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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3df6488 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #60267 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/60267) diff --git a/old/60267-8.txt b/old/60267-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 4552d00..0000000 --- a/old/60267-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,16759 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Five-minute Sermons for Low Masses on All -Sundays Of The Year, Volume II, by Various - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Five-minute Sermons for Low Masses on All Sundays Of The Year, Volume II - -Author: Various - -Editor: Rev. I. T. Hecker - -Release Date: September 9, 2019 [EBook #60267] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FIVE-MINUTE SERMONS, VOL 2 *** - - - - -Produced by Don Kostuch - - - - - -[Transcriber's note: This production is based on -https://archive.org/details/fiveminutesermon02unknuoft/page/n6 -Pages 46 and 47 are missing from the image file. Additional -citations indicated by "USCCB", are based on the United States -Conference of Catholic Bishops Bible found at -http://usccb.org/bible/books-of-the-bible.] - -{i} - - Five-minute Sermons - - for - - Low Masses - - on - - All Sundays Of The Year, - - - - By - - Priests Of The Congregation Of St. Paul. - - Volume II. - - - New York: -The Catholic Publication Society Co., - - 9 Barclay Street. - - London: Burns & Oates. - 1886 - -{ii} - - Copyright, 1886, by I. T. Hecker. - - All Rights Reserved. - - -{iii} - - Preface. - - -Repeated and urgent requests from both clergy and laity have -induced the publication of this second volume of Five-Minute -Sermons. They have all been preached in the Church of St. Paul -the Apostle, New York, and published weekly in the _Catholic -Review_. Choice has been made of such as are really little -sermons, since there are many excellent manuals from which purely -doctrinal instructions may be prepared. Yet they all contain, it -is hoped, a solid basis of doctrine plainly put and appropriately -illustrated. The main object is, however, to edify, to quicken -the moral perceptions, and to move in a reasonable degree the -religious emotions. - -Nearly all of these sermons may serve as skeletons for discourses -of greater length; a fuller treatment of the topics, by means of -familiar illustrations and more copious extracts from Scripture, -will fit them for use at High Mass, or on Sunday evenings. - ------------------------------ -{iv} - -{v} - - Contents. - - - -First Sunday of Advent: - Sermon I. The Spirit of Advent, 14 - Sermon II. The Graces of Advent, 16 - Sermon III. St. John the Baptist, 18 - -Second Sunday of Advent: - Sermon IV. Fair-weather Christians, 23 - Sermon V. The Immaculate Conception, 25 - Sermon VI. The Total Abstinence Pledge, 28 - -Third Sunday of Advent: - Sermon VII. Bad Company, 32 - Sermon VIII. The Voice in the Wilderness, 34 - Sermon IX. Penance, 37 - -Fourth Sunday of Advent: - Sermon X. Fruits of Penance, 41 - Sermon XI. Preparation for Christmas, 43 - Sermon XII. Christmas Eve, 46 - -Sunday within the Octave of Christmas: - Sermon XIII. Christmas Joy, 50 - Sermon XIV. New Year's Eve, 52 - Sermon XV. The Feast of the Holy Innocents, 55 - -The Epiphany: - Sermon XVI. The Testimony of the Spirit, 59 - Sermon XVII. Following God's Guidance, 63 - -{6} - -First Sunday after Epiphany: - Sermon XVIII. The Christian Home, 67 - Sermon XIX. Jesus Teaching in the Temple, 70 - Sermon XX. How our Saviour takes away Sin, 72 - -Second Sunday after Epiphany: - Sermon XXI. Profanity, 76 - Sermon XXII. The Sin of Cursing, 79 - Sermon XXIII. Reverence for the Name of God, 82 - -Third Sunday after Epiphany: - Sermon XXIV. Practical Faith, 86 - Sermon XXV. Living up to our Faith, 89 - Sermon XXVI. The Sacrament of Matrimony, 91 - -Fourth Sunday after Epiphany: - Sermon XXVII. The Ingratitude of Children, 95 - Sermon XXVIII. Love of our Neighbor, 98 - -Fifth Sunday after Epiphany: - Sermon XXIX. The Christian Family, 102 - Sermon XXX. The Duty of Good Example, 105 - Sermon XXXI. Bearing one another's Burdens, 108 - -Sixth Sunday after Epiphany: - Sermon XXXII. How to make Converts, 113 - Sermon XXXIII. The Blessings of the Faith, 116 - Sermon XXXIV. Good Example as a means of - making Converts, 118 - -Septuagesima Sunday: - Sermon XXXV. Bodily Mortification, 123 - Sermon XXXVI. Sudden Death, 126 - Sermon XXXVII Life's Purpose, 129 - -{7} - -Sexagesima Sunday: - Sermon XXXVIII. Perseverance after a Mission, 134 - Sermon XXXIX. Good Seed but no Harvest, 137 - Sermon XL. The Uses of Temptation, 140 - -Quinquagesima Sunday: - Sermon XLI. The Qualities of Christian Charity, 144 - Sermon XLII. Delay of Repentance, 147 - Sermon XLIII. Lenten Obligations, 150 - -First Sunday of Lent: - Sermon XLIV. The Merit of Pasting and Abstinence, 154 - Sermon XLV. Difficulties of Fasting, 157 - Sermon XLVI. Wasted Opportunities, 159 - -Second Sunday of Lent: - Sermon XLVII. The Joy of Penance, 164 - Sermon XLVIII. Christian Perfection not Impossible, 167 - Sermon XLIX. The Divine Presence in our Churches, 170 - -Third Sunday of Lent: - Sermon L. Immodest Language, 174 - Sermon LI. Honorary Church-Members, 177 - Sermon LII. Half-hearted Christians, 180 - -Fourth Sunday of Lent: - Sermon LIII. The Happiness of True Penance, 184 - Sermon LIV. Liberty of Spirit, 187 - Sermon LV. The Lust of the Eyes, 190 - -Passion Sunday: - Sermon LVI. The Precious Blood, 194 - Sermon LVII. Christ's Passion, 197 - Sermon LVIII. Dangerous Companionship, 199 - -{8} - -Palm Sunday: - Sermon LIX. Hardness of Heart, 203 - Sermon LX. Spirit of Holy Week, 205 - -Easter Sunday: - Sermon LXI. Easter Joy, 210 - Sermon LXII. Easter and the Love of God, 212 - Sermon LXIII. The Triumph of Christ, 215 - -Low Sunday: - Sermon LXIV. How to use God's Gifts, 219 - Sermon LXV. The Christian's Peace, 222 - Sermon LXVI. True and Lasting Peace, 224 - -Second Sunday after Easter: - Sermon LXVII. The Good Shepherd, 229 - Sermon LXVIII. Dead Faith, 232 - Sermon LXIX. Suffering False Accusations, 234 - -Third Sunday after Easter-- -Feast of the Patronage of St. Joseph: - Sermon LXX. Devotion to St. Joseph, 240 - Sermon LXXI. Christ and the Church, 242 - -Fourth Sunday after Easter: - Sermon LXXII. Evil Conversation, 246 - Sermon LXXIII. Temptation, 248 - -Fifth Sunday after Easter: - Sermon LXXIV. Sins of the Tongue, 252 - Sermon LXXV. Perseverance in Prayer, 255 - -Sunday within the Octave of the Ascension: - Sermon LXXVI. After a Mission, 259 - Sermon LXXVII. Bearing Witness for our Lord, 261 - Sermon LXXVIII. The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit, 263 - -{9} - -Feast of Pentecost, or Whit-Sunday: - Sermon LXXIX. The Holy Ghost in the Church, 268 - Sermon LXXX. The Guidance of the Holy Spirit, 271 - Sermon LXXXI. The Easter Duty, 273 - -Trinity Sunday: - Sermon LXXXII. The Divine Majesty, 277 - Sermon LXXXIII. The Mystery of the Holy Trinity, 279 - Sermon LXXXIV. The Divine Judgment, 282 - -Second Sunday after Pentecost, -and Sunday within the Octave of Corpus Christi: - Sermon LXXXV. Holy Communion, 286 - Sermon LXXXVI. The Sacred Heart of Jesus, 289 - Sermon LXXXVII. Ingratitude, 291 - -Third Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon LXXXVIII. Sinful Amusements, 295 - Sermon LXXXIX. Divine Providence, 297 - Sermon XC. How to Bear Burdens, 300 - -Fourth Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon XCI. How to Suffer, 304 - Sermon XCII. Good Works done in Mortal Sin, 306 - Sermon XCIII. Fishing for Men, 309 - -Fifth Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon XCIV. Forgiveness of Injuries, 314 - Sermon XCV. Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, 316 - -Sixth Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon XCVI. The Divine Bounty, 321 - Sermon XCVII. Feast of St. John the Baptist, 324 - Sermon XCVIII. Idleness, 326 - -{10} - -Seventh Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon XCIX. Mortal Sin the Death of the Soul, 330 - Sermon C. False Prophets, 332 - Sermon CI. The Last Sin, 334 - -Eighth Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon CII. Spirit and Flesh, 339 - Sermon CIII. The Business of the Soul, 342 - Sermon CIV. The Judgments of God, 344 - -Ninth Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon CV. Justice and Mercy, 349 - Sermon CVI. Neglect of Divine Warnings, 351 - Sermon CVII. Living from Day to Day, 354 - -Tenth Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon CVIII. Sympathy for Sinners, 358 - Sermon CIX. Morning Prayers, 360 - Sermon CX. Feast of St. Mary Magdalen, 363 - -Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon CXI. Want of Confidence in God, 367 - Sermon CXII. Devotion to the Blessed Virgin, 369 - Sermon CXIII. Gratitude, 373 - -Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon CXIV. The Good Samaritan, 377 - Sermon CXV. Our Neighbors, 380 - Sermon CXVI. Occasions of Sin, 382 - -Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon CXVII. Thanksgiving, 387 - Sermon CXVIII. Shamelessness in Sinning, 389 - Sermon CXIX. Dangers of Venial Sin, 392 - -{11} - -Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon CXX. The Poverty of Christ, 396 - Sermon CXXI. Brotherly Love, 399 - Sermon CXXII. Religion for Week-Days, 401 - -Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon CXXIII. The Fruits of a Bad Life, 406 - Sermon CXXIV. Sins of Parents, 408 - Sermon CXXV. The Law of Charity, 411 - -Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon CXXVI. Christian Humility, 415 - Sermon CXXVII. Vanity, 418 - Sermon CXXVIII. Behavior in Church, 420 - -Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon CXXIX. Prayer for Sinners, 425 - Sermon CXXX. The Christian Vocation, 427 - Sermon CXXXI. Erroneous Views of Vocation, 430 - -Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon CXXXII. Presumption of God's Mercy, 435 - Sermon CXXXIII. Drunkenness, 437 - Sermon CXXXIV. The Dignity and Happiness of Obedience, 440 - -Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon CXXXV. Lying, 444 - Sermon CXXXVI. Truthfulness 447 - Sermon CXXXVII. White Lies, 449 - -Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon CXXXVIII. Christian Marriage, 453 - Sermon CXXXIX. Mortification of our Lower Nature, 455 - Sermon CXL. The Value of Time, 458 - -{12} - -Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon CXLI. Forgiveness of Injuries, 462 - Sermon CXLII. Gossiping, 465 - Sermon CXLIII. Mixed Marriages, 467 - -Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon CXLIV. Obedience to the Civil Authorities, 472 - Sermon CXLV. Thanksgiving Day 475 - Sermon CXLVI. The Communion of Saints, 477 - -Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon CXLVII. Mixed Marriages, 481 - Sermon CXLVIII. Imitation of the Saints, 484 - Sermon CXLIX. Heaven, 486 - -Twenty-fourth or Last Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon CL. Marrying out of the Church, 491 - Sermon CLI. Joy in God's Service, 494 - Sermon CLII. Forgive and be Forgiven, 497 - -{13} - - _First Sunday of Advent_. - - - Epistle. - _Romans xiii._ 11-14, - - Brethren: - Know that it is now the hour for us to rise from sleep. For now - our salvation is nearer than when we believed. The night is - passed, and the day is at hand. Let us therefore cast off the - works of darkness, and put on the armor of light; let us walk - honestly as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in - chambering and impurities, not in contention and envy; but put - ye on the Lord Jesus Christ. - - Gospel. - _St. Luke xxi._ 25-33. - - At that time Jesus said to his disciples: - There shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the - stars: and upon the earth distress of nations, by reason of the - confusion of the roaring of the sea and of the waves, men - withering away for fear, and expectation of what shall come - upon the whole world. For the powers of heaven shall be moved: - and then they shall see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with - great power and majesty. But when these things begin to come to - pass look up and lift up your heads: because your redemption is - at hand. And he spoke to them a similitude. See the fig-tree, - and all the trees: when they now shoot forth their fruit, you - know that summer is nigh; so you also when you shall see these - things come to pass, know that the kingdom of God is at hand. - Amen I say to you, this generation shall not pass away, till - all things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but - my words shall not pass away. - ---------------------- - -{14} - - Sermon I. - - The Spirit Of Advent. - - _It is now the hour for us to rise from sleep._ - --Romans xiii. 11. - -This life of ours is made up of beginnings. After the rest of the -night we have on each succeeding day to begin again our round of -work, and then comes the night again, when our work must be laid -aside. So, too, does the life of our souls consist in great part -of beginnings, though in the great work of saving our souls there -should be no such thing as rest. This work must be unceasing, -until that night comes wherein no man can work, the night of -death, when our great Master shall demand of us an account of our -labor. On this day, then, which is the beginning of the Church's -year, it is well for us to pause and ask ourselves how we are -fulfilling the task that is set before us. Are our souls asleep? -Have our consciences been lulled into a false security concerning -the state of our immortal souls? Are we careless or indifferent -about the one thing needful for us--our soul's salvation? - -To each and every one of us to-day come the warning words of the -Apostle, "Brethren, know that it is now the hour for us to arise -from sleep." Now is the time for us to shake off our -slothfulness, to rouse ourselves from our dangerous state of -idleness and inactivity, to cast off the works of darkness and -clothe ourselves in the armor of light, to put on the Lord Jesus -Christ, and, arrayed in the strength which he gives, to walk -honestly as in the day. "The night is passed," says St. Paul. -{15} -God grant that for each one of us the dark night of mortal sin -may be for ever past and gone; that its terrible gloom may never -again settle down upon our souls, shutting out the light of -heaven, the pure and radiant light of God's grace. For "the day -is at hand," the day of reckoning, the day of wrath and terror, -when we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ. The -Church to-day warns us of the approach of that time. Year by -year, day by day, hour by hour it is drawing nearer. "For now is -our salvation nearer than when we believed." - -Yes, our salvation if we have been faithful, or our eternal -damnation if God's judgment overtake us in the state of mortal -sin. Therefore it is that the Church, upon this first Sunday of -Advent, lifts up her voice to warn us of the coming of our Lord, -telling us of his near approach, and bidding us to prepare to -meet him. Will you heed this warning, or will you still put off -the day of your conversion to God? Beware! God's warning may be -given you to-day for the last time. "Behold, now is the -acceptable time"; "it is now the hour to rise from sleep." There -is still time for you to turn from your sins and begin again to -serve God. Perhaps you have tried before and then have fallen -back into old ways and habits of sin. Begin again. We must always -be beginning if we would make any progress. We must examine our -consciences at the end of each day, and find out how we have -offended God, make earnest resolutions for the morrow, and then -begin each day with the determination to avoid the faults of the -day before. This is a sure means of perseverance. - -{16} - -And this beginning of the Christian year is a good time to take a -fresh start in the affairs of our souls. During Advent the Church -brings to our minds the consideration of the four last things. -Death and judgment, heaven or hell are awaiting us. Begin this -day, then, as though it were to be your last day on earth, and on -each succeeding day for the rest of your life keep up this -practice. "For as lightning cometh out of the east, and appeareth -even unto the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man -be." "Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness" now at the -beginning of this holy season. Drunkenness, impurity, contention, -and envy are, alas! far too common amongst us. "Let them be not -so much as named among you, as becometh saints," mindful of your -high calling in Christ. Then when the Judge appears, he will find -you ready to meet him. Having begun each day with the intention -of serving God, you will then be ready and fit to begin that day -which shall have no end in that heavenly city which "needeth not -sun nor moon to shine in it; for the glory of the Lord hath -enlightened it, and the Lamb is the lamp thereof." - ---------------------- - - Sermon II. - - The Graces Of Advent. - - _The night is past, and the day is at hand. - Let us, therefore, cast off the works of darkness - and put on the armor of light. - Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ._ - --Epistle of the Day. - - -To-day, dear brethren, we enter upon the season of preparation -for the coming of Jesus Christ. For "the night is past and the -day is at hand." "The day-spring, the Brightness of the -everlasting Light, the Sun of righteousness," is come "to give -light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death." - -{17} - -To give light to them that have been unfaithful to God's grace, -to call them back--to turn them to a new life--this is the -mission of our Saviour; and this is the call he makes upon us -to-day--that we should return to him, "the Ruler of the house of -Israel, who didst appear to Moses in the burning bush, and gave -him the law in Sinai." - -You, dear brethren, were taught that law when the first rays of -the light of reason lit up your soul. God wrote it on your -hearts; you heard it from your parents lips; your teachers bade -you love it and keep it. But have you done so? Have you not -become like those whom of old God taught, and who would not -listen, but went after false gods, who bowed down before idols of -gold and silver, of wood and clay? - -Have you not bowed down like them when you preferred -money-getting to serving God; when you were willing, for the sake -of gold and silver, to risk the loss of your immortal souls? Have -you not bowed down when you chose to gratify your lower instincts -at the cost of your spiritual ruin? Have you not bowed down to -idols of clay when you have steeped yourselves in drunkenness, in -impurities, in the many sins of the flesh? Oh! surely you have -need of the "wisdom that cometh out of the mouth of the Most -High" to teach you "the way of prudence." Oh! surely you have -need of "the Orient from on high," for you "sit in darkness and -in the shadow of death." - -{18} - -But, dear brethren, "the night is past." "Let us, therefore, cast -off the works of darkness"; "let us walk honestly." Oh! "put ye -on the Lord Jesus Christ." "Behold Emmanuel, our King and Law -giver," he for whom the nations sighed and their salvation, has -come to save us--to save men whom he has made from the dust of -the earth. - -Dear brethren, shall we be slow to go to him who comes with -healing for our immortal souls? Tell it out among the people, and -say, "Behold, God our Saviour cometh. Emmanuel is his name, and -his name is great. Behold, he is my God, and I will glorify him; -my father's God, and I will exalt him. The Lord our Law-giver, -the Lord our King, cometh to save us." - -Begin this day to prepare for the joyous feast of Christmas. -Cleanse your hearts by prayer and fasting; come to the sacraments -and be washed in the blood of your Redeemer; come to his table -and break the bread of true friendship, that the joy of your -heart may be full when we shall celebrate that day of days, when -the Word which "was made flesh dwelt among us." Truly "we have -seen his glory," and "of his fulness we have all received." Let -us never forget his mercy; let us remember "that it is now the -hour for us to rise from sleep." - ----------------- - - Sermon III. - - St. John The Baptist. - - _The angel said to him: Fear not, Zachary, - for thy prayer is heard; - and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, - and thou shalt call his name John; - and thou shalt have joy and gladness, - and many shall rejoice at his birth._ - --Luke i. 13. - -{19} - -These words, my brethren, were spoken by the Angel Gabriel to -Zachary, the father of St. John the Baptist, while he was engaged -with his religious duties in the temple at Jerusalem. Before -giving the account of the angel's visit St. Luke informs us that -Zachary and his wife, Elizabeth, were both acceptable to God and -obedient to the divine law. There are few who have received such -commendation in the pages of Holy Scripture. It might have been -surmised that Zachary led a good life, practising the virtues and -avoiding the vices, since he belonged to the Jewish priesthood. -Yet we find that his wife, Elizabeth, is mentioned as deserving -equal praise with himself, for it is stated that "_they were -both_ just before God, walking in all the commandments and -justifications of the Lord without blame." - -Such is the brief account that St. Luke has given of the parents -of St. John the Baptist. Though brief, it is enough to show that -any son might well feel proud of parents such as they -were--blameless in the sight of God. For many years they had -lived together in the hill-country of Judea, conscientiously -performing their duties, and cherishing the hope that they would -be rewarded for their good actions. Like the rest of the Jews who -remained faithful to the laws promulgated by Moses and the -prophets, which God had made for Israel, they prayed earnestly -for the coming of the Messias, the Orient from on high, who was -ardently expected to descend from his throne in heaven in order -to enlighten those in darkness and in the shadow of death, -directing their steps into the way of peace. While serving God by -strict fidelity to the commandments, they did not anticipate that -an angel would be sent to visit them; they did not know until -advanced in age that a son would be born to them who would be -called the prophet of the Most High, the precursor of the son of -David, appointed to prepare his ways. - -{20} - -That this blessing was unexpected is shown by the fact that -Zachary hesitated to believe the message of the Angel Gabriel, -and on account of this hesitation, this mistrust of the good -tidings that God sent to him, he was deprived of the use of -speech for several months. After the birth of St. John the -Baptist his tongue was again endowed with the power to speak, and -his words on that occasion, spoken under the influence of -inspiration, have been preserved in the grand canticle known as -the Benedictus, which is justly assigned to a prominent place in -the Office of the Church. - -These considerations enable us to perceive what sort of a home -St. John the Baptist had while he remained with his aged parents. -From the knowledge we have of them, there is no reason to think -that they were deprived of anything requisite to make their home -happy and comfortable. Early in life, however, St. John -manifested a peculiar preference for the lonely desert. In a -special manner he was sanctified before his birth, and received -the gifts of the Holy Ghost in an extraordinary degree. It was -not because his fellow-creatures had proved deceptive, nor -because sad experience had taught him that the glittering charms -of the world are transient and wither into dust, that he resolved -to live like a hermit, separated from his relatives. Joyfully he -abandoned his family privileges, with all that seems to make life -among men pleasant, and went forth among the wild rocks in the -mountain solitudes to live alone with God. -{21} -Why was it that he made such a strange choice? The answer is, -that God directed him to leave houses and lands, his home and -kindred, and endowed him with the heroism needed for a solitary, -penitential life. In obedience to the will of God, acting under -the guidance of the Holy Spirit, he practised unusual -mortification. He selected coarse raiment, made of camel's hair; -he used a strange kind of food; he abstained entirely from the -use of wine. By deeds of heroic penance, by extraordinary acts of -self-denial, combined with the performance of his other duties, -he advanced in the way of perfection. During this season of -Advent we should invoke his intercession, and strive to remove -the obstacles that impede the way of the Lord and the action of -His grace in our sanctification. - -------------------- - -{22} - - _Second Sunday of Advent._ - - - Epistle. - _Romans xv._ 4-13. - - Brethren: - What things soever were written, were written for our - instruction; that through patience and the comfort of the - Scriptures, we might have hope. Now the God of patience and of - comfort grant you to be of one mind one towards another, - according to Jesus Christ: that with one mind, and with one - mouth, you may glorify God and the Father of our Lord Jesus - Christ. Wherefore receive one another, as Christ also hath - received you unto the honor of God. For I say that Christ Jesus - was minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to - confirm the promises made to the fathers. But that the Gentiles - are to glorify God for his mercy, as it is written: Therefore - will I confess to thee, Lord, among the Gentiles, and will sing - to thy name. And again he saith: Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his - people. And again: Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and - magnify him, all ye people. And again Isaias saith: There shall - be a root of Jesse; and he that shall rise up to rule the - Gentiles, in him the Gentiles shall hope. Now the God of hope - fill you with all joy and peace in believing: that you may - abound in hope, and in the power of the Holy Ghost. - - - Gospel. - _St. Matthew xi._ 2-10. - - At that time: - When John had heard in prison the works of Christ, sending two - of his disciples he said to him: Art thou he that art to come, - or look we for another? And Jesus making answer said to them: - Go and relate to John what you have heard and seen. The blind - see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the - dead rise again, the poor have the gospel preached to them. -{23} - And blessed is he that shall not be scandalized in me. And when - they went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes - concerning John: What went you out into the desert to see? A - reed shaken with the wind? But what went you out to see? A man - clothed in soft garments? Behold they that are clothed in soft - garments are in the houses of kings. But what went you out to - see? A prophet? yea, I tell you, and more than a prophet. For - this is he of whom it is written: Behold, I send my angel - before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee. - -------------------- - - Sermon IV. - - Fair-Weather Christians. - - - _What went you out into the desert to see? - A reed shaken with the wind?_ - --Gospel Of The Day. - -Our Lord asked this question of his disciples, my brethren, -regarding his precursor, St. John the Baptist, whom also they had -followed in his time. "Why," said he, "did you take such trouble -to see him? Why did you think so much of him? Was it because he -was like a reed shaken by the wind? No, but because he was just -the opposite of that. You thought highly of him, you honored him -as I myself honor him, because he did not shake and tremble at -the breath of popular opinion; because he was not afraid of the -world, or of all the powers that are in it; because he only -thought of God, and of his duty; of the work that he had been -sent to do." - -{24} - -But would our Saviour be able to praise us so highly, my -brethren, if he should come down now in our midst? Would he not -say rather that we were indeed like reeds, turning to one side or -another, according to the wind that happens to be blowing? I am -afraid that he would have too good reason to find fault with the -words and actions of many who call themselves Christians, an who -even pass for pretty good ones. - -Who are these people whom he would find fault with? There are -plenty of them. They are what I should call fair-weather -Christians. They go to church regularly, perhaps, and to the -Sacraments, it may be, quite often; when they are with pious -people they can be just as pious as anybody else. They say their -prayers not only in church, but at home, too; they certainly try -in a way to be good; sometimes at least they would not say or do -anything wrong of their own accord. And when they are alone they -do very well, too; they resist many temptations, and avoid a -great deal of sin. They are not what one would call hypocrites; -far from it; they have a good many virtues, within as well as on -the outside. - -But the trouble with them is that they have little or none of -what is commonly called "backbone." Alone or in good company they -are all right; but take a look at them on the street, in the shop -or factory, at their work or their amusements with their -associates, and they do not stand the test so well. They laugh at -every vulgar, filthy, and impure word that any one else pretends -to think is funny and wants them to laugh at, or if they do not -laugh out right they give a miserable, cowardly smile. They hear -something said about the faith which they know is a vile -falsehood, but they say nothing in reply; perhaps they even allow -that there is some truth in it. -{25} -It takes a long while for any one to find out that they are -Catholics who does not guess it by their names or know where they -go to church; it takes a great deal longer to find out that they -are supposed to be good ones. - -Now, what is the reason of this contemptible sneaking and -meanness in those who ought to be brave and generous soldiers of -Christ? It is just one thing. These people do not love God enough -to dare to displease any one else for his sake. Most of them have -got pluck enough when something else is concerned. They would -resent an insult to themselves; perhaps for years they have not -been on speaking terms with many people on account of some -trifling slight or injury. But when God's honor and love are -concerned, the first breath of disapproval keeps them from -standing up for him, as the reed bends with the gentlest breeze -which strikes it. - -Yes, that is the difficulty; these good people do not love God -enough to stand up for him as all Christians worthy of the name -should do. Let them think of this seriously. For if one does not -love God enough to offend bad men for his sake, how can he love -him above all things? And if one does not love God above all -things, how can he be saved? - -------------------- - - Sermon V. - - The Immaculate Conception. - -{26} - -The beautiful feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed -Virgin being so near at hand, let us consider it this morning. -The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception, then, my dear -brethren, is simply this: that our Blessed Lady, though the -offspring merely of human parents, like the rest of us, and -naturally liable to inherit original sin from them as we have -inherited it from ours, was nevertheless by the special -providence and decree of God entirely preserved from it. - -She was preserved from it entirely, I say. This may be understood -in two ways. First, it was never in her. It was not taken from -her at the first moment of her existence, as it has been taken -from us at baptism; no, it was not taken from her, for it was not -in her even at that first moment. - -Secondly, she was entirely saved from its effects, not partly, as -we have been. None of its consequences remained in her, as I have -said they do in us. No, she was as if there had never been such a -thing; except that her Son willed that she should suffer together -with him, on account of its being in us. - -Now, my brethren, I hope you all understand this; for a great -deal of nonsense is talked about this matter, especially by -Protestants, most of whom have not the least idea what is meant -by the Immaculate Conception of our Blessed Mother, and who yet -object to it just as bitterly as if they did. They either -confound it with her virginal motherhood, in which they -themselves believe and yet seem to object to our believing it, or -they accuse us of saying that she was divine like her Son, our -Lord. If they would only examine they would find that what the -Church teaches is simply this: that our Lady is a creature of God -like ourselves, having no existence at all before the time of her -Immaculate Conception; but that she is a pure and perfect -creature, the most pure and perfect that God has ever made; -immaculate, that is to say, spotless; free from any stain or -imperfection, especially from the fatal stain of original sin. -{27} -And that the reason why God made her so was that she was to be -His own mother, than which no higher dignity can be conceived. If -they object to this, let them do so; but let them at least know -and say what they are objecting to. - -Let us hope that some Protestants, at least, will not object to -this doctrine when they understand it. But perhaps some of them -may say: "This is all very good, but what right has the pope, or -any one else at this late day, to make it a part of the Christian -faith?" And it may be that even some Catholics will find the same -difficulty. - -I will answer this question now, though it is a little off of our -present subject, on account of the prominence which has been -given to it of late. The answer is simply this: The pope has not -added any thing at all to the Christian faith in defining the -doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. He has no more done so -than the Council of Nicæa did in defining the doctrine of the -Divinity of our Lord. - -You remember, my brethren, perhaps, that from this council the -Nicene Creed, which is said or sung at Mass, takes its name. It -was called together to condemn the errors of some who maintained -that our Lord was not truly God. And it solemnly defined that he -was. Very well; was that adding anything to the Christian faith? -Of course not; it was simply declaring what the Christian faith -was, to put an end to the doubts which were arising about it. -That is plain enough, is it not? - -{28} - -Now what was it that the pope did in defining the Immaculate -Conception? Exactly the same thing. He defined what the faith -really was to put an end to doubts about it. The only difference -was, that those who opposed or doubted the Immaculate Conception -of our Lady were not so much to blame as those who opposed or -doubted the Divinity of our Lord, or even in many cases not at -all to blame. It was not such a prominent part of the faith, and -had been more obscured by time. But the action of the pope and -the council in the two cases was just the same. - -------------------- - - Sermon VI. - - The Total Abstinence Pledge. - - - _The angel said to him: Fear not, Zachary, for thy prayer is - heard; and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou - shalt call his name John; and thou shalt have joy and gladness, - and many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great - before the Lord; and shall drink no wine nor strong drink; and - he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost even from his mother's - womb; and he shall convert many of the children of Israel to - the Lord their God._ - --Luke i. 13-16. - - -My brethren, the message brought from heaven by an angel deserves -careful examination, because the angel acts as a messenger from -God. A little reflection will convince us that the message -delivered to Zachary by the Angel Gabriel contained a very -peculiar prediction concerning the total abstinence from wine and -strong drink, which St. John the Baptist practised throughout his -life. In other matters no special directions were given -regulating his acts of self-denial. -{29} -No mention is made of his raiment in the angel's message; neither -was any information communicated in regard to his choice of food. -Hence there is a special significance in the declaration which -the Angel Gabriel put forth when he predicted that St. John the -Baptist would abstain from the use of wine and strong drink. This -passage of Holy Scripture, therefore, furnishes a strong proof in -favor of total abstinence. In the Book of Leviticus, x. 9, and in -the Book of Numbers, vi. 2, as well as in the writings of the -prophet Jeremias, xxxv. 61-69, there are texts to be found which -show that total abstinence was recognized long before the birth -of St. John the Baptist. But on account of his intimate relations -with the Holy Family, and on account of the extraordinary -approval bestowed upon him by our Lord, by which he was -canonized, so to speak, before his death, St. John the Baptist is -the most prominent of all the total abstainers mentioned in the -Bible. - -Considered as an antidote, an effectual safeguard against the -degrading vice of intemperance, the practice of total abstinence -is now defended not only by examples from Holy Writ, but also on -arguments based on common sense and experience. It is regarded as -the heroic form of the virtue of temperance, which may be -meritoriously practised by those who have never been addicted to -drunkenness. The determination to renounce even the lawful use of -strong drink is especially commendable as a means of -self-preservation for young men. More than any other class of -society, they are assailed by temptations to excessive drinking; -and by unwise and unscrupulous friends they are often taught to -regard drunkenness as a pardonable weakness. -{30} -Undoubtedly, then, it is a wise act for a young man at the -present time to erect a strong barrier, a wall of defence, to -protect himself from a most dangerous and destructive vice. For -occasional and habitual drunkards, however, who wish to reform -and live in state of friendship with God, total abstinence is not -a mere act of heroism, but something indispensably necessary. The -pledge for them is simply a firm purpose of amendment, a -manifestation of their desire to avoid that which they know has -been for them a proximate occasion of sin. In many cases total -abstinence, though it may be a stern remedy, is the only sure -preventive of intemperance, and is imperatively demanded for the -spiritual and temporal welfare of numerous families. The man who -has offended God and debased himself by drunkenness cannot obtain -an unconditional pardon. To obtain forgiveness from God he must -have a sorrow for past offences, a determination to do better in -the future, and a willingness to atone for his sins. What he must -do in the future to secure his safety can be ascertained by -examining his past experience. By the application of these -principles, especially in the tribunal of penance, the growth of -virtue is fostered and the progress of vice is retarded. In this -way the Church proclaims to each individual the great lessons -which St. John taught by the banks of the Jordan. To all of her -children she repeats during this season of Advent the admonition -uttered long ago by the voice crying in the wilderness: Prepare -ye the way of the Lord; make straight his paths. - -------------------- -{31} - - _Third Sunday of Advent._ - - - Epistle. - _Philippians iv._ 4-7. - - Rejoice in the Lord always: again, I say, rejoice. Let your - modesty be known to all men: The Lord is nigh. Be not - solicitous about anything: but in everything by prayer and - supplication with thanksgiving let your petitions be made known - to God. And the peace of God which surpasseth all - understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. - - - Gospel. - _St. John i._ 19-28. - - At that time: - The Jews sent from Jerusalem priests and levites to John, to - ask him: Who art thou? And he confessed, and did not deny: and - he confessed: I am not the Christ. And they asked him: What - then? Art thou Elias? And he said: I am not. Art thou the - prophet? And he answered: No. They said therefore unto him: Who - art thou, that we may give an answer to them that sent us? what - sayest thou of thyself? He said: I am the voice of one crying - in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said - the prophet Isaias. And they that were sent, were of the - Pharisees. And they asked him, and said to him: Why then dost - thou baptize, if thou be not Christ, nor Elias, nor the - prophet? John answered them, saying: I baptize with water; but - there hath stood one in the midst of you, whom you know not. - The same is he that shall come after me, who is preferred - before me: the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to loose. - These things were done in Bethania beyond the Jordan, where - John was baptizing. - -------------------- - -{32} - - Sermon VII. - - Bad Company. - - -In one of his epistles (2 Timothy iii. 1-5) St. Paul speaks of -_dangerous times_ for Christians, when "men shall be lovers -of themselves, covetous, haughty, proud, blasphemers, disobedient -to parents, ungrateful, wicked, without affection, without peace, -slanderers, incontinent, unmerciful, without kindness, traitors, -stubborn, puffed up, and lovers of pleasure more than of God; -having an appearance, indeed, of piety, but denying the power -thereof." - -At the present time there is in the world, especially in populous -cities, no small number of men who have the combination of vices -so forcibly described by the Apostle St. Paul. In some places -they may be in the majority, and have the power to enforce their -depraved views on their righteous neighbors. By their slanders -they can revile virtue; by their blasphemies they endeavor to -bring odium on God's plan of ruling the world. Their hatred of -religion is manifested not only in the regulation of personal -affairs, but also in their business methods, and in their -utterances on public questions. If these stubborn, puffed-up -lovers of sensuality, traitors to God, who are without affection -and without peace, could be assigned to a reservation in some -corner of the world, their range of influence would be kept -within a definite area. But they are like their master the devil, -roaming from place to place, every where seeking the destruction -of men's souls. - -{33} - -Hence it is an important matter, and especially for Catholic -young men, to consider the injurious results of the unavoidable -contact with those in the world who are more or less infected -with erroneous views, or have become the victims of debasing -vices. Such characters are to be found in nearly every department -of business. It often happens that a young man, when he begins to -work, is obliged to enter a sphere beyond the control of his -parents, where he will be in close proximity to blatant infidels, -who claim an intellectual superiority on account of their -unbelief. Business engagements may compel a Catholic young man to -be within hearing of shallow sceptics, who take every opportunity -to ask questions--not to get information, but merely to ventilate -their contempt for all religious teaching. These hostile -influences have produced in many of our young men very deplorable -results. By a sort of indifference, resembling the dry rot, they -have allowed themselves to get into a very unsafe state of mind -regarding their duties to God. - -Enlightened self-interest should prompt every young man to keep a -sharp lookout for all that is injurious to him. He may have the -best religious training, together with the virtuous surroundings -of a good home, but these will not be sufficient without his own -personal activity. If he selects by preference heretics and -freethinkers as the companions of his leisure hours; if he is so -puffed up with the idea of his own ability that he can find no -Catholic associates worthy of his notice; if he is so confident -of his own strength that he habitually neglects to receive Holy -Communion, he has become a traitor to the King of Heaven. Our -Lord wants his followers to attain the highest standard of human -excellence. -{34} -To those who love him and fearlessly keep his commandments he -gives the courage which belongs to true manliness; and their -piety has power to surmount every obstacle on the way to heaven. - -------------------- - - Sermon VIII. - - The Voice In The Wilderness. - - _Make straight the way of the Lord._ - --John i. 23. - - -This expression, dear brethren, is no new one in Holy Scripture, -and it fell on no unaccustomed ears. More than seven hundred -years before Jesus Christ the great prophet Isaias spoke about -"the voice of one crying in the desert: Make straight in the -wilderness the paths of our God." Again, three hundred years -later, another prophet, Malachias, wrote: "Behold, I send my -angel, and he shall prepare the way before my face." Again, about -six months before Jesus Christ was born, an aged priest, -Zacharias, took his own little child, who was only eight days -old, in his arms, and in the beautiful hymn of the -_Benedictus_ says of him: "Thou, child, shalt be called the -prophet of the Most High; for thou shalt go before the face of -the Lord to prepare his way." - -You know, dear brethren, who this little child was, who was the -burden of all this prophetic song. You know it was St. John the -Baptist. And you know, too, the mighty work he had to do. - -And now, in this morning's Gospel, it is St. John the Baptist -himself speaking: "I am the voice of one crying in the -wilderness. Make straight the way of the Lord." - -{35} - -Now, how is this "way of the Lord" to be "made straight" in the -spiritual desert of our hearts? Well, the prophet Isaias tells us -that there are five things which we have to do in this matter: -The first, "every valley shall be exalted"; the second, "every -mountain and hill made low"; the third, "the crooked become -straight"; the fourth, "the rough ways plain"; and the fifth, -"the glory of the Lord revealed." - -He begins, you see, by telling us that the valleys must be -exalted. And don't you think that these "valleys" are a very good -likeness of all the things which we have left undone in our -lives? All these abysses of idleness, of neglect, of -carelessness, of indifference, which lie in the wilderness of our -sinful past, these have to be filled up. Christ our Lord cannot -come to us so long as there are such great holes in the road. We -must set to work and "exalt" them by throwing into our religious -life all the pains and care and diligence and faithfulness we -can. - -Then there are the "mountains and hills," which must be made low. -For oftentimes, when the Evil One sees that a man cannot be -altogether discouraged from serving God, then he turns round and -persuades him that he _is_ serving God very well indeed; -that he may be proud to think how often he has resisted -temptation, how often overcome difficulties, how often done great -things for Christ's sake. - -So arise the vast mountains of pride and self-will and -self-conceit. But be sure our Lord will not climb over these to -come to you. You must first get them out of the way. They must be -made low, if you would enter into life: for it is written, "God -resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble." - -{36} - -Then the "crooked places"--I suppose you know what they are--all -crooked ways of lying and deceit and untruthfulness. We call a -truthful person _straightforward_, because he does not turn -about to this side or to that in what he says, but goes straight -to the truth. Well, whatever is not straightforward is crooked, -and the crooked path is one which Christ will not walk in. So we -must try every day to go on more and more straightforwardly with -what God would have us do, according to the saying in the -Proverbs, "Let thine eyes look straight on, ... decline not to -the right hand, nor to the left, and the Lord will bring forward -thy ways in peace." - -Once more: there are the "rough places." Rough tempers, rough -words, and rough manners; such feelings as spite, and anger, and -ill nature, and revenge; as cutting and cruel words, and -quarrelling and fighting. Such rough places must be made very -plain and smooth if the road is to be fitted for the feet of our -meek and gentle Lord. - -And, lastly: "The glory of the Lord shall be revealed." So shall -it indeed be to those that are found worthy to enter into the -kingdom of heaven. But what that glory is who shall tell? St. -John could not. "Beloved," he says, "we are now the sons of God; -and it hath not yet appeared what we shall be." St. Paul could -not, for when he was caught up into heaven he tells us that he -heard words "which it is not granted to man to utter." Isaias -could not. "From the beginning of the world," he says, "they have -not heard; the eye hath not seen, O God! besides thee, what -things thou hast prepared for them that wait for thee." All we -know is, that this glory shall be very great. And if we serve God -faithfully here we shall one day see it, and shall one day know. -We shall awake after his likeness and be satisfied therewith. - -------------------- - -{37} - - Sermon IX. - - Penance. - - - _For now the axe is laid to the root of the tree._ - --Matthew. iii. 10. - -St. John Baptist, my brethren, as you know, retired to the desert -at an early age, and led there an austere and solitary life, -eating coarse and unpalatable food, abstaining from wine and -strong drink, cutting off all unnecessary enjoyments of the -senses, and giving himself up to prayer and meditation. What was -his special motive in this extraordinary course of penance? It -was that he might worthily prepare himself for the office which -had been as signed to him--that of disposing men's hearts to -recognize and receive our Lord when he should come as their -Redeemer. It was by penance alone that those hearts could be so -disposed, and he was to be specially the apostle of penance; -hence he had to give a signal example of it in his own person; -for preaching, however eloquent, is of comparatively little -effect unless the preacher practises the virtues to which he -exhorts others; and the power of his preaching will be in -proportion to the illustration which it finds in his own life. - -{38} - -Therefore, though it was not necessary for St. John, sanctified -as he was even before his birth, to cut off all other sources of -pleasure in order to fill his soul with the joy that comes from -the love of God, and though he had no sins to atone for, for his -life had been free from blame, still he took up this course of -penance in order to show forth even more plainly than by his -words the need that his hearers would have, in their measure, to -do likewise, if they were to share in the redemption to come. - -For now, as he told them, the axe was to be laid to the root of -the tree. God's chosen people, the Jews, whom he had specially -watched over for so many years, whom he had often chastised and -corrected, and had brought back to his favor when they profited -by his visitations, they were no more to be thus dealt with. The -tree which had sprung from the seed of Abraham was not to be -allowed any longer to stand with merely some lopping and pruning; -no, now, if it still would not bring forth the good fruit of a -thorough and genuine penance, it was to be cut down and cast into -the fire. It was the supreme test which was approaching; if the -people whom he had chosen would stand it, they should still -retain their place; otherwise they should be rejected as a -nation, and only those among them who would truly turn to their -God should be saved. - -My brethren, St. John is still preaching this doctrine of penance -to us. The Church of the New Law is not on her trial, as was that -of the Old; no, her Divine Founder has promised that she shall -endure to the end of the world. But we, each one of us, have to -take the words of his precursor to ourselves. We are called by -the name of Christ; yes, but that will not save us. St. John said -to the Jews: "Think not to say within yourselves, we have Abraham -for our father." So we are not to think ourselves as belonging to -Christ, unless we have cast out from our hearts and souls what -puts a fatal obstacle to his entrance into them. His axe will be -laid to our root also, unless we on our part lay the axe to the -root of our sins. - -{39} - -What is this root of sin in us? It is just this desire of sensual -indulgence against which St. John in his life as well as in his -doctrine came to make the strongest of protests. If we wish not -to bring forth the fruits of sin, we must lay the axe to its -root. We must practise penance and mortification, not indeed -always to the degree in which he practised it, but at least so -far as it is necessary that we may keep the law of God. We must -not dally with those things which are dangerous to us, innocent -though they may be to others. Our Lord has told us that if even -our eyes and hands themselves are an occasion of sin we must -pluck them out or cut them off; if, then, there be anything we -enjoy, but can really do with out, we must not make a pretext of -the good use which we might make of it if it really is plain that -we will abuse it, but must resolutely cast it away. If we would -avoid the bitter fruit which will naturally grow we must lay the -axe to the root of the tree. - -------------------- - -{40} - - _Fourth Sunday of Advent._ - - - Epistle. - 1 _Corinthians iv._ 1-5. - - Brethren: - Let a man so look upon us as the ministers of Christ, and the - dispensers of the mysteries of God. Here now it is required - among the dispensers, that a man be found faithful. But as to - me it is a thing of the least account to be judged by you or by - human judgment: but neither do I judge my own self. For I am - not conscious to myself of anything, yet in this am I not - justified: but he that judgeth me, is the Lord. Therefore judge - not before the time; until the Lord come, who both will bring - to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest - the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have - praise from God. - - - Gospel. - _St. Luke iii._ 1-6. - - Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cæsar, - Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being - tetrarch of Galilee, and Philip his brother tetrarch of Iturea - and the country of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of - Abilina, under the high-priests Annas and Caiphas: the word of - the Lord came to John, the son of Zachary, in the desert. And - he came into all the country about the Jordan, preaching the - baptism of penance for the remission of sins: as it is written - in the book of the words of Isaias the prophet: A voice of one - crying in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make - his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled: and every - mountain and hill shall be brought low: and the crooked shall - be made straight, and the rough ways plain And all flesh shall - see the salvation of God. - -------------------- - -{41} - - Sermon X. - - Fruits Of Penance. - - - _Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of penance._ - --Matthew. iii. 8. - - -St. John Baptist in these words, my dear brethren, teaches us, as -he taught those who came to him, that penance, if it be true and -genuine, must bring forth its proper fruit. Every repentance, if -it be sincere, every confession, if it be really good, must be -followed by a good life. If any confession is not so followed, it -must needs be a delusion; though it should have been accompanied -by torrents of tears, and the sins exposed as perfectly as God -himself knows them. - -And, moreover, the tree which brings forth the good fruit should -continue to bear it; it should not only for a few days or weeks -give this proof that it is what it should be, and then have him -who planted it come to seek fruit on it and find none. - -Yet how often do we find sinners who come to confession with what -would seem to be the best dispositions very soon back just where -they were before! How discouraging it is to the priest to find -the fruits of a mission which seemed to be so promising reduced -down almost to nothing for so many who seemed to profit by it; to -spend long hours, to wear away his strength, instructing, -exhorting, and absolving, and to have so little return from his -labor for God and for souls! - -{42} - -What is the reason of all this failure of what began so well? Of -course it is partly that the tree planted by the grace of God in -the Sacrament of Penance was not tended afterwards. Its life was -not supplied to it, as it should have been, by the frequent -renewal of confession and reception of Holy Communion. But there -was a difficulty further back than that; a want of something at -the start, which, indeed, was the reason that the sacraments were -not regularly received. What was this difficulty? It was a want -of a thorough earnestness; of an understanding of the greatness -of the work that was undertaken, and of a real determination to -sacrifice everything in order to accomplish it. - -It is a great undertaking which one commits one's self to in -coming to reconcile himself with God after a sinful life. The -task is not merely to examine his conscience, to tell his sins -plainly and without concealment, and to feel heartily sorry for -them; that is a great part of it, but by no means all. There is a -great deal left, and that is to leave them for good; to quit -company with them for ever. And this is not such an easy matter. -When, one has lived so that his whole pleasure has been in sin, -in drunkenness and debauchery, in filthy conversation, in bad -actions and bad thoughts, it will perhaps seem almost like giving -up life itself to part with them. The penitent sinner has not all -at once become an angel; his whole nature has been warped and -twisted out of place by sin, and, though the guilt of the sin has -gone, the effects are there; his soul, like a limb out of joint, -has much to suffer before it can get set right again. - -A man must make up his mind, when he comes to serve God after -serving the devil, that he has got an uphill road to travel; if -he does not, he will not persevere. Labor and suffering, -self-denial and mortification, he has to face these manfully. His -consolation, his happiness, as well as his strength, have got to -come from God. -{43} -If one understands this he will seek that happiness and that -strength again where he first found it--in confession and -Communion. But if he does not, if he thinks that all will go -right now without any more trouble, his old nature and habits -will claim their dues, and he will soon be back in his sins -again. - -Yes, we must cut right down to the root of sin if we wish to -bring forth the fruits of penance, and must make up our minds to -suffer the pain that this cutting will bring. Occasions of sin -must be avoided, appetites must be denied, contempt and ridicule -must be faced; we must pray, we must struggle, we must resist -even to blood; we must put our former life to death, that Christ -may live in us. For, as St. Paul tells us: "If we be dead with -him, we shall live also with him; if we suffer, we shall also -reign with him." There is no other way. - -Let us not shrink from this pain and this conflict; that would be -the greatest mistake of all. But let us understand it, that when -the trial comes, as it surely will, it may not find us -unprepared. - -------------------- - - Sermon XI. - - Preparation For Christmas. - - - _Prepare ye the way of the Lord._ - --Matthew iii. 3 - -We are such unprofitable servants that we have much to do to -prepare the way of the Lord in our hearts. If we have done all -that is required of us we are, nevertheless, unprofitable -servants, and unless we believe this we are spiritually blind. - -{44} - -The better the opinion which we have of ourselves the worse is -our spiritual condition. The good opinion, than which nothing can -be more false, which we have of ourselves prepares the way for a -fall into sin. - -The way of the Lord, the way of salvation, is found by humility, -which always leads to penance. - -The holy Council of Trent says that "the whole Christian life -ought to be a perpetual penance." How few realize this, because -they think they are what they really are not! Now, if penance be -the life of the Christian in the state of grace, it must be a -crying necessity for one who is in the state of sin. What food is -to the starving man penance is to the soul in this unhappy state. - -Penance is the preparation required of us for the coming feast of -Christmas. This is the lesson of Advent. For four weeks the -purple vestments, the prayers and ceremonies of the church, and -the fasts on Fridays have been appealing to our eyes and ears, if -not to our hearts, to prepare in this way. The wise man views the -obligation which he is under to do penance as very urgent. He -banishes timidity and cowardice and puts his hand to the plough -with courage and confidence. - -The foolish man hates to hear of penance, because his passions -have got the mastery. When asked to keep the commandments and -fulfil the duties of his state, he says: "I cannot." To bridle -his passions and give up bad habits seem to him too hard a task. - -{45} - -Now, if you should consult any man who has done penance -faithfully, so as to persevere in God's grace for years, he would -say the foolish man's view of penance is a false one. God is more -merciful and lenient than we imagine. It is the devil who dresses -up penance as something repulsive. - -In urging upon you to prepare for Christmas by penance my first -words are: "Take courage." "Taste and see how sweet the Lord is." - -St. Leo says "the cause of the reparation which we make for our -sins is the mercy of God." It is our way of loving him who first -loved us. How well the prophet Isaias describes this penance when -he says: "The Lord says, I will lead the blind in the way in -which they have not known; in the ways which they have not known -I will make them walk. I will change their darkness into light, -their crooked ways into ways that are straight, I will accomplish -these words in them and will not abandon them. I am found," says -God, "by those not seeking me, and I have appeared openly to -those who have not asked for me." - -We see by these words how much the grace of God assists us, and -how God mercifully forgets our past sins when we do penance -sincerely. - -But our penance must be sincere. We must "bring forth fruit -worthy of penance," says St. John the Baptist, the precursor of -our Lord. - -It matters not if we are "the offspring of vipers," as the holy -Baptist called the multitude who approached him for penance, -provided "we lay the axe to the root of the tree." - -Now, the words of the prophet, instead of repelling sinners, -attracted them. The publicans who were farthest from God came and -asked: "Master, what shall we do?" And they received the gentle -... - -{46} -[Page 46 missing] -{47} -[Page 47 missing] -{48} - -... which should be our chief one at Christmas, now that the days -of innocent childhood are past. We do not hate sin from our -hearts; we even cling to it; at best we make compromises with it. -Mortal sin, perhaps, we try to avoid, but venial faults do not -trouble us; this is the best that can be said for most of what -may be called good Christians. And how many there are who come -outwardly to worship before the manger of Bethlehem, but with -hearts entirely turned from their God, who lies there in cold and -poverty for their sakes, pleading with them for his sake to give -up their sinful habits! How many go on offending him at this holy -time, with out repentance, almost without remorse! - -Hatred of sin; yes, that is what we want if we would be happy at -Christmas. And now is the time to learn to hate it. For surely -the love of God comes easier to us now, if we will only try to -obtain it, than at any other time, unless, perhaps, on Good -Friday, when we see the sacrifice now begun accomplished. And the -love of God is the hatred of sin, which is the only thing which -he hates, the one cause of all his pain. - -Do not let this Christmas go by, then, my dear brethren, without -the joy which should come with it. Do not let this opportunity -pass of acquiring that love of our dear Lord which will make you -really hate and trample under foot all that offends him, and -which will make you rejoice beyond measure that he has put it in -your power to do so. Pray, now, at least that you may learn to -love him; that you may enter into the joy of knowing not merely -that he can save you, but that he has saved you from your sins. - -------------------- - -{49} - - _Sunday within the Octave of Christmas._ - - Epistle. - _Galatians iv._ 1-7. - - Brethren: - As long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a - servant, though he be lord of all: but is under tutors and - governors until the time appointed by the father: even so we, - when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of - the world. But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent - his Son, made of a woman, made under the law: that he might - redeem those who were under the law; that we might receive the - adoption of sons. And because you are sons, God hath sent the - Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying: Abba, Father. - Therefore now he is no more a servant, but a son. And if a son, - an heir also through God. - - - Gospel. - _St. Luke ii._ 33-40. - - At that time: - Joseph, and Mary the mother of Jesus, were wondering at these - things, which were spoken concerning him. And Simeon blessed - them, and said to Mary his mother: Behold this child is set for - the ruin, and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a - sign which shall be contradicted. And thy own soul a sword - shall pierce, that out of many hearts thoughts may be revealed. - And there was a prophetess, called Anna, the daughter of - Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser; she was far advanced in years, - and had lived with her husband seven years from her virginity. - And she was a widow until fourscore and four years; who - departed not from the temple, by fastings and prayers serving - night and day. -{50} - Now she at the same hour coming in, gave praise to the Lord; - and spoke of him to all that looked for the redemption of - Israel. And after they had performed all things according to - the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own - city, Nazareth. And the child grew, and waxed strong, full of - wisdom: and the grace of God was in him. - -------------------- - - Sermon XIII. - - Christmas Joy. - - - _Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy._ - --Luke ii. 10. - - -There is hardly any one, my brethren, who lives where this feast -of Christmas is kept who does not feel a special joy in it. Why -do we say that "Christmas comes but once a year," if not because -we feel that there is nothing else that can take its place? We -look forward to it months beforehand; when it comes, we keep it -as long as we can and let it go with regret. Why is it that it -has such a warm place in our hearts? - -Is it merely that it is by common consent a great holiday; that -it is a breathing-place in the bustle and hurry of life, a time -for meeting our friends, for giving and receiving tokens of -affection and regard, a time of feasting and making merry? This -has some thing to do with it, but it is not all. For if this were -all it would be possible to make by law a holiday like this, -which no one has ever succeeded in doing. The early settlers of -this country, in a mistaken zeal against church festivals, -endeavored to make a substitute for Christmas; but the failure of -their attempt has driven their descendants back to the observance -of this feast, though not to the church which gives it to them. - -{51} - -Yes, we all feel that the joy of Christmas is a thing not made to -order. It comes from a source which lies in the very mystery -which we commemorate; and, even though we do not meditate or -reflect on it, the stream from this source diffuses itself -through our life and sweetens all the other joys which come at -this time. And they come because of it; we make merry outwardly -because we are, and have cause to be glad at heart. - -And what is this cause and source of joy? Is it because Christ -our Lord has come to save us from sin and eternal ruin? No, it is -not simply that; for we celebrate our salvation, our redemption, -our ransom from the power of death and hell more specially at -Easter than now. That is the festival of our Lord's triumph and -our deliverance; it should and does open heaven to our souls, and -give them a promise and almost a foretaste of it. But still it -does not come home to our hearts as this beautiful time of -Christmas does. - -And no wonder; for at Easter we cannot but feel that our Lord, -though triumphant and glorious, and promising us a share in his -triumph and glory, still is separated from us. He has passed the -portals of death, he has risen from the grave, he has put on -immortality. We cannot follow him where he has gone till we have -freed ourselves from all the stains of earth, till we have been -purified and washed by penance in his Precious Blood. He has -passed from mortal to immortal life, and it is the raising of the -mortal to the immortal, of earth to heaven, that Easter -celebrates. -{52} -And this, though indeed it is the object of all our hope, is so -high that we, sinners that we are, cannot fully make it our -present joy. But Christmas is heaven come down to earth. It is -the God of heaven condescending to us; taking our weakness upon -him, sympathizing with us, and asking us for sympathy and love. -He hides his majesty and glory; he veils the splendor of his -face; he puts aside all that could distinguish him from -ourselves. He invites us to come to him with out fear; he asks -only that, sinful though we be, we should try to love him as he -loves us. Christmas is the sight of the Creator begging for the -love of his creatures, and humbling himself that he may obtain -it; that is the reason why it goes to the heart of all who have -any heart to give. - -Let us then, in this happy season, enter into this joy which is -the cause of all the rest which we have, which is so easy for us, -which has come to our doors, and only asks that it should be let -in. But let the love which goes with it be not a mere passing -feeling, to bear no fruit in our lives. Let it bring us indeed to -him who has come down to us; let our joy be crowned and perfected -by a real return of our hearts to him who has done so much to win -them; let us receive him in deed and in truth in his holy -sacraments, and never let him go again. - -------------------- - - Sermon XIV. - - New Year's Eve. - - - _Be sober._ - 2 Timothy. iv. 5. - -{53} - -Brethren, those two little words of St. Paul in the epistle of -to-day contain excellent advice, especially to-day, on the eve of -the new year. How much woe it would hinder, how many families it -would save from ruin, how many souls from hell, could they be -made a common watchword in any large city in this country during -the year 1883! - -But do you wish me to tell you the easiest way to be sober? It is -to take the total abstinence pledge. What does a man do when he -takes the pledge? Just what the farmer does who, seeing that his -fence is about high enough to keep the cattle out of the grain, -makes it just one rail higher; for he knows that there may be one -beast wilder than the rest who will leap over an ordinary fence. -So a prudent man, seeing the ravages of the vice of intemperance -among his friends, dreads some taint of it hidden in his own -nature; dreads some moment of weakness during the passing of the -convivial glass, or during some depression of spirits or foolish -mirth. So he puts all danger out of the question by the pledge. -For if there be danger from an inherited appetite or from a -convivial disposition, or from prosperity or adversity, there is -no mistake about this: the man who does not drink a single drop -cannot drink too much. - -But again: what does a man do who takes the pledge? Just what the -kind mother does who wants to induce her sick child to take the -bitter medicine--she tastes it herself. The pledge is taken by a -man who may not need it for his own sake, but who loves another -who does need it. It is taken in order to give good example. It -is not only a preventive for one's self, but for those who may be -led by our influence. It is one great means that fathers and -mothers use in order to save their children from the demon of -drunkenness. -{54} -Oh! how pleasing to God are those parents who practise total -abstinence by way of good example! Oh! how blessed is the home -from which intoxicating drink has been utterly banished! How wise -are those parents who thus teach their children that intoxicating -drink, though it may be used with innocence, must always be used -with caution! Children reared in such a home know well enough how -to avoid treating, frequenting saloons, and convivial habits of -every sort. Such parents not only obey the Apostle's injunction, -"Be sober," but do the very best possible thing to induce those -whom they love to obey it also. - -But once more: what does a man do who takes the pledge? He offers -something to God in atonement for the sin of drunkenness. And -herein is the best use of the pledge. It combines all the other -good purposes of it. It puts the top rail of double safety on the -fence that keeps the beast out of the garden of the soul; it sets -up the strong inducement of good example; but more than all it -consecrates everything to God by uniting it to our Lord's thirst -on the cross. - -Brethren, why was it that, when our Lord suffered agony of soul, -he complained in such words as would be apt to move the drunkard -more than any other sinner: "O my Father! if it be possible, let -this _cup_ pass from me." "O my Father! if this _cup_ -may not pass away from me except I _drink_ it, thy will be -done." Is there no special significance in his choice of those -words? And listen to the account St. John gives of our Lord's -physical agony: "Jesus, knowing that all things were accomplished -that the Scriptures might be fulfilled, saith, _I thirst!_ -... And they filled a sponge with vinegar and put it to his -mouth. -{55} -When Jesus, therefore, had received the vinegar he said: It is -finished! And he bowed his head and gave up the ghost." Thirst -was the only bodily torment he complained of. Had he no special -purpose in this? - -So the man who takes the pledge suffers thirst in union with -Christ and for the love of God to atone for sins of drunkenness. - -That is why it does not settle the matter against taking the -pledge when one can say he does not need it. Our Lord had no need -to suffer thirst. He could say, I own all the cool fountains in -the world, and all the strengthening wine of the world is mine, -and I might drink and never need to thirst for my own sake; but I -love the poor drunkard, and for his sake I will die thirsting for -a cool drink and tasting only bitter vinegar. And the Catholic -total abstainer says: "O Lord! permit me to bear thee company in -thy bitter thirst." - -------------------- - - Sermon XV. - - The Feast Of The Holy Innocents. - - _And Herod sending killed all the men-children that were in - Bethlehem and in all the confines thereof from two years old - and younger._ - --Matthew ii. 16 - - -Who is not shocked by the recital of Herod's cruelty? Carried -away by pride and ambition, and the fear of losing what he had -usurped, this tyrant tried to put to death the King of Kings by -the murder of the holy innocents. Who in our day are like Herod? -Those who murder innocent children. -{56} -Fiendish mothers, desiring, perhaps, to cover their shame or to -escape the labor of bearing and bringing up children, take the -lives of their unborn infants. Those, too, who knowingly sell or -give or advise the use of drugs calculated to destroy the life of -the unborn--all such commit Herod's crime. Yet how often this -crime is nowadays committed! - -Woe to these wretches! Woe to the Herod-like physicians who, for -any reason whatsoever, directly prescribe or use means to prevent -child-birth! Herod met his punishment in a bad death, and his -soul went into a hell of eternal torments. What must the -murderers of little children expect? - -But I have another cruelty to cry out against. It is that of -those who destroy the "little ones of Christ" by neglecting to -instruct their little children in the way of salvation. The law -of God requires that children as soon as they have the use of -reason, which is about the age of seven years, should know the -elements of the Christian doctrine, should know the necessity of -avoiding sin, and should be taught the practice of virtue; also, -that children, as soon as they are able to sufficiently profit by -receiving Holy Communion, should do so. No child should ever be -allowed to go beyond the age of twelve years without having made -First Communion. Many can receive First Communion at nine or ten -years of age, and perhaps younger. Confirmation should be -received as soon as First Communion. Parents are guilty before -God if they do not require their children to keep the -commandments of God and his church from their earliest years -until they leave the parents charge. How many parents do their -little ones a deadly injury by not sending them regularly to -Sunday-school! -{57} -What is it to bring up children to burn in the flames of hell for -ever, as some Christian parents do? It is simply soul-murder. It -deserves no better name. Have you been guilty of soul-murder? If -so, hasten to repair the evil as much as you can. You can never -do it wholly, but you must do what you can. There is yet another -cruelty towards "the little ones" of Christ. It is to scandalize -them by your bad example. Instead of learning by your example to -adore our Blessed Lord, to love and reverence his Blessed Mother -and the saints, they, perhaps, learn to take God's holy name in -vain. Your falsehoods teach them to lie; your dishonesty teaches -them to steal. Your anger and quarrelling teach them to be -stubborn and disobedient. Ah! Christian parents, be careful how -you hang this millstone of scandalizing the little ones of Christ -about your necks. - -Finally, you destroy your children by not correcting their -faults. You wink at the evil which they do. You fail to punish -them, regardless of God's honor and their good. If you do punish -them, it is not "correction in the Lord," but you do it to -gratify your satanic rage. Some fathers and mothers are not -worthy of the name. The dignity and responsibility of fathers and -mothers are very great. See that you are faithful to the -obligations which belong to your high and holy state. - -------------------- - -{58} - - _The Epiphany._ - - Epistle. - _Isaias lx._ 1-6. - - Arise, be enlightened, O Jerusalem: for thy light is come, and - the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For behold darkness - shall cover the earth, and a mist the people: but the Lord - shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. - And the Gentiles shall walk in thy light, and kings in the - brightness of thy rising. Lift up thy eyes round about, and - see: all these are gathered together, they are come to thee: - thy sons shall come from afar, and thy daughters shall rise up - at thy side. Then shalt thou see and abound, and thy heart - shall wonder and be enlarged; when the multitude of the sea - shall be converted to thee, the strength of the Gentiles shall - come to thee. The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the - dromedaries of Madian and Epha: all they from Saba shall come, - bringing gold and frankincense: and showing forth praise to the - Lord. - - - Gospel. - _St. Matthew. ii._ 1-12. - - When Jesus, therefore, was born in Bethlehem of Juda, in the - days of King Herod, behold, there came wise men from the East - to Jerusalem, saying: Where is he that is born King of the - Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and we are come to - adore him. And Herod the King hearing this was troubled, and - all Jerusalem with him: and assembling together all the chief - priests and Scribes of the people, he inquired of them where - Christ should be born. But they said to him, In Bethlehem of - Juda; for so it is written by the prophet: "And thou Bethlehem, - the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: - for out of thee shall come forth the ruler who shall rule my - people Israel." -{59} - Then Herod, privately calling the wise men, inquired diligently - of them the time of the star's appearing to them; and sending - them into Bethlehem, said: Go and search diligently after the - child, and when you have found him, bring me word again, that I - also may come and adore him. And when they had heard the king, - they went their way; and behold, the star which they had seen - in the East went before them, until it came and stood over - where the child was. And seeing the star, they rejoiced with - exceeding great joy. And going into the house, they found the - child with Mary his mother, and falling down, they adored him; - and opening their treasures, they offered him gifts; gold, - frankincense, and myrrh. And having received an answer in sleep - that they should not return to Herod, they went back another - way into their own country. - -------------------- - - Sermon XVI. - - The Testimony Of The Spirit. - - - _For whosoever are led by the Spirit of God - they are the Sons of God._ - --Romans viii. 14. - - -The end of our pilgrimage, like that of the three wise men, my -brethren, is union with our Lord. Of course union with God, -through his power and his being present everywhere, always -exists, whether we are his friends or not. But the state of grace -is the union of love. By that union God rules our souls. By that -union the Holy Spirit of God, the third person of the most Holy -Trinity, really dwells within us. In the state of grace we are -brought into loving contact with the divine Spirit. -{60} -Now the Apostle, in the words of our text, wishes to teach us one -effect of that wonderful union. "For the Spirit himself giveth -testimony to our spirit that we are the sons of God." That is to -say, when the Holy Spirit enters into your heart he announces his -coming, he assures you of his friendship, he excites within you a -sentiment of filial affection for your Heavenly Father. How could -it be otherwise? Could God be long in our hearts and we be -altogether ignorant of it? Of course he does not take away the -natural fickleness of our minds; the star sometimes shines -faintly, or even for a while disappears from view. God does not -reveal himself as he is; he does not interfere at all with his -external work in the holy church; he does not substitute his -interior action on the soul for that exterior action of visible -authority and sacramental symbols. It is, indeed, by means of -this external order that the Holy Spirit enters into our hearts; -it is, besides, only by means of the church's divine marks, her -divine testimony, her divine influence in the sacraments, that we -can be quite sure that Almighty God has come down into our souls. -Yet the Holy Spirit really has a secret career within us. "Deep -calleth unto deep"; that is, the infinite love of God calls into -life our little love. He has his inner church in our souls, so to -speak; or rather he brings into his spiritual and hidden temple -all that is outside, spiritualizes the external order, joins the -purely mental with the sacramental, and, having set our faces in -the right direction and started our feet moving in the right -road, he sets us to thinking right, he stirs up noble -aspirations, he purifies our feelings, and finally gives us -testimony that it is really himself, the Spirit of God, who has -thus been at work making our inner life such as befits the sons -of God. - -{61} - -Now, my brethren, as I said before, this testimony of God within -us is not like the splendors of Paradise bursting upon the soul; -nor is it so very plain as to be able to stand alone without the -external criterion of his church as a testimony of God's -friendship, except now and then in the case of some great saint. -Yet there are many things in our inner life that, if we study -them over a little, show that God has been acting upon us. What -else is that wonder of the world called the faith of Catholics? -Who else but the Spirit of God could give such power to believe -very mysterious truths, such a stability to wavering minds, such -a humility of belief to proud minds? And what except divine love -could be as sweet as the taste the soul enjoys in the reception -of the sacraments? Call to mind the utter transformation of soul -that so often takes place at First Communion; remember the flood -of divine influence at your Christian marriage; remember how -after that death-bed scene your broken heart was cured of its -despair when you turned to God; remember how at missions or -during seasons of penance, or at one or other festival, it seemed -to you that heaven was beginning before its time. All this is -God's work on your life. The tender emotion at hearing the divine -promises, the loving regret for sin, the joy of forgiveness, the -imagination filled--plainly by no human means--with images of -celestial peace, the understanding as clear of doubts as heaven -of clouds, the will strong and easily able to keep good -resolutions, sometimes the very body sharing the lightness and -vigor of the soul--what is all this but the embrace of the Holy -Spirit? -{62} -And if one says _he_ does not feel it, and yet hopes he is -in the state of grace, I answer that he will not be long deprived -of it. Or it may be he is tepid; his soul is not able to feel any -more than a hand benumbed with cold; his ear not hearing because -his attention is too much fixed on the voices of the world to -hear the voice of the Holy Spirit. His eye is too much dazzled by -the false glitter of the world to catch sight of the star that -leads to our Lord's feet. - -------------------- - - Sermon XVII. - - Following God's Guidance. - - - _Be ye, therefore, followers of God, - as most dear children._ - --Ephesians. v. 1. - - -My dear brethren, these are not words of counsel or good advice; -they are words of command, written by St. Paul. This command is -to follow God, and to follow him as most dear children, -obediently as the Magi did of old. What is it to follow God? It -is to do at least as much as we do when we follow any one great -man. How do we act then? We seek to be with him a great deal. We -listen to his every word. We do as he does. We adopt his views of -things. We repeat what he teaches. Neither do we dare to differ -from him, for fear that people will say that we have no sense; -nor do we venture to act in any manner opposed to his ways of -doing. In a few words, a man who is followed is the leader in -fashion, in taste, and style. Everybody approves his ways, and -imitates them. -{63} -His friends have also the friendship of the world, simply because -they are his friends. Any one whom he approves and recommends is -listened to and followed because he has recommended him. If we -want to follow God, he does not really require, outwardly, any -more than men require of us to follow them. - -But how can we do this? - -First: Seek to be with God a great deal. Where is he, that we may -find him? God is everywhere, and is always found by looking for -him and seeking for him diligently in prayer; for prayer keeps us -near to God and God near to us. And he is always on the altar: -hear Mass not only on Sundays but now and then on week days; -visit the Blessed Sacrament. - -Secondly: Listen to his every word. God speaks to our souls in -prayer, not with a voice like the voice of a man, but in his own -sweet and quiet way. We must listen attentively to hear the -gentle words of God, not with our outward ears of the body, but -with the ability to hear that is within our souls; the ability of -the soul to hear the voice of a spirit speaking to our spirit. -God also speaks to us through his Holy Word in the Sacred -Scriptures, in the Epistle and Gospel set apart for each Sunday -of the year, in the writings of holy men and women, in the -teachings of Christian parents and friends. But the most -important way in which God has taught, and continues to teach us -all, is by means of his church. When we listen to her words, in -sermons and other instructions, we hear the Word of God. - -{64} - -Thirdly: Do as God does. Try to be like him, and him alone. Take -care to do always the thing that is right. Try hard to be loving, -merciful, forgiving, and gentle to all, even your enemies. When -we have anything to do, we must say, Would God do this way or -that way? When we meet with cruel treatment from others, with -ingratitude and base injustice from those we love, we must say at -once, How does God treat those who do these things? How does he -treat me, notwithstanding my many, many sins? I shall go and do -to these bad people as he has done to me. I shall even bless -them, as he has blessed me. - -Lastly: If we want to follow God, at least as well as we follow a -great man whom we have made a leader among us, we are sure to -honor his friends, and obey those he sends to us in his name. Who -are these? Not only all good people, but especially our pastors -and spiritual directors. The pastor or parish priest is a man -sent by God to make sure of the success of God's work in his -parish. Any one who follows God in that parish unites heart and -soul with his priest to help him carry out his plans. If any one -wants to get the greatest amount of merit for his good deeds, he -is sure to get it by following first these plans. For the priest -stands as a father among his children. He knows the good and the -bad, the rich and the poor. He knows what is best for each. He is -the best adviser as to what ought to be done, and as to the way -it is to be done. In charities he is certainly the best leader. -Private works and charities are good, it is true; but the first -duty, after one's own necessities are cared for, is to follow the -order of God, in aiding the parish work through the parish priest -and his assistants. We may safely say that one act done for God, -in union with those put over us by him, is worth in heaven, and -here also, many good works done simply because we like to do them -our own way. - -{65} - -To follow God, then, is to follow as dear children. We must -consent to be led by God in all things connected with duty, just -as little children are led by their fathers and mothers. We must -take care, at least, that we follow his lead, and not show more -honor to others than we do to him. - -------------------- - -{66} - - _First Sunday after Epiphany._ - - - Epistle. - _Romans xii._ 1-5. - - Brethren: - I beseech you, by the mercy of God, that you present your - bodies a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing to God, your - reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be - reformed in the newness of your mind, that you may prove what - is the good and the acceptable, and the perfect will of God. - For I say, through the grace that is given me, to all that are - among you, not to be more wise than it behooveth to be wise, - but to be wise unto sobriety, and according as God hath divided - to every one the measure of faith. For as in one body we have - many members, but all the members have not the same office: so - we being many are one body in Christ, and each one members one - of another in Christ Jesus our Lord. - - - Gospel. - _St. Luke ii._ 42-52. - - When Jesus was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem - according to the custom of the feast, and after they had - fulfilled the days, when they returned, the child Jesus - remained in Jerusalem; and his parents knew it not. And - thinking that he was in the company, they came a day's journey, - and sought him among their kinsfolks and acquaintance. And not - finding him, they returned into Jerusalem, seeking him. And it - came to pass, that after three days they found him in the - temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, hearing them and - asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished - at his wisdom and his answers. And seeing him, they wondered. -{67} - And his mother said to him: Son, why hast thou done so to us? - behold thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And he said - to them: How is it that you sought me? did you not know that I - must be about the things that are my Father's? And they - understood not the word that he spoke unto them. And he went - down with them, and came to Nazareth: and was subject to them. - And his mother kept all these words in her heart. And Jesus - increased in wisdom and age, and grace with God and men. - -------------------- - - Sermon XVIII. - - The Christian Home. - - - _He went down with them and came to Nazareth, - and was subject to them. ... - And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age, and grace - with God and men._ - --Gospel of the Day. - - -In these few words, my brethren, the sacred writer raises the -veil that conceals the mysteries of our Lord's hidden life, and -gives us an insight into the domestic concerns of the Holy Family -at Nazareth. Jesus lived with Mary and Joseph. He was obedient -and subject to them, and so he advanced in age and wisdom and -grace with God and men. The door of the holy house is opened to -us, but only for a moment, so that we might get a glimpse of the -domestic life of a model family. Joseph, the father, day by day -works at his trade to support the family. He rises in the -morning; gives his soul to God in prayer. He toils through the -day. He comes home at night to enjoy his rest in the company of -Jesus and Mary. He meets with trials, but he is patient; he is -tempted, but he sins not; he leads a busy life, but he still -finds time to pray. -{68} -Mary, the mother, tends the household duties, with care and -precision, and by her sweet, kind ways diffuses an air of peace -and contentment throughout the home. Jesus, the child, is -affectionate and submissive to his parents in everything. Here is -the model of a true Christian home. Its ground work is the love -of God; it is surrounded by an atmosphere of virtue, and to its -members it is the holiest and dearest spot on earth. Such should -our homes be. - -The true Christian home is to society what the sanctuary is to -the church of God. The parents are the priests in this sanctuary. -It was God who ordained them priests when they stood before the -altar with clasped hands and promised that they would be faithful -to each other while life lasts. The Blessed Sacrament of this -sanctuary is the Sacrament of Matrimony. It is the great -treasure-house of supernatural strength to the married couple. - -The perpetual presence of our Lord in this sanctuary is by his -grace, which is never wanting. - -The altar in this sanctuary is the hearthstone around which the -family gathers. The communion-rail in this sanctuary is the -family table, from which are dispensed the necessities of life. - -There is about the sanctuary in the church of God an atmosphere -of piety and reverence. It has a sanctity that no stranger dare -violate; it has a privacy which no one but he who has a right -dare invade. Such an atmosphere should be about the sanctuary of -home. A priest would never allow a heretic or an infidel to sit -in the sanctuary of God. He would never allow a corrupt man to -stand on the altar of God. Take care, then, Christian parents, -how you violate the sanctity of your homes. -{69} -Take care what heretical or infidel books you allow to pass the -gate of that sanctuary. Take care what bad newspapers you allow -within its sacred precincts. Take care of the persons whom you -allow to stand around your family altar. It is one thing, you -know, to be obliged to meet a man in every-day life; it is a far -different thing to invite him to your home, and permit him to -violate its sanctity. - -It is the duty of a priest on the altar of God, by his good -example, to edify his flock; to stand at all times before his -people a bright, shining light of Christian virtues. So, too, it -is your duty, priests at the family altar, to be a model of all -virtues to your children, so that they might learn from you what -it is to be a Christian. Would it not be horrible for a man to -come in on the altar and utter repeated curses? Would it not be -fearful to see him stagger up to the altar of God in the state of -intoxication? It happened once while Mass was going on, during -the Elevation, while all heads were bowed in humble adoration, a -drunken man rushed into the church, and in a loud voice uttered a -horrible oath. It made the hearts of the good Catholic people -stand still, and their blood ran cold in their veins. Is it any -the less horrible for a father to come home intoxicated to the -household sanctuary, or a mother, when anything goes wrong in the -house, to give vent to her wrath in harsh language and sometimes -even cursing? - -See to it, then, dear parents; make your homes holy places--real -sanctuaries, where you can do your duty as priests of our -All-Holy God. Keep from them all evil influences, so that they -might be places where even the Child Jesus would not be ashamed -to dwell. - -------------------- - -{70} - - Sermon XIX. - - Jesus Teaching In The Temple. - - - _And not finding him, - they returned into Jerusalem, seeking him._ - --Luke ii. 45 - -The Gospel of to-day tells us, my brethren, how our Blessed Lady -and St. Joseph lost Jesus on their way home from Jerusalem, where -they had gone with him to keep the feast of the pasch, and how in -great distress they returned to the city in search of him. What -fears and anxieties must have filled their minds as they thought -of the many enemies which he had among the rulers of the people, -jealous of his promised kingdom, and of the harm which they would -try to do him if they recognized him for the child whom Herod had -sought to destroy! And how perplexed Mary and Joseph must have -been that he who had hitherto saved himself by their protection -should at this tender age abandon them and remove himself from -their care! Had they not shown enough love and care for him? Had -they proved themselves unworthy of him? Surely it could not be -his purpose when so young to begin his great work. Would he not -at least have told them if such had been his plan? - -No, our Lord did not propose to begin his mission then; for, -though he was indeed God, he was also then a child, and that -mission was not a child's work. But he did wish to show them that -his great work even then filled his heart and soul; that the fire -of love for us, which brought him to the cross, was consuming him -even in childhood. "Did you not know," he said to them when they -found him, "that I must be about my Father's business?" "How is -it that you sought me?" "You might have known," he seems to say, -"that, if I were not with you, I must be in the temple speaking -to my people of their God." - -{71} - -He also wished to give them an opportunity of merit by showing -the love of God which filled their souls, too. For their grief -was not the common grief of parents who have lost a child, great -as that trouble is. It was the loss of the Divine Presence which -affected them beyond measure. God had been with them for all -those years as never with any one else, and now he had left them, -they could not tell why or for how long. They would not have -spared him for an hour, even to their kinsfolk and friends, with -whom they thought he was, except for charity; and now he had left -them, perhaps for the rest of their lives, which were worth -nothing without him. - -Would that we loved God, my brethren, as they loved him; that he -were the light and consolation of our lives, as he was of theirs! -Let us think of this as we reflect on their pain and anguish in -that weary search for the visible presence of him whose grace -was, after all, always in their souls. How is it with us? Would -we care for this presence which they so bitterly missed? Would it -not, perhaps, even be a painful restraint? Do we care, as it is, -to be near Jesus? Is his presence in the Blessed Sacrament of the -altar a consolation to us? We revere that real Presence of our -Lord, but do we love it? If so, why do we not seek it more? - -Do we even care for his presence by grace in our souls, which -they always had in its fulness, and never dimmed by the shadow of -sin? To lose that, had it been possible, would have been a -thousand deaths to them; what is it to us? How easily do we lose -that grace; how little do we care to regain it! - -{72} - -Oh! let us at least imitate our Blessed Mother and her Holy -Spouse as far as this. If we do not love to be with Jesus as they -did, let us at least seek to have him with us by his grace. If we -have lost him, let us seek him, and not be weary till we find -him; let us not rest till he comes again to our souls, never to -leave them again. - -------------------- - - Sermon XX. - - How Our Saviour Takes Away Sin. - - - _Behold the Lamb of God, - behold him who taketh away the sins of the world._ - --St. John i. 29. - -After our Blessed Lord was baptized by St. John the Baptist, -beloved brethren, he retired into the desert, where he remained -forty days in prayer and fasting. At the end of this time he -directed his steps towards the river Jordan, where John was -baptizing. Here a large concourse of the Jewish people had -assembled to listen to the preaching of the forerunner of Christ. -In the midst of these St. John, inspired by the spirit of God, -and professing his deep and ardent faith, testified of our Lord -that he is the Lamb of God, and that it is he who taketh away the -sins of the world. - -{73} - -What a glorious testimony this, and how cheerfully received by -the fervent Christian! Have you ever pondered over these -beautiful words, and made them the subject of your meditation? -Have you ever tried to find out their true meaning, and thus make -them profitable to your souls? Yes, truly, Jesus Christ is the -Lamb of God. He is the Lamb slain from the beginning of the -world. For you and for me he voluntarily left the bosom of his -Father, and lowered and even debased himself by assuming a nature -like our own. For us he endured the sufferings and privations of -his childhood; for us he sent up many heartfelt prayers to God -the Father before the beginning of his public life; for us he -labored and preached; for us he suffered the ingratitude of his -disciples, the ignominies of the Jews, the insults of the -soldiers, the hardships of the journey to Calvary, and, finally, -ended his torments on the cross, with the cry "_Consummatum -est_--It is finished." This, and much more, did our Blessed -Lord gladly undergo for us all. And how have you, dear brethren, -requited such infinite love? Fathers, are you solicitous for the -little household which Almighty God himself has so fondly -entrusted to your care? Then are you imitators of the patience -and endurance of your Saviour during his bitter passion. Mothers, -do you strive to make yourselves patterns of the Christian -virtues of gentleness and forbearance? Then do you imitate the -example of your Lord in bearing the defects of others and -treating them with kindness and compassion. Oh! how watchful -would we not be, dear brethren, could we but understand the -infinite love our Lord Jesus Christ manifested for us during his -life on earth! But St. John not only gave testimony to our Lord -being the Lamb of God, but he further testified that it is he who -takes away the sins of the world. -{74} -He did not come simply to announce to the world the divine -mission which he received from the Father; he also came to heal -the infirmities of our souls by imparting to them the abundance -of his grace. This office he performed himself during his mortal -life on earth. He it was that purified the soul of Mary Magdalene -and enriched it with sanctifying grace. It was he who gave the -living water of eternal life to the sinful Samaritan woman. And -what our Lord did for these and many others, beloved brethren, he -is now effecting in the midst of us. It is not necessary to -remind you of how our Lord chose a small band of apostles, and -made them the beginning of his church; how he bestowed upon them -and their successors the unheard-of and marvellous power of -forgiving sins. Yes, brethren, the bishops and priests of the -Catholic Church are the visible representatives of Jesus Christ; -they are the comfort of the afflicted, the strength of the weak; -they have an efficacious remedy for those who are living in the -state of mortal sin; by pronouncing the words of absolution they -restore to the penitent and contrite sinner his lost inheritance -of sonship, and make him an heir of the kingdom of heaven. Oh! -how thankful we should be for the mercy and goodness of our God! -What a tender love we ought to cherish for the Church, the Bride -without spot! What respect is not due to those who hold the place -of Christ in our behalf! How sufficiently prize the inestimable -blessing of the tribunal of penance! Let us remember and meditate -upon those three precious graces, beloved brethren, that they may -be the source of sweet joy to us now, and the earnest of a happy -eternity hereafter. - -------------------- - -{75} - - _Second Sunday after Epiphany._ - - Feast Of The Holy Name Of Jesus. - - - Epistle. - _Romans xii._ 6-16. - - Having gifts different, according to the grace that is given - us, whether prophecy, according to the proportion of faith, or - ministry in ministering; or he that teacheth, in teaching; he - that exhorteth, in exhorting; he that giveth with simplicity; - he that ruleth with solicitude; he that showeth mercy with - cheerfulness. Love without dissimulation. Hating that which is - evil, adhering to that which is good; loving one another with - brotherly love; in honor preventing one another; in solicitude - not slothful; in spirit fervent; serving the Lord; rejoicing in - hope; patient in tribulation; instant in prayer; communicating - to the necessities of the saints; pursuing hospitality. Bless - them that persecute you; bless, and curse not. Rejoice with - them that rejoice; weep with them that weep; being of one mind - one to another; not high-minded, but condescending to the - humble. - - - Epistle of the Feast. - _Acts iv._ 8-12. - - Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said to them: Ye rulers - of the people and ancients, hear: If we this day are examined - concerning the good deed done to the infirm man, by what means - he hath been made whole; be it known to you all, and to all the - people of Israel, that in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ of - Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God hath raised from the - dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. - This is the stone which was rejected by you, builders; which is - become the head of the corner; nor is there salvation in any - other. For there is no other name under heaven given to men, - whereby we must be saved. - -{76} - - Gospel. - _St. John ii._ 1-11. - - At that time: - There was a marriage in Cana of Galilee: and the mother of - Jesus was there. And Jesus also was invited, and his disciples, - to the marriage. And the wine failing, the mother of Jesus - saith to him: They have no wine. And Jesus saith to her: Woman, - what is that to me and to thee? my hour is not yet come. His - mother said to the waiters: Whatsoever he shall say to you, do - ye. Now, there were set there six water-pots of stone, - according to the manner of the purifying of the Jews, - containing two or three measures apiece. Jesus saith to them: - Fill the water-pots with water. And they filled them up to the - brim. And Jesus saith to them: Draw out now and carry to the - chief steward of the feast. And they carried it. And when the - chief steward had tasted the water made wine, and knew not - whence it was, but the waiters knew who had drawn the water, - the chief steward calleth the bridegroom, and saith to him: - Every man at first setteth forth good wine, and when men have - well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the - good wine until now. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in - Cana of Galilee, and he manifested his glory, and his disciples - believed in him. - - - Gospel Of The Feast. - _St. Luke ii._ 21. - - At that time: - After eight days were accomplished that the child should be - circumcised, his name was called Jesus, which was called by the - Angel, before he was conceived in the womb. - -------------------- - - Sermon XXI. - - Profanity. - - -To-day, my dear brethren, as you know, the church celebrates the -festival of the Holy Name of Jesus; of that name which is above -all other names, at which every knee shall bow, and every tongue -shall confess the glory of him to whom this great name belongs. - -{77} - -Yes, the holy church does indeed reverence this holy name, and -we, her children, do not fail to honor it. Following a pious -custom, we bow the head when it is mentioned, and it is to be -hoped that we also make at the same time with our hearts an act -of homage to him who bears it, and thank him for all that he has -done for us. - -And yet, strange to say, some of these very Christians who pay to -the name of their God and Saviour, at least outwardly, this -tribute of honor on certain accustomed occasions seem to take at -other times a pleasure in trampling it, if I may so speak, in the -very dirt under their feet. To see them in church, you would -think that they would hardly dare even to take at all upon their -own lips this holy name which they hear from those of the priest; -but outside, on the street, and even, it may be, in their own -homes, they show a horrible familiarity with it. This name above -all names is coupled with every foolish, passionate, and even -filthy word which the devil can put into their hearts and on -their tongues. - -{78} - -Do I say this is strange? Ah! that is far too weak a word. To one -who will stop and consider, even for a moment, it seems -incredible, impossible that a Christian, one who believes himself -to have been created by the great God whose name he bears, and to -have been redeemed by him from the power of the devil, at the -cost of his own Precious Blood; who has knelt in prayer before -him; who has received from him the pardon of his sins; who has -received him in his real and true Presence on his tongue in the -sacrament which he has instituted with such infinite -condescension and love--I say it seems impossible, intolerable, -inconceivable, that this wretched worm of the earth, on whom so -many and such surpassing favors have been showered by the Divine -Goodness, should, with this very tongue on which his God has -rested, outrage and insult the name of this God, and that the -name which above all others tells how good and merciful he has -been. It seems as if even the infinite patience and love which -our Lord has for us could not brook this indignity, this spittle -cast in his face, not as at the time of his Passion, by one who -did not know who he was, but by those who from childhood have -known full well all the truths of their holy faith, and who well -understand that it is the Divine Majesty which they despise. - -Indeed, my brethren, believe me, even the infidel shudders when -he hears in passing along the street the holy name of our Lord -God and Saviour Jesus Christ, of him whom even he respects above -all other men that have ever lived on earth, thus outraged, -profaned, and defiled by those who profess to believe him to be -far more than the best and greatest of men; who invoke him as the -One who sitteth on the Eternal Throne, before whom the angels -veil their faces, to whom is due benediction and honor and glory -and power for ever and ever. Even the infidel, I say, shudders; -and he wonders how it can be, if what Christians believe is true, -that the God whom they thus insult suffers them to live. - -{79} - -But you may say it is a habit you have got; that is the excuse -which seems good to you, and which you seem to think that God -ought to accept. Sup-pose you had a habit of spitting on your -neighbor's face or clothes by preference to any other place, how -long would he endure it? It is a habit, yes; but it is one which -you can amend and get rid of altogether, and which you are most -urgently and seriously bound to get rid of, if you would not have -to answer for it at the bar of him whom this insufferable habit -outrages and defies. Take care, take care, take care, I warn and -beseech you, for God's sake, for the sake of those who hear you, -and for your own sake, that this habit come to an end. Watch, -keep guard against it; punish yourself should you even -inadvertently fall into it, that your offended God may not have -to take the punishment into his own hands. - -------------------- - - Sermon XXII. - - The Sin Of Cursing. - - - _Bless them that persecute you; - bless, and curse not._ - --Romans. xii. 14. - - -These words are found in the epistle appointed for the second -Sunday after Epiphany, and were read by the church long before -the institution of the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus, which is -now always celebrated on this day, yet they contain a lesson most -appropriate to this feast. For there is no way in which God's -most holy name, which to-day is especially set before us for our -veneration, is more frequently or more grossly dishonored than by -cursing. To curse is to call down God's judgment or vengeance -upon our fellow-men, and its worst form is when the holy and -awful name of God or our Lord is made use of. -{80} -Unhappily the fault has become so common, even among those who -think themselves good Catholics, that its grievous nature is -seldom realized or, perhaps, even thought of. - -The habit is often acquired in childhood, frequently from the -example of parents, themselves given to cursing. Like all -early-acquired habits, it grows stronger and more deeply-rooted -with advancing years, until at last the habit is made the excuse -for the sin. It is a vain excuse. You are guilty before God of -mortal sin if you have formed this habit, and you are guilty of -remaining in the state of mortal sin if you make no effort to -break yourself of it. It will do you no good to go to confession -and accuse yourself of cursing, unless you are contrite and -follow the advice which your confessor gives you, and really make -an earnest resolution and a serious effort to overcome this -scandalous habit. - -You should begin by making each morning a resolution to avoid -cursing throughout the day, begging God's assistance for your -efforts. If, during the day, you fall inadvertently into the old -fault, you should impose some little penance upon yourself, such -as the recitation of the "Hail Mary," or the pious ejaculation of -the holy name of Jesus, with a prayer for God's forgiveness. And -then at night you should examine your conscience as to how often -you may have fallen into the habit during the day, and resolve to -make the next day a better one in this respect. If you faithfully -persevere in this practice you will soon be the master of your -tongue, and able to restrain it from cursing by a little -watchfulness; but if you do not adopt some such practice as this, -and really set to work in earnest to overcome this habit, you are -guilty before God of mortal sin, and your contrition at your -confessions is not good for much. - -{81} - -I have spoken of this habit as scandalous, as this is one of its -worst features. Besides the insult that is offered to God and his -holy name, an incalculable amount of harm is done to our -neighbor. Children, especially, learn to curse from their elders, -and the extent of this fault among young children is frightful to -contemplate. Those, too, who are not of our faith, when they hear -Catholics cursing and swearing, are apt to set it down to some -defect in our religion, and thus the true faith is brought into -contempt. - -But the habitual curser seldom thinks of these consequences of -his sin. He rarely even attends to the meaning of the words he -uses. If he could only be brought to stop and think of all that -is implied in the expressions we so often hear upon our streets, -he would shudder at the thought of using them. To ask Almighty -God to send a soul to hell for all eternity, to utter that holy -name whereby we are saved in a prayer for the eternal damnation -of a soul redeemed by the Precious Blood of Christ, is an impiety -so dreadful that we could scarcely believe it possible did not -our ears tell us the contrary. - -Yet there are those who not only say these things, but mean them, -at least at the moment when they are uttered. How carefully, -then, should we guard ourselves against those outbursts of anger -in which we are led to make such a fearful abuse of the gift of -speech, the noblest of God's natural gifts to man! -{82} -Above all, we should try to realize the spirit of the Gospel as -expressed in the words of St. Paul, "Bless them that persecute -you," remembering that no affront that can be offered to us can -even justify the spirit of revenge that is implied in a curse. -"Bless," therefore, "and curse not," that so you may yourselves -receive the blessing of the Lord. - -------------------- - - Sermon XXIII. - - Reverence For The Name Of God. - - -The Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus, brethren, affords an -opportunity for meditating upon reverence for the honor of God, -especially in the person of our Blessed Saviour. Reverence for -God is something different from the love of God and the fear of -God. Have you not noticed that when a bad boy neither fears his -father nor (as far as we can see) loves him, that he yet often -keeps up at least a show of respect for him? I don't care much -for him, he says, but after all he is my father; I must respect -him. So with sinners. Many a sinner will break every commandment -of God and the church except one or two, which he fancies he must -observe in order to keep up appearances; that is to say, show at -least some outward respect. The most atrocious scoundrel will not -eat meat on Friday, because that would be a sign of losing all -respect for religion. A wretch abandoned to every vice will say a -Hail Mary or make the sign of the cross sometimes in order to -persuade at least himself that he has not lost all respect for -religion. He will not despise the piety of his friends, but -rather respect it. Respect for holy things and holy practices is -the last remnant of religion in the sinner's soul. - -{83} - -Well, brethren, let us ask if Almighty God has not set up any -particular sign of reverence that we are to pay him? What is -that, among all religious practices, which he would have us do as -a token of inner and outer reverence? Of course you know what I -mean; you know that it is reverence for his holy name. - -The name of God, and especially the name of Jesus, are set up as -the divine standard before which every man will prove his -reverence for God. Cursers and swearers and blasphemers forget -this. No sin is so common as profanity in its various forms. Yet -it shows a heart not only void of the fear of God, and of the -love of God, but also, and worst of all, void of even reverence -for God. A man who habitually curses is penetrated with defiance -of the Divine Majesty. Holy Scripture says that he has put on -cursing like a garment; that it has entered in unto his bones. In -the old law a blasphemer was stoned to death. And in our own -times God often anticipates the wrath to come by sending sudden -death upon profane men. I lately read in the papers that a man, -standing at a saloon-counter, cursed his own soul, and instantly -sank down upon the floor stone dead. Many of you have doubtless -heard or even seen such visitations of divine justice. - -And it is in view of the sacred obligation of reverence to God in -his chosen symbol--which is his name and his Son's name--that, -although he had but ten commandments to give us, one of them was -set apart to secure respectful speech when dealing with God: Thou -shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain, for the Lord -will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. - -{84} - -Brethren, you and I in [the] future will be particularly careful -to honor the sacred name of Jesus. Are you tempted? That name is -a resistless charm against assaults of flesh, world, or devil. -Are you tired out? The name of Jesus is a restful and soothing -influence. Are you sick? That holy name will strengthen you with -supernatural vigor. I hope that when you come to die your last -breath may utter that name of Jesus with deep confidence, and -that our Lord will answer your dying sigh with an affectionate -welcome into his heavenly court. - -------------------- - -{85} - - _Third Sunday after Epiphany._ - - - Epistle. - _Romans xii._ 16-21. - - Brethren: - Be not wise in your own conceits. Render to no man evil for - evil. Provide things good not only in the sight of God, but - also in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as is - in you, have peace with all men. Revenge not yourselves, my - dearly beloved; but give place to wrath, for it is written: - "Revenge is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord." But if thy - enemy be hungry, give him to eat; if he thirst, give him drink; - for doing this thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head. Be - not overcome by evil, but overcome evil by good. - - - Gospel. - _St. Matthew viii_. 1-13. - - At that time: - When Jesus was come down from the mountain, great multitudes - followed him; and behold a leper coming, adored him, saying: - Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus, - stretching forth his hand, touched him, saying: I will; be thou - made clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus - said to him: See thou tell no man; but go show thyself to the - priest, and offer the gift which Moses commanded for a - testimony to them. And when he had entered into Capharnaum, - there came to him a centurion, beseeching him and saying: Lord, - my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, and is grievously - tormented. And Jesus said to him: I will come and heal him. And - the centurion, making answer, said: Lord, I am not worthy that - thou shouldst enter under my roof; but only say the word, and - my servant shall be healed. -{86} - For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me; - and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth, and to another, Come, - and he cometh, and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. And - Jesus, hearing this, wondered, and said to those that followed - him: Amen I say to you, I have not found so great faith in - Israel. And I say unto you that many shall come from the east - and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and - Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven; but the children of the - kingdom shall be cast out into exterior darkness: there shall - be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And Jesus said to the - centurion: Go, and as thou hast believed, so be it done to - thee. And the servant was healed at the same hour. - -------------------- - - Sermon XXIV. - - Practical Faith. - - - _Many shall come from the east and the west, - and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - in the kingdom of heaven; - but the children of the kingdom - shall be cast into the exterior darkness._ - --Gospel of the Day. - - -These words, my dear brethren, were spoken by our Blessed Lord to -the Jews on the occasion of the cure of the servant of the -centurion. This centurion was an officer, like what we would call -a captain, in the Roman army; he was not a Jew, so he did not -belong to God's chosen people, his church of the old law. No, he -was a heathen by birth; he had been brought up in error, in -ignorance of the true religion; he had not the prophecies which -the Jews had to tell him clearly that a Saviour was to come into -the world. -{87} -He was indeed in darkness compared with this favored Hebrew -people among whom his lot was cast; but he saw our Lord, and that -was enough for him. He saw the power of God, and he believed. He -knew that this Messias, whom the Pharisees were rejecting, was -the Master of life and death. "Lord," said he, "I am not worthy -that thou shouldst come under my roof; but only say the word, and -my servant shall be healed." Immortal words these, which the -Catholic Church has treasured up, and puts on thousands of lips -every day, and which were rewarded by the divine acknowledgment, -"Amen I say to you, I have not found so great faith in Israel. -And I say to you that many shall come from the east and the west, -and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom -of heaven; but the children of the kingdom shall be cast into the -exterior darkness." - -Now, my brethren, what lesson have we to learn from this praise -of the heathen centurion, and this warning to God's own people, -coming to us from the mouth of God himself? Simply this: that our -salvation depends on the use which we make of the graces which he -gives us; that the least will suffice, if we will but avail -ourselves of them; but that the greatest will only serve for our -eternal condemnation and ruin if we slight them and pass them by. - -A simple and evident truth this surely, and yet how apt we are to -forget and neglect it! We are Catholics from our infancy, we say; -we belong to families which have always kept the faith. We are -indeed the faithful, to whom the kingdom of heaven is promised. -And if we have not been always so, but have been brought from -darkness into light, then still more is the divine favor to us -manifest. -{88} -Will He, then, who has done so much for us, not complete his -work? We believe his word, we are in his true church, we receive -his saving and life-giving sacraments; how, then, shall we not be -saved? Are we not indeed those of whom he said, "My sheep hear my -voice, and I know them, and they follow me; and I give them life -everlasting, and they shall not perish for ever, and no man shall -pluck them out of my hand"? - -Yes, my dear brethren, we think that we shall be saved because we -are Catholics. But the truth is, that our being Catholics only -gives us greater means of salvation; it is far from making our -salvation sure. We have greater means and helps to save our -souls; but woe be to us if we abuse them! And when we look -around, and see many good and earnest souls, similar, as far as -we can see, to that of the Roman centurion, deprived of the light -that we have, not by their own fault, but by that of their -fathers; when we see them trying to do their best with the little -knowledge and the few helps that they have, must we not fear that -God will take away from us the graces that we despise; that we, -the children of the kingdom, will be cast into the exterior -darkness, while others shall come from the east and the west and -take the place which we have but do not deserve? - -Let us, then, each and every one, if we have been unfaithful to -the great graces which we have as Catholics--and which of us has -not been so?--rouse ourselves to our danger. Yes, having the -faith and the sacraments is a great privilege, but is one for -which we must give a most strict account when we stand before the -throne of God. - -------------------- - -{89} - - Sermon XXV. - - Living Up To Our Faith. - - - _Jesus, hearing this, marvelled; - and said to them that followed him: - Amen I say to you, - I have not found so great faith in Israel_. - --Gospel of the Day. - - -The love and care of the heathen centurion for his servant should -certainly put to shame many Christian masters and mistresses of -to-day, who not only do not encourage their servants to approach -our Lord at Holy Mass and in the sacraments, but even put -obstacles in their way. However, the lesson to which I wish to -direct your thoughts this morning, and which it is the primary -object of the Gospel narrative to teach, is the immense -importance of living up to the grace and light which God has so -bountifully given us. - -A few weeks ago we kept the Feast of the Epiphany, the -manifestation, that is, of our Lord to the Gentiles, to those who -had not till then formed part of the church of God. The Jews -alone, as you are aware, were God's chosen people. To them had -been given the law and the prophets, the temple and the -sacrifices, and--that to which everything else led up--the -promise of the Messias. And all these privileges led them to -think that they were individually very excellent people, and to -look down with contempt upon the rest of the world and everybody -in it. Now, here was a Roman, born and brought up in heathenism, -taught, doubtless, to say his prayers to Jupiter and Venus and -other vile creatures like them, a man holding, too, high office, -commanding a garrison of soldiers, whose duty it was to keep down -a conquered race. -{90} -Well, this man, notwithstanding his bad education, -notwithstanding the pride which, on account of his position, must -naturally have been his, had made greater progress than the -self-conceited Pharisees, with all their advantages, had ever -made or were ever to make. While they lived and died in unbelief, -he had already recognized in Jesus Christ the power of God; and, -laying aside prejudice and pride of place and birth, he sends -humbly to our Lord to ask him to heal his servant. - -So clearly did he recognize our Lord's divine power that he did -not think it necessary for him to come to his house. Jairus, the -ruler of the synagogue, as you will remember, would not be -satisfied unless our Lord came down to his house; the centurion, -on the contrary, stopped our Lord while he was on the way, -saying: "Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my -roof; but only say the word and my servant will be healed." So -that our Lord, on hearing it, marvelled, and said: "Amen I say -unto you, I have not found so great faith in Israel." - -Now, how does all this apply to us? What lesson can _we_ -learn from these events? The answer to this question is easy and -obvious. We are by God's grace the members of the church of God, -and, as such, we are in possession of the means of grace--the -sacraments, the word of God, the intercession and prayers of the -saints, and of innumerable privileges and spiritual treasures. -Above all, and as the source and spring of all spiritual life, -without which everything is valueless and worthless, we have the -gift of faith. Now, faith is necessary; but faith is not -sufficient. Without faith no one can be saved. But we must have -something more than faith. -{91} -The shipwrecked man clings for his life to anything within his -reach; but unless the plank, or whatever else he has got hold of, -is washed ashore, or a boat or some other means of help arrives, -his plank only prolongs his agony. So is it with us. Faith is our -plank; but unless this faith works by charity it will only add to -our condemnation. More than this, it will, if not acted upon, get -weaker and weaker, and be scarcely strong enough to move us to -action. What, then, must we do? Why, we must live as our faith -teaches us. First, we must learn our faith: learn the truths of -our religion; next, we must practise them. If we do not do so we -shall, perhaps, see what those Jews of old saw: the heathen and -those who were outside of the church entering and taking their -places. What our Lord said of them may, perhaps, be said of us: -"I say unto you that many shall come from the east and from the -west, and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac in the kingdom of -heaven; but the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into -the exterior darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of -teeth." - -------------------- - - Sermon XXVI. - - The Sacrament Of Matrimony. - -I think you are all persuaded, my brethren, of the wrong and the -danger of Catholics going to a Protestant minister for marriage; -and similar ones can be given why we should not go before a -magistrate for that purpose. It is plain that the authorities of -the State are not the right persons to assist officially at the -sacraments of the church. -{92} -It would be just as proper to ask the mayor to baptize your -children as to go to him for marriage. To refer the matter of -your marriage to him, however fine a man he may be personally, -would be to acknowledge the right of the civil authority to take -charge of religious affairs; and such a right Catholics cannot -admit. - -Besides, the magistrate labors under the same difficulty as a -Protestant minister in conducting a Catholic marriage, of not -knowing the laws of the church on the subject, and the -impediments which may make the marriage invalid; that is, which -may make it, though seemingly good, in reality no marriage at -all. You know, for instance--to speak of this a little more -fully--that the Catechism says that you should not marry within -certain degrees of kindred; very well, it is not only forbidden -to marry within these degrees, but a marriage within these -degrees is not recognized by the laws of the church as a real and -true marriage, and the parties have to be married over again, at -least privately, if it is ever found out. And there are some -other impediments which have the same effect. It is of no use to -publish all these and try to explain them; many mistakes would be -made, and matters would only be come worse. No, to be safe in all -affairs of this kind you must go to those who have made a special -study of it; just as you find out the law of the State from your -lawyer, and not from a book. Go, then, to the priest; he is the -one who has made a special study of the law of the church, and -the only one. - -{93} - -In order to make sure that Catholic marriage shall be contracted -before the priest, a law has been made, and binds in some -countries, and in some parts even of this country, making it -invalid, or null and void, if contracted without the presence of -the parish priest of at least one of the parties. This does not, -however, hold just here. But there is a very special and urgent -law in this diocese, and in many others, forbidding the going to -a Protestant minister for marriage, and reserving the absolution -for this to the bishop, or some one authorized by him. Catholics, -therefore, who are guilty of such a rash act get themselves into -a very unpleasant position; still, they must, of course, try to -get out of it sooner or later, and if any one finds himself in -this predicament the only sensible thing to do is to come at once -to the priest, who will help him as far as possible. All sins can -be forgiven, and all mistakes rectified, if one has the right -dispositions. - -One word more on this most important subject. Some people seem to -imagine that the difficulty which may come, especially in a mixed -marriage, of avoiding the Protestant minister, may be got over by -going both to him and to the priest, and going through the form -of marriage twice. Now, let it be understood that this course -cannot be thought of for a moment; for by it not only is the law -broken which I have just mentioned, but a profanation of the -sacrament also is committed by endeavoring to make the contract -to which it is attached twice in the same case. It is as if one -tried to be confirmed twice. No, in this matter there can be no -compromise; a marriage in which a Catholic is a party must be put -in charge of the Catholic clergy, and of no one else, except as -far as mere settlements of money and the like are concerned. - -{94} - -Go, then, to the priest for marriage; do not think of doing -anything else. But do not go to him, as I have said some people -do, for the first time just at the moment you want the ceremony -performed, and expect him to marry you off-hand; for there are -some very important preliminaries to be settled first, and it may -take some time to settle them. - -------------------- - -{95} - - _Fourth Sunday after Epiphany._ - - Epistle. - _Romans xiii._ 8-10. - - Brethren: - Owe no man anything, but that you love one another. For he that - loveth his neighbor, hath fulfilled the law. For "Thou shalt - not commit adultery. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not steal. - Thou shalt not bear false witness. Thou shalt not covet." And - if there be any other commandment, it is comprised in this - word: "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." The love of - the neighbor worketh no evil. Love, therefore, is the - fulfilling of the law. - - - Gospel. - _St. Matthew viii._ 23-27. - - At that time: - When Jesus entered into the ship, his disciples followed him; - and behold a great tempest arose in the sea, so that the ship - was covered with waves, but he was asleep. And his disciples - came to him, and waked him, saying: Lord, save us, we perish. - And Jesus saith to them: Why are you fearful, O ye of little - faith? Then rising up he commanded the winds and the sea, and - there came a great calm. But the men wondered, saying: Who is - this, for even the winds and the sea obey him? - -------------------- - - Sermon XXVII. - - The Ingratitude Of Children. - - _Brethren: owe, no man anything._ - --Epistle of the Day. - -{96} - -We are all debtors, brethren, for we all have some accounts to -settle up. There are debts we shall never be able to redeem, -debts that are just, pressing, and lasting as long as we are in -this life. Such, for instance, is the debt we owe to God. - -The fact of his having created us, of having brought us out of -nothing, of having given us immortal souls imaged after himself, -would alone put us under the gravest obligations to him; but what -is that compared to the debt we owe God for having redeemed us at -a nameless price, by nothing less than the Precious Blood of his -own beloved Son; and, furthermore, what is all this in comparison -with the debt we owe God for our sanctification, for the -priceless gift of his Holy Spirit dwelling within us, breaking -away the mist of error and ignorance that clouds our intellect -and hides from our vision the eternal truth; that gift that -endows us with strength and fortitude, with the courage that -comes from conviction, with the power that makes us triumph over -every weakness, every unruly passion, every snare of our enemy -the devil, over every thought, word, and action that makes us -unworthy of sonship with God, brotherhood with Christ, and the -heritage of an eternal crown? - -This debt, dear brethren, is in general obvious enough; but, -while we recognize it, How often do we find in our experience -that men neglect, and shamefully neglect, debts that are -dependent on and derived from the debt they owe Almighty God; men -who neglect debts that are as grave and binding as those which -are due to the God from whom they are derived! - -{97} - -Now, brethren, if there is any injustice in this world more -flagrant than all others, more worthy of condemnation and -detestation, more certain of the visitation of God, it is this: -the neglect of our duty to our parents. "Owe no man anything." Do -we owe _them_ nothing? Do we not owe them much? Is there a -time in our lives when that debt is not binding? - -Ah! dear brethren, and what do we see in the world about us? -Ingratitude, the vice of monsters, forgetfulness of ties that are -nearest, dearest, and holiest. Young men, growing up into adult -age, who, in their vain seeking after pleasures, become so -blinded to duty, so debased in their appetites, so completely -transformed into the incarnation of selfishness, as not only to -disregard the law of God, but the very instincts of nature--sons -who would rob and starve their parents to satisfy their mean and -low appetites. - -The ingratitude of children to parents is a crying sin of our -times. Let us be alive to it. Let the young men and women of our -day remember that they are bound to satisfy these grave and -serious obligations; that they are not to heedlessly put -themselves into any state that will debar them from redeeming the -debts they owe, from recompensing for all the care, toil, and -money expended upon them. - -"Owe no man anything." Take heed of this warning also, all you -who contract debts without the slightest hope of paying them; see -to it that the clothes you wear, the food you eat, the pleasures -you indulge in are paid for; see to it that they are not -purchased by the labor and money which belong to others. You who -live in fine houses, who keep yourselves in costly array, who -deny yourselves no pleasures, however extravagant, take heed! -Whose money pays for it? -{98} -Can you stand up and with a clean heart proclaim that this is -honest? As you sit here to-day, do the words of the Apostle offer -no rebuke to you, do you not feel their sting? - -O brethren! let us be sparing in our debts; let us owe no man -anything. The man without debts exalts himself in the eyes of his -fellow-men and secures for himself a good conscience. - -------------------- - - Sermon XXVIII. - - Love Of Our Neighbor. - - - _He that loveth his neighbor hath fulfilled the law._ - --Epistle of the Day. - - -There can be no doubt, my brethren, that the saving of our souls -sometimes seems to be a very troublesome business. There are so -many laws and commandments binding on us, so many sins which we -are likely to commit; and if we break any of these laws in any -grievous way--if we are guilty, that is to say, of mortal sin -our--salvation is lost till such time as we repair our fault. Yet -it may seem that we are surrounded by so many rocks on our voyage -through life that it is almost useless to try to steer clear of -them; and, if we may judge by their actions, many Christians -actually come to the conclusion that there is no use in trying to -keep their ship off these rocks. They make up their minds that -spiritual shipwreck is unavoidable, and that the only way to -reach the port of heaven is to be towed in on a raft which can be -made out of the sacraments at the last moment. - -{99} - -But really our salvation is not such a complicated and intricate -affair if we would only look at it in the right way. The course -which we have to follow is not such a difficult one to bear in -mind and to keep. There are many commandments, it is true; but -they all have the same spirit, and if we have that spirit they -will all come quite easy. - -What is the spirit? Our Lord has told us. It is the love of God, -and of our neighbor for God's sake. The love of God and of our -neighbor gives us a short cut to the kingdom of heaven; if we are -guided by it, we shall not come near the dangers that seem so -many and so threatening. - -Let us see how this is; how is this love going to work to keep us -in the safe and sure track? It is not so hard to see. For what is -it to love any one; how do we act towards one whom we really and -truly love? Are we always trying to give him no more than we can -help, and keep as much as we can for ourselves? Do we try to have -our own way as much as possible, and never to step out of it for -his sake, unless compelled by force or threats? - -No, of course not. We keep far away from what will offend him. We -always are trying to find out what will please him best. So if he -is not unreasonable, and if he knows our desire and intention, -the danger of offending him disappears. - -Well, it is just so in the matter of serving God and keeping his -law. The continual mortal sins into which Christians fall, and -which it seems so hard to avoid, are due to their trying to run -too near the rocks. No wonder they so often get wrecked in these -dangerous waters. They are all the time striking on the -commandments, and the whole sea seems full of them because they -try to sail as near them as they can. If they would only give -them a wide berth, and keep out in the deep ocean of the love of -God, sin and its forgiveness would not cause so much anxiety and -trouble. - -{100} - -If we would only ask ourselves what will please God best, and try -to give him all that he desires, as we should if we loved him as -he deserves to be loved, and as we do with others whom we really -do love--if we would do this instead of trying [to see] how far -we can have our own way and yet come out right in the end, the -whole matter of saving our souls would have a very different -aspect. Now, why not try to follow this line? It is no fanciful -thing beyond our power. Plenty of Christians have done it before -us, and are doing it all the time. - -But if we do not feel prepared, or are a little afraid to commit -ourselves to this course just yet, at least we could endeavor to -have some love for our neighbor, and make some sacrifice for him. -We have St. Paul's word for it, you see, that even he who loves -his neighbor will be sure to fulfil the law. Yes, we may feel -quite sure if, by a generous love of our neighbor, we keep far -off being wrecked on the last part of the Ten Commandments, that -we shall run clear of the first part as well. - -------------------- - -{101} - - _Fifth Sunday after Epiphany._ - - - Epistle. - _Colossians iii._ 12-17. - - Brethren: - Put ye on therefore, as the elect of God, holy, and beloved, - the bowels of mercy, benignity, humility, modesty, patience, - bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if any - have a complaint against another: even as the Lord hath - forgiven you, so do you also. But above all these things have - charity, which is the bond of perfection: and let the peace of - Christ rejoice in your hearts, wherein also you are called in - one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in - you abundantly, in all wisdom: teaching and admonishing one - another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual canticles, singing in - grace in your hearts to God. All whatsoever you do in word or - in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving - thanks to God and the Father by Jesus Christ our Lord. - - - Gospel. - _St. Mathew xiii._ 24-30. - - At that time: - Jesus spoke this parable to the multitude, saying: The kingdom - of heaven is likened to a man that sowed good seed in his - field. But while men were asleep, his enemy came and oversowed - cockle among the wheat, and went his way. And when the blade - was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared also the - cockle. Then the servants of the master of the house came and - said to him: Master, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? - whence then hath it cockle? And he said to them: An enemy hath - done this. And the servants said to him: Wilt thou that we go - and gather it up? -{102} - And he said: No, lest while you gather up the cockle, you root - up the wheat also together with it. Let both grow until the - harvest, and in the time of the harvest I will say to the - reapers: Gather up first the cockle, and bind it into bundles - to burn; but gather the wheat into my barn. - -------------------- - - Sermon XXIX. - - The Christian Family. - - - _Bearing with one another._ - --Epistle of the Day. - -No doubt you have often read about the oasis in the desert: a -place of tall, shady trees, soft, green grass, and a great spring -pouring out sweet, cold water. There the hot and dusty caravan -stops, though it be miles out of the way; the heavy burdens are -thrown off, and men and animals rest and drink and rest again. -For one long, burning day they lie about on the grass and look -off from their shady refuge over the yellow, sandy desert. They -sleep and are rested; and as the cool dews of evening fall they -take a last drink and creep away on their journey, sighing to -think of the long and weary tramp to the next oasis. - -Dear brethren, the oasis in the desert of this world is the -Christian family. The father of the family "shall be like a tree -which is planted near the running waters." It is indeed but a -feeble word to say that the influence of a good father is like -the deep shade of a noble tree in the heat of summer, His -influence is like the grace of God. Indeed, there is nothing in -all this world so much like the presence of God as the influence -of a Christian father. -{103} -When the instinct of the Christian people would give a name to a -good priest they called him father. What is more edifying than -the virtue of a good father? In him are chiefly to be seen those -manly virtues which are the highest form of human excellence: -hearty love, self-restraint, open frankness joining heart, hand, -and voice in one. In him you admire that steadfast application to -religious things, that regular use of prayer and of the -sacraments, that clear knowledge of doctrine and ability to -converse about it, that utter absence of frivolity, that -intelligent practice of good reading. He is contented with his -lot, and yet labors with steady, persistent industry. In -prosperity he is modest and frugal. In adversity he is cheerful, -a strong wall for others to lean against. He loves home and is -fond of his wife. Gladly will he tend the babes while the mother -gets the Sunday Mass, or of a Saturday evening while she goes to -refresh her weary soul with a good confession. The company of his -children is to him a foretaste of Paradise. He is not sour, nor -is he brutal or harsh. He is not above making the children laugh -or joining in their play; to make them happy and help them save -their souls is his greatest joy. - -Then there is the mother of the family, whose life is one -unbroken round of acts of affection. The spirit of sacrifice, the -craving to bear others burdens, is her spirit. You know how a -good mother watches at the sick-bed the livelong night, passing -back and forth through the dark rooms, listening to every -breathing, answering every sigh with a comforting word, or a cool -drink, or a soft caress. Only the next world will reveal to us -the loveliness of such devoted souls; here we catch but a glimpse -and an echo of it. -{104} -The accents, the tones of the voice, the very silence, the -manners, the ways of a good mother diffuse what Scripture calls -the fragrance of ointments around her household. You know, too, -how she saves and pinches to keep off debt, to dress the children -neatly, to save a penny to give them a holiday, to save a dollar -for hard times or a spell of sickness. And all this sacrifice is -a matter of course with her. But the truest glory of a mother is -her patience. The patient mother is the valiant woman of -Scripture. She is the woman who smothers her anger; who will -suffer the impertinence of an unruly child in silence; who -forgets as well as forgives; whose admonition or correction is -the reluctant tribute of a tender heart to the child's -well-being. Do you want to know how she is able to do this? The -secret of it is that she finds time--in the heavy duty of being -everybody's servant--to attend to religion; to belong to the -Rosary Society and make her monthly Communion; to give alms to -the poor from her hard savings; to visit and watch with sick, or -afflicted neighbors. It is, in a word, because she ever gazes in -spirit upon that Holy Family where Mary was mother that she is -able to be a good Christian mother. - -When I began I intended to say something of the good boys and -girls; while we have been engaged with father and mother the -children have passed by. Perhaps we shall overtake them next -Sunday. - -------------------- -{105} - - Sermon XXX. - - The Duty Of Good Example. - - - _Use your endeavor to walk honestly - towards them that are without._ - 1 Thessalonians iv. 11. - - -The holiness of the church, my dear brethren, is for us who -belong to her a thing so evident and clear that we can no more -think it necessary to prove it than we can think it necessary to -prove that the sun shines in the heavens. The practical and -imperative way in which the church enforces holiness of life on -each and every one of us is something with which we are so -familiar that no shadow of doubt can enter into our minds as to -its necessity. The means of grace which she offers to us, and of -which she even requires us to make use, the sacrament of the Body -and Blood of the Lord himself which she gives us, the penances -she imposes upon us by way of fasting and abstinence, the -warnings which she is ever giving us of the condemnation which -will fall upon impenitent sinners, these and ten thousand other -things make the sanctity of the church so well known that it is -not so much an article of faith as a thing which we see with our -own eyes and which falls under our own experience. - -But there are those who are without these advantages. There are -many around us, our near neighbors and friends, who are outside -the church, not through their own fault, but by birth and -education. These are not in possession of those means of knowing -the church and her sanctity of which we are possessed; and in -order to have this knowledge they depend to a very large extent -upon ourselves. -{106} -I wish this morning to call your attention to the responsibility -which rests upon us on this account, and to one or two practical -ways in which we are accountable to God for what that -responsibility involves. - -Now, that we lie under this responsibility is a truth not very -hard to see. For, as I have said, those outside the church are -ignorant of the doctrine and practices of the church. From their -earliest years they have had utterly false and erroneous -information given them about the church, an information so false -and erroneous that they do not think it necessary or even right -to make inquiries. How, then, are they to have the truth brought -home to them? What way is there of spreading the light? Almost -the only way, and certainly a way so necessary that without it -all others are futile and vain, is that those who are called -Catholics should lead such lives as the church requires of them. -Now, if we do not do this we are of course responsible to God, as -every man, be he Catholic or be he Protestant, is responsible to -God for his whole life and every action in it. But more than -that, a special responsibility in this time and in this country -lies at the door of every Catholic man and every Catholic woman. -Every Catholic man and woman who does not lead a good life is a -stumbling-block and a rock of offence standing in the way and -preventing many poor souls from seeing and embracing that truth -which is necessary for their salvation; and those Catholics whose -way of living forms such a stumbling-block will have to give a -strict account to God not merely for their own sins and for -themselves, but also for the souls of others whom they have -ruined. - -{107} - -Now, I am going on this account to ask you some questions which I -hope you will answer honestly and conscientiously. And they will -be questions about matters on which the world outside is -competent to judge; and, therefore, if we fail in this respect we -shall meet with its condemnation, and become hindrances to the -knowledge of the truth. - -First: There is nothing of which the business world thinks so -much as truth, uprightness, integrity in business matters. To pay -debts promptly, to do work squarely, to execute contracts -faithfully, these are some of the marks of an honest man. Now, in -view of what I have said, ask yourselves, is this way of acting -the mark of all Catholics? Will a man who wants to get a house -built, who is looking for a trustworthy clerk or assistant, -choose out Catholics in preference to others, because he knows -that they are worthy of trust? If this is not the case, if the -being a Catholic is no guarantee of trustworthiness, you will -have to answer to God for the bad effect your dishonesty has upon -those outside. - -And now a question for women. You all know in what virtue -consists, the glory and honor of women. You all know what the -world expects of women. You know, too, how much the church makes -of modesty and chastity, in what honor she holds them, how strict -she is in inculcating their necessity. Now, one of the effects of -genuine modesty and chastity is to overawe and overpower the -approaches of the unclean and impure. There is a majesty in -virtue which lays low and keeps at its level vileness and -impurity. Is everyone who comes near a Catholic girl or woman -conscious of this influence? -{108} -Is there something about every Catholic girl and woman which -makes it clear to every dirty fellow that he must go elsewhere if -he wishes to find a victim and a means of satisfying his -disgraceful passions? It ought to be so, for the soul of every -Catholic girl and woman, over and above the majesty of natural -virtue, is the abode and dwelling-place of the grace of God. And -if you are true children of the church such will be the effect -your presence will have. - -Well, my brethren, ask yourselves these questions; answer them -honestly; and, if you find that you have done wrong, amend, not -merely for your own sake but for that of those outside. - -------------------- - - Sermon XXXI. - - Bearing One Another's Burdens. - - - _Bearing with one another, - and forgiving one another - if any have a complaint against one another: - even as the Lord hath forgiven you, - so do you also._ - --Epistle of the Day (Colossians iii. 13). - - -Perhaps you may think, my dear friends, that we have a good deal -to say about this matter of charity and forgiveness, and if you -do you are probably right; it was not long ago that we had -occasion to remind you of it in one of these little morning -instructions. But why should we not speak of it often? Is not the -love of our neighbor the second great commandment, like to and -founded on the first? Does not St. John also make it the test of -our salvation? "We know," he says, "that we have passed from -death to life"; and why? -{109} -Is it because we fast, say long prayers, visit the church, or -even because we receive the sacraments often? No, it is "because -we love the brethren." And he continues: "He that loveth not, -abideth in death. ... We ought," he goes on to say, "to lay down -our lives for the brethren." - -In the latter years of the life of St. John, when he had become -so old and feeble that he had to be carried to the church, and -was not able to preach at any length to his beloved people, he -would still give them a little short sermon. It was very short; -not even a five-minute sermon; and it was not fresh every Sunday, -but always the same. It was just this: "Little children, love one -another." But his people, in spite of their great reverence and -affection for him, were something like people nowadays, and got -rather tired of hearing this same old story. They wanted -something more novel and startling, and one day they asked him: -"Master, why do you never tell us anything but this about loving -one another?" He answered: "Because it is the Lord's command, and -if it is fulfilled it is sufficient." - -If St. John, then, preached about this matter of charity every -Sunday, certainly we may be allowed to speak of it several times -in the year. And you, my dear Christians, will not lose anything -by hearing about it pretty often. For the matter is one in which -there is always great room for improvement for us all. St. John -said "little children"; but he was not speaking to the -Sunday-school, if, indeed, he had one; no, it was to the -children, big as well as little, children all of God and of his -holy church, that his words were addressed. - -{110} - -And these words are more needed now than they were then. Why, in -the early times Christians used to be known from other people by -their love and charity for each other. It was this that made -converts to the faith, more, perhaps, than preaching or miracles. -"See," said the world, "how these Christians love one another." -But now I am afraid it would be hard to pick out very many -Christians by this test. No; it is more likely that our infidel -friends would say of all the Christians that they happen to know: -"See how these Christians are all the time quarrelling with each -other! They never seem to be content unless they can show their -pride by having at least some one who is not supposed to be -worthy of their acquaintance. They go to church and say their -prayers--oh! yes; but perhaps there is some person, even in the -next pew, that they used to know, but have not spoken to for -years, and have no notion of ever speaking to, unless, perhaps, -on their death-bed if the priest should insist on it. Bearing -with one another, indeed! Is it possible that one of their -Apostles told them to do that? Why, they do not put up with half -as much as a sensible man would who had no faith at all. Let them -suffer the least even fancied slight or indignity, and there is -an end of all their friendship. Forgiving one another, as they -say the Lord has forgiven them? Well, if the Lord forgives as -they do, his forgiveness does not seem to amount to much." - -My brethren, depend on it, those not of our faith feel often this -way, though they may not say it right out. And they are not far -wrong. The kind of bearing with others, the kind of forgiveness, -that is given them by those who have the name of Christians is -too often one that will not stand the test of God's judgment. -{111} -I am afraid that many pious people have found themselves in the -wrong place after death on account of it. Let those who still -remain profit by this lesson while they have time. - -------------------- - -{112} - - _Sixth Sunday after Epiphany._ - - - Epistle. - 1 _Thessalonians i._ 2-10. - - Brethren: - We give thanks to God always for you all: making a remembrance - of you in our prayers without ceasing, being mindful of the - work of your faith, and labor, and charity, and of the enduring - of the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ before God and our Father: - knowing, brethren beloved of God, your election: for our gospel - hath not been to you in word only, but in power also, and in - the Holy Ghost, and in much fulness, as you know what manner of - men we have been among you for your sakes. And you became - followers of us, and of the Lord: receiving the word in much - tribulation, with joy of the Holy Ghost: so that you were made - a pattern to all who believe in Macedonia and Achaia. For from - you was spread abroad the word of the Lord, not only in - Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place, your faith which - is towards God, is gone forth, so that we need not to speak - anything. For they themselves relate of us, what manner of - entrance we had unto you; and how you were converted to God - from idols, to serve the living and true God. And to wait for - his Son from Heaven (whom he raised from the dead), Jesus who - hath delivered us from the wrath to come. - - - Gospel. - _St. Matthew xiii_. 31-35. - - At that time: - Jesus spoke to the multitude this parable: The kingdom of - heaven is like to a grain of mustard-seed, which a man took and - sowed in his field. Which indeed is the least of all seeds; but - when it is grown up it is greater than any herbs, and becometh - a tree, so that the birds of the air come and dwell in the - branches thereof. - -{113} - - Another parable he spoke to them. The kingdom of heaven is like - to leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of - meal, until the whole was leavened. All these things Jesus - spoke in parables to the multitudes: and without parables he - did not speak to them. That the word might be fulfilled which - was spoken by the prophet, saying: "I will open my mouth in - parables, I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the - world." - -------------------- - - Sermon XXXII. - - How To Make Converts. - - _The kingdom of heaven is like to leaven, - which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, - until the whole was leavened. _ - --Gospel of the Day. - - -By the kingdom of heaven is meant in this Gospel, as in many -other places, the holy Catholic Church; the spiritual kingdom of -God, which is of heaven, though on earth; and leaven is another -word for what we call yeast, and is used in the making of bread. - -Our Divine Lord, then, tells us that his church, to which we -belong, is like yeast; and his meaning, if we consider a little, -is plain enough. It is, that as a little yeast is put into a mass -of flour or dough, to raise it, as we say, so he has put his -church, which was in the beginning a very small thing, into the -world, to raise the world to life and the knowledge and love of -him. - -{114} - -And certainly his comparison of the church to yeast was fully -justified. In the beginning the world was everywhere attracted -and moved in spite of itself by the lives of the first -Christians. The heathen could not help admiring their mutual -charity, their patient and forgiving dispositions, their -temperance and self-sacrifice; and they could not refrain from -asking themselves and each other: "Who are these that they call -Christians? What do they believe, and what do they teach? What is -it that makes them so loving and so amiable, so calm and -peaceful, so happy in all their troubles, so ready to assist and -serve not only each other, but all the world beside?" But no one -could answer these questions but the Christians themselves; so -the heathen had to go and get instructed in this faith which had -been made so charming to them. Thus they were converted, and in -their turn became apostles in the same way to others. - -So the leaven spread through the mass; the contagion, so to -speak, of faith, piety, and virtue was diffused over the world; -people caught it from their neighbors. The Apostles had no need -to make many converts in any one place which they visited. If -they got a few, these few would take care of the rest. The little -congregations which they founded grew and multiplied wonderfully, -in spite of distress and persecution, by the force of the holy -lives and good example of their members. - -But was this way of growing only meant for God's church in the -beginning? No, by no means. Our Lord says that the leaven of his -kingdom was to go on working "till the whole was leavened." Does -it, then, still move the world in this way? If so, how rapidly -ought the church now to increase, when there are a thousand -faithful for one in those early days! - -{115} - -Yes, my brethren, it ought. For in spite of the boasts which the -world is making of its reformed religion, especially just now, -and of its progress and civilization, it feels at heart very -uneasy. It has fallen away from God, and lost the truth, and in -its inmost soul it knows this; and it is looking for somone to -bring light to its darkness, and to put its confusion in order. - -Why, then, does not the church increase more rapidly? Why does -not the world now come to us as it did in those former days of -its anxiety and doubt? Prejudices it has now against us, I know; -but it had its prejudices then, too. There are many slanders -believed against us, but that has been so from the very -beginning; our Lord warned us of this, and it is a mark of his -true church to be thus belied. So this is not the real trouble; -no, the trouble is that most Christians do not by the good odor -of their lives induce the world to inquire into their faith, and -thus overcome its prejudices. We may argue till we and everyone -else are ready to drop, but we shall never be as the first -disciples were--the leaven of God's kingdom--till we show by our -lives that there is something more in us than the natural -feelings, good or bad, which make up the lives of others. -Christians who forgive and excuse their enemies, who have charity -for all, who are chaste and pure in word and deed, who are humble -and self-denying, those are the ones--and, thank God, such there -are--who make converts; and if we want the leaven of the kingdom -to spread and raise the world to Christ we must be like them. - -------------------- - -{116} - - Sermon XXXIII. - - The Blessings Of The Faith. - - _I will utter things - hidden from the foundation of the world._ - --Matthew. xiii. 35. - - -These are the concluding words of to-day's Gospel, and they refer -to the great truths that are made known to us through the -revelation of Almighty God. For as believers in a divine -revelation we know things that have been hidden from the -beginning, and we have a knowledge that transcends all human -knowledge. Our faith gives us light which our reason could never -supply. We might spend our whole lives in the most profound study -and investigation, we might dip into all the systems and master -all the sciences, and we should still be ignorant of certain -truths which our faith makes known to us. When we look back over -the world's history and see the greatest minds of every age and -country groping in the dark, seeking in vain for the knowledge -which we possess, we can appreciate what a glorious privilege it -is to be enlightened by the divine light of faith. For where its -rays do not penetrate there can never be sufficient security in -regard to the most vital truths of human origin and human -destiny. We see the sad evidences of this all around us in the -world to-day. Men who refuse to accept the revelation of Almighty -God and the teachings of his church are in ignorance, or at least -they are in doubt, about the origin and end of life. They are -even in doubt as to the existence of God himself, though the -universe by a thousand voices proclaims his presence and their -own souls reflect his image. - -{117} - -From age to age the human mind busies itself over the deep -questions of philosophy and the discoveries of science. From -generation to generation men seek to solve the great problems of -life by the force of reason; but revelation alone can adequately -disclose the "things hidden from the foundation of the world," -and without its divine light and guidance mankind must ever -remain liable to sink into darkness and doubt. - -How widely different is the state of the mind established in the -settled convictions of faith from that where there is nothing but -the theories and opinions of human knowledge! In the one there is -the repose of certainty, security, and peace; in the other there -are many puzzles unsolved, promptings unsatisfied, disquiet, and -unrest. One short lesson learned in the school of divine faith -will give more light and bring more comfort to the soul than all -the knowledge that can be acquired in a life-time in the schools -of human learning. - -Great stress is laid nowadays on secular education. And we are -told that what the country needs, what the world needs, are -intelligent and cultivated men and women; and certainly education -is an excellent thing, and most desirable for all. But why make -so much of a knowledge that concerns only the petty things of -earth and the fleeting course of time, and ignore a knowledge -that relates to the Infinite God in heaven and a life that is -everlasting? What will it profit us on our death-bed to have -learned the facts in the world's history, to have been familiar -with the teachings of philosophy and the discoveries of science, -to have studied the writings and mastered the thoughts of men, if -we know nothing of our Creator and our relation to him and the -course of our destiny; nothing of the preparation we should make -beforehand and the thoughts that should animate us as we stand on -the brink of eternity? - -{118} - -Here is the great contrast between the knowledge that God imparts -to us and all human science--the one imparts to us the truths of -eternity, the other teaches us the truths of time; and the -difference between them is just as great as that between time and -eternity. And if, as is generally the case, we estimate the value -of a thing by its importance and permanence, there is surely no -term of comparison here. The little child who has learned the -first page of the Catholic Catechism has already acquired a -knowledge which forty centuries of human speculation have never -reached, and the simplest believer in Jesus Christ and his church -is possessed of a wisdom far higher, far holier, than was ever -conceived of by the greatest sages of old. - -Let us realize, then, that faith is the highest knowledge, that -it discloses to us "things hidden from the foundation of the -world," and makes us sharers in the knowledge of God himself, and -therefore elevates and crowns our reason. - -------------------- - - Sermon XXXIV. - - Good Example As A Means Of Making Converts. - - - _The kingdom of heaven is like to leaven, - which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, - until the whole was leavened._ - --Matthew xiii. 33 - -{119} - -This may seem a very strange comparison, my brethren, if, instead -of letting it in at one ear, as the saying is, and out at the -other, we stop to think of it a moment. For what sort of likeness -is there between that glorious kingdom of heaven, which we hope -some day to enter, and a little leaven or yeast put into flour to -raise it and make it into bread? Surely, we should say, none at -all. What could our Lord have meant when he said that the two -were alike? - -But let us think a little more about the matter. Is the kingdom -of heaven of which he was speaking that heaven into which all the -saved are to enter? Or is there not some other meaning which we -may give to the words? - -There is another meaning, and it is the true one in this place -and in many others in the Gospel. It is the kingdom of God or of -heaven, not in heaven, but on earth, of which our Saviour is here -speaking. When he says the kingdom of heaven, he means the -kingdom which he came to establish, his holy Catholic Church. - -But how is this leaven, or yeast? Well, it is not so very hard to -see this. It is because, being put into the world in the -beginning in the form of a few weak, poor, and unlearned men and -women, like the little spoonful of yeast put into a great mass of -flour, it soon spread through the whole known world, and is even -now spreading in the same way, changing and influencing in many -ways all whom it meets with, even if it does not fully convert -them: just as the yeast is spread through the whole of the dough, -raising it and making it into good and healthy food. - -{120} - -Yes, my brethren, this was the way that the church spread through -the world and made its converts, especially in the early times. -It was not only by preaching. The Apostles and their successors -did not have much chance to preach to the world in general. They -were not allowed to do so; public preaching would have brought -down on them much greater persecutions than those which they -actually suffered, and it would have required great miracles on -God's part to preserve his church had such preaching been tried, -especially in the great cities. No, they had to teach their -doctrine, as we may say, on the sly; in fact, part of it was -reserved for those who had already become Christians. It may seem -strange now, but in early times no one was allowed to hear -anything about the real presence of our Lord in the Blessed -Sacrament till after he had been baptized. This was called the -discipline of the secret, and was kept up for a long time. - -So, you see, Christianity was not learned in the pagan Roman -Empire so much by preaching as by private instruction joined with -good example. One person caught it from another, as the particles -of dough get raised by those next to them. Masters and -mistresses, for instance, caught it from their servants, others -from their friends and acquaintances--first, from noticing their -virtues, so different from those which the pagans had. They saw -how gentle and affectionate, and still how courageous, they were; -how they bore suffering without a murmur; how they shrank from -the idols worshipped by others, and from all the vices which -these idols represented; how little they cared for pleasure; how -each sacrificed himself for his neighbor. "See," said the world, -"how these Christians love one another." Then the world began to -inquire what was the reason of this love and of the other -Christian virtues; and so religion spread from the lowest to the -highest, till at last the Roman emperors themselves knelt before -the cross. - -{121} - -Things are somewhat changed now, it is true. The Catholic faith -can now be preached and taught openly; still, it is almost the -same as if it could not, for people outside the church will -seldom come and hear it, or even read books explaining it. The -discipline of the secret still prevails, not because we wish it, -but because the world does. So now, as before, the faith must -catch and spread from one person to another if it is to make much -progress in such countries as this of ours. Protestants run away -from the priest, and will have nothing to say to him; so it will -not do to say that making converts is the priest's business and -does not concern you. No, my brethren, making converts is your -business, as things stand, perhaps even more than his. But how -are they to be made? Not by cursing, lying, and drunkenness, sins -too common, alas! among many who call themselves Catholics, and -specially liable to be noticed by others. It was not by these -that the first Christians converted the world. Not by quarrels -and slanders; it is not by these that you will convince people -that we Christians love one another. Turn, then, from the vices -which repel, and practise instead virtues which will attract -unbelievers, and lead them to inquire why you are so good instead -of wondering that you are so bad. Then they will come to you, as -they did of old to your ancestors in the faith, to learn the -doctrine which has taught you these virtues; and you will be, as -you should be, the leaven which is to leaven the world. - --------------------- - -{122} - - _Septuagesima Sunday_. - - Epistle. - 1 _Corinthians ix._ 24; x. 5. - - Brethren: - Know you not that they who run in the race, all run indeed, but - one receiveth the prize? So run that you may obtain. - - And every one that striveth for the mastery refraineth himself - from all things; and they indeed that they may receive a - corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible one. I therefore so - run, not as at an uncertainty: I so fight, not as one beating - the air: but I chastise my body, and bring it into subjection: - lest perhaps, when I have preached to others, I myself should - become reprobate. For I would not have you ignorant, brethren, - that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed - through the sea. And all in Moses were baptized, in the cloud - and in the sea; and they did all eat the same spiritual food, - and all drank the same spiritual drink (and they drank of the - spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ). - But with the most of them God was not well pleased. - - - Gospel. - _St. Matthew xx._ 1-16. - - At that time: - Jesus said to his disciples this parable: - The kingdom of heaven is like to a master of a family, who went - early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. And - when he had agreed with the laborers for a penny a day, he sent - them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour - and saw others standing in the market-place idle. And he said - to them: Go you also into my vineyard, and I will give you what - shall be just. -{123} - And they went their way. And again he went out about the sixth - and the ninth hour, and did in like manner. But about the - eleventh hour he went out and found others standing, and he - saith to them: Why stand you here all the day idle? They say to - him: Because no man hath hired us. Ho saith to them: Go you - also into my vineyard. And when evening was come, the lord of - the vineyard saith to his steward: Call the laborers and pay - them their hire, beginning from the last even to the first. - When, therefore, they came, who had come about the eleventh - hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first also - came, they thought that they should have received more, and - they also received every man a penny. And when they received - it, they murmured against the master of the house, saying: - These last have worked but one hour, and thou hast made them - equal to us, that have borne the burden of the day and the - heats. But he answering one of them, said: Friend, I do thee no - wrong; didst thou not agree with me for a penny? Take what is - thine and go thy way: I will also give to this last even as to - thee. Or, is it not lawful for me to do what I will? is thy eye - evil because I am good? So shall the last be first, and the - first last. For many are called, but few chosen. - -------------------- - - Sermon XXXV. - - Bodily Mortification. - - -"I chastise my body," says St. Paul in the Epistle of to-day, -"and bring it into subjection." In these few words he gives us -the great reason for the Catholic doctrine and practice of bodily -mortification and penance, which Protestants so often find fault -with. - -{124} - -"I chastise my body," he says, "and bring it into subjection"; -that is, "I chastise it, because I want to bring it into -subjection. I want to tame it, to become its master; so I give it -a good beating, I starve it now and then, and treat it badly -generally, that it may learn to obey me." - -That is the great idea of mortification, my brethren, in a -nutshell. Every one knows that if you want to break a vicious -horse you have to put him through a pretty severe course of -treatment before he will be subject to your will. And every one -knows that the body is naturally unruly, like a vicious horse; -the body is always craving for things which it would be better -that it should not have, and it will have them in spite of us if -we do not take care. So, to subject it thoroughly to reason, we -must put it through a severe course; otherwise, some time or -other, it will get the better of us, and have its own way. - -And there is a great deal more need of taming our own bodies than -there is of breaking horses. For the horse can only kill our -body, but our bodies can kill our souls; and furthermore, if we -do not want to take the trouble of breaking a horse, we can shoot -him, or get somebody else to take him; but we can not in anyway -lawfully get rid of our bodies till such time as God sees fit to -take them from us. We are tied fast to them, and cannot get away. -So we are absolutely obliged to conquer them, if we do not want -to be conquered by them. In other words, if we do not want our -bodies to be a frequent cause and occasion of mortal sin to us, -we must to some considerable extent practise mortification. - -{125} - -That is the Catholic and true doctrine, as taught by the church, -and put into practice, in some degree at least, by all the -faithful who obey her laws. And it is also common sense. Every -one must admit that the body is the great cause and source of -mortal sin to far the greater number of people, and that if its -appetites were thoroughly brought under control our souls would -be saved from very great dangers, which otherwise they cannot -escape. If, then, it is any object to escape these dangers--and -no sensible man can deny that it is--one does not need to be a -Christian, but only to have the gift of reason, and to look a -little into himself and into the world about him, and he must -grant that the bodily penances and mortifications which the -church insists on are not foolish or superstitious, but in the -highest degree prudent and wise. - -But I know, my dear brethren, that you do not think that the -mortification of the body required by the church is useless or -superstitious; I give you too much credit for faith as well as -for reason to imagine that. You do need courage, though--we all -need it--to act up to what we believe in this matter. Let us then -look this question fairly in the face. There is heaven before us -to be gained, and sin to be overcome that we may gain it; and -here are our bodies, with their depraved, corrupted, and often -dangerous and sinful desires, standing in the way of our gaining -it. If we will only determine in earnest to get the mastery of -them, heaven is almost sure; if we do not, they will be very -likely to carry us to hell. If we overcome them, we save -ourselves and them, and make them a help instead of a hindrance -to us; if not, they will do their best to drag us down with -themselves to destruction, and if in the mercy of God we may -indeed be saved it will be as by fire. Shall we not take a little -trouble when such tremendous interests are at stake? Shall we -trust to luck when a little effort will make heaven sure? - -------------------- - -{126} - - Sermon XXXVI. - - Sudden Death. - - - _Watch ye, therefore, - because you know not the day nor the hour._ - --Matthew. xxv. 13. - - -These words, my dear brethren, are taken from the parable of the -ten virgins who went out to meet the bridegroom and the bride. -Five of them, being wise and prudent, took oil in their lamps, -that they might be ready at any moment to light them; but the -five foolish ones gave no thought to the matter. At midnight, -when they least expected it, the cry was heard, "Behold, the -bridegroom cometh; go ye forth to meet him." Then the foolish -virgins tried to borrow oil from the wise to fill their lamps, -but were told to go and buy for themselves. While they were gone -the bridegroom came; they were not ready; the door of the -marriage-feast was closed when they returned, and in answer to -their entreaty, "Lord, lord, open to us," came only the words, "I -know you not." "Watch ye, therefore," says our Lord, in -concluding this parable, "because you know not the day nor the -hour." - -Brethren, the meaning of this parable is so plain that it hardly -needs even a word of explanation. Yet how unheeded it is, alas! -by the majority of Christians! - -{127} - -What does this oil mean that the foolish virgins neglected to -provide for themselves and to have in their lamps? What but the -grace of God, with, which our souls should be provided, and -without which they are in the state of mortal sin? If this -precious oil of God's grace is in our souls we are ready at any -moment to meet the Bridegroom; no matter how suddenly the cry is -made that he is coming, we can go forth with confidence to meet -him and feel sure that the door of the marriage-feast of heaven -will not be closed to us. - -But if we have not this oil, if the lamp of our soul is empty, if -we are in the state of mortal sin, what dismay comes on us, what -terrible fear and distress of mind, when we are suddenly told to -prepare for death! We have been saying all along, "Oh! there will -be plenty of time," and now there is not plenty of time. God is -coming to meet us, and to demand of us an account of our lives; -we cannot hide from his face, and he will not wait. The hour -fixed in the eternal counsels of his wisdom has come, the hour on -which everything depends, the hour for which the years of our -life should have been one long preparation, those years so -carelessly thrown away. - -Friends may stand around us who have not wasted the oil in their -lamps as we have ours. Their souls may be full of the grace of -God, preserved and increased continually by prayer and good -works, by the love of God and frequent confession and Communion. -They may have enough and to spare; but they can not lend to us. -"No," they must say to us, "go rather to them that sell, and buy -for yourselves. Go rather," that is, "to the regular sources of -that grace, the sacraments, which our Lord has placed in his -church, to give life to the dead. Send for the priest, and with -his help fill the lamp of your soul, and prepare to meet our -Lord." - -{128} - -But too often it is as in the parable of the virgins. While the -foolish Christian, who has put off his preparation for death, who -has lived in the state of sin, expecting to die in the state of -grace, goes to fill his lamp, his Lord comes, finds him, and -judges him as he is. The priest comes, but only to look on him -lying dead. Or even if the oil of grace is brought to the sinner, -he has not, perhaps, the price to pay for it; that is, he has not -those dispositions of sincere penitence and amendment of life, -without which all sacraments are vain and ineffectual. - -Brethren, it is a fearful point in the parable of the wise and -foolish virgins that not one of the five who were so carelessly -unprepared was able to have her lamp ready to meet the bridegroom -in his coming. It should teach us to expect that, as a rule, a -man must die as he has lived. No doubt there are exceptions; the -mercy of God is over all, and wills not that the sinner should -perish. But the only safe way, the only way, indeed, that is not -the wildest folly, and even insanity, is to live as all good -Christians do live, continually prepared for death; with the -grace of God always in their souls, with no stain of mortal sin -on them; with "their loins girt, and lamps burning in their -hands"; and "like to men who wait for their lord when he shall -return from the wedding: that when he cometh and knocketh they -may open to him immediately." - -------------------- - -{129} - - Sermon XXXVII. - - Life's Purpose. - - - _Brethren, know you not that they that run in the race, - all run indeed, but one receiveth the prize? - So run, that you may obtain._ - 1 Corinthians. ix. 24. - - -There is a great question, my dear brethren, that comes home some -time or other to every man in the world who is not entirely taken -up with the passing pleasures and fleeting interests of the -moment; to every man, that is, who lives as a man, and not as a -mere child. It is the most important and vital of all questions; -and it will return often on us, put it away as much as we will. -It is this: "What am I here for? what is the use, what is the -purpose of all this life which I am living? What is the goal to -which it is tending? what end do I hope to obtain?" - -Yes, we must look forward in this way sometimes, and we must try -to find something in the future better worth having than what we -have now, or our life, with its labors and fatigues, becomes a -burden almost too great to be borne. - -So one man proposes wealth, another knowledge and learning, -another fame and honor as his object in life; or at least he -looks forward to bringing up children to whom he can leave his -memory and his name, and who will carry on and complete the work -he has begun. - -But we Christians do not seek for an answer to this question. The -answer is written plainly by faith in our souls; we may try to -forget it or put something else in its place, but we shall find -no other in which we can believe. -{130} -The answer for us is, that this life has no end or object in -itself which can justify or explain it, but that it is a time of -trial, of probation for something better; that we live in order -that it may be seen from our life whether we are worthy to share -in an eternal life; that only beyond the grave can what the soul -longs for be attained, and that we may fail in attaining it if we -do not keep it steadily in view and work for it with all the -strength we have. - -So our life is a race, a struggle for an immense and unspeakable -prize to come at its end; and a prize which will never be offered -again if we do not secure it this time. If we fail in this life -our failure can never be retrieved; nor will anything else ever -be offered us to live for. For all eternity we shall see what we -might have had, and shall be tortured with vain remorse; and -nothing else will give us even a moment's peace. This eternity -will be intolerable, even were there no other pains in it; but on -account of this alone we shall seek death for ever, and never -find it. - -And from this race, this struggle in which we are now entered, -there is no escape. We cannot withdraw and have our name struck -from the list of contestants. There is no half-way place which we -can take between triumph and defeat. "Know you not," says St. -Paul, "that all run in the race?" Yes, a power greater than ours -has put us on the track, and is drawing us along it, whether we -will or no. We cannot remain as we are, for He whose power has -placed us here has made us for himself, and we cannot rest till -we rest in him. - -{131} - -Since, then, we have to run in the race; since we have to suffer, -to labor, to pursue a happiness which we now have not; since we -must do this even in spite of ourselves; since we cannot sit down -and give up our place, what folly it is to run to no purpose, to -turn aside and try to forget the only possible reward for all our -toil, the only thing that can make the life which we must live -worth living! Let St. Paul's words on this Sunday sink into our -minds; and, since we have to run in this race on which everything -depends, let us not trifle and lose its precious moments, but so -run that we may obtain. - -------------------- - -{132} - - - _Sexagesima Sunday_ - - - Epistle. - 2 _Corinthians xi._ 19-_xii._ 9. - - Brethren: - You gladly suffer the foolish: whereas you yourselves are wise. - For you suffer if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour - you, if a man take from you, if a man be extolled, if a man - strike you on the face. I speak according to dishonor, as if we - had been weak in this part. Wherein if any man is bold (I speak - foolishly) I am bold also. They are Hebrews; so am I. They are - Israelites; so am I. They are the seed of Abraham; so am I. - They are the ministers of Christ (I speak as one less wise), I - am more; in many more labors, in prisons more frequently, in - stripes above measure, in deaths often. Of the Jews five times - did I receive forty stripes, save one. Thrice was I beaten with - rods, once I was stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck; a night - and a day I was in the depth of the sea; in journeys often, in - perils of rivers, in perils of robbers, in perils from my own - nation, in perils from the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in - perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils from - false brethren: in labor and painfulness, in watchings often, - in hunger and thirst, in many fastings, in cold and nakedness. - Besides those things which are without: my daily instance, the - solicitude for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not - weak? Who is scandalized, and I do not burn? If I must needs - glory, I will glory of the things that concern my infirmity. - The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed for - ever, knoweth that I lie not. -{133} - At Damascus the governor of the nation under Aretas the king, - guarded the city of the Damascenes to apprehend me. And through - a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and so escaped - his hands. If I must glory (for it is not expedient indeed); - but I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know - a man in Christ above fourteen years ago (whether in the body I - know not, or out of the body I know not: God knoweth), such an - one caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man, - whether in the body or out of the body, I know not: God - knoweth; that he was caught up into paradise; and heard secret - words which it is not granted to man to utter. Of such an one I - will glory; but for myself I will glory nothing, but in my - infirmities. For even if I would glory, I shall not be foolish: - for I will say the truth. But I forbear, lest any man should - think of me above that which he seeth in me, or anything he - heareth from me. And lest the greatness of the revelations - should puff me up, there was given me a sting of my flesh, an - angel of Satan to buffet me. For which thing I thrice besought - the Lord, that it might depart from me; and he said to me: My - grace is sufficient for thee; for power is made perfect in - infirmity. Gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmities, - that the power of Christ may dwell in me. - - - Gospel. - _St. Luke viii._ 4-15. - - At that time: - When a very great multitude was gathered together and hastened - out of the cities to him, he spoke by a similitude. A sower - went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed some fell by the - wayside, and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air - devoured it. And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was - sprung up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. And - some fell among thorns, and the thorns growing up with it, - choked it. And some fell upon good ground; and sprung up, and - yielded fruit a hundredfold. Saying these things, he cried out: - He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. And his disciples - asked him what this parable might be. -{134} - To whom he said: To you it is given to know the mystery of the - kingdom of God; but to the rest in parables, that seeing they - may not see, and hearing they may not understand. Now the - parable is this: The seed is the word of God. And they by the - wayside are they that hear: then the devil cometh, and taketh - the word out of their heart, lest believing they should be - saved. Now they upon the rock, are they who when they hear, - receive the word with joy: and these have no roots; who believe - for a while, and in time of temptation fall away. And that - which fell among thorns, are they who have heard, and going - their way, are choked with the cares, and riches, and pleasures - of this life, and yield no fruit. But that on the good ground, - are they who in a good and perfect heart, hearing the word, - keep it, and bring forth fruit in patience. - -------------------- - - Sermon XXXVIII. - - Perseverance After A Mission. - - - _Power is made perfect in infirmity. _ - --Epistle of the Day. - - -Not so very long ago, my dear brethren, we had a great mission in -this church. It was well attended--that was almost a matter of -course; for, thank God, every one considers it a shame to neglect -so great a grace when it is offered, and the Catholic who refuses -to attend a mission is regarded by those who know him as being in -a very bad and dangerous state. - -{135} - -And the mission, I trust, was on the whole well made by those who -attended it. They made good confessions; they felt true sorrow -for their sins. And they made real purposes of amendment against -their vices, whatever they might be. The drunkard promised to -abstain from drink for God's sake, though it might be almost the -only thing that gave him pleasure; the impure promised to abandon -and stamp out his evil passions and habits; the one who had -neglected Mass and the other duties of his religion out of -laziness, gluttony, or indifference, promised to be faithful to -them for the future. - -But how many of the thousands who made these promises have kept -them? How many of those who were not leading a Christian life -before the mission are now doing so? Some certainly; yes, some of -the seed of the word of God, of which our Lord speaks in to-day's -Gospel, which was then sown, has indeed sprung up and borne -fruit, it may be a hundredfold. Some, in a good heart, hearing -the word, have kept it, and brought forth fruit in patience. - -But, alas! how many, on the other hand, have been like the -wayside, the rock, or the thorns in our Lord's parable! The seed -sprang up, and remained for a few days or weeks; but now, if you -look for it, it has gone, trampled under foot, choked, or -withered away. - -Now, what is the reason of all this sad want of perseverance? Was -it that those who made their confessions then were not sincere; -that they made promises