Waiting with Our Lady for the coming of Our Saviour, we will meditate each day of Advent on a different aspect of the circumstances of His birth, the moment of The Incarnation amongst us.
Reflection: ST. JOSEPH
Accompany Joseph from door to door. Learn from his example how to bear refusals and disappointments silently and patiently. Open your heart, asking him to enter with Mary to find the crib you have prepared for the Infant Jesus.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, teach me to love St. Joseph and imitate his virtues.
Scripture: Joseph – Matthew 1:19-25
Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: ‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel’, which means, ‘God is with us.’
When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son;[a] and he named him Jesus.
O Antiphon: O Rex Gentium
O King whom all the peoples desire, you are the cornerstone which makes all one. O come and save man whom you made from clay.
The first letter of the title of each of the ‘O’ antiphons, when listed from last to first, will spell a mystery message in Latin! Let’s see if we can work it out as we go along…
Poem: St. Alphonsus Liguori – “To The Infant Jesus”
O King of Heaven! from starry throne descending,
Thou takest refuge in that wretched cave;
O God of bliss! I see Thee cold and trembling,
What pain it cost Thee fallen man to save!
Thou, of a thousand worlds the great Creator,
Dost now the pain of cold and want endure;
Thy poverty but makes Thee more endearing,
For well I know ’tis love has made Thee poor.
I see Thee leave Thy Heavenly Father’s bosom,
But whither has Thy love transported Thee?
Upon a little straw I see Thee lying;
Why suffer thus? “Tis all for love of me.
But if it is Thy will for me to suffer,
And by these sufferings my heart to move,
Wherefore, my Jesus, do I see Thee weeping?
‘Tis not for pain Thou weepest, but for love.
Thou weepest thus to see me so ungrateful;
My sins have pierced Thee to the very core;
I once despised Thy love, but now I love Thee,
I love but Thee; then, Jesus, weep no more.
Thou sleepest, Lord, but Thy heart ever watches.
No slumber can a heart so loving take;
But tell me, darling Babe, of what Thou thinkest,
“I think, ” He says,”of dying for Thy sake.”
Is it for me that Thou dost think of dying!
What, then, O Jesus! can I but love Thee?
Mary, my hope! If I love Him too little,—–
Be not indignant,—–love Him thou for me.
__________
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The featured image is “The Vision of Saint Joseph” (between 1886 and 1894), by James Tissot, and is in the public domain, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
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