The Most Beautiful Among the Children of Men - Meditations upon the Life of our Lord Jesus Christ - With a Preface by the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster

Abel Ram

Description

“The Most Beautiful Among the Children of Men” is a 1883 work by Abel Ram. It contains a number of 'meditations' related to the story of the life of Jesus Christ, which are in essence simplified descriptions of events together with invocations intended to aid in thought and prayer. Contents include: “The Annunciation”, “The Visitation”, “Bethlehem—Birth of Jesus”, “Bethlehem—The Manger”, “Gloria in Excelsis Deo”, “The Infant God”, “The Star in the East”, “Adoration of the Magi”, “Presentation in the Temple (I.)”, “Presentation in the Temple (II.)”, “Flight into Egypt”, etc. Many vintage books such as this are increasingly scarce and expensive. It is with this in mind that we are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with the original text and artwork.

Sujets

• Religious text
• Holy family (disambiguation)
• Lazarus of Bethany
• Stations of the Cross

Informations

• Publié par: Read Books Ltd.
• Date de parution: 16 octobre 2020
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781528767392
• Langue: English

Extrait

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AMONG THE CHILDREN OF MEN.
MEDITATIONS UPON THE LIFE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.
BY
MRS. ABEL RAM.
WITH A PREFACE BY THE CARDINAL ARCHBISHOP OF WESTMINSTER .
Copyright 2018 Read Books Ltd.
This book is copyright and may not be reproduced or copied in any way without the express permission of the publisher in writing
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
PREFACE.

T HE following pages were written by a mother who has carefully trained her child from an early age to meditate on Holy Scripture.
What illustrations are to the Bible, and sacred pictures to the Way of the Cross and to the Mysteries of the Rosary-that is to say, vivid representations speaking to the soul through the eye-such are these descriptive meditations speaking to the soul through the ear. They show great care and truthfulness, first in apprehending, and then in presenting to the intelligence and to the heart of children, the life and actions of Our Divine Lord, and the mysteries of the Catholic Faith. Such mental delineations of sacred truths once vividly realized in childhood remain for ever.
There are few who do not owe the light, strength, and guidance, which has helped them in critical moments of their life, to a word of warning, or to a vision of eternity impressed upon them in childhood-the spring time when the wise sower sows his seed.
H ENRY E DWARD ,
Cardinal Archbishop .
CONTENTS.

