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 [pg 034] 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 [pg 035] 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.