CHRIST, THE ANOINTED OF THE LORD.

"Draw me, we will run after Thee to the odor of Thy ointments." (Cant. 1:3.)

I.

The Pharisees, in the Gospel of today, sent to St. John to inquire whether or not he were the Christ. This title belongs to none but the Redeemer, or the anointed of the Lord. He was anointed by a triple unction, as King, Prophet, and High Priest. "Thy name is as oil poured out." (Cant. 1:2) "Thy God hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows." (Ps. 44:8) Who, then, would not "run after Him to the odor of His ointments"? (Cant. 1:3)

II.

This anointed of the Lord will visit you today in the Eucharist, to make you partaker of His sweet ointments. "Myrrh, and stacte, and cassia perfume thy garments" (Ps. 44:9), that is the sacramental forms under which Christ is clothed in the Eucharist. At His visit, He will anoint you with His three-fold unction: 1. With the unction of mercy, He will efface all your sins. 2. With the unction of fortitude, He will strengthen you against your spiritual enemies. 3. With the unction of wisdom, He will instruct and enlighten your understanding. "For His unction teacheth you concerning all things." (1 John 2:27)

III.

You ought to prepare yourself against His coming. "I have prepared a lamp for my anointed." (Ps. 131:27) This expression the Holy Fathers interpret of John the Baptist; for "he was a burning and a shining light." (John 5:35) Prepare, also, in the same manner, the lamp of your soul. Purify it from sin, and give it the luster of good works. Let the flame of divine love burn interiorly in your soul; and prove its existence there by external virtuous actions and good example.

VISITATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN.

I.

As soon as the Word incarnate was conceived in the womb of the Virgin, He hastened to sanctify His precursor and commence His office as Savior. He inspired His mother to visit her cousin Elizabeth, in order that she, who was to be the mediatrix between us and her Son, might in some manner concur to the first sanctification which He wrought. She readily obeyed the divine impulse, and willingly embraced the occasion of doing a good office. Learn of her to be zealous in assisting others and to lose no occasion of exercising charity.

II.

"And Mary rising up in those days, went into the mountainous country with haste, into a city of Judea." (Luke 1:39) Admire the promptness of her obedience to the divine Spirit. Neither the tediousness nor the difficulties attending a long journey, neither the delicacy of her sex, nor her lately acquired dignity, could deter her from undertaking the journey. This journey was not undertaken from vain ceremony nor compliment; not out of curiosity, nor doubt in regard to what the Angel had said, but from a motive of pure zeal for the glory of God and a desire of assisting her neighbor. Meditate on her singular modesty, recollection, and devotion, with which she entertained the Son of God; and learn how you ought to entertain the same God when you carry Him in your breast under the sacramental forms.

III.

All those who are full of the Divine Spirit naturally tend towards the mountain of perfection. They despise the world and soar above it, and their thoughts are centered in heaven. "Save thyself in the mountain," said the Angel to Lot. (Gen. 19:17) Besides, they act with vigor, with speed, and with fervor; for, as St. Ambrose writes: "The grace of the Holy Ghost knows no lingering delays." Examine whether or not, in your thoughts and desires, you adhere to inferior things, and linger in the way that leads to the mountain of perfection.

ENTRANCE INTO THE HOUSE OF ELIZABETH.

I.

Mary, having entered into the house of Elizabeth, saluted her first, though herself the greater in dignity. Thus, Christian charity should prompt everyone to act. Imagine what modesty and charity were displayed upon the occasion. There were no empty compliments nor unmeaning worldly ceremonies; but all was real expression of mutual joy. At the voice of Mary, the eternal Word sanctified His precursor, purified him from original sin, enriched him with the gifts of grace and sanctity, endowed him with the use of reason, and made him sensible, even then, of the mystery of the Incarnation and his own happiness. "For behold," exclaimed the enraptured Elizabeth, "as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy." (Luke 1:44)

II.

At the voice of Mary, "Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost." (Luke 1:41-42) She was endowed with the spirit of prophecy, "and cried out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb." Learn hence, how beneficial is the mediation of the Virgin, by whose means the eternal Word wrought such admirable effects in the infant and his mother. Salute her in the spirit of Elizabeth; acknowledge and praise her excellence, arising from her divine maternity.

III.

Consider those other words of Elizabeth: "Whence is this to me, that the Mother of my Lord should come to me?" (Luke 1:43) The Spirit of God always prompts humility, and humility attends all His gifts. Observe how by divine inspiration she styles her Mother of God, which the Church acknowledges as her chief title. Learn from the infant and His Mother how you ought to entertain Christ in the Eucharist.

THE CANTICLE "MAGNIFICAT."

I.

After Elizabeth had uttered these praises, the blessed Virgin poured forth her sentiments of gratitude and humility in the words of the admirable Canticle Magnificat, Remark that she does not entertain Elizabeth with the same praises which she had received from her, as worldly principles would dictate; nor does she, from a dissembling pretense of humility, as worldlings generally do, deny the favors which she had received: she refers all to God, and ascribes nothing to herself. Learn hence, that it is not real humility to deny or dissemble the natural or supernatural gifts which we possess. You must, however, acknowledge that they proceed from the mere goodness of God, not from yourself or your own deserts; and you must refer to Him all the praise and honor resulting from them, and usurp nothing of them to yourself.

II.

