O my little Lawgiver, accomplishing so silently and so perfectly the Will of Thy Father, command me and I will obey, give Thy orders through whom Thou wilt; be they hard or easy, be they in accordance with my will or contrary to my whole nature! I will think of Thy perfect submission to Thy Father's Will during those nine months for me and will say: I, too, will do always the things which please Him no matter what they cost. POINT III. THE EXPECTATION OF THE NATIONS. JESUS is waiting, Mary is waiting, the Angels are waiting, all nations, all the earth, and Heaven too is waiting--waiting for our Emmanuel to come and save us. The empty manger speaks of the Church's expectation to-day. We can count the hours now, all things are ready. Oh! come and save us! Come and begin Thy blessed work over again, come and save the many who as yet know Thee not and who are expecting everything this Christmas _except_ a Saviour. May the sight of the empty crib remind me to look well into my preparations to-day to see that nothing is wanting in the welcome I am going to give to the King! _Colloquy_ with our Emmanuel. At the Incarnation, at Thy birth, all through Thy life, Thou didst dwell _with us_; on every altar Thou hast promised to be _with us_ all days; in Holy Communion Thou hast said I will dwell _with them_; in the hour of death I will fear no evil for Thou wilt be _with me_; and Thou hast secured Heaven for me by Thy prayer: "Father, I will that those whom Thou hast given Me be _with Me_ where I am." "Emmanuel, _God with us_." _Resolution._ Grace to expect Him to-day in all that I do. _Spiritual Bouquet._ O Emmanuel! CHRISTMAS EVE. "This day you shall know that the Lord will come and save us: and in the morning you shall see His glory." (Ex. XVI. "Introit" for Christmas Eve). _1st. Prelude._ The stable and the manger waiting for JESUS. _2nd. Prelude._ Grace to make my final preparations. POINT I. MY PREPARATION--LAST TOUCHES.