which they did not really expect to keep? -Perhaps that may have been so with some of them; for some people -do seem to think that one cannot be expected to avoid mortal sin, -unless he is a priest or a religious, and even call others -hypocrites who believe that they can and do avoid it. But there -were others who failed--and these were a great many--because -they thought they had only to say that they would do the thing, -and that then the thing would be done. - -{136} - -They did not know how weak they were; perhaps they do not know it -yet. They will find it out sometime, as those do who have often -taken the pledge in vain; and then it may be that they will -despair, which will be the worst of all. But if they use this -knowledge right it will be their salvation. - -And how will knowing that they are weak save them? Will it make -them strong? Yes, but not in their own strength; it will save -them by making them turn to the infinite power of God. This is -what our Lord told St. Paul, as we learn in the Epistle of -to-day, when he asked to have his temptation removed. He said to -him: "My grace is sufficient for thee, for power is made perfect -in infirmity." The more we know our weakness the stronger we -shall be, if our terror and distrust of ourselves will only make -us turn to God in frequent, earnest, and fervent prayer for help, -and in continual approach to the sacraments which he has given -for our aid. - -Oh! if Christians would only learn this one great truth, how the -whole face of things would change! How the most obstinate vices, -the most deep-rooted spiritual disease, would melt away at the -touch of the Great Physician of our souls, if we would only go to -him continually for their cure! How easily we should overcome the -enemy if we would only understand that of ourselves we cannot -overcome him, but that we can do all things in Him who -strengtheneth us; and, understanding this, would go to him for -the strength that we cannot get elsewhere! - -{137} - -My brethren, you who have fallen and now fall so often, I beg you -to put this truth in practice. You fail, and why? Because you -have undertaken more than you can do. You wish to succeed? I hope -so. Well, there is only one way. Do as you have done before, but -also call God to the rescue. Pray frequently and fervently, and -go often to confession and Communion, and success, instead of -being hopeless, will be sure. - -------------------- - - Sermon XXXIX. - - Good Seed But No Harvest. - - -The Gospel of to-day, my brethren, is the parable of the sower -who went out to sow his seed. Our Lord himself explains the -parable, and tells us that the seed is the word of God; and the -real sower of this word, of course, is God, from whom it comes, -and from whom it has all its life and power. - -The ground in which this seed is sown is the mind and heart of -man; or, to put the matter in a practical shape, it is your heart -and mine. There are many people in this world to whom very little -of it has come, at least compared with what we have had; but we -cannot complain that we have not had our share. The word of God -spoken by the mouth of man, in sermons, instructions, counsels, -and warnings, from the altar and in the confessional, and not -only from the priests but also from others who have been the -ministers of God and the channels of his grace to us--it is -certainly no strange or new sound in our ears. And not only in -this way have we continually heard God's voice, but often, -perhaps even more frequently, have we heard it coming immediately -from him, and speaking in our own souls. - -{138} - -Plenty of this seed has, then, been sown in us; but where is the -fruit, the harvest that should have come from it? Seed is not put -in the ground merely to be kept there. No, it cannot be kept -there; if it is not destroyed or carried away it must grow and -multiply. - -The seed of God's word should, therefore, have grown in us. It -should have been the beginning and the increase in us of the -spiritual life, which should have grown stronger in us day by day -from the time when we first came to the use of reason until the -present moment. - -Now, how is it in fact? As we look back on our lives, do we find -that this has actually been fulfilled in them? Are we better, -more perfect, nearer to God now than we were last year, or even -ten years ago? Is it not rather to be feared that we have fallen -back; that we are more careless, perhaps, even about mortal sin, -than we were in times past; or, to say the least, that habits of -venial sin have gained on us, instead of being overcome; that our -prayers are less fervent, our reception of the sacraments less -frequent, our love of God weaker than in the years which have -gone by? - -Holy Scripture tells us that the "path of the just, as a shining -light, goeth forwards and increaseth even to perfect day." "The -just"--that is, those who are habitually in God's grace, who have -and keep the life of God in their souls. -{139} -The Christian virtues, the seeds of which were put in our souls -at baptism, should have been growing during all our lives; they -should have become strong trees now, deeply rooted and spreading -far and wide. Even if they were killed at any time by the frost -of mortal sin, they should have been speedily brought to life and -renewed their growth before they had decayed and rotted away. - -Brethren, I need not ask you if this has been so with you. With -some, no doubt, it has. They may not feel that they have drawn -nearer to God, but really they have. Temptation does not find the -material in them to work on that it did; to avoid evil and to do -good is every day easier and easier; they have still cause to -fear, it is true, but still more and more ground to hope. - -But, alas! how many there are in whom there is no sign of this -growth which should have come from the seed which has been sown -in them! Their light has not increased; no, it is almost always -extinguished; when it does seem to shine it is but to flicker for -a moment, and to disappear. The seed is no sooner sown in them -than it is trampled under foot or carried away by the birds of -the air. - -Brethren, if the life of grace is not growing in our souls; if we -are not falling less frequently, and rising more easily from our -falls, than before, our path is not that of the just, and the -seed of the word of God has not yet taken that root which will -make it bring forth a hundredfold. - -------------------- - -{140} - - Sermon XL. - - The Uses Of Temptation. - - _My grace is sufficient for thee; - for power is made perfect in infirmity._ - --2 Corinthians xii. 9. - - -To all who are striving to lead a good Christian life the example -of the saints is a powerful means of encouragement, and the more -so when we see in the saints themselves the evidences of our -common human nature, when we see them encountering the same -difficulties and struggling with the same temptations which we -ourselves experience. Their great deeds and miracles exalt them -to a sphere far above us, and, while they fill us with -admiration, would yet have a tendency to discourage us were it -not for those other passages in their lives when they seem to be -brought down to our own level by contact with those evil -influences which are ever seeking to sway our fallen nature. The -fact that the saints have had to engage in conflict with the -basest passions is so far from lowering them in our eyes that it -only serves to make them dearer to us and to stimulate us to a -more faithful imitation of them. - -And so St. Paul's account of himself in the Epistle of to-day has -been a ground of encouragement to many a soul that had grown -weary of an incessant warfare with temptation. The Apostle tells -us that, in spite of the wondrous revelations and heavenly favors -which he had received from God, he was yet tormented with -temptations of the flesh. "And lest the greatness of the -revelations should puff me up, there was given me a sting of my -flesh, an angel of Satan to buffet me. -{141} -For which thing I thrice besought the Lord, that it might depart -from me; he said to me: My grace is sufficient for thee; for -power is made perfect in infirmity." To every soul struggling -with temptation God speaks these same words of comfort. "What if -you are weak and the temptation is strong? My grace is sufficient -for you. My power shall be shown forth through your weakness, for -what you could never do of your own strength I can and will do -for you with my grace." - -Many are the lessons we can learn from this text. When we see the -great Apostle of the Gentiles engaged in a hard conflict with the -demon of impurity, it shows us that God does not spare in this -respect even his most chosen servants. On the contrary, by -refusing to grant the prayer of St. Paul that he might be -delivered from this sting of the flesh, God teaches us that -temptation is often a special mark of his favor, even as a -general would place his best and bravest soldiers in the thickest -of the fight. We are also taught that, no matter how vile the -suggestions of the evil one, they cannot soil the heart of him -who resists them. If, as soon as the sinfulness of the foul -thought or imagination is realized, resistance be at once begun, -and kept up until the suggestion is banished, we may be sure we -have not yielded, especially if we have had recourse to prayer. -From the shield of prayer the arrows of the tempter are sure to -glance and fall harmlessly to the ground. - -But, on the other hand, these temptations teach us what we are in -ourselves, or rather what we should be without the aid of God's -grace. St. Paul tells us that God permitted those buffetings of -Satan to preserve in him the virtue of humility, "lest the -greatness of the revelations should puff me up." -{142} -The evil imaginations arising in our minds show us to what a -depth we should sink were God to withdraw his grace from us and -leave us to ourselves. We should, therefore, make of such -temptations an occasion of humility, acknowledging our own -worthlessness, our own weakness, yet glorying, as St. Paul did, -in the power of God's grace, which is able to make us strong, and -endow us with supernatural merit. And here lies the greatest -value and use of temptations--God's power is made perfect in our -infirmity. A crown of merit is the reward of victory in the -fight. Without the temptation we should not have had the merit of -overcoming it. In the hour of trial, then, take courage from -these words of God to St. Paul: "My grace is sufficient for thee, -for power is made perfect in infirmity." - -------------------- - -{143} - - _Quinquagesima Sunday. _ - - - Epistle. - 1 _Corinthians xiii._ 1-13. - - Brethren: - If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not - charity. I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. - And if I should have prophecy, and should know all mysteries, - and all knowledge, and if I should have all faith, so that I - could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And - if I should distribute all my goods to feed the poor, and if I - should deliver my body to be burned, and have not charity, it - profiteth me nothing. Charity is patient, is kind: charity - envieth not, dealeth not perversely, is not puffed up, is not - ambitious, seeketh not her own, is not provoked to anger, - thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth with - the truth: beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all - things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: whether - prophecies shall be made void, or tongues shall cease, or - knowledge shall be destroyed. For we know in part, and we - prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect shall come, - that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child. I - spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a - child. But when I became a man, I put away the things of a - child. We see now through a glass in an obscure manner: but - then face to face. Now I know in part: but then I shall know - even as I am known. And now there remain faith, hope, and - charity, these three: but the greatest of these is charity. - -{144} - - Gospel. - _St. Luke xviii._ 31-43. - - At that time: - Jesus took unto him the twelve, and said to them: Behold we go - up to Jerusalem, and all things shall be accomplished which - were written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man. For he - shall be delivered to the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and - scourged, and spit upon: and after they have scourged him, they - will put him to death, and the third day he shall rise again. - And they understood none of these things, and this word was hid - from them, and they understood not the things that were said. - Now it came to pass that when he drew nigh to Jericho, a - certain blind man sat by the wayside, begging. And when he - heard the multitude passing by, he asked what this meant. And - they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. And he - cried out, saying: Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me. And - they that went before, rebuked him, that he should hold his - peace. But he cried out much more: Son of David, have mercy on - me. And Jesus stood and commanded him to be brought to him. And - when he was come near, he asked him, saying: What wilt thou - that I do to thee? But he said: Lord that I may see. And Jesus - said to him: Receive thy sight: thy faith hath made thee whole. - And immediately he saw, and followed him, glorifying God. And - all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God. - -------------------- - - Sermon XLI. - - The Qualities Of Christian Charity. - - -What a beautiful description it is, my dear brethren, which St. -Paul gives us of the virtue of charity in the Epistle of to-day! -If you have never read it or do not remember it, I would advise -you to read it at once; and, indeed, nothing could be better than -to commit it to memory. - -{145} - -Let us look just now at a part of it. "Charity," says the -Apostle, "is patient, is kind; charity envieth not; dealeth not -perversely; is not puffed up; is not ambitious; seeketh not her -own; is not provoked to anger; thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in -iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, -believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." - -Now, I say this is very beautiful, is it not? And perhaps it -seems all the more beautiful because the picture which it gives -us is not a very familiar one. I know we are apt to think about -as well of ourselves as of almost any one of our acquaintance; -but can we say to ourselves, on reading or hearing this -description of charity, "That's me; that's just my character to a -hair"? No; somehow or other, though we would like to put on the -coat, it does not seem to fit. - -"Charity is patient, is kind." That is rather out of the way, to -begin with, when we think how impatient and cross we are if -anything goes wrong, if anybody stands in our way or interferes -with us, or even ventures to differ from us in opinion. - -"Charity envieth not." Worse yet. Why, some people cannot even -see their neighbor have a new dress or hat without at once making -up their minds to take the shine out of that conceited thing. And -if they hear it said that Miss So-and-So is good-looking they -will take some opportunity to remark: "For the life of me, I -can't make out what any one sees to admire in her." -{146} -Probably they might manage to see it if they would make a great -effort; but how can they make the effort when no one seems to -have any eye for their own good points, which ought to be so -evident to all? And it is not the ladies only who have this -weakness. You will hear something like this: "Oh! I consider him -to be a much overrated man. I knew him when he was young, and he -was nothing above the common. But some people certainly have -luck." Or, if you do not hear it out loud, the grumbling is there -all the same in the heart. Perhaps some praise has to be given, -but it is very sparing; given with great appearance of careful -judgment and a desire to keep closely to the truth. - -"Charity dealeth not perversely." How is this? Why, you will find -Christians who would, as the saying goes, "cut off their nose to -spite their face." They will even suffer themselves, if some one -else can only be made to suffer too. - -But I shall not have time to make all the applications. As I -said, you had better read the Epistle, then you can make them for -yourselves. - -I wish, however, to call your attention before closing to one -unpleasant circumstance. Is this charity, which St. Paul so -highly praises and so beautifully describes, a sort of fancy and -ornamental virtue, which is certainly very commendable, but which -we can get along well enough without? Listen to a few other words -which come a little before those I have read: "If I should have -prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I -should have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have -not charity, I am nothing. And if I should distribute all my -goods to feed the poor, and if I should deliver my body to be -burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing." Notice, -he does not say, "I am not much, or these things are not much -good, without charity": no, without it "I am nothing"; a cipher, -and a sham. Take this home and meditate on it. - -{147} - - Sermon XLII. - - Delay Of Repentance. - - - _Be not deceived, God is not mocked; - for what things a man shall sow, - those also shall he reap._ - --Galatians vi. 7, 8. - - -"Never mind, I will repent some day and confess it all to the -priest; then it will be as if it never happened." Sometimes, my -dear brethren, when men have made up their minds to commit sin, -or to go on in a course of sin, they are tempted to say some such -words as these; or if they are not fallen so low as to -_talk_ in this way, yet, if we may form a judgment of their -thoughts by their actions, such are the thoughts of not a few. I -propose, therefore, to say a few words this morning on the great -folly of this way of speaking, thinking, and acting, and to show -you what a false notion it rests upon. - -I will not stop to point out how uncertain that really is which -is assumed as perfectly certain--namely, that an opportunity of -going to confession will be granted to every one who acts in this -way. A man who sins can never be sure that he will not be cut off -in his sin. But I will take it for granted that the opportunity -of making a confession is given; more than that, I will take it -for granted that he makes a good confession and receives -absolution as he promised himself. In such a case as this is it -true that even then all will be just as if the sin had never been -committed? - -{148} - -My dear brethren, to imagine this to be the case would be indeed -a very great mistake. In order that you may see this I must -recall to your recollection some well-known truths. In the -beginning, God, having made man, placed him in a state of great -happiness. He was without pain, sickness, anxiety, or death. How -is it, then, that man finds himself in his actual condition? Why -is it that man is subjected to so many hardships and miseries, -obliged to toil for his daily bread, and, in the end, through -anguish and suffering, give up that life which it has cost so -much labor to preserve? Think, my dear brethren, of all the pains -of mind and body which you have ever experienced, or which you -have seen others experience; think of all the sufferings of which -you have ever read, and ask yourselves the reason for all this -vast mass of agony and anguish. That reason is given in one word. -Of all the suffering that has ever been and that ever will be, -sin is the cause. Directly or indirectly, mediately or -immediately, every suffering finds in sin its origin. - -Now, I do not say that when we come to particular cases we can -always point out precisely how and why _this_ suffering is -connected with _that_ sin. God in his providence permits -suffering to attend upon sin for many different reasons. -Sometimes it is permitted as a warning not to sin in order that -men of sense and understanding, seeing what sin costs, may avoid -it. Sometimes suffering in this world is, I am afraid we must -say, but a foretaste of eternal suffering in the next. -{149} -In some cases sufferings are sent to make us more like our Lord. -But--and this is the special point I wish you to -notice--suffering is very frequently sent by Almighty God as a -punishment in this life for those sins the eternal punishment of -which he has forgiven. This brings me back to the special point -of this instruction. A man may go to confession, may even make a -good confession and receive a good absolution--that is to say, he -may receive through the merits of Christ the remission of the -eternal punishment due to his sins, and yet things may be very -far from being, as he promised himself, just as they were before. -On the contrary, he may have a vast amount of punishment to -undergo in time in consequence of that sin, which he would not -have had if he had not committed that sin. This thought is very -suitable for this season. Lent will begin next Wednesday. Its -fasting and abstinence are enjoined by the church, among other -reasons as a means of satisfying for the temporal punishment due -to past sins. But, in order that this fasting and abstinence may -be useful for this purpose, those who fast and abstain must be in -the state of grace, because all their value as works of -satisfaction is due to the indwelling grace of God. In order, -then, that your fasting and abstinence may be profitable to your -own souls, let me advise you to act like our wise forefathers -acted, to come to confession at once in the beginning of Lent, -and not to put it off with your Easter duty to the last moment. - -{150} - - Sermon XLIII. - - Lenten Obligations. - -Next Wednesday, my brethren, we enter, as of course you know, on -the great and holy season of Lent. On that day, no doubt, as many -of you as can will come to the church and receive on your -foreheads the ashes which remind us of the penance to which these -coming weeks are specially devoted. - -The church is generally full on Ash-Wednesday, and one would -think, on seeing the crowds pressing forward to receive the -ashes, that they were all determined to enter into the spirit of -the church, and to keep Lent as it should be kept. Yet how many -there are who go through this outward form, and make a great deal -of it, and yet neglect all that is signified by it; who give a -show indeed of penance, but bring forth none of its fruits! Some, -perhaps, of the Ash-Wednesday penitents will not be seen again in -the church till they come forward again on Good Friday to kiss -the cross. - -Yet it is better to come to church, if only on Ash-Wednesday and -Good Friday, than not at all; better to do some penance and show -some love of God than to neglect these virtues altogether. But -how much better still it would be to now thoroughly understand -and seriously take to heart what God requires of us, especially -in this holy time, and to make it the means, as it may be more -than anything else, of our final salvation! - -{151} - -First, then, to thoroughly understand what we are now to do. -Everything must be well understood before it can be well done, -and the keeping of Lent is no exception to this general rule. -Many people break the rules of Lent because they do not clearly -understand them. - -Lent, then, my brethren, is not a time to be spent in penance -altogether according to one's own devotion. Far from it; the -duties to be performed in it are clearly and precisely laid down, -and should be attended to very strictly. They are not many; they -make no great demand on our time or strength; but the Christian -who discharges them properly will make his Lent far better than -one would who should neglect them and take any other practices, -no matter how hard, in their place. It is better to keep the real -rules or laws of Lent faithfully than to hear three Masses every -day, and come to all the extra services, and give half one's -goods to the poor, and yet neglect our regular duties. - -What, then, are these laws? The first is the Easter duty, which -should be made before Easter, if possible, though the church -indulgently extends the time several weeks after that festival. -Make, then, this great duty, far the greatest of all the duties -of a Christian, at once; it will be very easy for all of you who -have just made the mission to do it now, and the longer you put -it off the harder it will be. Make it, then, if possible, the -first day it can be made--that is, next Sunday--and get it, if I -may say so, off your mind. Do not fancy that, as you have so -lately made the mission, the Easter duty is of little -consequence. If you had made twenty missions during the past -year, and any number of jubilees, the law of the Easter duty -would bind you exactly as much as if you had neglected them all. -It is like hearing Mass on Sunday; nobody is excused at all from -Mass on Sunday because they have been to it through the week. -{152} -So this time, the great Sunday of the year, is set apart by the -church for the precept of Holy Communion; it must be fulfilled at -this time, no matter how often one has received outside of it. - -The second and only other real law of Lent is that relating to -fasting and abstinence. If you attend carefully to the rules that -have been read you will understand this well enough. But do not -confuse fasting with abstinence; that is the most common mistake. -People often say: "Oh! I have to work hard; I can eat meat if I -like." That is a great error, and a very foolish one. Many are -excused from fasting on one meal and a collation; few from -abstinence on the days appointed. If you want to have a safe -conscience in eating meat you should consult a confessor, unless -seriously ill. - -Attend to these two things, then, and you will make your Lent as -a Christian should. But, of course, you will also try to follow, -to the best of your ability, the other devotional practices -recommended by the church at this time. Come to daily Mass, and -to the occasional services, and give alms according to your -means. These practices, especially now, are of the greatest -spiritual profit, and can not generally be neglected without -spiritual danger. But remember that Easter duty and fasting, with -abstinence, are the real laws. Obey these, at any rate, and then, -so far as you are able, add the others beside. - -------------------- - -{153} - - _First Sunday of Lent._ - - - Epistle. - 2 _Corinthians vi._ 1-10. - - Brethren: - We do exhort you, that you receive not the grace of God in - vain. For he saith: "In an accepted time have I heard thee; and - in the day of salvation have I helped thee." Behold, now is the - acceptable time: behold, now is the day of salvation. Giving no - offence to any man, that our ministry be not blamed: but in all - things let us exhibit ourselves as the ministers of God, in - much patience, in tribulation, in necessities, in distresses, - in stripes, in prisons, in seditions, in labors, in watchings, - in fastings, in chastity, in knowledge, in long-suffering, in - sweetness, in the Holy Ghost, in charity unfeigned, in the word - ol truth, in the power of God; by the armor of justice on the - right hand and on the left: through honor and dishonor: through - infamy and good name: as seducers, and yet speaking truth: as - unknown, and yet known: as dying, and behold we live: as - chastised, and not killed: as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing: - as needy, yet enriching many: as having nothing, and possessing - all things. - - - Gospel. - _St. Matthew iv._ 1-11. - - At that time: - Jesus was led by the spirit into the desert, to be tempted by - the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, - he was afterwards hungry. And the tempter coming, said to him: - If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made - bread. But he answered and said: It is written, "Man liveth not - by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth from the - mouth of God." -{154} - Then the devil took him up into the holy city, and set him upon - the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him: If thou be the Son - of God, cast thyself down, for it is written: "That he hath - given his angels charge over thee, and in their hands shall - they bear thee up, lest perhaps thou hurt thy foot against a - stone." Jesus said to him: It is written again: "Thou shalt not - tempt the Lord thy God." Again the devil took him up into a - very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the - world, and the glory of them. And said unto him: All these will - I give thee, if falling down thou wilt adore me. Then Jesus - saith to him: Be gone, Satan, for it is written: "The Lord thy - God shalt thou adore, and him only shalt thou serve." Then the - devil left him: and behold, angels came and ministered to him. - -------------------- - - Sermon XLIV. - - The Merit Of Fasting And Abstinence. - - - _Lay not up to yourselves treasures on earth, - where the rust and moth consume, and where, - thieves break through and steal. - But lay up to yourselves treasures in heaven, - where neither the rust nor the moth doth consume - and where thieves do not break through nor steal. - For where thy treasure is, - there is thy heart also._ - --Gospel Of Ash-Wednesday. - - -If any one of us, my brethren, should be asked what is the object -of this holy season of Lent on which we are now entering, or what -is the reason why it has been appointed, the answer would -probably be that it is in order that we may do penance for our -sins. Penance: punishment inflicted on ourselves in satisfaction -for those offences for which we feel we have so imperfectly -atoned, and to obtain from God those graces which we so greatly -need: this, perhaps, is the idea uppermost in most people's minds -when Lent comes round. - -{155} - -Well, this is no doubt a reason, and a good one, not only for -what we have to do in Lent, but for a great deal more that we may -do, not only now, but all through the year. Few even of those who -lead good lives do penance enough for their sins, even as it is; -almost all go before God with a large account unsettled in this -matter. How much worse would it be if there was no Lent, if the -church never insisted on our chastising ourselves in any way, and -seemed to treat such chastisement as of no consequence! The very -notion of it would drop from our thoughts, as it has indeed long -ago from the minds of those who have separated from the church -and ceased to possess the true faith. - -This is, then, a good reason for Lent; but there is another which -we are not so apt to think of, and which, for this very reason, I -would like to emphasize. - -This reason is the one suggested by the words of the Gospel of -last Wednesday, which you have just heard: "Lay not up to -yourselves treasures on earth; ... but lay up to yourselves -treasures in heaven. ... For where thy treasure is, there is thy -heart also." - -Brethren, we should have no trouble at all in getting to heaven -if we only really wanted to get there. Of course in one way we do -want to get to heaven; that is, we all want to save our souls -from the eternal anguish and misery of hell, and we know there is -nothing for us but heaven or hell in the end. But I am afraid -that many Christians, especially when they have health, strength, -and plenty of this world's goods, have really very little wish to -give them up, in order to pass, even could they do so at once, to -those joys which the heart of man cannot conceive. -{156} -No, their treasure is in this world; all their idea of happiness -is founded on the pleasures which they have had, are having, or -hope to have in it. Their treasure is here, and, as our Lord -says, their heart is here too. - -I think, then, that this other great reason and object of Lent, -of which I have just spoken, is that we may do something to -change this state of things; that we may get our hearts off this -world, and see our real treasure in heaven, get to know it and -love it, and have our hearts there with it. We ought now not -merely to stop for a while from worldly pleasures, but to try to -cease loving them, and to care for something better. We must love -and care for something; let us try now to get the right object -for love. - -Now, what is this that we should love; what is our treasure in -heaven? It is our Father who is in heaven, and who is heaven -itself. Brethren, it is not so hard to love God as some people -think. We can all try to do a little, at any rate; I mean to love -God, not by keeping his commandments, but to love him in the same -way as we love those things which are lovely and attractive here. -Come to him now, this Lent; that, above all else, is what it was -made for; come to church not only to hear a sermon, but to pray, -to get near to God, and to bring him into your hearts. Shut the -world out of your heart, that he may come in. Ask him to come to -you and make his abode with you. Then, when he is really your -treasure, he will draw you where he is; you will not have to try -to get to heaven; you will go there of your own accord. To die to -the world and live to God, this is the Christian's true life; and -Lent was made to give this life to our souls. - -------------------- - -{157} - - Sermon XLV. - - Difficulties Of Fasting. - - -Brethren, another year has passed, and Lent has come around once -more. I have no doubt that a great many of you wish that it had -not; perhaps you would not be so very sorry if the church would -have the goodness to do away with this tedious season altogether. -Indeed, I imagine that to some people Lent is one of the greatest -mysteries of our religion. And even if it is in some general way -acknowledged as the proper thing in its due time, it never seems -to come in just at the time that would be convenient. If it comes -early, it is a very unpleasant interruption to the winter's -pleasures and amusements; if it comes late, why could it not come -earlier, so that we could get through and have done with it soon? - -All the grumbling in the world, however, will not alter the fact. -We cannot get rid of Lent, and we cannot fix its time to suit us, -even if there is any time which would seem suitable. It is -possible, indeed, to free ourselves from its burdens; we may do -so either by neglecting its obligations altogether, or by getting -somehow or other dispensed from them, without putting anything -else in their place. But, after all, if we do this, we shall -hardly feel any more comfortable. The best plan is, since Lent is -here whether we will or not, to face it boldly and cheerfully, -and make the best of it that we can. - -{158} - -And, when we come to look at it, is it such a very terrible -infliction? Do we not make rather too much fuss and complaint -over what is not really such a very great penance? - -Let us look, then, and see what is required of us. The principal -thing, of course, is the fasting, as we call it, on one meal. -Now, if we actually were reduced to only one meal in the -twenty-four hours, I confess that it would be pretty severe; but, -you see, in point of fact, we have the collation, at which eight -ounces, or half a pound, of solid food is allowed. Now that is as -much as many people would take anyway at tea-time. And then you -can have a cup of coffee or tea and a small piece of bread in the -morning. So, when we come to sift the matter, the fact hardly -amounts to more than this: that the breakfast is rather a light -one. And then, for those who really have hard work, even what is -left of the fast goes by the board altogether. - -Well, next there is the abstinence from flesh-meat. Some seem to -think this dreadful. "Oh!" they will say, "I can't eat fish; it -makes me sick." Indeed? Perhaps you are not very hungry, and do -not need anything very much. When you are really hungry the fish -will not taste so bad. But, then, who, except indeed the -fisherman, wants you to eat fish? I do not think there is any law -requiring it to be eaten; and if it has such a bad effect on you -I would let it alone and try something else. And though fish is -so uneatable, perhaps an oyster or two might now and then be -worried down. - -{159} - -Now, after the fast and abstinence, what is left? Really nothing -at all in the law of the church, at least in black and white. -There is, however, a custom, having about the force of law, -prohibiting such parties and theatre-going as would be allowable -enough, at other times. But have not you had a pretty good chance -for these amusements for the last few months? And, if you are in -the habit of some indulgence of this kind, a little quiet at home -might be agreeable by way of a change. - -But perhaps you do not like so much church-going. Well, this is -not absolutely required of you. But it certainly is expected; and -it will be well to cultivate a taste for it. Ought it to be such -a great penance for a Christian to come and spend a little while -in the presence of Him with whom he hopes to dwell for ever? - -I think, then, that if you will look at Lent in the right light -it will not seem so very grievous. It may be even that you will -feel that now is a time to be a little generous with our Lord; -and, since he does not ask much, you may be disposed to give him -a little more than he absolutely demands. - -------------------- - - Sermon XLVI. - - Wasted Opportunities. - - _Brethren, we exhort you - that you receive not the grace of God in vain. _ - - -What is this receiving of God's grace in vain, my brethren, -against which St. Paul warns us in these words of the Epistle of -to-day? It is receiving it and making no use of it; receiving it -only to waste it and throw it away. - -{160} - -We are all the time receiving graces from God. Every day, every -hour he is giving them to us. For what is a grace? It is a help, -a means to our salvation which comes from him. And these helps he -gives us continually, by instructions, by admonitions, by good -examples; by the evidences which he puts all around us of the -shortness and uncertainty of life, of the instability of earthly -riches and happiness, of the peace which virtue gives, of the -misery which comes from sin. All these and countless other helps -to lead us, almost to force us, into the way of his commandments -are lavished on us incessantly. They come more or less to all -men, but most of all to us children of his holy Catholic Church, -who have the full light of his faith, the full teaching of his -law. - -But more than all he himself is every day speaking in our hearts, -inviting, urging, begging us to turn from mortal sin; or, if we -have indeed done that, to rise higher, and serve him more -perfectly. If we had listened to all these calls, if we had -availed ourselves of all these helps, we should now be far -advanced on the way of the saints; we should, like St. Stephen at -his martyrdom, see heaven opened before us and our salvation -morally secure. - -But we have not done that. We have been doing just what the -Apostle warns us against; we have been receiving these graces in -vain. We have received them, and it has been worse with us than -if we had not; for we have received them, many of them at least, -only to throw them away and trample them underfoot. - -{161} - -What would you think, my brethren, of a man who, being anxious to -reach a distant country, which was his true home, and where were -those whom he loved, and, having no means to do so of himself, -should throw away with contempt the sums which from time to time -might in charity be offered him to enable him to accomplish his -desires, should throw them absolutely away, not even using them -to supply his daily wants or to secure some passing pleasure? You -would say that he was a madman or a fool; that he had not the -gift of reason, which raises man above the brute. - -And yet this is what we have been doing; and even more than this. -For there have been some, perhaps many, graces which God has -given us which would even alone, if rightly used, have answered -for all our needs. They would not have been mere contributions to -our passage-money for heaven, but would have put us aboard the -vessel, and made our reaching port little more than a question of -time. But these, like the rest, are gone without being used; they -are strewn on the road behind us, and we cannot turn back to pick -them up. - -Such a great grace is the one which, in spite of our -unworthiness, ingratitude, and folly, is now once more offered to -us by our Father in heaven, who does not follow the rules by -which an earthly benefactor would be guided. This season of Lent -on which we are entering is one of the great helps, the great -opportunities which he gives us to reach that country where he -awaits our coming. One who spends even one Lent as it should be -spent will be at its close well established in the way of solid -virtue and peace, the way which leads certainly to the kingdom to -which we all hope to go. - -{162} - -It is for this that Lent is given us, not merely for a season of -penance and suffering, to be got through with somehow or other as -best we can; it is for this reason also that the church to-day -solemnly warns us to use it as it should be used. Listen, then, -to her warning voice; listen out of love and gratitude to God; -listen out of love and holy fear also for yourself; for it may be -the last great grace that will ever be brought to your door. - -------------------- - -{163} - - _Second Sunday of Lent._ - - - Epistle. - 1 _Thessalonians iv._ 1-7. - - Brethren: - We pray and beseech you in the Lord Jesus, that as you have - received from us, how you ought to walk, and to please God, so - also you would walk, that you may abound the more. For you know - what commandments I have given to you by the Lord Jesus. For - this is the will of God, your sanctification; that you should - abstain from fornication. That every one of you should know how - to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor, not in the - passion of lust, like the Gentiles, who know not God: and that - no man overreach, nor deceive his brother in business: because - the Lord is the avenger of all such things, as we have told you - before, and have testified. For God hath not called us unto - uncleanness, but unto sanctification in Christ Jesus our Lord. - - - Gospel. - _St. Matthew xvii._ 1-9. - - At that time: - Jesus taketh unto him Peter and James, and John his brother, - and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart. And he was - transfigured before them. And his face did shine as the sun: - and his garments became white as snow. And behold, there - appeared to them Moses and Elias talking with him. And Peter - answering, said to Jesus: Lord, it is good for us to be here: - if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles, one for thee, - and one for Moses, and one for Elias. And as he was yet - speaking, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them. -{164} - And behold, a voice out of the cloud, saying: This is my - beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him. And the - disciples hearing, fell upon their face, and were very much - afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said to them: - Arise, and be not afraid. And when they lifted up their eyes - they saw no man, but only Jesus. And as they came down from the - mountain, Jesus charged them, saying: Tell the vision to no - man, till the Son of Man be risen from the dead. - -------------------- - - Sermon XLVII. - - The Joy Of Penance. - - - _He was transfigured before them._ - --Words from To-day's Gospel. - - -At first sight, my dear brethren, it seems strange that just as -we have entered upon this season of fasting and penance the -church should have chosen for to-day's Gospel one of the few -accounts which the Evangelists have given of the manifestation on -earth of our Lord's glory and majesty. The Gospels, as you are -aware, are mainly made up of the record of our Lord's words, -actions, and sufferings; they tell us how the Son of God made man -went about from place to place doing good, healing the sick, -consoling the sorrowful, and in the end undergoing cruel -sufferings and an ignominious death. There are but few instances -recorded of his being glorified and honored with more than human -glory and honor, and when such is the case no long and detailed -description is given, the fact is barely mentioned, and the -narrative passes on. - -{165} - -But to-day's Gospel forms an exception to this general rule. In -it special pains have been taken by the Evangelists to give us in -detail a description of the other side, so to speak, of our -Lord's life. We are told that our Lord chose, out of the twelve, -Peter, James, and John, and led them up into a high mountain, and -was transfigured before them: so that his face did shine as the -sun, and even his garments became shining and exceeding white as -snow, "so as no fuller upon earth can make white." And then there -appeared to them Elias with Moses talking with Jesus. And so -astonished and impressed was Peter that he exclaimed: "Lord, it -is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make three -tabernacles, one for thee, one for Moses, and one for Elias." - -Now, why has the church, by selecting the account of the -Transfiguration at this season, turned our thoughts to what seems -so inappropriate a subject? It would seem that it would have been -better to have chosen those parts of the Gospel which treat of -sin, of the judgment to come, of the punishments which await the -impenitent sinner. Well, I do not know that I can tell you all -the reasons why the church has made this choice, but I think I -can give you one reason, and that is, that the church wished to -encourage us and to animate us at this season by placing before -us the glory which is in store for those who do penance and -suffer here. - -In this life there is nothing so familiar to most of us as -suffering in some form or other. Most of us are obliged by our -circumstances to pass our days in exhausting toil and labor. -Disease and anxiety and want and disappointment are to be met -with on all sides, and there are but few who are free from all -these evils. -{166} -And to all--even to those who are the most favored in this -life--there is an hour coming which nothing can avert--the hour -of death. This, as every one may see, is the present state of -things. Moreover, our Lord, so far from encouraging us to expect -freedom from suffering, insists continually upon its necessity. -"Deny yourselves," "take up your cross daily," "blessed are the -mourners," such are the words our Lord addresses to his -disciples. And the church, that this teaching of our Lord may not -be a mere speculation, brings it down into every day practical -life by commanding us at this season to fast and abstain. From -all this the necessity of suffering is evident. - -But however true this is, suffering is not an end in itself; it -is only a means to an end; it is but a road to everlasting joy -and glory. God permits and commands sufferings in order that he -may give to those who endure their sufferings well an abundant -reward. As St. Paul says: "That which is at present momentary and -light of our tribulation worketh for us above measure exceedingly -an eternal weight of glory." And it is in order that we may ever -remember this that the church calls upon us to consider the -manifestation of the glory of our Lord and Master, to whom we -must be made conformable in all things--in suffering in this -life, in glory in the next. - -------------------- - -{167} - - Sermon XLVIII. - - Christian Perfection Not Impossible. - - - _This is the will of God, your sanctification._ - --Epistle of the Day. - - -What, my dear brethren, is the will or intention of Almighty God -and of the Catholic Church, which is directed by his Holy Spirit, -in establishing for us this fast of Lent, and commanding us to -observe it? What is the end which he meant that every Christian -should attain by keeping it, and which makes the opportunity now -offered to us such a great grace as we were warned last week that -it is? The words of St. Paul to-day answer these questions for -us. "The will of God," he says, his intention for us at all times -indeed, but specially now, "is our sanctification." - -But what is our sanctification? It is the making us saints. That, -then, is what Lent ought to do for us. It ought to make us -saints; God and his church mean that it should. - -"Well," perhaps you may say, "if that is the end for which Lent -is appointed, it seems to me that the end is seldom attained. For -my part, I am afraid I shall never be a saint; saints are few and -far between. It will take more than one Lent to make a saint out -of such a sinner as I am." - -If, then, you say this, I must confess that there is a good deal -of truth in it. We must all feel and acknowledge that. Any one -who could feel sure now that when Easter comes he will be fit to -be canonized must either be very proud and presumptuous, and far -from real sanctity, or have some special revelation from God, to -which, I think, none of us will pretend. - -{168} - -But for all that it is true that Lent ought to sanctify us; it -ought to make us saints, only we need not take the word in quite -so high a sense. Though we may hope for the greatest possible -gifts now, we cannot confidently expect them. There is, however, -a sanctification that we ought to expect from this Lent, and what -is it? - -It is what I fear many of you, even though tolerably good -Christians, do not expect. What do I mean by a tolerably good -Christian? I mean, of course, one who expects to make his Easter -duty. One who does not expect and mean to do that can hardly be -called a tolerably good Christian; it would be more nearly right -to call him an intolerably bad one. Well, then, you who are good -Christians expect to make your Easter duty; so far, so good. But -it is not far enough. For what is it that is meant, perhaps, by -that? Is it not merely to make up your mind to confess your sins -and to keep for a few days as you ought to be, and then be pretty -much as you were before? Has not that been the experience of the -past Easter duties of not a few of you, my brethren; and may not -the same be said of the missions you have attended, and the other -great graces you have received from time to time in your life? -You came up to the surface, as a fish jumps out of the water for -a moment, and then down you went again. - -{169} - -But that is not enough. That is not sanctification, and it is not -the will or intention of God. What you ought to expect is much -more than that. What, then, is it? It is simply this: that when -you have made your Easter duty you are going to stay all your -life where it will put you. It is that the habits of mortal sin -which you may then have to confess will be gone for good; that -those impure thoughts, words, and actions will have stopped for -ever; that the shameful drunkenness, and all the sins which came -from it, will be things only of the past; that you will never -again wilfully neglect Holy Mass; that in every way you will -really live as you ought, all the time in the state of grace, in -peace with God and men, and in readiness to die at any time, even -without the sacraments, if such should be God's will; that, in -short, you will be truly converted to him once for all. - -That is the sanctification which past Lents have not brought you, -but which this one should. Do not, I beg you, think it is -impossible, for it is not only possible but easy. Do not make -your Easter duty the highest point and the end of your Christian -life; it should be only the beginning of it. What a consolation -it will be to you, if in your future life you can look back on -this Lent and say, "That was the time when I really began to be a -good Christian; since then I have not had much on my conscience; -I have kept in the state of grace. I made really good and strong -resolutions then, and I have been faithful to them ever since." - -There are those now, plenty of them, who can say this of some -past Lent. Let it be now your turn to say it of this one. It is -not a matter of luck and chance; if you will, this grace of a -lasting conversion from sin is now offered to each and every one -of you. It is yours to a certainty, if you will take the trouble -to secure it; for it is the will of God. - -------------------- - -{170} - - Sermon XLIX. - - _The Divine Presence In Our Churches. _ - - - _Lord, it is good for us to be here._ - --St. Matthew. xvii. 4. - - -The Gospel of to-day tells us of the wonderful Transfiguration of -our Lord upon the mountain in the sight of his Apostles Peter, -James, and John. "His face did shine as the sun, and his garments -became white as snow." And Peter, wrapt in wonder, yet conscious -of the privilege of being present at such a time, exclaimed: -"Lord, it is good for us to be here." Jesus has withdrawn his -visible presence from us. We cannot, like St. Peter and St. John, -behold him with our bodily eyes, nor with our ears can we hear -him speaking the words of life. It is better for us that it -should be so. In our present sinful and imperfect state we could -not bear the splendors of his glorified humanity. When from out -the bright cloud which overshadowed him the disciples heard the -voice of God proclaiming, "This is my beloved Son," "they fell -upon their faces, and were very much afraid." The sight of all -this glory, and the knowledge that they were in the presence of -Almighty God himself, filled them with fear. So, too, would it be -with us now if Jesus were to show himself to us as he now is in -heaven. At the sight of his majesty and glory we, too, should -fall upon our faces with fear and trembling. - -{171} - -Now, our dear Lord, knowing this weakness of ours, does not -withdraw his presence from us, for he has promised to be with us, -even till the end of the world; but he hides his glory from us -under the humble appearance of bread and wine. Beneath these -outward forms he remains continually in our churches, there in -the tabernacle, by day and night, claiming our adoration and our -love. In Holy Mass he is daily raised aloft by the hands of the -priest, offering himself to God the Father for the sins of the -world. In the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament he is lifted -up to bless his faithful ones. And God still speaks to us by the -voice and teaching of the church as truly as he spoke to the -disciples upon the holy mountain, saying: "This is my beloved -Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him." We can still see -our Lord, yet only through the cloud which overshadows him--that -is, by the eyes of faith. Yet he is none the less really present -in the tabernacle upon the altar than he was upon Mount Thabor on -the day of his Transfiguration. - -When, therefore, we come into his sacred presence, when we enter -the church and see the little lamp burning before the altar to -tell us that he is there, our sentiments should be those of St. -Peter at the Transfiguration: "Lord, it is good for us to be -here." It is good for us to often visit him in the Blessed -Sacrament; it is good for us to often receive his Benediction; it -is good for us, nay, necessary for us, to assist at Holy Mass -when the church bids us do so; above all it is good for us, above -all it is necessary for us, to receive him in Holy Communion, and -especially now at this time for the fulfilment of the Easter -duty. Jesus is present in the Blessed Sacrament only for our own -good, for the good of our souls. When, therefore, we see this -great goodness of our Lord towards us, how can we be so heedless -of our own good as to turn away from him? - -{172} - -And when you come before the Blessed Sacrament, remember that you -are in God's presence. Do not forget to bend your knee in -adoration. Do not take advantage of his mercy in hiding his glory -from you by forgetting that he is really here, by spending the -whole time of Mass with roving eyes and thoughts. Fix your -attention upon the altar where he is, and offer him the best -homage that your heart can give. It will be good for you to be -here, if you have the same sentiments at Mass which the disciples -had at the Transfiguration. You should be filled with a holy fear -lest your idle thoughts at this holy time should one day be -reckoned against you. For now he veils himself from you in mercy -and love, but one day he will appear to you in far more dazzling -brightness than he ever manifested on earth. Oh! then, despise -not his presence here, that when at last you stand before him he -may judge you worthy to enjoy his presence for ever. - -------------------- - -{173} - - _Third Sunday of Lent._ - - - Epistle. - _Ephesians v._ 1-9. - - Brethren: - Be ye followers of God, as most dear children. And walk in love - as Christ also hath loved us, and hath delivered himself for us - an oblation and a sacrifice to God for an odor of sweetness. - But fornication and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it - not so much as be named among you, as becometh saints: nor - obscenity, nor foolish talking, nor scurrility, which is to no - purpose: but rather giving of thanks. For know ye this, and - understand that no fornicator, nor unclean, nor covetous person - which is a serving of idols hath any inheritance in the kingdom - of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words. - For because of these things cometh the anger of God upon the - children of unbelief. Be ye not therefore partakers with them. - For you were heretofore darkness, but now light in the Lord. - Walk ye as children of the light: for the fruit of the light is - in all goodness, and justice, and truth. - - - Gospel. - _St. Luke xi._ 14-28. - - At that time: - Jesus was casting out a devil, and the same was dumb; and when - he had cast out the devil, the dumb spoke; and the multitude - admired: but some of them said: He casteth out devils in - Beelzebub, the prince of the devils. And others tempting, asked - of him a sign from heaven. But he, seeing their thoughts, said - to them: Every kingdom divided against itself shall be brought - to desolation, and a house upon a house shall fall. And if - Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom - stand? because you say, that in Beelzebub I cast out devils. -{174} - Now if I cast out devils in Beelzebub, in whom do your children - cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if I, - in the finger of God, cast out devils, doubtless the kingdom of - God is come upon you. When a strong man armed keepeth his - court, those things which he possesseth are in peace. But if a - stronger than he come upon him and overcome him, he will take - away all his armor wherein he trusted, and will distribute his - spoils. He that is not with me, is against me: and he that - gathereth not with me, scattereth. When the unclean spirit is - gone out of a man, he walketh through places without water, - seeking rest: and not finding, he saith: I will return into my - house whence I came out. And when he is come, he findeth it - swept and garnished. Then he goeth and taketh with him seven - other spirits more wicked than himself, and entering in they - dwell there. And the last state of that man becometh worse than - the first. And it came to pass, as he spoke these things, a - certain woman from the crowd lifting up her voice, said to him: - Blessed is the womb that bore thee, and the paps that gave thee - suck. But he said: Yea, rather, blessed are they who hear the - word of God and keep it. - -------------------- - - Sermon L. - - Immodest Language. - - -How pertinent to our own times are the words of St. Paul in the -Epistle of to-day, addressed nineteen centuries ago to the -Christians of Ephesus: "But all uncleanness, let it not be so -much as named among you, as becometh saints. ... For know ye this -and understand that no unclean person hath inheritance in the -kingdom of Christ and of God." - -{175} - -There is no vice, my brethren, more common among men at the -present day in all classes of society, from the professional man -to the day-laborer, among the rich and the poor, the old and the -young, than that of obscene or immodest conversation. - -Among the better educated this poison of impurity is clothed in -language which serves to veil its disgusting nudity, and thus the -more securely to insinuate itself and to deceive the unwary; -while among the less educated it is oftener expressed in words -that reveal its horrid filthiness and shock common decency. - -Listen to the conversation of almost any chance gathering of -young men, and you will soon hear the double-meaning joke, the -attempt of some one to be witty, which serves as much to expose -the shallowness of his pate as the corruption and rottenness of -his miserable heart. - -Holy Scripture says that "out of the fulness of the heart the -mouth speaketh." How true this is! But if one were to use this -criterion in judging the thoughts that fill the hearts of many -amongst us, how debased and pitiable must be their condition! - -And how shocking it is, my dear brethren, to meet a young man -whose dress and manner at first give evidence of respectability -and good breeding, but who, when an immodest allusion is made or -an impure joke uttered, is the first to shout with laughter! Such -a one is well described by our Blessed Lord as "a whited -sepulchre? full of dead men's bones." - -{176} - -And yet these whited sepulchres are not very rare in the -community. You meet them in every walk of life--in the -counting-room and in the factory, at the "respectable" club-room -as well as in the grog-shop, and alas! must we say it, among -Catholics as well as among non-Catholics. - -Yes, among Catholics, who have been elevated to a supernatural -state through the merits and sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ; -whose hearts have been sealed by the grace of the Holy Spirit, -and on whose tongue the Body and Blood of our Lord has often been -placed--even these have dared to cherish in their hearts and -express with their tongues thoughts and sentiments that would -shock the moral sense even of the unregenerate. - -Are they laboring under the incredible and awful delusion that -they commit no great sin when they entertain or give expression -to such thoughts? Do they think that they escape mortal sin when -their impurity is expressed in the form of a joke or a pun, or -when they by a laugh countenance and encourage the like impurity -in others? Ah! my dear brethren, it is to be feared that too many -consciences have been lulled to sleep by this cunning device of -the devil. - -The first introduction to sin for many a one has been the -listening with pleasure to the double-meaning word uttered, -perhaps, by a companion, or while in the company of others. He -was then put on trial not by the devil alone, but by the one also -who uttered it. But the blush of modesty which rose instinctively -to his cheek from a pure heart was by an effort suppressed -through human respect, and the voice of conscience, that told him -to administer a rebuke to the minister of Satan or abandon his -company at once, was hushed into silence, and the demon of -impurity from that moment took possession. - -{177} - -Take warning, then, my dear brethren, from the words of St. Paul, -and never countenance by a laugh or in any other way any offence -against holy purity, in whatsoever form it may be expressed; "for -know ye that no unclean person hath any inheritance in the -kingdom of Christ and of God." - -------------------- - - Sermon LI. - - Honorary Church-members. - - _He who is not with me is against me_. - --Luke xi. 23. - - -Societies in our day, brethren, have become a great moral force, -the very best means of promoting and spreading any great cause. -Men recognize this fact, and so combine together, that by unity -of purpose they may better advance the principles they desire to -support. Many of these societies are made up of two distinct -classes--the active members, who are the bone and sinew, the life -of the institution, and the honorary members, who take no -personal interest in the management or working of the society, -but who, nevertheless, are good enough, or interested enough, to -advance the cause they honor by the support of their name. - -You and I, brethren, belong to a society, the Catholic Church, -which embraces the whole world. We have in view one great -object--the salvation of souls, the spread of the kingdom of -Jesus Christ among men. But this society of ours, a real, living, -organic institution, differs from most others in this: that it -does not need the support of _honorary_ members; neither -will it approve their existence in its bosom. - -{178} - -No, the church would have all her members living, active, earnest -supporters of her principles, and from them all she requires a -pledge that they will keep her laws, advance her ends, and fight -her battles for the kingdom she was established to uphold. She -will welcome no mere spectators to her ranks, and as for neutral -ground, she recognizes none; for those who are not with her are -against her. - -And yet there are many who call themselves Christians, -_would-be honorary_ members of the Catholic Church, who do -not even realize what the word Christian means; who seem to -forget that to be a Christian imposes the obligation of being at -war with all that is anti-Christian. An honorary membership for -such Christians is very convenient; a membership that would allow -them to be on good terms with Christ and Satan. The fasting and -praying, the vigils and good works, the real brunt of the battle -they would leave to the active members, while they would look on -with an encouraging smile of approval. - -Ah! brethren, learn this lesson once for all and well: between -Christ and the world there can be no compromise. He who is not -with me is against me. There is no neutral ground, for the moment -we desert the Christian rank and file we give the hand of -fellowship to the enemy. We cannot serve two masters well, and in -the Catholic Church there is no membership worthy the name that -is not an active, complete membership. The drones of the hive may -nourish and thrive for a time, but let them remember they run the -awful risk of final destruction. - -{179} - -The question I would have you ask yourselves today, and meditate -upon during this holy season, is this: Are you active, living -members of the church, that mystical body of which Jesus Christ -is the head and the Holy Ghost the life-giving principle, or are -you simply _would-be honorary_ members? Have you at heart -the interests of God's holy church; are her sorrows, her wants, -her trials yours? Are the sacraments she offers you the source -and support of your life? If so, you have reason to thank God. - -Or are you standing afar off ready to give an approving nod when -the world smiles, or slink off like a coward when the world -frowns? Are the laws of the church irksome to you and so avoided? -If this be the case, you are nothing but dead limbs, and liable -to be cut off without a moment's warning from the living body, -for dead members are against, not with, the parent stem. - -Would-be honorary members of the Catholic Church, beware of the -error of trying to give one hand to God and the other to the -devil; beware of the fallacy of thinking that because you are -outwardly connected with the church you cannot be lost--that hell -was never intended for Catholics; that, somehow or other, you -will come out all right in the end. That is what Judas thought -when with his sin-stained lips he kissed his Lord whom he had so -lately sold to the enemy. - -Have you still the faith, then beware lest your want of charity -may bring on a want of faith. Have you still a conscience, beware -lest your frequent attempts to stifle it may extinguish it -altogether. If there be a spark of it left I beg of you stir it -up. Be in earnest, and at least let not this Lent pass without a -good confession and communion, the only condition on which you -can become active members of God's holy church. Put your heart in -the work and you will be happier for it here and certainly -happier hereafter. - -------------------- - -{180} - - Sermon LII. - - Half-Hearted Christians. - - - - _He that is not with me is against me._ - --Gospel Of The Day. - - -These words, my dear brethren, like many others spoken by our -Blessed Lord, may be interpreted in various ways. They may be -understood to mean that he who is not with Christ, by being -united to his true flock, who does not belong to the one church -which he has founded, is injuring the cause of Christ, is -persecuting and hampering his church in its warfare against its -enemies; or, in other words, that Protestants and heretics in -general, zealous Christians though they may seem to be, are -really hurting Christianity about as much as they help it, if not -more. And it is plain enough to us that this is true. If there -had never been any heresies and schisms in the church, we cannot -doubt that there would have been now few nations not Christian. - -But this, true though it may be, seems to have little practical -bearing for us. We are not heretics or schismatics, and I hope -that we have no inclination to be so. Still we must remember that -bad Catholics do about as much harm to the work of Christ and his -church in the world as heretics. In fact, there would never have -been any heretics had there not been bad Catholics to begin with. - -{181} - -But, after all, it does not seem that our Lord is speaking so -much of heretics, or of bad Catholics, when he says: "He that is -not with me is against me." For he goes on to tell us that "when -the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through -places without water, seeking rest; and not finding, he saith, I -will return to my house whence I came out; and when he is come, -he findeth it swept and garnished. Then he goeth, and taketh with -him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and entering in -they dwell there; and the last state of that man becomes worse -than the first." - -The meaning of this is plain enough. It is that a man cannot give -up a bad life, and then remain betwixt and between, neither bad -nor good. His soul cannot stay empty, swept, and garnished. He -must keep the love of God in it; he must have good thoughts and -do good works, or the devil will come back, take possession of -the empty soul, and make it worse than it was before. - -So this gives a new sense to the words, "He that is not with me -is against me." He that is not a real good Christian, trying to -live for the glory of God, and to do the work for which God has -put him in the world, will be a bad one before long, if he is not -already. We cannot lie low and shirk the duties which belong to -us as Christians and as Catholics. We must be God's servants, and -live in such a way as to be known as such, or we shall begin -again to serve his enemy. - -Let us take an instance, and you will see well enough what I -mean. A young man or woman has been going with bad company, who, -though perhaps they call themselves Catholics, are a disgrace to -the name, and has joined with them in all their vile -conversations and sinful actions. -{182} -Now, too many of those who have been living in this way seem to -think that after their confession and communion they can go back -to this company and still avoid remark; that nobody will have -occasion to say that they are pious, or notice any change in -their life; that they can keep all right in God's sight, and also -in that of their bad companions; that they can avoid doing any -harm, and still do no good. - -Let such remember these words: "He that is not with me is against -me." If you want to stay in the grace of God, you must hate sin, -and love virtue; and if you really do this your life and -conversation will show that such is the case. You must be a -friend of Christ and an enemy of the devil and of all his works, -and not only be willing but proud to be known as such; if you -will not do this our Lord will not have you or keep you. Choose, -then, which side you will take; do not fancy that you can take -neither. If you try to steer a middle course, and live an empty -and unprofitable life, neither one thing nor the other, you will -soon slip back just where you were before. - -------------------- - -{183} - - _Fourth Sunday of Lent._ - - - Epistle. - _Galatians iv._ 22-31. - - Brethren: - It is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bond - woman, and the other by a free-woman: but he that was by the - bond-woman was born according to the flesh: but he by the - free-woman was by the promise. Which things are said by an - allegory: for these are the two testaments: the one indeed on - Mount Sina which bringeth forth unto bondage, which is Agar: - for Sina is a mountain in Arabia, which hath an affinity to - that which now is Jerusalem, and is in bondage with her - children. But that Jerusalem which is above, is free: which is - our mother. For it is written: "Rejoice, thou barren, that - bearest not: break forth and cry out, thou that travailest not; - for many are the children of the desolate, more than of her - that hath a husband"; now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the - children of promise. But as then he, that was born according to - the flesh, persecuted him that was according to the spirit: so - also now. But what saith the Scripture? "Cast out the bond - woman and her son: for the son of the bond-woman shall not be - heir with the son of the free-woman." Therefore, brethren, we - are not the children of the bond-woman, but of the free: by the - freedom wherewith Christ has made us free. - - - Gospel. - _St. John vi._ 1-15. - - At that time: - Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is that of Tiberias: - and a great multitude followed him, because they saw the - miracles which he did on them that were infirm. And Jesus went - up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. -{184} - Now the pasch, the festival day of the Jews, was near at hand. - When Jesus therefore had lifted up his eyes, and seen that a - very great multitude cometh to him, he said to Philip: Whence - shall we buy bread that these may eat? And this he said to try - him, for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him: - Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, - that every one may take a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, - the brother of Simon Peter, saith to him: There is a boy here - that hath five barley loaves, and two fishes; but what are - these among so many? Then Jesus said: Make the men sit down. - Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in - number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves: and when - he had given thanks he distributed to them that were sat down. - In like manner also of the fishes as much as they would. And - when they were filled, he said to his disciples: Gather up the - fragments that remain, lest they be lost. So they gathered up, - and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley - loaves, which remained over and above to them that had eaten. - Then those men, when they had seen what a miracle Jesus had - done, said: This is the prophet indeed that is to come into the - world. When Jesus, therefore, perceived that they would come - and take him by force and make him king, he fled again into the - mountain himself alone. - -------------------- - - Sermon LIII. - - The Happiness Of True Penance. - - _Rejoice Jerusalem_. - --Introit of the Mass for the Day. - - -This is called "Lætare, or rejoicing Sunday." It may surprise -you, dear brethren, to be told that this is a day of rejoicing; -you will be amazed, no doubt, that, in the midst of the rigorous -Lenten fast, when men should bewail their sins and do penance for -them, and sounds of mirth and joy are hushed, the church should -bid us rejoice. -{185} -Yet thus she does to-day. In mid-Lent even she would have her -children rejoice, would have them forget for the moment penance -and turn their hearts to thoughts of gladness, that, by so doing, -she may teach them that the rigors of this season, the -self-denial and curbing of the flesh she imposes on us, is -undergone that we may realize more fully the spirit of her -teaching--that we may, in truth, preserve, or get back if we -have lost it, that interior joy, that spiritual jubilation which -is the portion of every one who serves Christ as he should be -served. - -Our religion is one of joy, because we are Christ's and he is -ours; and what more can we ask, or what greater can be bestowed -upon us, than the having of Christ; Christ, at once perfect man -and true God; Christ, whose life is the model of our lives, whose -grace is the source of all joy; Christ, to have whom is to have a -brother, and, at the same time, the eternal God; the God by whose -word were made all things that are, who knows no limit to his -power, who has in himself all perfections that man can desire or -conceive of; a brother--a man like ourselves, with a human heart -like our own, with affections like those of other men; a brother -burning with tender love for us, knowing our weakness, knowing -our wants and ready to succor us; a man who was himself tempted, -who has himself suffered the miseries of this life, who, in a -word, was made like to us in all save sin. This is whom we have -when we have Christ, and should we not rejoice at having such a -one? - -{186} - -We should and do rejoice; our hearts are always full of gladness -when we are in God's grace, and Christ is ours and we are his; -and this is what the church wishes for all her children--the -friendship and the love of God. She ever has Christ herself, and -so is never sad; though she may mourn with him suffering, still -there is joy behind all her sorrow. - -If she puts on sombre garments, if she calls man to penance, if -she fasts and covers her head with ashes, she is still glad in -the depths of her heart. She is calling you and me to share the -gladness, to get it back if we have lost it by mortal sin; she is -bidding you and me to keep that gladness by chastising our -bodies; she is warning us that we may lose God's grace, as, alas! -too many before us have lost it, unless we are vigilant. - -Dear brethren, listen to the church's voice to-day; come, all of -you, come and share her joy. If you are not in God's grace do not -let another day go by without making your peace with God. Oh! how -much you are losing, and for what? For some trifling satisfaction -which cannot bring true happiness; some mean gratification of -your lower nature; for sin you are letting slip by the offer of -God's friendship and the joy of a good conscience. Do you want to -die as you are living? If you do not, repent of your sins to-day; -before you leave this church promise God that you will sin no -more; that you will be in fact what you are in name--a Christian. - -------------------- - -{187} - - Sermon LIV. - - Liberty Of Spirit. - - - _By the freedom wherewith Christ has made us free._ - - -These, my dear brethren, are the concluding words of the Epistle -read at Mass to-day. They ought to be of unusual interest to us, -for they speak of a matter which we all care very much about; -which some care so much about that they are willing to fight for -it, and to die for its sake. - -If you have listened to these words of St. Paul, which I have -just read, you know what this is of which I speak, and for which -we all care so much. It is freedom or, as we often call it, -liberty. Many, as I just said, will even die, if need be, rather -than abandon it; and indeed thousands, nay millions, have -actually done so. Man feels that he must have it. Life, liberty, -and the pursuit of happiness he claims as his right. - -Especially do people nowadays ask for liberty, and insist on -having it. The child is no sooner out of his mother's arms than -he wants and tries in all things to have his own way. Obedience -is a lesson that he seldom willingly learns. He thinks that when -he is a man he can do as he pleases; and he does not see why he -should not even now. Sometimes he succeeds in having his own way, -in spite of his parents; he runs away from school and, when a -little older, from church; he passes his life among such -companions as he chooses, who help him to get the liberty which -they think they have themselves got, by defying all the laws of -God and of man. - -{188} - -But is this really liberty which these foolish children, and -young men and women more foolish than children, think they have -got by trampling on all law? No; a thousand times no! It is to -true liberty only as the shadow to the substance, as they find to -their cost before they have travelled very far on this road. They -have but escaped from a light and easy yoke to take on their -necks one far heavier and more grievous, and which becomes more -and more so every day. They have left the service of the kind and -good Master to whom they belonged and entered into that of a hard -and cruel tyrant instead. He has filled them with base and -beastly passions, and made them slaves to these passions. They -are given over, body and soul, to impurity, gluttony, or -drunkenness, or it may be to a mean and miserable greed for -money. At last, perhaps, they try to turn back and shake -themselves free from these accursed lusts, which have fastened on -them, and are draining the very life-blood from their souls; but -it seems that they cannot do so. They set out to do as they -pleased, and how has it ended? In their being bound, hand and -foot, in the slavery of sin. - -But what was their mistake? Were they altogether wrong in wishing -for liberty? Is the desire for freedom, which is implanted in us, -all a delusion? Are we never to do as we desire, but always to -have a restraint and a yoke upon us? - -No, my brethren, the idea of liberty is not a mistake. We are -right in wishing for liberty, hoping for it, and trying to secure -it in the right way. But the mistake these foolish people of whom -I have spoken make is in going the wrong way in the search for -it: in looking for it in the wrong place. - -{189} - -Where, then, is liberty to be found? I will tell you; and you may -be surprised at what I say, for it does not sound as if it could -be true; but it is true, nevertheless. True liberty, then, is in -the service of God. Those who serve God best are the freest men -on earth. - -But how can this be? I answer, It can and must be very easily and -very plainly. For those who serve God best of all--that is, the -saints in heaven--always do just what they like, and enjoy doing -it most perfectly. They have got rid of all the hindrances that, -more or less, prevent every one here below from doing what he -wishes. - -And, of course, those who try to walk in the path of the saints -here on earth also have much of this freedom. The more they learn -to do God's will the more they love it; and so they are always -doing more and more what they like, and more and more easily all -the time; and that is just what liberty is: to do what you like, -and to do it without pain or difficulty. - -The servants of God, then, have their liberty, because they have -got free from sin, which is the only obstacle to it. And this -freedom from sin is the gift of Christ, it is the fruit of his -Passion; it is, then, the liberty which he has given us. It is -ours if we wish it. Try, then, my dear brethren, in this holy -season of Lent, when his graces are so abundantly poured out, to -gain that freedom which they will surely give us, that "freedom -wherewith. Christ has made us free." - -------------------- - -{190} - - Sermon LV. - - The Lust Of The Eyes. - - - _Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, - but rather reprove them. - For the things that are done by them in secret, - it is a shame even to speak of._ - --Ephesians v. 11, 12. - - -Some weeks ago, my dear brethren, we had occasion to speak of the -horrible and filthy vice of impurity, which is every day dragging -into hell thousands of souls with the mark of the cross of Christ -on them, and washed in vain with his Precious Blood. As was said -then, many Christians do not seem to realize the enormity of sins -against the Sixth Commandment--at least those of thought and of -the tongue; to which may be added those coming from the use of -the other senses, especially that of sight. - -An immodest imagination or desire, wilfully entertained or -enjoyed, is a mortal sin, and gives the soul so harboring it -instantly into the power of the devil. Let us hope that no one -having the Catholic faith will doubt this, or think it too strict -a doctrine; for it is the unanimous consent of all the teaching -authority in the church from the beginning, amply supported also -by Holy Scripture. What shall we say, then, of wilful and -deliberate gazing at immodest pictures, or of reading matter -directly calculated to inflame impure passions, and certain to -have its effect? - -Now, I hardly need to say that a city like this is full of these -temptations coming through the eyes into the heart. The good and -pure instinctively avoid them, and scarcely know that they exist; -accustomed to watch the slightest movements of their souls to -evil, and instantly to repress them, they shrink with horror from -those filthy words and pictures on which others eagerly gaze. -{191} -They know that, as the Apostle says, it is a shame to speak of -these things, a greater shame to write or to read of them, a -greater shame yet to expose them to sight, to incite temptation -by them, and thus to destroy the souls for which Christ died. - -I say that the good and pure are not likely to be caught in this -net of Satan; by this I mean those who have been warned of the -evil, who understand its danger, and from well-formed habits of -virtue set themselves resolutely against it. But there are others -who are good and pure--in their baptismal innocence, perhaps; -young, at any rate, and unused to sin, at least of this kind--who -are not forewarned and forearmed like those of maturer years, -who, seeing bad pictures in papers sold even at stores otherwise -of good repute, and kept, perhaps, by Catholics, do not fully -understand how bad they are, and are led to look at them with -pleasure, to learn evil which they knew not of, and thus to -contract habits of sin which they will never overcome. - -Now, what does our Lord say of those who thus put temptation in -the way of the young and innocent? You all know his words: "He -that shall scandalize one of these little ones who believe in me, -it were better for him that a millstone should be hanged about -his neck, and that he should be drowned in the depth of the sea." -Strong words these, but they are those of the Divine Wisdom, and -beyond correction by human lips. Yes, it is better to die, better -even to die in the state of sin, than to add such a sin as this -to our number. - -{192} - -Let us beware, then, not in any way, however indirect, to give -sanction or encouragement to this work of the devil in our midst. -"Have no fellowship with these works of darkness, but rather -reprove them." Do not buy or even take up for a moment the -indecent papers or books now unfortunately so common among us; -still more, do not sell them; do not allow them to be in the -house; do not suffer your children to look at or read them; do -not frequent places where they are to be had. Set your faces -resolutely, for the honor of God and the Catholic name, as well -as for your own souls sake, against this plague of immodest -literature, which has assumed such fearful proportions and become -so bold and unblushing in these days in which we live. Think -nothing to be light or of little moment in this matter; mortal -sin is much easier in it than you may believe. - -------------------- - -{193} - - _Passion Sunday._ - - - Epistle. - _Hebrews ix._ 11-15. - - Brethren: - Christ, being come a high-priest of the good things to come, by - a greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that - is, not of this creation: neither by the blood of goats, nor of - calves, but by his own blood, entered once into the Holies, - having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats - and of oxen, and the ashes of a heifer being sprinkled, - sanctify such as are defiled, to the cleansing of the flesh: - how much more shall the blood of Christ, who by the Holy Ghost - offered himself unspotted unto God, cleanse our conscience from - dead works, to serve the living God? And therefore he is the - mediator of the new testament: that by means of his death, for - the redemption of those transgressions, which were under the - former testament, they that are called may receive the promise - of eternal inheritance in Christ Jesus our Lord. - - - Gospel. - _St. John viii._ 46-59. - - At that time: - Jesus said to the multitude of the Jews: - Which of you shall convince me of sin? If I say the truth to - you, why do you not believe me? He that is of God, heareth the - words of God. Therefore you hear them not, because you are not - of God. The Jews, therefore, answered and said to him: Do we - not say well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil? Jesus - answered: I have not a devil; but I honor my Father, and you - have dishonored me. But I seek not my own glory; there is one - that seeketh and judgeth. Amen, amen, I say to you: if any man - keep my word, he shall not see death for ever. -{194} - The Jews therefore said: Now we know that thou hast a devil. - Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest: If any man - keep my word, he shall not taste death for ever. Art thou - greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets - are dead. Whom dost thou make thyself? Jesus answered: If I - glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father that - glorifieth me, of whom you say that he is your God. And you - have not known him, but I know him. And if I shall say that I - know him not, I shall be like to you, a liar. But I do know - him, and do keep his word. Abraham your father rejoiced that he - might see my day; he saw it, and was glad. The Jews therefore - said to him: Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou - seen Abraham? Jesus said to them: Amen, amen, I say to you, - before Abraham was made, I am. They took up stones therefore to - cast at him. But Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple. - -------------------- - - Sermon LVI. - - The Precious Blood. - - - _The Blood of Jesus Christ his Son - cleanseth us from all sin._ - --1 Epistle St. John i. 7. - - -We all know, my dear brethren, that when a man is born into the -world he is born _unclean_ before God. He is then _so_ -unclean that he is not fit to associate with the sons of God and -heirs of the kingdom of heaven. He is then so unclean that he can -never be anything but an outcast from God until he is made clean. - -{195} - -Is there any way in which he can be made clean? Yes, for when he -is baptized he is made a new creature; he is cleansed from the -stain of original sin, made a child of God and heir of the -kingdom of heaven. He is then so pure and holy that if he die -immediately he will go, to a certainty, straight to heaven. For -baptism applies the Blood of Christ to his soul, and he is become -truly clean. But suppose he does not die immediately after -baptism, how is it with him then? If he keep his baptismal -innocence, so far as never to commit a mortal sin, he still has a -right to go to heaven. He can then demand of God permission to -enter heaven. - -Can he, however, demand this permission to enter heaven -immediately after his death if he has committed only venial sin? -That depends entirely upon his contrition at the moment of death. -If he is not so sorry for all his sins that his contrition is -[not] perfect, then he can't enter heaven immediately, but must -go to purgatory to be made perfectly pure, so that he can be -taken into heaven. - -I have said that baptism applies the Blood of Christ to the soul -and makes man pure and innocent. Now, baptism is a sacrament. It -is the first one and is necessary to salvation. Without it no man -can enter heaven, nor even purgatory, for the purgatorial state -is the first and lowest state of blessed and holy souls who must -go to heaven in the end. But the blood of Christ is applied to -the soul of man in other ways, although baptism must come in in -the first place. - -In what other ways is the Blood of Christ applied: - -First, by the Sacrifice of the Mass. For by the Mass we repair -our sins, get grace to keep from sin, and make our purgatory -shorter in consequence. He who hears Mass daily makes the best -prayer that a man can make, and he is more certain to have his -prayer answered. He also helps the living and the dead, and -brings down upon himself and his own special graces from God. - -{196} - -Secondly, the Blood of Christ is applied to our souls by the -Sacrament of Penance. Men defile their souls by sin, by -_mortal_ sin after baptism. He who receives the Sacrament of -Penance worthily--that is, with true sorrow for all mortal sin, -with a firm determination to lead a good life and repair the -wrong he has done--that man receives again the grace of God that -restores his soul to eternal life. - -Thirdly, in Holy Communion we receive the Body and Blood of our -Lord Jesus Christ in a hidden manner, but in deed and in truth. -The consecrated Host is the eternal and ever-living God himself. -You know, my dear brethren, the strength of this divine food. How -it gives new energy to the soul, destroys the power of -concupiscence, banishes, or at least weakens, temptation, always -giving us the grace to hold our own against the world, the flesh, -and the devil. _And there are Catholics who refuse to make this -Communion once a year!_ - -But there is one thing that ought to be said here. A Catholic -ought never to consider as useless, or as almost useless, any one -of the sacraments. This too many do as regards confession. They -underrate it. They think, therefore, it is no good unless they -receive Communion every time they go to confession. Now this is a -grave error. One is _not_ obliged to go to Communion every -time he goes to confession. Those who cannot go to Mass nor -Communion, on account of their business or employment or work -keeping them away, can at least go to confession very often -during the year. All such an one has to do is to prepare himself -carefully, step into the rector's house, make his confession, and -go on to work again. If he but make an arrangement with some one -of the priests he can always be heard at once. Frequent -confession is a wonderful help to a good life and a happy death. - -------------------- - -{197} - - Sermon LVII. - - Christ's Passion. - - - _Which of you shall convince me of sin?_ - --John viii. 46. - - -To-day, dear friends, is Passion Sunday, and our long Lenten -pilgrimage is nearing its end. Heretofore our thoughts have been -on ourselves, our own shortcomings, our own sins. Now we stand, -as it were, on the hill overlooking the Holy City, and see before -us, as a map unrolled, the scene of our Redeemer's agony: -Bethany, the olive-garden of Gethsemani, and, further on, the -barren mount of Calvary, with its three crosses standing forth, -black and cruel, against the fair blue sky. - -Now our thoughts turn from ourselves to our Lord. We have seen -what the effect of sin has been on us. Now we look and see, and -our shame should deepen as we see, what sorrow and tears and -agony it has brought on the eternal Son of God. - -To-day the cross is veiled, the pictures are shrouded in -mourning, the "Gloria" ceases to be sung. So our sins covered our -dying Lord as with a garment, and sorrow chokes the voice of holy -church, fills her heart to overflowing, and stills all her songs -of praise. - -{198} - -What is this veil which obscures the cross of Jesus Christ and -makes his Passion of no effect? O dear brethren! is it not our -sins? What platted the crown of thorns, and drove those sharp -spikes deep into his sacred head? Our selfish pride. What sent -those nails through his hands and feet, fixing them to the tree -of shame? Our wicked deeds and our wanderings from the path of -duty. What parched his tongue with such burning thirst? Our -shameless indulgence in drink. What pointed the spear of the -impious Roman soldier, and hurled it deep into the Sacred Heart, -whence issued the red torrent of the Precious Blood? Our -inordinate appetites and sinful lusts. As often as we sin we -crucify our dearest Lord afresh. - -"Which of you shall convince me of sin?" What more could I have -done for my vineyard which I have not done? I came down from -heaven; took upon myself the form of a servant, the likeness of -sinful flesh; set you a perfect example how you should walk; was -led as a lamb to the slaughter; was scourged, spit upon, mangled, -crucified; what could I have done more? Which of you shall -convince me of sin? Which of _you_, my brethren? How many -graces and blessings do you not owe to that crucified Lord? In -how many sore temptations have you not been defended and -strengthened? In how many bitter sorrows have you not been -comforted? From how many shameful falls have you not been raised -up? O Christian soul! for whom Christ died, look upon that -bleeding, suffering, dying Saviour, and, if nothing else will -move you, let those ghastly wounds, which your sins have made, -plead with you. Acknowledge your transgressions: abase yourself -in the very dust. -{199} -Let that sacred Passion plead with you, that infinite love plead -with you, that Precious Blood plead with you, those last tender -words plead with you, and teach you, for their sake and your -soul's sake, to love the Lord more dearly, to dread sin more -effectually, and never, as long as you live, to add to that heavy -burden by any wicked deed of yours. - -So shall, a few days hence, the veil be lifted from the cross, -and our sorrow be turned to joy, for when the Lord of Glory shall -arise we too shall arise with him, and reign with him in glory -for evermore. - -------------------- - - Sermon LVIII. - - Dangerous Companionship. - - - _Walk circumspectly; not as unwise, but as wise._ - --Ephesians. v. 15-16. - - -To-day, my dear brethren, I propose to make a few remarks on the -dangerous occasions of impurity, so common in these times. - -The danger of which I wish specially to speak is that which comes -from the familiar acquaintance which now exists to such a great -extent, and is taken so much as a matter of course, between young -persons of different sexes. This undue familiarity is too common -everywhere in this country; and more than anywhere else in a city -like that in which we live. Young women here with us, even though -they be Catholics, and good enough Catholics in some respects, -seem to forget, or rather never to begin to realize, the laws of -decorum and modesty which well-instructed persons, even though -not professing to be specially religious, have hitherto rightly -taken for granted. - -{200} - -To take a flagrant instance. A priest, being a man educated -according to the rules of respectable society, is unspeakably -surprised when he for the first time hears some young woman, -apparently of a careful conscience, ask him if it is a sin to -flirt. For what is this which is called flirting? It is simply -deliberately and wantonly acting in a way to attract the -attention of particular persons of the opposite sex, to make -signals which are to be understood as marks of preference for, or -of desire of acquaintance with, some young man or men whom she -may chance to see on the street. A sin to flirt! How can you ask -such a question? Why, outwardly and at the first appearance, the -act is not very different from that of an abandoned woman seeking -to attract those whom she thinks will notice her. The intention, -of course, in your minds is often comparatively harmless, it is -true; but by outward standards the act is simply disreputable. -Furthermore, it shows a feeling which any lady, really worthy of -the name, would hesitate to show even to one whose character she -well knew to be good, and who had for a long time given to her -respectful and proper attentions. A woman or girl who flirts -seems to be, if she is not in reality, lost to all sense of -decency; and those are almost as much so who shamelessly walk at -night up and down the avenues in the hope of attracting -attention. - -This seeking to form unknown acquaintances of the opposite sex or -to attract special attention among them is, then, a thing which -no Catholic girl should think of, if she has any sense of shame. -But when such acquaintances are formed by an introduction in -itself proper, they should be very carefully considered. -{201} -For a young woman to make one of the other sex her friend or -familiar companion, as she well may one of her own, is a thing -which should be unheard of. She should have but one such friend, -and he should be one who has acted honorably to her by proposing -to her to take the honorable part of her husband, and whom she -has before God and in her conscience felt to be worthy, and -accepted by a binding engagement. Before that, and to all other -men, politeness with proper and modest reserve should be the -constant rule, affection and familiarity out of the question. And -yet we find girls keeping company, as it is called, and that -without any sort of serious guarantee of the purposes of the -other party, not only with one after another, but even with more -than one at once. - -For the reasons, plain enough, on which these directions rest, -promiscuous assemblies of both sexes, such as those to be found -at certain gatherings, now unfortunately so popular, are full of -danger, and had far better in all cases be avoided. A freedom of -manners prevails in them--to say nothing of direct temptations to -the senses--and an ease of making acquaintance, which opens a -free door to sin. I do not wish to be too severe, but, as a rule, -I do say, leave such places alone. Young women, respect -yourselves; demand the respect of others. There is the moral in a -nutshell. - -------------------- - -{202} - - _Palm Sunday._ - - - Epistle. - _Philippians ii._ 5-11. - - Brethren: - Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who - being in the form of God, thought it not robbery himself to be - equal with God: but debased himself, taking the form of a - servant, being made to the likeness of men, and in shape found - as a man. He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, - even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath exalted - him, and hath given him a name which is above every name: that - in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are - in heaven, on earth, and in hell. And that every tongue should - confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the - Father. - - - Gospel. - _St. Matthew xxvii._ 62-66. - - And the next day, which followed the day of preparation, the - chief priests and the Pharisees came together to Pilate, - saying: Sir, we have remembered that that seducer said, while - he was yet alive: After three days I will rise again. Command - therefore the sepulchre to be guarded until the third day: lest - his disciples come and steal him away, and say to the people, - He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse - than the first. Pilate said to them: You have a guard; go, - guard it as you know. And they departing, made the sepulchre - sure with guards, sealing the stone. - ------------------- - -{203} - - Sermon LIX. - - Hardness Of Heart. - - - _To-day if you shall hear his voice, - harden not your hearts. _ - - -These words, my dear brethren, are taken from the beginning of -the office recited by the clergy on this and the following days, -up to Holy Thursday. They entreat us not to let this time, -precious above all others, go by without making the use of it -which our Lord means that we should make; not to let him show his -love for us without giving him love in return. - -"Harden not your hearts." How is it that we harden our hearts? It -is by putting off our repentance; by clinging to the world and -its pleasures, to the gratification of our sinful passions, and -waiting for some time to come when it will be more convenient to -give them up, or when we shall feel more strongly moved to do so. -We think that this time will surely come, that the stream of -God's graces will be uninterrupted, and that when necessity urges -we can avail ourselves of the one that happens to be then within -our reach as easily as we could have done of the many that went -by long ago. - -But, my brethren, this is a great and a terrible mistake. It may -be, indeed, that God in his goodness and mercy has many graces -yet in store for us equal in themselves to those which we have -had; but if we have despised and neglected the past ones they -will not be the same for us as those were which went before, -{204} -A word of warning, a single prayer, the sight of the crucifix or -of our Blessed Mother, a pious picture, an Agnus Dei, is enough -to move the innocent soul of a child to the love of God; the most -powerful mission-sermon often fails to make any impression on one -who has spent his life in sin. It is not the grace that is -wanting on God's part. No, he is there in his power; his arm is -not shortened; he is still mighty to save. But his voice seems to -the deaf ear of the sinner faint and indistinct; his message is -the same old story. Yes, it is the same old story; it must be the -same, for there is but one. There is but one name under heaven -whereby we can be saved, only one Gospel which we can preach, and -the sinner has heard it so often with indifference that its -interest is gone. - -Then--most dangerous delusion of all--he comforts himself with -the hope that at least he will die in the grace of God; that -somehow or other he will, as he passes from life to death, be -brought from death to life. He forgets that the sacraments were -not given to give repentance to the sinner; no, they have for -their object to give pardon and grace to those who have repented. -Do you think it is of the slightest use to anoint with oil the -senses of a man who lies unconscious, and who has not, while he -had the use of his mind, turned really and truly away in his -heart from his sinful life? The priest does it, indeed, in hopes -that he may have repented; but how faint is that hope for those -who have suddenly been stricken down! And even if there is more -time; even if some sort of confession can be made, is it so sure -that the hardened heart, which has all its life loved and clung -to its sins, will now love God and hate sin? God's mercy is -great, it is true; he may now give extraordinary graces, but he -is not bound to do so; and if the ordinary ones have failed -before they may also fail now. - -{205} - -Yes, my brethren, now is the time--a better time than your last -hour. Now in this Passion season the Precious Blood of Christ is -flowing more freely for you than you can expect ever to find it -again. Listen to his voice now; do not wait till it becomes -fainter. If you have not spent Lent well so far, come now and -make the most of the help so abundantly given you in these holy -days. Harden not your hearts any longer; it is a dangerous game -to play. - -------------------- - - Sermon LX. - - Spirit Of Holy Week. - - - _Think diligently upon him that endured such opposition - from sinners against himself._ - --Hebrews. xii. 3. - - -The week which we this Sunday enter upon, my dear brethren, is -called Holy Week; and of all the many sacred seasons which the -church has set apart, this is by far the most solemn and sacred. -Everything which it is within the power of external rites and -ceremonies to do has been done by the church in these services, -in order to bring home to her children the great lesson which -this holy season should teach. And while it is true that the -church has not made attendance obligatory under pain of mortal -sin, yet it would argue a very poor and ungrateful spirit, and -one but little in accordance with that of the church, if any one -should without good reason neglect to be present. - -{206} - -Now, what is the truth which these services have it for their -object to impress upon our minds? No other than that fundamental, -distinctive truth--the Passion and death of Christ, its reason -and effects. The church this week excludes from commemoration -everything else, and applies herself exclusively to tracing the -steps of her Lord and Founder from his entry into Jerusalem in -the midst of acclamations and rejoicings, to the entombment of -his dead and blood-stained body in the sepulchre of Joseph of -Arimathea. Now, every one must have, necessarily has, in these -events the greatest interest--an interest which surpasses every -other. - -And, first, as to those who are in the habit of going frequently -to the sacraments, who understand their great value, and find in -these means of grace their chief consolation in the midst of the -troubles and cares which surround them. For these the -commemoration of the Passion and death of Christ can not but be -profitable. The author of "The Following of Christ" tells us that -we ought not to consider so much the gift of the lover as the -love of the giver. And we all know that we esteem the trifling -present made by a dear friend more than much more costly things -which we have ourselves bought or earned. Now, the sacraments are -not merely inestimable treasures in themselves; they are also -tokens and pledges of the love of Him who instituted them, bought -by him at the cost of his own most Precious Blood, given to us to -show us his love to us. Every time a man goes to confession, -every time he receives Holy Communion, he is receiving that which -was instituted and established and bestowed upon him out of love; -and if he wishes to know how great that love was he ought to have -a lively sense of what it cost our Lord to merit those graces for -us--namely, his bitter Passion and death. - -{207} - -But there are many who neglect the sacraments, who come to them -but seldom, perhaps only to their Easter Communion; perhaps not -even to that. What is to be thought of those who act in this way? -Certainly, however smart and keen and intelligent they may be, or -fancy themselves to be, in lower matters which are nearer to them -and fall beneath their senses--in money-getting, in trade, in -art, in literature--such men show but little sense and -understanding about things which are of real importance and -value. In what way may these duller and obtuser minds learn to -appreciate these higher things? Certainly the price given for a -thing by a prudent man is a good means of learning what it is -worth. Now, if those who neglect the sacraments, who make but -little of them, would during this week apply themselves to the -consideration of the price paid by our Lord for those sacraments, -I have but little doubt that they would be led to form a truer -notion of their value and importance. - -I wish I could conclude without alluding to another class which, -though I trust it is not numerous, yet does exist--I mean those -who do not neglect the sacraments, but those who do worse: who -profane them. Those who make bad confessions, who conceal mortal -sins, who have no sorrow for their sins and no purpose of -amendment, who make the infinite mercy and goodness of God a -reason and pretext for wallowing in vice and sin--what shall be -said of these? -{208} -We know that our Lord is reigning now gloriously in heaven; that -nothing which we can do can cause him loss or pain; yet it is -also true that those who act in this way do all that lies in -their power to trample under foot that Precious Blood which was -shed for them. But while there is life there is hope, and if even -those would devote this week to meditation on the Passion of our -Lord, they might form a just estimate of what their souls cost -our Lord, and turn to him while there is yet time. - -------------------- - -{209} - - _Easter Sunday._ - - - Epistle. - 1 _Corinthians v._ 7, 8. - - Brethren: - Purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new mass, as you - are unleavened. For Christ, our pasch, is sacrificed. Therefore - let us feast, not with the old leaven, nor with the leaven of - malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of - sincerity and truth. - - - Gospel. - _St. Mark xvi._ 1-7. - - At that time: - Mary Magdalen, and Mary the mother of James and Salome, bought - sweet spices, that coming they might anoint Jesus. And very - early in the morning, the first day of the week, they come to - the sepulchre, the sun being now risen. And they said one to - another: Who shall roll us back the stone from the door of the - sepulchre? And looking, they saw the stone rolled back, for it - was very great. And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a - young man sitting on the right side, clothed with a white robe: - and they were astonished. And he said to them: Be not - affrighted; ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified: he is - risen, he is not here; behold the place where they laid him. - But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you - into Galilee; there you shall see him as he told you. - -------------------- - -{210} - - Sermon LXI. - - Easter Joy. - - - _Hæc dies, quam fecit Dominus: - Exultemus, et lætemur in ea._ - --Psalm cxvii. 24. - [USCCB: Psalm cxviii. 24.] - - "_This is the day which the Lord hath made: - Let us be glad and rejoice in it._" - - -So sings the Psalmist. So sings the church today in Holy Mass, -and every Christian heart beats with the response: "Let us be -glad and rejoice." - -A happy Easter, then, to you all, my dear brethren! A happy -Easter to the old, to whom, in the natural course of things, many -returns of this blessed day cannot come! A happy Easter to the -young, rejoicing in all the freshness and vigor of youth, and -confidently looking forward to many renewals of Easter joys! A -happy Easter to the rich, upon whom God has bestowed an abundance -of worldly goods! And a thrice happy Easter to God's own special -friends, the poor! Thus holy church bids all be glad and rejoice, -for to-day Christ is risen, the Saviour of us all. - -The joy of Easter, my dear brethren, like that of Christmas, is -all-pervading. We feel it in the air we breathe, we see it in the -sparkling eye and radiant countenance of the child. The quick and -hearty salutation of our friends, "A happy Easter to you!" -increases our own joy, for we perceive that all about us are -sharers with us in this great gift of the risen Christ. - -{211} - -But the joy of Easter differs from that of Christmas in this: -that the latter brings to us the glad tidings of the coming of -the true King, the strong and valiant leader of the mighty host -of Israel, and our hearts leap with joy as we go forth, with -buoyant step and strengthened arm, and fight the great battle of -life. Easter joy is the joy of victory, for our gallant Leader, -the strong Son of God, has gone before; he has overcome the -enemy, and death is swallowed up in victory. - -Yes, Christ has fought the battle and won. But there remains for -us a battle to be fought, but not an uncertain one; for we have -received virtue from the victory of Christ, and by following him -faithfully, by keeping our eye fixed steadily on the banner of -Christ--the banner of the cross--our victory, too, is certain. - -This, then, is why Easter time gladdens the heart of every true -Christian, for it brings with it the assured hope of final -victory over sin, which is the sting of death, by a glorious -resurrection. - -But, my dear brethren, mid all these rejoicings may there not be -some poor soul among us who does not participate in the joys of -Easter time? Some soul for which Christ on Good Friday poured -forth the last drop of his Sacred Blood, but which to-day finds -itself estranged, nay, even in a hostile attitude towards its -only true friend? Oh! would to God there were not even one such -ungrateful soul in the whole world. But, alas! I fear there are -many upon whom our loving Saviour, the risen Christ, must look -this day as his declared enemies; some wretched souls over whom -hangs the thick, black cloud of mortal sin, unrepented and -unforgiven, and through which the bright rays of God's infinite -love cannot penetrate. Yet even these need not despair; the joys -of Easter time may still be theirs, for the same loving and -sword-pierced Heart of Jesus is still ready to be reconciled with -them. -{212} -Oh! if there be such a one present here this morning let him take -courage, come at once to the tribunal of penance, become one of -the friends of the risen Christ, and share with us the joys of -Easter. - -And those who have been, but are no longer, strangers to God's -grace, persevere, I exhort you, during the short space of this -life in the friendship of our crucified Lord, and yours, too, -will, like his, be a glorious resurrection. - -Let us, then, my dear brethren, on this happy Easter day elevate -our hearts to God in humble thanksgiving for all his benefits, -and let us unite with the holy church in the prayer of the office -for to-day. God! who, through thine only-begotten Son, hast on -this day overcome death and opened unto us the gate of -everlasting life, we humbly beseech thee that, as by thy special -grace preventing us, thou dost put into our minds good desires, -so by thy continued help we may bring the same to good effect. -Through the same our Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son, who liveth and -reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, -world without end. Amen. - -------------------- - - Sermon LXII. - - Easter And The Love Of God. - - - _This is the day which the Lord hath made: - let us be glad and rejoice therein._ - --Psalm. cxvii. 24. - [USCCB: Psalm cxviii. 24.] - -{213} - -Familiar words these, my brethren, and for ever associated in our -minds with this greatest of all Christian festivals. Frequently -on this day and through its octave does the church repeat them to -us; they sound now continually in our ears. And no doubt they -find some echo in our hearts. Yes, we are glad, we do rejoice; -surely no one who can call himself a Christian could hear unmoved -the outburst of our triumph and exultation yesterday as the -"Gloria in Excelsis" was intoned in the Mass, telling us that the -lion of Juda has conquered, that God has arisen and that his -enemies are scattered, that he has put death and hell under his -feet. For the moment at least we would say with St. Paul: "O -death! where is thy victory? O death! where is thy sting? Thanks -be to God, who hath given us the victory through our Lord Jesus -Christ." - -But as the newness, the freshness of the Easter joy and triumph -passes away, does not another feeling come and mingle with it? A -feeling of awe, almost of dread, comes upon us, like that terror -which came upon the guards at the sepulchre as they saw the angel -who rolled away the stone, of whom St. Matthew says that his -countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow; -like that fear which came even on the holy women as they saw the -two angels in shining apparel standing at the empty tomb; and -upon the Apostles themselves when Jesus stood in their midst soon -after; for the evangelist tells us that they were troubled and -frighted, in spite of his words giving them peace and telling -them not to be afraid. - -Indeed, I think there was no one of those who saw our risen Lord, -except his glorious and Blessed Mother, whose love was so perfect -that it quite cast out this fear. -{214} -And still more is it in our poor and imperfect hearts; we cannot -shake it off. How many are there of us, unless, indeed, those -innocent ones who have not yet known what sin is, who, if this -were really and truly the morning of the resurrection, and the -risen one could be seen by those who should seek him, would arise -gladly and run to meet him, and fall in loving adoration at his -feet? - -If we can in our inmost heart feel that we would, we have reason -indeed to be glad and rejoice to-day. But to feel so there must -be something in us besides that thrill of triumph and of victory -which overpowers us as the splendor of the resurrection first -breaks upon our souls. There must be a true, fervent, and deep -love of the God who to-day comes so near to us; a hatred from the -bottom of our hearts and souls of all that in the least degree -separates us from him; there must be, beside faith, also hope and -charity, such as the saints have had--that hope which knows that -he loves us and has forgiven us, that charity which would make us -die sooner than offend him again. And these we have not because -of our sins. - -Yes, it is sin which casts the shadow on our Easter; it is the -love and affection for it which still remains in us; it is that -compromising spirit which is even at our best times holding us -back, keeping us from fully loving, trusting, and giving -ourselves up to God, for fear that we might lose something by -doing so; it is this that makes us afraid to approach him and to -share in his joy. As for mortal sin, that, of course, takes the -happiness of Easter away altogether; to one who is in its -darkness the thought of meeting God brings, and can bring, no -thought of joy. But even venial sin brings its dread with it,too. -{215} -And what is the remedy for this dread? It is very simple. It is -only to try now to begin to love with our whole hearts him who -has loved us, and given his life for us; whose delight is to be -with us and to have us come to him; to keep nothing back from -him--in short, to live here in our feeble measure the life we -hope to live in heaven. This is the way, and the only way, for us -to enter now as we would wish into the joy of our Lord. - -------------------- - - Sermon LXIII. - - The Triumph Of Christ. - - - _This is the day which the Lord hath made: - let us rejoice and be glad in it. _ - --Psalm. cxvii. 24. - [USCCB: Psalm cxviii. 24.] - -The festival of Easter is, above all things, my brethren, a day -of joy. Just as we love the sunshine more after days of cloud and -tempest, so also is our joy keener and more intense when it -follows sorrows. - -It is for this reason that the joy of Easter is greater than that -of Christmas, or of any other season of the Christian year. For -we have been passing through a time of sorrow. We have beheld in -Passion-tide our dearest Lord in suffering. We have beheld him as -the King of Martyrs, worthy of the title, because his pains were -so far in excess of anything that mere man has ever suffered or -could ever suffer. We have seen him in his agony in the garden, -when the sins of the whole world and of all time were presented -to his vision and pressed heavily upon him, filling his Sacred -Heart with deepest grief. -{216} -We have called to mind his betrayal by his trusted friend and -disciple; his arraignment before impious and unjust judges; his -cruel condemnation and death. Despised and rejected by his own -chosen people whom he had come to save, a robber and murderer -preferred before him, we have beheld him abandoned to the -tortures of the heathen soldiers, scourged, and spit upon, and -crowned with thorns, and finally led forth to die a malefactor's -death upon the cross. - -And worse than all is the thought that he was forsaken by those -whom he held most dear, those whom he had chosen to be his -special friends and disciples, and who had been his constant -companions in his public ministry. They all forsook him and fled, -leaving him to die. - -Then we have followed him along the sorrowful way of the cross; -we have meditated deeply upon his three last hours of agony; we -have almost heard his deep, expiring groan as he rendered up his -soul to the hands of his Father. - -Now, if we have thus learnt well the lessons of Passion-tide, the -joy of Easter will come to us in all its fulness. If we have -pondered well the depth of humiliation to which our Lord -subjected himself in his death upon the cross, we shall well -realize the greatness of his triumph to-day. The joy that filled -the hearts of the Apostles, of the holy women, and, above all, -the Immaculate Heart of our Blessed Lady when they knew that the -Lord had risen indeed will be ours to-day, and we shall cry out -in the words which the church puts into our mouths: "This is the -day which the Lord hath made: let us rejoice and be glad in it": -for "the Lord is my strength and my praise, and is become my -salvation." Therefore, to-day the voice of praise and of -salvation "is in the dwellings of the just throughout the world." - -{217} - -"For the right hand of the Lord hath wrought strength"; the right -hand of the Lord--that is, his almighty power--has raised up -Jesus from the dead. He has risen glorious and triumphant, and in -his glory and triumph all mankind are sharers. For by his -resurrection he has overcome death and opened unto us the gates -of everlasting life. He has triumphed over sin, which brought -death into the world, and which was the cause of his death. His -resurrection, therefore, means our deliverance from sin and -death, and is a pledge to us of that life which he will give to -his faithful ones. - -Surely, then, we can have no greater cause for rejoicing than -this. Pray, then, my brethren, that your hearts may be filled -with the true spirit of Easter joy. "Ask and you shall receive, -that your joy may be full; and your joy no man shall take from -you." - -------------------- -{218} - - _Low Sunday._ - - - Epistle. - 1 _St. John v._ 4-10. - - Dearly beloved: - Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world; and this is the - victory which overcometh the world, our faith. Who is he that - overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the - Son of God? This is he that came by water and blood, Jesus - Christ; not in water only, but in water and blood. And it is - the spirit that testifieth, that Christ is the truth. For there - are three that give testimony in heaven, the Father, the Word, - and the Holy Ghost. And these three are one. And there are - three that give testimony on earth: the spirit, the water, and - the blood, and these three are one. If we receive the testimony - of men, the testimony of God is greater. For this is the - testimony of God, which is greater, because he hath testified - of his Son. He that believeth in the Son of God, hath the - testimony of God in himself. - - - Gospel. - _St. John xx._ 19-31. - - At that time: - When it was late that same day, being the first day of the - week, and the doors were shut, where the disciples were - gathered together for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in - the midst, and said to them: Peace be to you. And when he had - said this, he showed them his hands, and his side. The - disciples therefore were glad when they saw the Lord. And he - said to them again: Peace be to you. As the Father hath sent - me, I also send you. When he had said this he breathed on them; - and he said to them: Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whose sins you - shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose you shall - retain, they are retained. -{219} - Now Thomas, one of the twelve, who is called Didymus, was not - with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said - to him: We have seen the Lord. But he said to them: Unless I - shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my - finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into his - side, I will not believe. And after eight days his disciples - were again within, and Thomas with them. Jesus cometh, the - doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said: Peace be to - you. Then he saith to Thomas: Put in thy finger hither, and see - my hands; and bring hither thy hand, and put it into my side; - and be not incredulous, but faithful. Thomas answered, and said - to him: My Lord, and my God. Jesus saith to him: Because thou - hast seen me, Thomas, thou hast believed; blessed are they that - have not seen, and have believed. Many other signs also did - Jesus in the sight of his disciples, which are not written in - this book. But these are written that you may believe that - Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God: and that believing you may - have life in his name. - -------------------- - - Sermon LXIV. - - How To Use God's Gifts. - - - _If ye be risen with Christ, - seek those things which are above, - where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God._ - --Epistle to Colossians. iii. 1. - - -The feast of to-day, my dear brethren, brings to a close the -solemnities of Easter; and it was the practice, in the early ages -of the church, for those who had been baptized on Holy Saturday -to put off, on this day, the white garments which they then -assumed, and to resume again their accustomed occupation. -{220} -The white garments were but an external sign of that internal -purity and cleanliness which the soul received in the waters of -Holy Baptism, and the soul, thus purified and strengthened by -God's grace, went boldly forth to the battle-field of life, to -meet again its three great and deadly enemies: the world, the -flesh, and the devil. So we, who, during the penitential season -just closed, have faithfully observed the laws of holy church, -and, by fasting, have brought the flesh under subjection to the -spirit; by foregoing our accustomed pleasures and amusements have -brought the world under our feet, and, by a good confession and -Communion, have again enlisted in the ranks of Christ, and thus -declared ourselves eternal enemies of sin and the devil, start -again to-day with renewed strength to follow our Leader, the -risen Christ, to certain victory. - -St. Paul, in the Epistle from which the text is taken, reminds -the Christians at Colossa that, if they be risen with Christ, -their thoughts must now be turned to where Christ is--sitting at -the right hand of God. "Mind the things that are above," he -continues, "not the things that are upon the earth; for you are -dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." - -O brethren! would that Catholics did but realize this great -truth! Would that their thoughts and affections were directed -towards their eternal destiny! Absorbed, as they are, in the -sordid pursuits of this life, they cannot be too often reminded -that we are here only on trial. An almighty and merciful God has, -with a lavish hand, surrounded us with the means of gratifying -our reasonable desires and appetites. But, alas! the very gifts -of God serve not unfrequently to make us forget the Giver. -{221} -Look around you and see what is the object for which this noisy, -bustling world is striving; what the end for which most men seem -to exist. The fact is, brethren, that Mammon, the heathen god of -riches, has disputed Christ's sovereignty over the hearts of men, -and has actually erected his altar in those very hearts where the -grace of Christ once reigned. The only conception men seem to -have of this present life is this: that it is a place where we -are to strive to become wealthy in the shortest possible time, -without being over scrupulous as to the means, and then to retire -from active pursuits, the better to indulge our sensual -appetites. They thus invert the order of Divine Providence, and -make an end of that which was intended only as a means to enable -us to attain our eternal destiny. - -Everything in this world, my dear brethren, was intended by God -for our happiness here and as a pledge of an eternal and -infinitely greater happiness hereafter. It is a great mistake to -suppose that Christianity requires us to ignore these wonderful -gifts of a kind Providence, and to forego all the pleasures of -this life. No, not at all! Indeed, we are absolutely obliged to -make use of many of them if we would maintain our very existence. - -God acts towards us as a kind and affectionate father acts -towards his child. The father knows that his child loves him, and -he feels confident that the little presents he makes the child -from time to time will only serve to strengthen the fond -affection which nature has implanted between them. - -{222} - -But what would you think if those gifts of the kind father served -only to estrange from him the heart of his child? You would, -undoubtedly, say that such a state of things was unnatural. Well, -so it is, my dear brethren, with us, who, after all, are only -children of an older growth. God, our Creator and Father, has -given us life and all the things in this beautiful universe to -enjoy. And all he asks in return is our love--our hearts. But, -remember, he is not satisfied with an imperfect and partial love. -He is a jealous God, and will allow no one to share our hearts -with him. So that when men fix their affections on the things of -this world without referring them to God, and use these gifts -without regard to the Giver, they too are acting in an unnatural -or, at least, in an irrational manner. Give your whole heart to -God, brethren, and then you will enjoy his gifts, and, as St. -Paul says, "When Christ shall appear, who is your life, then you -also shall appear with him in glory." - -------------------- - - Sermon LXV. - - The Christian's Peace. - - - _Jesus came, and stood in the midst, and said to them: - Peace be to you. And when he had said this, - he showed them his hands and his side. - The disciples, therefore, - were glad when they saw the Lord. - He said therefore to them again: - Peace be to you._ - --Gospel of the Day. - - -He stood in their midst. To-day he stands in the midst of us and -utters the self-same words, "Peace be unto you." And he shows us -his hands and his side, and we are glad. And again he says, -"Peace be unto you." - -{223} - -To be at peace with the world is the aim of many men. But to have -one's life run smoothly on, to be hindered neither here nor -there, to be always in the sunshine and never in the shadow, may -bring us peace and gladness, but not the peace and gladness that -our Lord would impart. For after his words of gentle salutation -he showed them his hands and his side impressed with the -wound-prints of his Passion, as if to say: "The peace which I -wish you is that which comes after strife, conflict, and sorrow; -that peace which is the rest and the reward for labor and -endurance." - -Yes, dear friends, ours is to strive, to contend with self, with -a nature that is fallen, with a proneness to evil, with desires -that are selfish and carnal. To contend with the world, to -disavow its principles, not to listen to its temptations; to -realize and to confess that pleasure, success, ease, money, fame, -are not the objects for which a noble soul must seek, but that -God is our true end, and that mortification and self-denial, the -cross, are the true means to arrive at that end, the way to come -to union with God. - -To be at peace with the world; yes, I admit that it is a thing to -be desired, but only so that we are at peace with Almighty God, -too. And how is that peace gained? Only by the keeping of his -law. At peace with the world, because the world cannot disturb -one at peace with God; this is the Christian's life. But so great -a boon is not gained without a strife, as the joy of Easter is -not till the sorrow of the Passion has passed. - -Our duty, then, dear brethren, is to strive, and to keep the law -of God, that first law written on our hearts, that law which he -has given to us both by his words and by his life on earth, and -which he still repeats to us through his holy church. - -{224} - -Foolish, indeed, are we above all others if our Easter joy is -only that of the worldling, and our peace that which the world -gives. This is not the peace that comes after looking at his -hands and his side; not the joy that the disciples felt as they -gazed on the risen Saviour, who stands to-day here in our midst, -as he did among those his first followers, and says to us, as he -said to them, "Peace be to you." - -We may have that peace, my brethren, if we are willing to obtain -it and to deserve it as they did. We shall have it descend upon -us, if, while we gaze at his hands and his side, we are conscious -that we have indeed shared his Passion and cross. May indeed be -ours this peace of God, which shall keep our hearts and minds in -Christ Jesus. - -------------------- - - Sermon LXVI. - - True And Lasting Peace. - - - _Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them: - "Peace be to you."_ - --From the Gospel of the Sunday. - - -Peace be to you! This is our Lord's Easter blessing, thrice -repeated in the Gospel of to-day; and a blessing which all his -faithful may obtain. And it is the one for which we are -continually seeking, each in his own way, but which we can find -nowhere but with him who to-day offers it to us. - -{225} - -What is this peace? Is it freedom from conflict? Is the Christian -to have no battle to fight, no enemy to overcome? No, surely our -Lord does not promise us such an easy road to heaven as this. "Do -not think," he says, "that I came to send peace upon earth; I -came not to send peace, but the sword." We must make up our -minds, for the sake of the Christian faith, to sustain not only -the assaults of the devil and of our own evil passions, but also -the opposition of those who should be our friends. "A man's -enemies," our Saviour goes on to say, "shall be they of his own -household." - -In this sense, then, we cannot hope for peace in this world. No, -our lot must be, if we have really enlisted in Christ's army, -that of all soldiers: war, and its turmoil. As St. Paul says it -was for himself so must it be for us: "combats without, fears -within." Struggles for our temporal life; for God has said to -Adam our father, and in him to us his children: "In the sweat of -thy face shalt thou eat bread "; struggles far more terrible and -momentous for our spiritual life, against flesh and blood, also -"against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the -world of this darkness," in which a single slip may mean eternal -ruin, a single wound instant death. - -Where, then, is our peace in this inevitable war, this contest -which demands all the energies of our body and soul? What peace -can we have while its issue is still uncertain, its events yet -unknown? Surely it seems a mockery for our Lord to say, "Peace be -to you," when he sends us not peace, but war and its alarms. - -But it is not a mockery; he who cannot be deceived also cannot -deceive. His words are faithful and true. He has really peace to -give us--peace in the midst of combat, calm even in the storm. - -{226} - -When the storm arose on the sea of Galilee, and he was asleep in -the boat, his disciples came to him, saying: "Lord, save us, we -perish." But he answered: "Why are you fearful, O ye of little -faith?" Was there not reason for them to be fearful, to lose -their peace of mind, when death was staring them in the face, and -all their efforts to save themselves were vain? No, not if they -had faith to show that God was with them. - -This, then, should have been their peace; this should be ours: -the possession of God. He has given himself entirely for us and -to us in the battle in which he has placed us. He fights on our -side. What, then, have we to fear if we will only keep close to -him? We are sure of the victory if we call him to our aid. As St. -Paul says, "If God be for us, who is against us? He that spared -not even his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how hath -he not also with him given us all things?" - -Peace, then, we should have in our spiritual combat; but how in -the battle for our temporal life? Here we are not promised -success; no, it must be defeat, at least in the end. We must lose -at last by death all that we seek of the goods of this world. The -peace which the world gives is then a delusion; it lasts but for -an hour; the shadow of death is upon it. "O death!" says Holy -Scripture, "how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that -hath peace in his possessions!" Here again, therefore, our true -peace is in the possession of him who is eternal; this is the -peace which the world can neither give nor take away. All the -storms of this world will not shake or disturb him whose house is -built on this rock. "Who," again says St. Paul, "shall separate -us from the love of Christ; shall tribulation, or distress, or -famine, or nakedness, or danger, or persecution, or the sword?" - -{227} - -This, therefore, is the true peace of the Christian: confidence -in God, indifference to all that is not God. It is the peace of -our Lord himself. "My peace," he says, "I give unto you." Let us -ask him indeed to give it to us, now and for evermore. - -------------------- - -{228} - - _Second Sunday after Easter._ - - - Epistle. - 1 _St. Peter ii._ 21-25. - - Dearly beloved: - Christ has suffered for us, leaving you an example that you - should follow his steps. "Who did no sin, neither was guile - found in his mouth." Who, when he was reviled, did not revile: - when he suffered, he threatened not: but delivered himself to - him that judged him unjustly. Who his own self bore our sins in - his body upon the tree: that we, being dead to sins, should - live to justice: by whose stripes you were healed. For you were - as sheep going astray: but you are now converted to the pastor - and bishop of your souls. - - - Gospel. - _St. John x._ 11-16. - - At that time: - Jesus said to the Pharisees: - I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd giveth his life for - his sheep. But the hireling, and he that is not the shepherd, - whose own sheep they are not, seeth the wolf coming and leaveth - the sheep, and flieth; and the wolf snatcheth and scattereth - the sheep: and the hireling flieth, because he is a hireling: - and he hath no care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd: and - I know mine, and mine know me. As the Father knoweth me, and I - know the Father; and I lay down my life for my sheep. And other - sheep I have, that are not of this fold: them also I must - bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one - fold and one shepherd. - -------------------- - -{229} - - Sermon LXVII. - - _The Good Shepherd_. - - - _For you were as sheep going astray; - but you are now converted - to the pastor and bishop of your souls._ - --1 St. Peter ii. 25. - - -To-day is the Sunday of the Good Shepherd, and the church sings -in joyful strains: "The Good Shepherd, who laid down his life for -his sheep, yea, who was contented even to die for his flock, the -Good Shepherd is risen again--Alleluia!" It is in this tender, -loving, and, to us, most winning character that our Lord presents -himself in the Gospel of to-day--the Good Shepherd, who knoweth -his sheep, and acknowledges them as his own, whose tender care -for them is so great that he is willing even to lay down his life -for their sake, yet with the power to take it again for his own -glory and for their eternal good. We are those sheep for whom he -died, and for whom he rose again, for they are in the truest -sense his sheep who believe in his name, and are gathered into -his one fold, the holy Catholic Church. - -But it is not enough to believe; we must also hear his voice. How -have we done this in the past? Have we hearkened to his voice as -he spake to us through the offices of the church, through the -words of our pastors, through the still, small voice of -conscience? Alas! we have been as sheep going astray. We have -been deaf to his voice, as it has so often spoken to us, bidding -us follow him. And, having strayed away from our Shepherd, we -have refused to listen to the loving tones of that same sweet -voice, calling us back to our place in the flock, but have -wandered still further away into the pleasant pastures of sin, -where all seemed delight for a time, but where the wolf, the -great enemy of our souls, was lurking, waiting for his chance to -seize us as his prey for ever. -{230} -Oh! into what danger have we run by thus wandering from the right -path! But now, during the holy season of Lent that is passed, the -church has been appealing to us through her solemn offices, and -through the earnest words spoken by her ministers, to forsake our -evil ways, to leave the deceitful pleasures of sin, and return to -where we can alone find pasture for our souls, to the sacraments -of the church, wherein the Good Shepherd gives himself to his -sheep. Many have hearkened to the call of the Saviour's voice, -many have come during this holy time to the green pastures and -the still waters, where the Good Shepherd feeds his flock, and, -with souls restored and renewed, are prepared and determined to -walk hereafter in the paths of righteousness, where he leads the -way. Even when at last they shall walk through the Valley of the -Shadow of Death they will fear no evil, for he will be with them, -his rod and his staff shall comfort them. - -But there are also many, far too many, who have not listened to -the voice of Jesus, as he calls them in this blessed Easter-tide. -Poor, wayward sheep, they still wander in paths of their own -choosing, which can only lead them into danger and into death. O -foolish, wandering ones! take heed ere it is too late to the -gentle voice that calls you. Your souls are soiled and -sin-stained, and you have need to be washed in the stream which -flows from your Shepherd's side, his Precious Blood shed for you -when he laid down his life for your sake. -{231} -Come, wash and be made clean in the Sacrament of Penance which he -has ordained for your cleansing. You were as sheep going astray; -be now converted and return to Jesus, the pastor, the shepherd, -the bishop of your souls. You have been famishing for the food -you need for your spiritual sustenance. Come, then, to him who so -graciously and tenderly invites you to the table which he has -prepared for you. Draw nigh with joy to the heavenly banquet of -his Sacred Body and the goodly, overflowing cup of his Precious -Blood, that your souls may be fed and have life eternal. Then -will you be strong in the presence of your enemies, his mercy -will follow you all the days of your life, and you will dwell in -the house of the Lord for ever, even in that house of many -mansions which he has prepared for those who love and follow him. -For he has said of those who hear his voice and follow him: "I -give them life everlasting, and they shall not perish for ever, -and no man shall snatch them out of my hand." And remember that -other promise of his: "He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my -blood has everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last -day." Yes, poor, lost sheep though we have been, if we now turn -from our wayward paths to hear his voice and follow him, he will -raise us up at the last day, and place us among his favored sheep -upon his right hand, to be glad for ever in the light of his -countenance. - -------------------- - -{232} - - Sermon LXVIII. - - Dead Faith. - - - _That Christ may dwell by faith in your hearts._ - --Ephesians iii. 17. - - -Holy Writ teaches us in many places, my brethren, that God dwells -in our hearts by charity, and here we are taught that he dwells -by faith also. Of course, the meaning is the same. For an elect -soul to know Christ is to love him. And even for a reprobate soul -to know the truth of religion is that indescribable boon which -makes a possible salvation capable of becoming quickly real. How -terrible the misfortune of the Calvinist who believes that a bad -life necessarily means absence of faith! How consoling to know -that our sinful friends, if they have but the true faith, have a -seed of eternal life which may yet spring up into a fruitful -tree! - -Yet it is terrible to think of how some men trifle with their -faith. Brethren, look at the end and judge the beginning by it. -The end of wicked men is damnation, hopeless and eternal. Now, -what is the faith in hell? Something that makes the Christian's -torment altogether peculiar. There the name of Christian, now so -noble, now entitling its bearer to pardon for every sin if but -breathed forth with an act of sorrow--there the name of Christian -will be a nickname. In one way he will have more faith then than -now; he will know more of revealed truth, have a clearer -knowledge of heavenly things. But then the hand wounded by the -nail, and which now is never out of reach, will be withdrawn -finally and for ever. -{233} -Imagine the agony of a soul in hell, whom each article of faith -will cause for ever to wail and weep only this one sentence: "It -is all my own fault." Brethren, you may complain that this sort -of preaching does not provoke to much mirth. But there are those -who should know that for them this ought to be a time of weeping -and not of being merry: persons who have faith in their hearts, -but not Christ. For see how men in Italy, holding fast to the -truth with one hand, have with the other set up the abomination -of desolation in the holy place. And see how, in France, men who -deem themselves insulted if called anything but Catholics, yet -deliberately rob the children of the people of the bread of life -by establishing paganism in the schools. And see how many there -are among us whose faith, instead of being a rule to live by, an -irresistible attraction towards our Lord in a true grief for sin -and strict union with him, sealed by frequent Communion, is but -something handed down from father to son, like name and color and -race--a traditional faith--and this proved by their vicious -lives. - -But happy are they in whose hearts faith has prepared a dwelling -for our Saviour. Our Lord is surely present within us if we are -in the state of grace. Hear what he says: "If any one love me, he -will keep my word; and my Father will love him, and we will come -to him, and will make an abode with him." He comes, indeed, -silently; he hushes the festive greetings of the angels who -escort him; he hides the dazzling glory of his ascended triumph, -for now it is faith and not sight. But there in the heart he none -the less dwells. We live with him. The Christian feels his -presence. He has an interior life whose very breath is that -presence. -{234} -He is stamped with our Lord's character. Such a soul is truly and -literally called _faithful_--faith-full. And once you are -intimately acquainted with him you perceive in his ways and -actions that our Lord lives with him. Better yet, he perceives it -himself. How different he is from one whose knowledge of religion -is mere persuasion of the mind and empty talk! With the true -Christian knowledge is power. To know the true faith is for him -to know how to live: better yet, to know how to suffer, how to -wait, how to love, how to die. - -Brethren, this congregation is divided into two parts--those who -are to be saved and those who are not. Those of you who are to be -saved are those in whose hearts Jesus Christ actually dwells by -faith. Those who are to be lost are those whose faith means that -Christ has a claim against them, payment of which they will -postpone till it is too late. - -------------------- - - Sermon LXIX. - - Suffering False Accusations. - - _He delivered himself to him that judged him unjustly._ - --Epistle of the Day. - - -I suppose, my dear brethren, that there is no grievance to which -we are subjected more common, and certainly there are few more -distressing, than that of being judged unfairly by others. As -Catholics we are all specially liable to this; we all know how -Protestants, even those who profess to be quite friendly to us -personally, and who sometimes will say a good word or two for our -religion, still calmly assume, as a matter of course, that we -believe and practise many things which we and all intelligent and -honest men detest and abhor. -{235} -They say, for instance, that we worship images; that we pay money -not only to have our sins forgiven, but even for permission in -advance to commit new ones; that we believe the pope to be -Almighty God; that we maintain that the end justifies the means; -and so on to any extent. It was only a few days ago that it was -unblushingly stated in an assembly of one of their sects that the -Catholic Church was more guilty in the matter of permitting -divorce than other denominations. There seems hardly to be a -falsehood about us so gross or so absurd that some of them will -not be found to believe and to assert it. - -And we of the clergy are more exposed to these slanders than any -one else. They say, they take for granted, that we are hypocrites -and deceivers; that under a cloak of sanctity we practise all -kinds of vice; that we do not believe a word of what we teach; -that our only object in our profession is to exercise power or to -make money; these things and many others pass current in the -world about us, so we are looked upon by many as detestable -wretches not fit to live. In us, especially, are our Lord's words -fulfilled: "You shall be hated by all men for my name's sake." - -But it is not only from outsiders, or in matters where religion -is concerned, that we have to put up with false charges and -unjust suspicions. In our own private character and actions we -all find ourselves liable to them; we find our neighbors and -acquaintances judging and even speaking unfairly about us. -{236} -Priests suffer in this way sometimes from their own parishioners; -the laity perhaps from the priest, and often certainly from each -other. How frequently we hear people complain of slander or -belying from those whom they supposed to be their friends; one -would think that it was not the exception, but the rule. - -Now all this is certainly very hard to bear. And yet as we go -through life we cannot expect to be free from it; and we must try -to find a way of bearing it as well as we can. What is the best -way? - -One way, and a very good way, of putting up with this trouble is -to make allowances for the unavoidable prejudice, ignorance, and -imperfection of those who say about us what we know to be false, -who do to us what we know to be unjust. They may not, they do -not, know this as well as we do. "Father, forgive them," said our -Lord on the cross, "for they know not what they do." We think -others are slandering or injuring us through malice; ten to one -they think they are in the right. Probably we ourselves should -act just the same way in their place. - -Make allowances, then; give our neighbors more credit for good -intentions; that is one way to put up with this suffering which -we cannot altogether avoid or put a stop to. But a better and -perhaps an easier way is the one recommended by St. Peter in -to-day's Epistle. "Dearly beloved," he says, "Christ suffered for -us, leaving you an example that you should follow his steps. Who -did no sin, neither was guilt found in his mouth. Who, when he -was reviled, did not revile; when he suffered he threatened not, -but delivered himself to him that judged him unjustly." -{237} -He, the holy, the innocent one, was more wickedly and unjustly -accused and judged than any of us sinners have been, or ever can -be; shall we not then bear, if need be, the same treatment for -his sake? To be spoken evil of falsely is to be like him; it is -the mark, the badge of the Christian. This is the example he has -left us that we should follow his steps; shall we refuse to -profit by it? - -------------------- - -{238} - - _Third Sunday after Easter._ - - Feast of the Patronage of St. Joseph. - - - Epistle. - 1 _St. Peter ii._ 11-19. - - Dearly beloved, - I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims to refrain yourselves - from carnal desires, which war against the soul; having your - conversation good among the Gentiles; that whereas they speak - against you as evildoers, considering you by your good works - they may glorify God in the day of visitation. Be ye subject - therefore to every human creature for God's sake; whether it be - to the king as excelling, or to governors as sent by him for - the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of the good; - for so is the will of God, that by doing well you may silence - the ignorance of foolish men: as free, and not as making - liberty a cloak of malice, but as the servants of God. Honor - all men; love the brotherhood; fear God; honor the king. - Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to - the good and gentle, but also to the froward. For this is - thankworthy, in Christ Jesus our Lord. - - - Epistle Of The Feast. - _Genesis xlix._ 22-26. - - Joseph is a growing son, a growing son and comely to behold; - the daughters run to and fro upon the wall. But they that held - darts provoked him, and quarrelled with him, and envied him. - His bow rested upon the strong, and the bands of his arms and - his hands were loosed by the hands of the mighty one of Jacob: - thence he came forth a pastor, the stone of Israel. -{239} - The God of thy Father shall be thy helper, and the Almighty - shall bless thee with the blessings of heaven above, with the - blessings of the deep that lieth beneath, with the blessings of - the breasts and of the womb. The blessings of thy father are - strengthened with the blessings of his fathers: until the - desire of the everlasting hills should come; may they be upon - the head of Joseph, and upon the crown of the Nazarite among - his brethren. - - - Gospel - _St. John xvi._ 16-22. - - At that time: - Jesus said to his disciples: - A little while, and now you shall not see me: and again a - little while, and you shall see me: because I go to the Father. - Then some of his disciples said one to another: What is this - that he saith to us: A little while, and you shall not see me: - and again a little while, and you shall see me, and because I - go to the Father? They said therefore: What is this that he - saith, a little while: we know not what he speaketh. And Jesus - knew that they were desirous to ask him; and he said to them: - Of this do you inquire among yourselves, be cause I said: A - little while, and you shall not see me: and again a little - while, and you shall see me? Amen, amen I say to you, that you - shall lament and weep, but the world shall rejoice: and you - shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. A - woman, when she is in labor, hath sorrow, because her hour is - come: but when she hath brought forth the child, she - remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born - into the world. So also you now indeed have sorrow, but I will - see you again, and your heart shall rejoice; and your joy no - man shall take from you. - - - Gospel of the Feast. - _St. Luke iii._ 21-23. - - At that time it came to pass: - When all the people were baptized, that Jesus also being - baptized and praying, heaven was opened: and the Holy Ghost - descended in a bodily shape as a dove upon him: and a voice - came from heaven: Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well - pleased. And Jesus himself was beginning about the age of - thirty years: being (as it was supposed) the son of Joseph. - -------------------- - -{240} - - Sermon LXX. - - Devotion To St. Joseph. - - - _Go to Joseph, and do all that he shall say to you. _ - --Genesis xli. 55. - - -It is Joseph's nearness to Jesus and Mary during his life that -leads us now, when he reigns with them in heaven, to confidently -call upon him for succor in our needs, and especially do we go to -him because to his patronage the whole church has been commended, -that by his intercession he may do for her and each of her -members what he did for Jesus and his Mother when he was in the -flesh. - -Wisely has the church made him her protector, for his power with -God must be very great. Of this we can have no doubt, when we -remember that to his care were entrusted the purest and the best -who have ever walked this earth--Jesus and Mary--Jesus, the Son -of God; Mary, his stainless Virgin Mother, whose chaste soul the -Holy Ghost made his dwelling-place, delighted with its beauty. - -Above the seats of all the bright angels who serve in the courts -of the Most High Mary's throne was raised, and one day she would -be the angels mistress and queen; Jesus was their Lord, their -Maker, before whom they bowed in lowliest reverence. And yet Mary -was Joseph's spouse, and Jesus rendered him the obedience a son -should give a father. Very worthy must he have been who held so -high an office. - -{241} - -Joseph was a necessary member of the family. He served as a veil -to screen from the vulgar gaze the deep mysteries of the -Incarnation and Nativity; he led the way into Egypt, and his -faithful arm supported the Mother and the Babe during the -journey; he brought them back to their own land and provided -shelter for them; their daily bread was the fruit of his -labor--in a word, during the boyhood and youth of our Lord they -were entirely dependent upon him. - -Such, then, was Joseph's position in the Holy Family; he was the -master and guardian of the household; and this is what the church -would have him be in every Christian family. It is you, Christian -fathers and mothers, who should be especially devout to St. -Joseph, for he is your patron in a particular manner. You, like -him, have the cares of the household upon you; you must provide -for the life and health of the children God has given you; it is -your duty to see that they are instructed in the faith and -attentive to their religious duties, and that they study their -school lessons; you should guard them against the dangers they -must meet with in a great city like this, and keep them away from -those who may lead them to evil; and, above all, you should give -them good example in the practice of virtue. To fulfil your -duties well you need divine assistance. Go to Joseph--go to the -foster-father of Jesus Christ; he will intercede for you, and -obtain the many graces of which you stand in need. Go to him and -tell him all your troubles; you will find him very gracious. - -But St. Joseph is the patron not of heads of families alone. The -church would have you all, dear brethren, "go to Joseph and do -all that he shall say to you." From him she would have you learn -a tender love to Jesus, a love manifesting itself in deeds, not -simply in words. Joseph devoted himself to the service of our -Lord, and so should we. -{242} -But how can we presume to say that we love or serve Jesus if we -do not keep his commands; if we neglect our duties as Catholics -and as members of society? Let us show how much we love him by -doing something for him, as St. Joseph did, and let us, like him, -be constant in our well-doing, permitting no day to pass without -some acts of love to God. And if we would hope to make progress -in the ways of God, let us daily "Go to Joseph and do all that he -shall say." - -------------------- - - Sermon LXXI. - - Christ And The Church. - - - _I have yet many things to say to you, - but you cannot bear them now. _ - --St. John xvi. 12 - - -These words were spoken by our Lord in his last discourse to his -disciples. What were those things which he had yet to say to -them, but which they could not then bear? - -They were things pertaining to the kingdom of God--that is, his -church, his kingdom upon earth. He was about to leave the world -and go to the Father, but he would leave behind him an organized -body to represent him. During these forty days, then, he sketched -out the plan of the Catholic Church, which the Apostles were to -bring to completion, under the guidance of the Holy Ghost, who -was to teach them all truth. - -{243} - -These were the many things he had yet to say to them, but which -they could not understand till then, because of their former -imperfect and even erroneous notions of the nature of his kingdom -upon earth. He had spoken of his church before, as it were, in -hints; now he speaks no longer in parables, but plainly. Listen -to the few recorded words of those which he spoke during these -forty days, and you will find in them an outline of the Catholic -Church. - -He first asserts his authority to found a kingdom in this world, -saying, "All power is given to me in heaven and on earth"; and -then declares that he commits this same authority to his Apostles -and their successors in the church: "As my Father hath sent me, I -also send you." And, lest any one should say that this power and -authority were given to the Apostles alone and not to their -successors, he bids them go forth into all the world to preach -the Gospel to every creature, and promises them his continual -abiding Presence even to the end of the world. One of the -Apostles he invested with a special authority over the others. -The Good Shepherd would not leave his sheep in this world uncared -for, so he gave to St. Peter and his successors the office of -pastor of the whole church in the words, "Feed my lambs. Feed my -sheep." He also set forth the means of obtaining entrance into -this earthly kingdom of his namely, faith and holy baptism--"He -that believeth and is baptized shall be saved "; and he declared -the blessedness of those who would accept the faith upon the -authority of his church: "Blessed are they that have not seen and -yet have believed." -{244} -He provided a means by which those who should sin after baptism -might find pardon and remission of their sins by instituting the -Sacrament of Penance, giving to his Apostles and their successors -the power to forgive and retain sins: "Whose sins you shall -forgive they are forgiven them, and whose sins you shall retain -they are retained." He had already instituted on the night before -his Passion the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, and during those -forty days he undoubtedly gave his Apostles the necessary -instructions concerning the rest of the sacraments of the new -law. The Gospels do not pretend to give us all our Lord's doings -and sayings, as St. John expressly tells us at the end of his -Gospel. But in these recorded sayings of Jesus, during this last -brief time that he spent on earth, we have the written -constitution of the Catholic Church, though but in outline. The -office of the pope as supreme pastor, the plenary authority of -the church, and the necessity of faith upon that authority as a -means of obtaining eternal salvation--all this is clearly set -forth in the words that I have quoted to you. - -"Go, teach all nations," said our Lord to his church; and he -added, "teaching them to observe whatsoever I have commanded -you." On our part, then, is required faithful submission to his -teaching, as it comes to us through the voice of his church. It -is only by faith in this teaching and by a diligent observance of -the commandments of God and his church that we can hope to save -our souls and attain to the blessedness which he has promised. - -------------------- - -{245} - - _Fourth Sunday after Easter._ - - - Epistle. - _St. James i._ 17-21. - - Dearly beloved: - Every best gift, and every perfect gift, is from above, coming - down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no change - nor shadow of vicissitude. For of his own will hath he begotten - us by the word of truth, that we might be some beginning of his - creatures. You know, my dearest brethren, and let every man be - swift to hear, but slow to speak, and slow to anger. For the - anger of man worketh not the justice of God. Wherefore casting - away all uncleanness, and abundance of malice, with meekness - receive the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. - - - Gospel. - _St. John xvi._ 5-14. - - At that time: - Jesus said to his disciples: - I go to him that sent me, and none of you asketh me: Whither - goest thou? But because I have spoken these things to you, - sorrow hath filled your heart. But I tell you the truth: it is - expedient to you that I go: for if I go not, the Paraclete will - not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when - he shall come, he will convince the world of sin, and of - justice, and of judgment. Of sin indeed: because they have not - believed in me. And of justice: because I go to the Father; and - you shall see me no longer. And of judgment: because the prince - of this world is already judged. I have yet many things to say - to you: but you cannot bear them now. But when he, the Spirit - of truth, shall come, he will teach you all truth. For he shall - not speak of himself: but what things soever he shall hear, he - shall speak, and the things that are to come he shall show you. - He shall glorify me: because he shall receive of mine, and will - declare it to you. - -------------------- - -{246} - - Sermon LXXII. - - Evil Conversation. - - - _And he said to them: - What are these discourses - that you hold one with another? ... - And they said: Concerning Jesus of Nazareth. _ - --Luke xxiv. 17-19. - - -Brethren: Suppose our Lord should stand in our midst to-day and -demand from each one of us, as he did from these two disciples, -What are these discourses that you hold one with another? Do our -conversations, like theirs, contain nothing reprehensible? Would -our answer be as pleasing to God as theirs was? If so, brethren, -we have reason to thank God, and go on our way rejoicing. But of -what do the majority of men most readily converse? It is sad that -we have to confess it, but God and his works, the soul and its -wants are topics anything but agreeable to most of the men of our -day. And so every legitimate means must be resorted to in order -to make the things of God and spiritual conversation at all -palatable. - -And you, fathers and mothers of families, what are these -conversations which you hold one with the other? What are the -topics most commonly treated of in your Christian homes? Is it -the virtues of your neighbors that are spoken of and recounted -for your own edification and your children's imitation? Would to -God it were always so! But there are homes supposed to be -occupied by Christians where God's holy name is never mentioned -save to be blasphemed, where the neighbor is never spoken of -except to recall his follies, his vices, or even his atrocious -crimes. -{247} -Christian parents, beware of the scandal your conversations may -give to your family, but especially to your innocent children. -Remember that many a soul to-day steeped in vice received its -first sinful impulse from some unguarded word, some improper -topic of conversation heard in the home that should have been the -nursery of every virtue. - -And from you, young men and women, an answer might be profitably -demanded to this important question: What are the conversations -which you most readily indulge in one with the other? Are they in -any way improper, or such that you would be ashamed to have them -repeated in the presence of your parents? If so, then your -discourses are not concerning Jesus of Nazareth, and you are not -following the example of his disciples. But if in your -conversations, following the Apostolic rule, the things that -savor of uncleanness are not so much as mentioned amongst you, -what is to be said about the precious time you squander in idle, -frivolous talk? Remember that time is but the threshold of -eternity, every moment of which is of the highest value to you -now; and this is why on the last great day we shall be held to -account for every idle word. Young men and women, never admit -into your company those whose conversations are unworthy of a -Christian, and especially let your own language be always in -harmony with your high calling. - -Indeed, brethren, to all of us this question of our Lord brings -home an important lesson. For if we would lead good Christian -lives we must not only abstain from all that is unbecoming or -scandalous, but we must also regulate with all diligence our -ordinary commonplace conversations. -{248} -Let them be always such that we would not hesitate to repeat them -before God or his most virtuous servants. If we would have our -conversations agreeable to God and men, we should make it a rule -never to speak disparagingly of those _absent_, and never -take advantage of their absence to say anything which we would -not dare say in their presence. And the other rule we should -follow is this: never to say in the presence of others anything -which could give scandal or leave a bad impression. - -Brethren, if we think often of this question of our Lord, if we -are diligent in following these rules, our conversations will be -always edifying to our neighbors and useful to ourselves. Then, -if called upon at any moment by our Lord, we can answer with his -disciples, Our conversations are "concerning Jesus of Nazareth." - -------------------- - - Sermon LXXIII. - - Temptation. - - - _Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; - for when he hath been proved, - he shall receive the crown of life, - which God hath promised to them that love him. _ - --St. James i. 12. - - -These words, my dear brethren, are from the Scripture read in the -Divine Office for to-day. They also, and very appropriately, have -a prominent place in the Office read on the feasts of martyrs -through the year. - -{249} - -"Blessed is the man that endureth temptation." "Yes," you may -say, "certainly, if a man does endure and resist temptation, it -is a good thing, and one for which he has reason to be thankful; -but for my part, I would rather get along without being tempted." -This is a thought which is very likely to occur to those who are -in earnest about saving their souls, and are therefore afraid -that they may give way to temptation, commit mortal sin, and be -lost. They are inclined to envy others who seem to have a good -and innocent natural disposition, and sometimes they may, -perhaps, wish that they themselves had died in their baptismal -innocence, before temptation and sin were possible. - -Now this wish is not altogether wrong; it is certainly pleasing -to God for us to desire that it might be impossible to offend -him, and that our own salvation might be made secure. But it is a -mistake, when he does allow temptation to come on us without our -fault, to think that it would be better for us if he had not done -so. - -It is a mistake, and why? Because far the greater part of us -cannot acquire supernatural virtue in any high degree, give much -glory to God, or be entitled to much reward at his hands, without -a good deal of temptation. If it would please God to infuse all -the virtues into our souls without any trouble or labor on our -part, it might indeed be very well; but this he is not bound to -do, and generally he does not choose to do it. He prefers that we -should obtain our virtues partly by our own exertions. And as we -will not pray or meditate, do penance or mortify ourselves enough -to accomplish this end, there is no way to make any virtue strong -and hardy in us except by forcing us to oppose its contrary vice. -{250} -It is quite easy to seem very pleasant and good-natured when one -has no crosses or provocations; but let a sharp or insulting word -be said, and it will soon be seen how much real patience there is -in this seeming good-humor; perhaps passion will flame out all -the more violently for being long in repose. But if one's -patience is often tried, and stands the test by means of our own -earnest struggles, it will become after a time something which we -can really count on. - -This, then, is one good in temptation, that it makes our virtue -really strong and solid for future use. But another value of it -is to enable us to make acts at the very moment which will have -an eternal reward and merit, and which we should never make were -we let alone. Let one be tempted by impure thoughts for a day, -and faithfully resist them; in that day he will perhaps have done -more to please God and obtain merit and glory in heaven than in a -year of ordinary life. - -So if temptation comes without our own fault, we may indeed -rejoice and count ourselves blessed, as St. James says; for it is -indeed an earnest of the crown of life which our tried and -strengthened souls shall win, and which shall be decked with the -innumerable gems which our battles with sin have merited. But let -us not allow it to come by our fault, for then we cannot hope for -a blessing with it. "Lead us not into temptation," we say every -day; profitable as the contest may be to us, it would be -presumption to offer ourselves to it, or to ask from God an -opportunity for it. Let us wait till he chooses to call us to the -strife, and then thank him for the trial which shall give us, -with his help, the crown of life which he has promised to those -who love him, and for his love hate and resist sin. - -------------------- - -{251} - _Fifth Sunday after Easter._ - - - Epistle. - _St. James i._ 22-27. - - Dearly beloved: - Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your - own selves. For if a man be a hearer of the word, and not a - doer, he shall be compared to a man beholding his natural - countenance in a glass. For he beheld himself, and went his - way, and presently forgot what manner of man he was. But he - that hath looked into the perfect law of liberty, and hath - continued in it, not becoming a forgetful hearer, but a doer of - the work: this man shall be blessed in his deed. And if any man - think himself to be religious, not bridling his tongue, but - deceiving his own heart, this man's religion is vain. Religion - pure and unspotted with God and the Father, is this: to visit - the fatherless and widows in their tribulation; and to keep - one's self undefiled from this world. - - - Gospel. - _St. John xvi._ 23-30. - - At that time Jesus said to his disciples: - Amen, amen I say to you, if you ask the Father anything in my - name, he will give it you. Hitherto you have not asked any - thing in my name. Ask, and you shall receive: that your joy may - be full. These things have I spoken to you in proverbs. The - hour cometh when I will no more speak to you in proverbs, but - will show you plainly of the Father. In that day you shall ask - in my name: and I say not to you, that I will ask the Father - for you. For the Father himself loveth you, because you have - loved me, and have believed that I came forth from God. I came - forth from the Father, and am come into the world; again I - leave the world, and I go to the Father. His disciples say to - him: Behold now thou speakest plainly, and speak-est no - proverb. Now we know that thou knowest all things, and that for - thee it is not needful that any man ask thee. In this we - believe that thou camest forth from God. - -------------------- - -{252} - - Sermon LXXIV. - - Sins Of The Tongue. - - - _And if any man think himself to be religious, - not bridling his tongue, but deceiving his own heart, - this man's religion is vain._ - --St. James i. 26. - - -My dear brethren, we see by these words that we have a rule by -which to find out whether or not we deserve to be called sincere -Christians or hypocrites. In order to be a sincere Christian, -what has a man to do? He has to get control of himself; to get -his soul and all that it can desire subject to the law of God; to -get all pride, covetousness, lust, anger, envy, gluttony, and -sloth under the control of his own will; to get that will subject -to and one with the will of God; and, what is more, he must keep -himself in this state of mind at least so far as to restrain -himself from committing mortal sin and the graver venial sins if -he desire sincerely to keep his soul well out of danger. He who -acts thus is a truly good man, and that man's religion is not -vain. - -{253} - -What is the first thing to be done to begin to live in this way? -It is to examine and see in what way a man commits the greater -number of sins. One will soon find that the tongue of man is the -means by which a man sins most frequently and in the most -devilish manner. For, says St. James, "The tongue is a fire, a -world of iniquity, ... defileth the whole body, ... being set on -fire by hell." We see from this how dangerous to the soul is the -tongue of man. As we do see this, are we not bound to keep in -check, _at all costs_, this source of evil? Any one can see -that, if he does not bridle his tongue, his religion is vain -indeed. In fact, it is nothing but a merely outward show. It is -hypocrisy of the worst kind. But what are the sins of the tongue -we most often hear? They are blasphemies, curses, and oaths; the -retailing of our neighbors faults with delight and evident -pleasure; quarrels, bickerings, constant reproaches for faults -that are past, gone, and even sincerely repented of long ago; -immodest and impure conversations, with jokes and stories a -heathen feels ashamed of; hints and little words that seem almost -nothing, yet injuring seriously the reputation of some one, -separating friends, and making even those near and dear to each -other by every tie cold and distant for a long time, if not for -the rest of their lives. God deliver us all from the evil tongue! -It works in our very homes. The husband becomes by it bitterness -and gall to his wife and family. The wife becomes a torture to -husband and children. Both by it make home a curse instead of a -blessing, and separate those of whom the word of God declares, -"Whom God hath joined together let no man put asunder." Too often -do we see sad examples of this kind. Too often do we find such a -husband, who is like a roaring wild beast in his home, and a wife -whose tongue once set going, even for a slight cause, is like a -clock running down, or like the mill-clapper, so often used as a -figure of an unruly tongue. -{254} -The bad tongue of a child is the ruin of all in the house. That -child is a tale-bearer and a traitor against those who begot him. -A detestable habit of the evil tongue is what the world calls -"damning our neighbor with faint praise," or, in other words, -praising him highly, even to the skies, and putting in a little -word of evil that destroys him all the more surely. One will -excuse himself by saying: "But, after all, I spoke well of him. -It can't do any harm!" Yet he knows in his inmost soul he has -ruined or seriously injured his neighbor. How would I feel if I -were spoken of in this manner? is the question one should have -asked himself before he said a word. - -How common is it to find persons the moment they see anything -wrong done by another or hear of it hurry in great glee to tell -it at once! Do we not know, my dear brethren, that such a one is -a scandalizer of men, and that the Christian rule requires us to -be silent then under pain of sin? But the greater the evil done -the more delighted are they to tell it. It should be just the -other way. Never reveal to any one the sin of your neighbor, -unless to save an innocent person or another from damage of some -kind. This damage must be serious to oblige one to tell, even -then, the sin of another, for he is equally obliged by God not to -tell it under ordinary circumstances. - -Remember, then, that no one can be a true Christian unless he -keeps from these sins by bridling his tongue. Otherwise, as the -text declares, "this man's religion is vain." - -------------------- - -{255} - - Sermon LXXV. - - Perseverance In Prayer. - - _Yet if he shall continue, knocking, I say to you, - although he will not rise and give him, - because he is his friend; - yet because of his importunity he will rise; - and give him as many as he needeth._ - --St. Luke xi. 8. - - -Many people complain that their prayers are not heard. Again and -again they have made some special requests for temporal, or it -may be even for spiritual, blessings, and nothing seems to have -come of these petitions. Others get what they ask for, but they -are not so favored; and they almost make up their minds that it -is of no use for them to pray. They think, perhaps, that they are -too great sinners for God to hear them; or that they do not know -how to pray right; or they are even tempted to believe that -prayer is a mistake altogether; that God's will is not moved by -it; that, if any one does seem to get anything by it, it is only -by chance, and would have come without it just as well. - -Now what can be the reason of the failure of these good people in -prayer? Is it, perhaps, because what they asked was really an -evil for them, and so God could not in mercy grant it, but had to -give them something better instead, which they have not noticed? -Or is it that they did not strive to do their best to win what -they wanted also by their own exertions as well as by prayer; -that they would not put their own shoulder to the wheel? If it -was some virtue, such as charity or patience, that they were -asking for, and meanwhile took no real pains to cultivate and -practise it, no wonder that God would not give it to them. -{256} -Or, lastly, is the reason for their disappointment that they were -praying for others whose will was obstinately set against their -prayers? A mother prays for her son, and her prayers are heard, -though they may not seem to be. Graces are granted to him, but he -resists them. God has not promised to send them, in such a -torrent as to sweep away and break down all opposition, though he -may yet do so, if she will only persevere. - -Persevere! Ah! that word suggests what may be the real -difficulty, the true reason for the seeming uselessness of so -many good prayers. They are good as far as they go, but there are -not enough of them. The effect that is to come of them is to come -all at once; it is like the fall of a tree in the woods under the -blows of the axe: the tree will come down, but not at the first, -the second, the tenth, or perhaps even the hundredth stroke. - -Yes, my brethren, our Lord could no doubt grant our prayers as -soon as we made them, but he does not wish to do so. And I think -we can see at least two reasons why he does not. First, if he -grants what we ask at once we will go off with what he has given -us, and hare no more to say to him. And, strange to say, he -enjoys our society; he has himself said his delight is to be with -the children of men. So he keeps us around him, though it be only -to tease, as a father would the children he loved, if he could -not keep them any other way. And, secondly, he knows that it is -good for us to be with him; and that every time we pray in -earnest we come nearer to him, and our souls become stronger. So -it is that, both for his own sake and for our good, he sometimes -will not grant our prayers unless we persevere in them for a very -long while. - -{257} - -Our Lord has given us to understand this importance of -persevering in prayer very plainly in the Gospel read on these -days, called Rogation Days, between to-day and the Feast of the -Ascension. He represents to us in the parable of this Gospel a -man who has gone to bed, and is roused at midnight by a friend -who wants to borrow some bread to set before an unexpected guest. -He at first tells the disturber to leave him alone; he says that -he cannot be bothered to get up at such an inconvenient time; he -pretends to drop off asleep, and keeps his friend outside -knocking and pounding for so long a time that he almost gives it -up as useless. "Yet," says our Lord, "if he shall continue -knocking, I say to you, although he will not rise and give him -because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will -rise and give him as many as he needeth." - -This is the lesson, then, it may be, for those who have had no -success at their prayers. They did well to begin, but they did -not keep at it long enough. Let them go at it once again, and -keep on. Let them ask, and keep asking, and they shall receive; -let them seek long enough, and they shall find; let them keep -knocking and making a disturbance, and at last the door shall be -opened, and they shall obtain what they desire. - -------------------- - -{258} - - _Sunday within the Octave of the Ascension._ - - - Epistle. - 1 _St. Peter iv._ 7-11. - - Dearly beloved: - Be prudent, and watch in prayers. But before all things have a - mutual charity among yourselves: for charity covereth a - multitude of sins. Using hospitality one towards another - without murmuring. As every man hath received grace, - ministering the same one to another, as good stewards of the - manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the - words of God. If any man minister, let it be as from the power - which God administereth: that in all things God may be honored - through Jesus Christ our Lord. - - - Gospel. - _St. John xv._ 26-xvi. 4. - - At that time: - Jesus said to his disciples: - When the Paraclete shall come whom I will send you from the - Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceedeth from the Father, he - shall give testimony of me. And you shall give testimony, - because you are with me from the beginning. These things have I - spoken to you, that you may not be scandalized. They will put - you out of the synagogues: yea, the hour cometh that whosoever - killeth you, will think that he doeth a service to God. And - these things will they do to you, because they have not known - the Father, nor me. But these things I have told you, that when - the hour of them shall come, you may remember that I told you. - -------------------- - -{259} - - Sermon LXXVI. - - After A Mission. - - -There is nothing, my dear brethren, which can give more joy and -consolation both to pastor and people than a mission such as that -which was closed last Sunday. - -Thank God, there were many who had been living previously in sin, -but who really turned from it then with their whole hearts, and -who now have a happiness in those hearts to which they had long -before been strangers. This happiness ought to last all their -lives. God means that it should; they can make it do so if they -will. - -But how will it be in fact; how is it too often, after such times -of grace and fervor? We have had missions before, which really -seemed as if they marked a new era in the history of our parish; -but we look for their fruits now and find them only few and far -between. Too many of those who made them went back a month or so -afterward to the old ways of sin. - -What was the reason that they did not persevere? Why was it that -they had the same sad story to tell when they came back this time -that they had a few years ago? - -Was it that they never expected it to be otherwise? Perhaps so. -Some Christians--shame to say it--seem to think that mortal sin -cannot be avoided. Such do not really try to avoid it; how can -they? How can any one seriously attempt what he believes to be -impossible? No wonder that such as these fell; the question is if -indeed they ever arose. -{260} -For how could they have made the purpose of amendment which a -good confession requires? Let them understand, at least now, that -it is possible to abandon mortal sin at once and for ever. - -But was it, perhaps, that they thought they could keep the grace -they had got by their own unaided strength; that they could fight -the devil single-handed, or even that he would never trouble them -much again? Ah! my brethren, if any of you thought that he made a -terrible mistake. Satan does not give up the souls which he has -once possessed so easily. He knows the advantage which all habits -of sin give him, and he is going to make the most of them. He -will surely attack you, and you are weak, while he is strong. If -you undertake to fight him alone, you will go to the wall. You -cannot conquer him unless God helps you. - -But, after all, there are not many Catholics who do not know that -it needs God's help to persevere. Oh! yes; almost every one will -say, when asked after confession if he is going to avoid sin for -the future, that he will, "with the help of God." - -Well, then, what is the matter? If we know that we are in danger, -and that we can escape from it, but only by God's help, why does -not that help come and save us? - -I will tell you why it does not. And to do so I have only to turn -to the first words of to-day's Mass: "He shall call on me, and I -will hear him; I will deliver him and glorify him." - -That is the whole story. If we want God to deliver us, we must -ask him to do it. In other words, if we wish to persevere, we -must pray. If we do not go to God to get the strength which we -need, we must be without it. - -{261} - -The sinner who repents, and does not pray often and fervently -afterward to keep the grace he has, being especially careful of -his morning prayers; who does not, above all, make often the best -of all prayers--that of again coming to the sacraments--is a -fool, and the devil's laughing-stock. - -The great majority of those who have been leading a bad life, and -who abandon it at a mission, or at any other time, will not -persevere unless they are willing to take the trouble to make -frequent and earnest prayers, and to come to confession again -within a month. That is simple fact; it is the teaching of -experience, not mere guess-work. Are you, my friends, willing to -take that trouble for your soul's sake, or do you prefer to fall -as you have fallen before? - -------------------- - - Sermon LXXVII. - - Bearing Witness For Our Lord. - - - _And you shall give testimony, - because you are with me from the beginning._ - --St. John xv. 27. - -It might be asked, dear brethren, what need God has of _our_ -testimony, or why the creature should act the part of witness for -the Creator? Certainly Jesus Christ needed not the testimony of -men, but in his infinite goodness and wisdom he has seen fit to -commit to each one of us a sublime and holy mission, none other -than that of giving testimony of him before the world, for the -sake of our fellow-man. -{262} -"You are," says St. Peter, "a chosen generation, a royal -priesthood, that you may declare the virtues of him who hath -called you out of darkness." - -This, then, is our mission, to be witnesses for Jesus Christ; and -to-day we are going to consider how we are fulfilling it. You -know, brethren, with what a keen sense of criticism the world -examines the testimony of those witnessing in behalf of others, -and how it values their testimony in proportion to their -uprightness and integrity. Well, so it is with regard to us and -the testimony we are called upon to give of our Blessed Lord. We -Christians are all on the witness-stand of this great world. -To-day the unbelieving world is passing judgment upon our -testimony, deciding whether it be for or against Jesus Christ; -but, brethren, there will come a day when Christ himself will sit -in judgment upon this same testimony and reward us accordingly. - -Since, then, this our mission is so important, brethren, how are -we to fulfil it? It seems to me in no better way than by leading -truly Christian lives, and thus forcing the world to acknowledge -that we are animated by the spirit of God. The early Christians -brought the light of faith to thousands, not by preaching, but by -the holiness of their lives; and so, when the pagans and infidels -came in contact with them, they were forced to admire and -exclaim, "Behold how these Christians love one another!" Would to -God that the life and conduct of every Christian to-day could -force a similar confession from the unbelievers of our time. - -{263} - -Indeed, brethren, all Christians of our day have a great mission -to fulfil in this regard; but _we_ especially, for the -reason given by our Lord himself--"because you are with me from -the beginning." You, beloved brethren, who have had the faith -from the beginning--from your earliest childhood--have a special -reason why your testimony for Jesus Christ should never be -failing. Has it ever been so? Have your virtuous lives and -edifying example brought home the truths and beauties of the -Catholic faith to those outside the church? I fear, brethren, the -conduct of bad and negligent Catholics has kept back many from -inquiring into the true faith. Such Catholics, wearing the livery -of Satan, have given false testimony of God, and will have to -render an account for it. - -We can all of us, brethren, give testimony of Jesus Christ by -every action of our lives. Parents can and should render this -testimony by the good example they give their families, and the -Christian solicitude they have for their spiritual welfare. Young -men and women should give this testimony by the profession and -practice of God's law and the church's precepts. Let the -consideration, dear brethren, of this our high mission, our being -called to give testimony of God, be the means of animating us to -renewed fervor in the service of Jesus Christ. - -------------------- - - Sermon LXXVIII. - - The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit. - - - _Watch in prayers._ - --1 St. Peter iv. 7. - -{264} - -To-day is the Sunday of expectation, and it brings to our minds -that upper chamber in Jerusalem, where the little band of the -chosen disciples of the Lord were gathered together waiting for -the coming of the Holy Ghost. There were the eleven Apostles and -the faithful women, and Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and his -brethren. "All these," says the sacred chronicler, "were -persevering with one mind in prayer." Hence the Epistle of to-day -urges us to imitate them, and begins with the exhortation: -"Dearly beloved, watch in prayers." - -We too must watch and wait for the coming of the Holy Ghost. He -has, indeed, already come into our souls in Holy Baptism, -cleansing them from original sin and making them his temples. He -has come again in Confirmation, with all the fulness of his -sevenfold gifts, to make us strong and perfect Christians and -soldiers of Christ. - -Yet he comes to us continually every day, knocking at the door of -our hearts and begging for admittance. Every impulse of what is -known as actual grace is from the Holy Ghost, and such graces we -are receiving all the time, every hour of the day. We must -therefore prepare ourselves for his coming, and when he has -entered into our souls we must strive to keep him there. The Holy -Ghost is the life of our souls. It is his constant presence and -indwelling which is the state of grace which makes us pleasing to -God. To obtain and to preserve this abiding presence of the Holy -Ghost we must imitate the Apostles in their watchfulness and -prayer. We must watch lest the time of temptation should find us -unprepared and off our guard; we must pray that the Holy Ghost -may come into our hearts, bringing with him ever richer treasures -of divine grace; that he may take possession of our souls and -make them all his own; that he may guide our minds, and with the -fire of his love inflame our hearts to do his holy will in all -things. - -{265} - -But we must first of all prepare for the Holy Ghost by cleansing -our souls from sin. Where sin reigns the Holy Ghost can never -dwell. The Apostles prepared for his corning by penance. To that -upper chamber in Jerusalem came St. Peter, who had denied his -Lord, St. Thomas, who had doubted his resurrection, and the -others who had wavered in their faith, and, in the time of trial, -had forsaken their Master and fled. But now they had been -convinced of their error, and they came together with sorrow for -their past unfaithfulness, and a full determination to lay down -their lives, if need be, for him who had died for them. This is -the spirit in which we should prepare for the Holy Ghost. If your -hearts are defiled with mortal sin, delay not the time of -penance. The Holy Ghost is ready to descend upon you. He only -waits for you to do your part. Make ready, then, a place in your -heart, that he may enter in and dwell there. - -"O my dearly beloved brethren!" exclaims St. Gregory the Great, -"think what a dignity it is to have God abiding as a guest in our -heart! Surely, if some rich man or some powerful friend were to -come into our house, we would hasten to have our whole house -cleaned, lest, perchance, when he came in he should see anything -to displease his eye. So let him that would make his mind an -abode for God cleanse it from all the filth of works of -iniquity." - -{266} - -"And they were persevering with one mind in prayer." Our prayer -must be persevering if we would gain that which we desire. This -is what our Lord meant when he said that we ought always to pray -and not to faint. Unless we persevere in prayer we shall without -doubt faint by the way in the journey of life. And let us do as -the Apostles did, join our prayers to those of Mary, the Mother -of Jesus, and we shall have a sure hope of obtaining what is most -needful for us. Then, as the Holy Ghost once descended upon her, -and wrought within her the Incarnation, so also will he come into -our hearts, and make them the abode of the Holy Trinity. Then, if -we listen to his blessed voice within us, we shall grow in grace -and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, for -the Holy Ghost will teach us all things, according to the -promise. - -------------------- - -{267} - - _Feast of Pentecost, or Whit-Sunday._ - - - Epistle. - _Acts ii. _1-11. - - When the days of the Pentecost were accomplished, they were all - together in the same place: and suddenly there came a sound - from heaven, as of a mighty wind coming, and it filled the - whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them - cloven tongues as it were of fire, and it sat upon every one of - them, And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they - began to speak with divers tongues, according as the Holy Ghost - gave them to speak. Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, - devout men out of every nation under heaven. And when this - voice was made, the multitude came together, and were - confounded in mind, because that every one heard them speak in - his own tongue. And they were all amazed and wondered, saying: - Behold, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how have we - every one heard our own tongue wherein we were born? Parthians, - and Medes, and Elamites, and inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea - and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphilia, Egypt - and the parts of Lybia about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, - Jews also, and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians; we have heard - them speak in our own tongues the wonderful works of God. - - - Gospel. - _St. John xiv._ 23-31. - - At that time Jesus said to his disciples: - If any one love me, he will keep my word, and my Father will - love him, and we will come to him, and make our abode with him. - He that loveth me not, keepeth not my words. And the word which - you have heard is not mine, but the Father's who sent me. -{268} - These things have I spoken to you, remaining with you. But the - Paraclete, the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my - name, he will teach you all things, and bring all things to - your mind, whatsoever I shall have said to you. Peace I leave - with you; my peace I give to you: not as the world giveth do I - give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, nor let it be - afraid. You have heard that I have said to you: I go away, and - I come again to you. If you loved me, you would indeed be glad, - because I go to the Father: for the Father is greater than I. - And now I have told you before it come to pass: that when it - shall come to pass, you may believe. Now I will not speak many - things with you. For the prince of this world cometh, and in me - he hath not anything. But that the world may know that I love - the Father: and as the Father hath given me commandment, so I - do. - -------------------- - - Sermon LXXIX. - - The Holy Ghost In The Church. - - - _The Holy Ghost, - whom the Father will send in my name, - he will teach you all things, - and bring all things to your mind, - whatsoever I shall have said to you. _ - --Gospel of the Day. - - -On the day which we now commemorate, my brethren, the Holy Ghost -came down, as you know, on the little company of Christians -assembled in the upper room at Jerusalem, to prepare them for the -great combat in which they were about to engage against the devil -for the conquest of the world. He came down upon them to make of -them the church of God; to establish them in the truth, and to -bring to their remembrance, as our Lord had promised, the faith -which they had received from his lips. -{269} -He came to give them not only the knowledge but also the courage -and strength which would be necessary for them to persevere, to -resist and overcome all the attacks of the enemy, and to weather -all the storms which heresy, infidelity, and worldliness were -about to raise against the one true faith. - -And he was to come, and has come, not only on them, but on those -who have followed them as well, and for the same purpose. We have -received him, and he abides in the Catholic Church to-day as he -did in the times of the Apostles. The Holy Ghost is the life of -the church; it is his presence which distinguishes her from the -human institutions which have appeared in the world with her and -have one by one sprung up and passed away. It is his abiding with -her that makes her life perpetual, ever the same and ever new. - -But how is the Holy Ghost in the Catholic Church? How is it that -he is her life, and that he keeps now, as of old, in the one true -body which all who will but clear the mists of prejudice from -before their eyes can see is the one which Christ promised to -form, and to which all his promises were made? - -In the first place, the Holy Ghost is in the Catholic Church by -the gift bestowed on the successors of the Apostles in the -Apostolic See, of infallibility in teaching the faith. In this -way the truth is sure to be kept in the world; it cannot fail to -be taught, while the Vicar of Christ remains to teach it. - -But it is not only in the Holy See that the Spirit of God abides. -The bishops throughout the world also teach the faith by his help -and guidance; and this help is also given to the clergy who -assist them. -{270} -Nor does the work of the Holy Ghost stop here; he is also with -the body of the faithful, enabling them also to recognize the -truth when they hear it, and to distinguish it from error. "You -have the unction from the Holy One, and know all things," says -St. John; "I have not written to you as to them that know not the -truth, but as to them that know it." - -Yes, the Holy Ghost is throughout the church; he is her life, and -is not only in her head, but also in her members. Were he not in -the members, though the pope indeed should remain to teach the -truth, the faithful would not have remained faithful or attentive -to the truth which he would teach. - -What a blessing, then, my brethren, is this light of the Holy -Ghost, which is given in its measure to each one of us; which -keeps us in the one fold, and which makes us, out of many, one -body in Christ; which brings his words always to our minds, and -which preserves us from the ever-changing doubt and confusion -which is the lot of those who arc separated from the one true -church in which he dwells! Let us, then, preserve this -unspeakable gift; let us not quench the Spirit of God within us. -And how is it quenched? How do we lose the light of faith which -he gives? - -By sin, and never except by sin. Though instruction be indeed -good and salutary, it is not the simple and the unlearned who -lose the faith, but such as give ear to their passions, specially -those of pride and impurity. All the heresies which have torn -multitudes from the church of Christ have had their roots not so -much in ignorance as in sin. "Keep yourselves," then, my -brethren, as St. John warns you, "from idols"; this is the only -sure way to keep in yourselves the light of God. - -------------------- - -{271} - - Sermon LXXX. - - The Guidance Of The Holy Spirit. - - - _If any one love me he will keep my word, - and my father will love him, - and we will come to him and make our abode with him; - he that loveth me not, keepeth not my word._ - --Gospel of the Day. - - -To-day, dear brethren, the church sends up her voice of praise -for the coming of the Holy Spirit. On this day the Holy Ghost, -the personal love of the Father and the Son, came upon the -disciples in that upper chamber in Jerusalem, where they were -gathered together in prayer awaiting the promise of the Father. -He came upon weak and timid men, but when he had poured himself -upon them behold we have the great Apostles, the teachers of the -divine word, the fearless and untiring searchers after souls, the -founders of the church. - -Ah! what a change had been wrought in these timid followers of -Jesus, who had fled from him in the hour of his need, and who, -after his resurrection, lay hid with barred doors for fear of the -Jews! Their fear and their weakness have disappeared, and the -whole world is not large enough for the exercise of their zeal, -nor less than the conversion of all nations the end of their -noble ambition. - -{272} - -But, dear brethren, the self-same Holy Ghost, who brought about -this change in the Apostles, comes to us, nay, abides in us, if -we fulfil the condition our Lord lays down--namely, that we love -him. And he makes the test of our love the keeping of his word. -If we love him the Father will love us, and the Father and the -Son will come to us and make their abode with us through the -indwelling of the Holy Spirit. - -The Holy Spirit is our sanctifier. It is he to whom are ascribed -the works of love. He dispenses the graces which the merits of -Jesus Christ have won for us. He purifies from sin and unites our -souls to God. He dwells in every one who is free from grievous -sin, and by his light and strength he gives us help to overcome -the temptations which assail us. - -He is the Spirit of joy and sweetness, filling us with the fear -of God, urging us on in the love of God, guarding us from the -loss of God's friendship by the winning sweetness of his -consolations. How greatly, then, should we love and adore the -Holy Ghost, the third person of the Blessed Trinity! We should -often call upon him and pray to him. We do not invoke the Holy -Ghost enough. We pray to the Father and to the Son, and so -indirectly honor God, the Holy Spirit; but we should pray more -frequently to him directly. We should call upon him to give us, -if we have it not, the grace of God, and to increase in us the -fire of divine love that we may realize in ourselves the promise -of the abiding of God in us by keeping his laws. - -What folly it is for us to imagine that God can have a -dwelling-place in our sin-stained soul! How can the Holy Spirit -find pleasure in one who by mortal sin has made himself God's -enemy; who has been guilty of a deliberate act of rebellion -against his Maker and been unfaithful to or left unheeded his own -sweet drawing? -{273} -Alas for us, if this Pentecost finds us in this awful state! -Alas! if the voice of our conscience has been silenced; this day -then brings no joy to us! The Holy Spirit has no abiding-place -within our souls. We have not loved the Son because we have not -kept his words: "He that loveth me not keepeth not my words." And -because we have not loved him the Father and he will not come to -us. The loving Holy Ghost is not master in our house; we have -driven him out who was our best friend and thrown open the gate -to our enemy. Will you remain thus, you who are in sin? Let not -this day go by and to-morrow find you unrepentant. Grieve for -your past offences, keep the law of God, and you shall have the -fulness of the Holy Spirit. - -------------------- - - Sermon LXXXI. - - The Easter Duty. - -In this great feast and its octave, my dear brethren, we -commemorate the last of all the wonderful events which brought -the Christian religion into the world. To-day our Divine Saviour, -having ascended into heaven, fulfilled his promise in the descent -of the Holy Ghost upon his Apostles; to-day the Catholic Church -was fully established, and given power to convert the world; -to-day the order of things was begun which is to last to the end -of time. - -And with this octave closes, therefore, that especially holy part -or season of the year which centres round the resurrection of our -Lord, and which has, for most obvious reasons, been appointed as -the time in which every Christian is bound, under pain of mortal -sin, to receive Holy Communion, or make, as we say, his Easter -duty. -{274} -Only one more week remains in which to attend to this most -important of all the obligations of a Catholic, to fulfil this -greatest precept of the positive Christian law. - -Now, what is exactly this precept of the Easter duty? Strange to -say, you will often find people who do not seem to have any clear -idea about it at all, in spite of all that is said about it from -the altar and in common catechisms and books of instruction. And -yet it is very simple. It is just this: Every Catholic of -sufficient age to receive Communion is bound to receive it on -some day between the first Sunday of Lent and Trinity -Sunday--that is, a week from to-day--inclusive; and it is very -difficult for any one to have any excuse from complying with this -law. - -The Easter duty, then, is not merely an obligation to receive -once a year. A person may receive a hundred times in the year, -and yet not make his Easter duty; just as one may hear Mass every -day in the week, and yet not fulfil the precept of hearing Mass -if he stays away on Sunday. Now this seems quite easy to -understand; but there are people, and plenty of them, too, who -will make a mission shortly before Lent, and then say at this -time: "Oh! I went to Communion not very long ago; there is no -need to go so soon again." They might as well say on Sunday, if -they had heard Mass on Saturday: "I need not go to church to-day; -it was only yesterday that I was there." The law of hearing Mass -is not to hear it once a week, but to hear it on Sundays and -holydays of obligation; so the law of Communion is not to receive -once or twice a year, but to receive at the time appointed. No -other time will do. - -{275} - -But some may say: "I have not committed any mortal sin since my -last confession; I am just as good as these people who are -running to church all the time." Very good, perhaps you are; -though it may be that Almighty God does not have so high an -opinion of you as you seem to have of yourself. But it is not the -question whether you are good or not; the law is not to confess -mortal sin at Easter; far from it, one ought to have no mortal -sin to confess, then or at any other time. No, the law is to go -to Communion. One should get leave to do so, of course; but if -you have no sin on your conscience, what is easier than to say so -to the priest? You ought to be glad to be able to say it. - -Do not, then, make the foolish excuse either that you have been -to Communion at Christmas or there about, or that you have -nothing to confess now. Come this week; if you put your Communion -off one day beyond next Sunday you are guilty of breaking this -law. If you are in mortal sin, get out of it by making a good -confession and Communion; if you are not, do not fall into it by -refusing to obey this most peremptory and most urgent command. -Any one who has not received since Lent began, and refuses to do -so on or before next Sunday, may, indeed, call himself a -Catholic, but is not worthy of the name. - -------------------- - -{276} - - _Trinity Sunday._ - - - Epistle. - _Romans xi._ 33-36. - - O the depth of the riches, of the wisdom, and of the knowledge - of God! How incomprehensible are his judgments, and how - unsearchable his ways! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? - Or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to - him, and recompense shall be made to him? For of him, and by - him, and in him, are all things. To him be glory for ever. - Amen. - - - Gospel. - _St. Matthew, xxviii._ 18-20. - - At that time: - Jesus said to his disciples: All power is given to me in heaven - and on earth. Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations: - baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and - of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things - whatsoever I have commanded you; and behold I am with you all - days, even to the consummation of the world. - - - Last Gospel. - _St. Luke vi._ 36-42. - - At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: - Be ye merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and - you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be - condemned. Forgive, and you shall be forgiven. Give, and it - shall be given to you: good measure and pressed down, and - shaken together and running over, shall they give into your - bosom. For with the same measure that you shall measure it - shall be measured to you again. And he spoke also to them a - similitude: Can the blind lead the blind? do they not both fall - into the ditch? The disciple is not above his master; but every - one shall be perfect, if he be as his master. -{277} - And why seest thou the mote in thy brother's eye, but the beam - that is in thy own eye thou considerest not? or how canst thou - say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull the mote out of thy - eye, when thou thyself seest not the beam in thy own eye? Thou - hypocrite, cast first the beam out of thy own eye, and then - shalt thou see clearly to take out the mote from thy brother's - eye. - -------------------- - - Sermon LXXXII. - - The Divine Majesty. - - - _For of him, and by him, and in him are all things; - to him be Glory for ever and ever. Amen._ - --Epistle of the Day. - -To-day, my dear brethren, the church, having completed the round -of feasts and fasts which she began on Christmas, having brought -to our remembrance our Lord's birth, his holy childhood, his -ministry on earth, his Passion and death, his glorious -Resurrection and Ascension, and the coming of the Holy Ghost as -he had promised, finally brings us into the presence of the Being -by whom all these wonderful works have been accomplished, and who -is the sole object of our adoration, the ever Blessed Trinity, -the three Divine Persons, the one God. She bids us contemplate, -so far as it is possible for us, the great and ineffable mystery -into the faith of which we have been baptized, and to join with -the angels and saints in the canticles of heaven, "Holy, Holy, -Holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to -come." - -{278} - -"Of him, and by him, and in him are all things," says the -Apostle, reminding us of this highest of all the teachings of the -Christian faith. Of the Father is the Son, and by the Son is the -Holy Ghost, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, and in whom -is their life and mutual love. The distinction of the Divine -Persons is thus intimated to us; but the Divine Nature is only -one; of, by, and in that One are we and all things created. - -We and all the world around us are of God; not part of him, nor -born of him according to nature, nor proceeding from his -substance, but still of him in that we owe our being entirely to -him, who drew us from nothing by his almighty power. Nothing -could ever have existed outside of God himself except through the -wonderful, incomprehensible act of creation. From nothing, -nothing of itself could come; all things are from and of God, who -created them from nothing. - -By his almighty power, then, we have been created, and by it now -we are sustained. We could not live for a moment except by his -continual support. It is only by his aid that we can draw a -single breath, walk a single step, or perform the simplest act. -The winds and the waters, and all the powers of nature, as we -call them, are his powers, too, which he lends to us, and makes -subservient to our use. - -And in him we live and move and are. He is nearer to us than we -to ourselves. It is not only that he makes us live; it is his -life by which we live; our life comes from and belongs to his -eternal life. The life of God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is -in himself; ours is in him. - -{279} - -To him, then, the one and only true God, "be glory," as the -Apostle says, "for ever and ever." How often we say these words, -"Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost," -and how little do we think of what they mean! If all that we are -and have is from God, by him and in him, how can we set ourselves -apart from him, or claim anything for ourselves against him? How -can we glory in ourselves, or desire glory from others, when all -glory, praise, and honor belong of necessity to him from whom, by -whom, and in whom all things are? - -For this is what it means when we say, "Glory be to God." Not -some glory or praise or recognition of his greatness from us, as -a sort of tax or tribute which we must pay to keep the rest for -ourselves. No, when we have given glory to God as we should, -there will be nothing left for us to keep. This is the perfection -of the creature, to prostrate itself at the foot of its Creator's -throne, and to cast all the crowns it has received before him -that sitteth thereon, and to say with the angels and saints in -heaven, "Thou art worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and -honor and power, because thou hast created all things, and for -thy will they were and have been created." - -------------------- - - Sermon LXXXIII. - - The Mystery Of The Holy Trinity. - - - _Go ye, therefore, teach all nations, - baptizing them in the name of the Father, - and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost._ - --St. Matthew, xxviii. 19. - -{280} - -It was the faith in the Most Holy Trinity that the Apostles were -sent forth to teach throughout all the world to every creature. -It is into this faith that every Christian is baptized by the -invocation of the thrice-holy name of the Father, the Son, and -the Holy Ghost, and because of this baptism he is bound to -persevere all his life long in that steadfast faith in the Holy -Trinity for which the church to-day teaches us to pray. Think it -not strange that this doctrine should be so deep a mystery. We -are surrounded on all sides by mysteries. There is scarcely a -department of knowledge into which we can turn our minds where we -are not met by things which we cannot understand. There is, -therefore, nothing wonderful in the fact that God is the greatest -mystery of all. We cannot solve the mysteries of nature and of -life as we see them before us. How, then, can we expect to -comprehend the nature and the inner life of God? It is not for -us, with our poor, feeble minds, to ask the how or the why, but -simply to bow down in humble adoration before the truth of God as -he has revealed himself to us. Faith would not be the virtue that -it is if everything were perfectly plain to us. The chief merit -of faith is in accepting on God's authority that which is beyond -our own reason. His revelation of himself to us is only partial. -The full light that we are capable of receiving will not come -until we are before his throne, and see him face to face, for it -is only when that which is perfect shall come that that which is -in part shall be done away. For now we see, as it were, through a -glass, in an obscure manner, now we know but in part, but then we -shall know even as we are known. Meanwhile our time of trial -remains, and we must submit our minds as well as our hearts and -wills to God. - -{281} - -But he has not given us this partial revelation of himself in -order to perplex and worry us. He has told us all that is good -and needful for us to know in our present state. We should not, -therefore, fix our minds upon that which he has chosen to hide -from us, but upon that which he actually has revealed to us, and -we shall find in this more than enough for our love and devotion. -Each Person of the Blessed Trinity has some special relation to -us, and there are, therefore, special acts of love and adoration -which we can pay to each. He has revealed himself to us as the -Father, not only as the Father of the Eternal Son, but as our -Father as well; our Father, because he has adopted us as his -children. Nothing that we know on earth of a father's love can -compare with the tenderness with which the Eternal Father regards -his children. We, therefore, must become as little children -towards him, looking up to him with love, with reverence, with -simple trust, striving to fulfil his holy will in perfect -obedience, knowing that he wills only our good, here and -hereafter. - -God the Son has revealed himself to us as our Saviour and -Redeemer, and because we are through him the children of God, as -our Elder Brother, sharing in our human nature, having been -tempted like us, and having suffered far more for our sake than -we shall ever be called upon to suffer for him. Hence in all our -trials, in all our temptations, in all our sufferings, we have -his example to cheer us, knowing that we are but treading the -steps that he trod and bearing our cross after him. His Precious -Blood is still flowing through the sacraments to cleanse us from -our sins, his grace is ever ready to help us in the hour of need. - -{282} - -And God the Holy Ghost is revealed to us and given to us as the -life of our souls, our helper, our comforter, our sanctifier, -stirring up the flame of divine love in our hearts, urging us to -good deeds, and giving us the strength to perform them. We, on -our part, must listen to his voice and follow his guidance, that -so we may abide in the love of the Father and of the Son. - -Thus is the Blessed Trinity revealed to us, as Father, Son, and -Holy Ghost. Let us not question, but praise, adore, and love. - -------------------- - - Sermon LXXXIV. - - The Divine Judgment. - - - _And Jesus coming, spoke to them, saying: - "All power is given to me in heaven and in earth." _ - --Matthew, xxviii. 18. - - -When these words were uttered by our Lord he had risen from the -dead. On this occasion he had with him only the eleven Apostles, -whom he had instructed to meet him by appointment at this time -and in this place--a mountain in Galilee. A few words they are, -but full of meaning. The Apostles saw our Lord in the flesh -again; they heard his own human lips utter this truth: that all -power is his in heaven and in earth. - -{283} - -How did they understand him? They understood that the Man they -saw, the human being who then stood before them, was endued with -all power that God would exercise in heaven and in earth; that to -rule this vast universe was his right; that to sit on the throne -of heaven, to be worshipped and adored as God by every creature, -to shape the destiny of this world, of its many nations, of its -many families, of every single soul born and to be born in it; to -open and shut the gates of hell at his own will, to judge all -without exception, each separately at the moment after death, and -all together in the great Judgment day of God, is his right and -office as the Man, because he is Man in God and God in Man; the -Man selected to be the One through whom the Divine Nature -manifests himself in all the fulness of the Godhead in human -nature. - -But what, therefore, is the first thought that must enter our -hearts? It is necessarily this: How will that Man receive us when -we are called into his presence, one by one, as we leave this -world? How will that countenance look to us at that moment? How -will those ears listen to our reports of our own lives? How will -those lips speak to us in that dread moment? - -But why do we ask ourselves these questions? Because we know that -we are to meet that Man in God, face to face, to give an exact -account of all of our deeds in the body, and that he is the One -to praise or blame us, reward or condemn us, receive us into -eternal blessedness or cast us out into eternal, never-ending -darkness, and deliver us over to the rule of those who shall be -our masters in hell. - -Can we tell what the result will be? Yes; and to a certainty! If -our lives have been good, or if we die in his friendship, the Man -Christ Jesus will give us a blessed and glorious welcome; but if -our lives have been wicked, that Man will reject us for ever. He -will not have us anywhere near him. He will not endure our -presence a single moment, nor permit us to speak in his presence, -nor ever again to mention his holy name, but will cast us into -that region of creation where holy names are not permitted to be -uttered. - -{284} - -Do we truly hope that this sad fate will not be ours? Then we are -truly good, leading good lives, are faithful to our duties as -good Catholics. If we truly hope for his approval we can judge -ourselves now and know we shall receive it. - -How is this? If each one can say to-day, the last of the -Easter-time, I have obeyed the commands of the church and made my -Easter duty, then each soul is free from mortal sin and knows the -judgment of our Lord will be in his favor. Let any such soul die -at any moment now and the mercy of God is surely his, for he is -now in the friendship of God, his soul is restored to its -heavenly state, and every soul in this state is so acceptable to -our Lord that he can not condemn it, but must welcome it to the -society of those who are saved for ever. - -O unfaithful, negligent Catholic! whose life heretofore has been -a dishonor to God, a shame to your family, a scandal to your -neighbor, and a disgrace to the church of Jesus Christ, have you -turned from your sins and made your peace with God this -Easter-time? Have you washed your past life clean from sin by -this Easter duty? Then you, too, _know_ you will receive the -welcome of our Lord, the Man Christ Jesus, your King and your -God. Otherwise you are still his enemy, and have a right only to -his eternal wrath. How can you sleep a moment or be at rest a -single instant longer while knowing you are condemned already, -because you have not made your Easter duty? - -------------------- - -{285} - - _Second Sunday after Pentecost._ - - And Sunday Within The Octave Of Corpus Christi. - - - Epistle. - 1 _St. John iii._ 13-18. - - Dearly beloved: - Wonder not if the world hate you. We know that - we have passed from death to life, because we love the - brethren. He that loveth not, abideth in death. Whosoever - hateth his brother, is a murderer. And you know that no - murderer hath eternal life abiding in himself. In this we have - known the charity of God, because he hath laid down his life - for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. He - that hath the substance of this world, and shall see his - brother in need, and shall shut up his bowels from him: how - doth the charity of God abide in him? My little children, let - us not love in word, nor in tongue, but in deed and in truth. - - - - Gospel. - _St. Luke xiv._ 16-24. - - At that time - Jesus spoke to the Pharisees this parable: - A certain man made a great supper, and invited many. And he - sent his servant at supper-time to say to them that were - invited that they should come, for now all things are ready. - And they began all at once to make excuse. The first said to - him: I have bought a farm, and I must needs go out and see it; - I pray thee, have me excused. And another said: I have bought - five yoke of oxen, and I go to try them; I pray thee, have me - excused. And another said: I have married a wife, and therefore - I cannot come. And the servant returning, told these things to - his lord. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to - his servant: Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the - city, and bring in hither the poor and the feeble, and the - blind and the lame. -{286} - And the servant said: Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, - and yet there is room. And the lord said to the servant: Go out - into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that - my house maybe filled. But I say unto you that none of those - men that were called shall taste my supper. - -------------------- - - Sermon LXXXV. - - Holy Communion. - - - _A certain man made a great supper - and invited many._ - --St. Luke xiv. 16. - - -I suppose every Catholic here to-day, except some young children, -has once or many times in his life been to the "Great Supper," -and eaten the "Bread of Life" which is served at it; and those -little ones of the Lord's Holy Catholic family are looking -forward to the bright day, to be for ever afterwards the day of -sweetest memory, when they too shall have that honor and -happiness--the day of their First Communion. - -If such be the case, what is the use of the church repeating to -us every year the threat in the Gospel against those who made -foolish and selfish excuses for staying away--"None of those men -that were called shall taste of my supper"? We have been called. -We have answered the invitation. We have been to the supper. -Isn't that enough? The Gospel evidently does not apply to us. But -wait a bit. I have two things for you to think about. In the -first place, the calling to the Great Supper the Gospel speaks -about is a standing invitation for life. By this I mean that the -law of the Catholic Church obliges every one to receive Holy -Communion annually--that is, during the Easter season. -{287} -It is then, first of all, an _annual_ invitation; and going -one year is not answering the call for the next year. Every one -who has learned his Catechism ought to know that. In the second -place, what would you think of a near relative whom you had -invited to be present at your marriage anniversary dinner, who -should send for reply that he had already dined with you on the -Fourth of July? This is like what people say who, when asked if -they made their Easter duty, tell you, "Oh! no, I went at -Christmas," or "I was at the mission." Now the _annual_ -marriage supper which the King makes for his Son, and to which we -are invited, is at Easter, and neither Christmas, mission time, -the Forty Hours, nor the Fourth of July will do, unless, indeed, -the mission or the Forty Hours took place in the Paschal season. - -The second thing I want you to think about is that the invitation -to partake of the "Great Supper" of Holy Communion, whether at -Easter or at any other time, is a call to make what is known as a -_worthy_ Communion; that is, you must be absolved from sin -and thus be yourself worthy. That is requisite, and that is -enough. There are some scrupulous people who fancy that they -themselves have got to do beforehand all that the Communion is -intended to do and will do. Who is it that prepares the Supper, -they or the Lord? If they will do the little that is asked of -them, they can safely leave to the Lord the responsibility of -doing his part. A _worthy_ Communion should also be one that -is worth something to the one receiving it, and should not be a -worthless exterior performance, which has no interior act of -communion in the heart to correspond to it. -{288} -And now this kind of worth of each and every Communion depends -upon what the communicant chooses to make it. All is to be had -that God can give. The means of getting the good from Communion -is one and the same means for getting the good in receiving other -sacraments--that is, prayer. Prayer beforehand, prayer daring it, -prayer afterwards. The more you want and the more you ask of, the -more worth will your Communion be. Suppose our Lord should -suddenly quit the sacramental form of the host and ask a -communicant at the altar-rail, "What do you wish for?" and he -should answer, "I don't know; I never thought of asking for -anything," you would reasonably conclude that he was not likely -to receive very much. Now, I hope you who often come to the holy -table are paying attention to this. If you come often, it is -supposed, and justly supposed, that you want a good deal, and -that you are deeply in earnest about obtaining what you desire. -Much as, I am sure, your Communions are worth to you, I wish you -would set about making them worth still more. In a word, you must -think more about what you need. Get your requests ready. Have -them, as it were, well by heart, so that if the Lord should ask -you what you came for, your reply would come out quick and -earnest enough. Of all privileges and honors, in this world, -receiving Holy Communion is, indeed, something for us Catholics -to boast of. How the "outsiders" envy us our faith and the -comfort it brings to us!--the infidels of every name and kind, -the Protestants and others, who either have no Communion, or at -best a sham one. -{289} -How would you like to have yourself thrust aside and one of them -called by the Lord to take your place at his table? Beware, then, -how you treat his invitation; come as often and be as well -prepared as the Spirit of Divine Love shall inspire you. - -------------------- - - Sermon LXXXVI. - - The Sacred Heart Of Jesus. - - -The month of June has, as you know, my brethren, been set apart -by general consent for devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, as -that of May has in the same way been devoted to our Blessed Lady; -and on next Friday, the day following the octave of Corpus -Christi, the church solemnly celebrates the Feast of the Sacred -Heart. This feast, formerly observed only in some places, has for -about thirty years been kept everywhere. - -As the devotion to the Sacred Heart has of late spread so widely -in the church, and is so plainly pleasing to God and most -salutary to us, it is well that we should understand it clearly, -that we may enter into it more fully. In the first place, then, -we will ask, What is the nature of the worship which we render to -the Sacred Heart of Jesus? And, secondly, Why is it specially -selected as the object of our devotion? - -What, then, is the nature of our worship of the Sacred Heart? It -is, of course, the same as that which we pay to our Lord -himself--that is, the worship which is due to him as God the Son, -the second Person of the Blessed Trinity. -{290} -His human nature, united to the divine nature in one Person, is -truly worthy of divine worship and honor. God, having become man, -his human heart is the heart of God, and must be adored as such. -Let us, then, remember this: the devotion to the Sacred Heart is -one that is given to God himself, just as that is which we have -for the Blessed Sacrament in which he resides on our altars. - -But why do we select the Heart of our Lord, or rather why has he -himself selected it, as a special object of our adoration? I say, -why has he himself selected it? for this devotion to the Sacred -Heart in modern times is due specially to a revelation made by -our Lord to the Blessed Margaret Mary, a nun of the Visitation, -two centuries ago. - -In answer to this question we may say that our Lord's Heart is -the fountain of his Precious Blood, which was shed for our -salvation, and was pierced by the lance, like his hands and feet -by the nails, on the cross; and it is in this way specially -pointed out as the object of our gratitude and love. But even a -more urgent reason is that the heart is a natural symbol of love, -agreed on by universal consent at all times and in all parts of -the world, and therefore that the Heart of Jesus most perfectly -represents his love for us. In adoring the Sacred Heart, then, we -adore in a particular manner the love of Christ for sinners; and -it is for this reason that he has given us this devotion, knowing -that it is only by the thought of the love of his Heart for us -that our hearts can be won to the love of him. - -{291} - -Yes, my brethren, God wishes our love; it was to obtain it that -he became one of us and died for us on the cross; and it is to -win it now that he asks us to remember and to adore his Sacred -Heart. "Let us therefore," says St. John, "love God, because God -first hath loved us." This is the spirit of this devotion: that -we should not try to save our souls merely for the fear of hell, -but that, seeing how much God has loved us, we should love him in -return. And also that, seeing how much he has loved our brethren, -the same fire of divine charity may be kindled in our hearts, and -thus each one of us may do our share to carry on and to complete -the work for which he shed his Precious Blood: the bringing of -the world to the knowledge and love of him. - -------------------- - - Sermon LXXXVII. - - Ingratitude. - - - _A certain man made a great supper, and invited many. ... - And they began all at once to make excuse._ - --Gospel of the Day. - - -You know, my dear brethren, the parable given by our Divine Lord -in the Gospel of to-day. The principal point of it is in the -words which you have just heard. The guests who were invited to -the supper, instead of feeling honored by the invitation and -accepting it gladly, began to make one excuse or another; one had -his farm, one his oxen, and another had just married a wife. None -of these reasons would have prevented them from coming to the -supper had they really wished to; they were mere flimsy pretexts -put forward to hide their indifference to their host and to all -that he had to offer them. - -{292} - -You know this parable, and I think you also know well its -meaning. As our Saviour uttered it the coldness and ingratitude -of those whom he had come to save rose up before him, giving him -a foretaste of the agony which was afterward to overwhelm and -crush him in the garden of Gethsemani. His heart, burning with -love for men, longed and thirsted for love in return; it was all -he asked; could he but have had that all the pains of his -sorrowful life and terrible death would have been as nothing. But -no; he foresaw that, after all, those to whom he stretched out -his arms on the cross in loving invitation would, for the most -part, turn a deaf ear to his appeal; would give him at the best -but a reluctant and half-hearted service; would keep as much as -possible for themselves, and give as little as possible to him. - -And, in particular, he foresaw that the crowning gift which he -had in store for his rebellious and ungrateful children--his own -Body and Blood, which he was to leave them in the Blessed -Sacrament of the Altar, and in which he was to remain with them -even after his work was done and the time come for him to return -to his Father--would be rejected by the greater part even of -Christians with the same indifference with which his other -sacrifices were to be met. He saw himself in our churches, -unwelcomed and almost unknown by the most of those whom he loved -to call his friends. He saw that, though for a time in the first -fervors of faith, when the sword of persecution drove those to -his side who were not overcome by it, he would, as he desired, -indeed be the daily bread of his people, yet there would come a -day when that faith would be dimmed, and the love which sprang -from it would grow cold. He knew that an age would come -when--shame to say it--his church would have to force her -children by strict laws and threats of excommunication to receive -him in the sacrament of his love even once a year. -{293} -And he knew that, in spite of all this urging, many still would -excuse themselves from the divine banquet, offered so freely to, -nay, almost forced upon, them; that millions every year would -miss their Easter duty; would either turn from the bread of life -to the food of swine by deliberate choice, or at least would, on -some frivolous pretext, put off the time of their reconciliation -till the last day appointed for it had gone by. - -Alas! my dear brethren, children of this God and Father who has -done so much for us, I fear that some even of you who hear my -words have once more thus grieved his heart and despised his -love. In all this long time of Lent and Easter which, has just -gone by you have missed the duty to which the most sacred and -solemn of all the laws of the church has called you. But still -our Lord has not yet treated you as you have treated him. He has -not yet said to you, as the host said in the parable: "None of -you that were invited shall taste of my supper." No; once more, -in this great festival of Corpus Christi, he makes yet another -appeal to you, to put aside your excuses, and to come to him with -all your heart and soul. Do not, I beseech you, continue to -insult and despise him who thus humbles himself before you, and -still tries to remind you of his goodness and mercy. Come to him -without delay, and make amends for your past neglect; all will be -forgiven and forgotten. But remember, if tempted to reject him -once more, and to postpone your return, that even his infinite -mercy will at last have to yield to his justice; that his loving -Spirit cannot strive with you for ever. - -------------------- - -{294} - - _Third Sunday after Pentecost._ - - - Epistle. - 1 _St. Peter v._ 6-11. - - Dearly beloved: - Be you humbled under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt - you in the time of visitation. Casting all your solicitude upon - him, for he hath care of you. Be sober and watch; because your - adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, goeth about seeking - whom he may devour. Whom resist ye, strong in faith: knowing - that the same affliction befalleth your brethren who are in the - world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his - eternal glory in Christ Jesus, when you have suffered a little, - will himself perfect, and confirm, and establish you. To him be - glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. - - - Gospel. - _St. Luke xv._ 1-10. - - At that time: - The publicans and sinners drew near unto Jesus to hear him. And - the Pharisees and the Scribes murmured, saying: This man - receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. And he spoke to them - this parable, saying: What man among you that hath a hundred - sheep: and if he shall lose one of them, doth he not leave the - ninety-nine in the desert, and go after that which was lost - until he find it? And when he hath found it, doth he not lay it - upon his shoulders rejoicing: and coming home call together his - friends and neighbors, saying to them: Rejoice with me, because - I have found my sheep that was lost. I say to you, that even so - there shall be joy in heaven upon one sinner that doth penance, - more than upon ninety-nine just who need not penance. Or what - woman having ten groats, if she lose one groat, doth not light - a candle and sweep the house and seek diligently until she find - it? And when she hath found it, call together her friends and - neighbors, saying: Rejoice with me, because I have found the - groat which I had lost. So I say to you, there shall be joy - before the angels of God upon one sinner doing penance. - -------------------- - -{295} - - Sermon LXXXVIII. - - Sinful Amusements. - - - _Be sober and watch, because your adversary the devil - as a roaring lion goeth about, - seeking whom he may devour._ - --Epistle of the Day. - - -I need not tell you, dear brethren, that there is nothing more -contrary to the spirit of our holy religion than melancholy. The -church would not have her children long-faced and mopish, -eschewing all pleasure as a thing sinful; nor would she have them -unhappy by depriving them of what is good and forbidding what is -innocent, but like a wise mother she permits, nay, sanctions, -harmless amusements, knowing that this, far from being an -impediment to us in our efforts after holiness, is rather a help. - -But, unfortunately, all pleasures are not innocent. There are -some which are sinful--very sinful--and which, instead of aiding -us by begetting a holy gladness, fill us with remorse and rob the -soul of the grace of God, which is the principle of all our joy. -Such pleasures as these the church forbids; such as these she -would have us avoid, and she warns us that they come not from -God, but from our adversary the devil, who is seeking our ruin. -It is with regret that we say it, still we say it with truth, -that of late years a very dangerous sort of amusement has taken -more or less hold upon numbers of our young people, and, now that -we are at the beginning of summer, it may not be amiss to say a -word or two about a certain sort of "picnics." - -{296} - -It is hard to conceive how a young man or woman, who wishes to be -deemed respectable, or even to preserve self-respect, can attend -any of those _moonlight_ gatherings known as picnics, -festivals, etc. Call them by what name you please, as a whole -they are bad. The places where these meetings are held, the -persons whom you cannot avoid coming in contact with, make them -dangerous at least, and very frequently a real occasion of sin. -How can a young girl know the character of him with whom she is -dancing? She has been introduced, to be sure, but what of that? -Does she feel quite certain that she may not be subjected to -insult or worse? Is she satisfied that her mother would be -pleased to see her with her present companions? Is she not -engaged in a dance which borders on immodesty? Take care, my good -girl, you have taken your first downward step to-night; retrace -your way, and never be found at such a "festival" as this again, -if you value your good name. Nor can young men attend these -"moonlight rural gatherings" without endangering their fair fame -and interests. A pure woman will not marry a man who consorts -with bad characters. She will not trust herself to the tender -mercies of one who reaches home in the early morning in a half or -wholly drunken state. She cannot look forward to a happy life -with one of this character, and she will not encourage his -attentions. Employers are not over-anxious to have in their -service those who come to their occupations with evident marks of -debauchery. -{297} -They believe that young men of this sort are not efficient, and -they believe so rightly; they think that these are not altogether -trustworthy; that they are constantly exposing themselves to -danger and theft. It does not pay, young men, to go to "moonlight -picnics." It is not to your interest, either temporal or -spiritual. Do not be carried away with the idea that you can be -dissipated with impunity. "Be sober and watch" yourselves, -remembering that a good name is rather to be chosen than great -riches, and certainly to be preferred to the gross pleasures of -moonlight orgies. - -------------------- - - Sermon LXXXIX. - - Divine Providence. - - - _Casting all your solicitude upon him, - for he hath care of you._ - --1 St. Peter v. 7. - - -The doctrine of God's providence is one of those great truths -which, though accepted by every Christian, are often not -apprehended practically in everyday life. By the providence of -God we mean that loving care which he takes of all his creatures, -and especially of man, ruling, guiding, and protecting them, -"ordering all things sweetly," as holy Scripture has it, that -each one of his creatures may attain to the end for which it was -given existence. - -{298} - -God's work does not stop with creation. It would be absurd to -suppose that he made all things and then left them to take care -of themselves. On the contrary, we know that his sustaining power -is necessary in order to keep us in existence at all, and that if -he were to withdraw his sustaining hand from us we should at once -fall back into the nothingness from whence we came. But God's -providence over us means something far more than simply keeping -us alive. It enters into every circumstance of our life. Whatever -befalls us, day by day, is with his permission, is in accordance -with his holy will. Whether he blesses us or smites us, it is all -the same: everything comes from his loving providence, and is -intended for our good. - -Our Lord's teaching concerning the providence of God is very -clear and plain. He tells us that God cares for the lilies of the -field and for the birds of the air, so that not one of them is -forgotten before God; and, he adds, "Are not you of much more -value than they?" For "even the very hairs of your head are all -numbered." "O ye of little faith!" he still says to us, "why are -you so slow and dull of heart to understand? Why will you not see -the hand of God directing the whole course of your life?" Men go -on in their carelessness, unmindful of God, taking the good -things that come to them as a matter of course, or as the result -of their own labor, forgetting that every good and perfect gift -is from above. But God does not forget them. In spite of their -indifference, he still watches over them, providing them with all -things needful for their souls and bodies, and with his grace -ever seeking to lead them to him. How many, too, spend their time -in foolishly worrying over their petty trials! It is all owing to -a lack of faith; they refuse to recognize God's hand in their -daily life. Yet again and again our Lord and his Apostles repeat -the exhortation, "Be not solicitous"--that is, do not -worry--"casting all your solicitude upon him, for he careth for -you." - -{299} - -But it is especially in the great trials of life that the -doctrine of God's providence is necessary for us, and full of -consolation, and perhaps it is at just such times that it is the -most often forgotten. When some heavy trouble comes, how often -does the sufferer fail to acknowledge that it is sent by Almighty -God--that is, an ordering of his providence, and therefore to be -submitted to with patience and humility. "Dearly beloved," says -St. Peter in the Epistle of to-day, "be you humbled under the -mighty hand of God." To be humble is to acknowledge our true -position in God's sight, to confess that we are his creatures -altogether in his power, and that he has the right to do with us -as he pleases. Our faith assures us that he will not use this -right to our disadvantage. Away, then, with all silly murmurings -and complaints that God is unjust. Good sense alone will teach -that that cannot be. If you understood the full extent of the -malice of even venial sin you would see that you receive but a -small part of what you really deserve. Follow, then, the counsel -of Solomon, and "reject not the correction of the Lord, and faint -not when thou art chastised by him; for whom the Lord loveth he -chastiseth." - -But if the burden seem too hard for you to bear alone, Jesus is -ready to help you. "Come to me," he says, "all you that labor and -are heavy laden, and I will refresh you." Go to him in the -Blessed Sacrament, pour out your grief to the Sacred Heart, and -you shall find rest for your soul. "Cast thy care upon the Lord," -said David in the Psalms, "and he shall sustain thee." -{300} -Then, having humbled yourself under the mighty hand of God, he -will exalt you in the time of his visitation and fill you with -his peace. And "the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his -eternal glory in Christ Jesus, _when you have suffered a -little_, will himself perfect, and confirm, and establish you. -To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." - -------------------- - - Sermon XC. - - How To Bear Burdens. - - - _Cast thy care upon the Lord - and he shall sustain thee._ - --Gradual of the Mass. - - -Which of us, dear brethren, is without his burden or his care? -Whatever our station in life, however high or lowly we may be, to -each comes his portion of sorrow, to each come difficulties and -temptations. If we escape one trial we are sure to find another, -and probably a worse one, awaiting us. It is our lot here upon -earth to suffer, and we ought to expect nothing else, for if we -hope for perfect happiness in this world we are doomed to -bitterest disappointment. The way in which to carry ourselves -with regard to our difficulties is not to seek to avoid them, or -when they come upon us to run away from them, but to accept them -as the portion of our heritage and to make them a source of merit -and sanctification. If we would but cast our care upon the Lord, -if we would but willingly submit to what his all-wise providence -designs for us, these apparent miseries would become for us real -blessings and bring upon us the choicest of God's gifts--an -increase of his holy grace in our souls. God will help us sustain -our burden if we receive it with resignation; if we love it he -will make it even sweet to bear. - -{301} - -But, you may say, this doctrine is very pretty in theory. How -about the practice of it? It is not so easy to be indifferent to -the things of this life, to the wants of the body, so as to be -quite as willing to be poor as to be rich, to have a good, -substantial meal or a morsel of cold victuals. People cannot be -expected to prefer misery to happiness. - -We are not asking you to prefer misery to happiness, nor even to -be indifferent as to what shall happen you. Although this would -be far more perfect and would soon make him who had such -disposition very holy, still we do not ask so much. What we would -wish you to do is what we think all are bound to do--namely, to -have confidence in the providence of God; to recognize his hand -guiding the course of events in our behalf. We know that he is -good and merciful and ready to help us in our need; we know that -even when he punishes it is not so much in anger as in love that -he does so; yet we complain and are discontented, and some even -go so far as to blaspheme the God who, at the very moment when we -are treating him with such indignity, is lovingly working all -things together unto good, who is doing for them more than they -would ever hope for. Oh! what pride is theirs, who set up their -judgment against God's and insist upon the Almighty doing things -according to their fancy. They see no reason why they should -suffer this or that. Why should they be treated so harshly? Other -people have comfort; why should not they? -{302} -Oh! what folly, what blindness is there in the hearts of men and -women who speak thus! What ingratitude is theirs! Perhaps the God -they are abusing has forgiven them hundreds of mortal sins; -perhaps he is withholding what they are demanding because he sees -if he granted them the things they ask their salvation would be -endangered; yet all that he is doing in loving kindness is being -misunderstood, because men are unwilling to bow down to the holy -and adorable will of God. - -Dear brethren, let it not be said of us that we are ingrates or -that we are so foolish as to think ourselves wiser than God; but -let us turn to him with all our hearts and recognize in all he -sends us his unspeakable mercy; let us ever see in him the -All-wise God, our Father, and never permit ourselves to be -deceived by the rebellion of our lower nature. Let us, in a word, -"cast all our care upon the Lord." - -------------------- - -{303} - - _Fourth Sunday after Pentecost._ - - - Epistle. - _Romans. viii._ 18-23. - - Brethren: - I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not - worthy to be compared with the glory to come, that shall be - revealed in us. For the expectation of the creature waiteth for - the revelation of the sons of God. For the creature was made - subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him that - made it subject, in hope: because the creature also itself - shall be delivered from the servitude of corruption into the - liberty of the glory of the children of God. For we know that - every creature groaneth, and is in labor even till now. And not - only it, but ourselves also, who have the first-fruits of the - spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for - the adoption of the sons of God, the redemption of our body, in - Christ Jesus our Lord. - - - Gospel. - _St. Luke v._ 1-11. - - At that time: - When the multitudes pressed upon Jesus to hear the word of God, - he stood by the lake of Genesareth. And he saw two ships - standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, - and were washing their nets. And going up into one of the ships - that was Simon's, he desired him to thrust out a little from - the land. And sitting down, he taught the multitudes out of the - ship. Now when he had ceased to speak, he said to Simon: Launch - out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And - Simon answering, said to him: Master, we have labored all the - night and have taken nothing: but at thy word I will let down - the net. And when they had done this, they enclosed a very - great multitude of fishes, and their net was breaking. -{304} - And they beckoned to their partners that were in the other - ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and - filled both the ships, so that they were almost sinking; which - when Simon Peter saw, he fell down at Jesus knees, saying: - Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord. For he was - wholly astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught - of the fishes which they had taken. And so were also James and - John, the sons of Zebedee, who were Simon's partners. And Jesus - saith to Simon: Fear not, from henceforth thou shalt be taking - men. And when they had brought their ships to land, leaving all - things, they followed him. - -------------------- - - Sermon XCI. - - How To Suffer. - - - _Brethren: I reckon that the sufferings of this present time - are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come, - that shall be revealed in us. _ - --Epistle of the Day. - - -I think, my brethren, that there are few good and faithful -Christians who do not have, as they journey through life, a fair -share of crosses, trials, and sufferings. Sometimes these crosses -are not noticed much by other people, but they are heavy enough -for those who have to bear them. The priest hears more of the -troubles of the world, as well as of its sins, than any one else; -misery is a very old story to him; and he has his own trials, -too, in plenty, though many think that in his state of life he -has mostly avoided them. Yes, trouble and suffering seem to be, -and indeed they really are, the rule of life for Christians, -happiness rather the exception; unless we are willing to get what -some call happiness by disregarding the law of God. - -{305} - -Now this is a very unpleasant fact; but it is a fact, and we have -to accept it. But how shall we best do so? That is a point which -it will be well to consider. - -Shall we simply take our trouble because we cannot help it, and -fret as little as we can, because fretting only makes it worse? -Or shall we take comfort by thinking that others are in the same -plight as ourselves; by believing, though perhaps we cannot see -it, that our luck, though hard, is not harder than that of most -of those around us? - -These would be two pretty good ways of getting along for one who -had no better. But it would be a shame for us to fall back on -them. One who has faith should be able to find a better way than -either of these. - -"Yes," you may say, "I know what you mean; a Christian ought to -be resigned to God's holy will. We are taught and we believe that -all things come to us by the providence of God; that he is -all-wise and infinitely good; so, when he sends us anything hard -to bear, we must say, 'Thy will be done,' and know by faith that -it is for the best." - -Now I do not want to say anything against this way of bearing -trouble; it is a good way, and it is a Christian way; none more -so. And perhaps some times it is the only one that will seem -possible. But after all it is not exactly what I mean, or it is -not at any rate all that I mean; and it is not what the great -Apostle St. Paul, whose glorious and triumphant death, after a -life of suffering, we commemorate with that of St. Peter to-day, -meant in those immortal words which I just read. - -{306} - -"I reckon," says he, "that the sufferings of this present time -are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come, that shall -be revealed in us." - -That is his consolation. "We have," he says to us, "a little to -suffer here, but what is it after all? A drop, bitter it is true, -but still only a drop, against an eternal torrent of joy with -which God is going to overwhelm our souls. Truly it is not worthy -to be compared in its passing bitterness to the ocean of delight -of which it is the earnest for the future. It is, in fact, the -little price which we have to pay for that future; and it is not -worth speaking of when we think what it will bring." - -Indeed, my brethren, it must be a matter of astonishment to the -angels, it ought to be so to us, that we think so little of the -heaven which God has prepared for us. We profess to believe in -it; we do believe in it; but we seem to forget all about it. We -can have it if we will; moreover, these very crosses and trials, -if we have them, are a sign that our Lord means almost to force -it on us. Let us, then, think more of heaven; meditate on it, -look forward to it. The thought of heaven was the joy and -strength of the martyrs; why should it not be the constant -support of ordinary Christians, too? - -------------------- - - Sermon XCII. - - Good Works Done In Mortal Sin. - - - _Master, we have labored all the night, - and have taken nothing._ - --Gospel of the Day. - -{307} - -The Gospel of to-day tells us, my dear brethren, how St. Peter -and his companions, after wearying themselves with dragging their -heavy nets the whole night, had caught nothing for all their -pains; and how, as soon as our Lord appeared, and they were able -to work with his guidance and help, they took more fish than -their boats would hold. - -There is a most important spiritual lesson contained in this -simple story. This miraculous draught of fish is, as it were, a -parable, acted out instead of told by our Divine Saviour. And its -meaning is this: that those who work in the night of the soul -which is caused by mortal sin have indeed much trouble, sorrow, -and labor, but it is all for nothing. All that they do and suffer -while remaining in this state counts for nothing in their favor -in the eternal account of God. Whereas, on the other hand, the -slightest action of one who is in the state of grace, and who, -therefore, works in union with Christ, has attached to it a great -and imperishable glory in the kingdom of heaven. - -St. Paul also teaches us this quite explicitly. "If I should -distribute," says he, "all my goods to feed the poor, and if I -should deliver my body to be burned, and have not charity" (that -is, the love of God, which makes the state of grace), "it -profiteth me nothing." Whereas, on the other hand, he says, for -himself and others who are united to God by grace, that "what is -at present momentary and light of our tribulation worketh for us -above measure exceedingly an eternal weight of glory." - -This is, I say, my brethren, a most important truth. Do you -fairly understand it? Do you take in its full meaning and -application? Let us look at and study it as much as possible in -these few minutes; then let us take it home with us, meditate on -it, and make it thoroughly our own. - -{308} - -All of us have our labors, trials, and pains; some arc heavily -burdened with them. To work and to suffer is the lot of all, from -which there is no escape. We cannot avoid our destiny; we must -make the best of it. - -Yes, that is just it; we must make the best of it; if we have any -prudence, any true love or care for our happiness, we will make -the best of it, and not the worst. Why suffer this poverty, this -sickness, this worry and distress of mind? Why do all this hard -work? Why go through all these long and weary days, and get -nothing in reward for all our labor and suffering but the mere -means with which to keep up this painful and toilsome life, and -to sweeten it, perhaps, with some fleeting sensual pleasures? Why -not have something to show for all our trouble at the end of our -time here on earth? Why not make it, as we may, into a crown to -take with us into that life which has no end? - -This is what those do who remain in the grace of God, who commit -no mortal sin, or who, if they ever fall into it, repent and free -themselves from it with out delay. All their pains and all their -labors are recorded in heaven, and treasured up to be woven into -a crown of merit for such as persevere to the end. God is with -them, as with St. Peter on the lake of Genesareth; they work for -him, and in the light of his presence, and their slightest -actions obtain a rich reward. - -But those who foolishly think that to remain thus is a task -beyond their strength, who pass their lives in mortal sin, and -only seldom and for a short time rise from it, have the same -trouble; and at the end, if indeed they come to God then and -enter heaven, being saved as by fire, they find no treasure of -good works gone before them. "Master," they have to say, "we have -worked all night and have taken nothing. We have worked in the -night of sin all our life." - -{309} - -Let us not, then, follow their example. Let us not run their -fearful risk of not obtaining salvation at all; and let us also -determine that when we are saved we will have a life well filled -with the fruits of grace to lay at our Saviour's feet, for which -we may merit to hear him say: "Well done, good and faithful -servant; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." - -------------------- - - Sermon XCIII. - - Fishing For Men. - - - _Master, we have labored all the night, - and have taken nothing._ - - -St. Peter was without doubt a good fisherman, and a patient one, -as all good fishermen are. He was content to fish all night with -such poor luck as to catch nothing at all. - -But after he had taken our Lord on board his ship it seemed as if -all the fish in the lake were anxious to be caught. Such a -wonderful haul was made that St. Peter and all the other -fishermen were dumfounded with astonishment. How mightily they -were all pleased may well be imagined. - -Now, I think there is in our day something going on very like St. -Peter's fishing all night and catching no fish. The Catholic -Church is the ship of Peter, and he who exercises the authority -of master in that ship, together with his mates and other -officers, are holding the place which St. Peter was exalted to -when our Lord made him the master fisherman of men. That is, the -Holy Father, the pope, the bishops and priests are fishing for -men, and our Lord promised that they should catch them, too. - -{310} - -In a certain degree, also, everyone on board Peter's ship--all -Catholics--have to do with this great work--the spreading out -the nets and drawing souls into the true church. - -For some time there have been some efforts made to catch a -certain kind of fish known as _Protestants_, and there is -another sort, also becoming common in these waters of ours, -called _Infidels_. And it seems to me that there has been a -good deal of fishing all night long, and not half the haul made -that was hoped for. We feel like repeating St. Peter's complaint ---"Lord, we have labored all the night and taken nothing." - -The fishermen know their business, and they have worked hard. No -trouble on that score. When may we hope that the promise of our -Lord will be fulfilled and labor shall be crowned with success? -I'll tell you. It will be after Christ has taught his divine -doctrine from the ship, and when he can say to us, "Now let down -your nets." - -If there is anything both true and astonishing it is the -prevailing ignorance of their own or of any other religion among -Protestants and infidels. You would think that, among so many -learned and well-to-do people who have every advantage of -education and general information at hand, they would not only -know what they believed, but also the reasons why. -{311} -They make a great boast of knowing, some of them, all the -_good_ that there is in the Bible, and others all of what -they call absurdities and contradictions in the holy volume. You -need not be afraid of all this supposed knowledge. In fact, some -read the Bible very little, and great numbers of them don't hear -half of what the majority of us Catholics hear in church. -Catechize them, and it will soon appear that they are densely -ignorant of all religion. How can we hope that such people will -admire all the beauties of our faith, and appreciate all the -powerful and logical arguments in favor of this or that truth, -who are so lacking in information about the very rudiments of -religion? - -I meet such people frequently, who are, nevertheless, regular -hearers and worshippers of the best preachers of our day, or who -pick up here and there some sayings of the pretentious -philosopher of the hour. - -Christ must teach this multitude from the ship of Peter, and he -will do so when he can say of us, "Whoso heareth you, heareth -me"--that is, when you and I so live up to our faith that when -they hear us they hear a Christ speak, and when what we speak is -for their instruction and suited to their great ignorance of -divine things. We must be simple and plain in our instructions -when directed to them. - -Moreover, we must thrust this instruction of the first things -every Christian (be he child or man) ought to know upon them in -all charity; and be quick about it, for without it they will be -in imminent peril of losing their souls. They are good enough -according to what they know. They, like the best of us, love -truth, and are really hungering for what is unquestionably for -their greater happiness. -{312} -Oh! if we Catholics would only live like Christ and speak like -Christ, then it would be high time to let down the net. -Protestants and infidels would rush in crowds to be taken. -Priests would not know where to find room for the converts. - -Enter into the work of spreading Christian doctrine, then. Buy -Catholic books of instruction. Buy a good many and give away a -good many. It may set them thinking. And the reading of good, -plain instructions, like the simple words of our Lord, will set -them to praying as well. When a Protestant or an infidel once -begins to pray to know the truth, it will be sure to lead him -into the net that is let down from St. Peter's ship, only too -happy to be numbered among those taken by the divinely-appointed -fishers of men. - -------------------- - -{313} - - _Fifth Sunday after Pentecost._ - - - Epistle. - 1 _St. Peter iii_. 8-15. - - Dearly beloved: - Be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, loving - brotherhood, merciful, modest, humble: not rendering evil for - evil, nor railing for railing, but on the contrary, blessing: - for unto this are you called, that by inheritance you may - possess a blessing. "For he that will love life, and see good - days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that - they speak no guile. Let him decline from evil, and do good: - let him seek peace, and pursue it: because the eyes of the Lord - are upon the just, and his ears unto their prayers: but the - countenance of the Lord against them that do evil things." And - who is he that can hurt you, if you be zealous of good? But if - also you suffer any thing for justice sake, blessed are ye. And - be not afraid of their terror and be not troubled; but sanctify - the Lord Christ in your heart. - - - Gospel. - _St. Matthew v._ 20-24. - - At that time Jesus said to his disciples: - I say to you, that unless your justice abound more than that of - the Scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom - of heaven. You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou - shalt not kill. And whosoever shall kill shall be guilty of the - judgment. But I say to you, that whosoever is angry with his - brother, shall be guilty of the judgment. And whosoever shall - say to his brother, Raca, shall be guilty of the council. And - whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be guilty of hell fire. - Therefore if thou offerest thy gift at the altar, and there - shalt remember that thy brother hath anything against thee, - leave there thy gift before the altar, and first go to be - reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. - -------------------- - -{314} - - Sermon XCIV. - - Forgiveness Of Injuries. - - - _If therefore thou offer thy gift at the altar, - and there thou remember that thy brother hath anything against thee, - leave there thy offering before the altar, - and go first to be reconciled to thy brother; - and then coming, thou shalt offer thy gift._ - --Gospel of the Day. - - -There are few things in common life, my dear brethren, more -surprising than the fact that some people seem to consider -themselves good Christians, and well worthy to receive the -sacraments, who have a grudge against some of their neighbors and -never speak to them; perhaps never answer, even if spoken to by -them. These people seem to think, I say, that they are worthy to -receive the sacraments; and this not only at Easter, but, it may -be, quite frequently. Some of them, I fear, consider themselves -to be pious and devout; they say, it may be, long prayers every -night and perhaps also in the morning--though, if they really -thought of the words on their lips, I do not know how they could -get through one Our Father. "As we forgive those who trespass -against us" ought to stick in their throats. They will not speak -to those persons who, as they think, have trespassed against -them; they wish, then, that God should have nothing to say to -themselves. "Forgive us," they say to him, "_as we forgive;_ -we will not speak to others, so do not thou speak to us; turn thy -back on us, pass us by; that is what we do to our neighbors. -{315} -Cut us off from thy friendship, send us to hell"; that is what -every Our Father means in the mouth of these detestable -hypocrites when they say, "Forgive as we forgive." - -How these people get through their confession and receive -absolution is as surprising as that they should make the attempt -to do so. They are caught, no doubt, once in a while, but it is -to be feared that a large proportion of them slip through the -priest's fingers, either by saying nothing about the sinful -disposition in which they are or by telling a lie to the Holy -Ghost and to their own hearts, if they would but examine them, by -putting all the fault on the other party. When the other party -appears, then we come nearer to the truth. "I spoke to -So-and-so," they say, "but got no answer." - -Now, let it be distinctly understood that to refuse to answer any -one who speaks to us with a good intention; to take no notice of -a word or a salute, given with a view to renewing friendship, or -even out of ordinary politeness, is, in almost every case, a -mortal sin. Of course I do not mean that is so when the omission -comes from inattention or carelessness; no, I mean when it is -intended as a cut to the other party. About the only instance in -which it can be allowed is that of a superior, who has a right to -take the matter in his own hands, and can put off reconciliation -for a time without danger. A father, for instance, may keep his -child at a distance for a while in this way as a punishment for -an evident offence; but I am speaking of equals, one of whom can -have no right to punish the other. - -{316} - -But you may say: "This person has injured me grievously. He or -she ought to beg my pardon." Perhaps this is so; though often, if -you could see your own heart and that of the other as God sees -them, you ought to beg pardon as much as he or she. It is rare -that an unprovoked injury is done by any one consciously and -without what seems a pretty good excuse to himself. But even -granting that the injury is really grievous and unprovoked, do -you expect your neighbor to go down on his knees to you, or to -humble himself by a formal apology, not knowing how it will be -taken? Would you find it easy to do such a thing yourself, -however guilty? - -No, by turning him off in this way you put the balance of injury -against yourself, however great may have been the other's -offence. No one should dare to go to Communion after such a -slight unatoned for. And yet even brothers and sisters have done -such things, and, I fear, received Christ's Body and Blood with -this sin on their souls. - -Let us have, then, no more of this. If one is not willing to be -in charity with his or her neighbor, let him or her not come to -confession, or at least, if coming, take care to state the matter -as it really is. "Go first and be reconciled with thy brother; -and then, coming, thou shalt offer thy gift." - -------------------- - - Sermon XCV. - - Feast Of SS. Peter And Paul. - -{317} - -To-day, my brethren, holy church celebrates the Feast of SS. -Peter and Paul, one the prince of the Apostles, the other the -great teacher of the Gentiles. Their glorious martyrdom took -place the same day in the imperial city of Rome. A glorious -victory indeed was their death, one being crucified, head -downwards, the other beheaded, sealing thus with their blood that -invincible faith in our Lord and in his religion which has made -them fit to be cornerstones of his spiritual temple. Besides -their faith, they were most distinguished for confidence in God. -The two virtues, faith and hope, of course, blended together in -their souls, borrowed from each other, and in the fire of -heavenly love were melted into one. Yet confidence in God, or the -virtue of hope, was the very impulse that set them forth to -preach, gave them their gift of miracles, and led them out at -last with the deepest joy to offer up the sacrifice of their -lives. - -And it was by such heroic trust in God that our holy church was -founded. The beginnings of the true religion may be summed up by -saying that God sent out men who were willing to stake their -lives upon his fidelity to his promises. The soil on which our -Saviour planted the true vine was watered by the blood of -martyrs. The Breviary speaks of the blood of our two great -Apostles as the purple robe of immortal Rome. And their virtue of -implicit, instinctive confidence in God's love for us and for his -church is the spiritual garment every Christian puts on when he -is made a member of Christ. - -Looking across all those centuries, my brethren, and -contemplating the martyrdom of SS. Peter and Paul, our hearts -should be strengthened. What are the trials of the church now -compared to those at the very beginning? -{318} -We lament, indeed, that St. Peter's successor is a captive in his -own house, and also that in many regions of the world the true -faith of the Apostles has to struggle for its very life. Yet the -struggles of the church are now those of a giant, are against a -world in great part doubtful of its own cause; struggles which -make us only the more evidently pleasing to God, as they are -gradually forcing us to strip ourselves of every human help and -practise the Apostolic virtue of trust in God alone. "Some upon -horses and some upon chariots, but we call upon the name of the -Lord." Oh! when we come to realize that the welfare of the church -is not in numbers, or in fine buildings, or in the wealth and -power of Catholics, but only and entirely in the practice of the -virtues of our religion, we shall not have long to wait for the -triumph of the truth. When the vast world-power that we call the -Catholic religion was (seemingly) but the frantic experiment of a -handful of men, just then it won its noblest victories. -Heathenism could not be voted down nor fought down; nor did God -send earthquakes and floods to cleanse the earth of its foulness. -The men who founded our faith won the victory because they were -penetrated with the conviction that the Maker and Governor of -mankind was their Lord, and that Jesus Christ, his Son, would -never swerve from his plighted word. - -Such, then, brethren, is the virtue I bid you learn from the -example of SS. Peter and Paul: confidence in God. Learn that and -it will teach you all. How the value of prayer is shown forth by -this virtue; how the practice of patience is commended; how the -purely spiritual side of religion is brought forward by trust in -God! -{319} -And to you of this church it is especially proposed to cultivate -this Apostolic virtue. For is not your church named for St. Paul? -And is he not associated every way, historically and in the -devotions of our religion, with the prince of the Apostles, St. -Peter? They are our first fruits; they are most closely joined to -Christ, the root of the spiritual tree of life. St. Paul says: -"For if the first fruit be holy, so is the mass also; and if the -root be holy, so are the branches." - -------------------- - -{320} - - _Sixth Sunday after Pentecost._ - - - Epistle. - _Romans vi._ 3-11. - - Brethren: - We all, who are baptized in Christ Jesus, are baptized in his - death. For we are buried together with him by baptism unto - death: that as Christ is risen from the dead by the glory of - the Father, so we also may walk in newness of life. For if we - have been planted together in the likeness of his death, in - like manner we shall be of his resurrection. Knowing this, that - our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin may be - destroyed, and that we may serve sin no longer. For he that is - dead is justified from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we - believe that we shall live also together with Christ: knowing - that Christ rising again from the dead, dieth now no more, - death shall no more have dominion over him. For in that he died - to sin, he died once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto - God. So do you also reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, - but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. - - - Gospel. - _St. Mark viii._ 1-9. - - At that time: - When there was a great multitude with Jesus, and had nothing to - eat, calling his disciples together, he saith to them: I have - compassion on the multitude, for behold they have now been with - me three days, and have nothing to eat. And if I send them away - fasting to their own houses, they will faint in the way, for - some of them came from afar off. And his disciples answered - him: From whence can any one satisfy them here with bread in - the wilderness? And he asked them: How many loaves have ye? And - they said: Seven. And he commanded the people to sit down on - the ground, and taking the seven loaves, giving thanks, he - broke, and gave to his disciples to set before them, and they - set them before the people. -{321} - And they had a few little fishes, and he blessed them and - commanded them to be set before them. And they did eat and were - filled, and they took up that which was left of the fragments, - seven baskets. And they that had eaten were about four - thousand: and he sent them away. - -------------------- - - Sermon XCVI. - - The Divine Bounty. - - - _And they did eat and were filled, - and they took up that which was left of the fragments, - seven baskets._ - --St. Mark viii. 8. - - -The Gospel to-day tells us of the miracle of the multiplication -of the loaves and fishes, whereby our Lord fed the multitude in -the wilderness. Not only did seven loaves and a few little fishes -satisfy the hunger of four thousand, but seven baskets were -filled with the fragments that were left. This is the way in -which God always works in the dealings of his providence with -mankind. He is not content with giving us enough: he gives us -more than enough--"full measure, pressed down, and running over." -He hath opened his hand and filled all things living with -plenteousness. Look at the earth which he has prepared as a -dwelling for the children of men, and see how bountifully he has -provided for all their necessities. "Oh! that men would praise -the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the -children of men," and cry out with David: "How great are thy -works, O Lord! Thou hast made all things in wisdom; the earth is -filled with, thy riches." - -{322} - -But if God has thus lavishly provided for the bodily wants of -man, he has been even more bountiful in providing for the needs -of his soul. "He hath satisfied the empty soul and filled the -hungry soul with good things." Just as air, water, and food, the -things necessary for the sustenance of our bodies, are found in -the world in great abundance, so also does God's grace abound, -which is necessary for the life of our souls. Just as we must -breathe the air in order to live, so we have but to open our -mouths in prayer, the breath of the soul, and God's grace, which -is as plentiful as the air of heaven, is poured into our hearts, -filling us with new life. And as we must breathe the breath of -prayer, so also we must drink the water of salvation which, -mingled with blood, flowed from the wounded side of Jesus. That -living water which He promised to give is his Precious Blood, -shed for all upon the cross, yet continually flowing in copious -streams through the sacraments to cleanse and refresh the souls -of men. We have but to approach and drink and our thirsty souls -shall be satisfied. "He that shall drink of the water that I -shall give him," said Jesus, "shall not thirst for ever. But the -water that I shall give him shall become in him a fountain of -water springing up into everlasting life." Draw near, then, with -joy and draw this water from the Saviour's fountains, the -sacraments which he has ordained in his church. Wash therein, and -you shall be clean; drink thereof, and your soul shall be -refreshed. - -{323} - -And for food he gives us the Bread of life, the living Bread -which came down from heaven, even his own most Precious Body and -Blood in the blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist. "He that eateth -of this Bread shall live for ever"; but "unless you eat the Flesh -of the Son of Man, and drink his Blood, you shall not have life -in you." His grace would have been enough to sustain us; but he -is not content with giving us his grace alone, he must give us -also Himself. This is the greatest instance of the wonderful -prodigality of God towards us. After creating the world, and -providing it with all that is needful for our bodily life, after -giving us his grace in an almost overwhelming abundance, we might -think that his generosity would have spent itself. But no, he -goes still further, and his last and greatest gift is himself to -be the food of our souls. Surely there is nothing beyond this. -God could not do more for us than he has done. In giving us -himself he has done the utmost that is possible. - -When, therefore, we behold the wonderful works of God in our -behalf our hearts should swell with thankfulness to him who gives -so abundantly unto us, above all that we could ask or think. -Since God has been so generous towards us, let us not be guilty -of the base ingratitude of despising his gifts, and rejecting the -mercies he holds out to us! Rather be generous towards him, and -as he gives us himself, so let us give ourselves wholly to him, -striving in all things to please him, offering ourselves daily -unto him, soul and body, as "a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing -to God, our reasonable service." - -------------------- - -{324} - - Sermon XCVII. - - Feast Of St. John The Baptist. - - -Today we celebrate the Feast of the Birthday of St. John the -Baptist, of whom our Lord said that a greater man than he was -never born; and we well know what kind of greatness Jesus Christ -would make much of--the greatness of holiness. Looking at his -life altogether, we see in him a striking example of one wielding -great power and acquiring an eternal fame, who set out to do -neither, but rather avoided both. No doubt as he grew up he must -have heard something about his miraculous conception, of the -angelic prophecy concerning him, and of that wonderful visit the -Mother of God made to his own mother before either he or Jesus -Christ was born. No doubt he felt himself to be consecrated to -God, and set apart in a special manner to aspire after a holy -life. And now it is just his fidelity to all those interior -inspirations, which, costing him, as it did, so much -self-abnegation, and taking him apparently out of the way of -obtaining a great name, really made him great. - -He was a notable example of those who gain all by giving up all. -Only those who have this character in a marked degree are truly -great in their souls, for virtue is both the source and the glory -of nobility. No birth however high, no station or office however -exalted, no good luck however extraordinary, high honors, great -wealth, nor heaps of badges and medals can make up for the lack -of it. A mean, covetous, selfish, proud, gluttonous, sensual, -envious-minded, overbearing, spiteful, unforgiving, greedy king -or emperor neither is nor can be great, no matter how vast his -dominions or countless his subjects. -{325} -On the other hand, we Catholics know of, and recognize often, the -most extraordinary nobleness and refinement of soul in many who -are among the poorest, most suffering, and often, in -book-learning, the most ignorant of our brethren. What is it that -gives to many such that singular taste for and perception of what -is pure, beautiful, and true, which they unmistakably possess? -And, in times of great trial and sacrifice, what is it that often -brings them out above and ahead many others of whom we might be -led to expect so much more? I'll tell you: it is the greatness of -their holiness, the nobility of their virtue. It is that -manifestation of what is really great in the sight of God and his -angels--their love of truth, their ready self-denial, their -big-hearted charity, their loyalty to God and religion, the -independence of the world, their free obedience to superiors, -their sweet endurance of pain and sorrow, their meek, forgiving -spirit. Such as these are the souls of the great, whom the world, -the flesh, and the devil attack and may wound, but cannot -conquer. If sometimes we are tempted, dear brethren, to envy the -apparent good fortune, as it is esteemed, of those whose -greatness is not thus founded in virtue, we may be sure that we -are weighing something with a very light and empty weight in the -other balance, which may be very bulky, sparkling, and showy, -like a big, bright, sunshiny soap-bubble, but with nothing -inside, and of very short continuance. - -{326} - -So you see how true greatness is within the reach of every one, -and within quite easy reach, too. One is not obliged to do a -great many things, nor labor many years, nor accomplish what -makes a long report with large headings in the newspapers. One -has only to take care _how_ the work is done one is called -to do--with what spirit one does it. Says the "Imitation of -Christ": "We are apt to inquire _how much_ a man has done, -but with _how much virtue_ he has done it is not so -diligently considered. We ask whether he be strong, rich, -beautiful, ingenious, a good writer, good singer, or a good -workman; but how poor he is in spirit, how patient and meek, how -devout and internal, is what few speak of." Yes, it is not so -much the long and splendid record of the work, but the spirit of -the working, the pure, unambitious, God-loving intention ruling -our labors, that makes them worthy of everlasting memory and -meritorious of the renown of a great name, which leaves behind -one a memory held in benediction and the history of a life -delicious to recall. - -------------------- - - Sermon XCVIII. - - Idleness. - - - _And they had nothing to eat._ - --Gospel of the Sunday. - - -The people who crowded about our Lord had nothing to eat, because -out of love of the word of God they had for a time quit their -work and their homes. This docility, this constancy argues well -for their earnestness in the fulfilment of all their other -duties. They were out of food, not through laziness, but because -of set purpose they preferred spiritual to temporal nourishment. -Hence they merited this extraordinary and unlooked-for -manifestation of our Lord's goodness and providence in supplying -them with food. - -{327} - -We may confidently expect, my brethren, the assistance of God -even in temporal want and necessity if our honest endeavors fail. -We are not to be over-solicitous; we are not to desire nor strive -after an over-abundance of such things. This promise, however, we -have: that our Heavenly Father knows our needs, and he will come -to our aid. But we have a duty, an obligation to discharge, and -that is to work, to earn our bread. Now, this is the point of my -sermon: that there are many people--the number seems to be -increasing--who have nothing to eat, or who say they have not, -and it is their own fault. - -They do not merit any special interposition of Heaven to save -them from the consequences of their own laziness; they do not -seem to deserve, they do not deserve, the assistance of the -charitable, who are the stewards and the representatives of the -Lord. Now, brethren, do not imagine that this is a harsh and an -unchristian way of regarding the necessities of the very poor; do -not suppose that I make no allowance for the sickness, the lack -of work, the hard times, the calamities which from time to time -afflict the deserving and the laborious. If you are in a position -to know, you cannot but be persuaded that the tendency to ask for -help, the inclination to throw burdens on institutions public and -private, the frequency, the boldness, the unreasonableness of -such demands is on the increase; the number of those who are -unwilling to exert themselves, to undergo the routine, the strain -of work, grows day by day. Yet the Apostle says, "If any man will -not work, neither let him eat." -{328} -He bids every one labor faithfully in the calling wherein he has -been placed. There is no such thing as true religion save in the -faithful discharge, first of all, of our natural duties, and in -compliance with the first great law of labor. - -Now, I have frequently noticed one peculiarity about many of -those who say they have nothing to eat, and that is, they cannot -be said to have nothing to drink; and the presence of this kind -of nourishment explains very often the lack of all other. No, my -brethren, let us be industrious, saving, and sober, mindful that -the law of God has imposed labor on us; let us try to help -ourselves; then, if we fail, Heaven will surely help us, even in -ways as truly miraculous as our Saviour's for the multitude in -the desert. - -------------------- - -{329} - - _Seventh Sunday after Easter._ - - - Epistle. - _Romans vi._ 19-23. - - Brethren: - I speak a human thing, because of the infirmity of your flesh. - For as you have yielded your members to serve uncleanness and - iniquity, unto iniquity; so now yield your members to serve - justice, unto sanctification. For when you were the servants of - sin, you were free from justice. What fruit therefore had you - then in those things, of which you are now ashamed? For the end - of them is death. But now being made free from sin, and become - servants to God, you have your fruit unto sanctification, and - the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death: but - the grace of God, everlasting life in Christ Jesus our Lord. - - - Gospel. - _St. Matthew vii._ 15-21. - - At that time Jesus said to his disciples: - Beware of false prophets, who come to you in the clothing of - sheep, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. By their fruits - you shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of - thistles? Even so every good tree yieldeth good fruit, and the - bad tree bad fruit. A good tree cannot yield bad fruit, neither - can a bad tree yield good fruit. Every tree that yieldeth not - good fruit, shall be cut down, and shall be cast into the fire. - Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them. Not every man - that saith to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of - heaven: but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in - heaven, he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. - -------------------- - -{330} - - Sermon XCIX. - - Mortal Sin The Death Of The Soul. - - - _The wages of sin is death._ - - -When the Apostle, my dear brethren, wrote these words, he did not -mean only to express the truth (for truth it is) that the -inevitable result of sin, even in this world, is the misery, and -finally the death, of the sinner; nor even (though this also is -true) that by sin death was introduced into the world. But he -wished especially to teach us that the direct and immediate -effect of mortal sin is a death much more fearful in itself, and -much more awful in its consequences, than any mere cessation of -the life of the body--namely, the death of the soul. - -Mortal sin cuts a man off from his last end; it, as it were, -disconnects the soul of any one who is unhappy enough to be in -that state with all the springs of the supernatural state. A soul -which is in mortal sin is cut off from the mystical body of -Christ, and, like a limb cut away from the body of a man, it -ceases to have any part in the nourishment with which that body -is supported and enabled to pass through the wear and tear of the -every-day life of the world. - -The soul from the time of baptism to the time of death is kept -alive by the gift of sanctifying grace. Remove this and the soul -inevitably dies. Restore this and it is alive again. Now, it is -just the removal of this sanctifying grace which is the immediate -effect of mortal sin. -{331} -As long as any baptized person remains free from the fearful -stain of deliberate mortal sin sanctifying grace remains, and -every sacrament received, nay, every good act performed, every -good word spoken, and every aspiration to higher and better -things which passes through the mind, increases the grace which -is conferred upon that soul; but the moment the will is -deliberately turned away from its Creator, at that moment -sanctifying grace ceases and the soul dies. This death is a real -death of the soul; it prevents the soul from meriting anything -towards the attainment of its last end, and should any one be -unhappy enough to die with mortal sin upon his conscience his -soul must, by the law of its very being, be buried for all -eternity in hell. - -See, then, my dear brethren, how fearful a thing this sin is -which can have such fearful effects. God has made us to enjoy him -for all eternity in heaven, and yet by sin we turn against -ourselves, and, if I may so speak, compel the good God to issue -against us an eternal sentence of banishment from his divine -presence. We prevent our own souls from reaching that end for -which alone they were created. We reap for ourselves an eternity -of untold misery, instead of one of surpassing bliss. - -Let us, then, to-day make a firm and constant resolution that, -cost what it may, nothing in this world shall induce us to kill -our souls by staining them with sin; and if any one is so unhappy -as to be in that state now, let him now resolve that he will by a -good confession cleanse his soul, and from henceforward, casting -behind the things that are past, he will press forward to the -things that are before. - -------------------- - -{332} - - Sermon C. - - False Prophets. - - - _Beware of false prophets._ - --Gospel of the Day. - - -I think, my dear brethren, that you all know pretty well what our -Lord means when he says in to-day's Gospel, "Beware of false -prophets." You would tell me, at least if you stopped to think -for a moment, that he means to warn us against those who were to -come after him, pretending to teach his doctrine, claiming that -theirs was the true and pure Christian religion, or putting on, -as he says, the sheep's clothing, but really striving to draw the -faithful away from the unity of the church which he had -established; being, in fact, to use his own words, ravenous -wolves. - -Yes, you would tell me this, and you would be right in your -explanation of his words. It is, indeed, of these false Christian -teachers that he would warn us. It is against the innumerable -errors which are taught as Christianity, and against the -countless self-appointed guides to his one religion who were to -multiply as time went on, that he wished to forewarn us; to keep -us from listening to them, or allowing ourselves to be turned by -them from the one source of truth which he has provided for us in -his holy Catholic Church. - -And no doubt, in a way, we listen to his warning, and are not -much deceived by their pretensions, at least in these days. If a -Catholic loses his faith nowadays, it is usually easy enough to -see that he does so, not because he is really deceived by the -false prophet and takes him for a true one, but because he wishes -to lead an easier life without being blamed for it; because he -objects to confession and the other laws of the church as -imposing too much restraint on him, or because his temporal -interests will be advanced by the change. - -{333} - -But still, in spite of this general security which we now have -against being deceived by the persuasions of those who would lead -us into error, nay, even on account of this very security which -we feel, we do not obey quite carefully enough our Lord's -warning. We think we are in no danger from these false prophets, -and so we are willing enough to hear what they say. We would not -join with them; far from it; but we think there is no harm in -hearing or reading their discourses, or acquainting ourselves -with their books. We do not, in short, beware of them; we think -that there is no need to do so. - -Really, however, there is. When our Lord said, "Beware of these -false prophets," he meant just what he said. He knew that they -would do us harm if we did not beware; that, if they did not -destroy our faith, they would at least mar its purity or diminish -its intensity if we did not take care to avoid them and their -teachings in every way. And the church has always acted on the -principle which her Divine Founder here laid down, in her -instructions to her children. She does not wish even her priests -to concern themselves with heretical or infidel doctrines, except -with the intention of confuting them as their office requires, -fortified though they be with the most thorough instruction in -and knowledge of the truth. - -{334} - -We are none of us perfectly wise and above the reach of even the -most absurd errors, especially when our nature, corrupted by sin, -is enlisted on the side of those errors; and, if not in danger of -actually falling into any of them in particular, we may at least, -by acquainting ourselves with those into which great men have -been led, be likely to fall into the most dangerous of all -errors, that of believing that truth is so hard to find that it -cannot be expected that all should find it, and that it makes no -difference what a man believes, as long as he does what seems to -the world in general to be right. - -The true course for us is, then, to beware of false guides in -religion by keeping out of their way altogether; and, on the -other hand, to study as far as we can the truth, which, if we -learn it and grasp it as we should, conveys in itself the answer -to them all. Listen to the true prophets, and leave the false -ones alone; that is the highest wisdom from the mouth of our -Divine Lord himself. - -------------------- - - Sermon CI. - - The Last Sin. - - _For the wages of sin is death; - but the grace of God, - life everlasting in Christ Jesus our Lord._ - --From this Sunday's Epistle. - -{335} - -This is not the only place in Holy Writ, my brethren, where -eternal life and death are set before us as the wages we shall -some day be paid. The word of God frequently admonishes us of the -choice we are compelled to make between eternal sorrow and -eternal joy, and for this most evident reason: we are always -actually engaged in making the choice. The very essence of our -merit hereafter will be that we shall have freely and -deliberately chosen Almighty God and his friendship, in -preference to any and everything besides. And the reason, and the -only reason, why a man will lose his soul will be because he -committed mortal sin and died unrepentant--that is to say, -choosing to love what God bids him hate. What we call the choice -between virtue and vice St. Paul calls the choice between life -and death. And with that choice we are constantly confronted. Not -that we always realize it, nor do I mean to say that the first -time one grievously offends God he settles his fate eternally; -but that each mortal sin really earns the wages of eternal death, -and only the blessed mercy of God saves us from our deserved -punishment. And furthermore, it is some mortal sin or other that -at last breaks down God's patience. If at any particular occasion -he does not see fit to take us at our word, so to speak, and -leave us for ever in that state of enmity that we have chosen, it -is not because we do not deserve it; it is because he is a loving -Father to us, and is often willing to stand a great deal of -wickedness on our part; or because we have some dear friends who -are servants of God and who pray for us; or because the Blessed -Virgin has acquired some special attachment to us and intervenes -for us; or because God reserves us for a later day, when he will -make such an example of us as will save other sinners; or -because, again, he saves us for a later day to make us models of -true penance. - -{336} - -But just look around you, brethren; just call to mind what you -have heard or perhaps seen of God's judgments, and the Apostle's -lesson becomes object-teaching. Have you not heard of a sudden -and unprovided death and then remembered how years ago that man -started a disreputable business? It was thus that he made his -decision for all eternity. On the other hand, a man now -temperate, once a drunkard, will tell you that long ago he took -the pledge and broke it, and broke it again, but still -persevered, and finally, by the grace of God, has managed to keep -it. He was fighting the battle of fate and he won the victory. -That dreadful appetite overcome, the practice of religion became -easy to him. - -In another case a man is led away little by little from the rules -of honest dealing; at last he refuses to pay a certain just debt, -one that he can easily pay if he wishes. After that avarice eats -into the core of his heart and he is lost for ever. - -And, brethren, what a relief to hear after a sudden death that -the poor soul was a monthly communicant! - -Many are tested by Almighty God demanding that they shall -withdraw from the proximate occasions of mortal sin. The voice of -conscience, a sermon heard in the church, the private advice of -some good friend--for all these are the voice of -God--admonish[ing] them against what leads them to mortal sin; -against very bad company, or the saloon, or the Sunday excursion, -or dangerous reading, or lonely company-keeping. Perhaps one's -conduct about such dangers has more to do with his choice in -eternity than any thing else. - -I do not mean to say that this fateful decision is a mere -lottery, but it is a moment at the end of years of rebellion -against God when an effort is made by the grace of God to save -the sinner; and for weal or for woe it is the last chance. Some -time or other the last sin will be committed, the last grace will -be granted. - -{337} - -O my brethren! how very reasonable is the holy fear of God. Oh! -how wise are they who have joined fear and love of God together -so that the fire of love has burned the dross of slavishness out -of fear, and fear has mingled reverence and humility with love. -Alas! that so many should live as if eternal life and death had -no meaning for the present hour. - -Some are like that millionaire I heard of. Walking home one day, -a heavy shower of rain began, he stopped a hack and asked what -the driver would take him home for. Fifty cents, was the answer. -he began to beat him down, and finally, refusing more than -twenty-five cents, he walked home in the rain. But he caught -cold, went to bed, and died. He had played the miser many a time -before, but the last time had come. So many a one thinks his one -sin more, his one other rejection of grace, is but like the -multitude of other such offences gone before; and all the time he -is deciding an eternal fate. - -------------------- - -{338} - - _Eighth Sunday after Pentecost._ - - - Epistle. - _Romans viii._ 12-17. - - Brethren: - We are debtors not to the flesh, to live according to the - flesh. For if you live according to the flesh, you shall die. - But if by the spirit you mortify the deeds of the flesh, you - shall live. For whosoever are led by the spirit of God, they - are the sons of God. For you have not received the spirit of - bondage again in fear: but you have received the spirit of - adoption of sons, whereby we cry, Abba (Father). For the Spirit - himself giveth testimony to our spirit, that we are the sons of - God. And if sons, heirs also; heirs indeed of God, and joint - heirs with Christ. - - - Gospel. - _St. Luke xvi._ 1-9. - - At that time: - Jesus spoke to his disciples this parable: - There was a certain rich man who had a steward: and the same - was accused unto him, that he had wasted his goods. And he - called him, and said to him: What is this I hear of thee? Give - an account of thy stewardship: for now thou canst not be - steward. And the steward said within himself: What shall I do, - because my lord taketh away from me the stewardship? To dig I - am not able, to beg I am ashamed. I know what I will do, that - when I shall be put out of the stewardship, they may receive me - into their houses. Therefore calling together every one of his - lord's debtors, he said to the first: How much dost thou owe my - lord? But he said: A hundred barrels of oil. And he said to - him: Take thy bill and sit down quickly, and write fifty. Then - he said to another: And how much dost thou owe? Who said: A - hundred quarters of wheat. He said to him: Take thy bill and - write eighty. -{339} - And the lord commended the unjust steward, forasmuch as he had - done wisely: for the children of this world are wiser in their - generation than the children of light. And I say to you: Make - to yourselves friends of the mammon of iniquity, that when you - shall fail they may receive you into everlasting dwellings. - -------------------- - - Sermon CII. - - Spirit And Flesh. - - - _For if you live according to the flesh you shall die. - But if by the spirit you mortify the deeds of the flesh - you shall live._ - --Romans viii. 13. - - -What does the Apostle mean by this? This only, that the flesh -with its concupiscence and lusts must never get such power over -our will that it will carry us along with it and make us obey its -longings and desires when we know these are forbidden by Almighty -God. I say "this only" because to have the flesh is no sin; -neither is it a sin to feel the disorderly movements of the flesh -that lead to sin; but it is a sin to consent to these and to -follow them. For this reason we are told that if we mortify the -deeds of the flesh, to which these movements of the flesh lead -us, we shall live. But what does the word "mortify" mean? It -means to destroy that which makes the life of a thing. Notice -here the Apostle does not tell us to mortify the flesh itself but -the deeds of the flesh. To do this we need not then attempt to -kilt the flesh, but we must destroy all that gives life to its -deeds. - -{340} - -What are the deeds of the flesh? They are the seven capital -sins--pride, covetousness, lust, anger, gluttony, envy, sloth. -Can we kill them? In the most important sense we can. We can get -them so under our control that, after awhile, they will move us -but slightly and cannot influence us to any great degree. We -shall feel from time to time that they are still present in us, -but that cannot disturb us much. We shall have taken their -strength away. We shall have made them so weak that we can check -them easily. - -Ought not each one of us strive to get ourselves into that -blessed state? But how can we do it? Make up your mind to do it. -Form a good resolution, one that will not change but that will be -firm for life. Then live according to that resolution. When pride -is aroused, refuse to follow its promptings; when covetousness -moves the heart, stop the eager desire for gain; when lust would -lead you away, contend against the thought until it is driven -out; when anger disturbs, seal the lips with the sign of the holy -cross; when gluttony makes you long for feasting and drinking, -refuse to go where these things are going on; when envy racks the -soul, pray for the one who is the object of envy; when sloth -tempts you to self-indulgence and inactivity, stir up the fear of -God and holy shame within the soul, for sloth is a destroyer -indeed of all that is truly manly and heroic in us. - -But all this is about as hard to do as anything a man can do, -some may say. Yes, it is hard to do, but the success is -_sure_. Shall a man do less for God than for himself? See -the time and labor spent to secure that which is necessary for -the body and success in the life of only a few years in this -world. Shall a man not do as much for the good of his soul and -for eternal life in the next world? - -{341} - -Is it really so hard as it seems? By no means. We make it harder -than it really is by putting it all together and by thinking we -are to do it all at once. This is not true. It must be done by -degrees, slowly, patiently, perseveringly, but surely. - -The devil makes us think it harder by telling us, when we feel -the sharpness of the first struggle, "You can't bear it this way, -for life." You can if God wills it and gives you the grace. And -most people, almost all Christian souls, do not have it "this -way, for life." Those who keep up the struggle get stronger day -by day. In them the flesh and the movements of sin grow less day -by day. The devil, however, wishes us to believe the lie he -tells, to make us give up the struggle. Do not listen to the lie -and it cannot hurt you. Remember always, it is a lie, and the -mind will not take hold of it. - -We can make it all the easier by trusting God, who will always -help us in the struggle. _Pray_ more. Go to confession -often. The confessor will then help us and remove much of the -burden by good advice. Go to Communion often, and God himself -will make it easier for us than we imagine by giving his own -strength to the soul at that time. Only begin earnestly to -control the flesh, continue perseveringly to use confession and -Communion. This, with daily morning and evening prayer, will take -away very many difficulties. Soon we shall find we have truly -mortified the deeds of the flesh, and then indeed we shall live, -for the flesh will then be dead or dying fast and too weak to -hurt the soul. Keep, then, in the mind the text from the Epistle -of to-day: "For if you live according to the flesh you shall die. -But if by the spirit you mortify the deeds of the flesh you shall -live." - -------------------- - -{342} - - Sermon CIII. - - The Business Of The Soul. - - - _The Lord commended the unjust steward, - forasmuch as he had done wisely._ - --Words Taken From To-day's Gospel. - - -One of the things which strikes us most forcibly in reading the -instructions of our Blessed Lord as we have them in the holy -Gospels is the matter-of-fact, common-sense, business-like manner -in which he sets before us the way we must act in order to save -our souls. We find no sentimentalism, no rhetoric, no -fine-sounding flights of eloquence which delight the imagination -and please the fancy indeed, but which are too fleeting and -flimsy to serve as a basis of every-day action. No; with our Lord -this matter of the salvation of our souls is a matter of infinite -business, a question of eternal profit and loss. Let me recall a -few examples: "The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking -good pearls, who, when he had found one of great price, went his -way and sold all he had and bought it." Here the way in which we -are to act in order to get the kingdom of heaven is compared to -the way in which the man of business acts who finds a good -article--something worth his money. What does he do? Why, if it -is really worth it--and the kingdom of heaven, the salvation of -our souls is worth it--he sells all that he has and buys it. -{343} -And yet again our Lord places before us the salvation of our -souls as based upon a calculation of what is the more profitable -course to take in those words the realization of which has called -forth the highest heroism of the greatest of the saints: "If thy -eye offend thee pluck it out and cast it from thee." Why? Because -"it is better for thee with one eye to enter the kingdom of God -than, having two eyes, to be cast into the hell of fire." Here -again it is a calculation of loss and gain--the loss of an eye in -this world as against that of the whole body in the next. Shall -I, on the principle that a bird in the hand is worth two in the -bush, keep my two eyes; or shall I, for the sake of saving the -whole body, pluck out the eye, cut off the foot or hand? But of -all the places where this way of looking at things and of acting -is inculcated and enforced, the most striking is in the parable -read in to-day's Gospel. Here our Lord, in order to lead us to -take a practical, hard-headed way of acting with reference to the -salvation of our souls, brings before us the conduct of the -unjust steward, and, strange to say, actually praises it. And how -did this unjust steward act? The unjust steward was a dishonest -man. He had been placed in a position of trust, but had wasted -his master's goods--perhaps speculated with his money, made false -entries in his books, or something else of that kind. Well, the -truth came out at last, as it generally does sooner or later, and -he was at his wits end what to do. No thought of repentance -enters into his head; he has got on a wrong road, and he found -it, as we all find it, very hard to get out of it. -{344} -And so, knowing the men with whom he has to deal, he sends for -some of his master's debtors, and, in order to make them his -friends and to establish a claim on them for help and assistance -when he gets into trouble, he alters their bills and makes them -less. "And the Lord commended the unjust steward because he had -done wisely." Our Lord does not commend, of course, the -dishonesty of his conduct; this we all understand. But he -commends his clearness of sight as to what was for his worldly -interest, and his promptitude in taking wise and suitable means -to further that interest. What our Lord wants to teach us is that -we must act for our highest interest in the same clear-sighted, -determined, wise, and prudent way in which this specimen of a -worldly man acted for the sordid and selfish and foolish ends of -men of this world. Well, my brethren, take these thoughts home -with you, and ask yourselves, each and every one of you, how you -are acting. Have you an intelligent view of the end you have to -attain, of its value and importance, and of the means by which it -is to be attained, and are you acting earnestly in order to -attain that end? - -------------------- - - Sermon CIV. - - The Judgments Of God. - - - _Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of iniquity; - that when you shall fail - they may receive you into everlasting dwellings._ - --Gospel of the Day. - -{345} - -My dear brethren, there will come to each one of us a day when -all those earthly goods we now enjoy shall fail us, when we shall -have to turn our backs on the world and all that it has to give -us, and prepare ourselves to stand before him to whom all things -that we had and enjoyed belong, and give an account to him of the -uses which we have made of them. We have, like the steward in -to-day's Gospel, a Lord and Master; and to him we must sooner or -later give an account of our stewardship. - -And it is only too likely, we may say it is indeed certain, that -when that dread moment comes at which this world must be left -behind, the charge will also be made against us, as against the -steward in this parable, that we have wasted our Master's goods. -Our consciences will rise up and condemn us, and anticipate the -accusation which shall be brought against us when we shall -actually come face to face with God. Then all the security we -have had in the thought that we are not murderers, robbers, or -adulterers shall vanish; we shall not be able to console -ourselves with the idea that we have done no great harm to any -one. We shall see how selfish and how sensual our lives have -been; that we have wasted for the pleasure of a passing moment -the greater part of those gifts which God gave us for his -service. Wasted our time, our strength, our knowledge, and our -abilities in getting for ourselves the means of gratification or -amusement, or in raising ourselves for our own sake to a position -of honor or of wealth. We shall see what we might have been, what -God meant that we should be, and compare it with what we are. - -Fain would we then be able to say with St. Paul, "I have fought a -good fight, I have finished my course." Our faith indeed we -shall, it is to be hoped, have kept; but we shall feel that our -fight has been but a poor and cowardly one, and that we, instead -of finishing the course which our Lord laid out for us, have gone -over only a very small part of it, and that its goal is far, far -away. - -{346} - -What, then, shall be our hope? For hope we must have if we would -not offend God even more then than through life. He commands us -to hope; but in what shall our hope be placed? - -Where or in what but his mercy? He will take us, grievously -deficient as we are, and make the little, miserable offerings -which we have to present to him, the remnant of what he gave us, -into some kind of a crown of eternal life, if only we will turn -to him with our whole hearts; if we will at least, at that last -moment, really believe in him, hope in him, and love him. He that -perseveres to the end, he that will not die in mortal sin, shall -be saved. - -But what shall obtain for us at that last moment the faith, hope, -and charity which we need? Who will help us to persevere when the -enemies of our salvation are making the most of their last chance -to snatch it from us? Will those with whom we have enjoyed life -then stand by to help us? It is to be feared that they and all -that they have done for us will not avail us much then. No, the -friends who will then be most valuable to us will be those, if -indeed we have such, whom we have not sought for our own sake, -but whom we loved for God's sake. And it is not the riches which -we amassed that will then be precious to us, but such as we have -given away to those who needed it more than we. - -{347} - -These are the friends which our Lord, in to-day's Gospel, tells -us to make, that they may help us at the hour when our eternal -destiny hangs trembling in the balance. These are the friends -which may be made by that mammon of iniquity, those worldly -riches which are too often the occasion of sin, and whose prayers -and blessings may indeed be the means of our being received, in -spite of our unprofitableness, into everlasting habitations. -Happy is the man who, when he comes to die, knows that God's poor -have prayed for him, and have blessed his name. - -------------------- - -{348} - - _Ninth Sunday after Pentecost._ - - - Epistle. - 1 _Corinthians x._ 6-13. - - Brethren: - We should not covet evil things, as they also coveted. Neither - become ye idolaters, as some of them: as it is written: "The - people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play." Neither - let us commit fornication, as some of them committed - fornication, and there fell in one day three and twenty - thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ: as some of them tempted, - and perished by the serpents. Neither do you murmur: as some of - them murmured, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now all - these things happened to them in figure; and they are written - for our correction, upon whom the ends of the world are come. - Wherefore let him that thinketh himself to stand, take heed - lest he fall. Let no temptation take hold on you, but such as - is human. And God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be - tempted above that which you are able; but will make also with - temptation issue, that you may be able to bear it. - - - Gospel. - _St. Luke xix._ 41-47. - - At that time: - When Jesus drew near Jerusalem, seeing the city, he wept over - it, saying: If thou also hadst known, and that in this thy day, - the things that are for thy peace; but now they are hidden from - thy eyes. For the days shall come upon thee: and thy enemies - shall cast a trench about thee: and compass thee round, and - straiten thee on every side, and beat thee flat to the ground, - and thy children who are in thee; and they shall not leave in - thee a stone upon a stone: because thou hast not known the time - of thy visitation. And entering into the temple, he began to - cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought, saying - to them: "It is written: My house is the house of prayer"; but - you have made it a den of thieves. And he was teaching daily in - the temple. - -------------------- - -{349} - - Sermon CV. - - Justice And Mercy. - - - _And when he drew near, seeing the city, - he wept over it._ - --From the Gospel of the Sunday. - - -Which one of the children is best loved by the father and mother? -Is there any poor little cripple in the family? That is the -favorite child. It makes the parent's heart bleed to see the -limping walk or the hunched back, to see the sallow, pain-marked -face of the little one. That is the one who receives the warmest -caress; for that one the kindest tones and cheeriest words and -nicest presents are reserved. Well, brethren, it is the same in -the spiritual order. God has his best favors for his most -unfortunate children: for men and women in the state of mortal -sin. That is one reason why our Lord lavished such affection on -the Jews; they had most need of it. Their hearts were the hardest -hearts in the world. Jerusalem was the most accursed city in the -world. It and its people were on the point of committing the most -awful crime possible to our race. Hence our Lord wept over it -those bitter tears of rejected love, and breathed those deadly -sighs of a heart wearied and disappointed in fruitless efforts -for their salvation. - -It is true, amidst those tears he told of the persistent -obstinacy of the Jews, and of their final impenitence, and of -their terrific chastisement. But he did it all with many tears -and with a depth of regret better told by tears than words. -{350} -Brethren, there is a deep mystery taught us by this scene. It is -the mystery of the union of two sentiments in God which to us -seem essentially different--justice and mercy. How could our -Saviour weep over a downfall so well deserved? How could he -regret what none knew so well as he was to be a punishment all -too light for the crimes of the Jews? Is there not a mystery -here? How can it be explained? There is no adequate theoretical -explanation of it. But there is a practical one, and a very -excellent one, too. It is this: Put yourself in a Jew's place; -fancy yourself one of that apostate race; stand up before our -Lord and listen to his sentence given against you with infinite -reluctance--every hard word a sigh of tender regret. Do you not -see that this exhibition of mercy in the Judge only renders the -justice of the sentence more evident to you and more dreadful? -Mercy thus lends to Justice a weapon which, while it only crushes -down its victim the deeper, at the same time elevates much higher -in the culprit's eyes the rectitude of the sentence. - -Of course, the justice of God and his mercy are perfectly equal. -Yet in some true sense we may say that his mercy is more powerful -than his justice. Does not the Psalmist say that God's mercy "is -above all his works"? Do we not know by observation and -experience that where the wrath of God sets apart a single victim -his tender love wins over a thousand? Why, the very sentiments of -our hearts, the very convictions of our minds by which we earn -forgiveness in the Sacrament of Penance, are they not the free -gift of God, earned by us only because "us" means persons -penetrated with light and strength streaming down from the throne -of mercy? -{351} -We offer our repentance to God in a kind of a way as children -make Christmas presents to their father. Where do they get money -to buy them? From their mother, and she saves it up from the -household expenses or gets it as a gift from her husband. In the -long run the presents were bought by the one to whom they are -given. Yet they are very dear to the father; he values them; they -are real presents to him; they express a real devotion; they lose -nothing of their character of presents because he is at the -expense of it all. So with our Heavenly Father. If he gives the -gold we coin it; we stamp the beloved form of the Son of God on -our poor prayers, so that when they have made the circuit and are -back again in the divine bosom from which they sprang forth, -somehow we have added something to them. - -Brethren, let us hope that when our Lord's tears concerned us it -was not in view of our reprobation, but of our salvation. Let us -be inflamed, too, with a sense of our ingratitude that we are -such unworthy children of so good a Father. A man may swagger and -brag down his better self when merely threatened with punishment. -But who among you can face, without flinching, the tears of so -good a friend as our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ? - -------------------- - - Sermon CVI. - - Neglect Of Divine Warnings. - -{352} - -The Gospel to-day tells us, my dear brethren, that Jesus wept as -he approached Jerusalem; not for himself, nor for all he was so -soon to suffer there, but for the city itself, and for his chosen -people, to whom he had given it for their glory and joy. Yes, -this beautiful city was their joy and their pride; long before -they had been taken from it into captivity by their enemies for a -time, and as the Psalmist says, speaking in their name, "By the -rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Sion." And -he goes on: "If I forget thee, Jerusalem, may I forget my right -hand; may my tongue cleave to my mouth if I do not remember thee, -if I do not make Jerusalem the beginning of my joy." - -And now this city of theirs was to be taken from them again by a -more grievous and fatal disaster than it had ever yet suffered. -They were to be scattered from it all over the world to do a long -penance for their sins and their rejection of him who had come to -redeem them. And our Divine Lord's Heart yearned for them, for -these his creatures, and at the same time his brethren and his -countrymen. Fain would he have saved them, if they would but have -been willing, from the terrible sufferings they were to undergo. -Gladly, as he says himself, would he have sheltered them, if they -would even now have come to him, from the tempest which was about -to break upon them from the justice of God. He wept because they -would not come and avail themselves of his love. - -We should pray for them that the day may be hastened when they -shall return and acknowledge their true Messias, their own Lord -and Master, the only true King of the Jews. But they are not the -only ones to weep for; they are not the only ones whom he has -loaded with favors, and who have been ungrateful; there are -others besides the Jews whom Almighty God has chosen for his -people, but who have rejected him and distressed his loving -heart. -{353} -Who are they? They are in general all sinners, but especially -such as are Catholics; they are those souls for whom Jesus has -done so much from their earliest years, in the midst of whom he -has lived and wrought so many works of power and goodness; those -whom he has enlightened with his truth, those whom he has warned -against sin, those whom he has borne with so long and forgiven so -often, those whom he has fed with his own Body and Blood. And -yet, through evil habits, by frequent mortal sin, they live on, -deaf to his warnings, despising his love, not knowing the time of -their visitation, until evil days and a sad ending come upon -them. Can we wonder that their enemies, the evil one and their -bad habits, compass them round about, and straiten them on all -sides, and beat them down and leave them wasted and desolate? Can -we wonder that, since they would not bear the sweet and ennobling -yoke of Christ, they will be forced to groan in the fetters of -Satan and be exiled for ever from the true Jerusalem, the home of -peace, which is above? No, brethren; such is the fate of those -who persistently abuse God's grace, who reject his mercy and his -efforts to save them. God forbid that such a career, such an -ending, be ours. Let us, then, take warning; let us be careful -about temptations; let us not presume on our own strength nor on -God's goodness in the past; let us not make light of anything -which is dangerous or forbidden. Let us endeavor not to grieve -our Lord by any infidelity, great or small, but try to be -faithful to every grace in this the day of our visitation, and to -follow the things that are for our peace here and our happiness -hereafter. - -------------------- - -{354} - - Sermon CVII. - - Living From Day To Day. - - - _If thou also hadst known, and that in this thy day, - the things that are for thy peace._ - --St. Luke xix. 42. - - -The fault of the Jews, my brethren, was twofold: boasting of the -past and waiting for the future. It is especially on account of -the latter fault that our Lord in this day's Gospel lays such -stress on the words "and that in this thy day." It is a warning -against trying to live in the future. - -We all know, to be sure, that one may go to the other extreme, -and by a form of sloth be too careless of the future. Some things -there are which are certain to come upon us, and their coming -must be provided for. There is a judgment to come, and every -minute of to-day is like a bailiff busy gathering evidence for -that Divine Court. Temptation is sure to come, and its strain -upon our virtue must be foreseen in every prayer of every day. -The common wants of life for one's self and family are inevitable -in the future, and must be prudently provided against. In all -such things we know that the future is an actual fact, and is -just as present to God as this very instant is to us. - -{355} - -What our Lord would rebuke is not a prudent foresight, but that -weak and idle state of mind which postpones to the future what -should be done at once. This is the commonest of human delusions. -In a temporal point of view it is condemned by the saying, -"Procrastination is the thief of time," and it might be added of -many other valuable commodities. In a spiritual point of view the -dreadful result of delaying till to-morrow what should be done -to-day is expressed by the saying, "Hell is paved with good -intentions." Wise men resolve to do in the future only what they -cannot do now. Many and many a poor soul has lost the kingdom of -heaven for that one reason: resolving instead of doing. - -Brethren, a practically-minded Christian lives his spiritual life -from day to day. He knows that the future is something entirely -in God's hands. As for himself, his actual ability to do good -begins and ends with each passing hour. If he provides well for -it as it comes and goes he has done his part; God will not fail -to take care of the future. One's peace of mind is never secure -till one has learned to be content with present duty well done. -Oh! what a happiness when one's soul is unburdened of care for -the future. Do you covet that happiness? It is yours if you leave -nothing undone for the present. If you can honestly say, "That is -all I can do for the present," you may add, "and the future -also." - -But, you say, what about a purpose of amendment? Does not that -dwell specially on the future? Yes, it does; but it springs from -a present sorrow. And if the sorrow be as heartfelt as it should -be the purpose of amendment will take care of itself. A deep -hatred of sin is the only true sorrow, and such a hatred must be -enduring. The test of a contrite man is not what he promises but -what he does. His sorrow unites the past and future in the -present. Warned by his past weakness, he begins right here and -just now by prayer and work to guard against a future relapse. - -{356} - -Learn a lesson, brethren, from our Lord's warning and from the -fate of the Jews. It is better to say one's morning prayers -to-day than to resolve to become a saint next week. To-day is -here, and next week is nowhere. This day is mine; I know not if I -shall have so much as one other. God has the past and the future. -I will thank him for the past, I will beg him for the future. As -to the present, with God's help, I will set to work to do my -utmost. - -------------------- - -{357} - - _Tenth Sunday after Pentecost._ - - - - Epistle. - 1 Corinthians xii. 2-11. - - Brethren: - You know that when you were heathens you went to dumb idols, - according as you were led. Wherefore I give you to understand, - that no man, speaking by the Spirit of God, saith Anathema to - Jesus. And no man can say, The Lord Jesus, but by the Holy - Ghost. Now there are diversities of graces, but the same - Spirit; and there are diversities of ministries, but the same - Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but the same - God, who worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the - Spirit is given to every man unto profit. To one, indeed, by - the Spirit, is given the word of wisdom: to another, the word - of knowledge according to the same Spirit: to another, faith in - the same Spirit: to another, the grace of healing in one - Spirit: to another, the working of miracles: to another, - prophecy: to another, the discerning of spirits: to another, - divers kinds of tongues: to another, interpretation of - speeches: but all these things one and the same Spirit worketh, - dividing to every one as he will. - - - Gospel. - _St. Luke xviii._ 9-14. - - At that time: - To some who trusted in themselves as just, and despised others, - Jesus spoke this parable: Two men went up into the temple to - pray: the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The - Pharisee, standing, prayed thus with himself: O God, I give - thee thanks that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, - unjust, adulterers, nor such as this publican. I fast twice in - the week: I give tithes of all that I possess. -{358} - And the publican, standing afar off, would not so much as lift - up his eyes towards heaven; but struck his breast, saying: O - God, be merciful to me a sinner! I say to you, this man went - down to his house justified rather than the other; because - every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled: and he that - humbleth himself shall be exalted. - -------------------- - - Sermon CVIII. - - Sympathy for Sinners. - - - _O God, I give thee thanks - that I am not as the rest of men, - extortioners, unjust, adulterers, - nor such as this publican._ - --St. Luke xviii. 11. - - -Did you never notice that pride and hardness of heart go -together? That miserable Pharisee could not enjoy his -self-glorification without condemning his neighbor, a person, as -it happened, far more deserving than himself. Indeed, the worst -vices seem to love each other's company as if they were all blood -relatives. Coveting our neighbor's goods, for example, goes along -with stinginess of our own; gluttony and lust are twins. Almost -the same may be said of oppressing others and disobeying lawful -authority; and in this hateful Pharisee we behold the union of -pride in one's self and contempt for one's neighbor. The sinner -seems to be bound with a chain every link of which is double. - -Now, brethren, this is a fault often found in far better souls -than this haughty Pharisee. Many of us have too little sympathy -for persons whom we know to be in mortal sin. To be sure, it is -no harm to rejoice that we are at friendship with heaven. But the -worst of it is that some of us are never really happy at the -thought of our own virtues till we are quite miserable over our -neighbor's wickedness; and when we say with our lips, How wicked -So-and-So is! our heart whispers, And how good I am! - -{359} - -The spirit of correction possesses many good people--a spirit -commonly the sign of hidden pride. No sooner do we take the first -steps in amendment of life than we are divided between rejoicing -in our own goodness and lamenting over other folk's vice. I know -not what we good people should do for something to talk about -were it not for our neighbor's shortcomings. - -Brethren, this vanity is very foolish and very dangerous. Who -dare say that he has nothing to fear from the judgments of God? -Who can count himself safe so much as one day from his own -natural feebleness, or from the wiles of Satan, or from human -respect? And if we do rightly trust in God's favor, how can we -forget that progress in virtue is a necessary condition of our -remaining virtuous at all? Now this progress means simply a right -knowledge of our remaining defects and a solid purpose to -overcome them; something with which the vice of the Pharisee is -quite incompatible. Nothing so blinds us to our own little faults -as too much regard for our neighbor's big ones. Doubtless it -would have been just as difficult for the Pharisee to correct his -harshness of voice, or his lofty bearing, or his patronizing airs -as to overcome his great sin of pride itself; and such is the -case with many of us. The beam in our neighbor's eye looks so -shocking that we quite forget that we have quite a squint in our -own eye from various little motes in it. - -{360} - -Be certain, therefore, brethren, that, if you find hard feelings -in your heart toward sinners, you have no long journey to make -before you discover the capital sin of pride in your own. Why can -we not leave judgment to God, and treat poor sinners after our -Lord's example, praying and suffering for them? I do not mean to -say that we should forget to mention to them the awful -chastisements of God; indeed, a truer friend does not exist than -one who warns us of our future destruction, and some, such as -parents, are in duty bound to give such admonition. But in the -treatment of moral maladies we should bear in mind that bitter -words and harsh looks spoil good medicine. And especially should -we bear in mind that we have had our own wicked days. - -Let us, therefore, regard sinners with much tenderness, dropping -out of our view while we deal with them our own darling selves. -Let us realize that we ourselves are poor souls, quite capable, -but for God's singular favor, of falling into the worst state of -sinfulness. - -------------------- - - Sermon CIX. - - Morning Prayers. - - - _Two men went up into the temple to pray._ - --From the Gospel of the Sunday. - - -The lesson of this day's Gospel, my brethren, is prayer; its -necessity and its humility. Our short sermon must be contented -with a little corner of this great field--that is to say, morning -prayers. - -{361} - -Suppose that your child is sick, what is your first word in the -morning? It is, How is the baby this morning? Then follows much -more: I think it is a little better to-day; it seems easier; or -it passed a bad night; I hope the day will be cool, for it -suffers from heat. So, anxiety for your poor little child -consecrates your first thoughts and words to its welfare. And do -you not know that your poor soul is either sick or runs the risk -of catching a deadly sickness every day you live? There are bad -sights on the streets that tend to sicken it; there are snares of -the devil, such as cursing and foul-talking companions, bad -reading and saloons; there is a spiritual cancer within--I mean -the temptation of the flesh--which can only be kept from -destroying the soul's life by constant and severe treatment. Now, -thoughts and words do your sick child little good; but they are -the very best things for the soul, especially early in the -morning. The man or woman who kneels down and says the morning -prayer guards against temptation, heads off the noon-day demon, -and provides that happiest of evenings, that is to say, the one -which follows an innocent day. - -There's a saying against braggarts and promise-breakers that -"fine words butter no parsnips." It is not true of words said in -charity to our neighbor or in prayer to God. Sincere words -addressed to God as the day begins sweeten every morsel of food -the livelong day, lighten every burden and weaken every -temptation. Why, then, are you so careless about morning prayers? -It can only be because you do not appreciate your spiritual -weakness or you do not care what becomes of your soul before -bedtime. But somebody might say: Father, can't you tell us -something to make the morning prayers easy? It is very hard to -remember them, and then it is so pleasant to get even five -minutes more sleep, especially in the winter time; and, again, I -am always in a hurry to get off to work, etc. -{362} -Now you might as well ask me to tell you something to make you -relish a good wash and a clean shirt. If a man does not hate -dirt, it is preaching up the chimney to try to make him love to -be clean. Prayer cleans the heart. Prayer clothes the soul with -the grace of God. Prayer brings down God. Prayer drives away the -devil. Or, I might rather say, that for a clean heart, and in -order to get the grace of God, and in order to vanquish -temptation, prayer is simply and indispensably necessary. - -Once a man came to me and said: Father, for years I was addicted -to habitual vice of the worst kind (and here he named a fearful -sin), but I began some time ago to say the Litany of the Blessed -Virgin every morning and the Litany of Jesus every night, and -this practice has entirely cured me of that dreadful habit. Some -such story as that, my brethren, every man must tell before he -can say that he is delivered from sin. - -For my own part, I look upon regular morning prayers as a plain -mark of predestination to eternal life. "Ask and you shall -receive; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to -you," is our Lord's promise to those that pray; and the best -prayer is the morning prayer. Be ready, therefore, to correct -yourself for omitting it. The day you forget it go without -something you like to eat, put a nickel in the poor-box, double -up your night prayers, make a special request to your guardian -angel to get you up in good time for morning prayer the following -morning. For the "Our Father," "Hail Mary," "Apostles Creed," -"Confiteor," and Acts of Faith, Hope, Sorrow, and Charity, that -you say in the morning will in the end give you a happy death and -the kingdom of heaven. - -------------------- - -{363} - - Sermon CX. - - Feast Of St. Mary Magdalen. - - _Many sins are forgiven her, - because she loved much._ - --Gospel of the Day. - - -My dear brethren, no one who has faith can fail to be more or -less anxious as to whether he will in the end save his soul. We -all know that our faith alone will not save us; that faith, as -St. James tells us, without works is dead. And we know that -everything depends on the last moment; that as the tree falls, so -will it lie for all eternity. So we tremble to think that perhaps -that last moment will find us with our sins unforgiven, and all -unprepared to meet our Judge; and that, in spite of our having -borne the name of Christ, we may be then cast away from his -presence into the outer darkness for ever. - -Some people, I know, have a very simple way of reassuring -themselves about this all-important matter. They think that, of -course, when they come to die they will send for the priest; -then, if he gets there in time, of course there can be no -question about their salvation. And even if he does not, perhaps -they would not altogether despair; certainly their friends will -not despair of them. God, they think, will not utterly cast off -those who have always believed in him; their prayers and those of -their friends will certainly obtain them a place in purgatory, -and at last they will save their souls, at least by fire. - -{364} - -But, after all, do not even the most confident of us sometimes -have a fear that even the last sacraments may not make our -salvation absolutely sure? The last sacraments are not so very -different from the others we have received before; and do we -always feel fully prepared to die after every Communion which we -make? No, there is a haunting fear that something is not right -which pursues us even at the altar-rail; we would give much if we -could only do something which would take it away altogether. - -Let us not be troubled because we have this fear; it is better -not to be entirely free from it; above all, let us not stay away -from the sacraments because we have it. If we stay away in any -case except that of known and certain mortal sin which is not -forgiven, we shall only make matters worse. But still this fear -is generally a sign of something wrong; it does not altogether -come from humility, or from the desire of salvation. It comes -from a want of something which we ought to have; from a want of -the greatest of all virtues, of that which includes all others, -and brings all others with it--from a want of the love of God. -Not an entire want of it, but a want of strength in it, a want of -affection; a want of that feeling which we have for our friends, -and which, above all, we should have for the greatest and best of -all. - -Yes, perfect love, as St. John tells us, casts out fear. It is -the short cut out of all these worries, difficulties, and -anxieties which all who are not hardened sinners must have -without it. It was the direct and simple road which St. Mary -Magdalen took in escaping from sin. -{365} -She followed the Friend of sinners as he went on his mission of -mercy; she saw the miracles of his power and goodness; she saw -the love for men which shone in his face and inspired his every -word and action, and her heart was touched and melted. She took -it away at once and for ever from all those vain things to which -it had been attached and gave it truly and entirely to him who -had made it, and who had come in sorrow and suffering to win back -his own. And her many sins were forgiven because she loved much; -because all the powers of earth and of hell cannot put an -obstacle between God and the soul that loves him as he should be -loved. - -If we would only do as she did; if we would put away all these -bargainings about just how much we are bound to give to God, and -how much we can safely keep for ourselves; if we would love him -as she did, not with a mere passing sentiment, but with that -devotion and self-sacrificing affection which it is so easy -sometimes to give to a mere creature; if we would let him, as he -wishes, into our hearts as our dearest and best, and make -everything else give place, then fear would pass away, and we -should say, "Let God take me when he will; let me suffer what my -sins deserve, but surely he will not keep me from loving him." -Yes, my brethren, to love God is the one thing necessary; to love -him is to save our souls. - -------------------- - -{366} - - _Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost._ - - - Epistle. - 1 _Corinthians xv._ 1-10. - - Brethren: - I make known unto you the gospel which I preached to you, which - also you have received, and wherein you stand: by which also - you are saved, if you hold fast after what manner I preached to - you, unless you have believed in vain. For I delivered to you - first of all, which I also received: how that Christ died for - our sins, according to the Scriptures: and that he was buried, - and that he rose again the third day, according to the - Scriptures: and that he was seen by Cephas, and after that by - the eleven. Then was he seen by more than five hundred brethren - at once, of whom many remain until this present, and some are - fallen asleep. After that he was seen by James, then by all the - apostles. And last of all, he was seen also by me, as by one - born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, who - am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the - church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his - grace in me hath not been void. - - - Gospel. - _St. Mark vii._ 31-37. - - At that time: - Jesus going out of the borders of Tyre, came by Sidon to the - sea of Galilee, through the midst of the territories of - Decapolis. And they bring to him one that was deaf and dumb; - and they besought him to lay his hand upon him. And taking him - aside from the multitude, he put his fingers into his ears, and - spitting, he touched his tongue: and looking up to heaven, he - groaned, and said to him: Ephpheta, which is, Be opened. -{367} - And immediately his ears were opened, and the string of his - tongue was loosed, and he spoke right. And he charged them that - they should tell no man. But the more he charged them, so much - the more a great deal did they publish it. And so much the more - did they wonder, saying: He hath done all things well; he hath - made both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak. - -------------------- - - Sermon CXI. - - Want Of Confidence In God. - - - _He hath done all things well._ - --St. Mark vii. 37. - - -The spectators of the double miracle related in this day's Gospel -were filled with admiration at our Lord's power and goodness; -they could not help exclaiming, "He doth all things well." Would -to God, brethren, that such a sentiment of our Lord's love and -power filled our hearts! Confidence in God, however, is the very -virtue many Christians lack most. True, we say and believe that -God is infinitely good--that he is mercy itself. But such -language is very indefinite and may express a very dim -conception. It is something like saying that a stone is very hard -or that water is very wet. We are apt to form pictures of God's -attributes in our minds, just as a painter may make a portrait of -some historical personage he never saw; many of our notions of -God are fancy portraits, all imagination. - -But just think of the actual grounds of our confidence in our -Blessed Lord. Just realize that this wonderful being is filled -with the tenderest human love for the worst of us, and has all -the divine power at his command--being both man and God--to make -good his love by bringing about our spiritual and temporal -welfare. -{368} -The Incarnation is the divine Mercy made man for the love of us. -Can we suppose that such a being, having begun the good work of -our salvation by giving us the true religion, will leave anything -undone, that we will let him do, to bring us to the kingdom of -heaven? Do you think that such a loving Father would teach us, -his children, A B C except with the set purpose of going clean -through to X Y Z? Just think, that it positively never happened -that any wretched sinner, how ever degraded, ever implored our -Lord's forgiveness and was rejected; nay, that he himself -secretly inspires sinners with their grief and horror for their -evil ways, and then imparts forgiveness in return for his own -gift. The fact is that the question is not whether God will -forgive us, but whether we will let him do it. In a word, this -infinitely good and infinitely powerful being is bent and -determined that we shall enjoy perfect happiness, world without -end. - -What a wonder, then, that we can treat our Lord in our -cold-hearted way! Scrupulous persons treat him as if he were a -tyrant; lukewarm Christians treat him like a stepfather; -obstinate sinners treat him with open contempt. The practise of -prayer, the reception of the sacraments and other aids of -religion--we treat them as school-children do their lessons: we -do it all because we are afraid of the consequences if we don't. -Considering how much God loves us his service should come as easy -to us as breathing the air; it should be the element in which we -live. If our faith were a little more practical God's loveliness -would be as plain to us as the open day and the sun in the -heavens. - -{369} - -Furthermore, and this is still more practical, lack of confidence -in God is why we repine at his visitations. It is easy enough to -say, be resigned to the will of God, but how can we be content to -suffer unless we are penetrated with confidence in the divine -goodness? Brethren, you know how we sometimes take medicine. We -wrap it up in a pleasant-flavored wafer or hide it in a spoonful -of sugar, and down it goes and we never taste its bitterness. So -a lively confidence in God, if we only had enough of it, is the -sweetness to wrap around the bitter things of life. Temptations, -long and wearisome poverty, ill-health, unpleasant companions in -the household--these and other such trials are the bitter pills -of the soul; when we fairly realize that God means them for our -spiritual good we can bear them with patience, even with -thankfulness. - -Did you ever hear of the witch-hazel, and how people used to -fancy that a crooked branch of it thrown into the air would fall -on the spot where a good spring of water could be found? Well, -the witch-hazel of the Christian soul is just this question: How -much confidence have you in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ for -you? If that does not reveal the hidden springs of your heart and -bring the waters of love gushing forth, then that heart is -hopelessly dry. - -------------------- - - Sermon CXII. - - Devotion To The Blessed Virgin. - - -Why do Catholics pay so much honor to the Virgin Mary? Are they -not doing an injury to her Son by over-honoring his Mother? What -is the reason, the doctrine, of the Catholic's devotion to Mary? - -{370} - -Very fair questions, brethren; questions which you should be -ready to answer with intelligence and kindness. So that now, as -we approach the Feast of Our Lady's Assumption into heaven, let -us renew our faith in her dignity. What, then, does the Catholic -faith teach us about her? It teaches us that she is the Mother of -God; and further, that, on account of the foreseen merits of her -Son, she was preserved from the stain of original sin; that she -was always a virgin; and that it is lawful and profitable to ask -her prayers. Such are the articles of faith concerning the -Blessed Virgin. - -Once you know something about her Son's divinity you easily -perceive her dignity of Mother of God. Her title of Mother of God -plainly rests upon the fact that her Son is God. Jesus Christ is -God; his nature is divine and his person is divine. And here you -must bear in mind the distinction between nature and person. He -has the nature, being, essence of God. And he has the person of -God; for our Saviour is God the Son, second person of the Most -Holy Trinity. What, then, is human about him? for we know that he -is as truly man as he is truly God. The answer is that he has a -human nature as well as a divine nature. He became man; and he -did so by taking human nature from Mary, his Mother. But, you ask -again, is he a human person also? No, for we have seen that he is -the divine person, God the Son. There cannot be two persons in -Christ. He is but a single person, one individual, and that is -divine. So that the divine personality of the Son of God takes -human nature and unites it to the divine nature. The one divine -person whose name is Christ, and who is of both divine and human -nature, has no human personality, but divine. - -{371} - -And this is the Son of Mary. Is she not the Mother of our Lord, -personally his Mother? Can any one be a mother and not be mother -of a person? Is he not personally her son? What a dignity! What a -mysterious and wonderful eminence, to be mother of the divine -person of the Son of God made man. No wonder that we honor her; -although we know full well that all she has of dignity and -sanctity she has by no power of her own, but by gift of God, and -that she is purely a human being. Those who do not honor Mary -fail to appreciate the majesty of Christ; fail to understand the -doctrine of the Incarnation; fail to grasp the immensity of the -divine love in God becoming man. - -No wonder, then, that God should have saved her from the taint of -Adam's sin, should have preserved her a spotless virgin, should -have saved her pure body from the grave's filth by the Assumption -into heaven. The Angel Gabriel tells us what Mary is: "Behold -thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and thou shalt bring forth a -son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and -shall be called the Son of the Most High. ... The Holy Ghost -shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall -overshadow thee, and therefore the Holy (One) that shall be born -of thee shall be called the Son of God." - -{372} - -Now, brethren, to be a mother is to hold an office. It is to -exercise by divine right the highest powers committed to a human -being. What wonderful rights a mother possesses! An affectionate -allegiance is due her from her son: an obedience instinctive, -sacred, supreme; a reverential and hearty loyalty which arouses -the noblest emotions in the hardest heart and gives birth to -heroic deeds even in men of the weakest natures. A mother is -entitled to her son's love by the most sacred of all obligations. -Well, just think of it: our Blessed Lord was, and is yet, bound -to his Mother by that imperative divine law; he was, and is yet, -subject to the sweetest and, for a noble nature, the most -resistless impulse to do his Mother's will and to make her happy. -He owes her love, obedience, reverence, friendship, support, -companionship, sympathy. And he that doth all things well, would -he not do his whole duty as Son, would he not be a model Son? -Would he not grant her lightest wish while he lived with her on -earth, will he not gladly do so now in heaven? - -Hence our Lord Jesus Christ spent nearly his whole life in his -Mother's immediate company, consenting to postpone for her sake -his Father's work of publishing his divinity and preaching his -Gospel. Hence he worked his first miracle at her request at the -wedding of Cana. Hence he inspired her to prophecy that all -generations would call her blessed. Hence, too, our Lord has -instilled into every Christian heart some little glow of his own -deep filial love for her. - -In truth, brethren, whatever Christ's Mother is to him by nature, -that she is to us by adoption. Just in proportion to our union -with him are we bound to her. And if we wish to know him well we -can study in no better school than his Mother's. If we wish to -love him tenderly, her maternal heart can best teach us how. And -if we have favors to ask him we shall be glad, if we are not too -self-conceited, to secure her prayers to assist us. - -------------------- - -{373} - - Sermon CXIII. - - Gratitude. - -My brethren, we have had a word to say before this about the vice -of ingratitude, and of how mean a vice it is, especially in a -Christian. Now let us consider the opposite virtue--gratitude. It -is, to be sure, one of the little virtues. Yet how can we call -any class of virtues little? No doubt there are, strictly -speaking, grades of merit very much higher one above the other. -But that is not so much from the action done in each case as from -the motive that inspires the action. One saves a man's life for -the love of money; another gives a glass of cold water for the -love of God. The glass of water is nothing compared to a human -life; yet the glass of water will be rewarded for all eternity, -and the saving of the human life is paid for as we pay for a load -of coal. Brethren, beware of thinking there is any thing to be -called little that has to do with God and eternal life; and -always bear in mind that, by practising little virtues with an -earnest purpose to please God, your merit is according to your -heart, and not according to your hand. - -I do not intend to speak specially, just now, of gratitude to -God; but between man and man gratitude is one of those gentle -virtues that increase our fondness for each other. Gratitude is a -short cut to sincere and lasting friendship. -{374} -And if a supernatural motive inspires one's gratitude to his -friends, then a holy friendship is the result. Some people -complain that they have no friends. I think they are most to -blame themselves. Have they never had a favor done them? Why, -every one of us has had a score of favors done him every day of -his life. Those who bear it in mind, who say a word of hearty -thanks, who watch a chance to do a favor in return, never lack -friends. Brethren, never forget a favor. Return it if you can, at -least in part; but at any rate never forget it. Feel grateful at -least; say a thankful word; offer up a prayer for your -benefactors now and then. The best use we can make of our -memories is to remember our benefactors. Favors done and favors -gratefully remembered are the two halves of a happy life. It -would be only simple justice if we looked on gratitude as we do -on a just debt; for gratitude pays debts, first in good-will, and -before long in a more substantial manner. You know that an honest -debtor will always try to save a little from day to day to pay -his debts. So we can do a little from time to time by way of -instalments, so to speak; we can say a daily prayer for our -benefactors, write an occasional letter, pay a visit now and -then, often praise them to our friends. - -Of course, those who have done us the greatest favors are -entitled to the deepest gratitude. Now, who has done so much for -us as our parents? Certainly, next to God, our parents stand -first in the list of our benefactors. Yet many, especially after -they have married and settled down in their own families, are -wanting in gratitude to their parents. Married persons who are -badly treated by their own children should sometimes ask -themselves if it be not in punishment for their forgetfulness of -their own parents. -{375} -Of course, when we are in middle life, what was done for us in -childhood seems very far away; it was diffused over many years; -it was a regular habit and course of life; it was bound up in our -parents own happiness. But let us bear in mind, all the same, how -true and deep the love that inspired it; how unwearied the -patience; how self-forgetful the devotion of our parents, and let -us seek every chance to make their last years happy. - -Brethren, shall I say a word about gratitude due to us of the -sanctuary? Has not some priest done you a favor; converted you by -a sermon, inspired you to perseverance by his advice in the -confessional, soothed your sick and weary heart, or reconciled -you to a dreary burden? If so, you ought to pray for him, and -especially for your pastors. - -But gratitude to God is, of course, the first and best of all. -From him we have received all, and, having forfeited every favor, -again and again received them back from the divine bounty. - -------------------- - -{376} - - _Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost._ - - - Epistle. - 2 _Corinthians iii._ 4-9. - - Brethren: - Such confidence we have, through Christ towards God. Not that - we are sufficient to think anything of ourselves as of - ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God. Who also hath made - us fit ministers of the new testament, not in the letter, but - in the Spirit. For the letter killeth; but the Spirit giveth - life. Now if the ministration of death, engraven with letters - upon stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could - not steadfastly behold the face of Moses, for the glory of his - countenance, which is done away: how shall not the ministration - of the Spirit be rather in glory? For if the ministration of - condemnation be glory, much more the ministration of justice - aboundeth in glory. - - - Gospel. - _St. Luke x_. 23-37. - - At that time: - Jesus said to his disciples: - Blessed are the eyes that see the things which you see. For I - say to you that many prophets and kings have desired to see the - things that you see, and have not seen them: and to hear the - things that you hear, and have not heard them. And behold a - certain lawyer stood up, tempting him, and saying: Master, what - must I do to possess eternal life? But he said to him: What is - written in the law? how readest thou? He answering, said: "Thou - shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy - whole soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind: - and thy neighbor as thyself." And he said to him: Thou hast - answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. But he, willing - to justify himself, said to Jesus: And who is my neighbor? -{377} - And Jesus answering, said: A certain man went down from - Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, who also stripped - him, and having wounded him, went away, leaving him half dead. - And it happened that a certain priest went down the same way, - and seeing him, he passed by. In like manner also a Levite, - when he was near the place and saw him, passed by. But a - certain Samaritan being on his journey came near him; and - seeing him was moved with compassion. And going up to him, - bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine: and setting him - upon his own beast, brought him to an inn, and took care of - him. And the next day he took out two pence, and gave to the - host, and said: Take care of him: and whatsoever thou shalt - spend over and above, I at my return will repay thee. Which of - these three in thy opinion was neighbor to him that fell among - the robbers? But he said: He that showed mercy to him. And - Jesus said to him: Go and do thou in like manner. - -------------------- - - Sermon CXIV. - - The Good Samaritan. - - - _Go and do thou in like manner._ - St. Luke x. 37. - -How few of us, brethren, are really naturally of a -self-sacrificing disposition! How few actually enjoy, for -example, the offices of the sick-room, or so much as a little -visit of condolence to an afflicted friend! - -{378} - -That is why our Blessed Lord, in this day's Gospel, has given us -the beautiful parable of the good Samaritan. Although a heretic -and schismatic against the law of Moses, he is chosen as a model -because he had a tender, compassionate heart, and was willing to -put himself to trouble and expense for his neighbor's welfare. - -The corporal works of mercy, brethren, are the easiest of the -ways to the love of God. People are fond of admiring the members -of religious orders, who, for the love of God, serve the sick and -the aged, the insane and the orphans; often forgetting that if -this is good as a life-work for them, it is not bad as an -occasional practise of virtue for us living in the world. All -around us there are shoulders bending under weary burdens and -hearts breaking with insupportable cares: yes, even in one's own -household. How often do men deny their wives the pleasure of -their company; when Sunday comes, going off with any chance -companions and leaving the poor mother to mind the children, to -miss Mass, and sit lonely at home the livelong day. How very -often do young men think of taking anybody's sisters to some -respectable place of amusement rather than their own sisters! I -think that if a spiritual thermometer were dipped into such men's -hearts they would be found pretty near the freezing point. - -But, brethren, the sick-room--ah! that is the place on the road -between Jerusalem and Jericho where men and women are oftenest -found lying in the direst distress. Have you ever been very sick? -If so, you know the value of a little good nursing. A man who was -just recovering from a very dangerous sickness told me once that -when his head was burning with the fever he would willingly have -given a hundred thousand dollars for the cooling, restful relief -he enjoyed every time the nurse rearranged the pillows for him. - -{379} - -And if you cannot be a regular nurse for the sick, there is no -reason why you should not pay an occasional visit to the -sick-room. You can spend a pleasant quarter of an hour in -cheerful conversation. You can relieve some poor, weary watcher, -so that she or he may get a little rest. You can take the ailing -child from the worn-out mother's arms and let her lie down and -rest her stiffened limbs, or go to church to refresh her anxious -soul. You can bring some little delicacy to soothe the sick -person's palate. You can read some prayers beside the sick bed -morning or night; for we all know that in time of illness it is -almost impossible to pray one's self. You can lend a hand to set -things to rights, to cook a meal of victuals, or wash the dishes, -or run an errand to the drug-store or grocery; and ever and -always you can say a word of comfort, of hope, of resignation to -the divine will--words cheap to give but precious to receive. - -And when at last death is come your presence may be of the -deepest comfort. Then is the time to come forward promptly and -help to lay out the Christian corpse; to set up for a night -beside that strange, silent guest in the coffin; and, when you -find two or three gathered about it, to have the courage to lead -in reciting the rosary for the soul's happy repose. - -I know, brethren, that there are many kind hearts who zealously -practise these lovely virtues. But there are others, especially -among the men, who nearly quite forget them. And others still who -do them grudgingly, and only after many entreaties. To obtain a -kind act from an unwilling heart, and after encountering many -excuses, is like blowing a dying fire: before you see the bright -coals your face is pretty well covered with ashes and cinders. - -{380} - -Brethren, let us not be put to shame by the Samaritan. When -confronted with persons suffering from poverty, sickness, death, -or any misfortune, do like the Samaritan: forget all about their -nationality, or acquaintanceship, or religion. Say something or -do something in charity and for the love of God; your neighbor's -deepest gratitude and God's sure reward will amply repay you. - -------------------- - - Sermon CXV. - - Our Neighbors. - - - _Which of these three, in thy opinion, - was neighbor to him that fell among robbers? - But He said, he that showed mercy to him._ - --Gospel of the Day. - - -We are taught in the Gospel of today to love our neighbors as -ourselves. Now, if we have this love it shows itself in deeds. -If, when we see our neighbor in distress, we pass by, thinking -some one else may help him, but _we_ cannot, we are like the -proud priest and the Levite, not like the good Samaritan. Our -Lord, after describing the charity of this Samaritan, says: "Go -and do thou in like manner." We can not pass by our neighbor when -he is in extreme necessity without sin; and if his necessity be -great we must help him, at least out of our abundance. It is a -mistake to think that we are free of obligation in this matter. -St. John says: "He that hath the substance of this world and -shall see his brother in need, and shall shut up his bowels from -him, how doth the charity of God abide in him?" - -{381} - -Are not all men creatures of God? Are not all men redeemed by the -Blood of Christ? Does God give more of this world's goods to one -man than to another because he loves one more than another? Not -at all. The poorest in this world's goods may be rich in God's -grace. It is plain, then, that if God has charity for all men, we -cannot have his grace if we do not exercise charity towards all, -and particularly our neighbor in distress. We must love those -whom God loves if we love God, and this love must be -_active_--"not in word nor in tongue," says St. John, "but -in deed and in truth." - -We all pray to God for mercy; but if we would find mercy we must -show mercy. "Blessed are the merciful," says our Lord, "for they -shall obtain mercy." But, says St. James, "judgment without mercy -to him that hath not done mercy." Mercy shall be granted to the -merciful, but it shall be denied to the hard of heart. "Deal thy -bread to the hungry," says Isaias, "and bring the needy and the -harborless into thy house. Then thou shalt call and the Lord -shall hear." - -St. Jerome says: "I have never known a merciful man to have a bad -death." The word of God encourages us "to redeem our sins with -alms and our iniquities with works of mercy to the poor." It says -further: "For alms deliver from all sin and from death, and will -not suffer the soul to go into darkness." We are taught also in -Holy Scripture that Christ considers as done to himself what we -do for the poor, but that if we refuse to help those in distress -it is as if charity were refused to Christ himself. The sentence -which shall decide our eternal happiness or woe will be according -to our behavior towards our neighbor in distress. - -{382} - -Let us take care not to be deaf to the cries of the suffering -poor; let us rather embrace with affection the lovely virtue of -mercy. Bishop Challoner says: "It was mercy which brought the Son -of God down from heaven to us, and it is mercy which carries us -up to him." He calls "mercy the favorite daughter of the great -King." The reward of the merciful will be very great. "He that -hath mercy on the poor lendeth to the Lord, and he will repay -him." - -Those of us who labor in the sacred ministry and those who do -work in the Conference of St. Vincent de Paul meet continually -with persons whose distress appeals most powerfully to our -charity. How we wish the offerings for the poor were more -generous! How we wish God would inspire pious Christians to send -in donations for the poor! If you would sometimes send into the -church-office envelopes containing money for the poor, what good -use we could make of it, and how it would call down the mercy of -God upon your souls! Brethren, we have Jesus Christ with us in -the persons of the poor. - -------------------- - - Sermon CXVI. - - Occasions Of Sin. - - - _Who is my neighbor?_ - --From the Gospel of the Sunday. - -{383} - -This is a very important question, my brethren. We depend much -for our happiness on the kind of persons who live around us and -on how they feel to-wards us. Our Lord answers the question by -the famous and touching parable of the Good Samaritan. By that -parable he teaches us kindness of heart; he makes that the mark -of true neighborly conduct. The good neighbor is the friendly and -benevolent one. But may we not turn the question around and learn -another good lesson from it? I think we can. The Gospel is like a -piece of good cloth. You know when a wise mother buys some cloth -to make the children clothes she will get a piece that, as they -say, will do to turn--that is, when one side is worn out you can -rip up the garment and make it over again with the inside turned -outside, and so it will last quite a while longer. So we may -learn, perhaps, another lesson from the question in the Gospel by -reversing it and asking, "Who is not my neighbor?" The -saloon-keeper is not your neighbor. Geographically speaking, no -doubt he is your neighbor. He takes care to be handy to you. He -is on the ground-floor of the big tenement-house you live in, so -that you must pass his door to get to your own. Or he is on the -corner you must turn twenty times a day. If nearness were the -only mark of a neighbor, the saloon-keeper is very neighborly -indeed. But, morally speaking, and in the meaning of our Lord's -parable, he is perhaps the last man who can claim to be your -neighbor. Yet many honest fellows treat the saloon-keeper not -only as their neighbor, but as a partner in their business. They -do the hard work; the workingman's share in the partnership is to -bend under the heavy hod in the hot sun, or to strike with the -heavy sledge on the rocks, or to be half-stifled the livelong day -in the hot factory; the other partner has for his share of the -work only to smile and pass the bottle. -{384} -You know which one gets the bulk of the profits; or if you do -not, the working-man's wife and family know it all too well. How -many foolish men are there who have taken this bad neighbor into -partnership the most confidential, and not only give him most of -their money in return for worse than nothing, but have made him, -besides, the managing partner of their leisure, their -friendships, and their politics! As to the sorrows that are bred -by the saloon-keeper's traffic, he manages to escape them for a -time; and may God give him the grace to repent of his sins and -fly from their occasion--that is, change his business--that he -may escape the divine wrath in the future. - -Another very bad neighbor, and one very unworthy of that name, is -a certain class of newsdealers. I say a certain class, for I hope -that not all news dealers are alike. But there are very many of -them who are guilty of the loss of human souls by selling -periodicals and books which can only corrupt the mind and heart -of the reader. I ask you, Christian parents, what do you think of -those who dress out their windows, with bad pictures to lure -passionate youth to the early wreck of soul and body? What do you -think of persons who actually make a living in selling journals -which are but the pictured proceedings of the police courts? O my -brethren! how often is the grace of a good confession and -Communion destroyed by a few minutes bad reading! How many there -are whose first mortal sin has been some act of youthful -depravity suggested by what was bought at a newsdealer's! Such -news dealers hold Satan's certificates to teach the science of -perdition. -{385} -What need has the Evil Spirit to fear the Catholic Church and -Catholic school as long as he is not hindered from laying his -snares for youthful virtue in every direction, as long as the -laws against obscene literature are a dead-letter? Therefore, let -Catholic parents furnish their families with good reading, both -secular and religious; let them take at least one Catholic paper, -and let them patronize and direct their children to patronize -news dealers who do not sell dangerous matter. - -Of course there are other bad neighbors, such as those who invite -you to a public dance, or a moonlight excursion, or a Sunday -picnic, or a low theatre. But I think you will agree with me that -the commonest vices are intemperance and impurity, and that our -worst enemies are those two bad neighbors, the saloon-keeper and -the vender of impure literature. - -------------------- - -{386} - - _Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost._ - - - Epistle. - _Galatians iii._ 16-22. - - Brethren: - To Abraham were the promises made, and to his seed. He saith - not, "And to his seeds," as of many: but as of one, "And to thy - seed," who is Christ. Now this I say, that the testament which - was confirmed by God, the law which was made after four hundred - and thirty years, doth not disannul, to make the promise of no - effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of - promise. But God gave it to Abraham by promise. Why then was - the law? It was set because of transgressions, until the seed - should come, to whom he made the promise, being ordained by - angels in the hand of a mediator. Now, a mediator is not of - one: but God is one. Was the law then against the promises of - God? God forbid. For if there had been a law given which could - give life, verily justice should have been by the law. But the - Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by the - faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. - - - Gospel. - _St. Luke xvii._ 11-19. - - At that time: - As Jesus was going to Jerusalem, he passed through the midst of - Samaria in Galilee. And as he entered into a certain town, - there met him ten men that were lepers, who stood afar off: and - lifted up their voice, saying: Jesus, master, have mercy on us. - And when he saw them, he said: Go, show yourselves to the - priests. And it came to pass that, as they went, they were - cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was cleansed, - went back, with a loud voice glorifying God; and he fell on his - face, before his feet, giving thanks: and this was a Samaritan. -{387} - And Jesus answering, said: Were there not ten made clean? and - where are the nine? There is no one found to return and give - glory to God, but this stranger. And he said to him: Arise, go - thy way, for thy faith hath made thee whole. - -------------------- - - Sermon CXVII. - - Thanksgiving. - - _Where are the nine?_ - --St. Luke xvii. 11. - [USCCB: St. Luke xvii. 17.] - -Of the ten lepers whose cure is related in this day's Gospel, -only one returned to give thanks, and he was a Samaritan; the -others went their way; they were cured indeed of their dreadful -disease, but disgraced by our Lord's sad question, Where are the -nine? - -Thanksgiving, brethren, should follow after God's mercies to us, -not only as a matter of justice, but in order to secure the -effect of those mercies themselves. Just as, in our bodily life, -in order to get the benefit of fresh air, breathing _in_ -must be followed by breathing _out_, so the giving of thanks -must follow the reception of all divine favors. The grace of God -is to the soul what the breath is to the body; and the body, to -live, must not only draw the air in, but give it forth again to -make room for new and fresher air. So in the life of our souls we -breathe in God's grace and we breathe out thanksgiving. - -Thanksgiving is furthermore a matter of justice. The holiest debt -we owe to God or man is the debt of thanks. Every honest man -gives thanks for favors received from other men, and every -upright soul gives thanks to God. -{388} -It is the most indispensable of all our obligations, because it -is the least that we can do. In all our traffic with heaven, -gratitude is the only coin we can mint ourselves. Thanksgiving is -that part of our sanctification necessarily our own. Well, -brethren, if this be really true and who can deny it?