CHRIST, THE PHYSICIAN OF YOUR SOUL.

"Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved." (Jer. 17:14)

I.

Consider, first: In the Gospel of this day, Christ healed the leper, and afterwards the servant of the centurion. (Matt. 8) He is the Universal Physician of our souls; for the Prophet tells us of Him, that: "He was sent to heal the contrite of heart." (Is. 61:1) And whilst He was upon earth, says His Evangelist: "virtue went out from Him and healed all." (Luke 6:19)

II.

To how many diseases our fallen nature is subject? Our fever," writes St. Ambrose, "is covetousness, our fever is sensuality, our fever is rage and anger, etc." Our diseases are as numerous as our vices. Reflect on the imminent danger in which these spiritual diseases continually place you; for they expose you to eternal death. Consider, also, the difficulty with which they are cured; for they are not like diseases of the body, that show themselves by outward symptoms: they are often concealed even from the patient himself, and are, in a certain manner, grafted into the constitution of the soul. What a happiness it is to be able, whenever you choose, to apply to a physician who knows your spiritual complaints most intimately, and who is able and willing to apply sovereign remedies to them!

III.

You ought to place great confidence in this spiritual physician of yours. He is eminently skillful and infinitely wise; and, in order that He might have a more experimental knowledge of our infirmities, He united Himself to our nature. "He hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrows." (Isa. 53:4) He is infinitely compassionate and infinitely desirous of our spiritual health and salvation; and, therefore, of His own accord, He asked the man in the Gospel: "Wilt thou be made whole?" (John 5:6) In order that He may more effectually cure us, He has prepared for us a most admirable medicine, consisting of His own most precious body and blood. Throw yourself, therefore, at His feet, and say with the Prophet: "Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak." (Ps. 6:2) Remember He cannot effect a cure in your soul unless you perform punctually whatever He prescribes.

CHRIST'S FLIGHT INTO EGYPT. I.

I.

How different are the thoughts of God from the thoughts of men! Christ was no sooner born, than sent into banishment. The Almighty could easily have rid the world of Herod, or have appeased his anger, or have rendered His divine Son invisible; but He adopted the ordinary means of safety, and His Son must fly. Reflect how derogatory this was to the dignity of the Redeemer, and how full of inconveniences. Thus God always treats those whom He loves best. Are you greater or better than the Son of God? Why, then, do you complain when His providence prepares crosses for you? You ought to consider them as marks of His affection; and this thought will render them not only supportable, but even agreeable.

II.

God would not have His Son go to the Magi, where He would have been honored and adored; but into Egypt, a pagan nation, and ever hostile to the Israelites; far from home, from His relations and friends. Thus He deprives His Son, even in His infancy, of comfort, help, convenience, which He might otherwise have derived from His friends. Why, then, do you seek with such ardor for the esteem and service of others? Why do you think it hard to suffer inconveniences? If you really loved Christ, you would rejoice, and conceive it honor enough to be neglected and contemned and despised for His sake. "It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his Lord." (Matt. 10:25)

III.

As Christ would be born far from home, so would He be banished far from His own country. He intended to convey this lesson, that we should always consider ourselves in this world as strangers and exiles, and not as citizens of it; for we know "that we have no permanent city; but we seek one to come." (Heb. 13:14) Those who were afterwards banished for His sake, or suffered anything for Him, might find comfort in His example. Learn to bear all these kinds of crosses, and even banishment from your home or country, with patience and resignation; for "a man of resolution makes every country his own." (Cicero)

CHRIST'S FLIGHT INTO EGYPT. II.

I.

"Behold, an Angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to Joseph, saying, Arise and take the child and His mother, and fly into Egypt." (Matt. 2:13.) Ponder the particulars of this command: 1. The Angel commands in the name of God, who is the supreme Lord. 2. He delivers the command not to Mary, though she was the more worthy; but to Joseph, because he was the head of the family, and its ordinary superior. 3. He appeared to him in sleep, by which we learn that, even while we sleep, the care of God is exerted over us, and He is continually watching for our good. 4. He tells him to take the Child and His Mother, without mentioning anything else. Oh, that Jesus and Mary were your only care! 5. He assigns them the place of their banishment. Learn, hence, not to choose for yourself, but receive everything in the ordinary way of God's providence, and as coming from His hands, in regard to place, employment, prosperity, and adversity.

