Monastic Breviary: Ember Wednesday: St. Ambrose: Book 2 on St. Luke
THE divine mysteries are well hidden, and their
meanings are not easy to grasp. For, as the prophet says: What man is he that
can know the counsel of God? And yet we can gather from other sayings of our
Lord and Savior, that there was some prevalent reason for singling out for the
Child-bearing of our Lord one who was espoused to a man. Why was her time not
fulfilled before her espousal? To give the devil no chance of saying that she
had conceived in adultery.
AND the Angel came in unto her. Mark the virtue of
a virgin in her behavior, mark it in her hesitancy, mark it in her words, in
the mystery itself. It is natural for a virgin to be timid, perturbed at the
approach of men, and troubled at their salutation. Here is an example of
modesty for women to study. She was alone in her chamber, she who would not be
seen by men, and an Angel alone discovers her there. She was alone with neither
companion nor witness, when the Angel saluted her, so that their converse could
not be basely interpreted.
NOW this mystery was not to be entrusted to men,
but was to issue from the mouth of an Angel. To-day is heard for the first
time: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee. It is both heard and believed. Then
she says: Behold the handmaid of the Lord: let it happen to me according to thy
word. How humble she is! How she consecrates herself! She who is chosen to be
the Mother of the Lord calls herself his handmaid, instead of exalting herself
at the unexpected promise.
COLLECT
GRANT, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that the coming
festival of our redemption may bring us aid in this present life, and
bounteously bestow the rewards of eternal blessedness. Through.
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