Extracts from Meditations for Christmas

"She brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped Him up in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger." (Luke, ii. 7)

"While all things were in quiet silence, and the night was in the midst of her course, the almighty word leaped down from heaven." (Wisdom, xviii. 14.)

"Open to me, my sister, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is full of dew, and my locks of the drops of the night." (Cant. v. 2.)

1st Point. -- Today we can have only one thought and one subject; our prelude is our meditation, and our meditation is our prelude. "She brought forth her first-born son, and laid Him in a manger."

O sweet Mary, bring Him forth to-night also, and lay Him in the manger of our hearts.

They are very lifeless and very cold, but thou wilt try to warm t hem for Jesus, for thy first-born. We have tried to prepare a lodging for Him, and, poor as it is, we know He will accept if if thou wilt come with Him.

We must try to make reparation to thee also, sweet Mother, for the unkindness of thy children, who keep the warm house for themselves, and drive thee to the stable.

Alas! sweet Mother, how many there are now who are as cold and as cruel to thee! And as thou didst tell S. Gertrude that we are all thy children, that Jesus is called thy first-born, rather than first-begotten, because thou willest to include us all in thy family, and give us all a share in thy maternal love, we must act towards thee as children, and thou wilt act toward us as a mother.

(See further saintsbooks.net for more of this and other meditations)