CHRIST ADORED WITH OFFERINGS.

"Behold, the sovereign Lord cometh: take with thee presents and go to meet Him." (Intr. Miss. and 4 Kings 8:8)

I.

"The Lord whom you seek, and the Angel of the testament whom you desire, shall come to His temple. Behold, He cometh, saith the Lord of hosts." (Mal. 3:1) Christ is the supreme Lord of the whole earth, to whom all mankind, both princes and their people, are to pay tribute and acknowledgment of His sovereignty. This obligation the Wise Men of the East understood by divine instinct, and they accordingly came this day to offer their gifts. "We have seen His star in the east, and have come to adore Him: and opening their treasures, they offered Him gifts, gold, frankincense, and myrrh." (Matt. 2:2, 11)

II.

This sovereign Lord will visit you today, to receive your tribute and your presents. "Take with thee presents, and go to meet Him." Consider what kind of gifts you can offer Him. "No one," says the author of Deuteronomy, "shall appear with his hands empty before the Lord; but every one shall offer what he hath." (Deut. 16:16)

III.

You must prepare a throne in your heart, on which to receive and adore your Lord when He comes. Offer Him the three powers of your soul: your memory, understanding, and will. Your memory cannot be pleasing to God if your imagination be not corrected and chastened according to the law of God. Your understanding cannot be acceptable to Him, unless you bend it implicitly to the obedience of faith. God will reject the offering of your will, unless it be conformable to His own. Offer Him, besides, the gold of charity and love; the frankincense of prayer, and the myrrh of mortification. Offer Him the sacrifice of your predominant passion and ruling propensities. In fine, give Him as much as you can; for it will be returned with increase.

*This Sunday's meditation must be inserted in its proper place, which will vary every year.

CHRIST, THE TEACHER OF JUSTICE.

"I am the Lord thy God, who teach thee profitable things. Show, O Lord, Thy ways to me, and teach me Thy paths." (Isa. 48:17 and Ps. 24:4)

I.

Christ was found in the midst of the doctors, "hearing them, and asking them questions." (Luke 2:46.) Christ is your doctor or teacher — not of profane erudition, but of spiritual knowledge and justice. Hence the prophet says of Him: "Ye, O children of Sion, rejoice and be joyful in the Lord your God, because He has given you a teacher of justice." (Joel 2:23) He Himself invites us by the mouth of royal David to listen to a lesson on the fear of God. "Come, hearken to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord." (Ps. 33:12)

II.

This science of justice as far excels every earthly science, as the eternal kingdom of God excels the transitory kingdoms of this world. Worldly knowledge cannot save us - it may increase our reprobation, if we abuse it - but the science of the Saints alone can make us happy. Learn, hence, to appreciate the benefit of possessing this teacher of your soul. "For blessed is the man whom Thou shalt instruct, O Lord, and shalt teach him out of Thy law." (Ps. 93:12)

III.

Christ sat in the temple, amongst the doctors. Take care that you make your soul a "temple of the living God " (2 Cor. 6:16), and not a temple of sin. Let it be a house of prayer, and not of worldly occupation, not "a den of thieves," that is, of vain thoughts, which rob God of the honor which is due to Him alone. Then, with all humility, fall at the feet of your teacher with Magdalen, and entreat Him to show you the ways of salvation: "For those who approach to His feet shall receive of His doctrine." (Deut. 33:3) Lastly, approach Him with an eagerness to learn, a resolution to practice the lessons, which He will give you, lest He abandon you to yourself, as He threatened Jerusalem by the mouth of His prophet: "Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee." (Jer. 6:8)

JOURNEY OF THE WISE MEN. I.

I.

At the birth of Christ, a miraculous star appeared in the East: and as the eternal Father revealed the birth of His Son to the Jews by an Angel, He made it known to the Gentiles by the appearance of this star; for Christ was the Savior both of the Jews and Gentiles. Congratulate the new-born Savior, that His glory is made known to the most remote nations: and give thanks to God, that "He hath revealed His justice in the sight of the Gentiles." (Ps. 97:2) These Wise Men were the first-fruits of the Gentiles, and they were your representatives.

II.

This star appeared to all in the East; but observe how few took the pains to consider it, to obey the call of God, and to seek for the new-born Savior. Thus, "many are called, but few are chosen." (Matt. 22:14) There are many, to this very day, so entirely immersed in worldly affairs that they neglect the light of divine inspiration. They make a thousand excuses, and conjure up a thousand difficulties, saying with the sluggard in the Proverbs: "There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the midst of the streets." (Prov. 22:13) But, as Job observes: "Upon them that fear the hoar frost, the snow shall fall" (Job. 6:16), that is, those who are too much concerned for temporal losses will incur that which is irrevocable and eternal.

III.

