elf redeemed," as St. Hilary observes.[8] But he would set an
example of humility, obedience, and devotion: and would renew, in a
solemn and public manner, and in the temple, the oblation of himself to
his Father for the accomplishment of his will, and the redemption of
man, which he had made privately in the first moment of his Incarnation.
With what sentiments did the divine Infant offer himself to his Father
at the same time! the greatest homage of his honor and glory the Father
could receive, and a sacrifice of satisfaction adequate to the injuries
done to the Godhead by our sins, and sufficient to ransom our souls from
everlasting death! With what cheerfulness and charity did he offer
himself to all his torments! to be whipped, crowned with thorns, and
ignominiously put to death for us!

Let every Christian learn hence to offer himself to God with this divine
victim, through which he may be accepted by the Father; let him devote
himself with all his senses and faculties to his service. If sloth, or
any other vice, has made us neglectful of this essential duty, we must
bewail past omissions, and make a solemn and serious consecration of
ourselves this day to the divine majesty with the greater fervor, crying
out with St. Austin, in compunction of heart: "Too late have I known
thee, too late have I begun to love thee, O beauty more ancient than the
world!" But our sacrifice, if we desire it may be accepted, must not be
lame and imperfect. It would be an insult to offer to God, in union with
his Christ, a divided heart, or a heart infected with wilful sin. It
must therefore first be cleansed by tears of sincere compunction: its
affections must be crucified to the world by perfect mortification. Our
offering must be sincere and fervent, without reserve, allowing no
quarter to any of our vicious passions and inclinations, and no division
in any of our affections. It must also be universal; to suffer and to do
all for the divine honor. If we give our hearts to Christ in this
manner, we shall receive him with his graces and {339} benedictions. He
would be presented in the temple by the hands of his mother: let us
accordingly make the offering of our souls through Mary and beg his
graces through the same channel.

The ceremony of this day was closed by a third mystery, the meeting in
the temple of the holy persons, Simeon and Anne, with Jesus and his
parents, from which this festival was anciently called by the Greeks
Hyp