Daily Thoughts Part 41

The spirits of just men made perfect, freed from the fetters of the gross animal body, and now somewhere in that boundless universe in which this earth is but a tiny speck, doing G.o.d's will as they longed to do it on earth, with clearer light, fuller faith, deeper love, mightier powers of usefulness! Ah, that we were like unto them!

_All Saints' Day and other Sermons_.

DECEMBER 25.

Christmas Day.

Thank G.o.d, that One was born, at this same time, Who did our work for us: we'll talk of Him: We shall go mad with thinking of ourselves-- We'll talk of Him, and of that new-made star, Which, as He stooped into the Virgin's side, From off His finger, like a signet-gem, He dropped in the empyrean for a sign.

But the first tear He shed at this His birth-hour, When He crept weeping forth to see our woe, Fled up to Heaven in mist, and hid for ever Our sins, our works, and that same new-made star.

_Saint's Tragedy_, Act iv. Scene iv.

DECEMBER 26.

St. Stephen, the Martyr.

These are the holy ones--the heroes of mankind, the elect, the aristocracy of grace. They are those who carry the palm branch of triumph, who have come out of great tribulation, who have dared and fought and suffered for G.o.d and truth and right; who have resisted unto blood, striving against sin. What should easy-going folk like you and me do but place ourselves with all humility, if but for an hour, where we can look afar off upon our betters, and see what they are like and what they do.

_All Saints' Day and other Sermons_.

DECEMBER 27.

St. John, Apostle and Evangelist.

And what do they do, these blessed beings? They longed for, toiled for, it may be died for, the true, the beautiful, and the good; they entered while on earth into the mystery and glory of self-sacrifice, and now they find their bliss in gazing on the one perfect and eternal sacrifice, and rejoicing in the thought that it is the cause and ground of the whole universe, even the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world.

_All Saints' Day and other Sermons_.

DECEMBER 28 Holy Innocents' Day.

Christ comes to us in many ways. But most surely does Christ come to us, and often most happily, and most clearly does He speak to us--in the face of a little child, fresh out of heaven. Ah, let us take heed that we despise not one of these little ones, lest we despise our Lord Himself.

For as often as we enter into communion with little children, so often does Christ come to us. So often, as in Judaea of old, does He take a little child and set him in the midst of us, that from its simplicity, docility, and trust--the restless, the mutinous, and the ambitious may learn the things which belong to their peace--so often does He say to us, "Except ye be changed and become as this little child, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me. For I am meek and lowly of heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls."

_MS. Last Sermon_, _Westminster Abbey_, _Nov._ 30, 1874.