The Third Joyful Mystery
The Birth of Jesus
1. When
God became man in order to instruct and redeem the lost and erring human
race, the gesture would have been deprived of its real significance if
He had chosen to be born in a palace, surrounded by the passing
splendour of worldly glory and wealth.
It would have been
meaningless not only for God, but also for us, if He had abandoned the
imperishable glory of Heaven and the infinite wealth of everlasting
happiness in order to assume the kind of earthly grandeur which in His
eyes is but a vanishing cloud. What we needed was to learn the way of
humility and of detachment from worldly things, which can so easily lead
us to forget the supernatural. We needed someone to come and sanctify
suffering, which purifies and elevates the soul. We needed someone to
appease divine justice on our behalf and to teach us that the way of the
cross is the only one which can lead to Heaven. This was why the
Eternal Word of God became a poor and lowly infant, choosing a stable
rather than a palace, and the little village of Bethlehem in Judea in
preference to the imperial city of Rome. He wished His extreme poverty
and deprivation to be His first lesson to mankind.
2. Like the
simple shepherds, let us prostrate ourselves with faith and with love
before the manger. Let us offer as our gifts our good resolutions; let
us offer our hearts and ask God to change them and make them entirely
His forever.
Quite suddenly, the darkness of the night and the
wretchedness of the cave were illuminated by a bright light from Heaven.
While men were unaware of, or indifferent to, the miraculous event
which had taken place, bands of Angels descended from Heaven and sang:
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men of good
will.” (Luke 2:13-14) Joseph bent over the divine Infant and silently
adored Him, while the Blessed Virgin knelt at His feet in loving
contemplation.
3. Let us, too, learn to adore and love Him as
His Mother and foster-father did. Let us love Him, that is, with a
contemplative love, not distracted by worldly affairs; with a humble
love, because we owe everything to Him, without whom we are nothing but
miserable sinners; with a sympathetic love, because we know that He
suffered for us and spent Himself for our eternal salvation; and lastly,
with a love which is entirely dedicated. After all, if He loved us so
much that He gave Himself entirely for us, it is only just that in our
love for Him we should sacrifice ourselves completely. All our thoughts,
affections, and actions should be offered to Him with purity of
intention and with a firm resolution of living in accordance with His
holy will.
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