Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/138

 ing rich  He  became  poor  for  your  sake."  (2  Cor.  viii.  9.) He  was  almost  deprived  of  the  necessaries  of  life,  and among  those  things  which  he  used  he  always  chose  the meanest  and  the  worst.  His  dwelling  was  a  stable,  a manger  was  His  bed,  a  poor  virgin  was  His  mother,  and His  reputed  father  was  a  needy  carpenter.  Reverence  and imitate  His  example,  "that  through  His  poverty  ye  may be rich."    (2  Cor.  viii.  9.)

4. His  practice  of  obedience  was  most  perfect. " He humbled  Himself,  becoming  obedient,  unto  death. " (Phil. ii.  8.)  His  birth  at  Bethlehem  was  an  actual  exercise of  obedience  to  the  imperial  edict  of  Caesar. He was obedient  to  the  laws  of  circumcision  and  presentation, although  He  was  not  bound  by  them,  and  in  "  all things  was  subject  to  His  parents." (Luke ii.  51.)

5. His  patience  was  divinely  heroic. Although by the  right  of  His  divine  nature  He  was  impassible,  and by His  innocence  undeserving  of  punishment;  He  suffered, however,  in  His  tenderest  years  all  the  inconveniences of  cold,  hunger,  infirmity,  and  want;  the  pains  of circumcision,  the  hardships  of  travelling,  and  the  miseries of banishment. Since He  was  born  with  the  use  of  reason, He  was  infinitely  more  sensible  of  these  hardships than other  children  are.

6. His  love  of  God,  and  charity  towards  His  neighbor,  were infinite. He directed  all  His  sufferings  to  the  glory  of the  former  and  the  advantage  of  the  latter. His tears and blood  were  shed,  at  His  circumcision,  to  atone  for our sins. He assumed  to  Himself  our  infirmities  and miseries, not  by  constraint,  but  by  His  own  choice,  to satisfy  for  them,  and  to  give  us  examples  of  every  virtue. Return Him,  therefore,  love  for  love. Learn to  contemn the world,  to  be  humble  and  obedient. Suffer want  and hardships with  patience;  and  in fine,  in  all  these  seek  the