,transcriber's notes3 ,this production is based on https3_/_/archive4org_/details_/sermonsp aulists#jjunknuoft_/page_/n#g4 ,many footnotes have additional citations indicated by ,,usccb1 based on the ,united ,states ,conference of ,catholic ,bishops ,bible found at http3_/_/usccb4org_/bible_/books-of-the- bible4 ,most differences appear to be typographical errors not detected in proofreading or minor changes in verse numbering4 ,end of ,transcriber's notes4 #a ,,sermons4 #b #c ,sermons1 ,preached ,at ,the ,church of ,st4 ,paul the ,apostle1 ,new ,york1 ,during the ,year #ahfa4 ----------- ,new ,york3 ,van ,parys1 ,hugot ,howell1 #cd ,beekman ,street4 #ahfa4 #d ,entered according to ,act of ,congress1 in the year #ahfa1 by ,,van ,,parys1 ,,hugot ,,howell1 ,in the ,clerk's ,office of the ,district ,court of the ,united ,states1 for the ,southern ,district of ,new ,york4 --------------- ,c4 ,a4 ,,alvord1 ,,printer4 #e ,,preface4 ------------ ,some of those friends who listened to the sermons contained in this volume have expressed a desire to see them in print1 and thought they would do good4 ,this friendly counsel has not been acted upon without hesitation4 ,the great scarcity of ,catholic sermons in ,english would seem to afford motive enough for publishing1 though it is feared that these may fall too far below the standard4 ,certainly1 they make no pretence to brilliant passages of imagination1 flowers of style1 or appeals to popular enthusiasm2 #f these not comporting with the serious and earnest work in which we are engaged4 ,but we trust that they will be found plain1 simple1 and direct1 and that there may be those among our ,catholic brethren who will derive an appreciable benefit from their perusal--some clearer view of ,christian doctrine or moral duty1 some thought to touch the heart1 and draw it upward to ,god4 ,if so1 our purpose will have been accomplished4 ,with so much of explanation we send out these few sermons into the world2 doubting1 somewhat1 if all who heard them when they came living and warm from the preacher's lips1 and listened with interest then1 will prize them now as they lie cold and uncolored on the paper4 ,st4 ,paul's4 #eith ,street1 ,dec4 #a4 #ahfa4 #g ,,contents4 ,,page4 ,i4 ,the ,earnest ,man #i ,,ii4 ,unworthy ,communion #bf ,,iii4 ,christ's ,resurrection ,the ,foundation of ,our ,faith #dj ,,iv4 ,giving ,testimony #fc ,v4 ,spiritual ,death #gf ,,vi4 ,the ,love ,of ,god #ic ,,vii4 ,keeping ,the ,law ,not ,impossible #ajg ,,viii4 ,the ,two ,standards #abd ,,ix4 ,the ,epiphany #adc ,x4 ,renunciation #aeh ,,xi4 ,the ,afflictions ,of ,the ,just #agf ,,xii4 ,false ,maxims #aij ,,xiii4 ,mary's ,destiny ,a ,type ,of ,ours #bje ,,xiv4 ,mortal ,sin ,exemplified ,in ,the ,history ,of ,judas #bba #h ,,xv4 ,interior ,life #bcd ,,xvi4 ,true ,christian ,humility #bed ,,xvii4 ,what ,the ,desire ,to ,love ,god ,can ,do #bgj ,,xviii4 ,the ,worth ,of ,the ,soul #bic ,,xix4 ,merit ,the ,measure ,of ,reward #caj ,,xx4 ,self-denial #ccj #i ,,sermon ,i4 ,the ,earnest ,man4 ,a ,sermon ,for ,the ,commemoration ,of ,st4 ,paul1 ,apostle4 7,from the ,epistle1 ,gal4 i41 #aa-bc47 ,i have read the ,epistle for the day1 rather than the ,gospel1 because it contains a brief but characteristic sketch of the great ,apostle1 drawn by his own hand4 ,how strange is the history of this man6 ,we have here the ,church's most bitter persecutor converted into the most zealous and successful of all the ,apostles4 ,at first we discover a careful and devoted student of the ,jewish law2 afterward he stands forth the most learned and eloquent expounder of the ,christian ,gospel4 #aj ,we see him in his youth a witness of ,st4 ,stephen's martyrdom1 standing by to hold the garments of those who stoned him to death1 sternly and pitilessly looking on2 and again in his old age we find him lying lifeless on the ,ostian road1 outside the walls of ,rome1 a headless trunk1 a martyr in the same cause for which ,st4 ,stephen died4 ,we see him at first ravaging the ,church1 entering into houses1 and hauling away men and women1 and committing them to prison1 and shortly afterward we hear the wondering ,christians whisper to each other3 ,he that persecuted us in times past now preaches the faith4 ,in the beginning1 foremost of all the ,jews was he in that terrible energy which they put forth to destroy the ,church2 and afterward foremost among the ,apostles1 he was able to say with truth3 ,i have labored more abundantly than they all4 ,in fine1 one trait of character distinguished this great ,apostle at all times1 both before and after his conversion4 ,he was always an earnest man4 ,it is worth our while this morning to study his character well1 for--from the bottom of my soul ,i do believe it--a few such earnest ,christians in our day would be enough to move the world4 #aa ,let us look at him first during the early part of his career1 and see how this earnestness of character displays itself in one whose mind is misguided1 by religious error4 ,in the first place1 then1 ,st4 ,paul before his conversion was distinguished by an earnest and ardent love of truth1 and consequently1 a strong attachment to what he deemed to be the truth4 ,i have already read to you in the ,epistle what he says of his own early life3 ,i made progress in the ,jews' religion above many of my equals in my own nation1 being more abundantly zealous for the traditions of my fathers4 ,this earnestness of his sprang from a deep love of truth1 and it made him what he afterward became1 the foremost champion of the true faith4 ,the human mind is created for truth1 is naturally attracted to the truth when fairly presented1 and if not led away by a corrupted heart1 embraces it with joy4 ,truth comes readily to those that love it1 and therefore there is1 after all1 nothing unnatural in this conversion of a ,hebrew zealot into a ,christian evangelist2 for if he loved error at first1 it was only because in good faith he mistook it for the truth1 and if he hated the truth1 it was only because he did not see it in its true colors1 but misrepresented and perverted4 #ab ,these men who are zealous1 honestly zealous1 in error1 are the very men to embrace the truth2 and1 on the contrary1 they who stand perfectly indifferent between contradictory creeds1 are the least open to conviction4 ,both reason and experience teach this4 ,nothing is more common in our day than a class of men who look with perfectly good nature upon every form of religious doctrine1 except perhaps that particular one in which they themselves were reared1 and which is supposed therefore to have some practical claim upon them4 ,did you ever know one of these liberal fellows1 so called1 to be come ,catholic8 ,i mean these men who1 having no religious faith to love1 can have no error to hate4 ,i mean1 for example1 these nominal ,protestants who1 when in your presence1 turn into ridicule every ,protestant form of religion1 without believing a word of yours2 one of these good-natured fellows that think the ,catholic religion is quite as good as any1 in some respects the best of any1 since it is the farthest out of their way4 #ac ,take1 for instance1 one of these liberal politicians that you always see at the public dinner on ,patrick's day2 that will subscribe cordially to a ,catholic charity1 if you ask him1 but comes back to remind you of it on election day4 ,did you ever know a man of this stamp to become ,catholic8 ,no1 indeed2 divine truth has attractions only for earnest souls4 ,a hickory ,protestant is as poor a thing as a hickory ,catholic4 ,such a man has two fundamental axioms to get by heart1 before religious truth can take possession of his soul2 first1 that there is such a thing as truth1 and next1 that his mind was made for it1 and needs it4 ,oh6 it is sad to see a man in ignorance of the way of salvation1--sadder still to see him blindly prejudiced against it2 but the saddest1 most ignoble1 and most hopeless of all conditions1 is to be indifferent to it4 ,st4 ,paul was another type of man4 ,he was an earnest one4 ,he believed the ,jewish religion to be the true and only true one1 and therefore he loved it with all his soul1 and was zealous for it4 ,when the scales fell from his eyes1 and the ,christian faith was revealed to him in all its truth and beauty1 he embraced it1 and clung to it1 and abandoned himself to it1 with all the energies of that same earnest soul4 #ad ,had he been a liberal ,jew1 we should have far more reason to wonder at his conversion2 it is still less probable that ,god would have selected him for the ,apostle of the ,gentiles4 ,an earnest lover of truth1 even before his conversion1 it followed as a natural consequence1 that ,st4 ,paul hated error2 and for this reason he opposed the ,christian religion with all his might1 and with his whole soul1 because he believed it to be false and dangerous4 ,you have heard1 said he1 writing to the ,christians of ,galatia1 of my conversation in time past in the ,jews religion1 how that beyond measure ,i persecuted the ,church of ,god1 and laid it waste4 ,but he tells us elsewhere3 ,i obtained mercy of ,god1 because ,i did it ignorantly in unbelief4 ,in the same proportion that the earnest man loves what is good and true1 he hates what is false and evil1 or what he thinks so1 and opposes it too4 ,st4 ,paul opposed the ,christian faith with all his power1 because he believed it to be false4 ,he was wrong there3 it was an error of judgment4 #ae ,he persecuted it too violently1 beyond measure1 forgetting the rules of charity4 ,there he was wrong again2 it was an error of the heart4 ,but in all this he was in earnest1 hating false doctrine2 and there he was right4 ,i do not sympathize with his delusion1 but ,i love him for his earnestness4 ,oh6 how many such men may there not be in this country of ours1 that we rank among our bitterest foes6--men who honestly oppose our holy religion1 not for what it really is1 but what they think it to be4 ,could we open that sealed and sacred register of the divine counsels1 wherein the fortunes of mankind are written1 with what delight should we read there the names of many of our bitterest opponents who are destined to kneel and worship with us yet1 as others1 thank ,god1 have done already6 ,why not8 ,i do from my heart believe that many of these make war upon us only from mistake of judgment4 ,they know our doctrines only by false report4 ,they judge of our morals only by such ,catholics as are either the most ignorant of their own religion1 or else entirely false to the teachings of their ,church1 and strangers to her sacraments1 although some of these may be loud enough at times in proclaiming a faith they have not1 to further some political pretension1 or sanctify some ungodly trade4 #af ,under such circumstances it is not strange that many earnest men should set their faces against us4 ,could they cease to hate our religion1 while they believe it to be false8 ,can they sympathize with us1 while they believe us to be corrupted by it8 ,oh6 ,god1 send these men into thy fold6 ,take off the scales from their eyes1 and send them to us4 ,we need earnest men amongst us4 ,the half-hearted1 indifferent ,protestant who calls himself a liberal1 we do not hope for4 ,we have too many such already2 we could spare them by the thousand1 for they neither save their own souls1 nor bring credit to thy cause4 ,but send us earnest men like ,st4 ,paul1 who know how to hate error1 because they love the truth6 ,if1 even when groping in the darkness of ,judaism1 ,st4 ,paul was so honest-hearted and earnest1 we shall not find him otherwise when enlightened by the grace of ,jesus ,christ1 and enlisted in his holy cause4 ,he had before him two great enterprises1 which require not only large grace from ,god1 but all one's manhood and energy to carry on well4 #ag ,he had his own soul to sanctify and save1 and he had an ,apostle's work to do4 ,he set about both like a man in earnest1 with that deliberate1 deep and concentrated enthusiasm which is not wont to fail4 ,let us see first what care he took of his own salvation4 ,would you believe it1 my brethren1 that ,st4 ,paul--after all that wonderful life of toil and privation in the cause of ,christ1 after his many voyages and frequent shipwrecks1 imprisoned often1 and dragged before different tribunals1 after being scourged five times by the ,jews and three times by the ,romans1 stoned by the mob in the streets and left for dead1 wandering about without any fixed home1 and often famishing for food and drink1 and faint for want of sleep--would you believe1 ,i say1 that he yet trembled for fear of being damned8 ,he was afraid lest that poor1 emaciated body of his might rebel against the spirit1 and drag him into some grievous sin4 ,oh6 wretched man that ,i am6 was his mournful cry1 who shall deliver me from this body of death8 ,for this reason he scourged himself4 ,therefore ,i chastise my body1 and bring it into subjection1 lest1 perhaps1 when ,i have preached to others1 ,i myself should become reprobate4 #ah ,this is being in earnest4 ,i think1 my brethren1 our bodies are as dangerous to us1 as ,st4 ,paul's was to him4 ,are we as much in earnest to guard against a fall8 ,gluttony1 drunkenness1 impurity1 idleness and effeminacy--these sensual sins are generated in the body4 ,we may not1 all of us1 be guilty of them1 not grossly guilty2 but we are none of us quite safe against them4 ,what means do we employ to subjugate our bodies1 or was ,st4 ,paul less safe than we8 ,according to the idea of this great ,apostle1 the way to heaven is a constant and difficult warfare4 ,nothing in language can be more striking and vivid than his description of an earnest ,christian struggling to make sure his salvation4 ,he compares him to wrestlers1 boxers1 and runners in the public games4 ,have you ever seen two strong men wrestling8 ,how their muscles harden into knots1 and their veins swell full as if they would burst6 ,how all their energies are engaged6 ,how wary they are to guard against a fall1 and how quick to seize upon any advantage6 ,imagine them to be real enemies wrestling for life1 and then you have an image of the actual contest of an earnest ,christian struggling for salvation with the enemies of his soul4 #ai ,brethren1 says ,st4 ,paul1 and ,i seem to hear those deep tones giving counsel like a friendly voice at the beginning of a deadly fray1 ,brethren1 put on the armor of ,god1 that you may be able to stand against the snares of the devil4 ,for our wrestling is not against flesh and blood1 but against principalities and powers1 against the rulers of this world of darkness1 against the spirits of wickedness in the high places4 ,tell me1 my brethren1 is this your idea of the ,christian warfare8 ,is it with this terrible earnestness you struggle to work out your salvation1 or do you make a pastime of it8 ,he compares us ,christians to professional racers4 ,know you not that they who run in the race all run indeed1 but one receiveth the prize8 ,so run that you may win4 ,for my part1 he adds1 ,i so run as not at an uncertainty1 not as if ,i had lost sight of the mark1 and were only half conscious of what ,i were about1 but forgetting the things that are behind1 and stretching myself forward to those that are before me1 ,i pursue towards the mark1 for the prize of the supernal vocation of ,god in ,christ ,jesus4 ,is this the earnest way we follow out our vocation8 ,are we thus determined to win8 #bj ,the ,christian warfare requires careful preparation1 drill and discipline4 ,in respect to this1 ,st4 ,paul compares us to professional boxers1 and his description shows that these gladiators of the olden time took as much pride in their art1 as our modern gentlemen of the prize ring4 ,every one that struggles in a combat1 abstains from every indulgence2 they1 indeed1 that they may receive a corruptible crown1 but we an incorruptible4 ,how earnest are these miserable prize-fighters after their belt1 and their stakes6 ,how patiently they submit to all the rules of their training-master during their long and painful course of training6 ,what abstinence from food1 from indulgence in drink1 and all luxurious living1 in order to reduce their bodies to the most athletic proportions6 ,what long walks under heavy weights6 ,what fatiguing exercises to harden their muscles6 ,oh6 that we were half as earnest1 with heaven for a prize1 and all our eternity at stake6 ,we should be sure of victory then4 #ba ,st4 ,paul was in earnest4 ,i so fight1 said he1 as not having to beat the air1 but ,i chastise my body1 and bring it into subjection1 lest1 perhaps1 when ,i have preached to others1 ,i myself should become reprobate4 ,we have seen now1 how1 after his conversion1 ,st4 ,paul set about the first great business before him--his own salvation4 ,let us look at him now as an ,apostle1 engaged in gaining souls to ,god1 and in guarding the flock of ,christ intrusted to him4 ,ah6 my dear brethren1 here must ,i be brief4 ,i dare not make any further demands upon your patience4 ,and1 besides1 who can draw the lineaments of that great ,apostle1 or paint him in colors worthy of his character8 ,what memory can trace out those long and frequent journeys1 with the incessant fatigue of preaching1 disputing1 and writing1 with the care of all the churches upon his hands4 ,and yet1 not to burden his brethren1 he maintained himself in good part by manual labor4 ,what language is gentle enough1 and warm enough1 to represent that tender and sensitive heart that throbbed in sympathy with all the joys and woes of the ,church1 and burned with every scandal8 #bb ,who is weak1 said he1 and ,i am not weak8 ,who is scandalized1 and ,i do not burn8 ,who can estimate the depth and fulness of that fraternal love1 which made him willing to part even with his own hopes of heaven1 so it could be done without offence to ,god1 in order to save his brethren8 ,my conscience bears me witness in the ,holy ,ghost that ,i have great sadness1 and continual sorrow in my heart1 for ,i wished myself to be an anathema from ,christ for my brethren4 ,this is the nearest approach to the love of the ,saviour for us1 who bore our sins upon the bitter cross1 who died that we might live1 becoming an anathema for his brethren4 ,oh6 holy zeal for souls6 how beautiful it shows in the person of an ,apostle like ,st4 ,paul6 ,and what an example it is for those of us who are in the sacred ministry4 ,we1 too1 have a share in his ,apostleship2 we are charged with the preaching of the ,gospel1 and the gathering in of souls4 ,we have pledged ourselves to this holy work of duty and charity4 ,woe to such among us as are not in earnest6 ,joy to him who1 when his ,lord comes1 shall be able to give a good account of his stewardship6 #bc ,but you1 my dear brethren1 have also something to learn from this burning zeal of ,st4 ,paul's4 ,you have all something to do with the advancement of your ,master's kingdom1 and the salvation of souls4 ,when ,god created the human race1 so we read in the ,book of ,ecclesiasticus1 he made each man responsible1 in some measure1 for the welfare of his fellows3 ,mandavit illis unicuique de proximo suo4 and there is still a closer and dearer bond which embraces all the members of the great ,catholic ,church1 and holds each one pledged to labor for the salvation of all4 ,ah6 brethren1 do not say with the murderer ,cain3 ,am ,i my brother's keeper8 ,what have ,i to do with the sanctification or ruin of souls8 ,no6 no6 but take to heart your ,master's cause4 ,he came into the world to save sinners4 ,teach your heart to throb in sympathy with his1 until you can say with ,st4 ,paul3 ,who is weak1 and ,i am not weak8 who is scandalized1 and ,i do not burn8 ,this is to love our ,lord in earnest4 ,this is the communion of saints4 #bd ,we have traced this distinguishing characteristic of the great apostle--this earnestness of his--through his entire career4 ,it only remains now to witness the close of that career4 ,st4 ,paul died like a man who had lived in earnest1 and for whom therefore death has no terrors1 ,for me to live1 said he1 is ,christ1 to die is gain4 ,is it possible that any fear of death1 any doubt of his salvation could cloud the spirit of such a man in the closing scene of his career8 ,listen to his parting song of triumph6 ,it comes from his prison at ,rome1 just upon the eve of his martyrdom4 ,he has still before his mind's eye the combatants and runners in the public games4 ,the time of my dissolution is at hand4 ,i have fought a good fight1 ,i have finished my course2 ,i have kept the faith4 ,for the rest there is laid up for me a crown of justice1 which the ,lord the just ,judge will render to me at that day4 ,could we say as much1 my brethren1 if our time were come8 ,could we claim as manfully to have fought a good fight8 ,could we claim our reward as confidently8 ,no8 ,then1 alas1 we have not been so much in earnest4 ,we have been playing with our salvation1 not wrestling for it2 we have not been fighting for our faith with the world and ,satan1 but compromising2 we have been resting not running2 and if so1 what hope have we to reach that crown8 #be ,oh1 let us bestir ourselves6 ,let us live like men awake2 so let us think1 so speak1 so act1 so move1 through this brief but solemn crisis of life1 that all who see us may know that1 like ,st4 ,paul1 we are in earnest4 --------------------- #bf ,sermon ,,ii4 ,unworthy ,communion4 ,he that eateth and drinketh unworthily1 eateth and drinketh judgment to himself1 not discerning the ,body of the ,lord4 --#a ,cor4 xi41 #bi4 7,from the ,epistle for ,thursday in ,holy ,week47 ,it is customary at certain seasons of the year1 for separated members of a family to meet and dine together1 as a means of cherishing that affection for one another which we look for among relations4 ,thanksgiving ,day and ,christmas are occasions of this kind4 ,the ,catholic ,church1 too1 is a great family1 and the ,paschal ,season is such a time with her4 ,she calls her children around her altars1 to receive the ,body and ,blood of her ,lord1 who is the blessed bond of their union1 and of their love4 #bg ,but as in the parable of the rich man's supper there was found one at the table who had not on the wedding garment1 and was cast out2 therefore the ,church warns us at this season1 to prepare for the ,paschal ,feast1 that we may not be found unworthy4 ,and to the same end she calls upon us to keep this season of penance1 beforehand4 ,in the ,church's name1 then1 and in charity to yourselves1 my dear brethren1 ,i am going to lift up my voice this morning1 against unworthy communions4 ,but first1 ,i must tell you1 that ,i do not mean unworthy1 in the sense of communions made without profit3 as for example1 when one makes but little preparation beforehand1 and thinks little of what he is doing at the moment1 and makes but the poorest sort of thanksgiving afterward4 ,no2 compared with such as ,i mean1 these communions are precious and holy4 ,they do but little good to those who make them1 it is true2 and give but poor honor to ,god2 but at least they are made in the state of grace4 ,by an unworthy communion1 ,i mean one that is made in known mortal sin4 ,i mean a sacrilegious communion4 #bh ,i shall speak1 then1-- #a4 ,of communion in itself4 #b4 ,of unworthy communions4 #c4 ,of those who are guilty of them4 ,i4--,what is ,communion8 ,it is the ,body and ,blood of ,jesus ,christ1 given to us as food for the sanctification of our souls and bodies4 ,he that eateth my ,flesh1 and drinketh my ,blood1 hath everlasting life1 and ,i will raise him up at the last day4 ,footnote #a ,footnote #a3 ,st4 ,john1 vi41 #ee4 ,what is ,holy ,communion8 ,it is to receive the best of friends1 who comes to advise us1 to cheer and to encourage us4 ,a friend who has power to protect us4 ,who loves to dwell in our hearts as in a castle1 where ,he may fight for us against the enemies of our soul4 ,what is ,holy ,communion8 ,it is a pledge of ,heaven1 and a foretaste of it4 ,union with ,god by a perfect love1 will be our happiness for all eternity1 and this is begun on earth in ,holy ,communion4 ,as ,st4 ,peter says1 it is to be made partakers of the ,divine nature4 ,footnote #b ,footnote #b3 #b ,peter i41 #d4 ,what is ,holy ,communion8 ,it is the parting gift of one who loves us better than our mother4 ,he chose the time when ,he was about to leave us1 to give it an additional value4 #bi ,he made it the memorial of ,his ,passion4 ,as in times past1 ,he had given the rainbow as a perpetual remembrance of ,his mercy1 so ,he willed that the ,blessed ,sacrament of ,his ,body and ,blood1 should be a perpetual remembrance of the redemption of the ,cross1 ,do this in remembrance of ,me4 ,what is ,holy ,communion8 ,it is the best of all the good gifts of our good ,god4 ,,ii4--,what then is it to receive this ,holy ,communion unworthily8 ,it is to be grievously wanting in reverence to the holiest of all holy things4 ,when you see a person put a thing to an improper use1 what do you say8 ,why1 that is too bad2 you say4 ,why1 you must be out of your head4 ,suppose you saw a girl in service1 scrubbing the floor with a beautiful camel's-hair shawl1 what would you say8 ,suppose you saw me filling the water stoups at the door1 and for that purpose dipping out the holy water1 from a pail1 with the very chalice ,i had just used in ,mass1 what would you say8 ,why1 you would exclaim1 how very shocking6 what an irreverent ,priest6 #cj ,now why would you say this8 ,because when ,god made your soul1 ,he put into it a reverence for certain things1 above others4 ,but what does an unworthy communion do8 ,it does this4 ,it takes the ,blood of ,christ1 and pours it down a sink that is more loathsome than a city sewer1 for what is so loathsome to ,god1 as a soul in mortal sin8 ,corruption of matter is good1 for ,god made it1 but moral corruption is an abomination to ,him4 ,this one does who conceals a mortal sin in confession4 ,what is an ,unworthy ,communion8 ,it is to crucify ,jesus over again4 ,what does ,st4 ,paul say8 ,they who have tasted of the ,heavenly ,gift and are fallen away1 crucify to themselves the ,son of ,god1 and make a mockery of ,him4 ,now1 which is worse1 to leave off keeping a man's company1 or to play the false friend with him8 ,but this a man does who receives ,holy ,communion unworthily4 ,the spirit of his act is as if he went up to the throne of ,god1 and caught hold of those ,blessed ,hands and ,feet1 and said1 come down to earth and be tormented once more4 ,he would pull off the crown of glory from that ,blessed ,head1 and press down again upon that ,brow the crown of thorns4 #ca ,nay1 it does even worse than crucify ,jesus over again4 ,his first crucifixion was a willing one4 ,it was ,his own love that was the real executioner2 but now ,he is dragged against ,his will4 ,this is what a man does who gets his absolution on the strength of some promise which he does not intend to keep4 ,what is an ,unworthy ,communion8 ,it is to eat and drink one's own damnation4 ,what does ,st4 ,paul say again8 ,he that eateth and drinketh unworthily1 eateth and drinketh judgment to himself4 ,the wood of the cross drank in the ,blood of ,christ1 and was sanctified2 and here is a soul that has drunk it in1 and is damned4 ,the ,centurion was sprinkled with it1 as he was piercing the side of ,christ with a spear1 and it made a ,saint of him2 but here is a ,christian soul1 that is damned for being bathed with it4 ,it cleansed the robber's conscience who was hanging beside his ,lord1 and pleaded mercy for him2 but on this soul it cries for vengeance1 like the blood of ,abel1 against another ,cain4 #cb ,better1 said our ,lord1 had it been for that man1 if he had not been born2 but now1 he has anticipated the ,day of ,judgment upon himself4 ,this a man does who gets his absolution upon the promise of breaking off from a bad companion1 which promise he does not mean to keep4 ,i repeat1 then1 they make unworthy1 sacrilegious communions1 for instance1 #a4 ,who conceal mortal sins in confession4 #b4 ,who get their absolution on the strength of their promising what they do not intend to perform4 ,but what am ,i saying8 ,surely no one before me has been guilty of this6 ,well1 ,god only knows4 ,it has been done elsewhere1 and may have been done here1 for alas1 unworthy communions are not such very uncommon things4 ,in case it has been so1 ,i wish to strike terror into such consciences1 and to bring them to penance4 ,i wish to prevent such a misfortune1 in the parish of ,st4 ,paul's1 as one coming to the ,paschal ,feast of the ,lamb without his wedding garment4 #cc ,,iii4 ,who has done this8 ,as our ,lord sat at the table with ,his ,apostles1 at the ,last ,supper1 he said sadly1 ,one of you shall betray ,me4 ,each in turn1 asked ,him eagerly and earnestly1 ,lord1 is it ,i8 ,no1 ,peter1 ,i foresee that you will deny that you know ,me4 ,that you will even swear that you do not4 ,that you will even do this several times2 but no1 it is not you who will betray ,me4 ,lord1 is it ,i8 ,no1 ,thomas4 ,you will run away for fear at my death1 though you said you would die with ,me4 ,you will not believe ,my word that ,i am risen1 and that ,i am your ,lord1 until you put your hand in the prints of the nails2 but no1 it is not you who will betray ,me4 ,lord1 is it ,i8 ,no1 ,john4 ,you shall be beside ,me at the ,cross4 ,i mean that you shall have the charge of my mother2 oh1 no1 ,i do not mean you6 ,lord1 is it ,i8 ,thou hast said it1 ,judas4 ,i made you an ,apostle1 a pillar of my ,church4 ,i called you out of the world1 and took you to my bosom1 as a dear friend4 ,you have gone in and out1 and eaten and drunk with ,me4 ,nay1 you have just received ,my ,body and ,blood1 and all the while you hold the thirty pieces of silver for which you have betrayed ,me4 #cd ,now1 then1 ,i think ,i hear you say to me3 ,father1 have ,i then done this horrible thing8 ,is it ,i8 ,is it ,i8 ,no1 my good man4 ,you have enjoyed for years your ill-got gains1 but your health has gone now4 ,declining years have come upon you1 and you are poor2 you can never restore them again4 ,your communions are not unworthy for this4 ,but as for you1 young man1 why have you presumed to come to the altar8 ,where are those thirty pieces of silver for which you sold your soul8 ,you promised in confession that you would restore them1 but why8 that you might get your ,easter ,communion4 ,in your heart you said1 ,perhaps ,i will1 some day1 and all the while1 you knew that no absolution is valid without the will to restore1 or actual restitution when one is able2 and you were able4 ,father1 is it ,i8 ,no1 poor fellow4 ,you forgot to mention in your last confession1 a very grievous sin1 and only remembered it just after you had left the altar4 ,do not be troubled4 ,you tried your best to examine your conscience1 but this escaped your memory4 #ce ,it was forgiven with the rest4 ,but what have you to say for yourself1 ,o drunkard8 ,you did not leave out one of your many nights of debauch2 but what of that solemn promise to keep from liquor for so long a time1 which you have already so often broken1 as you had no intention of keeping it8 ,you have drunk in damnation with your liquor1 and deeper damnation with your communion4 ,father1 is it ,i8 ,no1 poor girl4 ,you should have known better than to have trusted yourself to a deceiver with his jewels and wine2 but you have done penance4 ,your sobs in the confessional have spoken for you4 ,your communion1 though so soon after your confession1 was good4 ,but what have you to say for yourself1 ,o adulterer1 and adulteress8 ,you1 ,o adulterer2 you found a home where there were smiles1 and fondness1 and peace2 and what have you done8 ,you have made it a home of jealousy and strife4 ,you have put estrangement between two hearts whom ,god joined together1 and said1 let no man put asunder4 ,you have robbed a fellow man of one of his most sacred rights given him in the face of the ,church4 #cf ,and you1 ,o adulteress1 why have you come here8 ,our ,lord said to ,judas1 ,friend1 why hast thou come8 dost thou betray the ,son of ,man with a kiss8 ,you knelt here at the altar-rail1 and as the ,priest said to you1 ,the ,body of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ preserve thy soul unto everlasting life1 you put up your lips1 and said1 like ,judas1 ,hail ,master6 and you kissed our ,lord4 ,oh6 where was the ,angel of the ,blessed ,sacrament then8 ,an ,angel was placed at the gate of ,eden with a flaming sword to keep guard over the ,tree of ,life4 ,oh6 where1 ,i ask1 was the ,angel of the ,blessed ,sacrament8 ,where was ,his guardian who said of ,himself1 ,i am the bread that cometh down from ,heaven1 of which whosoever eateth1 he shall live forever6 ,preserve thy soul unto everlasting life1 indeed6 ,it has prepared you for the everlasting burnings2 for the flames that shall never be quenched4 ,you went to confession1 you say6 ,yes1 ,i know you did1 and you concealed your sins of shame4 ,you have added to these one of sacrilege4 ,and you1 ,o slanderer1 who have robbed your