Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/145

 most exalted  and  sublime  actions  are  not  always  the most pleasing  to  God;  that  the  highest  degree  of  virtue is to  submit  ourselves  to  others;  and  that  we  ought  to conform  our  exterior  to  the  condition  of  our  calling, and to  perform  the  ordinary  actions  which  belong  to  that calling with  perfection. "And His  mother  kept  all these  words  in  her  heart." Do you  also  keep  the  word of God  in  your  heart,  and  it  will  preserve  you.

II. What an  admirable  example  of  obedience  is  conveyed in  these  short  words:  "and  He  was  subject  to them"! Ponder with  St. Bernard, "who,  and  to  whom? God,  to  men:  God,  to  whom  the  angels  are  subject, whom  the  principalities  and  powers  obey,  was  subject  to Mary." In what  was  He  subject? In everything,  even in the  meanest. " The  Word  and  Wisdom  of  God  did not  despise,"  but  obeyed,  "a  woman  and  a  carpenter."

III. With good  reason  does  the  same  Saint  exclaim: "Learn, O  man,  to  obey;  dust,  learn  to  submit;  be ashamed,  proud  ashes.  God  humbled  Himself;  and  dare you  exalt  yourself?  God  submits  Himself  to  man;  and do  you  seek  to  rule,  and  to  prefer  yourself  to  your  Creator? If,  being  man,  you  refuse  to  follow  the  example  of your  equal  man,  surely  it  will  not  be  beneath  you  to  follow the  example  of  your  Creator."

I. In  order  that  you  may  be  the  more  excited  to  imitate this  admirable  example  of  obedience  that  Christ  has given you  in  regard  to  your  superiors  or  directors  under whom God  has  placed  you,  or  may  hereafter  place  you, meditate on  the  many  advantages  that  are  derived  from this virtue. Nothing more  acceptable  can  be  offered  to