DISCOURSE II.
THE ETERNAL WORD BEING GREAT BECOMES LITTLE.
Parvulus natus est nobis et filius datus est nobis.
“A child is born to us, and a son is given to us.” Is. ix. 6.
Plato said that Love is the loadstone of love. Hence, comes the common proverb, as St. John Chrysostom re marks: "If you wish to be loved, love," for certainly there is no more effectual means to secure for one's self the affections of another than to love him; and to make him aware that he is loved.
But, my Jesus, this rule, this proverb, holds good for others, holds good for all, but not for Thee. Men are grateful to all, but not to Thee. Thou art at a loss what further to do, to show men the love Thou bearest them; Thou hast positively nothing more to do, to allure the affections of men; yet, in point of fact, how many are there among mankind who love Thee? Alas! the greater number, we may say, nearly all, not only do not love Thee, but they offend Thee and despise Thee.
And shall we stand in the ranks of these heartless wretches? God has not earned this at our hands; that God, so good, so tender of us, Who, being great, and infinite greatness, has thought fit to make Himself little in order to be loved by us. Let us seek light from Jesus and Mary.
I
To compass the idea of the immense love of God men in becoming Himself a Man and a feeble child for our love, it would be necessary to comprehend His greatness. But what mind of man or Angel can conceive the greatness of God, which is indeed infinite?
