Category: Saint Joseph

St. Joseph, Protect Our Families!

~ evensong

previously posted March 19, 2015

This year the Church bumped the feast day of St. Joseph due to its falling on a Lenten Sunday, That being the case, I had recommended all who were doing their Consecrations to St. Joseph to complete them on Sunday, when they had the opportunity to make their confessions and offer Mass and receive Our Lord in Holy Communion.

And so it is lovely to have this second day for Saint Joseph as well!  For he is the spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary , Mother of God and the foster father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God.. Now, when traditional Catholic families are under attack not only from the anti-christian governments and anti-life cultures, but also from the papacy and church leaders, we need to call on St. Joseph, strong defender of the family.

St. Teresa of Avila, the great Carmelite reformer, mystic and doctor of the Church was especially devoted to St. Joseph. From her Autobiography we read of St. Joseph, “I know by long experience what blessings he can obtain for us from God. I have never known anyone who was truly devoted to him by particular services who did not advance greatly in virtue: for he helps in a special way those souls who commend themselves to him.”
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St. Joseph, Remedy for Error, 2023

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And now, from October, 2015 and December 2021, a repost:

“We saw, beside the sun, Saint Joseph with the Child Jesus and Our Lady clothed in white with a blue mantle. Saint Joseph and the Child Jesus seemed to bless the world with gestures which they made with their hands in the form of a cross.” (Sister Lucia of Fatima)

This little noted event tells us so much! Even as the miracle of the sun is occurring, St. Joseph appears, holding the Child Jesus and both bless the world. This reminds us that God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, entrusted the Child Jesus to St. Joseph. Indeed, God’s wisdom entrusted the Holy Family to the quiet man, and now, at Fatima, he is revealed to us, to bless us in this time prefigured by the miracle of the sun.

At the miracle of the sun, the earth stood firm while the sun moved erratically. How can this be? And yet it happened. How can the Church, established by Christ become so erratic as it is today, under Pope Francis? How do we reconcile that the gates of hell will not prevail and the Holy Ghost will always guide her, with what we now see? St. Joseph solved a similar conundrum and he stands ready to help us now.

Matthew 1, 18-25  tells of Joseph’s dilemma and its resolution. His example of humility and steadfastness is precisely the example for us today. Faithful Catholics are torn today between the temptation to abandon the church, or to go along with the errors of the Bergoglio agenda.
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A Novena to Saint Joseph

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Today we have our  Novena for Saint Joseph, to begin on March 10, and complete the Eve of his feast day. I’m trying to restore our many other posts on this great saint, favorite of readers and favorite of our family too.

NOVENA TO SAINT JOSEPH

The feast day of our favorite saint, dear Saint Joseph is coming up soon and in preparation we have a Novena for St. Joseph from two of Father Lasance’s Prayer Books. First, Father Lasance’s “Prayer Book for Religious: A Complete Manual of Prayers and Devotions for the Use of the Members of All Religious Communities” from 1904. The second book is “With God: A Book of Prayers and Reflections” from 1911. In the latter book, we note,

“The Sovereign Pontiff, Pius IX, by a rescript of the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, Nov. 28, 1876, granted to all the faithful who, with contrite heart, devoutly make at any time during the year the novena in honor of St. Joseph, spouse of Mary most holy, with any formula of prayer, provided it be approved by competent ecclesiastical authority, an indulgence of 300 days, once a day; a plenary indulgence, during the course of the novena, if, being truly penitent, having confessed and communicated, they pray for the intention of the Sovereign Pontiff.”

Thus, we may use any approved prayer to St. Joseph for our novena and this is usually coupled with the Litany to Saint Joseph, as Father Lasance does. And so we offer several prayers to St. Joseph for you to choose from followed by St. Joseph’s Litany. In our own family, we pray a perpetual Novena to St. Joseph for the spiritual healing of our family, our parish and the Church, which consists of the Litany followed by the Memorare to St. Joseph. But in March, his month, we also include more prayers and devotions such as the ones we offer today. If you begin St. Joseph’s Novena on March 10, it will conclude on March 18, the Eve of his feast day, which is a good time to renew your Consecration also. An excellent practice is to begin each day with the Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and then follow with St. Joseph’s brief Consecration (as in the sidebar on right). When combined with Spiritual Communion (for the many of us who are not able to attend Mass daily), you have a great way to start each day.

