Part 3

Again the angels said, “Peace on earth to men of good‐will.” How precious is the peace of the soul! Peace is the fruit of a good conscience, which produces peace with God and with one’s self. Seek to purify your will, make it conformable to the will of God, for then you enjoy peace more and more; you will taste the happiness of that peace which surpasses all the joys of the world, and which the world cannot give. In the contemplation of the joyous feasts which we celebrate, during this month of the mysteries of the divine infancy of the Lord, we will find the happiness of our soul. Continue in your adoration of the Infant Jesus, bring Him the grateful thanks of a pure heart, pray with earnestness, with perseverance, for the mercy of God, which He can extend to you in answer to your supplications if you are sincere. Remember the words of the angels, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good‐will.” It is a saying which is worth repeating to yourself.

Prayer.

O most amiable Jesus, who for my sake and instruction didst vouchsafe to conceal Thy eternal wisdom under the weakness of childhood! I most humbly thank Thee for having shown me in Thy own sacred person how I should sanctify my youth, and thereby draw a blessing on my future life. Amen.

Twenty‐fourth Day.

“Mary kept all these words, pondering them in her heart.”—Luke ii. 19. Twice do we read that Mary did this. The Holy Ghost certainly wished to attract our attention to this fact, that we might imitate the action. All that was done and all that was said made a great impression on Mary’s heart. She merited more and more the eulogiums which God Himself bestows on those who hear the word of God and keep it. The facts and the words of the incarnation must be the same to us—precious thoughts and gifts which we know how to value and appreciate. At certain times we should give evidence of our belief in the joy of our heart. God’s glory must be published externally, we must not bury it in our hearts only, for Mary preserved all these words in her heart so as to make them public at some future time, for the welfare of the Church. With greatest devotion and zeal she had heard the revelations of God; with liberality she made manifest the fulness of her heart for the glory of God.

Prayer.

O Wisdom, Who didst proceed out of the mouth of the Most High, reaching from end to end, with might and with sweetness disposing all things, come and teach us the way of prudence. Amen.

Twenty‐fifth Day.

Mary not only kept all these words in her heart, but she also meditated on them. In fact the meaning of the words, “kept in her heart,” is that they were ever fresh there; she kept the eyes of her soul on them, and thought of them; she was part of the workings of God’s providence, and had no other thought than that the will of God should be done in all things, especially just now, in this instance of the childhood of Christ. Men and angels had brought her the testimony of their admiration of the wonderful works of God; and Mary was consoled and confirmed in her willingness to suffer everything for her divine Infant Son. To us also the meditation and the consideration of God’s infinite goodness, and the facts of revelation, are the very centre‐post around which the Christian life should move. Be not a passive Christian that is borne along in the crowd; go a little farther, and become an intelligent worshipper, who has reflected well on religious tenets, and to whom they have given a great deal of consolation and hope of future happiness.

Prayer.

O Adonai and leader of the house of Israel! Who didst appear to Moses in the fire of the flaming bush, and didst give him the Law of Sinai: come and save us with a stretched‐forth arm. Amen.

Twenty‐sixth Day.

We are often solicitous about temporal affairs: our eating, drinking, clothing, and that which is dependent on us. We are right in making all necessary efforts, but we must not forget God, or lose confidence in Him. The Magi left their kingdoms, palaces, families, their great comforts of home, and went on a long journey, led by the star, without being clearly told how far their journey was to carry them. They had to travel through unknown lands, under a burning sun, exposed to wild beasts, and the enmity of wandering tribes. Still they persevered until they were rewarded by the sight of the Messias, the Redeemer of the world. Then “they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.” This is also a lesson to us to quiet our fears. God knows what we have done for Him, and a thousand‐fold will He reward our generous actions, and at the same time our families will be protected and our wants supplied. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His justice: and all these things shall be added unto you.”—Luke xii. 31.

Prayer.

