ORTUS CHRISTI

ORTUS CHRISTI

Meditations for Advent

BY

MOTHER ST. PAUL

PREFACE BY
Rev. JOSEPH RICKABY. S.J.

Nihil obstat
JOSEPHUS RICKABY S. J.
Censor deputatus.

Imprimatur
✠EDUARDUS ILSLEY
Administrator Apostolicus.

Die 19 Aprilis 1921.

PREFACE.

Reading these Meditations we discover with surprise how much spiritual food is obtainable from a study of the lessons and liturgy of Advent. Mother St. Paul is always a heart-searcher. She presses self-reform upon souls, who to the eye of outward observers and perhaps in their own conceit, have little or nothing to amend. We must always be following Christ, and Christ is ever moving forward. Deliberately to stand still is to widen the distance between ourselves and Him, an ungenerous, not to say a dangerous thing to do. What are called here Meditations may well be taken for daily spiritual reading in preparation for Christmas. Advent after all is a season of joy, and these Meditations must be taken in a joyful spirit. Courage and enthusiasm in the cause of Christ is the supreme need of all Catholics who really love His coming. (2 Tim. iv. 8)

St. Beuno's College.

NOTE.

Although there are twenty-eight Meditations given in this book they will not all be needed every year, for the length of Advent varies between twenty-two and twenty-eight days. The Third Sunday of Advent may fall as late as December 17^th (the first day of the "Great O's") and the Fourth Sunday of Advent be Christmas Eve. The plan suggested, which will suit all years, is to use No. 1 on Advent Sunday and the rest according to choice till December 17^th; from then to December 24^th Nos. 21-28 should be used.

CONTENTS.