NOTE: This year, St. Joseph’s feast day is observed the following day, due to falling on a Sunday, however, I am keeping the Novena as always, so that we can conclude it with Holy Mass and confession and Holy Communion.
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Saint Joseph’s Pre-eminence, 2023

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previously posted March 4, 2020 by evensong

“An exceptional divine mission calls for a corresponding degree of grace.”

Thus does Father Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange begin to explain St. Joseph’s pre-eminence. He continues,

To understand it we must add one remark: Those whom God Himself chooses directly and immediately to be His exceptional ministers in the work of redemption receive from Him grace proportionate to their vocation. This was the case with St. Joseph. He must have received a relative fulness of grace proportionate to his mission since he was chosen not by men nor by any creature but by God Himself and by God alone to fulfill a mission unique in the world. We cannot say at what precise moment St. Joseph’s sanctification took place. But we can say that, from the time of his marriage to Our Lady, he was confirmed in grace, because of his special mission.

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Saint Joseph and Dismas

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Today we have for you a new post about St. Joseph, by Edward Healy Thompson, from his book, “The Life and Glories of Saint Joseph” and in this one, he tells us of the surprising connection between the Holy Family and Dismas.

“SCRIPTURE does not tell us by what road the Holy Family fled into Egypt, but there can be little doubt that it was by the way that goeth down from Jerusalem to Gaza, which, as we read in Acts 8:26, was desert. It was by that road that the minister of Candace, Queen of the Ethiopians, was returning to his country when Philip overtook him. But he was a great man, seated at ease in his chariot, where he could beguile the way by reading, and surrounded by his servants, ready to minister to his wants. How different was the case of the Holy Family, alone, without attendance, and with the most scanty provision for their needs! But they had to face a worse desert after leaving Gaza. Passing through the land of the Philistines, they directed their steps, as is commonly believed, to Heliopolis. This was the easiest, shortest, and least perilous road; nevertheless, the holy travellers would have to traverse full seventy leagues, of which about fifty were solitary and desert.”

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Consecration to Saint Joseph and the Holy Family

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“Saint Joseph will come with the Child Jesus, to give peace to the world.”

This was the promise of Our Lady of the Rosary on August 19, 1917 in her fourth visit to the little saints of Fatima at Valinhos.  In this visit, we see Our Lord Jesus Christ and His Blessed Mother welcoming us into the safety and security of their own Holy Family. Let’s make use of this blessing! Note here, however, that devotion to this great saint is best expressed in conjunction with devotion to the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts. Let us not be misled.

CONSECRATION  TO  ST. JOSEPH  AND  TO  THE  HOLY  FAMILY

(For Private use)
O Jesus, sweetest and most adorable Savior! True God and true man, I adore Thee profoundly in the most Holy Trinity during eternity; and I adore Thee also in the virginal bosom of Mary, Thy most immaculate Mother, and in the arms of St Joseph, Thy virginal Father.

I give Thee thanks that Thou hast delivered me from the cruel slavery of the devil. On earth, Thou didst submit Thyself to Mary and Joseph in all things; grant that I may be Thy faithful slave through humble submission to them. My sweet Jesus, I have failed Thee many times, but now I beg Thee the grace to submit myself in all things to Thy foster father St. Joseph and to Thy most pure and merciful Mother.

Oh most tender and sweet Mother; I love thee with my whole soul and my whole strength. I leave in thy pure hands all that I possess and shall possess – my heart, my soul, my merits, my acts, thoughts and desires; even my defects and my sins. All is thine and always will be thine, my most dear Mother. Love thou Jesus on my behalf and intercede for me. Alas, dearest, sweetest Mother, I have failed thee often in the past, but now I beseech thee to direct my heart and my mind to consecrate myself this day to thy most chaste spouse St. Joseph, that I might love thee through him; console thee through him; repair the offenses against thine Immaculate Heart through him; so that once I am living in his arms he may offer on my behalf all that I have given to thee, and all that I have not been able to give thee.