O Root of Jesse! Who art a signal to the people, in Whose presence kings shall be silent, and to Whom the Gentiles shall pray: come and deliver us now and delay not. Amen.

Twenty‐seventh Day.

The revelation which you have received from God ought to enter deeply into your soul. Mary’s heart was full of grace. You should receive God’s word into your hearts, that it may be the nourishment of your souls, that it may fill you with holy sentiments and desires, and model you according to the life of Christ. During these days you have given much thought to the birth of Our Lord. Be careful in your prayers not to keep it on your lips only, but let it take deep root in your hearts, so that Christ may be born again in your souls. Pray to Mary, to the angels, and to the saints, that they may assist you; that you may preserve the deposit of faith with fidelity as they preserved it, for the nourishment of the spirit and the sanctification of your soul, and of others that may be intrusted to your care. Your piety and love of the Lord should increase with these meditations. “Thy word is exceedingly refined: and Thy servant hath loved it.”—Ps. cxviii. 140.

Prayer.

O Key of David and sceptre of the house of Israel! Who openest, and no man shutteth: Who shuttest, and no man openeth; come and take out of prison him that is in fetters, and who sitteth in darkness and in the shadow of death. Amen.

Twenty‐eighth Day.

The obedience of Our Lord to His parents is an admirable lesson. Jesus Christ is obedient, and submits His infinite wisdom to the commands of human beings. Not only was He obedient to His heavenly Father even unto the death of the cross, but He exactly fulfilled all the requirements of the Fourth Commandment without a murmur, without deferring the execution of His parents’ wishes to a time more suitable to Himself. St. Bernard says that he is obedient who fulfils a command without delay, and with a cheerful heart. Our Lord fulfilled this law so scrupulously because He wished to leave us an example. Remember the fact that the Boy Jesus was not only obedient to His heavenly Father, but also to His superiors according to the order of things. The Lord left, without delay, the performance of a holy action when He was called away from it. Our obedience to the Church and its lawful pastors is also an obligation devolving upon us. Children, obey your parents, servants, your masters, citizens, the State and all constituted public authority. Religious fulfil this law of obedience because they make a vow of obedience.

Prayer.

O Orient brightness of eternal light, and Sun of righteousness! come and enlighten those that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death. Amen.

Twenty‐ninth Day.

“Jesus advanced in wisdom and age, and grace with God and men.”—Luke ii. 52. From the first instant of His sacred life on earth there were hidden in the Lord all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. He constantly developed these before the sight of men. The sun has always the same abundance of heat and light, yet it still increases as the day wears on until it stands in the zenith in all its glory and power, and as the day wanes it, as it were, draws its power to itself. The older Jesus, the Sun of justice, grew, the brighter became the light of His holy life, and it illumined more and more the lives of those who observed Him. The growing older is inevitable; as time passes we grow older, but we do not necessarily grow in wisdom before God and men. Our piety before God is not increased, and we frequently give scandal to men by our impiety. When we were young we loved God, but as we grew older we were so implicated with the things of this life that we lost a great deal of our simplicity. Why should this be so?

Prayer.

O King of the Gentiles, and their desired One, the corner‐stone that joins the two walls! come and save man, whom Thou didst form out of dust. Amen.

Thirtieth Day.

Jesus was filled with grace and truth from the very beginning of His life. We have seen His glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth. More and more did His virtues, however, shine forth with ever increasing splendor; men wondered at this glorious Being, loved Him, and afterwards followed Him when He began His mission. We, too, were full of grace at our Baptism, and long afterwards, in our childhood, we were pleasing in the sight of God, because we were innocent children whom God loved. We were then modest, pious, obedient, but in course of time we sought to please men more than God. To please men is often to displease God. We should have hungered and thirsted after justice, and this would have kept alive in us the desire to grow in grace, wisdom and truth. But now let us arouse ourselves, and even though we are old, let us strive to become like the divine Infant. Let us, with the grace of God, renew in ourselves the graces that were in us. Let us examine our conscience, and see whether we have remained faithful to our good resolutions, if we have ever made them before. It is not too late yet to resolve to do better in the future.

