Sunday, December 26, 2010

A Visit to the Crib

Do thou also kneel down – thou hast delayed too long.  Adore the Lord thy God, and then reverence his Mother, and salute, with much respect, the saintly old man Joseph.  After this, kiss the feet of the Infant Jesus, laid as he is on his little bed, and ask Our Lady to give him to thee, or permit thee to take him up.  Take him into thine arms, press him to thy heart, and look well at his lovely face, and reverently kiss him, and show him confidently the delight thou takest in him.  Thou mayest venture on all this, because it is for sinners that he came, that he might save them: it was with sinners that he so humbly conversed, and at last gave himself to sinners, that he might be their food.  I say, then, that his gentle love will permit thee to treat him as affectionately as thou pleasest, and will not call it too much freedom, but will set it down to thy love.
— St Bonaventure, Meditations on the Life of Christ 
(Guéranger's Liturgical Year, Vol. II, p. 220)

No comments: