Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/118

 cxl. 2.) Present  to  Him,  also,  the  obedience  of  your will,  as  a  precious  perfume  in  His  holy  sight,  by  submission to  your  superiors,  governors,  and  directors,  as  the vicegerents  of  God.  There  is  no  sacrifice  more  pleasing to  Him  than  when  the  will  is  offered  by  obedience;  "for, obedience  is  better  than  sacrifices."    (1  Kings  xv. 22.)

III. They offer  myrrh,  as  adapted  to  His  human  nature. On your  part,  you  must  offer  Him  the  myrrh  of  mortification, by  chastising  your  body,  with  St.  Paul,  and bringing it  under  obedience  to  the  Spirit. Offer Him, also, in  a  particular  manner,  the  myrrh  of  chastity;  for as myrrh  preserves  dead  bodies  from  corruption,  so  does chastity preserve  the  bodies  and  minds  of  the  living  from being defiled. In fine,  consecrate  your  whole  self  to God:  and  offer  Him  whatever  you  are  in  possession  of; for everything  that  you  have  is  derived  from  Him.

I. The  Wise  Men,  having  performed  their  homage  and adoration, were  ready  to  return,  filled  with  spiritual  joy and exultation  at  the  Incarnation. They wished  to  bring others to  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  and  amongst  the  rest even Herod  himself;  but  they  were  admonished  in  their sleep not  to  return  the  same  way  that  they  came. Hence you  may  learn  that  God  takes  special  care of those  who  are  His  own:  and  that  He  can  easily  frustrate the  most  subtle  machinations  of  the  wicked. Learn, also,  that  in  the  way  of  virtue  every  motion  that