Prayer.

O Emmanuel, King and Lawgiver! the expectation of the Gentiles and their Saviour; come and save us, O Lord, Our God. Amen.

Thirty‐first Day.

On this last day of the devotion of the holy infancy, let us endeavor to make permanent the pious sentiments that have passed through our souls. We wish to have Jesus in our hearts, not only for the present but also for the future. It is not enough to find Jesus as the shepherds and the Magi did, but we should try to keep ourselves always in His sacred presence. The means to retain Jesus are no other than to keep ourselves in grace, to avoid sin, to preserve His love in our hearts, and lastly to be watchful, when temptation assails us, against sensuality, pride, avarice, and want of charity, and any other vice. Let us remain close to Our Lord, remembering our promises of fidelity, in a humble confidence that He will assist us with His grace. Let us remember the words of the Royal Prophet David: That a soul that fears God will not be affected by infidelity. Let us repeat with the spouse in the Canticles: “I found Him Whom my soul loveth: I held Him: and I will not let Him go.” Who will separate me from the love of Christ?

Prayer.

O Infant Jesus! grant that each moment of our lives, we may pay homage to that moment in which Thou didst begin the work of our salvation. Amen.

Mass in Commemoration of the Holy Infancy of Jesus Christ.

Preparatory Prayer.

Deign, O almighty God, to give me the grace to remember, with devotion and love during the holy sacrifice, the sacred birth, the Passion and death of Thy Son, Jesus Christ. I offer to Thee, Thy divine Son by the hands of Mary, His Virgin Mother, to the honor of Thy holy name, and in grateful thanksgiving for the numberless graces and blessings which Thou hast bestowed upon Thy poor creature. I offer Him also for the joy of the heavenly court, as a victim of propitiation for my sins, for the living and the dead, and for my special intention, which, with all confidence, I recommend to Thee. Permit me to feel Thy sacred presence, to be immersed in Thy pure light, and to be comforted by it, so that I may always, but especially on this day, serve Thee faithfully, and bear the trials which Thou sendest me with love and courage. In consideration of the tears and the precious blood of Thy divine Son, by Whom I knock at the gates of Thy mercy and kindness, grant that all misfortunes of body and soul may be averted from me, through Christ Our Lord, Who is ever praised with Thee and the Holy Ghost, for all eternity. Amen.

Introit.

O my God, I should be holy as Thou art holy, fountain of all sanctity; and still Thou seest in me nothing pure. I am full of iniquity. Have mercy on me, make manifest in me Thy mercy. I present to Thee, in sorrow and humility, the Infant Jesus as my intercessor. Look upon Him, O heavenly Father, the brightness of Thy own glory, now lying in a crib in a wretched stable. And from that lowly bed He raises up His little hands, begging for pardon, in order that we, His erring brothers and sisters, may be brought back to Thy paternal Heart, and to ward off the punishment which we so richly deserve. O divine Redeemer, despise not our confidence! Stretch out Thy almighty right hand and draw us forth from the floods of our sins, miseries, and iniquities, so that we may gratefully thank Thee and the Father for all eternity. Amen.

Gospel.

We render Thee, O loving Jesus, our everlasting thanksgiving for having descended from Thy unspeakable happiness in heaven to this miserable earth, where Thou dost wish to console Thy needy creatures and to teach us by Thy holy Gospel the way to heaven. Who would not approach Thee with confidence, when he sees Thee, the infinite God, wrapped in swaddling‐ clothes, resting on the bosom of the purest and tenderest of Mothers, with hands full of graces and a Heart full of love! Even though untold misery should overwhelm our hearts, and innumerable desires consume our souls, still we would take confidence from this kindness and love, and our souls would be filled with happiness and peace. Look upon me, then, O gracious Infant! and by that look of kindness may my intellect be enlightened to understand the divine truths; may my will be inflamed to fulfil Thy commands and inspirations, and my memory continually suggest Thy promises and Thy goodness. So that on the altar of my heart may be placed a triple sacrifice of faith, hope, and charity, and then I can claim from Thy majesty new graces and benedictions upon myself, upon those in whom I am interested, and upon all those on whom the light of the Gospel has not shone, that we may become vessels to Thy honor and love, and may praise Thy mercies for all eternity. Amen.

