December
21

The Star went before them.

And when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came Magi from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is He who is born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the east, and are come to worship Him… And when they had heard the king, they departed; and lo, the star which they saw in the east went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. And having seen the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. (Matthew 2:1-2, 9-10)

Because man in respect to his self is such, means have been given by the Divine mercy of the Lord, by which man can be withdrawn from his self. These means are given in the Word; and when man cooperates with these means, that is, when he thinks and speaks, wills and acts, from the Divine Word, he is kept by the Lord in things Divine, and is thus withheld from self. And when this continues, there is formed with man by the Lord as it were a new self, both voluntary and intellectual, which is wholly separated from man’s self. Thus, man becomes as it were created anew, and this is what is called his reformation and regeneration by truths from the Word, and by a life according to them. (Apocalypse Explained 585:3)

“And he that overcometh and keepeth My works unto the end,” signifies perseverance in love and faith, after combat against these loves and their removal as far as possible. This is evident from the signification of “overcoming” as being to fight against the delights of the loves of self and of the world, and to remove them… It is evident also from the signification of “keeping unto the end,” as being perseverance even unto death, for he who perseveres even unto death in love and faith is saved. It is evident also from the signification of “works” as being the things of love and faith in cause and in effect, that is in internals and in externals. (Apocalypse Explained 174)

Neither with men nor with angels can any love ever become pure. So also with this love. But since it is the intention which is of the will that is primarily regarded by the Lord, therefore, so far as a man is in this intention and perseveres in it, so far he is initiated into the purity and holiness of this love and successively progresses in them. (Conjugial Love 71:2)

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