Consider the singular benefit which was bestowed upon the Wise Men, that they alone, above all others, should be efficaciously called to seek and find Christ. Such is the happiness which you enjoy, in preference to so many thousands around, who do not seek Christ as they ought, and have not found Him. You, above so many others, God has "called out of darkness into His admirable light" (1 Pet. 2:9) Be grateful for the favor which you have received. Ponder how the sages, having overcome every difficulty, commence their journey: and how they exhort each other on the way. Observe how the star goes before them, and directs their steps. The assistance of God is never wanting to those who, like the Wise Men, undertake any enterprise in the service of God, with courage and resolution. The sages followed the lead of the star. Imitate them, and follow those guides which God and His Church have given you.

JOURNEY OF THE WISE MEN. II.

I.

When the Wise Men came near Jerusalem, the star that had accompanied them disappeared, to try their faith and constancy. Thus does God often withdraw spiritual consolations from His servants, in order that they may feel that these are pure gifts of God, and not their own, and that their patience and fidelity to Him maybe increased. The sages might have been troubled at the disappearance of the star, but they did not, therefore, desist from their journey. Imitate their conduct; and, in the absence of spiritual comfort, have recourse to ordinary means, and inquire of others, with the spouse in the Canticles: "Have you seen Him whom my soul loveth?" (Cant. 3:3) The Church, anxious for your spiritual welfare, has given you abundant means of finding Him.

II.

The Wise Men, having entered the city, boldly inquire: "Where is He that is born King of the Jews?" (Matt. 2:2) Meditate on their singular faith: they entertain no doubt concerning the fact, and only wish to be informed of the place. They were not afraid, even in the royal city, and under the eye of Herod himself, to make inquiries concerning another king. They were not ashamed openly to confess Christ, and to acknowledge that they came to do Him homage. "We have seen His star," they said, "in the east, and have come to adore Him." Learn to act in the same manner, and, with St. Paul: "Not to be ashamed of the Gospel." (Rom. 116)

III.

"And King Herod hearing this, was troubled." (Matt. 2:3) Thus the impious always grieve when they ought to rejoice: "They are glad when they have done evil, and rejoice in most wicked things." (Prov. 2:14) Reflect whether you do not sometimes repine, and feel inward trouble, when approaching festivities remind you of preparing for the sacraments, or when you are called upon to perform something of greater perfection, because you are unwilling to lose anything of your wonted liberty. "And all Jerusalem with him." (Matt. 2:3) Thus, inferiors often imitate the conduct of their superiors, particularly in what is wrong. Ponder the evil resulting from this kind of conduct; and, if you have been guilty, correct it. Learn to rejoice, too, only in those things that regard your salvation, and give good example to those who have a right to expect it from you.

HEROD'S INQUIRY AFTER CHRIST.

I.

"And assembling together all the chief priests, and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where Christ should be born." (Matt. 2:4) The children of this world are more anxious in their temporal concerns than are the children of light in regard to those of heaven. Observe the conduct of the king: "Then Herod, privately calling the wise men, inquired of them diligently the time of the star's appearing to them." (Matt. 2:7) He was more anxious to find Christ, in order to destroy Him, than you are to love Him and serve Him. Reflect on the wonderful providence of God, which, drawing good from evil, makes even the wicked concur to its divine designs, and to our good. The evil intentions of Herod manifested Christ to the sages, and by them to the Gentile world, whilst he was doing all in his power to conceal Him and to destroy Him.

II.

The priests and scribes pointed out the place of His birth, saying: "In Bethlehem of Judah; for so it is written by the prophet." (Matt. 2:5) But they themselves would not attempt to find Him. Miserable wretches, they perish near the fountain of life, which they have shown to others. This is the case with all those who instruct others in the ways of justice, and will not follow them themselves. "They are like those who built the ark of Noe," says St. Augustine: "they built that in which others might escape the deluge, and they themselves perished in the waters. " Remark, that Christ is not to be found in the chief city or at the palace; but in Bethlehem, and in a manger. "He is not found in the land of those who live in delights." (Job 28:13)

III.

Consider the words of Herod to the sages: "Go and search diligently after the child: and when ye have found Him, bring me word again, that I also may come and adore Him." (Matt. 2:8) Thus did this sacrilegious hypocrite profess to adore Christ in His words, whilst in his heart he had destined Him to destruction. But God defeated his designs. Herod did not think of sending a messenger with them, to inform himself of all the particulars. Thus God proves that "there is no wisdom, there is no prudence, there is no counsel against the Lord" (Prov. 21:30), "who catcheth the wise in their craftiness, and disappointeth the counsel of the wicked." (Job 5:13)

ARRIVAL OF THE WISE MEN AT BETHLEHEM.

I.

The sages, "when they had heard the king, went their way." (Matt. 2:9) They lose no time in seeking Christ; but, having informed themselves where they might find Him, they leave the city, with all its curiosities and entertainments, to pursue their journey. Oh, that you would seek Christ as earnestly as they did, and not suffer yourself to be distracted with worldly considerations. "And, behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them." Thus, God is accustomed to be more liberal of His heavenly illustrations, in proportion as we withdraw ourselves from the trouble and noise of worldly affairs. "The star went before them, until it came and stood over where the child was: And seeing the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy" (Matt. 2:9), especially when they saw it point out the place where they were to find the object of their longing desires.

II.