II.

Consider the words of the Angel: "Be there until I shall tell thee." (Matt. 2:13) He could have told him exactly the time which he had to remain in Egypt; but God did not wish it to be known, in order that the Holy Family might depend more on His providence. Learn, hence, to depend exclusively on Divine Providence, and not to be too solicitous for the future, in regard to what may or may not happen; for "the steps of man are guided by the Lord." (Prov. 20:24) "And He hath given His Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways." (Ps. 90:11) Follow this conduct, and not your own ways, and you will always live in security.

III.

"He arose, and took the Child and His Mother by night." Reflect on the perfect obedience of St. Joseph. He submitted his judgment, although he might have made many objections against so sudden a departure. He immediately conformed his will, notwithstanding the many difficulties which presented themselves. He promptly and accurately executed the command; he rose that very night, and left all he had, uncertain when he was to return. He performed all this with cheerfulness, because he knew that he was doing the will of God. Compare your obedience with his, and reform whatever is faulty in it. Conform to so bright an example.

CHRIST'S FLIGHT INTO EGYPT. III.

I.

"And they retired into Egypt." (Matt. 2:14) They commenced their journey without delay. Ponder the tender affections and compassion of the Mother for her Child, who even in His infancy began to train Himself to suffer inconveniences and hardships. She resigned herself, notwithstanding, to the will of God. Reflect, also, how this Divine Infant offered Himself freely to His eternal Father, even in His early days, for banishment and toils and misery. He rejoiced to go into Egypt, to sanctify it by His presence and to destroy its idols. "Behold, the Lord will enter into Egypt, and the idols of Egypt will be moved at His presence." (Is. 19:1) Beseech Him to sanctify you in the Holy Eucharist, and to destroy the idols of your vicious affections.

II.

Consider the sufferings of the Holy Family on the road. Remark their religious demeanor, their pious discourses, and their interior recollection with God, and with what holy resignation they surmount the difficulties of a long and tedious journey, of about two hundred and seventy miles. These sufferings were increased by their poverty and forlorn situation. Compassionate them, and be ashamed of your own delicacy and unwillingness to suffer the least inconvenience for the sake of Christ.

III.

They resided, unknown, in Egypt for seven or eight years. Reflect on the life which they led during that time. They performed all their religious duties toward God as far as their banishment in a heathenish country would permit them. They observed perfect charity and union among themselves. During the whole time they were extremely poor, and maintained themselves and the Divine Infant by the labor of their hands. They bore in silent patience the evils of banishment and the ill-usage of the Egyptians. Compare your conduct in adversity with theirs; blush at your weakness, and fortify your mind by their example against the entailed and unavoidable miseries of life.

MURDER OF THE HOLY INNOCENTS.

I.

"Then Herod, perceiving that he was deluded by the Wise Men, was exceedingly angry, and sending, killed all the male children that were in Bethlehem." (Matt, 2:16) Reflect on the barbarous cruelty of this wicked prince, and mark into what enormities ambition plunges the man who blindly pursues it. Form a steady detestation of this vice. But let the wicked rage and devise vain things against the Lord and against His Christ: "He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh at them, and the Lord shall deride them." (Ps. 2:4) Such was the case with Herod; God frustrated his deep-laid designs, and turned them against himself. Learn hence to put implicit confidence in God.

II.

The cruelty of his officers surpassed even that of the tyrant himself. Observe how readily they execute the king's command, and murder as many male children as they can find in and about Bethlehem. Blush at the reflection that these bad men were more punctual in doing even a bad action than you in doing good. Conceive the agonized feelings of the poor mothers of these devoted Innocents. Let your concern and grief be no less when you have lost your infant God by sin. Christ, though at a great distance, witnessed this barbarous spectacle with compassion, and rejoiced at the future glory of these infants in heaven.

III.

Admire the goodness of God, who from the wickedness of men draws advantages for His servants, and who can produce "a honey-comb in the lion's jaw." (Judg. 14:8) He permitted this slaughter that the Innocents might receive the immortal crown of martyrdom. How happy was this for them! If they had lived, perhaps some of them might have been found among those who crucified Christ. Throw yourself with confidence into the arms of Providence, who knows infinitely better how to dispose of yourself and your affairs than you do yourself. Imitate, in your life, the innocence of these infant Saints, that you may be "without spot before the throne of God." (Apoc. 14:5)

CHRIST'S RETURN FROM EGYPT.