Oh my dear Father St. Joseph! To thee do I turn, asking thee to take thy child, this poor sinner, under the protection of thy most chaste heart; I entrust to thee my Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, thy beloved Spouse and my consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, thy Son, my Savior. I am but a weak and foolish sinner, but I trust in thee, for I am thy child as well, dear Father.

I deliver and consecrate to thee, as thy slave, my body and soul, my goods, both interior and exterior, and even the value of all my good actions, past, present and future; leaving to thee the entire and full right of disposing of myself and of all that belongs to me, without exception, according to thy good pleasure, for the greatest glory of God and the greatest joy of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in time and in eternity.

Receive, O Virgin Father, this little offering of my slavery, in honor of and in union with that subjection which our Lord and Savior deigned to have to Mary and to thee, in homage to the power which this thy Holy Family has over this poor sinner, and in thanksgiving for the privileges with which the Holy Trinity has favored thee and thy Immaculate Spouse. I declare that I wish henceforth, as thy true slave, to seek thine honor and to obey thee in all things.

O most loving Father, preserve me from all blight of error and corruption. Protect me from the powers of darkness. Shield me ever under thy patronage, that, imitating thine example and strengthened by thy help, I may lead a holy life, die a happy death, and attain to everlasting bliss in Heaven. Amen.

†.  †.  †

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Novena for the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2023

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previously posted January 23, 2020 by evensong

We offer this Novena today to begin  it tomorrow, January 24 and finish on the Vigil of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, for those of us who would like to renew our Consecrations on Our Lady’s Feast day.

Please note that each day’s prayers conclude with the God the Shepherd Prayer for the Pope. This is because we really do need to put aside our own opinions and pray for this benighted man. Saint Jacinta of Fatima stressed the need for us to pray for the Pope and I believe that when we pray for this poor man, it pleases Our Lady so much. I hope you will consider it. In this regard, recall St. John of the Cross’s admonition: “In the evening of your life, you will be judged on love. Put away your own way (of loving) and learn to love as God wills.” For more on this subject, please see our earlier post, “Prayer and Penance for the Pope“.

Everything about this diabolical combat demonstrates for those who pay attention that this is all about love; for we were created in love, redeemed in love and are sustained in love – and satan is never happier than when he has instigated hatred, bitterness and the desire to wreak revenge. For Love’s sweet sake, return to Love! Put away the hate, it does no good, simply love and allow God’s grace to begin healing the Church through Her – She who is the Immaculate Mother of God.

Each day, we begin with:

Come, Holy Ghost
Come, Holy Ghost, fill the hearts of Thy faithful, and enkindle in them the fire of Thy love.
V. Send forth Thy Spirit, and they shall be created.
R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.
Let us pray.
O God, who hast taught the hearts of Thy faithful by the light of the Holy Ghost; grant that by the gift of the same Spirit we may always be truly wise and ever rejoice in His consolation. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

First Day (Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023):

Come, Holy Ghost (as above)

Most holy Mary, bright Mirror of all virtues, the forty days after thy delivery were no sooner past than thou, though the purest of all virgins, didst will to be presented in the Temple to be purified according to the Law; Grant that we by imitating thee, may keep our hearts unstained by sin, that so we too may be made worthy one day to be presented to our God in Heaven.

