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 So, then, for us miserable worms, and to captivate our love, has a God deigned to become man? Yes, it is a matter of faith, as the Holy Church teaches us: For us men, and for our salvation, He came down from Heaven ... and was made man. Yes, indeed, so much has God done in order to be loved by us.

Alexander the Great, after he had conquered Darius and subdued Persia, wished to gain the affections of that people, and so went about dressed in the Persian costume. In like manner would our God appear to act; in order to draw towards Him the affections of men, He clothed Himself completely after the human fashion, and appeared made Man: in shape found as a man. [Phil. 2:7] And by this means He wished to make known the depth of the love which He bore to man: The grace of God our Saviour hath appeared to all men. [Tit. 2:11]

Man does not love Me, would God seem to say, because he does not see Me. I wish to make Myself seen by him and to converse with him, and so make Myself loved: He was seen upon earth, and conversed with men. [Baruch 3:38]

The Divine love for man was extreme, and so it had been from all eternity: I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore have I drawn thee, taking pity on thee. [Jer. 31:3] But heretofore it had not appeared how great and inconceivable it was. Then it truly appeared, when the Son of God showed Himself a little one in a stable on a bundle of straw: The goodness and kindness of God our Saviour