neighbor of his character1 by your lies and calumnies which you have never told in confession1 or if you have1 which you never intend to repair at the price of your own dishonor6 #cg ,you have been drinking in your own judgment with the ,blood of ,jesus4 ,jesus1 judgment6 ,jesus1 damnation6 ,why ,st4 ,bernard said1 the very name of ,jesus was music in his ear1 honey in his mouth1 and joy to his heart4 ,jesus1 damnation6 ,why ,st4 ,gabriel said ,he shall be called ,jesus1 for ,he shall save ,his people from their sins4 ,o cruel perversion of sin6 to turn sweetness into bitterness6 ,but what does ,god say of such as these8 ,when you stretch forth your hands1 ,i will turn away ,my eyes from you and when you multiply prayer1 ,i will not hear for your hands are full of blood4 ,footnote #c ,footnote #c3 ,isaias i41 #ae4 ,let me tell you a fact that a ,jesuit told to one of our ,fathers4 ,a young man in the neighborhood where he lived1 was heir to a large estate1 which he was to receive at twenty-one years of age1 on the condition that at that time he frequented the ,sacraments4 ,he turned out to be very wild and given up to sin4 ,near the end of his twentieth year1 he was reminded of the danger of his losing the estate4 #ch ,never fear1 said he1 ,i'll easily manage that1 and at once he began to lead outwardly a very correct life4 ,he was now seen at ,mass4 ,he kept out of society1 and public places of amusement4 ,within a short time before his birthday1 he went to confession2 and the morning came1 when he was seen to go up to the altar-rail for communion4 ,the ,priest placed the ,blessed ,sacrament on his tongue1 and had turned back to the altar1 when he heard a frightful shriek1 and the words ,my tongue6 my tongue6 it has burned my tongue6 ,when the ,priest returned to him1 he said1 ,oh ,father1 forgive me1 my confession was bad1 ,i had been in the secret commission of mortal sins which ,i purposely concealed4 ,i had no wish to forsake them1 but only to secure my property2 oh ,father1 ,i repent1 absolve me before ,i die6 ,the ,priest took the ,blessed ,sacrament from his tongue1 and with much difficulty consoled him with the promise of pardon4 ,he made a good communion soon after1 and was put in possession of his estate1 which he sold1 and gave to the poor1 and in penance for his sins1 doomed his false tongue thenceforward to perpetual silence4 #ci ,tremble1 then1 dear brethren1 at the thought of so grievous a sin4 ,for such as are guilty of it1 there is but one thing to be done4 ,come back to ,god with sorrow1 now in this time of penance1 for1 thus saith the ,lord2 if your sins be as scarlet they shall be made as white as snow2 and if they be red as crimson they shall be as white as wool4 ,footnote #d ,footnote #d3 ,isaias #a1 #ac4 ,transcriber's note3 ,the ,,usccb reference is ,isaias i41 #ah4 ,confess your sacrilegious communions4 ,go and repair the scandal you have given4 ,restore the goods you have stolen4 ,abandon the companions of your guilt4 ,do this1 and there will be joy before the ,angels of ,god1 and with the ,priests to whom you may confide your conscience4 ,if1 in spite of all ,i have said1 you live on with the guilt of an unworthy communion1 eternal woe will be your portion2 from which may ,god in ,his mercy deliver you1 and all of us4 ,,amen4 ------------------ #dj ,sermon ,,iii4 ,christ's ,resurrection ,the ,foundation ,of ,our ,faith4 ,and when the ,sabbath was past1 ,mary ,magdalene and ,mary the mother of ,james1 and ,salome1 brought sweet spices4 --,mark xvi41 #a4 7,from the ,gospel for ,easter ,sunday47 ,on this day1 the bosom of the whole ,church swells with exultation4 ,after the penance of ,lent1 after the mourning of ,holy ,week1 the countless disciples of the crucified and risen ,saviour1 take up and echo through the whole earth the joyful cry--,christ is risen6 ,he is risen indeed4 ,for this is the day on which ,jesus ,christ1 bursting the bonds of the sepulchre1 triumphed over death4 #da ,this is the day which1 more than any other1 enlivens our faith1 strengthens our hope of eternal salvation1 and causes our hearts to bound with spiritual joy4 ,even the coldest and most indifferent ,christian feels his bosom warm with some faint sentiment1 at least1 of devotion on this day1 and remembers with pride that he bears the name and professes the faith of ,jesus ,christ4 ,this is right and proper4 ,for all the doctrines of our religion are centred in the resurrection4 ,all our hopes are based upon it4 ,the ,resurrection is the grand ,fact of ,christianity4 ,it is the proof of the ,divinity of ,jesus ,christ2 it is the seal of ,god which makes the documents of our faith authentic2 it is the cause and the pledge of our final resurrection and eternal happiness4 ,this accounts for the joy which swells every true ,christian bosom1 on this day4 ,for1 my dear brethren and ,i beg you to note it well--the source of our hope and of our joy is in our faith4 ,it is the certainty of faith which banishes all doubt1 wavering1 hesitation and gloom from the heart of a sincere and fervent ,catholic4 ,the faith of the ,resurrection must be firmly planted in our minds1 if we would have the hope of the ,resurrection1 and the joy which springs from this hope1 bright and glowing in our hearts4 #db ,let me therefore ask your attention this morning1 while ,i endeavor to show you what a firm and and immovable foundation we have for our faith1 in the resurrection of ,jesus ,christ4 ,and in doing so1 ,i will endeavor to establish these three points3 ,first4--,that ,jesus ,christ appealed to his future resurrection1 while he was yet alive1 as the proof of his ,divinity4 ,second4--,that ,he actually raised himself from the dead1 as he had predicted1 and1 ,third4--,that the ,resurrection of ,christ proves his ,deity1 and with it1 the entire ,catholic faith4 ,may the grace of the risen ,saviour increase our faith1 through the intercession of ,mary1 whose faith never wavered for an instant1 even beneath the ,cross of her ,son6 ,i4 ,jesus ,christ asserted frequently and clearly to the ,jews1 that he was ,god1 and required them to believe him4 ,so his disciples understood him1 who believed2 so the ,jews understood him1 who did not believe1 but accused him of blasphemy and condemned him to death4 #dc ,the great sign1 the miracle1 the proof1 to which he appealed to justify this declaration1 was his resurrection on the third day after his death4 ,he declared himself to be the proper and only begotten ,son of ,god4 ,he that does not believe this1 he says1 is already judged1 because he believeth not in the ,name of the only-begotten ,son of ,god4 ,footnote #e ,footnote #e3 ,john iii41 #ag4 ,transcriber's note3 ,the ,,usccb reference is ,john iii41 #ah4 ,this title of only-begotten which he gives himself1 shows that he does not merely claim to be a child of ,god by grace and adoption1 but by nature4 ,this nature he declares positively is not his human nature1 but distinct from it1 that it came from heaven1 and was in heaven as well as on earth4 ,no man hath ascended into heaven1 but he that descended from heaven1 the ,son of ,man who is in heaven4 ,footnote #f ,footnote #f3 ,john iii41 #ac4 ,he confesses that he is man2 but asserts that he is more than man1 that he came from heaven4 ,he asserts also that this superior nature which is joined with his humanity is eternal4 ,before ,abraham was--,i am4 ,footnote #g ,footnote #g3 ,john viii41 #eh4 ,not ,i was2 but ,i am1 the word by which ,god made known his eternity to ,moses4 ,and finally he declares that this super-human and eternal nature is identical with that of his ,father1 is the ,divine nature itself4 ,i and my ,father are one4 ,footnote #h ,footnote #h3 ,john x41 #ch4 #dd ,his disciples who believed in him1 understood him to teach his divinity4 ,my ,lord and my ,god4 ,footnote #i was the expression of the faith of ,thomas4 ,the ,word was ,god1 ,footnote #aj that of ,john4 ,footnote #i3 ,john xx41 #bh4 ,footnote #aj3 ,john i41 #a4 ,so the ,jews understood him1 who did not believe4 ,the ,jews answered him3 for a good work we stone thee not1 but for blasphemy1 and because that thou1 being a man1 ,,makest ,,thyself ,,god6 ,footnote #aa ,footnote #aa3 ,john x41 #cc4 ,the ,jews understood then perfectly well1 that in calling himself the true1 proper1 and only ,son of ,god1 the ,christ and ,saviour of the world2 and in working miracles1 forgiving sins1 and preaching salvation1 in his own name1 and by his own authority1 and not as a mere prophet--he asserted his own true and proper divinity1 and made himself ,god4 #de ,in support of this claim1 ,jesus ,christ repeatedly appealed to his resurrection4 ,he foretold his death2 and declared that he would show himself to be the true ,son of ,god the ,father1 having the same divine nature and the same divine power with him2 by raising himself from the dead on the third day4 ,the ,son of ,man shall be in the heart of the earth1 three days and three nights4 ,footnote #ab ,footnote #ab3 ,matt1 xii41 #dj4 ,this was said to the ,scribes and ,pharisees who wished him to give them a sign which should prove him to be the true ,christ4 ,when he drove out the men who were trafficking in the courts of the ,temple1 the ,jews said to him3 ,what sign dost thou show unto us1 seeing thou dost these things8 ,jesus answered and said unto them3 ,destroy this temple1 and in three days ,i will raise it up4 ,but he spoke of the temple of his body4 ,footnote #ac ,it is remarkable that he does not declare that he will be raised to life by his ,father1 but by himself4 ,i lay down my life that ,i may take it again4 ,no man taketh it away from me1 but ,i lay it down of my self1 and ,i have power to lay it down and ,i have power to take it up again4 ,footnote #ad ,footnote #ac3 ,john ii41 #ah-ba4 ,footnote #ad3 ,john x44 #ag-ah4 #df ,these are only samples of the frequent and public declarations made by our ,lord to the same effect4 ,and it was so well known among the ,jews that he had staked his entire cause on his resurrection1 that they came to ,pilate1 immediately after his crucifixion1 and said to him3 ,sir1 we have remembered that that seducer said1 while he was yet alive3 ,after three days ,i will rise again4 ,command therefore the sepulchre to be guarded until the third day4 ,footnote #ae ,footnote #ae3 ,matt4 xxvii41 #fc-fd4 ,here1 then1 is the grand test of the truth of ,christ's doctrine--the grand sign of his divinity2 the public challenge which he gives to all his enemies4 ,we have it on the testimony of the most desperate haters of his name and doctrine2 the very men who nailed him to the ,cross4 ,they were resolved to prove his prediction false1 to show that he could not1 and would not1 rise again1 and thus to manifest him to the world as a seducer4 ,at the sepulchre of ,jesus ,christ1 then1 is the trial of strength between them4 ,the dead body of ,jesus is on one side2 the ,jewish rulers1 the ,roman governor1 and a strong watch of soldiers on the other4 ,and ,jesus ,christ overcame2 he actually did rise1 as he had foretold3 resurrexit sicut dixit2 and all their precautions only served to furnish so many brilliant testimonies to the fact1 that he had fulfilled his word4 #dg ,,ii4 ,picture to yourselves1 if you can1 the scenes of those three memorable days6 ,the ,sun of ,justice1 the ,light of the ,world1 has gone down in darkness4 ,jesus ,christ is dead2 he is buried1 and a great stone is rolled to the door of the sepulchre4 ,the disciples are scattered here and there1 buried in the most profound and bitter disappointment1 consternation and grief4 ,the multitudes have fled hastily from ,mount ,calvary1 some beating their breasts with contrition1 some blaspheming1 but all in terror4 ,the heavens are overclouded and black1 the thunder moans1 and an earthquake shakes the earth4 ,the frightened inhabitants of ,jerusalem1 as they return to their homes1 are met in the streets by the pale corpses of the dead1 who have left their graves1 and are wandering about among the living4 ,in the temple1 those wicked and unworthy priests are startled at the sudden tearing1 by an invisible hand1 of the thick and heavy veil which hangs before the ,holy of ,holies4 ,an ominous stillness sinks over the city of ,jerusalem after that dreadful1 tragical day4 ,it is the eve of the greatest ,sabbath of the year4 #dh ,the ,sabbath morning dawns once more2 all is apparently quiet1 and ,god does not appear1 to take sudden vengeance on his guilty people4 ,annas and ,caiphas1 and those other wicked priests who have sacrificed the ,lamb of ,god1 with their souls all black and turbid with remorse1 but with a grim and diabolical exultation in the success of their horrid work1 prepare themselves in splendid vestments for the sacrifices and the ceremonies of the day4 ,the countless multitudes of ,jews1 gathered together from every part of the world to keep the ,passover1 crowd the vast courts of the temple4 ,the disciples remain shut up1 in silence and in fear4 ,the ,roman soldiers guard the shut and sealed sepulchre of ,jesus4 ,the day passes and the night1 and nothing occurs4 ,the first streaks of the dawn begin to appear in the sky on ,sunday morning4 ,the disciples have forgotten the promise of their ,master to rise on the third day1 and have lost heart entirely4 ,mary ,magdalene1 and the other pious women1 have planned to steal out early to visit his tomb1 and to bring their spices1 and perfumes1 and fresh flowers1 to cast upon his dead body4 #di ,they set forth together2 while still in the distance1 they are frightened by the sight of torches and armed men in the garden4 ,they have not courage to go on2 and they remember that a great stone is at the door of the sepulchre1 which will hinder their entrance4 ,only the courageous and loving ,mary ,magdalene has the hardihood to press forward at all risks1 leaving the others hovering about in the neighborhood of the garden4 ,as she approaches the sepulchre1 she sees the stone rolled away to one side2 she pays no attention to the soldiers who are lying on the ground1 apparently stunned and insensible1 but goes in1 and the body of ,jesus ,christ is not there2 his grave-clothes are lying in the spot where his body was placed1 and an angel is watching the empty sepulchre4 ,bewildered and surprised1 and occupied only with the thought that the body is gone1 she runs hastily back to the place where ,john and other apostles are staying1 tells them in breathless haste what she has seen1 and without waiting for a reply1 returns as speedily as possible to the sepulchre4 #ej ,meanwhile1 during ,magdalene's absence1 the other women observing that the soldiers have left the gar-den1 come also to the sepulchre1 see the stone rolled away1 go in1 and find two angels sitting1 one at the head1 the other at the foot of the place where ,christ was laid4 ,the angels tell them that ,christ is risen1 and bid them go announce it to his disciples1 and direct them to meet him in ,galilee1 as he had commanded them before his death4 ,they now leave the garden to return to the city1 and ,magdalene arrives once more1 and while these things are happening the sun has risen1 the sun of the first ,easter ,sunday1 the type of the ,risen ,sun of ,justice4 ,mary ,magdalene goes into the sepulchre again1 and begins to weep1 still too much occupied with the thought that the body of ,christ is gone1 to reflect on any thing else4 ,she sees the angels2 but to the questions3 ,woman1 why weepest thou8 whom seekest thou8 she answers distractedly1 ,they have taken away my ,lord1 and ,i know not where they have laid him4 ,she turns around1 and sees the figure of a man1 whom she takes to be the gardener1 and asks him where they have taken the body of ,jesus4 ,the well-known voice exclaims3 ,mary6 ,she suddenly recognizes the ,lord1 and utters a cry of joy3 ,oh1 my ,master6 #ea ,she tries to clasp him by the feet1 but he forbids her1 and bids her go1 announce his resurrection to the disciples4 ,she sets off immediately1 and in a few moments ,peter and ,john arrive1 visit the sepulchre1 and see that the body is not there4 ,they also return to the city4 ,immediately after his interview with ,mary ,magdalene1 the ,lord appears also to her companions1 while they are returning to their homes4 ,he was also seen by ,peter some time during the day4 ,toward evening he joins two of the disciples1 who were going to ,emmaus1 a small village near ,jerusalem1 and explains to them the prophecies of the ,scripture concerning himself1 but is not recognized by them1 until he blesses bread and gives it to them1 and then disappears from view4 ,so the day passes4 ,first one arrives at the coenaculum1 and relates his story1 then another1 then others2 the day passes in comparing these different accounts1 in conversing together1 in expectation of what is going to happen4 ,when night draws on1 the apostles and disciples are gathered together for prayer2 the two from ,emmaus come in just then1 and relate their interview with the ,lord1 when suddenly he appears among them1 and says3 ,peace be unto you4 ,so passes this day4 #eb ,the four ,evangelists give no regular and methodical account of it4 ,all these occurrences are related by some one or more of them2 and ,i have strung them together in an order in which they might have happened1 and which reconciles all the accounts with each other4 ,such is the narrative of the ,gospel4 ,is it true8 ,did these things really happen8 ,in regard to one fact1 ,christians1 ,jews and ,romans were agreed4 ,the body of ,jesus ,christ was removed from a closed and sealed tomb1 guarded by ,roman soldiers1 by early dawn on the morning of ,easter ,sunday4 ,it was removed either by ,divine power1 or by human ingenuity4 ,the rulers of the ,jews circulated the report1 which they have repeated to this day1 that his disciples came and stole him away1 while the guard was sleeping4 ,what6 exclaims ,st4 ,augustine1 you will prove your cause by sleeping witnesses8 ,if they were asleep1 they knew nothing of the way by which the body disappeared4 ,and if they were awake to see the disciples steal it1 why did they not kill them on the spot4 #ec ,the guard were sleeping6 ,a guard of ,roman soldiers4 ,who can believe that8 ,for a ,roman soldier to sleep at his post was an extraordinary and most disgraceful thing1 and here we have a whole band of them1 with an officer at their head--sleeping4 ,the punishment was death4 ,in this case especially1 no mercy could have been expected1 where both ,roman and ,jewish rulers were so deeply interested in putting an end to the religion of ,christ4 ,how did they dare confess their sleeping1 unless they were in connivance with the authorities1 and bribed to repeat this story4 ,why was no trial held8 ,why were not these soldiers examined before a tribunal8 ,why was no search made for the body of ,jesus1 and for his disciples8 ,why is the whole matter hushed up by common consent between ,pilate and ,caiphas8 ,there is only one possible supposition4 ,and that is3 that the soldiers saw the resurrection of the ,lord--that they related it to their rulers1 and that by bribes and threats their testimony was suppressed4 ,i will not pause to accumulate arguments4 #ed ,i will not speak of the impossibility that ,jesus ,christ should be able to predict that his disciples would attempt such an incredible task as the removal of his body1 and succeed in it4 ,i will not speak of their timidity1 and their perfect want of all plan of action1 all means of carrying out any project whatever2 of their complete perplexity and helplessness2 and of the utter madness of sacrificing all their worldly goods and their lives1 to carry out a manifest imposture4 ,these things are so plain1 that reasoning only seems to weaken the effect with which they strike conviction to the mind at the first statement4 ,i return to this simple fact1 that the tale circulated by the soldiers1 in common with ,pilate and the ,jewish rulers1 is a complete and irresistible proof of the ,resurrection4 ,and there are evidences in abundance that it was so regarded at the time1 that this incredible tale was only believed by the most stupid and besotted portion of the populace1 and by those who knew nothing of the matter1 except what they heard by vague rumors4 ,we have the testimony of ,tertullian that even ,pilate was convinced of the truth of the resurrection1 ,ea omnia super ,christo ,pilatus1 et ipse pro conscientia sua jam ,christianus1 ,tiberio renuntiavit4 ,footnote #af ,footnote #af3 ,apol41 c4 #ba4 #ee ,josephus1 the ,jewish historian1 says of ,christ1 that he appeared to them alive again1 the third day1 as the divine prophets had foretold4 ,footnote #ag ,footnote #ag3 ,antiq41 ,lib4 xviii41 c4 #c4 ,justin ,martyr1 a most learned ,jew1 and an eminent philosopher of the second century1 who became a ,christian1 does not fear to assert boldly to the ,jews3 ,you know that ,jesus was risen from the dead and ascended into heaven1 as the prophecies did foretell was to happen4 ,footnote #ah ,footnote #ah3 ,dial4 cum4 ,tryph41 p4 #bcj4 ,the fact of the ,resurrection of ,jesus ,christ was so evident1 that it paralyzed for a time the efforts of the ,jewish rulers to suppress his doctrine4 ,and months elapsed1 during which this doctrine made the most astonishing progress1 before they dared to put a disciple of ,christ to death4 ,it was the manifest fact of the resurrection which caused the sudden and continuous growth and propagation of the ,christian ,church4 ,jesus ,christ was far more powerful after his death than during his life4 ,not only did several thousand of the most sincere and pious among the ,jews of ,jerusalem and ,judea1 and of the strangers who had come to celebrate the ,passover1 embrace ,christianity1 but a great multitude of the priests also were obedient to the faith4 ,footnote #ai ,footnote #ai3 ,acts i4 ,transcriber's note3 ,the ,,usccb reference is ,acts vi4 #g4 #ef ,nicodemus1 one of the most distinguished ,doctors of the ,law1 and ,joseph of ,arimathea1 a wealthy and powerful ,jew1 and a member of the grand council1 who had previously been timid1 and had abstained from attaching themselves openly to ,christ1 came out now publicly and announced themselves ,christians4 ,the centurion1 or ,roman officer1 who commanded the soldiers by whom ,christ was crucified1 with the soldier who pierced the side of our ,lord1 and several other soldiers1 were converted4 ,the tremendous impression made by the resurrection of ,christ on the whole ,jewish nation1 was the cause which gave the impetus to this movement4 ,and it was the resurrection to which the apostles constantly appealed in proof of the divine character of ,jesus ,christ1 and the truth of his doctrine4 #eg ,,iii4 ,thus did ,jesus ,christ1 by raising himself from the dead1 as he had foretold1 redeem his pledge1 and prove himself to be ,god4 ,therefore the ,scripture frequently speaks as if ,jesus ,christ were made the ,son of ,god by his resurrection4 ,he was1 says ,st4 ,paul1 predestinated the ,son of ,god in power1 by the resurrection from the dead4 ,footnote #bj ,footnote #bj3 ,romans i41 #d4 ,that is1 as ,st4 ,ambrose explains it--,he1 whose deity was concealed in the incarnation1 was predestinated to declare and manifest himself as the ,son of ,god by his resurrection4 ,during his life1 he declared himself to be ,god1 and promised to raise himself from the dead on the third day after his death1 as a proof of his divinity4 ,he did rise from the dead2 and the resurrection is thus the grand proof of the central doctrine of the ,catholic faith1 the divinity of ,christ1 and not only of that1 but also of every other doctrine connected with it and springing from it--of the ,catholic faith complete and entire4 ,it proves not merely the divinity of ,christ1 but the divinity of his words and of his acts4 ,his words are words of divine truth2 his acts are acts of divine power4 ,the same ,jesus who raised himself from the dead1 said1 ,this is my body--,this is my ,blood2 and if we believe that he is truly ,god1 we must believe that the ,holy ,eucharist is indeed his flesh and blood4 #eh ,the same ,jesus who proved his divine power by raising himself from the dead1 transferred and delegated his power to ,st4 ,peter and his successors1 when he said--,thou art ,peter1 and on this ,rock ,i will build my ,church1 and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it1 and ,i will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven2 whatever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven1 and whatever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven4 ,it is in the ,catholic ,church that the testimony to the resurrection1 commenced by the first apostles1 is continued and passed down from age to age1 by the unbroken succession of popes and bishops4 ,the apostles were the witnesses of the resurrection4 ,when the new apostle was to be appointed in the place of ,judas1 ,st4 ,peter said--,one of these must be made a witness with us of his resurrection4 ,footnote #ba ,footnote #ba3 ,acts i41 #bb4 ,the ,catholic priesthood1 as it were1 joining hands with each other1 run back in an unbroken line to the first fathers and founders of their glorious order1 who saw the risen ,saviour1 and clasped the hands nailed to the cross4 #ei ,down this line has passed the uninterrupted1 unbroken testimony to the resurrection4 ,this day itself1 the festival1 ,easter1 is a grand monument of the resurrection4 ,every year1 from this day back to the day on which ,christ rose from the dead1 the whole ,christian ,church has celebrated the resurrection of ,christ on ,easter ,sunday4 ,thus we all join hands with our predecessors in past ages1 until the long chain terminates in the little church of the disciples1 gathered together in the coenaculum1 to whom ,christ appeared and said--,peace be to you4 ,and as we celebrate these joyous festivities1 which carry us back to the very days of our ,lord and his apostles1 an electric shock of faith startles and reanimates our souls4 ,yes2 this is the day of faith4 ,it is the special festival of faith4 ,the resurrection confirmed and renewed the wavering1 sinking faith of the disciples4 ,the ,lord has risen indeed1 and has appeared unto ,simon4 ,these words show how those fainting and almost despairing hearts revived on that day4 ,oh6 wretched and miserable men1 such as ,pilate and ,caiphas1 and the besotted multitude1 who did not1 would not believe--or at least would not act on their convictions1 and confess the truth6 #fj ,equally unhappy are those now1 who have no faith2 who do not believe in the ,son of ,god2 who do not await the resurrection of the dead2 who believe in nothing1 but pass their lives in miserable and endless doubting and unbelief4 ,equally unhappy are those who1 though enlightened once in baptism1 and brought up from childhood in the ,catholic faith1 are weak1 wavering and hesitating in their faith2 who neither believe or disbelieve2 who dare not renounce their religion1 and yet will not adhere to it firmly and profess it openly2 but hang1 as it were1 in the outskirts of faith1 and around the courts of the temple of ,divine ,truth4 ,equally unhappy are those who1 believing firmly1 deny their faith by their acts1 and disobey the ,lord whom they acknowledge to be their true ,god and their final ,judge2 who1 on the day when ,christ is risen from the dead1 lie buried in the grave of mortal sin2 who have no part in his life and grace1 and have not received his ,paschal sacraments4 #fa ,but blessed are they who believe2 whose hearts are full of faith1 and whose works correspond with that faith2--into whose bosoms the ,paschal joy has entered by the devout reception of the ,sacraments of ,penance and the ,eucharist1 and who can look forward with hope to the day of the general resurrection from the dead4 ,for all such good ,christians1 this is the brightest1 the happiest1 the most glorious day of the whole year4 ,all things sympathize with the joy of the risen ,saviour4 ,the earth breaks the icy bonds of winter1 and starting from the state of lifelessness1 awakes to new life and growth and freshness4 ,the spring begins to appear1 and the signs of approaching warmth and of the time of buds and blossoms and green foliage show themselves4 ,the ,church puts on her festal attire and sends up her joyous hymns1 and solemnizes her splendid ceremonies4 ,the faithful everywhere1 leave their sins1 do penance for their misdeeds1 weep at the foot of the cross1 reconcile themselves with ,god1 and come with purified hearts to partake of the ,paschal ,lamb--the flesh and blood of the ,divine ,jesus1 in the blessed ,sacrament of the altar4 #fb ,and while we go back in our thoughts to that day on which ,christ arose1 the first-begotten from the dead1 all these external signs and ceremonies point also forward to that last ,easter ,sunday--that day of the resurrection of all mankind4 ,the change and renovation of the earth in the season of spring1 and the resurrection of souls by the ,paschal sacraments1 and the solemn celebration of ,christ's resurrection1 these are all types of that glorious morning when the redeemed human race shall start from its tomb2 when the old things shall pass away1 and all things1 the heaven and the earth1 and all things that are in them1 shall be made anew4 ,when the obscurity of faith shall give place to the light of glory1 and the hope of salvation shall be changed into the beatific vision of ,god4 #fc ,sermon ,,iv4 ,giving ,testimony4 ,you shall give testimony of me4 --,john xv41 #bg4 7,from the ,gospel for the #fth ,sunday after ,pentecost47 ,these words were spoken by our ,lord to his disciples1 before his departure from this world4 ,he had chosen them from the beginning1 and imparted to them a full knowledge of the truth1 that they might bear testimony to it4 ,all things whatsoever ,i have heard from my ,father ,i have made known to you4--,i have chosen you1 and have appointed you1 that you should go1 and should bring forth fruit1 and your fruit should remain4 ,footnote #bb ,footnote #bb3 ,john xv41 #ae1 #af4 #fd ,the disciples did give testimony4 ,they labored in season and out of season in spreading the truths which they had learned from the lips of our ,saviour4 ,their sound went over all the earth1 and their words unto the ends of the world4 ,footnote #bc ,footnote #bc3 ,rom4 x41 #ah4 ,their testimony was not only in sound and words3 their lives testified to the truth which they preached4 ,they suffered persecution1 poverty1 imprisonment1 and sealed their testimony to the truth with their blood1 by willingly laying down their lives for it4 ,these disciples were true to ,christ4 ,their testimony was faithful1 loyal1 heroic4 ,we1 too1 are disciples of ,christ1 and have our testimony to give2 and ,i propose to show in the first place1 what are our obligations to give this testimony of ,christ2 and in the second place1 who are those who fail in their obligations to give this testimony4 ,what are our obligations to give testimony of ,christ8 ,there are many ,christians who seem to think that they are at liberty to choose what course of life they please1 that they can live as they like2 that whether they attend to their religious duties or neglect them1 whether they are patterns of ,christian virtue or scandals to their faith1 is nobody's business4 #fe ,this opinion is false1 most false1 because all ,christians are under a lasting obligation to ,christ to lead a ,christian life4 ,christ is our ,lord and ,master1 and as such has a complete right of control over all our actions4 ,there can be no dispute about this4 ,you call me ,master and ,lord4 says he2 ,you say well1 for so ,i am4 ,footnote #bd ,footnote #bd3 #a ,john xiii41 #ac4 ,transcriber's note3 ,the ,,usccb reference is ,john xiii41 #ac4 7,gospel1 not epistle47 ,christ is not only our ,master and ,lord1 but also our ,creator1 for by ,him all things were made that are made4 ,his dominion over us is therefore absolute and supreme4 ,in ,his presence we are simply subjects1 and have only duties to fulfil4 ,christ as ,man has the full right of purchase over us4 ,he can claim of us all our actions1 for he redeemed us from the captivity and slavery of sin4 ,knowing that you were not redeemed1 says the ,apostle ,peter to the faithful1 with corruptible gold or silver from your vain conversation of the tradition of your fathers2 but with the precious blood of ,christ4 ,footnote #be ,footnote #be3 #a ,peter i41 #ah1 #ai4 #ff ,can any one who listens to these words be so destitute of intelligence and faith as to entertain the idea1 for a moment1 that ,god created us and became man and died for us1 only to leave us at liberty to live as we please1 and to sin as much and as often as we like8 ,no2 says the ,apostle ,paul1 ,christ died for all4 ,and why8 ,listen1 faithless ,christian3 ,that they also who live may not live to themselves1 but to ,him who died for them1 and rose again4 ,footnote #bf ,footnote #bf3 #a ,cor4 v41 #ae4 ,transcriber's note3 ,the ,,usccb reference is #b ,cor4 v41 #ae4 ,what is it to live to ,christ8 ,to live to ,christ is1 