EXPECTATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVIII, Issue 50, 13 December 1900, Page 7

EXPECTATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN.

The Feast of the Expectation has been instituted by the Churoh to commemorate the longing desires and fervent aspirations with which the Immaculate Virgin greeted the near approach of that happy day when she was to bring into the world the long expected Messiah, Whose coming to redeem mankind had been the continual object of her sighs and prayers. Now the time appointed by the Divine Decree was accomplished, and the Great Mystery hidden under veils and figures from the beginning of the world was about to be revealed to the astonished eyes of angels and of men. During 4000 years had the earth groaned under the dominion of Satan, while kings, patriarchs, and prophets had looked eagerly forward for the coming of the promised Redeemer Who was to break the fetters with which mankind was bound and restore men to the liberty of the sons of God. Meanwhile the promise made by God to our first parents, that the seed of the woman should crush the serpent's head, was carefully treasured up and handed down from father to son through succeeding generations. The same consoling promise was confirmed and more clearly denned by the announcement to Abraham that in his seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed, a prediction which was afterwards repeated in favor of his son and grandson, Isaac and Jacob. As time went on the promise was renewed to King David, of whoee family it was declared that the Redeemer was to be born. Many of the psalms of the royal prophet are full of ardent aspirations after the coming of the Saviour Who waß to destroy the power of hell and re-establish the kingdom of God in the hearts of men. It was also permitted him to behold in the far off future the accomplishment of the promises of God by the Incarnation, Passion, and Death of our Lord. These sacred mysteries he has described to us with a minuteness which reads rather like a record of the past than a prediction of the distant future. The same may be said of the writings of Borne of the other prophets, who were sent by God to prepare the minds and hearts of men for thp coming of His Son. Conspicuous amon? these was Isaiah, who after announcing that the Redeemer would be born of a virgin, relates in detail many circumstances regarding His Passion and the establishment of Ilia Church. In his ardent longing for the speedy coming of the Incarnate God he cries out, ' Drop down dew ye heavens from above, and let the olouds rain the Just ; let the earth be opened and bud forth" a Saviour.' Thus did the saints of old continually aspire after the coming of the Son of God, Whom, however, they were not permitted to behold with the eyes of flesh. Wherefore our Blessed Lord reminded His Apostles of the special privilege which they themselves enjoyed in beholding and conversing with Him during His mortal life • Blessed,' said he, ' are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they ear. For amen I say to you, many prophets and just men have desired to see the things that you see and have not seen them, and to hear the things that you hear and have not heard, them.' ST. AGNES OF ABSISI, VIRGIN. When the holy maiden Clare, enamoured of chastity and poverty, fled from home to tread in the footsteps of St. Francis, she left behind her a young sister of 1 1, named Agnes, a child of great piety and purity. Inspired by the Holy Ghost to imitate the example of her beloved sister, the saintly girl followed her to the Convent of St. Angelo a few days later, and declared her firm determination to remain with her and share her penitential life. Upon the discovery of the flight of Agnes, her father, who was already much incensed by the departure of his elder daughter, set no bounds to his anger. He and his relations accordingly set out to recover Agnes at any cost. On their arrival at the convent they first appealed to her filial affection and obedience, but finding her resolution unshaken, they threw aside all reserve and commanded her in an angry tone to return at once. As she still refused, they laid violent hands upon her and tried to drag her away. But behold 1 all of a sudden their arms became powerless, and they were unable to move the light burden of her tender frame. At length, finding their strength exhausted, they began to load her with reproaches, while one of her uncles more cruel than the rest raised his sword to strike her. But in a moment his arm became useless and his weapon fell to the ground. At this juncture her B>\ter Clare came running up, and by her entreaties prevailed upon them to desist from further efforts. Whereupon they returned to the father, who, on hearing what had happened, recognised the hand of God and left his daughter at peace to follow the Divine call. Agnes assisted at the triumphant funeral of her holy sister and witnessed the miracles which were wrought at her tomb. Soon afterwards she was called in her turn by her Divine Spouse, and took her flight to heaven on November 16, Aj). 1253.