Roger Baxter

“ III. All those who are full of the divine Spirit naturally tend towards the mountain of perfection. They despise the world and soar above it, and their thoughts are centred in heaven. " Save thyself in the mountain," said the angel to Lot. (Gen. xix. 17.) Besides, they act with vigor, with speed, and with fervor; for, as St. Ambrose writes, " The grace of the Holy Ghost knows no lingering delays." Examine whether or not, in your thoughts and desires, you adhere to inferior things, and linger in the way that leads to the mountain of perfection.
TUESDAY.
Entrance into the House of Elizabeth. ”

“ He chose, however, to be born of a mother: first, in order to honor both sexes, man in His own person, and woman by taking flesh and blood of her; secondly, that in her we also might have a mother to plead in our behalf with her son, who will be our Judge; thirdly, that becoming Himself a helpless infant, and subject to His mother, He might give us a striking example of humility and subjection. Reflect how in all these things, which were subject to His own will, He always chooses the worst and most repugnant to sense. ”

“ Joseph and the Virgin obeyed the edict, though the motive of the Emperor was not the best, and though their obedience was attended with inconvenience. View the holy travellers: they present an object worthy of the divine approbation and of the admiration of men, in consequence of their conformity to the will of God, their patience, and their modesty. Imagine the divine entertainment which the Virgin received from her Son; respect the holy travellers, and venerate that divine poverty which rendered them so pleasing to God. ”

“ Persons of this second class follow Christ, but coldly. They purpose indeed to keep the commandments, but care not to aim at higher perfection, and therefore often fail even in the observance of these. When they are addressed in these words — " If thou wilt be perfect, go sell what thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come follow me — they go away sorrowful," like the young man in the gospel (Matt. xix. 21.) ”

“ The grave comportment of the angel and the modesty of his countenance corresponded to his veneration of the Virgin. Learn hence to act like an angel in your intercourse with men, but more especially so with God in prayer. The Virgin was pronounced by the angel to be full of grace, by excellence, and far superior to all other pure creatures. Reflect what you are full of, whether of grace and virtue, or not rather of pride, vanity and self-love. ”

“ III. The second important lesson which we are taught in the Magnificat is, that humility is a virtue of the greatest efficacy. It was so, 1, in regard to the Virgin herself; for it was the foundation of all her greatness. She acknowledges it herself when she says, "He hath regarded the humility of His handmaid: for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed." 2. It was so in regard to all mankind: For God "hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble; He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He hath sent away empty." ”

“ Admire that singular humility, which prompted her, who is styled the mother of God, to retain the name of a handmaid. This is the humility, which our " Lord regarded" and loved so much in her, as she proclaims in her Canticle. Embrace the same humility in your life and actions, if you wish the Holy Ghost to dwell in you; for "He sendeth forth springs in the vales." (Ps. ciii. 10.) He bestows on the humble, the waters of His grace; but He deprives the proud of their moisture.
II. The quality of handmaid, or servant, though contemptible amongst men, in relation to God is honorable. ”

“ Salute her in the spirit of Elizabeth; acknowledge and praise her excellence, arising from her divine maternity.
III. Consider those other words of Elizabeth: "Whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" (Luke i. 43.) The spirit of God always prompts humility, and humility attends all His gifts. Observe how by divine inspiration she styles her Mother of God, which the Church acknowledges as her chief title. Learn from the infant and his mother how you ought to entertain Christ in the Eucharist. ”

“ I. The parents of the Baptist were pronounced by the Evangelist to be "both just before God, walking in all the commandments and justifications of the Lord without blame." (Luke i. 6.) Here strengthen your faith on the important dogma that it is possible to observe all the commandments of God ; for Zachary and Elizabeth observed them. It is possible, too, to observe the counsels; for they walked in all the justifications of the Lord without blame. Aim at the perfection of your calling, and be just in the sight of God and blameless in your conversation with men. ”

“ Be ashamed that you should so miserably love and seek after those things which appear great and pleasing to the eyes of the world. Convince yourself that this affection is erroneous, and labor to correct it. ”

“ She that was barren has become fruitful, in order that you may discover that nothing is impossible to God. Therefore although you have hitherto been fruitless in good works, yet by the divine grace and your own concurrence, you may produce many, not only in yourself, but also in your neighbors, according to your condition and state of life. ”