to live to please ,him2 it is to follow in ,his footsteps and copy in our lives ,his virtues4 ,this is made clear from what the same ,apostle says in another place1 on the same subject3 ,our ,saviour1 ,jesus ,christ1 gave ,himself for us1 that ,he might redeem us from all iniquity1 and purify unto ,himself a people1 acceptable1 pursuing good works4 ,footnote #bg ,footnote #bg3 #b ,titus ii41 #ad4 ,transcriber's note3 ,the ,,usccb reference is3 ,titus ii41 #ad4 ,a ,christian1 then1 is one who lives to ,christ by keeping free from all iniquity and pursuing good works4 ,this is the testimony that ,christ requires of us1 and which we are bound to give by every sacred obligation which binds us to ,him as our ,creator and ,redeemer4 #fg ,another reason why we are under obligation to give testimony of ,christ by leading an exemplary life1 is that ,christ came into the world not only to be our ,redeemer1 but also our ,model4 ,hear him3 ,you call me ,master and ,lord1 and you say well1 for so ,i am1 4444 and if ,i1 then1 being your ,lord and ,master have given you an example1 as ,i have done to you1 so you do also4 ,footnote #bh ,footnote #bh3 ,st4 ,john xiii4 #ac1 #ad1 #ae4 ,for is there any one so uninstructed as not to know that it was wholly unnecessary for ,jesus ,christ to practise on his own account1 humiliations1 poverty1 obedience1 self-denial1 meekness1 and embrace the sufferings and bitter death of the cross4 ,he practised these virtues in order to induce us to practise them1 for these were due to us as punishment for our sins1 and necessary for us as preservatives against our vices4 ,god became man to teach men by example how they ought to live4 ,christ suffered for us1 says the apostle ,st4 ,peter1 leaving you an example1 that you should follow his steps4 ,footnote #bi ,footnote #bi3 #a ,peter ii41 #ba4 ,he then is false and faithless to his obligations1 who claims the name of a ,christian1 and does not follow in ,christ's footsteps4 ,no ,christian1 then1 has the right to live as he likes1 but is bound to live as ,christ likes4 #fh ,the ,holy ,church too1 has a right to exact from us the obligation to lead an exemplary life4 ,for as in a flock of pigeons1 on seeing one fly all the others follow1 so it is in the society of the ,church1 the good example of one member encourages and edifies the whole body4 ,that you may understand the watchfulness and jealousy of our ,lord over his flock1 listen to his own language3 ,he that shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in me1 it were better that a mill-stone were hanged about his neck1 and that he were drowned in the depths of the sea4 444 ,woe to that man by whom scandal cometh4 ,footnote #cj ,footnote #cj3 ,matt1 xviii41 #f4 #g4 ,the ,church has not only the right to claim from us to follow in ,christ's footsteps for the sake of believers1 but also for the unbeliever4 ,according to the words of ,christ3 ,let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works1 and glorify your ,father in heaven4 ,footnote #ca ,footnote #ca3 ,matt1 v41 #af4 ,it is more by the testimony of a good example than by miracles1 that unbelievers are brought to the light of truth4 ,this is illustrated by the example of the martyr ,st4 ,lucien4 #fi ,it is related of him by ,surius1 that he led many unbelievers to the knowledge of the truth and to embrace the ,catholic faith1 by the modesty of his life and his exemplary conduct4 ,so powerful was the influence of his example1 that the ,emperor ,maximilian1 when seated upon his throne and about to condemn him to death1 commanded that he should be kept out of his view1 behind a veil1 lest even the mere sight of the saint should change him into a ,christian4 ,is it not then with good reason ,st4 ,john ,chrysostom says3 ,there would be no heathens were we such ,christians as we ought to be4 444 ,paul was but a man1 yet how many did he draw after him6 ,if we were all such as he1 how many worlds might we have drawn to us6 ,footnote #cb ,footnote #cb3 #a ,tim4 ,hom1 x4 ,how was it ,st4 ,paul attracted so many to ,christ8 ,he tells us himself1 in these words3 ,give no offence to the ,jews1 nor to the gentiles1 nor to the church of ,god2 as ,i also please all men in all things1 not seeking that which is profitable to myself1 but to many2 that they may be saved4 ,footnote #cc ,footnote #cc3 #a ,cor4 x41 #ca1 #cb4 ,transcriber's note3 ,the ,,usccb reference is3 #a ,cor4 x41 #cb-cc4 #gj ,it is clear1 then1 beyond all dispute1 that every one who claims the name of a ,christian is bound by a lasting and sacred obligation to give testimony to ,christ by following in his footsteps1 and consequently those who fail are guilty of robbing their ,lord and ,master of his rights1 and are no true ,catholics1 but traitors to the faith4 ,who are they who fail to give this testimony of ,christ8 ,i will tell you4 ,you will find many who were born of ,catholic parents1 were baptized in the faith when young1 and yet never acknowledging the faith of their fathers1 and of their baptism4 ,they are not open apostates1 they neither attack their faith1 nor defend it when attacked4 ,you might know them for years and not dream that they were ,catholics4 ,it is hard to tell what they really are4 ,they are not ,protestants1 nor ,jews1 nor ,turks1 for these have religious convictions1 and do not deny them1 but the men ,i speak of either have no religious convictions1 or want the manliness to acknowledge them4 ,they do not like to be known as ,catholics1 and yet they identify themselves publicly with free-masons1 odd-fellows1 and similar secret societies4 #ga ,another class consists of those who confess themselves ,catholics1 but never1 or very rarely1 enter the ,church4 ,they take offence at the slightest irregularity1 whether it be in the priesthood1 or the preaching1 or in the manner of conducting public worship2 and under some such pretext they excuse their grievous neglect of worship1 and their profound indifference to all the sacred duties of religion4 ,these claim the name of ,catholic1 and their conduct is that of an infidel4 ,a third class is composed of those who now and then on occasion of a jubilee or a mission1 or some similar event1 come to ,church1 and perhaps receive the holy sacraments4 ,their religion is like a fire in the straw1 it soon dies out4 ,talk to these men of their business1 and they will tell you that a man who does not watch and pay constant attention to it1 will soon find himself bankrupt4 ,speak to them of the affairs of the nation1 and they will tell you that the country is going to ruin1 because its citizens neglect to attend political meetings and fail to approach the polls at election times4 ,on business1 or politics1 on almost every thing but their religion1 they reason correctly1 and act like sensible men2 on their duties to ,god and the affairs of their soul they appear to be as destitute of reason as they are of loyalty4 ,money is their ,god1 and their religion is politics4 #gb ,the fourth class is made up of the rank and file of sinners--cursors1 drunkards1 and the army of grog-shop keepers4 ,these latter1 under the pretext of making a living1 spread more misery1 wretchedness1 and crime among our people1 than all the plagues of ,egypt brought upon the inhabitants of that land4 ,the source of nine-tenths of the scandal to our holy religion is in the grog-shops2 and to make the scandal of their vile and unlawful traffic more conspicuous1 they congregate by preference in the neighborhood of a ,church1 justifying the well-known proverb3 ,where ,god erects a house of prayer1 ,satan must have a chapel there4 ,the grog-shop keepers are the worst enemies of our holy religion in this country1 for they not only occasion the destruction of a vast number of ,catholics1 but by the disgust which their bad example creates1 they offer the greatest hindrances to the conversion of non-catholics4 #gc ,these are some out of the great number of those who fail to give testimony of ,christ2 for we have not the time to enumerate all4 ,now1 what is very strange1 and yet characteristic of all these1 they appear to live as though they were unconscious of their obligations1 and of the guilt which they incur4 ,they seem to think that if they are allowed to assume the name of a ,christian or ,catholic1 they are safe4 ,well then1 asks one1 why not exclude them from the ,church altogether1 so that the whole world can see what they are8 ,this is the way we do away with unprofitable subjects in other institutions4 ,take1 for example1 a railroad corporation4 ,sometimes a company of this kind starts with great prospects4 ,the number who travel on the road is prodigious4 ,the stockholders congratulate themselves on a heavy dividend2 when to their wonder1 on reckoning up their accounts1 they find the company running fast into bankruptcy4 ,investigations are made1 and it is discovered that a large number of the passengers have been paying no fare1 riding as dead-heads4 ,these being struck off1 the corporation begins to prosper again4 ,not so with the holy ,church4 ,she is in this respect unlike all other institutions4 ,she is likened by her ,founder to a field of wheat1 in which the enemy had sown cockle4 #gd ,and when one of the servants said to the master3 ,wilt thou that we go to gather it up8 and he said1 no2 lest while you gather up the cockle1 you root up the wheat also together with it4 ,let both grow until the harvest2 and in the time of harvest1 ,i will say to the reapers1 gather up first the cockle1 and bind it into bundles to burn2 but gather the wheat into my barn4 ,footnote #cd ,footnote #cd3 ,matt1 xiii41 #bh-cj4 ,the time to cut off the faithless children1 the dead-heads of the ,church1 is not now1 but in the harvest time1 the day of general reckoning1 when our ,lord shall appear in power and majesty to judge the world4 ,then he will say to these3 ,i am your ,lord and ,master1 why have you not obeyed me8 ,he will show them his wounds1 and say3 ,behold the price ,i paid to redeem you from sin6 ,what right had you to refuse my service8 ,i came upon earth to give an example that you might follow my steps1 and you turned your back upon me6 ,you were a scandal to the ,church1 and a stumbling-block in the way of others4 ,you refused to give testimony to my mercy1 now you shall give testimony to my sovereign justice4 ,gather up this cockle1 these faithless1 false1 treacherous disciples1 he will say to his servants1 and let their portion be in the pool which burns with fire and brimstone4 ,footnote #ce ,footnote #ce3 ,apoc4 xxi41 #h4 #ge ,could but our voice reach the ears1 and our entreaties penetrate the hearts of these guilty ,catholics1 we would lift it up and cry out to them3 ,do penance speedily6 ,repair by a good example the evil which your bad example has caused to your neighbor4 ,strive to gain more souls to ,christ than your wicked life has lost to him heretofore4 ,let your good works shine out the more1 so that like the servant of the eleventh hour1 you may obtain the full wages of eternal life4 ,as for you1 dearest brethren1 who have manfully withstood until now all temptations to be disloyal to your faith1 whose lives1 full of good works1 have borne noble testimony to ,christ1 lift up your eyes and hearts to heaven at this season of our ,lord's ascension4 ,i go1 he says1 to prepare a place for you4 ,i will come again1 and will take you to myself2 that where ,i am1 you may be also4 ,footnote #cf ,footnote #cf3 ,john xiv41 #b1 #c4 ------------------- #gf ,sermon ,v4 ,spiritual ,death4 ,behold6 a dead man was carried out4 --,st4 ,luke vii41 #ab4 7,from the ,gospel of the #aeth ,sunday after ,pentecost47 ,what a touching occasion was this1 in which our ,blessed ,lord was pleased to manifest his power1 and perform one of his many acts of infinite mercy2 an act1 which like all his miracles1 was not only full of loving-kindness to those for whom it was performed1 but also replete with spiritual instruction for all4 ,a widow is bereaved of her only consolation1 a son1 in whom were centred all her hopes1 in whose happiness all her own was bound up2 the pride of her eyes1 her joy in adversity1 and the sunshine to her poor heart in the cloudy days of sorrow4 #gg ,perhaps1 too1 he was her only support2 his the arm which labored for their daily bread1 and she looked forward to the time when age and gray hairs should bring infirmity1 and her enfeebled body tremble on the verge of the grave2 then would he be the light to her dimmed eyes1 and a guide to her tottering steps4 ,and now1 alas6 he is gone6 ,is the world all dead8 ,is it always night8 ,do the birds sing no more8 ,are the earth and sky all wrapped in a great1 gloomy mantle of grief8 ,where is her heart1 does it beat no more8 ,ah6 so it is indeed to her4 ,how she watched him in the long hours of his racking pains1 his burning fever4 ,at times he did not know her2 her1 his own dear mother4 ,oh6 how she prayed for him4 ,oftentimes1 as he lay upon his dying bed unconscious1 she would kneel down beside him1 and take his thin wasted hand in hers1 and lift up her streaming eyes to ,god1 the ,father of the fatherless1 and pour forth her soul in an agony of supplication1 beseeching ,him to spare her only son1 her life1 her all4 #gh ,in vain4 ,that hand grows cold within her grasp2 those eyes1 which erewhile were so full of expression1 have assumed a dull glassy unmeaning stare1 there is one shuddering convulsion1 the breathing ceases1 his jaw drops1 and she is a broken-hearted1 childless widow4 ,that body1 once so cherished and tenderly cared for1 must soon be removed far away out of sight1 and now1 amid the lamentations of a sympathizing multitude1 they carry it to the grave4 ,she feels her loss so keenly that the very carriers of the bier seem to her to be heartless and unfeeling4 ,thus the scene in the ,gospel opens3 ,behold1 a dead man is carried out4 ,i know that poor widow4 ,i have seen that dead man1 her only son1 the cherished idol of her heart1 many a time4 ,i know well those bearers1 and they are assuredly most heartless and unfeeling4 ,i have seen the ,lord stop them on their way1 as they carried him to the portals of death and hell4 ,would you know who they are8 ,sinner6 offspring of ,holy ,mother ,church1 part and parcel of her own life1 who by sin hast lost the life of grace2 it is thou6 ,behold thou art the dead man who is carried out4 ,contemplate thyself as in a mirror in this example from the ,holy ,gospel4 #gi ,the ,church has done for you all1 aye1 and more than this poor widow did1 or could do1 for her only son4 ,she has given you a noble birth in ,jesus ,christ4 ,she nourished you1 watched over1 and cared for you1 in your infancy4 ,she flattered herself1 poor mother1 that you would do honor to her one day2 she looked forward to the time when you would become her support4 ,she was so bound up in you1 that she often exclaimed with a truth1 ,why do ,i live if it be not for my child8 ,her very occupation1 her unceasing labors were for you4 ,how proud she was to see you increasing in grace with ,god and men1 your manly soul strong in virtue2 your conscience bright and fair to look upon as the face of an angel1 thrilling her maternal heart with gladness1 as she beheld reflected there the lineaments of the sacred countenance of her ,divine ,spouse4 ,alas6 that any thing so bright8 and beautiful should ever know decay or death6 ,hear the sad story4 ,disease came4 ,sin entered into your soul1 as does the insidious pestilence into the very marrow of the bones4 ,and now the frightened mother looks with dismay upon your changed features4 #hj ,you are becoming emaciated1 your soul1 starving in sickness1 is no longer cheerful with the love of ,god4 ,although so haggard and so woebegone1 there is yet the hectic flush of the fever of passion4 ,at times in the height of that fever your mind wanders3 you do not know her1 her6 your own dear mother8 ,so low has sin brought you1 so far has sin abased you1 that you have forgotten your noble descent and your glorious destiny4 ,the crime of disobedience to the law of ,god has done its work1 and that soul which once walked so proudly erect now lies completely prostrated4 ,oh6 how that ,mother ,church prays for you6 ,with outstretched arms to heaven she implores the divine mercy4 ,spare1 ,o ,lord1 spare thy people1 and give not thine heritage to reproach4 ,leave me not alone without this only son of my heart1 for whom ,christ died6 ,but you are in your agony now1 and hear nothing4 ,you are not moved to tears1 as you would be1 if you could but hear those agonizing prayers4 #ha ,you lie indifferent to all around1 while the disease fastens upon your very vitals3 one sin after another1 one temptation given way to after another1 until the life-blood of your soul has frozen in its channels3 and before your weeping1 inconsolable mother1 the ,church--before ,god1 and in sight of ,his holy ,angels and ,saints1 you are dead6 dead66 dead666 ,like the fruitless church of ,sardis1 in the ,apocalypse3 ,thou hast a name that thou livest1 but art dead4 ,footnote #cg ,footnote #cg3 ,apoc4 iii41 #a4 ,what are the signs1 my brethren1 by which you would pronounce a man dead8 ,surely1 that he has no longer the use of any of his senses2 that he can neither see1 hear1 taste1 touch nor smell4 ,if nothing remained to him but faint breathing1 and a fluttering1 feeble pulse1 you would already weep for him as lost to you1 and consider it only as the matter of a few moments to draw the sheet over his face1 and prepare his shroud4 ,now this is just the deplorable state of a man in mortal sin4 #hb ,let me illustrate this4 ,if you saw a person walking upon a railroad track1 and the train came thundering along directly in front of him1 and yet he proceeded on his way1 totally unmindful of your shouts and warnings of danger1 you would throw up your hands and exclaim3 ,ah6 ,god have mercy on him1 poor man2 he must be totally blind and deaf--he is as good as dead4 ,and so he is in effect2 for the train passes over him1 and scatters his mangled body hither and thither4 ,of what use to him was his power of motion8 ,he had the name of a living man1 and is dead4 ,so death is coming upon you1 sinner1 sudden and destructive4 ,how many sermons have you not heard upon that awful subject8 ,how many warnings have you not had in the deaths1 ever unlocked for1 alas6 too often unprovided for1 among your friends1 acquaintances1 and in the very bosom of your family4 ,you hear not1 you see not2 no warning will turn you from your fatal track4 ,you are as good as dead4 ,if you saw a young girl walking to the brink of one of those dreadful precipices formed by the lofty palisades on the ,north ,river1 and1 despite the cries of her friends1 she continued her walk1 gazing up at the sky1 would you not say3 ,ah6 poor thing1 she must be killed2 she is as good as dead4 #hc ,oh1 young woman1 you are walking upon the brink of a precipice1 by your dangerous familiarities1 your late hours1 your improper company-keeping2 and despite the cries of your father1 your mother1 the pleadings of your friends1 and the warning voice of your confessor1 your heedlessness in sin will destroy you1 body and soul1 and you must lose reputation1 honor1 salvation1 eternity4 ,deaf to the voice of ,god1 you are as good as dead4 ,jesus daily prepares his divine banquet for you2 but1 alas6 you have lost your spiritual taste for that heavenly food1 and there is no life in you--you are dead2 according to the words of the divine ,saviour3 ,amen1 ,amen4 ,i say unto you1 ,except ye eat the flesh of the ,son of ,man1 and drink his blood1 you shall not have life in you4 ,footnote #ch ,footnote #ch3 ,st4 ,john vi41 #ed4 ,transcriber's note3 ,the ,,usccb reference is3 ,st4 ,john vi41 #ec4 ,the ,lord strikes you with afflictions of various kinds3 disease1 loss of friends1 misfortune in your business4 ,he sends his angel of death to your very doors2 but you are insensible to his chastisements3 they affect you no more than if you were a statue of marble4 ,is not this to be indeed dead8 #hd ,you have put on malediction as a vestment1 and it has entered like water into your veins1 and as oil into your bones4 ,footnote #ci ,footnote #ci3 ,psalms cviii41 #ah4 ,transcriber's note3 ,psalms cviii ends at verse #ad4 ,yes2 corruption has commenced2 you have become offensive as a corpse1 of bad odor1 and scandalous to the ,christian community4 ,the finger is pointed at you1 your bad life is every where spoken of1 but you do not believe it2 like a corpse1 you are not sensible of the disgust you excite4 ,as the sister of ,lazarus said to the ,lord3 ,it is now four days since he died1 and already he stinketh4 ,four days6 ,why1 it is four months--four years--forty years1 since you died--since you committed mortal sin1 and continued in it1 oh6 unrepentant sinner2 and you have become insupportable4 ,you have reaped the blasting curse you sowed3 ,for he that soweth in the flesh1 of the flesh also shall reap corruption1 the words of this day's ,epistle4 ,footnote #dj ,footnote #dj3 ,gal4 vi41 #h4 ,your dead soul is in the hands of the bearers1 your companions in sin1 your fellow cursers and blasphemers4 ,the grog-shop keepers have got hold of you1 and every step is a closer approach to the tomb1 the gates of hell1 the last home of fornicators1 liars1 and drunkards4 #he ,how insensible you lie in their hands6 ,the multitude may weep1 in company with your poor mother1 piercing cries and sobs which are heard throughout heaven and hell1 but make no impression on your dull ears4 ,no6 there is no sound that can wake you now1 but the voice of ,jesus ,christ1 or the last trump which will summon your guilty soul to judgment4 ,will that voice of ,jesus ,christ be heard8 ,i know not4 ,will the ,lord be moved to pity toward his weeping ,church8 ,i know not4 ,will he touch the bier upon which you are stretched stark dead1 and command those companions of yours in sin to stop8 ,i know not4 ,will ,jesus arrest the steps of that infamous woman1 of those debased1 pitiless1 heartless1 unfeeling dram-sellers8 7,did ,i not say that the widow was right--that they are heartless and unfeeling87 ,i know not4 ,what ,i do know is that1 if ,jesus is not moved to pity1 if he does not strike fear into the heart of that young man or woman1 your companion in sin1 if the arm of the vengeance of ,christ does not fall upon that grog-shop keeper1--no other sound will waken you1 so dead in sin1 but that one upon the ,last ,day1 which rather than to hear1 it were better for you to sleep in eternal oblivion4 #hf ,ah6 father1 you say1 that's dreadful doctrine4 ,yes2 and there is something more dreadful about it4 ,it is true4 ,what saith the ,apostle8 ,it is impossible for those who were once illuminated and have tasted the heavenly gift1 and are fallen away1 to be renewed again to penance1 crucifying again to themselves the ,son of ,god1 and making him a mockery4 ,footnote #da ,footnote #da3 ,heb4 vi41 #d-f4 ,what does this mean but that1 when one has fallen away into mortal sin1 it is as impossible for him to do any thing toward the salvation of his soul1 as it is for a dead man to raise himself to life4 ,lay it to heart--a most important truth--that ,almighty ,god owes you nothing2 is not bound1 nor has he promised1 to give you grace beyond a certain degree2 while he has most emphatically warned the sinner that the time will come1 and who knows--oh6 dreadful thought--but that it has already arrived for you1 when he will withdraw his countenance from you1 and leave you to the fate you have chosen1 and so justly merited4 ,every child has amused himself on the banks of the river or brook1 watching the eddies caused by the meeting of contrary currents1 and observing how the brown leaves which have fallen from the trees into the stream are suddenly caught in the circling current and whirled about1 approaching at each revolution nearer the centre of it4 #hg ,now1 we are told by travellers1 that in the vast ocean there are powerful and dangerous eddies of this sort1 called whirlpools2 and that large ships1 if allowed to sail within their influence1 are drawn in1 and carried round and round1 no longer obedient to the sails or rudder1 and at last are completely swallowed up in the yawning vortex of whirling waters4 ,oh6 unrepentant sinner3 you are the brown leaf1 fallen from the tree of life into the water of iniquity4 ,you are the ship which has lost its compass1 and strayed within reach of the dizzy whirlpool4 ,god stood upon the calm open sea1 and each time that you came around he warned you of your danger4 ,he did more2 he sent strong and sufficient breezes of his holy grace2 if you had taken advantage of them in trimming the sails1 and putting up the helm1 you might have escaped4 #hh ,how many times did he not thus attempt your rescue3 but you heeded him not4 ,there was even something pleasant and intoxicating to be thus carried along in the powerful stream2 and now you go faster and faster1 nearer and nearer1 until the yawning abyss opens upon your gaze1 and you send forth a shriek for help1 a cry of despair4 ,but you are so dizzy that you cannot descry the form of ,god upon the sea4 ,it is well2 it would double your agony to see him now1 for he has turned his back upon you2 or worse1 is mocking you1 and laughs you to scorn4 ,because ,i called and you refused2 ,i stretched out my hand1 and there was none that regarded4 ,you have despised all my counsel1 and have neglected my reprehensions4 ,i also will laugh in your destruction1 and will mock when your fear cometh4 ,when sudden calamity shall fall on you1 and destruction as a tempest shall be at hand2 when tribulation and distress shall come upon you2 then shall they call upon me1 and ,i will not hear4 ,footnote #db ,footnote #db3 ,prov4 i41 #bd-bh4 #hi ,there is no help for you now4 ,your cries of distress1 and prayers and entreaties are drowned in the thundering din of the rushing waters3 as our ,lord prophesied4 ,upon the earth distress of nations1 men withering away for fear1 by reason of the confusion of the roaring of the sea1 and of the waves4 ,footnote #dc ,footnote #dc3 ,st4 ,luke xxi41 #be4 ,what is that which is glimmering white like a sail upon the waves8 ,can it be a friendly ship coming to your rescue8 ,hark6 ,tramp1 tramp1 over land1 over sea4 ,why does that sound send a shuddering thrill of horror through every nerve8 ',tis no sail4 ',tis a pale horse1 and he that rideth thereon is ,death4 ,tramp6 tramp6 over land1 over sea6 ,oh6 woe betide thee1 wretched sinner2 thine hour is come4 ,one last cry1 and the waters of iniquity have closed over you forever6 ,oh1 ,god6 have mercy on poor sinful men1 and according to the multitude of thy tender mercies1 blot out their iniquities4 ,if thy people ,israel shall have sinned against thee1 and thou in thine anger hast delivered them up into the hands of their enemies1 and they return to thee with all their heart1 and confessing to thy name shall come1 and pray1 and make supplication to thee1 then hear thou in heaven1 thy dwelling place1 their prayers2 and forgive thy people1 and have compassion upon them1 and help thy servants whom thou hast redeemed by thy precious blood4 #ij ,what answer dost thou make1 ,o dearest ,lord8--,he that heareth you heareth me4 ,footnote #dd ,footnote #dd3 ,st4 ,luke x41 #af4 ,thy words1 ,o ,jesus1 are truth and life4 ,thou hast commanded thy priests1 the ministers of thy word1 to speak in thy name2 to stand in the path of sinners on the way to destruction1 and make thy voice to be heard1 7,arise6 thou that sleepest1 and awake from the dead67 as thou didst to the only son of the widow of ,nain4 ,be not deceived1 says the holy ,apostle in the ,epistle of this day4 ,god is not mocked4 ,he that despiseth you despiseth me4 ,footnote #de ,footnote #de3 ,st4 ,luke x41 #af4 ,in the name of ,god1 then1 obedient to the charge which ,i1 although unworthy1 have received from the ,lord ,jesus1 ,i say unto you1 arise6 ,arise from those disastrous habits of sin1 which are dragging you down to death and hell4 ,abandon1 once for all1 those horrid haunts of vice and immorality4 ,put away all those obscenities1 evil speakings1 and cursings1 from your lips2 of the which ,i tell you1 as has been already foretold you1 that they who do such things1 shall not obtain the kingdom of ,god4 ,young man1 ,i say unto thee1 arise6 #ia ,oh6 wretched parents1 whose miserable home is a very school of ,satan to your hapless children2 whose daily lives are as an open book before their eyes1 every leaf of which is blotted and blurred with drunkenness and disorder--,i say unto you1 oh1 wicked father1 oh1 slothful mother1 arise6 ,you1 young woman1 over whose head ruin and shame are hanging1 arise6 send that young man away to-night4 ,you who have dealt out disgrace1 dirt1 delirium tremens1 ruin1 and the wrath of ,god1 by the measure1 to your poor fellow sinner1 and upon whose guilty head will fall a double weight of woe--,i say unto you1 arise6 turn to the ,lord1 and perhaps he will have mercy upon you4 ,do penance1 do penance6 and think not to say within your hearts3 ,we have ,abraham for our father2 we have the ,church for our mother--she will watch over us ,catholics1 and before it is too late1 snatch us from the jaws of hell4 ,i say unto you1 sinner1 you are deceiving yourself with a lie1 and your supine indifference proves you to be of that un-happy number described in ,holy ,writ1 who resisted so long to the ,divine call1 that1 hardened in iniquity1 ,god gave them over to believe a lie4 #ib ,thus1 instead of your faith saving you1 it will only be a surer cause of your damnation4 ,oh6 you hope in the mercy of ,god4 ,poor soul6 ,god1 notwithstanding his mercy1 permitted you to fall into your present deplorable state4 ,why shall he not permit you to fall into eternal death1 which1 howsoever terrible and hopeless1 is not so bad1 so evil after all1 as your spiritual death3 for so say the ,doctors of ,holy ,church4 ,the punishment of sin is less than the guilt4 ,between spiritual and eternal death there is but a step--taken every day by one or another in this sinful world--and that is the death of the body2 and if it happens to you to-day1 without doubt1 without remedy or resource1 you will find yourself eternally lost2 which may ,god avert from every one of you4 ,amen4 --------------- #ic ,sermon ,,vi4 ,the ,love ,of ,god4 ,and one of them1 a doctor of the law1 asked him1 tempting him3 ,master1 which is the great commandment of the law8 ,jesus said to him3 ,thou shall love the ,lord thy ,god with thy whole heart1 and with thy whole soul and with thy whole mind4 --,st4 ,matt1 xxii41 #ce-cg4 7,from the ,gospel for the #agth ,sunday after ,pentecost47 ,this doctor of the law had no good motive in asking his question4 ,he was full of malice1 and desired1 not to learn any thing good himself1 but to entrap our ,lord4 ,but ,god knows how to draw good out of evil4 ,though the lawyers intention was bad1 his question was a good one2 the very best question that he could have asked1 and the answer to it one of vast importance to us1 involving all our interests for eternity4 #id ,let us to-day consider well the meaning of the answer given by our ,blessed ,saviour in the words of the text4 ,in the first place1 what does he mean by the love of ,god8 and in the second1 what degree of this love must we practise8 ,what is the love of ,god1 or in what does it consist8 ,many have a false idea of it4 ,they think it is exactly the same as earthly love1 the love of relations or friends4 ,they know what that kind of love is4 ,they exercise it without difficulty4 ,why8 because it is spontaneous2 it is a flowing out of the heart1 an emotion or feeling4 ,they cannot feel the same love for ,god as for their friends1 and therefore they conclude it is of no use to try to love ,god4 ,they make a great mistake4 ,god is a pure spirit1 not to be seen1 heard1 or taken notice of by the senses1 and therefore1 in the very nature of things1 ,he cannot always be loved with that same emotion or feeling that springs up in our hearts1 without effort1 toward our neighbors and friends of flesh and blood4 ,indeed ,god1 considered as an infinite being1 with all his vast and unlimited perfections1 seems in some way separated from us and our thoughts1 which makes a difficulty in feeling emotions of love to ,him4 #ie ,the essence of the love of ,god is not in emotion or feeling1 but in our reason and will4 ,faith reveals ,him to us1 and we acknowledge ,him with our reason to be infinitely wise and infinitely good1 and worthy of all our love4 ,the true love of ,god consists1 then1 in acknowledging ,him with our reason to be what ,he is1 and in the will to do that which is pleasing to ,him4 ,the other kind of love--of feeling--may accompany this true love of ,god or it may not4 ,it is of no consequence whether it does or not4 ,we have no right to expect it1 for ,god will grant it just as far as ,he sees good for us and no farther4 ,it will come1 generally1 as the result of habits of virtue1 of a long course of action1 in imitation of ,his holy