October 25th.
TO JESUS IN SOLITUDE.
Jesus disposed of events so as to be born out of the city, in a solitary cave, in order to recommend to us the love of solitude and of silence. In fact, if we enter the grotto we shall see that solitude and silence reign therein. Jesus remains in silence in the manger; Mary and Joseph adore and contemplate Him in silence. Happy the soul that shuts itself up in the solitude of Bethlehem to contemplate the love that God has borne to men!
MY dearest Saviour, Thou art the King of heaven, the King of kings, the Son of God; and how is it, then, that I see Thee in this cave, forsaken by all? I see no one with Thee but Joseph and Thy holy Mother. I desire to unite myself to them in keeping Thee company. Do not reject me. I do not deserve it; but I feel that Thou dost invite me by Thy sweet voice, speaking to my heart. Yes, I come, O my beloved Infant! I will leave all things to pass my whole life along with Thee, my beloved little Hermit, only love of my soul. Fool that I was, I have hitherto forsaken Thee and left Thee alone, O my Jesus, whilst I was seeking miserable and baneful pleasures from creatures, but now, enlightened by Thy grace, I desire nothing but to live in solitude with Thee, who didst Thyself live in solitude on this earth. "Who will give me wings like a dove, and I will fly and be at rest" (Ps. liv. 7). Ah, who will enable me to fly from this world, where I have so often found my ruin — to fly, and to come and remain always with Thee, Who art the joy of paradise and the true Lover of my soul? Oh, bind me, I pray Thee, to Thy feet, so that I may no longer be separated from Thee, but may find my happiness in continually keeping company with Thee! Ah, by the merits of Thy solitude in the cave of Bethlehem, give me a constant interior recollection, so that my soul may become a solitary little cell, where I may attend to nothing but
