time of building the Temple of Solomon. For five hundred years no prophet's voice had been heard. The pagans no longer believed in their own detested deities; the Jews were demoralized in their lives, and their piety had degenerated into perfunctory observances; the tribes of the Jews were divided into sects, the longing for a Saviour was general among men, and equally general was the belief that His advent was close at hand. Then God made use of the Roman emperor to verify the predictions of the prophets concerning the birth of the Messias, for Cæsar Augustus issued an edict that throughout the whole Roman empire an enrolment of all his subjects should take place, and that each person should be registered in the locality where his family belonged.

Joseph, being a descendant of the house of David, was thus compelled to repair to Bethlehem, and went to that old kingly city accompanied by his virginal spouse. On reaching the end of their journey they found every house filled with strangers, leaving them comfortless and shelterless and thus verifying the words of St. John, "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not (John i. 11).

In the outskirts of the city was a lonely cave which served as a shelter in stormy weather for the shepherds of the vicinity while watching their flocks. Here Mary and Joseph were compelled to seek refuge. Here at the solemn midnight hour the Saviour of the world was born. He, whose throne is the heavens, whose footstool is the earth, was wrapped in swaddlingclothes and laid in the manger. No one in all the land of Juda knew that the day of salvation had come forth from the long night of darkness.

It was Christmas eve, the holy night commemorated by the Church each year on the 25th of Decem

ber, not arbitrarily, but because that date, according to the best calculations, was really the birthday of the Saviour.

But what God concealed from the great ones of this world He made known to the poor and lowly. Simple shepherds, while guarding their flocks on the plains, were the first to learn that the real true Shepherd had come, who would one day lay down His life for His sheep. To these shepherds the angel said, "I bring you good tidings of great joy that shall be to all the people. For this day is born to you a Saviour who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David. And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the Infant wrapped in swaddling-clothes and laid in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God and saying: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will."

Thus were the joyous chants of angels mingled with the wondering, happy voices of the poor men. The shepherds hastened to Bethlehem to adore the Lord, and the words were true, "The poor have the gospel preached to them." Then they hastened to their neighbors and informed them of what they had heard and seen, and so prepared the people of Israel for the Gospel, the happy message of salvation. Eight days later the divine Infant was circumcised and received the name Jesus, in compliance with the angel's order. The Son of God submitted to this painful law in order to give us an example of obedience. If He, the Lord and Master, and Maker of the law, was obedient, how can we presume to be disobedient?

But the glory of the new-born Infant was also to be manifested to the heathens.

Twelve hundred years before had the prophet Balaam

prophesied against his will, "A star shall rise out of Jacob " (Numbers xxiv. 17). This prophecy still lived in the memory of many heathens. Now a strange apparition is seen in the starry heavens. A star of unusual size and brilliancy, or rather a cluster of stars, appears among the lesser lights of heaven. The prophecy is fulfilled and the Magi, or three wise men, rise and prepare to follow the course of the new star, in the certain expectation of finding the Saviour.

They thought not of the difficulties and dangers of travel, they heeded not expense or loss of time, nor neglect of home duties; with sentiments of faith, confidence, and hope they went their way. Arriving at Jerusalem they asked where the new-born king of the Jews might be. Herod was alarmed. Could there be another king beside himself? Was his throne in danger? All Jerusalem shared his alarm and fears, for they knew the savage cruelty of their tyrant and feared his anger. He at once summoned the scribes and high priests to his presence and inquired from them where Christ was to be born. They replied that He was to be born in Bethlehem and of the tribe of Juda, for so it stands written by the prophets, " And thou Bethlehem, the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda; for out of thee shall come forth the Captain that shall rule My people Israel" (Matthew ii. 6). Thus spoke the priests well versed in Scripture, but they had no thought of going in search of their Lord and Master, and the three wise men went alone. Filled with renewed courage they followed the guiding star to Bethlehem, to the crib of the divine Infant. They drew near to the stable, they entered and adored the Child in the Virgin's arms, offering to Him presents as tributes of their faith and allegiance. Their gifts

consisted of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Gold they offered to their King, incense to their God, myrrh to their suffering and dying Redeemer. Then, admonished by an angel, they returned to their homes by another way than that which would lead them back to Herod.

Jesus is Presented in the Temple.

Forty days after His birth Jesus was presented in the Temple to the eternal Father, in compliance with the law given to Moses, "Sanctify unto Me every firstborn, for they are all Mine," said the Lord to Moses (Exodus xiii. 2).

In this sanctifying of the first-born was to be expressed the perfect dominion of the Lord over the whole people whom He had rescued from destruction. This first-born was to be ransomed with five shekels of silver, and at the same time a lamb was to be offered in sacrifice for the purification of the mother. If the parents were too poor to present a lamb they offered instead a pair of turtle-doves, or two young pigeons.

Joseph and Mary brought the offering of the poor, and thus poverty was sanctified through the poverty of Our Lord. As the simple group entered the Temple they were met by Simeon, a God-fearing old man, whom the Holy Spirit led there. For God had promised him in reward for his fidelity that he would not die until he had seen the Anointed of the Lord. Now, inspired by the same Holy Spirit, he recognizes his Saviour, takes Him lovingly and joyfully in his arms and says, "Now Thou dost dismiss Thy servant, O Lord, according to Thy word in peace: because my eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples: a light to the

revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel" (Luke ii. 29–32).

This joyous recognition of the Saviour as the Light that has come to enlighten every man that cometh into the world, is to-day commemorated in the Church by the blessing of candles. Hence this Mass is termed the Mass of the candles and the feast itself is styled Candlemas day. The procession carried out on this day is commemorative of Simeon's inspired advance to the Temple to meet his Lord.

While Simeon was still speaking, the gentle, simple group was joined by the devout Anna, an aged, Godfearing woman, the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Aser and also a prophetess. She dwelt constantly in the Temple, serving God day and night in much prayer and fasting. Sharing deeply in Simeon's joy, and sympathizing with the happy parents, she spoke to those who were waiting for the redemption of Israel, of her happiness in having seen the Saviour. Thus were

the Jews admonished that their Redeemer would soon appear, and hence, on the first public appearance of Jesus in their midst, we hear them asking whether He is such or not.

After complying with the law Mary and Joseph, with the divine Infant, returned to Bethlehem, whence they soon moved to Nazareth. The Lord in His wisdom decreed that for a time the wonderful Child, for whose appearance all Israel was waiting, should be secluded from observation, till such time as Herod's arm should be powerless to smite Him.

The Flight into Egypt.-The Slaughter of the Innocents.

Herod, in his wicked cunning, had said to the three wise men from the East, "Go and diligently inquire

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