thanks to both, and uniting with Them the Holy Ghost, expand your heart in sentiments of gratitude.

III.

What would have become of you had not Christ acted as your mediator? You would have remained involved in all the consequences of sin, and you would besides have been subjected to the pains of hell. So that you might justly say, "unless the Lord had been my helper, my soul had dwelt in hell." (Ps. 93:17) Learn hence to esteem the benefit conferred on you; and since God has given Himself to you, do you give yourself to God. Say with the Royal Prophet: "My heart is ready, O, God, my heart is ready." (Ps. 107:2) Do not recall or take back the gift which you have offered to God.

THE DIVINE DECREE CONCERNING THE INCARNATION. II.

I.

Consider the admirable perfections of God displayed in this decree. His infinite wisdom dictated that our moral evils should be cured by their opposite virtues. Man sinned through pride, vainly affecting an equality with God. The tempter told our first parents in Paradise: "You shall be as gods." (Gen. 3:5) This vice was to be cured by the Redeemer, who "debased Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men." (Phil. 2:7) Detest pride, which has introduced so much evil into the world, and imitate the example of humility which Christ has given in His incarnation.

II.

Consider His ineffable charity: "For God so loved the world as to give His only begotten Son." (John 3:16) The Son Himself had such an affection for it that He willingly surrendered Himself. Who, and for whom? The God of majesty, for a vile and ungrateful slave. Love, therefore, so loving a God with your whole heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength; and feeling convinced that you cannot love Him sufficiently, endeavor, according to your state and calling, to draw as many as you can into the love and service of so good a God.

III.

Consider His infinite goodness in communicating Himself to man in the highest possible degree; His mercy in taking upon Himself our miseries and their relief; His justice, which induced Him to satisfy His Father to the utmost, by making the whole of our debt His own; lastly, His power in uniting two extremes of infinite distance from one another, God and man, the Creator and His creature. "Sing ye to the Lord a new canticle, because He hath done wonderful things. The Lord hath made known His salvation: He hath revealed His justice in the sight of the Gentiles." (Ps. 97:1-2)

CHOICE OF A MOTHER FOR THE WORD INCARNATE. I.

I.

After the Incarnation had been decreed, the eternal Word might have assumed the perfect body of a man, such as was formed for Adam, without infringing the rigor of God's justice, which He desired to satisfy. He chose, however, to be born of a mother: first, in order to honor both sexes, man in His own person, and woman by taking flesh and blood of her; secondly, that in her we also might have a mother to plead in our behalf with her son, who will be our Judge; thirdly, that becoming Himself a helpless infant, and subject to His mother, He might give us a striking example of humility and subjection. Reflect how in all these things, which were subject to His own will, He always chooses the worst and most repugnant to sense. Reflect and imitate.

II.

The divine Word did not make choice of this individual mother for any merits of her own, which were none, but in order that she might have merit. He therefore bestowed upon her the fullness of grace and the perfection of virtue, in order that she might become worthy of the dignity which was designed for her. Congratulate her for this choice, and her predestination from all eternity. "I was set up from all eternity and of old before the earth was made." (Prov. 8:23) Offer yourself to be her eternal client, and earnestly implore her assistance and protection.

III.

The Word incarnate did not choose for His mother a rich personage or princess, but one that was poor and from the lower walks of life. Thus he confounds our pride and vanity, which prompt us to seek after those things which appear great in the eyes of the world. "O, ye sons of men, how long will ye be dull of heart? Why do ye love vanity and seek after lying?" (Ps. 4:3) Learn to contemn the judgments of the world, and to consider great only those things which are so in the sight of God; and be convinced that much worth and virtue often lie concealed under a poor and humble appearance.

CHOICE OF A MOTHER FOR THE WORD INCARNATE. II.

I.

It was proper that the eternal Word should honor His mother, and raise her above the common condition of mortals by special privileges. If King Solomon "made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with the finest gold, so that there was no such work made in any kingdom" (3 Kings 10:18), with how much more reason might the King of Heaven adorn His throne, and decorate the habitation in which He was to remain for nine months.

II.

Some of her special privileges were: 1. The greatest sanctity that ever fell to the lot of any pure creature was communicated to her from the first moment of her conception; for it was not proper that the mother of God should ever have been subject to the devil, even for a moment. 2. She never felt the stings of concupiscence. 3. She was confirmed in grace, which she never lost by mortal sin, and which was never diminished by venial sin. 4. This grace was continually increased by her heroic acts of virtue. 5. She conceived and remained a virgin. 6. She brought forth her Son without pain, and without detriment to her virginal integrity. 7. She is, finally, an ocean of all kinds of grace, and her perfection surpasses the united perfections of all the Saints and Angels.

III.

Consider the exalted titles to which she has a just claim. She is in a special manner the daughter of the eternal Father, the chosen mother of the only begotten Son, and the spouse of the Holy Ghost. She is the sovereign of men and Angels. She is the mother of mercy and the refuge of sinners. Conceive what a refuge you have and what a protection you may find in such a mother. Recommend yourself earnestly to her, "for" as St. Bernard says, "it is the will of Christ that we should have all through Mary."