A worm and no man

Did not our Holy Faith assure us of it, who could ever believe that a God, for the love of such a worm as man is, should Himself become a worm like man? I am a worm and no man (Ps. xxi. 7). And what return have you hitherto made to God for the love your God has borne you?

I. Yes, this is of Faith: And the word was made flesh. (Jo. i. 14). He hath loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood (Apoc. i. 5). The Holy Church declares herself to be filled with fear at the contemplation of the work of Redemption: I considered thy works, and was afraid. And this the Prophet had said of old: O Lord, I have heard thy hearing, and was afraid .. . Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people; for salvation with thy Christ (Hab. iii. 2, 13).

Hence St. Thomas terms the Mystery of the Incarnation the miracle of miracles; a miracle above all comprehension in which God showed how mighty was His love towards men by which God became Man, the Creator a creature, the Lord a servant, the impassible One subject to sufferings and to death: He hath showed might in his arm (Luke i. 51). We are told that St. Peter of Alcantara hearing those words of the Gospel sung on Christmas night — In the beginning was the Word — and reflecting on this Mystery, became so inflamed with Divine love that, in a state of ecstasy, he was borne a considerable space through the air to the foot of the Blessed Sacrament. And St. Augustine says that his soul could feast forever on the contemplation of the exalted goodness of God manifested to us in the work of human Redemption. It was for this reason and on account of his fervent devotion to this Mystery, God sent this Saint to inscribe on the heart of St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi the words: And the Word was made flesh

So great, then, my Jesus, was the desire Thou hadst to be loved by us that all through Thy life Thou didst only desire to suffer and die for us, and thus put us under the necessity of loving Thee at least out of gratitude for so much love. And dost Thou so thirst for our love? How is it, then, we so little desire Thine? Alas, hitherto I have been foolish, for I have not only not desired Thy love but I have brought Thy hatred upon me. My Redeemer, I know the evil I have done. I detest it and am sorry from the bottom of my heart. Help me, Jesus, my Love!

II. Whosoever loves, has no other end in loving but to be loved in return. God, then, having so dearly loved us, seeks nothing from us, as St. Bernard remarks, but our love. Wherefore, he goes on to say: "He has made known His love that He may experience thine." O man, whoever thou art, thou hast witnessed the love which God has borne thee in becoming Man, in suffering and dying for thee; how long shall it be before God will know by experience, and by thy deeds the love thou bearest Him? Ah! truly every man at the sight of a God clothed in flesh, and choosing to lead a life of such hardship, and suffer a death of such ignominy, ought to be enkindled with love towards so loving a God. Oh that thou wouldst rend the heavens and wouldst come down: the mountains would melt away at thy presence,... the waters would burn with fire (Is. lxiv. 1-2). Oh that Thou wouldst deign, my God, to leave the Heavens, and descend here and become Man amongst us! Ah, the mountains would melt away! On beholding Thee as one of themselves, men would surmount all obstacles, all difficulties in observing Thy laws and counsels would melt away! The waters would burn with fire! Thou wouldst enkindle such a furnace in the human heart that even the most frozen souls would catch the flame of Thy blessed love! And, in fact, since the Incarnation of the Son of God, O how brilliantly has the fire of Divine love shone in many loving souls! And it may be indeed asserted, without fear of contradiction, God has been more loved in one Century since the coming of Jesus Christ than in the entire forty preceding Centuries. How many youths, how many of the nobly born, and how many monarchs, have left wealth, honours, and their very kingdoms, to seek the desert or the cloister, that there, hidden in poverty and seclusion, they might the more unreservedly give themselves to the love of their Saviour! How many Martyrs have gone to torments and to death rejoicing and making merry! How many tender young virgins have refused the proffered hand of the great ones of this world, in order to go and die for Jesus Christ, and so repay in some measure the affection of a God Who stooped down to become incarnate and to die for love of them!

Have all men sought thus to correspond with this immense love of Jesus Christ? Alas, my God, the greater number have repaid Thee with nothing but ingratitude! And you also, tell me, what return have you hitherto made for the love your God has borne you? Have you always shown yourself thankful? Have you ever seriously reflected what those words mean: A God made Man! A God to die for thee!

O my Jesus, forget the offences that I have committed against Thee. Thou art my Love, Thou art my Hope! Thou knowest how weak I am. Help me, my Jesus. O Mary, great Mother of God, succour me also with thy prayers.