O DIVINEST Childhood
Of my Saviour dear;
How in very weakness
Does His strength appear!
How Thy beauty, Jesu,
Ravishes my heart!
How the more abas'd
The greater still Thou art!

Hither speed, ye Angels,
On exultant wing;
View in this poor manger
Heav'n's eternal King.
Ah, by faith instructed,
How I joy to see
These first tears of pity
Which He sheds for me!

O mysterious silence,
Eloquence divine!
O exact obedience,
Would that such were mine!
Yield, rebellious nature,
Let thy murmurs end;
See thy own Creator
To His creature bend!

Near our little Jesus
Docile grows my mind,
Nor can aught perplexing
In His Gospel find.
Come, presumptuous reason,
Fix thy gaze on this,
And for ever after
All thy pride dismiss.

Does not this sweet Infant
Seem to thee to say,
“Cast thy heartless trusting
In thyself away?
Know that if thou learn not
To resemble Me,
Happiness celestial
Ne'er can fall to thee.

Come, ye little children,
Unto Me draw nigh;
For 'tis such as you
That dwell with Me on high,
Who in love and meekness
From all malice free,
Serve their dear Redeemer
With simplicity.

I who pride and greatness
Evermore abase,
On the poor and lowly
Lavish all My grace;
And to humble spirits
Heavenly things reveal,
Which My secret judgments
From the proud conceal.”

Thus, O sweetest Jesu,
Seemest Thou to say:
Ah, then, wretched earthlings,
Cast your pride away;
If the God of glory
So Himself abase,
How shall man presume
To choose the highest place?

Sacred charms of childhood
Unto Christ so dear,
Bright ingenuous frankness,
Innocence sincere;
Love serene, unselfish,
Void of worldly stain,
Would that in my bosom
Ye might ever reign!