Thirteenth meditation. The submission that Our Saviour practised in His divine infancy

I. , Point.

Consider, in the first place, the submission of the eternal Son to the will of His heavenly Father, knowing that He wished to save mankind. He offered Himself, He condescended to come upon earth, and to conceal Himself in the chaste womb of the most blessed Virgin. He who was greatness itself, omnipotent* omniscient, all-perfect, did not refuse, or as the Church sings, He had no horror of that narrow and obscure prison, because such was the will of His Father.

First point.

Eeflect that our good Saviour, having submitted to the office of Redeemer of men, submitted absolutely to all that depended thereon. He was satisfied to hide His eternal wisdom under the veil of infancy; and He, the uncreated "Word, condescended to keep silence until He had attained the age at which other children speak. In short, that rich, strong, immortal One condescended to appear as poor and as weak as His own creatures; and I, a wretched worm of the earth, I wish to show myself, I wish to speak, I wish to exalt myself!

Second point.

Reflect to what a degree the submission of our divine Saviour extended, since the Evangelist says that He was obedient to the Blessed Virgin and to the glorious St. Joseph. He abandoned Himself entirely to their guidance, to be taken up, to be car-

U 0072 SAVIOUR'S SUBMISSION.

ried, to be put down, with total indifference, for the reason, doubtless, that He regarded them as persons commissioned by His eternal Father to protect Him in His sacred infancy.

Affections.

O eternal God, Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, who for our good sent Thy Son down from heaven to assume our life, in order that He might bestow upon us His own life, fill my heart with affections of gratitude, and my lips with acts of thanksgiving in return for this benefit. O sweet Jesus! if, according to my unworthiness, I might imitate Thy submission, how happy I should be! When obedience sends me here or leaves me there, or destines me for any occupation, I should find no place too humble, too inconvenient; all should be acceptable to my will, if it was submissive to that of my heavenly Father. Is it possible, 0 my God! that I behold Thee undertake so much for me, and that I am willing to undertake nothing for Thee? You must, my dear soul, be courageous, in order to imitate your Spouse, and ascend to Him by this happy descent of submission and resignation of self.

0 my Lord! since in obedience to Thee I have followed my religious vocation, I now wish in imitation of Thee and assisted by Thy grace and Thy example, to submit myself to all that depends upon and appertains to my state of life. Being nothing, I desire to appear as nothing; having become a little child in order to gain the kingdom of heaven, I shall remain in silence, not knowing, as it were, how to speak except through charity or necessity. Behold the desires of my heart! But, O sweet and divine Infant! I expect from Thee and not from myself the grace, the strength, and the fidelity of which I have need to accomplish my purpose.

What dost Thou teacl me, O my divine Master, by Thy submission to the blessed Virgin and to St. Joseph, except to ask for nothing and to refuse nothing, and to remain wholly dependent on the will and direction of the Superiors that my heavenly Father has placed over me? Ah, my God, how ashamed I should be to see Thee obedient in all things and myself so frequently rebellious! Permit no longer, O Lord, this misfortune to befall me, but grant me the favor that, while adoring Thy submission, I may begin the practice of the same holy virtue.