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 love us to such a pass, that for our love He chose to obey as a servant even unto death, and a death of such extreme bitterness and ignominy as the death of the Cross: Becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the Cross. [Phil. 2:8] He obeyed, indeed, not as God, but as Man, and as a servant, as He had made Himself: Taking the form of a servant, and being made in the likeness of men. [Phil. 2:7]

The world stood in admiration of that grand act of charity, which St. Paulinus performed in consenting to become a slave for the ransom of the son of a poor widow. But what comparison does this bear with the charity of our Redeemer, Who being God, and in order to rescue us from the slavery of the devil and from death, our just due, chose to become a servant, to be fast bound with cords, to be nailed to the Cross, and there in the end to lay down His life in a sea of sorrow and ignominy? In order, says St. Augustine, that the servant might become lord, God chose to become a servant.

"O amazing condescension of Thy bounty towards us! O inestimable tenderness of Thy charity!" exclaims the Holy Church. "That Thou mightest redeem the servant, Thou hast delivered up the Son." Thou, then, O God of boundless majesty, hast been so fascinated with love for men, that to redeem these Thy rebellious servants Thou hast consented to condemn Thy Only Son to death. But, O Lord, replies the holy man Job: What is a man, that Thou shouldst magnify him? or why dost Thou