Advent Meditation~By St. Alphonsus de Liguori (December 5)

[Dawn Marie]

THE MYSTERIES OF THE FAITH

THE INCARNATION

Discourse by Saint Alphonsus de Liguori

December 5, 2014

 

Discourse 6

 

He could, indeed have appeared upon this earth a full-grown man, as the first man Adam appeared. No, the Son of God wished to present Himself under the form of a sweet little child, that thus He might the more readily and the more forcibly draw to Himself the love of man. Little children of themselves are loved at once, and to see them and to love them is the same thing. With this view, says St. Francis de Sales, the Eternal Word chose first to be seen among men as an infant, to conciliate to Himself the love of all mankind.

 

St. Peter Chrysologus writes: "How should our Lord come, who wishes to drive away fear, to seek love? What breast so savage as not to soften before such a childhood? What hardness which it will not subdue, what love does it not claim? Thus, therefore, He would be born who willed to be to be loved, and not feared." The saint would say that if our Redeemer had come to be feared and respected by men, He would have come as a full-grown man and with royal dignity; but because He came to gain our love, He chose to come and to show Himself as an infant, and the poorest of infants, born in a cold stable between two animals, laid in a manger on straw, without clothing or fire to warm His shivering little limbs: "Thus would He be born, who willed to be loved and not feared."Ah, my Lord! who was it that drew Thee from Heaven to be born in a stable? It was love, the love Thou bearest toward men. Who took Thee from the right hand of Thy Father, where Thou sittest, and placed Thee in a manger? Who snatched Thee from Thy throne above the stars, and put Thee to lie on a little straw? Who changed Thy position from the midst of angels, to be placed betwixt a pair of beasts? It was all the work of love; Thou inflamest the Seraphim, and dost Thou not shiver with cold? Thou supportest the heavens, and must Thou be now carried in the arms?

Thou providest food for men and beasts, and now dost Thou crave a little milk to sustain Thy life? Thou makest the Seraphim happy, and now dost Thou weep and moan? Who has reduced Thee to such misery? Love has done it: "Thus would He be born who willed to be loved and not feared."