Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/75

 for He  will  not  be  wanting  to  you,  "  who  maketh  a  barren woman  to  dwell  in  a  house,  the  joyful  mother  of children." (Ps. cxii.  9.)

I. How  earnestly  the  Angel  and  the  whole  court  of heaven  awaited  the  consent  of  the  Virgin! "Speak but the  word,"  says  St.  Bernard,  "holy  Virgin,  which  heaven and  earth,  and  the  world  below,  expect  from  you." She gives  her  consent,  and  says,  "Behold  the  handmaid of  the  Lord." (Luke i.  38.)  Admire  that  singular humility,  which  prompted  her,  who  is  styled  the mother of  God,  to  retain  the  name  of  a  handmaid. This is  the  humility,  which  our  "  Lord  regarded"  and loved so  much  in  her,  as  she  proclaims  in  her  Canticle. Embrace the  same  humility  in  your  life  and  actions, if  you  wish  the  Holy  Ghost  to  dwell  in  you;  for "He sendeth  forth  springs  in  the  vales." (Ps. ciii.  10.) He bestows  on  the  humble,  the  waters  of  His  grace;  but He deprives  the  proud  of  their  moisture.

II. The quality  of  handmaid,  or  servant,  though  contemptible  amongst  men,  in  relation  to  God  is  honorable. We stand  in  that  relation  to  Him,  by  the  several  titles  of creation,  redemption,  and  preservation. For Him  alone we ought  to  labor,  to  His  glory  we  ought  to  direct  all our actions,  as  did  His  blessed  handmaid. Offer yourself, therefore,  to  God,  as  His  constant  servant:  and  say with royal  David,  "  O  Lord,  I  am  Thy  servant,  and  the son  of  Thy  handmaid." (Ps. cxv.  6.)  Remember  that that handmaid  was  the  blessed  Virgin  Mary.

III. Consider the  admirable  obedience  and  resignation of the  blessed  Virgin  in  conforming  her  will  to  the