Jesus, the Man - but veiled. Lo, this is He
Foreshadowed by the Seer in prophecy.
Jesus is He, who in the womb doth lie -
A Man in wisdom and maturity,
In Form of simple, unborn, Entity.
Jesus the Man, in power of Soul, though He
In tenderness of Flesh is bound to be:
With senses ripe, although the limbs may be
Bounded and circumscribed by infancy:
In might a Man, though not in age, is He.
The Word not less was Wisdom's Self when He,
Descended from His Throne, enclosed to be,
And naughten in the womb - Infinity:
Not less than when He slept on Mary's knee,
Or when He questioned Doctors searchingly.
For whether in the womb, or on the knee,
Or weeping through a Babe's fragility,
Or shedding grace on Elders - such was He
By Hypostatic Union bound to be -
In Manhood perfect, as in Majesty.
Why veils He thus His dread Divinity?
Why hides His Soul's perfection? He would be
The Medicine of a sick humanity,
Its Strength in weakness; Health to infirmity,
Comfort in weeping, Hope in extremity.
Such is the New Thing that we find in thee
Accomplished, Mother, in thy Purity:
The Man conceived for man's infirmity
Hath taken man's infirmities - in thee,
Beneath the veils of Sacred Infancy.
Grace is His due: 'twas His eternally.
It overflowed in His Humanity
On thee, for us. On earth He willed to be,
That which He willeth to eternity -
Man in God's Nature: God in our entity.
- text taken from Mary: The Perfect Woman, by Emily Mary Shapcote