Lignum vitae

Jesus, born of God.

1. When you hear that Jesus was born of God, take care lest any weak notion of carnal thinking present itself to the eyes of your mind; rather, with the gaze of the dove and the eagle, simply believe and keenly contemplate that from that eternal light, at once immense and most simple, most radiant and supremely hidden, there rises a splendor coeternal, coequal and consubstantial, who is the virtue and wisdom of the Begetter, in whom the Father disposed all things from eternity, through whom he made the ages and governs and orders what has been made to his glory, partly through nature, partly through grace, partly through justice, partly through mercy, so that he leaves nothing in this world unordered.

Jesus, prefigured.

2. From the beginning of the condition of nature, indeed, when the first parents had been placed in paradise and then expelled through the severity of the divine decree because of eating of the forbidden tree, mercy from above did not delay to call wandering man back to the way of penance, giving hope of pardon through the promised coming of the Savior. And lest so great a condescension of God should prove ineffective for our salvation through ignorance and ingratitude, in the five ages of this world, through Patriarchs, judges, priests, kings and Prophets, from Abel the just to John the Baptist, it did not cease to foretell, promise and prefigure the coming of his Son, so that through many thousands of times and years, with great and wondrous oracles multiplied, it might raise our minds to faith and inflame our affections with living desires.

Jesus, sent down from heaven.

3. Finally, after the fullness of time had come, just as man on the sixth day was formed from earth by the virtue and wisdom of the divine hand, so at the beginning of the sixth age, the archangel Gabriel having been sent to Mary, and Mary giving him her assent, the Holy Spirit came upon her, like a divine fire inflaming her mind and sanctifying her flesh with most perfect purity. But the virtue of the Most High overshadowed her, that she might bear so great a burning; by whose working in an instant the body was formed, the soul created, and both at once joined to the Godhead in the person of the Son, so that the same was God and man, with the character of each nature preserved. O if you could in some way feel what and how great was that fire sent from heaven, the refreshment bestowed, the comfort infused, how great the exaltation of Mary the Mother, how great the ennobling of the human race, and how great the condescension of Majesty; if you could hear Mary singing with rejoicing, if you could ascend with your Lady into the hill country, if you could behold the sweet embrace of the barren woman and Mary and the duty of greeting, in which the servant recognized the Lord, the herald the Judge, the voice the Word: I think that you would then sing that holy song, "My soul doth magnify the Lord" etc., with the most blessed Virgin in sweet melody, and would adore the wondrous virginal conception, exulting and rejoicing together with the little Prophet!

Jesus, born of Mary.

4. Indeed, when the quiet silence of universal peace under the rule of Caesar Augustus had calmed the previously troubled ages, so much so that by his decree the whole world was enrolled, by the care of divine providence it came about that Joseph, the spouse of Mary, led the pregnant maiden, sprung from royal stock, to the city of Bethlehem. And nine months having now run their course since the conception, that King of peace came forth as a bridegroom from his chamber, from the virginal womb, brought forth into the light with no corruption at all, just as he had been conceived with no taint of lust; who, though he was great and rich, for our sake became small and poor, chose to be born outside the house in the inn, to be wrapped in swaddling clothes, fed with virginal milk, and laid in a manger between the ox and the ass. Then "the day of new redemption, of ancient restoration, of eternal happiness dawned upon us; then throughout the whole world the heavens became sweet as honey."

Embrace now, therefore, my soul, that divine manger, that you may press your lips to the feet of the child and redouble your kisses. Then ponder in your mind the watching of the shepherds, marvel at the hastening army of Angels, join your part to the heavenly melody, singing with heart and mouth: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will."