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 and floated  to  the  shore. That iron  represents  our human nature  which  tends  to  sink  to  the  depths  and stick fast  in  the  mire  of  iniquity. God meant  it  to build  for  itself  an  eternal  habitation  in  heaven,  but it fell  and  sank. Then the  Father  cast  His  Son  — the wood  of  the  root  of  Jesse  — into  the  stream  of time,  and  lo! according as  He  sank  into  His  humble earthly existence  and  the  degradation  of  His  passion and death,  so  our  nature  was  raised  up  and  restored to its  original  purpose,  viz. to construct  for  itself  — wielded by  the  Son  — a heavenly  mansion.

Q.  How was  the  Son  of  God  made  man?

A. '' The Son  of  God  was  conceived  and  made  man by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghosts  tR  the  womh  of  the Blessed  Virgin  Mary. ''

The Blessed  Virgin’s  home  at  Nazareth,  in  which the Annunciation  took  place,  no  longer  stands  in  that town; in the  year  1294  it  was  miraculously  conveyed to Loretto  in  Italy. Its site  in  Nazareth  lies  within the limits  of  the  Franciscan  convent. An altar graces the  spot  whereon  the  Incarnation  was  accomplished, and  on  the  marble  floor  is  this  inscription: Verhum caro  hie  factum  est,  (Here  the  Word  was made  flesh.)  The  house  was  miraculously  conveyed through the  air  to  Loretto,  to  avoid  desecration, and there  it  rests  without  any  visible  foundation, the shrine  of  millions  pf  pilgrims  and  thousands  of miracles.