perfections4 ,we must learn to know ,him and prize ,him in order to feel love for ,him4 ,that this is the true idea of the love of ,god is clear from the ,holy ,scriptures4 ,in the ,gospel of ,st4 ,john it is thus described3 ,for this is the charity of ,god1 that we keep his commandments4 ,it is not said3 ,the love of ,god is in a delightful feeling that possesses one without any effort on his part4 #if ,that would be very pleasant and very easy4 ,no2 that is not said4 ,but the meaning of what is said is1 that the love of ,god is in the will and determination to keep his commandments4 ,in another place it is said in plain terms3 ,he that hath my commandments and keepeth them1 he it is that loveth me4 ,as much as to say3 ,if your mind and will are directed to me in such a way that you keep my commandments1 don't be worried or afraid1 you do most truly love me4 ,now this ought to console any one who really and truly wants to love ,god1 for we see that it lies in his power to do so4 ,he need not go into raptures of fervor4 ,he need not fly in the air in an ecstasy4 ,he need not see visions or work wonders4 ,he need not practise extra ordinary fasting or austerity1 or spend whole nights in prayer4 ,he need only have a determination1 let him feel well or ill1 that he will honestly and sincerely act so as to be agreeable to ,god1 and he loves ,him4 ,let him go on acting in that way and he will soon love ,him exceedingly1 far more than any thing in this world4 #ig ,another argument that proves conclusively that this is the true love of ,god1 comes from this very command of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ3 ,thou shalt love the ,lord thy ,god with thy whole heart1 and with thy whole soul1 and with thy whole mind4 ,the love of ,god is commanded4 ,now ,god commands nothing impossible1 nothing1 in short1 which is very difficult to set about4 ,as he is a ,god of infinite goodness and love1 the bare idea of such a thing is wholly repugnant to right reason and common sense4 ,if ,he had commanded us to exercise a sensible love--one of feeling--we might justly complain and say3 ,i cannot fulfil it2 that is a thing beyond my control4 ,we have to set about a practical love--keeping his commandments1 that is a business we can give our mind and attention to1 as we would to farming1 building1 doctoring1 or any other business4 ,if a man will set about the business of practically acting according to the will of ,god1 he will add every day to his stock of love and to his merit in heaven4 ,this is a rich mine2 it is inexhaustible2 out of this mine is drawn the pure gold of charity to ,god1 richer and more abundant than all the mines of ,california or ,australia4 #ih ,but what degree of this love must we exercise in order to obtain everlasting life8 ,a high degree of it3 not a low measure of it1 but a large and liberal one if we would make our calling and election sure4 ,our ,lord's answer to the question indicates that beyond mistake3 ,thou shalt love the ,lord thy ,god with all thy heart and all thy soul and all thy mind4 ,that sounds strong2 that sounds hard2 words could hardly be put together to convey a stronger meaning4 ,it would seem to mean that all our thoughts and desires and actions should be engrossed and taken up with ,god and eternity1 so as to leave room for nothing else4 ,this would indeed be hard1 and it would be absurd1 considering the order of things which ,god has established in the world4 ,god created us to live in society and the most of us for society1 to play our part in it1 to bring up families of children--to put bread and butter in their mouths1 and clothes on their backs4 ,we cannot then abandon the world1 and we must devote our attention to its affairs3 we must give a reasonable attention to do them well1 for the advantage of ourselves and those connected with us4 ,what is the meaning1 then1 of loving with one's whole heart and soul and mind8 #ii ,we must have our will and determination directed in the first place to ,god and to keeping his commandments1 leaving every thing else to the second place4 ,a man must be determined to keep ,god's commandments in spite of every obstacle1 in spite of every temptation4 ,he must be determined to keep them all1 that is1 at least1 to avoid every mortal sin4 ,he must be determined not only for the present1 but so long as the breath is in his body4 ,if he falls short of this1 he does not love ,god with all his heart and soul and mind2 he does not do what is necessary to obtain everlasting life1 and he will not obtain it4 ,it is required by ,god1 as an essential condition to our salvation1 that we should be habitually in the determination to keep free from every mortal sin4 ,what can be more just8 ,we acknowledge him as our ,creator1 and as infinitely wise and infinitely good4 ,he is rightly our sovereign ,lord and ,master1 and can command what he chooses--there is an equal obligation on our part to obey him4 ,is it asking much1 that we shall be habitually obedient8 ,any thing short of this he could not require--we could not expect4 ,is it for ,him to be dependent upon our moods and humors1 finding us true to-day and false to-morrow8 #ajj ,oh6 you say1 is that all that is required of us to insure our salvation--to keep clear of mortal sin8 ,that is nothing new2 we knew that all along2 to go that far is not much2 we can do that easily enough4 ,can you1 indeed8 ,perhaps it is easy enough to avoid mortal sin for a time1 when there is fervor1 or particular grace1 or little temptation2 but is it easy to do so for one's whole life8 ,is it easy to do so when one's fervor is worn off1 and distractions of all kinds occupy the mind1 and when in this state strong temptations beset one8 ,who ever says this1 shows that he has little knowledge of himself1 and little experience in affairs of the soul4 ,you may avoid sin a little while1 but you will fall1 as sure as you live1 if your mind is not set against sin1 actively and habitually1 so as to turn away from it with horror in the moment of temptation4 ,no2 in order not to fall1 our whole life must be directed toward ,god4 ,the eternal truths1 heaven1 hell1 death1 judgment1 must pass frequently through our minds and take up our thoughts4 ,in the words of ,scripture1 we must keep our lamps trimmed1 and well supplied with oil1 lest they go out4 #aja ,our souls must be trimmed with holy meditations1 and the oil of good works supplied in abundance must keep the flame of love to ,god burning brightly in our hearts1 or else it will go out4 ,it will fade away gradually for want of nourishment1 until it is gone4 ,we cannot keep clear even of mortal sin1 unless we are thoroughly in earnest about it1 and make a business of it4 ,when our ,lord says1 ,love the ,lord thy ,god with thy whole heart and thy whole soul1 and thy whole mind1 ,he means to say3 ,put your heart and soul in the business of your salvation4 ,make a sure thing of it by the energy and determination you apply to it4 ,the children of this world are wiser1 says the ,lord1 than the children of light4 ,all their prudence and skill is laid out to succeed in their business1 to scrape together what they consider desirable for this life4 ,if any thing like the same prudence and skill were exercised in serving ,god1 salvation would be an easy thing4 ,if you want to be saved1 you must put your souls in it4 ,you all know what the meaning of putting your souls in a thing is4 #ajb ,it is a saying used every day4 ',his soul is in his business2 his soul is in study2 her soul is in fashion1 in her family4 ,how the poor girl at service1 when she wants to please her mistress1 puts her soul in her work6 ,what delight she takes in having every thing clean and in order6 ,when she gets a compliment for her skill or industry1 what heartfelt pleasure it gives her6 ,her continual study is to please in every way4 ,how the young man puts his soul in pleasure sometimes6 ,every cent he can earn is spent in the saloon1 the circus1 the theatre4 ,let him earn a little money1 he breaks off work until it is all squandered4 ,sundays1 holidays1 all are consumed in his darling occupations of drinking and making merry4 ,in his pursuit of pleasure1 ,god1 reputation1 health1 must all give way4 ,nothing is allowed to put any obstacle in his headlong career4 ,so it is with the covetous man4 ,money is his sole delight4 ,his heart is satisfied with the pleasure of hoarding it1 the pleasure of getting more and more4 ,he has more than he knows what to do with3 that makes no difference4 ,he wants still more4 ,he has nothing to give away4 ,he can't afford this1 he can't afford that4 #ajc ,he has no time for amusement2 business1 mortgages1 interest1 that's all the amusement he cares for4 ,anxious and fretful for little losses1 he wears out his life1 and leaves his property for somebody else to spend1 perhaps to be a curse to some worthless relation4 ,he has put his soul in his money-bags4 ,we see people every day whose souls are so taken up with the world1 that they can't even give a thought to any thing that lies beyond it4 ,they verify the words of ,scripture3 ,let us eat1 drink1 and be merry1 for to-morrow we die4 that is1 they would be glad to persuade themselves1 if they could1 that they have no souls1 and are determined to act practically on these suppositions4 ,now1 in the same way that these poor miserable creatures put their souls in business1 pleasure1 love of money1 or worldly ease and comfort1 put yours in the business of your salvation4 ,make it your study to please ,god4 ,don't say3 how little can ,i do and get off with it8 but1 how much can ,i do8 ,what opportunity1 what golden opportunity offers1 to do something to please ,god8 #ajd ,ah6 there are plenty of opportunities for all who wish to avail themselves of them4 ,the poor man can strive to do his duty1 by honest industry supporting his family1 setting them a good example4 ,he has a good deal to put up with1 in the shape of poverty1 sickness1 cold1 hunger1 and fatigue4 ,he can love ,god with his whole soul1 by putting up with these things patiently4 ,these things are his money1 with which he may be sure of purchasing the kingdom of heaven4 ,the rich man1 if his soul is in his salvation1 considers himself as ,god's trustee1 not to dispose of the wealth ,god allots him as he pleases1 but to advance ,his kingdom and the salvation of souls4 ,he does not care so much for pampering his body1 making a show1 or heaping up riches for his heirs1 but is satisfied with a competence and means enough to live according to his station2 the rest he spends in promoting true and deserving objects of charity4 ,he likes to imitate ,jesus ,christ in helping the poor and the sick1 keeping a free bed in the hospital1 sustaining institutions for the relief of orphans1 the insane1 and all who need it4 ,he likes to help a deserving young man1 when he finds one of the sort1 to become a priest in the church of ,god4 #aje ,he doesn't consider it entirely the business of the priest to build churches1 wearing himself out to collect the means1 and that from the hard earnings of the poor1 but steps forth promptly1 and takes his full share of the expense and the labor at tending such enterprises4 ,when he finds a hard-working priest1 zealous for souls1 he will stand by him and work with him1 only too thankful to get a chance to do something4 ,in short1 if we would make eternal life secure1 we must have a spirit of self-sacrifice and devotedness1 such as led the holy ,martyrs to lay down their lives for the faith--such at least in kind1 if not in measure4 ,oh6 my brethren1 how happy is the man who cherishes such a principle in his heart4 ,he is not divided and torn asunder by a continual strife between good and evil4 ,he is not a double dealer4 ,he is not striving to serve two masters4 ,god reigns in his heart1 and peace prevails in it4 ,loss of property cannot take it away1 for property is not the main thing in his soul4 ,neither can loss of friends4 ,he has long been sensible that ,god is the only true unchangeable friend4 ,death cannot disturb it--for he is at peace with ,god1 and doesn't fear death4 #ajf ,oh6 why have we not all this spirit8 ,we acknowledge how beautiful it is4 ,we cannot but regret if we have it not4 ,let us then try for it4 ,let us begin to-day--by forming a deep and strong resolution that we will not live for the world1 or the things of the world1 but seek ,god first of all4 ,that we will really love ,him with our whole heart1 and that this shall be the business of our lives4 ,then shall be true of us what is said by the holy ,psalmist3 ,blessed is the man who hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly1 nor stood in the way of sinners1 nor sat in the chair of pestilence4 ,but his will is in the law of the ,lord and on his law he shall meditate day and night4 ,and he shall be like the tree that is planted near the running waters1 which shall bring forth its fruit in due season1 and his leaf shall not fall off1 and all whatsoever he shall do shall prosper4 ,then all shall prosper with us here below1 for all things shall speed our way to that world above1 where1 without effort1 in a perfect manner1 to our unbounded joy1 we shall love ,god with our whole heart and soul1 and mind1 and strength4 ----------------- #ajg ,sermon ,,vii4 ,keeping ,the ,law ,not ,impossible4 ,i can do all things in ,him who strengthened me4 ,phil1 vi41 #ac4 ,if ,i am not mistaken1 a very great number of the sins that men commit1 are committed through hopelessness4 ,the pleasures of sin are by no means unmixed4 ,indeed1 sin is a hard master2 and all who practice it find it so4 ,i never met a man who said it was a good thing1 or that it made him happy4 ,on the contrary1 all lament it1 and say that it makes them miserable4 ,why then1 do they commit it8 ,very often1 ,i am persuaded1 because they think they have no power to resist it4 ,they feel in themselves strong passions2 they have yielded to them in times past1 they see that others yield to them1 and so they come to think it impossible not to yield to them4 #ajh ,the law of ,god is too difficult1 they say4 ,it is impossible to keep it4 ,it may do for priests or nuns who are cut off from the world1 or for women1 or for the old1 or for children1 but for us who mix in the world1 whose blood is warm1 and whose passions are strong1 it is too high and pure4 ,it is all very well to talk about2 it is all very well to hold up a high standard to us1 but you must not expect us to attain it4 ,the utmost that you can expect of us is to stop sinning1 now and then1 and make the proper acknowledgments to ,god by going to confession1 but actually to try not to sin1 to keep on endeavoring not to sin at any time1 or under any circumstances1 that is impossible1 or at least so extremely difficult that1 practically speaking1 it is impossible4 ,are there none of you1 my brethren1 who recognize this as the secret language of your hearts8 ,is there not an impression in your minds that the law of ,god is too strict8 or at least that it is too strict for you1 and that you cannot keep it8 ,if so1 do not harbor it4 ,it is a fatal error4 ,no3 it is not impossible to keep ,god's law4 ,it is not impossible to keep from mortal sin4 #aji ,it is1 ,i admit1 impossible to keep from every venial sin1 though even here we can do a great deal if we try4 ,such is the frailty of human nature that even the best men as time goes on fall into some slight faults1 only the blessed ,virgin having been able1 as we believe1 to pass a whole life without even in the smallest thing offending ,god4 ,but it is possible for all of us to keep from mortal sin1 at all times and under all circumstances4 ,this1 ,i think1 you will acknowledge when you consider the character of ,god1 the nature of ,god's law1 and the power of ,god's grace which is promised to us4 ,i say the character of ,god is a pledge of our ability to keep from mortal sin4 ,god requires us to be free from mortal sin1 and ,he requires it under the severest penalties1 and therefore it must be possible for us4 ,you may say1 ,god requires us to be free from venial sin too1 and yet you have just said we cannot avoid every venial sin4 ,but the case is far different4 ,a venial sin does not separate us from ,god1 and does not receive extreme punishment from ,him--nay1 those venial sins which even good men commit1 and which are only in small part voluntary1 are very easily forgiven--but a mortal sin cuts us off entirely from ,god1 and deserves eternal punishment4 #aaj ,you know1 one mortal sin is enough to damn a man--one single sin of drunkenness1 for instance1 or impurity2 a cherished hatred1 a false oath1 or an act of grave injustice4 ,one such sin is sufficient to sink a man in hell1 and although we know very little in particular of the torments of hell1 we have every reason to believe that they are most bitter1 and we know that they are eternal4 ,now can it be thought that a being of justice and goodness1 as we know ,god to be1 would inflict so extreme a punishment for an offence which was unavoidable1 or could only be avoided with the utmost difficulty8 ,holy ,scripture sends us to an earthly parent for an example of that tenderness and affection which we are to expect from our ,heavenly ,father4 ,if you being evil know how to give good gifts to your children1 how much more will your ,father who is in heaven1 give good things to them that ask him4 ,footnote #df ,footnote #df3 ,st4 ,matt1 vii41 #aa4 ,what would be thought of an earthly father who laid upon his son a command which it was all but impossible for him to comply with1 and then punished him with the utmost rigor for not fulfilling it8 #aaa ,you would not call that man a father1 but a tyrant2 a tyrant like ,pharaoh1 who would not give straw to the children of ,israel1 and yet set taskmasters over them to exact of them the full measure of bricks as when straw had been given them4 ,why1 if you were going along the street and saw a man whipping unmercifully an over-loaded horse1 you would not bear it patiently4 ,and would you attribute conduct so disgraceful among men to our ,father in heaven8 ,god forbid6 ,far be such a thought from us6 ,it is not so4 ,we must not think it4 ,at least we cannot think it as long as we remain ,catholics1 for when the earlier ,protestants proclaimed the shocking doctrine that though ,god punished men for disobeying his law1 man was really unable to obey it1 the ,church branded the doctrine as a heresy to be abhorred of all men1 as most false in itself1 and most injurious to ,god4 ,no2 ,god loves his creatures far more than we conceive of4 ,he does not desire the death of a sinner4 ,he wills truly the salvation of all men4 ,his goodness and mercy1 his truth and justice1 are all so many infallible guarantees of our ability to keep his law4 #aab ,he would not have given us his law unless ,he had meant us to keep it4 ,he would not punish us so severely for breaking it1 unless our breaking it was an act of deliberate1 wilful1 determined rebellion4 ,but there is another source from which ,i draw the conclusion that it is possible to keep the law of ,god--from the nature of the law itself4 ,the law of ,god is of such a nature that1 for the most part1 in order to commit mortal sin1 it is necessary to do or to leave undone some external act1 which of its own nature it is entirely in our power to do or not to do4 ,for instance1 the law says1 ,thou shall not steal3 now to steal you have got to put your hand into your neighbor's pocket4 ,the law says3 ,thou shalt do no murder2 to murder you must stretch out your hand against your neighbor's life4 ,nay1 it requires ordinarily several external actions before a mortal sin is consummated4 ,thus the thief has his precautions to take1 and his plans to lay4 ,the drunkard has to seek the occasion4 ,he seeks the grog-shop4 ,every step he takes is a separate act4 ,when he gets there it is not the first glass that makes him drunk4 #aac ,he drinks again and again1 and it is only after all these different and repeated actions that he falls into the mortal sin of drunkeness4 ,now here you see are external acts--acts in which the hand1 the foot1 the lips are concerned1 and which1 therefore1 it is perfectly in our power to do or to let alone4 ,this requires no proof1 but admits of a striking illustration4 ,you have heard of the great sufferings of the martyrs2 how some of them were stoned to death1 others flayed alive1 others crucified1 others torn to pieces by wild beasts1 others burned to death4 ,now what was it all about8 ,you answer1 ,they suffered because they would not deny ,christ4 ,very well2 but how were they required to deny ,christ8 ,what was it they were required to do8 ,i will tell you4 ,sometimes they were required to take a few grains of incense and throw it on the altar of ,jupiter2 that would have been enough to have saved them from their sufferings4 ,they need not have said1 ,i renounce ,christ2 only to have taken the incense would have been sufficient4 ,sometimes they were required to tread on the ,cross4 ,sometimes to swear by the genius of the ,roman emperor2 that was all4 ,and the fire was kindled to make them do these things2 but they would not4 #aad ,the flames leaped upon them1 but not a foot would they lift from the ground4 ,their hands were burnt to the bone1 but no incense would they touch4 ,the marrow of their bones melted in the heat1 and forced from them a cry of agony1 but the name of the emperor's tutelary genius did not pass their lips4 ,now will you tell me that you can not help doing what the martyrs would not do to save them from death8 ,they had a fire before them and a scourge behind them1 and they refused2 and you say you cannot help yourself when you are under no external violence whatever6 ,they died rather than lift a hand to do a forbidden thing2 have you not the same power over your hand that they had8 ,they died rather than utter a sinful word2 have you not as much power over your tongue as they8 ,indeed you have1 for you control both one and the other whenever you will4 ,i say there is no sinner whose conduct does not show that his actions are perfectly in his own power4 ,the thief waits for the night to carry on his trade2 during the day he is honest enough4 ,the greatest libertine knows how to behave himself in the presence of a high-born and virtuous female4 #aae ,and even that vice which men say it is most difficult of all to restrain when once the habit is formed--profane swearing--you know how to restrain it when you will1 for even the heaviest curser and swearer ceases from his oaths before the priest1 or any other friend whom he greatly respects4 ,now1 if you can stop cursing before the priest1 why can you not before your wife and children8 ,if you can be chaste in the presence of a virtuous female1 why can you not be chaste everywhere8 ,if you can be honest when the eye of man is on you1 why can you not be honest when no eye sees you but that of ,god8 ,but some one may say1 there is a class of sins to which the remarks you have made do not apply1 that is1 sins of thought4 ,you must admit that they are of such a nature that it is all but impossible not to commit them4 ,no1 ,i do not admit it4 ,i acknowledge that sins of thought are more difficult to guard against than sins of action2 but ,i do not acknowledge that it is impossible to guard against them4 ,to prove this ,i have only to remind you that an evil thought is no sin until we give consent to it4 #aaf ,to keep always free from evil thoughts may be impossible1 because the imagination is in its nature so volatile1 that but few men have it in control2 but though it be not possible to restrain the imagination1 it is always possible to restrain the will4 ,in order for the will to consent to evil it is necessary both to know and to choose1 and therefore from the nature of the thing one can never fall into sin either inevitably or unawares4 ,and besides1 the will has a powerful ally in the conscience1 whose province it is to keep us from sin and to reproach us when we do sin--so that it is scarcely possible1 for one who habitually tries to keep free from mortal sin1 to fall into it without his conscience giving a distinct and unmistakable report4 ,and this is so certain that spiritual writers say that a person of good life and tender conscience1 who is distressed with the uncertainty whether or no he has given consent to an evil temptation1 ought to banish that anxiety altogether and to be sure that he has not consented4 ,but suppose these evil temptations are importunate1 and remain in the soul even when we resist them1 and try to turn from them8 ,no matter4 ,they do not become sins on that account2 nay1 they become the occasion of acts of great virtue4 #aag ,it is related in the life of ,st4 ,catherine of ,sienna that on one occasion that pure virgin's soul was assailed by the most horrible temptations of the devil4 ,they lasted for a long time1 and after the conflict our ,saviour appeared to her with a serene countenance4 ,o my ,divine ,spouse1 she said1 ,where wast thou when ,i was enduring these conflicts8 ,in thy soul1 he replied4 ,what1 with all these filthy abominations8 ,yes1 they were displeasing and painful to thee2 this therefore was thy merit1 and thy victory was owing to my presence4 ,so that we see even here where the danger is greatest1 the law of ,god exacts of us nothing but what in its own nature is in our power to do or not to do4 ,but if you wish another proof of your ability to keep ,god's law1 ,i allege the power of his grace4 ,i can imagine an objector saying3 ,you have not touched the real difficulty after all4 ,the difficulty is not on ,god's side2 no doubt ,he is good and holy4 ,neither are the requirements of his law so very hard4 ,the difficulty is in us4 ,we are fallen by nature4 ,we have sinned after baptism4 #aah ,we are so weak1 so frail1 that to us continued observance of the divine commandments is impossible4 ,no1 my brethren1 neither is this true4 ,it is not true from the mouth of any man2 least of all from the mouth of a ,christian4 ,no temptation1 says the ,apostle1 hath taken hold of you but such as is human4 ,and ,god is faithful1 who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able2 but will also with the temptation make a way of escape that you may be able to bear it4 ,footnote #dg ,footnote #dg3 #a ,cor4 x41 #ac4 ,the weakest and frailest are strong enough with ,god's grace1 and this grace ,he is ready to give to those that need it4 ,at all times and in all places ,he has been ready to give his grace to them that need it1 but especially is this true under the gospel4 ,the ,holy ,scriptures make this the distinguishing characteristic of the times of the gospel that they shall abound in grace4 ,take courage1 and fear not1 the prophet says1 in anticipation of the time when ,christ should come in the flesh1 ,behold ,god will come and save you4 ,then shall the eyes of the blind be opened1 and the ears of the deaf unstopped4 ,then shall the lame man leap as an hart1 and the tongue of the dumb shall be free2 for waters are broken out of the desert1 and streams in the wilderness4 ,and that which was dry land shall become a pool1 and the thirsty land springs of water4 ,footnote #dh ,footnote #dh3 ,is4 xxxv41 #d-g4 #aai ,such was the promise1 hundreds of years before ,christ1 of a time of peace1 of happiness and grace2 and when our ,lord was come1 ,he published that the good time had indeed arrived3 ,the spirit of the ,lord hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor4 ,he hath sent me to heal the contrite of heart4 ,to preach deliverance to the captive1 and sight to the blind1 to set at liberty them that are bruised1 to preach the acceptable year of the ,lord4 ,yes1 the great time has come2 the cool of the day2 the evening of the world2 the time when labor is light and reward abundant4 ,oh1 my brethren1 you know not what a privilege it is to be a ,christian6 ,you enter a church4 ,you see a priest in his confessional4 ,a penitent is kneeling at his feet4 ,the sight makes but little impression on you1 for you are accustomed to it1 but this is that fountain promised by the prophet to the house of ,david and to the inhabitants of ,jerusalem1 for the washing of the sinner2 a fountain that flows from the ,saviour's side1 and not only cleanses1 but strengthens and makes alive4 #abj ,you pass an altar4 ,the priest is giving communion4 ,stop6 it is the ,lord himself6 the bread of angels6 the wine of virgins6 the food whereof if a man eat he shall live forever4 ,and not only in the ,church do you find grace4 ,it follows you home4 ,you shut your door behind you1 and your ,father in heaven waits to hear and grant your prayer4 ,nay1 at all times ,god is with you1 for you are the temple of ,god1 and ,he sits on the throne of your heart to scatter his grace on you when ever and wherever you ask ,him4 ,do not say1 then1 ,christian1 that you are unable to do what ,god requires of you4 ,it is a sin of black ingratitude to say so4 ,even if it were impossible for others to keep the law of ,god1 it is not for you4 ,he hath not done to every nation as he hath done to you4 ,when the patriarch ,jacob was dying1 he blessed all his children1 but his richest blessing was for ,joseph4 ,so ,god has blessed all the children of his hand1 but you1 ,christian1 are the ,joseph whom ,he hath loved more than all his other sons4 ,to others ,he hath given of the dew of heaven1 and the fatness of the earth1 but you ,he hath blessed with all spiritual blessings in ,christ4 #aba ,away1 then1 with the notion1 that obedience to the commandments of ,god is impracticable4 ,a notion dishonorable to ,god and to ourselves4 ,it is possible to keep free from mortal sin--for all--at all times1 under all temptations4 ,nay1 ,i will say more4 ,it is on the whole1 easier to live a life of ,christian obedience1 than a life of sin4 ,i say on the whole1 for ,i do not deny that here and there in particular cases1 it is harder to do right than wrong1 but taking life all through1 one who restrains his passions will have less trouble than one who indulges them4 ,heroic actions are not required of us every day4 ,in order to be a ,christian1 it is not necessary to be always high-strung and enthusiastic4 ,it is not necessary to be a devotee1 to adopt set and precise ways1 to take up with hypocrisy and cant--in a word1 to be unmanly4 ,it is just1 for the most part1 the most matter of fact1 the most practical1 the most simple and straight-forward thing in the world4 ,it is to be a man of principle4 ,it is to have a serious1 abiding purpose to do our duty4 #abb ,it is to be full of courage2 not the courage of the braggart1 but the courage of the soldier--the courage that thrives under opposition1 and survives defeat1 the courage that takes the means to secure success--vigilance1 humility1 steadfastness and prayer4 ,before this1 all difficulties vanish1 and this is what we want most of all4 ,it is amazing how little courage there is in the world4 ,we are like the servant of ,eliseus1 the prophet1 who1 when he awoke in the morning1 and saw the great army that had been sent by the ,king of ,syria to take his master1 said1 ,alas1 alas1 alas1 my lord2 what shall we do6 ,but ,eliseus showed him another army--the army of angels ranged on the mountain1 with chariots of fire and horses of fire1 ready to fight for the servants of ,god1 and he said1 ,fear not3 for there are more with us than with them4 ,footnote #di ,footnote #di3 #d ,kings1 vi41 #ae-ag4 ,transcriber's note3 ,the ,,usccb reference is #b ,kings1 vi41 #ae-ag4 ,why should we fear8 ,christianity is no new thing4 ,the path of ,christian obedience is not an untried path4 ,thousands have trod it and are now enjoying their reward4 ,god1 and the angels1 and the saints1 are on our side4 ,and there are multitudes of faithful souls in the world who are fighting the good fight1 and keeping their souls unsullied4 #abc ,we cannot distinguish them now1 but one day we shall know them4 ,oh6 let us join them4 ,yes1 we will make our resolution now4 ,others may guide themselves by pleasure or expediency2 we will adopt the language of the ,psalmist3 ,thy word is a lamp to my feet1 and a light to my paths4 ,footnote #ej ,footnote #ej3 ,psalm cxviii41 #aje4 ,transcriber's note3 ,the ,,usccb reference is ,psalm cxix41 #aje4 ,we will be ,christians not in name1 but in deed4 ,not for a time only1 but always4 ,one thought shall cheer us in sadness and nerve us in weakness1 ,i have sworn and am determined to keep the judgments of thy justice4 ----------------- #abd ,sermon ,,viii4 ,the ,two ,standards4 ,no man can serve two masters4 --,st4 ,matt41 vi4 #bd4 7,from the ,gospel of the #adth ,sunday after ,pentecost47 ,there are two hostile camps pitched on the surface of the earth1 and two great armies engaged in warfare against each other4 ,the chiefs of these two armies are ,jesus ,christ and ,satan1 ,the war between them is not a new one4 ,it began in heaven1 when ,lucifer and his companions rebelled against ,god4 ,it broke out in a more deadly and decisive