Ave Maria

Litany of Loreto
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the World, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, pray for us.
Holy Mother of God, pray for us.
Holy Virgin of Virgins, pray for us.
Mother of Christ, pray for us.
Mother of Divine Grace, pray for us.
Mother most Pure, pray for us.
Mother most Chaste, pray for us.
Mother Inviolate, pray for us.
Mother Undefiled, pray for us.
Mother most Amiable, pray for us.
Mother most Admirable, pray for us.
Mother of Good Counsel, pray for us.
Mother of our Creator, pray for us.
Mother of our Savior, pray for us.
Virgin most Prudent, pray for us.
Virgin most Venerable, pray for us.
Virgin most Renowned, pray for us.
Virgin most Powerful, pray for us.
Virgin most Merciful, pray for us.
Virgin most Faithful, pray for us.
Mirror of Justice, pray for us.
Seat of Wisdom, pray for us.
Cause of our Joy, pray for us.
Spiritual Vessel, pray for us.
Vessel of Honor, pray for us.
Singular Vessel of Devotion, pray for us.
Mystical Rose, pray for us.
Tower of David, pray for us.
Tower of Ivory, pray for us.
House of Gold, pray for us.
Ark of the Covenant, pray for us.
Gate of Heaven, pray for us.
Morning Star, pray for us.
Health of the Sick, pray for us.
Refuge of Sinners, pray for us.
Comforter of the Afflicted, pray for us.
Help of Christians, pray for us.
Queen of Angels, pray for us.
Queen of Patriarchs, pray for us.
Queen of Prophets, pray for us.
Queen of Apostles, pray for us.
Queen of Martyrs, pray for us.
Queen of Confessors, pray for us.
Queen of Virgins, pray for us.
Queen of all Saints, pray for us.
Queen conceived without Original Sin, pray for us.
Queen assumed into Heaven, pray for us.
Queen of the most Holy Rosary, pray for us.
Queen of the Family, pray for us.
Queen of Peace, pray for us.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord!
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord!
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
V. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
Grant, we beg Thee, O Lord God, that we Thy servants, may enjoy lasting health of mind and body, and by the glorious intercession of the Blessed Mary, ever Virgin, be delivered from present sorrow and enter into the joy of eternal happiness. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

V. Thou gavest birth without loss of thy virginity.
R. Intercede for us, O holy Mother of God.
Let us pray.
O God, by the fruitful virginity of Blessed Mary, Thou hast bestowed upon the human race the rewards of eternal salvation; grant, we beg Thee, that we may know the effects of her intercession, through whom we have been made worthy to receive the Author of life, our Lord Jesus Christ Thy Son. Who livest and reignest with Thee forever and ever. R. Amen.

God the Shepherd
O God, the Shepherd and Ruler of all the faithful, graciously look down upon Thy servant Pope Francis, whom Thou hast chosen to be the pastor of Thy Church; and grant him, we beseech Thee, both by word and example, so to direct those over whom Thou hast placed him, that, together with the flock entrusted to his care, he may attain eternal life. O God, our refuge and strength, who art the author of all holiness, hear the prayers of Thy Church, and grant that what we ask in faith we may effectually obtain. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Second Day (Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023):

Come, Holy Ghost

Virgin most obedient, at thy Presentation in the Temple, thou didst willingly offer the customary sacrifice of women; enable us so to follow thine example, that we may become a living sacrifice to God, by practising every virtue.
Ave Maria.
Litany of Loreto
God, the Shepherd

Third Day (Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023):

Come, Holy Ghost

Virgin most pure, thou didst despise the reproach of men whilst observing the precept of the Law; intercede for us that we may always to keep our hearts pure, despite what the world may think of us.
Ave Maria.
Litany of Loreto
God, the Shepherd

Fourth Day (Friday, Jan. 27, 2023):

Come, Holy Ghost

Virgin most holy, by offering thy Son, the Divine Word, to His Eternal Father, thou didst gladden the Court of Heaven; present our poor hearts to God, that by His grace they may always be kept free from mortal sin.

Ave Maria.
Litany of Loreto
God, the Shepherd

Fifth Day (Saturday, Jan. 28, 2023):

Come, Holy Ghost

Virgin most humble, by placing thy Son Jesus in the arms of holy old Simeon, thou didst fill His soul with heavenly joy; place our hearts in God’s loving care, that He may fill them with Holy Ghost.

Ave Maria.
Litany of Loreto
God, the Shepherd

Sixth Day (Sunday, Jan. 29, 2023):

Come, Holy Ghost

Virgin most diligent, in ransoming thy Son Jesus according the Law, thou didst cooperate in the salvation of the world; ransom now our poor hearts from the slavery of sin, that they may be ever pure before the sight of God.