I.

"When Herod was dead, an Angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to Joseph in Egypt, saying, Arise and take the Child and his Mother, and go into the land of Israel." (Matt. 2:19) Joseph was afterwards in a doubt where to fix his abode, for fear of Archelaus, and was admonished to go into Galilee. Remark how short-lived is the prosperity of the wicked, and how quickly changed into eternal adversity. Reflect, too, how God takes peculiar care of the just, removing from them the afflictions which were sent for their greater good, and directing them in all their ways. Therefore, "come ye to Him and be enlightened, and your faces shall not be confounded." (Ps. 33:6)

II.

"And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth." Imagine with what joy they were received by their relations and friends at their return, and admire their singular humility in concealing from them the Mysteries relating to the birth of their Son. They knew that God would reveal them at the proper time. Christ, in Holy Writ, is called a "Nazarite," which signifies a flower; and He Himself prompted the author of the Canticle of Canticles to speak in His person, and say, "I am the flower of the field" (Cant. 2:1), that is, not born of that parent which the world would call noble and great, but of ordinary extraction; "and the lily of the valleys," and not of the mountains. By these expressions He insinuates that He is spiritually born, not in proud and exalted, but in humble souls. Descend, then, into the valley of humility, and in this humble state present your God with the lily of chastity. The giver and his gift will then be acceptable to Him.

III.

Many follow Jesus the Nazarene, but few Jesus the crucified. They willingly adhere to Him in prosperity, but when adversity frowns they immediately abandon Him. They are willing to share His kingdom, but not His sufferings; they admire His crown, but not His cross. Remember it is your duty to follow Christ in all His characters, and to shrink from no difficulty.

A SUMMARY OF THE VIRTUES WHICH CHRIST EXERCISED IN HIS INFANCY.

After having meditated in detail the mysteries of Christ's Incarnation and Nativity, it will be well to collect in one point of view the chief virtues which He exercised, and contemplate their united luster.

1. He displayed a sovereign contempt of the wold. He was born privately in the night, without pomp and attendants, and unknown to all. When born, He was visited by poor shepherds. He afterward lived in obscurity and banishment, contemning the world and all its conveniences, and unknown to all.
2. His humility was equally great. Though the God of infinite majesty, He assumed the body of a helpless infant, and was an outcast in Bethlehem. He became a companion of beasts in the stable. He assumed the character of a sinner at His circumcision. Well might He say by His prophet: "l am a worm and no man, the reproach of men and the outcast of the people." (Ps. 21:7)
3. His poverty corresponded with His humility. "Being rich He became poor for your sake." (2 Cor. 8:9) He was almost deprived of the necessaries of life, and, among those things which He used, He always chose the meanest and the worst. His dwelling was a stable, a manger was His bed, a poor virgin was His Mother, and His reputed father was a needy carpenter. Reverence and imitate His example, "that through His poverty ye may be rich." (2 Cor. 8:9.)
4. His practice of obedience was most perfect. "He humbled Himself, becoming obedient, unto death." (Phil. 2:8) His Birth at Bethlehem was an actual exercise of obedience to the imperial edict of Caesar. He was obedient to the laws of circumcision and presentation, although He was not bound by them, and in "all things was subject to His parents." (Luke 2:51)
5. His patience was divinely heroic. Although by the right of His divine nature He was impassible, and by His innocence undeserving of punishment; He suffered, however, in His tenderest years all the inconveniences of cold, hunger, infirmity, and want; the pains of circumcision, the hardships of travelling, and the miseries of banishment. Since He was born with the use of reason, He was infinitely more sensible of these hardships than other children are.
6. His love of God, and charity towards His neighbor, were infinite. He directed all His sufferings to the glory of the former and the advantage of the latter. His tears and blood were shed at His Circumcision to atone for our sins. He assumed to Himself our infirmities and miseries, not by constraint, but by His own choice, to satisfy for them, and to give us examples of every virtue. Return Him, therefore, love for love. Learn to contemn the world, to be humble and obedient. Suffer want and hardships with patience; and, in fine, in all these seek the greater glory of God and the spiritual advantage of your neighbor.