Meditation by Fr. Dehon on the mystery of Christmas from the first volume of “The Love of the Sacred Heart.”
After our Lord’s baptism, the Holy Spirit descends upon Him in the form of a dove, and the Eternal Father speaks these words, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3: 17). If we wish to sanctify our ministry, a pure conscience does not suffice: the Holy Ghost must descend upon us, the Spirit of the Heart of Jesus must become ours. “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 13: 14).
Clothe yourself with Jesus Christ, that is, reproduce His life, His intentions, His zeal.
To apostolic zeal is united the spirit of meekness and profound humility. The dove is the symbol of these virtues. If this spirit animates us we shall reproduce in ourselves the life of the great apostles of the past: St. Paul, St. Dominic, St. Francis Xavier and others. The true apostle ought to say with St. Paul, “It is now no longer I that live, it is Jesus, it is the Heart of Jesus who lives in me.” (Gal 2:20)
L. Dehon, The Love of the Sacred Heart, 93-94