In this Canticle, we are taught two important lessons: First, to rejoice and delight in God alone and in those things which appertain to our salvation, and not in the vanities and pleasures nor in the praises and favors of the world. It was God alone who had "done great things" to the Blessed Virgin, and who daily does great things for His Church. "He alone is mighty, His name alone is holy, His mercy is from generation to generation, to those who fear Him." (Luke 1:49) Not to those who contemn Him, and provoke His anger by their sins. Examine in what things you take the most delight, and whether you be in the class of those who "rejoice in most wicked things." (Prov. 2:14)

III.

The second important lesson which we are taught in the Magnificat is that humility is a virtue of the greatest efficacy. It was so: 1. In regard to the Virgin herself; for it was the foundation of all her greatness. She acknowledges it herself when she says, "He hath regarded the humility of His handmaid: for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed." 2. It was so in regard to all mankind: For God "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 away empty." (Luke 1:52) If you, therefore, wish to be favored by Almighty God, if you desire to be exalted, and if you wish to be filled with good things, learn to be humble, and, with St. Bernard, "love to be unknown and not regarded."

THE STAY WITH ELIZABETH.

I.

Although the presence of the Virgin Mother and her Divine Son were so beneficial to Elizabeth and the Baptist, it did not restore speech to Zachary. We may piously believe, however, that he received many spiritual favors. The restoration of his speech was reserved by Christ for the honor of His precursor, at His birth. Learn hence, to reverence the divine providence of God in the dispensation of His favors, and respectfully abstain from prescribing to it the time and manner of affording assistance; but patiently wait, with Zachary, the divine pleasure.

II.

The Virgin remained in the house of Zachary about the space of three months, displaying in her words and actions that humility and charity which had rendered her worthy to become the Mother of God. Conceive how holy was the conversation of the blessed company, and what benefit was derived from it. "If at the first entrance," says St. Ambrose, "the benefit was so great, that at Mary's salutation the infant leaped for joy, and his mother was filled with the Holy Ghost, what do we think ought Mary's presence to have added by the benefit of so long a time?" Love, therefore, to converse with the good, and take care that others may profit by your company and conversation.

III.

Consider the inspired words of Scripture: "The ark of the Lord abode in the house of Obededom, the Gethite, three months; and the Lord blessed Obededom and all his household. (2 Kings 6:11) How much more may we suppose did He bless the house of Zachary, in which the living ark of the Lord and the Mother of God dwelt so long. The same blessings will be received by you when He visits you in the Holy Sacrament if you give Him a proper reception.

NATIVITY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. I.

I.

The parents of the Baptist were pronounced by the Evangelist to be "both just before God, walking in all the commandments and justifications of the Lord without blame." (Luke 1:6) Here strengthen your faith on the important Dogma that it is possible to observe all the Commandments of God; for Zachary and Elizabeth observed them. It is possible, too, to observe the Counsels; for they walked in all the justifications of the Lord without blame. Aim at the perfection of your calling, and be just in the sight of God and blameless in your conversation with men.

II.

God honored the birth of His precursor: 1. By sending the same Angel to announce his birth that was employed in announcing the birth of His own Son. 2. The manner in which his birth was announced was more solemn than that by which the Redeemer was made known; for his birth was announced to the high priest in the temple at the time of public sacrifice, when all the people were filled with wonder and expectation. 3. The Angel himself gave him a name, and we do not read that this ever happened to any other except to Christ. This was not an unmeaning name, but full of mystery, and it imports that the Baptist was specially favored by Almighty God.

III.

Consider the dignity of the Baptist's office: "He shall go before Him in the spirit and power of Elias." (Luke 1:17) It was his duty to bear witness to the truth of the Incarnation, and to point out the Messiah. He was to do this in the spirit and power of Elias, that is, with an undaunted courage and undiminished zeal, which accompanied him during the whole course of his life — in the wilderness, at the river Jordan, in cities, in the court of Herod, in prison, and in death itself. "He prepared for the Lord a perfect people" (Luke 1:17) by his baptism, by his preaching penance, and by the austerity of his life. Examine whether it be not your duty to do all or something of this, and excite yourself to imitate the example of St. John.

NATIVITY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. II.

I.

"Now Elizabeth's full time of being delivered was come, and she brought forth a son." (Luke 1:57) Reflect on the joy of the parents, and the congratulations of their friends, for this blessing. Such is the joy of the Saints and Angels, and such the internal satisfaction of the soul when it conceives virtuous resolutions and is fruitful in good works. Be not discouraged if you do not immediately attain that virtue, or overcome that vice, which you desire. God is accustomed to delay His gifts and favors, in order to inflame your desires of them. "Trust, therefore, in the Lord, and do good, and He will give thee the request of thy heart." (Ps. 36:3-4)

II.

"He shall be called John" (Luke 1:60), which signifies grace; for no Saint whatever, Christ's blessed mother alone excepted, possessed such an abundance of grace. He was by his office and by the purity of his life an Angel; he was an Elias in spirit; he was more than a prophet; he was sanctified in his mother's womb; and, as Christ Himself tells us, "a greater than he never rose from a woman." Reverence this Saint, so singularly beloved and so nearly allied to our Lord, and endeavor to imitate his heroic virtues.

III.

Consider what happened at his birth: 1. His mother, by divine inspiration, gives him his name. 2. His father writing the same name, "his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed; and he spoke, blessing God." 3. He was "filled with the Holy Ghost." 4. " Fear came upon all their neighbors: and all these words were divulged over the mountainous country of Judea." 5. "All they who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What kind of child think you shall this be? For the hand of the Lord was with him." (Luke 1:64-66.) Do you, in like manner, lay these things up in your heart by serious meditation, and pray that the hand of the Lord may be also with you.