Ortus Christi (Birth of Christ) Meditations for Advent

Preface 5 Ortus Christi(Advent I) 11 Our Lady's Rest19 My Sins-A Triptych 27 The Last Judgment 35 Traders and Talents 43 Stir up! 53 St. John the Baptist, 1 His Preparation61 St. John the Baptist, 2 His Mission71 St. John the Baptist, 3 His Testimony79 St. John the Baptist, 4 His Martyrdom87 St. John the Baptist, 5 His Character93 "Incarnatus est"102 "Ex Maria Virgine" 109 "The Lord is nigh"(Advent III)116 The Interior Life, 1 Humility 125 The Interior Life, 2 Oblation 131 The Interior Life, 3 Imprisonment138 The Interior Life, 4 Hiddenness 145 The Interior Life, 5 Prayer 151 The Interior Life, 6 Zeal 158 O Sapientia!December 17th.167 O Adonai! (Expectation of Our Lady) December 18th. 175 O Radix Jesse!December 19th.184 O Clavis David!December 20th.191 O Oriens! (Feast of St. Thomas) December 21th. 199 O Rex Gentium!December 22nd.206 O Emmanuel!December 23d.213 Christmas EveDecember 24th.216 Reading these Meditations we discover with surprise how much spiritual food is obtainable from a study of the lessons and liturgy of Advent. Mother St. Paul is always a heart-searcher. She presses self-reform upon souls, who to the eye of outward observers and perhaps in their own conceit, have little or nothing to amend. We must always be following Christ, and Christ is ever moving forward. Deliberately to stand still is to widen the distance between ourselves and Him, an ungenerous, not to say a dangerous thing to do. What are called here Meditations may well be taken for daily spiritual reading in preparation for Christmas. Advent after all is a season of joy, and these Meditations must be taken in a joyful spirit. Courage and enthusiasm in the cause of Christ is the supreme need of all Catholics who really love His coming. (2 Tim. iv. 8)