Offertory.

As I kneel in spirit at the crib of Bethlehem, and see the divine Infant offering Himself to the heavenly Father for my sins, so I bring, as an offering with the priest, my poor heart which thirsts for Thee. Oh, that I could offer Thee as gifts many virtuous acts! but bowed down in the dust of my own nothingness, I cannot offer anything more than an empty, sorrowful heart. Look upon it with mercy, and send upon it the dew of Thy grace and love, which will quickly bear fruit of humility and meekness. Adorn my soul with the flowers of devotion, that my whole life may become a song of praise and petition for mercy. Amen.

Sanctus.

Unfathomable, O Lord God, are the depths of Thy mysteries, and wonderful the inventions of Thy mercy. Faith teaches me that He Who is in the crib, and weeps and trembles, is the One Whose thunder rolls in the clouds, at the sound of Whose voice cherubim and seraphim veil their faces with their wings. What a manifestation of humility and love do I contemplate in this! Come, O Lord, with Thy all‐conquering love, and enkindle my cold heart and the hearts of all careless Christians with the flames of love! Come to me in the fulness of Thy graces and blessings, and stir up my sluggish humor; enlighten all needy souls with the abundance of Thy eternal brightness, that we may now, and for all eternity, sing the angelic anthem: Holy, holy, holy, is Our God! Amen.

The Secret.

O kind Father! in humility I beg of Thee, through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, may our sacrifice and prayers please Thee. Bless me, bless those who are here present at this sacrifice, and bless also all who are needy and suffering. I pray Thee especially for the holy Catholic Church and her ministers, that Thou mayest keep them in peace and harmony; that Thou mayest protect and govern them, and mayest pour into their souls that peace which the divine Infant brought to this earth—Who alone is the cause of the happiness which we enjoy here below. I wish to join the angels in exclaiming, “Peace to my soul, peace to all men of good‐will.”

Consecration.

Look down, O Lord God the Father! on this altar where Thy divine Son adores Thee as He did from the stable of Bethlehem, and offers Himself as a spotless lamb as He did on Calvary. We unite our prayers with His, and we beg of Thy unlimited mercy that Thou wouldst listen to the pleading of this divine Heart and of this precious blood, and grant us what is pleasing to Thee. Grant that we may grow in the odor of sanctity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and share with Him eternal happiness in heaven. Amen.

After The Consecration.

O divine Infant Jesus, give me the grace to realize the wonders of Thy holy love! In all humility I consecrate myself to Thee as a holocaust to Thy holy condescension. Oh, that I were able to adore Thee with that sincere and heartfelt devotion with which the holy Virgin, St. Joseph, the pious shepherds, the Magi, and all the fervent adorers of Thy divine infancy adored Thee. With all my soul I will love Thee. All the movements of my heart shall be directed towards Thee; my soul shall be Thy dwelling. With Thy grace I will fulfil all the duties of my state in life. Change this sinful man into a new being by Thy almighty love, by the same love with which Thou hast changed the bread and wine into Thy adorable body and blood. May Thy profound humility restrain the pride of my heart; may Thy wonderful purity transform me into a lily of purity for the heavenly garden, and Thy love guide me through the storms of this wretched life to the habitation of bliss: to Thy throne, where ever and ever springs forth life without end. Amen.

Commemoration Of The Dead.