--then a -great many of us are insolvent debtors of the worst kind. Now you -hear it said sometimes that the man who does not pay his debts is -as bad as a thief, and in many cases this is perfectly true. So -the difference between an open sinner and a thankless Christian -is that between a thief and a man who by his own fault does not -pay his debts. Indeed, we sometimes feel as if God ought to thank -us for the favor we do him by condescending to serve him. -Confession and Communion and daily prayer, forgiveness of in -juries and resisting temptations so puff us up with conceit that -we are apt to blame God because in view of our holiness he does -not exempt us from the ordinary ills of life! - -As a matter of fact it is with God and us as with a storekeeper -and his customer. You know why a man cannot get trust at a store; -it is because he was trusted before and didn't pay his debts. Now -pretty nearly all the pay that God asks for his favors is that we -shall give him thanks, and if we will not do that much he can -hardly think us worthy of his further bounty. If we do give -thanks he multiplies his favors; for he is determined to keep us -in his debt, and as fast as we return thanks so much the faster -does he lavish his love upon us. - -So when we ask why we suffer this miserable stagnation in our -spiritual career, perhaps the true answer would be that we are -members of a big multiple of that original thankless nine. - -{389} - -Oh! let us thank God that we have the blessings of the true -religion, that he is our Father, Jesus Christ our Redeemer, and -the Blessed Virgin Mary our Mother. Let us thank him for his -gracious promise of the everlasting joys of Paradise. For these -unspeakable favors our thanks should be ceaseless. - -Let us give thanks, too, in our fervent morning prayers that we -have escaped the dangers of the night, and in our night prayers -that we have been saved from the noon-day demon. When we rise -from our meals let us offer a word of thanks, making at least the -sign of the cross, blessing God for the health he gives us and -our family. Let us thank him for our afflictions--yes, even for -temptations; for the pains we suffer thereby are the -growing-pains of the soul. Especially after receiving Holy -Communion let us give long and heartfelt thanks for all God's -dealing with us; for we have then received the greatest of all -his gifts, his only-begotten Son. - -------------------- - - Sermon CXVIII. - - Shamelessness In Sinners. - - - _There met him three men that were lepers, - who stood afar off and lifted tip their voice, - saying: Jesus, Master, have mercy on us._ - --The Gospel of the Sunday. - - -Leprosy, my brethren, is often spoken of in Holy Writ, and is -considered a type of sin. It is a loathsome and contagious -disease, and when a man was so unhappy as to contract it, besides -being driven away by the Mosaic law, he fled in very shame from -the company of others. -{390} -So it is with the common run of sinners; one of their direst -sufferings is shame, from which comes such remorse, such -self-detestation, such reasonable envy of the happy state of the -innocent, that, standing afar off, the poor sinner at last lifts -up his voice and cries to our Lord for mercy. So there is always -some chance for a poor sinner while he is ashamed of himself; -where there is shame there is hope. - -But, brethren, it happens in our times that there are many -sinners without shame. Many great sins are done almost as a -matter of course, and some even made matter of jest, perhaps of -boast. Need I mention them? Time was that if a man wished to see -a vulgar play he was forced to creep up some dark alley; now he -may go to a filthy opera in a coach and four, and with the lords -of the land, ay, even the ladies of the land. When you and I were -boys there was but one commonly known illustrated paper with -immoral pictures and bad reading matter; the news dealers now -hang their stands all over with them, and young men, and even -young women, buy and read them without a blush. You and I can -remember when it was a disgrace for a man to idle behind a -bar-room counter and get his living from the drunkard and -spendthrift. These men make our laws now. It used to be the pride -of a young man to get to work as soon as possible to help the old -folks along; we hear now too often of hearty young men -shamelessly dependent on their parents. And we know of too many -parents who are not ashamed of habits of intoxication nor of -cursing in the hearing of their little ones. -{391} -And how many mothers of families are there whose harsh voices are -heard all over the neighborhood, quarrelling with their husbands -and scolding their children! Time was when a drunken woman was -what Scripture says she is, "a great wrath, and her shame shall -not be hid." Now they publicly send their little boys and girls -to the saloon for beer. - -Do I exaggerate? Am I not, on the contrary, forced for decency's -sake to pass over other shameless sins, which all but the blind -and deaf know of among us? Indeed, dear brethren, the word of God -is true now as of yore that sinners "preach their shame like -Sodom." The lepers laugh at their leprosy. They run in among us -to blight us. Their disease, that blight which withers the soul -with eternal decay, they rub off upon us. They do it by bad -example, by laughing at the simple virtue of good Christians, by -jesting and mockery, by bullying, by ill-gotten riches and -ill-gotten power. - -But we must remember that they are all this time really sinners, -and worse than ordinary sinners, because without shame. Here, -then, is our first duty; not to permit human respect, worldly -position, or a bullying tongue to silence our love of God's -honor, our detestation of what does it harm and our pity for the -sinner himself. A good remedy against shamelessness in sinning is -just a little plain talk. If sometimes, instead of laughing at a -vile jest, we should say, "You ought to be ashamed of yourself," -we should please God and save souls. In the family, especially, -parents should create a sound family opinion about places and -persons and reading and amusements and all things else that lead -to sin: bad theatres, moonlight excursions, public balls, liquor -stores, and beer-gardens. A little plain talk, accompanied by -good example and much prayer on the part of good Christians, will -do a great deal, if not to cure the leprosy of sin in those who -have it, at any rate to keep the lepers standing afar off from -the uncontaminated and innocent. - -------------------- - -{392} - - Sermon CXIX. - - Dangers Of Venial Sin. - - - _I know thy works, - that thou art neither hot nor cold._ - --Apocalypse iii. 15. - - -It is plain that these words of Holy Writ describe a person in -the state of venial sin; or rather one who is in that state -wilfully and quite careless about it. Now, my brethren, I do not -wish to make you scrupulous, but there is no mistake about this; -all experience shows that persons careless of venial sins are -pretty sure to slip down into mortal sins. Indeed (on the other -hand), about the only ones who manage to keep clear of mortal -sins are those who are fearful of falling into venial sins. Save -the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves; or, -waste the pennies and the dollars will waste themselves. -Scripture applies this as follows: "He that despiseth small -things shall fall little by little." If one keeps the dogs and -goats out of the garden the cows will have small chance to get -in. Keep a watch on the venial sins and the mortal sins will keep -out of sight. - -{393} - -And does it not stand to reason that, if one is habituated to -look keenly after little sins, it is morally impossible for him -to be carried away by great sins? If you are anxious and -distressed because your soul seems less pure, less holy, less -beautiful than it ought to be, with what horror will you be -filled at the bare thought of becoming a regular slave of the -evil spirit! And how much easier is it, brethren, to keep a sharp -lookout for a few little trifles, rather than to be always -running the risk of eternal woe! - -And now I will tell you of some of those who are full of venial -sins, and pretty sure to be sooner or later in a state of mortal -sin. Those who are content with their Easter duty--a soul content -with a spiritual meal once in twelve months cannot have very -vigorous spiritual health or a very strong appetite for divine -things. Those who are often late for Mass--once in a while they -will miss it altogether, and for no particular reason, except -that they feel it a great bore to have to do anything for the -love of God. Those who continually neglect their morning prayers: -even though they make an effort to say their night prayers, they -have omitted deliberately the most necessary religious act of the -day. Those who are addicted to idleness; for that is one of the -worst occasions of sin, both mortal and venial. Those who are -stingy, especially to their near relatives and the poor; to love -money is to love something our Lord has a great contempt for. -Those who are touchy and resentful; for they cannot live in peace -with anybody, and peace is necessary for our spiritual welfare. -Those who tell improper stories, and are fond of hearing others -do it; but as to this class, I am not sure but that they are in -mortal sin already: "Can a man put fire in his bosom and not be -burned?" Those who are fond of gossip; for God will not permit us -to trifle with our neighbor's good name, and gossipers and -tale-bearers are often not in mortal sin, only because, malicious -as they are, they are just as stupid. -{394} -Those who, though they don't get drunk, yet hang around saloons, -and those who are fond of drinking and treating; and this is a -case, my brethren, where only judgment-day will tell where venial -sin ends and mortal sin begins. - -Dear brethren, the only really safe way of dealing with God is -the generous way. Arouse yourself with high and noble motives to -be a real friend of God, faithful and true in things little as -well as great, and religion will seem something new and ever so -much pleasanter to you. Otherwise you will not have the comfort -of being sure of God's friendship at all. You may be like an old -lady who once told me very sorrowfully about how her daughter -died. "I was watching at her bedside," she said, "and, after a -long spell of suffering, she dropped off at last into a gentle -slumber. I turned down the lamp and stepped softly into the next -room, waiting to hear her call me when she woke up. An hour -passed, another hour, a third, and still she slept on. Finally -the doctor came, and so we had to wake her up. But oh! when we -came to the bedside we found her dead, cold and dead, while I -thought her asleep." So your soul may seem to you only sleeping, -only lukewarm in God's service, only careless about your -religious duties; whereas it may be all the time, if not in the -very state of spiritual death--mortal sin--at least in the -torpor which goes before it. - -------------------- - -{395} - - Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost. - - - Epistle. - _Galatians v._ 16-24. - - Brethren: - I say then, walk in the spirit, and you shall not fulfil the - lusts of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the spirit: - and the spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary one to - another: so that you do not the things that you would. But if - you are led by the spirit, you are not under the law. Now the - works of the flesh are manifest, which are, fornication, - uncleanness, immodesty, luxury, idolatry, witchcraft, enmities, - contentions, emulations, wrath, quarrels, dissensions, sects, - envy, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like. Of the - which I foretell you, as I have foretold to you, that they who - do such things shall not obtain the kingdom of God. But the - fruit of the spirit is charity, joy, peace, patience, - benignity, goodness, longanimity, mildness, faith, modesty, - continency, chastity. Against such there is no law. And they - that are Christ's, have crucified their flesh with the vices - and concupiscences. - - - Gospel. - _St. Matthew vi._ 24-33. - - At that time Jesus said to his disciples: - No man can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one, - and love the other: or he will hold to the one, and despise the - other. You cannot serve God and Mammon. Therefore I say to you, - be not solicitous for your life, what you shall eat, nor for - your body, what you shall put on. Is not the life more than the - food, and the body more than the raiment? Behold the fowls of - the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather - into barns: and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not you - of much more value than they? -{396} - And which of you by thinking can add to his stature one cubit? - And for raiment why are you solicitous? Consider the lilies of - the field how they grow: they labor not, neither do they spin. - And yet I say to you, that not even Solomon in all his glory - was arrayed as one of these. Now if God so clothe the grass of - the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the - oven: how much more you, ye of little faith? Be not solicitous - therefore, saying: What shall we eat, or what shall we drink, - or wherewith shall we be clothed? For after all these things do - the heathen seek. For your Father knoweth that you have need of - all these things. Seek ye, therefore, first the kingdom of God - and his justice, and all these things shall be added unto you. - -------------------- - - Sermon CXX. - - The Poverty Of Christ. - - - _For after all these things do the heathen seek._ - --St. Matthew. vi. 32. - - -In this day's Gospel our Blessed Lord would teach us that the -difference between men is the difference between the objects for -which they live. And he lays down the fundamental law of his -kingdom, that if the chief object of one's life is the enjoyment -of the things every where about us--eating and drinking and money -and lands--he has therein a mark of belonging to the kingdom of -this world. To belong to our Lord's kingdom we must live for none -of these things as the end of our endeavors. We may, indeed, have -and use the things of this world, but for higher purposes than -the world itself can offer; as far as any enjoyment in them is -concerned, it is too trifling a matter to engage our serious -pursuit. - -{397} - -Yet, brethren, is not the whole Christian world absorbed in -seeking after what should be the heathen's peculiar treasure? Is -not this the most anxious inquiry, How shall I get rich? Is not -the possession of riches deemed the most enviable happiness? Is -it not the best praise of an individual that he is prosperous, -and of a nation that it is wealthy? What a serious lesson it is, -therefore, that our Lord expresses his contempt for what is -deemed the height of human wisdom among us--a contempt no less -profound because so gently expressed! If--he as much as says--if -you and I are to make choice of beauty, you may choose King -Solomon's wardrobe with all its jewels, and I will take the -new-blown lily; if you talk to me of foresight and skill in the -business of life, you may admire the successful speculator, but -the little sparrow is my model. - -And our Lord's life was fully in accord with his doctrine. For it -was of set purpose that he saw fit to lack those things that -nearly all men covet most; that he was the child of a poor -maiden, and the apprentice of a country carpenter; that he was a -wanderer barefoot and needy about Judea, yet all the time the -only-begotten Son of the Lord of all majesty; that he was -seemingly a tried and convicted malefactor, and died naked and -all but alone upon the gibbet, yet all the time the immortal King -of ages. - -The truth is that this unhappy overvaluing of the more lowly -things of life is a fault deeply rooted in our fallen nature. -That the eager pursuit of wealth is not compatible with God's -service; that it is the peculiar province of the heathen we -indeed know. -{398} -And we know that the human soul is too noble a being to expend -its dearest action to purchase any perishable thing whatever. Yet -very many persons who deem themselves good enough Christians are -quite proud of their success in the heathen's way of life. And -many other Christians fall into downright despair because God has -deprived them of the things that "the heathen seek." Far be it -from us indeed to underestimate the burden of poverty, or to say -that it is an easy thing to suffer it. God knows that it is a -terribly hard thing to be poor; to see one's family suffer actual -hunger; to wander about the streets with no roof to cover one; to -lie helplessly sick and be too poor to get proper food or -medicine. But on the other hand it is wrong to act under such -circumstances as if all were lost, or as if God hated us; that is -the very time to arouse one's faith in God's love and one's -reliance on his promises; to seek his consolation in the holy -sacraments; to raise one's eyes hourly to his countenance by -fervent prayer that he may relieve the burden, or at any rate -grant patience to bear it. - -Oh! how few there are who gladly and heartily choose the Kingdom -of God and his justice in preference to the treasures of this -world! How few there are who do so even grudgingly and -doubtfully! - -Yet the doctrine stands: to labor for a postponed reward is the -Christian's life, and for a present reward the heathen's. To pass -by a seen and present joy for the sake of an unseen joy is the -Christian's wisdom. To trust the voice of an unseen benefactor--in -a word, to walk in the darkness of a supernatural faith--is -the fundamental virtue of our religion. - -------------------- - -{399} - - Sermon CXXI. - - Brotherly Love. - - - _But the fruit of the spirit is charity._ - --Epistle of the Sunday. - - -Mark these words, brethren; for they describe the Christian -religion, at least as far as its practical effects are concerned. -The presence of the Holy Ghost is known by a kindly disposition, -a friendly feeling towards others, a longing to make others -happy, an affectionate sympathy for their sufferings; and all -this for the love of God. So St. John says: "We know that we have -passed from death to life because we love the brethren." The -necessary result of sanctifying grace is a deep attachment to our -friends and a loving forgiveness towards our enemies. "For all -the law," says St. Paul, "is fulfilled in one sentence: thou -shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." Kindness of heart, -generosity, self-forgetfulness, done to be like Jesus Christ, is -the beginning and the end of our holy faith. - -"I give you a new commandment," said our Lord to his disciples, -"that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you love -one another." Again: "By this shall men know that you are my -disciples if you have love for one another." He thus tells us -what his law is--fraternal charity; that is the newness of life -man got from heaven above; that is the torrent of heavenly -influence rushing down upon us and bearing us away upon its -billows; and that is the mark set upon us by which we know -ourselves, and others may know us, to be the fruit of the Holy -Spirit. - -{400} - -But somebody might say, How about the love of God? Is not the -love of God the end of all religion? Is it not our first duty to -love God so strongly that we prefer him to all things else, even -our nearest relatives? Is not the love of God the one absorbing -duty of our lives? In answer, my brethren, I have only to say -that that is but another way of looking at the same thing; for -since the coming of our Lord among us God has become man, and we -are born in holy baptism, "not of blood, nor of the will of the -flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." When our Lord, true -God as he was, took human nature, he took our poor nature just as -it is, saving its sinfulness; and it is his blessed will that one -by one every man, woman, and child in the world should personally -be joined to his divine nature by baptism, and, as St. Peter -says, be made partakers of the divinity he possesses. And even -the poor, unbaptized heathen, they are to be gifted with this -divine privilege by our love for them and our loving efforts to -give it to them. Now do you not see why our Lord, his Apostles, -and his church made so much of the love of one's neighbor? And do -you not see that, whether you begin to love with God or with man, -if you do it along with Jesus Christ, you do it with the God-man, -and therefore always in God and never out of man? - -Yet another might say: But, Father, what about the sacraments, -and what about the practice of prayer, and what about the laws of -the church? I answer by a comparison: Why do men plant and then -reap a field of wheat? That they may in due time get the grain, -make bread of part for themselves and families, and sell the rest -to their neighbors. -{401} -Now, some may use the very old-fashioned way of thrashing out the -grain by the tread of oxen, and others by the beating of the -flail, and others by the great, roaring thrashing-machine. The -last way is the quickest and cleanest and best. So our Lord, when -he became man, invented the sacraments; he established his church -as the new and best way of obtaining the ripe fruit of the Holy -Spirit, and that way he commands us to use. So the man who really -loves his neighbor as himself learns to do it by using our Lord's -methods, the sacraments, and he cannot get along without them. -So, brethren, cultivate more and more this sweet Christian virtue -of fraternal love; and especially in your families. When the -children cry, when they are sickly and peevish, when others are -cross and exacting, when some are dull and stupid, when the meals -are too late or the food is not cooked right, when the -thousand-and-one annoyances of living with others vex and harass -you, remember that you are a Christian, and that loving patience, -great good nature, fondness for friends--to say nothing of zeal -for the conversion of poor sinners--are virtues that will win you -the kingdom of heaven. - -------------------- - - Sermon CXXII. - - Religion For Week-days. - - - _No man can serve two masters. ... - You cannot serve God and Mammon._ - --Gospel of the Day. - -{402} - -What does our Lord mean by this, my brethren? "No man," he says, -"can serve two masters." "Why," you might perhaps answer, "I do -not see any difficulty about serving two masters. What is to -prevent a man, for instance, after his regular hours of work are -over, from hiring himself out for the evenings to some other -employer, if he has strength enough to spare? Or, if he can make -such an arrangement, why should he not work for one in the -morning, and another in the afternoon? And are there not, in -fact, many people, teachers, for example, who give private -lessons, who have a great number of employers whom they agree to -serve at stated times?" - -Yes, this seems true enough. It seems so true that I believe -there are many people who, in spite of our Lord's statement to -the contrary, divide their service between God and Mammon. They -hire themselves out to the devil, or at least to the world during -the week, and when Sunday comes round, and they put on their good -clothes, they change their master at the same time, and, at least -for the time that they are in church, read certain words out of -their prayer-books, in which they offer their service to God. And -they do not appear to think that there is anything strange about -this. They think that, of course, decency requires that God -should want part of their time for his service, and that he is -quite reasonable in only asking for one day out of seven; but -that he should have any claim on them during the part of the week -that he does not specially reserve does not seem to occur to -their minds. That is the time engaged to the other master--that -is, to their worldly interests or pleasures. They find no -difficulty in reconciling the service of God and Mammon at all; -they can be good Christians and also men of the world like others -without the slightest trouble. - -{403} - -But I seem to hear some one say, "Father, are you not pushing -this matter rather too far? Surely one cannot be in church or -saying his prayers at home all the week. Some people may find -time to come to early Mass and all the devotions, and live what -you may call a pious life generally; but I have to go to my -business or my family will starve. What would you have me do?" - -Well, I will tell you. I do not find fault with any one for -attending to his business during the week, and working as much as -he is obliged to provide for himself and his family properly; but -I must say, by the way, that many people, under this excuse, fall -into the snare of avarice, and work early and late to hoard up -riches which neither they nor their family need, and which, left -to their children, is only too likely to be an occasion of sin. -However, I repeat, no one is to be blamed for attending to the -proper duties of his state of life; for working at his business, -if it is a legitimate and useful one. But what one is to be -blamed for is for attending to it as if, instead of being God's -business, as it ought to be, it was no business of his at all; as -if he had nothing to say about it, and his laws did not apply to -it. The delusion that too many Christians are under is that their -religious life and their life in the world are entirely separate -concerns; that religion, morality, God's laws in general, have -nothing to do with politics, business, buying or selling, or what -they call practical affairs. They say, If we did not do as others -do about these things, we could not get on at all; so they calmly -take for granted, even, perhaps, in the confessional, that such -things have no moral aspect whatever. - -{404} - -This is a great delusion and a fatal blunder. A Christian has got -to be a Christian first, last, and all the time; one cannot be a -Catholic on Sunday, and to all intents and purposes a Protestant -or an infidel during the week. If you can't get on on the -principle of serving God and trying to find out and do his will -on Monday as well as on Sunday, then all I have to say is, "Don't -get on." I dare say there is some truth in your complaint; a man -who manages his business and daily life generally, as if there -was no God in the world, will probably make money faster, and -have in some ways a better time, than one will who believes in -God and tries to do his will. Very well, then, if you prefer this -world to the next, act according to its standard Sunday, Monday, -and all the time; but don't try to cut inside of it and get a -pass to heaven on the ground that you have used another standard -now and then. - -------------------- - -{405} - - _Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost._ - - - Epistle. - _Galatians v._ 25; _vi._ 10. - - Brethren: - If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let - us not become desirous of vainglory, provoking one another, - envying one another. And if a man can be overtaken in any - fault, you, who are spiritual, instruct such a one in the - spirit of mildness, considering thyself, lest thou also be - tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so shall you fulfil - the law of Christ. For if any man think himself to be - something, whereas he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. But let - every one prove his own work, and so he shall have glory in - himself only, and not in another. For every one shall bear his - own burden. And let him who is instructed in the word - communicate to him that instructeth him, in all good things. Be - not deceived, God is not mocked. For what things a man shall - sow, those also shall he reap. For he that soweth in the flesh, - of the flesh also shall reap corruption. But he that soweth in - the Spirit, of the Spirit shall reap life everlasting. And in - doing good, let us not fail. For in due time we shall reap, not - failing. Therefore, whilst we have time, let us do good to all - men, but especially to those who are of the household of the - faith. - - - Gospel. - _St. Luke vii._ 11-16. - - At that time: - Jesus went into a city called Naim: and there went with him his - disciples, and a great multitude. And when he came nigh to the - gate of the city, behold a dead man was carried out, the only - son of his mother; and she was a widow: and much people of the - city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion - on her, and said to her: Weep not. -{406} - And he came near and touched the bier. (And they that carried - it stood still.) And he said: Young man, I say to thee, Arise. - And he that was dead sat up and began to speak. And he - delivered him to his mother. And there came a fear on them all: - and they glorified God, saying: That a great prophet is risen - up among us: and God hath visited his people. - -------------------- - - Sermon CXXIII. - - The Fruits Of A Bad Life. - - _Be not deceived, God is not mocked; - for what things a man shall sow, - those also shall he reap._ - --Epistle of the Day. - - -One would think, my dear friends, that the Apostle would hardly -have needed to remind any one having common sense, or even a -little experience, of such an obvious truth as this. Surely no -one expects, when he plants some kind of seed, to have some other -kind of crop come from it. "Do men," says our Divine Lord, -"gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?" No, we are all -well aware that if we want to grow any kind of grain or fruit we -must sow the seed or plant the tree which produces it. - -And yet, strange to say, though we all do acknowledge this law of -nature in everything outside of ourselves, we fail to apply it to -ourselves, and especially to our souls. In matters simply -pertaining to the body we do indeed know that the cause will -produce its effect. If we sow the seed of some fatal disease in -ourselves we expect it to break out and run its course; we do not -believe that, as a rule, tears or even prayers are going to stop -it. - -{407} - -But when it comes to the soul, many Christians seem to think that -everything regarding it may be shifted at their own will; that -they may go on for years sowing the seeds of all kinds of -abominable vices in their souls, and that, later on, whenever -they may desire, all this work can be undone in a moment, and -those souls, which sin has rotted through and through, can be put -right back where they were as they came from the baptismal font, -or even set on a perfect level with those in which the seed of -every virtue has been implanted and carefully nurtured from -childhood. - -Ah! my dear brethren, this is a great and a terrible mistake. -Hear the words in which St. Paul continues: "He that soweth in -his flesh, of the flesh also shall reap corruption; but he that -soweth in the spirit, of the spirit shall reap life everlasting." - -"He that soweth in his flesh, of the flesh also shall reap -corruption." Here is the great evil of sin, which repentance, -however sincere, cannot utterly undo. True contrition will, no -doubt, especially if accompanied by the Sacrament of Penance, -take away the guilt of sin; but unless it be very intense, and -accompanied by an extraordinary love of God, like that of the -great saints, it will not, in releasing from guilt, remedy all -the deformity which long-continued habits of vice have worked in -the soul. Yes, sorrow may come in such an overflowing torrent as -to break down and sweep away all obstacles in its path; but how -often does it come so? To have such sorrow for sin is a rare and -remarkable grace from God which the sinner has no right to -expect. - -{408} - -All this is specially true, as the words of the Apostle teach us, -of the sins of the flesh, such as drunken-ness and impurity. The -body will hang on to sin after the soul has given it up, and will -drag the soul again down with it. Oh! that those who are addicted -to these horrible sensual habits would realize their danger, and -feel the net which the flesh has been weaving round their spirit. -But no; they go on from week to week, from month to month, -making, it may be, now and then a feeble effort to escape; but -too often it can be seen after each confession, though they are -indeed on their feet again, that the odds against them are -greater than ever, and that their weapons are dropping out of -their hands. - -Brethren, grace is powerful, surely; but you are much mistaken if -you think it is going to destroy and make of no effect the law of -nature. Rouse yourselves to the combat which is before you while -there is yet time; for the time may come, and perhaps sooner than -you think, when the corruption of the flesh will quench the -feeble spark of contrition which God has hitherto given you, and -in which lies your only hope. - -------------------- - - Sermon CXXIV. - - Sins Of Parents. - - - _And Jesus said, Young man, I say to thee, arise._ - --St. Luke viii. 14. - -{409} - -Many mourning parents, brethren, are represented by the poor -widow of Naim, told of in this day's Gospel; and their mourning -is for sons dead in mortal sin. These are indeed days of many and -various vices, and our young people are far from being exempt. -Blasphemy and religious indifference; neglect of prayer, Mass, -and the sacraments; drunkenness and impurity; such are the -plague-spots on the spiritual corpses of many of our young -people. - -Yet, alas! as parents raise their eyes to our Lord's gracious -countenance and beg his pity, they should sometimes confess that -they are not without blame for their misfortunes. Many parents -spoil their children by bad example. For if they profane the name -of God in the midst of their families, they need not be surprised -to find that in after-years their children have no reverence for -God or for his church or his sacraments. Fathers who come home -smelling strong of drink, and now and then plainly intoxicated, -may indeed hope to save their own souls by thorough repentance, -but are likely enough to have drunkards among their children. -Parents who tolerate improper language in the household, and can -laugh at a double-meaning joke, and see no harm in a lascivious -dance or a doubtful novel, need not be surprised to find that -their daughters have lost maidenly reserve, and that their sons -are given to open debauchery. Parents who neglect their Easter -duty, and who easily excuse themselves from Sunday Mass, need not -be surprised if their children fall quite away from the practice -of religion and even from its belief. - -Now, it often happens that children who have been treated too -leniently while quite young are treated too severely when a -little older. Too much authority should not be used with boys and -girls who are some years in their teens. -{410} -With them authority is at best a medicine, and not a food. To -strengthen a boy's virtue, to make him love religion, to give him -a bright notion of the next world and of the value of his soul, -the exercise of authority is one means, but perhaps the least -useful of all. In some cases authority can only do harm. To make -a person who has full use of reason a good Christian it is -necessary to put him in the way of intelligent instruction, by -giving him good, readable religious matter, books or papers; by -persuading him by such inducements as an occasional little -present, and by a continual interest in his progress, to keep his -place at Sunday-school; by introducing and discussing religious -topics in family conversation, and by interesting him to attend -sermons and lectures. Meantime let there be many kind words and -much sympathetic conduct, forgetfulness of past offences, -patience with natural difficulties and with youthful folly; let -all this go beforehand and authority will find nothing left to -do. - -Brethren, do not suppose that it is always best to _force_ -one to do what he ought to do; try rather to induce him, to -attract him. St. Francis de Sales says: "You can catch more flies -with one drop of honey that with a barrel of vinegar"; and he -also says: "For every ounce of good advice add a pound of good -example." - -Therefore it is that so many scolding parents end by becoming -weeping parents. Parental authority, which should be merely the -supremacy of all that is worthy of affection, has made home -hateful and driven the children into occasions of sin--the saloon -and the low theatre for the boys, the stolen interview and the -common dance for the girls. - -{411} - -But, some one might say, what if your child has got beyond you -and will be bad in spite of every best endeavor on your -part--what then? Well, at any rate there is no sense in railing -at him. If you can not make him better, what is the sense of -making him miserable? And is not then the very time to lay him, -spiritually speaking, in his coffin, and lead our Lord up to him, -and, kneeling down, say: O Lord! have pity on me, for this is my -dear son, dead in mortal sin? Say but the word; touch his dead -soul with thy loving hand; stir him up to repentance! - -Many such prayers cannot be said without producing their effect: -the resurrection of your child's soul from the death of mortal -sin. - -------------------- - - Sermon CXXV. - - The Law Of Charity. - - - _Bear ye one another's burdens, - and so you shall fulfil the law of Christ._ - --Epistle of the Day. - - -The law of Christ, dear brethren, is essentially a law of -charity. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole soul -and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind, and thy -neighbor as thyself." This is the whole law of Christ summed up, -and it is plain that this is a law of love. But the Apostle bids -us bear one another's burdens that we may fulfil this law, which, -as is evident from the text just quoted, imposes upon us the love -of our God and of our neighbor. How, then, will the bearing of -others burdens help us to serve God better? - -{412} - -That we have burdens, and some of us rather heavy ones, is clear -enough; and that most of us are only too willing to have some one -help us to carry them will be, I think, generally agreed to. -Every one has his own difficulties; every one has something which -he would like to get rid of if he could, because it interferes -with his comfort. Now, I do not think the Apostle wished us to -suppose from his words that God would have us free each other -from _all_ suffering, since that is not possible, as we know -that hardship forms a necessary part of our probation. We must -expect to have something to suffer always. - -But what he would have us do, it seems to me, is to help each -other by counsel and material aid, to make what otherwise might -be almost unbearable easier to carry. "My yoke is sweet and my -burden light." This is the spirit he wishes us to strive after. -It is an unselfish spirit he desires for us, such as will make us -forget our own sufferings in ministering to the wants of others. -He wants us to cultivate charity; to look beyond ourselves and -our own interests, and take up the troubles of our brethren. - -But you say to me: "I do not see what advantage there is in all -this; if I take another's burden, I am but adding to my own." It -is just here that our really helping each other appears. It is by -this very assistance we give our neighbor that we fulfil the law -of Christ, which demands suffering of us. For by our sympathizing -with others and sharing in their difficulties our own burdens -become lighter. If we simply took care of ourselves and were -forgetful of all the rest of the world, we would chafe beneath -our load; we would be so wrapped up in ourselves that nothing -could persuade us that our sufferings were the very best things -that could befall us. - -{413} - -By helping our neighbor we help ourselves. We are led to be -reconciled to our lot, to expect nothing more from God for -ourselves than what we see others getting. We know that they have -as just a claim upon him as we, yet they have their troubles as -well as we. The road to heaven is open to all, but all must take -what they get as they go along, and be thankful for it and make -no comparisons. All get a goodly share of what is disagreeable to -nature on the way; our own portion differs only in kind and -quantity from that of others. - -By helping our neighbor, too, we fulfil, as the Apostle tells us, -the law of Christ, for the law of Christ is charity--love towards -God, love towards our fellow-man. Our stooping to our neighbor's -need fosters God's love in our souls no less than love of our -neighbor. It makes us go to God as our Father and recognize his -justice. We perceive the necessity of mortifying our rebellious -appetites and placing ourselves entirely in God's hands. How much -happier, how much better Christians we would be did we but bear -each other's burdens! Then we would soon learn what now seems so -hard: that the yoke of Christ is indeed sweet and his burden -truly light. - -------------------- - -{414} - - _Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost._ - - - Epistle. - _Ephesians iii._ 13-21. - - Brethren: - I beseech you not to be disheartened at my tribulations for - you, which is your glory. For this cause I bow my knees to the - Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom all paternity in - heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according - to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power by - his Spirit unto the inward man. That Christ may dwell by faith - in your hearts: that being rooted and founded in charity, you - may be able to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the - breadth, and length, and height, and depth. To know also the - charity of Christ, which surpasseth knowledge, that you may be - filled unto all the fulness of God. Now to him who is able to - do all things more abundantly than we ask or understand, - according to the power which worketh in us: to him be glory in - the church, and in Christ Jesus, throughout all generations, - world with out end. Amen. - - - Gospel. - _St. Luke xiv._ 1-11. - - At that time: - When Jesus went into the house of a certain prince of the - Pharisees, on the Sabbath day, to eat bread, and they were - watching him. And behold, there was a certain man before him - that had the dropsy. And Jesus answering, spoke to the lawyers - and Pharisees, saying: Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day? - But they held their peace. But he, taking him, healed him, and - sent him away. And answering them, he said: Which of you whose - ass or his ox shall fall into a pit, and will not immediately - draw him out on the Sabbath day? And they could not answer him - to these things. -{415} - And he spoke a parable also to them that were invited, marking - how they chose the first seats at the table, saying to them: - When thou art invited to a wedding, sit not down in the highest - place, lest perhaps one more honorable than thou be invited by - him: and he who invited thee and him, come and say to thee: - Give place to this man; and then thou begin with blushing to - take the lowest place. But when thou art invited, go, sit down - in the lowest place: that when he who invited thee cometh, he - may say to thee: Friend, go up higher. Then shalt thou have - glory before them that sit at table with thee. Because every - one that exalteth himself shall be humbled: and he that - humbleth himself shall be exalted. - -------------------- - - Sermon CXXVI. - - Christian Humility. - - - _He that humbleth himself shall be exalted._ - --Gospel of the Day. - - -As we hear these familiar words, my brethren, some of us will -perhaps be inclined to say, or at least to think, that this -matter of humility is just a little threadbare, so to speak; that -we have already heard pretty much all that can be said about it. -I dare say this is true; but when a thing is very important it -has to be spoken of quite often. And humility is very important; -after the love of God and of our neighbor, there is nothing more -so. In fact, the difficulties in the way of loving God and our -neighbor as we should, come, we may say, entirely from our -inordinate love of ourselves; and this inordinate love of -ourselves generally takes the shape either of pride or -sensuality. In other words, pride and sensuality are the two -great causes of all our sins; what wonder, then, that our Lord -should warn us so frequently about them? - -{416} - -And the very fact that we think we have heard enough about -humility shows that we are not so humble as we ought to be. If we -think that we are well up in this matter, it is a good sign that -we are not. Many people will say, especially when they are on -their knees, "Oh! I am a miserable sinner; I am everything that -is bad"; but when they get up from their knees, and look around -them, you will find that they think themselves in point of fact -pretty nearly as good as anybody else, and perhaps, on the whole, -rather better than most people whom they know. - -It is not, however, after all, about the matter of goodness that -pride is most sensitive. Most Christians, unfortunately, do not -try very hard to be saints, and are not very much tempted to be -proud of their achievements in that direction. But almost every -one considers himself tolerably well gifted in the matter of -natural common sense; he thinks his brains about as good as any -one else's, though he may readily admit that he has not had so -great advantages as another, or, in other words, that he is "no -scholar." So, to be thought or called a natural-born fool is a -very hard trial for any one's humility; almost all of us, I am -afraid, would rather be called a rascal. To be considered -bad-looking, that again is a great mortification to some people; -or to have one's birth and family despised, to be thought low and -vulgar, how many can you find that will put up with that? That is -the real reason why you so often hear some one find fault with -somebody else for being "stuck up"; it is that when he or she is -stuck up I am stuck down. - -{417} - -You notice, my brethren, that this matter of pride is mostly -comparative, as I may say. We should not mind other people being -stuck up, if we could only be stuck up too. And it is just here -on this tender point that the parable of our Lord in to-day's -Gospel touches. He says: "When thou art invited to a wedding, sit -not down in the first place, lest, perhaps, one more honorable -than thou be invited." This is where the shoe pinches, this -admitting that some one else is more honorable than we are; -especially in this country, where every one shakes hands with the -President, and all are made, as far as possible, equal. Still, we -can manage to admit that there are some who are better entitled -to the first place than ourselves; indeed, we cannot well help -that. But our Lord would have us go farther than this. He says: -"Sit down in the lowest place." - -That is the great lesson of humility that is so hard for us to -learn. Not to say, "I am a miserable sinner; I am blind, weak, -and fallible." Oh! yes, we can say that easily, because we feel -that everybody else ought to say it of himself, and probably will -say it. But to be ready to acknowledge, especially if the general -opinion goes that way, that we are inferior to anybody else, -whoever it may be that we may be compared with; to take this for -granted, and not be surprised if others agree with us, this is -that true humility which is exalted, not by being put in a place -where it can be able to crow over others and thus be turned into -pride, but by being granted the exaltation of being brought -nearer to God. - -------------------- - -{418} - - Sermon CXXVII. - - Vanity. - - _When thou art invited to a wedding, - sit not down in the highest place._ - --St. Luke xiv. 8. - - -It is not many Sundays ago that our Lord's words taught us -humility by the spectacle of the Pharisee's pride contrasted with -the publican's lowliness. Yet holy church repeats the same lesson -to-day by telling us what our Lord thinks of one who is vain -enough to take too high a place at the wedding-feast. And indeed, -brethren, it takes much teaching for us to learn the corruption -of our own hearts. If there is anybody we lack close acquaintance -with, it is our own very selves. If there is one book harder for -us to read than any other it is the book of our own hearts. Yet -in spite of this ignorance of ourselves, either before God or in -comparison with our neighbor, we are always tempted to set -ourselves up for something far better than we really are, and no -less tempted to depreciate our neighbor. - -We are too anxious to exercise the same certain judgment about -relative merit in spiritual things as we fancy we can do in -temporal affairs. You doubtless know the various standards of -worldly preference. One person looks around at others and -exclaims in his or her secret heart: With what shocking bad taste -do such and such ones dress! They must be very vulgar indeed; -surely I cannot be expected to demean myself by going in -_their_ company. Another says: There is a great deal in -social standing. Let every one know his place in the world and -keep it; as for me, I am certainly quite above the company of -such and such persons. -{419} -Another says: Brains is the standard; good clothes and social -position--what are they but miserable vanity and prejudice? But -I have brains; and I know it, and can show it; therefore, stand -aside for me, for I am entitled to preference. - -Now, brethren, what is there in the spiritual life that answers -to good clothes? I will tell you: it is certain external -practices of devotion. External devotions are indeed necessary -for the soul just as clothes are for the body, and if used in the -right spirit give one spiritual warmth and adorn the soul with -interior virtues. But we must not be vain of them. And what -answers in the spiritual life to the consciousness of social -position? The remembrance of many years spent in God's service -and the various spiritual gifts received from him. But beware of -spiritual pride. And what answers to human talents and ability? -Facility in prayer, glibness of speech about spiritual things, -knowledge of devotional books, and the like. And these may be -made a cause of vanity. - -So when our Lord looks in among the guests at his spiritual table -we may well imagine his saying to one or other of us: Friend, I -perceive that you have been trusting a trifle too much to certain -external practices; they are very good in themselves, but should -be joined to a deeper and truer contrition for your sins and a -more practical use of penance and mortification. I am sorry to -make you blush, but really you must step down a few seats lower. -{420} -To another he says: Friend, you are in the wrong place; I know -that you have received many graces from me in the past, but I -also notice a great want of gratitude on your part; besides this, -I see from your present disposition of mind that, if you are left -where you are, you are likely to be quite puffed up with vanity. -So I will set you down a little lower to a place opposite a good -dish of thanksgiving and an other of humility. To another he -says: What are you doing there, you who are so fault-finding and -overbearing? Do you trust to your knowledge of spiritual things -and your pious talk? Your religion consists of words, words, -words, and what I want is deeds. So, down with you to the last -place at the table; and if I had any place lower than the last -you should certainly have it. - -Brethren, let us be glad to sit down anywhere at our Lord's -banquet; glad of so much as the crumbs from the table. That is to -say, the friendship of God is too precious a thing, and too much -all his own to give, that we should presume to glory in it. -Humility, detachment from our own excellence, willingness to -think poorly of our own merits--such are the virtues that -underlie all true piety. - -------------------- - - Sermon CXXVIII. - - Behavior In Church. - - - _And he spoke a parable also to them that were invited, - marking how they chose the first seats at the table._ - --Gospel of the Day. - - -Our Blessed Saviour in this day's Gospel teaches us a lesson of -good order and practical conduct which may be applied in many -ways. I will make the application of it this morning to our -conduct in church. -{421} -We will consider the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the great feast -to which we are invited, the church the banquet-hall, and the -pews the places set apart for the guests. - -There is nothing more conducive to the pleasure and purpose of an -assemblage than the good order and proper arrangement of -everything connected with it, and we often hear persons speak of -some event in which they participated as being most enjoyable -because everything was so well ordered and arranged. Now, all -this applies with double force to the public services of -religion. Catholics greatly enjoy the public services of the -church when every is well ordered and arranged, and there is -nothing to distract them or jar upon them. For at every service -there is the divine presence, and where perfect order reigns it -soon makes itself felt: its calm peace steals in upon the soul, -it communes sweetly, and worships "in spirit and in truth." - -But in order to secure an external condition of things in our -churches so essential to recollection and prayer, each one must -know his place and occupy it without delay or confusion, and in -our present system of church arrangement each worshipper is -supposed to have his or her special place assigned, and the -regular seat in the church has become a requirement of devotion -as well as a necessity of church finance. - -Hence, to secure a permanent place in the church is a duty of -devotion as well as something of an obligation; and we find that -truly pious Catholics almost invariably try to secure seats in -their parish churches, be they ever so humble. Indeed, Catholics -who fail to do this are not apt to be very steady in the practice -of their religion; and there can be no doubt as to the neglect of -duty in the case. -{422} -To contribute to the support of religion is as much a positive -law of the church as to attend Mass on Sundays, and the ordinary -revenue for the support of religion comes from the pew-rents. We -insist, therefore, that every Catholic who can possibly afford it -should have his seat in church; good order requires this as well -as duty and devotion. It is a poor business to be all the while -occupying other people's pews, and sometimes, perhaps, be -required to vacate them. Pew-holders have their rights, and they -must be protected in them. Nevertheless, to secure good order and -harmony at the services of the church, pew-holders must be -willing at times to waive their rights and allow strangers and -others to occupy the vacant seats in their pews. This is no more -than politeness and common Christian charity demand. To refuse a -vacant seat in church to a stranger is selfishness gone to seed, -and they are few, I hope, who would be guilty of such vulgarity. - -But while all who possibly can should have their regular places -in church, there will, no doubt, always be a very considerable -number who, through poverty or perverseness, will be pew-holders -at large, and to them I would also address a few remarks. The -Catholic Church is the church of the poor! This is our glory and -our pride. No one can be too poor to attend the services of the -Catholic Church. God is no respecter of persons, nor is his -church. The poor are always welcome in her grandest temples, and -none should ever miss a single service of religion because they -are too poor to hire a regular seat. In this church, thank God, -everything is free to them, and there are always vacant seats for -them to occupy. -{423} -We not only wish non-pew-holders to occupy the vacant seats in -our church, but we insist on their occupying them, for the good -order and harmony of the services require that, as far as -possible, all should be seated. The only condition we impose is -the Gospel injunction: "Do not sit down in the first place" or in -the place of another; and if you are told to move up higher, do -not refuse. Crowding around the doors is more objectionable than -anything else, for there is nothing else that interferes so much -with the good order and arrangement of the services. Let me -repeat, then, in conclusion, the words of the parable: "Friend, -go up higher," and don't crowd around the doors. - -------------------- - -{424} - - _Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost._ - - - Epistle. - _Ephesians iv._ 1-6. - - Brethren: - As a prisoner in the Lord, I beseech you that you walk worthy - of the vocation in which you are called, with all humility and - mildness, with patience, supporting one another in charity, - careful to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. - One body and one Spirit: as you are called in one hope of your - vocation. One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father - of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us all, who - is blessed for ever and ever. - - - Gospel. - _St. Matthew xxii._ 35-46. - - At that time the Pharisees came nigh to Jesus: and one of them, - a doctor of the law, asked him, tempting him: Master, which is - the great commandment in the law? Jesus said to him: Thou shalt - love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole - soul, and with thy whole mind. This is the greatest and the - first commandment. And the second is like to this: Thou shalt - love thy neighbor as thyself. On, these two commandments - dependeth the whole law and the prophets. And the Pharisees - being gathered together, Jesus asked them saying: What think - you of Christ? Whose son is he? They say to him: David's. He - saith to them: How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, - saying: "The Lord said to my Lord: Sit on my right hand, until - I make thy enemies thy footstool"? If David then called him - Lord, how is he his son? And no man was able to answer him a - word: neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any - more questions. - -------------------- - -{425} - - Sermon CXXIX. - - Prayer For Sinners. - - - _And the other is like unto this: - Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself._ - --St. Matthew. xxii. 39. - - -How great must be the dignity of human nature, my brethren, -since, as we learn by this day's Gospel, our Lord couples the -love of his fellow-men with the love of his own sovereign and -divine self! Perhaps if we appreciated the native worth of human -nature we should be a trifle more patient with its faults. I -mean, of course, other people's faults, for with our own faults -we are all too patient. - -The practical lesson conveyed by the commandment, "Love thy -neighbor as thyself," is that it is our duty to love sinners and -to pray for them. To love good people is easy enough, and we -think a man a kind of a monster who has not at least one or two -dear friends whose virtues have won his love. But it takes a good -Christian to love what at first sight seems so hateful--a -drunkard, a libertine, an apostate, a bully, a thief. To have an -actual, practical affection for such persons, even when one is -related to them, seems quite a special thing--a peculiar -vocation, a side-path in the spiritual life, and not by any means -the common business and regular vocation of every-day Christians. -Yet a moment's thought shows that it is, without any doubt, our -Lord's blessed will that we should have a special affection for -just such hardened sinners. Are they not men, and are they not -purchased by the Blood of Christ? - -{426} - -How much we mistake our duty in reference to such poor wretches! -When you say of one, "Oh! he is a most worthless creature," how -surprised you would be if you could hear a whisper coming from -his guardian angel: "Jesus Christ thought him worth dying for." -And when you say of another, "Oh! I can't bear him; I can't stay -a moment in his company," how surprised you would be to hear, -"And I, an angel of God, I gladly keep him company day and -night." Surely, brethren, there is something worth loving, -heartily loving, in a soul that our Lord would die for, and to -whom God would give a bright angel as a constant companion. We -are like men going through a picture-gallery: we admire only the -brilliant and unmistakable beauties displayed there--here a -gorgeous sunset, there a fine battle-scene, and again a ship -tossing upon the waves. But one of better taste than common, -without forgetting all these, will be able to detect the work of -a great master, though faded with the lapse of many years and -covered all over with dust. So it is with the poor sinner's soul: -it is the work of a great master. And what though it be all -stained and spotted with mortal sin; is there no such thing as -true repentance? Are there no fountains of living waters in the -sacraments in which it may be washed whiter than snow? Are there -no gems of divine grace with which it may be decked out as a -bride waiting for the bridegroom? - -Prayer for the conversion of sinners should be far more practised -than it is. Why, brethren, look around you in this great city, -and if you can count the stars of heaven or the sands of the -sea-shore you can count the men and women in mortal sin; and, -alas! very many of them belong to our religion. Nay, look about -in your own families. -{427} -How seldom will a family be found where there is not at least one -member living openly at enmity with God! Now, just here, in the -midst of the worst wickedness, are many thousands of devout -servants of God, and in every family one or two souls whose very -names might be Faithful and True. And God arranges this mingling -of good and evil, that the good souls by their prayers may save -the bad ones from eternal death; just as in southern countries -men plant eucalyptus-trees in low, marshy places, for the -eucalyptus, with its fragrant leaves, counteracts the poisonous -vapors of the swamp. - -If, therefore, you pray for yourself you do well; but do not -forget that, if you are a true Christian, the poor sinner is your -other self. And if you pray for the souls in purgatory, do not -forget that there are many souls about you who are always in -danger of hell, and unless many prayers are offered for them they -are likely enough to be lost for ever. - -------------------- - - Sermon CXXX. - - The Christian Vocation. - - _I beseech you to walk worthy of your vocation - in which you are called._ - --Epistle of the Day. - - -In the Gospel our Lord says that the perfect love of God and of -our neighbor fulfils all the law and the commands of God through -the prophets. At another time he said: "Be ye perfect as your -Heavenly Father is perfect." It is plain that every Christian has -a vocation--that is, is called to a Christ like, a God like life. -Something more is expected of him because he has received infused -light to know by divine grace how to do more. In general, we call -that a higher, a more exalted spiritual state. Now, there are -degrees even in this depending upon the particular grace it -pleases God to give to one person or another. - -{428} - -One star differeth from another star in brightness and glory, and -so shall the glory of the Christians differ in heaven, according -to the perfection to which they have brought their souls while in -this school-time of the world-life. Over and above what are -called strict Christian laws, which one must obey or lose heaven, -there are certain principles of Christianity called Evangelical -counsels--namely, poverty, chastity, and obedience. Some folks -fancy these counsels apply only to monks, nuns, and priests. That -is a great mistake. Monks, nuns, and priests receive grace and -are bound by _their_ vocation to practise these counsels in -a high degree, and yet not even all these in the same manner. A -secular priest, for instance, is not called to practise poverty -in the same manner as a priest of a religious order, although he -or even a layman living in the world may practise that counsel, -as he may the other counsels, too, just as perfectly as any monk -ever heard of. All depends on the grace one has. His vocation and -his responsibility and his position in heaven all hang on his -fidelity to grace. - -All Christians should practise the counsel of poverty. Yes, both -rich and poor. The spirit of poverty is detachment from created -things. One's heart must not be set on them. One must not love -riches for their own sake. One must feel obliged to share with -the poor. One must not despise the poor, but love them for -Christ's sake. -{429} -One must give a good deal for religious purposes. One must keep -his baptismal vows to renounce the devil and all his pomps. One -must, therefore, deny himself in many things that savor of the -pride of riches, even if he is rich. Why? Not because he is a -monk, nun, or priest, but because he is a Christian. - -Every Christian must practise the counsel of chastity. Heaven -help us! In these degraded times, to judge by the fashionable -indecencies sanctioned by so-called society people--the horrible -abuses of the holy state of marriage, the filthy accounts -appearing every day in the newspapers--one would think that even -the Sixth Commandment was abolished. Now I need not enter into -particulars, but you know, without further argument or -illustration, that every Christian man, woman, and child would be -unworthy the name if they did not, almost every day, make many -sacrifices and struggles against temptation--all of which mean -practising the counsel of the Christian perfection of chastity. - -So also of obedience. One must obey the Ten Commandments and the -laws of the church. Oh! yes. And have we not also to obey the -special decrees of the Holy Father, of our bishop, and of our -pastor? What sort of a Christian is he who is his own shepherd, -or one who is always "standing up for his own rights," as they -say, submitting just within law and only when he cannot help -himself? And does _Christian humility_ mean nothing in act? -That is a narrow road of obedience and a long one, as you all -know; and blessed is he who joyfully walks therein. -{430} -Instead of wanting to shirk these counsels, and put all upon the -shoulders of religious, every one ought to be praying hard that -God will, of his divine bounty, give us, too, men and women -living in the world, more and more grace to practise all that our -worldly condition will allow us to do, convinced by faith that he -is most truly happy here, as he will certainly be hereafter, who -is filled with high Christian aspirations, striving to "walk -worthy of his vocation" and realize in himself the picture of a -perfect Christ-like life. - -------------------- - - Sermon CXXXI. - - Erroneous Views Of Vocation. - - - _As a prisoner in the Lord, - I beseech you that you walk - worthy of the vocation in which you are called._ - --Ephesians iv. 1. - - -Brethren, has it ever occurred to you that each one of us has a -vocation in this life? I refer not to our Christian vocation, -which we all have in common, but to the particular state of life -to which each one of us has been called. It is not an uncommon -error for people to think that priests and nuns are the only -privileged mortals who are called by God to some special work, -and that to their vocation alone God has attached peculiar and -extraordinary graces. - -This is an error we must correct. We have all, thank God, the -vocation to be Christians and the call to be saints, but we have, -moreover, our own special calling, suitable to our character and -disposition; and our common Christian vocation, and in a great -measure our eternal salvation, depends on our fulfilling worthily -the particular vocation in which we are called. - -{431} - -Some of us God has called to be priests, to serve continually at -his altar. Some to be fathers of families, and others to remain -single all their life. Some he has called to the higher -professions, and others to the hard but manly toil of every-day -life. But to all these vocations, to all these different states -of life, he has attached certain duties, peculiar obligations, -which must be met and fulfilled. - -The great danger, brethren, that we have to avoid is the common -and stupid error of those who hold that their every-day vocation -has nothing to do with this Sunday calling; that there is little, -if any, connection between their own special calling and their -general calling to be Christians; who maintain that as business -men they can and must act in their own business-like way, -banishing God from their hearts and his law from their lives, at -least during their hours of business. - -This error, stupid as it is, is not so uncommon as one might at -first imagine. Take a few practical cases. How many are there -who, when they examine their conscience, ever think of -questioning themselves upon the duties of their position in life? -How many fathers of families, listening to these words to-day, -question themselves daily as to how they govern those whom God -has put under their charge; how they watch and provide for the -spiritual and temporal welfare of those whom they are called upon -to support? How many young men ever think of asking themselves -how they have fulfilled the obligations they are under to -parents, now perhaps unable to take care of themselves? How many -business-men question themselves as to the honesty or propriety -of this or that mode of action they have been following? -{432} -Alas! they are few indeed. And this is the practical outcome of -not recognizing the close connection there is between our -every-day calling and our Christian vocation. As every vocation, -brethren, has its duties and its difficulties, so every calling -has its special helps and graces. God saw each one of us from all -eternity--just as we are to-day, with all the weaknesses of our -character, with all the difficulties that surround us, and all -the temptations with which we have to contend. He foresaw all -these things and provided for them, regulating his helps and -graces according to our wants, and directing all things towards -our final destiny. His grace is always sufficient for us, and as -long as we remain in his friendship there is no vocation or -calling so difficult or trying but what can be cheerfully and -manfully borne and worked towards our soul's salvation. The lot -of some is certainly not an easy one, but God always fits the -back for the burden. - -The practical question I would have you ask yourselves to-day, -brethren, is this: Granted that I have a vocation in this life; -granted that Providence has placed me in a position that involves -duties and obligations to God, my neighbor, or myself; how am I -fulfilling these obligations? How am I walking in the vocation in -which I am called? Worthily or unworthily--that is the -all-important question for me to answer to-day to the -satisfaction of my conscience, as I will have to answer it one -day to Almighty God. - -Am I the father or mother of a family? If so, do I discharge the -duties of my calling? Do I make my home pleasant and agreeable -for my children? Do I supply them with suitable home amusements? -Do I furnish them proper reading matter, or do I allow them to -waste their time and ruin their souls with the vile penny -literature of the day? -{433} -Do I oblige them to come to Mass and approach the sacraments, -while I neglect these duties myself? Or am I a business-man who -deals squarely and honestly with my neighbors, never on the alert -to take advantage of the ignorant and weak? Am I in the -employment of others, and, if so, do I fulfil my calling worthily -by doing all that strict justice or Christian charity requires of -me? Or am I just to men who work for me? These are some of the -questions regarding your vocations that I would have you ask -yourselves to-day. - -Brethren, when we come to render our account to God, be sure of -this: he will not trouble us with the question as to whether we -have been experts in our respective professions, whether we have -been successful business-men or skilled mechanics; no, but -whether we have been just and honorable, whether we have walked -_worthily_ in the vocations to which we have been called. -Walk then, brethren, worthy of your vocation, worthy of the -church which has reared you, worthy of the hope that is in you, -worthy of the name you bear, that of Christ, who has redeemed -you. Imitate him, live as he lived, and suffer in your calling -the things he suffered. Then the prayer of our patron St. Paul -will not be in vain, and we will walk worthy of the vocation in -which we are called. - -------------------- - -{434} - - _Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost._ - - - Epistle. - I _Corinthians i._ 4-8. - - Brethren: - I give thanks to my God always for you, for the grace of God - that is given you in Christ Jesus, that in all things you are - made rich in him, in every word, and in all knowledge: as the - testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: so that nothing is - wanting to you in any grace, waiting for the manifestation of - our Lord Jesus Christ, who also will confirm you unto the end - without crime, in the day of the coming of our Lord Jesus - Christ. - - - Gospel. - _St. Matthew ix._ 1-8. - - At that time: - Jesus entering into a boat, passed over the water and came into - his own city. And behold they brought to him a man sick, of the - palsy lying on a bed. And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to - the man sick of the palsy: Son, be of good heart, thy sins are - forgiven thee. And behold some of the Scribes said within - themselves: This man blasphemeth. And Jesus seeing their - thoughts, said: Why do you think evil in your hearts? Which is - easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up - and walk? But that you may know that the Son of man hath power - on earth to forgive sins (then saith he to the man sick of the - palsy), Rise up: take thy bed and go into thy house. And he - rose up, and went into his house. And the multitude seeing it, - feared, and glorified God who had given such power to men. - -------------------- - -{435} - - Sermon CXXXII. - - Presumption Of God's Mercy. - - _Unless you have believed in vain._ - 1 Corinthians xv. 2. - - -Dear Brethren: The Apostle appears to be of a different mind from -some of us, who seem to think that there is no such thing as -believing in vain. Do not sinners rest quite secure in their -wickedness just because they believe in the true religion? Do -they not feel sure of salvation because they know how to be -saved? Is not the blessed privilege of the holy faith the secret -reason of many a person's delay of repentance? It is against all -such that St. Paul stands when he speaks of a vain faith; and our -Blessed Lord himself when he says that pagan Tyre and Sidon shall -rise up in witness against those who had the true religion and -used it only to puff them selves up with spiritual pride. - -To be guilty of an unused faith is the high-road to eternal loss -among Catholics. Some poor souls will be lost because, though -born in error, they have refused to follow the light of reason -into the church. But we shall be lost, if at all, because we have -believed in vain. Some outside of the church shall be lost -because they have sinned even against the simplest precepts of -nature's law. But we shall be condemned for believing all that -our Lord revealed and making it vain by our wicked deeds. A vain -faith is like the background of a picture: the eye catches and -dwells on the objects in the foreground, but these could not be -seen clearly but for the tints in the background against which -they are drawn. So what we do will one day be contrasted with -what we know; the strong light of faith will only cause the -black, filthy sins of our life to be more fully revealed to the -Judge. - -{436} - -Have you never seen a blind man whose eyes seemed perfectly good, -clear, and bright, and yet utterly blind? There is such a kind of -blindness; some men really have eyes and see not, because the -nerve is dead, and the nerve is like the soul of the eye. So with -our faith: God gave it to us to see by and walk by and live by; -to know his law and live up to it, to know our sins and to -confess them with true sorrow--in a word, to practise what we -know that we ought to practise. But some become like the idols of -the nations you read of in one of the Vesper psalms: "They have -eyes, and see not; they have ears, and hear not." Wicked -Catholics perceive the right way; they hear of the dangers of the -wrong way, and go right along with this knowledge, and neglect -prayer and Mass, blaspheme and fight, get drunk and debauch, and -steal, yet having all the time full assurance that somehow or -other their faith will save them. Brethren, their faith is vain; -their hope of eternal life is not reasonable or well founded; the -beauty of the truth they possess is like the cold beauty of a -corpse, which makes one shudder only the more from its -incongruity with the putrid decay so surely approaching. - -Yet how rich a treasure is the true faith! What a comfort to know -the truths of religion! What a privilege to know our Lord and -Saviour Jesus Christ, and to be in communion with him, his -Blessed Mother, his glorious saints, his holy church! What a -perversity, then, to use all this as a burglar uses his -rope-ladder: a means of making a criminal life more secure. -{437} -But it cannot be. It is a delusion. There is no means of making a -criminal life secure, except by turning quickly away from it, -detesting it, confessing it, and, by the light of faith and the -strength of charity, leading a good life. - -------------------- - - Sermon CXXXIII. - - Drunkenness. - - - _Take heed to yourselves, - lest perhaps your hearts be over charged - with surfeiting and drunkenness, - and the cares of this life._ - --Luke xxi. 34. - - -These words of our Lord recorded by St. Luke contain a very -direct admonition against intemperance and its associate vices. -Gluttony and drunkenness are closely allied, inasmuch as the -former is generally associated with excessive eating, and the -latter is used to denote excess in intoxicating drink. Not only -from a religious standpoint, but from medical science, St. Luke -knew and could teach the injurious effects on the human system -produced by the unrestrained gratification of the appetites. His -knowledge in these matters was evidently recognized by those -associated with him in preaching the Gospel, for St. Paul speaks -of him as "the beloved physician" (Colossians iv. 14). - -There are many passages of Holy Scripture that show forth the -dangers of drunkenness. In the Old Testament we read that Noe and -Lot were both taught by sad experience the shame and degradation -arising from the loss of self-control through the excessive use -of intoxicating drinks. -{438} -No sanction can, be found in the Bible for the opinion that -intemperance is a pardonable weakness. It is a very long time -ago, indeed, since this vice of drunkenness was first condemned -by the authorized teachers of religion. Among the vices it is -properly classified with gluttony, which is one of the seven -deadly sins. - -The Apostles sent forth by our Lord to teach all nations -strenuously inculcated the duty of _sobriety_ and -_watchfulness_ on each individual Christian. St. Peter and -St. Paul especially insist on this personal vigilance as being of -the utmost importance. _"Being sober_, hope perfectly for -that grace which is offered you at the revelation of Jesus -Christ. _Be sober and watch_, because your adversary, the -devil, as a roaring lion goeth about, seeking whom he may devour" -(First Epistle of St. Peter v. 8-13). - -St. Paul teaches the same lesson of _personal vigilance_ in -these words: "Let us _watch and be sober_, having on the -breastplate of faith and charity, and for a helmet the hope of -salvation" (1 Thessalonians v. 6-8). "For the grace of God our -Saviour hath appeared to all men, instructing us that, renouncing -impiety and worldly desires, we should _live soberly_, and -justly, and piously in this world" (Titus ii. 3). - -A great doctor of the church, St. Augustine, in the fourth -century declared that there were at that time drunkards, plenty -of them, and that people had grown accustomed to speak of -drunkenness, not only without horror, but even with levity. This -condition of things was brought about by the vicious teaching of -the pagans, who sanctioned every form of sensual gratification. -{439} -In one of his sermons St. Augustine uses these words: "The heart -of the drunkard has lost all feeling. When a member has no -feeling it may be considered dead and cut off from the body. Yet -we sometimes are lenient, and can only employ words. We are loath -to excommunicate and cast out of the church; for we fear lest he -who is chastised should be made worse by the chastisement. And -though such are already dead in soul, yet, since our Physician is -Almighty, we must not despair of them." - -Again in a letter to a bishop, written in the year 393, St. -Augustine refers to the intemperance then prevalent in the city -of Carthage. "The pestilence," he says, "is of such a magnitude -that it seems to me it cannot be cured except by the authority of -a council. Or, at least, if one church must begin, it should be -that of Carthage. It would seem like audacity to try to change -what Carthage retains." Then he proceeds to urge that the -movement against intemperance be conducted in the spirit of -meekness, saying: "I think that these abuses must be removed, not -imperiously, nor harshly; by instruction rather than by command, -by persuasion rather than by threats. It is thus one must act in -a multitude: we may be severe towards the sins of a few." - -From the words just quoted we see that St. Augustine was justly -opposed to the indiscriminate condemnation of a multitude for the -sins of a few. And it is very necessary to bear this in mind -while dealing with the vice of intemperance, which is so widely -prevalent at the present time. The crimes of drunkards are -frequently exposed to view in the columns of newspapers, yet the -unvarnished truth is seldom stated concerning those who -co-operate with them in the nine ways of being accessory to -another's sin; and this means especially those who, in cities -infected with intemperance, keep saloons, and those who invite -men to drink whom they have reason to fear will abuse it. -{440} -We know that there are leaders in the ways of vice as well as in -the ways of virtue. Special severity is needed with those who -deliberately persist in doing wrong with malice aforethought. Men -who strive to make laws to defend iniquity, who teach and foster -vice for their own personal profit, may properly be called blind -leaders of the blind, whose fate has already been predicted by -our Lord, the Supreme Judge of the world. - -------------------- - - Sermon CXXXIV. - - The Dignity And Happiness Of Obedience. - - - _Children, obey your parents in all things; - for this is pleasing to the Lord._ - --Colossians iii. 20. - - -Brethren, there are many new things found out nowadays; but there -are also some old ones and good ones being forgotten. Among other -things we are apt to forget the happiness of obedience. Of course -I do not mean obedience to the church; perhaps there never was an -age when Catholics rested so content in the gentle restraint of -our holy mother the Church. But I refer to the practice of -obedience one to another, done after the pattern of our Lord -Jesus Christ. The loveliness of this virtue is best seen in the -bosom of the Christian family. Affection, indeed, is the bond of -the family, but the fruit of affection is obedience. There is -nothing more pleasing to God than the son who is always at the -service of his father and mother. -{441} -Few families are without at least one such son. He is often the -one of whom at first the least was expected; of poor natural -talents, of delicate health, of irascible temper, or one whose -earlier years were wayward. But all the time he was observant, -though no one, not even himself, gave him credit for it. Year by -year the spectacle of father's and mother's affection and -sacrifice penetrated him, till he became deeply attached to them. -How much this reverent love for his parents had to do with his -religious state as a boy and a young man! It may be true that -scarcely any boy ever grows up to be a man and is never a liar to -his father and mother, or a pilferer of cake and fruit and -pennies about the house. But the good boy drops all this at First -Communion or when he goes to learn a trade, and he becomes honest -and truthful in little things as well as great. One of the -happiest days for him between the cradle and the grave is when he -runs and puts the first dollar he has earned into his mother's -hands. That good son lets all his brothers go away from home to -seek their fortunes; he stays with the old folks, comforts their -old age, closes their eyes in death, and with much love and many -tears follows them with his prayers beyond the grave. The others -were, perhaps, good children, but he is the hero of the family. - -Then there is the good daughter, who in childhood is the sunshine -of the family, and in maturer years everybody's other self. How -many parents, too poor to hire a servant, have living riches in -an industrious daughter! How often do parents find one at least -of the girls who from very infancy is the joy of the whole -family; who seems to have received in baptism such a fulness of -the Holy Spirit that charity, joy, peace, patience, long -suffering, kindness, and piety are the common qualities of her -character! -{442} -The faith also finds an apostle in such women. An intelligent -woman, though perhaps unable to argue skilfully, can establish -the truths of religion by methods all her own. A friendly jest, -good-natured silence, a patient return of loving services for -ill-treatment, the spectacle of her good life, not an hour of -which lacks a virtue--all this in one instinct with religion is -an unanswerable argument and often irresistible. How did it -happen, people sometimes ask concerning this or that person, that -she did not marry? She had good enough looks, excellent sense, a -bright mind, affectionate disposition, and saw plenty of company. -Why did she not marry? My brethren, the day of judgment will tell -us that it was because God had set her apart that she might be -for her widowed mother or her shiftless, unhappy brothers and -sisters the pot of meal that should not waste and the cruse of -oil that should not diminish. Brethren, I know of no order of -nuns more pleasing in God's sight than the devout women who live -a dependent, obscure, hard life in the world, and are old maids -for the love of God. - -Finally, you may say that such sons and daughters are hard to -find. I answer that there are multitudes who approach the -standard we have been considering, and more, perhaps, than you -fancy who actually attain to it. - -------------------- - -{443} - - _Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost._ - - - Epistle. - _Ephesians iv._ 23-28. - - Brethren: - Be ye renewed in the spirit of your mind: and put on the new - man, who, according to God, is created in justice, and holiness - of truth. Wherefore, putting away lying, speak ye the truth - every man with his neighbor: for we are members one of another. - Be angry, and sin not. Let not the sun go down upon your anger: - Give not place to the devil. Let him that stole, steal now no - more, but rather let him labor, working with his hands that - which is good, that he may have to give to him who is in need. - - - Gospel. - _St. Matthew xxii._ 2-14. - - At that time Jesus spoke to the chief priests and Pharisees in - parables, saying: - The kingdom of heaven is like to a man being a king, who made a - marriage for his son. And he sent his servants to call them - that were invited to the marriage: and they would not come. - Again he sent other servants, saying: Tell them that were - invited: Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my beeves and - fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come ye to the - wedding. But they neglected, and went their ways, one to his - farm, and another to his merchandise. And the rest laid hands - on his servants, and, having treated them contumeliously, put - them to death. But when the king heard of it he was angry, and, - sending his armies, he destroyed those murderers and burnt - their city. Then he saith to his servants: The wedding indeed - is ready; but they that were invited were not worthy. Go ye - therefore into the highways, and as many as you shall find, - invite to the wedding. -{444} - And his servants going out into the highways, gathered together - all that they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was - filled with guests. And the king went in to see the guests, and - he saw there a man who had not on a wedding garment. And he - saith to him: Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a - wedding garment? But he was silent. Then the king said to the - waiters: Having bound his hands and feet, cast him into the - exterior darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of - teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen. - -------------------- - - Sermon CXXXV. - - Lying. - - - _Wherefore, putting away lying, - speak ye the truth every man with his neighbor._ - --Epistle of the Day. - - -Of all the vicious habits into which we are prone to fall, there -is none more common, and none more miserable, mean, and -contemptible, than this one of which the Apostle here speaks. -There is also none about which Christians in general have so lax -and careless a conscience. True, every one regards lying as in -some sense at least sinful; and many would hesitate about going -to Holy Communion if they had told a lie after confession. But in -spite of that, when the Communion is once made, the tongue which -has just received the God of justice and truth will immediately -begin again to offend him by telling falsehoods which are too -often unjust as well as untrue. - -{445} - -Still, when there is an injustice done by telling a lie; when -some one else suffers by it in his character or his goods, there -are, I hope, few who do not see what a sin they have committed, -and understand that they must make reparation by taking back what -they have said, if they wish to be good Christians. But, for all -that, how many injurious lies are told, even by those who think -themselves good Christians, and never properly retracted or even -thought of afterward by those who tell them! The most abominable -slanders pass from mouth to mouth; they are listened to and -repeated with the greatest interest and eagerness, without any -trouble being taken to ascertain whether what is said is true or -not. These people who are so free with their tongues never seem -to imagine for a moment that, even when circumstances would -justify them--and it is very seldom that they do--in telling a -fact bearing against their neighbor they are under an obligation -first to find out by careful examination whether it be indeed a -fact; otherwise the sin of an injurious lie will rest on their -souls. - -There are, however, some, and indeed many, who abhor slander, and -who are really careful about telling injurious lies, and who -hasten to retract what they have said against others, if they -find out that, after all, the fact was not as they had good -ground to believe. But there are not by any means so many who are -careful about the truth for its own sake, and who do not scruple -to tell white lies, as they are sometimes called. - -What are these white lies? They are of two kinds. The first are -those which are told for some end in itself good, to get some -advantage for one's self or for another, or to get one's self or -some other person out of a scrape; to conceal a fault, to avoid -embarrassment, or to save somebody's feelings. These are called -officious lies. -{446} -Then there are others, called, jocose, which do no good to any -one, but are told merely for fun; such as the little tricks on -others which are often indulged in, or boasts made about things -which one has never done. They may be taken back before long, and -only meant to deceive for a moment; still they are meant to -deceive, if only for a moment, and are, therefore, really lies. - -Now officious lies are really forbidden by God's law as well as -injurious ones, though of course not so bad as those. And yet how -few act as if they really were sins at all! People will say, "I -told lies, perhaps three or four every day, but there was no harm -in them." No harm! No harm to other people; no, perhaps not, -except by bad example and the loss of confidence in your word and -that of others; though there is great harm even in that way. But -there is a greater harm than this: it is that which the liar does -to the sacredness of truth itself, and, as far as he can, to God -who is the eternal truth, who loves truth unspeakably, and -requires that we should love it for his sake. He will not allow -us to tell the most trivial falsehood, though by it we could save -the whole world from destruction, or bring all the souls which -have been damned out of hell and put them in heaven. - -Remember this, then: there are lies which are not injurious, but -there are no lies which are not harmful and sinful; no lies for -which you will not have to give an account at the judgment of -God. Stop, therefore, I beg you at once, this mean, disgraceful, -and dishonorable habit of falsehood; it will never be forgiven in -confession unless you make a serious and solid purpose against -it. Put away lying then at once and for ever, and speak the truth -in simplicity; you may sometimes lose by it for the moment, but -you will profit by it in the end, both in this world and in the -world to come. - -------------------- - -{447} - - Sermon CXXXVI. - - Truthfulness. - - - _Wherefore, putting away lying, - speak ye the truth every man with his neighbor, - for we are members one of another._ - --Ephesians iv. 25. - - -St. Paul here teaches us that truthfulness of speech should be a -mark of those who profess the true faith. He speaks of the -darkness of understanding, the ignorance, the blindness of heart -of those who are alienated from the life of God; "but you," he -says, "have not so learned Christ. You have been taught the truth -as it is in Jesus. You have been taught to put off the old man -who is corrupted according to the desires of error, and to put on -the new man, who, according to God, is created in justice and -holiness of truth: _wherefore_, putting away lying, speak ye -the truth every man with his neighbor, for we are members one of -another." - -Yet, even without these supernatural reasons and motives, the -duty of truthfulness is plain to everyone by the light of natural -reason alone. The gift of speech which so strongly marks the -distinction between man and the lower animals enables us to -clearly communicate our thoughts to each other. If, then, we make -it a means of deceiving others, we plainly offend against the law -of nature, which is God's law. In every relation of life we are -obliged to depend upon the statements of other men; we have a -right to the truth from them, and it is therefore our duty to -tell the truth to others. -{448} -We can have no feeling of security if we cannot trust the word of -those with whom we are brought into daily contact. If lying is -common in any class or community, it creates a spirit of distrust -and uneasiness instead of that mutual confidence which should -prevail. - -A high sense of honor in men of the world will often make them -strictly truthful. Such men despise a lie as something base and -mean and utterly beneath them. If, then, purely human motives, a -mere sense of worldly honor, will keep men from lying, how much -more should this fault be avoided by those who claim to be trying -to serve God, and who are constantly assisted by his grace. Our -Lord has told us that liars are the children of the devil, "for -he is a liar and the father thereof." But we are called to be the -children of God, who is the eternal truth; we have been given the -light of the true faith. We glory in the certain truth of our -religion; should we not then be zealous for the cause of truth in -all things, even in the least. Absolute, unswerving truthfulness -in speech should therefore mark the true disciple of Christ. - -"But," some may say, "a lie is only a venial sin." Yes, it is -true that a lie which is not malicious, which does not, and is -not intended to, harm our neighbor in any way, is not a mortal -sin; but it is the meanest of venial sins, and we know that a -long and terrible purgatory awaits those who are guilty of -deliberate venial sin. Moreover, carelessness about the -commission of venial sin leads to mortal offences, and there is -nothing which will more readily lead a man into other and graver -faults as the habit of deliberate untruthfulness. - -{449} - -Cultivate, then, a love for truth, and seek to acquire the habit -of truthfulness even in the smallest matters. Every one despises -a deceitful person, and there is nothing a man resents so much as -being called a liar. If you do not like being called a liar, do -not be one. - -------------------- - - Sermon CXXXVII. - - White Lies. - - - _Wherefore, putting away lying, - speak ye the truth every man with his neighbor._ - --Epistle of the Day. - - -There is perhaps no sin, my brethren, for which people seem to -have so little real sorrow, or for which they so seldom make a -practical purpose of amendment, as this miserable one of -falsehood, of which the Apostle here speaks. You will hear it -said: "I told lies, but there was no harm in them; they were to -excuse myself, or to save trouble." They are matters to be -confessed, oh! yes; the liar will perhaps even run back to say -that he is a liar, if he (or quite likely she) has forgotten to -mention it at the time. But as for correcting the habit, that is -quite another matter. It would seem that the Sacrament of Penance -is expected to take effect on these sins by mere confession, -without contrition or purpose to avoid them for the future. - -{450} - -But the liar will say: "I am sorry; I have contrition for these -lies." Let me ask, however, what kind of sorrow have you? You are -sorry that things were so that you had to tell a lie; but if -things were so again to-morrow, would not you tell the lie again? -If you are sincere, I am afraid you will say: "Yes, I suppose I -should." Where, then, is the purpose of amendment? Without -purpose of amendment contrition is nothing but a sham. - -Let us, then, my friends, look into our consciences about this -matter, and get them straightened out properly. I do not want to -be too harsh about it; for after all there are some expressions -which people call lies, which are not really so, because the one -to whom they are addressed is not expected to be deceived by -them, but merely to be prevented from asking further questions. -Some people, too, call it a lie when they do not tell the whole -truth, but we are not always required--though we often are--to -tell the whole truth; and when we are not, there is no lie, as -long as what we say is actually true as far as it goes. But it -would take too long to go into all the cases concerning what is -or is not a lie; and as a general rule one can by a little common -sense find them out for himself. Find them out, then; if you -cannot surely do so by yourselves, get advice; and when you are -certain that you are all right, do not call it a sin to act -according to your conscience and reason, and do not make a matter -of self-accusation out of it. - -But when you cannot see any way to make out that what you say -really is not a lie, then do not fall back on the idea that, if -it does not injure anybody, there is no harm in it. You are false -to yourself in this; for you know there is harm in it, otherwise -you would not feel uneasy about it. - -{451} - -And what is the harm? The harm in a lie is simply that it is a -lie, and therefore an offence against God, who is the truth. This -is what St. Paul tells us in this very Epistle of to-day. "Put -on," he says, "the new man, who, _according to God_, is -created in justice and holiness of truth. Wherefore," he -continues, "putting away lying, speak ye the truth every man with -his neighbor." - -Yes, my brethren, God is the truth, and he infinitely loves the -truth, in himself and in his creatures. He does not wish us to -sacrifice it in the slightest degree, even to save the whole -world from destruction. There is harm in a lie, then; harm, if I -may say so, to God himself and to his dearest interests. Do not -think, then, to save his interests, or any one else's, by lying. -Tell the truth and let him look out for the consequences. Tell -the truth for God's sake, because he loves it, and hates a lie; -tell the truth, and love the truth, for its own sake. We are, as -St. Paul says, "created according to God, in holiness of truth"; -let us keep the pattern to which we have been made. - -Stop, then, deliberate lying for a purpose, which is but too -common. But also be careful in what you say; try not even to fall -into falsehood thoughtlessly. Let it be your honest pride that -your word is as good as your oath. - -------------------- - -{452} - - _Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost._ - - - Epistle. - _Ephesians v._ 15-21. - - See, brethren, how you walk circumspectly: not as unwise, but - as wise: redeeming the time, for the days are evil. Wherefore - become not unwise, but understanding what is the will of God. - And be not drunk with wine, wherein is luxury, but be ye filled - with the Holy Spirit. Speaking to yourselves in psalms and - hymns, and spiritual canticles, singing and making melody in - your hearts to the Lord: giving thanks always for all things, - in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God and the Father: - being subject one to another in the fear of Christ. - - - Gospel. - _St. John iv._ 46-53. - - At that time: - There was a certain ruler whose son was sick at Capharnaum. He - having heard that Jesus was come from Judea into Galilee, went - to him, and prayed him to come down and heal his son, for he - was at the point of death. Then Jesus said to him: Unless you - see signs and wonders, you believe not. The ruler saith to him: - Sir, come down before that my son die. Jesus saith to him: Go - thy way, thy son liveth. The man believed the word which Jesus - said to him, and went his way. And as he was going down, his - servants met him: and they brought word, saying that his son - lived. He asked therefore of them the hour wherein he grew - better. And they said to him: Yesterday at the seventh hour the - fever left him. The father therefore knew that it was at the - same hour that Jesus said to him, Thy son liveth; and himself - believed, and his whole house. - -------------------- - -{453} - - Sermon CXXXVIII. - - Christian Marriage. - -My dear brethren, we shall, on this occasion, occupy the short -time allotted to us with some remarks on a most important -subject, namely, that of Christian marriage. We ask for your -especial attention to what we have to say on this matter, on -account of the great bearing which it has on your happiness both -here and hereafter, and hope that you will endeavor to understand -thoroughly the teaching of the church regarding it, and that you -will resolve not only to obey the laws, but also to follow her -suggestions and be governed by her spirit in an affair in which -your welfare is so deeply concerned. - -The great majority of Christians, as well as of the world in -general, are called in the providence of God to the state of -marriage; and their calling is as truly a divine vocation as that -of others to the religious life and to the priesthood. If, then, -the priest or the religious cannot expect to save his soul if he -neglects the virtues and the duties proper to his state, neither -can those who enter the state of matrimony, if they do not -appreciate and endeavor to fulfil the requirements and conditions -which God has attached to it; if they rush into it without -thought, and remain in it simply from convenience or necessity, -without realizing its responsibilities or feeling the burden -which it imposes on their consciences. - -{454} - -And yet this is what very many seem to do. Of course we take it -for granted that a Catholic, worthy the name, will not marry a -person of a different religion. But one should not marry a bad -Catholic. Many appear to be indifferent in this matter to their -eternal salvation and act as if conscience and religion had -nothing to do with it, but they disregard and fling to the winds -even the most common and obvious dictates of prudence as to their -comfort and peace in this world. What possible hope of happiness -in married life, for instance, can a young woman have who unites -her destiny with that of a man who is evidently falling, if, -indeed, he has not already fallen, into confirmed habits of -intemperance; whose past and present life gives no assurance of -advancement or worldly success, but, on the other hand, every -indication of the drunkard's failure, ruin, and degradation? What -can she be thinking of who, for a mere fancy or caprice, accepts -the offer of one to stand as her protector and support whose -selfish and beastly appetites are sure to make him soon trample -her under his feet, and treat her merely as a drudge to be -starved with her children in order that he may gratify his -passion for drink, and to be kicked and beaten if she so much as -implores him to reform? Or how can she dare to take for her -husband one whose sensual passion is certain soon to extinguish -every spark of true love he may have felt for her, and who will, -before long, be unfaithful to her for the very reason that made -him at first seem faithful? - -It is painful to speak of these things; but, unfortunately, the -frequency of such cases obliges us to do so. Such miseries in -marriage cannot be considered, at least in cities like this, as -exceptional and extraordinary; no, they must be taken into -account, not as mere possibilities, but as actual realities. And, -of course, there are others which we have not time to enumerate; -the ones of which I have spoken will serve as examples. -{455} -It is, then, the part not only of Christian prudence but also of -worldly common sense, to make sure, as far as possible, to avoid -these dangers. It is far better to remain single than to make a -bad marriage; let every one, then, before taking this most -important of all steps in life, look carefully where it will -lead. Let every one, and certainly every Christian, before -selecting a companion for life, whose place no one else can take, -satisfy himself or herself that the one who is thus selected has -the qualities that are calculated to insure happiness to both -parties; that he or she has natural virtues and good habits, well -and solidly formed; at least industry, sobriety, and those -qualities in general which business-men, for example, try to -secure in those who are to be charged with matters of far less -consequence than the support and care of a family. - -------------------- - - Sermon CXXXIX. - - Mortification Of Our Lower Nature. - - - _Now if we be dead with Christ - we believe that we shall live also together with Christ._ - --From the Epistle of the Sunday. - - -The meaning of the Apostle, my brethren, is expressed in one -great Catholic word--mortification. The lower nature that is in -us must be put to death that the higher may live. The animal must -die that the man may live. And if literal death be not hereby -signified, yet so really destructive of mere appetite is the -Christian's union with Christ that mortification or putting to -death is one condition of obtaining it. -{456} -Human ease and pleasure are opposed to the soul's fulfilment of -its destiny. In itself no doubt the natural joy of this life is -not evil. But there is no joy of man simply "in itself." It all -flows from that root of bitterness which original sin planted in -our hearts, and which makes it necessary that we be not simply -obedient to God's law, but "born again"; "for," says the Apostle -in this same Sunday's Epistle, "we are buried together with -Christ by baptism into death, that as Christ is risen from the -dead by the glory of the Father, so we also may walk in newness -of life." "Knowing this: that our old man is crucified with him, -that the body of sin may be destroyed." "For he that is dead is -justified from sin." - -These are very strong words, my brethren. They and the many other -such words in Holy Scripture have much to do with explaining our -religion--the cross on our churches, the crucifix over our -altars, the shamefaced confession, the constant self-denial; even -the plaintive tones of the church's voice in her chants, even the -touch of sadness in her most joyful offices. Indeed, the true joy -of a Christian is in the theological virtue of hope--is placed in -a paradise which for him is yet to begin. He is too hardly -pressed with the conflict of his higher and lower nature to be -quite happy, except in anticipation of a victory never fully -gained this side the grave. And it is only when the very taste -for ease and pleasure has become blunted that the consolations of -the Holy Spirit begin to be felt. The whole inner life of a -Christian is regulated by his power to deny himself, and to deny -himself, especially in outward things--in eating and drinking, in -working and resting, in seeing and hearing. - -{457} - -To noble spirits the very innocent care of the body is irksome; -and this from no sin of sloth, but because the soul, absorbed in -high spiritual things, is vexed by the mean things of our animal -nature. Hence the every-day business of a religious man is to -restrain the headlong folly of corrupt nature by the bit and -bridle of mortification. And this is every Christian's duty. -Though one may feel no call but to the ordinary Christian state, -yet is he plainly called to self-denial. Outside the church there -is little or nothing of the practical self-restraint of the -Gospel. And even among ourselves many are forgetful of this war -of the spirit against the flesh, except at the rare intervals of -infrequent confession or during such seasons as Lent and Advent. -The need of constant self-denial is one of those truths that the -ever-flowing waters of forgetfulness wash out of our memories the -quickest. Hence it is related of St. Philip Neri that he was -accustomed to say in the morning: "Lord, keep thy hand upon -Philip to day, or, Lord! Philip will betray thee." - -So, my brethren, there is no grace you have more need to pray for -than the strength of will to practise some daily mortification. -Nay, pray for the grace to accept those that God sends every day -and it is enough. Oh! if we could bear patiently for the love of -God with his own visitations, with such things as sickness of -body and dulness of mind, with poverty and disappointment, with -the evil temper of other members of the family, their stupidity -and selfishness, we should soon be safe. Brethren, we are all -novices, and God is the universal novice-master, and these are -his daily mortifications. Others he gives us, too, through the -ministry of holy church. Not a week passes over but we must give -one day to God and to our better selves by abstinence from flesh -meat. -{458} -Not a season goes by but the three Ember days are set apart for -hunger and thirst. Holy Advent, the penitential season of Lent, -make a loud call--would it were better heeded--on our higher -nature to reduce the beast to subjection. Meantime, if one wants -more self-denial, let him advise with his father confessor, let -him consult spiritual writers, let him hearken to the spirit of -God within him, always bearing in mind that beyond such -mortifications as are of obligation it is not prudent to go, -except by advice of a prudent spiritual adviser. - -------------------- - - Sermon CXL. - - The Value Of Time. - - - _Redeeming the time._ - --Epistle of the Day. - - -There is a precious treasure, my dear brethren, which is always -partly, but only partly, in our possession. Now and then we wake -up to the conviction how valuable it is. There is something which -must be done, and there is only just time to do it in; we wish -there were more, but no, only just so much is allotted to us. -Then we realize how priceless time is. The sinner, suddenly -struck down by some terrible accident, and with only a few -minutes to live--what would he not give for a half-hour more; -for time to look into his confused and disturbed conscience; for -time to rouse himself to real contrition for his sins; for time, -at least, to send for a priest, and with his help make some sort -of preparation for eternity! - -{459} - -But it is not only at the end of our lives, or in moments of such -supreme importance, that we would pay for time with gold, or with -other things upon which we set great value here. Often we would -give much to be able to put ourselves back a day or even an hour -in our lives; what an advantage it would give us! We look back on -many hours and days in the past; there they were, once at our -service, but now squandered and gone for ever. - -Time, then, is this precious treasure, which we shall never -wholly lose till we pass out of this world for ever. Its golden -sands are running rapidly away from us, but still some remain. -The uncertainty how much of it is still left should make us put -to the best use each instant as it passes. Who would not draw -prudently from a chest in which his whole fortune was locked up, -if its amount were unknown to him, if the next demand might -exhaust it; and who would not put to the best use each penny that -he drew? - -This is the instruction, the warning that the Apostle gives us in -to-day's Epistle: "To walk circumspectly; not as unwise, but as -wise, redeeming the time." Saving it--that is to say, not letting -it slip by us idly and unprofitably; not only having it while it -lasts, but receiving also the precious fruits with which it is -laden. - -How much this caution is needed! How careless we are about this -priceless possession which is ours from moment to moment! Some -part of it indeed we are generally obliged to employ, and -fortunate we are that it is so, in some occupation of profit to -ourselves or to others. -{460} -Yes, fortunate; for that man must earn his bread by the toil of -his body or mind is hardly after the fall a curse, but rather a -blessing. Place fallen human nature in the paradise of our first -parents, and its final loss could hardly be averted. But the -rest: how often do we see, when work is over, that the only -thought, even of Christians, is to get rid of this invaluable -gift, the precious time which God has given them! They seem to -have no thought but to lose themselves and it in some mere -sensual pleasure, to fritter it away in gossip or some foolish -and needless diversion, or to forget it and throw it away in -slothful and unnecessary sleep. - -Brethren, some day we shall want all this time that we are now -wasting. Then it will stand out before us in its true value; we -shall see that it should have been redeemed, and that it is now -irredeemable. And what is more, God, who gave it to us, will -require an account of it at our hands. He gave it to us for an -object; there is not a minute of it that he did not mean us to -turn to good use. And we can carry out his purpose if we only -will. Let us, then, beware of idleness; even our recreation and -rest should be such that we can feel that he would approve of -them, and that they will help us in our remaining hours to do the -work that he has required and expects us to do. To kill time--let -this be a word unheard among us; to kill time is to trample down -the seed of eternal life and to invite death to our souls. - -------------------- - -{461} - - _Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost._ - - - Epistle. - _Ephesians vi._ 10-17. - - Brethren: - Be strengthened in the Lord, and in the might of his power. Put - you on the armor of God, that you may be able to stand against - the snares of the devil. For our wrestling is not against flesh - and blood: but against principalities and powers, against the - rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of - wickedness in the high places. Wherefore take unto you the - armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, - and to stand in all things perfect. Stand, therefore, having - your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate - of justice: and your feet shod with the preparation of the - gospel of peace: in all things taking the shield of faith, - wherewith you may be able to extinguish all the fiery darts of - the most wicked one. And take unto you the helmet of salvation; - and the sword of the Spirit (which is the word of God). - - - Gospel. - _St. Matthew xviii._ 23-35. - - At that time Jesus spoke to his disciples this parable: - The kingdom of heaven is likened to a king, who would take an - account of his servants. And when he had begun to take the - account, one was brought to him that owed him ten thousand - talents. And as he had not wherewith to pay it, his lord - commanded that, he should be sold, and his wife and children, - and all that he had, and payment to be made. But that servant, - falling down, besought him, saying: Have patience with me, and - I will pay thee all. And the lord of that servant being moved - with compassion, let him go, and forgave him the debt. -{462} - But when that servant was gone out, he found one of his - fellow-servants that owed him a hundred pence; and laying hold - of him, he throttled him, saying: Pay what thou, owest. And his - fellow-servant, falling down, besought him, saying: Have - patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not: - but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. - Now his fellow-servants, seeing what was done, were very much - grieved, and they came and told their lord all that was done. - Then his lord called him, and said to him: Thou wicked servant! - I forgave thee all the debt, because thou besoughtest me: - shouldst not thou then have had compassion also on thy - fellow-servant, even as I had compassion on thee? And his lord - being angry, delivered him to the torturers until he should pay - all the debt. So also shall my heavenly Father do to you, if - you forgive not every one his brother from your hearts. - -------------------- - - Sermon CXLI. - - Forgiveness Of Injuries. - - - _Shouldst not thou then have had compassion - on thy fellow-servant, - even as I had compassion on thee?_ - --St. Matthew, xviii. 33 - - -These words of to-day's Gospel are spoken by our Lord to every -one who has been wanting in charity to his neighbor. Each one of -us, as a servant of God, as a steward of the gifts, both temporal -and spiritual, which he has entrusted to us that we may use them -for the furtherance of his honor and glory, is a heavy debtor to -the divine justice. But his mercy and love are always ready to -temper his justice, if only we show the proper dispositions, if -only we bend our rebellious wills to the condition he requires of -us, without which it is impossible for us to obtain forgiveness. -{463} -This condition is found in the oft-repeated but little thought of -petition of the Lord's Prayer: "Forgive us our trespasses, as we -forgive those that trespass against us." The servant in the -parable received forgiveness from his lord for the sum of ten -thousand talents (a very large sum of money), yet he was -unmerciful to his fellow-servant, who owed him a hundred pence. -The difference between these sums is by no means so great as the -difference between our offences against Almighty God and those of -our brethren against us. If we could only realize who it is that -we have offended, and then reflect as well upon our ingratitude -in offending him, as upon the innumerable benefits he has -showered upon us, we might form some faint idea of the gravity of -our sin, and of the immense debt that we owe to his justice. We -could not then refuse forgiveness to our neighbor for the -trifling, and perhaps merely fancied, injuries that we may have -suffered from him. "With what measure you shall mete, it shall be -measured to you again." "If you forgive not every one his brother -from your hearts," you cannot hope for pardon from God. - -How, then, can we best practise this forgiveness which is so -necessary for us? In the first place, it must be earnest and -sincere forgiveness. It must be "from your hearts," as our Lord -says. No mere outward show of forgiveness will be enough, for God -sees the heart, and no appearances will satisfy him. But, on the -other hand, the forgiveness will not be real and earnest unless -it be shown outwardly. Many profess their willingness to forgive -who yet show resentment and a spirit of revenge in many little -ways, by looks, words, and actions which prove that there is no -real forgiveness in the heart. -{464} -Then again we find persons who, when they are urged to forgive -some wrong, answer: "Well, father, I suppose I must forgive, if -you tell me so." It is plain that this is but a very unwilling -and faint-hearted forgiveness, which, will not answer before God. -Why will not the generosity of God towards us lead us to show a -like spirit towards our brethren? - -We should strive to forgive offences the moment they are -committed against us. Our natural impulse when any insult is -offered to us is to resent it at once, and pay back in the same -coin. How different is this from the example set us by our Lord, -"Who, when he was reviled, did not revile; when he suffered, he -threatened not." We should check the first uprisings of -resentment, and keep back the angry reply, in imitation of our -Blessed Lord's silence before his accusers and tormentors. By the -practice of this Christian silence many a feud of long -continuance would be prevented. - -We must also "lay aside all malice," and be ready, when an injury -has been done, to be reconciled with our offending brother. This -is often very hard for us to do, and very repugnant to our -natural inclinations, but it is, nevertheless, absolutely -necessary. If we bear malice towards any one, we are not worthy -of the name of Christians, or followers of Christ. - -Try, then, to put in practice the teaching of this day's Gospel, -and forgive from your heart those who have offended you, showing -your forgiveness by your words and acts. There is nothing more -scandalous and injurious to the Christian name than constant -quarrels and long-continued animosities between those who go -regularly to the sacraments. Follow, then, the injunction of St. -Paul: "Let all bitterness, and anger, and indignation, and -clamor, and blasphemy be taken away from you, with all malice. -And be ye kind to one another, merciful, forgiving one another, -even as God has forgiven you in Christ." - -------------------- - -{465} - - Sermon CXLII. - - Gossiping. - - - _Laying hold of him he throttled him, saying: - Pay me what thou owest._ - --Words Taken From To-day's Gospel. - - -The Gospel of this Sunday, my dear brethren, inculcates in the -strongest possible way the distinctively Christian virtue of -brotherly love--the duty, that is, of cherishing a spirit of -charity and consideration for other men, and especially of -forgiving any injuries which they may have done us. This -obligation is, however, so clearly and frequently and earnestly -enforced in the New Testament, and from our earliest days has -been brought home to us in so many ways, that at first sight it -might seem that I could do something better this morning than to -go back to such an old and familiar subject. And yet, old and -familiar as it is, every-day life affords so many proofs that we -do not carry our knowledge into practice that I am sure that nine -in every ten, perhaps ninety-nine in every hundred, stand in need -of being reminded of this old and familiar though badly learned -lesson. - -{466} - -For of what is the every-day talk of most women and a great -number of men made up, if not of ill-natured criticism and -depreciation of their acquaintances, neighbors, and even friends? -In the words of St. Paul, are we not continually biting and -devouring one another? Are not the newspapers filled with stories -which pander to this uncharitable spirit? What, in short, is more -common than detraction, and even slander? Yet even these evils, -grave and deadly as they are, are but small compared with other -manifestations of this same uncharitable spirit. Why, I have been -told of people who have worked side by side in the same -work-shop, attended the same church, even knelt at the same -altar-rail, and yet, for some trifling cause or other, have -refused to speak to one another for years! What trouble priests -have with people who come to confession to them! Sometimes the -very most they can get is a vague, half-hearted expression of -forgiveness, but on no account can they in some cases induce -their penitents to extend to one another that which is due to -every man, be he Jew or Turk, Catholic or Protestant--the -ordinary salutations which civility requires. - -Now, that all this is wrong is evident. Not one of us is so blind -as not to be able to see that. But what the Gospel to-day points -out, and what I wish to present to your serious consideration -this morning, is the very unpleasant consequences which will -infallibly follow upon such conduct. We know the story very well. -A slave is in debt to his master for a very large amount--an -amount which, while quite willing, he is utterly unable to pay. -His master releases him from this debt. Whereupon this fine -fellow, meeting a brother-slave who owed him a paltry sum, -accosts him in the brutal manner mentioned in the text, demands -immediate payment of the money, and, not withstanding the -debtor's entreaties and his willingness to make it good as soon -as possible, locks him up in prison until the amount is -forthcoming. -{467} -Thereupon his conduct is brought to the knowledge of their -master. He at once summons the wicked slave before him and -"delivers him to the torturers until he pays all the debt." Then -our Lord says, and I ask for your serious attention to his words: -"So also shall my Heavenly Father do to you if you forgive not -every one his brother from your hearts." - -Of course, it is unnecessary to point out how strictly this -applies to us. Many other texts might be cited from the Gospels -to the same effect. One only I will mention, and that is, that we -cannot say an "Our Father" without making the very forgiveness of -our sins, which we ask for, dependent upon our forgiveness of the -faults of others. We must forgive if we wish to be forgiven, and -this forgiveness must be from the heart; no mere form of words, -sufficient to satisfy men, but it must be a forgiveness sincere -and genuine, such as to satisfy God, the searcher of hearts, -before whom we must appear to give an account of our whole life. - -------------------- - - Sermon CXLIII. - - Mixed Marriages. - - -I wish to give a short instruction on the Sacrament of Matrimony -this morning. - -{468} - -If a marriage with a merely nominal Catholic be fraught with -dangerous consequences, and be the cause of much disturbance and -anxiety to one who wishes to be a Christian in deed as well as in -name--and that it is so I think all will agree--what shall we say -of a mixed marriage, as it is called--of the union of a Catholic -with one who holds religious views opposed to the faith of the -church, or who, perhaps, has no belief or religion at all? How -can any true harmony or peace be expected when there is -discordance in the matter of religion, which lies nearest to the -heart, and is more thoroughly interwoven in all the ideas, -opinions, feelings, and practices of a practical Catholic than -any other whatever? - -Sympathy, union of interests and desires, of plans, hopes, and -efforts, must exist in all true friendship; nay, more, without it -association or companionship of any kind soon becomes a burden. -There is no remedy for this except by dropping or putting in the -back ground those aspirations and affections which are not shared -by the other party. And what is true of all friendship is, of -course, true above all of that which should be the highest, -nearest, and dearest of all friendships--namely, that of -marriage. The only way for a Catholic to be at all happy in a -mixed marriage is to put religion in the background; to regard -it, as, unfortunately, too many do, as a matter of very little -importance; as something to be professed, indeed, and -occasionally practised, but which is to have no special influence -on the general course and tenor of one's life. - -{469} - -How can a Catholic wife, for instance, who is earnest about her -religion be really happy with a husband who cannot attach any -importance to, or see any sense in, her practices of devotion; to -whom holy Mass, Benediction, the sacraments, the veneration of -the saints and angels, and many other things which are her great -helps and consolations in life, are mere idle mummeries and -superstitions; who looks contemptuously on her observance of -Lent, of Fridays, and fast days; who considers all the teachings -and laws of the church an imposition and a fraud, to be done away -with as far as possible; who, in short, either looks forward to -nothing at all beyond this life, or, if he hopes for heaven, has -a different one from hers, and seeks for it in a different way? -The only plan that can be followed to secure even a seeming peace -and agreement is to bring down the Catholic religion to its -lowest level, to make out that it is not so very different from -Protestantism after all; to be content with Mass on Sundays; to -eat meat on Fridays whenever it is more convenient; to let the -pope and the church generally get on as best they can, and to say -no more about them than can be helped. Yes, this mixture even in -the Catholic party of Catholic and Protestant is only too likely -to be the result of a mixed marriage. - -I know that it may be said, and with truth, that Protestants are -not always prejudiced against our religion; that sometimes a -Protestant husband is not only willing but anxious that his -Catholic wife should attend thoroughly to her religious duties; -and we find cases of Protestant wives even becoming Catholics, -mainly, as it would seem, to induce by their example a more -faithful practice of religion in their Catholic husbands. But -these are results which we have no right to expect--no, not even -if they are promised beforehand. And too often we find a state of -things in a mixed marriage much worse than what I have described. -{470} -We find, in spite of the most solemn promises made beforehand, a -bitter and shameless persecution; Mass and the sacraments -forbidden; children denied not only Catholic instruction, but -even the grace of baptism; the priest not allowed in the house -even in time of sickness, and nearly all hope gone of receiving -the last rites of the church at the hour of death. We do not wish -to blame the Protestant party too much in these cases; he may be -acting according to his conscience, but such a conscience, though -perhaps good enough for him, is not one which a Catholic should -run the risk of being governed by. - -------------------- - -{471} - - _Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost._ - - - Epistle. - _Philippians i._ 6-11. - - Brethren: - We are confident of this very thing, that he, who hath begun a - good work in you, will perfect it unto the day of Christ Jesus. - As it is meet for me to think this for you all: because I have - you in my heart; and that in my bonds, and in the defence, and - confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of my joy. - For God is my witness, how I long after you all in the bowels - of Jesus Christ. And this I pray, that your charity may more - and more abound in knowledge, and in all understanding: that - you may approve the better things, that you may be sincere and - without offence unto the day of Christ. Replenished with the - fruit of justice through Jesus Christ, unto the glory and - praise of God. - - - Gospel. - _St. Matthew xxii._ 15-21. - - At that time: - The Pharisees going away, consulted among themselves how to - ensnare Jesus in his speech. And they sent to him their - disciples with the Herodians, saying: Master, we know that thou - art a true speaker, and teachest the way of God in truth, - neither carest thou for any man; for thou dost not regard the - person of men. Tell us, therefore, what dost thou think, Is it - lawful to give tribute to Cæsar, or not? But Jesus, knowing - their wickedness, said: Why do you tempt me, ye hypocrites? - Show me the coin of the tribute. And they offered him a penny. - And Jesus saith to them: Whose image and inscription is this? - They say unto him: Cæsar's. Then he saith to them: Render, - therefore, to Cæsar the things that are Cæsar's, and to God the - things that are God's. - -------------------- - -{472} - - Sermon CXLIV. - - Obedience To The Civil Authorities. - - - _Render therefore to Cæsar - the things that are Cæsar's, - and to God the things that are God's._ - --Matthew xxii. 21 - - -Our Lord made this reply, my dear brethren, to the question of -some who asked him whether it was lawful to give tribute to -Caesar or not; or, in other words, whether it was right to pay -taxes to support the government of the Roman Empire, to which the -Jews were then subjected, and which was a pagan, and in many ways -an impious and ungodly power. They hoped that he would say that -it was not; for if he did, they would have a very good charge to -make against him before the Roman governor, as one who was a -rebel and a disobeyer of the laws; and could thus bring about his -ruin, which they earnestly desired. Now, if it really had been -wrong to pay these taxes Christ would of course have said so; -for, as they had said to him in truth, though they meant it as -flattery, he was a true speaker, and would not betray the truth -to please any man or to escape any danger. But instead of -answering in this way, as they hoped, he surprised them by saying -that they ought to pay the taxes which were imposed on them; he -commanded them to obey the power, hateful in many ways as it was, -whose subjects they were. - -We must, therefore, conclude that the power of the state, or the -law of the land as it is called, has a real claim in the name of -God and of Christ to our obedience. For if our Lord required -those who heard him to obey the Roman authorities, he would also -require us to obey the duly constituted authorities under which -we live at any time. For the cruel and persecuting pagan empire -of Rome was surely no more worthy of respect and obedience than -any other under which our lot is like to be cast. - -{473} - -And if we could have any doubt as to our duty in conscience on -this point, St. Paul confirms this lesson most emphatically. -"There is no power," he says, "but from God; and those that are, -are ordained of God. ... And they that resist purchase to -themselves damnation. ... Wherefore be subject of necessity, not -only for wrath" (that is, for fear of the consequences) "but also -for conscience sake." And coming to the very matter of which our -Lord has spoken, he proceeds: "Render, therefore, to all men -their dues. Tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom -custom." - -We see then clearly, my brethren, that the laws of the land bind -us in conscience. And we do not by any means need to go back to -apostolic times to find instruction to this effect. The -successors of St. Peter, and those teaching in union with them, -have always insisted on this duty of obedience to the civil power -very strongly. Only last year, for instance, our Holy Father, -Pope Leo XIII., has, in an encyclical letter, taught it to us -very clearly. "The church," he says, "rightly teaches that the -power of the state comes from God." And he tells us that, -whatever the form of government may be--that is, whether the -rulers are chosen by the people or not--it is not simply from -the people that their right to rule and to be obeyed comes; the -people in an elective government do not make the power, although -they designate the person or persons in whom the power of God is -to rest. - -{474} - -Of course no one denies that the civil power may, in particular -cases, forfeit its claim to our obedience by requiring of us -things manifestly unjust or plainly contrary to the law of God or -of the church; as, for instance, if it should require us to -attend Protestant worship, or should forbid us to make our Easter -duty. But such cases are very rare, at least here in this -country. We shall know easily enough when they arise. There is -little fear, as things now are, of too great respect for law -among us; the danger, rather, is of our regarding laws as the -mere decisions of a majority, to which we have to submit as far -as we cannot help it, and because we cannot help it, but to which -we owe no interior reverence, and by breaking which we commit no -sin. Whereas the truth is that we do sin by breaking any law of -the land which is not manifestly unjust or contrary to the rights -of God and the obedience we owe to him. - -Remember, then, my brethren, to render to Cæsar the things that -are Cæsar's. The President, Congress, our governors and -legislatures, and the other powers that be are really God's -vicegerents, though not in so high an order as the spiritual; -still in their own place they truly act in God's name. Find out -and consider what they require; confess and amend any disregard -or disrespect for their laws, unless you wish to be guilty of -contempt and disobedience to him from whom all law comes. - -------------------- - -{475} - - Sermon CXLV. - - Thanksgiving Day. - - - _Giving thanks to God the Father._ - --Colossians i. 12. - - -This week, as you know, my brethren, a day has been appointed by -the civil authorities, according to long-established custom, -which we are invited to devote specially to thanksgiving for the -many blessings which we have received from God during the year. -And though the observance of this day is not an ecclesiastical -obligation, yet there is a singular appropriateness in it for us -on account of its falling just at the close of the year which the -church celebrates. At this time, when we have completed the round -of the mysteries of our faith, and are about to recommence it in -the season of Advent, it must naturally occur to us to look back -and thank God, not only for all his temporal benefits, but also -and especially for the spiritual blessings which he has given us, -and which we have just finished commemorating. - -Even in the temporal order, however, we have abundant cause to be -grateful to God. True, we have had our trials and sufferings, -some more, some less; though even these we can perhaps even now -see, and shall see more clearly hereafter, to have been blessings -in disguise. But we have had much happiness and comfort in spite -of these trials. Surely we ought not to pass this by unnoticed. - -But this is just what we are too likely to do. Somehow or other, -we are all apt to take things when they go right as a matter of -course, and only to notice them when they go wrong. When we are -sick we complain and make a great fuss, and perhaps are not -satisfied unless we can make everybody else unhappy as well as -ourselves; but when we are well, that is just as it should be: no -thanks to anybody for that. -{476} -No thanks to God, whose loving care and providence are necessary, -and are given to us at each moment of our lives, and who is -continually warding off from us a thousand dangers to which we -are exposed, often through our own fault; no thanks to him whose -angels watch over us to keep us in all our ways. By our ignorance -and imprudence we are frequently endangering this wondrous life -which he has given us; with all the science in the world, we do -not understand it and could not direct it; it is he who causes -our breath to come, our hearts to beat, and our blood to flow in -our veins. - -So also in the common affairs of life, our industry and skill -would avail nothing if God did not come to our assistance. If our -work or business prospers at all, it is due to him; it is his -free gift. And all the conveniences of modern life which we pride -ourselves so much on are the fruits of his power and skill which -he lends us. It is he who shines on us, not only by the sun and -moon, but also in those lights which we think that we ourselves -produce; it is he who sends our telegraphic messages for us, who -carries us where we will in our steamers and railway trains. - -These perpetual and ordinary comforts of life, then, in which we -all share, as well as our very life itself, are God's gift. And -beside these, are there not more blessings which we can see if we -look back on the year, standing out from the rest? Have we -thanked him for all these? If not, let us then really make this a -time to atone for past neglect; a time of thanksgiving in deed as -well as in name. - -{477} - -But, above all, let us, whom he has given the signal and -unspeakable blessing of the true faith, thank him for that. To -those who have just come from the doubt and confusion of the -world outside this true church this is a happiness which -outweighs all troubles, a perpetual sunshine which drives away -all clouds. Why should it not be so to us all? This is what St. -Paul in his epistle wishes that it should be. "Giving thanks," he -says, "to God the Father, who has made us worthy to be partakers -of the lot of the saints in light, who hath delivered us from the -power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of the -Son of his love, in whom we have redemption through his Blood, -the remission of sins." Let us think on these words, and see if -there is not enough in them to make at least one Thanksgiving -day. - -------------------- - - Sermon CXLVI. - - The Communion Of Saints. - - -We are so near the Feast of All Saints and the commemoration of -all the faithful departed--All Souls day--that we may well let -our affectionate thoughts follow after our brethren who have gone -before us and sleep in the peace of Christ. - -There is scarcely one of us, dear brethren, who has not been -familiar from childhood with the article of the Apostles Creed, -"I believe in the communion of saints"; and there are few, if -any, who have not derived consolation from this dogma of our -faith, teaching, as it does, that we are not entirely cut off -from those who have gone before us, but form with them one great -family, of which the head is Christ and the members the souls of -the just, whether in heaven or in purgatory, or still in the -flesh. - -{478} - -But if this truth of holy religion brings consolation, it brings -also the duty of praying for our brethren who are passing through -the cleansing fires of purgatory; who, because of sin or the debt -due for sin, cannot enter their eternal home until they have -repaid the last farthing. They can do nothing for -themselves--their day of meriting is past; they look to us who -are their friends to help them. - -While they were with us they were very dear to us--bound to us -by ties of blood or friendship. Let us do our duty to them now; -let us, by our good works in their behalf, show how much we love -them; let us show that our affection for them was not selfish nor -pretended, but so real and strong and lasting that death has but -strengthened it and brought it to its fulness. - -What one of us but has his daily task--his allotted work? Yet as -each day brings its own burdens, so each day is full of -opportunities of gaining indulgence for the souls in purgatory. -The many inconveniences we all of us are called upon to suffer, -the many sacrifices of comfort and of pleasure we make, the -disappointments we meet with, the fatigues we bear--all these may -be made sources of refreshment to our friends beyond the grave. -If in the morning we would but offer to God all we shall do and -suffer during the day for his honor and glory, and for the relief -of the departed, oh! how soon would the angels welcome them to -their true country, and how many advocates we should have before -the throne of God! - -{479} - -But if so much can be done without any particular effort on our -part, what shall we say of the efficacy of the special prayers we -recite for them and the Masses we have offered for their repose! -How shall we tell of their gratitude, of their unceasing -supplications for us! We lose nothing, dear brethren, by praying -for them; be assured we are rather the gainers, for not only do -they pray for us, but more--our charity towards them deepens in -our souls our love for God, and makes us thirst the more after -virtue and holiness, and wins for us a higher place in heaven and -a brighter crown of everlasting glory. Let us be generous, then; -let us storm heaven with our prayers for the souls in purgatory, -and we shall find rest for ourselves as well as for them. - -------------------- - -{480} - - _Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost._ - - - Epistle. - _Philippians iii._ 17; iv. 3. - - Be followers of me, brethren, and observe them who walk so as - you have our model. For many walk, of whom I have told you - often (and now tell you weeping) that they are enemies of the - cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose God is their - belly, and whose glory is in their shame: who mind earthly - things. But our conversation is in heaven: from whence also we - wait for the Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ, who will reform - the body of our lowness, made like to the body of his glory, - according to the operation whereby also he is able to subdue - all things unto himself. Therefore, my dearly beloved brethren, - and most desired, my joy and my crown; so stand fast in the - Lord, my most dearly beloved. I beg of Euodia, and I beseech - Syntyche to be of one mind in the Lord. And I entreat thee, my - sincere companion, help those women who have labored with me in - the Gospel, with Clement and the rest of my fellow-laborers, - whose names are in the book of life. - - - Gospel. - _St. Matthew ix._ 18-26. - - At that time: - As Jesus was speaking these things unto them, behold a certain - ruler came, and adored him, saying: Lord, my daughter is just - now dead; but come, lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. - And Jesus, rising up, followed him, with his disciples. And - behold a woman who was troubled with an issue of blood twelve - years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment. For - she said within herself: If I shall but touch his garment I - shall be healed. But Jesus, turning about and seeing her, said: - Take courage, daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole. -{481} - And the woman was made whole from that hour. And when Jesus - came into the house of the ruler, and saw the minstrels and the - crowd making a rout, he said: Give place, for the girl is not - dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed at him. And when the crowd - was turned out he went in, and took her by the hand. And the - girl arose. And the fame hereof went abroad into all that - country. - -------------------- - - Sermon CXLVII. - - Mixed Marriages. - - -From the simplest lessons of experience, my dear brethren, I -think it ought to be plain enough how miserable a thing a mixed -marriage is likely to be. Even if the faith and practice of the -Catholic party and of the children is what it should be--which is -certainly hardly to be expected--there will be great and -continual suffering to them on account of the separation of the -Protestant father or mother--who is all the more loved the better -and kinder he or she may be--from the unity of the church and -from the ordinary means of salvation. - -In fact, it can hardly be imagined how any one having a lively -faith in the Catholic religion can marry a Protestant or infidel, -unless under the influence of a hope that some time or other the -conversion of the other party will be effected. This hope does -occasionally prove not to be a vain one. There are cases, no -doubt, in which a Protestant, who would not probably otherwise -have turned his thoughts to the question at all, does become a -Catholic by means of marriage. -{482} -But the best chance to obtain such a conversion is before the -marriage is entered on; that is the time to try to secure it; and -it is the duty of every Catholic who thinks of marrying one -outside the church to do the best in his or her power to bring -the other party over, not only in name but in fact, to the true -faith. I say in fact, for, unfortunately, many a non-Catholic, -who has no strong conviction about religion in any way, will be -willing to call himself a Catholic, and even to be baptized, in -order to remove objections which may be made. Take care, then, -that the conversion which is professed is a sincere and genuine -one, and not merely got up for the occasion. I have heard of a -case in which the Protestant party, when his religion was urged -by the priest as an objection to the marriage, which would make -trouble, most cheerfully replied: "Well, father, if it would be -any convenience to you, I am quite ready to be a Catholic." Such -converts are not so very uncommon, though it is not often that -they let their state of mind be seen so plainly. They will sit -through several instructions given to them by the priest, making -no question or remark about anything which he says, that they may -get through as soon as possible; and when they do get through, -that is about the last of their Catholic profession, or at least -of their attendance to any Catholic duties. - -If, then, a conversion, and a real and true conversion, cannot be -obtained before marriage, there is certainly much fear that it -never will be accomplished afterward. Be warned, then, in time; -do not indulge false hopes in this regard; do not marry in haste -and repent at leisure. - -{483} - -And about this matter of conversion I will say a few words, with -reference not to Protestants, but to careless and negligent -Catholics. A Catholic who is negligent of his duties has, it is -true, if he keeps his faith, a resource which the Protestant has -not; he knows what to do to be reconciled with God at the last; -he will probably try to do it, and he may succeed. There is then -more hope for his final salvation in this way than for the -Protestant; but that does not make him a better companion during -life; and many of the miseries of a mixed marriage are met with, -and some, perhaps, even in a greater degree, with nominal -Catholics than with Protestants. If, then, you contemplate -marriage even with a Catholic, be sure to see that he or she -attends to the duties required of Catholics, and has not -contracted vicious and dangerous habits. Do not delude yourself -with the idea that a confession and Communion must be made at the -time of the marriage, and that the priest will attend to all that -is necessary. For this confession and Communion may be in some -cases not so very good and fervent; they may be something like -what some Protestants, as I have said, go through with for -convenience or necessity. No, do not leave it all to the priest, -but do your own part. If the behavior of the other party before -marriage is not such as becomes a Christian, both with regard to -the frequentation of the sacraments and also in the matter of -temperance and in others of which you are the best and indeed the -only judge, it is not likely that it will be so afterward. Take -care, then, before taking a step which you cannot retrace. You, -not the priest, are the one to secure now the amendment of life -which is so necessary. A word to the wise should be sufficient. - -------------------- - -{484} - - Sermon CXLVIII. - - Imitation Of The Saints. - - - _My fellow-laborers, - whose names are in the book of life._ - --Philippians iv. 3. - - -Thus does St. Paul in the Epistle of to-day speak of St. Clement -and the others who had "labored with him in the Gospel." Do you -wish that your name, too, should be written in the book of life? -Follow the path trodden here below by the saints of God, and -then, even while yet on earth, your name will be recorded in -heaven. For holy church commands us to observe this festival of -All Saints, of which we are now keeping the octave, not only in -honor of those whose names are in the calendar, and whose feasts -come round in the course of each year, but also in praise of that -great multitude which no man can number--of all nations, and -tribes, and peoples, and tongues--who stand before the throne and -in sight of the Lamb, clothed with white robes and palms in their -hands. The saints whom the church has honored with canonization -are but a small number in that vast multitude. They were the -heroes of the Christian army, but the great majority of those who -are now receiving the homage of the church were the rank and -file--common every day Christians, like ourselves. The festival -of All Saints, therefore, especially appeals to us by showing us -that sanctity is not something away off out of our reach and -entirely beyond our powers, but that it is what we must each -strive after if we hope to win heaven. For nothing defiled can -enter there, and without holiness no man shall see God, As, then, -we hope to be one day saints in heaven, we must try now to be -saints on earth. -{485} -That is why St. Paul addresses all the faithful as the "beloved -of God, called to be saints." Yet many Christians are forgetful -of this high vocation. They seem to think that God has laid down -one rule, one course of life for saints, and quite another for -ordinary people. This is all a mistake. God's law is the same for -every one. There are, indeed, special duties belonging to -particular states of life, but apart from these there is no -difference in what is required of every Christian. We are all of -us bound to follow the strait and narrow way which leadeth unto -life. The chief happiness of that life will consist in the sight -of God, to be always in his presence, serving him continually in -joy and thanksgiving. And the way to this life our Lord has told -us in the sermon on the Mount: "Blessed are the clean of heart, -for they shall see God." - -So, then, in order to attain to this life, to dwell for ever in -the sight of God, it is not necessary to imitate the saints in -their extraordinary deeds, their heroic acts of penance and -self-sacrifice, their suffering for the faith. Some of us are, -indeed, called upon to stand out conspicuously among other -Christians, as they did, and show to the world an example of -courage and heroism. But for all of us the hidden virtues are the -ones required, and if we cultivate these, God, who seeth in -secret, will himself reward us openly in the day when the secrets -of all hearts shall be revealed. The one thing needful for each -one of us is purity of heart, to cleanse our hearts from sin and -from all affection towards sin. "Dearly beloved," says St. John, -"if our heart do not reprehend us, we have confidence towards -God." -{486} -See to it, then, that your heart is all right towards God. -Cleanse your soul from mortal sin by turning your heart away from -the sin you have committed by sincere and hearty contrition and -by a good confession. Then _keep_ your heart right towards -God by giving it to him who says to you, "My son, give me thy -heart." God alone is worthy of the full love of our hearts, and -he alone can satisfy the heart of man. If we set our affections -upon sin or upon the passing things of this world there is -reserved for us in the end nothing but unsatisfied longings and -bitterness of heart. But if we purify our hearts from every -affection that would lead us away from God we shall indeed be -called "blessed," and our names shall be written in the book of -life. - -------------------- - - Sermon CXLIX. - - Heaven. - - - _Blessed are the poor in spirit, - for theirs is the kingdom of heaven._ - --St. Matthew. v. 2. - [USCCB: Matthew. v. 3.] - -All Saints' day is a solemn and glorious festival for all heaven -as well as for all the world; for to-day God is praised, and the -great salvation by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ magnified -and lauded by a common, universal act of holy congratulation and -worship among all the saints--that is, among all souls that are -united to God in the communion of saints, whether in the church -triumphant, in the church suffering, or in the church militant. - -{487} - -It seems to me that none but Catholics believe in heaven, the -eternal home of the saints after death, because they alone appear -to understand what a saint is, as the church has proved herself -to be the only power which has been able to train and canonize -one. - -Yes, all we can know of heaven is, that it is the reward, the -everlasting life, the new and divine state of being which the -saints enter into and enjoy when they have left this world--that -is, when they die in the church militant and rise in glory in the -church triumphant. If any Christian, then, or so-called -Christian, fancies he can meditate about heaven, and hopes to get -there without knowing what a saint is, and without striving to be -as near one as he can, he is simply deceiving himself. I fear -that the kind of place some people think would be a good enough -heaven for them, if we are to judge by the way they live, is, in -fact, not much above what the state of hell really is. Many are -the souls who ought to have been saints, and are damned because -they were unfaithful to the vocation God gave them, and too -sensual to make the necessary sacrifices that such a vocation -demanded. What kind of a heaven, for instance, do you think the -many intelligent Protestants we meet with every day will likely -get, who know they ought to become Catholics to save their souls, -and are yet afraid to take the step; who stand still and count -the cost, and cheat their consciences with the false doctrine -that no real sacrifices are demanded of them, because God will be -more glorified if they leave all to him and do nothing -themselves? And yet these people, and a good many Catholics, too, -are living just such lives, and in their deaths they will not be -divided. - -{488} - -And now do you say: O Father! tell us, then, what a saint is, -that we may be sure we are not all wrong, but may have some hope -of imitating such, and so join the company of the glorified ones -in heaven when we die! I answer: A saint is one who does -everything he feels that God wants him to do, and carefully gives -up and avoids everything that he feels is not pleasing to God. -Apply that to yourself. God does not want the same thing of -everybody, nor require all to make the same sacrifices. So that, -as a fact, there are all kinds of saints, as we know. But in what -he does require he demands that one should aim at doing it -_perfectly_. "Be ye perfect, as your Heavenly Father is -perfect," said our Lord. Be perfectly honest, be perfectly pure, -be perfectly sober, be perfectly charitable, be perfectly -obedient to the laws of God and man, be perfectly humble, be -perfectly free from loving money or other riches. - -Don't let me ever hear you say again that you are "a man of the -world and must live in it" as an excuse for the wretched apology -for a Christian life you lead. You know that is a lie. You are a -man, and _a Christian man of the kingdom of God and of his -saints_, and _that_ is the kind of a place you live in, -and must square your life accordingly, or you will never see the -kingdom of God and of his saints in glory, which is heaven, when -you die. In to-day's Gospel our Lord pronounces the eight -beatitudes. Think on them, and, if you do not know them by heart, -take out your Bible when you go home and read them at the -beginning of the fifth chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel. So live -that you will merit to be one of those our Lord declares to be -"blessed," and you will surely be a saint. - -------------------- - -{489} - - -_Easter being a movable Feast which can occur on any day from -the 22d of March to the 25th of April, the number of Sundays -between Epiphany and Septuagesima, and between Pentecost and -Advent, varies according to the situation of Easter. There are -always at least two Sundays, unless Epiphany falls on a Sunday, -and never more than six, between Epiphany and Septuagesima. -Likewise, there are never fewer than twenty-three Sundays after -Pentecost, or more than twenty-eight. The Gospel and Epistle for -the last Sunday after Pentecost are always the same. When there -are twenty-three Sundays, the Gospel and Epistle for the last -Sunday are substituted for those of the twenty-third. When there -are twenty-five Sundays, the Gospel and Epistle for the sixth -Sunday after Epiphany are taken; when there are twenty-six, those -also of the fifth after Epiphany; when there are twenty-seven, -those of the fourth, and when there are twenty-eight, those of -the third, in order to fill up the interval which occurs. In any -year, in which there are more than twenty-four Sundays after -Pentecost, proper sermons for these Sundays are to be found among -those which are arranged for the Sundays following the Feast of -the Epiphany. If one sermon is wanting, it is taken from the -sixth Sunday after Epiphany; if two, three, or four are needed, -the last two or three or four sermons which precede Septuagesima -are to be taken, in their order. _ - -------------------- - -{490} - - _Twenty-fourth or Last Sunday after Pentecost._ - - - Epistle. - _Colossians i._ 9-14. - - Brethren: - We cease not to pray for you, and to beg that you may be filled - with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual - understanding: that you may walk worthy of God, in all things - pleasing: being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in - the knowledge of God: strengthened with all might according to - the power of his glory, in all patience and long-suffering with - joy, giving thanks to God the Father, who hath made us worthy - to be partakers of the lot of the saints in light: who hath - delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us - into the kingdom of the Son of his love: in whom we have - redemption through his blood, the remission of sins. - - - Gospel. - _St. Matthew xxiv._ 15-35. - - At that time Jesus said to his disciples: - When you shall see "the abomination of desolation," which was - spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place: he - that readeth, let him understand. Then let those that are in - Judea flee to the mountains. And he that is on the house-top, - let him not come down to take anything out of his house: and he - that is in the field, let him not go back to take his coat. And - woe to them that are with child, and that give suck in those - days. But pray that your flight be not in the winter or on the - Sabbath. For there shall be then great tribulation, such as - hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, - neither shall be. And unless those days had been shortened, no - flesh should be saved: but for the sake of the elect those days - shall be shortened. -{491} - Then, if any man shall say to you: Lo, here is Christ, or - there, do not believe him. For there shall arise false christs - and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, - insomuch as to deceive (if possible) even the elect. Behold I - have told it to you beforehand. If therefore they shall say to - you: Behold he is in the desert; go ye not out: Behold he is in - the closets; believe it not. For as lightning cometh out of the - east, and, appeareth even unto the west, so shall also the - coming of the Son of Man be. Wheresoever the body shall be, - there shall the eagles also be gathered together. And - immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall - be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the - stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens - shall be moved. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of - Man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth - mourn: and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds - of heaven with great power and majesty. And he shall send his - angels with a trumpet, and a great voice: and they shall gather - together his elect from the four winds, from the farthest parts - of the heavens to the uttermost bounds of them. Now learn a - parable from the fig-tree: when its branch is now tender, and - the leaves come forth, you know that summer is nigh. So also - you, when you shall see all these things, know that it is near, - even at the doors. Amen, I say to you, this generation shall - not pass till all these things be done. Heaven and earth shall - pass away, but my words shall not pass away. - -------------------- - - Sermon CL. - - Marrying Out Of The Church. - -{492} - -In our course of instructions on marriage, my dear friends, we -have so far spoken chiefly of the care which should be taken in -the selection of the person who is to be one's constant companion -through life, and shown that not only earthly happiness, but even -the salvation of the soul, may depend on this choice being made -wisely. We will now go on to consider the ceremony of marriage -itself. - -Some people, though they have always been Catholics and lived -among Catholics, seem to be entirely ignorant of the laws and -requirements of the church on this subject. They appear to think -that nothing has to be done but to call on the priest some fine -evening, and that he will marry them then and there. And if it is -not convenient to go to the priest, or if he makes any difficulty -about it, why, then a Protestant minister or his honor the mayor -will do at a pinch. - -Now there are several points which these people need instruction -about, and several mistakes which they make in this very -important affair. We shall have to consider them separately. And -we will begin with the greatest mistake of all which can be -fallen into by Catholics who wish to get married, and that is to -go to a Protestant minister for the purpose. - -What is, then, the harm exactly of going to a Protestant minister -to get married? Is it that a Protestant minister is an immoral or -vicious character, with whom we should have nothing to do? By no -means. He is, indeed, more likely to be to blame for his errors -in religion than his people, for he has, from his greater -knowledge in religious matters, a better chance to know the -truth; but even a minister may be in good faith about his -doctrine. And in other respects he may be a worthy and estimable -gentleman. - -{493} - -But the reason why Catholics should avoid going to him for -marriage is that marriage is one of the seven sacraments which -our Lord has entrusted to the keeping of his church. These -sacraments, then, belong to the church, and we cannot recognize -the right of those who separate from her to administer them or to -assist officially at them, though they may have the power to do -so validly. Therefore, though marriage be real and valid when -contracted before a Protestant minister, and though his own -people, of course, are not to blame, if in good faith, for -availing themselves of his services, we cannot do so. In deed, -this would be the case even if marriage were not a sacrament, but -merely a religious rite or ceremony; we cannot allow the -ministers of any sect separated from the church to act as such -for us in any religious function; to do so would be to allow -their claim to act in the name of Christ. This we can never do, -and, above all, where the sacraments are concerned. - -Another, and a very weighty reason, why Catholics cannot go -before a minister for marriage, is that no one but the Catholic -clergy can be supposed to be sufficiently acquainted with the -laws of God and of the church regarding Christian marriage. There -are impediments, as they are called, which make marriage invalid -unless a dispensation is obtained from the proper source. Some of -these are commonly known, such as those which proceed from a near -relationship of the parties; but there are others which are not -known even by name to the great mass of the faithful, and which a -Protestant minister, even should he happen to know them, would -never for a moment regard. -{494} -Catholics, therefore, if they go to a minister to get married, -run a great risk of not being really married at all, owing to -these impediments not being detected or attended to. By the law -of the State their marriage may be a good and real one, but in -the sight of God it will not be so, if any such impediment should -exist, and not have been removed by dispensation; and this holds, -even though no suspicion of such an impediment should have -arisen. You see, then, how important it is in this matter to -consult those who are competent to advise them. - -------------------- - - Sermon CLI. - - Joy In God's Service. - - - _Let the peace of Christ rejoice in your hearts, ... - and be, ye, thankful._ - --Colossians iii. 15. - - -Of the several great lessons contained in to-day's Epistle, the -one most insisted on and brought out is that of thankfulness and -joyfulness in the service of God. - -In the labors of St. Paul (and his labors were more abundant than -all the Apostles), in his frequent tribulations and crosses, he -never ceased giving thanks in all things--nor did he ever tire of -inculcating this same duty on the first Christians. If, then, my -brethren, thankfulness and joyfulness are such a great part of -religion, it would be well this morning to see if they be -characteristic of our service. We have a multitude of reasons for -being thankful to God, if we but thought of them--the gifts of -nature--life, health, strength, the pleasures and gratifications -of the mind, learning, objects of interest, of study and beauty, -both in nature and art, the pleasures of home, the joys of -friendship. -{495} -These are real and great benefits; they are causes of joy and -motives of thankfulness. Our good God intended us to find -enjoyment in the moderate use of them, not, indeed, as ends in -themselves, but as means to our one great end. And so he has -spread the charm of beauty over this place of our sojourn and -made it pleasant and interesting, lest we lose heart and become -sad, and languish on our journey to heaven. - -But to speak of higher gifts and benefits: What motives of joy -and thankfulness ought we not to find in the knowledge of God, -his truth, mercy, and goodness as made known to us in the -Scripture and in his Divine Son, our Saviour and friend, the -God-Man; in the gift of the faith, the spiritual riches of the -church and the sacraments, his mercies to us -personally--blessings on our labors, the removal of dangers from -our paths, his gracious forgiveness of our sins, time and again. -Then, too, what we expect and through his mercy count on for the -future--the joys of heaven, those delights which pass our -understanding. The life of heaven will be pure joy, and its one -occupation thankfulness. Surely, then, this life should be a -figure and foretaste of it; and so St. Paul thought, for he bids -us "be thankful," "rejoice and rejoice always"; singing in grace -in our hearts, and in every word and work giving thanks to God. - -{496} - -It is plain that, since God has done his part in bestowing the -benefits in such abundant measure, we should do ours in returning -thanks, for gratitude is the correlative of benefit. It is -equally plain that the true religion is joyful. Now, is such our -religion? Is this the way we act? Is it the way we consider God's -service? We see, I think, more anxious and sad faces than -thankful and glad ones; and I fear that the joyfulness of the -latter does not come generally from the reasons I have given. It -comes too often from worldly causes, from success in temporal -things, from hopes and prospects which relate to indifferent -things, if they are not dangerous and positively bad. Whereas the -common idea of religion is that it is an unpleasant, sad, up-hill -sort of a thing, which imposes restraints upon us, and, far from -being a cause of thankfulness and joy, is a great interference -with the pleasure of life. Pious people, too, are regarded as -dull, simple, spiritless creatures, quite the opposite of joyful. - -This is all wrong, all false, and, if it be our religion, then we -_have not_ the true religion, at least practically. For as -God's benefits are real and great, so our thanks and joy should -be in them and correspond to them. Religion, being our highest -duty, should be and can be our highest pleasure. God says it is, -and he is truth; those who have tried say the same. "What shall I -render to God for all he hath rendered to me?"--"better one day in -thy courts than a thousand years in the tents of sinners"--"taste -and see how sweet the Lord is." Our consciences and -experience bear out the same truth; for surely evil cannot be -compared to good in fulness, in intensity; and, above all, it -will not wear, it will not last, and it leaves us dissatisfied, -fearful, sad. The pleasure and joy of a good life to a good man -even here are far greater than the pleasure of sin to a sinner. -{497} -Let us, then, make up our minds, once for all, that not only is -religion the most necessary, but the wisest and the happiest -thing for us. Let us serve God with thankfulness, both for what -he has done and will do for us, if we are faithful. If he has -done so much in this state of probation, exile, and punishment, -what will he not do when the time of reward and enjoyment -arrives. Surely, considering what we are and what we have done, -the pains and crosses bear no proportion to the benefits, and we -have cause even in present labors to be thankful and in every -word and work to give him praise through Jesus Christ our Lord. - -------------------- - - Sermon CLII. - - Forgive And Be Forgiven. - - - "_Bearing with one another - and forgiving one another, - if any have a complaint against another. - Even as the Lord hath forgiven you, - so you also._" - --Colossians iii. 13. - - -This, my dear brethren, is the law of Christ. It is a law we are -bound to keep. We cannot save our souls unless we do keep it. -There is no possible way to escape its requirements, for our Lord -himself declares positively: "But if you will _not_ forgive -men, _neither_ will your Father forgive _you your -offences_" (Matthew vi. 15). Therefore, there is no way to -save our souls, no way to be true Christians in life, unless we -forgive all and every one, without exception, every injury they -have done us. - -{498} - -But one may say: I do forgive all who have injured me if they -repent, say they are sorry, and ask pardon! My dear brethren, -this won't do. You must forgive whether they repent or not. -Nothing less will satisfy the Lord. The best reason is that since -the Lord has forgiven us, so we also are bound to forgive all. A -true lover of the Lord doesn't want a better reason. A greater or -a better cannot be given. Our Lord himself has set the example. -He has taken our sins upon himself, and caused the Eternal Father -to forgive us our sins for his sake beforehand, before we have -even repented or shown by a single sign that we want to belong to -God and to hate sin. Do we not receive in our baptism, as -infants, the grace that destroys original sin? Original sin -placed us under the power of the devil, and made us unworthy to -be called the sons of God, but our Christian baptism made us -again the sons of God. Does not God forgive us also our mortal -sins, giving us time to repent, and even waiting patiently for -our repentance? Remember, these sins after baptism are all the -greater because after being made innocent we again become guilty. - -But some try to excuse themselves and say: It is hard to have to -do this; I can't do it. The sin against me is too great; it ought -not to be forgiven. This is not true. There is nothing we can't -forgive, nothing we are permitted to leave unforgiven. We can -forgive any sin against us if we will. If it is hard, pray and it -will become easy. Sincere prayer for him who is our enemy is sure -to remove very soon all feeling against him. This is certain: -that it will, _without fail_, prevent the malice and revenge -in our hearts from overcoming us and causing us to sin grievously -against charity. Remember that everything we do well for our Lord -is hard at first, but is made easy by prayer and faithful, -persevering effort. - -{499} - -Again, some object: I try to pray but cannot, because when I pray -I think of my wrongs and begin to hate my enemy, so that my -prayer is insincere or stops on my lips! Then pray for all poor -sinners, and don't mean to leave your enemy out of your prayers. -This is a good beginning, and keeps you from mortal sin, for pray -we must _for our enemies_. This is a fundamental law of the -Christian life. If we intentionally leave out one single soul -when we pray for all poor sinners, we sin in the very presence of -God, and our prayers are rejected; nor shall they be accepted -until we include that soul also. - -Let us remember, my dear brethren, that we are called by our Lord -to show to the world that being the friends of God means that he -puts into our souls his loving, merciful, long-suffering Spirit, -and thus makes us like to himself. Does any one want to be -God-like? Then let him forgive from his heart every injury and -all who injure him. - -To gain courage to forgive, let us see what forgiveness does. It -saves God's honor. It prevents his being insulted. For example: -when one insults us, he sins against God and insults him also. If -we answer back, we also insult God, and make two sins instead of -one. Next, our angry answer makes our enemy reply again; for -another sin are we responsible. So it goes on until a number of -sins are committed by each one. Silence on our part would have -prevented these insults to God and left our souls unstained. We -were not silent. The consequence is we not only increased -another's sin, but we added our own and lost the friendship of -God. -{500} -Had a forgiving spirit been in each soul this could not have -happened. Had it been in one of them, one soul at least would -have been kept from sin. Cultivate, then, a forgiving spirit, and -"even as the Lord hath forgiven you, so you also" forgive all. - -------------------- - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Five-minute Sermons for Low Masses on -All Sundays Of The Year, Volume II, by Various - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FIVE-MINUTE SERMONS, VOL 2 *** - -***** This file should be named 60267-8.txt or 60267-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/0/2/6/60267/ - -Produced by Don Kostuch -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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Thus, we do not -necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper -edition. - -Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search -facility: www.gutenberg.org - -This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. - diff --git a/old/60267-8.zip b/old/60267-8.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index c2af911..0000000 --- a/old/60267-8.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/60267-h.zip b/old/60267-h.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 92fc228..0000000 --- a/old/60267-h.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/60267-h/60267-h.htm b/old/60267-h/60267-h.htm deleted file mode 100644 index bb33f19..0000000 --- a/old/60267-h/60267-h.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,17500 +0,0 @@ -<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> -<html> - -<head> -<meta content="text/html;charset=ISO-8859-1" http-equiv="Content-Type"> -<title> -Five Minute Sermons -For Low Masses on all Sundays of the Year by -Priests of the Congregation of St. Paul -Volume II. -</title> - -<style type="text/css"> - -body -{ - /* margin-left: 10%; */ - margin-right: 10%; - word-spacing: .05em; -} - -h1 {font-size:160%; text-align:center;} - -h2 {font-size:130%; text-align:center;} - -h3 {font-size:100%; text-align:center;} - -.header_add { font-size:100%; - font-weight:bold; - text-align:center;} - -i { font-weight:bold; } - -hr { height:1px; background-color:black ; - margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%;} - -hr.thin { height:1px; width:60% ; } - -small { font-size:60%; } - -pre { font-family:Serif; } - -table { border-collapse:collapse; } - -table.toc { width:100%; - /*table-layout: fixed;*/ } - -table.center { margin-left:auto; - margin-right:auto; - } - -table.right { margin-left:auto; - } - -table, th, td -{ - border:0px solid black; - border-collapse:collapse; -} - -td -{ - padding:5px ; -} - -.center pre { - display:inline-block; - text-align:left; - } - -.center table { display: inline-block; - text-align: left; - } - -.cont { margin-left:5%; - font-style:italic;} - -.cite { margin-left:5%; } - -.citet { margin-left:5%; font-weight:bold;} - -.cite2 { margin-left:10%; } - -.footnote { margin-left:8%; - margin-right:8%;} - -.footnote2 { margin-left: 13%; - margin-right: 8%;} - -.footnote_color { background-color:#ddddff; } - -.center { text-align:center; } - -.center_close { text-align:center; - margin-top:-2%; } - -.image { text-align:center; } - -.right { text-align: right; } - -.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ - /* visibility: hidden; */ - position: absolute; - left: 92%; - font-size: smaller; - text-align: right; -} /* page numbers */ - -</style> - -</head> - -<body> - - -<pre> - -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Five-minute Sermons for Low Masses on All -Sundays Of The Year, Volume II, by Various - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Five-minute Sermons for Low Masses on All Sundays Of The Year, Volume II - -Author: Various - -Editor: Rev. I. T. Hecker - -Release Date: September 9, 2019 [EBook #60267] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FIVE-MINUTE SERMONS, VOL 2 *** - - - - -Produced by Don Kostuch - - - - - -</pre> - - - -<p class="cite"> -[Transcriber's note: This production is based on -https://archive.org/details/fiveminutesermon02unknuoft/page/n6 -Pages 46 and 47 are missing from the image file. Additional -citations indicated by "USCCB", are based on the United States -Conference of Catholic Bishops Bible found at -http://usccb.org/bible/books-of-the-bible.] -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_i">{i}</a></span> - - <h1>Five-minute Sermons<br><br> - for<br><br> - Low Masses<br><br> - on<br><br> - All Sundays Of The Year,</h1> -<br> - - - <h2>By<br><br> - - Priests Of The Congregation Of St. Paul.<br><br> - - Volume II.<br><br> - - New York:<br> -The Catholic Publication Society Co.,<br><br> - - 9 Barclay Street.<br><br> - - London: Burns & Oates.<br> - 1886</h2> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_ii">{ii}</a></span> - - <h3>Copyright, 1886, by I. T. Hecker.<br><br> - - All Rights Reserved.</h3> - - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_iii">{iii}</a></span> - - <h2>Preface.</h2> -<br> -<p> -Repeated and urgent requests from both clergy and laity have -induced the publication of this second volume of Five-Minute -Sermons. They have all been preached in the Church of St. Paul -the Apostle, New York, and published weekly in the <i>Catholic -Review</i>. Choice has been made of such as are really little -sermons, since there are many excellent manuals from which purely -doctrinal instructions may be prepared. Yet they all contain, it -is hoped, a solid basis of doctrine plainly put and appropriately -illustrated. The main object is, however, to edify, to quicken -the moral perceptions, and to move in a reasonable degree the -religious emotions. -</p> -<p> -Nearly all of these sermons may serve as skeletons for discourses -of greater length; a fuller treatment of the topics, by means of -familiar illustrations and more copious extracts from Scripture, -will fit them for use at High Mass, or on Sunday evenings. -</p> -<hr> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_iv">{iv}</a></span> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_v">{v}</a></span> - - <h2>Contents.</h2> - - -<pre> -<span style="font-family:Courier New; font-weight: bold;"> -First Sunday of Advent: - Sermon I. The Spirit of Advent, <a href="#Page_14">14</a> - Sermon II. The Graces of Advent, <a href="#Page_16">16</a> - Sermon III. St. John the Baptist, <a href="#Page_18">18</a> - -Second Sunday of Advent: - Sermon IV. Fair-weather Christians, <a href="#Page_23">23</a> - Sermon V. The Immaculate Conception, <a href="#Page_25">25</a> - Sermon VI. The Total Abstinence Pledge, <a href="#Page_28">28</a> - -Third Sunday of Advent: - Sermon VII. Bad Company, <a href="#Page_32">32</a> - Sermon VIII. The Voice in the Wilderness, <a href="#Page_34">34</a> - Sermon IX. Penance, <a href="#Page_37">37</a> - -Fourth Sunday of Advent: - Sermon X. Fruits of Penance, <a href="#Page_41">41</a> - Sermon XI. Preparation for Christmas, <a href="#Page_43">43</a> - Sermon XII. Christmas Eve, <a href="#Page_46">46</a> - -Sunday within the Octave of Christmas: - Sermon XIII. Christmas Joy, <a href="#Page_50">50</a> - Sermon XIV. New Year's Eve, <a href="#Page_52">52</a> - Sermon XV. The Feast of the Holy Innocents, <a href="#Page_55">55</a> - -The Epiphany: - Sermon XVI. The Testimony of the Spirit, <a href="#Page_59">59</a> - Sermon XVII. Following God's Guidance, <a href="#Page_63">63</a> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_6">{6}</a></span> - -First Sunday after Epiphany: - Sermon XVIII. The Christian Home, <a href="#Page_67">67</a> - Sermon XIX. Jesus Teaching in the Temple, <a href="#Page_70">70</a> - Sermon XX. How our Saviour takes away Sin, <a href="#Page_72">72</a> - -Second Sunday after Epiphany: - Sermon XXI. Profanity, <a href="#Page_76">76</a> - Sermon XXII. The Sin of Cursing, <a href="#Page_79">79</a> - Sermon XXIII. Reverence for the Name of God, <a href="#Page_82">82</a> - -Third Sunday after Epiphany: - Sermon XXIV. Practical Faith, <a href="#Page_86">86</a> - Sermon XXV. Living up to our Faith, <a href="#Page_89">89</a> - Sermon XXVI. The Sacrament of Matrimony, <a href="#Page_91">91</a> - -Fourth Sunday after Epiphany: - Sermon XXVII. The Ingratitude of Children, <a href="#Page_95">95</a> - Sermon XXVIII. Love of our Neighbor, <a href="#Page_98">98</a> - -Fifth Sunday after Epiphany: - Sermon XXIX. The Christian Family, <a href="#Page_102">102</a> - Sermon XXX. The Duty of Good Example, <a href="#Page_105">105</a> - Sermon XXXI. Bearing one another's Burdens, <a href="#Page_108">108</a> - -Sixth Sunday after Epiphany: - Sermon XXXII. How to make Converts, <a href="#Page_113">113</a> - Sermon XXXIII. The Blessings of the Faith, <a href="#Page_116">116</a> - Sermon XXXIV. Good Example as a means of - making Converts, <a href="#Page_118">118</a> - -Septuagesima Sunday: - Sermon XXXV. Bodily Mortification, <a href="#Page_123">123</a> - Sermon XXXVI. Sudden Death, <a href="#Page_126">126</a> - Sermon XXXVII Life's Purpose, <a href="#Page_129">129</a> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_7">{7}</a></span> - -Sexagesima Sunday: - Sermon XXXVIII. Perseverance after a Mission, <a href="#Page_134">134</a> - Sermon XXXIX. Good Seed but no Harvest, <a href="#Page_137">137</a> - Sermon XL. The Uses of Temptation, <a href="#Page_140">140</a> - -Quinquagesima Sunday: - Sermon XLI. The Qualities of Christian Charity, <a href="#Page_144">144</a> - Sermon XLII. Delay of Repentance, <a href="#Page_147">147</a> - Sermon XLIII. Lenten Obligations, <a href="#Page_150">150</a> - -First Sunday of Lent: - Sermon XLIV. The Merit of Pasting and Abstinence, <a href="#Page_154">154</a> - Sermon XLV. Difficulties of Fasting, <a href="#Page_157">157</a> - Sermon XLVI. Wasted Opportunities, <a href="#Page_159">159</a> - -Second Sunday of Lent: - Sermon XLVII. The Joy of Penance, <a href="#Page_164">164</a> - Sermon XLVIII. Christian Perfection not Impossible, <a href="#Page_167">167</a> - Sermon XLIX. The Divine Presence in our Churches, <a href="#Page_170">170</a> - -Third Sunday of Lent: - Sermon L. Immodest Language, <a href="#Page_174">174</a> - Sermon LI. Honorary Church-Members, <a href="#Page_177">177</a> - Sermon LII. Half-hearted Christians, <a href="#Page_180">180</a> - -Fourth Sunday of Lent: - Sermon LIII. The Happiness of True Penance, <a href="#Page_184">184</a> - Sermon LIV. Liberty of Spirit, <a href="#Page_187">187</a> - Sermon LV. The Lust of the Eyes, <a href="#Page_190">190</a> - -Passion Sunday: - Sermon LVI. The Precious Blood, <a href="#Page_194">194</a> - Sermon LVII. Christ's Passion, <a href="#Page_197">197</a> - Sermon LVIII. Dangerous Companionship, <a href="#Page_199">199</a> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_8">{8}</a></span> - -Palm Sunday: - Sermon LIX. Hardness of Heart, <a href="#Page_203">203</a> - Sermon LX. Spirit of Holy Week, <a href="#Page_205">205</a> - -Easter Sunday: - Sermon LXI. Easter Joy, <a href="#Page_210">210</a> - Sermon LXII. Easter and the Love of God, <a href="#Page_212">212</a> - Sermon LXIII. The Triumph of Christ, <a href="#Page_215">215</a> - -Low Sunday: - Sermon LXIV. How to use God's Gifts, <a href="#Page_219">219</a> - Sermon LXV. The Christian's Peace, <a href="#Page_222">222</a> - Sermon LXVI. True and Lasting Peace, <a href="#Page_224">224</a> - -Second Sunday after Easter: - Sermon LXVII. The Good Shepherd, <a href="#Page_229">229</a> - Sermon LXVIII. Dead Faith, <a href="#Page_232">232</a> - Sermon LXIX. Suffering False Accusations, <a href="#Page_234">234</a> - -Third Sunday after Easter— -Feast of the Patronage of St. Joseph: - Sermon LXX. Devotion to St. Joseph, <a href="#Page_240">240</a> - Sermon LXXI. Christ and the Church, <a href="#Page_242">242</a> - -Fourth Sunday after Easter: - Sermon LXXII. Evil Conversation, <a href="#Page_246">246</a> - Sermon LXXIII. Temptation, <a href="#Page_248">248</a> - -Fifth Sunday after Easter: - Sermon LXXIV. Sins of the Tongue, <a href="#Page_252">252</a> - Sermon LXXV. Perseverance in Prayer, <a href="#Page_255">255</a> - -Sunday within the Octave of the Ascension: - Sermon LXXVI. After a Mission, <a href="#Page_259">259</a> - Sermon LXXVII. Bearing Witness for our Lord, <a href="#Page_261">261</a> - Sermon LXXVIII. The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit, <a href="#Page_263">263</a> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_9">{9}</a></span> - -Feast of Pentecost, or Whit-Sunday: - Sermon LXXIX. The Holy Ghost in the Church, <a href="#Page_268">268</a> - Sermon LXXX. The Guidance of the Holy Spirit, <a href="#Page_271">271</a> - Sermon LXXXI. The Easter Duty, <a href="#Page_273">273</a> - -Trinity Sunday: - Sermon LXXXII. The Divine Majesty, <a href="#Page_277">277</a> - Sermon LXXXIII. The Mystery of the Holy Trinity, <a href="#Page_279">279</a> - Sermon LXXXIV. The Divine Judgment, <a href="#Page_282">282</a> - -Second Sunday after Pentecost, -and Sunday within the Octave of Corpus Christi: - Sermon LXXXV. Holy Communion, <a href="#Page_286">286</a> - Sermon LXXXVI. The Sacred Heart of Jesus, <a href="#Page_289">289</a> - Sermon LXXXVII. Ingratitude, <a href="#Page_291">291</a> - -Third Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon LXXXVIII. Sinful Amusements, <a href="#Page_295">295</a> - Sermon LXXXIX. Divine Providence, <a href="#Page_297">297</a> - Sermon XC. How to Bear Burdens, <a href="#Page_300">300</a> - -Fourth Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon XCI. How to Suffer, <a href="#Page_304">304</a> - Sermon XCII. Good Works done in Mortal Sin, <a href="#Page_306">306</a> - Sermon XCIII. Fishing for Men, <a href="#Page_309">309</a> - -Fifth Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon XCIV. Forgiveness of Injuries, <a href="#Page_314">314</a> - Sermon XCV. Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, <a href="#Page_316">316</a> - -Sixth Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon XCVI. The Divine Bounty, <a href="#Page_321">321</a> - Sermon XCVII. Feast of St. John the Baptist, <a href="#Page_324">324</a> - Sermon XCVIII. Idleness, <a href="#Page_326">326</a> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_10">{10}</a></span> - -Seventh Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon XCIX. Mortal Sin the Death of the Soul, <a href="#Page_330">330</a> - Sermon C. False Prophets, <a href="#Page_332">332</a> - Sermon CI. The Last Sin, <a href="#Page_334">334</a> - -Eighth Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon CII. Spirit and Flesh, <a href="#Page_339">339</a> - Sermon CIII. The Business of the Soul, <a href="#Page_342">342</a> - Sermon CIV. The Judgments of God, <a href="#Page_344">344</a> - -Ninth Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon CV. Justice and Mercy, <a href="#Page_349">349</a> - Sermon CVI. Neglect of Divine Warnings, <a href="#Page_351">351</a> - Sermon CVII. Living from Day to Day, <a href="#Page_354">354</a> - -Tenth Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon CVIII. Sympathy for Sinners, <a href="#Page_358">358</a> - Sermon CIX. Morning Prayers, <a href="#Page_360">360</a> - Sermon CX. Feast of St. Mary Magdalen, <a href="#Page_363">363</a> - -Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon CXI. Want of Confidence in God, <a href="#Page_367">367</a> - Sermon CXII. Devotion to the Blessed Virgin, <a href="#Page_369">369</a> - Sermon CXIII. Gratitude, <a href="#Page_373">373</a> - -Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon CXIV. The Good Samaritan, <a href="#Page_377">377</a> - Sermon CXV. Our Neighbors, <a href="#Page_380">380</a> - Sermon CXVI. Occasions of Sin, <a href="#Page_382">382</a> - -Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon CXVII. Thanksgiving, <a href="#Page_387">387</a> - Sermon CXVIII. Shamelessness in Sinning, <a href="#Page_389">389</a> - Sermon CXIX. Dangers of Venial Sin, <a href="#Page_392">392</a> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_11">{11}</a></span> - -Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon CXX. The Poverty of Christ, <a href="#Page_396">396</a> - Sermon CXXI. Brotherly Love, <a href="#Page_399">399</a> - Sermon CXXII. Religion for Week-Days, <a href="#Page_401">401</a> - -Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon CXXIII. The Fruits of a Bad Life, <a href="#Page_406">406</a> - Sermon CXXIV. Sins of Parents, <a href="#Page_408">408</a> - Sermon CXXV. The Law of Charity, <a href="#Page_411">411</a> - -Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon CXXVI. Christian Humility, <a href="#Page_415">415</a> - Sermon CXXVII. Vanity, <a href="#Page_418">418</a> - Sermon CXXVIII. Behavior in Church, <a href="#Page_420">420</a> - -Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon CXXIX. Prayer for Sinners, <a href="#Page_425">425</a> - Sermon CXXX. The Christian Vocation, <a href="#Page_427">427</a> - Sermon CXXXI. Erroneous Views of Vocation, <a href="#Page_430">430</a> - -Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon CXXXII. Presumption of God's Mercy, <a href="#Page_435">435</a> - Sermon CXXXIII. Drunkenness, <a href="#Page_437">437</a> - Sermon CXXXIV. The Dignity and Happiness of Obedience, <a href="#Page_440">440</a> - -Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon CXXXV. Lying, <a href="#Page_444">444</a> - Sermon CXXXVI. Truthfulness <a href="#Page_447">447</a> - Sermon CXXXVII. White Lies, <a href="#Page_449">449</a> - -Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon CXXXVIII. Christian Marriage, <a href="#Page_453">453</a> - Sermon CXXXIX. Mortification of our Lower Nature, <a href="#Page_455">455</a> - Sermon CXL. The Value of Time, <a href="#Page_458">458</a> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_12">{12}</a></span> - -Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon CXLI. Forgiveness of Injuries, <a href="#Page_462">462</a> - Sermon CXLII. Gossiping, <a href="#Page_465">465</a> - Sermon CXLIII. Mixed Marriages, <a href="#Page_467">467</a> - -Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon CXLIV. Obedience to the Civil Authorities, <a href="#Page_472">472</a> - Sermon CXLV. Thanksgiving Day <a href="#Page_475">475</a> - Sermon CXLVI. The Communion of Saints, <a href="#Page_477">477</a> - -Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon CXLVII. Mixed Marriages, <a href="#Page_481">481</a> - Sermon CXLVIII. Imitation of the Saints, <a href="#Page_484">484</a> - Sermon CXLIX. Heaven, <a href="#Page_486">486</a> - -Twenty-fourth or Last Sunday after Pentecost: - Sermon CL. Marrying out of the Church, <a href="#Page_491">491</a> - Sermon CLI. Joy in God's Service, <a href="#Page_494">494</a> - Sermon CLII. Forgive and be Forgiven, <a href="#Page_497">497</a> -</span> -</pre> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_13">{13}</a></span> - - <h2><i>First Sunday of Advent</i>.</h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - <i>Romans xiii.</i> 11-14,<br> -<br> - Brethren:<br> - Know that it is now the hour for us to rise from sleep. For now - our salvation is nearer than when we believed. The night is - passed, and the day is at hand. Let us therefore cast off the - works of darkness, and put on the armor of light; let us walk - honestly as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in - chambering and impurities, not in contention and envy; but put - ye on the Lord Jesus Christ. -<br><br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Luke xxi.</i> 25-33.<br> -<br> - At that time Jesus said to his disciples:<br> - There shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the - stars: and upon the earth distress of nations, by reason of the - confusion of the roaring of the sea and of the waves, men - withering away for fear, and expectation of what shall come - upon the whole world. For the powers of heaven shall be moved: - and then they shall see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with - great power and majesty. But when these things begin to come to - pass look up and lift up your heads: because your redemption is - at hand. And he spoke to them a similitude. See the fig-tree, - and all the trees: when they now shoot forth their fruit, you - know that summer is nigh; so you also when you shall see these - things come to pass, know that the kingdom of God is at hand. - Amen I say to you, this generation shall not pass away, till - all things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but - my words shall not pass away. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_14">{14}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon I. - - The Spirit Of Advent.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>It is now the hour for us to rise from sleep.</i><br> - —Romans xiii. 11. -</p> -<p> -This life of ours is made up of beginnings. After the rest of the -night we have on each succeeding day to begin again our round of -work, and then comes the night again, when our work must be laid -aside. So, too, does the life of our souls consist in great part -of beginnings, though in the great work of saving our souls there -should be no such thing as rest. This work must be unceasing, -until that night comes wherein no man can work, the night of -death, when our great Master shall demand of us an account of our -labor. On this day, then, which is the beginning of the Church's -year, it is well for us to pause and ask ourselves how we are -fulfilling the task that is set before us. Are our souls asleep? -Have our consciences been lulled into a false security concerning -the state of our immortal souls? Are we careless or indifferent -about the one thing needful for us—our soul's salvation? -</p> -<p> -To each and every one of us to-day come the warning words of the -Apostle, "Brethren, know that it is now the hour for us to arise -from sleep." Now is the time for us to shake off our -slothfulness, to rouse ourselves from our dangerous state of -idleness and inactivity, to cast off the works of darkness and -clothe ourselves in the armor of light, to put on the Lord Jesus -Christ, and, arrayed in the strength which he gives, to walk -honestly as in the day. "The night is passed," says St. Paul. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_15">{15}</a></span> -God grant that for each one of us the dark night of mortal sin -may be for ever past and gone; that its terrible gloom may never -again settle down upon our souls, shutting out the light of -heaven, the pure and radiant light of God's grace. For "the day -is at hand," the day of reckoning, the day of wrath and terror, -when we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ. The -Church to-day warns us of the approach of that time. Year by -year, day by day, hour by hour it is drawing nearer. "For now is -our salvation nearer than when we believed." -</p> -<p> -Yes, our salvation if we have been faithful, or our eternal -damnation if God's judgment overtake us in the state of mortal -sin. Therefore it is that the Church, upon this first Sunday of -Advent, lifts up her voice to warn us of the coming of our Lord, -telling us of his near approach, and bidding us to prepare to -meet him. Will you heed this warning, or will you still put off -the day of your conversion to God? Beware! God's warning may be -given you to-day for the last time. "Behold, now is the -acceptable time"; "it is now the hour to rise from sleep." There -is still time for you to turn from your sins and begin again to -serve God. Perhaps you have tried before and then have fallen -back into old ways and habits of sin. Begin again. We must always -be beginning if we would make any progress. We must examine our -consciences at the end of each day, and find out how we have -offended God, make earnest resolutions for the morrow, and then -begin each day with the determination to avoid the faults of the -day before. This is a sure means of perseverance. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_16">{16}</a></span> -<p> -And this beginning of the Christian year is a good time to take a -fresh start in the affairs of our souls. During Advent the Church -brings to our minds the consideration of the four last things. -Death and judgment, heaven or hell are awaiting us. Begin this -day, then, as though it were to be your last day on earth, and on -each succeeding day for the rest of your life keep up this -practice. "For as lightning cometh out of the east, and appeareth -even unto the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man -be." "Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness" now at the -beginning of this holy season. Drunkenness, impurity, contention, -and envy are, alas! far too common amongst us. "Let them be not -so much as named among you, as becometh saints," mindful of your -high calling in Christ. Then when the Judge appears, he will find -you ready to meet him. Having begun each day with the intention -of serving God, you will then be ready and fit to begin that day -which shall have no end in that heavenly city which "needeth not -sun nor moon to shine in it; for the glory of the Lord hath -enlightened it, and the Lamb is the lamp thereof." -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon II.<br><br> - - The Graces Of Advent.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>The night is past, and the day is at hand.<br> - Let us, therefore, cast off the works of darkness<br> - and put on the armor of light.<br> - Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ.</i><br> - —Epistle of the Day. -</p> -<br> -<p> -To-day, dear brethren, we enter upon the season of preparation -for the coming of Jesus Christ. For "the night is past and the -day is at hand." "The day-spring, the Brightness of the -everlasting Light, the Sun of righteousness," is come "to give -light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death." -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_17">{17}</a></span> -<p> -To give light to them that have been unfaithful to God's grace, -to call them back—to turn them to a new life—this is the -mission of our Saviour; and this is the call he makes upon us -to-day—that we should return to him, "the Ruler of the house of -Israel, who didst appear to Moses in the burning bush, and gave -him the law in Sinai." -</p> -<p> -You, dear brethren, were taught that law when the first rays of -the light of reason lit up your soul. God wrote it on your -hearts; you heard it from your parents lips; your teachers bade -you love it and keep it. But have you done so? Have you not -become like those whom of old God taught, and who would not -listen, but went after false gods, who bowed down before idols of -gold and silver, of wood and clay? -</p> -<p> -Have you not bowed down like them when you preferred -money-getting to serving God; when you were willing, for the sake -of gold and silver, to risk the loss of your immortal souls? Have -you not bowed down when you chose to gratify your lower instincts -at the cost of your spiritual ruin? Have you not bowed down to -idols of clay when you have steeped yourselves in drunkenness, in -impurities, in the many sins of the flesh? Oh! surely you have -need of the "wisdom that cometh out of the mouth of the Most -High" to teach you "the way of prudence." Oh! surely you have -need of "the Orient from on high," for you "sit in darkness and -in the shadow of death." -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_18">{18}</a></span> -<p> -But, dear brethren, "the night is past." "Let us, therefore, cast -off the works of darkness"; "let us walk honestly." Oh! "put ye -on the Lord Jesus Christ." "Behold Emmanuel, our King and Law -giver," he for whom the nations sighed and their salvation, has -come to save us—to save men whom he has made from the dust of -the earth. -</p> -<p> -Dear brethren, shall we be slow to go to him who comes with -healing for our immortal souls? Tell it out among the people, and -say, "Behold, God our Saviour cometh. Emmanuel is his name, and -his name is great. Behold, he is my God, and I will glorify him; -my father's God, and I will exalt him. The Lord our Law-giver, -the Lord our King, cometh to save us." -</p> -<p> -Begin this day to prepare for the joyous feast of Christmas. -Cleanse your hearts by prayer and fasting; come to the sacraments -and be washed in the blood of your Redeemer; come to his table -and break the bread of true friendship, that the joy of your -heart may be full when we shall celebrate that day of days, when -the Word which "was made flesh dwelt among us." Truly "we have -seen his glory," and "of his fulness we have all received." Let -us never forget his mercy; let us remember "that it is now the -hour for us to rise from sleep." -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon III.<br><br> - - St. John The Baptist.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>The angel said to him: Fear not, Zachary,<br> - for thy prayer is heard;<br> - and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son,<br> - and thou shalt call his name John;<br> - and thou shalt have joy and gladness,<br> - and many shall rejoice at his birth.</i><br> - —Luke i. 13. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_19">{19}</a></span> -<p> -These words, my brethren, were spoken by the Angel Gabriel to -Zachary, the father of St. John the Baptist, while he was engaged -with his religious duties in the temple at Jerusalem. Before -giving the account of the angel's visit St. Luke informs us that -Zachary and his wife, Elizabeth, were both acceptable to God and -obedient to the divine law. There are few who have received such -commendation in the pages of Holy Scripture. It might have been -surmised that Zachary led a good life, practising the virtues and -avoiding the vices, since he belonged to the Jewish priesthood. -Yet we find that his wife, Elizabeth, is mentioned as deserving -equal praise with himself, for it is stated that "<i>they were -both</i> just before God, walking in all the commandments and -justifications of the Lord without blame." -</p> -<p> -Such is the brief account that St. Luke has given of the parents -of St. John the Baptist. Though brief, it is enough to show that -any son might well feel proud of parents such as they -were—blameless in the sight of God. For many years they had -lived together in the hill-country of Judea, conscientiously -performing their duties, and cherishing the hope that they would -be rewarded for their good actions. Like the rest of the Jews who -remained faithful to the laws promulgated by Moses and the -prophets, which God had made for Israel, they prayed earnestly -for the coming of the Messias, the Orient from on high, who was -ardently expected to descend from his throne in heaven in order -to enlighten those in darkness and in the shadow of death, -directing their steps into the way of peace. While serving God by -strict fidelity to the commandments, they did not anticipate that -an angel would be sent to visit them; they did not know until -advanced in age that a son would be born to them who would be -called the prophet of the Most High, the precursor of the son of -David, appointed to prepare his ways. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_20">{20}</a></span> -<p> -That this blessing was unexpected is shown by the fact that -Zachary hesitated to believe the message of the Angel Gabriel, -and on account of this hesitation, this mistrust of the good -tidings that God sent to him, he was deprived of the use of -speech for several months. After the birth of St. John the -Baptist his tongue was again endowed with the power to speak, and -his words on that occasion, spoken under the influence of -inspiration, have been preserved in the grand canticle known as -the Benedictus, which is justly assigned to a prominent place in -the Office of the Church. -</p> -<p> -These considerations enable us to perceive what sort of a home -St. John the Baptist had while he remained with his aged parents. -From the knowledge we have of them, there is no reason to think -that they were deprived of anything requisite to make their home -happy and comfortable. Early in life, however, St. John -manifested a peculiar preference for the lonely desert. In a -special manner he was sanctified before his birth, and received -the gifts of the Holy Ghost in an extraordinary degree. It was -not because his fellow-creatures had proved deceptive, nor -because sad experience had taught him that the glittering charms -of the world are transient and wither into dust, that he resolved -to live like a hermit, separated from his relatives. Joyfully he -abandoned his family privileges, with all that seems to make life -among men pleasant, and went forth among the wild rocks in the -mountain solitudes to live alone with God. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_21">{21}</a></span> -Why was it that he made such a strange choice? The answer is, -that God directed him to leave houses and lands, his home and -kindred, and endowed him with the heroism needed for a solitary, -penitential life. In obedience to the will of God, acting under -the guidance of the Holy Spirit, he practised unusual -mortification. He selected coarse raiment, made of camel's hair; -he used a strange kind of food; he abstained entirely from the -use of wine. By deeds of heroic penance, by extraordinary acts of -self-denial, combined with the performance of his other duties, -he advanced in the way of perfection. During this season of -Advent we should invoke his intercession, and strive to remove -the obstacles that impede the way of the Lord and the action of -His grace in our sanctification. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_22">{22}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Second Sunday of Advent.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - <i>Romans xv.</i> 4-13.<br> -<br> - Brethren:<br> - What things soever were written, were written for our - instruction; that through patience and the comfort of the - Scriptures, we might have hope. Now the God of patience and of - comfort grant you to be of one mind one towards another, - according to Jesus Christ: that with one mind, and with one - mouth, you may glorify God and the Father of our Lord Jesus - Christ. Wherefore receive one another, as Christ also hath - received you unto the honor of God. For I say that Christ Jesus - was minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to - confirm the promises made to the fathers. But that the Gentiles - are to glorify God for his mercy, as it is written: Therefore - will I confess to thee, Lord, among the Gentiles, and will sing - to thy name. And again he saith: Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his - people. And again: Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and - magnify him, all ye people. And again Isaias saith: There shall - be a root of Jesse; and he that shall rise up to rule the - Gentiles, in him the Gentiles shall hope. Now the God of hope - fill you with all joy and peace in believing: that you may - abound in hope, and in the power of the Holy Ghost. -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Matthew xi.</i> 2-10.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - When John had heard in prison the works of Christ, sending two - of his disciples he said to him: Art thou he that art to come, - or look we for another? And Jesus making answer said to them: - Go and relate to John what you have heard and seen. The blind - see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the - dead rise again, the poor have the gospel preached to them. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_23">{23}</a></span> - And blessed is he that shall not be scandalized in me. And when - they went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes - concerning John: What went you out into the desert to see? A - reed shaken with the wind? But what went you out to see? A man - clothed in soft garments? Behold they that are clothed in soft - garments are in the houses of kings. But what went you out to - see? A prophet? yea, I tell you, and more than a prophet. For - this is he of whom it is written: Behold, I send my angel - before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon IV.<br><br> - - Fair-Weather Christians.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>What went you out into the desert to see?<br> - A reed shaken with the wind?</i><br> - —Gospel Of The Day. -</p> -<p> -Our Lord asked this question of his disciples, my brethren, -regarding his precursor, St. John the Baptist, whom also they had -followed in his time. "Why," said he, "did you take such trouble -to see him? Why did you think so much of him? Was it because he -was like a reed shaken by the wind? No, but because he was just -the opposite of that. You thought highly of him, you honored him -as I myself honor him, because he did not shake and tremble at -the breath of popular opinion; because he was not afraid of the -world, or of all the powers that are in it; because he only -thought of God, and of his duty; of the work that he had been -sent to do." -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_24">{24}</a></span> -<p> -But would our Saviour be able to praise us so highly, my -brethren, if he should come down now in our midst? Would he not -say rather that we were indeed like reeds, turning to one side or -another, according to the wind that happens to be blowing? I am -afraid that he would have too good reason to find fault with the -words and actions of many who call themselves Christians, an who -even pass for pretty good ones. -</p> -<p> -Who are these people whom he would find fault with? There are -plenty of them. They are what I should call fair-weather -Christians. They go to church regularly, perhaps, and to the -Sacraments, it may be, quite often; when they are with pious -people they can be just as pious as anybody else. They say their -prayers not only in church, but at home, too; they certainly try -in a way to be good; sometimes at least they would not say or do -anything wrong of their own accord. And when they are alone they -do very well, too; they resist many temptations, and avoid a -great deal of sin. They are not what one would call hypocrites; -far from it; they have a good many virtues, within as well as on -the outside. -</p> -<p> -But the trouble with them is that they have little or none of -what is commonly called "backbone." Alone or in good company they -are all right; but take a look at them on the street, in the shop -or factory, at their work or their amusements with their -associates, and they do not stand the test so well. They laugh at -every vulgar, filthy, and impure word that any one else pretends -to think is funny and wants them to laugh at, or if they do not -laugh out right they give a miserable, cowardly smile. They hear -something said about the faith which they know is a vile -falsehood, but they say nothing in reply; perhaps they even allow -that there is some truth in it. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_25">{25}</a></span> -It takes a long while for any one to find out that they are -Catholics who does not guess it by their names or know where they -go to church; it takes a great deal longer to find out that they -are supposed to be good ones. -</p> -<p> -Now, what is the reason of this contemptible sneaking and -meanness in those who ought to be brave and generous soldiers of -Christ? It is just one thing. These people do not love God enough -to dare to displease any one else for his sake. Most of them have -got pluck enough when something else is concerned. They would -resent an insult to themselves; perhaps for years they have not -been on speaking terms with many people on account of some -trifling slight or injury. But when God's honor and love are -concerned, the first breath of disapproval keeps them from -standing up for him, as the reed bends with the gentlest breeze -which strikes it. -</p> -<p> -Yes, that is the difficulty; these good people do not love God -enough to stand up for him as all Christians worthy of the name -should do. Let them think of this seriously. For if one does not -love God enough to offend bad men for his sake, how can he love -him above all things? And if one does not love God above all -things, how can he be saved? -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon V.<br><br> - - The Immaculate Conception.</h3> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_26">{26}</a></span> -<p> -The beautiful feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed -Virgin being so near at hand, let us consider it this morning. -The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception, then, my dear -brethren, is simply this: that our Blessed Lady, though the -offspring merely of human parents, like the rest of us, and -naturally liable to inherit original sin from them as we have -inherited it from ours, was nevertheless by the special -providence and decree of God entirely preserved from it. -</p> -<p> -She was preserved from it entirely, I say. This may be understood -in two ways. First, it was never in her. It was not taken from -her at the first moment of her existence, as it has been taken -from us at baptism; no, it was not taken from her, for it was not -in her even at that first moment. -</p> -<p> -Secondly, she was entirely saved from its effects, not partly, as -we have been. None of its consequences remained in her, as I have -said they do in us. No, she was as if there had never been such a -thing; except that her Son willed that she should suffer together -with him, on account of its being in us. -</p> -<p> -Now, my brethren, I hope you all understand this; for a great -deal of nonsense is talked about this matter, especially by -Protestants, most of whom have not the least idea what is meant -by the Immaculate Conception of our Blessed Mother, and who yet -object to it just as bitterly as if they did. They either -confound it with her virginal motherhood, in which they -themselves believe and yet seem to object to our believing it, or -they accuse us of saying that she was divine like her Son, our -Lord. If they would only examine they would find that what the -Church teaches is simply this: that our Lady is a creature of God -like ourselves, having no existence at all before the time of her -Immaculate Conception; but that she is a pure and perfect -creature, the most pure and perfect that God has ever made; -immaculate, that is to say, spotless; free from any stain or -imperfection, especially from the fatal stain of original sin. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_27">{27}</a></span> -And that the reason why God made her so was that she was to be -His own mother, than which no higher dignity can be conceived. If -they object to this, let them do so; but let them at least know -and say what they are objecting to. -</p> -<p> -Let us hope that some Protestants, at least, will not object to -this doctrine when they understand it. But perhaps some of them -may say: "This is all very good, but what right has the pope, or -any one else at this late day, to make it a part of the Christian -faith?" And it may be that even some Catholics will find the same -difficulty. -</p> -<p> -I will answer this question now, though it is a little off of our -present subject, on account of the prominence which has been -given to it of late. The answer is simply this: The pope has not -added any thing at all to the Christian faith in defining the -doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. He has no more done so -than the Council of Nicæa did in defining the doctrine of the -Divinity of our Lord. -</p> -<p> -You remember, my brethren, perhaps, that from this council the -Nicene Creed, which is said or sung at Mass, takes its name. It -was called together to condemn the errors of some who maintained -that our Lord was not truly God. And it solemnly defined that he -was. Very well; was that adding anything to the Christian faith? -Of course not; it was simply declaring what the Christian faith -was, to put an end to the doubts which were arising about it. -That is plain enough, is it not? -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_28">{28}</a></span> -<p> -Now what was it that the pope did in defining the Immaculate -Conception? Exactly the same thing. He defined what the faith -really was to put an end to doubts about it. The only difference -was, that those who opposed or doubted the Immaculate Conception -of our Lady were not so much to blame as those who opposed or -doubted the Divinity of our Lord, or even in many cases not at -all to blame. It was not such a prominent part of the faith, and -had been more obscured by time. But the action of the pope and -the council in the two cases was just the same. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon VI.<br><br> - - The Total Abstinence Pledge.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>The angel said to him: Fear not, Zachary, for thy prayer is - heard; and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou - shalt call his name John; and thou shalt have joy and gladness, - and many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great - before the Lord; and shall drink no wine nor strong drink; and - he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost even from his mother's - womb; and he shall convert many of the children of Israel to - the Lord their God.</i> - —Luke i. 13-16. -</p> -<br> -<p> -My brethren, the message brought from heaven by an angel deserves -careful examination, because the angel acts as a messenger from -God. A little reflection will convince us that the message -delivered to Zachary by the Angel Gabriel contained a very -peculiar prediction concerning the total abstinence from wine and -strong drink, which St. John the Baptist practised throughout his -life. In other matters no special directions were given -regulating his acts of self-denial. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_29">{29}</a></span> -No mention is made of his raiment in the angel's message; neither -was any information communicated in regard to his choice of food. -Hence there is a special significance in the declaration which -the Angel Gabriel put forth when he predicted that St. John the -Baptist would abstain from the use of wine and strong drink. This -passage of Holy Scripture, therefore, furnishes a strong proof in -favor of total abstinence. In the Book of Leviticus, x. 9, and in -the Book of Numbers, vi. 2, as well as in the writings of the -prophet Jeremias, xxxv. 61-69, there are texts to be found which -show that total abstinence was recognized long before the birth -of St. John the Baptist. But on account of his intimate relations -with the Holy Family, and on account of the extraordinary -approval bestowed upon him by our Lord, by which he was -canonized, so to speak, before his death, St. John the Baptist is -the most prominent of all the total abstainers mentioned in the -Bible. -</p> -<p> -Considered as an antidote, an effectual safeguard against the -degrading vice of intemperance, the practice of total abstinence -is now defended not only by examples from Holy Writ, but also on -arguments based on common sense and experience. It is regarded as -the heroic form of the virtue of temperance, which may be -meritoriously practised by those who have never been addicted to -drunkenness. The determination to renounce even the lawful use of -strong drink is especially commendable as a means of -self-preservation for young men. More than any other class of -society, they are assailed by temptations to excessive drinking; -and by unwise and unscrupulous friends they are often taught to -regard drunkenness as a pardonable weakness. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_30">{30}</a></span> -Undoubtedly, then, it is a wise act for a young man at the -present time to erect a strong barrier, a wall of defence, to -protect himself from a most dangerous and destructive vice. For -occasional and habitual drunkards, however, who wish to reform -and live in state of friendship with God, total abstinence is not -a mere act of heroism, but something indispensably necessary. The -pledge for them is simply a firm purpose of amendment, a -manifestation of their desire to avoid that which they know has -been for them a proximate occasion of sin. In many cases total -abstinence, though it may be a stern remedy, is the only sure -preventive of intemperance, and is imperatively demanded for the -spiritual and temporal welfare of numerous families. The man who -has offended God and debased himself by drunkenness cannot obtain -an unconditional pardon. To obtain forgiveness from God he must -have a sorrow for past offences, a determination to do better in -the future, and a willingness to atone for his sins. What he must -do in the future to secure his safety can be ascertained by -examining his past experience. By the application of these -principles, especially in the tribunal of penance, the growth of -virtue is fostered and the progress of vice is retarded. In this -way the Church proclaims to each individual the great lessons -which St. John taught by the banks of the Jordan. To all of her -children she repeats during this season of Advent the admonition -uttered long ago by the voice crying in the wilderness: Prepare -ye the way of the Lord; make straight his paths. -</p> -<hr> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_31">{31}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Third Sunday of Advent.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - <i>Philippians iv.</i> 4-7.<br> -<br> - Rejoice in the Lord always: again, I say, rejoice. Let your - modesty be known to all men: The Lord is nigh. Be not - solicitous about anything: but in everything by prayer and - supplication with thanksgiving let your petitions be made known - to God. And the peace of God which surpasseth all - understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. John i.</i> 19-28.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - The Jews sent from Jerusalem priests and levites to John, to - ask him: Who art thou? And he confessed, and did not deny: and - he confessed: I am not the Christ. And they asked him: What - then? Art thou Elias? And he said: I am not. Art thou the - prophet? And he answered: No. They said therefore unto him: Who - art thou, that we may give an answer to them that sent us? what - sayest thou of thyself? He said: I am the voice of one crying - in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said - the prophet Isaias. And they that were sent, were of the - Pharisees. And they asked him, and said to him: Why then dost - thou baptize, if thou be not Christ, nor Elias, nor the - prophet? John answered them, saying: I baptize with water; but - there hath stood one in the midst of you, whom you know not. - The same is he that shall come after me, who is preferred - before me: the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to loose. - These things were done in Bethania beyond the Jordan, where - John was baptizing. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_32">{32}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon VII.<br><br> - - Bad Company.</h3> - -<p> -In one of his epistles (2 Timothy iii. 1-5) St. Paul speaks of -<i>dangerous times</i> for Christians, when "men shall be lovers -of themselves, covetous, haughty, proud, blasphemers, disobedient -to parents, ungrateful, wicked, without affection, without peace, -slanderers, incontinent, unmerciful, without kindness, traitors, -stubborn, puffed up, and lovers of pleasure more than of God; -having an appearance, indeed, of piety, but denying the power -thereof." -</p> -<p> -At the present time there is in the world, especially in populous -cities, no small number of men who have the combination of vices -so forcibly described by the Apostle St. Paul. In some places -they may be in the majority, and have the power to enforce their -depraved views on their righteous neighbors. By their slanders -they can revile virtue; by their blasphemies they endeavor to -bring odium on God's plan of ruling the world. Their hatred of -religion is manifested not only in the regulation of personal -affairs, but also in their business methods, and in their -utterances on public questions. If these stubborn, puffed-up -lovers of sensuality, traitors to God, who are without affection -and without peace, could be assigned to a reservation in some -corner of the world, their range of influence would be kept -within a definite area. But they are like their master the devil, -roaming from place to place, every where seeking the destruction -of men's souls. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_33">{33}</a></span> -<p> -Hence it is an important matter, and especially for Catholic -young men, to consider the injurious results of the unavoidable -contact with those in the world who are more or less infected -with erroneous views, or have become the victims of debasing -vices. Such characters are to be found in nearly every department -of business. It often happens that a young man, when he begins to -work, is obliged to enter a sphere beyond the control of his -parents, where he will be in close proximity to blatant infidels, -who claim an intellectual superiority on account of their -unbelief. Business engagements may compel a Catholic young man to -be within hearing of shallow sceptics, who take every opportunity -to ask questions—not to get information, but merely to ventilate -their contempt for all religious teaching. These hostile -influences have produced in many of our young men very deplorable -results. By a sort of indifference, resembling the dry rot, they -have allowed themselves to get into a very unsafe state of mind -regarding their duties to God. -</p> -<p> -Enlightened self-interest should prompt every young man to keep a -sharp lookout for all that is injurious to him. He may have the -best religious training, together with the virtuous surroundings -of a good home, but these will not be sufficient without his own -personal activity. If he selects by preference heretics and -freethinkers as the companions of his leisure hours; if he is so -puffed up with the idea of his own ability that he can find no -Catholic associates worthy of his notice; if he is so confident -of his own strength that he habitually neglects to receive Holy -Communion, he has become a traitor to the King of Heaven. Our -Lord wants his followers to attain the highest standard of human -excellence. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_34">{34}</a></span> -To those who love him and fearlessly keep his commandments he -gives the courage which belongs to true manliness; and their -piety has power to surmount every obstacle on the way to heaven. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon VIII.<br><br> - - The Voice In The Wilderness.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Make straight the way of the Lord.</i><br> - —John i. 23. -</p> -<p> -This expression, dear brethren, is no new one in Holy Scripture, -and it fell on no unaccustomed ears. More than seven hundred -years before Jesus Christ the great prophet Isaias spoke about -"the voice of one crying in the desert: Make straight in the -wilderness the paths of our God." Again, three hundred years -later, another prophet, Malachias, wrote: "Behold, I send my -angel, and he shall prepare the way before my face." Again, about -six months before Jesus Christ was born, an aged priest, -Zacharias, took his own little child, who was only eight days -old, in his arms, and in the beautiful hymn of the -<i>Benedictus</i> says of him: "Thou, child, shalt be called the -prophet of the Most High; for thou shalt go before the face of -the Lord to prepare his way." -</p> -<p> -You know, dear brethren, who this little child was, who was the -burden of all this prophetic song. You know it was St. John the -Baptist. And you know, too, the mighty work he had to do. -</p> -<p> -And now, in this morning's Gospel, it is St. John the Baptist -himself speaking: "I am the voice of one crying in the -wilderness. Make straight the way of the Lord." -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_35">{35}</a></span> -<p> -Now, how is this "way of the Lord" to be "made straight" in the -spiritual desert of our hearts? Well, the prophet Isaias tells us -that there are five things which we have to do in this matter: -The first, "every valley shall be exalted"; the second, "every -mountain and hill made low"; the third, "the crooked become -straight"; the fourth, "the rough ways plain"; and the fifth, -"the glory of the Lord revealed." -</p> -<p> -He begins, you see, by telling us that the valleys must be -exalted. And don't you think that these "valleys" are a very good -likeness of all the things which we have left undone in our -lives? All these abysses of idleness, of neglect, of -carelessness, of indifference, which lie in the wilderness of our -sinful past, these have to be filled up. Christ our Lord cannot -come to us so long as there are such great holes in the road. We -must set to work and "exalt" them by throwing into our religious -life all the pains and care and diligence and faithfulness we -can. -</p> -<p> -Then there are the "mountains and hills," which must be made low. -For oftentimes, when the Evil One sees that a man cannot be -altogether discouraged from serving God, then he turns round and -persuades him that he <i>is</i> serving God very well indeed; -that he may be proud to think how often he has resisted -temptation, how often overcome difficulties, how often done great -things for Christ's sake. -</p> -<p> -So arise the vast mountains of pride and self-will and -self-conceit. But be sure our Lord will not climb over these to -come to you. You must first get them out of the way. They must be -made low, if you would enter into life: for it is written, "God -resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble." -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_36">{36}</a></span> -<p> -Then the "crooked places"—I suppose you know what they are—all -crooked ways of lying and deceit and untruthfulness. We call a -truthful person <i>straightforward</i>, because he does not turn -about to this side or to that in what he says, but goes straight -to the truth. Well, whatever is not straightforward is crooked, -and the crooked path is one which Christ will not walk in. So we -must try every day to go on more and more straightforwardly with -what God would have us do, according to the saying in the -Proverbs, "Let thine eyes look straight on, … decline not to -the right hand, nor to the left, and the Lord will bring forward -thy ways in peace." -</p> -<p> -Once more: there are the "rough places." Rough tempers, rough -words, and rough manners; such feelings as spite, and anger, and -ill nature, and revenge; as cutting and cruel words, and -quarrelling and fighting. Such rough places must be made very -plain and smooth if the road is to be fitted for the feet of our -meek and gentle Lord. -</p> -<p> -And, lastly: "The glory of the Lord shall be revealed." So shall -it indeed be to those that are found worthy to enter into the -kingdom of heaven. But what that glory is who shall tell? St. -John could not. "Beloved," he says, "we are now the sons of God; -and it hath not yet appeared what we shall be." St. Paul could -not, for when he was caught up into heaven he tells us that he -heard words "which it is not granted to man to utter." Isaias -could not. "From the beginning of the world," he says, "they have -not heard; the eye hath not seen, O God! besides thee, what -things thou hast prepared for them that wait for thee." All we -know is, that this glory shall be very great. And if we serve God -faithfully here we shall one day see it, and shall one day know. -We shall awake after his likeness and be satisfied therewith. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_37">{37}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon IX.<br><br> - - Penance.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>For now the axe is laid to the root of the tree.</i><br> - —Matthew. iii. 10. -</p> -<p> -St. John Baptist, my brethren, as you know, retired to the desert -at an early age, and led there an austere and solitary life, -eating coarse and unpalatable food, abstaining from wine and -strong drink, cutting off all unnecessary enjoyments of the -senses, and giving himself up to prayer and meditation. What was -his special motive in this extraordinary course of penance? It -was that he might worthily prepare himself for the office which -had been as signed to him—that of disposing men's hearts to -recognize and receive our Lord when he should come as their -Redeemer. It was by penance alone that those hearts could be so -disposed, and he was to be specially the apostle of penance; -hence he had to give a signal example of it in his own person; -for preaching, however eloquent, is of comparatively little -effect unless the preacher practises the virtues to which he -exhorts others; and the power of his preaching will be in -proportion to the illustration which it finds in his own life. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_38">{38}</a></span> -<p> -Therefore, though it was not necessary for St. John, sanctified -as he was even before his birth, to cut off all other sources of -pleasure in order to fill his soul with the joy that comes from -the love of God, and though he had no sins to atone for, for his -life had been free from blame, still he took up this course of -penance in order to show forth even more plainly than by his -words the need that his hearers would have, in their measure, to -do likewise, if they were to share in the redemption to come. -</p> -<p> -For now, as he told them, the axe was to be laid to the root of -the tree. God's chosen people, the Jews, whom he had specially -watched over for so many years, whom he had often chastised and -corrected, and had brought back to his favor when they profited -by his visitations, they were no more to be thus dealt with. The -tree which had sprung from the seed of Abraham was not to be -allowed any longer to stand with merely some lopping and pruning; -no, now, if it still would not bring forth the good fruit of a -thorough and genuine penance, it was to be cut down and cast into -the fire. It was the supreme test which was approaching; if the -people whom he had chosen would stand it, they should still -retain their place; otherwise they should be rejected as a -nation, and only those among them who would truly turn to their -God should be saved. -</p> -<p> -My brethren, St. John is still preaching this doctrine of penance -to us. The Church of the New Law is not on her trial, as was that -of the Old; no, her Divine Founder has promised that she shall -endure to the end of the world. But we, each one of us, have to -take the words of his precursor to ourselves. We are called by -the name of Christ; yes, but that will not save us. St. John said -to the Jews: "Think not to say within yourselves, we have Abraham -for our father." So we are not to think ourselves as belonging to -Christ, unless we have cast out from our hearts and souls what -puts a fatal obstacle to his entrance into them. His axe will be -laid to our root also, unless we on our part lay the axe to the -root of our sins. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_39">{39}</a></span> -<p> -What is this root of sin in us? It is just this desire of sensual -indulgence against which St. John in his life as well as in his -doctrine came to make the strongest of protests. If we wish not -to bring forth the fruits of sin, we must lay the axe to its -root. We must practise penance and mortification, not indeed -always to the degree in which he practised it, but at least so -far as it is necessary that we may keep the law of God. We must -not dally with those things which are dangerous to us, innocent -though they may be to others. Our Lord has told us that if even -our eyes and hands themselves are an occasion of sin we must -pluck them out or cut them off; if, then, there be anything we -enjoy, but can really do with out, we must not make a pretext of -the good use which we might make of it if it really is plain that -we will abuse it, but must resolutely cast it away. If we would -avoid the bitter fruit which will naturally grow we must lay the -axe to the root of the tree. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_40">{40}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Fourth Sunday of Advent.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - 1 <i>Corinthians iv.</i> 1-5.<br> -<br> - Brethren:<br> - Let a man so look upon us as the ministers of Christ, and the - dispensers of the mysteries of God. Here now it is required - among the dispensers, that a man be found faithful. But as to - me it is a thing of the least account to be judged by you or by - human judgment: but neither do I judge my own self. For I am - not conscious to myself of anything, yet in this am I not - justified: but he that judgeth me, is the Lord. Therefore judge - not before the time; until the Lord come, who both will bring - to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest - the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have - praise from God. -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Luke iii.</i> 1-6.<br> -<br> - Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cæsar, - Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being - tetrarch of Galilee, and Philip his brother tetrarch of Iturea - and the country of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of - Abilina, under the high-priests Annas and Caiphas: the word of - the Lord came to John, the son of Zachary, in the desert. And - he came into all the country about the Jordan, preaching the - baptism of penance for the remission of sins: as it is written - in the book of the words of Isaias the prophet: A voice of one - crying in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make - his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled: and every - mountain and hill shall be brought low: and the crooked shall - be made straight, and the rough ways plain And all flesh shall - see the salvation of God. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_41">{41}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon X.<br><br> - - Fruits Of Penance.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of penance.</i><br> - —Matthew. iii. 8. -</p> -<p> -St. John Baptist in these words, my dear brethren, teaches us, as -he taught those who came to him, that penance, if it be true and -genuine, must bring forth its proper fruit. Every repentance, if -it be sincere, every confession, if it be really good, must be -followed by a good life. If any confession is not so followed, it -must needs be a delusion; though it should have been accompanied -by torrents of tears, and the sins exposed as perfectly as God -himself knows them. -</p> -<p> -And, moreover, the tree which brings forth the good fruit should -continue to bear it; it should not only for a few days or weeks -give this proof that it is what it should be, and then have him -who planted it come to seek fruit on it and find none. -</p> -<p> -Yet how often do we find sinners who come to confession with what -would seem to be the best dispositions very soon back just where -they were before! How discouraging it is to the priest to find -the fruits of a mission which seemed to be so promising reduced -down almost to nothing for so many who seemed to profit by it; to -spend long hours, to wear away his strength, instructing, -exhorting, and absolving, and to have so little return from his -labor for God and for souls! -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_42">{42}</a></span> -<p> -What is the reason of all this failure of what began so well? Of -course it is partly that the tree planted by the grace of God in -the Sacrament of Penance was not tended afterwards. Its life was -not supplied to it, as it should have been, by the frequent -renewal of confession and reception of Holy Communion. But there -was a difficulty further back than that; a want of something at -the start, which, indeed, was the reason that the sacraments were -not regularly received. What was this difficulty? It was a want -of a thorough earnestness; of an understanding of the greatness -of the work that was undertaken, and of a real determination to -sacrifice everything in order to accomplish it. -</p> -<p> -It is a great undertaking which one commits one's self to in -coming to reconcile himself with God after a sinful life. The -task is not merely to examine his conscience, to tell his sins -plainly and without concealment, and to feel heartily sorry for -them; that is a great part of it, but by no means all. There is a -great deal left, and that is to leave them for good; to quit -company with them for ever. And this is not such an easy matter. -When, one has lived so that his whole pleasure has been in sin, -in drunkenness and debauchery, in filthy conversation, in bad -actions and bad thoughts, it will perhaps seem almost like giving -up life itself to part with them. The penitent sinner has not all -at once become an angel; his whole nature has been warped and -twisted out of place by sin, and, though the guilt of the sin has -gone, the effects are there; his soul, like a limb out of joint, -has much to suffer before it can get set right again. -</p> -<p> -A man must make up his mind, when he comes to serve God after -serving the devil, that he has got an uphill road to travel; if -he does not, he will not persevere. Labor and suffering, -self-denial and mortification, he has to face these manfully. His -consolation, his happiness, as well as his strength, have got to -come from God. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_43">{43}</a></span> -If one understands this he will seek that happiness and that -strength again where he first found it—in confession and -Communion. But if he does not, if he thinks that all will go -right now without any more trouble, his old nature and habits -will claim their dues, and he will soon be back in his sins -again. -</p> -<p> -Yes, we must cut right down to the root of sin if we wish to -bring forth the fruits of penance, and must make up our minds to -suffer the pain that this cutting will bring. Occasions of sin -must be avoided, appetites must be denied, contempt and ridicule -must be faced; we must pray, we must struggle, we must resist -even to blood; we must put our former life to death, that Christ -may live in us. For, as St. Paul tells us: "If we be dead with -him, we shall live also with him; if we suffer, we shall also -reign with him." There is no other way. -</p> -<p> -Let us not shrink from this pain and this conflict; that would be -the greatest mistake of all. But let us understand it, that when -the trial comes, as it surely will, it may not find us -unprepared. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon XI.<br><br> - - Preparation For Christmas.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Prepare ye the way of the Lord.</i><br> - —Matthew iii. 3 -</p> -<p> -We are such unprofitable servants that we have much to do to -prepare the way of the Lord in our hearts. If we have done all -that is required of us we are, nevertheless, unprofitable -servants, and unless we believe this we are spiritually blind. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_44">{44}</a></span> -<p> -The better the opinion which we have of ourselves the worse is -our spiritual condition. The good opinion, than which nothing can -be more false, which we have of ourselves prepares the way for a -fall into sin. -</p> -<p> -The way of the Lord, the way of salvation, is found by humility, -which always leads to penance. -</p> -<p> -The holy Council of Trent says that "the whole Christian life -ought to be a perpetual penance." How few realize this, because -they think they are what they really are not! Now, if penance be -the life of the Christian in the state of grace, it must be a -crying necessity for one who is in the state of sin. What food is -to the starving man penance is to the soul in this unhappy state. -</p> -<p> -Penance is the preparation required of us for the coming feast of -Christmas. This is the lesson of Advent. For four weeks the -purple vestments, the prayers and ceremonies of the church, and -the fasts on Fridays have been appealing to our eyes and ears, if -not to our hearts, to prepare in this way. The wise man views the -obligation which he is under to do penance as very urgent. He -banishes timidity and cowardice and puts his hand to the plough -with courage and confidence. -</p> -<p> -The foolish man hates to hear of penance, because his passions -have got the mastery. When asked to keep the commandments and -fulfil the duties of his state, he says: "I cannot." To bridle -his passions and give up bad habits seem to him too hard a task. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_45">{45}</a></span> -<p> -Now, if you should consult any man who has done penance -faithfully, so as to persevere in God's grace for years, he would -say the foolish man's view of penance is a false one. God is more -merciful and lenient than we imagine. It is the devil who dresses -up penance as something repulsive. -</p> -<p> -In urging upon you to prepare for Christmas by penance my first -words are: "Take courage." "Taste and see how sweet the Lord is." -</p> -<p> -St. Leo says "the cause of the reparation which we make for our -sins is the mercy of God." It is our way of loving him who first -loved us. How well the prophet Isaias describes this penance when -he says: "The Lord says, I will lead the blind in the way in -which they have not known; in the ways which they have not known -I will make them walk. I will change their darkness into light, -their crooked ways into ways that are straight, I will accomplish -these words in them and will not abandon them. I am found," says -God, "by those not seeking me, and I have appeared openly to -those who have not asked for me." -</p> -<p> -We see by these words how much the grace of God assists us, and -how God mercifully forgets our past sins when we do penance -sincerely. -</p> -<p> -But our penance must be sincere. We must "bring forth fruit -worthy of penance," says St. John the Baptist, the precursor of -our Lord. -</p> -<p> -It matters not if we are "the offspring of vipers," as the holy -Baptist called the multitude who approached him for penance, -provided "we lay the axe to the root of the tree." -</p> -<p> -Now, the words of the prophet, instead of repelling sinners, -attracted them. The publicans who were farthest from God came and -asked: "Master, what shall we do?" And they received the gentle -… -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_46">{46}</a></span> -<p> -[Page 46 missing]<br> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_47">{47}</a></span> -[Page 47 missing] -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_48">{48}</a></span> -<p> -… which should be our chief one at Christmas, now that the days -of innocent childhood are past. We do not hate sin from our -hearts; we even cling to it; at best we make compromises with it. -Mortal sin, perhaps, we try to avoid, but venial faults do not -trouble us; this is the best that can be said for most of what -may be called good Christians. And how many there are who come -outwardly to worship before the manger of Bethlehem, but with -hearts entirely turned from their God, who lies there in cold and -poverty for their sakes, pleading with them for his sake to give -up their sinful habits! How many go on offending him at this holy -time, with out repentance, almost without remorse! -</p> -<p> -Hatred of sin; yes, that is what we want if we would be happy at -Christmas. And now is the time to learn to hate it. For surely -the love of God comes easier to us now, if we will only try to -obtain it, than at any other time, unless, perhaps, on Good -Friday, when we see the sacrifice now begun accomplished. And the -love of God is the hatred of sin, which is the only thing which -he hates, the one cause of all his pain. -</p> -<p> -Do not let this Christmas go by, then, my dear brethren, without -the joy which should come with it. Do not let this opportunity -pass of acquiring that love of our dear Lord which will make you -really hate and trample under foot all that offends him, and -which will make you rejoice beyond measure that he has put it in -your power to do so. Pray, now, at least that you may learn to -love him; that you may enter into the joy of knowing not merely -that he can save you, but that he has saved you from your sins. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_49">{49}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Sunday within the Octave of Christmas.</i></h2> -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - <i>Galatians iv.</i> 1-7.<br> -<br> - Brethren:<br> - As long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a - servant, though he be lord of all: but is under tutors and - governors until the time appointed by the father: even so we, - when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of - the world. But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent - his Son, made of a woman, made under the law: that he might - redeem those who were under the law; that we might receive the - adoption of sons. And because you are sons, God hath sent the - Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying: Abba, Father. - Therefore now he is no more a servant, but a son. And if a son, - an heir also through God. -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Luke ii.</i> 33-40.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - Joseph, and Mary the mother of Jesus, were wondering at these - things, which were spoken concerning him. And Simeon blessed - them, and said to Mary his mother: Behold this child is set for - the ruin, and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a - sign which shall be contradicted. And thy own soul a sword - shall pierce, that out of many hearts thoughts may be revealed. - And there was a prophetess, called Anna, the daughter of - Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser; she was far advanced in years, - and had lived with her husband seven years from her virginity. - And she was a widow until fourscore and four years; who - departed not from the temple, by fastings and prayers serving - night and day. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_50">{50}</a></span> - Now she at the same hour coming in, gave praise to the Lord; - and spoke of him to all that looked for the redemption of - Israel. And after they had performed all things according to - the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own - city, Nazareth. And the child grew, and waxed strong, full of - wisdom: and the grace of God was in him. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon XIII.<br><br> - - Christmas Joy.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy.</i><br> - —Luke ii. 10. -</p> -<p> -There is hardly any one, my brethren, who lives where this feast -of Christmas is kept who does not feel a special joy in it. Why -do we say that "Christmas comes but once a year," if not because -we feel that there is nothing else that can take its place? We -look forward to it months beforehand; when it comes, we keep it -as long as we can and let it go with regret. Why is it that it -has such a warm place in our hearts? -</p> -<p> -Is it merely that it is by common consent a great holiday; that -it is a breathing-place in the bustle and hurry of life, a time -for meeting our friends, for giving and receiving tokens of -affection and regard, a time of feasting and making merry? This -has some thing to do with it, but it is not all. For if this were -all it would be possible to make by law a holiday like this, -which no one has ever succeeded in doing. The early settlers of -this country, in a mistaken zeal against church festivals, -endeavored to make a substitute for Christmas; but the failure of -their attempt has driven their descendants back to the observance -of this feast, though not to the church which gives it to them. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_51">{51}</a></span> -<p> -Yes, we all feel that the joy of Christmas is a thing not made to -order. It comes from a source which lies in the very mystery -which we commemorate; and, even though we do not meditate or -reflect on it, the stream from this source diffuses itself -through our life and sweetens all the other joys which come at -this time. And they come because of it; we make merry outwardly -because we are, and have cause to be glad at heart. -</p> -<p> -And what is this cause and source of joy? Is it because Christ -our Lord has come to save us from sin and eternal ruin? No, it is -not simply that; for we celebrate our salvation, our redemption, -our ransom from the power of death and hell more specially at -Easter than now. That is the festival of our Lord's triumph and -our deliverance; it should and does open heaven to our souls, and -give them a promise and almost a foretaste of it. But still it -does not come home to our hearts as this beautiful time of -Christmas does. -</p> -<p> -And no wonder; for at Easter we cannot but feel that our Lord, -though triumphant and glorious, and promising us a share in his -triumph and glory, still is separated from us. He has passed the -portals of death, he has risen from the grave, he has put on -immortality. We cannot follow him where he has gone till we have -freed ourselves from all the stains of earth, till we have been -purified and washed by penance in his Precious Blood. He has -passed from mortal to immortal life, and it is the raising of the -mortal to the immortal, of earth to heaven, that Easter -celebrates. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_52">{52}</a></span> -And this, though indeed it is the object of all our hope, is so -high that we, sinners that we are, cannot fully make it our -present joy. But Christmas is heaven come down to earth. It is -the God of heaven condescending to us; taking our weakness upon -him, sympathizing with us, and asking us for sympathy and love. -He hides his majesty and glory; he veils the splendor of his -face; he puts aside all that could distinguish him from -ourselves. He invites us to come to him with out fear; he asks -only that, sinful though we be, we should try to love him as he -loves us. Christmas is the sight of the Creator begging for the -love of his creatures, and humbling himself that he may obtain -it; that is the reason why it goes to the heart of all who have -any heart to give. -</p> -<p> -Let us then, in this happy season, enter into this joy which is -the cause of all the rest which we have, which is so easy for us, -which has come to our doors, and only asks that it should be let -in. But let the love which goes with it be not a mere passing -feeling, to bear no fruit in our lives. Let it bring us indeed to -him who has come down to us; let our joy be crowned and perfected -by a real return of our hearts to him who has done so much to win -them; let us receive him in deed and in truth in his holy -sacraments, and never let him go again. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon XIV.<br><br> - - New Year's Eve.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Be sober.</i><br> - 2 Timothy. iv. 5. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_53">{53}</a></span> -<p> -Brethren, those two little words of St. Paul in the epistle of -to-day contain excellent advice, especially to-day, on the eve of -the new year. How much woe it would hinder, how many families it -would save from ruin, how many souls from hell, could they be -made a common watchword in any large city in this country during -the year 1883! -</p> -<p> -But do you wish me to tell you the easiest way to be sober? It is -to take the total abstinence pledge. What does a man do when he -takes the pledge? Just what the farmer does who, seeing that his -fence is about high enough to keep the cattle out of the grain, -makes it just one rail higher; for he knows that there may be one -beast wilder than the rest who will leap over an ordinary fence. -So a prudent man, seeing the ravages of the vice of intemperance -among his friends, dreads some taint of it hidden in his own -nature; dreads some moment of weakness during the passing of the -convivial glass, or during some depression of spirits or foolish -mirth. So he puts all danger out of the question by the pledge. -For if there be danger from an inherited appetite or from a -convivial disposition, or from prosperity or adversity, there is -no mistake about this: the man who does not drink a single drop -cannot drink too much. -</p> -<p> -But again: what does a man do who takes the pledge? Just what the -kind mother does who wants to induce her sick child to take the -bitter medicine—she tastes it herself. The pledge is taken by a -man who may not need it for his own sake, but who loves another -who does need it. It is taken in order to give good example. It -is not only a preventive for one's self, but for those who may be -led by our influence. It is one great means that fathers and -mothers use in order to save their children from the demon of -drunkenness. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_54">{54}</a></span> -Oh! how pleasing to God are those parents who practise total -abstinence by way of good example! Oh! how blessed is the home -from which intoxicating drink has been utterly banished! How wise -are those parents who thus teach their children that intoxicating -drink, though it may be used with innocence, must always be used -with caution! Children reared in such a home know well enough how -to avoid treating, frequenting saloons, and convivial habits of -every sort. Such parents not only obey the Apostle's injunction, -"Be sober," but do the very best possible thing to induce those -whom they love to obey it also. -</p> -<p> -But once more: what does a man do who takes the pledge? He offers -something to God in atonement for the sin of drunkenness. And -herein is the best use of the pledge. It combines all the other -good purposes of it. It puts the top rail of double safety on the -fence that keeps the beast out of the garden of the soul; it sets -up the strong inducement of good example; but more than all it -consecrates everything to God by uniting it to our Lord's thirst -on the cross. -</p> -<p> -Brethren, why was it that, when our Lord suffered agony of soul, -he complained in such words as would be apt to move the drunkard -more than any other sinner: "O my Father! if it be possible, let -this <i>cup</i> pass from me." "O my Father! if this <i>cup</i> -may not pass away from me except I <i>drink</i> it, thy will be -done." Is there no special significance in his choice of those -words? And listen to the account St. John gives of our Lord's -physical agony: "Jesus, knowing that all things were accomplished -that the Scriptures might be fulfilled, saith, <i>I thirst!</i> -… And they filled a sponge with vinegar and put it to his -mouth. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_55">{55}</a></span> -When Jesus, therefore, had received the vinegar he said: It is -finished! And he bowed his head and gave up the ghost." Thirst -was the only bodily torment he complained of. Had he no special -purpose in this? -</p> -<p> -So the man who takes the pledge suffers thirst in union with -Christ and for the love of God to atone for sins of drunkenness. -</p> -<p> -That is why it does not settle the matter against taking the -pledge when one can say he does not need it. Our Lord had no need -to suffer thirst. He could say, I own all the cool fountains in -the world, and all the strengthening wine of the world is mine, -and I might drink and never need to thirst for my own sake; but I -love the poor drunkard, and for his sake I will die thirsting for -a cool drink and tasting only bitter vinegar. And the Catholic -total abstainer says: "O Lord! permit me to bear thee company in -thy bitter thirst." -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon XV.<br><br> - - The Feast Of The Holy Innocents.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>And Herod sending killed all the men-children that were in - Bethlehem and in all the confines thereof from two years old - and younger.</i><br> - —Matthew ii. 16 -</p> -<p> -Who is not shocked by the recital of Herod's cruelty? Carried -away by pride and ambition, and the fear of losing what he had -usurped, this tyrant tried to put to death the King of Kings by -the murder of the holy innocents. Who in our day are like Herod? -Those who murder innocent children. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_56">{56}</a></span> -Fiendish mothers, desiring, perhaps, to cover their shame or to -escape the labor of bearing and bringing up children, take the -lives of their unborn infants. Those, too, who knowingly sell or -give or advise the use of drugs calculated to destroy the life of -the unborn—all such commit Herod's crime. Yet how often this -crime is nowadays committed! -</p> -<p> -Woe to these wretches! Woe to the Herod-like physicians who, for -any reason whatsoever, directly prescribe or use means to prevent -child-birth! Herod met his punishment in a bad death, and his -soul went into a hell of eternal torments. What must the -murderers of little children expect? -</p> -<p> -But I have another cruelty to cry out against. It is that of -those who destroy the "little ones of Christ" by neglecting to -instruct their little children in the way of salvation. The law -of God requires that children as soon as they have the use of -reason, which is about the age of seven years, should know the -elements of the Christian doctrine, should know the necessity of -avoiding sin, and should be taught the practice of virtue; also, -that children, as soon as they are able to sufficiently profit by -receiving Holy Communion, should do so. No child should ever be -allowed to go beyond the age of twelve years without having made -First Communion. Many can receive First Communion at nine or ten -years of age, and perhaps younger. Confirmation should be -received as soon as First Communion. Parents are guilty before -God if they do not require their children to keep the -commandments of God and his church from their earliest years -until they leave the parents charge. How many parents do their -little ones a deadly injury by not sending them regularly to -Sunday-school! -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_57">{57}</a></span> -What is it to bring up children to burn in the flames of hell for -ever, as some Christian parents do? It is simply soul-murder. It -deserves no better name. Have you been guilty of soul-murder? If -so, hasten to repair the evil as much as you can. You can never -do it wholly, but you must do what you can. There is yet another -cruelty towards "the little ones" of Christ. It is to scandalize -them by your bad example. Instead of learning by your example to -adore our Blessed Lord, to love and reverence his Blessed Mother -and the saints, they, perhaps, learn to take God's holy name in -vain. Your falsehoods teach them to lie; your dishonesty teaches -them to steal. Your anger and quarrelling teach them to be -stubborn and disobedient. Ah! Christian parents, be careful how -you hang this millstone of scandalizing the little ones of Christ -about your necks. -</p> -<p> -Finally, you destroy your children by not correcting their -faults. You wink at the evil which they do. You fail to punish -them, regardless of God's honor and their good. If you do punish -them, it is not "correction in the Lord," but you do it to -gratify your satanic rage. Some fathers and mothers are not -worthy of the name. The dignity and responsibility of fathers and -mothers are very great. See that you are faithful to the -obligations which belong to your high and holy state. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_58">{58}</a></span> - - <h2><i>The Epiphany.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - <i>Isaias lx.</i> 1-6.<br> -<br> - Arise, be enlightened, O Jerusalem: for thy light is come, and - the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For behold darkness - shall cover the earth, and a mist the people: but the Lord - shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. - And the Gentiles shall walk in thy light, and kings in the - brightness of thy rising. Lift up thy eyes round about, and - see: all these are gathered together, they are come to thee: - thy sons shall come from afar, and thy daughters shall rise up - at thy side. Then shalt thou see and abound, and thy heart - shall wonder and be enlarged; when the multitude of the sea - shall be converted to thee, the strength of the Gentiles shall - come to thee. The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the - dromedaries of Madian and Epha: all they from Saba shall come, - bringing gold and frankincense: and showing forth praise to the - Lord. -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Matthew. ii.</i> 1-12.<br> -<br> - When Jesus, therefore, was born in Bethlehem of Juda, in the - days of King Herod, behold, there came wise men from the East - to Jerusalem, saying: Where is he that is born King of the - Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and we are come to - adore him. And Herod the King hearing this was troubled, and - all Jerusalem with him: and assembling together all the chief - priests and Scribes of the people, he inquired of them where - Christ should be born. But they said to him, In Bethlehem of - Juda; for so it is written by the prophet: "And thou Bethlehem, - the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: - for out of thee shall come forth the ruler who shall rule my - people Israel." -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_59">{59}</a></span> - Then Herod, privately calling the wise men, inquired diligently - of them the time of the star's appearing to them; and sending - them into Bethlehem, said: Go and search diligently after the - child, and when you have found him, bring me word again, that I - also may come and adore him. And when they had heard the king, - they went their way; and behold, the star which they had seen - in the East went before them, until it came and stood over - where the child was. And seeing the star, they rejoiced with - exceeding great joy. And going into the house, they found the - child with Mary his mother, and falling down, they adored him; - and opening their treasures, they offered him gifts; gold, - frankincense, and myrrh. And having received an answer in sleep - that they should not return to Herod, they went back another - way into their own country. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon XVI.<br><br> - - The Testimony Of The Spirit.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>For whosoever are led by the Spirit of God<br> - they are the Sons of God.</i><br> - —Romans viii. 14. -</p> -<p> -The end of our pilgrimage, like that of the three wise men, my -brethren, is union with our Lord. Of course union with God, -through his power and his being present everywhere, always -exists, whether we are his friends or not. But the state of grace -is the union of love. By that union God rules our souls. By that -union the Holy Spirit of God, the third person of the most Holy -Trinity, really dwells within us. In the state of grace we are -brought into loving contact with the divine Spirit. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_60">{60}</a></span> -Now the Apostle, in the words of our text, wishes to teach us one -effect of that wonderful union. "For the Spirit himself giveth -testimony to our spirit that we are the sons of God." That is to -say, when the Holy Spirit enters into your heart he announces his -coming, he assures you of his friendship, he excites within you a -sentiment of filial affection for your Heavenly Father. How could -it be otherwise? Could God be long in our hearts and we be -altogether ignorant of it? Of course he does not take away the -natural fickleness of our minds; the star sometimes shines -faintly, or even for a while disappears from view. God does not -reveal himself as he is; he does not interfere at all with his -external work in the holy church; he does not substitute his -interior action on the soul for that exterior action of visible -authority and sacramental symbols. It is, indeed, by means of -this external order that the Holy Spirit enters into our hearts; -it is, besides, only by means of the church's divine marks, her -divine testimony, her divine influence in the sacraments, that we -can be quite sure that Almighty God has come down into our souls. -Yet the Holy Spirit really has a secret career within us. "Deep -calleth unto deep"; that is, the infinite love of God calls into -life our little love. He has his inner church in our souls, so to -speak; or rather he brings into his spiritual and hidden temple -all that is outside, spiritualizes the external order, joins the -purely mental with the sacramental, and, having set our faces in -the right direction and started our feet moving in the right -road, he sets us to thinking right, he stirs up noble -aspirations, he purifies our feelings, and finally gives us -testimony that it is really himself, the Spirit of God, who has -thus been at work making our inner life such as befits the sons -of God. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_61">{61}</a></span> -<p> -Now, my brethren, as I said before, this testimony of God within -us is not like the splendors of Paradise bursting upon the soul; -nor is it so very plain as to be able to stand alone without the -external criterion of his church as a testimony of God's -friendship, except now and then in the case of some great saint. -Yet there are many things in our inner life that, if we study -them over a little, show that God has been acting upon us. What -else is that wonder of the world called the faith of Catholics? -Who else but the Spirit of God could give such power to believe -very mysterious truths, such a stability to wavering minds, such -a humility of belief to proud minds? And what except divine love -could be as sweet as the taste the soul enjoys in the reception -of the sacraments? Call to mind the utter transformation of soul -that so often takes place at First Communion; remember the flood -of divine influence at your Christian marriage; remember how -after that death-bed scene your broken heart was cured of its -despair when you turned to God; remember how at missions or -during seasons of penance, or at one or other festival, it seemed -to you that heaven was beginning before its time. All this is -God's work on your life. The tender emotion at hearing the divine -promises, the loving regret for sin, the joy of forgiveness, the -imagination filled—plainly by no human means—with images of -celestial peace, the understanding as clear of doubts as heaven -of clouds, the will strong and easily able to keep good -resolutions, sometimes the very body sharing the lightness and -vigor of the soul—what is all this but the embrace of the Holy -Spirit? -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_62">{62}</a></span> -And if one says <i>he</i> does not feel it, and yet hopes he is -in the state of grace, I answer that he will not be long deprived -of it. Or it may be he is tepid; his soul is not able to feel any -more than a hand benumbed with cold; his ear not hearing because -his attention is too much fixed on the voices of the world to -hear the voice of the Holy Spirit. His eye is too much dazzled by -the false glitter of the world to catch sight of the star that -leads to our Lord's feet. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon XVII.<br><br> - - Following God's Guidance.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Be ye, therefore, followers of God,<br> - as most dear children.</i><br> - —Ephesians. v. 1. -</p> -<p> -My dear brethren, these are not words of counsel or good advice; -they are words of command, written by St. Paul. This command is -to follow God, and to follow him as most dear children, -obediently as the Magi did of old. What is it to follow God? It -is to do at least as much as we do when we follow any one great -man. How do we act then? We seek to be with him a great deal. We -listen to his every word. We do as he does. We adopt his views of -things. We repeat what he teaches. Neither do we dare to differ -from him, for fear that people will say that we have no sense; -nor do we venture to act in any manner opposed to his ways of -doing. In a few words, a man who is followed is the leader in -fashion, in taste, and style. Everybody approves his ways, and -imitates them. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_63">{63}</a></span> -His friends have also the friendship of the world, simply because -they are his friends. Any one whom he approves and recommends is -listened to and followed because he has recommended him. If we -want to follow God, he does not really require, outwardly, any -more than men require of us to follow them. -</p> -<p> -But how can we do this? -</p> -<p> -First: Seek to be with God a great deal. Where is he, that we may -find him? God is everywhere, and is always found by looking for -him and seeking for him diligently in prayer; for prayer keeps us -near to God and God near to us. And he is always on the altar: -hear Mass not only on Sundays but now and then on week days; -visit the Blessed Sacrament. -</p> -<p> -Secondly: Listen to his every word. God speaks to our souls in -prayer, not with a voice like the voice of a man, but in his own -sweet and quiet way. We must listen attentively to hear the -gentle words of God, not with our outward ears of the body, but -with the ability to hear that is within our souls; the ability of -the soul to hear the voice of a spirit speaking to our spirit. -God also speaks to us through his Holy Word in the Sacred -Scriptures, in the Epistle and Gospel set apart for each Sunday -of the year, in the writings of holy men and women, in the -teachings of Christian parents and friends. But the most -important way in which God has taught, and continues to teach us -all, is by means of his church. When we listen to her words, in -sermons and other instructions, we hear the Word of God. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_64">{64}</a></span> -<p> -Thirdly: Do as God does. Try to be like him, and him alone. Take -care to do always the thing that is right. Try hard to be loving, -merciful, forgiving, and gentle to all, even your enemies. When -we have anything to do, we must say, Would God do this way or -that way? When we meet with cruel treatment from others, with -ingratitude and base injustice from those we love, we must say at -once, How does God treat those who do these things? How does he -treat me, notwithstanding my many, many sins? I shall go and do -to these bad people as he has done to me. I shall even bless -them, as he has blessed me. -</p> -<p> -Lastly: If we want to follow God, at least as well as we follow a -great man whom we have made a leader among us, we are sure to -honor his friends, and obey those he sends to us in his name. Who -are these? Not only all good people, but especially our pastors -and spiritual directors. The pastor or parish priest is a man -sent by God to make sure of the success of God's work in his -parish. Any one who follows God in that parish unites heart and -soul with his priest to help him carry out his plans. If any one -wants to get the greatest amount of merit for his good deeds, he -is sure to get it by following first these plans. For the priest -stands as a father among his children. He knows the good and the -bad, the rich and the poor. He knows what is best for each. He is -the best adviser as to what ought to be done, and as to the way -it is to be done. In charities he is certainly the best leader. -Private works and charities are good, it is true; but the first -duty, after one's own necessities are cared for, is to follow the -order of God, in aiding the parish work through the parish priest -and his assistants. We may safely say that one act done for God, -in union with those put over us by him, is worth in heaven, and -here also, many good works done simply because we like to do them -our own way. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_65">{65}</a></span> -<p> -To follow God, then, is to follow as dear children. We must -consent to be led by God in all things connected with duty, just -as little children are led by their fathers and mothers. We must -take care, at least, that we follow his lead, and not show more -honor to others than we do to him. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_66">{66}</a></span> - - <h2><i>First Sunday after Epiphany.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - <i>Romans xii.</i> 1-5.<br> -<br> - Brethren:<br> - I beseech you, by the mercy of God, that you present your - bodies a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing to God, your - reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be - reformed in the newness of your mind, that you may prove what - is the good and the acceptable, and the perfect will of God. - For I say, through the grace that is given me, to all that are - among you, not to be more wise than it behooveth to be wise, - but to be wise unto sobriety, and according as God hath divided - to every one the measure of faith. For as in one body we have - many members, but all the members have not the same office: so - we being many are one body in Christ, and each one members one - of another in Christ Jesus our Lord. -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Luke ii.</i> 42-52.<br> -<br> - When Jesus was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem - according to the custom of the feast, and after they had - fulfilled the days, when they returned, the child Jesus - remained in Jerusalem; and his parents knew it not. And - thinking that he was in the company, they came a day's journey, - and sought him among their kinsfolks and acquaintance. And not - finding him, they returned into Jerusalem, seeking him. And it - came to pass, that after three days they found him in the - temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, hearing them and - asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished - at his wisdom and his answers. And seeing him, they wondered. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_67">{67}</a></span> - And his mother said to him: Son, why hast thou done so to us? - behold thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And he said - to them: How is it that you sought me? did you not know that I - must be about the things that are my Father's? And they - understood not the word that he spoke unto them. And he went - down with them, and came to Nazareth: and was subject to them. - And his mother kept all these words in her heart. And Jesus - increased in wisdom and age, and grace with God and men. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon XVIII.<br><br> - - The Christian Home.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>He went down with them and came to Nazareth,<br> - and was subject to them. …<br> - And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age, and grace<br> - with God and men.</i><br> - —Gospel of the Day. -</p> -<p> -In these few words, my brethren, the sacred writer raises the -veil that conceals the mysteries of our Lord's hidden life, and -gives us an insight into the domestic concerns of the Holy Family -at Nazareth. Jesus lived with Mary and Joseph. He was obedient -and subject to them, and so he advanced in age and wisdom and -grace with God and men. The door of the holy house is opened to -us, but only for a moment, so that we might get a glimpse of the -domestic life of a model family. Joseph, the father, day by day -works at his trade to support the family. He rises in the -morning; gives his soul to God in prayer. He toils through the -day. He comes home at night to enjoy his rest in the company of -Jesus and Mary. He meets with trials, but he is patient; he is -tempted, but he sins not; he leads a busy life, but he still -finds time to pray. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_68">{68}</a></span> -Mary, the mother, tends the household duties, with care and -precision, and by her sweet, kind ways diffuses an air of peace -and contentment throughout the home. Jesus, the child, is -affectionate and submissive to his parents in everything. Here is -the model of a true Christian home. Its ground work is the love -of God; it is surrounded by an atmosphere of virtue, and to its -members it is the holiest and dearest spot on earth. Such should -our homes be. -</p> -<p> -The true Christian home is to society what the sanctuary is to -the church of God. The parents are the priests in this sanctuary. -It was God who ordained them priests when they stood before the -altar with clasped hands and promised that they would be faithful -to each other while life lasts. The Blessed Sacrament of this -sanctuary is the Sacrament of Matrimony. It is the great -treasure-house of supernatural strength to the married couple. -</p> -<p> -The perpetual presence of our Lord in this sanctuary is by his -grace, which is never wanting. -</p> -<p> -The altar in this sanctuary is the hearthstone around which the -family gathers. The communion-rail in this sanctuary is the -family table, from which are dispensed the necessities of life. -</p> -<p> -There is about the sanctuary in the church of God an atmosphere -of piety and reverence. It has a sanctity that no stranger dare -violate; it has a privacy which no one but he who has a right -dare invade. Such an atmosphere should be about the sanctuary of -home. A priest would never allow a heretic or an infidel to sit -in the sanctuary of God. He would never allow a corrupt man to -stand on the altar of God. Take care, then, Christian parents, -how you violate the sanctity of your homes. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_69">{69}</a></span> -Take care what heretical or infidel books you allow to pass the -gate of that sanctuary. Take care what bad newspapers you allow -within its sacred precincts. Take care of the persons whom you -allow to stand around your family altar. It is one thing, you -know, to be obliged to meet a man in every-day life; it is a far -different thing to invite him to your home, and permit him to -violate its sanctity. -</p> -<p> -It is the duty of a priest on the altar of God, by his good -example, to edify his flock; to stand at all times before his -people a bright, shining light of Christian virtues. So, too, it -is your duty, priests at the family altar, to be a model of all -virtues to your children, so that they might learn from you what -it is to be a Christian. Would it not be horrible for a man to -come in on the altar and utter repeated curses? Would it not be -fearful to see him stagger up to the altar of God in the state of -intoxication? It happened once while Mass was going on, during -the Elevation, while all heads were bowed in humble adoration, a -drunken man rushed into the church, and in a loud voice uttered a -horrible oath. It made the hearts of the good Catholic people -stand still, and their blood ran cold in their veins. Is it any -the less horrible for a father to come home intoxicated to the -household sanctuary, or a mother, when anything goes wrong in the -house, to give vent to her wrath in harsh language and sometimes -even cursing? -</p> -<p> -See to it, then, dear parents; make your homes holy places—real -sanctuaries, where you can do your duty as priests of our -All-Holy God. Keep from them all evil influences, so that they -might be places where even the Child Jesus would not be ashamed -to dwell. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_70">{70}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon XIX.<br><br> - - Jesus Teaching In The Temple.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>And not finding him,<br> - they returned into Jerusalem, seeking him.</i><br> - —Luke ii. 45 -</p> -<p> -The Gospel of to-day tells us, my brethren, how our Blessed Lady -and St. Joseph lost Jesus on their way home from Jerusalem, where -they had gone with him to keep the feast of the pasch, and how in -great distress they returned to the city in search of him. What -fears and anxieties must have filled their minds as they thought -of the many enemies which he had among the rulers of the people, -jealous of his promised kingdom, and of the harm which they would -try to do him if they recognized him for the child whom Herod had -sought to destroy! And how perplexed Mary and Joseph must have -been that he who had hitherto saved himself by their protection -should at this tender age abandon them and remove himself from -their care! Had they not shown enough love and care for him? Had -they proved themselves unworthy of him? Surely it could not be -his purpose when so young to begin his great work. Would he not -at least have told them if such had been his plan? -</p> -<p> -No, our Lord did not propose to begin his mission then; for, -though he was indeed God, he was also then a child, and that -mission was not a child's work. But he did wish to show them that -his great work even then filled his heart and soul; that the fire -of love for us, which brought him to the cross, was consuming him -even in childhood. "Did you not know," he said to them when they -found him, "that I must be about my Father's business?" "How is -it that you sought me?" "You might have known," he seems to say, -"that, if I were not with you, I must be in the temple speaking -to my people of their God." -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_71">{71}</a></span> -<p> -He also wished to give them an opportunity of merit by showing -the love of God which filled their souls, too. For their grief -was not the common grief of parents who have lost a child, great -as that trouble is. It was the loss of the Divine Presence which -affected them beyond measure. God had been with them for all -those years as never with any one else, and now he had left them, -they could not tell why or for how long. They would not have -spared him for an hour, even to their kinsfolk and friends, with -whom they thought he was, except for charity; and now he had left -them, perhaps for the rest of their lives, which were worth -nothing without him. -</p> -<p> -Would that we loved God, my brethren, as they loved him; that he -were the light and consolation of our lives, as he was of theirs! -Let us think of this as we reflect on their pain and anguish in -that weary search for the visible presence of him whose grace -was, after all, always in their souls. How is it with us? Would -we care for this presence which they so bitterly missed? Would it -not, perhaps, even be a painful restraint? Do we care, as it is, -to be near Jesus? Is his presence in the Blessed Sacrament of the -altar a consolation to us? We revere that real Presence of our -Lord, but do we love it? If so, why do we not seek it more? -</p> -<p> -Do we even care for his presence by grace in our souls, which -they always had in its fulness, and never dimmed by the shadow of -sin? To lose that, had it been possible, would have been a -thousand deaths to them; what is it to us? How easily do we lose -that grace; how little do we care to regain it! -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_72">{72}</a></span> -<p> -Oh! let us at least imitate our Blessed Mother and her Holy -Spouse as far as this. If we do not love to be with Jesus as they -did, let us at least seek to have him with us by his grace. If we -have lost him, let us seek him, and not be weary till we find -him; let us not rest till he comes again to our souls, never to -leave them again. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon XX.<br><br> - - How Our Saviour Takes Away Sin.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Behold the Lamb of God,<br> - behold him who taketh away the sins of the world.</i><br> - —St. John i. 29. -</p> -<p> -After our Blessed Lord was baptized by St. John the Baptist, -beloved brethren, he retired into the desert, where he remained -forty days in prayer and fasting. At the end of this time he -directed his steps towards the river Jordan, where John was -baptizing. Here a large concourse of the Jewish people had -assembled to listen to the preaching of the forerunner of Christ. -In the midst of these St. John, inspired by the spirit of God, -and professing his deep and ardent faith, testified of our Lord -that he is the Lamb of God, and that it is he who taketh away the -sins of the world. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_73">{73}</a></span> -<p> -What a glorious testimony this, and how cheerfully received by -the fervent Christian! Have you ever pondered over these -beautiful words, and made them the subject of your meditation? -Have you ever tried to find out their true meaning, and thus make -them profitable to your souls? Yes, truly, Jesus Christ is the -Lamb of God. He is the Lamb slain from the beginning of the -world. For you and for me he voluntarily left the bosom of his -Father, and lowered and even debased himself by assuming a nature -like our own. For us he endured the sufferings and privations of -his childhood; for us he sent up many heartfelt prayers to God -the Father before the beginning of his public life; for us he -labored and preached; for us he suffered the ingratitude of his -disciples, the ignominies of the Jews, the insults of the -soldiers, the hardships of the journey to Calvary, and, finally, -ended his torments on the cross, with the cry "<i>Consummatum -est</i>—It is finished." This, and much more, did our Blessed -Lord gladly undergo for us all. And how have you, dear brethren, -requited such infinite love? Fathers, are you solicitous for the -little household which Almighty God himself has so fondly -entrusted to your care? Then are you imitators of the patience -and endurance of your Saviour during his bitter passion. Mothers, -do you strive to make yourselves patterns of the Christian -virtues of gentleness and forbearance? Then do you imitate the -example of your Lord in bearing the defects of others and -treating them with kindness and compassion. Oh! how watchful -would we not be, dear brethren, could we but understand the -infinite love our Lord Jesus Christ manifested for us during his -life on earth! But St. John not only gave testimony to our Lord -being the Lamb of God, but he further testified that it is he who -takes away the sins of the world. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_74">{74}</a></span> -He did not come simply to announce to the world the divine -mission which he received from the Father; he also came to heal -the infirmities of our souls by imparting to them the abundance -of his grace. This office he performed himself during his mortal -life on earth. He it was that purified the soul of Mary Magdalene -and enriched it with sanctifying grace. It was he who gave the -living water of eternal life to the sinful Samaritan woman. And -what our Lord did for these and many others, beloved brethren, he -is now effecting in the midst of us. It is not necessary to -remind you of how our Lord chose a small band of apostles, and -made them the beginning of his church; how he bestowed upon them -and their successors the unheard-of and marvellous power of -forgiving sins. Yes, brethren, the bishops and priests of the -Catholic Church are the visible representatives of Jesus Christ; -they are the comfort of the afflicted, the strength of the weak; -they have an efficacious remedy for those who are living in the -state of mortal sin; by pronouncing the words of absolution they -restore to the penitent and contrite sinner his lost inheritance -of sonship, and make him an heir of the kingdom of heaven. Oh! -how thankful we should be for the mercy and goodness of our God! -What a tender love we ought to cherish for the Church, the Bride -without spot! What respect is not due to those who hold the place -of Christ in our behalf! How sufficiently prize the inestimable -blessing of the tribunal of penance! Let us remember and meditate -upon those three precious graces, beloved brethren, that they may -be the source of sweet joy to us now, and the earnest of a happy -eternity hereafter. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_75">{75}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Second Sunday after Epiphany.</i><br><br> - - Feast Of The Holy Name Of Jesus.</h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - <i>Romans xii.</i> 6-16.<br> -<br> - Having gifts different, according to the grace that is given - us, whether prophecy, according to the proportion of faith, or - ministry in ministering; or he that teacheth, in teaching; he - that exhorteth, in exhorting; he that giveth with simplicity; - he that ruleth with solicitude; he that showeth mercy with - cheerfulness. Love without dissimulation. Hating that which is - evil, adhering to that which is good; loving one another with - brotherly love; in honor preventing one another; in solicitude - not slothful; in spirit fervent; serving the Lord; rejoicing in - hope; patient in tribulation; instant in prayer; communicating - to the necessities of the saints; pursuing hospitality. Bless - them that persecute you; bless, and curse not. Rejoice with - them that rejoice; weep with them that weep; being of one mind - one to another; not high-minded, but condescending to the - humble. -<br> -<br> - Epistle of the Feast.<br> - <i>Acts iv.</i> 8-12.<br> -<br> - Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said to them: Ye rulers - of the people and ancients, hear: If we this day are examined - concerning the good deed done to the infirm man, by what means - he hath been made whole; be it known to you all, and to all the - people of Israel, that in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ of - Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God hath raised from the - dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. - This is the stone which was rejected by you, builders; which is - become the head of the corner; nor is there salvation in any - other. For there is no other name under heaven given to men, - whereby we must be saved. -<br> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_76">{76}</a></span> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. John ii.</i> 1-11.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - There was a marriage in Cana of Galilee: and the mother of - Jesus was there. And Jesus also was invited, and his disciples, - to the marriage. And the wine failing, the mother of Jesus - saith to him: They have no wine. And Jesus saith to her: Woman, - what is that to me and to thee? my hour is not yet come. His - mother said to the waiters: Whatsoever he shall say to you, do - ye. Now, there were set there six water-pots of stone, - according to the manner of the purifying of the Jews, - containing two or three measures apiece. Jesus saith to them: - Fill the water-pots with water. And they filled them up to the - brim. And Jesus saith to them: Draw out now and carry to the - chief steward of the feast. And they carried it. And when the - chief steward had tasted the water made wine, and knew not - whence it was, but the waiters knew who had drawn the water, - the chief steward calleth the bridegroom, and saith to him: - Every man at first setteth forth good wine, and when men have - well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the - good wine until now. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in - Cana of Galilee, and he manifested his glory, and his disciples - believed in him. -<br> -<br> - Gospel Of The Feast.<br> - <i>St. Luke ii.</i> 21.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - After eight days were accomplished that the child should be - circumcised, his name was called Jesus, which was called by the - Angel, before he was conceived in the womb. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon XXI.<br><br> - - Profanity.</h3> - -<p> -To-day, my dear brethren, as you know, the church celebrates the -festival of the Holy Name of Jesus; of that name which is above -all other names, at which every knee shall bow, and every tongue -shall confess the glory of him to whom this great name belongs. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_77">{77}</a></span> -<p> -Yes, the holy church does indeed reverence this holy name, and -we, her children, do not fail to honor it. Following a pious -custom, we bow the head when it is mentioned, and it is to be -hoped that we also make at the same time with our hearts an act -of homage to him who bears it, and thank him for all that he has -done for us. -</p> -<p> -And yet, strange to say, some of these very Christians who pay to -the name of their God and Saviour, at least outwardly, this -tribute of honor on certain accustomed occasions seem to take at -other times a pleasure in trampling it, if I may so speak, in the -very dirt under their feet. To see them in church, you would -think that they would hardly dare even to take at all upon their -own lips this holy name which they hear from those of the priest; -but outside, on the street, and even, it may be, in their own -homes, they show a horrible familiarity with it. This name above -all names is coupled with every foolish, passionate, and even -filthy word which the devil can put into their hearts and on -their tongues. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_78">{78}</a></span> -<p> -Do I say this is strange? Ah! that is far too weak a word. To one -who will stop and consider, even for a moment, it seems -incredible, impossible that a Christian, one who believes himself -to have been created by the great God whose name he bears, and to -have been redeemed by him from the power of the devil, at the -cost of his own Precious Blood; who has knelt in prayer before -him; who has received from him the pardon of his sins; who has -received him in his real and true Presence on his tongue in the -sacrament which he has instituted with such infinite -condescension and love—I say it seems impossible, intolerable, -inconceivable, that this wretched worm of the earth, on whom so -many and such surpassing favors have been showered by the Divine -Goodness, should, with this very tongue on which his God has -rested, outrage and insult the name of this God, and that the -name which above all others tells how good and merciful he has -been. It seems as if even the infinite patience and love which -our Lord has for us could not brook this indignity, this spittle -cast in his face, not as at the time of his Passion, by one who -did not know who he was, but by those who from childhood have -known full well all the truths of their holy faith, and who well -understand that it is the Divine Majesty which they despise. -</p> -<p> -Indeed, my brethren, believe me, even the infidel shudders when -he hears in passing along the street the holy name of our Lord -God and Saviour Jesus Christ, of him whom even he respects above -all other men that have ever lived on earth, thus outraged, -profaned, and defiled by those who profess to believe him to be -far more than the best and greatest of men; who invoke him as the -One who sitteth on the Eternal Throne, before whom the angels -veil their faces, to whom is due benediction and honor and glory -and power for ever and ever. Even the infidel, I say, shudders; -and he wonders how it can be, if what Christians believe is true, -that the God whom they thus insult suffers them to live. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_79">{79}</a></span> -<p> -But you may say it is a habit you have got; that is the excuse -which seems good to you, and which you seem to think that God -ought to accept. Sup-pose you had a habit of spitting on your -neighbor's face or clothes by preference to any other place, how -long would he endure it? It is a habit, yes; but it is one which -you can amend and get rid of altogether, and which you are most -urgently and seriously bound to get rid of, if you would not have -to answer for it at the bar of him whom this insufferable habit -outrages and defies. Take care, take care, take care, I warn and -beseech you, for God's sake, for the sake of those who hear you, -and for your own sake, that this habit come to an end. Watch, -keep guard against it; punish yourself should you even -inadvertently fall into it, that your offended God may not have -to take the punishment into his own hands. -</p> -<hr> -<h3> - Sermon XXII.<br><br> - - The Sin Of Cursing.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Bless them that persecute you;<br> - bless, and curse not.</i><br> - —Romans. xii. 14. -</p> -<p> -These words are found in the epistle appointed for the second -Sunday after Epiphany, and were read by the church long before -the institution of the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus, which is -now always celebrated on this day, yet they contain a lesson most -appropriate to this feast. For there is no way in which God's -most holy name, which to-day is especially set before us for our -veneration, is more frequently or more grossly dishonored than by -cursing. To curse is to call down God's judgment or vengeance -upon our fellow-men, and its worst form is when the holy and -awful name of God or our Lord is made use of. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_80">{80}</a></span> -Unhappily the fault has become so common, even among those who -think themselves good Catholics, that its grievous nature is -seldom realized or, perhaps, even thought of. -</p> -<p> -The habit is often acquired in childhood, frequently from the -example of parents, themselves given to cursing. Like all -early-acquired habits, it grows stronger and more deeply-rooted -with advancing years, until at last the habit is made the excuse -for the sin. It is a vain excuse. You are guilty before God of -mortal sin if you have formed this habit, and you are guilty of -remaining in the state of mortal sin if you make no effort to -break yourself of it. It will do you no good to go to confession -and accuse yourself of cursing, unless you are contrite and -follow the advice which your confessor gives you, and really make -an earnest resolution and a serious effort to overcome this -scandalous habit. -</p> -<p> -You should begin by making each morning a resolution to avoid -cursing throughout the day, begging God's assistance for your -efforts. If, during the day, you fall inadvertently into the old -fault, you should impose some little penance upon yourself, such -as the recitation of the "Hail Mary," or the pious ejaculation of -the holy name of Jesus, with a prayer for God's forgiveness. And -then at night you should examine your conscience as to how often -you may have fallen into the habit during the day, and resolve to -make the next day a better one in this respect. If you faithfully -persevere in this practice you will soon be the master of your -tongue, and able to restrain it from cursing by a little -watchfulness; but if you do not adopt some such practice as this, -and really set to work in earnest to overcome this habit, you are -guilty before God of mortal sin, and your contrition at your -confessions is not good for much. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_81">{81}</a></span> -<p> -I have spoken of this habit as scandalous, as this is one of its -worst features. Besides the insult that is offered to God and his -holy name, an incalculable amount of harm is done to our -neighbor. Children, especially, learn to curse from their elders, -and the extent of this fault among young children is frightful to -contemplate. Those, too, who are not of our faith, when they hear -Catholics cursing and swearing, are apt to set it down to some -defect in our religion, and thus the true faith is brought into -contempt. -</p> -<p> -But the habitual curser seldom thinks of these consequences of -his sin. He rarely even attends to the meaning of the words he -uses. If he could only be brought to stop and think of all that -is implied in the expressions we so often hear upon our streets, -he would shudder at the thought of using them. To ask Almighty -God to send a soul to hell for all eternity, to utter that holy -name whereby we are saved in a prayer for the eternal damnation -of a soul redeemed by the Precious Blood of Christ, is an impiety -so dreadful that we could scarcely believe it possible did not -our ears tell us the contrary. -</p> -<p> -Yet there are those who not only say these things, but mean them, -at least at the moment when they are uttered. How carefully, -then, should we guard ourselves against those outbursts of anger -in which we are led to make such a fearful abuse of the gift of -speech, the noblest of God's natural gifts to man! -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_82">{82}</a></span> -Above all, we should try to realize the spirit of the Gospel as -expressed in the words of St. Paul, "Bless them that persecute -you," remembering that no affront that can be offered to us can -even justify the spirit of revenge that is implied in a curse. -"Bless," therefore, "and curse not," that so you may yourselves -receive the blessing of the Lord. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon XXIII.<br><br> - - Reverence For The Name Of God.</h3> - -<p> -The Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus, brethren, affords an -opportunity for meditating upon reverence for the honor of God, -especially in the person of our Blessed Saviour. Reverence for -God is something different from the love of God and the fear of -God. Have you not noticed that when a bad boy neither fears his -father nor (as far as we can see) loves him, that he yet often -keeps up at least a show of respect for him? I don't care much -for him, he says, but after all he is my father; I must respect -him. So with sinners. Many a sinner will break every commandment -of God and the church except one or two, which he fancies he must -observe in order to keep up appearances; that is to say, show at -least some outward respect. The most atrocious scoundrel will not -eat meat on Friday, because that would be a sign of losing all -respect for religion. A wretch abandoned to every vice will say a -Hail Mary or make the sign of the cross sometimes in order to -persuade at least himself that he has not lost all respect for -religion. He will not despise the piety of his friends, but -rather respect it. Respect for holy things and holy practices is -the last remnant of religion in the sinner's soul. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_83">{83}</a></span> -<p> -Well, brethren, let us ask if Almighty God has not set up any -particular sign of reverence that we are to pay him? What is -that, among all religious practices, which he would have us do as -a token of inner and outer reverence? Of course you know what I -mean; you know that it is reverence for his holy name. -</p> -<p> -The name of God, and especially the name of Jesus, are set up as -the divine standard before which every man will prove his -reverence for God. Cursers and swearers and blasphemers forget -this. No sin is so common as profanity in its various forms. Yet -it shows a heart not only void of the fear of God, and of the -love of God, but also, and worst of all, void of even reverence -for God. A man who habitually curses is penetrated with defiance -of the Divine Majesty. Holy Scripture says that he has put on -cursing like a garment; that it has entered in unto his bones. In -the old law a blasphemer was stoned to death. And in our own -times God often anticipates the wrath to come by sending sudden -death upon profane men. I lately read in the papers that a man, -standing at a saloon-counter, cursed his own soul, and instantly -sank down upon the floor stone dead. Many of you have doubtless -heard or even seen such visitations of divine justice. -</p> -<p> -And it is in view of the sacred obligation of reverence to God in -his chosen symbol—which is his name and his Son's name—that, -although he had but ten commandments to give us, one of them was -set apart to secure respectful speech when dealing with God: Thou -shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain, for the Lord -will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_84">{84}</a></span> -<p> -Brethren, you and I in [the] future will be particularly careful -to honor the sacred name of Jesus. Are you tempted? That name is -a resistless charm against assaults of flesh, world, or devil. -Are you tired out? The name of Jesus is a restful and soothing -influence. Are you sick? That holy name will strengthen you with -supernatural vigor. I hope that when you come to die your last -breath may utter that name of Jesus with deep confidence, and -that our Lord will answer your dying sigh with an affectionate -welcome into his heavenly court. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_85">{85}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Third Sunday after Epiphany.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - <i>Romans xii.</i> 16-21.<br> -<br> - Brethren:<br> - Be not wise in your own conceits. Render to no man evil for - evil. Provide things good not only in the sight of God, but - also in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as is - in you, have peace with all men. Revenge not yourselves, my - dearly beloved; but give place to wrath, for it is written: - "Revenge is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord." But if thy - enemy be hungry, give him to eat; if he thirst, give him drink; - for doing this thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head. Be - not overcome by evil, but overcome evil by good. -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Matthew viii</i>. 1-13.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - When Jesus was come down from the mountain, great multitudes - followed him; and behold a leper coming, adored him, saying: - Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus, - stretching forth his hand, touched him, saying: I will; be thou - made clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus - said to him: See thou tell no man; but go show thyself to the - priest, and offer the gift which Moses commanded for a - testimony to them. And when he had entered into Capharnaum, - there came to him a centurion, beseeching him and saying: Lord, - my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, and is grievously - tormented. And Jesus said to him: I will come and heal him. And - the centurion, making answer, said: Lord, I am not worthy that - thou shouldst enter under my roof; but only say the word, and - my servant shall be healed. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_86">{86}</a></span> - For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me; - and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth, and to another, Come, - and he cometh, and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. And - Jesus, hearing this, wondered, and said to those that followed - him: Amen I say to you, I have not found so great faith in - Israel. And I say unto you that many shall come from the east - and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and - Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven; but the children of the - kingdom shall be cast out into exterior darkness: there shall - be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And Jesus said to the - centurion: Go, and as thou hast believed, so be it done to - thee. And the servant was healed at the same hour. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon XXIV.<br><br> - - Practical Faith.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Many shall come from the east and the west,<br> - and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob<br> - in the kingdom of heaven;<br> - but the children of the kingdom<br> - shall be cast into the exterior darkness.</i><br> - —Gospel of the Day. -</p> -<p> -These words, my dear brethren, were spoken by our Blessed Lord to -the Jews on the occasion of the cure of the servant of the -centurion. This centurion was an officer, like what we would call -a captain, in the Roman army; he was not a Jew, so he did not -belong to God's chosen people, his church of the old law. No, he -was a heathen by birth; he had been brought up in error, in -ignorance of the true religion; he had not the prophecies which -the Jews had to tell him clearly that a Saviour was to come into -the world. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_87">{87}</a></span> -He was indeed in darkness compared with this favored Hebrew -people among whom his lot was cast; but he saw our Lord, and that -was enough for him. He saw the power of God, and he believed. He -knew that this Messias, whom the Pharisees were rejecting, was -the Master of life and death. "Lord," said he, "I am not worthy -that thou shouldst come under my roof; but only say the word, and -my servant shall be healed." Immortal words these, which the -Catholic Church has treasured up, and puts on thousands of lips -every day, and which were rewarded by the divine acknowledgment, -"Amen I say to you, I have not found so great faith in Israel. -And I say to you that many shall come from the east and the west, -and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom -of heaven; but the children of the kingdom shall be cast into the -exterior darkness." -</p> -<p> -Now, my brethren, what lesson have we to learn from this praise -of the heathen centurion, and this warning to God's own people, -coming to us from the mouth of God himself? Simply this: that our -salvation depends on the use which we make of the graces which he -gives us; that the least will suffice, if we will but avail -ourselves of them; but that the greatest will only serve for our -eternal condemnation and ruin if we slight them and pass them by. -</p> -<p> -A simple and evident truth this surely, and yet how apt we are to -forget and neglect it! We are Catholics from our infancy, we say; -we belong to families which have always kept the faith. We are -indeed the faithful, to whom the kingdom of heaven is promised. -And if we have not been always so, but have been brought from -darkness into light, then still more is the divine favor to us -manifest. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_88">{88}</a></span> -Will He, then, who has done so much for us, not complete his -work? We believe his word, we are in his true church, we receive -his saving and life-giving sacraments; how, then, shall we not be -saved? Are we not indeed those of whom he said, "My sheep hear my -voice, and I know them, and they follow me; and I give them life -everlasting, and they shall not perish for ever, and no man shall -pluck them out of my hand"? -</p> -<p> -Yes, my dear brethren, we think that we shall be saved because we -are Catholics. But the truth is, that our being Catholics only -gives us greater means of salvation; it is far from making our -salvation sure. We have greater means and helps to save our -souls; but woe be to us if we abuse them! And when we look -around, and see many good and earnest souls, similar, as far as -we can see, to that of the Roman centurion, deprived of the light -that we have, not by their own fault, but by that of their -fathers; when we see them trying to do their best with the little -knowledge and the few helps that they have, must we not fear that -God will take away from us the graces that we despise; that we, -the children of the kingdom, will be cast into the exterior -darkness, while others shall come from the east and the west and -take the place which we have but do not deserve? -</p> -<p> -Let us, then, each and every one, if we have been unfaithful to -the great graces which we have as Catholics—and which of us has -not been so?—rouse ourselves to our danger. Yes, having the -faith and the sacraments is a great privilege, but is one for -which we must give a most strict account when we stand before the -throne of God. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_89">{89}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon XXV.<br><br> - - Living Up To Our Faith.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Jesus, hearing this, marvelled;<br> - and said to them that followed him:<br> - Amen I say to you,<br> - I have not found so great faith in Israel</i>.<br> - —Gospel of the Day. -</p> -<p> -The love and care of the heathen centurion for his servant should -certainly put to shame many Christian masters and mistresses of -to-day, who not only do not encourage their servants to approach -our Lord at Holy Mass and in the sacraments, but even put -obstacles in their way. However, the lesson to which I wish to -direct your thoughts this morning, and which it is the primary -object of the Gospel narrative to teach, is the immense -importance of living up to the grace and light which God has so -bountifully given us. -</p> -<p> -A few weeks ago we kept the Feast of the Epiphany, the -manifestation, that is, of our Lord to the Gentiles, to those who -had not till then formed part of the church of God. The Jews -alone, as you are aware, were God's chosen people. To them had -been given the law and the prophets, the temple and the -sacrifices, and—that to which everything else led up—the -promise of the Messias. And all these privileges led them to -think that they were individually very excellent people, and to -look down with contempt upon the rest of the world and everybody -in it. Now, here was a Roman, born and brought up in heathenism, -taught, doubtless, to say his prayers to Jupiter and Venus and -other vile creatures like them, a man holding, too, high office, -commanding a garrison of soldiers, whose duty it was to keep down -a conquered race. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_90">{90}</a></span> -Well, this man, notwithstanding his bad education, -notwithstanding the pride which, on account of his position, must -naturally have been his, had made greater progress than the -self-conceited Pharisees, with all their advantages, had ever -made or were ever to make. While they lived and died in unbelief, -he had already recognized in Jesus Christ the power of God; and, -laying aside prejudice and pride of place and birth, he sends -humbly to our Lord to ask him to heal his servant. -</p> -<p> -So clearly did he recognize our Lord's divine power that he did -not think it necessary for him to come to his house. Jairus, the -ruler of the synagogue, as you will remember, would not be -satisfied unless our Lord came down to his house; the centurion, -on the contrary, stopped our Lord while he was on the way, -saying: "Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my -roof; but only say the word and my servant will be healed." So -that our Lord, on hearing it, marvelled, and said: "Amen I say -unto you, I have not found so great faith in Israel." -</p> -<p> -Now, how does all this apply to us? What lesson can <i>we</i> -learn from these events? The answer to this question is easy and -obvious. We are by God's grace the members of the church of God, -and, as such, we are in possession of the means of grace—the -sacraments, the word of God, the intercession and prayers of the -saints, and of innumerable privileges and spiritual treasures. -Above all, and as the source and spring of all spiritual life, -without which everything is valueless and worthless, we have the -gift of faith. Now, faith is necessary; but faith is not -sufficient. Without faith no one can be saved. But we must have -something more than faith. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_91">{91}</a></span> -The shipwrecked man clings for his life to anything within his -reach; but unless the plank, or whatever else he has got hold of, -is washed ashore, or a boat or some other means of help arrives, -his plank only prolongs his agony. So is it with us. Faith is our -plank; but unless this faith works by charity it will only add to -our condemnation. More than this, it will, if not acted upon, get -weaker and weaker, and be scarcely strong enough to move us to -action. What, then, must we do? Why, we must live as our faith -teaches us. First, we must learn our faith: learn the truths of -our religion; next, we must practise them. If we do not do so we -shall, perhaps, see what those Jews of old saw: the heathen and -those who were outside of the church entering and taking their -places. What our Lord said of them may, perhaps, be said of us: -"I say unto you that many shall come from the east and from the -west, and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac in the kingdom of -heaven; but the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into -the exterior darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of -teeth." -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon XXVI.<br><br> - - The Sacrament Of Matrimony.</h3> - -<p> -I think you are all persuaded, my brethren, of the wrong and the -danger of Catholics going to a Protestant minister for marriage; -and similar ones can be given why we should not go before a -magistrate for that purpose. It is plain that the authorities of -the State are not the right persons to assist officially at the -sacraments of the church. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_92">{92}</a></span> -It would be just as proper to ask the mayor to baptize your -children as to go to him for marriage. To refer the matter of -your marriage to him, however fine a man he may be personally, -would be to acknowledge the right of the civil authority to take -charge of religious affairs; and such a right Catholics cannot -admit. -</p> -<p> -Besides, the magistrate labors under the same difficulty as a -Protestant minister in conducting a Catholic marriage, of not -knowing the laws of the church on the subject, and the -impediments which may make the marriage invalid; that is, which -may make it, though seemingly good, in reality no marriage at -all. You know, for instance—to speak of this a little more -fully—that the Catechism says that you should not marry within -certain degrees of kindred; very well, it is not only forbidden -to marry within these degrees, but a marriage within these -degrees is not recognized by the laws of the church as a real and -true marriage, and the parties have to be married over again, at -least privately, if it is ever found out. And there are some -other impediments which have the same effect. It is of no use to -publish all these and try to explain them; many mistakes would be -made, and matters would only be come worse. No, to be safe in all -affairs of this kind you must go to those who have made a special -study of it; just as you find out the law of the State from your -lawyer, and not from a book. Go, then, to the priest; he is the -one who has made a special study of the law of the church, and -the only one. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_93">{93}</a></span> -<p> -In order to make sure that Catholic marriage shall be contracted -before the priest, a law has been made, and binds in some -countries, and in some parts even of this country, making it -invalid, or null and void, if contracted without the presence of -the parish priest of at least one of the parties. This does not, -however, hold just here. But there is a very special and urgent -law in this diocese, and in many others, forbidding the going to -a Protestant minister for marriage, and reserving the absolution -for this to the bishop, or some one authorized by him. Catholics, -therefore, who are guilty of such a rash act get themselves into -a very unpleasant position; still, they must, of course, try to -get out of it sooner or later, and if any one finds himself in -this predicament the only sensible thing to do is to come at once -to the priest, who will help him as far as possible. All sins can -be forgiven, and all mistakes rectified, if one has the right -dispositions. -</p> -<p> -One word more on this most important subject. Some people seem to -imagine that the difficulty which may come, especially in a mixed -marriage, of avoiding the Protestant minister, may be got over by -going both to him and to the priest, and going through the form -of marriage twice. Now, let it be understood that this course -cannot be thought of for a moment; for by it not only is the law -broken which I have just mentioned, but a profanation of the -sacrament also is committed by endeavoring to make the contract -to which it is attached twice in the same case. It is as if one -tried to be confirmed twice. No, in this matter there can be no -compromise; a marriage in which a Catholic is a party must be put -in charge of the Catholic clergy, and of no one else, except as -far as mere settlements of money and the like are concerned. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_94">{94}</a></span> -<p> -Go, then, to the priest for marriage; do not think of doing -anything else. But do not go to him, as I have said some people -do, for the first time just at the moment you want the ceremony -performed, and expect him to marry you off-hand; for there are -some very important preliminaries to be settled first, and it may -take some time to settle them. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_95">{95}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Fourth Sunday after Epiphany.</i></h2> -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - <i>Romans xiii.</i> 8-10.<br> -<br> - Brethren:<br> - Owe no man anything, but that you love one another. For he that - loveth his neighbor, hath fulfilled the law. For "Thou shalt - not commit adultery. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not steal. - Thou shalt not bear false witness. Thou shalt not covet." And - if there be any other commandment, it is comprised in this - word: "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." The love of - the neighbor worketh no evil. Love, therefore, is the - fulfilling of the law. -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Matthew viii.</i> 23-27.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - When Jesus entered into the ship, his disciples followed him; - and behold a great tempest arose in the sea, so that the ship - was covered with waves, but he was asleep. And his disciples - came to him, and waked him, saying: Lord, save us, we perish. - And Jesus saith to them: Why are you fearful, O ye of little - faith? Then rising up he commanded the winds and the sea, and - there came a great calm. But the men wondered, saying: Who is - this, for even the winds and the sea obey him? -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon XXVII.<br><br> - - The Ingratitude Of Children.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Brethren: owe, no man anything.</i><br> - —Epistle of the Day. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_96">{96}</a></span> -<p> -We are all debtors, brethren, for we all have some accounts to -settle up. There are debts we shall never be able to redeem, -debts that are just, pressing, and lasting as long as we are in -this life. Such, for instance, is the debt we owe to God. -</p> -<p> -The fact of his having created us, of having brought us out of -nothing, of having given us immortal souls imaged after himself, -would alone put us under the gravest obligations to him; but what -is that compared to the debt we owe God for having redeemed us at -a nameless price, by nothing less than the Precious Blood of his -own beloved Son; and, furthermore, what is all this in comparison -with the debt we owe God for our sanctification, for the -priceless gift of his Holy Spirit dwelling within us, breaking -away the mist of error and ignorance that clouds our intellect -and hides from our vision the eternal truth; that gift that -endows us with strength and fortitude, with the courage that -comes from conviction, with the power that makes us triumph over -every weakness, every unruly passion, every snare of our enemy -the devil, over every thought, word, and action that makes us -unworthy of sonship with God, brotherhood with Christ, and the -heritage of an eternal crown? -</p> -<p> -This debt, dear brethren, is in general obvious enough; but, -while we recognize it, How often do we find in our experience -that men neglect, and shamefully neglect, debts that are -dependent on and derived from the debt they owe Almighty God; men -who neglect debts that are as grave and binding as those which -are due to the God from whom they are derived! -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_97">{97}</a></span> -<p> -Now, brethren, if there is any injustice in this world more -flagrant than all others, more worthy of condemnation and -detestation, more certain of the visitation of God, it is this: -the neglect of our duty to our parents. "Owe no man anything." Do -we owe <i>them</i> nothing? Do we not owe them much? Is there a -time in our lives when that debt is not binding? -</p> -<p> -Ah! dear brethren, and what do we see in the world about us? -Ingratitude, the vice of monsters, forgetfulness of ties that are -nearest, dearest, and holiest. Young men, growing up into adult -age, who, in their vain seeking after pleasures, become so -blinded to duty, so debased in their appetites, so completely -transformed into the incarnation of selfishness, as not only to -disregard the law of God, but the very instincts of nature—sons -who would rob and starve their parents to satisfy their mean and -low appetites. -</p> -<p> -The ingratitude of children to parents is a crying sin of our -times. Let us be alive to it. Let the young men and women of our -day remember that they are bound to satisfy these grave and -serious obligations; that they are not to heedlessly put -themselves into any state that will debar them from redeeming the -debts they owe, from recompensing for all the care, toil, and -money expended upon them. -</p> -<p> -"Owe no man anything." Take heed of this warning also, all you -who contract debts without the slightest hope of paying them; see -to it that the clothes you wear, the food you eat, the pleasures -you indulge in are paid for; see to it that they are not -purchased by the labor and money which belong to others. You who -live in fine houses, who keep yourselves in costly array, who -deny yourselves no pleasures, however extravagant, take heed! -Whose money pays for it? -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_98">{98}</a></span> -Can you stand up and with a clean heart proclaim that this is -honest? As you sit here to-day, do the words of the Apostle offer -no rebuke to you, do you not feel their sting? -</p> -<p> -O brethren! let us be sparing in our debts; let us owe no man -anything. The man without debts exalts himself in the eyes of his -fellow-men and secures for himself a good conscience. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon XXVIII.<br><br> - - Love Of Our Neighbor.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>He that loveth his neighbor hath fulfilled the law.</i><br> - —Epistle of the Day. -</p> -<p> -There can be no doubt, my brethren, that the saving of our souls -sometimes seems to be a very troublesome business. There are so -many laws and commandments binding on us, so many sins which we -are likely to commit; and if we break any of these laws in any -grievous way—if we are guilty, that is to say, of mortal sin -our—salvation is lost till such time as we repair our fault. Yet -it may seem that we are surrounded by so many rocks on our voyage -through life that it is almost useless to try to steer clear of -them; and, if we may judge by their actions, many Christians -actually come to the conclusion that there is no use in trying to -keep their ship off these rocks. They make up their minds that -spiritual shipwreck is unavoidable, and that the only way to -reach the port of heaven is to be towed in on a raft which can be -made out of the sacraments at the last moment. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_99">{99}</a></span> -<p> -But really our salvation is not such a complicated and intricate -affair if we would only look at it in the right way. The course -which we have to follow is not such a difficult one to bear in -mind and to keep. There are many commandments, it is true; but -they all have the same spirit, and if we have that spirit they -will all come quite easy. -</p> -<p> -What is the spirit? Our Lord has told us. It is the love of God, -and of our neighbor for God's sake. The love of God and of our -neighbor gives us a short cut to the kingdom of heaven; if we are -guided by it, we shall not come near the dangers that seem so -many and so threatening. -</p> -<p> -Let us see how this is; how is this love going to work to keep us -in the safe and sure track? It is not so hard to see. For what is -it to love any one; how do we act towards one whom we really and -truly love? Are we always trying to give him no more than we can -help, and keep as much as we can for ourselves? Do we try to have -our own way as much as possible, and never to step out of it for -his sake, unless compelled by force or threats? -</p> -<p> -No, of course not. We keep far away from what will offend him. We -always are trying to find out what will please him best. So if he -is not unreasonable, and if he knows our desire and intention, -the danger of offending him disappears. -</p> -<p> -Well, it is just so in the matter of serving God and keeping his -law. The continual mortal sins into which Christians fall, and -which it seems so hard to avoid, are due to their trying to run -too near the rocks. No wonder they so often get wrecked in these -dangerous waters. They are all the time striking on the -commandments, and the whole sea seems full of them because they -try to sail as near them as they can. If they would only give -them a wide berth, and keep out in the deep ocean of the love of -God, sin and its forgiveness would not cause so much anxiety and -trouble. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_100">{100}</a></span> -<p> -If we would only ask ourselves what will please God best, and try -to give him all that he desires, as we should if we loved him as -he deserves to be loved, and as we do with others whom we really -do love—if we would do this instead of trying [to see] how far -we can have our own way and yet come out right in the end, the -whole matter of saving our souls would have a very different -aspect. Now, why not try to follow this line? It is no fanciful -thing beyond our power. Plenty of Christians have done it before -us, and are doing it all the time. -</p> -<p> -But if we do not feel prepared, or are a little afraid to commit -ourselves to this course just yet, at least we could endeavor to -have some love for our neighbor, and make some sacrifice for him. -We have St. Paul's word for it, you see, that even he who loves -his neighbor will be sure to fulfil the law. Yes, we may feel -quite sure if, by a generous love of our neighbor, we keep far -off being wrecked on the last part of the Ten Commandments, that -we shall run clear of the first part as well. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_101">{101}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Fifth Sunday after Epiphany.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - <i>Colossians iii.</i> 12-17.<br> -<br> - Brethren:<br> - Put ye on therefore, as the elect of God, holy, and beloved, - the bowels of mercy, benignity, humility, modesty, patience, - bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if any - have a complaint against another: even as the Lord hath - forgiven you, so do you also. But above all these things have - charity, which is the bond of perfection: and let the peace of - Christ rejoice in your hearts, wherein also you are called in - one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in - you abundantly, in all wisdom: teaching and admonishing one - another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual canticles, singing in - grace in your hearts to God. All whatsoever you do in word or - in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving - thanks to God and the Father by Jesus Christ our Lord. -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Mathew xiii.</i> 24-30.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - Jesus spoke this parable to the multitude, saying: The kingdom - of heaven is likened to a man that sowed good seed in his - field. But while men were asleep, his enemy came and oversowed - cockle among the wheat, and went his way. And when the blade - was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared also the - cockle. Then the servants of the master of the house came and - said to him: Master, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? - whence then hath it cockle? And he said to them: An enemy hath - done this. And the servants said to him: Wilt thou that we go - and gather it up? -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_102">{102}</a></span> - And he said: No, lest while you gather up the cockle, you root - up the wheat also together with it. Let both grow until the - harvest, and in the time of the harvest I will say to the - reapers: Gather up first the cockle, and bind it into bundles - to burn; but gather the wheat into my barn. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon XXIX.<br><br> - - The Christian Family.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Bearing with one another.</i><br> - —Epistle of the Day. -</p> -<p> -No doubt you have often read about the oasis in the desert: a -place of tall, shady trees, soft, green grass, and a great spring -pouring out sweet, cold water. There the hot and dusty caravan -stops, though it be miles out of the way; the heavy burdens are -thrown off, and men and animals rest and drink and rest again. -For one long, burning day they lie about on the grass and look -off from their shady refuge over the yellow, sandy desert. They -sleep and are rested; and as the cool dews of evening fall they -take a last drink and creep away on their journey, sighing to -think of the long and weary tramp to the next oasis. -</p> -<p> -Dear brethren, the oasis in the desert of this world is the -Christian family. The father of the family "shall be like a tree -which is planted near the running waters." It is indeed but a -feeble word to say that the influence of a good father is like -the deep shade of a noble tree in the heat of summer, His -influence is like the grace of God. Indeed, there is nothing in -all this world so much like the presence of God as the influence -of a Christian father. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_103">{103}</a></span> -When the instinct of the Christian people would give a name to a -good priest they called him father. What is more edifying than -the virtue of a good father? In him are chiefly to be seen those -manly virtues which are the highest form of human excellence: -hearty love, self-restraint, open frankness joining heart, hand, -and voice in one. In him you admire that steadfast application to -religious things, that regular use of prayer and of the -sacraments, that clear knowledge of doctrine and ability to -converse about it, that utter absence of frivolity, that -intelligent practice of good reading. He is contented with his -lot, and yet labors with steady, persistent industry. In -prosperity he is modest and frugal. In adversity he is cheerful, -a strong wall for others to lean against. He loves home and is -fond of his wife. Gladly will he tend the babes while the mother -gets the Sunday Mass, or of a Saturday evening while she goes to -refresh her weary soul with a good confession. The company of his -children is to him a foretaste of Paradise. He is not sour, nor -is he brutal or harsh. He is not above making the children laugh -or joining in their play; to make them happy and help them save -their souls is his greatest joy. -</p> -<p> -Then there is the mother of the family, whose life is one -unbroken round of acts of affection. The spirit of sacrifice, the -craving to bear others burdens, is her spirit. You know how a -good mother watches at the sick-bed the livelong night, passing -back and forth through the dark rooms, listening to every -breathing, answering every sigh with a comforting word, or a cool -drink, or a soft caress. Only the next world will reveal to us -the loveliness of such devoted souls; here we catch but a glimpse -and an echo of it. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_104">{104}</a></span> -The accents, the tones of the voice, the very silence, the -manners, the ways of a good mother diffuse what Scripture calls -the fragrance of ointments around her household. You know, too, -how she saves and pinches to keep off debt, to dress the children -neatly, to save a penny to give them a holiday, to save a dollar -for hard times or a spell of sickness. And all this sacrifice is -a matter of course with her. But the truest glory of a mother is -her patience. The patient mother is the valiant woman of -Scripture. She is the woman who smothers her anger; who will -suffer the impertinence of an unruly child in silence; who -forgets as well as forgives; whose admonition or correction is -the reluctant tribute of a tender heart to the child's -well-being. Do you want to know how she is able to do this? The -secret of it is that she finds time—in the heavy duty of being -everybody's servant—to attend to religion; to belong to the -Rosary Society and make her monthly Communion; to give alms to -the poor from her hard savings; to visit and watch with sick, or -afflicted neighbors. It is, in a word, because she ever gazes in -spirit upon that Holy Family where Mary was mother that she is -able to be a good Christian mother. -</p> -<p> -When I began I intended to say something of the good boys and -girls; while we have been engaged with father and mother the -children have passed by. Perhaps we shall overtake them next -Sunday. -</p> -<hr> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_105">{105}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon XXX.<br><br> - - The Duty Of Good Example.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Use your endeavor to walk honestly - towards them that are without.</i><br> - 1 Thessalonians iv. 11. -</p> -<p> -The holiness of the church, my dear brethren, is for us who -belong to her a thing so evident and clear that we can no more -think it necessary to prove it than we can think it necessary to -prove that the sun shines in the heavens. The practical and -imperative way in which the church enforces holiness of life on -each and every one of us is something with which we are so -familiar that no shadow of doubt can enter into our minds as to -its necessity. The means of grace which she offers to us, and of -which she even requires us to make use, the sacrament of the Body -and Blood of the Lord himself which she gives us, the penances -she imposes upon us by way of fasting and abstinence, the -warnings which she is ever giving us of the condemnation which -will fall upon impenitent sinners, these and ten thousand other -things make the sanctity of the church so well known that it is -not so much an article of faith as a thing which we see with our -own eyes and which falls under our own experience. -</p> -<p> -But there are those who are without these advantages. There are -many around us, our near neighbors and friends, who are outside -the church, not through their own fault, but by birth and -education. These are not in possession of those means of knowing -the church and her sanctity of which we are possessed; and in -order to have this knowledge they depend to a very large extent -upon ourselves. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_106">{106}</a></span> -I wish this morning to call your attention to the responsibility -which rests upon us on this account, and to one or two practical -ways in which we are accountable to God for what that -responsibility involves. -</p> -<p> -Now, that we lie under this responsibility is a truth not very -hard to see. For, as I have said, those outside the church are -ignorant of the doctrine and practices of the church. From their -earliest years they have had utterly false and erroneous -information given them about the church, an information so false -and erroneous that they do not think it necessary or even right -to make inquiries. How, then, are they to have the truth brought -home to them? What way is there of spreading the light? Almost -the only way, and certainly a way so necessary that without it -all others are futile and vain, is that those who are called -Catholics should lead such lives as the church requires of them. -Now, if we do not do this we are of course responsible to God, as -every man, be he Catholic or be he Protestant, is responsible to -God for his whole life and every action in it. But more than -that, a special responsibility in this time and in this country -lies at the door of every Catholic man and every Catholic woman. -Every Catholic man and woman who does not lead a good life is a -stumbling-block and a rock of offence standing in the way and -preventing many poor souls from seeing and embracing that truth -which is necessary for their salvation; and those Catholics whose -way of living forms such a stumbling-block will have to give a -strict account to God not merely for their own sins and for -themselves, but also for the souls of others whom they have -ruined. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_107">{107}</a></span> -<p> -Now, I am going on this account to ask you some questions which I -hope you will answer honestly and conscientiously. And they will -be questions about matters on which the world outside is -competent to judge; and, therefore, if we fail in this respect we -shall meet with its condemnation, and become hindrances to the -knowledge of the truth. -</p> -<p> -First: There is nothing of which the business world thinks so -much as truth, uprightness, integrity in business matters. To pay -debts promptly, to do work squarely, to execute contracts -faithfully, these are some of the marks of an honest man. Now, in -view of what I have said, ask yourselves, is this way of acting -the mark of all Catholics? Will a man who wants to get a house -built, who is looking for a trustworthy clerk or assistant, -choose out Catholics in preference to others, because he knows -that they are worthy of trust? If this is not the case, if the -being a Catholic is no guarantee of trustworthiness, you will -have to answer to God for the bad effect your dishonesty has upon -those outside. -</p> -<p> -And now a question for women. You all know in what virtue -consists, the glory and honor of women. You all know what the -world expects of women. You know, too, how much the church makes -of modesty and chastity, in what honor she holds them, how strict -she is in inculcating their necessity. Now, one of the effects of -genuine modesty and chastity is to overawe and overpower the -approaches of the unclean and impure. There is a majesty in -virtue which lays low and keeps at its level vileness and -impurity. Is everyone who comes near a Catholic girl or woman -conscious of this influence? -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_108">{108}</a></span> -Is there something about every Catholic girl and woman which -makes it clear to every dirty fellow that he must go elsewhere if -he wishes to find a victim and a means of satisfying his -disgraceful passions? It ought to be so, for the soul of every -Catholic girl and woman, over and above the majesty of natural -virtue, is the abode and dwelling-place of the grace of God. And -if you are true children of the church such will be the effect -your presence will have. -</p> -<p> -Well, my brethren, ask yourselves these questions; answer them -honestly; and, if you find that you have done wrong, amend, not -merely for your own sake but for that of those outside. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon XXXI.<br><br> - - Bearing One Another's Burdens.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Bearing with one another,<br> - and forgiving one another<br> - if any have a complaint against one another:<br> - even as the Lord hath forgiven you,<br> - so do you also.</i><br> - —Epistle of the Day (Colossians iii. 13). -</p> -<p> -Perhaps you may think, my dear friends, that we have a good deal -to say about this matter of charity and forgiveness, and if you -do you are probably right; it was not long ago that we had -occasion to remind you of it in one of these little morning -instructions. But why should we not speak of it often? Is not the -love of our neighbor the second great commandment, like to and -founded on the first? Does not St. John also make it the test of -our salvation? "We know," he says, "that we have passed from -death to life"; and why? -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_109">{109}</a></span> -Is it because we fast, say long prayers, visit the church, or -even because we receive the sacraments often? No, it is "because -we love the brethren." And he continues: "He that loveth not, -abideth in death. … We ought," he goes on to say, "to lay down -our lives for the brethren." -</p> -<p> -In the latter years of the life of St. John, when he had become -so old and feeble that he had to be carried to the church, and -was not able to preach at any length to his beloved people, he -would still give them a little short sermon. It was very short; -not even a five-minute sermon; and it was not fresh every Sunday, -but always the same. It was just this: "Little children, love one -another." But his people, in spite of their great reverence and -affection for him, were something like people nowadays, and got -rather tired of hearing this same old story. They wanted -something more novel and startling, and one day they asked him: -"Master, why do you never tell us anything but this about loving -one another?" He answered: "Because it is the Lord's command, and -if it is fulfilled it is sufficient." -</p> -<p> -If St. John, then, preached about this matter of charity every -Sunday, certainly we may be allowed to speak of it several times -in the year. And you, my dear Christians, will not lose anything -by hearing about it pretty often. For the matter is one in which -there is always great room for improvement for us all. St. John -said "little children"; but he was not speaking to the -Sunday-school, if, indeed, he had one; no, it was to the -children, big as well as little, children all of God and of his -holy church, that his words were addressed. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_110">{110}</a></span> -<p> -And these words are more needed now than they were then. Why, in -the early times Christians used to be known from other people by -their love and charity for each other. It was this that made -converts to the faith, more, perhaps, than preaching or miracles. -"See," said the world, "how these Christians love one another." -But now I am afraid it would be hard to pick out very many -Christians by this test. No; it is more likely that our infidel -friends would say of all the Christians that they happen to know: -"See how these Christians are all the time quarrelling with each -other! They never seem to be content unless they can show their -pride by having at least some one who is not supposed to be -worthy of their acquaintance. They go to church and say their -prayers—oh! yes; but perhaps there is some person, even in the -next pew, that they used to know, but have not spoken to for -years, and have no notion of ever speaking to, unless, perhaps, -on their death-bed if the priest should insist on it. Bearing -with one another, indeed! Is it possible that one of their -Apostles told them to do that? Why, they do not put up with half -as much as a sensible man would who had no faith at all. Let them -suffer the least even fancied slight or indignity, and there is -an end of all their friendship. Forgiving one another, as they -say the Lord has forgiven them? Well, if the Lord forgives as -they do, his forgiveness does not seem to amount to much." -</p> -<p> -My brethren, depend on it, those not of our faith feel often this -way, though they may not say it right out. And they are not far -wrong. The kind of bearing with others, the kind of forgiveness, -that is given them by those who have the name of Christians is -too often one that will not stand the test of God's judgment. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_111">{111}</a></span> -I am afraid that many pious people have found themselves in the -wrong place after death on account of it. Let those who still -remain profit by this lesson while they have time. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_112">{112}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Sixth Sunday after Epiphany.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - 1 <i>Thessalonians i.</i> 2-10.<br> -<br> - Brethren:<br> - We give thanks to God always for you all: making a remembrance - of you in our prayers without ceasing, being mindful of the - work of your faith, and labor, and charity, and of the enduring - of the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ before God and our Father: - knowing, brethren beloved of God, your election: for our gospel - hath not been to you in word only, but in power also, and in - the Holy Ghost, and in much fulness, as you know what manner of - men we have been among you for your sakes. And you became - followers of us, and of the Lord: receiving the word in much - tribulation, with joy of the Holy Ghost: so that you were made - a pattern to all who believe in Macedonia and Achaia. For from - you was spread abroad the word of the Lord, not only in - Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place, your faith which - is towards God, is gone forth, so that we need not to speak - anything. For they themselves relate of us, what manner of - entrance we had unto you; and how you were converted to God - from idols, to serve the living and true God. And to wait for - his Son from Heaven (whom he raised from the dead), Jesus who - hath delivered us from the wrath to come. -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Matthew xiii</i>. 31-35.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - Jesus spoke to the multitude this parable: The kingdom of - heaven is like to a grain of mustard-seed, which a man took and - sowed in his field. Which indeed is the least of all seeds; but - when it is grown up it is greater than any herbs, and becometh - a tree, so that the birds of the air come and dwell in the - branches thereof. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_113">{113}</a></span> -<p class="cite"> - Another parable he spoke to them. The kingdom of heaven is like - to leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of - meal, until the whole was leavened. All these things Jesus - spoke in parables to the multitudes: and without parables he - did not speak to them. That the word might be fulfilled which - was spoken by the prophet, saying: "I will open my mouth in - parables, I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the - world." -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon XXXII.<br><br> - - How To Make Converts.</h3> -<p class="cite"> - <i>The kingdom of heaven is like to leaven,<br> - which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal,<br> - until the whole was leavened. </i><br> - —Gospel of the Day. -</p> -<p> -By the kingdom of heaven is meant in this Gospel, as in many -other places, the holy Catholic Church; the spiritual kingdom of -God, which is of heaven, though on earth; and leaven is another -word for what we call yeast, and is used in the making of bread. -</p> -<p> -Our Divine Lord, then, tells us that his church, to which we -belong, is like yeast; and his meaning, if we consider a little, -is plain enough. It is, that as a little yeast is put into a mass -of flour or dough, to raise it, as we say, so he has put his -church, which was in the beginning a very small thing, into the -world, to raise the world to life and the knowledge and love of -him. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_114">{114}</a></span> -<p> -And certainly his comparison of the church to yeast was fully -justified. In the beginning the world was everywhere attracted -and moved in spite of itself by the lives of the first -Christians. The heathen could not help admiring their mutual -charity, their patient and forgiving dispositions, their -temperance and self-sacrifice; and they could not refrain from -asking themselves and each other: "Who are these that they call -Christians? What do they believe, and what do they teach? What is -it that makes them so loving and so amiable, so calm and -peaceful, so happy in all their troubles, so ready to assist and -serve not only each other, but all the world beside?" But no one -could answer these questions but the Christians themselves; so -the heathen had to go and get instructed in this faith which had -been made so charming to them. Thus they were converted, and in -their turn became apostles in the same way to others. -</p> -<p> -So the leaven spread through the mass; the contagion, so to -speak, of faith, piety, and virtue was diffused over the world; -people caught it from their neighbors. The Apostles had no need -to make many converts in any one place which they visited. If -they got a few, these few would take care of the rest. The little -congregations which they founded grew and multiplied wonderfully, -in spite of distress and persecution, by the force of the holy -lives and good example of their members. -</p> -<p> -But was this way of growing only meant for God's church in the -beginning? No, by no means. Our Lord says that the leaven of his -kingdom was to go on working "till the whole was leavened." Does -it, then, still move the world in this way? If so, how rapidly -ought the church now to increase, when there are a thousand -faithful for one in those early days! -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_115">{115}</a></span> -<p> -Yes, my brethren, it ought. For in spite of the boasts which the -world is making of its reformed religion, especially just now, -and of its progress and civilization, it feels at heart very -uneasy. It has fallen away from God, and lost the truth, and in -its inmost soul it knows this; and it is looking for somone to -bring light to its darkness, and to put its confusion in order. -</p> -<p> -Why, then, does not the church increase more rapidly? Why does -not the world now come to us as it did in those former days of -its anxiety and doubt? Prejudices it has now against us, I know; -but it had its prejudices then, too. There are many slanders -believed against us, but that has been so from the very -beginning; our Lord warned us of this, and it is a mark of his -true church to be thus belied. So this is not the real trouble; -no, the trouble is that most Christians do not by the good odor -of their lives induce the world to inquire into their faith, and -thus overcome its prejudices. We may argue till we and everyone -else are ready to drop, but we shall never be as the first -disciples were—the leaven of God's kingdom—till we show by our -lives that there is something more in us than the natural -feelings, good or bad, which make up the lives of others. -Christians who forgive and excuse their enemies, who have charity -for all, who are chaste and pure in word and deed, who are humble -and self-denying, those are the ones—and, thank God, such there -are—who make converts; and if we want the leaven of the kingdom -to spread and raise the world to Christ we must be like them. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_116">{116}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon XXXIII.<br><br> - - The Blessings Of The Faith.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>I will utter things<br> - hidden from the foundation of the world.</i><br> - —Matthew. xiii. 35. -</p> -<p> -These are the concluding words of to-day's Gospel, and they refer -to the great truths that are made known to us through the -revelation of Almighty God. For as believers in a divine -revelation we know things that have been hidden from the -beginning, and we have a knowledge that transcends all human -knowledge. Our faith gives us light which our reason could never -supply. We might spend our whole lives in the most profound study -and investigation, we might dip into all the systems and master -all the sciences, and we should still be ignorant of certain -truths which our faith makes known to us. When we look back over -the world's history and see the greatest minds of every age and -country groping in the dark, seeking in vain for the knowledge -which we possess, we can appreciate what a glorious privilege it -is to be enlightened by the divine light of faith. For where its -rays do not penetrate there can never be sufficient security in -regard to the most vital truths of human origin and human -destiny. We see the sad evidences of this all around us in the -world to-day. Men who refuse to accept the revelation of Almighty -God and the teachings of his church are in ignorance, or at least -they are in doubt, about the origin and end of life. They are -even in doubt as to the existence of God himself, though the -universe by a thousand voices proclaims his presence and their -own souls reflect his image. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_117">{117}</a></span> -<p> -From age to age the human mind busies itself over the deep -questions of philosophy and the discoveries of science. From -generation to generation men seek to solve the great problems of -life by the force of reason; but revelation alone can adequately -disclose the "things hidden from the foundation of the world," -and without its divine light and guidance mankind must ever -remain liable to sink into darkness and doubt. -</p> -<p> -How widely different is the state of the mind established in the -settled convictions of faith from that where there is nothing but -the theories and opinions of human knowledge! In the one there is -the repose of certainty, security, and peace; in the other there -are many puzzles unsolved, promptings unsatisfied, disquiet, and -unrest. One short lesson learned in the school of divine faith -will give more light and bring more comfort to the soul than all -the knowledge that can be acquired in a life-time in the schools -of human learning. -</p> -<p> -Great stress is laid nowadays on secular education. And we are -told that what the country needs, what the world needs, are -intelligent and cultivated men and women; and certainly education -is an excellent thing, and most desirable for all. But why make -so much of a knowledge that concerns only the petty things of -earth and the fleeting course of time, and ignore a knowledge -that relates to the Infinite God in heaven and a life that is -everlasting? What will it profit us on our death-bed to have -learned the facts in the world's history, to have been familiar -with the teachings of philosophy and the discoveries of science, -to have studied the writings and mastered the thoughts of men, if -we know nothing of our Creator and our relation to him and the -course of our destiny; nothing of the preparation we should make -beforehand and the thoughts that should animate us as we stand on -the brink of eternity? -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_118">{118}</a></span> -<p> -Here is the great contrast between the knowledge that God imparts -to us and all human science—the one imparts to us the truths of -eternity, the other teaches us the truths of time; and the -difference between them is just as great as that between time and -eternity. And if, as is generally the case, we estimate the value -of a thing by its importance and permanence, there is surely no -term of comparison here. The little child who has learned the -first page of the Catholic Catechism has already acquired a -knowledge which forty centuries of human speculation have never -reached, and the simplest believer in Jesus Christ and his church -is possessed of a wisdom far higher, far holier, than was ever -conceived of by the greatest sages of old. -</p> -<p> -Let us realize, then, that faith is the highest knowledge, that -it discloses to us "things hidden from the foundation of the -world," and makes us sharers in the knowledge of God himself, and -therefore elevates and crowns our reason. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon XXXIV.<br><br> - - Good Example As A Means Of Making Converts.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>The kingdom of heaven is like to leaven,<br> - which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal,<br> - until the whole was leavened.</i><br> - —Matthew xiii. 33 -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_119">{119}</a></span> -<p> -This may seem a very strange comparison, my brethren, if, instead -of letting it in at one ear, as the saying is, and out at the -other, we stop to think of it a moment. For what sort of likeness -is there between that glorious kingdom of heaven, which we hope -some day to enter, and a little leaven or yeast put into flour to -raise it and make it into bread? Surely, we should say, none at -all. What could our Lord have meant when he said that the two -were alike? -</p> -<p> -But let us think a little more about the matter. Is the kingdom -of heaven of which he was speaking that heaven into which all the -saved are to enter? Or is there not some other meaning which we -may give to the words? -</p> -<p> -There is another meaning, and it is the true one in this place -and in many others in the Gospel. It is the kingdom of God or of -heaven, not in heaven, but on earth, of which our Saviour is here -speaking. When he says the kingdom of heaven, he means the -kingdom which he came to establish, his holy Catholic Church. -</p> -<p> -But how is this leaven, or yeast? Well, it is not so very hard to -see this. It is because, being put into the world in the -beginning in the form of a few weak, poor, and unlearned men and -women, like the little spoonful of yeast put into a great mass of -flour, it soon spread through the whole known world, and is even -now spreading in the same way, changing and influencing in many -ways all whom it meets with, even if it does not fully convert -them: just as the yeast is spread through the whole of the dough, -raising it and making it into good and healthy food. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_120">{120}</a></span> -<p> -Yes, my brethren, this was the way that the church spread through -the world and made its converts, especially in the early times. -It was not only by preaching. The Apostles and their successors -did not have much chance to preach to the world in general. They -were not allowed to do so; public preaching would have brought -down on them much greater persecutions than those which they -actually suffered, and it would have required great miracles on -God's part to preserve his church had such preaching been tried, -especially in the great cities. No, they had to teach their -doctrine, as we may say, on the sly; in fact, part of it was -reserved for those who had already become Christians. It may seem -strange now, but in early times no one was allowed to hear -anything about the real presence of our Lord in the Blessed -Sacrament till after he had been baptized. This was called the -discipline of the secret, and was kept up for a long time. -</p> -<p> -So, you see, Christianity was not learned in the pagan Roman -Empire so much by preaching as by private instruction joined with -good example. One person caught it from another, as the particles -of dough get raised by those next to them. Masters and -mistresses, for instance, caught it from their servants, others -from their friends and acquaintances—first, from noticing their -virtues, so different from those which the pagans had. They saw -how gentle and affectionate, and still how courageous, they were; -how they bore suffering without a murmur; how they shrank from -the idols worshipped by others, and from all the vices which -these idols represented; how little they cared for pleasure; how -each sacrificed himself for his neighbor. "See," said the world, -"how these Christians love one another." Then the world began to -inquire what was the reason of this love and of the other -Christian virtues; and so religion spread from the lowest to the -highest, till at last the Roman emperors themselves knelt before -the cross. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_121">{121}</a></span> -<p> -Things are somewhat changed now, it is true. The Catholic faith -can now be preached and taught openly; still, it is almost the -same as if it could not, for people outside the church will -seldom come and hear it, or even read books explaining it. The -discipline of the secret still prevails, not because we wish it, -but because the world does. So now, as before, the faith must -catch and spread from one person to another if it is to make much -progress in such countries as this of ours. Protestants run away -from the priest, and will have nothing to say to him; so it will -not do to say that making converts is the priest's business and -does not concern you. No, my brethren, making converts is your -business, as things stand, perhaps even more than his. But how -are they to be made? Not by cursing, lying, and drunkenness, sins -too common, alas! among many who call themselves Catholics, and -specially liable to be noticed by others. It was not by these -that the first Christians converted the world. Not by quarrels -and slanders; it is not by these that you will convince people -that we Christians love one another. Turn, then, from the vices -which repel, and practise instead virtues which will attract -unbelievers, and lead them to inquire why you are so good instead -of wondering that you are so bad. Then they will come to you, as -they did of old to your ancestors in the faith, to learn the -doctrine which has taught you these virtues; and you will be, as -you should be, the leaven which is to leaven the world. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_122">{122}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Septuagesima Sunday</i>.</h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - 1 <i>Corinthians ix.</i> 24; x. 5.<br> -<br> - Brethren:<br> - Know you not that they who run in the race, all run indeed, but - one receiveth the prize? So run that you may obtain. -<br><br> - And every one that striveth for the mastery refraineth himself - from all things; and they indeed that they may receive a - corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible one. I therefore so - run, not as at an uncertainty: I so fight, not as one beating - the air: but I chastise my body, and bring it into subjection: - lest perhaps, when I have preached to others, I myself should - become reprobate. For I would not have you ignorant, brethren, - that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed - through the sea. And all in Moses were baptized, in the cloud - and in the sea; and they did all eat the same spiritual food, - and all drank the same spiritual drink (and they drank of the - spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ). - But with the most of them God was not well pleased.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Matthew xx.</i> 1-16.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - Jesus said to his disciples this parable: - The kingdom of heaven is like to a master of a family, who went - early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. And - when he had agreed with the laborers for a penny a day, he sent - them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour - and saw others standing in the market-place idle. And he said - to them: Go you also into my vineyard, and I will give you what - shall be just. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_123">{123}</a></span> -<p class="cite"> - And they went their way. And again he went out about the sixth - and the ninth hour, and did in like manner. But about the - eleventh hour he went out and found others standing, and he - saith to them: Why stand you here all the day idle? They say to - him: Because no man hath hired us. Ho saith to them: Go you - also into my vineyard. And when evening was come, the lord of - the vineyard saith to his steward: Call the laborers and pay - them their hire, beginning from the last even to the first. - When, therefore, they came, who had come about the eleventh - hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first also - came, they thought that they should have received more, and - they also received every man a penny. And when they received - it, they murmured against the master of the house, saying: - These last have worked but one hour, and thou hast made them - equal to us, that have borne the burden of the day and the - heats. But he answering one of them, said: Friend, I do thee no - wrong; didst thou not agree with me for a penny? Take what is - thine and go thy way: I will also give to this last even as to - thee. Or, is it not lawful for me to do what I will? is thy eye - evil because I am good? So shall the last be first, and the - first last. For many are called, but few chosen. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon XXXV.<br><br> - - Bodily Mortification.</h3> - -<p> -"I chastise my body," says St. Paul in the Epistle of to-day, -"and bring it into subjection." In these few words he gives us -the great reason for the Catholic doctrine and practice of bodily -mortification and penance, which Protestants so often find fault -with. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_124">{124}</a></span> -<p> -"I chastise my body," he says, "and bring it into subjection"; -that is, "I chastise it, because I want to bring it into -subjection. I want to tame it, to become its master; so I give it -a good beating, I starve it now and then, and treat it badly -generally, that it may learn to obey me." -</p> -<p> -That is the great idea of mortification, my brethren, in a -nutshell. Every one knows that if you want to break a vicious -horse you have to put him through a pretty severe course of -treatment before he will be subject to your will. And every one -knows that the body is naturally unruly, like a vicious horse; -the body is always craving for things which it would be better -that it should not have, and it will have them in spite of us if -we do not take care. So, to subject it thoroughly to reason, we -must put it through a severe course; otherwise, some time or -other, it will get the better of us, and have its own way. -</p> -<p> -And there is a great deal more need of taming our own bodies than -there is of breaking horses. For the horse can only kill our -body, but our bodies can kill our souls; and furthermore, if we -do not want to take the trouble of breaking a horse, we can shoot -him, or get somebody else to take him; but we can not in anyway -lawfully get rid of our bodies till such time as God sees fit to -take them from us. We are tied fast to them, and cannot get away. -So we are absolutely obliged to conquer them, if we do not want -to be conquered by them. In other words, if we do not want our -bodies to be a frequent cause and occasion of mortal sin to us, -we must to some considerable extent practise mortification. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_125">{125}</a></span> -<p> -That is the Catholic and true doctrine, as taught by the church, -and put into practice, in some degree at least, by all the -faithful who obey her laws. And it is also common sense. Every -one must admit that the body is the great cause and source of -mortal sin to far the greater number of people, and that if its -appetites were thoroughly brought under control our souls would -be saved from very great dangers, which otherwise they cannot -escape. If, then, it is any object to escape these dangers—and -no sensible man can deny that it is—one does not need to be a -Christian, but only to have the gift of reason, and to look a -little into himself and into the world about him, and he must -grant that the bodily penances and mortifications which the -church insists on are not foolish or superstitious, but in the -highest degree prudent and wise. -</p> -<p> -But I know, my dear brethren, that you do not think that the -mortification of the body required by the church is useless or -superstitious; I give you too much credit for faith as well as -for reason to imagine that. You do need courage, though—we all -need it—to act up to what we believe in this matter. Let us then -look this question fairly in the face. There is heaven before us -to be gained, and sin to be overcome that we may gain it; and -here are our bodies, with their depraved, corrupted, and often -dangerous and sinful desires, standing in the way of our gaining -it. If we will only determine in earnest to get the mastery of -them, heaven is almost sure; if we do not, they will be very -likely to carry us to hell. If we overcome them, we save -ourselves and them, and make them a help instead of a hindrance -to us; if not, they will do their best to drag us down with -themselves to destruction, and if in the mercy of God we may -indeed be saved it will be as by fire. Shall we not take a little -trouble when such tremendous interests are at stake? Shall we -trust to luck when a little effort will make heaven sure? -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_126">{126}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon XXXVI.<br><br> - - Sudden Death.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Watch ye, therefore,<br> - because you know not the day nor the hour.</i><br> - —Matthew. xxv. 13. -</p> -<p> -These words, my dear brethren, are taken from the parable of the -ten virgins who went out to meet the bridegroom and the bride. -Five of them, being wise and prudent, took oil in their lamps, -that they might be ready at any moment to light them; but the -five foolish ones gave no thought to the matter. At midnight, -when they least expected it, the cry was heard, "Behold, the -bridegroom cometh; go ye forth to meet him." Then the foolish -virgins tried to borrow oil from the wise to fill their lamps, -but were told to go and buy for themselves. While they were gone -the bridegroom came; they were not ready; the door of the -marriage-feast was closed when they returned, and in answer to -their entreaty, "Lord, lord, open to us," came only the words, "I -know you not." "Watch ye, therefore," says our Lord, in -concluding this parable, "because you know not the day nor the -hour." -</p> -<p> -Brethren, the meaning of this parable is so plain that it hardly -needs even a word of explanation. Yet how unheeded it is, alas! -by the majority of Christians! -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_127">{127}</a></span> -<p> -What does this oil mean that the foolish virgins neglected to -provide for themselves and to have in their lamps? What but the -grace of God, with, which our souls should be provided, and -without which they are in the state of mortal sin? If this -precious oil of God's grace is in our souls we are ready at any -moment to meet the Bridegroom; no matter how suddenly the cry is -made that he is coming, we can go forth with confidence to meet -him and feel sure that the door of the marriage-feast of heaven -will not be closed to us. -</p> -<p> -But if we have not this oil, if the lamp of our soul is empty, if -we are in the state of mortal sin, what dismay comes on us, what -terrible fear and distress of mind, when we are suddenly told to -prepare for death! We have been saying all along, "Oh! there will -be plenty of time," and now there is not plenty of time. God is -coming to meet us, and to demand of us an account of our lives; -we cannot hide from his face, and he will not wait. The hour -fixed in the eternal counsels of his wisdom has come, the hour on -which everything depends, the hour for which the years of our -life should have been one long preparation, those years so -carelessly thrown away. -</p> -<p> -Friends may stand around us who have not wasted the oil in their -lamps as we have ours. Their souls may be full of the grace of -God, preserved and increased continually by prayer and good -works, by the love of God and frequent confession and Communion. -They may have enough and to spare; but they can not lend to us. -"No," they must say to us, "go rather to them that sell, and buy -for yourselves. Go rather," that is, "to the regular sources of -that grace, the sacraments, which our Lord has placed in his -church, to give life to the dead. Send for the priest, and with -his help fill the lamp of your soul, and prepare to meet our -Lord." -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_128">{128}</a></span> -<p> -But too often it is as in the parable of the virgins. While the -foolish Christian, who has put off his preparation for death, who -has lived in the state of sin, expecting to die in the state of -grace, goes to fill his lamp, his Lord comes, finds him, and -judges him as he is. The priest comes, but only to look on him -lying dead. Or even if the oil of grace is brought to the sinner, -he has not, perhaps, the price to pay for it; that is, he has not -those dispositions of sincere penitence and amendment of life, -without which all sacraments are vain and ineffectual. -</p> -<p> -Brethren, it is a fearful point in the parable of the wise and -foolish virgins that not one of the five who were so carelessly -unprepared was able to have her lamp ready to meet the bridegroom -in his coming. It should teach us to expect that, as a rule, a -man must die as he has lived. No doubt there are exceptions; the -mercy of God is over all, and wills not that the sinner should -perish. But the only safe way, the only way, indeed, that is not -the wildest folly, and even insanity, is to live as all good -Christians do live, continually prepared for death; with the -grace of God always in their souls, with no stain of mortal sin -on them; with "their loins girt, and lamps burning in their -hands"; and "like to men who wait for their lord when he shall -return from the wedding: that when he cometh and knocketh they -may open to him immediately." -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_129">{129}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon XXXVII.<br><br> - - Life's Purpose.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Brethren, know you not that they that run in the race,<br> - all run indeed, but one receiveth the prize?<br> - So run, that you may obtain.</i><br> -</p> -<p> -There is a great question, my dear brethren, that comes home some -time or other to every man in the world who is not entirely taken -up with the passing pleasures and fleeting interests of the -moment; to every man, that is, who lives as a man, and not as a -mere child. It is the most important and vital of all questions; -and it will return often on us, put it away as much as we will. -It is this: "What am I here for? what is the use, what is the -purpose of all this life which I am living? What is the goal to -which it is tending? what end do I hope to obtain?" -</p> -<p> -Yes, we must look forward in this way sometimes, and we must try -to find something in the future better worth having than what we -have now, or our life, with its labors and fatigues, becomes a -burden almost too great to be borne. -</p> -<p> -So one man proposes wealth, another knowledge and learning, -another fame and honor as his object in life; or at least he -looks forward to bringing up children to whom he can leave his -memory and his name, and who will carry on and complete the work -he has begun. -</p> -<p> -But we Christians do not seek for an answer to this question. The -answer is written plainly by faith in our souls; we may try to -forget it or put something else in its place, but we shall find -no other in which we can believe. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_130">{130}</a></span> -The answer for us is, that this life has no end or object in -itself which can justify or explain it, but that it is a time of -trial, of probation for something better; that we live in order -that it may be seen from our life whether we are worthy to share -in an eternal life; that only beyond the grave can what the soul -longs for be attained, and that we may fail in attaining it if we -do not keep it steadily in view and work for it with all the -strength we have. -</p> -<p> -So our life is a race, a struggle for an immense and unspeakable -prize to come at its end; and a prize which will never be offered -again if we do not secure it this time. If we fail in this life -our failure can never be retrieved; nor will anything else ever -be offered us to live for. For all eternity we shall see what we -might have had, and shall be tortured with vain remorse; and -nothing else will give us even a moment's peace. This eternity -will be intolerable, even were there no other pains in it; but on -account of this alone we shall seek death for ever, and never -find it. -</p> -<p> -And from this race, this struggle in which we are now entered, -there is no escape. We cannot withdraw and have our name struck -from the list of contestants. There is no half-way place which we -can take between triumph and defeat. "Know you not," says St. -Paul, "that all run in the race?" Yes, a power greater than ours -has put us on the track, and is drawing us along it, whether we -will or no. We cannot remain as we are, for He whose power has -placed us here has made us for himself, and we cannot rest till -we rest in him. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_131">{131}</a></span> -<p> -Since, then, we have to run in the race; since we have to suffer, -to labor, to pursue a happiness which we now have not; since we -must do this even in spite of ourselves; since we cannot sit down -and give up our place, what folly it is to run to no purpose, to -turn aside and try to forget the only possible reward for all our -toil, the only thing that can make the life which we must live -worth living! Let St. Paul's words on this Sunday sink into our -minds; and, since we have to run in this race on which everything -depends, let us not trifle and lose its precious moments, but so -run that we may obtain. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_132">{132}</a></span> - - - <h2><i>Sexagesima Sunday</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - 2 <i>Corinthians xi.</i> 19-<i>xii.</i> 9.<br> -<br> - Brethren:<br> - You gladly suffer the foolish: whereas you yourselves are wise. - For you suffer if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour - you, if a man take from you, if a man be extolled, if a man - strike you on the face. I speak according to dishonor, as if we - had been weak in this part. Wherein if any man is bold (I speak - foolishly) I am bold also. They are Hebrews; so am I. They are - Israelites; so am I. They are the seed of Abraham; so am I. - They are the ministers of Christ (I speak as one less wise), I - am more; in many more labors, in prisons more frequently, in - stripes above measure, in deaths often. Of the Jews five times - did I receive forty stripes, save one. Thrice was I beaten with - rods, once I was stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck; a night - and a day I was in the depth of the sea; in journeys often, in - perils of rivers, in perils of robbers, in perils from my own - nation, in perils from the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in - perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils from - false brethren: in labor and painfulness, in watchings often, - in hunger and thirst, in many fastings, in cold and nakedness. - Besides those things which are without: my daily instance, the - solicitude for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not - weak? Who is scandalized, and I do not burn? If I must needs - glory, I will glory of the things that concern my infirmity. - The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed for - ever, knoweth that I lie not. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_133">{133}</a></span> - At Damascus the governor of the nation under Aretas the king, - guarded the city of the Damascenes to apprehend me. And through - a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and so escaped - his hands. If I must glory (for it is not expedient indeed); - but I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know - a man in Christ above fourteen years ago (whether in the body I - know not, or out of the body I know not: God knoweth), such an - one caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man, - whether in the body or out of the body, I know not: God - knoweth; that he was caught up into paradise; and heard secret - words which it is not granted to man to utter. Of such an one I - will glory; but for myself I will glory nothing, but in my - infirmities. For even if I would glory, I shall not be foolish: - for I will say the truth. But I forbear, lest any man should - think of me above that which he seeth in me, or anything he - heareth from me. And lest the greatness of the revelations - should puff me up, there was given me a sting of my flesh, an - angel of Satan to buffet me. For which thing I thrice besought - the Lord, that it might depart from me; and he said to me: My - grace is sufficient for thee; for power is made perfect in - infirmity. Gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmities, - that the power of Christ may dwell in me.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Luke viii.</i> 4-15.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - When a very great multitude was gathered together and hastened - out of the cities to him, he spoke by a similitude. A sower - went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed some fell by the - wayside, and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air - devoured it. And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was - sprung up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. And - some fell among thorns, and the thorns growing up with it, - choked it. And some fell upon good ground; and sprung up, and - yielded fruit a hundredfold. Saying these things, he cried out: - He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. And his disciples - asked him what this parable might be. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_134">{134}</a></span> - To whom he said: To you it is given to know the mystery of the - kingdom of God; but to the rest in parables, that seeing they - may not see, and hearing they may not understand. Now the - parable is this: The seed is the word of God. And they by the - wayside are they that hear: then the devil cometh, and taketh - the word out of their heart, lest believing they should be - saved. Now they upon the rock, are they who when they hear, - receive the word with joy: and these have no roots; who believe - for a while, and in time of temptation fall away. And that - which fell among thorns, are they who have heard, and going - their way, are choked with the cares, and riches, and pleasures - of this life, and yield no fruit. But that on the good ground, - are they who in a good and perfect heart, hearing the word, - keep it, and bring forth fruit in patience. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon XXXVIII.<br><br> - - Perseverance After A Mission.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Power is made perfect in infirmity. </i> - —Epistle of the Day. -</p> -<p> -Not so very long ago, my dear brethren, we had a great mission in -this church. It was well attended—that was almost a matter of -course; for, thank God, every one considers it a shame to neglect -so great a grace when it is offered, and the Catholic who refuses -to attend a mission is regarded by those who know him as being in -a very bad and dangerous state. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_135">{135}</a></span> -<p> -And the mission, I trust, was on the whole well made by those who -attended it. They made good confessions; they felt true sorrow -for their sins. And they made real purposes of amendment against -their vices, whatever they might be. The drunkard promised to -abstain from drink for God's sake, though it might be almost the -only thing that gave him pleasure; the impure promised to abandon -and stamp out his evil passions and habits; the one who had -neglected Mass and the other duties of his religion out of -laziness, gluttony, or indifference, promised to be faithful to -them for the future. -</p> -<p> -But how many of the thousands who made these promises have kept -them? How many of those who were not leading a Christian life -before the mission are now doing so? Some certainly; yes, some of -the seed of the word of God, of which our Lord speaks in to-day's -Gospel, which was then sown, has indeed sprung up and borne -fruit, it may be a hundredfold. Some, in a good heart, hearing -the word, have kept it, and brought forth fruit in patience. -</p> -<p> -But, alas! how many, on the other hand, have been like the -wayside, the rock, or the thorns in our Lord's parable! The seed -sprang up, and remained for a few days or weeks; but now, if you -look for it, it has gone, trampled under foot, choked, or -withered away. -</p> -<p> -Now, what is the reason of all this sad want of perseverance? Was -it that those who made their confessions then were not sincere; -that they made promises which they did not really expect to keep? -Perhaps that may have been so with some of them; for some people -do seem to think that one cannot be expected to avoid mortal sin, -unless he is a priest or a religious, and even call others -hypocrites who believe that they can and do avoid it. But there -were others who failed—and these were a great many—because -they thought they had only to say that they would do the thing, -and that then the thing would be done. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_136">{136}</a></span> -<p> -They did not know how weak they were; perhaps they do not know it -yet. They will find it out sometime, as those do who have often -taken the pledge in vain; and then it may be that they will -despair, which will be the worst of all. But if they use this -knowledge right it will be their salvation. -</p> -<p> -And how will knowing that they are weak save them? Will it make -them strong? Yes, but not in their own strength; it will save -them by making them turn to the infinite power of God. This is -what our Lord told St. Paul, as we learn in the Epistle of -to-day, when he asked to have his temptation removed. He said to -him: "My grace is sufficient for thee, for power is made perfect -in infirmity." The more we know our weakness the stronger we -shall be, if our terror and distrust of ourselves will only make -us turn to God in frequent, earnest, and fervent prayer for help, -and in continual approach to the sacraments which he has given -for our aid. -</p> -<p> -Oh! if Christians would only learn this one great truth, how the -whole face of things would change! How the most obstinate vices, -the most deep-rooted spiritual disease, would melt away at the -touch of the Great Physician of our souls, if we would only go to -him continually for their cure! How easily we should overcome the -enemy if we would only understand that of ourselves we cannot -overcome him, but that we can do all things in Him who -strengtheneth us; and, understanding this, would go to him for -the strength that we cannot get elsewhere! -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_137">{137}</a></span> -<p> -My brethren, you who have fallen and now fall so often, I beg you -to put this truth in practice. You fail, and why? Because you -have undertaken more than you can do. You wish to succeed? I hope -so. Well, there is only one way. Do as you have done before, but -also call God to the rescue. Pray frequently and fervently, and -go often to confession and Communion, and success, instead of -being hopeless, will be sure. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon XXXIX.<br><br> - - Good Seed But No Harvest.</h3> - -<p> -The Gospel of to-day, my brethren, is the parable of the sower -who went out to sow his seed. Our Lord himself explains the -parable, and tells us that the seed is the word of God; and the -real sower of this word, of course, is God, from whom it comes, -and from whom it has all its life and power. -</p> -<p> -The ground in which this seed is sown is the mind and heart of -man; or, to put the matter in a practical shape, it is your heart -and mine. There are many people in this world to whom very little -of it has come, at least compared with what we have had; but we -cannot complain that we have not had our share. The word of God -spoken by the mouth of man, in sermons, instructions, counsels, -and warnings, from the altar and in the confessional, and not -only from the priests but also from others who have been the -ministers of God and the channels of his grace to us—it is -certainly no strange or new sound in our ears. And not only in -this way have we continually heard God's voice, but often, -perhaps even more frequently, have we heard it coming immediately -from him, and speaking in our own souls. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_138">{138}</a></span> -<p> -Plenty of this seed has, then, been sown in us; but where is the -fruit, the harvest that should have come from it? Seed is not put -in the ground merely to be kept there. No, it cannot be kept -there; if it is not destroyed or carried away it must grow and -multiply. -</p> -<p> -The seed of God's word should, therefore, have grown in us. It -should have been the beginning and the increase in us of the -spiritual life, which should have grown stronger in us day by day -from the time when we first came to the use of reason until the -present moment. -</p> -<p> -Now, how is it in fact? As we look back on our lives, do we find -that this has actually been fulfilled in them? Are we better, -more perfect, nearer to God now than we were last year, or even -ten years ago? Is it not rather to be feared that we have fallen -back; that we are more careless, perhaps, even about mortal sin, -than we were in times past; or, to say the least, that habits of -venial sin have gained on us, instead of being overcome; that our -prayers are less fervent, our reception of the sacraments less -frequent, our love of God weaker than in the years which have -gone by? -</p> -<p> -Holy Scripture tells us that the "path of the just, as a shining -light, goeth forwards and increaseth even to perfect day." "The -just"—that is, those who are habitually in God's grace, who have -and keep the life of God in their souls. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_139">{139}</a></span> -The Christian virtues, the seeds of which were put in our souls -at baptism, should have been growing during all our lives; they -should have become strong trees now, deeply rooted and spreading -far and wide. Even if they were killed at any time by the frost -of mortal sin, they should have been speedily brought to life and -renewed their growth before they had decayed and rotted away. -</p> -<p> -Brethren, I need not ask you if this has been so with you. With -some, no doubt, it has. They may not feel that they have drawn -nearer to God, but really they have. Temptation does not find the -material in them to work on that it did; to avoid evil and to do -good is every day easier and easier; they have still cause to -fear, it is true, but still more and more ground to hope. -</p> -<p> -But, alas! how many there are in whom there is no sign of this -growth which should have come from the seed which has been sown -in them! Their light has not increased; no, it is almost always -extinguished; when it does seem to shine it is but to flicker for -a moment, and to disappear. The seed is no sooner sown in them -than it is trampled under foot or carried away by the birds of -the air. -</p> -<p> -Brethren, if the life of grace is not growing in our souls; if we -are not falling less frequently, and rising more easily from our -falls, than before, our path is not that of the just, and the -seed of the word of God has not yet taken that root which will -make it bring forth a hundredfold. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_140">{140}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon XL.<br><br> - - The Uses Of Temptation.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>My grace is sufficient for thee;<br> - for power is made perfect in infirmity.</i><br> - —2 Corinthians xii. 9. -</p> -<p> -To all who are striving to lead a good Christian life the example -of the saints is a powerful means of encouragement, and the more -so when we see in the saints themselves the evidences of our -common human nature, when we see them encountering the same -difficulties and struggling with the same temptations which we -ourselves experience. Their great deeds and miracles exalt them -to a sphere far above us, and, while they fill us with -admiration, would yet have a tendency to discourage us were it -not for those other passages in their lives when they seem to be -brought down to our own level by contact with those evil -influences which are ever seeking to sway our fallen nature. The -fact that the saints have had to engage in conflict with the -basest passions is so far from lowering them in our eyes that it -only serves to make them dearer to us and to stimulate us to a -more faithful imitation of them. -</p> -<p> -And so St. Paul's account of himself in the Epistle of to-day has -been a ground of encouragement to many a soul that had grown -weary of an incessant warfare with temptation. The Apostle tells -us that, in spite of the wondrous revelations and heavenly favors -which he had received from God, he was yet tormented with -temptations of the flesh. "And lest the greatness of the -revelations should puff me up, there was given me a sting of my -flesh, an angel of Satan to buffet me. