Thursday, 13 December 2012

My Meditation on the Crib and the Cross




From the earliest times in Catholicism, we have had artists and poets link the Crib to the Cross.

The entire reason for the Incarnation and the Birth of Our Lord is Christ's Redemptive Passion and Death, resulting in the Resurrection.

Christ in art in the Harrowing of Hell is shown taking up into Heaven our first parents. SS Adam and Eve await us there.  In the painting immediately below, St. Francis places a little Jesus in the manger under the Cross.




In the old days, the feast of Adam and Eve was celebrated on Christmas Eve, December 24th. The old collect was the same as the refrain during Holy Week. These three days may be connected in our minds. We hear this on Holy Saturday night in the Exsultet.

happy fault,
O necessary sin of Adam,
which gained for us so great a Redeemer!


O certe necessárium Adæ peccátum,
quod Christi morte delétum est!
O felix culpa,
quæ talem ac tantum méruit habére Redemptórem!


In these very hard times, let us rejoice in suffering and accept the times as part of our own salvation.

Here is a quotation from LifeSiteNews


Totalitarian tactics by Western governments to advance a worldwide de-population, anti-life and anti-faith agenda are accelerating. This is very alarming to those of us who understand the implications of these developments....
There are still battles to be played out, but we know the final outcome. Our role it NOT to avoid the hard truths and the battles, but to engage with full confidence so that in the end our Maker will be able to say to each one of us, “Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into your reward.” LSN