Dom
Prosper Guéranger:
On this the sixth day since the Birth of our Emmanuel, let us consider how the Divine Infant lies in the crib of a stable, and is warmed by the breath of the ox and the ass, as Isaias had foretold: “The ox knows his owner, and the ass his master’s crib; but Israel has not known me (Isaias i. 3). Thus does the great God enter that world which his own Hands have created! The dwellings of men are refused Him, for man has a hard heart for His God, and an indifference which is a real contempt. The only shelter He can find to be born in is a stable, and that necessitates His coming into the world in the company of poor dumb brutes.
At all events, these animals are His own work. When He created the irrational world of living things, He subjected it, as the inferior part of creation, to Man. And Man was to ennoble it by referring it to the Creator. When Adam sinned, this subjection, this harmony, was broken. The Apostle teaches us that the brute creation is not insensible to the degradation thus forced upon it by sinful man (Romans viii. 19, 20). It obeys him with reluctance. It not infrequently rebels against and deservedly punishes him, and on the day of judgement, it will take the side of its Creator and avenge itself of that wickedness of which man has made it the unwilling instrument (Wisdom v. 21).
In the mystery of His Birth, the Son of God visits this part of His creation. Men refused to receive Him and He accepts the hospitality of the dwelling of brutes. It is from their dwelling that He begins the divine career of the Three-and-Thirty years. The first human beings He invites into the company of His blessed Mother and His dear Saint Joseph, the first He admits into the stable to see and adore Himself are shepherds who were busy watching their flocks and whose simple hearts have not been corrupted by the atmosphere of cities.
The Ox — which, as we learn from Ezechiel (Ezechiel i. 10) and Saint John (Apocalypse iv. 7) is one of the symbolic creatures standing round God’s throne — is the figure of the sacrifices of the Old Law. The blood of oxen has flowed in torrents on the altar of the Temple: it was the imperfect and material offering prescribed to be made to God until He should send the True Victim. The Infant Jesus who lies in the crib is that Victim, and Saint Paul tells us what he says to His Eternal Father: “Sacrifices and oblations and holocausts for sin, you would not have, neither are they pleasing to you; behold, I come! (Hebrews x. 8, 9).
The Prophet Zachary (Zacharias ix. 9), foretelling the peaceful triumph of the Meek King, says that He will make His entry into Sion riding on an Ass. We will assist, further on in the year, at the accomplishment of this prophecy. Now that we are at Bethlehem in our Christmas mystery, let us observe how the heavenly Father places His Divine Son between the instrument of His peaceful triumph and the symbol of His Sacrifice on Calvary.
Ah dear Jesus! Creator of Heaven and Earth,how strange is this your entrance into your own world! The whole universe should have given you a welcome of love and adoration— and yet, what motionless indifference! Not one house to take you in! Men buried in sleep! And when Mary had placed you in the crib, your first sight was that of two poor animals, the slaves of him who proudly rejected you! Yet, this sight did not displease you, for you do not despise the work of your hands. What afflicts your loving Heart is the presence of sin in our souls, the sight of that enemy of yours which has so often caused you to suffer. Oh hateful sin I we renounce it, and wish, dear Jesus, to acknowledge you for our Lord and Master, as did the Ox and the Ass! We will unite in that hymn of of peace, which creation is ever sending up to you, by henceforth adding to it the homage of our adoration and gratitude. Nay, we will lend speech to nature, and give it soul, and sanctify it, by referring all creatures to your service.
On this day according
to the ROMAN MARTYROLOGY:
At Spoleto, the birthday of the holy martyrs
Sabinus, bishop, Exuperantius and Marcellus, deacons. Also of
Venustian, governor, with his wife and sons, under the emperor
Maximian. Marcellus and Exuperantius were first racked, then severely
beaten with rods. Afterwards being mangled with iron hooks and burned
in the sides, they terminated their martyrdom. Not long after,
Venustian was put to the sword with his wife and sons. St. Sabinus,
after having his hands cut off, and being a long time confined in
prison, was scourged to death. The martyrdom of these saints is
commemorated on the same day, although it occurred at different
times.
At Alexandria, the holy martyrs Mansuetus,
Severus, Appian, Donatus, Honorius and their companions.
At Thessalonica, St. Anysia, martyr.
In the same place, St. Anysius, bishop of that
city.
At Milan, St. Eugene, bishop and confessor.
At Ravenna, St. Liberius, bishop.
At Aquila in Abruzzo, St. Rainerius, bishop.
And in other places, many other holy martyrs,
confessors and virgins.
Thanks be to God.