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_141">{141}</a></span> -For which thing I thrice besought the Lord, that it might depart -from me; he said to me: My grace is sufficient for thee; for -power is made perfect in infirmity." To every soul struggling -with temptation God speaks these same words of comfort. "What if -you are weak and the temptation is strong? My grace is sufficient -for you. My power shall be shown forth through your weakness, for -what you could never do of your own strength I can and will do -for you with my grace." -</p> -<p> -Many are the lessons we can learn from this text. When we see the -great Apostle of the Gentiles engaged in a hard conflict with the -demon of impurity, it shows us that God does not spare in this -respect even his most chosen servants. On the contrary, by -refusing to grant the prayer of St. Paul that he might be -delivered from this sting of the flesh, God teaches us that -temptation is often a special mark of his favor, even as a -general would place his best and bravest soldiers in the thickest -of the fight. We are also taught that, no matter how vile the -suggestions of the evil one, they cannot soil the heart of him -who resists them. If, as soon as the sinfulness of the foul -thought or imagination is realized, resistance be at once begun, -and kept up until the suggestion is banished, we may be sure we -have not yielded, especially if we have had recourse to prayer. -From the shield of prayer the arrows of the tempter are sure to -glance and fall harmlessly to the ground. -</p> -<p> -But, on the other hand, these temptations teach us what we are in -ourselves, or rather what we should be without the aid of God's -grace. St. Paul tells us that God permitted those buffetings of -Satan to preserve in him the virtue of humility, "lest the -greatness of the revelations should puff me up." -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_142">{142}</a></span> -The evil imaginations arising in our minds show us to what a -depth we should sink were God to withdraw his grace from us and -leave us to ourselves. We should, therefore, make of such -temptations an occasion of humility, acknowledging our own -worthlessness, our own weakness, yet glorying, as St. Paul did, -in the power of God's grace, which is able to make us strong, and -endow us with supernatural merit. And here lies the greatest -value and use of temptations—God's power is made perfect in our -infirmity. A crown of merit is the reward of victory in the -fight. Without the temptation we should not have had the merit of -overcoming it. In the hour of trial, then, take courage from -these words of God to St. Paul: "My grace is sufficient for thee, -for power is made perfect in infirmity." -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_143">{143}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Quinquagesima Sunday.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - 1 <i>Corinthians xiii.</i> 1-13.<br> -<br> - Brethren:<br> - If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not - charity. I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. - And if I should have prophecy, and should know all mysteries, - and all knowledge, and if I should have all faith, so that I - could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And - if I should distribute all my goods to feed the poor, and if I - should deliver my body to be burned, and have not charity, it - profiteth me nothing. Charity is patient, is kind: charity - envieth not, dealeth not perversely, is not puffed up, is not - ambitious, seeketh not her own, is not provoked to anger, - thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth with - the truth: beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all - things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: whether - prophecies shall be made void, or tongues shall cease, or - knowledge shall be destroyed. For we know in part, and we - prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect shall come, - that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child. I - spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a - child. But when I became a man, I put away the things of a - child. We see now through a glass in an obscure manner: but - then face to face. Now I know in part: but then I shall know - even as I am known. And now there remain faith, hope, and - charity, these three: but the greatest of these is charity. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_144">{144}</a></span> -<p class="cite"> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Luke xviii.</i> 31-43.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - Jesus took unto him the twelve, and said to them: Behold we go - up to Jerusalem, and all things shall be accomplished which - were written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man. For he - shall be delivered to the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and - scourged, and spit upon: and after they have scourged him, they - will put him to death, and the third day he shall rise again. - And they understood none of these things, and this word was hid - from them, and they understood not the things that were said. - Now it came to pass that when he drew nigh to Jericho, a - certain blind man sat by the wayside, begging. And when he - heard the multitude passing by, he asked what this meant. And - they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. And he - cried out, saying: Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me. And - they that went before, rebuked him, that he should hold his - peace. But he cried out much more: Son of David, have mercy on - me. And Jesus stood and commanded him to be brought to him. And - when he was come near, he asked him, saying: What wilt thou - that I do to thee? But he said: Lord that I may see. And Jesus - said to him: Receive thy sight: thy faith hath made thee whole. - And immediately he saw, and followed him, glorifying God. And - all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon XLI.<br><br> - - The Qualities Of Christian Charity.</h3> - -<p> -What a beautiful description it is, my dear brethren, which St. -Paul gives us of the virtue of charity in the Epistle of to-day! -If you have never read it or do not remember it, I would advise -you to read it at once; and, indeed, nothing could be better than -to commit it to memory. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_145">{145}</a></span> -<p> -Let us look just now at a part of it. "Charity," says the -Apostle, "is patient, is kind; charity envieth not; dealeth not -perversely; is not puffed up; is not ambitious; seeketh not her -own; is not provoked to anger; thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in -iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, -believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." -</p> -<p> -Now, I say this is very beautiful, is it not? And perhaps it -seems all the more beautiful because the picture which it gives -us is not a very familiar one. I know we are apt to think about -as well of ourselves as of almost any one of our acquaintance; -but can we say to ourselves, on reading or hearing this -description of charity, "That's me; that's just my character to a -hair"? No; somehow or other, though we would like to put on the -coat, it does not seem to fit. -</p> -<p> -"Charity is patient, is kind." That is rather out of the way, to -begin with, when we think how impatient and cross we are if -anything goes wrong, if anybody stands in our way or interferes -with us, or even ventures to differ from us in opinion. -</p> -<p> -"Charity envieth not." Worse yet. Why, some people cannot even -see their neighbor have a new dress or hat without at once making -up their minds to take the shine out of that conceited thing. And -if they hear it said that Miss So-and-So is good-looking they -will take some opportunity to remark: "For the life of me, I -can't make out what any one sees to admire in her." -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_146">{146}</a></span> -Probably they might manage to see it if they would make a great -effort; but how can they make the effort when no one seems to -have any eye for their own good points, which ought to be so -evident to all? And it is not the ladies only who have this -weakness. You will hear something like this: "Oh! I consider him -to be a much overrated man. I knew him when he was young, and he -was nothing above the common. But some people certainly have -luck." Or, if you do not hear it out loud, the grumbling is there -all the same in the heart. Perhaps some praise has to be given, -but it is very sparing; given with great appearance of careful -judgment and a desire to keep closely to the truth. -</p> -<p> -"Charity dealeth not perversely." How is this? Why, you will find -Christians who would, as the saying goes, "cut off their nose to -spite their face." They will even suffer themselves, if some one -else can only be made to suffer too. -</p> -<p> -But I shall not have time to make all the applications. As I -said, you had better read the Epistle, then you can make them for -yourselves. -</p> -<p> -I wish, however, to call your attention before closing to one -unpleasant circumstance. Is this charity, which St. Paul so -highly praises and so beautifully describes, a sort of fancy and -ornamental virtue, which is certainly very commendable, but which -we can get along well enough without? Listen to a few other words -which come a little before those I have read: "If I should have -prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I -should have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have -not charity, I am nothing. And if I should distribute all my -goods to feed the poor, and if I should deliver my body to be -burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing." Notice, -he does not say, "I am not much, or these things are not much -good, without charity": no, without it "I am nothing"; a cipher, -and a sham. Take this home and meditate on it. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_147">{147}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon XLII.<br><br> - - Delay Of Repentance.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Be not deceived, God is not mocked;<br> - for what things a man shall sow,<br> - those also shall he reap.</i><br> - —Galatians vi. 7, 8. -</p> -<p> -"Never mind, I will repent some day and confess it all to the -priest; then it will be as if it never happened." Sometimes, my -dear brethren, when men have made up their minds to commit sin, -or to go on in a course of sin, they are tempted to say some such -words as these; or if they are not fallen so low as to -<i>talk</i> in this way, yet, if we may form a judgment of their -thoughts by their actions, such are the thoughts of not a few. I -propose, therefore, to say a few words this morning on the great -folly of this way of speaking, thinking, and acting, and to show -you what a false notion it rests upon. -</p> -<p> -I will not stop to point out how uncertain that really is which -is assumed as perfectly certain—namely, that an opportunity of -going to confession will be granted to every one who acts in this -way. A man who sins can never be sure that he will not be cut off -in his sin. But I will take it for granted that the opportunity -of making a confession is given; more than that, I will take it -for granted that he makes a good confession and receives -absolution as he promised himself. In such a case as this is it -true that even then all will be just as if the sin had never been -committed? -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_148">{148}</a></span> -<p> -My dear brethren, to imagine this to be the case would be indeed -a very great mistake. In order that you may see this I must -recall to your recollection some well-known truths. In the -beginning, God, having made man, placed him in a state of great -happiness. He was without pain, sickness, anxiety, or death. How -is it, then, that man finds himself in his actual condition? Why -is it that man is subjected to so many hardships and miseries, -obliged to toil for his daily bread, and, in the end, through -anguish and suffering, give up that life which it has cost so -much labor to preserve? Think, my dear brethren, of all the pains -of mind and body which you have ever experienced, or which you -have seen others experience; think of all the sufferings of which -you have ever read, and ask yourselves the reason for all this -vast mass of agony and anguish. That reason is given in one word. -Of all the suffering that has ever been and that ever will be, -sin is the cause. Directly or indirectly, mediately or -immediately, every suffering finds in sin its origin. -</p> -<p> -Now, I do not say that when we come to particular cases we can -always point out precisely how and why <i>this</i> suffering is -connected with <i>that</i> sin. God in his providence permits -suffering to attend upon sin for many different reasons. -Sometimes it is permitted as a warning not to sin in order that -men of sense and understanding, seeing what sin costs, may avoid -it. Sometimes suffering in this world is, I am afraid we must -say, but a foretaste of eternal suffering in the next. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_149">{149}</a></span> -In some cases sufferings are sent to make us more like our Lord. -But—and this is the special point I wish you to -notice—suffering is very frequently sent by Almighty God as a -punishment in this life for those sins the eternal punishment of -which he has forgiven. This brings me back to the special point -of this instruction. A man may go to confession, may even make a -good confession and receive a good absolution—that is to say, he -may receive through the merits of Christ the remission of the -eternal punishment due to his sins, and yet things may be very -far from being, as he promised himself, just as they were before. -On the contrary, he may have a vast amount of punishment to -undergo in time in consequence of that sin, which he would not -have had if he had not committed that sin. This thought is very -suitable for this season. Lent will begin next Wednesday. Its -fasting and abstinence are enjoined by the church, among other -reasons as a means of satisfying for the temporal punishment due -to past sins. But, in order that this fasting and abstinence may -be useful for this purpose, those who fast and abstain must be in -the state of grace, because all their value as works of -satisfaction is due to the indwelling grace of God. In order, -then, that your fasting and abstinence may be profitable to your -own souls, let me advise you to act like our wise forefathers -acted, to come to confession at once in the beginning of Lent, -and not to put it off with your Easter duty to the last moment. -</p> -<hr> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_150">{150}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon XLIII.<br><br> - - Lenten Obligations.</h3> -<p> -Next Wednesday, my brethren, we enter, as of course you know, on -the great and holy season of Lent. On that day, no doubt, as many -of you as can will come to the church and receive on your -foreheads the ashes which remind us of the penance to which these -coming weeks are specially devoted. -</p> -<p> -The church is generally full on Ash-Wednesday, and one would -think, on seeing the crowds pressing forward to receive the -ashes, that they were all determined to enter into the spirit of -the church, and to keep Lent as it should be kept. Yet how many -there are who go through this outward form, and make a great deal -of it, and yet neglect all that is signified by it; who give a -show indeed of penance, but bring forth none of its fruits! Some, -perhaps, of the Ash-Wednesday penitents will not be seen again in -the church till they come forward again on Good Friday to kiss -the cross. -</p> -<p> -Yet it is better to come to church, if only on Ash-Wednesday and -Good Friday, than not at all; better to do some penance and show -some love of God than to neglect these virtues altogether. But -how much better still it would be to now thoroughly understand -and seriously take to heart what God requires of us, especially -in this holy time, and to make it the means, as it may be more -than anything else, of our final salvation! -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_151">{151}</a></span> -<p> -First, then, to thoroughly understand what we are now to do. -Everything must be well understood before it can be well done, -and the keeping of Lent is no exception to this general rule. -Many people break the rules of Lent because they do not clearly -understand them. -</p> -<p> -Lent, then, my brethren, is not a time to be spent in penance -altogether according to one's own devotion. Far from it; the -duties to be performed in it are clearly and precisely laid down, -and should be attended to very strictly. They are not many; they -make no great demand on our time or strength; but the Christian -who discharges them properly will make his Lent far better than -one would who should neglect them and take any other practices, -no matter how hard, in their place. It is better to keep the real -rules or laws of Lent faithfully than to hear three Masses every -day, and come to all the extra services, and give half one's -goods to the poor, and yet neglect our regular duties. -</p> -<p> -What, then, are these laws? The first is the Easter duty, which -should be made before Easter, if possible, though the church -indulgently extends the time several weeks after that festival. -Make, then, this great duty, far the greatest of all the duties -of a Christian, at once; it will be very easy for all of you who -have just made the mission to do it now, and the longer you put -it off the harder it will be. Make it, then, if possible, the -first day it can be made—that is, next Sunday—and get it, if I -may say so, off your mind. Do not fancy that, as you have so -lately made the mission, the Easter duty is of little -consequence. If you had made twenty missions during the past -year, and any number of jubilees, the law of the Easter duty -would bind you exactly as much as if you had neglected them all. -It is like hearing Mass on Sunday; nobody is excused at all from -Mass on Sunday because they have been to it through the week. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_152">{152}</a></span> -So this time, the great Sunday of the year, is set apart by the -church for the precept of Holy Communion; it must be fulfilled at -this time, no matter how often one has received outside of it. -</p> -<p> -The second and only other real law of Lent is that relating to -fasting and abstinence. If you attend carefully to the rules that -have been read you will understand this well enough. But do not -confuse fasting with abstinence; that is the most common mistake. -People often say: "Oh! I have to work hard; I can eat meat if I -like." That is a great error, and a very foolish one. Many are -excused from fasting on one meal and a collation; few from -abstinence on the days appointed. If you want to have a safe -conscience in eating meat you should consult a confessor, unless -seriously ill. -</p> -<p> -Attend to these two things, then, and you will make your Lent as -a Christian should. But, of course, you will also try to follow, -to the best of your ability, the other devotional practices -recommended by the church at this time. Come to daily Mass, and -to the occasional services, and give alms according to your -means. These practices, especially now, are of the greatest -spiritual profit, and can not generally be neglected without -spiritual danger. But remember that Easter duty and fasting, with -abstinence, are the real laws. Obey these, at any rate, and then, -so far as you are able, add the others beside. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_153">{153}</a></span> - - <h2><i>First Sunday of Lent.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - 2 <i>Corinthians vi.</i> 1-10.<br> -<br> - Brethren:<br> - We do exhort you, that you receive not the grace of God in - vain. For he saith: "In an accepted time have I heard thee; and - in the day of salvation have I helped thee." Behold, now is the - acceptable time: behold, now is the day of salvation. Giving no - offence to any man, that our ministry be not blamed: but in all - things let us exhibit ourselves as the ministers of God, in - much patience, in tribulation, in necessities, in distresses, - in stripes, in prisons, in seditions, in labors, in watchings, - in fastings, in chastity, in knowledge, in long-suffering, in - sweetness, in the Holy Ghost, in charity unfeigned, in the word - ol truth, in the power of God; by the armor of justice on the - right hand and on the left: through honor and dishonor: through - infamy and good name: as seducers, and yet speaking truth: as - unknown, and yet known: as dying, and behold we live: as - chastised, and not killed: as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing: - as needy, yet enriching many: as having nothing, and possessing - all things.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Matthew iv.</i> 1-11.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - Jesus was led by the spirit into the desert, to be tempted by - the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, - he was afterwards hungry. And the tempter coming, said to him: - If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made - bread. But he answered and said: It is written, "Man liveth not - by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth from the - mouth of God." -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_154">{154}</a></span> - Then the devil took him up into the holy city, and set him upon - the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him: If thou be the Son - of God, cast thyself down, for it is written: "That he hath - given his angels charge over thee, and in their hands shall - they bear thee up, lest perhaps thou hurt thy foot against a - stone." Jesus said to him: It is written again: "Thou shalt not - tempt the Lord thy God." Again the devil took him up into a - very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the - world, and the glory of them. And said unto him: All these will - I give thee, if falling down thou wilt adore me. Then Jesus - saith to him: Be gone, Satan, for it is written: "The Lord thy - God shalt thou adore, and him only shalt thou serve." Then the - devil left him: and behold, angels came and ministered to him. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon XLIV.<br><br> - - The Merit Of Fasting And Abstinence.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Lay not up to yourselves treasures on earth,<br> - where the rust and moth consume, and where,<br> - thieves break through and steal.<br> - But lay up to yourselves treasures in heaven,<br> - where neither the rust nor the moth doth consume<br> - and where thieves do not break through nor steal.<br> - For where thy treasure is,<br> - there is thy heart also.</i><br> - —Gospel Of Ash-Wednesday. -</p> -<p> -If any one of us, my brethren, should be asked what is the object -of this holy season of Lent on which we are now entering, or what -is the reason why it has been appointed, the answer would -probably be that it is in order that we may do penance for our -sins. Penance: punishment inflicted on ourselves in satisfaction -for those offences for which we feel we have so imperfectly -atoned, and to obtain from God those graces which we so greatly -need: this, perhaps, is the idea uppermost in most people's minds -when Lent comes round. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_155">{155}</a></span> -<p> -Well, this is no doubt a reason, and a good one, not only for -what we have to do in Lent, but for a great deal more that we may -do, not only now, but all through the year. Few even of those who -lead good lives do penance enough for their sins, even as it is; -almost all go before God with a large account unsettled in this -matter. How much worse would it be if there was no Lent, if the -church never insisted on our chastising ourselves in any way, and -seemed to treat such chastisement as of no consequence! The very -notion of it would drop from our thoughts, as it has indeed long -ago from the minds of those who have separated from the church -and ceased to possess the true faith. -</p> -<p> -This is, then, a good reason for Lent; but there is another which -we are not so apt to think of, and which, for this very reason, I -would like to emphasize. -</p> -<p> -This reason is the one suggested by the words of the Gospel of -last Wednesday, which you have just heard: "Lay not up to -yourselves treasures on earth; … but lay up to yourselves -treasures in heaven. … For where thy treasure is, there is thy -heart also." -</p> -<p> -Brethren, we should have no trouble at all in getting to heaven -if we only really wanted to get there. Of course in one way we do -want to get to heaven; that is, we all want to save our souls -from the eternal anguish and misery of hell, and we know there is -nothing for us but heaven or hell in the end. But I am afraid -that many Christians, especially when they have health, strength, -and plenty of this world's goods, have really very little wish to -give them up, in order to pass, even could they do so at once, to -those joys which the heart of man cannot conceive. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_156">{156}</a></span> -No, their treasure is in this world; all their idea of happiness -is founded on the pleasures which they have had, are having, or -hope to have in it. Their treasure is here, and, as our Lord -says, their heart is here too. -</p> -<p> -I think, then, that this other great reason and object of Lent, -of which I have just spoken, is that we may do something to -change this state of things; that we may get our hearts off this -world, and see our real treasure in heaven, get to know it and -love it, and have our hearts there with it. We ought now not -merely to stop for a while from worldly pleasures, but to try to -cease loving them, and to care for something better. We must love -and care for something; let us try now to get the right object -for love. -</p> -<p> -Now, what is this that we should love; what is our treasure in -heaven? It is our Father who is in heaven, and who is heaven -itself. Brethren, it is not so hard to love God as some people -think. We can all try to do a little, at any rate; I mean to love -God, not by keeping his commandments, but to love him in the same -way as we love those things which are lovely and attractive here. -Come to him now, this Lent; that, above all else, is what it was -made for; come to church not only to hear a sermon, but to pray, -to get near to God, and to bring him into your hearts. Shut the -world out of your heart, that he may come in. Ask him to come to -you and make his abode with you. Then, when he is really your -treasure, he will draw you where he is; you will not have to try -to get to heaven; you will go there of your own accord. To die to -the world and live to God, this is the Christian's true life; and -Lent was made to give this life to our souls. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_157">{157}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon XLV.<br><br> - - Difficulties Of Fasting.</h3> - -<p> -Brethren, another year has passed, and Lent has come around once -more. I have no doubt that a great many of you wish that it had -not; perhaps you would not be so very sorry if the church would -have the goodness to do away with this tedious season altogether. -Indeed, I imagine that to some people Lent is one of the greatest -mysteries of our religion. And even if it is in some general way -acknowledged as the proper thing in its due time, it never seems -to come in just at the time that would be convenient. If it comes -early, it is a very unpleasant interruption to the winter's -pleasures and amusements; if it comes late, why could it not come -earlier, so that we could get through and have done with it soon? -</p> -<p> -All the grumbling in the world, however, will not alter the fact. -We cannot get rid of Lent, and we cannot fix its time to suit us, -even if there is any time which would seem suitable. It is -possible, indeed, to free ourselves from its burdens; we may do -so either by neglecting its obligations altogether, or by getting -somehow or other dispensed from them, without putting anything -else in their place. But, after all, if we do this, we shall -hardly feel any more comfortable. The best plan is, since Lent is -here whether we will or not, to face it boldly and cheerfully, -and make the best of it that we can. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_158">{158}</a></span> -<p> -And, when we come to look at it, is it such a very terrible -infliction? Do we not make rather too much fuss and complaint -over what is not really such a very great penance? -</p> -<p> -Let us look, then, and see what is required of us. The principal -thing, of course, is the fasting, as we call it, on one meal. -Now, if we actually were reduced to only one meal in the -twenty-four hours, I confess that it would be pretty severe; but, -you see, in point of fact, we have the collation, at which eight -ounces, or half a pound, of solid food is allowed. Now that is as -much as many people would take anyway at tea-time. And then you -can have a cup of coffee or tea and a small piece of bread in the -morning. So, when we come to sift the matter, the fact hardly -amounts to more than this: that the breakfast is rather a light -one. And then, for those who really have hard work, even what is -left of the fast goes by the board altogether. -</p> -<p> -Well, next there is the abstinence from flesh-meat. Some seem to -think this dreadful. "Oh!" they will say, "I can't eat fish; it -makes me sick." Indeed? Perhaps you are not very hungry, and do -not need anything very much. When you are really hungry the fish -will not taste so bad. But, then, who, except indeed the -fisherman, wants you to eat fish? I do not think there is any law -requiring it to be eaten; and if it has such a bad effect on you -I would let it alone and try something else. And though fish is -so uneatable, perhaps an oyster or two might now and then be -worried down. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_159">{159}</a></span> -<p> -Now, after the fast and abstinence, what is left? Really nothing -at all in the law of the church, at least in black and white. -There is, however, a custom, having about the force of law, -prohibiting such parties and theatre-going as would be allowable -enough, at other times. But have not you had a pretty good chance -for these amusements for the last few months? And, if you are in -the habit of some indulgence of this kind, a little quiet at home -might be agreeable by way of a change. -</p> -<p> -But perhaps you do not like so much church-going. Well, this is -not absolutely required of you. But it certainly is expected; and -it will be well to cultivate a taste for it. Ought it to be such -a great penance for a Christian to come and spend a little while -in the presence of Him with whom he hopes to dwell for ever? -</p> -<p> -I think, then, that if you will look at Lent in the right light -it will not seem so very grievous. It may be even that you will -feel that now is a time to be a little generous with our Lord; -and, since he does not ask much, you may be disposed to give him -a little more than he absolutely demands. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon XLVI.<br><br> - - Wasted Opportunities.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Brethren, we exhort you<br> - that you receive not the grace of God in vain. </i> -</p> -<p> -What is this receiving of God's grace in vain, my brethren, -against which St. Paul warns us in these words of the Epistle of -to-day? It is receiving it and making no use of it; receiving it -only to waste it and throw it away. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_160">{160}</a></span> -<p> -We are all the time receiving graces from God. Every day, every -hour he is giving them to us. For what is a grace? It is a help, -a means to our salvation which comes from him. And these helps he -gives us continually, by instructions, by admonitions, by good -examples; by the evidences which he puts all around us of the -shortness and uncertainty of life, of the instability of earthly -riches and happiness, of the peace which virtue gives, of the -misery which comes from sin. All these and countless other helps -to lead us, almost to force us, into the way of his commandments -are lavished on us incessantly. They come more or less to all -men, but most of all to us children of his holy Catholic Church, -who have the full light of his faith, the full teaching of his -law. -</p> -<p> -But more than all he himself is every day speaking in our hearts, -inviting, urging, begging us to turn from mortal sin; or, if we -have indeed done that, to rise higher, and serve him more -perfectly. If we had listened to all these calls, if we had -availed ourselves of all these helps, we should now be far -advanced on the way of the saints; we should, like St. Stephen at -his martyrdom, see heaven opened before us and our salvation -morally secure. -</p> -<p> -But we have not done that. We have been doing just what the -Apostle warns us against; we have been receiving these graces in -vain. We have received them, and it has been worse with us than -if we had not; for we have received them, many of them at least, -only to throw them away and trample them underfoot. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_161">{161}</a></span> -<p> -What would you think, my brethren, of a man who, being anxious to -reach a distant country, which was his true home, and where were -those whom he loved, and, having no means to do so of himself, -should throw away with contempt the sums which from time to time -might in charity be offered him to enable him to accomplish his -desires, should throw them absolutely away, not even using them -to supply his daily wants or to secure some passing pleasure? You -would say that he was a madman or a fool; that he had not the -gift of reason, which raises man above the brute. -</p> -<p> -And yet this is what we have been doing; and even more than this. -For there have been some, perhaps many, graces which God has -given us which would even alone, if rightly used, have answered -for all our needs. They would not have been mere contributions to -our passage-money for heaven, but would have put us aboard the -vessel, and made our reaching port little more than a question of -time. But these, like the rest, are gone without being used; they -are strewn on the road behind us, and we cannot turn back to pick -them up. -</p> -<p> -Such a great grace is the one which, in spite of our -unworthiness, ingratitude, and folly, is now once more offered to -us by our Father in heaven, who does not follow the rules by -which an earthly benefactor would be guided. This season of Lent -on which we are entering is one of the great helps, the great -opportunities which he gives us to reach that country where he -awaits our coming. One who spends even one Lent as it should be -spent will be at its close well established in the way of solid -virtue and peace, the way which leads certainly to the kingdom to -which we all hope to go. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_162">{162}</a></span> -<p> -It is for this that Lent is given us, not merely for a season of -penance and suffering, to be got through with somehow or other as -best we can; it is for this reason also that the church to-day -solemnly warns us to use it as it should be used. Listen, then, -to her warning voice; listen out of love and gratitude to God; -listen out of love and holy fear also for yourself; for it may be -the last great grace that will ever be brought to your door. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_163">{163}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Second Sunday of Lent.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - 1 <i>Thessalonians iv.</i> 1-7.<br> -<br> - Brethren:<br> - We pray and beseech you in the Lord Jesus, that as you have - received from us, how you ought to walk, and to please God, so - also you would walk, that you may abound the more. For you know - what commandments I have given to you by the Lord Jesus. For - this is the will of God, your sanctification; that you should - abstain from fornication. That every one of you should know how - to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor, not in the - passion of lust, like the Gentiles, who know not God: and that - no man overreach, nor deceive his brother in business: because - the Lord is the avenger of all such things, as we have told you - before, and have testified. For God hath not called us unto - uncleanness, but unto sanctification in Christ Jesus our Lord.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Matthew xvii.</i> 1-9.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - Jesus taketh unto him Peter and James, and John his brother, - and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart. And he was - transfigured before them. And his face did shine as the sun: - and his garments became white as snow. And behold, there - appeared to them Moses and Elias talking with him. And Peter - answering, said to Jesus: Lord, it is good for us to be here: - if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles, one for thee, - and one for Moses, and one for Elias. And as he was yet - speaking, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_164">{164}</a></span> - And behold, a voice out of the cloud, saying: This is my - beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him. And the - disciples hearing, fell upon their face, and were very much - afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said to them: - Arise, and be not afraid. And when they lifted up their eyes - they saw no man, but only Jesus. And as they came down from the - mountain, Jesus charged them, saying: Tell the vision to no - man, till the Son of Man be risen from the dead. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon XLVII.<br><br> - - The Joy Of Penance.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>He was transfigured before them.</i><br> - —Words from To-day's Gospel. -</p> -<p> -At first sight, my dear brethren, it seems strange that just as -we have entered upon this season of fasting and penance the -church should have chosen for to-day's Gospel one of the few -accounts which the Evangelists have given of the manifestation on -earth of our Lord's glory and majesty. The Gospels, as you are -aware, are mainly made up of the record of our Lord's words, -actions, and sufferings; they tell us how the Son of God made man -went about from place to place doing good, healing the sick, -consoling the sorrowful, and in the end undergoing cruel -sufferings and an ignominious death. There are but few instances -recorded of his being glorified and honored with more than human -glory and honor, and when such is the case no long and detailed -description is given, the fact is barely mentioned, and the -narrative passes on. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_165">{165}</a></span> -<p> -But to-day's Gospel forms an exception to this general rule. In -it special pains have been taken by the Evangelists to give us in -detail a description of the other side, so to speak, of our -Lord's life. We are told that our Lord chose, out of the twelve, -Peter, James, and John, and led them up into a high mountain, and -was transfigured before them: so that his face did shine as the -sun, and even his garments became shining and exceeding white as -snow, "so as no fuller upon earth can make white." And then there -appeared to them Elias with Moses talking with Jesus. And so -astonished and impressed was Peter that he exclaimed: "Lord, it -is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make three -tabernacles, one for thee, one for Moses, and one for Elias." -</p> -<p> -Now, why has the church, by selecting the account of the -Transfiguration at this season, turned our thoughts to what seems -so inappropriate a subject? It would seem that it would have been -better to have chosen those parts of the Gospel which treat of -sin, of the judgment to come, of the punishments which await the -impenitent sinner. Well, I do not know that I can tell you all -the reasons why the church has made this choice, but I think I -can give you one reason, and that is, that the church wished to -encourage us and to animate us at this season by placing before -us the glory which is in store for those who do penance and -suffer here. -</p> -<p> -In this life there is nothing so familiar to most of us as -suffering in some form or other. Most of us are obliged by our -circumstances to pass our days in exhausting toil and labor. -Disease and anxiety and want and disappointment are to be met -with on all sides, and there are but few who are free from all -these evils. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_166">{166}</a></span> -And to all—even to those who are the most favored in this -life—there is an hour coming which nothing can avert—the hour -of death. This, as every one may see, is the present state of -things. Moreover, our Lord, so far from encouraging us to expect -freedom from suffering, insists continually upon its necessity. -"Deny yourselves," "take up your cross daily," "blessed are the -mourners," such are the words our Lord addresses to his -disciples. And the church, that this teaching of our Lord may not -be a mere speculation, brings it down into every day practical -life by commanding us at this season to fast and abstain. From -all this the necessity of suffering is evident. -</p> -<p> -But however true this is, suffering is not an end in itself; it -is only a means to an end; it is but a road to everlasting joy -and glory. God permits and commands sufferings in order that he -may give to those who endure their sufferings well an abundant -reward. As St. Paul says: "That which is at present momentary and -light of our tribulation worketh for us above measure exceedingly -an eternal weight of glory." And it is in order that we may ever -remember this that the church calls upon us to consider the -manifestation of the glory of our Lord and Master, to whom we -must be made conformable in all things—in suffering in this -life, in glory in the next. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_167">{167}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon XLVIII.<br><br> - - Christian Perfection Not Impossible.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>This is the will of God, your sanctification.</i><br> - —Epistle of the Day. -</p> -<p> -What, my dear brethren, is the will or intention of Almighty God -and of the Catholic Church, which is directed by his Holy Spirit, -in establishing for us this fast of Lent, and commanding us to -observe it? What is the end which he meant that every Christian -should attain by keeping it, and which makes the opportunity now -offered to us such a great grace as we were warned last week that -it is? The words of St. Paul to-day answer these questions for -us. "The will of God," he says, his intention for us at all times -indeed, but specially now, "is our sanctification." -</p> -<p> -But what is our sanctification? It is the making us saints. That, -then, is what Lent ought to do for us. It ought to make us -saints; God and his church mean that it should. -</p> -<p> -"Well," perhaps you may say, "if that is the end for which Lent -is appointed, it seems to me that the end is seldom attained. For -my part, I am afraid I shall never be a saint; saints are few and -far between. It will take more than one Lent to make a saint out -of such a sinner as I am." -</p> -<p> -If, then, you say this, I must confess that there is a good deal -of truth in it. We must all feel and acknowledge that. Any one -who could feel sure now that when Easter comes he will be fit to -be canonized must either be very proud and presumptuous, and far -from real sanctity, or have some special revelation from God, to -which, I think, none of us will pretend. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_168">{168}</a></span> -<p> -But for all that it is true that Lent ought to sanctify us; it -ought to make us saints, only we need not take the word in quite -so high a sense. Though we may hope for the greatest possible -gifts now, we cannot confidently expect them. There is, however, -a sanctification that we ought to expect from this Lent, and what -is it? -</p> -<p> -It is what I fear many of you, even though tolerably good -Christians, do not expect. What do I mean by a tolerably good -Christian? I mean, of course, one who expects to make his Easter -duty. One who does not expect and mean to do that can hardly be -called a tolerably good Christian; it would be more nearly right -to call him an intolerably bad one. Well, then, you who are good -Christians expect to make your Easter duty; so far, so good. But -it is not far enough. For what is it that is meant, perhaps, by -that? Is it not merely to make up your mind to confess your sins -and to keep for a few days as you ought to be, and then be pretty -much as you were before? Has not that been the experience of the -past Easter duties of not a few of you, my brethren; and may not -the same be said of the missions you have attended, and the other -great graces you have received from time to time in your life? -You came up to the surface, as a fish jumps out of the water for -a moment, and then down you went again. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_169">{169}</a></span> -<p> -But that is not enough. That is not sanctification, and it is not -the will or intention of God. What you ought to expect is much -more than that. What, then, is it? It is simply this: that when -you have made your Easter duty you are going to stay all your -life where it will put you. It is that the habits of mortal sin -which you may then have to confess will be gone for good; that -those impure thoughts, words, and actions will have stopped for -ever; that the shameful drunkenness, and all the sins which came -from it, will be things only of the past; that you will never -again wilfully neglect Holy Mass; that in every way you will -really live as you ought, all the time in the state of grace, in -peace with God and men, and in readiness to die at any time, even -without the sacraments, if such should be God's will; that, in -short, you will be truly converted to him once for all. -</p> -<p> -That is the sanctification which past Lents have not brought you, -but which this one should. Do not, I beg you, think it is -impossible, for it is not only possible but easy. Do not make -your Easter duty the highest point and the end of your Christian -life; it should be only the beginning of it. What a consolation -it will be to you, if in your future life you can look back on -this Lent and say, "That was the time when I really began to be a -good Christian; since then I have not had much on my conscience; -I have kept in the state of grace. I made really good and strong -resolutions then, and I have been faithful to them ever since." -</p> -<p> -There are those now, plenty of them, who can say this of some -past Lent. Let it be now your turn to say it of this one. It is -not a matter of luck and chance; if you will, this grace of a -lasting conversion from sin is now offered to each and every one -of you. It is yours to a certainty, if you will take the trouble -to secure it; for it is the will of God. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_170">{170}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon XLIX.<br><br> - - <i>The Divine Presence In Our Churches. </i></h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Lord, it is good for us to be here.</i><br> - —St. Matthew. xvii. 4. -</p> -<p> -The Gospel of to-day tells us of the wonderful Transfiguration of -our Lord upon the mountain in the sight of his Apostles Peter, -James, and John. "His face did shine as the sun, and his garments -became white as snow." And Peter, wrapt in wonder, yet conscious -of the privilege of being present at such a time, exclaimed: -"Lord, it is good for us to be here." Jesus has withdrawn his -visible presence from us. We cannot, like St. Peter and St. John, -behold him with our bodily eyes, nor with our ears can we hear -him speaking the words of life. It is better for us that it -should be so. In our present sinful and imperfect state we could -not bear the splendors of his glorified humanity. When from out -the bright cloud which overshadowed him the disciples heard the -voice of God proclaiming, "This is my beloved Son," "they fell -upon their faces, and were very much afraid." The sight of all -this glory, and the knowledge that they were in the presence of -Almighty God himself, filled them with fear. So, too, would it be -with us now if Jesus were to show himself to us as he now is in -heaven. At the sight of his majesty and glory we, too, should -fall upon our faces with fear and trembling. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_171">{171}</a></span> -<p> -Now, our dear Lord, knowing this weakness of ours, does not -withdraw his presence from us, for he has promised to be with us, -even till the end of the world; but he hides his glory from us -under the humble appearance of bread and wine. Beneath these -outward forms he remains continually in our churches, there in -the tabernacle, by day and night, claiming our adoration and our -love. In Holy Mass he is daily raised aloft by the hands of the -priest, offering himself to God the Father for the sins of the -world. In the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament he is lifted -up to bless his faithful ones. And God still speaks to us by the -voice and teaching of the church as truly as he spoke to the -disciples upon the holy mountain, saying: "This is my beloved -Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him." We can still see -our Lord, yet only through the cloud which overshadows him—that -is, by the eyes of faith. Yet he is none the less really present -in the tabernacle upon the altar than he was upon Mount Thabor on -the day of his Transfiguration. -</p> -<p> -When, therefore, we come into his sacred presence, when we enter -the church and see the little lamp burning before the altar to -tell us that he is there, our sentiments should be those of St. -Peter at the Transfiguration: "Lord, it is good for us to be -here." It is good for us to often visit him in the Blessed -Sacrament; it is good for us to often receive his Benediction; it -is good for us, nay, necessary for us, to assist at Holy Mass -when the church bids us do so; above all it is good for us, above -all it is necessary for us, to receive him in Holy Communion, and -especially now at this time for the fulfilment of the Easter -duty. Jesus is present in the Blessed Sacrament only for our own -good, for the good of our souls. When, therefore, we see this -great goodness of our Lord towards us, how can we be so heedless -of our own good as to turn away from him? -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_172">{172}</a></span> -<p> -And when you come before the Blessed Sacrament, remember that you -are in God's presence. Do not forget to bend your knee in -adoration. Do not take advantage of his mercy in hiding his glory -from you by forgetting that he is really here, by spending the -whole time of Mass with roving eyes and thoughts. Fix your -attention upon the altar where he is, and offer him the best -homage that your heart can give. It will be good for you to be -here, if you have the same sentiments at Mass which the disciples -had at the Transfiguration. You should be filled with a holy fear -lest your idle thoughts at this holy time should one day be -reckoned against you. For now he veils himself from you in mercy -and love, but one day he will appear to you in far more dazzling -brightness than he ever manifested on earth. Oh! then, despise -not his presence here, that when at last you stand before him he -may judge you worthy to enjoy his presence for ever. -</p> -<p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_173">{173}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Third Sunday of Lent.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - <i>Ephesians v.</i> 1-9.<br> -<br> - Brethren:<br> - Be ye followers of God, as most dear children. And walk in love - as Christ also hath loved us, and hath delivered himself for us - an oblation and a sacrifice to God for an odor of sweetness. - But fornication and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it - not so much as be named among you, as becometh saints: nor - obscenity, nor foolish talking, nor scurrility, which is to no - purpose: but rather giving of thanks. For know ye this, and - understand that no fornicator, nor unclean, nor covetous person - which is a serving of idols hath any inheritance in the kingdom - of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words. - For because of these things cometh the anger of God upon the - children of unbelief. Be ye not therefore partakers with them. - For you were heretofore darkness, but now light in the Lord. - Walk ye as children of the light: for the fruit of the light is - in all goodness, and justice, and truth.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Luke xi.</i> 14-28.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - Jesus was casting out a devil, and the same was dumb; and when - he had cast out the devil, the dumb spoke; and the multitude - admired: but some of them said: He casteth out devils in - Beelzebub, the prince of the devils. And others tempting, asked - of him a sign from heaven. But he, seeing their thoughts, said - to them: Every kingdom divided against itself shall be brought - to desolation, and a house upon a house shall fall. And if - Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom - stand? because you say, that in Beelzebub I cast out devils. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_174">{174}</a></span> - Now if I cast out devils in Beelzebub, in whom do your children - cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if I, - in the finger of God, cast out devils, doubtless the kingdom of - God is come upon you. When a strong man armed keepeth his - court, those things which he possesseth are in peace. But if a - stronger than he come upon him and overcome him, he will take - away all his armor wherein he trusted, and will distribute his - spoils. He that is not with me, is against me: and he that - gathereth not with me, scattereth. When the unclean spirit is - gone out of a man, he walketh through places without water, - seeking rest: and not finding, he saith: I will return into my - house whence I came out. And when he is come, he findeth it - swept and garnished. Then he goeth and taketh with him seven - other spirits more wicked than himself, and entering in they - dwell there. And the last state of that man becometh worse than - the first. And it came to pass, as he spoke these things, a - certain woman from the crowd lifting up her voice, said to him: - Blessed is the womb that bore thee, and the paps that gave thee - suck. But he said: Yea, rather, blessed are they who hear the - word of God and keep it. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon L. - - Immodest Language.</h3> - -<p> -How pertinent to our own times are the words of St. Paul in the -Epistle of to-day, addressed nineteen centuries ago to the -Christians of Ephesus: "But all uncleanness, let it not be so -much as named among you, as becometh saints. … For know ye this -and understand that no unclean person hath inheritance in the -kingdom of Christ and of God." -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_175">{175}</a></span> -<p> -There is no vice, my brethren, more common among men at the -present day in all classes of society, from the professional man -to the day-laborer, among the rich and the poor, the old and the -young, than that of obscene or immodest conversation. -</p> -<p> -Among the better educated this poison of impurity is clothed in -language which serves to veil its disgusting nudity, and thus the -more securely to insinuate itself and to deceive the unwary; -while among the less educated it is oftener expressed in words -that reveal its horrid filthiness and shock common decency. -</p> -<p> -Listen to the conversation of almost any chance gathering of -young men, and you will soon hear the double-meaning joke, the -attempt of some one to be witty, which serves as much to expose -the shallowness of his pate as the corruption and rottenness of -his miserable heart. -</p> -<p> -Holy Scripture says that "out of the fulness of the heart the -mouth speaketh." How true this is! But if one were to use this -criterion in judging the thoughts that fill the hearts of many -amongst us, how debased and pitiable must be their condition! -</p> -<p> -And how shocking it is, my dear brethren, to meet a young man -whose dress and manner at first give evidence of respectability -and good breeding, but who, when an immodest allusion is made or -an impure joke uttered, is the first to shout with laughter! Such -a one is well described by our Blessed Lord as "a whited -sepulchre? full of dead men's bones." -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_176">{176}</a></span> -<p> -And yet these whited sepulchres are not very rare in the -community. You meet them in every walk of life—in the -counting-room and in the factory, at the "respectable" club-room -as well as in the grog-shop, and alas! must we say it, among -Catholics as well as among non-Catholics. -</p> -<p> -Yes, among Catholics, who have been elevated to a supernatural -state through the merits and sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ; -whose hearts have been sealed by the grace of the Holy Spirit, -and on whose tongue the Body and Blood of our Lord has often been -placed—even these have dared to cherish in their hearts and -express with their tongues thoughts and sentiments that would -shock the moral sense even of the unregenerate. -</p> -<p> -Are they laboring under the incredible and awful delusion that -they commit no great sin when they entertain or give expression -to such thoughts? Do they think that they escape mortal sin when -their impurity is expressed in the form of a joke or a pun, or -when they by a laugh countenance and encourage the like impurity -in others? Ah! my dear brethren, it is to be feared that too many -consciences have been lulled to sleep by this cunning device of -the devil. -</p> -<p> -The first introduction to sin for many a one has been the -listening with pleasure to the double-meaning word uttered, -perhaps, by a companion, or while in the company of others. He -was then put on trial not by the devil alone, but by the one also -who uttered it. But the blush of modesty which rose instinctively -to his cheek from a pure heart was by an effort suppressed -through human respect, and the voice of conscience, that told him -to administer a rebuke to the minister of Satan or abandon his -company at once, was hushed into silence, and the demon of -impurity from that moment took possession. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_177">{177}</a></span> -<p> -Take warning, then, my dear brethren, from the words of St. Paul, -and never countenance by a laugh or in any other way any offence -against holy purity, in whatsoever form it may be expressed; "for -know ye that no unclean person hath any inheritance in the -kingdom of Christ and of God." -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon LI.<br><br> - - Honorary Church-members.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>He who is not with me is against me</i>.<br> - —Luke xi. 23. -</p> -<p> -Societies in our day, brethren, have become a great moral force, -the very best means of promoting and spreading any great cause. -Men recognize this fact, and so combine together, that by unity -of purpose they may better advance the principles they desire to -support. Many of these societies are made up of two distinct -classes—the active members, who are the bone and sinew, the life -of the institution, and the honorary members, who take no -personal interest in the management or working of the society, -but who, nevertheless, are good enough, or interested enough, to -advance the cause they honor by the support of their name. -</p> -<p> -You and I, brethren, belong to a society, the Catholic Church, -which embraces the whole world. We have in view one great -object—the salvation of souls, the spread of the kingdom of -Jesus Christ among men. But this society of ours, a real, living, -organic institution, differs from most others in this: that it -does not need the support of <i>honorary</i> members; neither -will it approve their existence in its bosom. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_178">{178}</a></span> -<p> -No, the church would have all her members living, active, earnest -supporters of her principles, and from them all she requires a -pledge that they will keep her laws, advance her ends, and fight -her battles for the kingdom she was established to uphold. She -will welcome no mere spectators to her ranks, and as for neutral -ground, she recognizes none; for those who are not with her are -against her. -</p> -<p> -And yet there are many who call themselves Christians, -<i>would-be honorary</i> members of the Catholic Church, who do -not even realize what the word Christian means; who seem to -forget that to be a Christian imposes the obligation of being at -war with all that is anti-Christian. An honorary membership for -such Christians is very convenient; a membership that would allow -them to be on good terms with Christ and Satan. The fasting and -praying, the vigils and good works, the real brunt of the battle -they would leave to the active members, while they would look on -with an encouraging smile of approval. -</p> -<p> -Ah! brethren, learn this lesson once for all and well: between -Christ and the world there can be no compromise. He who is not -with me is against me. There is no neutral ground, for the moment -we desert the Christian rank and file we give the hand of -fellowship to the enemy. We cannot serve two masters well, and in -the Catholic Church there is no membership worthy the name that -is not an active, complete membership. The drones of the hive may -nourish and thrive for a time, but let them remember they run the -awful risk of final destruction. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_179">{179}</a></span> -<p> -The question I would have you ask yourselves today, and meditate -upon during this holy season, is this: Are you active, living -members of the church, that mystical body of which Jesus Christ -is the head and the Holy Ghost the life-giving principle, or are -you simply <i>would-be honorary</i> members? Have you at heart -the interests of God's holy church; are her sorrows, her wants, -her trials yours? Are the sacraments she offers you the source -and support of your life? If so, you have reason to thank God. -</p> -<p> -Or are you standing afar off ready to give an approving nod when -the world smiles, or slink off like a coward when the world -frowns? Are the laws of the church irksome to you and so avoided? -If this be the case, you are nothing but dead limbs, and liable -to be cut off without a moment's warning from the living body, -for dead members are against, not with, the parent stem. -</p> -<p> -Would-be honorary members of the Catholic Church, beware of the -error of trying to give one hand to God and the other to the -devil; beware of the fallacy of thinking that because you are -outwardly connected with the church you cannot be lost—that hell -was never intended for Catholics; that, somehow or other, you -will come out all right in the end. That is what Judas thought -when with his sin-stained lips he kissed his Lord whom he had so -lately sold to the enemy. -</p> -<p> -Have you still the faith, then beware lest your want of charity -may bring on a want of faith. Have you still a conscience, beware -lest your frequent attempts to stifle it may extinguish it -altogether. If there be a spark of it left I beg of you stir it -up. Be in earnest, and at least let not this Lent pass without a -good confession and communion, the only condition on which you -can become active members of God's holy church. Put your heart in -the work and you will be happier for it here and certainly -happier hereafter. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_180">{180}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon LII.<br><br> - - Half-Hearted Christians.</h3> - - -<p class="cite"> - <i>He that is not with me is against me.</i><br> - —Gospel Of The Day. -</p> -<p> -These words, my dear brethren, like many others spoken by our -Blessed Lord, may be interpreted in various ways. They may be -understood to mean that he who is not with Christ, by being -united to his true flock, who does not belong to the one church -which he has founded, is injuring the cause of Christ, is -persecuting and hampering his church in its warfare against its -enemies; or, in other words, that Protestants and heretics in -general, zealous Christians though they may seem to be, are -really hurting Christianity about as much as they help it, if not -more. And it is plain enough to us that this is true. If there -had never been any heresies and schisms in the church, we cannot -doubt that there would have been now few nations not Christian. -</p> -<p> -But this, true though it may be, seems to have little practical -bearing for us. We are not heretics or schismatics, and I hope -that we have no inclination to be so. Still we must remember that -bad Catholics do about as much harm to the work of Christ and his -church in the world as heretics. In fact, there would never have -been any heretics had there not been bad Catholics to begin with. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_181">{181}</a></span> -<p> -But, after all, it does not seem that our Lord is speaking so -much of heretics, or of bad Catholics, when he says: "He that is -not with me is against me." For he goes on to tell us that "when -the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through -places without water, seeking rest; and not finding, he saith, I -will return to my house whence I came out; and when he is come, -he findeth it swept and garnished. Then he goeth, and taketh with -him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and entering in -they dwell there; and the last state of that man becomes worse -than the first." -</p> -<p> -The meaning of this is plain enough. It is that a man cannot give -up a bad life, and then remain betwixt and between, neither bad -nor good. His soul cannot stay empty, swept, and garnished. He -must keep the love of God in it; he must have good thoughts and -do good works, or the devil will come back, take possession of -the empty soul, and make it worse than it was before. -</p> -<p> -So this gives a new sense to the words, "He that is not with me -is against me." He that is not a real good Christian, trying to -live for the glory of God, and to do the work for which God has -put him in the world, will be a bad one before long, if he is not -already. We cannot lie low and shirk the duties which belong to -us as Christians and as Catholics. We must be God's servants, and -live in such a way as to be known as such, or we shall begin -again to serve his enemy. -</p> -<p> -Let us take an instance, and you will see well enough what I -mean. A young man or woman has been going with bad company, who, -though perhaps they call themselves Catholics, are a disgrace to -the name, and has joined with them in all their vile -conversations and sinful actions. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_182">{182}</a></span> -Now, too many of those who have been living in this way seem to -think that after their confession and communion they can go back -to this company and still avoid remark; that nobody will have -occasion to say that they are pious, or notice any change in -their life; that they can keep all right in God's sight, and also -in that of their bad companions; that they can avoid doing any -harm, and still do no good. -</p> -<p> -Let such remember these words: "He that is not with me is against -me." If you want to stay in the grace of God, you must hate sin, -and love virtue; and if you really do this your life and -conversation will show that such is the case. You must be a -friend of Christ and an enemy of the devil and of all his works, -and not only be willing but proud to be known as such; if you -will not do this our Lord will not have you or keep you. Choose, -then, which side you will take; do not fancy that you can take -neither. If you try to steer a middle course, and live an empty -and unprofitable life, neither one thing nor the other, you will -soon slip back just where you were before. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_183">{183}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Fourth Sunday of Lent.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - <i>Galatians iv.</i> 22-31.<br> -<br> - Brethren:<br> - It is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bond - woman, and the other by a free-woman: but he that was by the - bond-woman was born according to the flesh: but he by the - free-woman was by the promise. Which things are said by an - allegory: for these are the two testaments: the one indeed on - Mount Sina which bringeth forth unto bondage, which is Agar: - for Sina is a mountain in Arabia, which hath an affinity to - that which now is Jerusalem, and is in bondage with her - children. But that Jerusalem which is above, is free: which is - our mother. For it is written: "Rejoice, thou barren, that - bearest not: break forth and cry out, thou that travailest not; - for many are the children of the desolate, more than of her - that hath a husband"; now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the - children of promise. But as then he, that was born according to - the flesh, persecuted him that was according to the spirit: so - also now. But what saith the Scripture? "Cast out the bond - woman and her son: for the son of the bond-woman shall not be - heir with the son of the free-woman." Therefore, brethren, we - are not the children of the bond-woman, but of the free: by the - freedom wherewith Christ has made us free.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. John vi.</i> 1-15.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is that of Tiberias: - and a great multitude followed him, because they saw the - miracles which he did on them that were infirm. And Jesus went - up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_184">{184}</a></span> - Now the pasch, the festival day of the Jews, was near at hand. - When Jesus therefore had lifted up his eyes, and seen that a - very great multitude cometh to him, he said to Philip: Whence - shall we buy bread that these may eat? And this he said to try - him, for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him: - Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, - that every one may take a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, - the brother of Simon Peter, saith to him: There is a boy here - that hath five barley loaves, and two fishes; but what are - these among so many? Then Jesus said: Make the men sit down. - Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in - number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves: and when - he had given thanks he distributed to them that were sat down. - In like manner also of the fishes as much as they would. And - when they were filled, he said to his disciples: Gather up the - fragments that remain, lest they be lost. So they gathered up, - and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley - loaves, which remained over and above to them that had eaten. - Then those men, when they had seen what a miracle Jesus had - done, said: This is the prophet indeed that is to come into the - world. When Jesus, therefore, perceived that they would come - and take him by force and make him king, he fled again into the - mountain himself alone. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon LIII.<br><br> - - The Happiness Of True Penance.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Rejoice Jerusalem</i>.<br> - —Introit of the Mass for the Day. -</p> -<p> -This is called "Lætare, or rejoicing Sunday." It may surprise -you, dear brethren, to be told that this is a day of rejoicing; -you will be amazed, no doubt, that, in the midst of the rigorous -Lenten fast, when men should bewail their sins and do penance for -them, and sounds of mirth and joy are hushed, the church should -bid us rejoice. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_185">{185}</a></span> -Yet thus she does to-day. In mid-Lent even she would have her -children rejoice, would have them forget for the moment penance -and turn their hearts to thoughts of gladness, that, by so doing, -she may teach them that the rigors of this season, the -self-denial and curbing of the flesh she imposes on us, is -undergone that we may realize more fully the spirit of her -teaching—that we may, in truth, preserve, or get back if we -have lost it, that interior joy, that spiritual jubilation which -is the portion of every one who serves Christ as he should be -served. -</p> -<p> -Our religion is one of joy, because we are Christ's and he is -ours; and what more can we ask, or what greater can be bestowed -upon us, than the having of Christ; Christ, at once perfect man -and true God; Christ, whose life is the model of our lives, whose -grace is the source of all joy; Christ, to have whom is to have a -brother, and, at the same time, the eternal God; the God by whose -word were made all things that are, who knows no limit to his -power, who has in himself all perfections that man can desire or -conceive of; a brother—a man like ourselves, with a human heart -like our own, with affections like those of other men; a brother -burning with tender love for us, knowing our weakness, knowing -our wants and ready to succor us; a man who was himself tempted, -who has himself suffered the miseries of this life, who, in a -word, was made like to us in all save sin. This is whom we have -when we have Christ, and should we not rejoice at having such a -one? -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_186">{186}</a></span> -<p> -We should and do rejoice; our hearts are always full of gladness -when we are in God's grace, and Christ is ours and we are his; -and this is what the church wishes for all her children—the -friendship and the love of God. She ever has Christ herself, and -so is never sad; though she may mourn with him suffering, still -there is joy behind all her sorrow. -</p> -<p> -If she puts on sombre garments, if she calls man to penance, if -she fasts and covers her head with ashes, she is still glad in -the depths of her heart. She is calling you and me to share the -gladness, to get it back if we have lost it by mortal sin; she is -bidding you and me to keep that gladness by chastising our -bodies; she is warning us that we may lose God's grace, as, alas! -too many before us have lost it, unless we are vigilant. -</p> -<p> -Dear brethren, listen to the church's voice to-day; come, all of -you, come and share her joy. If you are not in God's grace do not -let another day go by without making your peace with God. Oh! how -much you are losing, and for what? For some trifling satisfaction -which cannot bring true happiness; some mean gratification of -your lower nature; for sin you are letting slip by the offer of -God's friendship and the joy of a good conscience. Do you want to -die as you are living? If you do not, repent of your sins to-day; -before you leave this church promise God that you will sin no -more; that you will be in fact what you are in name—a Christian. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_187">{187}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon LIV.<br><br> - - Liberty Of Spirit.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>By the freedom wherewith Christ has made us free.</i> -</p> -<p> -These, my dear brethren, are the concluding words of the Epistle -read at Mass to-day. They ought to be of unusual interest to us, -for they speak of a matter which we all care very much about; -which some care so much about that they are willing to fight for -it, and to die for its sake. -</p> -<p> -If you have listened to these words of St. Paul, which I have -just read, you know what this is of which I speak, and for which -we all care so much. It is freedom or, as we often call it, -liberty. Many, as I just said, will even die, if need be, rather -than abandon it; and indeed thousands, nay millions, have -actually done so. Man feels that he must have it. Life, liberty, -and the pursuit of happiness he claims as his right. -</p> -<p> -Especially do people nowadays ask for liberty, and insist on -having it. The child is no sooner out of his mother's arms than -he wants and tries in all things to have his own way. Obedience -is a lesson that he seldom willingly learns. He thinks that when -he is a man he can do as he pleases; and he does not see why he -should not even now. Sometimes he succeeds in having his own way, -in spite of his parents; he runs away from school and, when a -little older, from church; he passes his life among such -companions as he chooses, who help him to get the liberty which -they think they have themselves got, by defying all the laws of -God and of man. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_188">{188}</a></span> -<p> -But is this really liberty which these foolish children, and -young men and women more foolish than children, think they have -got by trampling on all law? No; a thousand times no! It is to -true liberty only as the shadow to the substance, as they find to -their cost before they have travelled very far on this road. They -have but escaped from a light and easy yoke to take on their -necks one far heavier and more grievous, and which becomes more -and more so every day. They have left the service of the kind and -good Master to whom they belonged and entered into that of a hard -and cruel tyrant instead. He has filled them with base and -beastly passions, and made them slaves to these passions. They -are given over, body and soul, to impurity, gluttony, or -drunkenness, or it may be to a mean and miserable greed for -money. At last, perhaps, they try to turn back and shake -themselves free from these accursed lusts, which have fastened on -them, and are draining the very life-blood from their souls; but -it seems that they cannot do so. They set out to do as they -pleased, and how has it ended? In their being bound, hand and -foot, in the slavery of sin. -</p> -<p> -But what was their mistake? Were they altogether wrong in wishing -for liberty? Is the desire for freedom, which is implanted in us, -all a delusion? Are we never to do as we desire, but always to -have a restraint and a yoke upon us? -</p> -<p> -No, my brethren, the idea of liberty is not a mistake. We are -right in wishing for liberty, hoping for it, and trying to secure -it in the right way. But the mistake these foolish people of whom -I have spoken make is in going the wrong way in the search for -it: in looking for it in the wrong place. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_189">{189}</a></span> -<p> -Where, then, is liberty to be found? I will tell you; and you may -be surprised at what I say, for it does not sound as if it could -be true; but it is true, nevertheless. True liberty, then, is in -the service of God. Those who serve God best are the freest men -on earth. -</p> -<p> -But how can this be? I answer, It can and must be very easily and -very plainly. For those who serve God best of all—that is, the -saints in heaven—always do just what they like, and enjoy doing -it most perfectly. They have got rid of all the hindrances that, -more or less, prevent every one here below from doing what he -wishes. -</p> -<p> -And, of course, those who try to walk in the path of the saints -here on earth also have much of this freedom. The more they learn -to do God's will the more they love it; and so they are always -doing more and more what they like, and more and more easily all -the time; and that is just what liberty is: to do what you like, -and to do it without pain or difficulty. -</p> -<p> -The servants of God, then, have their liberty, because they have -got free from sin, which is the only obstacle to it. And this -freedom from sin is the gift of Christ, it is the fruit of his -Passion; it is, then, the liberty which he has given us. It is -ours if we wish it. Try, then, my dear brethren, in this holy -season of Lent, when his graces are so abundantly poured out, to -gain that freedom which they will surely give us, that "freedom -wherewith. Christ has made us free." -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_190">{190}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon LV.<br><br> - - The Lust Of The Eyes.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness,<br> - but rather reprove them.<br> - For the things that are done by them in secret,<br> - it is a shame even to speak of.</i><br> - —Ephesians v. 11, 12. -</p> -<p> -Some weeks ago, my dear brethren, we had occasion to speak of the -horrible and filthy vice of impurity, which is every day dragging -into hell thousands of souls with the mark of the cross of Christ -on them, and washed in vain with his Precious Blood. As was said -then, many Christians do not seem to realize the enormity of sins -against the Sixth Commandment—at least those of thought and of -the tongue; to which may be added those coming from the use of -the other senses, especially that of sight. -</p> -<p> -An immodest imagination or desire, wilfully entertained or -enjoyed, is a mortal sin, and gives the soul so harboring it -instantly into the power of the devil. Let us hope that no one -having the Catholic faith will doubt this, or think it too strict -a doctrine; for it is the unanimous consent of all the teaching -authority in the church from the beginning, amply supported also -by Holy Scripture. What shall we say, then, of wilful and -deliberate gazing at immodest pictures, or of reading matter -directly calculated to inflame impure passions, and certain to -have its effect? -</p> -<p> -Now, I hardly need to say that a city like this is full of these -temptations coming through the eyes into the heart. The good and -pure instinctively avoid them, and scarcely know that they exist; -accustomed to watch the slightest movements of their souls to -evil, and instantly to repress them, they shrink with horror from -those filthy words and pictures on which others eagerly gaze. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_191">{191}</a></span> -They know that, as the Apostle says, it is a shame to speak of -these things, a greater shame to write or to read of them, a -greater shame yet to expose them to sight, to incite temptation -by them, and thus to destroy the souls for which Christ died. -</p> -<p> -I say that the good and pure are not likely to be caught in this -net of Satan; by this I mean those who have been warned of the -evil, who understand its danger, and from well-formed habits of -virtue set themselves resolutely against it. But there are others -who are good and pure—in their baptismal innocence, perhaps; -young, at any rate, and unused to sin, at least of this kind—who -are not forewarned and forearmed like those of maturer years, -who, seeing bad pictures in papers sold even at stores otherwise -of good repute, and kept, perhaps, by Catholics, do not fully -understand how bad they are, and are led to look at them with -pleasure, to learn evil which they knew not of, and thus to -contract habits of sin which they will never overcome. -</p> -<p> -Now, what does our Lord say of those who thus put temptation in -the way of the young and innocent? You all know his words: "He -that shall scandalize one of these little ones who believe in me, -it were better for him that a millstone should be hanged about -his neck, and that he should be drowned in the depth of the sea." -Strong words these, but they are those of the Divine Wisdom, and -beyond correction by human lips. Yes, it is better to die, better -even to die in the state of sin, than to add such a sin as this -to our number. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_192">{192}</a></span> -<p> -Let us beware, then, not in any way, however indirect, to give -sanction or encouragement to this work of the devil in our midst. -"Have no fellowship with these works of darkness, but rather -reprove them." Do not buy or even take up for a moment the -indecent papers or books now unfortunately so common among us; -still more, do not sell them; do not allow them to be in the -house; do not suffer your children to look at or read them; do -not frequent places where they are to be had. Set your faces -resolutely, for the honor of God and the Catholic name, as well -as for your own souls sake, against this plague of immodest -literature, which has assumed such fearful proportions and become -so bold and unblushing in these days in which we live. Think -nothing to be light or of little moment in this matter; mortal -sin is much easier in it than you may believe. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_193">{193}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Passion Sunday.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - <i>Hebrews ix.</i> 11-15.<br> -<br> - Brethren:<br> - Christ, being come a high-priest of the good things to come, by - a greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that - is, not of this creation: neither by the blood of goats, nor of - calves, but by his own blood, entered once into the Holies, - having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats - and of oxen, and the ashes of a heifer being sprinkled, - sanctify such as are defiled, to the cleansing of the flesh: - how much more shall the blood of Christ, who by the Holy Ghost - offered himself unspotted unto God, cleanse our conscience from - dead works, to serve the living God? And therefore he is the - mediator of the new testament: that by means of his death, for - the redemption of those transgressions, which were under the - former testament, they that are called may receive the promise - of eternal inheritance in Christ Jesus our Lord.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. John viii.</i> 46-59.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - Jesus said to the multitude of the Jews: - Which of you shall convince me of sin? If I say the truth to - you, why do you not believe me? He that is of God, heareth the - words of God. Therefore you hear them not, because you are not - of God. The Jews, therefore, answered and said to him: Do we - not say well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil? Jesus - answered: I have not a devil; but I honor my Father, and you - have dishonored me. But I seek not my own glory; there is one - that seeketh and judgeth. Amen, amen, I say to you: if any man - keep my word, he shall not see death for ever. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_194">{194}</a></span> - The Jews therefore said: Now we know that thou hast a devil. - Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest: If any man - keep my word, he shall not taste death for ever. Art thou - greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets - are dead. Whom dost thou make thyself? Jesus answered: If I - glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father that - glorifieth me, of whom you say that he is your God. And you - have not known him, but I know him. And if I shall say that I - know him not, I shall be like to you, a liar. But I do know - him, and do keep his word. Abraham your father rejoiced that he - might see my day; he saw it, and was glad. The Jews therefore - said to him: Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou - seen Abraham? Jesus said to them: Amen, amen, I say to you, - before Abraham was made, I am. They took up stones therefore to - cast at him. But Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon LVI.<br><br> - - The Precious Blood.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>The Blood of Jesus Christ his Son<br> - cleanseth us from all sin.</i><br> - —1 Epistle St. John i. 7. -</p> -<p> -We all know, my dear brethren, that when a man is born into the -world he is born <i>unclean</i> before God. He is then <i>so</i> -unclean that he is not fit to associate with the sons of God and -heirs of the kingdom of heaven. He is then so unclean that he can -never be anything but an outcast from God until he is made clean. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_195">{195}</a></span> -<p> -Is there any way in which he can be made clean? Yes, for when he -is baptized he is made a new creature; he is cleansed from the -stain of original sin, made a child of God and heir of the -kingdom of heaven. He is then so pure and holy that if he die -immediately he will go, to a certainty, straight to heaven. For -baptism applies the Blood of Christ to his soul, and he is become -truly clean. But suppose he does not die immediately after -baptism, how is it with him then? If he keep his baptismal -innocence, so far as never to commit a mortal sin, he still has a -right to go to heaven. He can then demand of God permission to -enter heaven. -</p> -<p> -Can he, however, demand this permission to enter heaven -immediately after his death if he has committed only venial sin? -That depends entirely upon his contrition at the moment of death. -If he is not so sorry for all his sins that his contrition is -[not] perfect, then he can't enter heaven immediately, but must -go to purgatory to be made perfectly pure, so that he can be -taken into heaven. -</p> -<p> -I have said that baptism applies the Blood of Christ to the soul -and makes man pure and innocent. Now, baptism is a sacrament. It -is the first one and is necessary to salvation. Without it no man -can enter heaven, nor even purgatory, for the purgatorial state -is the first and lowest state of blessed and holy souls who must -go to heaven in the end. But the blood of Christ is applied to -the soul of man in other ways, although baptism must come in in -the first place. -</p> -<p> -In what other ways is the Blood of Christ applied: -</p> -<p> -First, by the Sacrifice of the Mass. For by the Mass we repair -our sins, get grace to keep from sin, and make our purgatory -shorter in consequence. He who hears Mass daily makes the best -prayer that a man can make, and he is more certain to have his -prayer answered. He also helps the living and the dead, and -brings down upon himself and his own special graces from God. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_196">{196}</a></span> -<p> -Secondly, the Blood of Christ is applied to our souls by the -Sacrament of Penance. Men defile their souls by sin, by -<i>mortal</i> sin after baptism. He who receives the Sacrament of -Penance worthily—that is, with true sorrow for all mortal sin, -with a firm determination to lead a good life and repair the -wrong he has done—that man receives again the grace of God that -restores his soul to eternal life. -</p> -<p> -Thirdly, in Holy Communion we receive the Body and Blood of our -Lord Jesus Christ in a hidden manner, but in deed and in truth. -The consecrated Host is the eternal and ever-living God himself. -You know, my dear brethren, the strength of this divine food. How -it gives new energy to the soul, destroys the power of -concupiscence, banishes, or at least weakens, temptation, always -giving us the grace to hold our own against the world, the flesh, -and the devil. <i>And there are Catholics who refuse to make this -Communion once a year!</i> -</p> -<p> -But there is one thing that ought to be said here. A Catholic -ought never to consider as useless, or as almost useless, any one -of the sacraments. This too many do as regards confession. They -underrate it. They think, therefore, it is no good unless they -receive Communion every time they go to confession. Now this is a -grave error. One is <i>not</i> obliged to go to Communion every -time he goes to confession. Those who cannot go to Mass nor -Communion, on account of their business or employment or work -keeping them away, can at least go to confession very often -during the year. All such an one has to do is to prepare himself -carefully, step into the rector's house, make his confession, and -go on to work again. If he but make an arrangement with some one -of the priests he can always be heard at once. Frequent -confession is a wonderful help to a good life and a happy death. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_197">{197}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon LVII.<br><br> - - Christ's Passion.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Which of you shall convince me of sin?</i><br> - —John viii. 46. -</p> -<p> -To-day, dear friends, is Passion Sunday, and our long Lenten -pilgrimage is nearing its end. Heretofore our thoughts have been -on ourselves, our own shortcomings, our own sins. Now we stand, -as it were, on the hill overlooking the Holy City, and see before -us, as a map unrolled, the scene of our Redeemer's agony: -Bethany, the olive-garden of Gethsemani, and, further on, the -barren mount of Calvary, with its three crosses standing forth, -black and cruel, against the fair blue sky. -</p> -<p> -Now our thoughts turn from ourselves to our Lord. We have seen -what the effect of sin has been on us. Now we look and see, and -our shame should deepen as we see, what sorrow and tears and -agony it has brought on the eternal Son of God. -</p> -<p> -To-day the cross is veiled, the pictures are shrouded in -mourning, the "Gloria" ceases to be sung. So our sins covered our -dying Lord as with a garment, and sorrow chokes the voice of holy -church, fills her heart to overflowing, and stills all her songs -of praise. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_198">{198}</a></span> -<p> -What is this veil which obscures the cross of Jesus Christ and -makes his Passion of no effect? O dear brethren! is it not our -sins? What platted the crown of thorns, and drove those sharp -spikes deep into his sacred head? Our selfish pride. What sent -those nails through his hands and feet, fixing them to the tree -of shame? Our wicked deeds and our wanderings from the path of -duty. What parched his tongue with such burning thirst? Our -shameless indulgence in drink. What pointed the spear of the -impious Roman soldier, and hurled it deep into the Sacred Heart, -whence issued the red torrent of the Precious Blood? Our -inordinate appetites and sinful lusts. As often as we sin we -crucify our dearest Lord afresh. -</p> -<p> -"Which of you shall convince me of sin?" What more could I have -done for my vineyard which I have not done? I came down from -heaven; took upon myself the form of a servant, the likeness of -sinful flesh; set you a perfect example how you should walk; was -led as a lamb to the slaughter; was scourged, spit upon, mangled, -crucified; what could I have done more? Which of you shall -convince me of sin? Which of <i>you</i>, my brethren? How many -graces and blessings do you not owe to that crucified Lord? In -how many sore temptations have you not been defended and -strengthened? In how many bitter sorrows have you not been -comforted? From how many shameful falls have you not been raised -up? O Christian soul! for whom Christ died, look upon that -bleeding, suffering, dying Saviour, and, if nothing else will -move you, let those ghastly wounds, which your sins have made, -plead with you. Acknowledge your transgressions: abase yourself -in the very dust. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_199">{199}</a></span> -Let that sacred Passion plead with you, that infinite love plead -with you, that Precious Blood plead with you, those last tender -words plead with you, and teach you, for their sake and your -soul's sake, to love the Lord more dearly, to dread sin more -effectually, and never, as long as you live, to add to that heavy -burden by any wicked deed of yours. -</p> -<p> -So shall, a few days hence, the veil be lifted from the cross, -and our sorrow be turned to joy, for when the Lord of Glory shall -arise we too shall arise with him, and reign with him in glory -for evermore. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon LVIII.<br><br> - - Dangerous Companionship.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Walk circumspectly; not as unwise, but as wise.</i><br> - —Ephesians. v. 15-16. -</p> -<p> -To-day, my dear brethren, I propose to make a few remarks on the -dangerous occasions of impurity, so common in these times. -</p> -<p> -The danger of which I wish specially to speak is that which comes -from the familiar acquaintance which now exists to such a great -extent, and is taken so much as a matter of course, between young -persons of different sexes. This undue familiarity is too common -everywhere in this country; and more than anywhere else in a city -like that in which we live. Young women here with us, even though -they be Catholics, and good enough Catholics in some respects, -seem to forget, or rather never to begin to realize, the laws of -decorum and modesty which well-instructed persons, even though -not professing to be specially religious, have hitherto rightly -taken for granted. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_200">{200}</a></span> -<p> -To take a flagrant instance. A priest, being a man educated -according to the rules of respectable society, is unspeakably -surprised when he for the first time hears some young woman, -apparently of a careful conscience, ask him if it is a sin to -flirt. For what is this which is called flirting? It is simply -deliberately and wantonly acting in a way to attract the -attention of particular persons of the opposite sex, to make -signals which are to be understood as marks of preference for, or -of desire of acquaintance with, some young man or men whom she -may chance to see on the street. A sin to flirt! How can you ask -such a question? Why, outwardly and at the first appearance, the -act is not very different from that of an abandoned woman seeking -to attract those whom she thinks will notice her. The intention, -of course, in your minds is often comparatively harmless, it is -true; but by outward standards the act is simply disreputable. -Furthermore, it shows a feeling which any lady, really worthy of -the name, would hesitate to show even to one whose character she -well knew to be good, and who had for a long time given to her -respectful and proper attentions. A woman or girl who flirts -seems to be, if she is not in reality, lost to all sense of -decency; and those are almost as much so who shamelessly walk at -night up and down the avenues in the hope of attracting -attention. -</p> -<p> -This seeking to form unknown acquaintances of the opposite sex or -to attract special attention among them is, then, a thing which -no Catholic girl should think of, if she has any sense of shame. -But when such acquaintances are formed by an introduction in -itself proper, they should be very carefully considered. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_201">{201}</a></span> -For a young woman to make one of the other sex her friend or -familiar companion, as she well may one of her own, is a thing -which should be unheard of. She should have but one such friend, -and he should be one who has acted honorably to her by proposing -to her to take the honorable part of her husband, and whom she -has before God and in her conscience felt to be worthy, and -accepted by a binding engagement. Before that, and to all other -men, politeness with proper and modest reserve should be the -constant rule, affection and familiarity out of the question. And -yet we find girls keeping company, as it is called, and that -without any sort of serious guarantee of the purposes of the -other party, not only with one after another, but even with more -than one at once. -</p> -<p> -For the reasons, plain enough, on which these directions rest, -promiscuous assemblies of both sexes, such as those to be found -at certain gatherings, now unfortunately so popular, are full of -danger, and had far better in all cases be avoided. A freedom of -manners prevails in them—to say nothing of direct temptations to -the senses—and an ease of making acquaintance, which opens a -free door to sin. I do not wish to be too severe, but, as a rule, -I do say, leave such places alone. Young women, respect -yourselves; demand the respect of others. There is the moral in a -nutshell. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_202">{202}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Palm Sunday.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - <i>Philippians ii.</i> 5-11.<br> -<br> - Brethren:<br> - Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who - being in the form of God, thought it not robbery himself to be - equal with God: but debased himself, taking the form of a - servant, being made to the likeness of men, and in shape found - as a man. He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, - even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath exalted - him, and hath given him a name which is above every name: that - in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are - in heaven, on earth, and in hell. And that every tongue should - confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the - Father.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Matthew xxvii.</i> 62-66.<br> -<br> - And the next day, which followed the day of preparation, the - chief priests and the Pharisees came together to Pilate, - saying: Sir, we have remembered that that seducer said, while - he was yet alive: After three days I will rise again. Command - therefore the sepulchre to be guarded until the third day: lest - his disciples come and steal him away, and say to the people, - He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse - than the first. Pilate said to them: You have a guard; go, - guard it as you know. And they departing, made the sepulchre - sure with guards, sealing the stone. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_203">{203}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon LIX.<br><br> - - Hardness Of Heart.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>To-day if you shall hear his voice,<br> - harden not your hearts. </i> -</p> -<p> -These words, my dear brethren, are taken from the beginning of -the office recited by the clergy on this and the following days, -up to Holy Thursday. They entreat us not to let this time, -precious above all others, go by without making the use of it -which our Lord means that we should make; not to let him show his -love for us without giving him love in return. -</p> -<p> -"Harden not your hearts." How is it that we harden our hearts? It -is by putting off our repentance; by clinging to the world and -its pleasures, to the gratification of our sinful passions, and -waiting for some time to come when it will be more convenient to -give them up, or when we shall feel more strongly moved to do so. -We think that this time will surely come, that the stream of -God's graces will be uninterrupted, and that when necessity urges -we can avail ourselves of the one that happens to be then within -our reach as easily as we could have done of the many that went -by long ago. -</p> -<p> -But, my brethren, this is a great and a terrible mistake. It may -be, indeed, that God in his goodness and mercy has many graces -yet in store for us equal in themselves to those which we have -had; but if we have despised and neglected the past ones they -will not be the same for us as those were which went before, -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_204">{204}</a></span> -A word of warning, a single prayer, the sight of the crucifix or -of our Blessed Mother, a pious picture, an Agnus Dei, is enough -to move the innocent soul of a child to the love of God; the most -powerful mission-sermon often fails to make any impression on one -who has spent his life in sin. It is not the grace that is -wanting on God's part. No, he is there in his power; his arm is -not shortened; he is still mighty to save. But his voice seems to -the deaf ear of the sinner faint and indistinct; his message is -the same old story. Yes, it is the same old story; it must be the -same, for there is but one. There is but one name under heaven -whereby we can be saved, only one Gospel which we can preach, and -the sinner has heard it so often with indifference that its -interest is gone. -</p> -<p> -Then—most dangerous delusion of all—he comforts himself with -the hope that at least he will die in the grace of God; that -somehow or other he will, as he passes from life to death, be -brought from death to life. He forgets that the sacraments were -not given to give repentance to the sinner; no, they have for -their object to give pardon and grace to those who have repented. -Do you think it is of the slightest use to anoint with oil the -senses of a man who lies unconscious, and who has not, while he -had the use of his mind, turned really and truly away in his -heart from his sinful life? The priest does it, indeed, in hopes -that he may have repented; but how faint is that hope for those -who have suddenly been stricken down! And even if there is more -time; even if some sort of confession can be made, is it so sure -that the hardened heart, which has all its life loved and clung -to its sins, will now love God and hate sin? God's mercy is -great, it is true; he may now give extraordinary graces, but he -is not bound to do so; and if the ordinary ones have failed -before they may also fail now. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_205">{205}</a></span> -<p> -Yes, my brethren, now is the time—a better time than your last -hour. Now in this Passion season the Precious Blood of Christ is -flowing more freely for you than you can expect ever to find it -again. Listen to his voice now; do not wait till it becomes -fainter. If you have not spent Lent well so far, come now and -make the most of the help so abundantly given you in these holy -days. Harden not your hearts any longer; it is a dangerous game -to play. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon LX.<br><br> - - Spirit Of Holy Week.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Think diligently upon him that endured such opposition<br> - from sinners against himself.</i><br> - —Hebrews. xii. 3. -</p> -<p> -The week which we this Sunday enter upon, my dear brethren, is -called Holy Week; and of all the many sacred seasons which the -church has set apart, this is by far the most solemn and sacred. -Everything which it is within the power of external rites and -ceremonies to do has been done by the church in these services, -in order to bring home to her children the great lesson which -this holy season should teach. And while it is true that the -church has not made attendance obligatory under pain of mortal -sin, yet it would argue a very poor and ungrateful spirit, and -one but little in accordance with that of the church, if any one -should without good reason neglect to be present. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_206">{206}</a></span> -<p> -Now, what is the truth which these services have it for their -object to impress upon our minds? No other than that fundamental, -distinctive truth—the Passion and death of Christ, its reason -and effects. The church this week excludes from commemoration -everything else, and applies herself exclusively to tracing the -steps of her Lord and Founder from his entry into Jerusalem in -the midst of acclamations and rejoicings, to the entombment of -his dead and blood-stained body in the sepulchre of Joseph of -Arimathea. Now, every one must have, necessarily has, in these -events the greatest interest—an interest which surpasses every -other. -</p> -<p> -And, first, as to those who are in the habit of going frequently -to the sacraments, who understand their great value, and find in -these means of grace their chief consolation in the midst of the -troubles and cares which surround them. For these the -commemoration of the Passion and death of Christ can not but be -profitable. The author of "The Following of Christ" tells us that -we ought not to consider so much the gift of the lover as the -love of the giver. And we all know that we esteem the trifling -present made by a dear friend more than much more costly things -which we have ourselves bought or earned. Now, the sacraments are -not merely inestimable treasures in themselves; they are also -tokens and pledges of the love of Him who instituted them, bought -by him at the cost of his own most Precious Blood, given to us to -show us his love to us. Every time a man goes to confession, -every time he receives Holy Communion, he is receiving that which -was instituted and established and bestowed upon him out of love; -and if he wishes to know how great that love was he ought to have -a lively sense of what it cost our Lord to merit those graces for -us—namely, his bitter Passion and death. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_207">{207}</a></span> -<p> -But there are many who neglect the sacraments, who come to them -but seldom, perhaps only to their Easter Communion; perhaps not -even to that. What is to be thought of those who act in this way? -Certainly, however smart and keen and intelligent they may be, or -fancy themselves to be, in lower matters which are nearer to them -and fall beneath their senses—in money-getting, in trade, in -art, in literature—such men show but little sense and -understanding about things which are of real importance and -value. In what way may these duller and obtuser minds learn to -appreciate these higher things? Certainly the price given for a -thing by a prudent man is a good means of learning what it is -worth. Now, if those who neglect the sacraments, who make but -little of them, would during this week apply themselves to the -consideration of the price paid by our Lord for those sacraments, -I have but little doubt that they would be led to form a truer -notion of their value and importance. -</p> -<p> -I wish I could conclude without alluding to another class which, -though I trust it is not numerous, yet does exist—I mean those -who do not neglect the sacraments, but those who do worse: who -profane them. Those who make bad confessions, who conceal mortal -sins, who have no sorrow for their sins and no purpose of -amendment, who make the infinite mercy and goodness of God a -reason and pretext for wallowing in vice and sin—what shall be -said of these? -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_208">{208}</a></span> -We know that our Lord is reigning now gloriously in heaven; that -nothing which we can do can cause him loss or pain; yet it is -also true that those who act in this way do all that lies in -their power to trample under foot that Precious Blood which was -shed for them. But while there is life there is hope, and if even -those would devote this week to meditation on the Passion of our -Lord, they might form a just estimate of what their souls cost -our Lord, and turn to him while there is yet time. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_209">{209}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Easter Sunday.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - 1 <i>Corinthians v.</i> 7, 8.<br> -<br> - Brethren:<br> - Purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new mass, as you - are unleavened. For Christ, our pasch, is sacrificed. Therefore - let us feast, not with the old leaven, nor with the leaven of - malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of - sincerity and truth.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Mark xvi.</i> 1-7.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - Mary Magdalen, and Mary the mother of James and Salome, bought - sweet spices, that coming they might anoint Jesus. And very - early in the morning, the first day of the week, they come to - the sepulchre, the sun being now risen. And they said one to - another: Who shall roll us back the stone from the door of the - sepulchre? And looking, they saw the stone rolled back, for it - was very great. And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a - young man sitting on the right side, clothed with a white robe: - and they were astonished. And he said to them: Be not - affrighted; ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified: he is - risen, he is not here; behold the place where they laid him. - But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you - into Galilee; there you shall see him as he told you. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_210">{210}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon LXI.<br><br> - - Easter Joy.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Hæc dies, quam fecit Dominus:<br> - Exultemus, et lætemur in ea.</i><br> - —Psalm cxvii. 24.<br> - [USCCB: Psalm cxviii. 24.]<br> -<br> - "<i>This is the day which the Lord hath made:<br> - Let us be glad and rejoice in it.</i>" -</p> -<p> -So sings the Psalmist. So sings the church today in Holy Mass, -and every Christian heart beats with the response: "Let us be -glad and rejoice." -</p> -<p> -A happy Easter, then, to you all, my dear brethren! A happy -Easter to the old, to whom, in the natural course of things, many -returns of this blessed day cannot come! A happy Easter to the -young, rejoicing in all the freshness and vigor of youth, and -confidently looking forward to many renewals of Easter joys! A -happy Easter to the rich, upon whom God has bestowed an abundance -of worldly goods! And a thrice happy Easter to God's own special -friends, the poor! Thus holy church bids all be glad and rejoice, -for to-day Christ is risen, the Saviour of us all. -</p> -<p> -The joy of Easter, my dear brethren, like that of Christmas, is -all-pervading. We feel it in the air we breathe, we see it in the -sparkling eye and radiant countenance of the child. The quick and -hearty salutation of our friends, "A happy Easter to you!" -increases our own joy, for we perceive that all about us are -sharers with us in this great gift of the risen Christ. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_211">{211}</a></span> -<p> -But the joy of Easter differs from that of Christmas in this: -that the latter brings to us the glad tidings of the coming of -the true King, the strong and valiant leader of the mighty host -of Israel, and our hearts leap with joy as we go forth, with -buoyant step and strengthened arm, and fight the great battle of -life. Easter joy is the joy of victory, for our gallant Leader, -the strong Son of God, has gone before; he has overcome the -enemy, and death is swallowed up in victory. -</p> -<p> -Yes, Christ has fought the battle and won. But there remains for -us a battle to be fought, but not an uncertain one; for we have -received virtue from the victory of Christ, and by following him -faithfully, by keeping our eye fixed steadily on the banner of -Christ—the banner of the cross—our victory, too, is certain. -</p> -<p> -This, then, is why Easter time gladdens the heart of every true -Christian, for it brings with it the assured hope of final -victory over sin, which is the sting of death, by a glorious -resurrection. -</p> -<p> -But, my dear brethren, mid all these rejoicings may there not be -some poor soul among us who does not participate in the joys of -Easter time? Some soul for which Christ on Good Friday poured -forth the last drop of his Sacred Blood, but which to-day finds -itself estranged, nay, even in a hostile attitude towards its -only true friend? Oh! would to God there were not even one such -ungrateful soul in the whole world. But, alas! I fear there are -many upon whom our loving Saviour, the risen Christ, must look -this day as his declared enemies; some wretched souls over whom -hangs the thick, black cloud of mortal sin, unrepented and -unforgiven, and through which the bright rays of God's infinite -love cannot penetrate. Yet even these need not despair; the joys -of Easter time may still be theirs, for the same loving and -sword-pierced Heart of Jesus is still ready to be reconciled with -them. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_212">{212}</a></span> -Oh! if there be such a one present here this morning let him take -courage, come at once to the tribunal of penance, become one of -the friends of the risen Christ, and share with us the joys of -Easter. -</p> -<p> -And those who have been, but are no longer, strangers to God's -grace, persevere, I exhort you, during the short space of this -life in the friendship of our crucified Lord, and yours, too, -will, like his, be a glorious resurrection. -</p> -<p> -Let us, then, my dear brethren, on this happy Easter day elevate -our hearts to God in humble thanksgiving for all his benefits, -and let us unite with the holy church in the prayer of the office -for to-day. God! who, through thine only-begotten Son, hast on -this day overcome death and opened unto us the gate of -everlasting life, we humbly beseech thee that, as by thy special -grace preventing us, thou dost put into our minds good desires, -so by thy continued help we may bring the same to good effect. -Through the same our Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son, who liveth and -reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, -world without end. Amen. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon LXII.<br><br> - - Easter And The Love Of God.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>This is the day which the Lord hath made:<br> - let us be glad and rejoice therein.</i><br> - —Psalm. cxvii. 24.<br> - [USCCB: Psalm cxviii. 24.] -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_213">{213}</a></span> -<p> -Familiar words these, my brethren, and for ever associated in our -minds with this greatest of all Christian festivals. Frequently -on this day and through its octave does the church repeat them to -us; they sound now continually in our ears. And no doubt they -find some echo in our hearts. Yes, we are glad, we do rejoice; -surely no one who can call himself a Christian could hear unmoved -the outburst of our triumph and exultation yesterday as the -"Gloria in Excelsis" was intoned in the Mass, telling us that the -lion of Juda has conquered, that God has arisen and that his -enemies are scattered, that he has put death and hell under his -feet. For the moment at least we would say with St. Paul: "O -death! where is thy victory? O death! where is thy sting? Thanks -be to God, who hath given us the victory through our Lord Jesus -Christ." -</p> -<p> -But as the newness, the freshness of the Easter joy and triumph -passes away, does not another feeling come and mingle with it? A -feeling of awe, almost of dread, comes upon us, like that terror -which came upon the guards at the sepulchre as they saw the angel -who rolled away the stone, of whom St. Matthew says that his -countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow; -like that fear which came even on the holy women as they saw the -two angels in shining apparel standing at the empty tomb; and -upon the Apostles themselves when Jesus stood in their midst soon -after; for the evangelist tells us that they were troubled and -frighted, in spite of his words giving them peace and telling -them not to be afraid. -</p> -<p> -Indeed, I think there was no one of those who saw our risen Lord, -except his glorious and Blessed Mother, whose love was so perfect -that it quite cast out this fear. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_214">{214}</a></span> -And still more is it in our poor and imperfect hearts; we cannot -shake it off. How many are there of us, unless, indeed, those -innocent ones who have not yet known what sin is, who, if this -were really and truly the morning of the resurrection, and the -risen one could be seen by those who should seek him, would arise -gladly and run to meet him, and fall in loving adoration at his -feet? -</p> -<p> -If we can in our inmost heart feel that we would, we have reason -indeed to be glad and rejoice to-day. But to feel so there must -be something in us besides that thrill of triumph and of victory -which overpowers us as the splendor of the resurrection first -breaks upon our souls. There must be a true, fervent, and deep -love of the God who to-day comes so near to us; a hatred from the -bottom of our hearts and souls of all that in the least degree -separates us from him; there must be, beside faith, also hope and -charity, such as the saints have had—that hope which knows that -he loves us and has forgiven us, that charity which would make us -die sooner than offend him again. And these we have not because -of our sins. -</p> -<p> -Yes, it is sin which casts the shadow on our Easter; it is the -love and affection for it which still remains in us; it is that -compromising spirit which is even at our best times holding us -back, keeping us from fully loving, trusting, and giving -ourselves up to God, for fear that we might lose something by -doing so; it is this that makes us afraid to approach him and to -share in his joy. As for mortal sin, that, of course, takes the -happiness of Easter away altogether; to one who is in its -darkness the thought of meeting God brings, and can bring, no -thought of joy. But even venial sin brings its dread with it, too. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_215">{215}</a></span> -And what is the remedy for this dread? It is very simple. It is -only to try now to begin to love with our whole hearts him who -has loved us, and given his life for us; whose delight is to be -with us and to have us come to him; to keep nothing back from -him—in short, to live here in our feeble measure the life we -hope to live in heaven. This is the way, and the only way, for us -to enter now as we would wish into the joy of our Lord. - -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon LXIII.<br><br> - - The Triumph Of Christ.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>This is the day which the Lord hath made:<br> - let us rejoice and be glad in it. </i><br> - —Psalm. cxvii. 24.<br> - [USCCB: Psalm cxviii. 24.] -</p> -<p> -The festival of Easter is, above all things, my brethren, a day -of joy. Just as we love the sunshine more after days of cloud and -tempest, so also is our joy keener and more intense when it -follows sorrows. -</p> -<p> -It is for this reason that the joy of Easter is greater than that -of Christmas, or of any other season of the Christian year. For -we have been passing through a time of sorrow. We have beheld in -Passion-tide our dearest Lord in suffering. We have beheld him as -the King of Martyrs, worthy of the title, because his pains were -so far in excess of anything that mere man has ever suffered or -could ever suffer. We have seen him in his agony in the garden, -when the sins of the whole world and of all time were presented -to his vision and pressed heavily upon him, filling his Sacred -Heart with deepest grief. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_216">{216}</a></span> -We have called to mind his betrayal by his trusted friend and -disciple; his arraignment before impious and unjust judges; his -cruel condemnation and death. Despised and rejected by his own -chosen people whom he had come to save, a robber and murderer -preferred before him, we have beheld him abandoned to the -tortures of the heathen soldiers, scourged, and spit upon, and -crowned with thorns, and finally led forth to die a malefactor's -death upon the cross. -</p> -<p> -And worse than all is the thought that he was forsaken by those -whom he held most dear, those whom he had chosen to be his -special friends and disciples, and who had been his constant -companions in his public ministry. They all forsook him and fled, -leaving him to die. -</p> -<p> -Then we have followed him along the sorrowful way of the cross; -we have meditated deeply upon his three last hours of agony; we -have almost heard his deep, expiring groan as he rendered up his -soul to the hands of his Father. -</p> -<p> -Now, if we have thus learnt well the lessons of Passion-tide, the -joy of Easter will come to us in all its fulness. If we have -pondered well the depth of humiliation to which our Lord -subjected himself in his death upon the cross, we shall well -realize the greatness of his triumph to-day. The joy that filled -the hearts of the Apostles, of the holy women, and, above all, -the Immaculate Heart of our Blessed Lady when they knew that the -Lord had risen indeed will be ours to-day, and we shall cry out -in the words which the church puts into our mouths: "This is the -day which the Lord hath made: let us rejoice and be glad in it": -for "the Lord is my strength and my praise, and is become my -salvation." Therefore, to-day the voice of praise and of -salvation "is in the dwellings of the just throughout the world." -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_217">{217}</a></span> -<p> -"For the right hand of the Lord hath wrought strength"; the right -hand of the Lord—that is, his almighty power—has raised up -Jesus from the dead. He has risen glorious and triumphant, and in -his glory and triumph all mankind are sharers. For by his -resurrection he has overcome death and opened unto us the gates -of everlasting life. He has triumphed over sin, which brought -death into the world, and which was the cause of his death. His -resurrection, therefore, means our deliverance from sin and -death, and is a pledge to us of that life which he will give to -his faithful ones. -</p> -<p> -Surely, then, we can have no greater cause for rejoicing than -this. Pray, then, my brethren, that your hearts may be filled -with the true spirit of Easter joy. "Ask and you shall receive, -that your joy may be full; and your joy no man shall take from -you." -</p> -<hr> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_218">{218}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Low Sunday.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - 1 <i>St. John v.</i> 4-10.<br> -<br> - Dearly beloved:<br> - Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world; and this is the - victory which overcometh the world, our faith. Who is he that - overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the - Son of God? This is he that came by water and blood, Jesus - Christ; not in water only, but in water and blood. And it is - the spirit that testifieth, that Christ is the truth. For there - are three that give testimony in heaven, the Father, the Word, - and the Holy Ghost. And these three are one. And there are - three that give testimony on earth: the spirit, the water, and - the blood, and these three are one. If we receive the testimony - of men, the testimony of God is greater. For this is the - testimony of God, which is greater, because he hath testified - of his Son. He that believeth in the Son of God, hath the - testimony of God in himself.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. John xx.</i> 19-31.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - When it was late that same day, being the first day of the - week, and the doors were shut, where the disciples were - gathered together for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in - the midst, and said to them: Peace be to you. And when he had - said this, he showed them his hands, and his side. The - disciples therefore were glad when they saw the Lord. And he - said to them again: Peace be to you. As the Father hath sent - me, I also send you. When he had said this he breathed on them; - and he said to them: Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whose sins you - shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose you shall - retain, they are retained. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_219">{219}</a></span> - Now Thomas, one of the twelve, who is called Didymus, was not - with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said - to him: We have seen the Lord. But he said to them: Unless I - shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my - finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into his - side, I will not believe. And after eight days his disciples - were again within, and Thomas with them. Jesus cometh, the - doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said: Peace be to - you. Then he saith to Thomas: Put in thy finger hither, and see - my hands; and bring hither thy hand, and put it into my side; - and be not incredulous, but faithful. Thomas answered, and said - to him: My Lord, and my God. Jesus saith to him: Because thou - hast seen me, Thomas, thou hast believed; blessed are they that - have not seen, and have believed. Many other signs also did - Jesus in the sight of his disciples, which are not written in - this book. But these are written that you may believe that - Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God: and that believing you may - have life in his name. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon LXIV.<br><br> - - How To Use God's Gifts.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>If ye be risen with Christ,<br> - seek those things which are above,<br> - where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.</i><br> - —Epistle to Colossians. iii. 1. -</p> -<p> -The feast of to-day, my dear brethren, brings to a close the -solemnities of Easter; and it was the practice, in the early ages -of the church, for those who had been baptized on Holy Saturday -to put off, on this day, the white garments which they then -assumed, and to resume again their accustomed occupation. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_220">{220}</a></span> -The white garments were but an external sign of that internal -purity and cleanliness which the soul received in the waters of -Holy Baptism, and the soul, thus purified and strengthened by -God's grace, went boldly forth to the battle-field of life, to -meet again its three great and deadly enemies: the world, the -flesh, and the devil. So we, who, during the penitential season -just closed, have faithfully observed the laws of holy church, -and, by fasting, have brought the flesh under subjection to the -spirit; by foregoing our accustomed pleasures and amusements have -brought the world under our feet, and, by a good confession and -Communion, have again enlisted in the ranks of Christ, and thus -declared ourselves eternal enemies of sin and the devil, start -again to-day with renewed strength to follow our Leader, the -risen Christ, to certain victory. -</p> -<p> -St. Paul, in the Epistle from which the text is taken, reminds -the Christians at Colossa that, if they be risen with Christ, -their thoughts must now be turned to where Christ is—sitting at -the right hand of God. "Mind the things that are above," he -continues, "not the things that are upon the earth; for you are -dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." -</p> -<p> -O brethren! would that Catholics did but realize this great -truth! Would that their thoughts and affections were directed -towards their eternal destiny! Absorbed, as they are, in the -sordid pursuits of this life, they cannot be too often reminded -that we are here only on trial. An almighty and merciful God has, -with a lavish hand, surrounded us with the means of gratifying -our reasonable desires and appetites. But, alas! the very gifts -of God serve not unfrequently to make us forget the Giver. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_221">{221}</a></span> -Look around you and see what is the object for which this noisy, -bustling world is striving; what the end for which most men seem -to exist. The fact is, brethren, that Mammon, the heathen god of -riches, has disputed Christ's sovereignty over the hearts of men, -and has actually erected his altar in those very hearts where the -grace of Christ once reigned. The only conception men seem to -have of this present life is this: that it is a place where we -are to strive to become wealthy in the shortest possible time, -without being over scrupulous as to the means, and then to retire -from active pursuits, the better to indulge our sensual -appetites. They thus invert the order of Divine Providence, and -make an end of that which was intended only as a means to enable -us to attain our eternal destiny. -</p> -<p> -Everything in this world, my dear brethren, was intended by God -for our happiness here and as a pledge of an eternal and -infinitely greater happiness hereafter. It is a great mistake to -suppose that Christianity requires us to ignore these wonderful -gifts of a kind Providence, and to forego all the pleasures of -this life. No, not at all! Indeed, we are absolutely obliged to -make use of many of them if we would maintain our very existence. -</p> -<p> -God acts towards us as a kind and affectionate father acts -towards his child. The father knows that his child loves him, and -he feels confident that the little presents he makes the child -from time to time will only serve to strengthen the fond -affection which nature has implanted between them. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_222">{222}</a></span> -<p> -But what would you think if those gifts of the kind father served -only to estrange from him the heart of his child? You would, -undoubtedly, say that such a state of things was unnatural. Well, -so it is, my dear brethren, with us, who, after all, are only -children of an older growth. God, our Creator and Father, has -given us life and all the things in this beautiful universe to -enjoy. And all he asks in return is our love—our hearts. But, -remember, he is not satisfied with an imperfect and partial love. -He is a jealous God, and will allow no one to share our hearts -with him. So that when men fix their affections on the things of -this world without referring them to God, and use these gifts -without regard to the Giver, they too are acting in an unnatural -or, at least, in an irrational manner. Give your whole heart to -God, brethren, and then you will enjoy his gifts, and, as St. -Paul says, "When Christ shall appear, who is your life, then you -also shall appear with him in glory." -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon LXV.<br><br> - - The Christian's Peace.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Jesus came, and stood in the midst, and said to them:<br> - Peace be to you. And when he had said this,<br> - he showed them his hands and his side.<br> - The disciples, therefore,<br> - were glad when they saw the Lord.<br> - He said therefore to them again:<br> - Peace be to you.</i><br> - —Gospel of the Day. -</p> -<p> -He stood in their midst. To-day he stands in the midst of us and -utters the self-same words, "Peace be unto you." And he shows us -his hands and his side, and we are glad. And again he says, -"Peace be unto you." -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_223">{223}</a></span> -<p> -To be at peace with the world is the aim of many men. But to have -one's life run smoothly on, to be hindered neither here nor -there, to be always in the sunshine and never in the shadow, may -bring us peace and gladness, but not the peace and gladness that -our Lord would impart. For after his words of gentle salutation -he showed them his hands and his side impressed with the -wound-prints of his Passion, as if to say: "The peace which I -wish you is that which comes after strife, conflict, and sorrow; -that peace which is the rest and the reward for labor and -endurance." -</p> -<p> -Yes, dear friends, ours is to strive, to contend with self, with -a nature that is fallen, with a proneness to evil, with desires -that are selfish and carnal. To contend with the world, to -disavow its principles, not to listen to its temptations; to -realize and to confess that pleasure, success, ease, money, fame, -are not the objects for which a noble soul must seek, but that -God is our true end, and that mortification and self-denial, the -cross, are the true means to arrive at that end, the way to come -to union with God. -</p> -<p> -To be at peace with the world; yes, I admit that it is a thing to -be desired, but only so that we are at peace with Almighty God, -too. And how is that peace gained? Only by the keeping of his -law. At peace with the world, because the world cannot disturb -one at peace with God; this is the Christian's life. But so great -a boon is not gained without a strife, as the joy of Easter is -not till the sorrow of the Passion has passed. -</p> -<p> -Our duty, then, dear brethren, is to strive, and to keep the law -of God, that first law written on our hearts, that law which he -has given to us both by his words and by his life on earth, and -which he still repeats to us through his holy church. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_224">{224}</a></span> -<p> -Foolish, indeed, are we above all others if our Easter joy is -only that of the worldling, and our peace that which the world -gives. This is not the peace that comes after looking at his -hands and his side; not the joy that the disciples felt as they -gazed on the risen Saviour, who stands to-day here in our midst, -as he did among those his first followers, and says to us, as he -said to them, "Peace be to you." -</p> -<p> -We may have that peace, my brethren, if we are willing to obtain -it and to deserve it as they did. We shall have it descend upon -us, if, while we gaze at his hands and his side, we are conscious -that we have indeed shared his Passion and cross. May indeed be -ours this peace of God, which shall keep our hearts and minds in -Christ Jesus. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon LXVI.<br><br> - - True And Lasting Peace.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them:<br> - "Peace be to you."</i><br> - —From the Gospel of the Sunday. -</p> -<p> -Peace be to you! This is our Lord's Easter blessing, thrice -repeated in the Gospel of to-day; and a blessing which all his -faithful may obtain. And it is the one for which we are -continually seeking, each in his own way, but which we can find -nowhere but with him who to-day offers it to us. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_225">{225}</a></span> -<p> -What is this peace? Is it freedom from conflict? Is the Christian -to have no battle to fight, no enemy to overcome? No, surely our -Lord does not promise us such an easy road to heaven as this. "Do -not think," he says, "that I came to send peace upon earth; I -came not to send peace, but the sword." We must make up our -minds, for the sake of the Christian faith, to sustain not only -the assaults of the devil and of our own evil passions, but also -the opposition of those who should be our friends. "A man's -enemies," our Saviour goes on to say, "shall be they of his own -household." -</p> -<p> -In this sense, then, we cannot hope for peace in this world. No, -our lot must be, if we have really enlisted in Christ's army, -that of all soldiers: war, and its turmoil. As St. Paul says it -was for himself so must it be for us: "combats without, fears -within." Struggles for our temporal life; for God has said to -Adam our father, and in him to us his children: "In the sweat of -thy face shalt thou eat bread "; struggles far more terrible and -momentous for our spiritual life, against flesh and blood, also -"against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the -world of this darkness," in which a single slip may mean eternal -ruin, a single wound instant death. -</p> -<p> -Where, then, is our peace in this inevitable war, this contest -which demands all the energies of our body and soul? What peace -can we have while its issue is still uncertain, its events yet -unknown? Surely it seems a mockery for our Lord to say, "Peace be -to you," when he sends us not peace, but war and its alarms. -</p> -<p> -But it is not a mockery; he who cannot be deceived also cannot -deceive. His words are faithful and true. He has really peace to -give us—peace in the midst of combat, calm even in the storm. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_226">{226}</a></span> -<p> -When the storm arose on the sea of Galilee, and he was asleep in -the boat, his disciples came to him, saying: "Lord, save us, we -perish." But he answered: "Why are you fearful, O ye of little -faith?" Was there not reason for them to be fearful, to lose -their peace of mind, when death was staring them in the face, and -all their efforts to save themselves were vain? No, not if they -had faith to show that God was with them. -</p> -<p> -This, then, should have been their peace; this should be ours: -the possession of God. He has given himself entirely for us and -to us in the battle in which he has placed us. He fights on our -side. What, then, have we to fear if we will only keep close to -him? We are sure of the victory if we call him to our aid. As St. -Paul says, "If God be for us, who is against us? He that spared -not even his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how hath -he not also with him given us all things?" -</p> -<p> -Peace, then, we should have in our spiritual combat; but how in -the battle for our temporal life? Here we are not promised -success; no, it must be defeat, at least in the end. We must lose -at last by death all that we seek of the goods of this world. The -peace which the world gives is then a delusion; it lasts but for -an hour; the shadow of death is upon it. "O death!" says Holy -Scripture, "how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that -hath peace in his possessions!" Here again, therefore, our true -peace is in the possession of him who is eternal; this is the -peace which the world can neither give nor take away. All the -storms of this world will not shake or disturb him whose house is -built on this rock. "Who," again says St. Paul, "shall separate -us from the love of Christ; shall tribulation, or distress, or -famine, or nakedness, or danger, or persecution, or the sword?" -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_227">{227}</a></span> -<p> -This, therefore, is the true peace of the Christian: confidence -in God, indifference to all that is not God. It is the peace of -our Lord himself. "My peace," he says, "I give unto you." Let us -ask him indeed to give it to us, now and for evermore. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_228">{228}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Second Sunday after Easter.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - 1 <i>St. Peter ii.</i> 21-25.<br> -<br> - Dearly beloved:<br> - Christ has suffered for us, leaving you an example that you - should follow his steps. "Who did no sin, neither was guile - found in his mouth." Who, when he was reviled, did not revile: - when he suffered, he threatened not: but delivered himself to - him that judged him unjustly. Who his own self bore our sins in - his body upon the tree: that we, being dead to sins, should - live to justice: by whose stripes you were healed. For you were - as sheep going astray: but you are now converted to the pastor - and bishop of your souls.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. John x.</i> 11-16.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - Jesus said to the Pharisees: - I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd giveth his life for - his sheep. But the hireling, and he that is not the shepherd, - whose own sheep they are not, seeth the wolf coming and leaveth - the sheep, and flieth; and the wolf snatcheth and scattereth - the sheep: and the hireling flieth, because he is a hireling: - and he hath no care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd: and - I know mine, and mine know me. As the Father knoweth me, and I - know the Father; and I lay down my life for my sheep. And other - sheep I have, that are not of this fold: them also I must - bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one - fold and one shepherd. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_229">{229}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon LXVII.<br><br> - - The Good Shepherd.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>For you were as sheep going astray;<br> - but you are now converted<br> - to the pastor and bishop of your souls.</i><br> - —1 St. Peter ii. 25. -</p> -<p> -To-day is the Sunday of the Good Shepherd, and the church sings -in joyful strains: "The Good Shepherd, who laid down his life for -his sheep, yea, who was contented even to die for his flock, the -Good Shepherd is risen again—Alleluia!" It is in this tender, -loving, and, to us, most winning character that our Lord presents -himself in the Gospel of to-day—the Good Shepherd, who knoweth -his sheep, and acknowledges them as his own, whose tender care -for them is so great that he is willing even to lay down his life -for their sake, yet with the power to take it again for his own -glory and for their eternal good. We are those sheep for whom he -died, and for whom he rose again, for they are in the truest -sense his sheep who believe in his name, and are gathered into -his one fold, the holy Catholic Church. -</p> -<p> -But it is not enough to believe; we must also hear his voice. How -have we done this in the past? Have we hearkened to his voice as -he spake to us through the offices of the church, through the -words of our pastors, through the still, small voice of -conscience? Alas! we have been as sheep going astray. We have -been deaf to his voice, as it has so often spoken to us, bidding -us follow him. And, having strayed away from our Shepherd, we -have refused to listen to the loving tones of that same sweet -voice, calling us back to our place in the flock, but have -wandered still further away into the pleasant pastures of sin, -where all seemed delight for a time, but where the wolf, the -great enemy of our souls, was lurking, waiting for his chance to -seize us as his prey for ever. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_230">{230}</a></span> -Oh! into what danger have we run by thus wandering from the right -path! But now, during the holy season of Lent that is passed, the -church has been appealing to us through her solemn offices, and -through the earnest words spoken by her ministers, to forsake our -evil ways, to leave the deceitful pleasures of sin, and return to -where we can alone find pasture for our souls, to the sacraments -of the church, wherein the Good Shepherd gives himself to his -sheep. Many have hearkened to the call of the Saviour's voice, -many have come during this holy time to the green pastures and -the still waters, where the Good Shepherd feeds his flock, and, -with souls restored and renewed, are prepared and determined to -walk hereafter in the paths of righteousness, where he leads the -way. Even when at last they shall walk through the Valley of the -Shadow of Death they will fear no evil, for he will be with them, -his rod and his staff shall comfort them. -</p> -<p> -But there are also many, far too many, who have not listened to -the voice of Jesus, as he calls them in this blessed Easter-tide. -Poor, wayward sheep, they still wander in paths of their own -choosing, which can only lead them into danger and into death. O -foolish, wandering ones! take heed ere it is too late to the -gentle voice that calls you. Your souls are soiled and -sin-stained, and you have need to be washed in the stream which -flows from your Shepherd's side, his Precious Blood shed for you -when he laid down his life for your sake. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_231">{231}</a></span> -Come, wash and be made clean in the Sacrament of Penance which he -has ordained for your cleansing. You were as sheep going astray; -be now converted and return to Jesus, the pastor, the shepherd, -the bishop of your souls. You have been famishing for the food -you need for your spiritual sustenance. Come, then, to him who so -graciously and tenderly invites you to the table which he has -prepared for you. Draw nigh with joy to the heavenly banquet of -his Sacred Body and the goodly, overflowing cup of his Precious -Blood, that your souls may be fed and have life eternal. Then -will you be strong in the presence of your enemies, his mercy -will follow you all the days of your life, and you will dwell in -the house of the Lord for ever, even in that house of many -mansions which he has prepared for those who love and follow him. -For he has said of those who hear his voice and follow him: "I -give them life everlasting, and they shall not perish for ever, -and no man shall snatch them out of my hand." And remember that -other promise of his: "He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my -blood has everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last -day." Yes, poor, lost sheep though we have been, if we now turn -from our wayward paths to hear his voice and follow him, he will -raise us up at the last day, and place us among his favored sheep -upon his right hand, to be glad for ever in the light of his -countenance. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_232">{232}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon LXVIII.<br><br> - - Dead Faith.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>That Christ may dwell by faith in your hearts.</i><br> - —Ephesians iii. 17. -</p> -<p> -Holy Writ teaches us in many places, my brethren, that God dwells -in our hearts by charity, and here we are taught that he dwells -by faith also. Of course, the meaning is the same. For an elect -soul to know Christ is to love him. And even for a reprobate soul -to know the truth of religion is that indescribable boon which -makes a possible salvation capable of becoming quickly real. How -terrible the misfortune of the Calvinist who believes that a bad -life necessarily means absence of faith! How consoling to know -that our sinful friends, if they have but the true faith, have a -seed of eternal life which may yet spring up into a fruitful -tree! -</p> -<p> -Yet it is terrible to think of how some men trifle with their -faith. Brethren, look at the end and judge the beginning by it. -The end of wicked men is damnation, hopeless and eternal. Now, -what is the faith in hell? Something that makes the Christian's -torment altogether peculiar. There the name of Christian, now so -noble, now entitling its bearer to pardon for every sin if but -breathed forth with an act of sorrow—there the name of Christian -will be a nickname. In one way he will have more faith then than -now; he will know more of revealed truth, have a clearer -knowledge of heavenly things. But then the hand wounded by the -nail, and which now is never out of reach, will be withdrawn -finally and for ever. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_233">{233}</a></span> -Imagine the agony of a soul in hell, whom each article of faith -will cause for ever to wail and weep only this one sentence: "It -is all my own fault." Brethren, you may complain that this sort -of preaching does not provoke to much mirth. But there are those -who should know that for them this ought to be a time of weeping -and not of being merry: persons who have faith in their hearts, -but not Christ. For see how men in Italy, holding fast to the -truth with one hand, have with the other set up the abomination -of desolation in the holy place. And see how, in France, men who -deem themselves insulted if called anything but Catholics, yet -deliberately rob the children of the people of the bread of life -by establishing paganism in the schools. And see how many there -are among us whose faith, instead of being a rule to live by, an -irresistible attraction towards our Lord in a true grief for sin -and strict union with him, sealed by frequent Communion, is but -something handed down from father to son, like name and color and -race—a traditional faith—and this proved by their vicious -lives. -</p> -<p> -But happy are they in whose hearts faith has prepared a dwelling -for our Saviour. Our Lord is surely present within us if we are -in the state of grace. Hear what he says: "If any one love me, he -will keep my word; and my Father will love him, and we will come -to him, and will make an abode with him." He comes, indeed, -silently; he hushes the festive greetings of the angels who -escort him; he hides the dazzling glory of his ascended triumph, -for now it is faith and not sight. But there in the heart he none -the less dwells. We live with him. The Christian feels his -presence. He has an interior life whose very breath is that -presence. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_234">{234}</a></span> -He is stamped with our Lord's character. Such a soul is truly and -literally called <i>faithful</i>—faith-full. And once you are -intimately acquainted with him you perceive in his ways and -actions that our Lord lives with him. Better yet, he perceives it -himself. How different he is from one whose knowledge of religion -is mere persuasion of the mind and empty talk! With the true -Christian knowledge is power. To know the true faith is for him -to know how to live: better yet, to know how to suffer, how to -wait, how to love, how to die. -</p> -<p> -Brethren, this congregation is divided into two parts—those who -are to be saved and those who are not. Those of you who are to be -saved are those in whose hearts Jesus Christ actually dwells by -faith. Those who are to be lost are those whose faith means that -Christ has a claim against them, payment of which they will -postpone till it is too late. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon LXIX.<br><br> - - Suffering False Accusations.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>He delivered himself to him that judged him unjustly.</i><br> - —Epistle of the Day. -</p> -<p> -I suppose, my dear brethren, that there is no grievance to which -we are subjected more common, and certainly there are few more -distressing, than that of being judged unfairly by others. As -Catholics we are all specially liable to this; we all know how -Protestants, even those who profess to be quite friendly to us -personally, and who sometimes will say a good word or two for our -religion, still calmly assume, as a matter of course, that we -believe and practise many things which we and all intelligent and -honest men detest and abhor. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_235">{235}</a></span> -They say, for instance, that we worship images; that we pay money -not only to have our sins forgiven, but even for permission in -advance to commit new ones; that we believe the pope to be -Almighty God; that we maintain that the end justifies the means; -and so on to any extent. It was only a few days ago that it was -unblushingly stated in an assembly of one of their sects that the -Catholic Church was more guilty in the matter of permitting -divorce than other denominations. There seems hardly to be a -falsehood about us so gross or so absurd that some of them will -not be found to believe and to assert it. -</p> -<p> -And we of the clergy are more exposed to these slanders than any -one else. They say, they take for granted, that we are hypocrites -and deceivers; that under a cloak of sanctity we practise all -kinds of vice; that we do not believe a word of what we teach; -that our only object in our profession is to exercise power or to -make money; these things and many others pass current in the -world about us, so we are looked upon by many as detestable -wretches not fit to live. In us, especially, are our Lord's words -fulfilled: "You shall be hated by all men for my name's sake." -</p> -<p> -But it is not only from outsiders, or in matters where religion -is concerned, that we have to put up with false charges and -unjust suspicions. In our own private character and actions we -all find ourselves liable to them; we find our neighbors and -acquaintances judging and even speaking unfairly about us. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_236">{236}</a></span> -Priests suffer in this way sometimes from their own parishioners; -the laity perhaps from the priest, and often certainly from each -other. How frequently we hear people complain of slander or -belying from those whom they supposed to be their friends; one -would think that it was not the exception, but the rule. -</p> -<p> -Now all this is certainly very hard to bear. And yet as we go -through life we cannot expect to be free from it; and we must try -to find a way of bearing it as well as we can. What is the best -way? -</p> -<p> -One way, and a very good way, of putting up with this trouble is -to make allowances for the unavoidable prejudice, ignorance, and -imperfection of those who say about us what we know to be false, -who do to us what we know to be unjust. They may not, they do -not, know this as well as we do. "Father, forgive them," said our -Lord on the cross, "for they know not what they do." We think -others are slandering or injuring us through malice; ten to one -they think they are in the right. Probably we ourselves should -act just the same way in their place. -</p> -<p> -Make allowances, then; give our neighbors more credit for good -intentions; that is one way to put up with this suffering which -we cannot altogether avoid or put a stop to. But a better and -perhaps an easier way is the one recommended by St. Peter in -to-day's Epistle. "Dearly beloved," he says, "Christ suffered for -us, leaving you an example that you should follow his steps. Who -did no sin, neither was guilt found in his mouth. Who, when he -was reviled, did not revile; when he suffered he threatened not, -but delivered himself to him that judged him unjustly." -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_237">{237}</a></span> -He, the holy, the innocent one, was more wickedly and unjustly -accused and judged than any of us sinners have been, or ever can -be; shall we not then bear, if need be, the same treatment for -his sake? To be spoken evil of falsely is to be like him; it is -the mark, the badge of the Christian. This is the example he has -left us that we should follow his steps; shall we refuse to -profit by it? -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_238">{238}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Third Sunday after Easter.</i><br><br> - - Feast of the Patronage of St. Joseph.</h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - 1 <i>St. Peter ii.</i> 11-19.<br> -<br> - Dearly beloved,<br> - I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims to refrain yourselves - from carnal desires, which war against the soul; having your - conversation good among the Gentiles; that whereas they speak - against you as evildoers, considering you by your good works - they may glorify God in the day of visitation. Be ye subject - therefore to every human creature for God's sake; whether it be - to the king as excelling, or to governors as sent by him for - the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of the good; - for so is the will of God, that by doing well you may silence - the ignorance of foolish men: as free, and not as making - liberty a cloak of malice, but as the servants of God. Honor - all men; love the brotherhood; fear God; honor the king. - Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to - the good and gentle, but also to the froward. For this is - thankworthy, in Christ Jesus our Lord.<br> -<br> -<br> - Epistle Of The Feast.<br> - <i>Genesis xlix.</i> 22-26.<br> -<br> - Joseph is a growing son, a growing son and comely to behold; - the daughters run to and fro upon the wall. But they that held - darts provoked him, and quarrelled with him, and envied him. - His bow rested upon the strong, and the bands of his arms and - his hands were loosed by the hands of the mighty one of Jacob: - thence he came forth a pastor, the stone of Israel. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_239">{239}</a></span> - The God of thy Father shall be thy helper, and the Almighty - shall bless thee with the blessings of heaven above, with the - blessings of the deep that lieth beneath, with the blessings of - the breasts and of the womb. The blessings of thy father are - strengthened with the blessings of his fathers: until the - desire of the everlasting hills should come; may they be upon - the head of Joseph, and upon the crown of the Nazarite among - his brethren.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel<br> - <i>St. John xvi.</i> 16-22.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - Jesus said to his disciples:<br> - A little while, and now you shall not see me: and again a - little while, and you shall see me: because I go to the Father. - Then some of his disciples said one to another: What is this - that he saith to us: A little while, and you shall not see me: - and again a little while, and you shall see me, and because I - go to the Father? They said therefore: What is this that he - saith, a little while: we know not what he speaketh. And Jesus - knew that they were desirous to ask him; and he said to them: - Of this do you inquire among yourselves, be cause I said: A - little while, and you shall not see me: and again a little - while, and you shall see me? Amen, amen I say to you, that you - shall lament and weep, but the world shall rejoice: and you - shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. A - woman, when she is in labor, hath sorrow, because her hour is - come: but when she hath brought forth the child, she - remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born - into the world. So also you now indeed have sorrow, but I will - see you again, and your heart shall rejoice; and your joy no - man shall take from you.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel of the Feast.<br> - <i>St. Luke iii.</i> 21-23.<br> -<br> - At that time it came to pass:<br> - When all the people were baptized, that Jesus also being - baptized and praying, heaven was opened: and the Holy Ghost - descended in a bodily shape as a dove upon him: and a voice - came from heaven: Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well - pleased. And Jesus himself was beginning about the age of - thirty years: being (as it was supposed) the son of Joseph. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_240">{240}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon LXX.<br><br> - - Devotion To St. Joseph.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Go to Joseph, and do all that he shall say to you. </i><br> - —Genesis xli. 55. -</p> -<p> -It is Joseph's nearness to Jesus and Mary during his life that -leads us now, when he reigns with them in heaven, to confidently -call upon him for succor in our needs, and especially do we go to -him because to his patronage the whole church has been commended, -that by his intercession he may do for her and each of her -members what he did for Jesus and his Mother when he was in the -flesh. -</p> -<p> -Wisely has the church made him her protector, for his power with -God must be very great. Of this we can have no doubt, when we -remember that to his care were entrusted the purest and the best -who have ever walked this earth—Jesus and Mary—Jesus, the Son -of God; Mary, his stainless Virgin Mother, whose chaste soul the -Holy Ghost made his dwelling-place, delighted with its beauty. -</p> -<p> -Above the seats of all the bright angels who serve in the courts -of the Most High Mary's throne was raised, and one day she would -be the angels mistress and queen; Jesus was their Lord, their -Maker, before whom they bowed in lowliest reverence. And yet Mary -was Joseph's spouse, and Jesus rendered him the obedience a son -should give a father. Very worthy must he have been who held so -high an office. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_241">{241}</a></span> -<p> -Joseph was a necessary member of the family. He served as a veil -to screen from the vulgar gaze the deep mysteries of the -Incarnation and Nativity; he led the way into Egypt, and his -faithful arm supported the Mother and the Babe during the -journey; he brought them back to their own land and provided -shelter for them; their daily bread was the fruit of his -labor—in a word, during the boyhood and youth of our Lord they -were entirely dependent upon him. -</p> -<p> -Such, then, was Joseph's position in the Holy Family; he was the -master and guardian of the household; and this is what the church -would have him be in every Christian family. It is you, Christian -fathers and mothers, who should be especially devout to St. -Joseph, for he is your patron in a particular manner. You, like -him, have the cares of the household upon you; you must provide -for the life and health of the children God has given you; it is -your duty to see that they are instructed in the faith and -attentive to their religious duties, and that they study their -school lessons; you should guard them against the dangers they -must meet with in a great city like this, and keep them away from -those who may lead them to evil; and, above all, you should give -them good example in the practice of virtue. To fulfil your -duties well you need divine assistance. Go to Joseph—go to the -foster-father of Jesus Christ; he will intercede for you, and -obtain the many graces of which you stand in need. Go to him and -tell him all your troubles; you will find him very gracious. -</p> -<p> -But St. Joseph is the patron not of heads of families alone. The -church would have you all, dear brethren, "go to Joseph and do -all that he shall say to you." From him she would have you learn -a tender love to Jesus, a love manifesting itself in deeds, not -simply in words. Joseph devoted himself to the service of our -Lord, and so should we. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_242">{242}</a></span> -But how can we presume to say that we love or serve Jesus if we -do not keep his commands; if we neglect our duties as Catholics -and as members of society? Let us show how much we love him by -doing something for him, as St. Joseph did, and let us, like him, -be constant in our well-doing, permitting no day to pass without -some acts of love to God. And if we would hope to make progress -in the ways of God, let us daily "Go to Joseph and do all that he -shall say." -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon LXXI.<br><br> - - Christ And The Church.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>I have yet many things to say to you,<br> - but you cannot bear them now. </i><br> - —St. John xvi. 12 -</p> -<p> -These words were spoken by our Lord in his last discourse to his -disciples. What were those things which he had yet to say to -them, but which they could not then bear? -</p> -<p> -They were things pertaining to the kingdom of God—that is, his -church, his kingdom upon earth. He was about to leave the world -and go to the Father, but he would leave behind him an organized -body to represent him. During these forty days, then, he sketched -out the plan of the Catholic Church, which the Apostles were to -bring to completion, under the guidance of the Holy Ghost, who -was to teach them all truth. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_243">{243}</a></span> -<p> -These were the many things he had yet to say to them, but which -they could not understand till then, because of their former -imperfect and even erroneous notions of the nature of his kingdom -upon earth. He had spoken of his church before, as it were, in -hints; now he speaks no longer in parables, but plainly. Listen -to the few recorded words of those which he spoke during these -forty days, and you will find in them an outline of the Catholic -Church. -</p> -<p> -He first asserts his authority to found a kingdom in this world, -saying, "All power is given to me in heaven and on earth"; and -then declares that he commits this same authority to his Apostles -and their successors in the church: "As my Father hath sent me, I -also send you." And, lest any one should say that this power and -authority were given to the Apostles alone and not to their -successors, he bids them go forth into all the world to preach -the Gospel to every creature, and promises them his continual -abiding Presence even to the end of the world. One of the -Apostles he invested with a special authority over the others. -The Good Shepherd would not leave his sheep in this world uncared -for, so he gave to St. Peter and his successors the office of -pastor of the whole church in the words, "Feed my lambs. Feed my -sheep." He also set forth the means of obtaining entrance into -this earthly kingdom of his namely, faith and holy baptism—"He -that believeth and is baptized shall be saved "; and he declared -the blessedness of those who would accept the faith upon the -authority of his church: "Blessed are they that have not seen and -yet have believed." -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_244">{244}</a></span> -He provided a means by which those who should sin after baptism -might find pardon and remission of their sins by instituting the -Sacrament of Penance, giving to his Apostles and their successors -the power to forgive and retain sins: "Whose sins you shall -forgive they are forgiven them, and whose sins you shall retain -they are retained." He had already instituted on the night before -his Passion the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, and during those -forty days he undoubtedly gave his Apostles the necessary -instructions concerning the rest of the sacraments of the new -law. The Gospels do not pretend to give us all our Lord's doings -and sayings, as St. John expressly tells us at the end of his -Gospel. But in these recorded sayings of Jesus, during this last -brief time that he spent on earth, we have the written -constitution of the Catholic Church, though but in outline. The -office of the pope as supreme pastor, the plenary authority of -the church, and the necessity of faith upon that authority as a -means of obtaining eternal salvation—all this is clearly set -forth in the words that I have quoted to you. -</p> -<p> -"Go, teach all nations," said our Lord to his church; and he -added, "teaching them to observe whatsoever I have commanded -you." On our part, then, is required faithful submission to his -teaching, as it comes to us through the voice of his church. It -is only by faith in this teaching and by a diligent observance of -the commandments of God and his church that we can hope to save -our souls and attain to the blessedness which he has promised. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_245">{245}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Fourth Sunday after Easter.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - <i>St. James i.</i> 17-21.<br> -<br> - Dearly beloved:<br> - Every best gift, and every perfect gift, is from above, coming - down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no change - nor shadow of vicissitude. For of his own will hath he begotten - us by the word of truth, that we might be some beginning of his - creatures. You know, my dearest brethren, and let every man be - swift to hear, but slow to speak, and slow to anger. For the - anger of man worketh not the justice of God. Wherefore casting - away all uncleanness, and abundance of malice, with meekness - receive the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. John xvi.</i> 5-14.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - Jesus said to his disciples:<br> - I go to him that sent me, and none of you asketh me: Whither - goest thou? But because I have spoken these things to you, - sorrow hath filled your heart. But I tell you the truth: it is - expedient to you that I go: for if I go not, the Paraclete will - not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when - he shall come, he will convince the world of sin, and of - justice, and of judgment. Of sin indeed: because they have not - believed in me. And of justice: because I go to the Father; and - you shall see me no longer. And of judgment: because the prince - of this world is already judged. I have yet many things to say - to you: but you cannot bear them now. But when he, the Spirit - of truth, shall come, he will teach you all truth. For he shall - not speak of himself: but what things soever he shall hear, he - shall speak, and the things that are to come he shall show you. - He shall glorify me: because he shall receive of mine, and will - declare it to you. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_246">{246}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon LXXII.<br><br> - - Evil Conversation.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>And he said to them:<br> - What are these discourses<br> - that you hold one with another? …<br> - And they said: Concerning Jesus of Nazareth. </i><br> - —Luke xxiv. 17-19. -</p> -<p> -Brethren: Suppose our Lord should stand in our midst to-day and -demand from each one of us, as he did from these two disciples, -What are these discourses that you hold one with another? Do our -conversations, like theirs, contain nothing reprehensible? Would -our answer be as pleasing to God as theirs was? If so, brethren, -we have reason to thank God, and go on our way rejoicing. But of -what do the majority of men most readily converse? It is sad that -we have to confess it, but God and his works, the soul and its -wants are topics anything but agreeable to most of the men of our -day. And so every legitimate means must be resorted to in order -to make the things of God and spiritual conversation at all -palatable. -</p> -<p> -And you, fathers and mothers of families, what are these -conversations which you hold one with the other? What are the -topics most commonly treated of in your Christian homes? Is it -the virtues of your neighbors that are spoken of and recounted -for your own edification and your children's imitation? Would to -God it were always so! But there are homes supposed to be -occupied by Christians where God's holy name is never mentioned -save to be blasphemed, where the neighbor is never spoken of -except to recall his follies, his vices, or even his atrocious -crimes. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_247">{247}</a></span> -Christian parents, beware of the scandal your conversations may -give to your family, but especially to your innocent children. -Remember that many a soul to-day steeped in vice received its -first sinful impulse from some unguarded word, some improper -topic of conversation heard in the home that should have been the -nursery of every virtue. -</p> -<p> -And from you, young men and women, an answer might be profitably -demanded to this important question: What are the conversations -which you most readily indulge in one with the other? Are they in -any way improper, or such that you would be ashamed to have them -repeated in the presence of your parents? If so, then your -discourses are not concerning Jesus of Nazareth, and you are not -following the example of his disciples. But if in your -conversations, following the Apostolic rule, the things that -savor of uncleanness are not so much as mentioned amongst you, -what is to be said about the precious time you squander in idle, -frivolous talk? Remember that time is but the threshold of -eternity, every moment of which is of the highest value to you -now; and this is why on the last great day we shall be held to -account for every idle word. Young men and women, never admit -into your company those whose conversations are unworthy of a -Christian, and especially let your own language be always in -harmony with your high calling. -</p> -<p> -Indeed, brethren, to all of us this question of our Lord brings -home an important lesson. For if we would lead good Christian -lives we must not only abstain from all that is unbecoming or -scandalous, but we must also regulate with all diligence our -ordinary commonplace conversations. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_248">{248}</a></span> -Let them be always such that we would not hesitate to repeat them -before God or his most virtuous servants. If we would have our -conversations agreeable to God and men, we should make it a rule -never to speak disparagingly of those <i>absent</i>, and never -take advantage of their absence to say anything which we would -not dare say in their presence. And the other rule we should -follow is this: never to say in the presence of others anything -which could give scandal or leave a bad impression. -</p> -<p> -Brethren, if we think often of this question of our Lord, if we -are diligent in following these rules, our conversations will be -always edifying to our neighbors and useful to ourselves. Then, -if called upon at any moment by our Lord, we can answer with his -disciples, Our conversations are "concerning Jesus of Nazareth." -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon LXXIII.<br><br> - - Temptation.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Blessed is the man that endureth temptation;<br> - for when he hath been proved,<br> - he shall receive the crown of life,<br> - which God hath promised to them that love him. </i><br> - —St. James i. 12. -</p> -<p> -These words, my dear brethren, are from the Scripture read in the -Divine Office for to-day. They also, and very appropriately, have -a prominent place in the Office read on the feasts of martyrs -through the year. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_249">{249}</a></span> -<p> -"Blessed is the man that endureth temptation." "Yes," you may -say, "certainly, if a man does endure and resist temptation, it -is a good thing, and one for which he has reason to be thankful; -but for my part, I would rather get along without being tempted." -This is a thought which is very likely to occur to those who are -in earnest about saving their souls, and are therefore afraid -that they may give way to temptation, commit mortal sin, and be -lost. They are inclined to envy others who seem to have a good -and innocent natural disposition, and sometimes they may, -perhaps, wish that they themselves had died in their baptismal -innocence, before temptation and sin were possible. -</p> -<p> -Now this wish is not altogether wrong; it is certainly pleasing -to God for us to desire that it might be impossible to offend -him, and that our own salvation might be made secure. But it is a -mistake, when he does allow temptation to come on us without our -fault, to think that it would be better for us if he had not done -so. -</p> -<p> -It is a mistake, and why? Because far the greater part of us -cannot acquire supernatural virtue in any high degree, give much -glory to God, or be entitled to much reward at his hands, without -a good deal of temptation. If it would please God to infuse all -the virtues into our souls without any trouble or labor on our -part, it might indeed be very well; but this he is not bound to -do, and generally he does not choose to do it. He prefers that we -should obtain our virtues partly by our own exertions. And as we -will not pray or meditate, do penance or mortify ourselves enough -to accomplish this end, there is no way to make any virtue strong -and hardy in us except by forcing us to oppose its contrary vice. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_250">{250}</a></span> -It is quite easy to seem very pleasant and good-natured when one -has no crosses or provocations; but let a sharp or insulting word -be said, and it will soon be seen how much real patience there is -in this seeming good-humor; perhaps passion will flame out all -the more violently for being long in repose. But if one's -patience is often tried, and stands the test by means of our own -earnest struggles, it will become after a time something which we -can really count on. -</p> -<p> -This, then, is one good in temptation, that it makes our virtue -really strong and solid for future use. But another value of it -is to enable us to make acts at the very moment which will have -an eternal reward and merit, and which we should never make were -we let alone. Let one be tempted by impure thoughts for a day, -and faithfully resist them; in that day he will perhaps have done -more to please God and obtain merit and glory in heaven than in a -year of ordinary life. -</p> -<p> -So if temptation comes without our own fault, we may indeed -rejoice and count ourselves blessed, as St. James says; for it is -indeed an earnest of the crown of life which our tried and -strengthened souls shall win, and which shall be decked with the -innumerable gems which our battles with sin have merited. But let -us not allow it to come by our fault, for then we cannot hope for -a blessing with it. "Lead us not into temptation," we say every -day; profitable as the contest may be to us, it would be -presumption to offer ourselves to it, or to ask from God an -opportunity for it. Let us wait till he chooses to call us to the -strife, and then thank him for the trial which shall give us, -with his help, the crown of life which he has promised to those -who love him, and for his love hate and resist sin. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_251">{251}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Fifth Sunday after Easter.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - <i>St. James i.</i> 22-27.<br> -<br> - Dearly beloved:<br> - Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your - own selves. For if a man be a hearer of the word, and not a - doer, he shall be compared to a man beholding his natural - countenance in a glass. For he beheld himself, and went his - way, and presently forgot what manner of man he was. But he - that hath looked into the perfect law of liberty, and hath - continued in it, not becoming a forgetful hearer, but a doer of - the work: this man shall be blessed in his deed. And if any man - think himself to be religious, not bridling his tongue, but - deceiving his own heart, this man's religion is vain. Religion - pure and unspotted with God and the Father, is this: to visit - the fatherless and widows in their tribulation; and to keep - one's self undefiled from this world.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. John xvi.</i> 23-30.<br> -<br> - At that time Jesus said to his disciples:<br> - Amen, amen I say to you, if you ask the Father anything in my - name, he will give it you. Hitherto you have not asked any - thing in my name. Ask, and you shall receive: that your joy may - be full. These things have I spoken to you in proverbs. The - hour cometh when I will no more speak to you in proverbs, but - will show you plainly of the Father. In that day you shall ask - in my name: and I say not to you, that I will ask the Father - for you. For the Father himself loveth you, because you have - loved me, and have believed that I came forth from God. I came - forth from the Father, and am come into the world; again I - leave the world, and I go to the Father. His disciples say to - him: Behold now thou speakest plainly, and speak-est no - proverb. Now we know that thou knowest all things, and that for - thee it is not needful that any man ask thee. In this we - believe that thou camest forth from God. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_252">{252}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon LXXIV.<br><br> - - Sins Of The Tongue.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>And if any man think himself to be religious,<br> - not bridling his tongue, but deceiving his own heart,<br> - this man's religion is vain.</i><br> - —St. James i. 26. -</p> -<p> -My dear brethren, we see by these words that we have a rule by -which to find out whether or not we deserve to be called sincere -Christians or hypocrites. In order to be a sincere Christian, -what has a man to do? He has to get control of himself; to get -his soul and all that it can desire subject to the law of God; to -get all pride, covetousness, lust, anger, envy, gluttony, and -sloth under the control of his own will; to get that will subject -to and one with the will of God; and, what is more, he must keep -himself in this state of mind at least so far as to restrain -himself from committing mortal sin and the graver venial sins if -he desire sincerely to keep his soul well out of danger. He who -acts thus is a truly good man, and that man's religion is not -vain. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_253">{253}</a></span> -<p> -What is the first thing to be done to begin to live in this way? -It is to examine and see in what way a man commits the greater -number of sins. One will soon find that the tongue of man is the -means by which a man sins most frequently and in the most -devilish manner. For, says St. James, "The tongue is a fire, a -world of iniquity, … defileth the whole body, … being set on -fire by hell." We see from this how dangerous to the soul is the -tongue of man. As we do see this, are we not bound to keep in -check, <i>at all costs</i>, this source of evil? Any one can see -that, if he does not bridle his tongue, his religion is vain -indeed. In fact, it is nothing but a merely outward show. It is -hypocrisy of the worst kind. But what are the sins of the tongue -we most often hear? They are blasphemies, curses, and oaths; the -retailing of our neighbors faults with delight and evident -pleasure; quarrels, bickerings, constant reproaches for faults -that are past, gone, and even sincerely repented of long ago; -immodest and impure conversations, with jokes and stories a -heathen feels ashamed of; hints and little words that seem almost -nothing, yet injuring seriously the reputation of some one, -separating friends, and making even those near and dear to each -other by every tie cold and distant for a long time, if not for -the rest of their lives. God deliver us all from the evil tongue! -It works in our very homes. The husband becomes by it bitterness -and gall to his wife and family. The wife becomes a torture to -husband and children. Both by it make home a curse instead of a -blessing, and separate those of whom the word of God declares, -"Whom God hath joined together let no man put asunder." Too often -do we see sad examples of this kind. Too often do we find such a -husband, who is like a roaring wild beast in his home, and a wife -whose tongue once set going, even for a slight cause, is like a -clock running down, or like the mill-clapper, so often used as a -figure of an unruly tongue. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_254">{254}</a></span> -The bad tongue of a child is the ruin of all in the house. That -child is a tale-bearer and a traitor against those who begot him. -A detestable habit of the evil tongue is what the world calls -"damning our neighbor with faint praise," or, in other words, -praising him highly, even to the skies, and putting in a little -word of evil that destroys him all the more surely. One will -excuse himself by saying: "But, after all, I spoke well of him. -It can't do any harm!" Yet he knows in his inmost soul he has -ruined or seriously injured his neighbor. How would I feel if I -were spoken of in this manner? is the question one should have -asked himself before he said a word. -</p> -<p> -How common is it to find persons the moment they see anything -wrong done by another or hear of it hurry in great glee to tell -it at once! Do we not know, my dear brethren, that such a one is -a scandalizer of men, and that the Christian rule requires us to -be silent then under pain of sin? But the greater the evil done -the more delighted are they to tell it. It should be just the -other way. Never reveal to any one the sin of your neighbor, -unless to save an innocent person or another from damage of some -kind. This damage must be serious to oblige one to tell, even -then, the sin of another, for he is equally obliged by God not to -tell it under ordinary circumstances. -</p> -<p> -Remember, then, that no one can be a true Christian unless he -keeps from these sins by bridling his tongue. Otherwise, as the -text declares, "this man's religion is vain." -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_255">{255}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon LXXV.<br><br> - - Perseverance In Prayer.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Yet if he shall continue, knocking, I say to you,<br> - although he will not rise and give him,<br> - because he is his friend;<br> - yet because of his importunity he will rise;<br> - and give him as many as he needeth.</i><br> - —St. Luke xi. 8. -</p> -<p> -Many people complain that their prayers are not heard. Again and -again they have made some special requests for temporal, or it -may be even for spiritual, blessings, and nothing seems to have -come of these petitions. Others get what they ask for, but they -are not so favored; and they almost make up their minds that it -is of no use for them to pray. They think, perhaps, that they are -too great sinners for God to hear them; or that they do not know -how to pray right; or they are even tempted to believe that -prayer is a mistake altogether; that God's will is not moved by -it; that, if any one does seem to get anything by it, it is only -by chance, and would have come without it just as well. -</p> -<p> -Now what can be the reason of the failure of these good people in -prayer? Is it, perhaps, because what they asked was really an -evil for them, and so God could not in mercy grant it, but had to -give them something better instead, which they have not noticed? -Or is it that they did not strive to do their best to win what -they wanted also by their own exertions as well as by prayer; -that they would not put their own shoulder to the wheel? If it -was some virtue, such as charity or patience, that they were -asking for, and meanwhile took no real pains to cultivate and -practise it, no wonder that God would not give it to them. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_256">{256}</a></span> -Or, lastly, is the reason for their disappointment that they were -praying for others whose will was obstinately set against their -prayers? A mother prays for her son, and her prayers are heard, -though they may not seem to be. Graces are granted to him, but he -resists them. God has not promised to send them, in such a -torrent as to sweep away and break down all opposition, though he -may yet do so, if she will only persevere. -</p> -<p> -Persevere! Ah! that word suggests what may be the real -difficulty, the true reason for the seeming uselessness of so -many good prayers. They are good as far as they go, but there are -not enough of them. The effect that is to come of them is to come -all at once; it is like the fall of a tree in the woods under the -blows of the axe: the tree will come down, but not at the first, -the second, the tenth, or perhaps even the hundredth stroke. -</p> -<p> -Yes, my brethren, our Lord could no doubt grant our prayers as -soon as we made them, but he does not wish to do so. And I think -we can see at least two reasons why he does not. First, if he -grants what we ask at once we will go off with what he has given -us, and hare no more to say to him. And, strange to say, he -enjoys our society; he has himself said his delight is to be with -the children of men. So he keeps us around him, though it be only -to tease, as a father would the children he loved, if he could -not keep them any other way. And, secondly, he knows that it is -good for us to be with him; and that every time we pray in -earnest we come nearer to him, and our souls become stronger. So -it is that, both for his own sake and for our good, he sometimes -will not grant our prayers unless we persevere in them for a very -long while. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_257">{257}</a></span> -<p> -Our Lord has given us to understand this importance of -persevering in prayer very plainly in the Gospel read on these -days, called Rogation Days, between to-day and the Feast of the -Ascension. He represents to us in the parable of this Gospel a -man who has gone to bed, and is roused at midnight by a friend -who wants to borrow some bread to set before an unexpected guest. -He at first tells the disturber to leave him alone; he says that -he cannot be bothered to get up at such an inconvenient time; he -pretends to drop off asleep, and keeps his friend outside -knocking and pounding for so long a time that he almost gives it -up as useless. "Yet," says our Lord, "if he shall continue -knocking, I say to you, although he will not rise and give him -because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will -rise and give him as many as he needeth." -</p> -<p> -This is the lesson, then, it may be, for those who have had no -success at their prayers. They did well to begin, but they did -not keep at it long enough. Let them go at it once again, and -keep on. Let them ask, and keep asking, and they shall receive; -let them seek long enough, and they shall find; let them keep -knocking and making a disturbance, and at last the door shall be -opened, and they shall obtain what they desire. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_258">{258}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Sunday within the Octave of the Ascension.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - 1 <i>St. Peter iv.</i> 7-11.<br> -<br> - Dearly beloved:<br> - Be prudent, and watch in prayers. But before all things have a - mutual charity among yourselves: for charity covereth a - multitude of sins. Using hospitality one towards another - without murmuring. As every man hath received grace, - ministering the same one to another, as good stewards of the - manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the - words of God. If any man minister, let it be as from the power - which God administereth: that in all things God may be honored - through Jesus Christ our Lord.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. John xv.</i> 26-xvi. 4.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - Jesus said to his disciples:<br> - When the Paraclete shall come whom I will send you from the - Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceedeth from the Father, he - shall give testimony of me. And you shall give testimony, - because you are with me from the beginning. These things have I - spoken to you, that you may not be scandalized. They will put - you out of the synagogues: yea, the hour cometh that whosoever - killeth you, will think that he doeth a service to God. And - these things will they do to you, because they have not known - the Father, nor me. But these things I have told you, that when - the hour of them shall come, you may remember that I told you. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_259">{259}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon LXXVI.<br><br> - - After A Mission.</h3> - -<p> -There is nothing, my dear brethren, which can give more joy and -consolation both to pastor and people than a mission such as that -which was closed last Sunday. -</p> -<p> -Thank God, there were many who had been living previously in sin, -but who really turned from it then with their whole hearts, and -who now have a happiness in those hearts to which they had long -before been strangers. This happiness ought to last all their -lives. God means that it should; they can make it do so if they -will. -</p> -<p> -But how will it be in fact; how is it too often, after such times -of grace and fervor? We have had missions before, which really -seemed as if they marked a new era in the history of our parish; -but we look for their fruits now and find them only few and far -between. Too many of those who made them went back a month or so -afterward to the old ways of sin. -</p> -<p> -What was the reason that they did not persevere? Why was it that -they had the same sad story to tell when they came back this time -that they had a few years ago? -</p> -<p> -Was it that they never expected it to be otherwise? Perhaps so. -Some Christians—shame to say it—seem to think that mortal sin -cannot be avoided. Such do not really try to avoid it; how can -they? How can any one seriously attempt what he believes to be -impossible? No wonder that such as these fell; the question is if -indeed they ever arose. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_260">{260}</a></span> -For how could they have made the purpose of amendment which a -good confession requires? Let them understand, at least now, that -it is possible to abandon mortal sin at once and for ever. -</p> -<p> -But was it, perhaps, that they thought they could keep the grace -they had got by their own unaided strength; that they could fight -the devil single-handed, or even that he would never trouble them -much again? Ah! my brethren, if any of you thought that he made a -terrible mistake. Satan does not give up the souls which he has -once possessed so easily. He knows the advantage which all habits -of sin give him, and he is going to make the most of them. He -will surely attack you, and you are weak, while he is strong. If -you undertake to fight him alone, you will go to the wall. You -cannot conquer him unless God helps you. -</p> -<p> -But, after all, there are not many Catholics who do not know that -it needs God's help to persevere. Oh! yes; almost every one will -say, when asked after confession if he is going to avoid sin for -the future, that he will, "with the help of God." -</p> -<p> -Well, then, what is the matter? If we know that we are in danger, -and that we can escape from it, but only by God's help, why does -not that help come and save us? -</p> -<p> -I will tell you why it does not. And to do so I have only to turn -to the first words of to-day's Mass: "He shall call on me, and I -will hear him; I will deliver him and glorify him." -</p> -<p> -That is the whole story. If we want God to deliver us, we must -ask him to do it. In other words, if we wish to persevere, we -must pray. If we do not go to God to get the strength which we -need, we must be without it. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_261">{261}</a></span> -<p> -The sinner who repents, and does not pray often and fervently -afterward to keep the grace he has, being especially careful of -his morning prayers; who does not, above all, make often the best -of all prayers—that of again coming to the sacraments—is a -fool, and the devil's laughing-stock. -</p> -<p> -The great majority of those who have been leading a bad life, and -who abandon it at a mission, or at any other time, will not -persevere unless they are willing to take the trouble to make -frequent and earnest prayers, and to come to confession again -within a month. That is simple fact; it is the teaching of -experience, not mere guess-work. Are you, my friends, willing to -take that trouble for your soul's sake, or do you prefer to fall -as you have fallen before? -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon LXXVII.<br><br> - - Bearing Witness For Our Lord.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>And you shall give testimony,<br> - because you are with me from the beginning.</i><br> - —St. John xv. 27. -</p> -<p> -It might be asked, dear brethren, what need God has of <i>our</i> -testimony, or why the creature should act the part of witness for -the Creator? Certainly Jesus Christ needed not the testimony of -men, but in his infinite goodness and wisdom he has seen fit to -commit to each one of us a sublime and holy mission, none other -than that of giving testimony of him before the world, for the -sake of our fellow-man. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_262">{262}</a></span> -"You are," says St. Peter, "a chosen generation, a royal -priesthood, that you may declare the virtues of him who hath -called you out of darkness." -</p> -<p> -This, then, is our mission, to be witnesses for Jesus Christ; and -to-day we are going to consider how we are fulfilling it. You -know, brethren, with what a keen sense of criticism the world -examines the testimony of those witnessing in behalf of others, -and how it values their testimony in proportion to their -uprightness and integrity. Well, so it is with regard to us and -the testimony we are called upon to give of our Blessed Lord. We -Christians are all on the witness-stand of this great world. -To-day the unbelieving world is passing judgment upon our -testimony, deciding whether it be for or against Jesus Christ; -but, brethren, there will come a day when Christ himself will sit -in judgment upon this same testimony and reward us accordingly. -</p> -<p> -Since, then, this our mission is so important, brethren, how are -we to fulfil it? It seems to me in no better way than by leading -truly Christian lives, and thus forcing the world to acknowledge -that we are animated by the spirit of God. The early Christians -brought the light of faith to thousands, not by preaching, but by -the holiness of their lives; and so, when the pagans and infidels -came in contact with them, they were forced to admire and -exclaim, "Behold how these Christians love one another!" Would to -God that the life and conduct of every Christian to-day could -force a similar confession from the unbelievers of our time. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_263">{263}</a></span> -<p> -Indeed, brethren, all Christians of our day have a great mission -to fulfil in this regard; but <i>we</i> especially, for the -reason given by our Lord himself—"because you are with me from -the beginning." You, beloved brethren, who have had the faith -from the beginning—from your earliest childhood—have a special -reason why your testimony for Jesus Christ should never be -failing. Has it ever been so? Have your virtuous lives and -edifying example brought home the truths and beauties of the -Catholic faith to those outside the church? I fear, brethren, the -conduct of bad and negligent Catholics has kept back many from -inquiring into the true faith. Such Catholics, wearing the livery -of Satan, have given false testimony of God, and will have to -render an account for it. -</p> -<p> -We can all of us, brethren, give testimony of Jesus Christ by -every action of our lives. Parents can and should render this -testimony by the good example they give their families, and the -Christian solicitude they have for their spiritual welfare. Young -men and women should give this testimony by the profession and -practice of God's law and the church's precepts. Let the -consideration, dear brethren, of this our high mission, our being -called to give testimony of God, be the means of animating us to -renewed fervor in the service of Jesus Christ. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon LXXVIII.<br><br> - - The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Watch in prayers.</i><br> - —1 St. Peter iv. 7. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_264">{264}</a></span> -<p> -To-day is the Sunday of expectation, and it brings to our minds -that upper chamber in Jerusalem, where the little band of the -chosen disciples of the Lord were gathered together waiting for -the coming of the Holy Ghost. There were the eleven Apostles and -the faithful women, and Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and his -brethren. "All these," says the sacred chronicler, "were -persevering with one mind in prayer." Hence the Epistle of to-day -urges us to imitate them, and begins with the exhortation: -"Dearly beloved, watch in prayers." -</p> -<p> -We too must watch and wait for the coming of the Holy Ghost. He -has, indeed, already come into our souls in Holy Baptism, -cleansing them from original sin and making them his temples. He -has come again in Confirmation, with all the fulness of his -sevenfold gifts, to make us strong and perfect Christians and -soldiers of Christ. -</p> -<p> -Yet he comes to us continually every day, knocking at the door of -our hearts and begging for admittance. Every impulse of what is -known as actual grace is from the Holy Ghost, and such graces we -are receiving all the time, every hour of the day. We must -therefore prepare ourselves for his coming, and when he has -entered into our souls we must strive to keep him there. The Holy -Ghost is the life of our souls. It is his constant presence and -indwelling which is the state of grace which makes us pleasing to -God. To obtain and to preserve this abiding presence of the Holy -Ghost we must imitate the Apostles in their watchfulness and -prayer. We must watch lest the time of temptation should find us -unprepared and off our guard; we must pray that the Holy Ghost -may come into our hearts, bringing with him ever richer treasures -of divine grace; that he may take possession of our souls and -make them all his own; that he may guide our minds, and with the -fire of his love inflame our hearts to do his holy will in all -things. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_265">{265}</a></span> -<p> -But we must first of all prepare for the Holy Ghost by cleansing -our souls from sin. Where sin reigns the Holy Ghost can never -dwell. The Apostles prepared for his corning by penance. To that -upper chamber in Jerusalem came St. Peter, who had denied his -Lord, St. Thomas, who had doubted his resurrection, and the -others who had wavered in their faith, and, in the time of trial, -had forsaken their Master and fled. But now they had been -convinced of their error, and they came together with sorrow for -their past unfaithfulness, and a full determination to lay down -their lives, if need be, for him who had died for them. This is -the spirit in which we should prepare for the Holy Ghost. If your -hearts are defiled with mortal sin, delay not the time of -penance. The Holy Ghost is ready to descend upon you. He only -waits for you to do your part. Make ready, then, a place in your -heart, that he may enter in and dwell there. -</p> -<p> -"O my dearly beloved brethren!" exclaims St. Gregory the Great, -"think what a dignity it is to have God abiding as a guest in our -heart! Surely, if some rich man or some powerful friend were to -come into our house, we would hasten to have our whole house -cleaned, lest, perchance, when he came in he should see anything -to displease his eye. So let him that would make his mind an -abode for God cleanse it from all the filth of works of -iniquity." -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_266">{266}</a></span> -<p> -"And they were persevering with one mind in prayer." Our prayer -must be persevering if we would gain that which we desire. This -is what our Lord meant when he said that we ought always to pray -and not to faint. Unless we persevere in prayer we shall without -doubt faint by the way in the journey of life. And let us do as -the Apostles did, join our prayers to those of Mary, the Mother -of Jesus, and we shall have a sure hope of obtaining what is most -needful for us. Then, as the Holy Ghost once descended upon her, -and wrought within her the Incarnation, so also will he come into -our hearts, and make them the abode of the Holy Trinity. Then, if -we listen to his blessed voice within us, we shall grow in grace -and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, for -the Holy Ghost will teach us all things, according to the -promise. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_267">{267}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Feast of Pentecost, or Whit-Sunday.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - <i>Acts ii. </i>1-11.<br> -<br> - When the days of the Pentecost were accomplished, they were all - together in the same place: and suddenly there came a sound - from heaven, as of a mighty wind coming, and it filled the - whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them - cloven tongues as it were of fire, and it sat upon every one of - them, And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they - began to speak with divers tongues, according as the Holy Ghost - gave them to speak. Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, - devout men out of every nation under heaven. And when this - voice was made, the multitude came together, and were - confounded in mind, because that every one heard them speak in - his own tongue. And they were all amazed and wondered, saying: - Behold, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how have we - every one heard our own tongue wherein we were born? Parthians, - and Medes, and Elamites, and inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea - and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphilia, Egypt - and the parts of Lybia about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, - Jews also, and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians; we have heard - them speak in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. John xiv.</i> 23-31.<br> -<br> - At that time Jesus said to his disciples:<br> - If any one love me, he will keep my word, and my Father will - love him, and we will come to him, and make our abode with him. - He that loveth me not, keepeth not my words. And the word which - you have heard is not mine, but the Father's who sent me. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_268">{268}</a></span> - These things have I spoken to you, remaining with you. But the - Paraclete, the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my - name, he will teach you all things, and bring all things to - your mind, whatsoever I shall have said to you. Peace I leave - with you; my peace I give to you: not as the world giveth do I - give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, nor let it be - afraid. You have heard that I have said to you: I go away, and - I come again to you. If you loved me, you would indeed be glad, - because I go to the Father: for the Father is greater than I. - And now I have told you before it come to pass: that when it - shall come to pass, you may believe. Now I will not speak many - things with you. For the prince of this world cometh, and in me - he hath not anything. But that the world may know that I love - the Father: and as the Father hath given me commandment, so I - do. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon LXXIX.<br><br> - - The Holy Ghost In The Church.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>The Holy Ghost,<br> - whom the Father will send in my name,<br> - he will teach you all things,<br> - and bring all things to your mind,<br> - whatsoever I shall have said to you. </i><br> - —Gospel of the Day. -</p> -<p> -On the day which we now commemorate, my brethren, the Holy Ghost -came down, as you know, on the little company of Christians -assembled in the upper room at Jerusalem, to prepare them for the -great combat in which they were about to engage against the devil -for the conquest of the world. He came down upon them to make of -them the church of God; to establish them in the truth, and to -bring to their remembrance, as our Lord had promised, the faith -which they had received from his lips. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_269">{269}</a></span> -He came to give them not only the knowledge but also the courage -and strength which would be necessary for them to persevere, to -resist and overcome all the attacks of the enemy, and to weather -all the storms which heresy, infidelity, and worldliness were -about to raise against the one true faith. -</p> -<p> -And he was to come, and has come, not only on them, but on those -who have followed them as well, and for the same purpose. We have -received him, and he abides in the Catholic Church to-day as he -did in the times of the Apostles. The Holy Ghost is the life of -the church; it is his presence which distinguishes her from the -human institutions which have appeared in the world with her and -have one by one sprung up and passed away. It is his abiding with -her that makes her life perpetual, ever the same and ever new. -</p> -<p> -But how is the Holy Ghost in the Catholic Church? How is it that -he is her life, and that he keeps now, as of old, in the one true -body which all who will but clear the mists of prejudice from -before their eyes can see is the one which Christ promised to -form, and to which all his promises were made? -</p> -<p> -In the first place, the Holy Ghost is in the Catholic Church by -the gift bestowed on the successors of the Apostles in the -Apostolic See, of infallibility in teaching the faith. In this -way the truth is sure to be kept in the world; it cannot fail to -be taught, while the Vicar of Christ remains to teach it. -</p> -<p> -But it is not only in the Holy See that the Spirit of God abides. -The bishops throughout the world also teach the faith by his help -and guidance; and this help is also given to the clergy who -assist them. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_270">{270}</a></span> -Nor does the work of the Holy Ghost stop here; he is also with -the body of the faithful, enabling them also to recognize the -truth when they hear it, and to distinguish it from error. "You -have the unction from the Holy One, and know all things," says -St. John; "I have not written to you as to them that know not the -truth, but as to them that know it." -</p> -<p> -Yes, the Holy Ghost is throughout the church; he is her life, and -is not only in her head, but also in her members. Were he not in -the members, though the pope indeed should remain to teach the -truth, the faithful would not have remained faithful or attentive -to the truth which he would teach. -</p> -<p> -What a blessing, then, my brethren, is this light of the Holy -Ghost, which is given in its measure to each one of us; which -keeps us in the one fold, and which makes us, out of many, one -body in Christ; which brings his words always to our minds, and -which preserves us from the ever-changing doubt and confusion -which is the lot of those who arc separated from the one true -church in which he dwells! Let us, then, preserve this -unspeakable gift; let us not quench the Spirit of God within us. -And how is it quenched? How do we lose the light of faith which -he gives? -</p> -<p> -By sin, and never except by sin. Though instruction be indeed -good and salutary, it is not the simple and the unlearned who -lose the faith, but such as give ear to their passions, specially -those of pride and impurity. All the heresies which have torn -multitudes from the church of Christ have had their roots not so -much in ignorance as in sin. "Keep yourselves," then, my -brethren, as St. John warns you, "from idols"; this is the only -sure way to keep in yourselves the light of God. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_271">{271}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon LXXX.<br><br> - - The Guidance Of The Holy Spirit.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>If any one love me he will keep my word,<br> - and my father will love him,<br> - and we will come to him and make our abode with him;<br> - he that loveth me not, keepeth not my word.</i><br> - —Gospel of the Day. -</p> -<p> -To-day, dear brethren, the church sends up her voice of praise -for the coming of the Holy Spirit. On this day the Holy Ghost, -the personal love of the Father and the Son, came upon the -disciples in that upper chamber in Jerusalem, where they were -gathered together in prayer awaiting the promise of the Father. -He came upon weak and timid men, but when he had poured himself -upon them behold we have the great Apostles, the teachers of the -divine word, the fearless and untiring searchers after souls, the -founders of the church. -</p> -<p> -Ah! what a change had been wrought in these timid followers of -Jesus, who had fled from him in the hour of his need, and who, -after his resurrection, lay hid with barred doors for fear of the -Jews! Their fear and their weakness have disappeared, and the -whole world is not large enough for the exercise of their zeal, -nor less than the conversion of all nations the end of their -noble ambition. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_272">{272}</a></span> -<p> -But, dear brethren, the self-same Holy Ghost, who brought about -this change in the Apostles, comes to us, nay, abides in us, if -we fulfil the condition our Lord lays down—namely, that we love -him. And he makes the test of our love the keeping of his word. -If we love him the Father will love us, and the Father and the -Son will come to us and make their abode with us through the -indwelling of the Holy Spirit. -</p> -<p> -The Holy Spirit is our sanctifier. It is he to whom are ascribed -the works of love. He dispenses the graces which the merits of -Jesus Christ have won for us. He purifies from sin and unites our -souls to God. He dwells in every one who is free from grievous -sin, and by his light and strength he gives us help to overcome -the temptations which assail us. -</p> -<p> -He is the Spirit of joy and sweetness, filling us with the fear -of God, urging us on in the love of God, guarding us from the -loss of God's friendship by the winning sweetness of his -consolations. How greatly, then, should we love and adore the -Holy Ghost, the third person of the Blessed Trinity! We should -often call upon him and pray to him. We do not invoke the Holy -Ghost enough. We pray to the Father and to the Son, and so -indirectly honor God, the Holy Spirit; but we should pray more -frequently to him directly. We should call upon him to give us, -if we have it not, the grace of God, and to increase in us the -fire of divine love that we may realize in ourselves the promise -of the abiding of God in us by keeping his laws. -</p> -<p> -What folly it is for us to imagine that God can have a -dwelling-place in our sin-stained soul! How can the Holy Spirit -find pleasure in one who by mortal sin has made himself God's -enemy; who has been guilty of a deliberate act of rebellion -against his Maker and been unfaithful to or left unheeded his own -sweet drawing? -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_273">{273}</a></span> -Alas for us, if this Pentecost finds us in this awful state! -Alas! if the voice of our conscience has been silenced; this day -then brings no joy to us! The Holy Spirit has no abiding-place -within our souls. We have not loved the Son because we have not -kept his words: "He that loveth me not keepeth not my words." And -because we have not loved him the Father and he will not come to -us. The loving Holy Ghost is not master in our house; we have -driven him out who was our best friend and thrown open the gate -to our enemy. Will you remain thus, you who are in sin? Let not -this day go by and to-morrow find you unrepentant. Grieve for -your past offences, keep the law of God, and you shall have the -fulness of the Holy Spirit. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon LXXXI.<br><br> - - The Easter Duty.</h3> - -<p> -In this great feast and its octave, my dear brethren, we -commemorate the last of all the wonderful events which brought -the Christian religion into the world. To-day our Divine Saviour, -having ascended into heaven, fulfilled his promise in the descent -of the Holy Ghost upon his Apostles; to-day the Catholic Church -was fully established, and given power to convert the world; -to-day the order of things was begun which is to last to the end -of time. -</p> -<p> -And with this octave closes, therefore, that especially holy part -or season of the year which centres round the resurrection of our -Lord, and which has, for most obvious reasons, been appointed as -the time in which every Christian is bound, under pain of mortal -sin, to receive Holy Communion, or make, as we say, his Easter -duty. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_274">{274}</a></span> -Only one more week remains in which to attend to this most -important of all the obligations of a Catholic, to fulfil this -greatest precept of the positive Christian law. -</p> -<p> -Now, what is exactly this precept of the Easter duty? Strange to -say, you will often find people who do not seem to have any clear -idea about it at all, in spite of all that is said about it from -the altar and in common catechisms and books of instruction. And -yet it is very simple. It is just this: Every Catholic of -sufficient age to receive Communion is bound to receive it on -some day between the first Sunday of Lent and Trinity -Sunday—that is, a week from to-day—inclusive; and it is very -difficult for any one to have any excuse from complying with this -law. -</p> -<p> -The Easter duty, then, is not merely an obligation to receive -once a year. A person may receive a hundred times in the year, -and yet not make his Easter duty; just as one may hear Mass every -day in the week, and yet not fulfil the precept of hearing Mass -if he stays away on Sunday. Now this seems quite easy to -understand; but there are people, and plenty of them, too, who -will make a mission shortly before Lent, and then say at this -time: "Oh! I went to Communion not very long ago; there is no -need to go so soon again." They might as well say on Sunday, if -they had heard Mass on Saturday: "I need not go to church to-day; -it was only yesterday that I was there." The law of hearing Mass -is not to hear it once a week, but to hear it on Sundays and -holydays of obligation; so the law of Communion is not to receive -once or twice a year, but to receive at the time appointed. No -other time will do. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_275">{275}</a></span> -<p> -But some may say: "I have not committed any mortal sin since my -last confession; I am just as good as these people who are -running to church all the time." Very good, perhaps you are; -though it may be that Almighty God does not have so high an -opinion of you as you seem to have of yourself. But it is not the -question whether you are good or not; the law is not to confess -mortal sin at Easter; far from it, one ought to have no mortal -sin to confess, then or at any other time. No, the law is to go -to Communion. One should get leave to do so, of course; but if -you have no sin on your conscience, what is easier than to say so -to the priest? You ought to be glad to be able to say it. -</p> -<p> -Do not, then, make the foolish excuse either that you have been -to Communion at Christmas or there about, or that you have -nothing to confess now. Come this week; if you put your Communion -off one day beyond next Sunday you are guilty of breaking this -law. If you are in mortal sin, get out of it by making a good -confession and Communion; if you are not, do not fall into it by -refusing to obey this most peremptory and most urgent command. -Any one who has not received since Lent began, and refuses to do -so on or before next Sunday, may, indeed, call himself a -Catholic, but is not worthy of the name. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_276">{276}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Trinity Sunday.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - <i>Romans xi.</i> 33-36.<br> -<br> - O the depth of the riches, of the wisdom, and of the knowledge - of God! How incomprehensible are his judgments, and how - unsearchable his ways! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? - Or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to - him, and recompense shall be made to him? For of him, and by - him, and in him, are all things. To him be glory for ever. - Amen.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Matthew, xxviii.</i> 18-20.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - Jesus said to his disciples: All power is given to me in heaven - and on earth. Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations: - baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and - of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things - whatsoever I have commanded you; and behold I am with you all - days, even to the consummation of the world.<br> -<br> -<br> - Last Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Luke vi.</i> 36-42.<br> -<br> - At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: - Be ye merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and - you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be - condemned. Forgive, and you shall be forgiven. Give, and it - shall be given to you: good measure and pressed down, and - shaken together and running over, shall they give into your - bosom. For with the same measure that you shall measure it - shall be measured to you again. And he spoke also to them a - similitude: Can the blind lead the blind? do they not both fall - into the ditch? The disciple is not above his master; but every - one shall be perfect, if he be as his master. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_277">{277}</a></span> - And why seest thou the mote in thy brother's eye, but the beam - that is in thy own eye thou considerest not? or how canst thou - say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull the mote out of thy - eye, when thou thyself seest not the beam in thy own eye? Thou - hypocrite, cast first the beam out of thy own eye, and then - shalt thou see clearly to take out the mote from thy brother's - eye. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon LXXXII.<br><br> - - The Divine Majesty.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>For of him, and by him, and in him are all things;<br> - to him be Glory for ever and ever. Amen.</i><br> - —Epistle of the Day. -</p> -<p> -To-day, my dear brethren, the church, having completed the round -of feasts and fasts which she began on Christmas, having brought -to our remembrance our Lord's birth, his holy childhood, his -ministry on earth, his Passion and death, his glorious -Resurrection and Ascension, and the coming of the Holy Ghost as -he had promised, finally brings us into the presence of the Being -by whom all these wonderful works have been accomplished, and who -is the sole object of our adoration, the ever Blessed Trinity, -the three Divine Persons, the one God. She bids us contemplate, -so far as it is possible for us, the great and ineffable mystery -into the faith of which we have been baptized, and to join with -the angels and saints in the canticles of heaven, "Holy, Holy, -Holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to -come." -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_278">{278}</a></span> -<p> -"Of him, and by him, and in him are all things," says the -Apostle, reminding us of this highest of all the teachings of the -Christian faith. Of the Father is the Son, and by the Son is the -Holy Ghost, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, and in whom -is their life and mutual love. The distinction of the Divine -Persons is thus intimated to us; but the Divine Nature is only -one; of, by, and in that One are we and all things created. -</p> -<p> -We and all the world around us are of God; not part of him, nor -born of him according to nature, nor proceeding from his -substance, but still of him in that we owe our being entirely to -him, who drew us from nothing by his almighty power. Nothing -could ever have existed outside of God himself except through the -wonderful, incomprehensible act of creation. From nothing, -nothing of itself could come; all things are from and of God, who -created them from nothing. -</p> -<p> -By his almighty power, then, we have been created, and by it now -we are sustained. We could not live for a moment except by his -continual support. It is only by his aid that we can draw a -single breath, walk a single step, or perform the simplest act. -The winds and the waters, and all the powers of nature, as we -call them, are his powers, too, which he lends to us, and makes -subservient to our use. -</p> -<p> -And in him we live and move and are. He is nearer to us than we -to ourselves. It is not only that he makes us live; it is his -life by which we live; our life comes from and belongs to his -eternal life. The life of God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is -in himself; ours is in him. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_279">{279}</a></span> -<p> -To him, then, the one and only true God, "be glory," as the -Apostle says, "for ever and ever." How often we say these words, -"Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost," -and how little do we think of what they mean! If all that we are -and have is from God, by him and in him, how can we set ourselves -apart from him, or claim anything for ourselves against him? How -can we glory in ourselves, or desire glory from others, when all -glory, praise, and honor belong of necessity to him from whom, by -whom, and in whom all things are? -</p> -<p> -For this is what it means when we say, "Glory be to God." Not -some glory or praise or recognition of his greatness from us, as -a sort of tax or tribute which we must pay to keep the rest for -ourselves. No, when we have given glory to God as we should, -there will be nothing left for us to keep. This is the perfection -of the creature, to prostrate itself at the foot of its Creator's -throne, and to cast all the crowns it has received before him -that sitteth thereon, and to say with the angels and saints in -heaven, "Thou art worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and -honor and power, because thou hast created all things, and for -thy will they were and have been created." -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon LXXXIII.<br><br> - - The Mystery Of The Holy Trinity.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Go ye, therefore, teach all nations,<br> - baptizing them in the name of the Father,<br> - and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.</i><br> - —St. Matthew, xxviii. 19. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_280">{280}</a></span> -<p> -It was the faith in the Most Holy Trinity that the Apostles were -sent forth to teach throughout all the world to every creature. -It is into this faith that every Christian is baptized by the -invocation of the thrice-holy name of the Father, the Son, and -the Holy Ghost, and because of this baptism he is bound to -persevere all his life long in that steadfast faith in the Holy -Trinity for which the church to-day teaches us to pray. Think it -not strange that this doctrine should be so deep a mystery. We -are surrounded on all sides by mysteries. There is scarcely a -department of knowledge into which we can turn our minds where we -are not met by things which we cannot understand. There is, -therefore, nothing wonderful in the fact that God is the greatest -mystery of all. We cannot solve the mysteries of nature and of -life as we see them before us. How, then, can we expect to -comprehend the nature and the inner life of God? It is not for -us, with our poor, feeble minds, to ask the how or the why, but -simply to bow down in humble adoration before the truth of God as -he has revealed himself to us. Faith would not be the virtue that -it is if everything were perfectly plain to us. The chief merit -of faith is in accepting on God's authority that which is beyond -our own reason. His revelation of himself to us is only partial. -The full light that we are capable of receiving will not come -until we are before his throne, and see him face to face, for it -is only when that which is perfect shall come that that which is -in part shall be done away. For now we see, as it were, through a -glass, in an obscure manner, now we know but in part, but then we -shall know even as we are known. Meanwhile our time of trial -remains, and we must submit our minds as well as our hearts and -wills to God. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_281">{281}</a></span> -<p> -But he has not given us this partial revelation of himself in -order to perplex and worry us. He has told us all that is good -and needful for us to know in our present state. We should not, -therefore, fix our minds upon that which he has chosen to hide -from us, but upon that which he actually has revealed to us, and -we shall find in this more than enough for our love and devotion. -Each Person of the Blessed Trinity has some special relation to -us, and there are, therefore, special acts of love and adoration -which we can pay to each. He has revealed himself to us as the -Father, not only as the Father of the Eternal Son, but as our -Father as well; our Father, because he has adopted us as his -children. Nothing that we know on earth of a father's love can -compare with the tenderness with which the Eternal Father regards -his children. We, therefore, must become as little children -towards him, looking up to him with love, with reverence, with -simple trust, striving to fulfil his holy will in perfect -obedience, knowing that he wills only our good, here and -hereafter. -</p> -<p> -God the Son has revealed himself to us as our Saviour and -Redeemer, and because we are through him the children of God, as -our Elder Brother, sharing in our human nature, having been -tempted like us, and having suffered far more for our sake than -we shall ever be called upon to suffer for him. Hence in all our -trials, in all our temptations, in all our sufferings, we have -his example to cheer us, knowing that we are but treading the -steps that he trod and bearing our cross after him. His Precious -Blood is still flowing through the sacraments to cleanse us from -our sins, his grace is ever ready to help us in the hour of need. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_282">{282}</a></span> -<p> -And God the Holy Ghost is revealed to us and given to us as the -life of our souls, our helper, our comforter, our sanctifier, -stirring up the flame of divine love in our hearts, urging us to -good deeds, and giving us the strength to perform them. We, on -our part, must listen to his voice and follow his guidance, that -so we may abide in the love of the Father and of the Son. -</p> -<p> -Thus is the Blessed Trinity revealed to us, as Father, Son, and -Holy Ghost. Let us not question, but praise, adore, and love. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon LXXXIV.<br><br> - - The Divine Judgment.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>And Jesus coming, spoke to them, saying:<br> - "All power is given to me in heaven and in earth."</i><br> - —Matthew, xxviii. 18. -</p> -<p> -When these words were uttered by our Lord he had risen from the -dead. On this occasion he had with him only the eleven Apostles, -whom he had instructed to meet him by appointment at this time -and in this place—a mountain in Galilee. A few words they are, -but full of meaning. The Apostles saw our Lord in the flesh -again; they heard his own human lips utter this truth: that all -power is his in heaven and in earth. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_283">{283}</a></span> -<p> -How did they understand him? They understood that the Man they -saw, the human being who then stood before them, was endued with -all power that God would exercise in heaven and in earth; that to -rule this vast universe was his right; that to sit on the throne -of heaven, to be worshipped and adored as God by every creature, -to shape the destiny of this world, of its many nations, of its -many families, of every single soul born and to be born in it; to -open and shut the gates of hell at his own will, to judge all -without exception, each separately at the moment after death, and -all together in the great Judgment day of God, is his right and -office as the Man, because he is Man in God and God in Man; the -Man selected to be the One through whom the Divine Nature -manifests himself in all the fulness of the Godhead in human -nature. -</p> -<p> -But what, therefore, is the first thought that must enter our -hearts? It is necessarily this: How will that Man receive us when -we are called into his presence, one by one, as we leave this -world? How will that countenance look to us at that moment? How -will those ears listen to our reports of our own lives? How will -those lips speak to us in that dread moment? -</p> -<p> -But why do we ask ourselves these questions? Because we know that -we are to meet that Man in God, face to face, to give an exact -account of all of our deeds in the body, and that he is the One -to praise or blame us, reward or condemn us, receive us into -eternal blessedness or cast us out into eternal, never-ending -darkness, and deliver us over to the rule of those who shall be -our masters in hell. -</p> -<p> -Can we tell what the result will be? Yes; and to a certainty! If -our lives have been good, or if we die in his friendship, the Man -Christ Jesus will give us a blessed and glorious welcome; but if -our lives have been wicked, that Man will reject us for ever. He -will not have us anywhere near him. He will not endure our -presence a single moment, nor permit us to speak in his presence, -nor ever again to mention his holy name, but will cast us into -that region of creation where holy names are not permitted to be -uttered. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_284">{284}</a></span> -<p> -Do we truly hope that this sad fate will not be ours? Then we are -truly good, leading good lives, are faithful to our duties as -good Catholics. If we truly hope for his approval we can judge -ourselves now and know we shall receive it. -</p> -<p> -How is this? If each one can say to-day, the last of the -Easter-time, I have obeyed the commands of the church and made my -Easter duty, then each soul is free from mortal sin and knows the -judgment of our Lord will be in his favor. Let any such soul die -at any moment now and the mercy of God is surely his, for he is -now in the friendship of God, his soul is restored to its -heavenly state, and every soul in this state is so acceptable to -our Lord that he can not condemn it, but must welcome it to the -society of those who are saved for ever. -</p> -<p> -O unfaithful, negligent Catholic! whose life heretofore has been -a dishonor to God, a shame to your family, a scandal to your -neighbor, and a disgrace to the church of Jesus Christ, have you -turned from your sins and made your peace with God this -Easter-time? Have you washed your past life clean from sin by -this Easter duty? Then you, too, <i>know</i> you will receive the -welcome of our Lord, the Man Christ Jesus, your King and your -God. Otherwise you are still his enemy, and have a right only to -his eternal wrath. How can you sleep a moment or be at rest a -single instant longer while knowing you are condemned already, -because you have not made your Easter duty? -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_285">{285}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Second Sunday after Pentecost.</i><br><br> - - And Sunday Within The Octave Of Corpus Christi.</h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - 1 <i>St. John iii.</i> 13-18.<br> -<br> - Dearly beloved: <br> - Wonder not if the world hate you. We know that - we have passed from death to life, because we love the - brethren. He that loveth not, abideth in death. Whosoever - hateth his brother, is a murderer. And you know that no - murderer hath eternal life abiding in himself. In this we have - known the charity of God, because he hath laid down his life - for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. He - that hath the substance of this world, and shall see his - brother in need, and shall shut up his bowels from him: how - doth the charity of God abide in him? My little children, let - us not love in word, nor in tongue, but in deed and in truth.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Luke xiv.</i> 16-24.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - Jesus spoke to the Pharisees this parable:<br> - A certain man made a great supper, and invited many. And he - sent his servant at supper-time to say to them that were - invited that they should come, for now all things are ready. - And they began all at once to make excuse. The first said to - him: I have bought a farm, and I must needs go out and see it; - I pray thee, have me excused. And another said: I have bought - five yoke of oxen, and I go to try them; I pray thee, have me - excused. And another said: I have married a wife, and therefore - I cannot come. And the servant returning, told these things to - his lord. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to - his servant: Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the - city, and bring in hither the poor and the feeble, and the - blind and the lame. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_286">{286}</a></span> - And the servant said: Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, - and yet there is room. And the lord said to the servant: Go out - into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that - my house maybe filled. But I say unto you that none of those - men that were called shall taste my supper. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon LXXXV.<br><br> - - Holy Communion.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>A certain man made a great supper<br> - and invited many.</i><br> - —St. Luke xiv. 16. -</p> -<p> -I suppose every Catholic here to-day, except some young children, -has once or many times in his life been to the "Great Supper," -and eaten the "Bread of Life" which is served at it; and those -little ones of the Lord's Holy Catholic family are looking -forward to the bright day, to be for ever afterwards the day of -sweetest memory, when they too shall have that honor and -happiness—the day of their First Communion. -</p> -<p> -If such be the case, what is the use of the church repeating to -us every year the threat in the Gospel against those who made -foolish and selfish excuses for staying away—"None of those men -that were called shall taste of my supper"? We have been called. -We have answered the invitation. We have been to the supper. -Isn't that enough? The Gospel evidently does not apply to us. But -wait a bit. I have two things for you to think about. In the -first place, the calling to the Great Supper the Gospel speaks -about is a standing invitation for life. By this I mean that the -law of the Catholic Church obliges every one to receive Holy -Communion annually—that is, during the Easter season. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_287">{287}</a></span> -It is then, first of all, an <i>annual</i> invitation; and going -one year is not answering the call for the next year. Every one -who has learned his Catechism ought to know that. In the second -place, what would you think of a near relative whom you had -invited to be present at your marriage anniversary dinner, who -should send for reply that he had already dined with you on the -Fourth of July? This is like what people say who, when asked if -they made their Easter duty, tell you, "Oh! no, I went at -Christmas," or "I was at the mission." Now the <i>annual</i> -marriage supper which the King makes for his Son, and to which we -are invited, is at Easter, and neither Christmas, mission time, -the Forty Hours, nor the Fourth of July will do, unless, indeed, -the mission or the Forty Hours took place in the Paschal season. -</p> -<p> -The second thing I want you to think about is that the invitation -to partake of the "Great Supper" of Holy Communion, whether at -Easter or at any other time, is a call to make what is known as a -<i>worthy</i> Communion; that is, you must be absolved from sin -and thus be yourself worthy. That is requisite, and that is -enough. There are some scrupulous people who fancy that they -themselves have got to do beforehand all that the Communion is -intended to do and will do. Who is it that prepares the Supper, -they or the Lord? If they will do the little that is asked of -them, they can safely leave to the Lord the responsibility of -doing his part. A <i>worthy</i> Communion should also be one that -is worth something to the one receiving it, and should not be a -worthless exterior performance, which has no interior act of -communion in the heart to correspond to it. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_288">{288}</a></span> -And now this kind of worth of each and every Communion depends -upon what the communicant chooses to make it. All is to be had -that God can give. The means of getting the good from Communion -is one and the same means for getting the good in receiving other -sacraments—that is, prayer. Prayer beforehand, prayer daring it, -prayer afterwards. The more you want and the more you ask of, the -more worth will your Communion be. Suppose our Lord should -suddenly quit the sacramental form of the host and ask a -communicant at the altar-rail, "What do you wish for?" and he -should answer, "I don't know; I never thought of asking for -anything," you would reasonably conclude that he was not likely -to receive very much. Now, I hope you who often come to the holy -table are paying attention to this. If you come often, it is -supposed, and justly supposed, that you want a good deal, and -that you are deeply in earnest about obtaining what you desire. -Much as, I am sure, your Communions are worth to you, I wish you -would set about making them worth still more. In a word, you must -think more about what you need. Get your requests ready. Have -them, as it were, well by heart, so that if the Lord should ask -you what you came for, your reply would come out quick and -earnest enough. Of all privileges and honors, in this world, -receiving Holy Communion is, indeed, something for us Catholics -to boast of. How the "outsiders" envy us our faith and the -comfort it brings to us!—the infidels of every name and kind, -the Protestants and others, who either have no Communion, or at -best a sham one. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_289">{289}</a></span> -How would you like to have yourself thrust aside and one of them -called by the Lord to take your place at his table? Beware, then, -how you treat his invitation; come as often and be as well -prepared as the Spirit of Divine Love shall inspire you. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon LXXXVI.<br><br> - - The Sacred Heart Of Jesus.</h3> - -<p> -The month of June has, as you know, my brethren, been set apart -by general consent for devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, as -that of May has in the same way been devoted to our Blessed Lady; -and on next Friday, the day following the octave of Corpus -Christi, the church solemnly celebrates the Feast of the Sacred -Heart. This feast, formerly observed only in some places, has for -about thirty years been kept everywhere. -</p> -<p> -As the devotion to the Sacred Heart has of late spread so widely -in the church, and is so plainly pleasing to God and most -salutary to us, it is well that we should understand it clearly, -that we may enter into it more fully. In the first place, then, -we will ask, What is the nature of the worship which we render to -the Sacred Heart of Jesus? And, secondly, Why is it specially -selected as the object of our devotion? -</p> -<p> -What, then, is the nature of our worship of the Sacred Heart? It -is, of course, the same as that which we pay to our Lord -himself—that is, the worship which is due to him as God the Son, -the second Person of the Blessed Trinity. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_290">{290}</a></span> -His human nature, united to the divine nature in one Person, is -truly worthy of divine worship and honor. God, having become man, -his human heart is the heart of God, and must be adored as such. -Let us, then, remember this: the devotion to the Sacred Heart is -one that is given to God himself, just as that is which we have -for the Blessed Sacrament in which he resides on our altars. -</p> -<p> -But why do we select the Heart of our Lord, or rather why has he -himself selected it, as a special object of our adoration? I say, -why has he himself selected it? for this devotion to the Sacred -Heart in modern times is due specially to a revelation made by -our Lord to the Blessed Margaret Mary, a nun of the Visitation, -two centuries ago. -</p> -<p> -In answer to this question we may say that our Lord's Heart is -the fountain of his Precious Blood, which was shed for our -salvation, and was pierced by the lance, like his hands and feet -by the nails, on the cross; and it is in this way specially -pointed out as the object of our gratitude and love. But even a -more urgent reason is that the heart is a natural symbol of love, -agreed on by universal consent at all times and in all parts of -the world, and therefore that the Heart of Jesus most perfectly -represents his love for us. In adoring the Sacred Heart, then, we -adore in a particular manner the love of Christ for sinners; and -it is for this reason that he has given us this devotion, knowing -that it is only by the thought of the love of his Heart for us -that our hearts can be won to the love of him. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_291">{291}</a></span> -<p> -Yes, my brethren, God wishes our love; it was to obtain it that -he became one of us and died for us on the cross; and it is to -win it now that he asks us to remember and to adore his Sacred -Heart. "Let us therefore," says St. John, "love God, because God -first hath loved us." This is the spirit of this devotion: that -we should not try to save our souls merely for the fear of hell, -but that, seeing how much God has loved us, we should love him in -return. And also that, seeing how much he has loved our brethren, -the same fire of divine charity may be kindled in our hearts, and -thus each one of us may do our share to carry on and to complete -the work for which he shed his Precious Blood: the bringing of -the world to the knowledge and love of him. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon LXXXVII.<br><br> - - Ingratitude.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>A certain man made a great supper, and invited many. …<br> - And they began all at once to make excuse.</i><br> - —Gospel of the Day. -</p> -<p> -You know, my dear brethren, the parable given by our Divine Lord -in the Gospel of to-day. The principal point of it is in the -words which you have just heard. The guests who were invited to -the supper, instead of feeling honored by the invitation and -accepting it gladly, began to make one excuse or another; one had -his farm, one his oxen, and another had just married a wife. None -of these reasons would have prevented them from coming to the -supper had they really wished to; they were mere flimsy pretexts -put forward to hide their indifference to their host and to all -that he had to offer them. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_292">{292}</a></span> -<p> -You know this parable, and I think you also know well its -meaning. As our Saviour uttered it the coldness and ingratitude -of those whom he had come to save rose up before him, giving him -a foretaste of the agony which was afterward to overwhelm and -crush him in the garden of Gethsemani. His heart, burning with -love for men, longed and thirsted for love in return; it was all -he asked; could he but have had that all the pains of his -sorrowful life and terrible death would have been as nothing. But -no; he foresaw that, after all, those to whom he stretched out -his arms on the cross in loving invitation would, for the most -part, turn a deaf ear to his appeal; would give him at the best -but a reluctant and half-hearted service; would keep as much as -possible for themselves, and give as little as possible to him. -</p> -<p> -And, in particular, he foresaw that the crowning gift which he -had in store for his rebellious and ungrateful children—his own -Body and Blood, which he was to leave them in the Blessed -Sacrament of the Altar, and in which he was to remain with them -even after his work was done and the time come for him to return -to his Father—would be rejected by the greater part even of -Christians with the same indifference with which his other -sacrifices were to be met. He saw himself in our churches, -unwelcomed and almost unknown by the most of those whom he loved -to call his friends. He saw that, though for a time in the first -fervors of faith, when the sword of persecution drove those to -his side who were not overcome by it, he would, as he desired, -indeed be the daily bread of his people, yet there would come a -day when that faith would be dimmed, and the love which sprang -from it would grow cold. He knew that an age would come -when—shame to say it—his church would have to force her -children by strict laws and threats of excommunication to receive -him in the sacrament of his love even once a year. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_293">{293}</a></span> -And he knew that, in spite of all this urging, many still would -excuse themselves from the divine banquet, offered so freely to, -nay, almost forced upon, them; that millions every year would -miss their Easter duty; would either turn from the bread of life -to the food of swine by deliberate choice, or at least would, on -some frivolous pretext, put off the time of their reconciliation -till the last day appointed for it had gone by. -</p> -<p> -Alas! my dear brethren, children of this God and Father who has -done so much for us, I fear that some even of you who hear my -words have once more thus grieved his heart and despised his -love. In all this long time of Lent and Easter which, has just -gone by you have missed the duty to which the most sacred and -solemn of all the laws of the church has called you. But still -our Lord has not yet treated you as you have treated him. He has -not yet said to you, as the host said in the parable: "None of -you that were invited shall taste of my supper." No; once more, -in this great festival of Corpus Christi, he makes yet another -appeal to you, to put aside your excuses, and to come to him with -all your heart and soul. Do not, I beseech you, continue to -insult and despise him who thus humbles himself before you, and -still tries to remind you of his goodness and mercy. Come to him -without delay, and make amends for your past neglect; all will be -forgiven and forgotten. But remember, if tempted to reject him -once more, and to postpone your return, that even his infinite -mercy will at last have to yield to his justice; that his loving -Spirit cannot strive with you for ever. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_294">{294}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Third Sunday after Pentecost.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - 1 <i>St. Peter v.</i> 6-11.<br> -<br> - Dearly beloved:<br> - Be you humbled under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt - you in the time of visitation. Casting all your solicitude upon - him, for he hath care of you. Be sober and watch; because your - adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, goeth about seeking - whom he may devour. Whom resist ye, strong in faith: knowing - that the same affliction befalleth your brethren who are in the - world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his - eternal glory in Christ Jesus, when you have suffered a little, - will himself perfect, and confirm, and establish you. To him be - glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Luke xv.</i> 1-10.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - The publicans and sinners drew near unto Jesus to hear him. And - the Pharisees and the Scribes murmured, saying: This man - receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. And he spoke to them - this parable, saying: What man among you that hath a hundred - sheep: and if he shall lose one of them, doth he not leave the - ninety-nine in the desert, and go after that which was lost - until he find it? And when he hath found it, doth he not lay it - upon his shoulders rejoicing: and coming home call together his - friends and neighbors, saying to them: Rejoice with me, because - I have found my sheep that was lost. I say to you, that even so - there shall be joy in heaven upon one sinner that doth penance, - more than upon ninety-nine just who need not penance. Or what - woman having ten groats, if she lose one groat, doth not light - a candle and sweep the house and seek diligently until she find - it? And when she hath found it, call together her friends and - neighbors, saying: Rejoice with me, because I have found the - groat which I had lost. So I say to you, there shall be joy - before the angels of God upon one sinner doing penance. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_295">{295}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon LXXXVIII.<br><br> - - Sinful Amusements.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Be sober and watch, because your adversary the devil<br> - as a roaring lion goeth about,<br> - seeking whom he may devour.</i><br> - —Epistle of the Day. -</p> -<p> -I need not tell you, dear brethren, that there is nothing more -contrary to the spirit of our holy religion than melancholy. The -church would not have her children long-faced and mopish, -eschewing all pleasure as a thing sinful; nor would she have them -unhappy by depriving them of what is good and forbidding what is -innocent, but like a wise mother she permits, nay, sanctions, -harmless amusements, knowing that this, far from being an -impediment to us in our efforts after holiness, is rather a help. -</p> -<p> -But, unfortunately, all pleasures are not innocent. There are -some which are sinful—very sinful—and which, instead of aiding -us by begetting a holy gladness, fill us with remorse and rob the -soul of the grace of God, which is the principle of all our joy. -Such pleasures as these the church forbids; such as these she -would have us avoid, and she warns us that they come not from -God, but from our adversary the devil, who is seeking our ruin. -It is with regret that we say it, still we say it with truth, -that of late years a very dangerous sort of amusement has taken -more or less hold upon numbers of our young people, and, now that -we are at the beginning of summer, it may not be amiss to say a -word or two about a certain sort of "picnics." -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_296">{296}</a></span> -<p> -It is hard to conceive how a young man or woman, who wishes to be -deemed respectable, or even to preserve self-respect, can attend -any of those <i>moonlight</i> gatherings known as picnics, -festivals, etc. Call them by what name you please, as a whole -they are bad. The places where these meetings are held, the -persons whom you cannot avoid coming in contact with, make them -dangerous at least, and very frequently a real occasion of sin. -How can a young girl know the character of him with whom she is -dancing? She has been introduced, to be sure, but what of that? -Does she feel quite certain that she may not be subjected to -insult or worse? Is she satisfied that her mother would be -pleased to see her with her present companions? Is she not -engaged in a dance which borders on immodesty? Take care, my good -girl, you have taken your first downward step to-night; retrace -your way, and never be found at such a "festival" as this again, -if you value your good name. Nor can young men attend these -"moonlight rural gatherings" without endangering their fair fame -and interests. A pure woman will not marry a man who consorts -with bad characters. She will not trust herself to the tender -mercies of one who reaches home in the early morning in a half or -wholly drunken state. She cannot look forward to a happy life -with one of this character, and she will not encourage his -attentions. Employers are not over-anxious to have in their -service those who come to their occupations with evident marks of -debauchery. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_297">{297}</a></span> -They believe that young men of this sort are not efficient, and -they believe so rightly; they think that these are not altogether -trustworthy; that they are constantly exposing themselves to -danger and theft. It does not pay, young men, to go to "moonlight -picnics." It is not to your interest, either temporal or -spiritual. Do not be carried away with the idea that you can be -dissipated with impunity. "Be sober and watch" yourselves, -remembering that a good name is rather to be chosen than great -riches, and certainly to be preferred to the gross pleasures of -moonlight orgies. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon LXXXIX.<br><br> - - Divine Providence.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Casting all your solicitude upon him,<br> - for he hath care of you.</i><br> - —1 St. Peter v. 7. -</p> -<p> -The doctrine of God's providence is one of those great truths -which, though accepted by every Christian, are often not -apprehended practically in everyday life. By the providence of -God we mean that loving care which he takes of all his creatures, -and especially of man, ruling, guiding, and protecting them, -"ordering all things sweetly," as holy Scripture has it, that -each one of his creatures may attain to the end for which it was -given existence. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_298">{298}</a></span> -<p> -God's work does not stop with creation. It would be absurd to -suppose that he made all things and then left them to take care -of themselves. On the contrary, we know that his sustaining power -is necessary in order to keep us in existence at all, and that if -he were to withdraw his sustaining hand from us we should at once -fall back into the nothingness from whence we came. But God's -providence over us means something far more than simply keeping -us alive. It enters into every circumstance of our life. Whatever -befalls us, day by day, is with his permission, is in accordance -with his holy will. Whether he blesses us or smites us, it is all -the same: everything comes from his loving providence, and is -intended for our good. -</p> -<p> -Our Lord's teaching concerning the providence of God is very -clear and plain. He tells us that God cares for the lilies of the -field and for the birds of the air, so that not one of them is -forgotten before God; and, he adds, "Are not you of much more -value than they?" For "even the very hairs of your head are all -numbered." "O ye of little faith!" he still says to us, "why are -you so slow and dull of heart to understand? Why will you not see -the hand of God directing the whole course of your life?" Men go -on in their carelessness, unmindful of God, taking the good -things that come to them as a matter of course, or as the result -of their own labor, forgetting that every good and perfect gift -is from above. But God does not forget them. In spite of their -indifference, he still watches over them, providing them with all -things needful for their souls and bodies, and with his grace -ever seeking to lead them to him. How many, too, spend their time -in foolishly worrying over their petty trials! It is all owing to -a lack of faith; they refuse to recognize God's hand in their -daily life. Yet again and again our Lord and his Apostles repeat -the exhortation, "Be not solicitous"—that is, do not -worry—"casting all your solicitude upon him, for he careth for -you." -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_299">{299}</a></span> -<p> -But it is especially in the great trials of life that the -doctrine of God's providence is necessary for us, and full of -consolation, and perhaps it is at just such times that it is the -most often forgotten. When some heavy trouble comes, how often -does the sufferer fail to acknowledge that it is sent by Almighty -God—that is, an ordering of his providence, and therefore to be -submitted to with patience and humility. "Dearly beloved," says -St. Peter in the Epistle of to-day, "be you humbled under the -mighty hand of God." To be humble is to acknowledge our true -position in God's sight, to confess that we are his creatures -altogether in his power, and that he has the right to do with us -as he pleases. Our faith assures us that he will not use this -right to our disadvantage. Away, then, with all silly murmurings -and complaints that God is unjust. Good sense alone will teach -that that cannot be. If you understood the full extent of the -malice of even venial sin you would see that you receive but a -small part of what you really deserve. Follow, then, the counsel -of Solomon, and "reject not the correction of the Lord, and faint -not when thou art chastised by him; for whom the Lord loveth he -chastiseth." -</p> -<p> -But if the burden seem too hard for you to bear alone, Jesus is -ready to help you. "Come to me," he says, "all you that labor and -are heavy laden, and I will refresh you." Go to him in the -Blessed Sacrament, pour out your grief to the Sacred Heart, and -you shall find rest for your soul. "Cast thy care upon the Lord," -said David in the Psalms, "and he shall sustain thee." -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_300">{300}</a></span> -Then, having humbled yourself under the mighty hand of God, he -will exalt you in the time of his visitation and fill you with -his peace. And "the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his -eternal glory in Christ Jesus, <i>when you have suffered a -little</i>, will himself perfect, and confirm, and establish you. -To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon XC.<br><br> - - How To Bear Burdens.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Cast thy care upon the Lord<br> - and he shall sustain thee.</i><br> - —Gradual of the Mass. -</p> -<p> -Which of us, dear brethren, is without his burden or his care? -Whatever our station in life, however high or lowly we may be, to -each comes his portion of sorrow, to each come difficulties and -temptations. If we escape one trial we are sure to find another, -and probably a worse one, awaiting us. It is our lot here upon -earth to suffer, and we ought to expect nothing else, for if we -hope for perfect happiness in this world we are doomed to -bitterest disappointment. The way in which to carry ourselves -with regard to our difficulties is not to seek to avoid them, or -when they come upon us to run away from them, but to accept them -as the portion of our heritage and to make them a source of merit -and sanctification. If we would but cast our care upon the Lord, -if we would but willingly submit to what his all-wise providence -designs for us, these apparent miseries would become for us real -blessings and bring upon us the choicest of God's gifts—an -increase of his holy grace in our souls. God will help us sustain -our burden if we receive it with resignation; if we love it he -will make it even sweet to bear. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_301">{301}</a></span> -<p> -But, you may say, this doctrine is very pretty in theory. How -about the practice of it? It is not so easy to be indifferent to -the things of this life, to the wants of the body, so as to be -quite as willing to be poor as to be rich, to have a good, -substantial meal or a morsel of cold victuals. People cannot be -expected to prefer misery to happiness. -</p> -<p> -We are not asking you to prefer misery to happiness, nor even to -be indifferent as to what shall happen you. Although this would -be far more perfect and would soon make him who had such -disposition very holy, still we do not ask so much. What we would -wish you to do is what we think all are bound to do—namely, to -have confidence in the providence of God; to recognize his hand -guiding the course of events in our behalf. We know that he is -good and merciful and ready to help us in our need; we know that -even when he punishes it is not so much in anger as in love that -he does so; yet we complain and are discontented, and some even -go so far as to blaspheme the God who, at the very moment when we -are treating him with such indignity, is lovingly working all -things together unto good, who is doing for them more than they -would ever hope for. Oh! what pride is theirs, who set up their -judgment against God's and insist upon the Almighty doing things -according to their fancy. They see no reason why they should -suffer this or that. Why should they be treated so harshly? Other -people have comfort; why should not they? -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_302">{302}</a></span> -Oh! what folly, what blindness is there in the hearts of men and -women who speak thus! What ingratitude is theirs! Perhaps the God -they are abusing has forgiven them hundreds of mortal sins; -perhaps he is withholding what they are demanding because he sees -if he granted them the things they ask their salvation would be -endangered; yet all that he is doing in loving kindness is being -misunderstood, because men are unwilling to bow down to the holy -and adorable will of God. -</p> -<p> -Dear brethren, let it not be said of us that we are ingrates or -that we are so foolish as to think ourselves wiser than God; but -let us turn to him with all our hearts and recognize in all he -sends us his unspeakable mercy; let us ever see in him the -All-wise God, our Father, and never permit ourselves to be -deceived by the rebellion of our lower nature. Let us, in a word, -"cast all our care upon the Lord." -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_303">{303}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Fourth Sunday after Pentecost.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - <i>Romans. viii.</i> 18-23.<br> -<br> - Brethren:<br> - I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not - worthy to be compared with the glory to come, that shall be - revealed in us. For the expectation of the creature waiteth for - the revelation of the sons of God. For the creature was made - subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him that - made it subject, in hope: because the creature also itself - shall be delivered from the servitude of corruption into the - liberty of the glory of the children of God. For we know that - every creature groaneth, and is in labor even till now. And not - only it, but ourselves also, who have the first-fruits of the - spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for - the adoption of the sons of God, the redemption of our body, in - Christ Jesus our Lord.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Luke v.</i> 1-11.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - When the multitudes pressed upon Jesus to hear the word of God, - he stood by the lake of Genesareth. And he saw two ships - standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, - and were washing their nets. And going up into one of the ships - that was Simon's, he desired him to thrust out a little from - the land. And sitting down, he taught the multitudes out of the - ship. Now when he had ceased to speak, he said to Simon: Launch - out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And - Simon answering, said to him: Master, we have labored all the - night and have taken nothing: but at thy word I will let down - the net. And when they had done this, they enclosed a very - great multitude of fishes, and their net was breaking. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_304">{304}</a></span> - And they beckoned to their partners that were in the other - ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and - filled both the ships, so that they were almost sinking; which - when Simon Peter saw, he fell down at Jesus knees, saying: - Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord. For he was - wholly astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught - of the fishes which they had taken. And so were also James and - John, the sons of Zebedee, who were Simon's partners. And Jesus - saith to Simon: Fear not, from henceforth thou shalt be taking - men. And when they had brought their ships to land, leaving all - things, they followed him. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon XCI.<br><br> - - How To Suffer.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Brethren: I reckon that the sufferings of this present time<br> - are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come,<br> - that shall be revealed in us. </i><br> - —Epistle of the Day. -</p> -<p> -I think, my brethren, that there are few good and faithful -Christians who do not have, as they journey through life, a fair -share of crosses, trials, and sufferings. Sometimes these crosses -are not noticed much by other people, but they are heavy enough -for those who have to bear them. The priest hears more of the -troubles of the world, as well as of its sins, than any one else; -misery is a very old story to him; and he has his own trials, -too, in plenty, though many think that in his state of life he -has mostly avoided them. Yes, trouble and suffering seem to be, -and indeed they really are, the rule of life for Christians, -happiness rather the exception; unless we are willing to get what -some call happiness by disregarding the law of God. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_305">{305}</a></span> -<p> -Now this is a very unpleasant fact; but it is a fact, and we have -to accept it. But how shall we best do so? That is a point which -it will be well to consider. -</p> -<p> -Shall we simply take our trouble because we cannot help it, and -fret as little as we can, because fretting only makes it worse? -Or shall we take comfort by thinking that others are in the same -plight as ourselves; by believing, though perhaps we cannot see -it, that our luck, though hard, is not harder than that of most -of those around us? -</p> -<p> -These would be two pretty good ways of getting along for one who -had no better. But it would be a shame for us to fall back on -them. One who has faith should be able to find a better way than -either of these. -</p> -<p> -"Yes," you may say, "I know what you mean; a Christian ought to -be resigned to God's holy will. We are taught and we believe that -all things come to us by the providence of God; that he is -all-wise and infinitely good; so, when he sends us anything hard -to bear, we must say, 'Thy will be done,' and know by faith that -it is for the best." -</p> -<p> -Now I do not want to say anything against this way of bearing -trouble; it is a good way, and it is a Christian way; none more -so. And perhaps some times it is the only one that will seem -possible. But after all it is not exactly what I mean, or it is -not at any rate all that I mean; and it is not what the great -Apostle St. Paul, whose glorious and triumphant death, after a -life of suffering, we commemorate with that of St. Peter to-day, -meant in those immortal words which I just read. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_306">{306}</a></span> -<p> -"I reckon," says he, "that the sufferings of this present time -are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come, that shall -be revealed in us." -</p> -<p> -That is his consolation. "We have," he says to us, "a little to -suffer here, but what is it after all? A drop, bitter it is true, -but still only a drop, against an eternal torrent of joy with -which God is going to overwhelm our souls. Truly it is not worthy -to be compared in its passing bitterness to the ocean of delight -of which it is the earnest for the future. It is, in fact, the -little price which we have to pay for that future; and it is not -worth speaking of when we think what it will bring." -</p> -<p> -Indeed, my brethren, it must be a matter of astonishment to the -angels, it ought to be so to us, that we think so little of the -heaven which God has prepared for us. We profess to believe in -it; we do believe in it; but we seem to forget all about it. We -can have it if we will; moreover, these very crosses and trials, -if we have them, are a sign that our Lord means almost to force -it on us. Let us, then, think more of heaven; meditate on it, -look forward to it. The thought of heaven was the joy and -strength of the martyrs; why should it not be the constant -support of ordinary Christians, too? -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon XCII.<br><br> - - Good Works Done In Mortal Sin.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Master, we have labored all the night,<br> - and have taken nothing.</i><br> - —Gospel of the Day. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_307">{307}</a></span> -<p> -The Gospel of to-day tells us, my dear brethren, how St. Peter -and his companions, after wearying themselves with dragging their -heavy nets the whole night, had caught nothing for all their -pains; and how, as soon as our Lord appeared, and they were able -to work with his guidance and help, they took more fish than -their boats would hold. -</p> -<p> -There is a most important spiritual lesson contained in this -simple story. This miraculous draught of fish is, as it were, a -parable, acted out instead of told by our Divine Saviour. And its -meaning is this: that those who work in the night of the soul -which is caused by mortal sin have indeed much trouble, sorrow, -and labor, but it is all for nothing. All that they do and suffer -while remaining in this state counts for nothing in their favor -in the eternal account of God. Whereas, on the other hand, the -slightest action of one who is in the state of grace, and who, -therefore, works in union with Christ, has attached to it a great -and imperishable glory in the kingdom of heaven. -</p> -<p> -St. Paul also teaches us this quite explicitly. "If I should -distribute," says he, "all my goods to feed the poor, and if I -should deliver my body to be burned, and have not charity" (that -is, the love of God, which makes the state of grace), "it -profiteth me nothing." Whereas, on the other hand, he says, for -himself and others who are united to God by grace, that "what is -at present momentary and light of our tribulation worketh for us -above measure exceedingly an eternal weight of glory." -</p> -<p> -This is, I say, my brethren, a most important truth. Do you -fairly understand it? Do you take in its full meaning and -application? Let us look at and study it as much as possible in -these few minutes; then let us take it home with us, meditate on -it, and make it thoroughly our own. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_308">{308}</a></span> -<p> -All of us have our labors, trials, and pains; some arc heavily -burdened with them. To work and to suffer is the lot of all, from -which there is no escape. We cannot avoid our destiny; we must -make the best of it. -</p> -<p> -Yes, that is just it; we must make the best of it; if we have any -prudence, any true love or care for our happiness, we will make -the best of it, and not the worst. Why suffer this poverty, this -sickness, this worry and distress of mind? Why do all this hard -work? Why go through all these long and weary days, and get -nothing in reward for all our labor and suffering but the mere -means with which to keep up this painful and toilsome life, and -to sweeten it, perhaps, with some fleeting sensual pleasures? Why -not have something to show for all our trouble at the end of our -time here on earth? Why not make it, as we may, into a crown to -take with us into that life which has no end? -</p> -<p> -This is what those do who remain in the grace of God, who commit -no mortal sin, or who, if they ever fall into it, repent and free -themselves from it with out delay. All their pains and all their -labors are recorded in heaven, and treasured up to be woven into -a crown of merit for such as persevere to the end. God is with -them, as with St. Peter on the lake of Genesareth; they work for -him, and in the light of his presence, and their slightest -actions obtain a rich reward. -</p> -<p> -But those who foolishly think that to remain thus is a task -beyond their strength, who pass their lives in mortal sin, and -only seldom and for a short time rise from it, have the same -trouble; and at the end, if indeed they come to God then and -enter heaven, being saved as by fire, they find no treasure of -good works gone before them. "Master," they have to say, "we have -worked all night and have taken nothing. We have worked in the -night of sin all our life." -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_309">{309}</a></span> -<p> -Let us not, then, follow their example. Let us not run their -fearful risk of not obtaining salvation at all; and let us also -determine that when we are saved we will have a life well filled -with the fruits of grace to lay at our Saviour's feet, for which -we may merit to hear him say: "Well done, good and faithful -servant; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon XCIII.<br><br> - - Fishing For Men.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Master, we have labored all the night,<br> - and have taken nothing.</i> -</p> -<p> -St. Peter was without doubt a good fisherman, and a patient one, -as all good fishermen are. He was content to fish all night with -such poor luck as to catch nothing at all. -</p> -<p> -But after he had taken our Lord on board his ship it seemed as if -all the fish in the lake were anxious to be caught. Such a -wonderful haul was made that St. Peter and all the other -fishermen were dumfounded with astonishment. How mightily they -were all pleased may well be imagined. -</p> -<p> -Now, I think there is in our day something going on very like St. -Peter's fishing all night and catching no fish. The Catholic -Church is the ship of Peter, and he who exercises the authority -of master in that ship, together with his mates and other -officers, are holding the place which St. Peter was exalted to -when our Lord made him the master fisherman of men. That is, the -Holy Father, the pope, the bishops and priests are fishing for -men, and our Lord promised that they should catch them, too. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_310">{310}</a></span> -<p> -In a certain degree, also, everyone on board Peter's ship—all -Catholics—have to do with this great work—the spreading out -the nets and drawing souls into the true church. -</p> -<p> -For some time there have been some efforts made to catch a -certain kind of fish known as <i>Protestants</i>, and there is -another sort, also becoming common in these waters of ours, -called <i>Infidels</i>. And it seems to me that there has been a -good deal of fishing all night long, and not half the haul made -that was hoped for. We feel like repeating St. Peter's complaint -—"Lord, we have labored all the night and taken nothing." -</p> -<p> -The fishermen know their business, and they have worked hard. No -trouble on that score. When may we hope that the promise of our -Lord will be fulfilled and labor shall be crowned with success? -I'll tell you. It will be after Christ has taught his divine -doctrine from the ship, and when he can say to us, "Now let down -your nets." -</p> -<p> -If there is anything both true and astonishing it is the -prevailing ignorance of their own or of any other religion among -Protestants and infidels. You would think that, among so many -learned and well-to-do people who have every advantage of -education and general information at hand, they would not only -know what they believed, but also the reasons why. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_311">{311}</a></span> -They make a great boast of knowing, some of them, all the -<i>good</i> that there is in the Bible, and others all of what -they call absurdities and contradictions in the holy volume. You -need not be afraid of all this supposed knowledge. In fact, some -read the Bible very little, and great numbers of them don't hear -half of what the majority of us Catholics hear in church. -Catechize them, and it will soon appear that they are densely -ignorant of all religion. How can we hope that such people will -admire all the beauties of our faith, and appreciate all the -powerful and logical arguments in favor of this or that truth, -who are so lacking in information about the very rudiments of -religion? -</p> -<p> -I meet such people frequently, who are, nevertheless, regular -hearers and worshippers of the best preachers of our day, or who -pick up here and there some sayings of the pretentious -philosopher of the hour. -</p> -<p> -Christ must teach this multitude from the ship of Peter, and he -will do so when he can say of us, "Whoso heareth you, heareth -me"—that is, when you and I so live up to our faith that when -they hear us they hear a Christ speak, and when what we speak is -for their instruction and suited to their great ignorance of -divine things. We must be simple and plain in our instructions -when directed to them. -</p> -<p> -Moreover, we must thrust this instruction of the first things -every Christian (be he child or man) ought to know upon them in -all charity; and be quick about it, for without it they will be -in imminent peril of losing their souls. They are good enough -according to what they know. They, like the best of us, love -truth, and are really hungering for what is unquestionably for -their greater happiness. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_312">{312}</a></span> -Oh! if we Catholics would only live like Christ and speak like -Christ, then it would be high time to let down the net. -Protestants and infidels would rush in crowds to be taken. -Priests would not know where to find room for the converts. -</p> -<p> -Enter into the work of spreading Christian doctrine, then. Buy -Catholic books of instruction. Buy a good many and give away a -good many. It may set them thinking. And the reading of good, -plain instructions, like the simple words of our Lord, will set -them to praying as well. When a Protestant or an infidel once -begins to pray to know the truth, it will be sure to lead him -into the net that is let down from St. Peter's ship, only too -happy to be numbered among those taken by the divinely-appointed -fishers of men. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_313">{313}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Fifth Sunday after Pentecost.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - 1 <i>St. Peter iii</i>. 8-15.<br> -<br> - Dearly beloved:<br> - Be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, loving - brotherhood, merciful, modest, humble: not rendering evil for - evil, nor railing for railing, but on the contrary, blessing: - for unto this are you called, that by inheritance you may - possess a blessing. "For he that will love life, and see good - days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that - they speak no guile. Let him decline from evil, and do good: - let him seek peace, and pursue it: because the eyes of the Lord - are upon the just, and his ears unto their prayers: but the - countenance of the Lord against them that do evil things." And - who is he that can hurt you, if you be zealous of good? But if - also you suffer any thing for justice sake, blessed are ye. And - be not afraid of their terror and be not troubled; but sanctify - the Lord Christ in your heart.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Matthew v.</i> 20-24.<br> -<br> - At that time Jesus said to his disciples:<br> - I say to you, that unless your justice abound more than that of - the Scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom - of heaven. You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou - shalt not kill. And whosoever shall kill shall be guilty of the - judgment. But I say to you, that whosoever is angry with his - brother, shall be guilty of the judgment. And whosoever shall - say to his brother, Raca, shall be guilty of the council. And - whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be guilty of hell fire. - Therefore if thou offerest thy gift at the altar, and there - shalt remember that thy brother hath anything against thee, - leave there thy gift before the altar, and first go to be - reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_314">{314}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon XCIV.<br><br> - - Forgiveness Of Injuries.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>If therefore thou offer thy gift at the altar,<br> - and there thou remember that thy brother hath anything against thee,<br> - leave there thy offering before the altar,<br> - and go first to be reconciled to thy brother;<br> - and then coming, thou shalt offer thy gift.</i><br> - —Gospel of the Day. -</p> -<p> -There are few things in common life, my dear brethren, more -surprising than the fact that some people seem to consider -themselves good Christians, and well worthy to receive the -sacraments, who have a grudge against some of their neighbors and -never speak to them; perhaps never answer, even if spoken to by -them. These people seem to think, I say, that they are worthy to -receive the sacraments; and this not only at Easter, but, it may -be, quite frequently. Some of them, I fear, consider themselves -to be pious and devout; they say, it may be, long prayers every -night and perhaps also in the morning—though, if they really -thought of the words on their lips, I do not know how they could -get through one Our Father. "As we forgive those who trespass -against us" ought to stick in their throats. They will not speak -to those persons who, as they think, have trespassed against -them; they wish, then, that God should have nothing to say to -themselves. "Forgive us," they say to him, "<i>as we forgive;</i> -we will not speak to others, so do not thou speak to us; turn thy -back on us, pass us by; that is what we do to our neighbors. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_315">{315}</a></span> -Cut us off from thy friendship, send us to hell"; that is what -every Our Father means in the mouth of these detestable -hypocrites when they say, "Forgive as we forgive." -</p> -<p> -How these people get through their confession and receive -absolution is as surprising as that they should make the attempt -to do so. They are caught, no doubt, once in a while, but it is -to be feared that a large proportion of them slip through the -priest's fingers, either by saying nothing about the sinful -disposition in which they are or by telling a lie to the Holy -Ghost and to their own hearts, if they would but examine them, by -putting all the fault on the other party. When the other party -appears, then we come nearer to the truth. "I spoke to -So-and-so," they say, "but got no answer." -</p> -<p> -Now, let it be distinctly understood that to refuse to answer any -one who speaks to us with a good intention; to take no notice of -a word or a salute, given with a view to renewing friendship, or -even out of ordinary politeness, is, in almost every case, a -mortal sin. Of course I do not mean that is so when the omission -comes from inattention or carelessness; no, I mean when it is -intended as a cut to the other party. About the only instance in -which it can be allowed is that of a superior, who has a right to -take the matter in his own hands, and can put off reconciliation -for a time without danger. A father, for instance, may keep his -child at a distance for a while in this way as a punishment for -an evident offence; but I am speaking of equals, one of whom can -have no right to punish the other. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_316">{316}</a></span> -<p> -But you may say: "This person has injured me grievously. He or -she ought to beg my pardon." Perhaps this is so; though often, if -you could see your own heart and that of the other as God sees -them, you ought to beg pardon as much as he or she. It is rare -that an unprovoked injury is done by any one consciously and -without what seems a pretty good excuse to himself. But even -granting that the injury is really grievous and unprovoked, do -you expect your neighbor to go down on his knees to you, or to -humble himself by a formal apology, not knowing how it will be -taken? Would you find it easy to do such a thing yourself, -however guilty? -</p> -<p> -No, by turning him off in this way you put the balance of injury -against yourself, however great may have been the other's -offence. No one should dare to go to Communion after such a -slight unatoned for. And yet even brothers and sisters have done -such things, and, I fear, received Christ's Body and Blood with -this sin on their souls. -</p> -<p> -Let us have, then, no more of this. If one is not willing to be -in charity with his or her neighbor, let him or her not come to -confession, or at least, if coming, take care to state the matter -as it really is. "Go first and be reconciled with thy brother; -and then, coming, thou shalt offer thy gift." -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon XCV.<br><br> - - Feast Of SS. Peter And Paul.</h3> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_317">{317}</a></span> -<p> -To-day, my brethren, holy church celebrates the Feast of SS. -Peter and Paul, one the prince of the Apostles, the other the -great teacher of the Gentiles. Their glorious martyrdom took -place the same day in the imperial city of Rome. A glorious -victory indeed was their death, one being crucified, head -downwards, the other beheaded, sealing thus with their blood that -invincible faith in our Lord and in his religion which has made -them fit to be cornerstones of his spiritual temple. Besides -their faith, they were most distinguished for confidence in God. -The two virtues, faith and hope, of course, blended together in -their souls, borrowed from each other, and in the fire of -heavenly love were melted into one. Yet confidence in God, or the -virtue of hope, was the very impulse that set them forth to -preach, gave them their gift of miracles, and led them out at -last with the deepest joy to offer up the sacrifice of their -lives. -</p> -<p> -And it was by such heroic trust in God that our holy church was -founded. The beginnings of the true religion may be summed up by -saying that God sent out men who were willing to stake their -lives upon his fidelity to his promises. The soil on which our -Saviour planted the true vine was watered by the blood of -martyrs. The Breviary speaks of the blood of our two great -Apostles as the purple robe of immortal Rome. And their virtue of -implicit, instinctive confidence in God's love for us and for his -church is the spiritual garment every Christian puts on when he -is made a member of Christ. -</p> -<p> -Looking across all those centuries, my brethren, and -contemplating the martyrdom of SS. Peter and Paul, our hearts -should be strengthened. What are the trials of the church now -compared to those at the very beginning? -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_318">{318}</a></span> -We lament, indeed, that St. Peter's successor is a captive in his -own house, and also that in many regions of the world the true -faith of the Apostles has to struggle for its very life. Yet the -struggles of the church are now those of a giant, are against a -world in great part doubtful of its own cause; struggles which -make us only the more evidently pleasing to God, as they are -gradually forcing us to strip ourselves of every human help and -practise the Apostolic virtue of trust in God alone. "Some upon -horses and some upon chariots, but we call upon the name of the -Lord." Oh! when we come to realize that the welfare of the church -is not in numbers, or in fine buildings, or in the wealth and -power of Catholics, but only and entirely in the practice of the -virtues of our religion, we shall not have long to wait for the -triumph of the truth. When the vast world-power that we call the -Catholic religion was (seemingly) but the frantic experiment of a -handful of men, just then it won its noblest victories. -Heathenism could not be voted down nor fought down; nor did God -send earthquakes and floods to cleanse the earth of its foulness. -The men who founded our faith won the victory because they were -penetrated with the conviction that the Maker and Governor of -mankind was their Lord, and that Jesus Christ, his Son, would -never swerve from his plighted word. -</p> -<p> -Such, then, brethren, is the virtue I bid you learn from the -example of SS. Peter and Paul: confidence in God. Learn that and -it will teach you all. How the value of prayer is shown forth by -this virtue; how the practice of patience is commended; how the -purely spiritual side of religion is brought forward by trust in -God! -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_319">{319}</a></span> -And to you of this church it is especially proposed to cultivate -this Apostolic virtue. For is not your church named for St. Paul? -And is he not associated every way, historically and in the -devotions of our religion, with the prince of the Apostles, St. -Peter? They are our first fruits; they are most closely joined to -Christ, the root of the spiritual tree of life. St. Paul says: -"For if the first fruit be holy, so is the mass also; and if the -root be holy, so are the branches." -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_320">{320}</a></span> - - <h3><i>Sixth Sunday after Pentecost.</i></h3> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - <i>Romans vi.</i> 3-11.<br> -<br> - Brethren:<br> - We all, who are baptized in Christ Jesus, are baptized in his - death. For we are buried together with him by baptism unto - death: that as Christ is risen from the dead by the glory of - the Father, so we also may walk in newness of life. For if we - have been planted together in the likeness of his death, in - like manner we shall be of his resurrection. Knowing this, that - our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin may be - destroyed, and that we may serve sin no longer. For he that is - dead is justified from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we - believe that we shall live also together with Christ: knowing - that Christ rising again from the dead, dieth now no more, - death shall no more have dominion over him. For in that he died - to sin, he died once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto - God. So do you also reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, - but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Mark viii.</i> 1-9.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - When there was a great multitude with Jesus, and had nothing to - eat, calling his disciples together, he saith to them: I have - compassion on the multitude, for behold they have now been with - me three days, and have nothing to eat. And if I send them away - fasting to their own houses, they will faint in the way, for - some of them came from afar off. And his disciples answered - him: From whence can any one satisfy them here with bread in - the wilderness? And he asked them: How many loaves have ye? And - they said: Seven. And he commanded the people to sit down on - the ground, and taking the seven loaves, giving thanks, he - broke, and gave to his disciples to set before them, and they - set them before the people. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_321">{321}</a></span> - And they had a few little fishes, and he blessed them and - commanded them to be set before them. And they did eat and were - filled, and they took up that which was left of the fragments, - seven baskets. And they that had eaten were about four - thousand: and he sent them away. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon XCVI.<br><br> - - The Divine Bounty.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>And they did eat and were filled,<br> - and they took up that which was left of the fragments,<br> - seven baskets.</i><br> - —St. Mark viii. 8. -</p> -<p> -The Gospel to-day tells us of the miracle of the multiplication -of the loaves and fishes, whereby our Lord fed the multitude in -the wilderness. Not only did seven loaves and a few little fishes -satisfy the hunger of four thousand, but seven baskets were -filled with the fragments that were left. This is the way in -which God always works in the dealings of his providence with -mankind. He is not content with giving us enough: he gives us -more than enough—"full measure, pressed down, and running over." -He hath opened his hand and filled all things living with -plenteousness. Look at the earth which he has prepared as a -dwelling for the children of men, and see how bountifully he has -provided for all their necessities. "Oh! that men would praise -the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the -children of men," and cry out with David: "How great are thy -works, O Lord! Thou hast made all things in wisdom; the earth is -filled with, thy riches." -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_322">{322}</a></span> -<p> -But if God has thus lavishly provided for the bodily wants of -man, he has been even more bountiful in providing for the needs -of his soul. "He hath satisfied the empty soul and filled the -hungry soul with good things." Just as air, water, and food, the -things necessary for the sustenance of our bodies, are found in -the world in great abundance, so also does God's grace abound, -which is necessary for the life of our souls. Just as we must -breathe the air in order to live, so we have but to open our -mouths in prayer, the breath of the soul, and God's grace, which -is as plentiful as the air of heaven, is poured into our hearts, -filling us with new life. And as we must breathe the breath of -prayer, so also we must drink the water of salvation which, -mingled with blood, flowed from the wounded side of Jesus. That -living water which He promised to give is his Precious Blood, -shed for all upon the cross, yet continually flowing in copious -streams through the sacraments to cleanse and refresh the souls -of men. We have but to approach and drink and our thirsty souls -shall be satisfied. "He that shall drink of the water that I -shall give him," said Jesus, "shall not thirst for ever. But the -water that I shall give him shall become in him a fountain of -water springing up into everlasting life." Draw near, then, with -joy and draw this water from the Saviour's fountains, the -sacraments which he has ordained in his church. Wash therein, and -you shall be clean; drink thereof, and your soul shall be -refreshed. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_323">{323}</a></span> -<p> -And for food he gives us the Bread of life, the living Bread -which came down from heaven, even his own most Precious Body and -Blood in the blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist. "He that eateth -of this Bread shall live for ever"; but "unless you eat the Flesh -of the Son of Man, and drink his Blood, you shall not have life -in you." His grace would have been enough to sustain us; but he -is not content with giving us his grace alone, he must give us -also Himself. This is the greatest instance of the wonderful -prodigality of God towards us. After creating the world, and -providing it with all that is needful for our bodily life, after -giving us his grace in an almost overwhelming abundance, we might -think that his generosity would have spent itself. But no, he -goes still further, and his last and greatest gift is himself to -be the food of our souls. Surely there is nothing beyond this. -God could not do more for us than he has done. In giving us -himself he has done the utmost that is possible. -</p> -<p> -When, therefore, we behold the wonderful works of God in our -behalf our hearts should swell with thankfulness to him who gives -so abundantly unto us, above all that we could ask or think. -Since God has been so generous towards us, let us not be guilty -of the base ingratitude of despising his gifts, and rejecting the -mercies he holds out to us! Rather be generous towards him, and -as he gives us himself, so let us give ourselves wholly to him, -striving in all things to please him, offering ourselves daily -unto him, soul and body, as "a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing -to God, our reasonable service." -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_324">{324}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon XCVII.<br><br> - - Feast Of St. John The Baptist.</h3> - -<p> -Today we celebrate the Feast of the Birthday of St. John the -Baptist, of whom our Lord said that a greater man than he was -never born; and we well know what kind of greatness Jesus Christ -would make much of—the greatness of holiness. Looking at his -life altogether, we see in him a striking example of one wielding -great power and acquiring an eternal fame, who set out to do -neither, but rather avoided both. No doubt as he grew up he must -have heard something about his miraculous conception, of the -angelic prophecy concerning him, and of that wonderful visit the -Mother of God made to his own mother before either he or Jesus -Christ was born. No doubt he felt himself to be consecrated to -God, and set apart in a special manner to aspire after a holy -life. And now it is just his fidelity to all those interior -inspirations, which, costing him, as it did, so much -self-abnegation, and taking him apparently out of the way of -obtaining a great name, really made him great. -</p> -<p> -He was a notable example of those who gain all by giving up all. -Only those who have this character in a marked degree are truly -great in their souls, for virtue is both the source and the glory -of nobility. No birth however high, no station or office however -exalted, no good luck however extraordinary, high honors, great -wealth, nor heaps of badges and medals can make up for the lack -of it. A mean, covetous, selfish, proud, gluttonous, sensual, -envious-minded, overbearing, spiteful, unforgiving, greedy king -or emperor neither is nor can be great, no matter how vast his -dominions or countless his subjects. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_325">{325}</a></span> -On the other hand, we Catholics know of, and recognize often, the -most extraordinary nobleness and refinement of soul in many who -are among the poorest, most suffering, and often, in -book-learning, the most ignorant of our brethren. What is it that -gives to many such that singular taste for and perception of what -is pure, beautiful, and true, which they unmistakably possess? -And, in times of great trial and sacrifice, what is it that often -brings them out above and ahead many others of whom we might be -led to expect so much more? I'll tell you: it is the greatness of -their holiness, the nobility of their virtue. It is that -manifestation of what is really great in the sight of God and his -angels—their love of truth, their ready self-denial, their -big-hearted charity, their loyalty to God and religion, the -independence of the world, their free obedience to superiors, -their sweet endurance of pain and sorrow, their meek, forgiving -spirit. Such as these are the souls of the great, whom the world, -the flesh, and the devil attack and may wound, but cannot -conquer. If sometimes we are tempted, dear brethren, to envy the -apparent good fortune, as it is esteemed, of those whose -greatness is not thus founded in virtue, we may be sure that we -are weighing something with a very light and empty weight in the -other balance, which may be very bulky, sparkling, and showy, -like a big, bright, sunshiny soap-bubble, but with nothing -inside, and of very short continuance. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_326">{326}</a></span> -<p> -So you see how true greatness is within the reach of every one, -and within quite easy reach, too. One is not obliged to do a -great many things, nor labor many years, nor accomplish what -makes a long report with large headings in the newspapers. One -has only to take care <i>how</i> the work is done one is called -to do—with what spirit one does it. Says the "Imitation of -Christ": "We are apt to inquire <i>how much</i> a man has done, -but with <i>how much virtue</i> he has done it is not so -diligently considered. We ask whether he be strong, rich, -beautiful, ingenious, a good writer, good singer, or a good -workman; but how poor he is in spirit, how patient and meek, how -devout and internal, is what few speak of." Yes, it is not so -much the long and splendid record of the work, but the spirit of -the working, the pure, unambitious, God-loving intention ruling -our labors, that makes them worthy of everlasting memory and -meritorious of the renown of a great name, which leaves behind -one a memory held in benediction and the history of a life -delicious to recall. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon XCVIII.<br><br> - - Idleness.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>And they had nothing to eat.</i><br> - —Gospel of the Sunday. -</p> -<p> -The people who crowded about our Lord had nothing to eat, because -out of love of the word of God they had for a time quit their -work and their homes. This docility, this constancy argues well -for their earnestness in the fulfilment of all their other -duties. They were out of food, not through laziness, but because -of set purpose they preferred spiritual to temporal nourishment. -Hence they merited this extraordinary and unlooked-for -manifestation of our Lord's goodness and providence in supplying -them with food. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_327">{327}</a></span> -<p> -We may confidently expect, my brethren, the assistance of God -even in temporal want and necessity if our honest endeavors fail. -We are not to be over-solicitous; we are not to desire nor strive -after an over-abundance of such things. This promise, however, we -have: that our Heavenly Father knows our needs, and he will come -to our aid. But we have a duty, an obligation to discharge, and -that is to work, to earn our bread. Now, this is the point of my -sermon: that there are many people—the number seems to be -increasing—who have nothing to eat, or who say they have not, -and it is their own fault. -</p> -<p> -They do not merit any special interposition of Heaven to save -them from the consequences of their own laziness; they do not -seem to deserve, they do not deserve, the assistance of the -charitable, who are the stewards and the representatives of the -Lord. Now, brethren, do not imagine that this is a harsh and an -unchristian way of regarding the necessities of the very poor; do -not suppose that I make no allowance for the sickness, the lack -of work, the hard times, the calamities which from time to time -afflict the deserving and the laborious. If you are in a position -to know, you cannot but be persuaded that the tendency to ask for -help, the inclination to throw burdens on institutions public and -private, the frequency, the boldness, the unreasonableness of -such demands is on the increase; the number of those who are -unwilling to exert themselves, to undergo the routine, the strain -of work, grows day by day. Yet the Apostle says, "If any man will -not work, neither let him eat." -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_328">{328}</a></span> -He bids every one labor faithfully in the calling wherein he has -been placed. There is no such thing as true religion save in the -faithful discharge, first of all, of our natural duties, and in -compliance with the first great law of labor. -</p> -<p> -Now, I have frequently noticed one peculiarity about many of -those who say they have nothing to eat, and that is, they cannot -be said to have nothing to drink; and the presence of this kind -of nourishment explains very often the lack of all other. No, my -brethren, let us be industrious, saving, and sober, mindful that -the law of God has imposed labor on us; let us try to help -ourselves; then, if we fail, Heaven will surely help us, even in -ways as truly miraculous as our Saviour's for the multitude in -the desert. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_329">{329}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Seventh Sunday after Easter.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - <i>Romans vi.</i> 19-23.<br> -<br> - Brethren:<br> - I speak a human thing, because of the infirmity of your flesh. - For as you have yielded your members to serve uncleanness and - iniquity, unto iniquity; so now yield your members to serve - justice, unto sanctification. For when you were the servants of - sin, you were free from justice. What fruit therefore had you - then in those things, of which you are now ashamed? For the end - of them is death. But now being made free from sin, and become - servants to God, you have your fruit unto sanctification, and - the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death: but - the grace of God, everlasting life in Christ Jesus our Lord.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Matthew vii.</i> 15-21.<br> -<br> - At that time Jesus said to his disciples:<br> - Beware of false prophets, who come to you in the clothing of - sheep, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. By their fruits - you shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of - thistles? Even so every good tree yieldeth good fruit, and the - bad tree bad fruit. A good tree cannot yield bad fruit, neither - can a bad tree yield good fruit. Every tree that yieldeth not - good fruit, shall be cut down, and shall be cast into the fire. - Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them. Not every man - that saith to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of - heaven: but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in - heaven, he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_330">{330}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon XCIX.<br><br> - - Mortal Sin The Death Of The Soul.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>The wages of sin is death.</i> -</p> -<p> -When the Apostle, my dear brethren, wrote these words, he did not -mean only to express the truth (for truth it is) that the -inevitable result of sin, even in this world, is the misery, and -finally the death, of the sinner; nor even (though this also is -true) that by sin death was introduced into the world. But he -wished especially to teach us that the direct and immediate -effect of mortal sin is a death much more fearful in itself, and -much more awful in its consequences, than any mere cessation of -the life of the body—namely, the death of the soul. -</p> -<p> -Mortal sin cuts a man off from his last end; it, as it were, -disconnects the soul of any one who is unhappy enough to be in -that state with all the springs of the supernatural state. A soul -which is in mortal sin is cut off from the mystical body of -Christ, and, like a limb cut away from the body of a man, it -ceases to have any part in the nourishment with which that body -is supported and enabled to pass through the wear and tear of the -every-day life of the world. -</p> -<p> -The soul from the time of baptism to the time of death is kept -alive by the gift of sanctifying grace. Remove this and the soul -inevitably dies. Restore this and it is alive again. Now, it is -just the removal of this sanctifying grace which is the immediate -effect of mortal sin. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_331">{331}</a></span> -As long as any baptized person remains free from the fearful -stain of deliberate mortal sin sanctifying grace remains, and -every sacrament received, nay, every good act performed, every -good word spoken, and every aspiration to higher and better -things which passes through the mind, increases the grace which -is conferred upon that soul; but the moment the will is -deliberately turned away from its Creator, at that moment -sanctifying grace ceases and the soul dies. This death is a real -death of the soul; it prevents the soul from meriting anything -towards the attainment of its last end, and should any one be -unhappy enough to die with mortal sin upon his conscience his -soul must, by the law of its very being, be buried for all -eternity in hell. -</p> -<p> -See, then, my dear brethren, how fearful a thing this sin is -which can have such fearful effects. God has made us to enjoy him -for all eternity in heaven, and yet by sin we turn against -ourselves, and, if I may so speak, compel the good God to issue -against us an eternal sentence of banishment from his divine -presence. We prevent our own souls from reaching that end for -which alone they were created. We reap for ourselves an eternity -of untold misery, instead of one of surpassing bliss. -</p> -<p> -Let us, then, to-day make a firm and constant resolution that, -cost what it may, nothing in this world shall induce us to kill -our souls by staining them with sin; and if any one is so unhappy -as to be in that state now, let him now resolve that he will by a -good confession cleanse his soul, and from henceforward, casting -behind the things that are past, he will press forward to the -things that are before. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_332">{332}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon C.<br><br> - - False Prophets.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Beware of false prophets.</i><br> - —Gospel of the Day. -</p> -<p> -I think, my dear brethren, that you all know pretty well what our -Lord means when he says in to-day's Gospel, "Beware of false -prophets." You would tell me, at least if you stopped to think -for a moment, that he means to warn us against those who were to -come after him, pretending to teach his doctrine, claiming that -theirs was the true and pure Christian religion, or putting on, -as he says, the sheep's clothing, but really striving to draw the -faithful away from the unity of the church which he had -established; being, in fact, to use his own words, ravenous -wolves. -</p> -<p> -Yes, you would tell me this, and you would be right in your -explanation of his words. It is, indeed, of these false Christian -teachers that he would warn us. It is against the innumerable -errors which are taught as Christianity, and against the -countless self-appointed guides to his one religion who were to -multiply as time went on, that he wished to forewarn us; to keep -us from listening to them, or allowing ourselves to be turned by -them from the one source of truth which he has provided for us in -his holy Catholic Church. -</p> -<p> -And no doubt, in a way, we listen to his warning, and are not -much deceived by their pretensions, at least in these days. If a -Catholic loses his faith nowadays, it is usually easy enough to -see that he does so, not because he is really deceived by the -false prophet and takes him for a true one, but because he wishes -to lead an easier life without being blamed for it; because he -objects to confession and the other laws of the church as -imposing too much restraint on him, or because his temporal -interests will be advanced by the change. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_333">{333}</a></span> -<p> -But still, in spite of this general security which we now have -against being deceived by the persuasions of those who would lead -us into error, nay, even on account of this very security which -we feel, we do not obey quite carefully enough our Lord's -warning. We think we are in no danger from these false prophets, -and so we are willing enough to hear what they say. We would not -join with them; far from it; but we think there is no harm in -hearing or reading their discourses, or acquainting ourselves -with their books. We do not, in short, beware of them; we think -that there is no need to do so. -</p> -<p> -Really, however, there is. When our Lord said, "Beware of these -false prophets," he meant just what he said. He knew that they -would do us harm if we did not beware; that, if they did not -destroy our faith, they would at least mar its purity or diminish -its intensity if we did not take care to avoid them and their -teachings in every way. And the church has always acted on the -principle which her Divine Founder here laid down, in her -instructions to her children. She does not wish even her priests -to concern themselves with heretical or infidel doctrines, except -with the intention of confuting them as their office requires, -fortified though they be with the most thorough instruction in -and knowledge of the truth. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_334">{334}</a></span> -<p> -We are none of us perfectly wise and above the reach of even the -most absurd errors, especially when our nature, corrupted by sin, -is enlisted on the side of those errors; and, if not in danger of -actually falling into any of them in particular, we may at least, -by acquainting ourselves with those into which great men have -been led, be likely to fall into the most dangerous of all -errors, that of believing that truth is so hard to find that it -cannot be expected that all should find it, and that it makes no -difference what a man believes, as long as he does what seems to -the world in general to be right. -</p> -<p> -The true course for us is, then, to beware of false guides in -religion by keeping out of their way altogether; and, on the -other hand, to study as far as we can the truth, which, if we -learn it and grasp it as we should, conveys in itself the answer -to them all. Listen to the true prophets, and leave the false -ones alone; that is the highest wisdom from the mouth of our -Divine Lord himself. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon CI.<br><br> - - The Last Sin.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>For the wages of sin is death;<br> - but the grace of God,<br> - life everlasting in Christ Jesus our Lord.</i><br> - —From this Sunday's Epistle. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_335">{335}</a></span> -<p> -This is not the only place in Holy Writ, my brethren, where -eternal life and death are set before us as the wages we shall -some day be paid. The word of God frequently admonishes us of the -choice we are compelled to make between eternal sorrow and -eternal joy, and for this most evident reason: we are always -actually engaged in making the choice. The very essence of our -merit hereafter will be that we shall have freely and -deliberately chosen Almighty God and his friendship, in -preference to any and everything besides. And the reason, and the -only reason, why a man will lose his soul will be because he -committed mortal sin and died unrepentant—that is to say, -choosing to love what God bids him hate. What we call the choice -between virtue and vice St. Paul calls the choice between life -and death. And with that choice we are constantly confronted. Not -that we always realize it, nor do I mean to say that the first -time one grievously offends God he settles his fate eternally; -but that each mortal sin really earns the wages of eternal death, -and only the blessed mercy of God saves us from our deserved -punishment. And furthermore, it is some mortal sin or other that -at last breaks down God's patience. If at any particular occasion -he does not see fit to take us at our word, so to speak, and -leave us for ever in that state of enmity that we have chosen, it -is not because we do not deserve it; it is because he is a loving -Father to us, and is often willing to stand a great deal of -wickedness on our part; or because we have some dear friends who -are servants of God and who pray for us; or because the Blessed -Virgin has acquired some special attachment to us and intervenes -for us; or because God reserves us for a later day, when he will -make such an example of us as will save other sinners; or -because, again, he saves us for a later day to make us models of -true penance. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_336">{336}</a></span> -<p> -But just look around you, brethren; just call to mind what you -have heard or perhaps seen of God's judgments, and the Apostle's -lesson becomes object-teaching. Have you not heard of a sudden -and unprovided death and then remembered how years ago that man -started a disreputable business? It was thus that he made his -decision for all eternity. On the other hand, a man now -temperate, once a drunkard, will tell you that long ago he took -the pledge and broke it, and broke it again, but still -persevered, and finally, by the grace of God, has managed to keep -it. He was fighting the battle of fate and he won the victory. -That dreadful appetite overcome, the practice of religion became -easy to him. -</p> -<p> -In another case a man is led away little by little from the rules -of honest dealing; at last he refuses to pay a certain just debt, -one that he can easily pay if he wishes. After that avarice eats -into the core of his heart and he is lost for ever. -</p> -<p> -And, brethren, what a relief to hear after a sudden death that -the poor soul was a monthly communicant! -</p> -<p> -Many are tested by Almighty God demanding that they shall -withdraw from the proximate occasions of mortal sin. The voice of -conscience, a sermon heard in the church, the private advice of -some good friend—for all these are the voice of -God—admonish[ing] them against what leads them to mortal sin; -against very bad company, or the saloon, or the Sunday excursion, -or dangerous reading, or lonely company-keeping. Perhaps one's -conduct about such dangers has more to do with his choice in -eternity than any thing else. -</p> -<p> -I do not mean to say that this fateful decision is a mere -lottery, but it is a moment at the end of years of rebellion -against God when an effort is made by the grace of God to save -the sinner; and for weal or for woe it is the last chance. Some -time or other the last sin will be committed, the last grace will -be granted. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_337">{337}</a></span> -<p> -O my brethren! how very reasonable is the holy fear of God. Oh! -how wise are they who have joined fear and love of God together -so that the fire of love has burned the dross of slavishness out -of fear, and fear has mingled reverence and humility with love. -Alas! that so many should live as if eternal life and death had -no meaning for the present hour. -</p> -<p> -Some are like that millionaire I heard of. Walking home one day, -a heavy shower of rain began, he stopped a hack and asked what -the driver would take him home for. Fifty cents, was the answer. -he began to beat him down, and finally, refusing more than -twenty-five cents, he walked home in the rain. But he caught -cold, went to bed, and died. He had played the miser many a time -before, but the last time had come. So many a one thinks his one -sin more, his one other rejection of grace, is but like the -multitude of other such offences gone before; and all the time he -is deciding an eternal fate. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_338">{338}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Eighth Sunday after Pentecost.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - <i>Romans viii.</i> 12-17.<br> -<br> - Brethren:<br> - We are debtors not to the flesh, to live according to the - flesh. For if you live according to the flesh, you shall die. - But if by the spirit you mortify the deeds of the flesh, you - shall live. For whosoever are led by the spirit of God, they - are the sons of God. For you have not received the spirit of - bondage again in fear: but you have received the spirit of - adoption of sons, whereby we cry, Abba (Father). For the Spirit - himself giveth testimony to our spirit, that we are the sons of - God. And if sons, heirs also; heirs indeed of God, and joint - heirs with Christ.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Luke xvi.</i> 1-9.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - Jesus spoke to his disciples this parable: - There was a certain rich man who had a steward: and the same - was accused unto him, that he had wasted his goods. And he - called him, and said to him: What is this I hear of thee? Give - an account of thy stewardship: for now thou canst not be - steward. And the steward said within himself: What shall I do, - because my lord taketh away from me the stewardship? To dig I - am not able, to beg I am ashamed. I know what I will do, that - when I shall be put out of the stewardship, they may receive me - into their houses. Therefore calling together every one of his - lord's debtors, he said to the first: How much dost thou owe my - lord? But he said: A hundred barrels of oil. And he said to - him: Take thy bill and sit down quickly, and write fifty. Then - he said to another: And how much dost thou owe? Who said: A - hundred quarters of wheat. He said to him: Take thy bill and - write eighty. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_339">{339}</a></span> - And the lord commended the unjust steward, forasmuch as he had - done wisely: for the children of this world are wiser in their - generation than the children of light. And I say to you: Make - to yourselves friends of the mammon of iniquity, that when you - shall fail they may receive you into everlasting dwellings. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon CII.<br><br> - - Spirit And Flesh.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>For if you live according to the flesh you shall die.<br> - But if by the spirit you mortify the deeds of the flesh<br> - you shall live.</i><br> - —Romans viii. 13. -</p> -<p> -What does the Apostle mean by this? This only, that the flesh -with its concupiscence and lusts must never get such power over -our will that it will carry us along with it and make us obey its -longings and desires when we know these are forbidden by Almighty -God. I say "this only" because to have the flesh is no sin; -neither is it a sin to feel the disorderly movements of the flesh -that lead to sin; but it is a sin to consent to these and to -follow them. For this reason we are told that if we mortify the -deeds of the flesh, to which these movements of the flesh lead -us, we shall live. But what does the word "mortify" mean? It -means to destroy that which makes the life of a thing. Notice -here the Apostle does not tell us to mortify the flesh itself but -the deeds of the flesh. To do this we need not then attempt to -kilt the flesh, but we must destroy all that gives life to its -deeds. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_340">{340}</a></span> -<p> -What are the deeds of the flesh? They are the seven capital -sins—pride, covetousness, lust, anger, gluttony, envy, sloth. -Can we kill them? In the most important sense we can. We can get -them so under our control that, after awhile, they will move us -but slightly and cannot influence us to any great degree. We -shall feel from time to time that they are still present in us, -but that cannot disturb us much. We shall have taken their -strength away. We shall have made them so weak that we can check -them easily. -</p> -<p> -Ought not each one of us strive to get ourselves into that -blessed state? But how can we do it? Make up your mind to do it. -Form a good resolution, one that will not change but that will be -firm for life. Then live according to that resolution. When pride -is aroused, refuse to follow its promptings; when covetousness -moves the heart, stop the eager desire for gain; when lust would -lead you away, contend against the thought until it is driven -out; when anger disturbs, seal the lips with the sign of the holy -cross; when gluttony makes you long for feasting and drinking, -refuse to go where these things are going on; when envy racks the -soul, pray for the one who is the object of envy; when sloth -tempts you to self-indulgence and inactivity, stir up the fear of -God and holy shame within the soul, for sloth is a destroyer -indeed of all that is truly manly and heroic in us. -</p> -<p> -But all this is about as hard to do as anything a man can do, -some may say. Yes, it is hard to do, but the success is -<i>sure</i>. Shall a man do less for God than for himself? See -the time and labor spent to secure that which is necessary for -the body and success in the life of only a few years in this -world. Shall a man not do as much for the good of his soul and -for eternal life in the next world? -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_341">{341}</a></span> -<p> -Is it really so hard as it seems? By no means. We make it harder -than it really is by putting it all together and by thinking we -are to do it all at once. This is not true. It must be done by -degrees, slowly, patiently, perseveringly, but surely. -</p> -<p> -The devil makes us think it harder by telling us, when we feel -the sharpness of the first struggle, "You can't bear it this way, -for life." You can if God wills it and gives you the grace. And -most people, almost all Christian souls, do not have it "this -way, for life." Those who keep up the struggle get stronger day -by day. In them the flesh and the movements of sin grow less day -by day. The devil, however, wishes us to believe the lie he -tells, to make us give up the struggle. Do not listen to the lie -and it cannot hurt you. Remember always, it is a lie, and the -mind will not take hold of it. -</p> -<p> -We can make it all the easier by trusting God, who will always -help us in the struggle. <i>Pray</i> more. Go to confession -often. The confessor will then help us and remove much of the -burden by good advice. Go to Communion often, and God himself -will make it easier for us than we imagine by giving his own -strength to the soul at that time. Only begin earnestly to -control the flesh, continue perseveringly to use confession and -Communion. This, with daily morning and evening prayer, will take -away very many difficulties. Soon we shall find we have truly -mortified the deeds of the flesh, and then indeed we shall live, -for the flesh will then be dead or dying fast and too weak to -hurt the soul. Keep, then, in the mind the text from the Epistle -of to-day: "For if you live according to the flesh you shall die. -But if by the spirit you mortify the deeds of the flesh you shall -live." -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_342">{342}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon CIII.<br><br> - - The Business Of The Soul.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>The Lord commended the unjust steward,<br> - forasmuch as he had done wisely.</i><br> - —Words Taken From To-day's Gospel. -</p> -<p> -One of the things which strikes us most forcibly in reading the -instructions of our Blessed Lord as we have them in the holy -Gospels is the matter-of-fact, common-sense, business-like manner -in which he sets before us the way we must act in order to save -our souls. We find no sentimentalism, no rhetoric, no -fine-sounding flights of eloquence which delight the imagination -and please the fancy indeed, but which are too fleeting and -flimsy to serve as a basis of every-day action. No; with our Lord -this matter of the salvation of our souls is a matter of infinite -business, a question of eternal profit and loss. Let me recall a -few examples: "The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking -good pearls, who, when he had found one of great price, went his -way and sold all he had and bought it." Here the way in which we -are to act in order to get the kingdom of heaven is compared to -the way in which the man of business acts who finds a good -article—something worth his money. What does he do? Why, if it -is really worth it—and the kingdom of heaven, the salvation of -our souls is worth it—he sells all that he has and buys it. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_343">{343}</a></span> -And yet again our Lord places before us the salvation of our -souls as based upon a calculation of what is the more profitable -course to take in those words the realization of which has called -forth the highest heroism of the greatest of the saints: "If thy -eye offend thee pluck it out and cast it from thee." Why? Because -"it is better for thee with one eye to enter the kingdom of God -than, having two eyes, to be cast into the hell of fire." Here -again it is a calculation of loss and gain—the loss of an eye in -this world as against that of the whole body in the next. Shall -I, on the principle that a bird in the hand is worth two in the -bush, keep my two eyes; or shall I, for the sake of saving the -whole body, pluck out the eye, cut off the foot or hand? But of -all the places where this way of looking at things and of acting -is inculcated and enforced, the most striking is in the parable -read in to-day's Gospel. Here our Lord, in order to lead us to -take a practical, hard-headed way of acting with reference to the -salvation of our souls, brings before us the conduct of the -unjust steward, and, strange to say, actually praises it. And how -did this unjust steward act? The unjust steward was a dishonest -man. He had been placed in a position of trust, but had wasted -his master's goods—perhaps speculated with his money, made false -entries in his books, or something else of that kind. Well, the -truth came out at last, as it generally does sooner or later, and -he was at his wits end what to do. No thought of repentance -enters into his head; he has got on a wrong road, and he found -it, as we all find it, very hard to get out of it. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_344">{344}</a></span> -And so, knowing the men with whom he has to deal, he sends for -some of his master's debtors, and, in order to make them his -friends and to establish a claim on them for help and assistance -when he gets into trouble, he alters their bills and makes them -less. "And the Lord commended the unjust steward because he had -done wisely." Our Lord does not commend, of course, the -dishonesty of his conduct; this we all understand. But he -commends his clearness of sight as to what was for his worldly -interest, and his promptitude in taking wise and suitable means -to further that interest. What our Lord wants to teach us is that -we must act for our highest interest in the same clear-sighted, -determined, wise, and prudent way in which this specimen of a -worldly man acted for the sordid and selfish and foolish ends of -men of this world. Well, my brethren, take these thoughts home -with you, and ask yourselves, each and every one of you, how you -are acting. Have you an intelligent view of the end you have to -attain, of its value and importance, and of the means by which it -is to be attained, and are you acting earnestly in order to -attain that end? -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon CIV.<br><br> - - The Judgments Of God.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of iniquity;<br> - that when you shall fail<br> - they may receive you into everlasting dwellings.</i><br> - —Gospel of the Day. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_345">{345}</a></span> -<p> -My dear brethren, there will come to each one of us a day when -all those earthly goods we now enjoy shall fail us, when we shall -have to turn our backs on the world and all that it has to give -us, and prepare ourselves to stand before him to whom all things -that we had and enjoyed belong, and give an account to him of the -uses which we have made of them. We have, like the steward in -to-day's Gospel, a Lord and Master; and to him we must sooner or -later give an account of our stewardship. -</p> -<p> -And it is only too likely, we may say it is indeed certain, that -when that dread moment comes at which this world must be left -behind, the charge will also be made against us, as against the -steward in this parable, that we have wasted our Master's goods. -Our consciences will rise up and condemn us, and anticipate the -accusation which shall be brought against us when we shall -actually come face to face with God. Then all the security we -have had in the thought that we are not murderers, robbers, or -adulterers shall vanish; we shall not be able to console -ourselves with the idea that we have done no great harm to any -one. We shall see how selfish and how sensual our lives have -been; that we have wasted for the pleasure of a passing moment -the greater part of those gifts which God gave us for his -service. Wasted our time, our strength, our knowledge, and our -abilities in getting for ourselves the means of gratification or -amusement, or in raising ourselves for our own sake to a position -of honor or of wealth. We shall see what we might have been, what -God meant that we should be, and compare it with what we are. -</p> -<p> -Fain would we then be able to say with St. Paul, "I have fought a -good fight, I have finished my course." Our faith indeed we -shall, it is to be hoped, have kept; but we shall feel that our -fight has been but a poor and cowardly one, and that we, instead -of finishing the course which our Lord laid out for us, have gone -over only a very small part of it, and that its goal is far, far -away. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_346">{346}</a></span> -<p> -What, then, shall be our hope? For hope we must have if we would -not offend God even more then than through life. He commands us -to hope; but in what shall our hope be placed? -</p> -<p> -Where or in what but his mercy? He will take us, grievously -deficient as we are, and make the little, miserable offerings -which we have to present to him, the remnant of what he gave us, -into some kind of a crown of eternal life, if only we will turn -to him with our whole hearts; if we will at least, at that last -moment, really believe in him, hope in him, and love him. He that -perseveres to the end, he that will not die in mortal sin, shall -be saved. -</p> -<p> -But what shall obtain for us at that last moment the faith, hope, -and charity which we need? Who will help us to persevere when the -enemies of our salvation are making the most of their last chance -to snatch it from us? Will those with whom we have enjoyed life -then stand by to help us? It is to be feared that they and all -that they have done for us will not avail us much then. No, the -friends who will then be most valuable to us will be those, if -indeed we have such, whom we have not sought for our own sake, -but whom we loved for God's sake. And it is not the riches which -we amassed that will then be precious to us, but such as we have -given away to those who needed it more than we. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_347">{347}</a></span> -<p> -These are the friends which our Lord, in to-day's Gospel, tells -us to make, that they may help us at the hour when our eternal -destiny hangs trembling in the balance. These are the friends -which may be made by that mammon of iniquity, those worldly -riches which are too often the occasion of sin, and whose prayers -and blessings may indeed be the means of our being received, in -spite of our unprofitableness, into everlasting habitations. -Happy is the man who, when he comes to die, knows that God's poor -have prayed for him, and have blessed his name. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_348">{348}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Ninth Sunday after Pentecost.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - 1 <i>Corinthians x.</i> 6-13.<br> -<br> - Brethren:<br> - We should not covet evil things, as they also coveted. Neither - become ye idolaters, as some of them: as it is written: "The - people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play." Neither - let us commit fornication, as some of them committed - fornication, and there fell in one day three and twenty - thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ: as some of them tempted, - and perished by the serpents. Neither do you murmur: as some of - them murmured, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now all - these things happened to them in figure; and they are written - for our correction, upon whom the ends of the world are come. - Wherefore let him that thinketh himself to stand, take heed - lest he fall. Let no temptation take hold on you, but such as - is human. And God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be - tempted above that which you are able; but will make also with - temptation issue, that you may be able to bear it.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Luke xix.</i> 41-47.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - When Jesus drew near Jerusalem, seeing the city, he wept over - it, saying: If thou also hadst known, and that in this thy day, - the things that are for thy peace; but now they are hidden from - thy eyes. For the days shall come upon thee: and thy enemies - shall cast a trench about thee: and compass thee round, and - straiten thee on every side, and beat thee flat to the ground, - and thy children who are in thee; and they shall not leave in - thee a stone upon a stone: because thou hast not known the time - of thy visitation. And entering into the temple, he began to - cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought, saying - to them: "It is written: My house is the house of prayer"; but - you have made it a den of thieves. And he was teaching daily in - the temple. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_349">{349}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon CV.<br><br> - - Justice And Mercy.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>And when he drew near, seeing the city,<br> - he wept over it.</i><br> - —From the Gospel of the Sunday. -</p> -<p> -Which one of the children is best loved by the father and mother? -Is there any poor little cripple in the family? That is the -favorite child. It makes the parent's heart bleed to see the -limping walk or the hunched back, to see the sallow, pain-marked -face of the little one. That is the one who receives the warmest -caress; for that one the kindest tones and cheeriest words and -nicest presents are reserved. Well, brethren, it is the same in -the spiritual order. God has his best favors for his most -unfortunate children: for men and women in the state of mortal -sin. That is one reason why our Lord lavished such affection on -the Jews; they had most need of it. Their hearts were the hardest -hearts in the world. Jerusalem was the most accursed city in the -world. It and its people were on the point of committing the most -awful crime possible to our race. Hence our Lord wept over it -those bitter tears of rejected love, and breathed those deadly -sighs of a heart wearied and disappointed in fruitless efforts -for their salvation. -</p> -<p> -It is true, amidst those tears he told of the persistent -obstinacy of the Jews, and of their final impenitence, and of -their terrific chastisement. But he did it all with many tears -and with a depth of regret better told by tears than words. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_350">{350}</a></span> -Brethren, there is a deep mystery taught us by this scene. It is -the mystery of the union of two sentiments in God which to us -seem essentially different—justice and mercy. How could our -Saviour weep over a downfall so well deserved? How could he -regret what none knew so well as he was to be a punishment all -too light for the crimes of the Jews? Is there not a mystery -here? How can it be explained? There is no adequate theoretical -explanation of it. But there is a practical one, and a very -excellent one, too. It is this: Put yourself in a Jew's place; -fancy yourself one of that apostate race; stand up before our -Lord and listen to his sentence given against you with infinite -reluctance—every hard word a sigh of tender regret. Do you not -see that this exhibition of mercy in the Judge only renders the -justice of the sentence more evident to you and more dreadful? -Mercy thus lends to Justice a weapon which, while it only crushes -down its victim the deeper, at the same time elevates much higher -in the culprit's eyes the rectitude of the sentence. -</p> -<p> -Of course, the justice of God and his mercy are perfectly equal. -Yet in some true sense we may say that his mercy is more powerful -than his justice. Does not the Psalmist say that God's mercy "is -above all his works"? Do we not know by observation and -experience that where the wrath of God sets apart a single victim -his tender love wins over a thousand? Why, the very sentiments of -our hearts, the very convictions of our minds by which we earn -forgiveness in the Sacrament of Penance, are they not the free -gift of God, earned by us only because "us" means persons -penetrated with light and strength streaming down from the throne -of mercy? -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_351">{351}</a></span> -We offer our repentance to God in a kind of a way as children -make Christmas presents to their father. Where do they get money -to buy them? From their mother, and she saves it up from the -household expenses or gets it as a gift from her husband. In the -long run the presents were bought by the one to whom they are -given. Yet they are very dear to the father; he values them; they -are real presents to him; they express a real devotion; they lose -nothing of their character of presents because he is at the -expense of it all. So with our Heavenly Father. If he gives the -gold we coin it; we stamp the beloved form of the Son of God on -our poor prayers, so that when they have made the circuit and are -back again in the divine bosom from which they sprang forth, -somehow we have added something to them. -</p> -<p> -Brethren, let us hope that when our Lord's tears concerned us it -was not in view of our reprobation, but of our salvation. Let us -be inflamed, too, with a sense of our ingratitude that we are -such unworthy children of so good a Father. A man may swagger and -brag down his better self when merely threatened with punishment. -But who among you can face, without flinching, the tears of so -good a friend as our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ? -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon CVI.<br><br> - - Neglect Of Divine Warnings.</h3> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_352">{352}</a></span> -<p> -The Gospel to-day tells us, my dear brethren, that Jesus wept as -he approached Jerusalem; not for himself, nor for all he was so -soon to suffer there, but for the city itself, and for his chosen -people, to whom he had given it for their glory and joy. Yes, -this beautiful city was their joy and their pride; long before -they had been taken from it into captivity by their enemies for a -time, and as the Psalmist says, speaking in their name, "By the -rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Sion." And -he goes on: "If I forget thee, Jerusalem, may I forget my right -hand; may my tongue cleave to my mouth if I do not remember thee, -if I do not make Jerusalem the beginning of my joy." -</p> -<p> -And now this city of theirs was to be taken from them again by a -more grievous and fatal disaster than it had ever yet suffered. -They were to be scattered from it all over the world to do a long -penance for their sins and their rejection of him who had come to -redeem them. And our Divine Lord's Heart yearned for them, for -these his creatures, and at the same time his brethren and his -countrymen. Fain would he have saved them, if they would but have -been willing, from the terrible sufferings they were to undergo. -Gladly, as he says himself, would he have sheltered them, if they -would even now have come to him, from the tempest which was about -to break upon them from the justice of God. He wept because they -would not come and avail themselves of his love. -</p> -<p> -We should pray for them that the day may be hastened when they -shall return and acknowledge their true Messias, their own Lord -and Master, the only true King of the Jews. But they are not the -only ones to weep for; they are not the only ones whom he has -loaded with favors, and who have been ungrateful; there are -others besides the Jews whom Almighty God has chosen for his -people, but who have rejected him and distressed his loving -heart. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_353">{353}</a></span> -Who are they? They are in general all sinners, but especially -such as are Catholics; they are those souls for whom Jesus has -done so much from their earliest years, in the midst of whom he -has lived and wrought so many works of power and goodness; those -whom he has enlightened with his truth, those whom he has warned -against sin, those whom he has borne with so long and forgiven so -often, those whom he has fed with his own Body and Blood. And -yet, through evil habits, by frequent mortal sin, they live on, -deaf to his warnings, despising his love, not knowing the time of -their visitation, until evil days and a sad ending come upon -them. Can we wonder that their enemies, the evil one and their -bad habits, compass them round about, and straiten them on all -sides, and beat them down and leave them wasted and desolate? Can -we wonder that, since they would not bear the sweet and ennobling -yoke of Christ, they will be forced to groan in the fetters of -Satan and be exiled for ever from the true Jerusalem, the home of -peace, which is above? No, brethren; such is the fate of those -who persistently abuse God's grace, who reject his mercy and his -efforts to save them. God forbid that such a career, such an -ending, be ours. Let us, then, take warning; let us be careful -about temptations; let us not presume on our own strength nor on -God's goodness in the past; let us not make light of anything -which is dangerous or forbidden. Let us endeavor not to grieve -our Lord by any infidelity, great or small, but try to be -faithful to every grace in this the day of our visitation, and to -follow the things that are for our peace here and our happiness -hereafter. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_354">{354}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon CVII.<br><br> - - Living From Day To Day.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>If thou also hadst known, and that in this thy day,<br> - the things that are for thy peace.</i><br> - —St. Luke xix. 42. -</p> -<p> -The fault of the Jews, my brethren, was twofold: boasting of the -past and waiting for the future. It is especially on account of -the latter fault that our Lord in this day's Gospel lays such -stress on the words "and that in this thy day." It is a warning -against trying to live in the future. -</p> -<p> -We all know, to be sure, that one may go to the other extreme, -and by a form of sloth be too careless of the future. Some things -there are which are certain to come upon us, and their coming -must be provided for. There is a judgment to come, and every -minute of to-day is like a bailiff busy gathering evidence for -that Divine Court. Temptation is sure to come, and its strain -upon our virtue must be foreseen in every prayer of every day. -The common wants of life for one's self and family are inevitable -in the future, and must be prudently provided against. In all -such things we know that the future is an actual fact, and is -just as present to God as this very instant is to us. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_355">{355}</a></span> -<p> -What our Lord would rebuke is not a prudent foresight, but that -weak and idle state of mind which postpones to the future what -should be done at once. This is the commonest of human delusions. -In a temporal point of view it is condemned by the saying, -"Procrastination is the thief of time," and it might be added of -many other valuable commodities. In a spiritual point of view the -dreadful result of delaying till to-morrow what should be done -to-day is expressed by the saying, "Hell is paved with good -intentions." Wise men resolve to do in the future only what they -cannot do now. Many and many a poor soul has lost the kingdom of -heaven for that one reason: resolving instead of doing. -</p> -<p> -Brethren, a practically-minded Christian lives his spiritual life -from day to day. He knows that the future is something entirely -in God's hands. As for himself, his actual ability to do good -begins and ends with each passing hour. If he provides well for -it as it comes and goes he has done his part; God will not fail -to take care of the future. One's peace of mind is never secure -till one has learned to be content with present duty well done. -Oh! what a happiness when one's soul is unburdened of care for -the future. Do you covet that happiness? It is yours if you leave -nothing undone for the present. If you can honestly say, "That is -all I can do for the present," you may add, "and the future -also." -</p> -<p> -But, you say, what about a purpose of amendment? Does not that -dwell specially on the future? Yes, it does; but it springs from -a present sorrow. And if the sorrow be as heartfelt as it should -be the purpose of amendment will take care of itself. A deep -hatred of sin is the only true sorrow, and such a hatred must be -enduring. The test of a contrite man is not what he promises but -what he does. His sorrow unites the past and future in the -present. Warned by his past weakness, he begins right here and -just now by prayer and work to guard against a future relapse. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_356">{356}</a></span> -<p> -Learn a lesson, brethren, from our Lord's warning and from the -fate of the Jews. It is better to say one's morning prayers -to-day than to resolve to become a saint next week. To-day is -here, and next week is nowhere. This day is mine; I know not if I -shall have so much as one other. God has the past and the future. -I will thank him for the past, I will beg him for the future. As -to the present, with God's help, I will set to work to do my -utmost. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_357">{357}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Tenth Sunday after Pentecost.</i></h2> - - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - <i>1 Corinthians xii. 2-11.</i><br> -<br> - Brethren:<br> - You know that when you were heathens you went to dumb idols, - according as you were led. Wherefore I give you to understand, - that no man, speaking by the Spirit of God, saith Anathema to - Jesus. And no man can say, The Lord Jesus, but by the Holy - Ghost. Now there are diversities of graces, but the same - Spirit; and there are diversities of ministries, but the same - Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but the same - God, who worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the - Spirit is given to every man unto profit. To one, indeed, by - the Spirit, is given the word of wisdom: to another, the word - of knowledge according to the same Spirit: to another, faith in - the same Spirit: to another, the grace of healing in one - Spirit: to another, the working of miracles: to another, - prophecy: to another, the discerning of spirits: to another, - divers kinds of tongues: to another, interpretation of - speeches: but all these things one and the same Spirit worketh, - dividing to every one as he will.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Luke xviii.</i> 9-14.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - To some who trusted in themselves as just, and despised others, - Jesus spoke this parable: Two men went up into the temple to - pray: the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The - Pharisee, standing, prayed thus with himself: O God, I give - thee thanks that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, - unjust, adulterers, nor such as this publican. I fast twice in - the week: I give tithes of all that I possess. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_358">{358}</a></span> - And the publican, standing afar off, would not so much as lift - up his eyes towards heaven; but struck his breast, saying: O - God, be merciful to me a sinner! I say to you, this man went - down to his house justified rather than the other; because - every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled: and he that - humbleth himself shall be exalted. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon CVIII.<br><br> - - Sympathy for Sinners.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>O God, I give thee thanks<br> - that I am not as the rest of men,<br> - extortioners, unjust, adulterers,<br> - nor such as this publican.</i><br> - —St. Luke xviii. 11. -</p> -<p> -Did you never notice that pride and hardness of heart go -together? That miserable Pharisee could not enjoy his -self-glorification without condemning his neighbor, a person, as -it happened, far more deserving than himself. Indeed, the worst -vices seem to love each other's company as if they were all blood -relatives. Coveting our neighbor's goods, for example, goes along -with stinginess of our own; gluttony and lust are twins. Almost -the same may be said of oppressing others and disobeying lawful -authority; and in this hateful Pharisee we behold the union of -pride in one's self and contempt for one's neighbor. The sinner -seems to be bound with a chain every link of which is double. -</p> -<p> -Now, brethren, this is a fault often found in far better souls -than this haughty Pharisee. Many of us have too little sympathy -for persons whom we know to be in mortal sin. To be sure, it is -no harm to rejoice that we are at friendship with heaven. But the -worst of it is that some of us are never really happy at the -thought of our own virtues till we are quite miserable over our -neighbor's wickedness; and when we say with our lips, How wicked -So-and-So is! our heart whispers, And how good I am! -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_359">{359}</a></span> -<p> -The spirit of correction possesses many good people—a spirit -commonly the sign of hidden pride. No sooner do we take the first -steps in amendment of life than we are divided between rejoicing -in our own goodness and lamenting over other folk's vice. I know -not what we good people should do for something to talk about -were it not for our neighbor's shortcomings. -</p> -<p> -Brethren, this vanity is very foolish and very dangerous. Who -dare say that he has nothing to fear from the judgments of God? -Who can count himself safe so much as one day from his own -natural feebleness, or from the wiles of Satan, or from human -respect? And if we do rightly trust in God's favor, how can we -forget that progress in virtue is a necessary condition of our -remaining virtuous at all? Now this progress means simply a right -knowledge of our remaining defects and a solid purpose to -overcome them; something with which the vice of the Pharisee is -quite incompatible. Nothing so blinds us to our own little faults -as too much regard for our neighbor's big ones. Doubtless it -would have been just as difficult for the Pharisee to correct his -harshness of voice, or his lofty bearing, or his patronizing airs -as to overcome his great sin of pride itself; and such is the -case with many of us. The beam in our neighbor's eye looks so -shocking that we quite forget that we have quite a squint in our -own eye from various little motes in it. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_360">{360}</a></span> -<p> -Be certain, therefore, brethren, that, if you find hard feelings -in your heart toward sinners, you have no long journey to make -before you discover the capital sin of pride in your own. Why can -we not leave judgment to God, and treat poor sinners after our -Lord's example, praying and suffering for them? I do not mean to -say that we should forget to mention to them the awful -chastisements of God; indeed, a truer friend does not exist than -one who warns us of our future destruction, and some, such as -parents, are in duty bound to give such admonition. But in the -treatment of moral maladies we should bear in mind that bitter -words and harsh looks spoil good medicine. And especially should -we bear in mind that we have had our own wicked days. -</p> -<p> -Let us, therefore, regard sinners with much tenderness, dropping -out of our view while we deal with them our own darling selves. -Let us realize that we ourselves are poor souls, quite capable, -but for God's singular favor, of falling into the worst state of -sinfulness. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon CIX.<br><br> - - Morning Prayers.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Two men went up into the temple to pray.</i><br> - —From the Gospel of the Sunday. -</p> -<p> -The lesson of this day's Gospel, my brethren, is prayer; its -necessity and its humility. Our short sermon must be contented -with a little corner of this great field—that is to say, morning -prayers. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_361">{361}</a></span> -<p> -Suppose that your child is sick, what is your first word in the -morning? It is, How is the baby this morning? Then follows much -more: I think it is a little better to-day; it seems easier; or -it passed a bad night; I hope the day will be cool, for it -suffers from heat. So, anxiety for your poor little child -consecrates your first thoughts and words to its welfare. And do -you not know that your poor soul is either sick or runs the risk -of catching a deadly sickness every day you live? There are bad -sights on the streets that tend to sicken it; there are snares of -the devil, such as cursing and foul-talking companions, bad -reading and saloons; there is a spiritual cancer within—I mean -the temptation of the flesh—which can only be kept from -destroying the soul's life by constant and severe treatment. Now, -thoughts and words do your sick child little good; but they are -the very best things for the soul, especially early in the -morning. The man or woman who kneels down and says the morning -prayer guards against temptation, heads off the noon-day demon, -and provides that happiest of evenings, that is to say, the one -which follows an innocent day. -</p> -<p> -There's a saying against braggarts and promise-breakers that -"fine words butter no parsnips." It is not true of words said in -charity to our neighbor or in prayer to God. Sincere words -addressed to God as the day begins sweeten every morsel of food -the livelong day, lighten every burden and weaken every -temptation. Why, then, are you so careless about morning prayers? -It can only be because you do not appreciate your spiritual -weakness or you do not care what becomes of your soul before -bedtime. But somebody might say: Father, can't you tell us -something to make the morning prayers easy? It is very hard to -remember them, and then it is so pleasant to get even five -minutes more sleep, especially in the winter time; and, again, I -am always in a hurry to get off to work, etc. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_362">{362}</a></span> -Now you might as well ask me to tell you something to make you -relish a good wash and a clean shirt. If a man does not hate -dirt, it is preaching up the chimney to try to make him love to -be clean. Prayer cleans the heart. Prayer clothes the soul with -the grace of God. Prayer brings down God. Prayer drives away the -devil. Or, I might rather say, that for a clean heart, and in -order to get the grace of God, and in order to vanquish -temptation, prayer is simply and indispensably necessary. -</p> -<p> -Once a man came to me and said: Father, for years I was addicted -to habitual vice of the worst kind (and here he named a fearful -sin), but I began some time ago to say the Litany of the Blessed -Virgin every morning and the Litany of Jesus every night, and -this practice has entirely cured me of that dreadful habit. Some -such story as that, my brethren, every man must tell before he -can say that he is delivered from sin. -</p> -<p> -For my own part, I look upon regular morning prayers as a plain -mark of predestination to eternal life. "Ask and you shall -receive; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to -you," is our Lord's promise to those that pray; and the best -prayer is the morning prayer. Be ready, therefore, to correct -yourself for omitting it. The day you forget it go without -something you like to eat, put a nickel in the poor-box, double -up your night prayers, make a special request to your guardian -angel to get you up in good time for morning prayer the following -morning. For the "Our Father," "Hail Mary," "Apostles Creed," -"Confiteor," and Acts of Faith, Hope, Sorrow, and Charity, that -you say in the morning will in the end give you a happy death and -the kingdom of heaven. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_363">{363}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon CX.<br><br> - - Feast Of St. Mary Magdalen.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Many sins are forgiven her,<br> - because she loved much.</i><br> - —Gospel of the Day. -</p> -<p> -My dear brethren, no one who has faith can fail to be more or -less anxious as to whether he will in the end save his soul. We -all know that our faith alone will not save us; that faith, as -St. James tells us, without works is dead. And we know that -everything depends on the last moment; that as the tree falls, so -will it lie for all eternity. So we tremble to think that perhaps -that last moment will find us with our sins unforgiven, and all -unprepared to meet our Judge; and that, in spite of our having -borne the name of Christ, we may be then cast away from his -presence into the outer darkness for ever. -</p> -<p> -Some people, I know, have a very simple way of reassuring -themselves about this all-important matter. They think that, of -course, when they come to die they will send for the priest; -then, if he gets there in time, of course there can be no -question about their salvation. And even if he does not, perhaps -they would not altogether despair; certainly their friends will -not despair of them. God, they think, will not utterly cast off -those who have always believed in him; their prayers and those of -their friends will certainly obtain them a place in purgatory, -and at last they will save their souls, at least by fire. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_364">{364}</a></span> -<p> -But, after all, do not even the most confident of us sometimes -have a fear that even the last sacraments may not make our -salvation absolutely sure? The last sacraments are not so very -different from the others we have received before; and do we -always feel fully prepared to die after every Communion which we -make? No, there is a haunting fear that something is not right -which pursues us even at the altar-rail; we would give much if we -could only do something which would take it away altogether. -</p> -<p> -Let us not be troubled because we have this fear; it is better -not to be entirely free from it; above all, let us not stay away -from the sacraments because we have it. If we stay away in any -case except that of known and certain mortal sin which is not -forgiven, we shall only make matters worse. But still this fear -is generally a sign of something wrong; it does not altogether -come from humility, or from the desire of salvation. It comes -from a want of something which we ought to have; from a want of -the greatest of all virtues, of that which includes all others, -and brings all others with it—from a want of the love of God. -Not an entire want of it, but a want of strength in it, a want of -affection; a want of that feeling which we have for our friends, -and which, above all, we should have for the greatest and best of -all. -</p> -<p> -Yes, perfect love, as St. John tells us, casts out fear. It is -the short cut out of all these worries, difficulties, and -anxieties which all who are not hardened sinners must have -without it. It was the direct and simple road which St. Mary -Magdalen took in escaping from sin. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_365">{365}</a></span> -She followed the Friend of sinners as he went on his mission of -mercy; she saw the miracles of his power and goodness; she saw -the love for men which shone in his face and inspired his every -word and action, and her heart was touched and melted. She took -it away at once and for ever from all those vain things to which -it had been attached and gave it truly and entirely to him who -had made it, and who had come in sorrow and suffering to win back -his own. And her many sins were forgiven because she loved much; -because all the powers of earth and of hell cannot put an -obstacle between God and the soul that loves him as he should be -loved. -</p> -<p> -If we would only do as she did; if we would put away all these -bargainings about just how much we are bound to give to God, and -how much we can safely keep for ourselves; if we would love him -as she did, not with a mere passing sentiment, but with that -devotion and self-sacrificing affection which it is so easy -sometimes to give to a mere creature; if we would let him, as he -wishes, into our hearts as our dearest and best, and make -everything else give place, then fear would pass away, and we -should say, "Let God take me when he will; let me suffer what my -sins deserve, but surely he will not keep me from loving him." -Yes, my brethren, to love God is the one thing necessary; to love -him is to save our souls. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_366">{366}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - 1 <i>Corinthians xv.</i> 1-10.<br> -<br> - Brethren:<br> - I make known unto you the gospel which I preached to you, which - also you have received, and wherein you stand: by which also - you are saved, if you hold fast after what manner I preached to - you, unless you have believed in vain. For I delivered to you - first of all, which I also received: how that Christ died for - our sins, according to the Scriptures: and that he was buried, - and that he rose again the third day, according to the - Scriptures: and that he was seen by Cephas, and after that by - the eleven. Then was he seen by more than five hundred brethren - at once, of whom many remain until this present, and some are - fallen asleep. After that he was seen by James, then by all the - apostles. And last of all, he was seen also by me, as by one - born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, who - am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the - church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his - grace in me hath not been void.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Mark vii.</i> 31-37.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - Jesus going out of the borders of Tyre, came by Sidon to the - sea of Galilee, through the midst of the territories of - Decapolis. And they bring to him one that was deaf and dumb; - and they besought him to lay his hand upon him. And taking him - aside from the multitude, he put his fingers into his ears, and - spitting, he touched his tongue: and looking up to heaven, he - groaned, and said to him: Ephpheta, which is, Be opened. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_367">{367}</a></span> - And immediately his ears were opened, and the string of his - tongue was loosed, and he spoke right. And he charged them that - they should tell no man. But the more he charged them, so much - the more a great deal did they publish it. And so much the more - did they wonder, saying: He hath done all things well; he hath - made both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon CXI.<br><br> - - Want Of Confidence In God.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>He hath done all things well.</i><br> - —St. Mark vii. 37. -</p> -<p> -The spectators of the double miracle related in this day's Gospel -were filled with admiration at our Lord's power and goodness; -they could not help exclaiming, "He doth all things well." Would -to God, brethren, that such a sentiment of our Lord's love and -power filled our hearts! Confidence in God, however, is the very -virtue many Christians lack most. True, we say and believe that -God is infinitely good—that he is mercy itself. But such -language is very indefinite and may express a very dim -conception. It is something like saying that a stone is very hard -or that water is very wet. We are apt to form pictures of God's -attributes in our minds, just as a painter may make a portrait of -some historical personage he never saw; many of our notions of -God are fancy portraits, all imagination. -</p> -<p> -But just think of the actual grounds of our confidence in our -Blessed Lord. Just realize that this wonderful being is filled -with the tenderest human love for the worst of us, and has all -the divine power at his command—being both man and God—to make -good his love by bringing about our spiritual and temporal -welfare. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_368">{368}</a></span> -The Incarnation is the divine Mercy made man for the love of us. -Can we suppose that such a being, having begun the good work of -our salvation by giving us the true religion, will leave anything -undone, that we will let him do, to bring us to the kingdom of -heaven? Do you think that such a loving Father would teach us, -his children, A B C except with the set purpose of going clean -through to X Y Z? Just think, that it positively never happened -that any wretched sinner, how ever degraded, ever implored our -Lord's forgiveness and was rejected; nay, that he himself -secretly inspires sinners with their grief and horror for their -evil ways, and then imparts forgiveness in return for his own -gift. The fact is that the question is not whether God will -forgive us, but whether we will let him do it. In a word, this -infinitely good and infinitely powerful being is bent and -determined that we shall enjoy perfect happiness, world without -end. -</p> -<p> -What a wonder, then, that we can treat our Lord in our -cold-hearted way! Scrupulous persons treat him as if he were a -tyrant; lukewarm Christians treat him like a stepfather; -obstinate sinners treat him with open contempt. The practise of -prayer, the reception of the sacraments and other aids of -religion—we treat them as school-children do their lessons: we -do it all because we are afraid of the consequences if we don't. -Considering how much God loves us his service should come as easy -to us as breathing the air; it should be the element in which we -live. If our faith were a little more practical God's loveliness -would be as plain to us as the open day and the sun in the -heavens. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_369">{369}</a></span> -<p> -Furthermore, and this is still more practical, lack of confidence -in God is why we repine at his visitations. It is easy enough to -say, be resigned to the will of God, but how can we be content to -suffer unless we are penetrated with confidence in the divine -goodness? Brethren, you know how we sometimes take medicine. We -wrap it up in a pleasant-flavored wafer or hide it in a spoonful -of sugar, and down it goes and we never taste its bitterness. So -a lively confidence in God, if we only had enough of it, is the -sweetness to wrap around the bitter things of life. Temptations, -long and wearisome poverty, ill-health, unpleasant companions in -the household—these and other such trials are the bitter pills -of the soul; when we fairly realize that God means them for our -spiritual good we can bear them with patience, even with -thankfulness. -</p> -<p> -Did you ever hear of the witch-hazel, and how people used to -fancy that a crooked branch of it thrown into the air would fall -on the spot where a good spring of water could be found? Well, -the witch-hazel of the Christian soul is just this question: How -much confidence have you in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ for -you? If that does not reveal the hidden springs of your heart and -bring the waters of love gushing forth, then that heart is -hopelessly dry. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon CXII.<br><br> - - Devotion To The Blessed Virgin.</h3> - -<p> -Why do Catholics pay so much honor to the Virgin Mary? Are they -not doing an injury to her Son by over-honoring his Mother? What -is the reason, the doctrine, of the Catholic's devotion to Mary? -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_370">{370}</a></span> -<p> -Very fair questions, brethren; questions which you should be -ready to answer with intelligence and kindness. So that now, as -we approach the Feast of Our Lady's Assumption into heaven, let -us renew our faith in her dignity. What, then, does the Catholic -faith teach us about her? It teaches us that she is the Mother of -God; and further, that, on account of the foreseen merits of her -Son, she was preserved from the stain of original sin; that she -was always a virgin; and that it is lawful and profitable to ask -her prayers. Such are the articles of faith concerning the -Blessed Virgin. -</p> -<p> -Once you know something about her Son's divinity you easily -perceive her dignity of Mother of God. Her title of Mother of God -plainly rests upon the fact that her Son is God. Jesus Christ is -God; his nature is divine and his person is divine. And here you -must bear in mind the distinction between nature and person. He -has the nature, being, essence of God. And he has the person of -God; for our Saviour is God the Son, second person of the Most -Holy Trinity. What, then, is human about him? for we know that he -is as truly man as he is truly God. The answer is that he has a -human nature as well as a divine nature. He became man; and he -did so by taking human nature from Mary, his Mother. But, you ask -again, is he a human person also? No, for we have seen that he is -the divine person, God the Son. There cannot be two persons in -Christ. He is but a single person, one individual, and that is -divine. So that the divine personality of the Son of God takes -human nature and unites it to the divine nature. The one divine -person whose name is Christ, and who is of both divine and human -nature, has no human personality, but divine. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_371">{371}</a></span> -<p> -And this is the Son of Mary. Is she not the Mother of our Lord, -personally his Mother? Can any one be a mother and not be mother -of a person? Is he not personally her son? What a dignity! What a -mysterious and wonderful eminence, to be mother of the divine -person of the Son of God made man. No wonder that we honor her; -although we know full well that all she has of dignity and -sanctity she has by no power of her own, but by gift of God, and -that she is purely a human being. Those who do not honor Mary -fail to appreciate the majesty of Christ; fail to understand the -doctrine of the Incarnation; fail to grasp the immensity of the -divine love in God becoming man. -</p> -<p> -No wonder, then, that God should have saved her from the taint of -Adam's sin, should have preserved her a spotless virgin, should -have saved her pure body from the grave's filth by the Assumption -into heaven. The Angel Gabriel tells us what Mary is: "Behold -thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and thou shalt bring forth a -son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and -shall be called the Son of the Most High. … The Holy Ghost -shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall -overshadow thee, and therefore the Holy (One) that shall be born -of thee shall be called the Son of God." -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_372">{372}</a></span> -<p> -Now, brethren, to be a mother is to hold an office. It is to -exercise by divine right the highest powers committed to a human -being. What wonderful rights a mother possesses! An affectionate -allegiance is due her from her son: an obedience instinctive, -sacred, supreme; a reverential and hearty loyalty which arouses -the noblest emotions in the hardest heart and gives birth to -heroic deeds even in men of the weakest natures. A mother is -entitled to her son's love by the most sacred of all obligations. -Well, just think of it: our Blessed Lord was, and is yet, bound -to his Mother by that imperative divine law; he was, and is yet, -subject to the sweetest and, for a noble nature, the most -resistless impulse to do his Mother's will and to make her happy. -He owes her love, obedience, reverence, friendship, support, -companionship, sympathy. And he that doth all things well, would -he not do his whole duty as Son, would he not be a model Son? -Would he not grant her lightest wish while he lived with her on -earth, will he not gladly do so now in heaven? -</p> -<p> -Hence our Lord Jesus Christ spent nearly his whole life in his -Mother's immediate company, consenting to postpone for her sake -his Father's work of publishing his divinity and preaching his -Gospel. Hence he worked his first miracle at her request at the -wedding of Cana. Hence he inspired her to prophecy that all -generations would call her blessed. Hence, too, our Lord has -instilled into every Christian heart some little glow of his own -deep filial love for her. -</p> -<p> -In truth, brethren, whatever Christ's Mother is to him by nature, -that she is to us by adoption. Just in proportion to our union -with him are we bound to her. And if we wish to know him well we -can study in no better school than his Mother's. If we wish to -love him tenderly, her maternal heart can best teach us how. And -if we have favors to ask him we shall be glad, if we are not too -self-conceited, to secure her prayers to assist us. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_373">{373}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon CXIII.<br><br> - - Gratitude.</h3> -<p> -My brethren, we have had a word to say before this about the vice -of ingratitude, and of how mean a vice it is, especially in a -Christian. Now let us consider the opposite virtue—gratitude. It -is, to be sure, one of the little virtues. Yet how can we call -any class of virtues little? No doubt there are, strictly -speaking, grades of merit very much higher one above the other. -But that is not so much from the action done in each case as from -the motive that inspires the action. One saves a man's life for -the love of money; another gives a glass of cold water for the -love of God. The glass of water is nothing compared to a human -life; yet the glass of water will be rewarded for all eternity, -and the saving of the human life is paid for as we pay for a load -of coal. Brethren, beware of thinking there is any thing to be -called little that has to do with God and eternal life; and -always bear in mind that, by practising little virtues with an -earnest purpose to please God, your merit is according to your -heart, and not according to your hand. -</p> -<p> -I do not intend to speak specially, just now, of gratitude to -God; but between man and man gratitude is one of those gentle -virtues that increase our fondness for each other. Gratitude is a -short cut to sincere and lasting friendship. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_374">{374}</a></span> -And if a supernatural motive inspires one's gratitude to his -friends, then a holy friendship is the result. Some people -complain that they have no friends. I think they are most to -blame themselves. Have they never had a favor done them? Why, -every one of us has had a score of favors done him every day of -his life. Those who bear it in mind, who say a word of hearty -thanks, who watch a chance to do a favor in return, never lack -friends. Brethren, never forget a favor. Return it if you can, at -least in part; but at any rate never forget it. Feel grateful at -least; say a thankful word; offer up a prayer for your -benefactors now and then. The best use we can make of our -memories is to remember our benefactors. Favors done and favors -gratefully remembered are the two halves of a happy life. It -would be only simple justice if we looked on gratitude as we do -on a just debt; for gratitude pays debts, first in good-will, and -before long in a more substantial manner. You know that an honest -debtor will always try to save a little from day to day to pay -his debts. So we can do a little from time to time by way of -instalments, so to speak; we can say a daily prayer for our -benefactors, write an occasional letter, pay a visit now and -then, often praise them to our friends. -</p> -<p> -Of course, those who have done us the greatest favors are -entitled to the deepest gratitude. Now, who has done so much for -us as our parents? Certainly, next to God, our parents stand -first in the list of our benefactors. Yet many, especially after -they have married and settled down in their own families, are -wanting in gratitude to their parents. Married persons who are -badly treated by their own children should sometimes ask -themselves if it be not in punishment for their forgetfulness of -their own parents. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_375">{375}</a></span> -Of course, when we are in middle life, what was done for us in -childhood seems very far away; it was diffused over many years; -it was a regular habit and course of life; it was bound up in our -parents own happiness. But let us bear in mind, all the same, how -true and deep the love that inspired it; how unwearied the -patience; how self-forgetful the devotion of our parents, and let -us seek every chance to make their last years happy. -</p> -<p> -Brethren, shall I say a word about gratitude due to us of the -sanctuary? Has not some priest done you a favor; converted you by -a sermon, inspired you to perseverance by his advice in the -confessional, soothed your sick and weary heart, or reconciled -you to a dreary burden? If so, you ought to pray for him, and -especially for your pastors. -</p> -<p> -But gratitude to God is, of course, the first and best of all. -From him we have received all, and, having forfeited every favor, -again and again received them back from the divine bounty. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_376">{376}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - 2 <i>Corinthians iii.</i> 4-9.<br> -<br> - Brethren:<br> - Such confidence we have, through Christ towards God. Not that - we are sufficient to think anything of ourselves as of - ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God. Who also hath made - us fit ministers of the new testament, not in the letter, but - in the Spirit. For the letter killeth; but the Spirit giveth - life. Now if the ministration of death, engraven with letters - upon stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could - not steadfastly behold the face of Moses, for the glory of his - countenance, which is done away: how shall not the ministration - of the Spirit be rather in glory? For if the ministration of - condemnation be glory, much more the ministration of justice - aboundeth in glory.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Luke x</i>. 23-37.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - Jesus said to his disciples:<br> - Blessed are the eyes that see the things which you see. For I - say to you that many prophets and kings have desired to see the - things that you see, and have not seen them: and to hear the - things that you hear, and have not heard them. And behold a - certain lawyer stood up, tempting him, and saying: Master, what - must I do to possess eternal life? But he said to him: What is - written in the law? how readest thou? He answering, said: "Thou - shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy - whole soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind: - and thy neighbor as thyself." And he said to him: Thou hast - answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. But he, willing - to justify himself, said to Jesus: And who is my neighbor? -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_377">{377}</a></span> - And Jesus answering, said: A certain man went down from - Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, who also stripped - him, and having wounded him, went away, leaving him half dead. - And it happened that a certain priest went down the same way, - and seeing him, he passed by. In like manner also a Levite, - when he was near the place and saw him, passed by. But a - certain Samaritan being on his journey came near him; and - seeing him was moved with compassion. And going up to him, - bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine: and setting him - upon his own beast, brought him to an inn, and took care of - him. And the next day he took out two pence, and gave to the - host, and said: Take care of him: and whatsoever thou shalt - spend over and above, I at my return will repay thee. Which of - these three in thy opinion was neighbor to him that fell among - the robbers? But he said: He that showed mercy to him. And - Jesus said to him: Go and do thou in like manner. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon CXIV.<br><br> - - The Good Samaritan.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Go and do thou in like manner.</i><br> - St. Luke x. 37. -</p> -<p> -How few of us, brethren, are really naturally of a -self-sacrificing disposition! How few actually enjoy, for -example, the offices of the sick-room, or so much as a little -visit of condolence to an afflicted friend! -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_378">{378}</a></span> -<p> -That is why our Blessed Lord, in this day's Gospel, has given us -the beautiful parable of the good Samaritan. Although a heretic -and schismatic against the law of Moses, he is chosen as a model -because he had a tender, compassionate heart, and was willing to -put himself to trouble and expense for his neighbor's welfare. -</p> -<p> -The corporal works of mercy, brethren, are the easiest of the -ways to the love of God. People are fond of admiring the members -of religious orders, who, for the love of God, serve the sick and -the aged, the insane and the orphans; often forgetting that if -this is good as a life-work for them, it is not bad as an -occasional practise of virtue for us living in the world. All -around us there are shoulders bending under weary burdens and -hearts breaking with insupportable cares: yes, even in one's own -household. How often do men deny their wives the pleasure of -their company; when Sunday comes, going off with any chance -companions and leaving the poor mother to mind the children, to -miss Mass, and sit lonely at home the livelong day. How very -often do young men think of taking anybody's sisters to some -respectable place of amusement rather than their own sisters! I -think that if a spiritual thermometer were dipped into such men's -hearts they would be found pretty near the freezing point. -</p> -<p> -But, brethren, the sick-room—ah! that is the place on the road -between Jerusalem and Jericho where men and women are oftenest -found lying in the direst distress. Have you ever been very sick? -If so, you know the value of a little good nursing. A man who was -just recovering from a very dangerous sickness told me once that -when his head was burning with the fever he would willingly have -given a hundred thousand dollars for the cooling, restful relief -he enjoyed every time the nurse rearranged the pillows for him. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_379">{379}</a></span> -<p> -And if you cannot be a regular nurse for the sick, there is no -reason why you should not pay an occasional visit to the -sick-room. You can spend a pleasant quarter of an hour in -cheerful conversation. You can relieve some poor, weary watcher, -so that she or he may get a little rest. You can take the ailing -child from the worn-out mother's arms and let her lie down and -rest her stiffened limbs, or go to church to refresh her anxious -soul. You can bring some little delicacy to soothe the sick -person's palate. You can read some prayers beside the sick bed -morning or night; for we all know that in time of illness it is -almost impossible to pray one's self. You can lend a hand to set -things to rights, to cook a meal of victuals, or wash the dishes, -or run an errand to the drug-store or grocery; and ever and -always you can say a word of comfort, of hope, of resignation to -the divine will—words cheap to give but precious to receive. -</p> -<p> -And when at last death is come your presence may be of the -deepest comfort. Then is the time to come forward promptly and -help to lay out the Christian corpse; to set up for a night -beside that strange, silent guest in the coffin; and, when you -find two or three gathered about it, to have the courage to lead -in reciting the rosary for the soul's happy repose. -</p> -<p> -I know, brethren, that there are many kind hearts who zealously -practise these lovely virtues. But there are others, especially -among the men, who nearly quite forget them. And others still who -do them grudgingly, and only after many entreaties. To obtain a -kind act from an unwilling heart, and after encountering many -excuses, is like blowing a dying fire: before you see the bright -coals your face is pretty well covered with ashes and cinders. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_380">{380}</a></span> -<p> -Brethren, let us not be put to shame by the Samaritan. When -confronted with persons suffering from poverty, sickness, death, -or any misfortune, do like the Samaritan: forget all about their -nationality, or acquaintanceship, or religion. Say something or -do something in charity and for the love of God; your neighbor's -deepest gratitude and God's sure reward will amply repay you. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon CXV.<br><br> - - Our Neighbors.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Which of these three, in thy opinion,<br> - was neighbor to him that fell among robbers?<br> - But He said, he that showed mercy to him.</i><br> - —Gospel of the Day. -</p> -<p> -We are taught in the Gospel of today to love our neighbors as -ourselves. Now, if we have this love it shows itself in deeds. -If, when we see our neighbor in distress, we pass by, thinking -some one else may help him, but <i>we</i> cannot, we are like the -proud priest and the Levite, not like the good Samaritan. Our -Lord, after describing the charity of this Samaritan, says: "Go -and do thou in like manner." We can not pass by our neighbor when -he is in extreme necessity without sin; and if his necessity be -great we must help him, at least out of our abundance. It is a -mistake to think that we are free of obligation in this matter. -St. John says: "He that hath the substance of this world and -shall see his brother in need, and shall shut up his bowels from -him, how doth the charity of God abide in him?" -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_381">{381}</a></span> -<p> -Are not all men creatures of God? Are not all men redeemed by the -Blood of Christ? Does God give more of this world's goods to one -man than to another because he loves one more than another? Not -at all. The poorest in this world's goods may be rich in God's -grace. It is plain, then, that if God has charity for all men, we -cannot have his grace if we do not exercise charity towards all, -and particularly our neighbor in distress. We must love those -whom God loves if we love God, and this love must be -<i>active</i>—"not in word nor in tongue," says St. John, "but -in deed and in truth." -</p> -<p> -We all pray to God for mercy; but if we would find mercy we must -show mercy. "Blessed are the merciful," says our Lord, "for they -shall obtain mercy." But, says St. James, "judgment without mercy -to him that hath not done mercy." Mercy shall be granted to the -merciful, but it shall be denied to the hard of heart. "Deal thy -bread to the hungry," says Isaias, "and bring the needy and the -harborless into thy house. Then thou shalt call and the Lord -shall hear." -</p> -<p> -St. Jerome says: "I have never known a merciful man to have a bad -death." The word of God encourages us "to redeem our sins with -alms and our iniquities with works of mercy to the poor." It says -further: "For alms deliver from all sin and from death, and will -not suffer the soul to go into darkness." We are taught also in -Holy Scripture that Christ considers as done to himself what we -do for the poor, but that if we refuse to help those in distress -it is as if charity were refused to Christ himself. The sentence -which shall decide our eternal happiness or woe will be according -to our behavior towards our neighbor in distress. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_382">{382}</a></span> -<p> -Let us take care not to be deaf to the cries of the suffering -poor; let us rather embrace with affection the lovely virtue of -mercy. Bishop Challoner says: "It was mercy which brought the Son -of God down from heaven to us, and it is mercy which carries us -up to him." He calls "mercy the favorite daughter of the great -King." The reward of the merciful will be very great. "He that -hath mercy on the poor lendeth to the Lord, and he will repay -him." -</p> -<p> -Those of us who labor in the sacred ministry and those who do -work in the Conference of St. Vincent de Paul meet continually -with persons whose distress appeals most powerfully to our -charity. How we wish the offerings for the poor were more -generous! How we wish God would inspire pious Christians to send -in donations for the poor! If you would sometimes send into the -church-office envelopes containing money for the poor, what good -use we could make of it, and how it would call down the mercy of -God upon your souls! Brethren, we have Jesus Christ with us in -the persons of the poor. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon CXVI.<br><br> - - Occasions Of Sin.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Who is my neighbor?</i><br> - —From the Gospel of the Sunday. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_383">{383}</a></span> -<p> -This is a very important question, my brethren. We depend much -for our happiness on the kind of persons who live around us and -on how they feel to-wards us. Our Lord answers the question by -the famous and touching parable of the Good Samaritan. By that -parable he teaches us kindness of heart; he makes that the mark -of true neighborly conduct. The good neighbor is the friendly and -benevolent one. But may we not turn the question around and learn -another good lesson from it? I think we can. The Gospel is like a -piece of good cloth. You know when a wise mother buys some cloth -to make the children clothes she will get a piece that, as they -say, will do to turn—that is, when one side is worn out you can -rip up the garment and make it over again with the inside turned -outside, and so it will last quite a while longer. So we may -learn, perhaps, another lesson from the question in the Gospel by -reversing it and asking, "Who is not my neighbor?" The -saloon-keeper is not your neighbor. Geographically speaking, no -doubt he is your neighbor. He takes care to be handy to you. He -is on the ground-floor of the big tenement-house you live in, so -that you must pass his door to get to your own. Or he is on the -corner you must turn twenty times a day. If nearness were the -only mark of a neighbor, the saloon-keeper is very neighborly -indeed. But, morally speaking, and in the meaning of our Lord's -parable, he is perhaps the last man who can claim to be your -neighbor. Yet many honest fellows treat the saloon-keeper not -only as their neighbor, but as a partner in their business. They -do the hard work; the workingman's share in the partnership is to -bend under the heavy hod in the hot sun, or to strike with the -heavy sledge on the rocks, or to be half-stifled the livelong day -in the hot factory; the other partner has for his share of the -work only to smile and pass the bottle. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_384">{384}</a></span> -You know which one gets the bulk of the profits; or if you do -not, the working-man's wife and family know it all too well. How -many foolish men are there who have taken this bad neighbor into -partnership the most confidential, and not only give him most of -their money in return for worse than nothing, but have made him, -besides, the managing partner of their leisure, their -friendships, and their politics! As to the sorrows that are bred -by the saloon-keeper's traffic, he manages to escape them for a -time; and may God give him the grace to repent of his sins and -fly from their occasion—that is, change his business—that he -may escape the divine wrath in the future. -</p> -<p> -Another very bad neighbor, and one very unworthy of that name, is -a certain class of newsdealers. I say a certain class, for I hope -that not all news dealers are alike. But there are very many of -them who are guilty of the loss of human souls by selling -periodicals and books which can only corrupt the mind and heart -of the reader. I ask you, Christian parents, what do you think of -those who dress out their windows, with bad pictures to lure -passionate youth to the early wreck of soul and body? What do you -think of persons who actually make a living in selling journals -which are but the pictured proceedings of the police courts? O my -brethren! how often is the grace of a good confession and -Communion destroyed by a few minutes bad reading! How many there -are whose first mortal sin has been some act of youthful -depravity suggested by what was bought at a newsdealer's! Such -news dealers hold Satan's certificates to teach the science of -perdition. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_385">{385}</a></span> -What need has the Evil Spirit to fear the Catholic Church and -Catholic school as long as he is not hindered from laying his -snares for youthful virtue in every direction, as long as the -laws against obscene literature are a dead-letter? Therefore, let -Catholic parents furnish their families with good reading, both -secular and religious; let them take at least one Catholic paper, -and let them patronize and direct their children to patronize -news dealers who do not sell dangerous matter. -</p> -<p> -Of course there are other bad neighbors, such as those who invite -you to a public dance, or a moonlight excursion, or a Sunday -picnic, or a low theatre. But I think you will agree with me that -the commonest vices are intemperance and impurity, and that our -worst enemies are those two bad neighbors, the saloon-keeper and -the vender of impure literature. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_386">{386}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - <i>Galatians iii.</i> 16-22.<br> -<br> - Brethren:<br> - To Abraham were the promises made, and to his seed. He saith - not, "And to his seeds," as of many: but as of one, "And to thy - seed," who is Christ. Now this I say, that the testament which - was confirmed by God, the law which was made after four hundred - and thirty years, doth not disannul, to make the promise of no - effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of - promise. But God gave it to Abraham by promise. Why then was - the law? It was set because of transgressions, until the seed - should come, to whom he made the promise, being ordained by - angels in the hand of a mediator. Now, a mediator is not of - one: but God is one. Was the law then against the promises of - God? God forbid. For if there had been a law given which could - give life, verily justice should have been by the law. But the - Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by the - faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Luke xvii.</i> 11-19.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - As Jesus was going to Jerusalem, he passed through the midst of - Samaria in Galilee. And as he entered into a certain town, - there met him ten men that were lepers, who stood afar off: and - lifted up their voice, saying: Jesus, master, have mercy on us. - And when he saw them, he said: Go, show yourselves to the - priests. And it came to pass that, as they went, they were - cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was cleansed, - went back, with a loud voice glorifying God; and he fell on his - face, before his feet, giving thanks: and this was a Samaritan. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_387">{387}</a></span> - And Jesus answering, said: Were there not ten made clean? and - where are the nine? There is no one found to return and give - glory to God, but this stranger. And he said to him: Arise, go - thy way, for thy faith hath made thee whole. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon CXVII.<br><br> - - Thanksgiving.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Where are the nine?</i><br> - —St. Luke xvii. 11.<br> - [USCCB: St. Luke xvii. 17.] -</p> -<p> -Of the ten lepers whose cure is related in this day's Gospel, -only one returned to give thanks, and he was a Samaritan; the -others went their way; they were cured indeed of their dreadful -disease, but disgraced by our Lord's sad question, Where are the -nine? -</p> -<p> -Thanksgiving, brethren, should follow after God's mercies to us, -not only as a matter of justice, but in order to secure the -effect of those mercies themselves. Just as, in our bodily life, -in order to get the benefit of fresh air, breathing <i>in</i> -must be followed by breathing <i>out</i>, so the giving of thanks -must follow the reception of all divine favors. The grace of God -is to the soul what the breath is to the body; and the body, to -live, must not only draw the air in, but give it forth again to -make room for new and fresher air. So in the life of our souls we -breathe in God's grace and we breathe out thanksgiving. -</p> -<p> -Thanksgiving is furthermore a matter of justice. The holiest debt -we owe to God or man is the debt of thanks. Every honest man -gives thanks for favors received from other men, and every -upright soul gives thanks to God. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_388">{388}</a></span> -It is the most indispensable of all our obligations, because it -is the least that we can do. In all our traffic with heaven, -gratitude is the only coin we can mint ourselves. Thanksgiving is -that part of our sanctification necessarily our own. Well, -brethren, if this be really true and who can deny it?—then a -great many of us are insolvent debtors of the worst kind. Now you -hear it said sometimes that the man who does not pay his debts is -as bad as a thief, and in many cases this is perfectly true. So -the difference between an open sinner and a thankless Christian -is that between a thief and a man who by his own fault does not -pay his debts. Indeed, we sometimes feel as if God ought to thank -us for the favor we do him by condescending to serve him. -Confession and Communion and daily prayer, forgiveness of in -juries and resisting temptations so puff us up with conceit that -we are apt to blame God because in view of our holiness he does -not exempt us from the ordinary ills of life! -</p> -<p> -As a matter of fact it is with God and us as with a storekeeper -and his customer. You know why a man cannot get trust at a store; -it is because he was trusted before and didn't pay his debts. Now -pretty nearly all the pay that God asks for his favors is that we -shall give him thanks, and if we will not do that much he can -hardly think us worthy of his further bounty. If we do give -thanks he multiplies his favors; for he is determined to keep us -in his debt, and as fast as we return thanks so much the faster -does he lavish his love upon us. -</p> -<p> -So when we ask why we suffer this miserable stagnation in our -spiritual career, perhaps the true answer would be that we are -members of a big multiple of that original thankless nine. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_389">{389}</a></span> -<p> -Oh! let us thank God that we have the blessings of the true -religion, that he is our Father, Jesus Christ our Redeemer, and -the Blessed Virgin Mary our Mother. Let us thank him for his -gracious promise of the everlasting joys of Paradise. For these -unspeakable favors our thanks should be ceaseless. -</p> -<p> -Let us give thanks, too, in our fervent morning prayers that we -have escaped the dangers of the night, and in our night prayers -that we have been saved from the noon-day demon. When we rise -from our meals let us offer a word of thanks, making at least the -sign of the cross, blessing God for the health he gives us and -our family. Let us thank him for our afflictions—yes, even for -temptations; for the pains we suffer thereby are the -growing-pains of the soul. Especially after receiving Holy -Communion let us give long and heartfelt thanks for all God's -dealing with us; for we have then received the greatest of all -his gifts, his only-begotten Son. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon CXVIII.<br><br> - - Shamelessness In Sinners.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>There met him three men that were lepers,<br> - who stood afar off and lifted tip their voice,<br> - saying: Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.</i><br> - —The Gospel of the Sunday. -</p> -<p> -Leprosy, my brethren, is often spoken of in Holy Writ, and is -considered a type of sin. It is a loathsome and contagious -disease, and when a man was so unhappy as to contract it, besides -being driven away by the Mosaic law, he fled in very shame from -the company of others. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_390">{390}</a></span> -So it is with the common run of sinners; one of their direst -sufferings is shame, from which comes such remorse, such -self-detestation, such reasonable envy of the happy state of the -innocent, that, standing afar off, the poor sinner at last lifts -up his voice and cries to our Lord for mercy. So there is always -some chance for a poor sinner while he is ashamed of himself; -where there is shame there is hope. -</p> -<p> -But, brethren, it happens in our times that there are many -sinners without shame. Many great sins are done almost as a -matter of course, and some even made matter of jest, perhaps of -boast. Need I mention them? Time was that if a man wished to see -a vulgar play he was forced to creep up some dark alley; now he -may go to a filthy opera in a coach and four, and with the lords -of the land, ay, even the ladies of the land. When you and I were -boys there was but one commonly known illustrated paper with -immoral pictures and bad reading matter; the news dealers now -hang their stands all over with them, and young men, and even -young women, buy and read them without a blush. You and I can -remember when it was a disgrace for a man to idle behind a -bar-room counter and get his living from the drunkard and -spendthrift. These men make our laws now. It used to be the pride -of a young man to get to work as soon as possible to help the old -folks along; we hear now too often of hearty young men -shamelessly dependent on their parents. And we know of too many -parents who are not ashamed of habits of intoxication nor of -cursing in the hearing of their little ones. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_391">{391}</a></span> -And how many mothers of families are there whose harsh voices are -heard all over the neighborhood, quarrelling with their husbands -and scolding their children! Time was when a drunken woman was -what Scripture says she is, "a great wrath, and her shame shall -not be hid." Now they publicly send their little boys and girls -to the saloon for beer. -</p> -<p> -Do I exaggerate? Am I not, on the contrary, forced for decency's -sake to pass over other shameless sins, which all but the blind -and deaf know of among us? Indeed, dear brethren, the word of God -is true now as of yore that sinners "preach their shame like -Sodom." The lepers laugh at their leprosy. They run in among us -to blight us. Their disease, that blight which withers the soul -with eternal decay, they rub off upon us. They do it by bad -example, by laughing at the simple virtue of good Christians, by -jesting and mockery, by bullying, by ill-gotten riches and -ill-gotten power. -</p> -<p> -But we must remember that they are all this time really sinners, -and worse than ordinary sinners, because without shame. Here, -then, is our first duty; not to permit human respect, worldly -position, or a bullying tongue to silence our love of God's -honor, our detestation of what does it harm and our pity for the -sinner himself. A good remedy against shamelessness in sinning is -just a little plain talk. If sometimes, instead of laughing at a -vile jest, we should say, "You ought to be ashamed of yourself," -we should please God and save souls. In the family, especially, -parents should create a sound family opinion about places and -persons and reading and amusements and all things else that lead -to sin: bad theatres, moonlight excursions, public balls, liquor -stores, and beer-gardens. A little plain talk, accompanied by -good example and much prayer on the part of good Christians, will -do a great deal, if not to cure the leprosy of sin in those who -have it, at any rate to keep the lepers standing afar off from -the uncontaminated and innocent. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_392">{392}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon CXIX.<br><br> - - Dangers Of Venial Sin.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>I know thy works,<br> - that thou art neither hot nor cold.</i><br> - —Apocalypse iii. 15. -</p> -<p> -It is plain that these words of Holy Writ describe a person in -the state of venial sin; or rather one who is in that state -wilfully and quite careless about it. Now, my brethren, I do not -wish to make you scrupulous, but there is no mistake about this; -all experience shows that persons careless of venial sins are -pretty sure to slip down into mortal sins. Indeed (on the other -hand), about the only ones who manage to keep clear of mortal -sins are those who are fearful of falling into venial sins. Save -the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves; or, -waste the pennies and the dollars will waste themselves. -Scripture applies this as follows: "He that despiseth small -things shall fall little by little." If one keeps the dogs and -goats out of the garden the cows will have small chance to get -in. Keep a watch on the venial sins and the mortal sins will keep -out of sight. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_393">{393}</a></span> -<p> -And does it not stand to reason that, if one is habituated to -look keenly after little sins, it is morally impossible for him -to be carried away by great sins? If you are anxious and -distressed because your soul seems less pure, less holy, less -beautiful than it ought to be, with what horror will you be -filled at the bare thought of becoming a regular slave of the -evil spirit! And how much easier is it, brethren, to keep a sharp -lookout for a few little trifles, rather than to be always -running the risk of eternal woe! -</p> -<p> -And now I will tell you of some of those who are full of venial -sins, and pretty sure to be sooner or later in a state of mortal -sin. Those who are content with their Easter duty—a soul content -with a spiritual meal once in twelve months cannot have very -vigorous spiritual health or a very strong appetite for divine -things. Those who are often late for Mass—once in a while they -will miss it altogether, and for no particular reason, except -that they feel it a great bore to have to do anything for the -love of God. Those who continually neglect their morning prayers: -even though they make an effort to say their night prayers, they -have omitted deliberately the most necessary religious act of the -day. Those who are addicted to idleness; for that is one of the -worst occasions of sin, both mortal and venial. Those who are -stingy, especially to their near relatives and the poor; to love -money is to love something our Lord has a great contempt for. -Those who are touchy and resentful; for they cannot live in peace -with anybody, and peace is necessary for our spiritual welfare. -Those who tell improper stories, and are fond of hearing others -do it; but as to this class, I am not sure but that they are in -mortal sin already: "Can a man put fire in his bosom and not be -burned?" Those who are fond of gossip; for God will not permit us -to trifle with our neighbor's good name, and gossipers and -tale-bearers are often not in mortal sin, only because, malicious -as they are, they are just as stupid. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_394">{394}</a></span> -Those who, though they don't get drunk, yet hang around saloons, -and those who are fond of drinking and treating; and this is a -case, my brethren, where only judgment-day will tell where venial -sin ends and mortal sin begins. -</p> -<p> -Dear brethren, the only really safe way of dealing with God is -the generous way. Arouse yourself with high and noble motives to -be a real friend of God, faithful and true in things little as -well as great, and religion will seem something new and ever so -much pleasanter to you. Otherwise you will not have the comfort -of being sure of God's friendship at all. You may be like an old -lady who once told me very sorrowfully about how her daughter -died. "I was watching at her bedside," she said, "and, after a -long spell of suffering, she dropped off at last into a gentle -slumber. I turned down the lamp and stepped softly into the next -room, waiting to hear her call me when she woke up. An hour -passed, another hour, a third, and still she slept on. Finally -the doctor came, and so we had to wake her up. But oh! when we -came to the bedside we found her dead, cold and dead, while I -thought her asleep." So your soul may seem to you only sleeping, -only lukewarm in God's service, only careless about your -religious duties; whereas it may be all the time, if not in the -very state of spiritual death—mortal sin—at least in the -torpor which goes before it. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_395">{395}</a></span> - - <h2>Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost.</h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - <i>Galatians v.</i> 16-24.<br> -<br> - Brethren:<br> - I say then, walk in the spirit, and you shall not fulfil the - lusts of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the spirit: - and the spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary one to - another: so that you do not the things that you would. But if - you are led by the spirit, you are not under the law. Now the - works of the flesh are manifest, which are, fornication, - uncleanness, immodesty, luxury, idolatry, witchcraft, enmities, - contentions, emulations, wrath, quarrels, dissensions, sects, - envy, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like. Of the - which I foretell you, as I have foretold to you, that they who - do such things shall not obtain the kingdom of God. But the - fruit of the spirit is charity, joy, peace, patience, - benignity, goodness, longanimity, mildness, faith, modesty, - continency, chastity. Against such there is no law. And they - that are Christ's, have crucified their flesh with the vices - and concupiscences.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Matthew vi.</i> 24-33.<br> -<br> - At that time Jesus said to his disciples:<br> - No man can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one, - and love the other: or he will hold to the one, and despise the - other. You cannot serve God and Mammon. Therefore I say to you, - be not solicitous for your life, what you shall eat, nor for - your body, what you shall put on. Is not the life more than the - food, and the body more than the raiment? Behold the fowls of - the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather - into barns: and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not you - of much more value than they? -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_396">{396}</a></span> - And which of you by thinking can add to his stature one cubit? - And for raiment why are you solicitous? Consider the lilies of - the field how they grow: they labor not, neither do they spin. - And yet I say to you, that not even Solomon in all his glory - was arrayed as one of these. Now if God so clothe the grass of - the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the - oven: how much more you, ye of little faith? Be not solicitous - therefore, saying: What shall we eat, or what shall we drink, - or wherewith shall we be clothed? For after all these things do - the heathen seek. For your Father knoweth that you have need of - all these things. Seek ye, therefore, first the kingdom of God - and his justice, and all these things shall be added unto you. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon CXX.<br><br> - - The Poverty Of Christ.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>For after all these things do the heathen seek.</i><br> - —St. Matthew. vi. 32. -</p> -<p> -In this day's Gospel our Blessed Lord would teach us that the -difference between men is the difference between the objects for -which they live. And he lays down the fundamental law of his -kingdom, that if the chief object of one's life is the enjoyment -of the things every where about us—eating and drinking and money -and lands—he has therein a mark of belonging to the kingdom of -this world. To belong to our Lord's kingdom we must live for none -of these things as the end of our endeavors. We may, indeed, have -and use the things of this world, but for higher purposes than -the world itself can offer; as far as any enjoyment in them is -concerned, it is too trifling a matter to engage our serious -pursuit. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_397">{397}</a></span> -<p> -Yet, brethren, is not the whole Christian world absorbed in -seeking after what should be the heathen's peculiar treasure? Is -not this the most anxious inquiry, How shall I get rich? Is not -the possession of riches deemed the most enviable happiness? Is -it not the best praise of an individual that he is prosperous, -and of a nation that it is wealthy? What a serious lesson it is, -therefore, that our Lord expresses his contempt for what is -deemed the height of human wisdom among us—a contempt no less -profound because so gently expressed! If—he as much as says—if -you and I are to make choice of beauty, you may choose King -Solomon's wardrobe with all its jewels, and I will take the -new-blown lily; if you talk to me of foresight and skill in the -business of life, you may admire the successful speculator, but -the little sparrow is my model. -</p> -<p> -And our Lord's life was fully in accord with his doctrine. For it -was of set purpose that he saw fit to lack those things that -nearly all men covet most; that he was the child of a poor -maiden, and the apprentice of a country carpenter; that he was a -wanderer barefoot and needy about Judea, yet all the time the -only-begotten Son of the Lord of all majesty; that he was -seemingly a tried and convicted malefactor, and died naked and -all but alone upon the gibbet, yet all the time the immortal King -of ages. -</p> -<p> -The truth is that this unhappy overvaluing of the more lowly -things of life is a fault deeply rooted in our fallen nature. -That the eager pursuit of wealth is not compatible with God's -service; that it is the peculiar province of the heathen we -indeed know. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_398">{398}</a></span> -And we know that the human soul is too noble a being to expend -its dearest action to purchase any perishable thing whatever. Yet -very many persons who deem themselves good enough Christians are -quite proud of their success in the heathen's way of life. And -many other Christians fall into downright despair because God has -deprived them of the things that "the heathen seek." Far be it -from us indeed to underestimate the burden of poverty, or to say -that it is an easy thing to suffer it. God knows that it is a -terribly hard thing to be poor; to see one's family suffer actual -hunger; to wander about the streets with no roof to cover one; to -lie helplessly sick and be too poor to get proper food or -medicine. But on the other hand it is wrong to act under such -circumstances as if all were lost, or as if God hated us; that is -the very time to arouse one's faith in God's love and one's -reliance on his promises; to seek his consolation in the holy -sacraments; to raise one's eyes hourly to his countenance by -fervent prayer that he may relieve the burden, or at any rate -grant patience to bear it. -</p> -<p> -Oh! how few there are who gladly and heartily choose the Kingdom -of God and his justice in preference to the treasures of this -world! How few there are who do so even grudgingly and -doubtfully! -</p> -<p> -Yet the doctrine stands: to labor for a postponed reward is the -Christian's life, and for a present reward the heathen's. To pass -by a seen and present joy for the sake of an unseen joy is the -Christian's wisdom. To trust the voice of an unseen benefactor—in -a word, to walk in the darkness of a supernatural faith—is -the fundamental virtue of our religion. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_399">{399}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon CXXI.<br><br> - - Brotherly Love.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>But the fruit of the spirit is charity.</i><br> - —Epistle of the Sunday. -</p> -<p> -Mark these words, brethren; for they describe the Christian -religion, at least as far as its practical effects are concerned. -The presence of the Holy Ghost is known by a kindly disposition, -a friendly feeling towards others, a longing to make others -happy, an affectionate sympathy for their sufferings; and all -this for the love of God. So St. John says: "We know that we have -passed from death to life because we love the brethren." The -necessary result of sanctifying grace is a deep attachment to our -friends and a loving forgiveness towards our enemies. "For all -the law," says St. Paul, "is fulfilled in one sentence: thou -shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." Kindness of heart, -generosity, self-forgetfulness, done to be like Jesus Christ, is -the beginning and the end of our holy faith. -</p> -<p> -"I give you a new commandment," said our Lord to his disciples, -"that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you love -one another." Again: "By this shall men know that you are my -disciples if you have love for one another." He thus tells us -what his law is—fraternal charity; that is the newness of life -man got from heaven above; that is the torrent of heavenly -influence rushing down upon us and bearing us away upon its -billows; and that is the mark set upon us by which we know -ourselves, and others may know us, to be the fruit of the Holy -Spirit. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_400">{400}</a></span> -<p> -But somebody might say, How about the love of God? Is not the -love of God the end of all religion? Is it not our first duty to -love God so strongly that we prefer him to all things else, even -our nearest relatives? Is not the love of God the one absorbing -duty of our lives? In answer, my brethren, I have only to say -that that is but another way of looking at the same thing; for -since the coming of our Lord among us God has become man, and we -are born in holy baptism, "not of blood, nor of the will of the -flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." When our Lord, true -God as he was, took human nature, he took our poor nature just as -it is, saving its sinfulness; and it is his blessed will that one -by one every man, woman, and child in the world should personally -be joined to his divine nature by baptism, and, as St. Peter -says, be made partakers of the divinity he possesses. And even -the poor, unbaptized heathen, they are to be gifted with this -divine privilege by our love for them and our loving efforts to -give it to them. Now do you not see why our Lord, his Apostles, -and his church made so much of the love of one's neighbor? And do -you not see that, whether you begin to love with God or with man, -if you do it along with Jesus Christ, you do it with the God-man, -and therefore always in God and never out of man? -</p> -<p> -Yet another might say: But, Father, what about the sacraments, -and what about the practice of prayer, and what about the laws of -the church? I answer by a comparison: Why do men plant and then -reap a field of wheat? That they may in due time get the grain, -make bread of part for themselves and families, and sell the rest -to their neighbors. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_401">{401}</a></span> -Now, some may use the very old-fashioned way of thrashing out the -grain by the tread of oxen, and others by the beating of the -flail, and others by the great, roaring thrashing-machine. The -last way is the quickest and cleanest and best. So our Lord, when -he became man, invented the sacraments; he established his church -as the new and best way of obtaining the ripe fruit of the Holy -Spirit, and that way he commands us to use. So the man who really -loves his neighbor as himself learns to do it by using our Lord's -methods, the sacraments, and he cannot get along without them. -So, brethren, cultivate more and more this sweet Christian virtue -of fraternal love; and especially in your families. When the -children cry, when they are sickly and peevish, when others are -cross and exacting, when some are dull and stupid, when the meals -are too late or the food is not cooked right, when the -thousand-and-one annoyances of living with others vex and harass -you, remember that you are a Christian, and that loving patience, -great good nature, fondness for friends—to say nothing of zeal -for the conversion of poor sinners—are virtues that will win you -the kingdom of heaven. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon CXXII.<br><br> - - Religion For Week-days.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>No man can serve two masters. …<br> - You cannot serve God and Mammon.</i><br> - —Gospel of the Day. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_402">{402}</a></span> -<p> -What does our Lord mean by this, my brethren? "No man," he says, -"can serve two masters." "Why," you might perhaps answer, "I do -not see any difficulty about serving two masters. What is to -prevent a man, for instance, after his regular hours of work are -over, from hiring himself out for the evenings to some other -employer, if he has strength enough to spare? Or, if he can make -such an arrangement, why should he not work for one in the -morning, and another in the afternoon? And are there not, in -fact, many people, teachers, for example, who give private -lessons, who have a great number of employers whom they agree to -serve at stated times?" -</p> -<p> -Yes, this seems true enough. It seems so true that I believe -there are many people who, in spite of our Lord's statement to -the contrary, divide their service between God and Mammon. They -hire themselves out to the devil, or at least to the world during -the week, and when Sunday comes round, and they put on their good -clothes, they change their master at the same time, and, at least -for the time that they are in church, read certain words out of -their prayer-books, in which they offer their service to God. And -they do not appear to think that there is anything strange about -this. They think that, of course, decency requires that God -should want part of their time for his service, and that he is -quite reasonable in only asking for one day out of seven; but -that he should have any claim on them during the part of the week -that he does not specially reserve does not seem to occur to -their minds. That is the time engaged to the other master—that -is, to their worldly interests or pleasures. They find no -difficulty in reconciling the service of God and Mammon at all; -they can be good Christians and also men of the world like others -without the slightest trouble. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_403">{403}</a></span> -<p> -But I seem to hear some one say, "Father, are you not pushing -this matter rather too far? Surely one cannot be in church or -saying his prayers at home all the week. Some people may find -time to come to early Mass and all the devotions, and live what -you may call a pious life generally; but I have to go to my -business or my family will starve. What would you have me do?" -</p> -<p> -Well, I will tell you. I do not find fault with any one for -attending to his business during the week, and working as much as -he is obliged to provide for himself and his family properly; but -I must say, by the way, that many people, under this excuse, fall -into the snare of avarice, and work early and late to hoard up -riches which neither they nor their family need, and which, left -to their children, is only too likely to be an occasion of sin. -However, I repeat, no one is to be blamed for attending to the -proper duties of his state of life; for working at his business, -if it is a legitimate and useful one. But what one is to be -blamed for is for attending to it as if, instead of being God's -business, as it ought to be, it was no business of his at all; as -if he had nothing to say about it, and his laws did not apply to -it. The delusion that too many Christians are under is that their -religious life and their life in the world are entirely separate -concerns; that religion, morality, God's laws in general, have -nothing to do with politics, business, buying or selling, or what -they call practical affairs. They say, If we did not do as others -do about these things, we could not get on at all; so they calmly -take for granted, even, perhaps, in the confessional, that such -things have no moral aspect whatever. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_404">{404}</a></span> -<p> -This is a great delusion and a fatal blunder. A Christian has got -to be a Christian first, last, and all the time; one cannot be a -Catholic on Sunday, and to all intents and purposes a Protestant -or an infidel during the week. If you can't get on on the -principle of serving God and trying to find out and do his will -on Monday as well as on Sunday, then all I have to say is, "Don't -get on." I dare say there is some truth in your complaint; a man -who manages his business and daily life generally, as if there -was no God in the world, will probably make money faster, and -have in some ways a better time, than one will who believes in -God and tries to do his will. Very well, then, if you prefer this -world to the next, act according to its standard Sunday, Monday, -and all the time; but don't try to cut inside of it and get a -pass to heaven on the ground that you have used another standard -now and then. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_405">{405}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - <i>Galatians v.</i> 25; <i>vi.</i> 10.<br> -<br> - Brethren:<br> - If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let - us not become desirous of vainglory, provoking one another, - envying one another. And if a man can be overtaken in any - fault, you, who are spiritual, instruct such a one in the - spirit of mildness, considering thyself, lest thou also be - tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so shall you fulfil - the law of Christ. For if any man think himself to be - something, whereas he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. But let - every one prove his own work, and so he shall have glory in - himself only, and not in another. For every one shall bear his - own burden. And let him who is instructed in the word - communicate to him that instructeth him, in all good things. Be - not deceived, God is not mocked. For what things a man shall - sow, those also shall he reap. For he that soweth in the flesh, - of the flesh also shall reap corruption. But he that soweth in - the Spirit, of the Spirit shall reap life everlasting. And in - doing good, let us not fail. For in due time we shall reap, not - failing. Therefore, whilst we have time, let us do good to all - men, but especially to those who are of the household of the - faith.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Luke vii.</i> 11-16.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - Jesus went into a city called Naim: and there went with him his - disciples, and a great multitude. And when he came nigh to the - gate of the city, behold a dead man was carried out, the only - son of his mother; and she was a widow: and much people of the - city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion - on her, and said to her: Weep not. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_406">{406}</a></span> - And he came near and touched the bier. (And they that carried - it stood still.) And he said: Young man, I say to thee, Arise. - And he that was dead sat up and began to speak. And he - delivered him to his mother. And there came a fear on them all: - and they glorified God, saying: That a great prophet is risen - up among us: and God hath visited his people. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon CXXIII.<br><br> - - The Fruits Of A Bad Life.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Be not deceived, God is not mocked;<br> - for what things a man shall sow,<br> - those also shall he reap.</i><br> - —Epistle of the Day. -</p> -<p> -One would think, my dear friends, that the Apostle would hardly -have needed to remind any one having common sense, or even a -little experience, of such an obvious truth as this. Surely no -one expects, when he plants some kind of seed, to have some other -kind of crop come from it. "Do men," says our Divine Lord, -"gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?" No, we are all -well aware that if we want to grow any kind of grain or fruit we -must sow the seed or plant the tree which produces it. -</p> -<p> -And yet, strange to say, though we all do acknowledge this law of -nature in everything outside of ourselves, we fail to apply it to -ourselves, and especially to our souls. In matters simply -pertaining to the body we do indeed know that the cause will -produce its effect. If we sow the seed of some fatal disease in -ourselves we expect it to break out and run its course; we do not -believe that, as a rule, tears or even prayers are going to stop -it. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_407">{407}</a></span> -<p> -But when it comes to the soul, many Christians seem to think that -everything regarding it may be shifted at their own will; that -they may go on for years sowing the seeds of all kinds of -abominable vices in their souls, and that, later on, whenever -they may desire, all this work can be undone in a moment, and -those souls, which sin has rotted through and through, can be put -right back where they were as they came from the baptismal font, -or even set on a perfect level with those in which the seed of -every virtue has been implanted and carefully nurtured from -childhood. -</p> -<p> -Ah! my dear brethren, this is a great and a terrible mistake. -Hear the words in which St. Paul continues: "He that soweth in -his flesh, of the flesh also shall reap corruption; but he that -soweth in the spirit, of the spirit shall reap life everlasting." -</p> -<p> -"He that soweth in his flesh, of the flesh also shall reap -corruption." Here is the great evil of sin, which repentance, -however sincere, cannot utterly undo. True contrition will, no -doubt, especially if accompanied by the Sacrament of Penance, -take away the guilt of sin; but unless it be very intense, and -accompanied by an extraordinary love of God, like that of the -great saints, it will not, in releasing from guilt, remedy all -the deformity which long-continued habits of vice have worked in -the soul. Yes, sorrow may come in such an overflowing torrent as -to break down and sweep away all obstacles in its path; but how -often does it come so? To have such sorrow for sin is a rare and -remarkable grace from God which the sinner has no right to -expect. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_408">{408}</a></span> -<p> -All this is specially true, as the words of the Apostle teach us, -of the sins of the flesh, such as drunken-ness and impurity. The -body will hang on to sin after the soul has given it up, and will -drag the soul again down with it. Oh! that those who are addicted -to these horrible sensual habits would realize their danger, and -feel the net which the flesh has been weaving round their spirit. -But no; they go on from week to week, from month to month, -making, it may be, now and then a feeble effort to escape; but -too often it can be seen after each confession, though they are -indeed on their feet again, that the odds against them are -greater than ever, and that their weapons are dropping out of -their hands. -</p> -<p> -Brethren, grace is powerful, surely; but you are much mistaken if -you think it is going to destroy and make of no effect the law of -nature. Rouse yourselves to the combat which is before you while -there is yet time; for the time may come, and perhaps sooner than -you think, when the corruption of the flesh will quench the -feeble spark of contrition which God has hitherto given you, and -in which lies your only hope. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon CXXIV.<br><br> - - Sins Of Parents.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>And Jesus said, Young man, I say to thee, arise.</i><br> - —St. Luke viii. 14. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_409">{409}</a></span> -<p> -Many mourning parents, brethren, are represented by the poor -widow of Naim, told of in this day's Gospel; and their mourning -is for sons dead in mortal sin. These are indeed days of many and -various vices, and our young people are far from being exempt. -Blasphemy and religious indifference; neglect of prayer, Mass, -and the sacraments; drunkenness and impurity; such are the -plague-spots on the spiritual corpses of many of our young -people. -</p> -<p> -Yet, alas! as parents raise their eyes to our Lord's gracious -countenance and beg his pity, they should sometimes confess that -they are not without blame for their misfortunes. Many parents -spoil their children by bad example. For if they profane the name -of God in the midst of their families, they need not be surprised -to find that in after-years their children have no reverence for -God or for his church or his sacraments. Fathers who come home -smelling strong of drink, and now and then plainly intoxicated, -may indeed hope to save their own souls by thorough repentance, -but are likely enough to have drunkards among their children. -Parents who tolerate improper language in the household, and can -laugh at a double-meaning joke, and see no harm in a lascivious -dance or a doubtful novel, need not be surprised to find that -their daughters have lost maidenly reserve, and that their sons -are given to open debauchery. Parents who neglect their Easter -duty, and who easily excuse themselves from Sunday Mass, need not -be surprised if their children fall quite away from the practice -of religion and even from its belief. -</p> -<p> -Now, it often happens that children who have been treated too -leniently while quite young are treated too severely when a -little older. Too much authority should not be used with boys and -girls who are some years in their teens. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_410">{410}</a></span> -With them authority is at best a medicine, and not a food. To -strengthen a boy's virtue, to make him love religion, to give him -a bright notion of the next world and of the value of his soul, -the exercise of authority is one means, but perhaps the least -useful of all. In some cases authority can only do harm. To make -a person who has full use of reason a good Christian it is -necessary to put him in the way of intelligent instruction, by -giving him good, readable religious matter, books or papers; by -persuading him by such inducements as an occasional little -present, and by a continual interest in his progress, to keep his -place at Sunday-school; by introducing and discussing religious -topics in family conversation, and by interesting him to attend -sermons and lectures. Meantime let there be many kind words and -much sympathetic conduct, forgetfulness of past offences, -patience with natural difficulties and with youthful folly; let -all this go beforehand and authority will find nothing left to -do. -</p> -<p> -Brethren, do not suppose that it is always best to <i>force</i> -one to do what he ought to do; try rather to induce him, to -attract him. St. Francis de Sales says: "You can catch more flies -with one drop of honey that with a barrel of vinegar"; and he -also says: "For every ounce of good advice add a pound of good -example." -</p> -<p> -Therefore it is that so many scolding parents end by becoming -weeping parents. Parental authority, which should be merely the -supremacy of all that is worthy of affection, has made home -hateful and driven the children into occasions of sin—the saloon -and the low theatre for the boys, the stolen interview and the -common dance for the girls. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_411">{411}</a></span> -<p> -But, some one might say, what if your child has got beyond you -and will be bad in spite of every best endeavor on your -part—what then? Well, at any rate there is no sense in railing -at him. If you can not make him better, what is the sense of -making him miserable? And is not then the very time to lay him, -spiritually speaking, in his coffin, and lead our Lord up to him, -and, kneeling down, say: O Lord! have pity on me, for this is my -dear son, dead in mortal sin? Say but the word; touch his dead -soul with thy loving hand; stir him up to repentance! -</p> -<p> -Many such prayers cannot be said without producing their effect: -the resurrection of your child's soul from the death of mortal -sin. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon CXXV.<br><br> - - The Law Of Charity.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Bear ye one another's burdens,<br> - and so you shall fulfil the law of Christ.</i><br> - —Epistle of the Day. -</p> -<p> -The law of Christ, dear brethren, is essentially a law of -charity. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole soul -and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind, and thy -neighbor as thyself." This is the whole law of Christ summed up, -and it is plain that this is a law of love. But the Apostle bids -us bear one another's burdens that we may fulfil this law, which, -as is evident from the text just quoted, imposes upon us the love -of our God and of our neighbor. How, then, will the bearing of -others burdens help us to serve God better? -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_412">{412}</a></span> -<p> -That we have burdens, and some of us rather heavy ones, is clear -enough; and that most of us are only too willing to have some one -help us to carry them will be, I think, generally agreed to. -Every one has his own difficulties; every one has something which -he would like to get rid of if he could, because it interferes -with his comfort. Now, I do not think the Apostle wished us to -suppose from his words that God would have us free each other -from <i>all</i> suffering, since that is not possible, as we know -that hardship forms a necessary part of our probation. We must -expect to have something to suffer always. -</p> -<p> -But what he would have us do, it seems to me, is to help each -other by counsel and material aid, to make what otherwise might -be almost unbearable easier to carry. "My yoke is sweet and my -burden light." This is the spirit he wishes us to strive after. -It is an unselfish spirit he desires for us, such as will make us -forget our own sufferings in ministering to the wants of others. -He wants us to cultivate charity; to look beyond ourselves and -our own interests, and take up the troubles of our brethren. -</p> -<p> -But you say to me: "I do not see what advantage there is in all -this; if I take another's burden, I am but adding to my own." It -is just here that our really helping each other appears. It is by -this very assistance we give our neighbor that we fulfil the law -of Christ, which demands suffering of us. For by our sympathizing -with others and sharing in their difficulties our own burdens -become lighter. If we simply took care of ourselves and were -forgetful of all the rest of the world, we would chafe beneath -our load; we would be so wrapped up in ourselves that nothing -could persuade us that our sufferings were the very best things -that could befall us. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_413">{413}</a></span> -<p> -By helping our neighbor we help ourselves. We are led to be -reconciled to our lot, to expect nothing more from God for -ourselves than what we see others getting. We know that they have -as just a claim upon him as we, yet they have their troubles as -well as we. The road to heaven is open to all, but all must take -what they get as they go along, and be thankful for it and make -no comparisons. All get a goodly share of what is disagreeable to -nature on the way; our own portion differs only in kind and -quantity from that of others. -</p> -<p> -By helping our neighbor, too, we fulfil, as the Apostle tells us, -the law of Christ, for the law of Christ is charity—love towards -God, love towards our fellow-man. Our stooping to our neighbor's -need fosters God's love in our souls no less than love of our -neighbor. It makes us go to God as our Father and recognize his -justice. We perceive the necessity of mortifying our rebellious -appetites and placing ourselves entirely in God's hands. How much -happier, how much better Christians we would be did we but bear -each other's burdens! Then we would soon learn what now seems so -hard: that the yoke of Christ is indeed sweet and his burden -truly light. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_414">{414}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - <i>Ephesians iii.</i> 13-21.<br> -<br> - Brethren:<br> - I beseech you not to be disheartened at my tribulations for - you, which is your glory. For this cause I bow my knees to the - Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom all paternity in - heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according - to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power by - his Spirit unto the inward man. That Christ may dwell by faith - in your hearts: that being rooted and founded in charity, you - may be able to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the - breadth, and length, and height, and depth. To know also the - charity of Christ, which surpasseth knowledge, that you may be - filled unto all the fulness of God. Now to him who is able to - do all things more abundantly than we ask or understand, - according to the power which worketh in us: to him be glory in - the church, and in Christ Jesus, throughout all generations, - world with out end. Amen.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Luke xiv.</i> 1-11.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - When Jesus went into the house of a certain prince of the - Pharisees, on the Sabbath day, to eat bread, and they were - watching him. And behold, there was a certain man before him - that had the dropsy. And Jesus answering, spoke to the lawyers - and Pharisees, saying: Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day? - But they held their peace. But he, taking him, healed him, and - sent him away. And answering them, he said: Which of you whose - ass or his ox shall fall into a pit, and will not immediately - draw him out on the Sabbath day? And they could not answer him - to these things. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_415">{415}</a></span> - And he spoke a parable also to them that were invited, marking - how they chose the first seats at the table, saying to them: - When thou art invited to a wedding, sit not down in the highest - place, lest perhaps one more honorable than thou be invited by - him: and he who invited thee and him, come and say to thee: - Give place to this man; and then thou begin with blushing to - take the lowest place. But when thou art invited, go, sit down - in the lowest place: that when he who invited thee cometh, he - may say to thee: Friend, go up higher. Then shalt thou have - glory before them that sit at table with thee. Because every - one that exalteth himself shall be humbled: and he that - humbleth himself shall be exalted. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon CXXVI.<br><br> - - Christian Humility.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>He that humbleth himself shall be exalted.</i><br> - —Gospel of the Day. -</p> -<p> -As we hear these familiar words, my brethren, some of us will -perhaps be inclined to say, or at least to think, that this -matter of humility is just a little threadbare, so to speak; that -we have already heard pretty much all that can be said about it. -I dare say this is true; but when a thing is very important it -has to be spoken of quite often. And humility is very important; -after the love of God and of our neighbor, there is nothing more -so. In fact, the difficulties in the way of loving God and our -neighbor as we should, come, we may say, entirely from our -inordinate love of ourselves; and this inordinate love of -ourselves generally takes the shape either of pride or -sensuality. In other words, pride and sensuality are the two -great causes of all our sins; what wonder, then, that our Lord -should warn us so frequently about them? -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_416">{416}</a></span> -<p> -And the very fact that we think we have heard enough about -humility shows that we are not so humble as we ought to be. If we -think that we are well up in this matter, it is a good sign that -we are not. Many people will say, especially when they are on -their knees, "Oh! I am a miserable sinner; I am everything that -is bad"; but when they get up from their knees, and look around -them, you will find that they think themselves in point of fact -pretty nearly as good as anybody else, and perhaps, on the whole, -rather better than most people whom they know. -</p> -<p> -It is not, however, after all, about the matter of goodness that -pride is most sensitive. Most Christians, unfortunately, do not -try very hard to be saints, and are not very much tempted to be -proud of their achievements in that direction. But almost every -one considers himself tolerably well gifted in the matter of -natural common sense; he thinks his brains about as good as any -one else's, though he may readily admit that he has not had so -great advantages as another, or, in other words, that he is "no -scholar." So, to be thought or called a natural-born fool is a -very hard trial for any one's humility; almost all of us, I am -afraid, would rather be called a rascal. To be considered -bad-looking, that again is a great mortification to some people; -or to have one's birth and family despised, to be thought low and -vulgar, how many can you find that will put up with that? That is -the real reason why you so often hear some one find fault with -somebody else for being "stuck up"; it is that when he or she is -stuck up I am stuck down. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_417">{417}</a></span> -<p> -You notice, my brethren, that this matter of pride is mostly -comparative, as I may say. We should not mind other people being -stuck up, if we could only be stuck up too. And it is just here -on this tender point that the parable of our Lord in to-day's -Gospel touches. He says: "When thou art invited to a wedding, sit -not down in the first place, lest, perhaps, one more honorable -than thou be invited." This is where the shoe pinches, this -admitting that some one else is more honorable than we are; -especially in this country, where every one shakes hands with the -President, and all are made, as far as possible, equal. Still, we -can manage to admit that there are some who are better entitled -to the first place than ourselves; indeed, we cannot well help -that. But our Lord would have us go farther than this. He says: -"Sit down in the lowest place." -</p> -<p> -That is the great lesson of humility that is so hard for us to -learn. Not to say, "I am a miserable sinner; I am blind, weak, -and fallible." Oh! yes, we can say that easily, because we feel -that everybody else ought to say it of himself, and probably will -say it. But to be ready to acknowledge, especially if the general -opinion goes that way, that we are inferior to anybody else, -whoever it may be that we may be compared with; to take this for -granted, and not be surprised if others agree with us, this is -that true humility which is exalted, not by being put in a place -where it can be able to crow over others and thus be turned into -pride, but by being granted the exaltation of being brought -nearer to God. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_418">{418}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon CXXVII.<br><br> - - Vanity.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>When thou art invited to a wedding,<br> - sit not down in the highest place.</i><br> - —St. Luke xiv. 8. -</p> -<p> -It is not many Sundays ago that our Lord's words taught us -humility by the spectacle of the Pharisee's pride contrasted with -the publican's lowliness. Yet holy church repeats the same lesson -to-day by telling us what our Lord thinks of one who is vain -enough to take too high a place at the wedding-feast. And indeed, -brethren, it takes much teaching for us to learn the corruption -of our own hearts. If there is anybody we lack close acquaintance -with, it is our own very selves. If there is one book harder for -us to read than any other it is the book of our own hearts. Yet -in spite of this ignorance of ourselves, either before God or in -comparison with our neighbor, we are always tempted to set -ourselves up for something far better than we really are, and no -less tempted to depreciate our neighbor. -</p> -<p> -We are too anxious to exercise the same certain judgment about -relative merit in spiritual things as we fancy we can do in -temporal affairs. You doubtless know the various standards of -worldly preference. One person looks around at others and -exclaims in his or her secret heart: With what shocking bad taste -do such and such ones dress! They must be very vulgar indeed; -surely I cannot be expected to demean myself by going in -<i>their</i> company. Another says: There is a great deal in -social standing. Let every one know his place in the world and -keep it; as for me, I am certainly quite above the company of -such and such persons. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_419">{419}</a></span> -Another says: Brains is the standard; good clothes and social -position—what are they but miserable vanity and prejudice? But -I have brains; and I know it, and can show it; therefore, stand -aside for me, for I am entitled to preference. -</p> -<p> -Now, brethren, what is there in the spiritual life that answers -to good clothes? I will tell you: it is certain external -practices of devotion. External devotions are indeed necessary -for the soul just as clothes are for the body, and if used in the -right spirit give one spiritual warmth and adorn the soul with -interior virtues. But we must not be vain of them. And what -answers in the spiritual life to the consciousness of social -position? The remembrance of many years spent in God's service -and the various spiritual gifts received from him. But beware of -spiritual pride. And what answers to human talents and ability? -Facility in prayer, glibness of speech about spiritual things, -knowledge of devotional books, and the like. And these may be -made a cause of vanity. -</p> -<p> -So when our Lord looks in among the guests at his spiritual table -we may well imagine his saying to one or other of us: Friend, I -perceive that you have been trusting a trifle too much to certain -external practices; they are very good in themselves, but should -be joined to a deeper and truer contrition for your sins and a -more practical use of penance and mortification. I am sorry to -make you blush, but really you must step down a few seats lower. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_420">{420}</a></span> -To another he says: Friend, you are in the wrong place; I know -that you have received many graces from me in the past, but I -also notice a great want of gratitude on your part; besides this, -I see from your present disposition of mind that, if you are left -where you are, you are likely to be quite puffed up with vanity. -So I will set you down a little lower to a place opposite a good -dish of thanksgiving and an other of humility. To another he -says: What are you doing there, you who are so fault-finding and -overbearing? Do you trust to your knowledge of spiritual things -and your pious talk? Your religion consists of words, words, -words, and what I want is deeds. So, down with you to the last -place at the table; and if I had any place lower than the last -you should certainly have it. -</p> -<p> -Brethren, let us be glad to sit down anywhere at our Lord's -banquet; glad of so much as the crumbs from the table. That is to -say, the friendship of God is too precious a thing, and too much -all his own to give, that we should presume to glory in it. -Humility, detachment from our own excellence, willingness to -think poorly of our own merits—such are the virtues that -underlie all true piety. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon CXXVIII.<br><br> - - Behavior In Church.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>And he spoke a parable also to them that were invited,<br> - marking how they chose the first seats at the table.</i><br> - —Gospel of the Day. -</p> -<p> -Our Blessed Saviour in this day's Gospel teaches us a lesson of -good order and practical conduct which may be applied in many -ways. I will make the application of it this morning to our -conduct in church. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_421">{421}</a></span> -We will consider the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the great feast -to which we are invited, the church the banquet-hall, and the -pews the places set apart for the guests. -</p> -<p> -There is nothing more conducive to the pleasure and purpose of an -assemblage than the good order and proper arrangement of -everything connected with it, and we often hear persons speak of -some event in which they participated as being most enjoyable -because everything was so well ordered and arranged. Now, all -this applies with double force to the public services of -religion. Catholics greatly enjoy the public services of the -church when every is well ordered and arranged, and there is -nothing to distract them or jar upon them. For at every service -there is the divine presence, and where perfect order reigns it -soon makes itself felt: its calm peace steals in upon the soul, -it communes sweetly, and worships "in spirit and in truth." -</p> -<p> -But in order to secure an external condition of things in our -churches so essential to recollection and prayer, each one must -know his place and occupy it without delay or confusion, and in -our present system of church arrangement each worshipper is -supposed to have his or her special place assigned, and the -regular seat in the church has become a requirement of devotion -as well as a necessity of church finance. -</p> -<p> -Hence, to secure a permanent place in the church is a duty of -devotion as well as something of an obligation; and we find that -truly pious Catholics almost invariably try to secure seats in -their parish churches, be they ever so humble. Indeed, Catholics -who fail to do this are not apt to be very steady in the practice -of their religion; and there can be no doubt as to the neglect of -duty in the case. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_422">{422}</a></span> -To contribute to the support of religion is as much a positive -law of the church as to attend Mass on Sundays, and the ordinary -revenue for the support of religion comes from the pew-rents. We -insist, therefore, that every Catholic who can possibly afford it -should have his seat in church; good order requires this as well -as duty and devotion. It is a poor business to be all the while -occupying other people's pews, and sometimes, perhaps, be -required to vacate them. Pew-holders have their rights, and they -must be protected in them. Nevertheless, to secure good order and -harmony at the services of the church, pew-holders must be -willing at times to waive their rights and allow strangers and -others to occupy the vacant seats in their pews. This is no more -than politeness and common Christian charity demand. To refuse a -vacant seat in church to a stranger is selfishness gone to seed, -and they are few, I hope, who would be guilty of such vulgarity. -</p> -<p> -But while all who possibly can should have their regular places -in church, there will, no doubt, always be a very considerable -number who, through poverty or perverseness, will be pew-holders -at large, and to them I would also address a few remarks. The -Catholic Church is the church of the poor! This is our glory and -our pride. No one can be too poor to attend the services of the -Catholic Church. God is no respecter of persons, nor is his -church. The poor are always welcome in her grandest temples, and -none should ever miss a single service of religion because they -are too poor to hire a regular seat. In this church, thank God, -everything is free to them, and there are always vacant seats for -them to occupy. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_423">{423}</a></span> -We not only wish non-pew-holders to occupy the vacant seats in -our church, but we insist on their occupying them, for the good -order and harmony of the services require that, as far as -possible, all should be seated. The only condition we impose is -the Gospel injunction: "Do not sit down in the first place" or in -the place of another; and if you are told to move up higher, do -not refuse. Crowding around the doors is more objectionable than -anything else, for there is nothing else that interferes so much -with the good order and arrangement of the services. Let me -repeat, then, in conclusion, the words of the parable: "Friend, -go up higher," and don't crowd around the doors. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_424">{424}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - <i>Ephesians iv.</i> 1-6.<br> -<br> - Brethren:<br> - As a prisoner in the Lord, I beseech you that you walk worthy - of the vocation in which you are called, with all humility and - mildness, with patience, supporting one another in charity, - careful to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. - One body and one Spirit: as you are called in one hope of your - vocation. One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father - of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us all, who - is blessed for ever and ever.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Matthew xxii.</i> 35-46.<br> -<br> - At that time the Pharisees came nigh to Jesus: and one of them, - a doctor of the law, asked him, tempting him: Master, which is - the great commandment in the law? Jesus said to him: Thou shalt - love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole - soul, and with thy whole mind. This is the greatest and the - first commandment. And the second is like to this: Thou shalt - love thy neighbor as thyself. On, these two commandments - dependeth the whole law and the prophets. And the Pharisees - being gathered together, Jesus asked them saying: What think - you of Christ? Whose son is he? They say to him: David's. He - saith to them: How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, - saying: "The Lord said to my Lord: Sit on my right hand, until - I make thy enemies thy footstool"? If David then called him - Lord, how is he his son? And no man was able to answer him a - word: neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any - more questions. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_425">{425}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon CXXIX.<br><br> - - Prayer For Sinners.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>And the other is like unto this:<br> - Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.</i><br> - —St. Matthew. xxii. 39. -</p> -<p> -How great must be the dignity of human nature, my brethren, -since, as we learn by this day's Gospel, our Lord couples the -love of his fellow-men with the love of his own sovereign and -divine self! Perhaps if we appreciated the native worth of human -nature we should be a trifle more patient with its faults. I -mean, of course, other people's faults, for with our own faults -we are all too patient. -</p> -<p> -The practical lesson conveyed by the commandment, "Love thy -neighbor as thyself," is that it is our duty to love sinners and -to pray for them. To love good people is easy enough, and we -think a man a kind of a monster who has not at least one or two -dear friends whose virtues have won his love. But it takes a good -Christian to love what at first sight seems so hateful—a -drunkard, a libertine, an apostate, a bully, a thief. To have an -actual, practical affection for such persons, even when one is -related to them, seems quite a special thing—a peculiar -vocation, a side-path in the spiritual life, and not by any means -the common business and regular vocation of every-day Christians. -Yet a moment's thought shows that it is, without any doubt, our -Lord's blessed will that we should have a special affection for -just such hardened sinners. Are they not men, and are they not -purchased by the Blood of Christ? -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_426">{426}</a></span> -<p> -How much we mistake our duty in reference to such poor wretches! -When you say of one, "Oh! he is a most worthless creature," how -surprised you would be if you could hear a whisper coming from -his guardian angel: "Jesus Christ thought him worth dying for." -And when you say of another, "Oh! I can't bear him; I can't stay -a moment in his company," how surprised you would be to hear, -"And I, an angel of God, I gladly keep him company day and -night." Surely, brethren, there is something worth loving, -heartily loving, in a soul that our Lord would die for, and to -whom God would give a bright angel as a constant companion. We -are like men going through a picture-gallery: we admire only the -brilliant and unmistakable beauties displayed there—here a -gorgeous sunset, there a fine battle-scene, and again a ship -tossing upon the waves. But one of better taste than common, -without forgetting all these, will be able to detect the work of -a great master, though faded with the lapse of many years and -covered all over with dust. So it is with the poor sinner's soul: -it is the work of a great master. And what though it be all -stained and spotted with mortal sin; is there no such thing as -true repentance? Are there no fountains of living waters in the -sacraments in which it may be washed whiter than snow? Are there -no gems of divine grace with which it may be decked out as a -bride waiting for the bridegroom? -</p> -<p> -Prayer for the conversion of sinners should be far more practised -than it is. Why, brethren, look around you in this great city, -and if you can count the stars of heaven or the sands of the -sea-shore you can count the men and women in mortal sin; and, -alas! very many of them belong to our religion. Nay, look about -in your own families. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_427">{427}</a></span> -How seldom will a family be found where there is not at least one -member living openly at enmity with God! Now, just here, in the -midst of the worst wickedness, are many thousands of devout -servants of God, and in every family one or two souls whose very -names might be Faithful and True. And God arranges this mingling -of good and evil, that the good souls by their prayers may save -the bad ones from eternal death; just as in southern countries -men plant eucalyptus-trees in low, marshy places, for the -eucalyptus, with its fragrant leaves, counteracts the poisonous -vapors of the swamp. -</p> -<p> -If, therefore, you pray for yourself you do well; but do not -forget that, if you are a true Christian, the poor sinner is your -other self. And if you pray for the souls in purgatory, do not -forget that there are many souls about you who are always in -danger of hell, and unless many prayers are offered for them they -are likely enough to be lost for ever. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon CXXX.<br><br> - - The Christian Vocation.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>I beseech you to walk worthy of your vocation<br> - in which you are called.</i><br> - —Epistle of the Day. -</p> -<p> -In the Gospel our Lord says that the perfect love of God and of -our neighbor fulfils all the law and the commands of God through -the prophets. At another time he said: "Be ye perfect as your -Heavenly Father is perfect." It is plain that every Christian has -a vocation—that is, is called to a Christ like, a God like life. -Something more is expected of him because he has received infused -light to know by divine grace how to do more. In general, we call -that a higher, a more exalted spiritual state. Now, there are -degrees even in this depending upon the particular grace it -pleases God to give to one person or another. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_428">{428}</a></span> -<p> -One star differeth from another star in brightness and glory, and -so shall the glory of the Christians differ in heaven, according -to the perfection to which they have brought their souls while in -this school-time of the world-life. Over and above what are -called strict Christian laws, which one must obey or lose heaven, -there are certain principles of Christianity called Evangelical -counsels—namely, poverty, chastity, and obedience. Some folks -fancy these counsels apply only to monks, nuns, and priests. That -is a great mistake. Monks, nuns, and priests receive grace and -are bound by <i>their</i> vocation to practise these counsels in -a high degree, and yet not even all these in the same manner. A -secular priest, for instance, is not called to practise poverty -in the same manner as a priest of a religious order, although he -or even a layman living in the world may practise that counsel, -as he may the other counsels, too, just as perfectly as any monk -ever heard of. All depends on the grace one has. His vocation and -his responsibility and his position in heaven all hang on his -fidelity to grace. -</p> -<p> -All Christians should practise the counsel of poverty. Yes, both -rich and poor. The spirit of poverty is detachment from created -things. One's heart must not be set on them. One must not love -riches for their own sake. One must feel obliged to share with -the poor. One must not despise the poor, but love them for -Christ's sake. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_429">{429}</a></span> -One must give a good deal for religious purposes. One must keep -his baptismal vows to renounce the devil and all his pomps. One -must, therefore, deny himself in many things that savor of the -pride of riches, even if he is rich. Why? Not because he is a -monk, nun, or priest, but because he is a Christian. -</p> -<p> -Every Christian must practise the counsel of chastity. Heaven -help us! In these degraded times, to judge by the fashionable -indecencies sanctioned by so-called society people—the horrible -abuses of the holy state of marriage, the filthy accounts -appearing every day in the newspapers—one would think that even -the Sixth Commandment was abolished. Now I need not enter into -particulars, but you know, without further argument or -illustration, that every Christian man, woman, and child would be -unworthy the name if they did not, almost every day, make many -sacrifices and struggles against temptation—all of which mean -practising the counsel of the Christian perfection of chastity. -</p> -<p> -So also of obedience. One must obey the Ten Commandments and the -laws of the church. Oh! yes. And have we not also to obey the -special decrees of the Holy Father, of our bishop, and of our -pastor? What sort of a Christian is he who is his own shepherd, -or one who is always "standing up for his own rights," as they -say, submitting just within law and only when he cannot help -himself? And does <i>Christian humility</i> mean nothing in act? -That is a narrow road of obedience and a long one, as you all -know; and blessed is he who joyfully walks therein. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_430">{430}</a></span> -Instead of wanting to shirk these counsels, and put all upon the -shoulders of religious, every one ought to be praying hard that -God will, of his divine bounty, give us, too, men and women -living in the world, more and more grace to practise all that our -worldly condition will allow us to do, convinced by faith that he -is most truly happy here, as he will certainly be hereafter, who -is filled with high Christian aspirations, striving to "walk -worthy of his vocation" and realize in himself the picture of a -perfect Christ-like life. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon CXXXI.<br><br> - - Erroneous Views Of Vocation.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>As a prisoner in the Lord,<br> - I beseech you that you walk<br> - worthy of the vocation in which you are called.</i><br> - —Ephesians iv. 1. -</p> -<p> -Brethren, has it ever occurred to you that each one of us has a -vocation in this life? I refer not to our Christian vocation, -which we all have in common, but to the particular state of life -to which each one of us has been called. It is not an uncommon -error for people to think that priests and nuns are the only -privileged mortals who are called by God to some special work, -and that to their vocation alone God has attached peculiar and -extraordinary graces. -</p> -<p> -This is an error we must correct. We have all, thank God, the -vocation to be Christians and the call to be saints, but we have, -moreover, our own special calling, suitable to our character and -disposition; and our common Christian vocation, and in a great -measure our eternal salvation, depends on our fulfilling worthily -the particular vocation in which we are called. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_431">{431}</a></span> -<p> -Some of us God has called to be priests, to serve continually at -his altar. Some to be fathers of families, and others to remain -single all their life. Some he has called to the higher -professions, and others to the hard but manly toil of every-day -life. But to all these vocations, to all these different states -of life, he has attached certain duties, peculiar obligations, -which must be met and fulfilled. -</p> -<p> -The great danger, brethren, that we have to avoid is the common -and stupid error of those who hold that their every-day vocation -has nothing to do with this Sunday calling; that there is little, -if any, connection between their own special calling and their -general calling to be Christians; who maintain that as business -men they can and must act in their own business-like way, -banishing God from their hearts and his law from their lives, at -least during their hours of business. -</p> -<p> -This error, stupid as it is, is not so uncommon as one might at -first imagine. Take a few practical cases. How many are there -who, when they examine their conscience, ever think of -questioning themselves upon the duties of their position in life? -How many fathers of families, listening to these words to-day, -question themselves daily as to how they govern those whom God -has put under their charge; how they watch and provide for the -spiritual and temporal welfare of those whom they are called upon -to support? How many young men ever think of asking themselves -how they have fulfilled the obligations they are under to -parents, now perhaps unable to take care of themselves? How many -business-men question themselves as to the honesty or propriety -of this or that mode of action they have been following? -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_432">{432}</a></span> -Alas! they are few indeed. And this is the practical outcome of -not recognizing the close connection there is between our -every-day calling and our Christian vocation. As every vocation, -brethren, has its duties and its difficulties, so every calling -has its special helps and graces. God saw each one of us from all -eternity—just as we are to-day, with all the weaknesses of our -character, with all the difficulties that surround us, and all -the temptations with which we have to contend. He foresaw all -these things and provided for them, regulating his helps and -graces according to our wants, and directing all things towards -our final destiny. His grace is always sufficient for us, and as -long as we remain in his friendship there is no vocation or -calling so difficult or trying but what can be cheerfully and -manfully borne and worked towards our soul's salvation. The lot -of some is certainly not an easy one, but God always fits the -back for the burden. -</p> -<p> -The practical question I would have you ask yourselves to-day, -brethren, is this: Granted that I have a vocation in this life; -granted that Providence has placed me in a position that involves -duties and obligations to God, my neighbor, or myself; how am I -fulfilling these obligations? How am I walking in the vocation in -which I am called? Worthily or unworthily—that is the -all-important question for me to answer to-day to the -satisfaction of my conscience, as I will have to answer it one -day to Almighty God. -</p> -<p> -Am I the father or mother of a family? If so, do I discharge the -duties of my calling? Do I make my home pleasant and agreeable -for my children? Do I supply them with suitable home amusements? -Do I furnish them proper reading matter, or do I allow them to -waste their time and ruin their souls with the vile penny -literature of the day? -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_433">{433}</a></span> -Do I oblige them to come to Mass and approach the sacraments, -while I neglect these duties myself? Or am I a business-man who -deals squarely and honestly with my neighbors, never on the alert -to take advantage of the ignorant and weak? Am I in the -employment of others, and, if so, do I fulfil my calling worthily -by doing all that strict justice or Christian charity requires of -me? Or am I just to men who work for me? These are some of the -questions regarding your vocations that I would have you ask -yourselves to-day. -</p> -<p> -Brethren, when we come to render our account to God, be sure of -this: he will not trouble us with the question as to whether we -have been experts in our respective professions, whether we have -been successful business-men or skilled mechanics; no, but -whether we have been just and honorable, whether we have walked -<i>worthily</i> in the vocations to which we have been called. -Walk then, brethren, worthy of your vocation, worthy of the -church which has reared you, worthy of the hope that is in you, -worthy of the name you bear, that of Christ, who has redeemed -you. Imitate him, live as he lived, and suffer in your calling -the things he suffered. Then the prayer of our patron St. Paul -will not be in vain, and we will walk worthy of the vocation in -which we are called. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_434">{434}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - I <i>Corinthians i.</i> 4-8.<br> -<br> - Brethren:<br> - I give thanks to my God always for you, for the grace of God - that is given you in Christ Jesus, that in all things you are - made rich in him, in every word, and in all knowledge: as the - testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: so that nothing is - wanting to you in any grace, waiting for the manifestation of - our Lord Jesus Christ, who also will confirm you unto the end - without crime, in the day of the coming of our Lord Jesus - Christ.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Matthew ix.</i> 1-8.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - Jesus entering into a boat, passed over the water and came into - his own city. And behold they brought to him a man sick, of the - palsy lying on a bed. And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to - the man sick of the palsy: Son, be of good heart, thy sins are - forgiven thee. And behold some of the Scribes said within - themselves: This man blasphemeth. And Jesus seeing their - thoughts, said: Why do you think evil in your hearts? Which is - easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up - and walk? But that you may know that the Son of man hath power - on earth to forgive sins (then saith he to the man sick of the - palsy), Rise up: take thy bed and go into thy house. And he - rose up, and went into his house. And the multitude seeing it, - feared, and glorified God who had given such power to men. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_435">{435}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon CXXXII.<br><br> - - Presumption Of God's Mercy.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Unless you have believed in vain.</i><br> - 1 Corinthians xv. 2. -</p> -<p> -Dear Brethren: The Apostle appears to be of a different mind from -some of us, who seem to think that there is no such thing as -believing in vain. Do not sinners rest quite secure in their -wickedness just because they believe in the true religion? Do -they not feel sure of salvation because they know how to be -saved? Is not the blessed privilege of the holy faith the secret -reason of many a person's delay of repentance? It is against all -such that St. Paul stands when he speaks of a vain faith; and our -Blessed Lord himself when he says that pagan Tyre and Sidon shall -rise up in witness against those who had the true religion and -used it only to puff them selves up with spiritual pride. -</p> -<p> -To be guilty of an unused faith is the high-road to eternal loss -among Catholics. Some poor souls will be lost because, though -born in error, they have refused to follow the light of reason -into the church. But we shall be lost, if at all, because we have -believed in vain. Some outside of the church shall be lost -because they have sinned even against the simplest precepts of -nature's law. But we shall be condemned for believing all that -our Lord revealed and making it vain by our wicked deeds. A vain -faith is like the background of a picture: the eye catches and -dwells on the objects in the foreground, but these could not be -seen clearly but for the tints in the background against which -they are drawn. So what we do will one day be contrasted with -what we know; the strong light of faith will only cause the -black, filthy sins of our life to be more fully revealed to the -Judge. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_436">{436}</a></span> -<p> -Have you never seen a blind man whose eyes seemed perfectly good, -clear, and bright, and yet utterly blind? There is such a kind of -blindness; some men really have eyes and see not, because the -nerve is dead, and the nerve is like the soul of the eye. So with -our faith: God gave it to us to see by and walk by and live by; -to know his law and live up to it, to know our sins and to -confess them with true sorrow—in a word, to practise what we -know that we ought to practise. But some become like the idols of -the nations you read of in one of the Vesper psalms: "They have -eyes, and see not; they have ears, and hear not." Wicked -Catholics perceive the right way; they hear of the dangers of the -wrong way, and go right along with this knowledge, and neglect -prayer and Mass, blaspheme and fight, get drunk and debauch, and -steal, yet having all the time full assurance that somehow or -other their faith will save them. Brethren, their faith is vain; -their hope of eternal life is not reasonable or well founded; the -beauty of the truth they possess is like the cold beauty of a -corpse, which makes one shudder only the more from its -incongruity with the putrid decay so surely approaching. -</p> -<p> -Yet how rich a treasure is the true faith! What a comfort to know -the truths of religion! What a privilege to know our Lord and -Saviour Jesus Christ, and to be in communion with him, his -Blessed Mother, his glorious saints, his holy church! What a -perversity, then, to use all this as a burglar uses his -rope-ladder: a means of making a criminal life more secure. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_437">{437}</a></span> -But it cannot be. It is a delusion. There is no means of making a -criminal life secure, except by turning quickly away from it, -detesting it, confessing it, and, by the light of faith and the -strength of charity, leading a good life. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon CXXXIII.<br><br> - - Drunkenness.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Take heed to yourselves,<br> - lest perhaps your hearts be over charged<br> - with surfeiting and drunkenness,<br> - and the cares of this life.</i><br> - —Luke xxi. 34. -</p> -<p> -These words of our Lord recorded by St. Luke contain a very -direct admonition against intemperance and its associate vices. -Gluttony and drunkenness are closely allied, inasmuch as the -former is generally associated with excessive eating, and the -latter is used to denote excess in intoxicating drink. Not only -from a religious standpoint, but from medical science, St. Luke -knew and could teach the injurious effects on the human system -produced by the unrestrained gratification of the appetites. His -knowledge in these matters was evidently recognized by those -associated with him in preaching the Gospel, for St. Paul speaks -of him as "the beloved physician" (Colossians iv. 14). -</p> -<p> -There are many passages of Holy Scripture that show forth the -dangers of drunkenness. In the Old Testament we read that Noe and -Lot were both taught by sad experience the shame and degradation -arising from the loss of self-control through the excessive use -of intoxicating drinks. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_438">{438}</a></span> -No sanction can, be found in the Bible for the opinion that -intemperance is a pardonable weakness. It is a very long time -ago, indeed, since this vice of drunkenness was first condemned -by the authorized teachers of religion. Among the vices it is -properly classified with gluttony, which is one of the seven -deadly sins. -</p> -<p> -The Apostles sent forth by our Lord to teach all nations -strenuously inculcated the duty of <i>sobriety</i> and -<i>watchfulness</i> on each individual Christian. St. Peter and -St. Paul especially insist on this personal vigilance as being of -the utmost importance. <i>"Being sober</i>, hope perfectly for -that grace which is offered you at the revelation of Jesus -Christ. <i>Be sober and watch</i>, because your adversary, the -devil, as a roaring lion goeth about, seeking whom he may devour" -(First Epistle of St. Peter v. 8-13). -</p> -<p> -St. Paul teaches the same lesson of <i>personal vigilance</i> in -these words: "Let us <i>watch and be sober</i>, having on the -breastplate of faith and charity, and for a helmet the hope of -salvation" (1 Thessalonians v. 6-8). "For the grace of God our -Saviour hath appeared to all men, instructing us that, renouncing -impiety and worldly desires, we should <i>live soberly</i>, and -justly, and piously in this world" (Titus ii. 3). -</p> -<p> -A great doctor of the church, St. Augustine, in the fourth -century declared that there were at that time drunkards, plenty -of them, and that people had grown accustomed to speak of -drunkenness, not only without horror, but even with levity. This -condition of things was brought about by the vicious teaching of -the pagans, who sanctioned every form of sensual gratification. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_439">{439}</a></span> -In one of his sermons St. Augustine uses these words: "The heart -of the drunkard has lost all feeling. When a member has no -feeling it may be considered dead and cut off from the body. Yet -we sometimes are lenient, and can only employ words. We are loath -to excommunicate and cast out of the church; for we fear lest he -who is chastised should be made worse by the chastisement. And -though such are already dead in soul, yet, since our Physician is -Almighty, we must not despair of them." -</p> -<p> -Again in a letter to a bishop, written in the year 393, St. -Augustine refers to the intemperance then prevalent in the city -of Carthage. "The pestilence," he says, "is of such a magnitude -that it seems to me it cannot be cured except by the authority of -a council. Or, at least, if one church must begin, it should be -that of Carthage. It would seem like audacity to try to change -what Carthage retains." Then he proceeds to urge that the -movement against intemperance be conducted in the spirit of -meekness, saying: "I think that these abuses must be removed, not -imperiously, nor harshly; by instruction rather than by command, -by persuasion rather than by threats. It is thus one must act in -a multitude: we may be severe towards the sins of a few." -</p> -<p> -From the words just quoted we see that St. Augustine was justly -opposed to the indiscriminate condemnation of a multitude for the -sins of a few. And it is very necessary to bear this in mind -while dealing with the vice of intemperance, which is so widely -prevalent at the present time. The crimes of drunkards are -frequently exposed to view in the columns of newspapers, yet the -unvarnished truth is seldom stated concerning those who -co-operate with them in the nine ways of being accessory to -another's sin; and this means especially those who, in cities -infected with intemperance, keep saloons, and those who invite -men to drink whom they have reason to fear will abuse it. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_440">{440}</a></span> -We know that there are leaders in the ways of vice as well as in -the ways of virtue. Special severity is needed with those who -deliberately persist in doing wrong with malice aforethought. Men -who strive to make laws to defend iniquity, who teach and foster -vice for their own personal profit, may properly be called blind -leaders of the blind, whose fate has already been predicted by -our Lord, the Supreme Judge of the world. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon CXXXIV.<br><br> - - The Dignity And Happiness Of Obedience.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Children, obey your parents in all things;<br> - for this is pleasing to the Lord.</i><br> - —Colossians iii. 20. -</p> -<p> -Brethren, there are many new things found out nowadays; but there -are also some old ones and good ones being forgotten. Among other -things we are apt to forget the happiness of obedience. Of course -I do not mean obedience to the church; perhaps there never was an -age when Catholics rested so content in the gentle restraint of -our holy mother the Church. But I refer to the practice of -obedience one to another, done after the pattern of our Lord -Jesus Christ. The loveliness of this virtue is best seen in the -bosom of the Christian family. Affection, indeed, is the bond of -the family, but the fruit of affection is obedience. There is -nothing more pleasing to God than the son who is always at the -service of his father and mother. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_441">{441}</a></span> -Few families are without at least one such son. He is often the -one of whom at first the least was expected; of poor natural -talents, of delicate health, of irascible temper, or one whose -earlier years were wayward. But all the time he was observant, -though no one, not even himself, gave him credit for it. Year by -year the spectacle of father's and mother's affection and -sacrifice penetrated him, till he became deeply attached to them. -How much this reverent love for his parents had to do with his -religious state as a boy and a young man! It may be true that -scarcely any boy ever grows up to be a man and is never a liar to -his father and mother, or a pilferer of cake and fruit and -pennies about the house. But the good boy drops all this at First -Communion or when he goes to learn a trade, and he becomes honest -and truthful in little things as well as great. One of the -happiest days for him between the cradle and the grave is when he -runs and puts the first dollar he has earned into his mother's -hands. That good son lets all his brothers go away from home to -seek their fortunes; he stays with the old folks, comforts their -old age, closes their eyes in death, and with much love and many -tears follows them with his prayers beyond the grave. The others -were, perhaps, good children, but he is the hero of the family. -</p> -<p> -Then there is the good daughter, who in childhood is the sunshine -of the family, and in maturer years everybody's other self. How -many parents, too poor to hire a servant, have living riches in -an industrious daughter! How often do parents find one at least -of the girls who from very infancy is the joy of the whole -family; who seems to have received in baptism such a fulness of -the Holy Spirit that charity, joy, peace, patience, long -suffering, kindness, and piety are the common qualities of her -character! -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_442">{442}</a></span> -The faith also finds an apostle in such women. An intelligent -woman, though perhaps unable to argue skilfully, can establish -the truths of religion by methods all her own. A friendly jest, -good-natured silence, a patient return of loving services for -ill-treatment, the spectacle of her good life, not an hour of -which lacks a virtue—all this in one instinct with religion is -an unanswerable argument and often irresistible. How did it -happen, people sometimes ask concerning this or that person, that -she did not marry? She had good enough looks, excellent sense, a -bright mind, affectionate disposition, and saw plenty of company. -Why did she not marry? My brethren, the day of judgment will tell -us that it was because God had set her apart that she might be -for her widowed mother or her shiftless, unhappy brothers and -sisters the pot of meal that should not waste and the cruse of -oil that should not diminish. Brethren, I know of no order of -nuns more pleasing in God's sight than the devout women who live -a dependent, obscure, hard life in the world, and are old maids -for the love of God. -</p> -<p> -Finally, you may say that such sons and daughters are hard to -find. I answer that there are multitudes who approach the -standard we have been considering, and more, perhaps, than you -fancy who actually attain to it. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_443">{443}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - <i>Ephesians iv.</i> 23-28.<br> -<br> - Brethren:<br> - Be ye renewed in the spirit of your mind: and put on the new - man, who, according to God, is created in justice, and holiness - of truth. Wherefore, putting away lying, speak ye the truth - every man with his neighbor: for we are members one of another. - Be angry, and sin not. Let not the sun go down upon your anger: - Give not place to the devil. Let him that stole, steal now no - more, but rather let him labor, working with his hands that - which is good, that he may have to give to him who is in need.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Matthew xxii.</i> 2-14.<br> -<br> - At that time Jesus spoke to the chief priests and Pharisees in - parables, saying:<br> - The kingdom of heaven is like to a man being a king, who made a - marriage for his son. And he sent his servants to call them - that were invited to the marriage: and they would not come. - Again he sent other servants, saying: Tell them that were - invited: Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my beeves and - fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come ye to the - wedding. But they neglected, and went their ways, one to his - farm, and another to his merchandise. And the rest laid hands - on his servants, and, having treated them contumeliously, put - them to death. But when the king heard of it he was angry, and, - sending his armies, he destroyed those murderers and burnt - their city. Then he saith to his servants: The wedding indeed - is ready; but they that were invited were not worthy. Go ye - therefore into the highways, and as many as you shall find, - invite to the wedding. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_444">{444}</a></span> - And his servants going out into the highways, gathered together - all that they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was - filled with guests. And the king went in to see the guests, and - he saw there a man who had not on a wedding garment. And he - saith to him: Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a - wedding garment? But he was silent. Then the king said to the - waiters: Having bound his hands and feet, cast him into the - exterior darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of - teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon CXXXV.<br><br> - - Lying.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Wherefore, putting away lying,<br> - speak ye the truth every man with his neighbor.</i><br> - —Epistle of the Day. -</p> -<p> -Of all the vicious habits into which we are prone to fall, there -is none more common, and none more miserable, mean, and -contemptible, than this one of which the Apostle here speaks. -There is also none about which Christians in general have so lax -and careless a conscience. True, every one regards lying as in -some sense at least sinful; and many would hesitate about going -to Holy Communion if they had told a lie after confession. But in -spite of that, when the Communion is once made, the tongue which -has just received the God of justice and truth will immediately -begin again to offend him by telling falsehoods which are too -often unjust as well as untrue. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_445">{445}</a></span> -<p> -Still, when there is an injustice done by telling a lie; when -some one else suffers by it in his character or his goods, there -are, I hope, few who do not see what a sin they have committed, -and understand that they must make reparation by taking back what -they have said, if they wish to be good Christians. But, for all -that, how many injurious lies are told, even by those who think -themselves good Christians, and never properly retracted or even -thought of afterward by those who tell them! The most abominable -slanders pass from mouth to mouth; they are listened to and -repeated with the greatest interest and eagerness, without any -trouble being taken to ascertain whether what is said is true or -not. These people who are so free with their tongues never seem -to imagine for a moment that, even when circumstances would -justify them—and it is very seldom that they do—in telling a -fact bearing against their neighbor they are under an obligation -first to find out by careful examination whether it be indeed a -fact; otherwise the sin of an injurious lie will rest on their -souls. -</p> -<p> -There are, however, some, and indeed many, who abhor slander, and -who are really careful about telling injurious lies, and who -hasten to retract what they have said against others, if they -find out that, after all, the fact was not as they had good -ground to believe. But there are not by any means so many who are -careful about the truth for its own sake, and who do not scruple -to tell white lies, as they are sometimes called. -</p> -<p> -What are these white lies? They are of two kinds. The first are -those which are told for some end in itself good, to get some -advantage for one's self or for another, or to get one's self or -some other person out of a scrape; to conceal a fault, to avoid -embarrassment, or to save somebody's feelings. These are called -officious lies. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_446">{446}</a></span> -Then there are others, called, jocose, which do no good to any -one, but are told merely for fun; such as the little tricks on -others which are often indulged in, or boasts made about things -which one has never done. They may be taken back before long, and -only meant to deceive for a moment; still they are meant to -deceive, if only for a moment, and are, therefore, really lies. -</p> -<p> -Now officious lies are really forbidden by God's law as well as -injurious ones, though of course not so bad as those. And yet how -few act as if they really were sins at all! People will say, "I -told lies, perhaps three or four every day, but there was no harm -in them." No harm! No harm to other people; no, perhaps not, -except by bad example and the loss of confidence in your word and -that of others; though there is great harm even in that way. But -there is a greater harm than this: it is that which the liar does -to the sacredness of truth itself, and, as far as he can, to God -who is the eternal truth, who loves truth unspeakably, and -requires that we should love it for his sake. He will not allow -us to tell the most trivial falsehood, though by it we could save -the whole world from destruction, or bring all the souls which -have been damned out of hell and put them in heaven. -</p> -<p> -Remember this, then: there are lies which are not injurious, but -there are no lies which are not harmful and sinful; no lies for -which you will not have to give an account at the judgment of -God. Stop, therefore, I beg you at once, this mean, disgraceful, -and dishonorable habit of falsehood; it will never be forgiven in -confession unless you make a serious and solid purpose against -it. Put away lying then at once and for ever, and speak the truth -in simplicity; you may sometimes lose by it for the moment, but -you will profit by it in the end, both in this world and in the -world to come. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_447">{447}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon CXXXVI.<br><br> - - Truthfulness.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Wherefore, putting away lying,<br> - speak ye the truth every man with his neighbor,<br> - for we are members one of another.</i><br> - —Ephesians iv. 25. -</p> -<p> -St. Paul here teaches us that truthfulness of speech should be a -mark of those who profess the true faith. He speaks of the -darkness of understanding, the ignorance, the blindness of heart -of those who are alienated from the life of God; "but you," he -says, "have not so learned Christ. You have been taught the truth -as it is in Jesus. You have been taught to put off the old man -who is corrupted according to the desires of error, and to put on -the new man, who, according to God, is created in justice and -holiness of truth: <i>wherefore</i>, putting away lying, speak ye -the truth every man with his neighbor, for we are members one of -another." -</p> -<p> -Yet, even without these supernatural reasons and motives, the -duty of truthfulness is plain to everyone by the light of natural -reason alone. The gift of speech which so strongly marks the -distinction between man and the lower animals enables us to -clearly communicate our thoughts to each other. If, then, we make -it a means of deceiving others, we plainly offend against the law -of nature, which is God's law. In every relation of life we are -obliged to depend upon the statements of other men; we have a -right to the truth from them, and it is therefore our duty to -tell the truth to others. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_448">{448}</a></span> -We can have no feeling of security if we cannot trust the word of -those with whom we are brought into daily contact. If lying is -common in any class or community, it creates a spirit of distrust -and uneasiness instead of that mutual confidence which should -prevail. -</p> -<p> -A high sense of honor in men of the world will often make them -strictly truthful. Such men despise a lie as something base and -mean and utterly beneath them. If, then, purely human motives, a -mere sense of worldly honor, will keep men from lying, how much -more should this fault be avoided by those who claim to be trying -to serve God, and who are constantly assisted by his grace. Our -Lord has told us that liars are the children of the devil, "for -he is a liar and the father thereof." But we are called to be the -children of God, who is the eternal truth; we have been given the -light of the true faith. We glory in the certain truth of our -religion; should we not then be zealous for the cause of truth in -all things, even in the least. Absolute, unswerving truthfulness -in speech should therefore mark the true disciple of Christ. -</p> -<p> -"But," some may say, "a lie is only a venial sin." Yes, it is -true that a lie which is not malicious, which does not, and is -not intended to, harm our neighbor in any way, is not a mortal -sin; but it is the meanest of venial sins, and we know that a -long and terrible purgatory awaits those who are guilty of -deliberate venial sin. Moreover, carelessness about the -commission of venial sin leads to mortal offences, and there is -nothing which will more readily lead a man into other and graver -faults as the habit of deliberate untruthfulness. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_449">{449}</a></span> -<p> -Cultivate, then, a love for truth, and seek to acquire the habit -of truthfulness even in the smallest matters. Every one despises -a deceitful person, and there is nothing a man resents so much as -being called a liar. If you do not like being called a liar, do -not be one. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon CXXXVII.<br><br> - - White Lies.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Wherefore, putting away lying,<br> - speak ye the truth every man with his neighbor.</i><br> - —Epistle of the Day. -</p> -<p> -There is perhaps no sin, my brethren, for which people seem to -have so little real sorrow, or for which they so seldom make a -practical purpose of amendment, as this miserable one of -falsehood, of which the Apostle here speaks. You will hear it -said: "I told lies, but there was no harm in them; they were to -excuse myself, or to save trouble." They are matters to be -confessed, oh! yes; the liar will perhaps even run back to say -that he is a liar, if he (or quite likely she) has forgotten to -mention it at the time. But as for correcting the habit, that is -quite another matter. It would seem that the Sacrament of Penance -is expected to take effect on these sins by mere confession, -without contrition or purpose to avoid them for the future. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_450">{450}</a></span> -<p> -But the liar will say: "I am sorry; I have contrition for these -lies." Let me ask, however, what kind of sorrow have you? You are -sorry that things were so that you had to tell a lie; but if -things were so again to-morrow, would not you tell the lie again? -If you are sincere, I am afraid you will say: "Yes, I suppose I -should." Where, then, is the purpose of amendment? Without -purpose of amendment contrition is nothing but a sham. -</p> -<p> -Let us, then, my friends, look into our consciences about this -matter, and get them straightened out properly. I do not want to -be too harsh about it; for after all there are some expressions -which people call lies, which are not really so, because the one -to whom they are addressed is not expected to be deceived by -them, but merely to be prevented from asking further questions. -Some people, too, call it a lie when they do not tell the whole -truth, but we are not always required—though we often are—to -tell the whole truth; and when we are not, there is no lie, as -long as what we say is actually true as far as it goes. But it -would take too long to go into all the cases concerning what is -or is not a lie; and as a general rule one can by a little common -sense find them out for himself. Find them out, then; if you -cannot surely do so by yourselves, get advice; and when you are -certain that you are all right, do not call it a sin to act -according to your conscience and reason, and do not make a matter -of self-accusation out of it. -</p> -<p> -But when you cannot see any way to make out that what you say -really is not a lie, then do not fall back on the idea that, if -it does not injure anybody, there is no harm in it. You are false -to yourself in this; for you know there is harm in it, otherwise -you would not feel uneasy about it. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_451">{451}</a></span> -<p> -And what is the harm? The harm in a lie is simply that it is a -lie, and therefore an offence against God, who is the truth. This -is what St. Paul tells us in this very Epistle of to-day. "Put -on," he says, "the new man, who, <i>according to God</i>, is -created in justice and holiness of truth. Wherefore," he -continues, "putting away lying, speak ye the truth every man with -his neighbor." -</p> -<p> -Yes, my brethren, God is the truth, and he infinitely loves the -truth, in himself and in his creatures. He does not wish us to -sacrifice it in the slightest degree, even to save the whole -world from destruction. There is harm in a lie, then; harm, if I -may say so, to God himself and to his dearest interests. Do not -think, then, to save his interests, or any one else's, by lying. -Tell the truth and let him look out for the consequences. Tell -the truth for God's sake, because he loves it, and hates a lie; -tell the truth, and love the truth, for its own sake. We are, as -St. Paul says, "created according to God, in holiness of truth"; -let us keep the pattern to which we have been made. -</p> -<p> -Stop, then, deliberate lying for a purpose, which is but too -common. But also be careful in what you say; try not even to fall -into falsehood thoughtlessly. Let it be your honest pride that -your word is as good as your oath. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_452">{452}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - <i>Ephesians v.</i> 15-21.<br> -<br> - See, brethren, how you walk circumspectly: not as unwise, but - as wise: redeeming the time, for the days are evil. Wherefore - become not unwise, but understanding what is the will of God. - And be not drunk with wine, wherein is luxury, but be ye filled - with the Holy Spirit. Speaking to yourselves in psalms and - hymns, and spiritual canticles, singing and making melody in - your hearts to the Lord: giving thanks always for all things, - in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God and the Father: - being subject one to another in the fear of Christ.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. John iv.</i> 46-53.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - There was a certain ruler whose son was sick at Capharnaum. He - having heard that Jesus was come from Judea into Galilee, went - to him, and prayed him to come down and heal his son, for he - was at the point of death. Then Jesus said to him: Unless you - see signs and wonders, you believe not. The ruler saith to him: - Sir, come down before that my son die. Jesus saith to him: Go - thy way, thy son liveth. The man believed the word which Jesus - said to him, and went his way. And as he was going down, his - servants met him: and they brought word, saying that his son - lived. He asked therefore of them the hour wherein he grew - better. And they said to him: Yesterday at the seventh hour the - fever left him. The father therefore knew that it was at the - same hour that Jesus said to him, Thy son liveth; and himself - believed, and his whole house. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_453">{453}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon CXXXVIII.<br><br> - - Christian Marriage.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> -My dear brethren, we shall, on this occasion, occupy the short -time allotted to us with some remarks on a most important -subject, namely, that of Christian marriage. We ask for your -especial attention to what we have to say on this matter, on -account of the great bearing which it has on your happiness both -here and hereafter, and hope that you will endeavor to understand -thoroughly the teaching of the church regarding it, and that you -will resolve not only to obey the laws, but also to follow her -suggestions and be governed by her spirit in an affair in which -your welfare is so deeply concerned. -</p> -<p> -The great majority of Christians, as well as of the world in -general, are called in the providence of God to the state of -marriage; and their calling is as truly a divine vocation as that -of others to the religious life and to the priesthood. If, then, -the priest or the religious cannot expect to save his soul if he -neglects the virtues and the duties proper to his state, neither -can those who enter the state of matrimony, if they do not -appreciate and endeavor to fulfil the requirements and conditions -which God has attached to it; if they rush into it without -thought, and remain in it simply from convenience or necessity, -without realizing its responsibilities or feeling the burden -which it imposes on their consciences. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_454">{454}</a></span> -<p> -And yet this is what very many seem to do. Of course we take it -for granted that a Catholic, worthy the name, will not marry a -person of a different religion. But one should not marry a bad -Catholic. Many appear to be indifferent in this matter to their -eternal salvation and act as if conscience and religion had -nothing to do with it, but they disregard and fling to the winds -even the most common and obvious dictates of prudence as to their -comfort and peace in this world. What possible hope of happiness -in married life, for instance, can a young woman have who unites -her destiny with that of a man who is evidently falling, if, -indeed, he has not already fallen, into confirmed habits of -intemperance; whose past and present life gives no assurance of -advancement or worldly success, but, on the other hand, every -indication of the drunkard's failure, ruin, and degradation? What -can she be thinking of who, for a mere fancy or caprice, accepts -the offer of one to stand as her protector and support whose -selfish and beastly appetites are sure to make him soon trample -her under his feet, and treat her merely as a drudge to be -starved with her children in order that he may gratify his -passion for drink, and to be kicked and beaten if she so much as -implores him to reform? Or how can she dare to take for her -husband one whose sensual passion is certain soon to extinguish -every spark of true love he may have felt for her, and who will, -before long, be unfaithful to her for the very reason that made -him at first seem faithful? -</p> -<p> -It is painful to speak of these things; but, unfortunately, the -frequency of such cases obliges us to do so. Such miseries in -marriage cannot be considered, at least in cities like this, as -exceptional and extraordinary; no, they must be taken into -account, not as mere possibilities, but as actual realities. And, -of course, there are others which we have not time to enumerate; -the ones of which I have spoken will serve as examples. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_455">{455}</a></span> -It is, then, the part not only of Christian prudence but also of -worldly common sense, to make sure, as far as possible, to avoid -these dangers. It is far better to remain single than to make a -bad marriage; let every one, then, before taking this most -important of all steps in life, look carefully where it will -lead. Let every one, and certainly every Christian, before -selecting a companion for life, whose place no one else can take, -satisfy himself or herself that the one who is thus selected has -the qualities that are calculated to insure happiness to both -parties; that he or she has natural virtues and good habits, well -and solidly formed; at least industry, sobriety, and those -qualities in general which business-men, for example, try to -secure in those who are to be charged with matters of far less -consequence than the support and care of a family. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon CXXXIX.<br><br> - - Mortification Of Our Lower Nature.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Now if we be dead with Christ<br> - we believe that we shall live also together with Christ.</i><br> - —From the Epistle of the Sunday. -</p> -<p> -The meaning of the Apostle, my brethren, is expressed in one -great Catholic word—mortification. The lower nature that is in -us must be put to death that the higher may live. The animal must -die that the man may live. And if literal death be not hereby -signified, yet so really destructive of mere appetite is the -Christian's union with Christ that mortification or putting to -death is one condition of obtaining it. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_456">{456}</a></span> -Human ease and pleasure are opposed to the soul's fulfilment of -its destiny. In itself no doubt the natural joy of this life is -not evil. But there is no joy of man simply "in itself." It all -flows from that root of bitterness which original sin planted in -our hearts, and which makes it necessary that we be not simply -obedient to God's law, but "born again"; "for," says the Apostle -in this same Sunday's Epistle, "we are buried together with -Christ by baptism into death, that as Christ is risen from the -dead by the glory of the Father, so we also may walk in newness -of life." "Knowing this: that our old man is crucified with him, -that the body of sin may be destroyed." "For he that is dead is -justified from sin." -</p> -<p> -These are very strong words, my brethren. They and the many other -such words in Holy Scripture have much to do with explaining our -religion—the cross on our churches, the crucifix over our -altars, the shamefaced confession, the constant self-denial; even -the plaintive tones of the church's voice in her chants, even the -touch of sadness in her most joyful offices. Indeed, the true joy -of a Christian is in the theological virtue of hope—is placed in -a paradise which for him is yet to begin. He is too hardly -pressed with the conflict of his higher and lower nature to be -quite happy, except in anticipation of a victory never fully -gained this side the grave. And it is only when the very taste -for ease and pleasure has become blunted that the consolations of -the Holy Spirit begin to be felt. The whole inner life of a -Christian is regulated by his power to deny himself, and to deny -himself, especially in outward things—in eating and drinking, in -working and resting, in seeing and hearing. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_457">{457}</a></span> -<p> -To noble spirits the very innocent care of the body is irksome; -and this from no sin of sloth, but because the soul, absorbed in -high spiritual things, is vexed by the mean things of our animal -nature. Hence the every-day business of a religious man is to -restrain the headlong folly of corrupt nature by the bit and -bridle of mortification. And this is every Christian's duty. -Though one may feel no call but to the ordinary Christian state, -yet is he plainly called to self-denial. Outside the church there -is little or nothing of the practical self-restraint of the -Gospel. And even among ourselves many are forgetful of this war -of the spirit against the flesh, except at the rare intervals of -infrequent confession or during such seasons as Lent and Advent. -The need of constant self-denial is one of those truths that the -ever-flowing waters of forgetfulness wash out of our memories the -quickest. Hence it is related of St. Philip Neri that he was -accustomed to say in the morning: "Lord, keep thy hand upon -Philip to day, or, Lord! Philip will betray thee." -</p> -<p> -So, my brethren, there is no grace you have more need to pray for -than the strength of will to practise some daily mortification. -Nay, pray for the grace to accept those that God sends every day -and it is enough. Oh! if we could bear patiently for the love of -God with his own visitations, with such things as sickness of -body and dulness of mind, with poverty and disappointment, with -the evil temper of other members of the family, their stupidity -and selfishness, we should soon be safe. Brethren, we are all -novices, and God is the universal novice-master, and these are -his daily mortifications. Others he gives us, too, through the -ministry of holy church. Not a week passes over but we must give -one day to God and to our better selves by abstinence from flesh -meat. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_458">{458}</a></span> -Not a season goes by but the three Ember days are set apart for -hunger and thirst. Holy Advent, the penitential season of Lent, -make a loud call—would it were better heeded—on our higher -nature to reduce the beast to subjection. Meantime, if one wants -more self-denial, let him advise with his father confessor, let -him consult spiritual writers, let him hearken to the spirit of -God within him, always bearing in mind that beyond such -mortifications as are of obligation it is not prudent to go, -except by advice of a prudent spiritual adviser. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon CXL.<br><br> - - The Value Of Time.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Redeeming the time.</i><br> - —Epistle of the Day. -</p> -<p> -There is a precious treasure, my dear brethren, which is always -partly, but only partly, in our possession. Now and then we wake -up to the conviction how valuable it is. There is something which -must be done, and there is only just time to do it in; we wish -there were more, but no, only just so much is allotted to us. -Then we realize how priceless time is. The sinner, suddenly -struck down by some terrible accident, and with only a few -minutes to live—what would he not give for a half-hour more; -for time to look into his confused and disturbed conscience; for -time to rouse himself to real contrition for his sins; for time, -at least, to send for a priest, and with his help make some sort -of preparation for eternity! -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_459">{459}</a></span> -<p> -But it is not only at the end of our lives, or in moments of such -supreme importance, that we would pay for time with gold, or with -other things upon which we set great value here. Often we would -give much to be able to put ourselves back a day or even an hour -in our lives; what an advantage it would give us! We look back on -many hours and days in the past; there they were, once at our -service, but now squandered and gone for ever. -</p> -<p> -Time, then, is this precious treasure, which we shall never -wholly lose till we pass out of this world for ever. Its golden -sands are running rapidly away from us, but still some remain. -The uncertainty how much of it is still left should make us put -to the best use each instant as it passes. Who would not draw -prudently from a chest in which his whole fortune was locked up, -if its amount were unknown to him, if the next demand might -exhaust it; and who would not put to the best use each penny that -he drew? -</p> -<p> -This is the instruction, the warning that the Apostle gives us in -to-day's Epistle: "To walk circumspectly; not as unwise, but as -wise, redeeming the time." Saving it—that is to say, not letting -it slip by us idly and unprofitably; not only having it while it -lasts, but receiving also the precious fruits with which it is -laden. -</p> -<p> -How much this caution is needed! How careless we are about this -priceless possession which is ours from moment to moment! Some -part of it indeed we are generally obliged to employ, and -fortunate we are that it is so, in some occupation of profit to -ourselves or to others. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_460">{460}</a></span> -Yes, fortunate; for that man must earn his bread by the toil of -his body or mind is hardly after the fall a curse, but rather a -blessing. Place fallen human nature in the paradise of our first -parents, and its final loss could hardly be averted. But the -rest: how often do we see, when work is over, that the only -thought, even of Christians, is to get rid of this invaluable -gift, the precious time which God has given them! They seem to -have no thought but to lose themselves and it in some mere -sensual pleasure, to fritter it away in gossip or some foolish -and needless diversion, or to forget it and throw it away in -slothful and unnecessary sleep. -</p> -<p> -Brethren, some day we shall want all this time that we are now -wasting. Then it will stand out before us in its true value; we -shall see that it should have been redeemed, and that it is now -irredeemable. And what is more, God, who gave it to us, will -require an account of it at our hands. He gave it to us for an -object; there is not a minute of it that he did not mean us to -turn to good use. And we can carry out his purpose if we only -will. Let us, then, beware of idleness; even our recreation and -rest should be such that we can feel that he would approve of -them, and that they will help us in our remaining hours to do the -work that he has required and expects us to do. To kill time—let -this be a word unheard among us; to kill time is to trample down -the seed of eternal life and to invite death to our souls. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_461">{461}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - <i>Ephesians vi.</i> 10-17.<br> -<br> - Brethren:<br> - Be strengthened in the Lord, and in the might of his power. Put - you on the armor of God, that you may be able to stand against - the snares of the devil. For our wrestling is not against flesh - and blood: but against principalities and powers, against the - rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of - wickedness in the high places. Wherefore take unto you the - armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, - and to stand in all things perfect. Stand, therefore, having - your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate - of justice: and your feet shod with the preparation of the - gospel of peace: in all things taking the shield of faith, - wherewith you may be able to extinguish all the fiery darts of - the most wicked one. And take unto you the helmet of salvation; - and the sword of the Spirit (which is the word of God).<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Matthew xviii.</i> 23-35.<br> -<br> - At that time Jesus spoke to his disciples this parable:<br> - The kingdom of heaven is likened to a king, who would take an - account of his servants. And when he had begun to take the - account, one was brought to him that owed him ten thousand - talents. And as he had not wherewith to pay it, his lord - commanded that, he should be sold, and his wife and children, - and all that he had, and payment to be made. But that servant, - falling down, besought him, saying: Have patience with me, and - I will pay thee all. And the lord of that servant being moved - with compassion, let him go, and forgave him the debt. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_462">{462}</a></span> - But when that servant was gone out, he found one of his - fellow-servants that owed him a hundred pence; and laying hold - of him, he throttled him, saying: Pay what thou, owest. And his - fellow-servant, falling down, besought him, saying: Have - patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not: - but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. - Now his fellow-servants, seeing what was done, were very much - grieved, and they came and told their lord all that was done. - Then his lord called him, and said to him: Thou wicked servant! - I forgave thee all the debt, because thou besoughtest me: - shouldst not thou then have had compassion also on thy - fellow-servant, even as I had compassion on thee? And his lord - being angry, delivered him to the torturers until he should pay - all the debt. So also shall my heavenly Father do to you, if - you forgive not every one his brother from your hearts. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon CXLI.<br><br> - - Forgiveness Of Injuries.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Shouldst not thou then have had compassion<br> - on thy fellow-servant,<br> - even as I had compassion on thee?</i><br> - —St. Matthew, xviii. 33 -</p> -<p> -These words of to-day's Gospel are spoken by our Lord to every -one who has been wanting in charity to his neighbor. Each one of -us, as a servant of God, as a steward of the gifts, both temporal -and spiritual, which he has entrusted to us that we may use them -for the furtherance of his honor and glory, is a heavy debtor to -the divine justice. But his mercy and love are always ready to -temper his justice, if only we show the proper dispositions, if -only we bend our rebellious wills to the condition he requires of -us, without which it is impossible for us to obtain forgiveness. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_463">{463}</a></span> -This condition is found in the oft-repeated but little thought of -petition of the Lord's Prayer: "Forgive us our trespasses, as we -forgive those that trespass against us." The servant in the -parable received forgiveness from his lord for the sum of ten -thousand talents (a very large sum of money), yet he was -unmerciful to his fellow-servant, who owed him a hundred pence. -The difference between these sums is by no means so great as the -difference between our offences against Almighty God and those of -our brethren against us. If we could only realize who it is that -we have offended, and then reflect as well upon our ingratitude -in offending him, as upon the innumerable benefits he has -showered upon us, we might form some faint idea of the gravity of -our sin, and of the immense debt that we owe to his justice. We -could not then refuse forgiveness to our neighbor for the -trifling, and perhaps merely fancied, injuries that we may have -suffered from him. "With what measure you shall mete, it shall be -measured to you again." "If you forgive not every one his brother -from your hearts," you cannot hope for pardon from God. -</p> -<p> -How, then, can we best practise this forgiveness which is so -necessary for us? In the first place, it must be earnest and -sincere forgiveness. It must be "from your hearts," as our Lord -says. No mere outward show of forgiveness will be enough, for God -sees the heart, and no appearances will satisfy him. But, on the -other hand, the forgiveness will not be real and earnest unless -it be shown outwardly. Many profess their willingness to forgive -who yet show resentment and a spirit of revenge in many little -ways, by looks, words, and actions which prove that there is no -real forgiveness in the heart. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_464">{464}</a></span> -Then again we find persons who, when they are urged to forgive -some wrong, answer: "Well, father, I suppose I must forgive, if -you tell me so." It is plain that this is but a very unwilling -and faint-hearted forgiveness, which, will not answer before God. -Why will not the generosity of God towards us lead us to show a -like spirit towards our brethren? -</p> -<p> -We should strive to forgive offences the moment they are -committed against us. Our natural impulse when any insult is -offered to us is to resent it at once, and pay back in the same -coin. How different is this from the example set us by our Lord, -"Who, when he was reviled, did not revile; when he suffered, he -threatened not." We should check the first uprisings of -resentment, and keep back the angry reply, in imitation of our -Blessed Lord's silence before his accusers and tormentors. By the -practice of this Christian silence many a feud of long -continuance would be prevented. -</p> -<p> -We must also "lay aside all malice," and be ready, when an injury -has been done, to be reconciled with our offending brother. This -is often very hard for us to do, and very repugnant to our -natural inclinations, but it is, nevertheless, absolutely -necessary. If we bear malice towards any one, we are not worthy -of the name of Christians, or followers of Christ. -</p> -<p> -Try, then, to put in practice the teaching of this day's Gospel, -and forgive from your heart those who have offended you, showing -your forgiveness by your words and acts. There is nothing more -scandalous and injurious to the Christian name than constant -quarrels and long-continued animosities between those who go -regularly to the sacraments. Follow, then, the injunction of St. -Paul: "Let all bitterness, and anger, and indignation, and -clamor, and blasphemy be taken away from you, with all malice. -And be ye kind to one another, merciful, forgiving one another, -even as God has forgiven you in Christ." -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_465">{465}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon CXLII.<br><br> - - Gossiping.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Laying hold of him he throttled him, saying:<br> - Pay me what thou owest.</i><br> - —Words Taken From To-day's Gospel. -</p> -<p> -The Gospel of this Sunday, my dear brethren, inculcates in the -strongest possible way the distinctively Christian virtue of -brotherly love—the duty, that is, of cherishing a spirit of -charity and consideration for other men, and especially of -forgiving any injuries which they may have done us. This -obligation is, however, so clearly and frequently and earnestly -enforced in the New Testament, and from our earliest days has -been brought home to us in so many ways, that at first sight it -might seem that I could do something better this morning than to -go back to such an old and familiar subject. And yet, old and -familiar as it is, every-day life affords so many proofs that we -do not carry our knowledge into practice that I am sure that nine -in every ten, perhaps ninety-nine in every hundred, stand in need -of being reminded of this old and familiar though badly learned -lesson. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_466">{466}</a></span> -<p> -For of what is the every-day talk of most women and a great -number of men made up, if not of ill-natured criticism and -depreciation of their acquaintances, neighbors, and even friends? -In the words of St. Paul, are we not continually biting and -devouring one another? Are not the newspapers filled with stories -which pander to this uncharitable spirit? What, in short, is more -common than detraction, and even slander? Yet even these evils, -grave and deadly as they are, are but small compared with other -manifestations of this same uncharitable spirit. Why, I have been -told of people who have worked side by side in the same -work-shop, attended the same church, even knelt at the same -altar-rail, and yet, for some trifling cause or other, have -refused to speak to one another for years! What trouble priests -have with people who come to confession to them! Sometimes the -very most they can get is a vague, half-hearted expression of -forgiveness, but on no account can they in some cases induce -their penitents to extend to one another that which is due to -every man, be he Jew or Turk, Catholic or Protestant—the -ordinary salutations which civility requires. -</p> -<p> -Now, that all this is wrong is evident. Not one of us is so blind -as not to be able to see that. But what the Gospel to-day points -out, and what I wish to present to your serious consideration -this morning, is the very unpleasant consequences which will -infallibly follow upon such conduct. We know the story very well. -A slave is in debt to his master for a very large amount—an -amount which, while quite willing, he is utterly unable to pay. -His master releases him from this debt. Whereupon this fine -fellow, meeting a brother-slave who owed him a paltry sum, -accosts him in the brutal manner mentioned in the text, demands -immediate payment of the money, and, not withstanding the -debtor's entreaties and his willingness to make it good as soon -as possible, locks him up in prison until the amount is -forthcoming. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_467">{467}</a></span> -Thereupon his conduct is brought to the knowledge of their -master. He at once summons the wicked slave before him and -"delivers him to the torturers until he pays all the debt." Then -our Lord says, and I ask for your serious attention to his words: -"So also shall my Heavenly Father do to you if you forgive not -every one his brother from your hearts." -</p> -<p> -Of course, it is unnecessary to point out how strictly this -applies to us. Many other texts might be cited from the Gospels -to the same effect. One only I will mention, and that is, that we -cannot say an "Our Father" without making the very forgiveness of -our sins, which we ask for, dependent upon our forgiveness of the -faults of others. We must forgive if we wish to be forgiven, and -this forgiveness must be from the heart; no mere form of words, -sufficient to satisfy men, but it must be a forgiveness sincere -and genuine, such as to satisfy God, the searcher of hearts, -before whom we must appear to give an account of our whole life. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon CXLIII.<br><br> - - Mixed Marriages.</h3> - -<p> -I wish to give a short instruction on the Sacrament of Matrimony -this morning. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_468">{468}</a></span> -<p> -If a marriage with a merely nominal Catholic be fraught with -dangerous consequences, and be the cause of much disturbance and -anxiety to one who wishes to be a Christian in deed as well as in -name—and that it is so I think all will agree—what shall we say -of a mixed marriage, as it is called—of the union of a Catholic -with one who holds religious views opposed to the faith of the -church, or who, perhaps, has no belief or religion at all? How -can any true harmony or peace be expected when there is -discordance in the matter of religion, which lies nearest to the -heart, and is more thoroughly interwoven in all the ideas, -opinions, feelings, and practices of a practical Catholic than -any other whatever? -</p> -<p> -Sympathy, union of interests and desires, of plans, hopes, and -efforts, must exist in all true friendship; nay, more, without it -association or companionship of any kind soon becomes a burden. -There is no remedy for this except by dropping or putting in the -back ground those aspirations and affections which are not shared -by the other party. And what is true of all friendship is, of -course, true above all of that which should be the highest, -nearest, and dearest of all friendships—namely, that of -marriage. The only way for a Catholic to be at all happy in a -mixed marriage is to put religion in the background; to regard -it, as, unfortunately, too many do, as a matter of very little -importance; as something to be professed, indeed, and -occasionally practised, but which is to have no special influence -on the general course and tenor of one's life. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_469">{469}</a></span> -<p> -How can a Catholic wife, for instance, who is earnest about her -religion be really happy with a husband who cannot attach any -importance to, or see any sense in, her practices of devotion; to -whom holy Mass, Benediction, the sacraments, the veneration of -the saints and angels, and many other things which are her great -helps and consolations in life, are mere idle mummeries and -superstitions; who looks contemptuously on her observance of -Lent, of Fridays, and fast days; who considers all the teachings -and laws of the church an imposition and a fraud, to be done away -with as far as possible; who, in short, either looks forward to -nothing at all beyond this life, or, if he hopes for heaven, has -a different one from hers, and seeks for it in a different way? -The only plan that can be followed to secure even a seeming peace -and agreement is to bring down the Catholic religion to its -lowest level, to make out that it is not so very different from -Protestantism after all; to be content with Mass on Sundays; to -eat meat on Fridays whenever it is more convenient; to let the -pope and the church generally get on as best they can, and to say -no more about them than can be helped. Yes, this mixture even in -the Catholic party of Catholic and Protestant is only too likely -to be the result of a mixed marriage. -</p> -<p> -I know that it may be said, and with truth, that Protestants are -not always prejudiced against our religion; that sometimes a -Protestant husband is not only willing but anxious that his -Catholic wife should attend thoroughly to her religious duties; -and we find cases of Protestant wives even becoming Catholics, -mainly, as it would seem, to induce by their example a more -faithful practice of religion in their Catholic husbands. But -these are results which we have no right to expect—no, not even -if they are promised beforehand. And too often we find a state of -things in a mixed marriage much worse than what I have described. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_470">{470}</a></span> -We find, in spite of the most solemn promises made beforehand, a -bitter and shameless persecution; Mass and the sacraments -forbidden; children denied not only Catholic instruction, but -even the grace of baptism; the priest not allowed in the house -even in time of sickness, and nearly all hope gone of receiving -the last rites of the church at the hour of death. We do not wish -to blame the Protestant party too much in these cases; he may be -acting according to his conscience, but such a conscience, though -perhaps good enough for him, is not one which a Catholic should -run the risk of being governed by. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_471">{471}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - <i>Philippians i.</i> 6-11.<br> -<br> - Brethren:<br> - We are confident of this very thing, that he, who hath begun a - good work in you, will perfect it unto the day of Christ Jesus. - As it is meet for me to think this for you all: because I have - you in my heart; and that in my bonds, and in the defence, and - confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of my joy. - For God is my witness, how I long after you all in the bowels - of Jesus Christ. And this I pray, that your charity may more - and more abound in knowledge, and in all understanding: that - you may approve the better things, that you may be sincere and - without offence unto the day of Christ. Replenished with the - fruit of justice through Jesus Christ, unto the glory and - praise of God.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Matthew xxii.</i> 15-21.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - The Pharisees going away, consulted among themselves how to - ensnare Jesus in his speech. And they sent to him their - disciples with the Herodians, saying: Master, we know that thou - art a true speaker, and teachest the way of God in truth, - neither carest thou for any man; for thou dost not regard the - person of men. Tell us, therefore, what dost thou think, Is it - lawful to give tribute to Cæsar, or not? But Jesus, knowing - their wickedness, said: Why do you tempt me, ye hypocrites? - Show me the coin of the tribute. And they offered him a penny. - And Jesus saith to them: Whose image and inscription is this? - They say unto him: Cæsar's. Then he saith to them: Render, - therefore, to Cæsar the things that are Cæsar's, and to God the - things that are God's. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_472">{472}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon CXLIV.<br><br> - - Obedience To The Civil Authorities.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Render therefore to Cæsar<br> - the things that are Cæsar's,<br> - and to God the things that are God's.</i><br> - —Matthew xxii. 21 -</p> -<p> -Our Lord made this reply, my dear brethren, to the question of -some who asked him whether it was lawful to give tribute to -Caesar or not; or, in other words, whether it was right to pay -taxes to support the government of the Roman Empire, to which the -Jews were then subjected, and which was a pagan, and in many ways -an impious and ungodly power. They hoped that he would say that -it was not; for if he did, they would have a very good charge to -make against him before the Roman governor, as one who was a -rebel and a disobeyer of the laws; and could thus bring about his -ruin, which they earnestly desired. Now, if it really had been -wrong to pay these taxes Christ would of course have said so; -for, as they had said to him in truth, though they meant it as -flattery, he was a true speaker, and would not betray the truth -to please any man or to escape any danger. But instead of -answering in this way, as they hoped, he surprised them by saying -that they ought to pay the taxes which were imposed on them; he -commanded them to obey the power, hateful in many ways as it was, -whose subjects they were. -</p> -<p> -We must, therefore, conclude that the power of the state, or the -law of the land as it is called, has a real claim in the name of -God and of Christ to our obedience. For if our Lord required -those who heard him to obey the Roman authorities, he would also -require us to obey the duly constituted authorities under which -we live at any time. For the cruel and persecuting pagan empire -of Rome was surely no more worthy of respect and obedience than -any other under which our lot is like to be cast. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_473">{473}</a></span> -<p> -And if we could have any doubt as to our duty in conscience on -this point, St. Paul confirms this lesson most emphatically. -"There is no power," he says, "but from God; and those that are, -are ordained of God. … And they that resist purchase to -themselves damnation. … Wherefore be subject of necessity, not -only for wrath" (that is, for fear of the consequences) "but also -for conscience sake." And coming to the very matter of which our -Lord has spoken, he proceeds: "Render, therefore, to all men -their dues. Tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom -custom." -</p> -<p> -We see then clearly, my brethren, that the laws of the land bind -us in conscience. And we do not by any means need to go back to -apostolic times to find instruction to this effect. The -successors of St. Peter, and those teaching in union with them, -have always insisted on this duty of obedience to the civil power -very strongly. Only last year, for instance, our Holy Father, -Pope Leo XIII., has, in an encyclical letter, taught it to us -very clearly. "The church," he says, "rightly teaches that the -power of the state comes from God." And he tells us that, -whatever the form of government may be—that is, whether the -rulers are chosen by the people or not—it is not simply from -the people that their right to rule and to be obeyed comes; the -people in an elective government do not make the power, although -they designate the person or persons in whom the power of God is -to rest. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_474">{474}</a></span> -<p> -Of course no one denies that the civil power may, in particular -cases, forfeit its claim to our obedience by requiring of us -things manifestly unjust or plainly contrary to the law of God or -of the church; as, for instance, if it should require us to -attend Protestant worship, or should forbid us to make our Easter -duty. But such cases are very rare, at least here in this -country. We shall know easily enough when they arise. There is -little fear, as things now are, of too great respect for law -among us; the danger, rather, is of our regarding laws as the -mere decisions of a majority, to which we have to submit as far -as we cannot help it, and because we cannot help it, but to which -we owe no interior reverence, and by breaking which we commit no -sin. Whereas the truth is that we do sin by breaking any law of -the land which is not manifestly unjust or contrary to the rights -of God and the obedience we owe to him. -</p> -<p> -Remember, then, my brethren, to render to Cæsar the things that -are Cæsar's. The President, Congress, our governors and -legislatures, and the other powers that be are really God's -vicegerents, though not in so high an order as the spiritual; -still in their own place they truly act in God's name. Find out -and consider what they require; confess and amend any disregard -or disrespect for their laws, unless you wish to be guilty of -contempt and disobedience to him from whom all law comes. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_475">{475}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon CXLV.<br><br> - - Thanksgiving Day.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Giving thanks to God the Father.</i><br> - —Colossians i. 12. -</p> -<p> -This week, as you know, my brethren, a day has been appointed by -the civil authorities, according to long-established custom, -which we are invited to devote specially to thanksgiving for the -many blessings which we have received from God during the year. -And though the observance of this day is not an ecclesiastical -obligation, yet there is a singular appropriateness in it for us -on account of its falling just at the close of the year which the -church celebrates. At this time, when we have completed the round -of the mysteries of our faith, and are about to recommence it in -the season of Advent, it must naturally occur to us to look back -and thank God, not only for all his temporal benefits, but also -and especially for the spiritual blessings which he has given us, -and which we have just finished commemorating. -</p> -<p> -Even in the temporal order, however, we have abundant cause to be -grateful to God. True, we have had our trials and sufferings, -some more, some less; though even these we can perhaps even now -see, and shall see more clearly hereafter, to have been blessings -in disguise. But we have had much happiness and comfort in spite -of these trials. Surely we ought not to pass this by unnoticed. -</p> -<p> -But this is just what we are too likely to do. Somehow or other, -we are all apt to take things when they go right as a matter of -course, and only to notice them when they go wrong. When we are -sick we complain and make a great fuss, and perhaps are not -satisfied unless we can make everybody else unhappy as well as -ourselves; but when we are well, that is just as it should be: no -thanks to anybody for that. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_476">{476}</a></span> -No thanks to God, whose loving care and providence are necessary, -and are given to us at each moment of our lives, and who is -continually warding off from us a thousand dangers to which we -are exposed, often through our own fault; no thanks to him whose -angels watch over us to keep us in all our ways. By our ignorance -and imprudence we are frequently endangering this wondrous life -which he has given us; with all the science in the world, we do -not understand it and could not direct it; it is he who causes -our breath to come, our hearts to beat, and our blood to flow in -our veins. -</p> -<p> -So also in the common affairs of life, our industry and skill -would avail nothing if God did not come to our assistance. If our -work or business prospers at all, it is due to him; it is his -free gift. And all the conveniences of modern life which we pride -ourselves so much on are the fruits of his power and skill which -he lends us. It is he who shines on us, not only by the sun and -moon, but also in those lights which we think that we ourselves -produce; it is he who sends our telegraphic messages for us, who -carries us where we will in our steamers and railway trains. -</p> -<p> -These perpetual and ordinary comforts of life, then, in which we -all share, as well as our very life itself, are God's gift. And -beside these, are there not more blessings which we can see if we -look back on the year, standing out from the rest? Have we -thanked him for all these? If not, let us then really make this a -time to atone for past neglect; a time of thanksgiving in deed as -well as in name. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_477">{477}</a></span> -<p> -But, above all, let us, whom he has given the signal and -unspeakable blessing of the true faith, thank him for that. To -those who have just come from the doubt and confusion of the -world outside this true church this is a happiness which -outweighs all troubles, a perpetual sunshine which drives away -all clouds. Why should it not be so to us all? This is what St. -Paul in his epistle wishes that it should be. "Giving thanks," he -says, "to God the Father, who has made us worthy to be partakers -of the lot of the saints in light, who hath delivered us from the -power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of the -Son of his love, in whom we have redemption through his Blood, -the remission of sins." Let us think on these words, and see if -there is not enough in them to make at least one Thanksgiving -day. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon CXLVI.<br><br> - - The Communion Of Saints.</h3> - -<p> -We are so near the Feast of All Saints and the commemoration of -all the faithful departed—All Souls day—that we may well let -our affectionate thoughts follow after our brethren who have gone -before us and sleep in the peace of Christ. -</p> -<p> -There is scarcely one of us, dear brethren, who has not been -familiar from childhood with the article of the Apostles Creed, -"I believe in the communion of saints"; and there are few, if -any, who have not derived consolation from this dogma of our -faith, teaching, as it does, that we are not entirely cut off -from those who have gone before us, but form with them one great -family, of which the head is Christ and the members the souls of -the just, whether in heaven or in purgatory, or still in the -flesh. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_478">{478}</a></span> -<p> -But if this truth of holy religion brings consolation, it brings -also the duty of praying for our brethren who are passing through -the cleansing fires of purgatory; who, because of sin or the debt -due for sin, cannot enter their eternal home until they have -repaid the last farthing. They can do nothing for -themselves—their day of meriting is past; they look to us who -are their friends to help them. -</p> -<p> -While they were with us they were very dear to us—bound to us -by ties of blood or friendship. Let us do our duty to them now; -let us, by our good works in their behalf, show how much we love -them; let us show that our affection for them was not selfish nor -pretended, but so real and strong and lasting that death has but -strengthened it and brought it to its fulness. -</p> -<p> -What one of us but has his daily task—his allotted work? Yet as -each day brings its own burdens, so each day is full of -opportunities of gaining indulgence for the souls in purgatory. -The many inconveniences we all of us are called upon to suffer, -the many sacrifices of comfort and of pleasure we make, the -disappointments we meet with, the fatigues we bear—all these may -be made sources of refreshment to our friends beyond the grave. -If in the morning we would but offer to God all we shall do and -suffer during the day for his honor and glory, and for the relief -of the departed, oh! how soon would the angels welcome them to -their true country, and how many advocates we should have before -the throne of God! -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_479">{479}</a></span> -<p> -But if so much can be done without any particular effort on our -part, what shall we say of the efficacy of the special prayers we -recite for them and the Masses we have offered for their repose! -How shall we tell of their gratitude, of their unceasing -supplications for us! We lose nothing, dear brethren, by praying -for them; be assured we are rather the gainers, for not only do -they pray for us, but more—our charity towards them deepens in -our souls our love for God, and makes us thirst the more after -virtue and holiness, and wins for us a higher place in heaven and -a brighter crown of everlasting glory. Let us be generous, then; -let us storm heaven with our prayers for the souls in purgatory, -and we shall find rest for ourselves as well as for them. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_480">{480}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - <i>Philippians iii.</i> 17; iv. 3.<br> -<br> - Be followers of me, brethren, and observe them who walk so as - you have our model. For many walk, of whom I have told you - often (and now tell you weeping) that they are enemies of the - cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose God is their - belly, and whose glory is in their shame: who mind earthly - things. But our conversation is in heaven: from whence also we - wait for the Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ, who will reform - the body of our lowness, made like to the body of his glory, - according to the operation whereby also he is able to subdue - all things unto himself. Therefore, my dearly beloved brethren, - and most desired, my joy and my crown; so stand fast in the - Lord, my most dearly beloved. I beg of Euodia, and I beseech - Syntyche to be of one mind in the Lord. And I entreat thee, my - sincere companion, help those women who have labored with me in - the Gospel, with Clement and the rest of my fellow-laborers, - whose names are in the book of life.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Matthew ix.</i> 18-26.<br> -<br> - At that time:<br> - As Jesus was speaking these things unto them, behold a certain - ruler came, and adored him, saying: Lord, my daughter is just - now dead; but come, lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. - And Jesus, rising up, followed him, with his disciples. And - behold a woman who was troubled with an issue of blood twelve - years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment. For - she said within herself: If I shall but touch his garment I - shall be healed. But Jesus, turning about and seeing her, said: - Take courage, daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_481">{481}</a></span> - And the woman was made whole from that hour. And when Jesus - came into the house of the ruler, and saw the minstrels and the - crowd making a rout, he said: Give place, for the girl is not - dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed at him. And when the crowd - was turned out he went in, and took her by the hand. And the - girl arose. And the fame hereof went abroad into all that - country. -</p> -<hr> - - <h2>Sermon CXLVII.<br><br> - - Mixed Marriages.</h2> - -<p> -From the simplest lessons of experience, my dear brethren, I -think it ought to be plain enough how miserable a thing a mixed -marriage is likely to be. Even if the faith and practice of the -Catholic party and of the children is what it should be—which is -certainly hardly to be expected—there will be great and -continual suffering to them on account of the separation of the -Protestant father or mother—who is all the more loved the better -and kinder he or she may be—from the unity of the church and -from the ordinary means of salvation. -</p> -<p> -In fact, it can hardly be imagined how any one having a lively -faith in the Catholic religion can marry a Protestant or infidel, -unless under the influence of a hope that some time or other the -conversion of the other party will be effected. This hope does -occasionally prove not to be a vain one. There are cases, no -doubt, in which a Protestant, who would not probably otherwise -have turned his thoughts to the question at all, does become a -Catholic by means of marriage. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_482">{482}</a></span> -But the best chance to obtain such a conversion is before the -marriage is entered on; that is the time to try to secure it; and -it is the duty of every Catholic who thinks of marrying one -outside the church to do the best in his or her power to bring -the other party over, not only in name but in fact, to the true -faith. I say in fact, for, unfortunately, many a non-Catholic, -who has no strong conviction about religion in any way, will be -willing to call himself a Catholic, and even to be baptized, in -order to remove objections which may be made. Take care, then, -that the conversion which is professed is a sincere and genuine -one, and not merely got up for the occasion. I have heard of a -case in which the Protestant party, when his religion was urged -by the priest as an objection to the marriage, which would make -trouble, most cheerfully replied: "Well, father, if it would be -any convenience to you, I am quite ready to be a Catholic." Such -converts are not so very uncommon, though it is not often that -they let their state of mind be seen so plainly. They will sit -through several instructions given to them by the priest, making -no question or remark about anything which he says, that they may -get through as soon as possible; and when they do get through, -that is about the last of their Catholic profession, or at least -of their attendance to any Catholic duties. -</p> -<p> -If, then, a conversion, and a real and true conversion, cannot be -obtained before marriage, there is certainly much fear that it -never will be accomplished afterward. Be warned, then, in time; -do not indulge false hopes in this regard; do not marry in haste -and repent at leisure. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_483">{483}</a></span> -<p> -And about this matter of conversion I will say a few words, with -reference not to Protestants, but to careless and negligent -Catholics. A Catholic who is negligent of his duties has, it is -true, if he keeps his faith, a resource which the Protestant has -not; he knows what to do to be reconciled with God at the last; -he will probably try to do it, and he may succeed. There is then -more hope for his final salvation in this way than for the -Protestant; but that does not make him a better companion during -life; and many of the miseries of a mixed marriage are met with, -and some, perhaps, even in a greater degree, with nominal -Catholics than with Protestants. If, then, you contemplate -marriage even with a Catholic, be sure to see that he or she -attends to the duties required of Catholics, and has not -contracted vicious and dangerous habits. Do not delude yourself -with the idea that a confession and Communion must be made at the -time of the marriage, and that the priest will attend to all that -is necessary. For this confession and Communion may be in some -cases not so very good and fervent; they may be something like -what some Protestants, as I have said, go through with for -convenience or necessity. No, do not leave it all to the priest, -but do your own part. If the behavior of the other party before -marriage is not such as becomes a Christian, both with regard to -the frequentation of the sacraments and also in the matter of -temperance and in others of which you are the best and indeed the -only judge, it is not likely that it will be so afterward. Take -care, then, before taking a step which you cannot retrace. You, -not the priest, are the one to secure now the amendment of life -which is so necessary. A word to the wise should be sufficient. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_484">{484}</a></span> - - <h3>Sermon CXLVIII.<br><br> - - Imitation Of The Saints.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>My fellow-laborers,<br> - whose names are in the book of life.</i><br> - —Philippians iv. 3. -</p> -<p> -Thus does St. Paul in the Epistle of to-day speak of St. Clement -and the others who had "labored with him in the Gospel." Do you -wish that your name, too, should be written in the book of life? -Follow the path trodden here below by the saints of God, and -then, even while yet on earth, your name will be recorded in -heaven. For holy church commands us to observe this festival of -All Saints, of which we are now keeping the octave, not only in -honor of those whose names are in the calendar, and whose feasts -come round in the course of each year, but also in praise of that -great multitude which no man can number—of all nations, and -tribes, and peoples, and tongues—who stand before the throne and -in sight of the Lamb, clothed with white robes and palms in their -hands. The saints whom the church has honored with canonization -are but a small number in that vast multitude. They were the -heroes of the Christian army, but the great majority of those who -are now receiving the homage of the church were the rank and -file—common every day Christians, like ourselves. The festival -of All Saints, therefore, especially appeals to us by showing us -that sanctity is not something away off out of our reach and -entirely beyond our powers, but that it is what we must each -strive after if we hope to win heaven. For nothing defiled can -enter there, and without holiness no man shall see God, As, then, -we hope to be one day saints in heaven, we must try now to be -saints on earth. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_485">{485}</a></span> -That is why St. Paul addresses all the faithful as the "beloved -of God, called to be saints." Yet many Christians are forgetful -of this high vocation. They seem to think that God has laid down -one rule, one course of life for saints, and quite another for -ordinary people. This is all a mistake. God's law is the same for -every one. There are, indeed, special duties belonging to -particular states of life, but apart from these there is no -difference in what is required of every Christian. We are all of -us bound to follow the strait and narrow way which leadeth unto -life. The chief happiness of that life will consist in the sight -of God, to be always in his presence, serving him continually in -joy and thanksgiving. And the way to this life our Lord has told -us in the sermon on the Mount: "Blessed are the clean of heart, -for they shall see God." -</p> -<p> -So, then, in order to attain to this life, to dwell for ever in -the sight of God, it is not necessary to imitate the saints in -their extraordinary deeds, their heroic acts of penance and -self-sacrifice, their suffering for the faith. Some of us are, -indeed, called upon to stand out conspicuously among other -Christians, as they did, and show to the world an example of -courage and heroism. But for all of us the hidden virtues are the -ones required, and if we cultivate these, God, who seeth in -secret, will himself reward us openly in the day when the secrets -of all hearts shall be revealed. The one thing needful for each -one of us is purity of heart, to cleanse our hearts from sin and -from all affection towards sin. "Dearly beloved," says St. John, -"if our heart do not reprehend us, we have confidence towards -God." -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_486">{486}</a></span> -See to it, then, that your heart is all right towards God. -Cleanse your soul from mortal sin by turning your heart away from -the sin you have committed by sincere and hearty contrition and -by a good confession. Then <i>keep</i> your heart right towards -God by giving it to him who says to you, "My son, give me thy -heart." God alone is worthy of the full love of our hearts, and -he alone can satisfy the heart of man. If we set our affections -upon sin or upon the passing things of this world there is -reserved for us in the end nothing but unsatisfied longings and -bitterness of heart. But if we purify our hearts from every -affection that would lead us away from God we shall indeed be -called "blessed," and our names shall be written in the book of -life. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon CXLIX.<br><br> - - Heaven.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Blessed are the poor in spirit,<br> - for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.</i><br> - —St. Matthew. v. 2.<br> - [USCCB: Matthew. v. 3.] -</p> -<p> -All Saints' day is a solemn and glorious festival for all heaven -as well as for all the world; for to-day God is praised, and the -great salvation by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ magnified -and lauded by a common, universal act of holy congratulation and -worship among all the saints—that is, among all souls that are -united to God in the communion of saints, whether in the church -triumphant, in the church suffering, or in the church militant. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_487">{487}</a></span> -<p> -It seems to me that none but Catholics believe in heaven, the -eternal home of the saints after death, because they alone appear -to understand what a saint is, as the church has proved herself -to be the only power which has been able to train and canonize -one. -</p> -<p> -Yes, all we can know of heaven is, that it is the reward, the -everlasting life, the new and divine state of being which the -saints enter into and enjoy when they have left this world—that -is, when they die in the church militant and rise in glory in the -church triumphant. If any Christian, then, or so-called -Christian, fancies he can meditate about heaven, and hopes to get -there without knowing what a saint is, and without striving to be -as near one as he can, he is simply deceiving himself. I fear -that the kind of place some people think would be a good enough -heaven for them, if we are to judge by the way they live, is, in -fact, not much above what the state of hell really is. Many are -the souls who ought to have been saints, and are damned because -they were unfaithful to the vocation God gave them, and too -sensual to make the necessary sacrifices that such a vocation -demanded. What kind of a heaven, for instance, do you think the -many intelligent Protestants we meet with every day will likely -get, who know they ought to become Catholics to save their souls, -and are yet afraid to take the step; who stand still and count -the cost, and cheat their consciences with the false doctrine -that no real sacrifices are demanded of them, because God will be -more glorified if they leave all to him and do nothing -themselves? And yet these people, and a good many Catholics, too, -are living just such lives, and in their deaths they will not be -divided. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_488">{488}</a></span> -<p> -And now do you say: O Father! tell us, then, what a saint is, -that we may be sure we are not all wrong, but may have some hope -of imitating such, and so join the company of the glorified ones -in heaven when we die! I answer: A saint is one who does -everything he feels that God wants him to do, and carefully gives -up and avoids everything that he feels is not pleasing to God. -Apply that to yourself. God does not want the same thing of -everybody, nor require all to make the same sacrifices. So that, -as a fact, there are all kinds of saints, as we know. But in what -he does require he demands that one should aim at doing it -<i>perfectly</i>. "Be ye perfect, as your Heavenly Father is -perfect," said our Lord. Be perfectly honest, be perfectly pure, -be perfectly sober, be perfectly charitable, be perfectly -obedient to the laws of God and man, be perfectly humble, be -perfectly free from loving money or other riches. -</p> -<p> -Don't let me ever hear you say again that you are "a man of the -world and must live in it" as an excuse for the wretched apology -for a Christian life you lead. You know that is a lie. You are a -man, and <i>a Christian man of the kingdom of God and of his -saints</i>, and <i>that</i> is the kind of a place you live in, -and must square your life accordingly, or you will never see the -kingdom of God and of his saints in glory, which is heaven, when -you die. In to-day's Gospel our Lord pronounces the eight -beatitudes. Think on them, and, if you do not know them by heart, -take out your Bible when you go home and read them at the -beginning of the fifth chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel. So live -that you will merit to be one of those our Lord declares to be -"blessed," and you will surely be a saint. -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_489">{489}</a></span> - -<p> -<i>Easter being a movable Feast which can occur on any day from -the 22d of March to the 25th of April, the number of Sundays -between Epiphany and Septuagesima, and between Pentecost and -Advent, varies according to the situation of Easter. There are -always at least two Sundays, unless Epiphany falls on a Sunday, -and never more than six, between Epiphany and Septuagesima. -Likewise, there are never fewer than twenty-three Sundays after -Pentecost, or more than twenty-eight. The Gospel and Epistle for -the last Sunday after Pentecost are always the same. When there -are twenty-three Sundays, the Gospel and Epistle for the last -Sunday are substituted for those of the twenty-third. When there -are twenty-five Sundays, the Gospel and Epistle for the sixth -Sunday after Epiphany are taken; when there are twenty-six, those -also of the fifth after Epiphany; when there are twenty-seven, -those of the fourth, and when there are twenty-eight, those of -the third, in order to fill up the interval which occurs. In any -year, in which there are more than twenty-four Sundays after -Pentecost, proper sermons for these Sundays are to be found among -those which are arranged for the Sundays following the Feast of -the Epiphany. If one sermon is wanting, it is taken from the -sixth Sunday after Epiphany; if two, three, or four are needed, -the last two or three or four sermons which precede Septuagesima -are to be taken, in their order. </i> -</p> -<hr> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_490">{490}</a></span> - - <h2><i>Twenty-fourth or Last Sunday after Pentecost.</i></h2> - -<p class="cite"> - Epistle.<br> - <i>Colossians i.</i> 9-14.<br> -<br> - Brethren:<br> - We cease not to pray for you, and to beg that you may be filled - with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual - understanding: that you may walk worthy of God, in all things - pleasing: being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in - the knowledge of God: strengthened with all might according to - the power of his glory, in all patience and long-suffering with - joy, giving thanks to God the Father, who hath made us worthy - to be partakers of the lot of the saints in light: who hath - delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us - into the kingdom of the Son of his love: in whom we have - redemption through his blood, the remission of sins.<br> -<br> -<br> - Gospel.<br> - <i>St. Matthew xxiv.</i> 15-35.<br> -<br> - At that time Jesus said to his disciples:<br> - When you shall see "the abomination of desolation," which was - spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place: he - that readeth, let him understand. Then let those that are in - Judea flee to the mountains. And he that is on the house-top, - let him not come down to take anything out of his house: and he - that is in the field, let him not go back to take his coat. And - woe to them that are with child, and that give suck in those - days. But pray that your flight be not in the winter or on the - Sabbath. For there shall be then great tribulation, such as - hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, - neither shall be. And unless those days had been shortened, no - flesh should be saved: but for the sake of the elect those days - shall be shortened. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_491">{491}</a></span> - Then, if any man shall say to you: Lo, here is Christ, or - there, do not believe him. For there shall arise false christs - and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, - insomuch as to deceive (if possible) even the elect. Behold I - have told it to you beforehand. If therefore they shall say to - you: Behold he is in the desert; go ye not out: Behold he is in - the closets; believe it not. For as lightning cometh out of the - east, and, appeareth even unto the west, so shall also the - coming of the Son of Man be. Wheresoever the body shall be, - there shall the eagles also be gathered together. And - immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall - be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the - stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens - shall be moved. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of - Man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth - mourn: and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds - of heaven with great power and majesty. And he shall send his - angels with a trumpet, and a great voice: and they shall gather - together his elect from the four winds, from the farthest parts - of the heavens to the uttermost bounds of them. Now learn a - parable from the fig-tree: when its branch is now tender, and - the leaves come forth, you know that summer is nigh. So also - you, when you shall see all these things, know that it is near, - even at the doors. Amen, I say to you, this generation shall - not pass till all these things be done. Heaven and earth shall - pass away, but my words shall not pass away. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon CL.<br><br> - - Marrying Out Of The Church.</h3> - -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_492">{492}</a></span> - -<p> -In our course of instructions on marriage, my dear friends, we -have so far spoken chiefly of the care which should be taken in -the selection of the person who is to be one's constant companion -through life, and shown that not only earthly happiness, but even -the salvation of the soul, may depend on this choice being made -wisely. We will now go on to consider the ceremony of marriage -itself. -</p> -<p> -Some people, though they have always been Catholics and lived -among Catholics, seem to be entirely ignorant of the laws and -requirements of the church on this subject. They appear to think -that nothing has to be done but to call on the priest some fine -evening, and that he will marry them then and there. And if it is -not convenient to go to the priest, or if he makes any difficulty -about it, why, then a Protestant minister or his honor the mayor -will do at a pinch. -</p> -<p> -Now there are several points which these people need instruction -about, and several mistakes which they make in this very -important affair. We shall have to consider them separately. And -we will begin with the greatest mistake of all which can be -fallen into by Catholics who wish to get married, and that is to -go to a Protestant minister for the purpose. -</p> -<p> -What is, then, the harm exactly of going to a Protestant minister -to get married? Is it that a Protestant minister is an immoral or -vicious character, with whom we should have nothing to do? By no -means. He is, indeed, more likely to be to blame for his errors -in religion than his people, for he has, from his greater -knowledge in religious matters, a better chance to know the -truth; but even a minister may be in good faith about his -doctrine. And in other respects he may be a worthy and estimable -gentleman. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_493">{493}</a></span> -<p> -But the reason why Catholics should avoid going to him for -marriage is that marriage is one of the seven sacraments which -our Lord has entrusted to the keeping of his church. These -sacraments, then, belong to the church, and we cannot recognize -the right of those who separate from her to administer them or to -assist officially at them, though they may have the power to do -so validly. Therefore, though marriage be real and valid when -contracted before a Protestant minister, and though his own -people, of course, are not to blame, if in good faith, for -availing themselves of his services, we cannot do so. In deed, -this would be the case even if marriage were not a sacrament, but -merely a religious rite or ceremony; we cannot allow the -ministers of any sect separated from the church to act as such -for us in any religious function; to do so would be to allow -their claim to act in the name of Christ. This we can never do, -and, above all, where the sacraments are concerned. -</p> -<p> -Another, and a very weighty reason, why Catholics cannot go -before a minister for marriage, is that no one but the Catholic -clergy can be supposed to be sufficiently acquainted with the -laws of God and of the church regarding Christian marriage. There -are impediments, as they are called, which make marriage invalid -unless a dispensation is obtained from the proper source. Some of -these are commonly known, such as those which proceed from a near -relationship of the parties; but there are others which are not -known even by name to the great mass of the faithful, and which a -Protestant minister, even should he happen to know them, would -never for a moment regard. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_494">{494}</a></span> -Catholics, therefore, if they go to a minister to get married, -run a great risk of not being really married at all, owing to -these impediments not being detected or attended to. By the law -of the State their marriage may be a good and real one, but in -the sight of God it will not be so, if any such impediment should -exist, and not have been removed by dispensation; and this holds, -even though no suspicion of such an impediment should have -arisen. You see, then, how important it is in this matter to -consult those who are competent to advise them. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon CLI.<br><br> - - Joy In God's Service.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - <i>Let the peace of Christ rejoice in your hearts, …<br> - and be, ye, thankful.</i><br> - —Colossians iii. 15. -</p> -<p> -Of the several great lessons contained in to-day's Epistle, the -one most insisted on and brought out is that of thankfulness and -joyfulness in the service of God. -</p> -<p> -In the labors of St. Paul (and his labors were more abundant than -all the Apostles), in his frequent tribulations and crosses, he -never ceased giving thanks in all things—nor did he ever tire of -inculcating this same duty on the first Christians. If, then, my -brethren, thankfulness and joyfulness are such a great part of -religion, it would be well this morning to see if they be -characteristic of our service. We have a multitude of reasons for -being thankful to God, if we but thought of them—the gifts of -nature—life, health, strength, the pleasures and gratifications -of the mind, learning, objects of interest, of study and beauty, -both in nature and art, the pleasures of home, the joys of -friendship. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_495">{495}</a></span> -These are real and great benefits; they are causes of joy and -motives of thankfulness. Our good God intended us to find -enjoyment in the moderate use of them, not, indeed, as ends in -themselves, but as means to our one great end. And so he has -spread the charm of beauty over this place of our sojourn and -made it pleasant and interesting, lest we lose heart and become -sad, and languish on our journey to heaven. -</p> -<p> -But to speak of higher gifts and benefits: What motives of joy -and thankfulness ought we not to find in the knowledge of God, -his truth, mercy, and goodness as made known to us in the -Scripture and in his Divine Son, our Saviour and friend, the -God-Man; in the gift of the faith, the spiritual riches of the -church and the sacraments, his mercies to us -personally—blessings on our labors, the removal of dangers from -our paths, his gracious forgiveness of our sins, time and again. -Then, too, what we expect and through his mercy count on for the -future—the joys of heaven, those delights which pass our -understanding. The life of heaven will be pure joy, and its one -occupation thankfulness. Surely, then, this life should be a -figure and foretaste of it; and so St. Paul thought, for he bids -us "be thankful," "rejoice and rejoice always"; singing in grace -in our hearts, and in every word and work giving thanks to God. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_496">{496}</a></span> -<p> -It is plain that, since God has done his part in bestowing the -benefits in such abundant measure, we should do ours in returning -thanks, for gratitude is the correlative of benefit. It is -equally plain that the true religion is joyful. Now, is such our -religion? Is this the way we act? Is it the way we consider God's -service? We see, I think, more anxious and sad faces than -thankful and glad ones; and I fear that the joyfulness of the -latter does not come generally from the reasons I have given. It -comes too often from worldly causes, from success in temporal -things, from hopes and prospects which relate to indifferent -things, if they are not dangerous and positively bad. Whereas the -common idea of religion is that it is an unpleasant, sad, up-hill -sort of a thing, which imposes restraints upon us, and, far from -being a cause of thankfulness and joy, is a great interference -with the pleasure of life. Pious people, too, are regarded as -dull, simple, spiritless creatures, quite the opposite of joyful. -</p> -<p> -This is all wrong, all false, and, if it be our religion, then we -<i>have not</i> the true religion, at least practically. For as -God's benefits are real and great, so our thanks and joy should -be in them and correspond to them. Religion, being our highest -duty, should be and can be our highest pleasure. God says it is, -and he is truth; those who have tried say the same. "What shall I -render to God for all he hath rendered to me?"—"better one day in -thy courts than a thousand years in the tents of sinners"—"taste -and see how sweet the Lord is." Our consciences and -experience bear out the same truth; for surely evil cannot be -compared to good in fulness, in intensity; and, above all, it -will not wear, it will not last, and it leaves us dissatisfied, -fearful, sad. The pleasure and joy of a good life to a good man -even here are far greater than the pleasure of sin to a sinner. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_497">{497}</a></span> -Let us, then, make up our minds, once for all, that not only is -religion the most necessary, but the wisest and the happiest -thing for us. Let us serve God with thankfulness, both for what -he has done and will do for us, if we are faithful. If he has -done so much in this state of probation, exile, and punishment, -what will he not do when the time of reward and enjoyment -arrives. Surely, considering what we are and what we have done, -the pains and crosses bear no proportion to the benefits, and we -have cause even in present labors to be thankful and in every -word and work to give him praise through Jesus Christ our Lord. -</p> -<hr> - - <h3>Sermon CLII.<br><br> - - Forgive And Be Forgiven.</h3> - -<p class="cite"> - "<i>Bearing with one another<br> - and forgiving one another,<br> - if any have a complaint against another.<br> - Even as the Lord hath forgiven you,<br> - so you also.</i>"<br> - —Colossians iii. 13. -</p> -<p> -This, my dear brethren, is the law of Christ. It is a law we are -bound to keep. We cannot save our souls unless we do keep it. -There is no possible way to escape its requirements, for our Lord -himself declares positively: "But if you will <i>not</i> forgive -men, <i>neither</i> will your Father forgive <i>you your -offences</i>" (Matthew vi. 15). Therefore, there is no way to -save our souls, no way to be true Christians in life, unless we -forgive all and every one, without exception, every injury they -have done us. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_498">{498}</a></span> -<p> -But one may say: I do forgive all who have injured me if they -repent, say they are sorry, and ask pardon! My dear brethren, -this won't do. You must forgive whether they repent or not. -Nothing less will satisfy the Lord. The best reason is that since -the Lord has forgiven us, so we also are bound to forgive all. A -true lover of the Lord doesn't want a better reason. A greater or -a better cannot be given. Our Lord himself has set the example. -He has taken our sins upon himself, and caused the Eternal Father -to forgive us our sins for his sake beforehand, before we have -even repented or shown by a single sign that we want to belong to -God and to hate sin. Do we not receive in our baptism, as -infants, the grace that destroys original sin? Original sin -placed us under the power of the devil, and made us unworthy to -be called the sons of God, but our Christian baptism made us -again the sons of God. Does not God forgive us also our mortal -sins, giving us time to repent, and even waiting patiently for -our repentance? Remember, these sins after baptism are all the -greater because after being made innocent we again become guilty. -</p> -<p> -But some try to excuse themselves and say: It is hard to have to -do this; I can't do it. The sin against me is too great; it ought -not to be forgiven. This is not true. There is nothing we can't -forgive, nothing we are permitted to leave unforgiven. We can -forgive any sin against us if we will. If it is hard, pray and it -will become easy. Sincere prayer for him who is our enemy is sure -to remove very soon all feeling against him. This is certain: -that it will, <i>without fail</i>, prevent the malice and revenge -in our hearts from overcoming us and causing us to sin grievously -against charity. Remember that everything we do well for our Lord -is hard at first, but is made easy by prayer and faithful, -persevering effort. -</p> -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_499">{499}</a></span> -<p> -Again, some object: I try to pray but cannot, because when I pray -I think of my wrongs and begin to hate my enemy, so that my -prayer is insincere or stops on my lips! Then pray for all poor -sinners, and don't mean to leave your enemy out of your prayers. -This is a good beginning, and keeps you from mortal sin, for pray -we must <i>for our enemies</i>. This is a fundamental law of the -Christian life. If we intentionally leave out one single soul -when we pray for all poor sinners, we sin in the very presence of -God, and our prayers are rejected; nor shall they be accepted -until we include that soul also. -</p> -<p> -Let us remember, my dear brethren, that we are called by our Lord -to show to the world that being the friends of God means that he -puts into our souls his loving, merciful, long-suffering Spirit, -and thus makes us like to himself. Does any one want to be -God-like? Then let him forgive from his heart every injury and -all who injure him. -</p> -<p> -To gain courage to forgive, let us see what forgiveness does. It -saves God's honor. It prevents his being insulted. For example: -when one insults us, he sins against God and insults him also. If -we answer back, we also insult God, and make two sins instead of -one. Next, our angry answer makes our enemy reply again; for -another sin are we responsible. So it goes on until a number of -sins are committed by each one. Silence on our part would have -prevented these insults to God and left our souls unstained. We -were not silent. The consequence is we not only increased -another's sin, but we added our own and lost the friendship of -God. -<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_500">{500}</a></span> -Had a forgiving spirit been in each soul this could not have -happened. Had it been in one of them, one soul at least would -have been kept from sin. Cultivate, then, a forgiving spirit, and -"even as the Lord hath forgiven you, so you also" forgive all. -</p> -<hr> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Five-minute Sermons for Low Masses on -All Sundays Of The Year, Volume II, by Various - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FIVE-MINUTE SERMONS, VOL 2 *** - -***** This file should be named 60267-h.htm or 60267-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/0/2/6/60267/ - -Produced by Don Kostuch -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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