Darts of Fire: OR PROOFS THAT JESUS CHRIST HAS GIVEN US OF HIS LOVE IN THE WORK OF REDEMPTION by St. Alphonsus Liguori IX. Parvulus natus est nobis, et Filius datus est nobis. "For a Child is born to us, and a Son is given to us."-----Isa. ix. 6 Behold the end for which the Son of God will be born an Infant, to give Himself to us from His childhood, and thus to draw to Himself our love. Why (writes St. Francis de Sales) does Jesus take the sweet and tender form of an Infant, if it be not to stimulate us to love Him and to confide in Him? St. Peter Chrysologus had said before, "Thus He willed to be born, because He wished to be loved." [Serm. 158] Oh, dear Child Jesus, my Saviour! I love Thee, in Thee do I trust. Thou art all my hope and all my love. What would have become of me if Thou hadst not come down, from Heaven to save me? I know the Hell which would have I awaited me for the offences I have offered Thee. Blessed be Thy mercy, because Thou art ever ready to pardon me if I repent of my sins. Yes, I repent with all  my heart, my Jesus, of having despised Thee. Receive me into Thy favor, and make me die to myself to live only to Thee, my only good. Destroy in me, O Thou  consuming fire, everything that is displeasing in Thine eyes, and draw all my affections to Thee. I love Thee, O God of my soul, I love Thee, my treasure, my life, my all. I love Thee, and I wish to die saying, my God, I love Thee; and begin then to love Thee with a perfect love which shall have no end. The Back spray takes you to the previous page and the Forward to the next.  E-Mail HOME-----------------------CHILDREN--------------------CHRISTMAS www.catholictradition.org/Christmas/darts-fire9.htm