It was the month of December and must have been quite cold, so the little Infant Jesus must have suffered greatly from the cold.  If it had been a stable such as we see in our days it would have been bad enough; but think of this cold, dark, miserable cave, and yet it was Our Lord, the King of Heaven and earth, who was born there.  There are few people so poor that they have to live in a cave.  What wonderful humility, then, on the part of Our Lord.  He could have been born, if He wished, in the grandest palace man could construct and have had thousands of angels to bring Him whatever He needed, for they are His servants in Heaven.  But Our Lord became so humble to teach us.  What impression should this make on those who are too fond of dress and too vain about their homes.

It was foretold by the prophets that Our Lord would be born in Bethlehem, and when the time was near at hand His parents were living in Nazareth; then the Roman Emperor gave the decree that the census be taken, which obliged Our Lord’s parents to go to Bethlehem, and thus Our Lord was born there, and the words of the prophets fulfilled.  See how God moves the whole world, if necessary, to accomplish what He desires.  But how naturally He does everything.  Nobody knew—­not even the Roman Emperor himself—­that he was giving an edict to fulfill the prophecies and the promises of God.  So, at times, people do many things to carry out the designs of God, though they know it not.  We should never complain therefore to do unwillingly whatever work we have to perform, because it may be something that God wishes us to do for some very special end.  If you look back upon your lives, you can see that God guided and directed you upon many occasions.

76 Q. How long did Christ live on earth?  A. Christ lived on earth about thirty-three years, and led a most holy life in poverty and suffering.

The life of Our Lord was spent in the following manner.  At the time Our Lord was born in Bethlehem wise men or kings, called Magi, came from the East—­perhaps from Persia or Arabia—­to adore Him.  They saw a strange star, and leaving their own country came to Palestine.  When they came as far as Jerusalem, they went to King Herod and asked him where the young King was born.  Herod was troubled, for he was afraid the new King would deprive him of his throne.  He called together all the priests and asked them about this royal child.  They told him and the Magi that, according to the prophecies, the Saviour should be born in Bethlehem.  The Wise Men saw the star once more, and followed it to Bethlehem, where it stood over the stable in which Our Lord lay.  They entered, and adored the Infant Jesus, and offered Him presents.  Now, Herod told them to come back after they had found the newborn King, and tell him where He was, that he too might go and adore Him.  But such was not Herod’s real intention.  He wished not to adore but to kill Him.  See, then, how the wicked pretend at times to do good, that they