ORTUS CHRISTI

ORTUS CHRISTI

Meditations for Advent

BY

MOTHER ST. PAUL

PREFACE BY
Rev. JOSEPH RICKABY. S.J.

Nihil obstat
JOSEPHUS RICKABY S. J.
Censor deputatus.

Imprimatur
✠EDUARDUS ILSLEY
Administrator Apostolicus.

Die 19 Aprilis 1921.

PREFACE.

Reading these Meditations we discover with surprise how much spiritualfood is obtainable from a study of the lessons and liturgy of Advent.Mother St. Paul is always a heart-searcher. She presses self-reform uponsouls, who to the eye of outward observers and perhaps in their ownconceit, have little or nothing to amend. We must always be followingChrist, and Christ is ever moving forward. Deliberately to stand stillis to widen the distance between ourselves and Him, an ungenerous, notto say a dangerous thing to do. What are called here Meditations maywell be taken for daily spiritual reading in preparation for Christmas.Advent after all is a season of joy, and these Meditations must be takenin a joyful spirit. Courage and enthusiasm in the cause of Christ is thesupreme need of all Catholics who really love His coming. (2 Tim. iv.8)

St. Beuno's College.

NOTE.

Although there are twenty-eight Meditations given in this book they willnot all be needed every year, for the length of Advent varies betweentwenty-two and twenty-eight days. The Third Sunday of Advent may fallas late as December 17^th (the first day of the "Great O's") and theFourth Sunday of Advent be Christmas Eve. The plan suggested, which willsuit all years, is to use No. 1 on Advent Sunday and the rest accordingto choice till December 17^th; from then to December 24^th Nos.21-28 should be used.

CONTENTS.