Ave Maria.
Litany of Loreto
God, the Shepherd

Seventh Day (Monday, Jan. 30, 2023):

Come, Holy Ghost

Virgin most meek, on hearing the prophecy of Simeon foretelling thy woes, thou didst humbly resign thyself to the good pleasure of God; make us always resigned to the dispositions of His Providence, and enable us to bear all troubles with patience.

Ave Maria.
Litany of Loreto
God, the Shepherd

Eighth Day (Tuesday Jan. 31, 2023) :

Come, Holy Ghost

Virgin most compassionate, when through thy divine Son thou didst fill the soul of Anna the prophetess with light, thou didst make her magnify the mercies of God by recognizing Jesus as the Redeemer of the world: enrich our souls with heavenly grace, that we may share the fruit of the divine redemption.

Ave Maria.
Litany of Loreto
God, the Shepherd

Ninth Day (Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023):

Come, Holy Ghost

Virgin most resigned, although thou didst feel thine own soul transfixed with sorrow, foreseeing all the bitter Passion of thy Son, yet knowing the grief of Joseph thy Spouse for all thy sufferings, thou didst console him with holy words; pierce through and through our souls with true sorrow for our sins, that we may one day come to rejoice with thee in everlasting bliss.

Ave Maria.
Litany of Loreto
God, the Shepherd

V. Simeon received an answer from the Holy Spirit.
R. That he should not see death until he had seen the Christ of the Lord.

Let us pray:

Almighty, everlasting God, we pray Thy majesty, that as Thine only begotten Son was presented in the temple in the substance of our flesh, so Thou wouldst enable us to present ourselves before Thee with clean hearts. Amen

NOTE: I you found anything of benefit in this post, please consider offering a Rosary or Seven Sorrows Chaplet for our priests who suffer greatly in this crisis of the faith. Thank you so much for reading. I pray for you all, always.

†  Immaculate Heart of Mary, Queen of our hearts, Mother of the Church, do thou offer to the Eternal Father the Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, for the conversion of poor sinners, especially our Pontiff.
†  Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Thy kingdom come! Viva Cristo Rey!

~ by evensong for love of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ, King.
Vouchsafe that I may praise thee, O Sacred Virgin! Give me strength against thine enemies!

Thank you for reading. Please continue to pray for our priests!

The Feast of the Holy Family, 2023

~ evensong

previously posted on January 7, 2018

Today, the first Sunday after Epiphany, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Family, which is the last time in the liturgical year in which we honor the hidden life of Jesus. It is especially important to Consecrate our children, indeed our families today and we have resources for this both in the sidebar to the right and at top of the page just beneath the title, where a banner displays our pages you will see Family Consecration.

For today, we return to the Feast of the Holy Family to renew our faith, our hope and most of all, take heart in our love for the Holy Family and their abiding love for us.

In the Gospel today, we read of the event which comprises the Fifth Joyful Mystery, the Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple. In this, we commemorate the first words of Jesus recorded in the Gospel, “How is it that you sought Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”

St. Luke then tells us that Jesus returned to Nazareth with Mary and Joseph “and was subject to them.” In this brief account, we consider several important lessons: First, Jesus establishes His mission in His first recorded words,  “I must be about My Father’s business.” And second, Jesus was subject to Mary and Joseph. The Son of God first asserts the primacy of God, by stating that His mission is to serve the Father in all things, then Jesus affirms the importance of family, “He was subject to them.”

On the firm bedrock of total obedience to God in all things, we can most perfectly live out our love of God within our families, whether they be our personal families or our religious communities. If love of God comes first, what follows cannot fail to serve Him.
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Christmas Sermon of Saint Jean-Marie Vianney

~ evensong
O, when we come to the crib, let us bring our Saviour a childlike, repentant heart, and pray to Him that we may be as little children; that we, as children, may walk in the purity of our hearts, that we may be humble before God and men.

For Christmas time this year, we share with you a Christmas sermon by St. Jean Vianney from a book I recommend, Sermons of the Curé of Ars, by KIC.

