MEDITATION ON The Nativity Of Our Savior Christ: Of The Joy Of The Angels At The Nativity Of The Son Of God: And Of The News Which They Related To The Shepherds POINT II ~ Luis de la Puente

THE XVIII. MEDITATION.

Of the joy of the Angels at the Nativity of the Son of God: and of the news which they related to the Shepherds.

THE II POINT

Secondly, I am to consider how eternal Father would manifest the birth of his Son to the Shepherds, that were near about Bethlehem watching, and keeping their flock, sending to this end an Angel (which as though was St. Gabriel) invested with a resplendent body, who environing them with a celestial light said, unto them Behold I evangelize to you great joy that shall be to all the people, because this day is born to you a Savior, which is Christ our Lord, in the city of David: And this shall be a sign to you, you shall find the infant swaddled in clothes, and laid in a manger.

1. Upon this passage, I will consider, first, how almighty God would not manifest this mystery, nor send this Angel to the Sages of Bethlehem, for they were proud; nor to the rich, for they were covetous: nor to the noble, for they were pampered: but to the Shepherds, because they were poor, humble, laboring men, that were watching, and attending their office, for such dispositions as these, almighty God requiter in those, to whom he imparteth his mysteries, and if he imparteth them not with me, it is because I want such a disposition, seeing it was for this, that he said: that he hideth these things from the wise, and prudent, and revealeth then to the little ones, that are humble, and lowly.

2. Secondly, I will consider, that it is a matter of very great joy, that a Savior is born to us. He is not born to himself, for he cometh not to save himself: nor he is not born to the Angels, for he cometh not to save them: but to men, and to me, for he cometh to save me. For me he is born, and circumcised, and all whatsoever he did, and suffered, it is all for me: And that which passeth in the manger, is all to pardon my sins, to inflame me in the love of virtues, and to enrich me with those merits.

Colloquy

O sweet Jesus, that which to thee is matter of dolor, it is to me matter of joy. I rejoice that thou art so good, that thou embraces my dollars, to give me thy joys: let not me (o Lord) be so unhappy, that thou being born for the good of all men, I should give, as if thou hadst not been born for the good of me, hunting proudly after greatness, and forgetting thy lowliness, and humility.

3. Thirdly, I will ponder how the signs to find out the Savior that is born, are infancy, swaddling clothes, and a manger.

Colloquy

O infinite greatness of almighty God, who would ever have imagined, that things so base should be the signs to find out, and to know the God of majesty! but I now know (o Lord) that thou art delighted with these debasing, and that thou art in the midst of them, to move me to procure them: teaching me by the way, that the sign to know that thou art born spiritually within me, are innocency of an infant in life, silence in tongue, poverty in habit, and humility in choosing to myself that which is most vile, & contemptible on earth. Imprint them, (o my Savior) in my soul, that it may be like unto thee, that thou maist be pleased to be born, and to inhabit therein, Amen.

~ Luis de la Puente