Remember, also, O most merciful Jesus! all Thy servants who have departed this life, marked with the seal of faith and charity, and who sleep the sleep of peace. Let them all feel, according to their burning desire, the power of the holy sacrifice of the Mass. Open to them the gates of heaven, the abode of light and peace, that they may join the innumerable chorus of angels and saints, who praise and love Thee for all eternity. Amen.

Agnus Dei.

O immaculate Lamb of God, suffering all human tribulations! teach me to tear myself away from the affections of earthly things, which still keep me from adhering solely to Thee. O gracious Lamb of God, Who didst descend from heaven to bring grace and light into my needy soul! let the dew of Thy kindness descend upon this barren land of my heart, to enrich it with many virtues. O pure Lamb of God, Prince of peace and love! calm in my soul all disquiet, and let it be inflamed with the flames of Thy holy love, whence all my words and actions derive their merit. Amen.

Communion.

O dearest Jesus, my Redeemer! from the stable of Bethlehem Thou callest to me, “Come to Me, all you that labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you.”—Matt. xi. 28. Pressed and overwhelmed with many trials, my soul longs for Thee, and desires to partake of the heavenly banquet of Thy flesh and blood, and to be united to Thee most intimately. Come, O Lord, to comfort my languishing spirit! strengthen my weak resolutions; change my whole being into something more pleasing to Thee. What heart is not softened by Thy loving glance, and desires not to be one with Thee? Admit my heart to a union with Thine, that both may be consumed together. As dry wood easily takes fire from flames, so may my heart begin to burn brightly, and whatever is displeasing to Thee be consumed by Thy holy love. Let me find rest in the enjoyment of Thy divinity; and let me have no earthly attachments, so that when I shall be loosed from the ties of this world, I may fly to Thee, and rest in Thy bosom.

Soul of Christ, sanctify me: Body of Christ, save me: Blood of Christ, inebriate me: Water from the side of Christ, wash me. Passion of Christ, strengthen me: O good Jesus, hear me: Within Thy wounds hide me: Permit me not to be separated from Thee. From the malignant enemy defend me: In the hour of my death call me, And bid me come to Thee, That, with Thy saints, I may praise Thee Forever and ever. Amen.

Conclusion.

Accept, O Blessed Trinity! my grateful thanks for the graces which Thou hast poured upon my soul during this holy sacrifice, which I have attended in honor of the holy infancy. And then, O divine Infant! permit me to remain with Thee whilst I am engaged in the duties of my state in life. Make me ever mindful of that gratitude which I ought to have for Thy holy love; let me feel the truth of the words, “I have found Him Whom my soul loveth”; I will never be separated from Him. Amen.

Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus.

(Form to which an indulgence of three hundred days was granted by Pope Pius IX., who suppressed all other forms.)

Lord, have mercy on us. _Christ, have mercy on us._ Lord, have mercy on us. Jesus, hear us. _Jesus, graciously hear us._ God the Father of heaven, _Have mercy on us._ God the Son, Redeemer of the world, _Have mercy on us._ God the Holy Ghost, _Have mercy on us._ Holy Trinity, one God, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, Son of the living God, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, splendor of the Father, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, brightness of eternal light, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, king of glory, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, sun of justice, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, Son of the Virgin Mary, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus amiable, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus admirable, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, the powerful God, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, father of the world to come, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, angel of the great council, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, most powerful, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, most patient, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, most obedient, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, meek and humble of heart, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, lover of chastity, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, lover of us, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, God of peace, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, author of life, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, model of all virtues, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, zealous for souls, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, our God, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, our refuge, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, father of the poor, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, treasure of the faithful, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, good shepherd, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, true light, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, eternal wisdom, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, infinite goodness, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, our way and our life, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, joy of the angels, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, king of the patriarchs, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, master of the apostles, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, teacher of the Evangelists, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, strength of martyrs, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, light of confessors, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, purity of virgins, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, crown of all saints, _Have mercy on us._