manner1 when ,jesus ,christ erected his standard on ,mt4 ,calvary1 and from his ,cross triumphed over the devil1 while ,satan1 enraged at his defeat1 summoned all his forces from earth and hell to an eternal war against the ,cross4 #abe ,this is a war in which every one must take part4 ,here no one can remain neutral2 either for the ,cross or against it--a soldier of ,christ or a servant of the devil4 ,you must choose your side4 ,which1 then1 do you take8 ,will you have ,christ or ,lucifer for your king8 ,in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 ,i call on you to renounce the infamous service of the devil for ever1 and enroll yourself under the standard of the ,cross1 and ,i promise to give you good reasons for doing so4 ,listen1 then1 and make your decision4 ,if the devil has the best claim1 and offers the highest price1 then follow him1 and take his lot in this world and in eternity4 ,but consider well what you have to look for1 beforehand4 ,if ,jesus ,christ is your rightful ,lord1 and heaven is worth having1 then come out boldly on his side1 and renounce the devil once for all4 ,you cannot serve both1 you must serve one2 and the one whom you serve on this earth1 will have possession of you for all eternity4 #abf ,survey1 then1 the two camps1 the two standards1 the two kings4 ,on ,mount ,calvary see the ,cross1 the standard of salvation1 rising above the camp of ,jesus ,christ4 ,look on the ,king who rules in this camp6 ,regard his features3 they are full of majesty and humility1 of power and of love1 of authority and of compassion4 ,around ,him the ,blessed ,virgin1 the apostles1 martyrs and confessors1 all the saints and all the righteous1 are grouped2 and from his ,cross ,he sends out his messengers into all the world1 inviting all men to share his humility1 self-denial1 and suffering in this world1 and his everlasting kingdom in the next4 ,now turn your eyes toward the other camp4 ,it lies near the city of ,babylon1 the city of this world1 a city of idolatry1 sensuality1 and worldly pomp4 ,in the midst of it1 ,satan is seated on a high and burning throne1 his features full of melancholy1 pride and cruelty1 surrounded by his demons1 his false priests1 and the multitude of his worshippers4 ,he also sends his messengers through the earth1 offering honors1 pleasures1 and riches here1 and the fire of hell hereafter1 to those who enlist in his service4 ,unhappy man6 soldier of ,christ by baptism6 have these ministers of ,satan persuaded you to renounce your lawful standard1 and enlist under that of the devil8 #abg ,have you been persuaded by some worldly bribe1 some passing pleasure1 to renounce ,god and heaven1 and to receive the black brand of mortal sin in your soul1 the mark of your allegiance to the devil8 ,what have you done8 ,what master is this1 to whom you have sold yourself8 ,what have you to expect in his service8 ,listen to me1 and ,i will prove to you that you have sold yourself to a detestable tyrant and usurper2 that you have cast in your lot with a desperate cause1 and that everlasting ruin is the only wages you will ever get4 ,satan is a detestable usurper4 ,what right has he to reign in this world8 ,what right has he to your soul1 or to your service8 ,did he create the world1 or make you8 ,has he conferred any benefit on the human race1 that he is entitled to the gratitude and obedience of men8 ,he is a miserable rebel against ,god1 an outcast from heaven1 the great enemy of mankind4 ,he is the author of sin1 misery1 and death4 ,he became master of your soul by mortal sin4 ,he seduced you to offend ,god by lying promises1 and treacherously got possession of your heart4 ,is he not then a usurper8 #abh ,he is also a cruel tyrant4 ,satan tyrannizes over the soul which is subject to him1 by making it a slave to its passions4 ,he makes it sweat and toil like a negro slave1 fast1 and watch1 and deny itself1 like a hermit1 in the service of these cruel taskmasters4 ,one he forces to labor night and day for a lifetime1 to scrape up a little money which he has no time to enjoy4 ,another he compels to sacrifice health1 reputation1 and fortune1 to the gratification of lust4 ,a third he turns into a beast by drunkenness4 ,he tyrannizes over his subjects1 also1 by continual and insupportable torments of conscience4 ,they have none of that peace and tranquillity which the servants of ,god enjoy1 but a horrible foretaste of the pains of hell1 in the incessant gnawings of a guilty conscience1 and the continual fear of eternal damnation4 ,the service of ,satan is odious1 on account of the companions with whom you must associate4 ,you become the associate of demons1 murderers1 thieves1 harlots1 drunkards1 and villains of every hue4 ,the promises which the devil holds out to you are all false1 and his words all delusive4 ,he holds out to you an illusory hope of liberty and happiness1 and deceives you with glittering but unreal pictures of future enjoyment4 #abi ,for these you renounce ,christian self-denial2 for these you throw down the ,cross of ,christ1 abandon the straight and narrow way1 and sacrifice your hopes of heaven4 ,but the devil will disappoint you4 ,the pleasure he will give you will leave behind in your heart only bitterness and disgust4 ,you will have to endure in his service labors and sufferings more than enough to make you a saint1 if you performed them for ,god4 ,you threw down the cross which ,god placed on your shoulders4 ,it was a light cross1 and was exactly measured for your size and strength4 ,it was a cross full of blessings and graces1 and if you had carried it courageously up the narrow way of life1 after a time it would have supported you1 and you would have been borne up by it to the gate of heaven4 ,but you threw it down1 because it was too heavy and galling1 and turned from the steep path of virtue to the downward1 flowery road of sin4 ,immediately the devil came up behind you1 and fastened on your back an immense cross of rough1 unhewn timber4 #acj ,loaded with this devil's cross1 you are stumbling along the way of perdition toward the mouth of hell1 into which you will fall at death1 with the heavy burden of your sins on your back to press you down1 and crush you forever beneath its weight4 ,such is the hard and bitter slavery to which you have bound yourself under this detestable tyrant4 ,moreover1 his cause is a desperate one4 ,a certain and ignominious defeat1 from which he will never more arise1 awaits him4 ,he has already been conquered4 ,jesus ,christ met him once in single combat in the desert1 and put him to an ignominious flight4 ,afterwards1 on the cross1 ,he gained a still more signal and decisive victory over him1 and made him serve by his own plan for our ,lord's destruction1 as an instrument for accomplishing our salvation4 ,the ,blessed ,virgin has trampled on the head of this malicious serpent4 ,all the saints and martyrs have triumphed over him1 and the weakest ,christian child can put him to flight1 by resisting his temptations--by breathing a little prayer1 or by making the sign of the cross4 ,he is a weak and miserable coward4 ,his cause is already desperate and lost4 ,and although ,god allows him a certain liberty to tempt and trouble the world for a short time1 the day of judgment is fast approaching1 in which ,jesus ,christ will put him to shame before the whole universe1 and cast him1 together with all those who follow his standard1 into the burning abyss of hell4 #aca ,such is a true picture of ,lucifer1 of his services1 and of the reward which awaits his followers4 ,are you not ashamed1 then1 ,o false ,christian6 to have renounced your allegiance to your rightful ,lord1 for the service of such a master1 who trembles at the very name of ,jesus ,christ8 ,in the churches of the middle ages the statue of the martyr ,st4 ,christopher was frequently sculptured1 carrying1 in accordance with his name which signifies ,christ-bearer1 the infant ,jesus on his shoulder4 ,as his real history was unknown1 the poetic fancy of that period invented several beautiful legends about it1 of which the following is one3 ,a heathen youth of gigantic size and strength determined to seek out the strongest man in the world1 and serve him4 ,after many inquiries1 he engaged himself to a ,christian prince1 who was famous for prowess and warlike achievements4 #acb ,he served him contentedly for a while1 but at length1 observing that he often made the sign of the cross1 he asked him the meaning of his doing so4 ,the prince told him it was to keep off the devil4 ,the youth asked him who the devil was1 and if he was afraid of him4 ,he told him that the devil was a wicked being1 more powerful than any man1 and that he feared him greatly4 ,if that is the case1 said the youth1 ,i will serve you no longer1 but ,i will serve the devil1 because he is the strongest4 ,immediately he set out to seek for him1 and passing through a forest was accosted by a dark-looking personage who asked him what he was looking for1 and on receiving his his answer1 replied3 ,i am the devil you are seeking1 follow me if you wish to enter my service4 ,so saying1 he went on1 followed by the youth1 toward a certain city4 ,as they drew near the city1 the devil turned aside from the highway1 and took a bye-road which was much more circuitous4 ,the youth asked him why he did not keep the high-road4 ,do you not see1 said the devil1 that crucifix8 ,i do not wish to pass it4 ',what is a crucifix8' said the youth4 ',the image of my greatest enemy1 who once conquered me' replied the devil4 #acc ,farewell1 said the youth2 if you are afraid of ,him who hangs on that cross1 ,i shall leave you1 and serve ,him1 because he is stronger than you4 ,so saying1 he went in search of ,jesus ,christ1 and having stopped at a monastery1 and asked the way to find ,him1 was instructed1 baptized by the name of ,christopher1 and became a martyr4 ,now1 dear ,christian1 you are a ,christopher1 a ,christ-bearer1 for you have the image of ,christ stamped in your soul in baptism4 ,you are bound to serve the most powerful1 and not only the most powerful1 but the best master2 the one who has the best right to your services1 whose service is the most honorable1 whose rewards are the greatest1 and whose final victory is certain4 ,listen to me now1 and ,i will show you that this ,prince is ,jesus ,christ4 ,jesus ,christ is our lawful ,king4 ,i4 ,by hereditary right4 ,he is the ,son of ,god4 ,in his divine nature ,he is equal to his ,father1 and equally with ,him the ,creator of all things1 and therefore our sovereign ,lord4 ,in his human nature1 ,he is the first begotten ,son of his ,father1 the heir of all things1 in a special sense1 the chief of the human race4 #acd ,,ii4 ,by purchase4 ,by ,adam's sin1 the special gifts which ,god had given to him and his posterity--integrity of nature1 sanctifying grace1 paradise and the title to heaven--were forfeited4 ,mankind fell from a free to a servile condition4 ,jesus ,christ1 by a compact with the eternal ,father1 and by pledging ,his life for us1 has purchased his right over us4 ,,iii4 ,by redemption4 ,he has redeemed us by his blood1 from exile and slavery1 and restored to us our forfeited inheritance of grace and eternal life4 ,,iv4 ,by conquest4 ,when the whole world was subject to the usurped tyranny of ,satan1 ,he made war on him1 conquered him1 and wrested our souls from his possession4 ,as subjects of a conquered empire1 we are therefore subject to the dominion of our conqueror4 ,v4 ,by our own election4 ,we have freely chosen his service1 when we were confirmed and ratified our baptismal vows1 and a thousand times we have offered ourselves to his service1 and sworn allegiance to ,him4 #ace ,his service is glorious4 ,because ,he is the greatest and wisest of all princes2 because angels and saints are our companions2 because his service consists in performing great and heroic actions1 warring against vice1 overcoming self1 practising virtue1 doing good1 and conquering the world1 the flesh and the devil4 ,it is happy and delightful1 because of peace of conscience1 the friendship of ,god1 and the consolations of divine grace4 ,these are a sort of bounty or earnest-money given now2 but the real reward is eternal life1 to be given hereafter4 ,jesus ,christ is certain to obtain the victory and to triumph gloriously over all his enemies--over treacherous and cowardly followers within his own camp1 that is1 bad ,christians who preserve the faith but live and die in sin2 over all those who are nominally his followers1 but who really are fighting under the devil's standard1 that is heretics1 and schismatics2 over infidels1 his open enemies among men2 over ,satan and hell4 ,here now are the two chiefs4 ,there are the two standards4 ,this is the war in which every one of you is engaged1 on one side or the other8 ,which side is it8 ,under what banner have you till now been ranged8 ,do you belong to the party of ,jesus ,christ or that of the devil8 #acf ,do you reply1 ,i am a baptized ,christian1 marked with the sign of the cross1 and a member of the ,catholic ,church1 and therefore a servant of ,jesus ,christ8 ,it is true you are a soldier regularly enlisted and sworn into ,christ's army1 and wearing his uniform4 ,but the question is1 are you a true-hearted1 obedient and brave soldier of ,jesus ,christ1 or are you a traitor in the camp1 a servant of the devil in the guise of a ,christian8 ,let us see4 ,you call yourself a soldier of ,jesus ,christ4 ,what are you doing then with the devil's bounty8 ,the devil's bounty is a license to steal1 cheat and swindle4 ,what is that pile of bank-notes pilfered from your employer1 you dishonest clerk8 ,what is that heap of gold1 you bribed judge1 you corrupt legislator1 you dishonest official1 you swindling speculator in government contracts1 in public distresses and private miseries8 ,jesus ,christ will tolerate no thieves in his camp4 ,if you are one of these unjust1 dishonest1 avaricious1 overreaching robbers of your neighbors goods1 standing ready to sell your voice1 your pen1 your vote1 your oath1 your conscience1 your country1 your faith1 your soul1 your ,god ,himself1 for gold1 then you have touched the devil's bounty1 you are his servant1 and a traitor to your colors4 #acg ,you are a soldier of ,jesus ,christ1 are you8 ,but you have been caught drinking the devil's treat4 ,there1 where his sergeants recruit for hell1 in those grog-shops whose flaming signs and glaring windows tempt the fool and the unwary2 where misery1 beggary1 despair and death are dealt out to wretched fathers1 brutal husbands1 ragged1 bloated women who are wives and mothers2 there you have drained the cup of drunkenness1 the pledge of friendship with ,satan and all the company of hell4 ,you are a ,christian soldier1 are you8 ,but ,i hear on your lips the devil's passwords1 those curses and oaths1 those obscene words and profane jests which show that you belong to the devil's camp4 ,your cursing tongue has betrayed you1 false deserter1 your speech is the speech of hell1 and your presence among the faithful soldiers of ,jesus ,christ is an offence and a scandal not to be borne by those who have any zeal for the honor of their ,lord4 #ach ,you a ,christian soldier8--and flaunting on the devil's parade-ground1 the theatre1 the ballroom where the lascivious waltz goes on1 the midnight revel of thoughtless and giddy young people1 flushed with wine1 intoxicated with excitment1 whirled away by the tide of passion1 where they know not and care not1 until at length remorse1 disgrace and ruin tell them where1 but too late to save them4 ,these are the pomps of the devil which you renounced and foreswore at your baptism4 ,if you take them up again1 you are an outcast from ,jesus ,christ1 and a servant of the devil4 ,you dare to call yourself a ,christian1 and all the while you are living on the devil's pay1 feeding on sensuality1 plunged overhead in impurity1 the miserable1 beastly reward that the devil gives to his followers4 ,by the law of ,moses1 those who committed such crimes were to be stoned to death without the camp4 ,is the camp of ,jesus ,christ less holy1 think you1 that an impure man or woman can be tolerated within its sacred precincts8 #aci ,you pretend to wear the livery of ,jesus ,christ4 ,what1 then1 is that badge1 what are those insignia you are wearing8 ,they tell that you belong to some secret society1 that you have defied the law of the ,church1 and braved her excommunication4 ,you are then shut out from the sacraments1 and not only are you no soldier of ,jesus ,christ1 but you belong to the devil's own body-guard4 ,tell me1 you pretended soldier of ,jesus ,christ1 where are you on your ,king's parade days1 his ,sundays and ,festivals1 when he requires his servants on earth and his angels in heaven to present themselves in review before him8 ,where are you during the holy solemnity of the ,mass8 ,absent2 your place vacant1 and you asleep1 or lounging1 or doing the devil's work4 ,at the ,easter ,communion1 where are you8 ,you are not to be found1 or still worse1 you present yourself without that rich and ornamental dress of sanctifying grace1 which your king requires1 under pain of death4 ,blush to call yourself a soldier of ,jesus ,christ1 for if you are one1 you are a delinquent and a faithless one4 ,you profess yourself so loudly a ,christian soldier1 what then are you straggling for1 behind your column8 ,jesus ,christ allows no stragglers in his army1 and the enemy has ambuscades everywhere to cut them off4 #adj ,these are those heretical churches into which you stray1 in ignorance or neglect of ,catholic order and discipline4 ,hasten out of these ambuscades of error1 delusion and eternal death4 ,rejoin your column quickly1 and keep within the serried ranks of the ,catholic host1 or you are lost4 ,my brave and vaunting ,christian warrior1 how do your professions of fidelity and courage comport with your conduct when put on guard at night8 ,how have you conducted yourself in temptation8 ,have you not committed mortal sin1 and then given as an excuse that you were tempted by the devil1 or overcome by your passions8 ,have you not said that you could not help cursing when you were angry1 drinking when you were urged1 giving way to impure inclinations when you were assaulted by them1 that you could not keep from mortal sin1 because you are so weak8 ,these excuses make you more guilty4 ,they show that you have slept on your post1 or kept a careless watch on the enemy1 or yielded yourself a prisoner1 when you should have fought manfully4 ,it is your very profession as a soldier of ,jesus ,christ to fight with the world1 the flesh and the devil1 and you cannot be surprised or vanquished without your own fault4 #ada ,to say that you must sin because the devil tempts you1 or that you cannot resist your evil inclinations1 is to confess your own shame1 and to make it plain1 that you are a coward1 unworthy of the glorious name of a soldier of ,jesus ,christ4 ,i call upon you1 then1 unworthy and unfaithful followers of ,jesus ,christ1 to renounce your secret and treasonable dealings with the enemy1 to cease to act like traitors or poltroons1 and to rally again around the standard of salvation4 ,no matter what mortal sin you have on your soul1 it is a bond which links you with the devil1 with his desperate cause and his eternal ruin4 ,in spite of your name of ,christian1 your badge of soldier1 and your military oath1 you are a servant of ,satan1 and the ,lord will one day cast you out among his open enemies4 ,in ,god's name1 then1 no more double dealing4 ,choose your side6 ,if you wish for despair1 and have chosen eternal perdition1 then ,satan is your master1 and you can follow him if you choose4 ,but if ,jesus ,christ is your king1 his service your choice1 and his rewards your desire1 come to his standard1 and flinch no more4 #adb ,see6 the war is raging all around you1 in which you must take part1 on one side or the other4 ,the banners are flying1 the trumpets are sounding1 the soldiers of ,christ are winning eternal renown and pressing on to battle4 ,our glorious ,king is at the head of his chosen band leading the way to victory1 which is already waving its wings above the unconquerable standard of salvation4 ,the shouts of conquest are heard in the distance1 and the foremost ranks are pressing in as victors through the gates of heaven4 ,shall we stand here like cowards1 hugging the ignominious chains of mortal sin8 ,far be the thought from every ,christian breast6 ,the voice of our ,leader is calling us4 ,forward6 then4 ,onward6 let us share in the glorious conflict1 that we may share in the triumph1 and partake in the everlasting peace that is to follow4 ---------------------- #adc ,sermon ,,ix4 ,the ,epiphany4 ,they found the ,child with ,mary his mother4 ,st4 ,matt1 ii41 #b4 7,from the ,gospel for the ,day74 ,the ,feast of the ,epiphany1 my dear brethren1 is as it were a second ,christmas4 ,christmas ,day is a feast which all ,christians hold in common1 whether of ,jewish or ,gentile blood4 ,if either had more claim than the other1 it would seem to belong rather to those who are of ,jewish origin2 for1 to you is born this day a ,saviour in the ,city of ,david was the announcement made by the angels to the ,jewish shepherds4 ,but this feast of to-day is peculiarly ours4 ,this is the great ,gentile-,christian feast4 #add ,the motto which we put up over our altar on ,christmas eve1 and which still hangs there1 ,christus natus est nobis1 ,christ is born for us1 is especially appropriate to-day4 ,there is1 however1 still another distinct class of persons to whom this day ought to be especially dear4 ,you1 my dear brethren1 who had not the greater privilege of belonging to the ,holy ,catholic ,church from your infancy1 but whom ,god in his mercy brought into it in after years1 this is your feast4 ,you have an interest in these ,gentile converts1 your ancestors in the faith1 whom the ,church commemorates to-day1 which they have not who never knew any other creed4 ,what ,i propose this morning1 is1 #a4 ,to give you a sketch of the history of today's feast2 and #b4 ,to show you how these ,gentile converts are models of men truly converted to ,god4 ,i4 ,history ,of ,the ,feast4 ,whilst angels were telling to the shepherds of ,judea1 as they kept watch over their flocks on ,christmas eve1 of the glad tidings of the birth of the ,redeemer of the world in ,bethlehem1 a strange apparition aroused the inhabitants of a great city in the far distant east4 #ade ,they were awakened from their sleep1 and the windows1 doors1 and streets were thronged to look at a bright star1 which hung in the sky1 just over the city4 ,you remember1 ,i dare say1 what a stir was made in this country and elsewhere1 a few years since1 by the unexpected appearance of that beautiful comet4 ,how groups were to be seen standing about every evening1 both in and out of doors1 with telescope or the naked eye1 gazing at it1 and expressing to one another their wonder and delight4 ,well1 some such feeling as this1 mingled with a certain religious awe1 must have taken hold of this people of the east on that night4 ,how brilliant6 what can it be8 what can it mean8 how close to us6 who will tell us something about it8 ,exclamations such as these1 were heard on all sides1 from the lips of rich and poor alike4 ,now there were men in that kingdom who might naturally be supposed to know something about it1 for they had made the science of the stars1 in their supposed connection with human action1 or astrology1 a special branch of study4 #adf ,they were men of education4 ,they were high in civil station too1 and filled such offices as magistrate1 and governor1 and even that of a sort of petty sovereign4 ,they were called ,magi4 ,they were in their own country what the ,mandarin is in ,china2 what the ,brahmin is in ,india4 ,but how can they know any thing of a star so unusual in its appearance as this8 ,there were two sources through which a certain prophecy connected with the appearance of a star might have reached them4 #a4 ,fifteen hundred years before1 a prophet or diviner1 whatever his office may have been1 whose name was ,balaam1 had uttered a most remarkable prophecy4 ,it was as follows3 ,i shall see him1 but not now2 ,i shall behold him1 but not near4 ,a star shall rise out of ,jacob1 and a sceptre shall spring up from ,israel4 ,if ,balaam was a fellow-countryman of these ,magi1 as some learned writers have supposed1 then they could hardly have been ignorant of this prophecy4 #adg #b4 ,one thousand years after that again1 the ,jews were carried away in captivity to the city of ,babylon1 and dispersed themselves through that region of country4 ,it is natural to suppose that in this way their traditions and sacred writings became publicly known4 ,in that case1 these men of science could hardly have failed to notice the fact of ,balaam's prophecy being found in the ,jewish book of ,numbers4 ,they would moreover find1 in the course of that familiar intercourse which was now established between the people of both nations1 that the ,jews had always considered this prophecy as having reference to the promised ,messias1 or future ,ruler of their people4 ,whatever may be the fact as to their having any information at all1 or the particular sources through which it came1 or whether their wills were moved directly by inspiration from ,god1 certain it is that these holy kings did recognize in that star their guide to the newly-born king of the ,jews4 ,among the historical records of ,god's dealing with the ,jewish people1 they perhaps remembered how ,he had led them through the wilderness under the guidance of a pillar of fire1 and consequently were more willing to trust themselves to a guide of a similar kind4 #adh ,difficulties now sprang up on every side4 ,it was no easy thing to make up their minds to leave their kingdoms 7or whatever was the peculiar nature of their charge71 in the hands of others1 who might usurp their authority in their absence4 ,travelling over the deserts to the westward was most tedious1 and attended with much danger4 ,and after all might not this vision be a delusion8 ,such were some of the trials their faith had to surmount1 and it did surmount them4 ,i will not say more of their journey1 than that they were faithful to their guide4 ,they halted when it stood still1 they continued their march when it led the way4 ,here are they now within a short march of the city of ,jerusalem4 ,the morning light is breaking1 and word is passed to harness the camels1 and to fold up the tents4 ,the encampment is alive with joy1 at the prospect of the speedy and successful termination of their undertaking1 when a cry of distress is heard2 the star6--where is the star8 it is gone6 what shall we do8 ,let us try to conceive what their distress must have been4 #adi ,you know that in some parts of our country there are great caves underground1 into which one can penetrate bypaths winding hither and thither to the distance of twenty1 thirty1 or even forty miles from the entrance2 as for example1 the great ,mammoth cave of ,kentucky4 ,of course1 the darkness there is absolute4 ,perhaps you may remember having seen an account given by one of a party of persons whose only light had gone out on an excursion of this kind4 ,he tried to describe the horror that he and his companions felt when they found themselves in such total darkness1 and1 unless relieved by persons outside1 in the face of certain death4 ,to move1 even for a few feet1 might1 for all they knew1 be sudden destruction4 ,to remain where they were was certain death by starvation4 ,now some such feelings as these must have overwhelmed our travellers from the east when they lost the star4 ,their guide was gone2 they were in a strange and1 it might prove1 an enemy's land1 especially as they had come in search of a rival to him who was sitting on the throne of ,judea4 ,what should they do8 ,they determined to enter the city1 to go to the king himself and fearlessly demand to know from him where is he who is born king of the ,jews2 for we have seen his star in the east and have come to worship him8 #aej ,king ,herod called in the priests from the temple2 the ,scriptures were brought1 the prophecies were examined2 and ,bethlehem was found to be the favored spot4 ,thou ,bethlehem1 the land of ,juda1 art not the least among the princes of ,juda for out of thee shall come the ruler who shall rule my people ,israel4 ,they do not stay to be entertained with banquetings1 or with what is curious or interesting in this great city1 but they resume their journey1 when lo6 their beautiful guide appears before them once more4 ,oh6 what joy it must have been to them to see it again4 ,i dare say they thought it a hundredfold brighter than before1 as they gazed up at it with their cheerful faces4 444 ,at last it stops just over a poor shed on a hillside4 ,this the birth-place of the king of the ,jews66 ,impossible4 ,they look up at the star4 ,there it stands motionless4 ,they dismount with their presents1 and pass through the rude entrance4 ,a wonderful light fills the lowly place1 and they see a young woman sitting upon some straw on the ground1 a beautiful infant on her lap1 and one who seems to be her husband1 at her side4 ,that same faith which had led them so far1 made them bend the knee in adoration4 ,they had found the child with ,mary his mother4 #aea ,such1 my dear brethren1 is the sketch ,i promised you of this most interesting history of today's feast4 ,to me1 ,i must confess it has a peculiar charm and beauty4 ,now1 what holy lesson shall we try to learn from it8 ,,ii4 ,these ,magi ,are ,models ,to ,us ,of ,men ,truly ,converted ,to ,god4 #a4 ,in their prompt obedience to his inspirations4 ,that star was a call from ,god4 ,he asked a great deal from them4 ,luxuries1 comforts1 country1 kingdom1 home1 all must be1 for the time at least1 abandoned4 ,it would seem so easy for them to have said1 as we say now-a-days1 ,i can arrange to go in a few months time1--but at once1 this is quite impossible4 ,but there stood their bright guide1 a rebuke to any such thoughts1 and in setting out at once1 in obedience to this call from ,god1 these holy men teach us a most wholesome lesson4 ,how often has ,god not called us1 either from some path of sin which we were following1 or to a closer union with ,himself8 #aeb ,at one time ,he has spoken to us plainly1 by some word in a sermon or book1 at another1 by some secret fear or inspiration6 ,we answer1 to-morrow1 to-morrow1 and that morrow never comes4 ,that to-morrow is the devil's light1 a very ,will o' the wisp1 which leads us on and on to danger and destruction4 ,oh6 let us in the future be on the watch for these secret whisperings of grace to our souls1 and let us learn to be prompt in corresponding with them4 #b4 ,in their courage4 ,when these holy men had promptly set about obeying the will of ,god1 their difficulties had only just begun4 ,they would soon have become disheartened but for the supernatural courage that sustained them4 ,their attendants and servants1 not having their ,master's faith1 magnified every difficulty as it arose4 ,the oppressive heat by day1 the cold at night1 the length and wearisomeness of the way1 the danger of murder and robbery1 all these afforded them subjects for continual murmuring4 ,but now1 to crown all1 the star has disappeared1 and they clamor loudly to be allowed to return back in haste to their homes4 ,but no2 a courageous faith supported these royal pilgrims1 and ,god rewarded it1 by their finding1 at last1 the object of their search1 the ,child with ,mary his ,mother4 #aec ,how is it1 my dear brethren1 with us on the way of life8 ,is it not too common to hear such language as this3 ',i have such an unfortunate temper2' or1 ',i have such disagreeable neighbors2' or1 ',i have such an unmanageable family2' or1 ',i am thrown with such reckless companions2' or1 ',i have no comfort in my prayers2' and ',there is no use in trying to be good2 ,i would give any thing if ,i only could be good2 ,i am sure it is the only way to be really happy1 but somehow or other ,i cannot get good4' ,oh6 poor cowardly souls that we are6 ,did ,i not say truly1 that in these ,magi we should find an occasion of confusion to ourselves1 as well as true models of courageous perseverance under difficulties however great or peculiar8 ,dear brethren1 begin again this morning your journey of life1 in the spirit of these holy converts4 ,be faithful to the light that ,god never fails to give you1 through your directors and confessors1 through good books and by holy inspirations1 and joy and consolation will come all in good time4 #aed ,the only way that will surely1 safely1 and speedily bring us to our ,lord1 is the way of the ,cross4 ,surely it is worth the venture1 worth the toil1 if only we find at last1 as we shall1 that ,child with ,mary his ,mother4 #c4 ,in their offerings4 ,it is a beautiful custom among the nations of the ,east1 that they never go into the presence of their sovereign without some offering4 ,behold these holy men1 as they bow down within the entrance of that poor lodge1 and hold out in their hands the gold1 the frankincense and the myrrh which they have brought so far1 in honor of their newly found ,sovereign1 the infant king of the ,jews6 ,let us kneel in spirit with them4 ,we have here1 our ,bethlehem4 ,the infant ,jesus is within this little ,tabernacle4 ,there1 above the altar rail1 the still light is burning1 which is the silent monitor to our faith1 that ,jesus is here4 ,the world would have found it hard to adore the infant ,saviour1 with those three kings1 in so lowly a place2 and the world finds it too hard now1 to kneel with us1 in a ,catholic church1 before the blessed ,sacrament4 ,these holy men did not find it hard1 nor do we1 for they and we have the same blessed1 gift of faith4 #aee ,they offer gold--,you have none6 ,oh yes1 you have4 ,put your ten-penny1 five-penny1 and three-penny pieces1 put your pennies too1 into the offertory1 with a pure intention1 or bestow an alms on the poor outside1 in the name of ,jesus1 and they will be changed into the purest gold4 ,love is a far more acceptable offering to ,god than gold4 ,he has no need of your money2 for1 as the ,psalmist says1 ,the earth is the ,lord's1 and the fulness thereof4 ,one thing alone you have it in your power to keep from ,him1 and he deigns to ask you for it4 ,it is your heart4 ,it is your love and your service4 ,they offer incense--,you have none6 ,oh yes1 you have4 ,what does holy king ,david say8 ,o ,lord1 direct my prayer as incense in thy sight4 ,prayer is the blessed incense that is incessantly streaming up before ,god4 ,this it is that restrains the arm of his anger1 and brings down blessings like showers of rain4 ,there is one prayer above all others which in a special manner is doing this4 ,it is the ,holy ,mass4 ,blessed ,leonard of ,port ,maurice asks himself1 why it is that ,god does not nowadays visit nations with such terrible and unmistakable judgments as ,he did the ,jews1 and the nations round about them8 #aef ,then he makes answer to himself1 it is because of the all-powerful intercession of the ,holy ,mass4 ,as that pure and holy sacrifice ascends up like clouds of incense1 from ten thousand altars1 all over the world1 ,god is disarmed of his anger4 ,a wicked world is spared too1 for the sake of what those little tabernacles contain1 on the altars of ,catholic churches4 ,hear mass1 then1 on a week day1 or make a visit of a few minutes to the ,blessed ,sacrament1 and you have the most fragrant incense to offer to ,god4 ,they offer myrrh--,you have none6 ,oh yes4 ,myrrh preserves from corruption4 ,this was among the spices that the holy women brought on ,easter morning to embalm our ,lord's body4 ,well1 there is something that preserves our souls1 as myrrh and spices preserve our bodies4 ,this is self-denial4 ,self-gratification is the corruption both of soul and body4 ,look around at the army of drunkards1 and seekers of forbidden pleasures1 and you will have abundant proof of the corruption of the body1 and of the soul too1 though not in the awfulness of its corruption1 as ,god sees it4 #aeg ,well1 restrain your tongue2 restrain your eye2 restrain your appetite2 and offer this to ,god in penance for your sins1 in union with that sublime act of self-denial on the ,cross1 and you will offer to your ,saviour as pleasing an offering as these holy ,magi4 ,my brethren1 we are all on the road to another1 the true ,bethlehem4 ,we1 too1 are going in search of ,jesus and ,mary4 ,our ,bethlehem is heaven4 ,our glorious1 supernatural1 infallible guide1 is the ,holy ,catholic ,church4 ,we have met with trials2 we shall meet with more4 ,perhaps1 thus far1 we have only passed through a sort of preparatory state1 which shall enable us to bear up under the real sacrifices that we shall be called upon to make in time to come4 ,nothing will sustain us under these1 but implicit faith in our ,guide1 and an unshaken fidelity to her4 ,be loyal to her then4 ,show your love for ,god1 by your obedience to her4 ,cling to her side1 and she will lead you to that ,bethlehem above1 where it may be said of you also1-- ,they found the ,child with ,mary his ,mother4 ---------------------- #aeh ,sermon ,x4 ,renunciation4 ,and after six days1 ,jesus taketh unto him ,peter and ,james and ,john his brother1 and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart4 ,and he was transfigured before them4 ,and his face did shine as the sun1 and his garments became white as snow4 --,st4 ,matt1 xvii41 #ab4 7,from the ,gospel for the ,transfiguration74 ,a wise general1 in order to excite the ardor of his soldiers1 and to render them forgetful of the dangers to which they are exposed1 pictures to them on the eve of battle the spoils and glory to be acquired1 if they fight bravely4 ,in like manner1 our ,lord1 in order to cheer up and console his disciples1 who began to be dismayed at the prospect of that death ,he was about to suffer1 imparted to them a foretaste of the joys of paradise1 and a vision of the splendor of his divinity4 #aei ,he was transfigured before them4 ,and his face did shine as the sun2 and his garments became white as snow4 ,peter1 as soon as he recovered from his ecstasy of delight1 exclaimed3 ,lord1 ,it is good for us to be here4 ,but1 to prepare ,his disciples for this anticipation of heaven1 ,he brought them into a high mountain apart2 indicating thereby that such privileges can only be obtained by separation from the world in solitude4 ,this is not only true relative to these high and special favors1 but equally true in order to persevere in the practice of a ,christian life4 ,separation from the world is an indispensable duty of a ,christian4 ,this truth1 so plain in ,holy ,writ1 is nevertheless liable to be misconceived1 for which reason we must make the following distinction3 ,there is a world we are not required as ,christians to separate from4 ,there is a world we are under the strictest obligations to separate from4 ,the condemnation of the world by our ,lord and his apostles is too plain and frequent not to have met the eye of any one who has the slightest acquaintance with the ,new ,testament4 #afj ,you are from beneath1 said the ,saviour to the ,jews1 ,i am from above4 ,you are of this world3 ,i am not of this world1 ,footnote #ea ,love not the world1 says the beloved disciple and apostle1 nor the things which are in the world4 ,if any man love the world the charity of the ,father is not in him4 ,footnote #eb ,st4 ,paul1 teaching the ,romans1 says3 ,be not conformed to the world4 ,footnote #ec ,the friendship of the world1 says ,st4 ,james1 is enmity with ,god4 ,footnote #ed ,the whole world1 says ,st4 ,john1 is seated in wickedness4 ,footnote #ee ,footnote #ea3 ,st4 ,john viii41 #bc4 ,footnote #eb3 #a ,john ii41 #ae4 ,footnote #ec3 ,romans xii41 #b4 ,footnote #ed3 ,st4 ,james iv41 #d4 ,footnote #ee3 #a ,john v41 #ai4 ,these declarations of the sacred ,scriptures are plain and to the point4 ,to be a disciple of ,christ is to have nothing to do with the world4 ,if any further proof were needed of so plain a fact1 we may find it in the baptismal service1 where the catechumen is engaged by the most solemn promises to turn his back upon the world4 ,but what this world is1 that we are so strictly engaged to renounce1 is not at first sight so clear4 ,is it the visible world1 called nature1 so full of instruction and rich in beauty1 that we are to turn our backs upon8 #afa ,are we called upon in our character as ,christians to close our eyes to the flowers1 the mountains1 the rivers1 the glowing sunsets1 and the stars of heaven8 ,are we bound to shut our ears to the murmuring winds1 the music of the rivulet1 and the songs of the birds8 ,are we to be counted ,christians on the condition only of our shutting out from our senses that beauty1 which surrounds us on all hands1 of the visible world8 ,what is there profane in nature when ,holy ,writ assures us that1 ,the ,lord is holy in all his works4 ,footnote #ef and that all things serve ,him8 ,footnote #eg ,footnote #ef3 ,psalm cxliv41 #ac4 ,transcriber's note3 ,the ,,usccb reference is ,psalm cxlv41 #ac4 ,footnote #eg3 ,psalm cxviii41 #ia4 ,transcriber's note3 ,the ,,usccb reference is ,psalm cxix41 #ia4 ,the royal prophet ,david was accustomed to open all the avenues of his soul to the beauty of nature1 and1 filled with admiration1 he seems hardly able to contain his praise of ,him by whom all things were made4 ,o ,lord our ,lord1 how admirable1 he exclaims1 is thy name in the whole earth4 ,footnote #eh ,how great are thy works1 ,o ,lord6 thou hast made all things in wisdom2 the earth is filled with thy riches4 ,footnote #ei ,footnote #eh3 ,psalm viii41 #b4 ,footnote #ei3 ,psalm ciii41 #bd4 ,transcriber's note3 ,the ,,usccb reference is ,psalm civ41 #bd4 #afb ,our blessed ,saviour himself chose to convey the great truths of his gospel by illustrations drawn from the visible creation4 ,he calls our attention at one time to the birds of the air1 at another1 it is to the golden harvests1 and then it is to the lilies of the fields4 ,he seems to have looked with an attentive and friendly eye upon the attractions of nature4 ,consider1 ,he says1 the lilies of the fields1 how they grow3 they labor not1 neither do they spin4 ,and yet ,i say to you that not even ,solomon in all his glory1 was arrayed like one of these4 ,footnote #fj ,footnote #fj3 ,st4 ,matt1 vi41 #bh-bi4 ,commenting on this passage of ,holy ,scripture1 ,st4 ,john ,chrysostom asks3 ,wherefore did ,god make the lilies so beautiful8 ,that ,he might display1 he answers1 the wisdom and excellency of his power1 that from every thing we might learn his glory4 ,for not the heavens only declare the glory of ,god4 ,footnote #fa but the earth too2 and this ,david declared when he said3 ,praise the ,lord1 ye fruitful trees1 and all the cedars4 ,footnote #fb ,footnote #fa3 ,psalm xix41 #a4 ,transcriber's note3 ,the ,,usccb reference is ,psalm xix41 #b4 ,footnote #fb3 ,psalm cxlviii41 #d4 ,transcriber's note3 ,the phrase ,praise the ,lord is from verse #g and fruit trees and all cedars is from verse #i4 #afc ,it could be no part of the visible creation that the ,gospel had in view1 when it declared that the friendship of the world is enmity with ,god2 for we hear the same voice speak to us from nature1 which speaks to us in divine revelation4 ,what was it then8 ,was it the world of art1 science1 and literature8 ,have not beauty1 knowledge1 and genius one and the same fountain source with religion8 ,whence spring the noble achievements of art1 science1 and literature1 if not from gifts1 which like every best gift1 and every perfect gift1 is from above1 coming down from the ,father of lights4 ,footnote #fc ,footnote #fc3 ,st4 ,james i41 #ag4 ,is not the true aim of art in all its creations to aid religion in bringing men to the contemplation of the first ,fair1 the first ,true1 and the first ,good8 ,can science find a greater sphere than to show how all things are1 and move1 and exist in their primal cause1 ,god8 ,can literature be devoted to more worthy ends than to make those virtues attractive which religion commands8 ,true religion recognizes in art1 in science1 and in literature1 her natural allies1 while they in turn find in her bosom loftier and wider spheres to stimulate human exertion4 ,these1 then1 are not of that world which ,holy ,writ condemns as at enmity with ,god4 #afd ,are we to find the world1 which we as ,christians are to renounce1 in the ties of the family1 in relationships and friends1 in neighborhood and the common pursuits of life8 ,all these conditions of life our ,saviour sanctified either in his own person1 or by his express approbation1 or by his presence4 ,the basis of all these relations of human life is that of marriage1 and this natural tie1 ,he not only sanctioned1 but raised it up to a holy sacrament of his religion4 ,it is a false idea of the ,christian religion1 and one which is most injurious1 to imagine that it requires of us to stifle all natural affections1 and to escape from society1 in order to lead a ,christian life4 ,it teaches that the way of salvation1 and the high roads to sanctity1 are chiefly through the fulfilment of the common duties of every day life4 ,for ,god created all things1 says ,holy ,writ1 that they might be3 and he made the nations of the earth for health3 and there is no poison of destruction in them1 nor kingdom of hell upon earth4 ,footnote #fd ,footnote #fd3 ,wisdom i41 #ad4 #afe ,the world made up of human relationships and the common pursuits of life1 called society1 is not at enmity with ,god4 ,nature art1 science1 human society1 are not opposed to ,christianity1 nor contrary to ,christian perfection4 ,many ,christians have become great saints surrounded only by the scenery of nature2 others while cultivating the arts and sciences2 others again have reached an eminent degree of perfection while fulfilling their common every day duties4 ,for the visible creation is good1 and there is nothing in man's nature incompatible with the absolute perfections of ,god1 as is proved in the fact that our ,saviour was in all respects in his humanity a man1 and at the same time truly ,god4 ,all things1 says ,holy ,scripture1 cooperate for good to those who love ,god4 ,the true ,christian ,church incorporates and consecrates nature and art in her worship--she appeals to the whole nature of every man1 and opens a way to heaven for men of all classes1 and in every condition of society4 ,the task was left to the sects which sprung from the religious revolution of the sixteenth century1 to exclude nature and art from ,christian worship1 to divorce faith and science1 to degrade the sacrament of matrimony to a mere civil contract1 and to teach men that they were wholly depraved4 #aff ,the authors of this revolution in ,christianity1 seemed to take delight in parcelling the realm of ,christian truth into wrangling creeds1 and in rendering ,christian worship rigid1 gloomy and repulsive4 ,and in this they found freedom1 progress1 and the light of the pure gospel6 ,how narrow and grovelling are the minds which never rise to the contemplation of that unity which reconciles all truths1 all beauties1 and all goodness6 ,will that day ever dawn when ,christianity will find a people sufficiently great to grant to its divine truths fair play with their intelligence1 and a full sway to her influence over their whole lives8--when men of genius1 of science and of learning will understand that the true end of all knowing1 all loving and all doing is the same as that of religion1 to render the souls of men more like their ,creator1 and to aid others in this divine work8 #afg ,where then is the world which1 as ,christians1 we are called upon to separate from8 ,there is a world which ,god made for the use of man4 ,he made it good1 and good it remains while rightly used4 ,there is another world which man has made1 and it is framed out of the abuse of the creatures of ,god's world4 ,the whole difficulty lies in the fact that men generally do not consider the things of creation rightly1 or use them properly2 and the great world around us consists in the main of those who thus misunderstand ,god's world1 and live by the abuse and perversion of it1 led on by their inordinate desires4 ,this is the world seated in wickedness1 on which we must turn our backs1 for to be a friend of it1 is to be an enemy of ,god4 ,a few illustrations will make this point plain4 ,how few there are who look upon nature in that light in which she was intended to be seen by her ,creator4 ,seen in this light1 the whole visible world of nature raises up our thoughts and affection to our common ,creator4 ,for nature has ever been true and loyal to her ,author4 ,the ,psalmist only gives expression to the natural and spontaneous impulses of the soul when in beholding the visible world1 he exclaims3 ,o ,lord1 our ,lord1 how admirable is thy name in the whole earth4 ,how few in looking upon nature1 raise up their thoughts to nature's ,god4 #afh ,they do not go beyond1 but stop with what they see4 ,to them1 nature is the highest and most complete expression of strength1 beauty1 and truth4 ,nature is fair1 but how much fairer is ,he who made nature what she is6 ,they forget the ,king in their blind admiration of his vestments4 ,they become the servants and slaves of nature1 instead of being her master and high-priest4 ,their worship of nature excludes her ,creator and ,lord1 and they become like the heathen idolaters of whom the ,apostle speaks3 ,they worshipped the creature rather than the ,creator1 who is blessed for ever4 ,footnote #fe ,footnote #fe3 ,rom4 i41 #be4 ,what do we find for the most part in the world of art8 ,do we see artists who are conscious of the great purposes of their noble vocation8 ,do they aim by the creations of their genius to raise less gifted minds to gaze upon the archetype of all beauty1 truth1 and goodness8 ,do they strive so to embody what is noblest and best in man's nature as to captivate his imagination1 and enkindle an enthusiasm for its imitation8 #afi ,there are a few such2 a few who are men1 no less than artists1 and who regard their vocation as something akin to what is sacred1 and would look upon it as desecration to employ their gifts in such way us to lead men aside from the realization of the great end of their existence4 ,but the many study to clothe with forms of borrowed beauty the expressions which spring from the lowest passions of their nature4 ,the lessons which their productions teach1 were they interpreted and expressed in words1 would shock the unvitiated feelings of the heart1 causing the innocent cheek to blush with shame4 ,quoting with sophistical blindness the text1 ,to the pure all things are pure1 they imagine they are justified in violating every rule of ,christian decency1 every feeling of modesty1 and every maxim of morality4 ,under the pretext of being true to nature1 they misrepresent nature1 by presenting what is lowest in man1 and that in its exaggerated and depraved developments1 and thereby add excitement to his already inordinate appetites and aid powerfully to his further degradation4 ,art1 instead of being an angel pointing with its fore-finger to heaven1 showing man the way to his destiny1 and aiding him to its attainment1 is turned into a ,siren1 enticing men to sin and destruction4 #agj ,in the world of science and literature1 the same thing takes place4 ,it would appear that the aim of most men devoted to science is1 in a great measure1 to undermine the basis of religious conviction in the soul1 instead of adding to its strength and support4 ,what is more reasonable than to suppose that the sentiments of religion should increase in proportion to the acquisition of the knowledge of truth1 for the end of all knowledge of truth is ,god4 ,and yet1 if you select from almost any branch of science1 those who are pre-eminent1 you will1 in all probability1 find that those who believe in ,christianity and practise its precepts1 are in the minority1 a very small minority4 ,what a strange perversion of the gift of intelligence to study the works of creation1 in order to overturn the ,revelation of the ,creator6 ,popular literature is of the same stamp4 ,it would be high praise to say of a popular author that his writings contain nothing contrary to morals or religion4 ,it would seem to be the aim of some to substitute vice for virtue1 and so to cloak passion with the garb of innocence as to make obedience to them an act of religion4 #aga ,familiarity with our popular literature would be a sad preparation for the reception of religious impressions1 or for the practice of virtue4 ,briefly1 in art1 in science1 and literature1 there reigns for the greater part1 an indifference to ,christianity1 the spirit of paganism1 and a practical atheism4 ,let us now look about ourselves in society4 ,here is a man possessed with the desire for distinction and places of honor4 ,his thoughts by day1 and his dreams at night1 are set upon them4 ,he is a lawyer1 and aims at being at the head of the bar1 or at becoming a judge4 ,he is a politician1 he seeks to be an alderman1 or a state senator1 or a congressman4 ,he knows not but one day he may be the president of the ,united ,states4 ,does he seek these by legitimate means8 ,not at all4 ,to gain popularity he sacrifices all self-respect1 and bribery is connived at to obtain votes4 ,if his religion is likely to aid his efforts1 he uses it2 you will find him in church1 and he gives liberally about election times to its charitable institutions4 #agb ,should his religion stand in his way1 he ceases to practice its duties4 ,should it serve his purpose1 he becomes a free-mason1 or an odd fellow1 or a member of some other secret society4 ,another is driven on by an inordinate desire for riches4 ,not content with the rewards of an honest trade1 or a respectable business1 he must make money easier and faster4 ,he starts a saloon or a liquor store1 and to conceal the low and disgraceful character of his traffic1 he places on his house a sign in large letters1 ,bonded ,warehouse1 ,rectifying ,distillery1 ,importer of ,foreign ,liquors1 or some other like falsehood4 ,his foreign and domestic wines and liquors1 are made of bad spirits1 some coloring matter and essences1 with fusil oil2 and these he deals out for genuine1 making from two to three hundred per cent4 profit4 ,under the plea of providing for a family1 and it may be that he has neither chick nor child1 he opens in the city several such--,rectifying ,distilleries66 ,what does this man care about the scandal which he is the occasion of to his religion1 or the poverty and wretchedness he spreads abroad in his neighborhood1 or the number of souls which he sends to an untimely and unprepared grave1 caused by his poisonous stuffs1 so that he gain wealth without effort and rapidly4 #agc ,another1 a young man who is bent upon seeking pleasure4 ,he frequents low theatres1 ball-rooms1 and bar-rooms4 ,he meets companions1 he gambles1 and occasionally he puts his hand in the till of his employer's drawer1 or he forges his paper4 ,the effects of late hours1 intoxication and debauchery1 by and by1 show themselves on his face1 a faint picture of the corruption which these vices have produced in his heart4 ,he ends his life as an uncurable in a public hospital2 or detected1 he spends his time and dies in a penitentiary4 ,here is a girl whose mind and imagination are filled with parties of pleasure1 and forbidden friendships1 gathered for the most part from reading popular literature and infectious novels4 ,her prayers are forgotten1 the sacraments neglected1 and she dreams of amusements and romantic attachments4 ,dress1 tone of voice1 every step and movement of her person betray the inordinate passions which have taken possession1 and reign now in her bosom4 ,to fill up the sketch1 all that is now needed is time and opportunity1 to complete her ruin1 and make her a public shame4 #agd ,from these illustrations it is easily seen which world it is that1 as followers of ,christ1 we are to separate from4 ,it is this world fabricated of error1 of the abuse of created things1 and engendered of inordinate desires4 ,this is the world of which the ,apostle speaks when he says3 ,love not the world1 nor the things which are in the world4 ,if any man love the world the charity of the ,father is not in him3 for all that is in the world1 is the concupiscence of the flesh1 the concupiscence of the eyes1 and the pride of life1 which is not of the ,father but of the world4 ,footnote #ff ,footnote #ff3 #a ,john ii41 #ae-af4 ,there is then a world which is formed of the things which ,god has made1 and the right use of these things by us2 and this is an innocent and righteous world1 of which it is said3 ,god was in ,christ1 reconciling the world to himself4 ,footnote #fg ,footnote #fg3 #b ,cor4 v41 #i4 ,transcriber's note3 ,the ,,usccb reference is #b ,cor4 v41 #ai4 ,there is a world which is made up of error1 and the abuse men make of created things2 and this is the wicked and ungodly world condemned in ,holy ,scripture4 #age ,on the one let us look with interest and delight1 and from the other let us separate and stand far apart1 as did our blessed ,lord and his ,saints1 giving heed to the advice of ,st4 ,augustine3 ,let the spirit of ,god be in thee1 he says1 that thou mayest see that all these created things are good2 but woe to thee if thou love the things made1 and forsake the ,maker of them6 ,fair are they to thee2 but how much fairer ,he that formed them6 ---------------- #agf ,sermon ,,xi4 ,the ,afflictions ,of ,the ,just4 ,blessed are you1 when men shall revile you1 and persecute you1 and shall say all manner of evil against you1 for my sake4 ,rejoice1 and be exceeding glad1 because your reward is very great in heaven2 for so they persecuted the ,prophets that were before you4 --,st4 ,matt1 v41 #aa1 #ab4 7,from the ,gospel for ,all ,saints' ,day47 ,i am about to preach you an old sermon this morning2 but ,i doubt not1 my dear friends1 you will find it all the better for being old1 and quite appropriate1 moreover1 to this day's feast1 for it will carry us back to the earlier ages of ,christianity1 when living saints were more abundant than now4 #agg ,in a vast desert of ,palestine1 which lay near the boundaries of ,arabia1 there dwelt1 during the fourth century of the ,christian era1 a number of devout hermits1 who1 after a life of great innocence and saintly virtue1 were cruelly massacred by the ,saracens4 ,some of their brethren1 deeply afflicted and scandalized by this outrage1 began to ask themselves1 how it was possible that ,god should permit such holy men to perish by the hand of these wicked infidels4 ,in their perplexity1 they deputed several of their number to visit and consult an aged ,egyptian hermit who1 on account of the great veneration in which he was held1 and the number of disciples gathered around him1 was called the ,abba1 or ,abbot ,theodore4 ,these came to him with their sad story1 and besought him to explain why ,god should permit such holy men to perish so miserably1 and how he could consent to the triumph of these cruel barbarians over his saints4 ,i invite your particular attention1 my brethren1 to his answer2 for perhaps you have asked similar questions yourselves4 ,in the various wars in which nations have engaged1 and even in those where the interests of religion seemed most involved1 we do not see that victory has always perched upon those banners which the prayers of ,god's people have blessed4 #agh ,so it has been throughout the history of the ,church1 and especially during the past three centuries4 ,who can recount the calamities which from year to year have fallen upon the children of the faith8 ,the soul grows sick to read of kingdoms wrested by violence into schism and heresy1 the burnings of monasteries and convents1 or their confiscation to the state1 the persecution of the ,catholic clergy1 the oppression of the laity4 ,and especially when we turn our thoughts to ,ireland1 poor1 faithful1 down trodden ,ireland--is it not wonderful that every thing seems to turn out to her disadvantage1 and to the prosperity of her oppressors8 ,have you not sometimes been tempted to exclaim3 ,has ,god forgotten ,ireland8 ,has she clung to her faith so long in vain1 amid poverty1 oppression and bloodshed8 ,has heaven no favors for her8 ,why does not ,god give victory always to the just cause8 ,or1 perhaps1 you have noticed in your own neighborhood1 how often the most faithful servants of ,god have been visited by heavy afflictions1 long sickness1 loss of property1 death of children and other dear friends1 while others1 destitute of faith1 piety1 and of all virtuous principle1 seem to prosper on every hand4 #agi ,and perhaps1 seeing this1 the thought arises in your mind3 ,does not ,god take notice of these things8 ,has ,he no chastisement for the wicked1 no sympathy for the good8 ,why does ,he not take part with his own1 and make them prosper most8 ,all these murmurings are like those of the good anchorites who visited ,abbot ,theodore1 and his answer to their questions will answer yours4 7,prelude of ,abbot ,theodore47--,these questions1 my brethren1 said he1 only astonish those who1 having little faith and little light1 think that the saints ought to receive their recompense in this life1 while ,god reserves it for them in the other4 ,but we have far different thoughts4 ,if our hopes in ,christ were only for the present life1 we should be1 as ,st4 ,paul tells us1 the most miserable among men1 having no recompense in this world1 and losing heaven also by our want of faith4 ,we ought to guard our minds against this error1 for it would leave us without hope or courage in the moment of temptation1 fill us with distrust of ,god1 and so bring us into sin1 and to our ruin4 #ahj ,after this short prelude1 he goes on to show that ,god neither sends nor permits any real evil to those that love ,him1 but that1 on the contrary1 all things contribute to the welfare of the just4 ,and this is his argument3 ,i4 ,god ,neither ,sends ,nor ,permits ,any ,real ,evil1 c4 ,every thing in this world1 said the good abbot1 is either good1 or bad1 or indifferent4 ,there is nothing really good but virtue1 which conducts us to ,god4 ,there is nothing really bad but sin1 which separates us from ,god4 ,in different things are such as hold a middle place between good and evil1 and may pass into one or the other1 according to the disposition of him that uses them4 ,such are riches1 honor1 health1 beauty1 life1 death1 sickness1 poverty1 injuries1 insults1 c4 ,this distinction laid1 let us see whether ,god has ever sent any real evil to his saints1 or permitted any one to do them a real injury4 ,that is something that we shall never be able to make out4 ,for no one is able to make a man fall into sin1 who is unwilling and resists1 but only those who consent to it1 and give admittance to it1 by the effeminacy of their hearts1 and the depravity of their will4 #aha ,the demon employed every possible artifice against holy ,job to make him murmur against ,god2 but in spite of all the afflictions which he heaped upon him1 body and soul1 he could not provoke him so far as to sin even with his lips1 and thus fall into the only real evil he had to fear4 ,we must not think1 therefore1 that the ill turns which our enemies or other persons sometimes do us are really evils1 but they belong rather to the class of indifferent things4 ,to be sure1 they may think to have done us harm1 and rejoice at it2 but the harm does not depend upon what they may think1 so long as we do not count it for such4 ,for example3 a good man is put to death1 without any just cause or provocation4 ,now1 we must not suppose that any thing really evil in itself has happened to him1 but simply something which is either good or evil1 according to circumstances4 ,for1 in truth1 death1 which is commonly counted to be an evil1 comes with a blessing to the just man1 for it delivers him from all the afflictions of this life4 ,thus death is no harm to him2 and although the malice of his enemies anticipates the order of nature by leading him to a sudden death1 the good man thereby only pays a little sooner a debt which he had to pay in any case1 and he goes to receive an eternal crown1 as the reward of his sufferings and death4 #ahb ,upon this1 one of the party named ,germanns1 raised a difficulty4 ,in that case1 said he1 we should have no reason to blame the murderer1 since he does no harm to the one he kills1 but only speeds him the sooner on to his salvation4 ,we are speaking of things as they are in themselves1 said ,abbot ,theodore1 and not of the intention of those who do them4 ,the patience and virtue of the just man in his sufferings and death1 is a crown to himself1 but no justification of his persecutor4 ,the latter will be punished for his cruelty1 and for the evil which he intended to do1 while the good man has in reality suffered no harm1 but by his patience has changed into a blessing the evil which was devised against him4 ,for example3 the wonderful patience of ,job was of no service to ,satan1 but it was of inestimable value to ,job himself1 who endured his trials with so much courage and resignation4 #ahc ,so ,judas is none the less subjected to eternal torments1 because his treason contributed to the salvation of men2 for in the eye of divine justice1 an action is not so much to be judged by its results1 as by the intention of the person who did it4 ,these high1 and holy maxims of ,christian philosophy being thus firmly established1 our good hermit1 growing warm with his subject1 begins to rise to still loftier and more beautiful conceptions1 like a bee coming out from its search in the flower1 and shaking the golden pollen from its wings4 ,,ii4 ,all ,things ,contribute ,to ,the ,welfare ,of ,the ,just4 ,we say of some men that they are born to good luck1 and that every thing they put their hands to turns out well4 ,we deceive ourselves when