But let us leave Herod aside, O devout souls, and let us come to ourselves. Why, then, did the Son of God come upon earth? Was it to give Himself to us? Yes, Isaias assures us of it: A Child is born to us, and a Son is given to us. The love which this loving Saviour bears us, and the desire which He has to be loved by us, has induced Him to do this. Being His Own, He has become ours, Let us see it; but let us first ask light from the Most Holy Sacrament and from the Divine Mother.
I.
The greatest privilege of God, nay, the whole of God, is to be His Own, that is, to exist of Himself, and to depend on no one. All creatures, however grand and excellent they may be, are nothing in reality, because whatsoever they have, they have from God, Who has created them and preserves them; and this in such a manner that if God were for a single moment to cease from preserving them, they would instantly lose their being and return to nothing, God, on the contrary, because He exists of Himself, cannot fail; nor can there be anyone to destroy Him, or to diminish His greatness, His power, or His happiness, But St. Paul says that the Eternal Father has given the Son to us: He delivered Him up for us all. [Rom. 28:32] And that the Son has given Himself for us: Christ also hath loved us and hath delivered Himself for us. [Eph. 5:2] Has God, then, in giving Himself for us, made Himself ours? Yes, replies St. Bernard: "He is born, Who belonged to Himself;" He who wholly appertained to Himself chose to be born for us and to become ours; love triumphs over God. This God, over whom none besides can rule, has,
