461 part ii: meditations for more solemn feasts eagerness in undertaking mortifications! But perhaps you are weakened by spiritual famine, and thus are powerless, hesitant, and unsuitable for anything. Therefore, make your way to Bethlehem; that is, to the House of Bread,227 to the altar of God, and in that place consume with the greatest desire, love, longing, reverence, respect and trust, the Living Bread which came down from Heaven (cf. Jn 6:41) for you, as the manna did for the Jews in the times past (cf. Ex 16:15) and which appeared in the world for the first time today. Undoubtedly, He Who is most eagerly expecting you there under the external appearance of bread, will refresh your soul with internal satiety. After Holy Communion 1. “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light” (Is 9:2). Note that the same can be said about you, for such a statement about you is not completely without reason. For what were you before the Sun of Justice entered the chamber of your heart? A total night, the Cimmerian or Egyptian darkness.228 Yet now you are surrounded with the light of eternal day as with a mantle; illuminated by the uncreated Sun that shone upon the world in this night, your soul gleams again like a sun. O you, the fortunate one, who were made a participant of such a great light! May it bring forth an everlasting day for you. 2. “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God” (Is 40:1). Thus, it is indeed: you are going to obtain a new bliss, to be filled with a new and unusual joy, the only cause of which is that God, today’s Guest of the world, made His way to many people, and also to you. For who would not exult with joy at his king’s visit to his house? You have your King with you. Who would not rejoice at being visited by some great and distinguished guest? 227 This is the meaning of the word “Bethlehem” in Hebrew. 228 For the expression: “Cimmerian darkness,” see footnote 147 (p. 331). As for the expression “Egyptian darkness,” it most probably derives from Ex 10:2122: “And the Lord said to Moses: stretch out your hand towards heaven … and there came horrible darkness in all the land of Egypt.”
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