we say this2 it is only true of the ,saints1 and in a spiritual sense4 ',we know1' says ,st4 ,paul1 'that all things work together for good to them that love ,god4' ,footnote #fh ,footnote #fh3 ,rom4 viii41 #bh4 #ahd ,wonderful truth6 ,beautiful truth6 ,and the ,prophet ,david says the same thing of every man whose will is in the ,law of ,god3 ,all1 whatsoever he shall do1 shall prosper4 ,footnote #fi ,footnote #fi3 ,ps4 i41 #c4 ,now1 when the ,apostle says that 'all things work together for good1' he means not only prosperity1 but also what is called adversity4 ,and why8 ,why1 because those who truly and perfectly love ,god remain unchanged in all the vicissitudes of life4 ,they have but one end in view--eternal life1 and only one means to attain to it1 namely1 to do the will of ,god4 ,this they can do in all weathers1 in rain or sunshine4 ,indeed1 like the stormy petrel1 they gather most in stormy weather4 ,for what reflecting ,christian does not know the sweet uses of adversity1 which1 by severing the hopes that bound us to the earth1 and opening our eyes to the fact that we are but pilgrims here1 with a right of passage only1 teach us to fix our hopes on heaven alone1 and labor to build up our fortunes there8 ,the great ,apostle1 who himself had passed through the various paths of adversity1 teaches us how to turn all the vicissitudes of life1 both its joys and sorrows1 into golden occasions of merit1 fighting our way onward to heaven1 as he says1 'with the strength which ,god gives us1 by the arms of justice1 on the right hand and on the left2' that is1 as he goes on to explain1 'through honor and dishonor1 through infamy and good name1 as dying and behold we live1 as sorrowful and yet always rejoicing1 as having nothing and yet possessing all things8' ,footnote #gj ,footnote #gj3 #b ,cor4 vi41 #h-aj #ahe ,all therefore1 that passes for prosperity1 and is consequently on the right hand1 such as glory1 and good reputation1 and success in temporal affairs1 and all that passes for adversity1 and thus1 according to the language of ,st4 ,paul1 is on the left hand1 such as disgrace and evil report1 and temporal disappointment2--all to the perfect ,christian serve alike for arms of justice1 holy weapons to win his crown with1 because he receives every thing that comes with the same great heart1 and allows himself to be cast down by nothing4 ,and therefore the ,prophet says of him3 ',the holy man continues in wisdom like the sun4',footnote #ga ,footnote #ga3 ,ecclus4 xxvii4 #ab4 ,transcriber's note3 ,ecclesiastes ends at chapter #ab4 ,text is similar to ,sirach xxvii4 #aa4 ,but for those who change every moment1 and show different humors and different dispositions of heart1 according to the different chances and changes of life--let them listen to these words of the same ,prophet1 which were spoken for their especial benefit3 ,the fool changes like the moon4' ,footnote #gb ,footnote #gb3 ,ecclus4 xxvii4 #ab4 ,transcriber's note3 ,the ,,usccb citation is ,sirach xxvii4 #aa2 the godless man1 like the moon1 is inconstant4 #ahf ,and1 therefore1 every thing turns to evil for them1 according to the proverb3 ',every thing to the foolish man is contrary1' ,footnote #gc because he does not improve in prosperity1 nor correct his ways in adversity4 ,it will not do for the ,christian to be like wax1 which takes any form that may be impressed upon it2 but like a diamond seal1 he should keep unchangeably the form impressed upon his heart by the hand of ,god1 showing no change in the different events of life4 ,footnote #gc3 ,prov4 xiv4 #g4 ,so in the lxx4 ,in ,holy ,scripture ,footnote #gd we read of one ,aod1 a great warrior1 and a leader of the ,israelites1 who was what is called an ambidexter1 that is1 he could use the left hand as well as the right4 ,this man1 said ,abbot ,theodore1 is a type of the perfect ,christian1 who is always an ambidexter1 making use of both prosperity and adversity to advance the salvation of his soul1 and increase his merits1 fighting the good fight of faith1 'with the arms of justice1 on the right hand and on the left4' ,footnote #gd3 ,judges ii4 #ahg ,it is the duty of us all to exercise ourselves in the use of this holy armor1 that we may1 like ,aod1 be dexterous warriors1 able to carry our swords in either hand1 and meet our foes on whatever side they may advance1 temperate in prosperity1 patient in adversity1 never fainting1 always rejoicing1 seeking for nothing1 hoping for nothing1 knowing nothing in this world but ,jesus ,christ and ,him crucified1 and thus1 by this blessed alchemy of the ,saints1 turning all things into gold4 ,you see1 therefore1 my dear friends1 so concluded the good hermit1 that we have no occasion to deplore the death of these saintly solitaries1 as if they had suffered some great misfortune1 or as if their enemies had triumphed over them2 and still less have we any right to complain of ,god1 as if ,he had forsaken or forgotten his own4 ,on the contrary1 they have gone to their rest1 like the laboring man at night-fall2 they have been shaken from the tree where they grew1 like ripe figs in the harvest time1 and their ,divine ,master has gathered them in4 ,their death was cruel and miserable in the eyes of man1 but precious in the sight of ,god1 for so the ,psalmist tells us3 ',precious in the sight of ,god is the death of his ,saints4' ,footnote #ge ,footnote #ge3 ,psalm cxv41 #ae4 ,transcriber's note3 ,the ,,usccb reference is ,psalm cxvi41 #ae4 #ahh ,do not believe that1 even if it were left to their choice1 they would wish to come back again to this world1 to live longer in it1 nor would they choose any other death than that by which they have quitted it4 ,indeed there was little room for choice in the matter1 since1 as the ,apostle says1 'for them to live was ,christ and to die was gain1' ,footnote #gf it being the privilege of the ,saints to prosper in all that befalls them4 ,footnote #gf3 ,phil1 i41 #ba4 ,transcriber's note3 ,similarly1 ,phil41 #a41 #bc1 ,i long to depart this life and be with ,christ1 7for7 that is far better4 ,see6 my dear brethren1 it is not ,i that have been speaking to you1 but an ancient ,father of the desert4 ,i have preached to you an old sermon1 and well nigh word for word as it was spoken fifteen hundred years ago in the ,egyptian wilderness4 ,i have done so purposely1 in order that you may take notice that the ,christians of those early times were subject to disasters and afflictions as you are now1 and tried by the same temptations4 ,you see also what kind of consolation they found in their religion1 what kind of counsel they received from their spiritual advisers1 and how they turned their sorrows and adversities to good account4 #ahi ,their time of trial was over long ago2 and now they are happy4 ,no doubt1 they look back with pleasure upon those very sorrows1 as belonging to the sweetest and holiest days of their pilgrimage on earth--days of patient resignation1 and childlike trust1 and ,christian courage--days when they wept much1 but prayed all the more--days when the current of earthly joys was at its lowest ebb-tide1 but the waters of heavenly grace were at their fullest flood-tide1 and therefore1 days of golden gain4 ,oh6 let it be so with you1 my brethren1 in your afflictions6 ,what would you have8 ,the ,christians of other ages have journeyed on cheerfully toward heaven bearing their cross4 ,would you ride thither at your ease8 ,would you wear your crown without winning it8 ,would you be saved by the sufferings of ,christ1 and refuse to take your share of suffering8 ,no6 arm yourselves with ,christian fortitude4 ,meet adversities patiently1 manfully1 trustfully1 as these good ,christians did of old4 ,be like them in the trials of this world1 and then1 like them too in the recompense of the other1 your sorrows shall be turned into joy1 and your joy will be all the greater for the sorrows you have endured4 ---------------------- #aij ,sermon ,,xii4 ,false ,maxims4 ,lord1 that ,i may see4 --,st4 ,luke xviii41 #da4 7,from the ,gospel for ,quinquagesima ,sunday47 ,blindness is a very common thing1 if we may judge by the many false maxims afloat4 ,we find them everywhere and in every thing1 in politics1 in business1 in the government of children1 in religion4 ,wherever they are1 they are pernicious and destructive4 ,in business they lead to bankruptcy and ruin2 in politics to disunion1 revolution and anarchy2 in the government of families to dissipation and worthlessness4 ,but of all false maxims1 the most pernicious and destructive are those relating to religion3 because they involve the loss of the soul1 of all our interests1 hopes1 and happiness in one great ruin4 #aia ,there are many such4 ,one will say3 ,it's no matter what a man's faith may be4 ,all religions are alike1 they are different roads that lead to the same end4 ,let a man only act right1 and he can throw all creeds over board2 whether ,jew1 ,turk1 ,heathen1 ,protestant or ,catholic1 it makes no difference4 ,a man who speaks thus is no ,catholic1 nor is he ever like to be4 ,he has put out the light of ,jesus ,christ1 who holds up to us one faith1 one ,lord1 one baptism1 and gropes along to his ruin in a darkness of his own creation4 ,but ,i don't mean to speak of such4 ,i would rather speak of the false maxims of certain ,catholics by which they persuade themselves that all will be right1 though the ,lord and ,savior says that all is wrong1 and so rush blindly to their ruin4 ,one of the first of these maxims is this3 ,because ,i'm a ,catholic ,i shall be sure to get to heaven4 ,where did such a notion come from8 ,you are sure of heaven only on condition of behaving yourself as you ought4 #aib ,if you have a ticket on the cars and misbehave1 you are put off at the first station2 so what ever rights you have to heaven in virtue of being a ,catholic are forfeited when you cease to live as a ,catholic ought to live4 ,if you sin1 your being a ,catholic won't hinder you from losing all the privileges of your baptism4 ,where did you get the notion that it's enough to be a ,catholic without being a practical one8 ,was it from the ,church of ,god8 ,the very first word addressed you by her1 was in your baptism1 when you were asked3 ,what dost thou ask of the ,church of ,god8 ,the answer was3 ,faith4 ,what does faith bring thee to8 was the next question4 ,the reply was3 ,eternal life4 ,then spoke out the ,church right solemnly3 ,if thou wilt enter into life keep the commandments4 ,keeping the commandments is here the plain condition for obtaining eternal life1 and nothing else4 ,that's what the ,lord himself said to the young man who asked the question3 ,what shall ,i do that ,i may have everlasting life8 ,his reply was in the very same words3 ,keep the commandments4 ,footnote #gg ,footnote #gg3 ,st4 ,matt1 xix41 #af1 #ag4 #aic ,to whom is that addressed8 ,to ,catholics4 ,who says it8 ,the ,god of heaven and earth4 ,do you believe ,him8 ,if you do1 you must give up the idea of being saved merely because you are a ,catholic1 but expect salvation by being a good one1 and keeping the commandments4 ,what's more1 the ,divine ,scriptures expressly state that it is not enough to profess the faith without good works4 ,know ye not that the unjust shall not possess the kingdom of ,god4 ,be not deceived3 neither fornicators1 nor adulterers1 nor idolaters1 nor the effeminate1 nor thieves1 nor the covetous1 nor drunkards1 shall possess the kingdom of ,god4 ,footnote #gh ,footnote #gh3 #a ,cor4 vi41 #i1 #aj4 ,who are addressed8 ,heathens8 ,no2 they are ,catholics2 the ,corinthians who had been baptized and received the sacraments4 ,under what figure is the ,church of ,god represented in ,scripture8 ,as a net that contains fish both good and bad4 ,yes1 they are not all good fish that are in the net2 there are bad ones4 ,what is said of these bad ones8 ,that at the last day they shall be sorted out and given to the fire4 ,the ,church is compared to a field sown with good grain and overrun with tares4 ,are the tares rooted up in this world8 #aid ,no1 they grow together with the wheat until the harvest2 that is1 until the judgment at the end of the world3 then comes the division1 and the burning of the tares4 ,listen to the explanation of the ,lord3 ,so shall it be at the end of the world4 ,the ,angels shall go out and shall separate the wicked from among the just1 and shall cast them into the furnace of fire2 there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth4 ,footnote #gi ,footnote #gi3 ,st4 ,matt1 xiii41 #di4 ,if you are acting on any such maxim you have blinded yourself1 you have put out the light of the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ1 and walk in a way of your own devising1 to your eternal destruction4 ,another false principle of a great many is this3 ,because they don't lead what they call very bad lives1 they cannot1 as they imagine1 be among the damned3 ,in other words1 they don't and won't believe that one mortal sin is the death of the soul4 ,where did this notion come from8 ,from the ,church8 ,i would like to know where4 ,what ,apostles1 ,doctors of the ,church1 ,pontiffs1 ,priests1 or ,laymen1 that ever wrote on the matter1 ever broached such an idea8 #aie ,for eighteen hundred long years the ,church1 we may say1 has done nothing else but repeat over and over that one mortal sin will damn the soul4 ,did any ,priest ever preach to the contrary8 ,i never heard one do so2 ,i never heard of one who had done so4 ,and yet1 ,catholic people do sometimes get this folly into their minds4 ,an old man1 quite a respectable one too1 came to me not long ago3 ,father1 ,i have a temptation on a point of faith4 ,what is it8 ,i can't believe that one mortal sin will damn the soul4 ,i heard the ,missionary say so in his sermon1 but ,i didn't believe him4 ,i think ,i have heard the contrary from other ,priests4 ,i said to him3 ,my friend1 ,i cannot believe you ever did4 ,it's a notion you've picked up from another quarter4 ,why1 what do we mean when we speak of mortal sin8 ,the very word mortal means deadly4 ,don't you see1 the very definition of mortal sin1 is a sin that grievously offends ,god and brings with it the death of the soul8 ,it is deliberately rejecting ,god with your eyes wide open4 ,once is enough4 ,spit in a man's face once1 you need not do it a second time4 ,play the hypocrite with him once1 he won't trust you again4 #aif ,renounce his friendship once1 and friendship is over4 ,your friend will forgive you many little offences1 but trample once on some right1 on some feeling which he holds dear and sacred1 and once is enough4 ,how many times must you spit in ,god's face1 play the hypocrite with ,him1 turn your back on ,him1 trample on ,his most sacred commandments1 before you expect ,him to be angry8 ,one mortal sin is enough because it is mortal4 ,many don't and won't believe this4 ,hear what they say3 ,i'm a good one to attend mass4 ,i don't miss it of my own fault more than five or six times a year4 ,do you ever get drunk8 ,oh1 not a great deal1 only a reasonable share1 now and again1 a few times in the course of the year2 and so on of other things4 ,the devil has blinded them4 ,they are travelling along with the great crowd1 singing and laughing1 down the broad road that leads to the pit of hell4 ,listen to what the ,scriptures say3 ,be converted and do penance for all your iniquities1 and iniquity shall not be your ruin4 ,cast away from you all your transgressions by which you have transgressed1 and make to yourself a new heart1 and a new spirit2 for why will you die1 ,o house of ,israel4 ,footnote #hj ,that's it4 ,all is the word4 ,nothing short of this will save from ruin4 ,footnote #hj3 ,ezechiel xviii41 #cj1 #ca4 #aig ,another false maxim3 ,that we shall be saved by the sacraments1 no matter how we receive them4 ,a great many have evidently some such principle lurking in their minds4 ,the way they make confession shows it4 ,the only idea with them seems to be to wipe off old scores and to be at more liberty to begin afresh4 ,the load of sin gets heavy2 it begins to press upon the conscience2 it makes one uneasy4 ,what's to be done to get rid of it8 ,pitch it off upon the ,priest's back4 ,then he will become responsible2 they need give themselves no farther trouble about it4 ,they have brought the same load of mortal sin now for many years1 perhaps every half-year1 and1 what's more1 they really expect to do the same until their death4 ,some come concealing their sins time and again4 ,if an absolution can be got out of the ,priest1 it makes no matter how4 ,it is the absolution they want2 all the same to them whether ,god sanctions it or not4 ,so when the ,priest refuses1 seeing that they are not prepared1 they beg for it4 #aih ,oh ,father1 do give me the absolution6 ,you are not fit for it4 ,oh1 but you can give it if you please1 they say4 ,sometimes they threaten1 ,if ,i'm not absolved1 ,i won't come again4 ,sometimes they plead occupation3 ,if ,i go away without absolution1 ,i cannot come again without great inconvenience2 as if their convenience should entitle them to absolution1 without penitence1 and the purpose of amendment4 ,this is indeed taking out of the sacraments all their life and spirit1 and reducing them to a mere form4 ,this is what our ,lord called the religion of the ,scribes and ,pharisees1 who made clean the outside of the platter1 but left the inside greasy and filthy4 ,these go through the form of confession1 merely keeping up an outside appearance of piety1 but their hearts are full of rottenness and filth4 ,does the ,church teach any such thing8 ,no1 far from it4 ,she teaches that the indispensable condition of forgiveness is a true1 heartfelt sorrow for every mortal sin1 with a firm1 unflinching determination to avoid every such sin for the rest of one's life4 #aii ,she is the ,holy ,catholic ,church1 and her teaching is as pure as the sunlight on this point2 it is clearly laid down in all her catechisms and instructions1 so that no one need make any mistake about it4 ,nevertheless the ,lord foresaw that many would blind themselves in spite of all this4 ,he represents them standing at the judgment and saying3 ,lord1 have we not eaten and drunk at thy table8 ,footnote #ha ,footnote #ha3 ,st4 ,luke xiii41 #bf4 ,yes1 we received the sacraments2 certainly there can't be any mistake1 it must be all right4 ,what is the answer8 ,depart from me1 workers of iniquity1 ,i know not whence ye are4 ,footnote #hb ,footnote #hb3 ,st4 ,luke xiii41 #bg4 ,sacraments received wrongfully work out1 not the salvation1 but the damnation of the soul4 ,so ,st4 ,paul speaks of those who1 through their sins1 did not discern the ,lord's body1 being weak and sickly--speaks also of eating and drinking judgment to one's self4 ,if this last is a false and fatal error1 how much more horrible is it when it assumes a new shape and comes out in this form3 ,oh1 ,i will live as ,i please1 and the last sacraments will make it all right4 ,i'll send for the priest before ,i die4 ,judas when finishing his act of perfidy1 kissed the ,saviour whom he had deliberately and wantonly betrayed4 #bjj ,so these desert and betray ,christ and his holy religion1 and then go to make it up with a last kiss2 a kiss full of hypocrisy and only given through a dire necessity that presses them4 ,is any hope held out in ,scripture for the victims of such delusions8 ,if ye live according to the flesh ye shall die4 ,footnote #hc ,footnote #hc3 ,rom4 viii41 #ac4 ,what a man soweth that shall he reap4 ,footnote #hd ,footnote #hd3 ,gal4 vi41 #g4 ,ye shall cry unto me ,lord1 but the ,lord will1 not hear you4 ,ye shall seek me and ye shall not find me2 ye shall die in your sins4 ,footnote #he ,footnote #he3 ,st4 ,john viii41 #ba4 ,small comfort this to those who are cheating themselves with the idea of sending for the priest1 and receiving the sacraments on their death-beds4 ,priests and sacraments1 if they do receive them 7which is a thing extremely doubtful71 will do no good without contrition1 and who will answer for the contrition of one who has persisted in outraging ,god through a whole life1 and who1 now that death stares him in the face1 and in the midst of pain and fever and stupor1 must set the accounts of conscience in order4 ,the whole demeanor of such persons shows1 only too frequently1 how little they realize their condition1 and what a wretched reliance death-bed repentance is1 for the salvation of the soul4 #bja ,such are some of the false maxims that put out the eyes of the soul4 ,whence do they spring8 ,from an evil and perverse heart4 ,a man given up to sin must justify himself in some way or other4 ,he therefore makes light of sin--seeks to persuade himself that its consequences are not so dreadful--that after all1 when it comes to the very point1 ,god will not allow these consequences to fall upon him4 ,they say a drowning man will catch at a straw4 ,so these persons1 though they know the truth1 catch at every straw that holds out the least prospect of safety--every flimsy pretense that holds out encouragement for a life of sin2 every false maxim that holds out a ground of hope4 ,they call such things up on every occasion to fortify their own minds4 ,they repeat them over to their friends1 as if by hearing them a number of times they might seem to have more foundation in them4 ,they like to hear others say such things2 it gives them a wonderful encouragement to go on4 ,so the blind lead the blind4 ,at last this false reasoning gets to be so habitual that they fall back upon it whenever conscience begins to speak to their hearts4 #bjb ,as to turning to ,god and quitting sin1 that they won't think of even for a moment2 so1 in the words of ,scripture1 a strong delusion is sent upon them to believe a lie4 ,it is sent upon them1 in the sense that they have drawn it on themselves4 ,to be sure1 they don't really believe it1 but they wish to believe it1 try to believe it1 and fancy that they do believe it4 ,indeed1 in practice they may be said to believe1 inasmuch as they have made up their minds to act upon it4 ,what a miserable state to be in is this6 ,self-satisfied and self-blindfolded1 to be drifting down into hell1 in a dream of careless and stupid indifference6 ,the poor blind man cried out with all his might1 ,lord6 that ,i may see6 ,the loss of bodily sight is indeed a great calamity1 a thing to be keenly felt4 ,the bare possibility of being restored to sight1 should be enough to make one cry out1 with his whole soul1 ',lord1 ,lord1 that ,i may receive my sight6' #bjc ,how much more deplorable when the eyes of the soul are put out6 ,how much more occasion to cry out in agony of spirit to ,jesus the true light1 that enlightens every man that cometh into the world--',lord6 that ,i may see6 that ,i may understand the things that belong to my peace2 that ,i may arouse from my stupidity1 throw away all false delusions1 and square myself by the maxims of the ,gospel1 opening my eyes to those eternal truths revealed by a ,god who can neither deceive nor be deceived6 ,oh sinner6 oh careless1 indifferent ,christian6 if you have the least desire to make your hope of heaven a sure hope1 one that shall not be confounded1 cry with the blind man to ,jesus1 ,lord1 that ,i may see6 ,cry aloud1 repeat that cry1 until ,jesus shall turn to you1 and grant your request4 ,show that you are in earnest by taking the means to get your soul enlightened4 ,go and hear the word of ,god preached on the ,sundays4 ,don't do as so many do1 that go to ,low ,mass1 early1 and hear no sermon from one month to another4 ,make a practice to go to ,high ,mass1 where ,jesus ,christ1 in the person of his priest1 stands on purpose to give you light4 ,how can you expect light when you close your eyes8 ,how will the truths of the ,gospel reach your heart and make an impression there1 if you never listen to them8 #bjd ,preaching is the appointed means of receiving the truth4 ,faith cometh by hearing6 says the ,holy ,ghost4 ,footnote #hf ,footnote #hf3 ,rom4 x41 #ag4 ,imitate the blind man4 ,he found out where ,jesus was expected to come by2 he went there4 ,do likewise4 ,go where ,jesus is1 to the ,church2 cry to ,him2 listen to ,him2 when ,he speaks through his holy ,gospels2 read them1 and hear them explained by the living voice of his representative1 the ,priest4 ,then you will have light2 you will have it abundantly1 to your great joy and consolation4 ,the promise is sure2 there can be no failure4 ,if any of you lack wisdom let him ask of ,god1 who giveth to all abundantly and upbraideih not1 and it shall be given him4 ,footnote #hg ,footnote #hg3 ,st4 ,james i41 #e4 ,ask for it1 and you shall receive it4 ,what is it8 ,the light that shall direct our feet in the way of peace1 and carry us through safely to the light of glory in heaven4 ,the light of ,christ1 in which the ,priest from on high hath visited us1 to enlighten them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death3 to direct our feet in the way of peace4 ,footnote #hh ,footnote #hh3 ,st4 ,luke i41 #gh4 --------------------- #bje ,sermon ,,xiii4 ,mary's ,destiny ,a ,type ,of ,ours4 ,mary hath chosen the best part1 which shall not be taken away from her4 --,st4 ,luke x41 #db4 7,from the ,gospel for the ,assumption47 ,to-day is the ,assumption of the ,blessed ,virgin ,mary4 ,to-day she entered into the enjoyment of heaven4 ,the trials and troubles of life are over4 ,the time of banishment is ended4 ,she closes her eyes on this world and opens them to the vision of ,god4 ,she is exalted to-day above the choirs of angels to the heavenly kingdom1 and takes her seat at the right hand of her ,son4 ,i do not mean to attempt any description of her glory in heaven4 ,i am sure whatever ,i could say would fall far short1 not only of the reality1 but of your own glowing thoughts about her4 #bjf ,who is there that needs to be told that the ,blessed ,virgin is splendid in sanctity1 dazzling in beauty1 and exalted in power8 ,but1 my brethren1 it is possible to contemplate the ,blessed ,virgin in such a way as to put her at too great a distance from us4 ,it is possible to conceive of her glory in heaven as flowing entirely from her dignity as ,mother of ,god1 and therefore to suppose it altogether unattainable by us2 and as a consequence of this1 to regard her with feelings full of admiration indeed1 but almost as deficient in sympathy as if she were of an other nature from us4 ,now this is to rob ourselves of so ennobling and encouraging a part of our privilege as ,christians1 and at the same time to take away from our devotion to the ,blessed ,virgin an element so useful and important1 that ,i have determined1 on this her glorious ,feast1 to remind you that our destiny and the destiny of ,mary are substantially the same4 ,and the first proof ,i offer of this is1 that the glory of the ,blessed ,virgin in heaven is not owing to her character as ,mother of ,god1 but to her correspondence to grace--to her good works--to her love of ,god--in a word1 to her fidelity as a ,christian4 #bjg ,this is certain1 for it is the ,catholic doctrine that the ,blessed ,virgin1 like every other saint1 gained heaven only as the reward of merit4 ,now she could not merit it by becoming the ,mother of ,god4 ,her being the ,mother of ,god is indeed a most august dignity1 but there is no merit in it4 ,it is a dignity conferred on her by the absolute decree of ,god1 just as ,he resolved to confer angelic nature on angels1 or human nature on men4 ,it is no doubt a great happiness and glory for us to be men1 and not brutes1 but there is no merit in it2 so there is honor but no merit in the ,blessed ,virgin's being the ,mother of ,god4 ,now if she did not merit heaven by becoming the ,mother of ,god1 how did she merit it8 for it is of faith that heaven is the reward of merit4 ,i answer1 by her life on earth4 ,it was not as the ,mother of ,god that she won heaven1 but as ,mary1 the daughter of ,joachim1 the wife of ,joseph1 the mother of ,jesus4 ,it is impossible to read the ,gospels without seeing how careful our ,lord was to make us understand this4 ,he seems to have been afraid1 all along1 that the splendor of that character of ,mother of ,god would eclipse the woman and the saint4 #bjh ,thus once when ,he was preaching1 a woman in the crowd1 hearing his words of wisdom1 and1 perhaps1 piercing the veil of his humanity1 and thinking what a blessed thing it must be to be the mother of such a son1 exclaimed3 ,blessed is the womb that bare thee1 and the paps that gave thee suck1 ,footnote #hi but ,he answered immediately3 ,yea rather1 blessed are they who hear the ,word of ,god and keep it4 ,footnote #hi3 ,st4 ,luke xi41 #bg-bh4 ,no one doubts that the ,blessed ,virgin did hear the ,word of ,god1 and keep it4 ,so our ,lord's words are as much as to say3 ',you praise my mother for being my mother2 what ,i praise her for is her sanctity4' ,in the same way1 when they came to ,him on another occasion1 when there was a great throng about ,him1 and said3 ,behold1 thy mother and thy brethren stand without1 seeking thee1 ,he answered3 ,who is my mother8 and who are my brethren8 ,and stretching forth his hand towards his disciples1 he said3 ,behold my mother and my brethren4 ,for whosoever shall do the will of my ,father who is in heaven1 he is my brother1 and sister1 and mother4 ,footnote #ij ,footnote #ij3 ,st4 ,matt1 xii41 #dh-ej4 #bji ,external advantages1 however great1 even to be related to the ,son of ,god1 are as nothing in his sight1 compared to that in which all may have a part--obedience to his ,father's will4 ,perhaps1 also1 this is the explanation of his language at the marriage of ,cana in ,galilee4 ,when the wine failed1 and his mother came to ,him and asked ,him to exert his ,divine power to supply the want1 ,he said3 ,woman1 what hast thou to do with me8 ,my time is not yet come4 ,footnote #ia ,footnote #ia3 ,st4 ,john1 ii41 #d4 7,archbishop ,kenrick's ,translation47 ,he does not allow her request on the score of her maternal authority1 but what ,he refuses on this ground ,he grants to her virtue and holiness1 for ,he immediately proceeds to perform the miracle she had asked for1 though1 as ,he said1 his time was not yet come4 ,so1 too1 on the cross ,he commends the ,blessed ,virgin to ,st4 ,john's care1 not under the high title of ,mother1 but the lowly one of ,woman4 ,woman1 behold thy son4 ,footnote #ib ,footnote #ib3 ,st4 ,john xix41 #bf4 ,now why was this8 ,did not our ,lord love his ,mother8 ,was ,he not disposed to be obedient to her as his mother8 ,certainly2 but it was for our sakes ,he spoke thus4 #baj ,in private1 at ,nazareth1 we are told1 he was subject to her1 but on these great public occasions1 when crowds were gathered around ,him to hear ,him preach1 when ,he hung on the ,cross1 and a world was looking on1 ,he put out of view her maternal grandeur1 in compassion to us1 lest there should be too great a distance between her and us1 and we should lose the force of her example4 ,he wished us to understand that ,mary1 high as she was1 was a woman1 and in the same order of grace and ,providence with us4 ,we might have said ,oh1 the ,blessed ,virgin obtains what she asks for on easy terms4 ,she has but to ask and it is done4 ,she enters heaven as the son of a nobleman comes into his father's estate1 by the mere title of blood and lineage4 ,but no3 our ,saviour says3 ,to sit on my right hand is not mine to give you1 but to them for whom it is prepared by my ,father4 ,footnote #ic ,footnote #ic3 ,st4 ,matt1 xx41 #bc4 ,it is not a matter of favor and arbitrary appointment2 not even my ,mother gains her glory in that way4 ,she must comply with the terms on which my ,father promises heaven to men1 and therefore the ,church applies to her words spoken of another ,mary3 ,mary hath chosen the best part2 therefore it shall not be taken away from her4 #baa ,oh1 blessed truth6 ,mary is one of us4 ,her destiny1 high as it is1 is a human destiny4 ,and she reached it in a human fashion4 ,she built that splendid throne of hers in heaven with care and labor while she was on the earth4 ,she laid the foundation of it in her childhood1 when her feet trod the ,temple aisles4 ,she reared its pillars1 when with faith1 purity and obedience unequalled1 she received the message of the ,archangel4 ,and her daily life at ,bethlehem1 ,egypt1 and ,nazareth1 her holy1 loving ways with ,joseph1 and with ,jesus1 her perfect fulfilment of ,god's law1 her interior fervent acts of prayer1 covered it with gold and ivory4 ,then1 when the blind world was going on its way of folly2 while one ,king ,herod was deluging villages in blood1 and another steeping his soul in the guilt of incest1 and of the blood of the ,son of ,god2 while the multitude were doubting1 and ,scribes and ,pharisees disputing about ,christ1 the lowly ,jewish maiden1 with no other secret but love and prayer1 was preparing for herself that bright mansion in ,heaven wherein she now dwells1 rejoicing eternally with her ,son4 #bab ,oh happy news6 ,one1 at least1 of our race has perfectly fulfilled her destiny4 ,here