"And going into the house, they found the child with Mary His Mother." Meditate on their admirable faith, which was not diminished by what they saw — a loathsome stable, and an infant lying in a manger. Consider the tears of devotion, which the humiliating condition of the place, the poverty which was exhibited, then the beauty of the Infant, and the Virgin's modesty, inspired. Reflect how they were struck with admiration to see the King of kings and Lord of lords (as they now knew that He was) lying in a manger, on a bed of straw!

III.

"And falling down they adored Him." (Matt. 2:11) They prostrated themselves before Him, with a most profound humility, as well interior as exterior: and acknowledged their own unworthiness, their subjection to Him, and their dependence on Him. They adored Him with a most perfect act of adoration, as their sovereign Lord and God. This adoration was accompanied with an entire oblation of themselves and all their possessions, united with sincere expressions of gratitude, as well for their own particular favor as for the general benefits resulting from His incarnation, and the vocation of the Gentiles. To these they added the most ardent affections of love and desire, that all the world might know and serve their new-born King. Observe what admirable effects a lively faith produces in the soul; and learn with what affections you ought to approach the same Lord in the Eucharist.

OFFERINGS OF THE WISE MEN.

I.

"And opening their treasures, they offered Him gifts, gold, frankincense, and myrrh." With the above-mentioned affections of faith, reverence, and love, they offer gifts to their supreme Lord, the most valuable that they had in their treasures, in order that you may learn to employ the best things, and not the worst, in the divine service. Consider the gifts of the Wise Men in particular, and present yours conjointly with theirs. They offer gold, as a tribute to their King and their Lord. Offer Him, on your part, the gold of charity; for as gold is the most precious of metals, so is charity the queen of virtues. Present to Him all your earthly possessions, with an affection and love of poverty, considering them as nothing in comparison with His divine service; and be ready to leave all, rather than offend Him even venially.

II.

They offer frankincense to Him, as an acknowledgment of His divinity. Offer you, also, the frankincense of fervent and frequent prayer. Say with David: "Let my prayer be directed as incense in Thy sight." (Ps. 140:2) Present to Him, also, the obedience of your will, as a precious perfume in His holy sight, by submission to your superiors, governors, and directors, as the vicegerents of God. There is no sacrifice more pleasing to Him than when the will is offered by obedience; for "obedience is better than sacrifices." (1 Kings 15:22)

III.

They offer myrrh, as adapted to His human nature. On your part, you must offer Him the myrrh of mortification, by chastising your body, with St. Paul, and bringing it under obedience to the Spirit. Offer Him, also, in a particular manner, the myrrh of chastity; for as myrrh preserves dead bodies from corruption, so does chastity preserve the bodies and minds of the living from being defiled. In fine, consecrate your whole self to God: and offer Him whatever you are in possession of; for everything that you have is derived from Him.

*If the Octave of Epiphany falls on Sunday, this meditation, which is intended for that day, should be made on Saturday, and that of the Second Sunday after Epiphany on the Octave.

RETURN OF THE WISE MEN.

I.

The Wise Men, having performed their homage and adoration, were ready to return, filled with spiritual joy and exultation at the Incarnation. They wished to bring others to the knowledge of Christ, and amongst the rest even Herod himself; but they were admonished in their sleep not to return the same way that they came. Hence, you may learn that God takes special care of those who are His own, and that He can easily frustrate the most subtle machinations of the wicked. Learn, also, that, in the way of virtue, every motion that seems to be the product of virtuous zeal ought not to be followed. For the Apostle admonishes us to "believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they be of God" (1 John 4:1); and St. Paul tells us that even "Satan himself transformeth himself into an Angel of light." (2 Cor. 11:14)

II.

The sages immediately obeyed the admonition, and "went back another way" into their own country. (Matt. 1:12) Such ought to be our obedience to the inspirations of God, when He calls us to a more perfect knowledge of Himself, or to pursue a life of greater exactness and perfection. "We have deviated from our heavenly country," says St. Gregory, "by pleasures; and we should return to it by the way of sorrow and repentance." Reflect what joy the visit of the Magi gave to the Blessed Virgin, and what delight she felt in seeing her Son adored by them, and the prophecy fulfilled — "The kings of Tharsis and the Islands shall offer presents; the kings of the Arabians and of Saba shall bring gifts." (Ps. 71:10) Recommend yourself earnestly to her, and say, with St. Bernard: "By you, O Virgin Mother! permit us to have access to your Son."

III.

The Divine Infant did not suffer the Wise Men to go away without being rewarded for their pains and devotion. He bestowed upon them supernatural gifts, in return for theirs. For their gold, He gave them the rich treasures of wisdom and charity; for their frankincense, the gifts of prayer and devotion; for their myrrh, His divine grace, which is a sovereign antidote against the corruptions of sinful nature. You can give nothing to God which He will not return with immense profit to yourself. The more you give, therefore, the more you will receive. Be liberal, then, to God, in order that He may be generous to you, remembering the sentence of the Apostle: "He who soweth sparingly, shall also reap sparingly." (2 Cor. 9:6)