Today's thought is from the Anthology of the Greeks:
Be thou ready, O Bethlehem, for now Eden is open unto all; rejoice, O Ephrata, for the tree of life has blossomed in the cave from the Virgin; for her womb has become a mystic paradise, wherein is the divine plant, of which if we eat we shall live, and not, like Adam, die; for Christ is born, that he may raise up his image which had fallen in the beginning.
Christ comes willingly to minister to us; the Creator puts on the creature's form; he that is rich in the Godhead, mercifully bestows on the needy Adam a new creation and birth.
He has bowed down the heavens, and, taking up his abode in the Virgin, he comes in our flesh to be born in Bethlehem's cave, as it is written; and he that gives life to children in the womb has himself become a child: let us all go forth to meet him with our hearts full of ardour and joy.
The all-wise Lord thus born, comes among his own to receive hospitality from his own creatures; let us receive him, that this divine Babe of the cave may make us the guests of the paradise of delights.
Now is the portal of the divine Incarnation opened to all: be glad, ye heavens: exult with joy, all ye angels! let the earth and its inhabitants rejoice in spirit with the shepherds and the magi.
The Virgin, as a precious vase of alabaster, bears the divine perfume into the cave, there wisely and ineffably to yield what she contains, that she may fill our souls with the delicious fragrance.
Ye angelic Powers: hasten thither. Ye who dwell in Bethlehem, prepare the crib, for Christ is coming to be born; Wisdom advances towards you. Receive our greetings, O thou Church of God! and let us, O ye people, thus sing in honour of the divine Mother's joy: Blessed be our God, that cometh!
Christ our God shall come manifestly, and shall not delay; he shall appear born of a spotless Virgin; he shall be laid in a cave; and thou, the crib of senseless beasts, receive into thyself, wrapt in swathing bands, him, whom the heavens cannot contain, and whose single word absolves our senseless sins.
Sing, O Isaias! show us the Word of God, predict the bush that is to be on fire, yet not consumed; the Virgin Mary. Put on thy splendour, the rays reflected from the Deity, O Bethlehem! open thy gates, O Eden! Set out on your journey, ye Magi, to see the Saviour laid in swaddling clothes in a manger, Him whom your star, standing over the cave, pointed out to you the Lord and giver of life, the Saviour of our race.
Man, is that pretty or what!?
Our Communion prayer is short and sweet and to the point. It comes from Roquet in 'La Messe, approche du Mystere'.
The Eucharist is not merely the Sacrament which gives us the Body of Christ for our food. It is also, and chiefly, the Sacrament which makes us able to say "Thank you" to God.
So, let's say, "Thank you, Jesus!"
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