Page:MeditationsOnTheMysteriesOfOurHolyV1.djvu/364

 beth I will say to Him, " Whence is this to me that " my God and " my Lord should come to me?"

Colloquy. — O eternal God, "what is man that Thou art mindful of him?" or the son of man that Thou visitest him? " Thou madest him a little less than the angels" by being clothed with vile flesh; and comest Thou from heaven accompanied with angels to harbour Thyself within him? "0 Lord, our Lord, how admirable is Thy name in the whole earth," seeing Thou hast made it Thy habitation as well as heaven!

2. Then will I break out into affections of praise and thanksgiving, using some canticles of the Church. Sometimes I will say as the seraphim, " Holy, holy, holy the Lord God of hosts," that has humbled Himself to dwell in this smoky, cloudy temple of my soul. Sometimes I will cry out with the Hebrew children that accompanied Christ on Palm-Sunday, saying, O king of Israel and Saviour of the world, " blessed be He" that has come from on high to visit me, I not knowing how to deserve it. At other times, with the three children that were in the furnace in Babylon, I will invite all creatures to " bless the Lord" for this favour that He has done me.

3. Or in imitation of this canticle I will make another, inviting to the same end the nine choirs of angels, and the choirs of the patriarchs and prophets, of the apostles and evangelists, of the martyrs and doctors, bishops and confessors, priests and Levites, virgins and widows, and all the saints in heaven in this form.

Colloquy. — May Thy angels, archangels, and principalities bless Thee, O Lord! may they praise and glorify Thee for ever! May Thy powers, virtues, and dominations bless, praise, and glorify Thee, world