Thought for the Day – 9 December – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
Meditations for Advent
From “The Devout Year”
By Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
The Fulfilment of the Decree
+1. The promised Coming of the Redeemer had indeed been long delayed. Patriarch had succeeded Patriarch, and died without having the privilege of seeing that long-expected day . The long line of the Prophets had passed away but, their desire, for the Messias, had not been satisfied. God always keeps His servants waiting, for His best gifts and, therefore, it was but fitting, they should wait for thousands of years before receiving this Gift of gifts, this Gift in which He gave them Himself.
+2. The Second Person of the Blessed Trinity had also been waiting for one, whose immaculate purity should make her fit, as far as any child of Adam could be fit, to be His Mother. There had been many holy women among the daughters of Abraham but none, without sin and, therefore, none in whose womb the Son of God could find repose.
If Christ thus could not come to dwell with one who was stained with sin, what must be the purity He requires now, of those whose Guest He becomes in Holy Communion
O Jesus, forgive me all my careless receptions of Thee, my want of careful preparation, my faults innumerable!
+3. Christ Himself had prepared a resting-place for Himself in Mary’s sacred breast. As we read in Holy Scripture “The Most High has sanctified a tabernacle for Himself.”
So now, if I am to be fit to receive Him, He must prepare my
heart. Do I think of this during my preparation for Communion and pray Him to cleanse me from every stain in His Most Precious Blood, to beautify with many graces the tabernacle where He is to abide?
AnaStpaul 