Standing at the Manger...
There, in the lowly, common
feeding trough for rough animals, Our LORD was laid.
No, the HOLY BABE+ did not
choose the manger HIMSELF+.
Here is
what HE+ did choose:
HE+ chose to leave His+ glory --- that Glory HE+ had
with The FATHER before the world was --- and
come to earth as a man for the suffering of death, as a man like one of
us.
So, His+ entrance into the world
placed the nativity of this Royal BABE+ ...
·
of the scepter-wielding tribe of Judah,
·
of the princely line of David
... into a common and lowly room
for domesticated farm animals, at the very out-set !
HE+ was a Priest after the Order
of Melchizidek, King of Righteousness, a Priest unto whom even Abraham paid
tithes.
Even so, it was The FATHER'S good
will that HIS Sublime SON+ be born into a humble environment, a setting even
considered lowly by the standards of lowly men.
Oh yes, how we yearn to rule
with CHRIST!
Do we also yearn equally as much to be as lowly
as HE+ was ?
Is our goal to be swaddled in
humility ?
Do we have such a degree
of humbleness of mind
that conviction falls
on others around us ?
If not, let us return to the
manger and STAND THERE.
There, let us meditate on our
dear SAVIOR'S+ littleness of Self.
Let us Pray:
O Perfect CHRIST, Who+
came in littleness of Self, look with
mercy upon my greatest need.
My need... my great
need of humility ... hinders me from hearing Thy+ Voice, from doing Thy+
Will.
How can I think that
THOU+ will use me while I resist
embracing being lowly, the last, the least, the forgotten, in mine own eyes ?
Help me truly to count others better than myself. Help me truly to enjoy being inconvenienced by others
throughout the day, that Thy+ Holy Will may be accomplished.
Absorb me in humility
like THINE+ own, O CHRIST, that Our FATHER'S good will may flow through me at
all times. Let Thy+ great humility grow in me unto a sweet-smelling and acceptable
sacrifice offered back unto THEE+.
This I earnestly pray,
O CHRIST, in Thy+ Holy Name.
Amen
