Chapter 16: Of the inconceivable tenderness which the most glorious Virgin has for us

ON the Feast of the Purification, at the Procession, when Thou, our Salvation and Redemption, wert borne as an offering to the Temple, at the Antiphon, Cum inducerent,^

*Not in present office : Deus qui— Collect, Mass for Deceased Parents.

f "When His parents brought in the Child Jesus," &c., Versicle at Procession, Feast of the Purification. This procession is very ancient. It is mentioned by Pope Gelasius I. St. Bernard's sermons on such occasions are full of singular unction and sweetness. He says : " The procession was first made by the Virgin Mother, Simeon, and Anna, to be afterwards performed in all places and by every natiou. The concurrence of many in procession symbolises our union

Thy Virgin Mother told me to give her her Child, the blessed Fruit of her womb ; and she demanded Thee again from me with a severe countenance, as if she was not pleased with my care of Thee, who art the honour and joy of her spotless virginity.

Then, remembering the grace which she had received from Thee of being the hope of the despairing and the reconciler of sinners, I exclaimed : " 0 Mother of mercy ! was not the Fount of forgiveness given to thee as thy Son, that thou mightest obtain all grace for us from Him, and that the multitude of our sins and our deficiencies might be covered by thy abundant charity ? " Then she looked on me once more with a serene and loving countenance, so that I might know that if my fault obliged her to appear severe to me, she was, nevertheless, full of the most con summate tenderness, and penetrated to her inmost heart with the most sweet and Divine charity. I soon beheld the tokens of it, since a few words removed her anger, and her sweetness shone forth resplendently. May this abun dant tenderness of Thy Mother intercede with Thee, and obtain pardon for ray faults !

And I know, by a testimony clearer than light itself, that no obstacle could have arrested the torrent of Thy sweetness, when, on the Feast of Thy Nativity, the pre ceding year, Thou didst grant me a yet greater favour, though in a similar manner, as if I had merited it by the fervour of my zeal the year before, when, far from meriting a new grace, I was justly worthy of chastisement for having lost the first.

For when these words of the Gospel were read, "

and charity ; our walking, advancement in virtue ; the lights we carry, Christ, the true Light,"

ftlium suum primogenitum," * Thy spotless Mother pre sented Thee to me with her pure hands. And Thou, 0 amiable Infant, didst endeavour to embrace me with all Thy might ; I, though utterly unworthy, received Thee, and Thou didst put Thy Jittle arms round my neck, ex haling on me from Thy mouth a breath so full of sweet ness, that I was nourished and abundantly satisfied there with. For this, 0 Lord my God, may my soul and all that is within me adore and bless Thy Holy Name ! And when Thy Blessed Mother sought to wrap Thee in Thy gwathing-clothes, I desired to be wrapped up in them also, for fear of losing the company of One whose smiles and favours exceed the sweetness of honey and the honey comb. Thou wert then clothed in the fairest robe of innocence, and cinctured with the golden cincture of love ; and I felt that if I wished to be so clothed and so cinctured, I should seek to have more purity of heart, and to abound more in love.