THE NATIVITY OP OUR LORD ~GOD WITH US~

“And His name shall be called Emmanuel.” —Is. vii. 14. Beloved brethren, assembled in the name of Jesus Christ: On the plains of Bethlehem, the angels of heaven brought to the shepherds and to us a wonderful message of joy. “Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, that shall be to all the people: For this day is born to you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David” (Luke ii. 10, 11). Since the world was made no such message of joy had ever been brought to men. Men bring one another messages of joy. How many joyful sounds have already been heard upon earth, how many days of happiness are arranged, how many joyful messages are brought; but the sounds of joy are carried away on the air, to leave behind only slight remembrances, like faint lights; joyful days pass away, and days of visitation follow days of blessing, and joyful chimes are often changed to chimes of mourning. How often is the joy of one the sorrow of the other! How often does it happen that what to one is a cause of jubilation to another is an occasion for tears! And even if the curse of inconstancy and the reverse of earthly happiness did not sadden man’s joyful message, it would still be incapable of making the heart of man happy in its deepest depths; it does not send its rays right down to the bottom of the heart; it is hardly able to gild the walls of our soul with its feeble, caressing light.

But the angels’ message on the plains of Bethlehem was of quite another kind; it did not come from the palaces of earthly kings, or from the halls of pleasure, from the markets of the earth; it came from heaven, bringing with it heavenly flowers, heavenly blessings, and heavenly graces. The angels, messengers from the choirs of blessed light, bring it on lips overflowing with jubilation; pure and undefiled, without shadow of deception and sorrow, rings out the jubilee down upon the earth, laden with sin, and it reaches into our innermost hearts.

It is announced, not to one or the other, but to the beggar and the king, the child and the old man, the poor and the rich. The angels announced to the shepherds that it should be made known to all people, in the east and the west, in the north and the south; it shall ring forth and make joyful through all the ages; it shall never cease, not even when the world shall keep its vigil, and the book of humanity will be closed, and then it will ring on in eternity: a Saviour is born to you, who is Christ the Lord. Oh, who can depict the joy of a Christmas festival! Over our altars floats the joy of this joyful message, from the plains of Bethlehem it sinks into our hearts and breathes consolation and hope into our souls.
Continue reading “Christmas Sermon of Saint Jean-Marie Vianney” →

Bethlehem and Calvary

~ evensong
We offer again a repost from a controversial author that was not well received initially. But I have always liked tis essay and so here we are, again. thank you for reading.
previously posted on : december 23, 2018  by : evensong

Our Lord Jesus Christ could have chosen to redeem us in an infinite variety of ways, but He chose the way of a helpless infant. There is a lesson in that, but it is often overlooked. Caryll Houselander was a quirky lady, and has some interesting thoughts to offer on the subject. She certainly isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I am fond of this essay and hope that you too will see something of value in it.

† . † . †

On the night of His birth, when He first gave His body to us, lambs were brought to Christ. On the night before He died, when He gave us His body in Holy Communion, He kept the ritual of the Paschal lamb. The lowly beasts came into the stable to stand close to Mary and Joseph and to warm them with their great shaggy flanks. The breath of cattle is fragrant with clover; old men and children believe that this is so because the ox was to breathe on the nakedness of the little Lord to warm Him. At all events it was the yoke of the ox that Christ used as the symbol of the Cross laid on the shoulders of all those who would follow Him through the ages. “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and humble of heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For my yoke is sweet, and my burden light.”  (Matt 11, 29-30)

A donkey stood by the manger, and Christ rode on a donkey on the eve of His Passion – which, we are told, is the reason why every donkey has a cross marked out in soft dark fur on his grey back. Long ago the prophet had foreseen the hour of Christ’s birth and Christ’s death in one inseparable vision: “In the midst of two animals, Thou shalt be made known. When the years shall draw nigh, Thou shalt be known. When the time shall come, Thou shalt be shown.”  On Calvary Christ is set between two thieves; in Bethlehem He is set between two animals. On Calvary He is poor, with the poverty of destitution; in Bethlehem He is poor, with the poverty of destitution. He is deprived of his home in Nazareth; the cradle made ready for Him is empty: “The foxes have holes; the birds of the air nests; but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head.”
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