Word And Man

Verbum igitur Dei Deus, Filius Dei, qui in principio erat apud Deum, per quem facta sunt omnia et sine quo factum est nihil, propter liberandum ab aeterna morte hominem, factus est homo: ita se ad susceptionem humilitatis nostrae sine diminutione suae majestatis inclinans, ut manens quod erat, assumensque quod non erat, veram servi formam ei formae in qua Deo Patri est aequalis uniret, et tanto foedere naturam utramque consereret, ut nec inferiorem consumeret glorificatio, nec superiorem minueret adsumptio. Salva igitur proprietate utriusque substantiae et in unam coeunte personam, suscipitur a maiestate humilitas, a virtute infirmitas, ab aeternitate mortalitas, et ad dependendum conditionis nostrae debitum, natura inviolabilis naturae est infusa passibili, Deusque verus homo verus in unitatem domini temperatur, ut quod nostris remediis congruebat, unus atque idem Dei hominumque mediator et mori posset ex uno et resurgere posset ex altero. Merito virgineae integritati nihil corruptionis intulit partus salutis, quia custodia fuit pudoris editio veritatis. Talis ergo, dilectissimi, nativitas decuit Dei virtutem et Dei sapientiam Christum, qua nobis et humanitate congrueret et divinitate praecelleret. Nisi enim esset Deus verus, non afferret remedium, nisi esset homo verus, non praeberet exemplum. Ab exultantibus angelis nascente Domino gloria in excelsis Deo canitur, et pax in terra bonae voluntatis hominibus nuntiatur. Vident enim caelestem Hierusalem ex omnibus mundi gentibus fabricari de quo inenarrabili divinae pietatis opere quantum laetari debet humilitas hominum, cum tantum gaudeat sublimitas angelorum? Sanctus Leo Magnus, Sermo XXI, In Nativitate Domini Source: Migne PL 54.191c-192b

Therefore the Word of God, God Himself, the Son of God, who in the beginning was with God, through whom all things were made and without whom was nothing made, 1 with the purpose of liberating man from eternal death, was made man. So He lowered Himself to take on our humility without decrease in His own majesty, that remaining what He was and assuming what He was not, He might unite the true form of a slave to that form in which He is equal to God the Father, 2 and by such compact join both natures, so that the inferior was not swallowed up in its glorification, nor the superior diminished by what it has taken up. Therefore with preservation of the properties of both substances which came together in one person, humility was taken up by majesty, weakness by strength, mortality by eternity, and for the paying of the debt of our condition, passible nature was infused with inviolable nature, and true God and true man were combined in the unity of the Lord, so that, as was fitting for our remedy, there be one and the same Mediator between God and men, 3 that it be possible both die with the one and rise again with the other. Rightly, therefore, the birth of salvation brought no corruption to the Virgin's purity, because the bringing forth of Truth was the keeping of chastity. Such then, most beloved, was the nativity which was fitting for the Power of God and Christ the Wisdom of God, by which He might join with us in humanity and excel us in Divinity. For unless He were true God He could not bring a remedy, unless He were true Man He could not give an example. Therefore the exulting angels at the birth of the Lord sing: 'Glory to God in the Highest and peace on earth to men of good will.' 4 For they see that the heavenly Jerusalem is being built up out of all the peoples of the world, and concerning this indescribable work of Divine love, how great should be the rejoicing of the humbleness of men, when the joy of the angels above is so great? Pope Leo the Great, from Sermon 21, On The Nativity Of The Lord 1 Jn 1.1-3 2 Philip 2.6 3 1 Tim 2.5 4 Lk 2.14