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And He who feeds each smallest bird,
Himself with milk is fed.

Straightway with joy the Heavens are filled,
The hosts angelic sing;
And shepherds hasten to adore

Their Shepherd and their King.

Praise to the FATHER! praise to Thee,

Thou Virgin's Holy Son!

Praise to the SPIRIT Paraclete,

While endless ages run.

Amen.

PSALM XIX. Cæli enarrant.

The Heavens declare the glory of God: and the firmament showeth His handywork. One day telleth another: and one night certifieth another.

There is neither speech nor language: but their voices are heard among them.

Their sound is gone out into all lands: and their words into the ends of the world. In them hath He set a tabernacle for the sun which cometh forth as a bridegroom out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a giant to run his course.

He goeth forth from the uttermost part of the heaven, and runneth about unto the end of it again: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

The law of the LORD is an undefiled law, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, and giveth wisdom unto the simple.

The statutes of the LORD are right, and rejoice the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, and giveth light unto the

eyes.

The fear of the LORD is clean, and endureth for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether.

More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

Moreover by them is Thy servant taught: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

Who can tell how oft he offendeth: 0 ⚫ cleanse Thou me from my secret faults.

Keep Thy servant also from presumptuous sins, lest they get the dominion over me: so shall I be undefiled, and innocent from the great offence.

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart: be always acceptable in Thy sight,

O LORD: my Strength and my Redeemer.

Glory be to the FATHER, &c.

As it was in the beginning, &c.

79

CHRISTMAS DAY.

Glory be to the Prince of Peace, Who reigneth over all the earth.

When the days were accomplished, Mary brought forth her First-born Son.

The Word was made Flesh, and dwelt among us.

Whom saw ye, O shepherds ? Say ye, tell us Who hath appeared upon earth? We beheld the Child, and a Choir of Angels singing unto our LORD and SAVIOUR. Alleluia. Alleluia.

Unto us a Child has been born this day; and His Name shall be called, The Mighty GOD. Alleluia. Alleluia.

Glory be to GOD in the highest, and on earth peace; good will towards men. Alleluia. Amen.

"Ye shall find the Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.'

S. Cyprian saith that the Word Incarnate made His first entrance into the world a pattern of our first entrance into the Christian religion, that His disciples might enter by the way He entered, exercising those virtues which He exercised. To this end

He left all that the world most loves and seeks, and sought after all that which the world abhors and flies. And as He came into the world not to do His own will, but the will of Him that sent Him, He would be born in that place which His FATHER ordained, and be born obeying, as He died obeying; that all of us might learn to obey.

O Blessed JESUS, my LORD and SAVIOUR, make my life to consist in doing Thy will, keep Thou my coming in and going out, and all whatsoever I do, and guide me in Thy footsteps, now and ever.

Amen.

He was lying in a manger, He Whose greatness could not be contained by the Heaven of heavens. O Eternal Word Incarnate, how soon the world begins to reject Thee, Thou Who hast come to redeem that world! O come and make Thy dwelling-place in my heart! Thou hast said, Behold, I stand at the door and knock; come, knock, call, and I will open unto Thee, that Thou mayest come in and dwell with Thy servant for ever.

O my most sweet and Sovereign LORD, how can I duly thank Thee for thus vouchsafing to take upon Thee man's nature, and to come as a Child in extreme poverty to redeem me? O that I could worship Thee, the Child JESUS, with the humility and lowliness of babes and sucklings, in whose

Be

mouths Thou hast perfected praise. hold, I here present myself in spirit before Thy Divine Majesty, and offer to Thee all that I am and have, wholly to Thy service for ever. Accept, O LORD, the desires of my heart, and give me grace to fulfil them.

O most adorable Babe, gracious in Thy humility; the more Thou art despised for me, the more worthy Thou art to be loved. and the more Thou art humbled, so much the more exalted; for in Thy humiliations Thou showest forth the greatness of Thy boundless Love towards man. O that I could love Thee as Thou deservest! O that I could abase and humble myself as I deserve! Let me learn of Thee to humble myself, that by Thy mercy I may one day be exalted with Thee in heaven.

Hearken to the voice of thy SAVIOUR as He cries, "Behold, I come to do Thy will, O GOD." "Learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly of heart, and except ye become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."

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Hearken likewise to the voice of the Heavenly Host, as they praise and glorify their GOD, hidden beneath the veil of flesh; Holy, holy, holy art Thou, LORD GOD of Hosts, the earth is full of Thy glory," even while Thou liest in that poor stable, wrapped in swaddling clothes.

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