ets: hence royal David sings, "with expectation I have waited for the Lord, and He was attentive to me." (Ps. xxxix. 1.) Expect him, therefore, with an ardent desire "purify your soul, lest being defiled with sin you may offend His pure eyes, and " bring upon yourself a curse instead of a blessing." (Gen. xxvii, 12.)
MONDAY
Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin.
I. " The angel Gabriel was sent from God into the city of Galilee, called Nazareth, to a virgin, etc." (Luke i. 26.) Never did the world witness an embassy so solemn. The person who sends it is the God of majesty, the most holy and divine Trinity. The messenger is the archangel Gabriel, which signifies fortitude, that is to say, that the message which he brought, though it might appear difficult, or even impossible, must nevertheless be executed. Observe how promptly he undertakes his commission and learn to imitate him on similar occasions.
II. To whom is this message sent? Who, if he had seen such an ambassador dispatched immediately from God Himself, and descending from heaven to this lower world, would not have imagined that he had been dispatched to some mighty potentate? And yet he is sent to a city so obscure as to provoke the remark of Nathaniel, "can anything of good come from Nazareth?" (John i. 46.) He is sent to a small cottage, to a poor virgin, espoused to a carpenter. Be ashamed that you should so miserably love and seek after those things which appear great and pleasing to the eyes of the world. Convince yourself that this affection is erroneous, and labor to correct it.
III. The principal object of the embassy was to re-
