Christmas Wisdom with St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
29 December – The Fifth Day of the Christmas Octave
Jesus lies on the straw
“Consider that the Mother of Jesus has neither wool or down to make a bed for the tender infant. What does she do? She gathers together a small handful of straw into the manger. How hard and how painful is this bed for an infant that has just been born. The limbs of a baby are so delicate and especially the limbs of Jesus, which were formed by the Holy Spirit with special care and delicacy. Straw is a bed fit only for beasts and yet the Son of God had no other bed on which lie, than a bed of miserable straw. St Francis of Assisi, while sitting at table one day, reflected on this fact and immediately rose from his place at table, threw himself on the ground and finished his meal. “What” he said, “My Lord was laid on straw and I continue to sit?”
My beloved Jesus, I do not desire to leave You alone to cry and to suffer. Your tears both afflict and console me. They afflict me because You are so innocent but they console me, because they assure me of the gift of salvation. I, too, will weep, because it is my sins that are the cause of Your sufferings.”
Scripture
“…he who says he abides in him,
ought to walk in the same way, in which he walked.”
1 John 2:6
Prayer (St Alphonsus)
O Most merciful Infant Jesus,
I give You thanks
for all that You suffered for me.
O my sweetest Love,
I am sorry that I have offended You.
I desire to be always faithful in Your service.
Fill my heart with Your love.
O Mary, grant that I may belong
entirely to you and your Son, Jesus.
Amen
AnaStpaul 