Page:SermonsFromTheLatins.djvu/559

 A certain  king  made  a  marriage  for  his  son. The king is  God  the  Father,  and  the  marriage,  the  union of the  divine  and  human  natures  in  the  single  personality of  Jesus  Christ. Most appropriately,  indeed, is the  incarnation  likened  to  a  marriage. First came the  betrothment;  the  declaration  of  the  divine Son's love,  as  sung  by  the  inspired  Solomon  in  the Canticle of  Canticles,  and  His  promises  to  the  patriarchs and  the  prophets. Then the  Father,  through Gabriel, announced  to  Mary  His  will  and  His  consent, and  she,  the  mother  of  regenerated  humanity, answered for  her  daughter:  "  Behold  the  handmaid of  the  Lord;  be  it  done  unto  me  according  to  thy word." Then the  marriage,  whereby  in  very  truth two become  one — two  natures  so  closely  united  in one  person  that,  unlike  other  marriages,  not  even death itself  could  separate  them. Thenceforward, too, the  Royal  Prince  and  His  lowly  peasant  spouse shared all  things  in  common;  she,  His  supernatural attributes, and  He,  her  human  infirmities. Nay more, a  certain  familiarity,  a  certain  relationship  was thus established  between  the  relatives  and  followers of each;  that  happy  intercourse  between  earth  and heaven known  as  the  communion  of  saints. Finally, the usual  ends  for  which  royal  marriages  are contracted are  apparent  here. There was  the  love  of the  betrothed;  God  so  loved  the  world  as  to  give His only-begotten  Son. There was  the  dire  warfare of  earth  with  heaven,  which  ended  only  at  the incarnation, when  the  angels  proclaimed:  "  Glory to  God  and  peace  to  men." There were  the  rich