Publisher's Synopsis
PART I. 24 Jesus is Hidden God Chapter I 24 JESUS HIDDEN IN HIS GENERAL SELF-ANNIHILATION. Jesus hidden as He is God. God everywhere present, yet everywhere forgotten and ignored. Creatures alone regarded; the Creator disregarded and offended. How little fear of His Divine Majesty even among Christians and Catholics. Jesus hidden as He is man; whilst men delight in display. Chapter II 29 JESUS HIDDEN AS TO HIS GENERATION ETERNAL AND TEMPORAL. The value set upon birth, and rank, and state in the world; and that even by ecclesiastics. Contrast: the Crib of Bethlehem. Christians the disciples of the carpenter's Son. Chapter III 32 JESUS HIDDEN AS TO HIS NATURAL QUALITIES. His natural gifts sublime, yet concealed. Father De Condren's answer when urged to write. The Gospels and their writers. Our Lord's teaching by parables a lesson to the learned and the intellectual. His concealment of His personal beauty a warning to the vain and self-complacent. His withdrawal of His sensible presence from His disciples contrasted with men's desire to display their natural advantages; and that even in the churches. Chapter IV 36 JESUS HIDDEN IN HIS PRIVATION OF TEMPORAL GOODS. Jesus the King of kings, yet the poorest man on earth. Fruits of this poverty in the hearts of His followers. Advantages of compulsory over voluntary poverty. It admits to a deeper participation in the abject life of Jesus. Is more contemptible in the eyes of men. Devout people themselves ashamed of it. Chapter V 39 JESUS HIDDEN IN HIS PRIVATION OF THE ESTEEM AND FRIENDSHIP OF CREATURES. Creatures engrossed with creatures. Desire of their esteem and approbation strong in us to the last. How nature predominates in the intercourse even of the good and devout. Jesus our model. His extreme and utter privations. Chapter VI 42 JESUS HIDDEN IN IGNOMINIES. Nothing conceals more than contempt and disgrace. Loss of reputation a mark of God's love to us. A sure way of sharing the hidden life of Jesus. His treatment at the hands of men. Contrast of our pride and love of exaltation. Chapter VII 45 JESUS HIDDEN AS TO HIS POWER. The ordinary conduct of Christians wholly opposed to that of Jesus. He who is All makes Himself nothing; and we who are nothing are always desiring to be something. His weakness apparently extreme. His refusal to exhibit His power. Our exceeding weakness contrasted with our self-importance. Chapter VIII 48 JESUS HIDDEN AS TO HIS OFFICES AND DIGNITIES. Jesus a bishop. But a bishop without honour. Comparison of St. Martin of Tours. The episcopate of Jesus glorious, yet discharged amid poverty, contempt, and suffering. He assumed not the office to Himself: yet men seek ecclesiastical benefices and dignities for themselves and their relatives; and that without regard to a divine vocation. The sin and misery of this. Chapter IX 53 JESUS HIDDEN AS TO HIS GRACES. Jesus always enjoyed the beatific vision, yet never allowed its glory to appear; except once, and then in secret. So also with respect to the hypostatic union. The lesson to be derived From this; especially by directors. Particular saints have been divinely moved to speak of the graces they have received; but generally saints have laboured to conceal them. Hence the comparatively slight knowledge we possess of the marvels wrought in their souls. The duty, nevertheless, of being unreserved with our director. Plus 14 Chapters More!!!
