Jesus Christ strong and feeble,---strong, since He created all things; feeble, since we behold Him made Man like us: "We find Jesus strong and weak, strong, by Whom all things were made without labor. Would you see Him weak? The Word was made flesh." Now this strong One has chosen to become weak, says the Saint, to repair by His weakness our infirmity, and so to obtain our salvation: He hath built us up by His strength, He hath sought us by His infirmity. For this reason he likens Himself to the hen, when He speaks with Jerusalem: How often would I have gathered together thy children, as the hen doth gather her chickens under her wings! and thou wouldst not.[Matt. 28:37] St. Augustine remarks that the hen in rearing her chickens grows weak, and by this mark is known to be a mother; so was it with our loving Redeemer, by becoming infirm and weak, He made Himself known for the father and mother of us poor weak creatures.
Behold Him Who governs the heavens (says St. Cyril) swathed in rags, and unable even to stretch forth His little arms. Behold Him in that journey which by His Father's will He had to make into Egypt; He wished already to obey, but He cannot walk; Mary and Joseph are obliged to take turns in carrying Him in their arms. And in their return from Egypt, as St. Bonaventure contemplates, they have frequently to stop and rest, because the Divine Child was now so much grown that He was too large to be carried in the arms; whilst, on the other hand, He was too small and feeble to make a long journey:
