Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/89

 congratulations when  he  informed  her  of  the  angel  vision. St. Joseph  probably  condemned  himself  of  suspicion,  in consequence  of  the  anxiety  which  he  had  experienced. Learn the  importance  of  the  virtue  of  charity,  and  convince yourself  that  it  is  more  safe  to  err  from  an  excess of charity  than  to  be  correct  with  defect  of  charity. Learn, also,  to  put  your  trust  in  God  alone,  in  every perplexing event  of  life;  for  it  is  He  alone  who,  after a storm,  "makes  a  calm;  and  after  tears  and  weeping pours  in  joyfulness." (Tob. iii.  22.)

I. The  infant  Jesus,  shut  up  in  His  mother's  womb, earnestly desired  that  hour  in  which  He  was  to  appear  to the  world  and  commence  the  work  of  our  salvation. He might have  then  said,  as  He  afterwards  did,  "  I  have  a baptism  wherewith  I  am  to  be  baptized;  and  how  am  I straitened  until  it  be  accomplished!" (Luke xii.  50.) He remained  in  this  state,  however,  for  nine  months,  and would not  exempt  Himself  for  one  day. He had  embraced our  common  nature,  and  He  would  not  refuse  any of the  inconveniences  or  sufferings  which  were  attached to it. What man  would  suffer  himself  to  be  so  long  imprisoned when  he  could  avoid  it? Christ suffered  it,  and for your  sake. Be ashamed,  then,  to  complain  of  small inconveniences, when  God  suffered  so  much.

II. The desire  of  the  blessed  Virgin  to  see  her  Son, whom she  knew  to  be  "God  of  God,"  increased  in  proportion as  the  happy  moment  approached. She might well apply  to  herself  those  words  of  the  Canticle:  "Who shall  give  thee  to  me,  that  I  may  find  thee  and  kiss thee." (Cant. viii.  1.)    In  the  mean  time,  whilst  her