Introductory Letter
1. The Annunciation
2. The Visitation
3. Bethlehem.-Birth of Jesus
4. Bethlehem.-The Manger
5. Gloria in Excelsis Deo
6. The Infant God
7. The Star in the East
8. Adoration of the Magi
9. Presentation in the Temple (I.)
10. Presentation in the Temple (II.)
11. Flight into Egypt
12. The Desert
13. Night in the Desert
14. Arrival in Egypt
15. Sojourn in Egypt
16. Return to Palestine
17. Nazareth
18. The Holy Family go up to Jerusalem
19. Loss of Jesus
20. Finding of Jesus
21. Life at Nazareth
22. Jesus and Mary
23. Jesus leaves Nazareth
24. Baptism of Jesus
25. Jesus goes up into the Wilderness
26. Jesus begins to call His disciples
27. Marriage at Cana
28. Lake of Gennesareth
29. Jesus works many Miracles
30. Cure of a Leper
31. The call of Matthew
32. Miraculous draught of Fishes
33. Jesus casts the sellers out of the Temple
34. Mary Magdalen
35. The Woman of Samaria
36. The Ruler s child, and the Centurion s servant
37. The Widow of Naim
38. Kindness of Jesus
39. Jesus stills the Tempest
40. The Daughter of Jairus
41. Choice of the Apostles
42. The Twelve Apostles
43. Jesus and the Apostles
44. The Pond of Bethsaida
45. Jesus is followed by a Multitude
46. Jesus feeds Five Thousand
47. Jesus walks upon the Sea
48. Mount Tabor
49. Martha and Mary
50. Feast of Tabernacles
51. Two Blind Men
52. Death of Lazarus
53. Resurrection of Lazarus
54. Jesus rides into Jerusalem upon a Colt
55. Hosanna!
56. The Cenacle
57. Jesus washes the Disciples feet
58. The Last Supper
59. The Agony in the Garden
60. Jesus is taken Prisoner
61. Humiliations of Jesus
62. Denial of Peter
63. Scourging of Jesus
64. The Crowning with Thorns
65. Jesus goes to Calvary
66. Jesus meets His Mother
67. The Crucifixion
68. The taking down from the Cross
69. Mater Desolata
70. Alleluia!
71. Ascension of Our Blessed Lord
M ADAME ET CH RE FILLE EN N OTRE S EIGNEUR ,
Je suis heureux de vous dire quelle douce emotion j ai ressentie la lecture de vos petites m ditations. C est simple sans mi vrerie; c est pieux sans pr tentions. Il tait difficile de mettre l Evangile la port e des enfants par un commentaire plus court, plus vivant, plus en harmonie avec les facult s et les go ts de l enfance; un tableau qui parle, une v rit sortant d elle-m me du texte sacr , un bon mouvement du c ur, une aspiration vers le bien, le beau, le divin; tout cela en quelques lignes qui ont le charme, la douceur, la suavit de la voix d une m re l oreille de son fils, voil votre livre.
Pour trouver cet accent qui va au c ur il faut tre m re, et aimer les enfants comme J sus les aimait. Les m res chr tiennes go teront ce petit ouvrage, et seront heureuses de pouvoir initier les jeunes gens confi s leur tendresse, gr ce cette lecture d un style si simple et si p n trant, au double amour de la parole de Dieu et de la m ditation.
C est au moins le succ s qui je souhaite et la b n diction qui j envoie votre petit livre, en vous renouvelant, Madame et ch re fille en Notre Seigneur, l hommage de mon plus respectueux d vouement.
F R . B ERNARD C HOCARNE ,
des Fr res Pr cheurs.
Flavigny, Octobre, 1883.
M Y DEAR D AUGHTER IN C HRIST ,
I cannot tell you with what pleasure I have read your little book of meditations. It is simple without affectation, devotional without being pretentious. It would be difficult to place the Gospels before the comprehension of young minds by a commentary more vivid, concise, and in harmony with the tastes and faculties of youth; a picture which speaks, a truth springing spontaneously from the sacred text, a good impulse of the heart, an aspiration towards the good, the beautiful, the divine; all this in a few lines which possess the charm, the sweetness, the gentleness of a mother s voice speaking in the ear of her son: such is your book.
In order to find these accents which go straight to the heart, one must be a mother and love children as Jesus loved them. Christian mothers will appreciate this little work, and will be glad to initiate the youthful souls entrusted to their tender care into the twofold love of the Word of God and of the practice of meditation by means of these pages, so touchingly and simply written.
Such is, at any rate, the success which I wish and the blessing I send to your little book.
B R . B ERNARD C HOCARNE , O.P.
Flavigny, October, 1883.
THE ANNUNCIATION.
And in the sixth month the Angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth, to a Virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the Virgin s name was Mary. -St. Luke i. 26, 27.
I NVOCATION .-My God, bless this my meditation, I pray Thee, and give me the grace of devout attention to Thy mysteries.
I. Among the hills of Galilee the sunny little village of Nazareth nestles, hidden amidst vineyards and olive-trees. Half buried under clusters of deep green myrtle bushes, scarlet pomegranates, and fragrant flowering shrubs, I see a modest little dwelling, its white walls glistening in the moonlight. It is Mary s house. I enter the humble doorway, and kneel in spirit at the threshold of the blessed Virgin s chamber.
A fair maiden is kneeling in prayer, her hands meekly clasped upon her bosom, her eyes modestly cast down to the ground. Her lips move, and I fancy I hear her asking God to send His Messias to her people, and to grant that she may be counted worthy to become the humble servant of the Child s Mother.
II. As Mary prays, a soft, heavenly radiance fills the little chamber, more brilliant than the moonshine streaming in through the open lattice. A glorious Angel is standing before the maiden, who salutes her with the words, Hail, full of grace! Mary is startled. Who is she, methinks I hear her say to herself, that an Angel should greet her in such language? And Gabriel reassures her gently, bidding her fear not, and telling her that her pure and holy life has made her lovely in the sight of God, and that He has chosen her to be the Mother of His Son.
O Mary, blessed among women! I kneel at thy feet. I kiss the hem of thy robe. I listen for thy response. Be it done unto me according to thy word, thou sayest, Mother of my Saviour. Permit me to dwell with thee. Permit me to pray beside thee in thy humble chamber. Permit me to serve thee, as thou didst beg to be allowed to serve the Mother of Jesus. Teach me thy virtues, that I also may find favour in the eyes of God by the purity and holiness of my life!
III. The glorious message came to Mary in the stillness of night, as she was kneeling in the solitude of her own chamber, absorbed in fervent prayer. This teaches me that if I would learn to know Jesus, and would win His love and receive His grace, I must pray I must not content myself with a few hurried prayers, almost mechanically said, morning and night; but I must choose a quiet moment, when, alone and undisturbed, I can think of Jesus, invite Him to come into my heart, listen to His sweet voice, and tell Him all my wants, showing Him my poverty, and begging Him to enrich me with His graces.
R ESOLUTION .-I will make a practice of saying my vocal prayers aloud when circumstances permit, in order that my attention may be the better sustained. I will make the sign of the Cross devoutly when I awake, and give my heart to Jesus, and before all the principal actions of the day. I will fix upon some special time for making my little meditation, and will be faithful to it every day, asking Mary to help me, and give me holy thoughts and good resolutions.
P RAYER .-Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.
THE VISITATION.
And Mary, rising up in those days, went into the hill-country with haste into a city of Juda. -St. Luke i. 39.
I NVOCATION .-Mother of beautiful love! I pl