Meditation On The Epiphany: Of The Departure Of The Sages From Jerusalem, And Their Entrance Into The Inn At Bethlehem, And What Happened There POINT II

BASSANO, Jacopo 
The Three Magi 
c. 1562 

XXIII. MEDITATION.

Of the departure of the Sages from Jerusalem, and their entrance into the Inn at Bethlehem, and what happened there.

THE II. POINT.

The Sages arriving at Bethlehem, the Star stood over the place where the king, whom the sought was born, and entering into the house, they found the child with Mary his mother.

1. In this case I will first consider the great novelty, and admiration it caused in the Sages, to see the Star stay over a place so poor, and vile as that Stable was: for being such principal men as they were, they might rather have thought that this king should have been born in some palace, or in the best thous of the city, where other kings used to lie: but being illuminated with an interior light, they acknowledged that the greatest of that king, did not demostrat it self in the pomps of this world, but in the true contempt of them: and therefore they subjected their judgment to the testimony of the exterior Star.

O blessed king, seeing that all ready thou beginnest to triumph over the world, captivating the understandings of the wise for the service of thy faith, captivate also mine very strongly, that I may triumph over the world, contemning for thy love, all that is therein, Amen.

2. Secondly, I will ponder the mystery of these words, they found the child with Mary his mother. The which were likewise spoken of the Shepherds; to signify, that regularly JESUS is not found without his mother, nor the mother without JESUS: for whosoever is a true lover of JESUS, is immediately devoted to his mother: and whosoever is devoted to his mother, obtaineth the love, and amity of JESUS: and seeing both are so united together, I am to advance myself in the love, and service of them both: for the love of one, confirmeth, & perfecteth me in the love of the other.

3. Thirdly, I am to ponder, how in the very instant that the Sages beheld the child, there issued from his divine coutenance a ray of celestial light, which penetrated their hearts, and discovered unto them, that he was God, and man, the king and Messias promised to the Jews, and the Savior of the world: and caused in them such an exceeding interior joy, that it replenished their whole soul: for if the sight of the material Star caused in them so great joy, what joy would arise in them to behold JESUS the star of the morning, and Lord of all Stars? O how full of content were they to behold this divine star? that being proportionally fulfilled in them, which was spoken by the Prophet David: I shall be filled when thy glory shall appear.

O glory of the Father, bright-shinning star of the morning, illuminate me with thy light: fill me with beholding thee: recreate me with thy splendor,and replenish me with good things by thy celestial influence. Happy are they that fond thee, though it be in a manger; for the baseness of the place, obscurity not the greatness of thy glory: it rather tempereth the immensity of thy splendor, that men may contemplate thee with more taste.

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