Prayer.
O Lord Jesus, Who didst, for the love of us, vouchsafe to reduce Thy incarnated divinity and most divine humanity to the humiliating state of birth and infancy: grant that we, acknowledging Thy infinite wisdom in Thy infancy, Thy power in Thy weakness, and Thy majesty in Thy littleness, may adore Thee, a little one on earth, and behold Thee great in heaven. Who livest and reignest with God the Father, in unity with the Holy Ghost, world without end. Amen.
Second Day.
Of all the miracles in the world, never was there one to be compared to that of the coming of the Son of God on earth, in the humble form of a child. It was a miracle so entirely above our reasoning, that unless we knew it by faith established by revelation, we would say it was impossible and believe it as little as many of the unbelieving Jews did. That the infinite God should take the form of a poor creature: that God should so unite Himself to that creature of His, as to assume its lowliness, clad in the dust and clay of the earth, is a very great miracle. It was, however, the infinite power of the Almighty that did this. “For us men, and for our salvation, He came down from heaven. He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross.” Who can now refuse to believe in the love of God for His creatures? Men looking at life in a certain light, have doubted God's goodness to humanity; but let them once contemplate the world from our point of view and they will necessarily admit that He loved us to excess, and that He still continues to love us. Oh, shall we not then return Him love for love?
Prayer.
O Lord Jesus, Who didst, for the love of us, etc., etc.
Third Day.
What was it that induced God to work such a miracle in behalf of mankind, as to send His only-begotten Son to this world? It was man's sin. [pg 507] From all eternity the Blessed Trinity had decreed that in consequence of sin there was a necessity of redemption; that the eternal Word should be born into the world, if man was not to be left to the fate of everlasting perdition. Man could not redeem himself; an angel could not give sufficient satisfaction; none but God Himself could offer atonement for man. Hence, God, in His great goodness and mercy, resolved to do this work of redemption. He provides a remedy for all the sins and follies of men, even before they are committed. We do the harm, and God has to undo it. Has He not often thus averted from me the consequences due to my evil deeds? What have I done in my life but wickedness, and very little good? My life has been so filled with iniquity, that shame fills my heart when I think of the past. I have not only to bear the sins of Adam and Eve, but I have to atone for my own sins. So great have these sins been, that the Son of God had to descend very low to reach our level.