Advent and Christmas Wisdom with St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
26 December – The Second Day of the Christmas Octave
Jesus is born an infant
“Consider the first sign which the angel gave to the shepherds as they discovered the newborn Messiah, was that they would find Him as an infant. The littleness of infants causes us to respond in love but consider that the infant Jesus, who is also the incomprehensible God, has made Himself an infant for our sake. Adam came into the world as a fully-developed man, the eternal Word chose to appear to us as an infant, so that He might attract our hearts to Himself with great force. He did not come into the world for any other reason, other than, to be loved!
How is it possible, that any person can reflect with faith about God, who became a little child and not love Him? As St Francis of Assisi said “Let us love the child of Bethlehem, let us love the child of Bethlehem.” He is an infant, He does not speak, He only cries but these cries are cries of love which invite us to love Him, cries that demand our hearts.
My beloved Jesus, my dearest infant, enchain me with Your love. I love You and will always love You. Permit me never to be separated from You.”
Scripture
And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger.
Luke 2:16
Prayer
Glory to God, the angels cry
Earth hears the echo from on high.
Mankind’s true Shepherd and its Lord,
by shepherd hearts is first adored.
Almighty God,
Your incarnate Word fills us
with the new light He brought to men.
Let the light of faith in our hearts
shine through all that we do and say.
Amen
AnaStpaul 