“ We must labor in the exercise of Christian perfection " till Christ be formed in us." (Gal. iv. 19.) If our desires do not display themselves in acts of virtue, they will only torture our consciences and prove our ruin. "Desires," says the Wise Man, "kill the slothful." (Prov. xxi. 25.) Encourage yourself, therefore, and inflame your heart with the antiphons of the Church used during this holy time. "O wisdom, which issued from the mouth of the Most High, extending from end to end mightily, and sweetly disposing all things, come and teach us the way of prudence, etc." ”

“ Learn hence, that it is not real humility to deny or dissemble the natural or supernatural gifts which we possess. You must, however, acknowledge that they proceed from the mere goodness of God, — not from yourself or your own deserts; and you must refer to Him all the praise and honor resulting from them, and usurp nothing of them to yourself.
II. In this Canticle we are taught two important lessons: First, to rejoice and delight in God alone and in those things which appertain to our salvation, and not in the vanities and pleasures nor in the praises and favors of the world. ”

“ All mankind were in a state of banishment, they were slaves to the devil and enemies to God; and falling from one sin into another, they exposed themselves to undergo all those pains which God had reserved for His enemies. There were no possible means of appeasing the justice of God; for no creature could make sufficient atonement for original sin. ”

“ By following the example of men, whoever they may be, you may err, because they are men, capable consequently of being themselves deceived, and of wishing to deceive others. But, by imitating the Son of God, you cannot wander astray, because He is " the way;" you cannot be deceived, because He is" the truth ;" you cannot perish, because He is " the life." ”

“ I. As soon as the Word incarnate was conceived in the womb of the Virgin, He hastened to sanctify His precursor and commence His office as Saviour. He inspired His mother to visit her cousin Elizabeth, in order that she, who was to be the mediatrix between us and her son, might in some manner concur to the first sanctification which He wrought. She readily obeyed the divine impulse, and willingly embraced the occasion of doing a good office. Learn of her to be zealous in assisting others and to lose no occasion of exercising charity. ”

“ Christ with good reason was the expectation of the Gentiles, for He came to enlighten those that sat in darkness and in the shadow of death; He came to give sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, and the use of their limbs to the lame; He came, in fine, to bring salvation to all. " He shall save His people from their sins." (Matt. i. 21.)
II. This Messias, this expectation of the Gentiles, will visit you to-day in the Eucharist, to free you from your iniquities, to cure your infirmities, to bestow on you the gifts of His grace, in a wTord, to save you. ”

“ His infinite wisdom dictated that our moral evils should be cured by their opposite virtues. Man sinned through pride, vainly affecting an equality with God. The tempter told our first parents in Paradise; "You shall be as gods." (Gen. iii. 5.) This vice was to be cured by the Redeemer, who "debased Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men." (Phil. ii. 7.) Detest pride, which has introduced so much evil into the world, and imitate the example of humility which Christ has given in His incarnation.
II. Consider His ineffable charity ”

“ Reflect on your obligations to God for having condescended to give you this model, and by that means facilitated your progress in virtue. It is much easier to imitate the actions of another than to do those actions if they are only commanded. ”

“ This grace the Virgin possessed in an eminent degree over every other creature, in such a, manner that the words spoken of queen Esther may be applied to her : " And the King loved her more than all the women, and she had favor and kindness before him above all the women." (Esth. ii. 17.)
II. Consider the substance of the message which the angel bore: " Thou shalt bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus," that is, Saviour. " He shall be great," by nature, since He is God; by His office, for He is the mediator between God and man ”

“ This grace was continually increased by her heroic acts of virtue. 5. She conceived and remained a virgin. 6. She brought forth her Son without pain, and without detriment to her virginal integrity. 7. She is finally an ocean of all kinds of grace, and her perfection surpassed the united perfections of all the Saints and angels.
III. Consider the exalted titles to which she has a just claim. She is in a special manner the daughter of the eternal Father, the chosen mother of the only begotten Son, and the spouse of the Holy Ghost. She is the sovereign of men and angels. ”

“ II. This anointed of the Lord will visit you to-day in the Eucharist, to make you partaker of His sweet ointments. "Myrrh, and stacte, and cassia perfume thy garments" (Ps. xliv. 9) , that is the sacramental forms under which Christ is clothed in the Eucharist. At His visit He will anoint you with His three-fold unction: 1. With the unction of mercy He will efface all your sins. 2. With the unction of fortitude He will strengthen you against your spiritual enemies. 3. With the unction of wisdom He will instruct and enlighten your understanding. ”

“ Approach, then, this divine mystery in such a manner that this little one may again be born in your heart; and convince yourself that this will be the case, if you begin to lead a life conformable to His own; if you love nothing but what He loved, so that you may be able to say, with the Apostle, " I live, now not I ”