ADVENT MEDITATIONS
FOR THE FIRST EIGHT DAYS
By St. Alphonsus de Liguori
FOR THE FIRST EIGHT DAYS
By St. Alphonsus de Liguori
MEDITATION III
Motives of Confidence that are given to us by the Incarnation of the Word.
Quomodo non etiam cum illo omnia nobis donavit?
"How hath he not also, with him, given us all things? (Rom. 8:32)
I.
Consider, my soul, that the eternal Father, in giving us His beloved Son for our Redeemer, could have given us no stronger motives for confiding in His mercy and loving His infinite bounty; for He could have given us no more certain token of the desire He has for our good, and of the immense love which He bears us, inasmuch as in giving us His Son, He has nothing left to give us. Let all men, therefore, O eternal God, praise Thy infinite charity.
II.
How hath He not also, with Him, given us all things?
Since God has given us His Son, whom He loved as Himself, how can we fear that He will deny us any other good that we ask of Him? If, therefore, He has given us His Son, He will not refuse us pardon for the offenses which we have committed against Him, provided we detest them; He will not refuse us the grace to resist temptations, if we implore it of Him; He will not refuse us His Paradise, if we do not render ourselves unworthy of it by falling into sin. Behold how Jesus Himself assures us of this: "If you ask the Father anything in My name, He will give it you." (John 16:23)
Encouraged, therefore, O my God, by this promise, I beg of Thee, for the love of Jesus Thy Son, to pardon me all the injuries that I have done Thee; give me holy perseverance in Thy grace until death; give me Thy holy love; may I detach myself from everything to love Thee alone, O infinite Goodness; give me Paradise in order that I may come and love Thee there with all my strength, and forever, without fear of ever ceasing to love Thee.
III.
In a word, the Apostle says that, having obtained Jesus Christ, we have been enriched with every good, so that there is no grace wanting to us: In all things you are made rich in Him . . ., so that nothing is wanting to you in any grace. (I Cor. 1:5)
Yes, my Jesus, Thou art every good; Thou alone sufficest me; for Thee alone do I sigh; if once I drove Thee away from me by my sins, I repent of it now with my whole heart. Forgive me, and return to me, O Lord; and if Thou art already with me, as I hope, leave me not again, or, rather, suffer me not to drive Thee away from my soul again. My Jesus, my Jesus, my treasure, my love, my All, I love Thee, I love Thee, and will love Thee forever. O Mary, my hope, make me always to love Jesus.
Yes, my Jesus, Thou art every good; Thou alone sufficest me; for Thee alone do I sigh; if once I drove Thee away from me by my sins, I repent of it now with my whole heart. Forgive me, and return to me, O Lord; and if Thou art already with me, as I hope, leave me not again, or, rather, suffer me not to drive Thee away from my soul again. My Jesus, my Jesus, my treasure, my love, my All, I love Thee, I love Thee, and will love Thee forever. O Mary, my hope, make me always to love Jesus.
[From 'The Incarnation, Birth and Infancy of Jesus Christ.']
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