Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/128



I. Consider  the  interior  acts  of  virtue,  which  this  holy woman exercised  when  she  beheld  the  divine  Infant. They were  those  of  faith,  hope,  and  love,  then  of  joy  and self-congratulation, together  with  perfect  resignation  to the  will  of  God. Take care  to  imitate  her  when  you appear in  the  presence  of  the  same  God  at  the  Eucharistic  table. If you  have  faith,  where  is  your  humility reverence and  devotion? If you  hope  in  Him,  where  is your  resignation  to  the  will  of  God  in  crosses  and  adversities? If you  love  Him,  why  do  you  fix  your  heart  and affections on  creatures? If your  joy  be  in  Him,  why  do you  seek  for  satisfaction  and  happiness  in  earthly  comforts? If you  have  resigned  yourself  to  His  holy  will, why do  you  so  often  retract  and  seek  your  own  will?

II. Her affections  immediately  prompted  her  "to  give praise  to  the  Lord,  and  to  speak  of  Him  to  all." She acknowledged Him  to  be  the  long-expected  Messias;  she admired His  humility,  extolled  His  mercy;  and  she  invited all  to  acknowledge  Him,  to  reverence  and  love Him as  their  Lord  and  Saviour. Oh how  true  is  it  that " out  of  the  abundance  of  the  heart  the  mouth  speaketh"! (Matt. xii.  34.)  The  reason  why  you  are  so  dumb  in  the praises of  God  is  because  your  affections  are  so  cold  or tepid. Learn from  this  holy  woman  to  speak  freely  of God  and  heavenly  things  in  your  conversation  with others. Be not  satisfied  with  enjoying  God  alone,  but endeavor to  lead  others  to  Him  by  word  and  example.

III. " And  His  father  and  mother  were  wondering  at these  things  which  were  spoken  concerning  Him." They admired  and  adored  the  providence  of  God  in  re-