we can gain some idea of what ,god created us for4 ,here is the destiny that awaits man when original sin does not mar it2 when co-operation with grace and unswerving perseverance secure it4 ,the ,jews were proud of ,judith4 ,they said3 ,thou art the glory of ,jerusalem2 thou art the joy of ,israel2 thou art the honor of our people4 ,so we may say of ,mary3 ',o ,mary1 thou art the pride of our race4 ,in thee the design of ,god in our creation has been perfectly attained4 ,in thee the redemption of ,christ has had its perfect fruit4 ,mankind conceives new hopes from thy success4 ,christ1 indeed1 has entered into glory2 but ,christ was ,god4 ,mary is purely human1 and ,mary has succeeded4 ,why tarry we here in the bondage of ,egypt8 ,mary has crossed the ,red ,sea1 and has taken a timbrel in her hand and sings her thanksgiving unto ,god4 ,true it is that she is fleet of foot1 and we are halt and weak2 but even she needed the grace of ,god1 and the same grace is offered to us1 that we may run and not faint4 ,listen to her song of triumph4 #bac ,she does not set herself above us1 but claims kindred with us1 and bids us hope for the same grace which she has received4 ,my soul doth magnify the ,lord1 for he hath exalted the humble1 and hath filled the hungry with good things4 ,and his mercy is from generation to generation to them that fear him4 ,another proof that the destiny of the ,blessed ,virgin is substantially the same with ours1 is the fact that1 in ,scripture the same expressions are used to describe her glory and ours4 ,sometimes those who are not ,catholics when they hear what high words we use of the ,blessed ,virgin1 are scandalized2 but we use almost no words of the ,blessed ,virgin that may not1 in their measure1 be applied to other ,saints4 ,it is true that the ,blessed ,virgin has some gifts and graces in which she stands alone--as her character of ,mother of ,god1 and her ,immaculate ,conception--but1 as ,i said before1 these are dignities and ornaments conferred on her1 and are not the source of her essential happiness in ,heaven4 ,in other respects1 her glory is shared by all the ,saints4 ,thus1 ,mary is called ,queen of ,heaven2 but are not all the blessed called in ,holy ,scripture1 kings and priests unto ,god8 ,footnote #id ,footnote #id3 ,apoc4 i41 #f4 #bad ,is she said to sit at the ,king's right hand8 and are not we too promised a place at his right hand1 and to sit on thrones8 ,footnote #ie ,footnote #ie3 ,apoc4 iii41 #ba4 ,is she called the ,morning ,star8 and does not ,st4 ,paul1 speaking of all the ,saints1 say1 star differeth from star in glory4 ,footnote #if ,footnote #if3 #a ,cor4 xv41 #da4 ,is she called a ,mediatrix of ,prayer8 and is it not said of every just man1 that his continual prayer availeth much8 ,footnote #ig ,footnote #ig3 ,st4 ,james v41 #af4 ,is she called ,the ,spouse of ,god8 and does not the ,almighty1 addressing every faithful soul1 say1 ,my love1 my dove1 my undefiled8 ,footnote #ih ,footnote #ih3 ,can4 v41 #b4 ,is she called the ,daughter of the ,most ,high8 and are not we too called the ,sons of ,god8 ,footnote #ii ,footnote #ii3 #a ,st4 ,john iii41 #b4 ,the glory of the ,blessed ,virgin1 then1 differs from that of the other ,saints in degree1 but not in kind4 ,she is not separated from them1 but is one of them4 ,she goes before them4 ,she is the most perfect of them4 ,but she is one of them4 ,and for this reason1 the glory of the ,blessed ,virgin gives us the best conception of the magnificence of our destiny4 ,when a botanist wishes to describe a flower1 he selects the most perfect specimen4 #bae ,when an anatomist draws a model of the human frame1 he makes it faultless4 ,so we1 to gain the truest idea of our destiny1 must lift up our eyes to the ,blessed ,virgin on her heavenly throne1 and say3 ,oh6 my soul1 see for what thou art created4 ,think of this my brethren1 as often as you kneel before her image1 or meditate on her greatness4 ,you cannot be what she is1 but you can be like her4 ,she is a creature like you4 ,she is a human being like you4 ,she is a ,christian like you4 ,and her joy1 her beauty1 her glory1 her wealth1 her knowledge1 her power--nay1 even the mighty efficacy of her intercession--are only what1 in their measure1 ,god offers to you4 ,glory1 honor and peace to ,,every ,,one that worketh good for there is no respect of persons with ,god4 ,footnote #ajj ,footnote #ajj3 ,rom4 ii41 #aj4 ,if these things be so1 what greatness it gives to human life4 ,perhaps1 if you had lived in the times of the ,blessed ,virgin ,mary1 you would never have noticed her2 or if you had known her by sight1 what would she have seemed to you but a good little ,jewish girl1 lowly and retiring in her manners and appearance8 #baf or1 later in life1 a poor young woman thrust away1 with her husband1 from a crowded inn1 or fleeing by night with an infant child8 or1 still later1 the mother of a condemned malefactor1 watching his sufferings in the crowd4 ,herod did not know her1 and the nobles of ,jerusalem were ignorant of her4 ,she was not one of the friends of the ,queen's dancing daughters4 ,even the rustics of the village of ,bethlehem looked down on her4 ,she carried no servants about with her1 and had no palace to live in4 ,but ,faith tells us of angel visits1 of union with ,god1 of heavenly goodness1 and an immortal crown4 ,so1 in like manner1 how our life becomes grand and dignified when it is lighted up by faith6 ,you know there are porcelain pictures1 which in the hand are rough and unmeaning1 but held up to the light reveal the most beautiful scenes and figures2 so our common ordinary life1 rough and unmeaning as it often seems1 when enlightened by faith becomes all divine4 ,there is a little girl who learns her lessons and obeys her parents1 and tells the truth1 and shuns every thing that is wicked2 why1 as that little girl kneels down to pray1 ,i see a bright angel drawing near to her1 and he smiles on her and says3 ,hail6 ,blessed art thou3 the ,lord is with thee4 #bag ,that young man who1 by a sincere conversion1 has thrown off the slavery of sin1 and regained once more the grace of ,god--what is his heart but another cave of ,bethlehem1 in which ,christ is born1 and around which angels sing3 ,glory to ,god in the highest2 on earth1 peace to men of good will4 ,that ,christian family1 where daily prayers are offered1 and instruction and good example are given1 and mutual fidelity is observed between the members--what is it but the ,holy ,house of ,nazareth8--the ,house of ,jesus8 ,yes1 good ,christian1 do not be cast down because you are poor1 or because you suffer1 or because your opportunities of doing good are limited2 live the life of a ,christian1 and you are living ,mary's life on earth4 ,we have not1 indeed1 ,mary's perfect sinlessness1 but we have the graces of baptism1 by which we may vanquish sin4 ,we have not1 as she had1 the visible presence of our ,lord1 but we have ,him invisibly in our hearts1 and sacramentally in the ,holy ,communion4 ,we are not full of grace1 as she was1 but we have grace without limit promised to us in answer to prayer4 #bah ,let us assert the privileges of our birth-right4 ,we belong to the new creation4 ,angels claim kindred with us4 ,god is our father4 ,heaven is our home4 ,we are the children of the ,saints--yes1 of her who is the greatest of the ,saints4 ,let us follow her footsteps1 that one day we may come to our ,assumption1 the glory of which surpassed even the power of ,st4 ,john to utter4 ,dearly beloved1 we are now the sons of ,god1 and it hath not yet appeared what we shall be4 ,we know that when ,he shall appear we shall be like ,him1 because we shall see ,him as ,he is4 ,footnote #aja ,footnote #aja3 #a ,john iii41 #b4 ,every thing depends on our co-operating with grace4 ,how did the ,blessed ,virgin arrive at such glory8 ,by corresponding to every grace4 ,see her at her ,annunciation4 ,the ,angel comes and tells her of the grace ,god has prepared for her4 ,if she had not believed1 if she had not assented1 what would have come of it8 ,why1 she would have lost for all eternity the glory attached to that grace4 ,but she did not refuse4 ,she was ready for the grace when it was offered4 #bai ,she said ,fiat1 ,be it done to me according to thy word4 ,oh1 how much hung on that ,fiat6 an eternal glory in ,heaven4 ,so it is with us4 ,there are moments in our lives big with the issues of our future4 ,god's purposes concerning the soul have a certain order4 ,he gives one grace2 if we correspond to that ,he gives another2 if we do not correspond we lose those that depended on it2 some times1 even1 we lose our salvation altogether4 ,this is the key of your destiny--fidelity to grace4 ,you have an inspiration from ,god3 ,he speaks to your soul4 ,oh1 listen to ,him1 and obey ,him6 ,to one ,he says3 ,abandon1 ,o1 sinner1 your evil life1 and turn to ,me with all your heart4 ,now is the accepted time1 now is the day of salvation6 ,to another1 who is already in his grace1 ,he sends inspirations to a more perfect life1 a life of higher prayer and more uninterrupted recollection4 ,another1 by the sweet attractions of his grace1 ,he draws away from home and kindred to serve ,him as a ,sister of ,charity by the bed of suffering2 or as a nun1 to live with ,him in stillness and contemplation2 or as a priest to win souls for heaven4 ,oh1 speak the word that ,mary spoke3 ,be it done to me according to thy word4 #bbj ,are you in sin8 ,convert without delay4 ,are you leading a tepid1 imperfect life8 ,gird your loins to watchfulness and prayer4 ,do you feel in yourselves a vocation to a religious or sacerdotal life8 ,rise up and obey without delay4 ,to-morrow may be too late4 ,the grace may be forfeited forever4 ,why stand we all the day idle8 ,heaven is filling up4 ,each generation sends a new company to the heavenly host4 ,time is going4 ,the great business of life remains unaccomplished4 ,by our baptism we have been made children of ,god and heirs of heaven4 ,labor we1 therefore1 to enter into that rest4 ,mary1 dear ,mother1 lift up thy voice for us in heaven1 that we1 following thy footsteps1 may one day share thy glory1 and with thee praise forever ,god the ,father1 ,son and ,holy ,ghost2 ,amen4 ---------------- #bba ,sermon ,,xiv4 ,mortal ,sin ,exemplified ,in ,the ,history ,of ,judas4 ,woe to that man by whom the ,son of ,man shall be betrayed4 --,matt1 xxvi41 #bd4 7,a ,sermon for ,passion ,week47 ,there are some men whose crimes have made them objects of universal and eternal infamy and execration4 ,one of these is ,judas ,iscariot1 whose very name is a bye-word among men4 ,most persons seem to think that he was quite a different being from ordinary men1 and was naturally a kind of evil monster1 without any thing human in him4 ,this is a mistaken opinion4 ,there is not so great a difference between these extraordinary sinners and ordinary ones as is commonly supposed4 #bbb ,there are a great many who have an equal degree of malice1 but who have no such opportunity to show it4 ,there are others who would become equally bad under equal temptations1 but whose evil tendencies are kept under by favorable circumstances1 and the absence of great inducements to wickedness4 ,it is not probable that ,judas was much worse than the common run of wilful and malicious sinners1 until1 by a just judgment and a dreadful calamity1 he fell into the occasion of committing a crime1 the greatest which ever has been or can be committed by man4 ,in his case1 the malice that is in mortal sin is only more perfectly exhibited than in others that are less heinous4 ,the treason of ,judas is an example1 first1 of the evil of mortal sin as an offence against ,god2 and1 second1 as the ruin of the soul4 ,i4 ,the treason of ,judas is an example of the evil of mortal sin1 considered as an offence against ,god4 ,the gist of the offence in mortal sin lies in the turning from ,god to the creature4 #bbc ,it is a renunciation of ,god's friendship1 a desertion of his service1 a discarding of his authority1 for the sake of some created good which we cannot obtain without this complete desertion from ,god4 ,no one ever did this1 or had the chance to do it1 so plainly and visibly as ,judas4 ,he was in personal and immediate attendance upon our ,lord1 who is ,god in human nature4 ,he was the friend1 the servant and the companion of the ,lord in his visible and human life4 ,he deserted and betrayed ,him for a little money1 for the favor of the ,jewish rulers1 for the sake of a more free and self-indulgent life1 and to get rid of a cross he was tired of carrying4 ,what can be a more perfect illustration of mortal sin8 ,you have done the same1 my friend1 when you have denied your faith for the sake of a genteel marriage2 when you have gone to a fashionable ,protestant church for the sake of improving your business2 when you have dropped confession for the sake of indulging with less restraint in worldly dissipation4 ,you need not reproach ,judas1 for all you say against him rebounds upon yourself1 and by your own mouth shall you be condemned1 oh1 wicked servant6 ,the offence of ,judas was heightened by the lowness of his origin1 compared with the dignity of ,jesus ,christ4 #bbd ,he was a poor young man1 without family1 rank1 or other claim on the notice of our ,lord4 ,he chose him as one of his disciples1 and destined him to be one of his twelve apostles1 a sharer in the glory of ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,paul4 ,for such an one to betray the ,master who had raised him from a station so humble to a rank so exalted was a double crime4 ,but it is just what every sinner does4 ,we have fallen by the sin of ,adam into a low condition4 ,destitute of the nobility of sanctifying grace1 devoid of all supernatural merit1 without any claim on heaven1 we have been raised to the rank of children of ,god1 as a boon of pure mercy1 through the grace of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,and1 if we then sin against ,god1 in what respect are we better than ,judas8 ,there was not only a great indignity in his conduct toward our ,lord1 but an equally great ingratitude4 ,he owed to our ,lord not only respect and obedience on account of his character and authority1 but personal affection and gratitude on account of his goodness and kindness to him4 ,he betrayed a friend as well as deserted a master4 #bbe ,oh1 baseness without a parallel6 ,but beware1 lest in saying this you reproach yourself4 ,whenever you sin mortally you are guilty of the same ingratitude toward ,jesus ,christ4 ,he has been good to you1 too1 and you owe ,him love and gratitude4 ,but you repay his favors with outrages and offences4 ,to crown all1 ,judas delivered up his ,master to an ignominious death1 and imbrued his hands in the blood not only of an innocent man1 but of a friend1 a benefactor1 nay1 more1 in the blood of his ,lord and ,redeemer4 ,this was a new and unheard of crime4 ,men had heard before of fratricide1 of parricide1 of regicide1 but they had yet to learn of that which included all these and more1 of ,deicide4 ,strictly speaking1 this crime of ,deicide can never be repeated4 ,the ,son of ,god gave to wicked men the chance of putting ,him to death1 once1 and only once4 ,but every one who commits mortal sin1 is guilty of a crime which partakes of the nature of the crime of ,judas4 ,sin was the cause of the death of ,jesus ,christ4 ,he died for every sinner and for every sin4 ,whoever commits sin1 then1 consents to that which caused the death of our ,blessed ,lord1 makes common cause with his murderers1 and thus becomes accessory to his death4 #bbf ,,ii4 ,the treason of ,judas is also an example of the way in which a sinner ruins himself4 ,it is probable that ,judas was once a faithful disciple4 ,he had a vocation from the ,lord ,himself1 to leave the world and follow ,him4 ,god calls to his service only those who are well disposed and fit for it1 and we may1 therefore1 believe that ,judas was at least sincere and piously inclined1 before the ,lord called him4 ,he believed in our ,lord's teaching1 when he heard ,him preach2 he followed ,him with constancy for a length of time2 and obeyed the inward grace and outward call by which ,he invited him to become his disciple4 ,as a disciple he must have been faithful1 and must have shown himself worthy of a higher grace4 ,for the ,lord1 who knew his heart1 and always chooses fit instruments for his purposes1 gave him a vocation to become a ,priest1 and not only that1 but a ,bishop and an ,apostle4 ,with this vocation ,he gave him all the special gifts and graces necessary to prepare him for the apostolic ministry1 to make him a worthy companion of ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,john1 and to enable him to win like them1 the gratitude and veneration of the world1 and a glorious crown in heaven4 #bbg ,he preached and wrought miracles like the others1 and very likely was for a time not only without grievous sin1 but really fervent and holy4 ,reason and experience teach us that he could not have changed all at once from a fervent apostle to a faithless apostate1 ready to betray his ,lord for money4 ,he must have changed gradually4 ,he relaxed by degrees in fervor1 he neglected little things1 and did not profit by the admonitions which the ,lord gave him from time to time4 ,thus he went on from bad to worse1 growing more indifferent and hardened every day1 heaping up venial sins continually1 and disposing himself for those that were more grievous4 ,he became unkind and quarrelsome with his fellow disciples1 dishonest in the use of the common purse which was intrusted to his care1 harsh and repulsive toward the poor people who came to hear the preaching of his ,master1 and to recommend their wants to his mercy4 #bbh ,so he lost the grace of ,god1 fell1 we know not where or how1 into mortal sin1 and became an alien in heart from ,jesus ,christ1 though still in name and appearance his disciple4 ,by degrees he began to despise his ,master1 to sicken of his service1 to disbelieve his words4 ,he was already a slave of ,satan1 having lost sanctifying grace1 and1 it may be1 faith also4 ,when ,satan suggested to him to abandon his ,master1 to betray him for money1 and then to go away and live as he pleased1 he dallied with the temptation1 deliberated1 and at length consented4 ,the devil then took complete possession of him1 drove him on1 and wove a chain of circumstances around him that hurried him forward to the execution of his treacherous intentions4 ,what follows we all know4 ,having put the seal on his own guilt and perdition by a sacrilegious communion1 he delivered over the ,lord to death4 ,his crime being now consummated1 the diabolical spell that had been around him was broken1 despair seized on his soul1 he hanged himself and went to his own place1 bequeathing the memory of his infamous treason to the execration of all future generations4 #bbi ,this is the history of many a one1 besides ,judas4 ,for instance1 take this from the life of ,st4 ,francis of ,assisi4 ,footnote #ajb ,footnote #ajb3 ,f4 ,challipe's ,life1 vol4 i44 p4 #ia4 ,a sixth disciple1 named ,john1 and surnamed de ,capella1 began well1 and finished ill4 ,he was charged with distributing among his brethren the alms that had been contributed1 and took on himself voluntarily the office of procuring all that was wanting for the community4 ,but1 by degrees1 he became attached to temporal things1 went abroad too much1 and relaxed extremely in the observance of regular discipline4 ,the holy ,founder1 after giving him a number of severe reprimands in vain1 threatened him with a frightful malady and a miserable death1 as the punishment of his indocility4 ,in fact1 this bad religious was smitten with a horrible leprosy1 which he had not the patience to bear4 ,he abandoned his companions1 the poor of ,jesus ,christ1 and giving himself up to despair1 hanged himself1 like ,judas4 ,this example is no doubt an unusual one1 in this respect1 that the penalty of this unhappy man's sinful life was more striking and visible than is commonly the case4 #bcj ,but it is essentially like thousands of examples everywhere1 and in every-day life1 in which the origin1 progress and end of sin are really the same1 though more secret and hidden4 ,so the careless ,christian begins his downward career1 by a negligence which goes from bad to worse1 from small things to those of greater and greater moment1 until all fervor is lost1 and his conscience falls into a deadly slumber4 ,then come grievous sins2 singly at first1 but afterward in quick succession4 ,this stage of the disease lapses at last into the state of obduracy and final impenitence4 ,sacrilege is very commonly mixed up with it1 more or less1 as the religions1 ecclesiastical or secular condition of the person1 or his peculiar character and circumstances1 may in a greater or lesser degree expose him to the occasion of profaning sacraments4 ,he may be hurried along into an open1 and perhaps1 from his station and antecedents1 a very scandalous apostacy from the faith1 and thus become a declared traitor to his allegiance to ,jesus ,christ and the ,church4 ,he may fill up the measure of his wickedness in some other way2 but it ends the same1 in self-destruction3 not by suicide1 but by the gradual and sure destruction of conscience1 and of moral and spiritual vitality1 ending in a spiritual and eternal death which knows no resurrection forever4 #bca ,so he goes to his ,own place1 to the place he has prepared for himself1 the place he has merited1 the place that suits his moral condition1 the place assigned to him as his eternal abode by the unerring justice of ,god4 ,this is the sinner's progress in following the footsteps of ,judas4 ,negligence1 habitual sin1 contempt of divine warnings1 sacrilege1 obduracy1 abandonment of ,god1 despair1 eternal death4 ,at every stage it becomes harder to go back4 ,stop1 then1 where you are2 or better still1 if it is not too late1 beware of taking the first step4 ,if you have not yet gone very far in the downward path1 and are only beginning to be negligent1 take warning by the example of ,judas1 and correct that negligence at once1 or else it may lead to the most fatal consequences4 ,he that despiseth small things1 shall perish by little and little4 ,it is easier to preserve yourself from a great fall1 by diligence and care1 than it will be to remedy the hurts you will receive by falling1 and to regain the height on which you are now standing4 #bcb ,you can never tell whither any sin will lead you4 ,you can never calculate the consequences of yielding to any temptation4 ,venial sins1 even1 may become the principle of great and fatal disorders1 which will lead you to your final ruin4 ,threads1 fine at first as spider's webs1 may be so woven together1 and become so strong by being multiplied1 that they will entangle you in meshes which cannot be broken through without the most violent efforts4 ,sweep your soul1 then1 diligently1 of these spider-webs of negligence1 or you may become1 like ,judas1 an example of one who began well1 but ended miserably1 and may finish that career which you commenced in the service and friendship of ,jesus1 by betraying both your ,master and your own soul4 ,but even if you have already gone far in sin1 it is never too late to go back1 until eternal death has actually made you its prey and closed its gate behind you4 ,the case of ,judas was not hopeless until after he had placed the halter on his own neck4 ,the ,lord never ceased to remonstrate with him until that last treacherous kiss1 and though after this ,he spoke to him no more1 and ,judas never saw ,him again1 yet ,he did not close the door of mercy on him even then4 #bcc ,he closed it on himself by despairing4 ,this was the greatest and most fatal of all his sins4 ,had he hoped in the mercy of ,jesus ,christ2 had he returned to ,him in sorrow and tears2 had he thrown himself at the feet of his injured ,master1 and implored pardon1 he would1 no doubt1 have been too late to save that ,master's life1 but he would have been in time to save his own soul4 ,even from the ,cross the ,saviour would have smiled upon him1 and the guilt of his treason would have been effaced in that redeeming blood which his treason had made to flow4 ,oh6 sinner1 never despair6 ,even if you have gone to the length of an open apostasy1 do not abandon hope2 do not place the halter around your own neck4 ,all is not yet lost4 ,retrace your steps2 return to ,jesus ,christ2 offer him the kiss1 not of a traitor1 but of a penitent2 and you will receive from his clemency the pardon of your sins4 -------------------- #bcd ,sermon ,,xv4 ,the ,interior ,life4 ,the ,kingdom of ,heaven is within you4 ,st4 ,luke xvii4 #ba4 7,from the ,gospel for the #acth ,sunday after ,pentecost47 ,a few years ago1 and the people of ,california were a quiet1 agricultural and trading people1 by which they procured for themselves the three great wants of life2 viz41 shelter1 clothing and food4 ,they were content with as much as this1 for they were unconscious that underneath their very feet1 as they were working their farms and gardens1 there lay that immense treasure of gold which has since been brought to this city4 ,by chance a lucky spade turned over a clod of earth and stone1 on which a yellowish tinge was noticed4 #bce ,it was found to be gold4 ,the report soon found its way next door1 and then about the neighborhood1 and so went rapidly through the country4 ,the cabbages and potatoes1 the peas and beans1 which till now had been the pride of the cottage1 were pulled up without ceremony and thrown aside1 in the eager search that was everywhere being made for gold4 ,the news came over to us1 and ,i dare say you remember well the excitement created by it here4 ,the great tide of commerce was turned toward ,san ,francisco1 and such was the haste of our people to get there1 that a crowd was daily seen pressing around the offices of the various packet and steamship lines1 eager to secure an early passage4 ,we1 my dear brethren1 are living on the surface of life1 with our cabbages and beans1 very much as those ,californians were1 and all the while within our souls there is a mine of untold riches1 of which we seem to be quite unconscious4 ,we are leading a grovelling life1 when we might be living an angelic one4 ,our condition differs as much from what it might be as the state of the caterpillar differs from that of the butterfly4 #bcf ,they are the same creature1 yet how different6 ,the caterpillar crawls upon the ground2 it feeds upon roots and leaves1 and one is tempted to put his foot upon it as he passes by4 ,the butterfly is a light airy thing on beautiful wings4 ,it feeds upon honey which it gathers from the flower gardens1 and is the admiration of every one4 ,but before the caterpillar can become a butterfly it must build for itself a little house of silk4 ,it must enclose itself there1 and in proportion as it dies to itself1 it lives again in the butterfly4 ,my brethren1 this house is your soul4 ,there1 with ,god1 is your true life4 ,would that ,i could make you realize this4 ,would that ,i could realize it myself4 ,well1 in order to do something toward it1 ,i will this morning show you under what beautiful images ,holy ,scripture describes the beauty of a soul that is in union with ,god4 ,i will name two great advantages of this union2 and finally1 ,i will tell you the conditions on which ,god offers it to you4 ,i4 ,the beauty of a soul in union with ,god4 ,we cannot see our souls1 and ,god has no where given us a description of them2 but many things are said in ,holy ,scripture1 from which we get the idea of their great beauty when united to him4 #bcg ,the soul is called ,god's ,palace4 ,this is what our ,lord says in my text3 ,the kingdom of ,god is within you4 ,what is the idea that we have of a kingdom8 ,why1 ,i suppose we call to mind some of the great powers of ,europe1 with their extensive dominions1 great power and wealth4 ,among the cities of these ,kingdoms there is usually one more populous than the rest1 where the streets are laid out1 and the public buildings and private houses are erected with a view to magnificence2 as for example3 ,london in ,england2 ,paris in ,france2 ,vienna in ,austria2 ,st4 ,petersburg in ,russia4 ,the ,sovereign's palace is there4 ,this palace is grand in its proportions outside1 and it is furnished within in as costly a manner as gold and silver1 polished wood1 rich silks and tapestry and choice paintings can make it4 ,well1 then1 the soul must be this1 and more2 for it is the palace of the ,king of kings4 ,holy ,angels are there in attendance upon ,him4 ,there ,he entertains his faithful at his table with the ,bread of ,angels4 ,it is there that ,he deigns to hold those conversations with the soul after communion that are so precious4 #bch ,st4 ,teresa has this same idea under another figure4 ,she begins by saying that the beauty of the soul is incomprehensible4 ,that the mind cannot conceive its real worth1 as words cannot express it4 ,then she says that she conceives the soul to be like a magnificent diamond castle1 with rooms above and below2 but in the very centre there is a room more spacious and more sumptuous than all the others1 where our ,lord dwells with the soul4 ,the soul is ,god's ,temple4 ,ye are the temples of the ,holy ,ghost1 ,footnote #ajc says ,st4 ,paul4 ,footnote #ajc3 #a ,cor4 vi41 #ai4 ,we often see engravings of those grand ,cathedrals and churches which are so common abroad4 ,there is one in almost all the old towns of ,england4 ,their tall spires or massive towers stand majestically over the country1 and their whole exterior is elaborately worked in stone4 ,on the inside they are poor and cold enough1 it is true1 for a false worship has been set up there1 which has stripped them of their fine statuary and paintings1 banners and rich hangings1 which formerly decorated the sanctuary and walls1 and they are no longer what they once were1 the ,temples of ,god4 #bci ,there is no correspondence between the size and magnificence of those churches of the olden time1 and the formal service that is held in them now2 and so a few square yards are penned off in the middle for the handful who will assemble4 ,but there has been a time when those walls were two narrow to enclose the thousands who came to follow their ,lord as ,he made the circuit of his ,temple1 in the procession of ,corpus ,christi4 ,those floors have been covered with kneeling multitudes who waited for his benediction in the ,blessed ,sacrament4 ,then1 gold and silver1 lights and flowers1 massive candlesticks and rich vestments adorned the altars with something approaching to regal splendor1 for it was the ,temple of ,god4 ,those cathedrals and churches are now standing1 after the lapse of hundreds of years1 as monuments of the ancient faith that inspired their erection2 but the day will come when1 as our ,lord said of ,jerusalem1 one stone shall not be left upon another4 ,but our souls are everlasting ,temples4 ,how strong1 then1 as well as how beautiful1 ,god must have made them6 #bdj ,the soul is a ,fountain of never-failing water4 ,this is what our ,lord told the ,samaritan woman4 ,the water that ,i will give him shall become in him a fountain of water1 springing up unto everlasting life4 ,footnote #ajd ,footnote #ajd3 ,john iv41 #ad4 ,i think our blessed ,saviour could not have said any thing which would have given us a more beautiful idea of the effect of his presence upon our souls4 ,the deserts of the ,east are like the ocean in their great1 boundless wastes of hot sand4 ,travellers tell us that for days there is no living object to be seen1 even to a blade of grass4 ,occasionally1 however1 they come upon what appears like an island1 where there are trees1 grass and flowers4 ,invariably it is found that in the middle of these oases1 as they are called1 there is an overflowing spring of the purest water4 ,this is the cause of all that verdure in the midst of so barren a wilderness4 ,how beautiful such places must be to the weary traveller1 and how grateful to the eye1 as he catches sight of them in the distance6 ,how he must bless ,god as he sits under the cool shade of the rich foliage1 or as he bathes his feverish brow and limbs in the cool waters6 #bda ,well1 our souls are so many green islands in the desert of this world1 and our ,lord is the fountain in their centre4 ,his presence adorns the soul with all that fragrance and fulness which we find in the innocent and pure4 ,st4 ,teresa had a great fondness for this passage of ,scripture from her very childhood4 ,though at that time she did not know the value of this promise of our ,lord as she did in after life1 she says3 ,i very often asked the ,divine ,master to give to me this precious water4 ,the soul is ,god's ,image4 ,let us make man to our image and likeness4 ,footnote #aje ,so ,god said when he created the first human soul4 ,footnote #aje3 ,gen4 i41 #bf4 ,our souls1 then1 are like ,god4 ,god is the perfection of all beauty4 ,as we say1 ,god is truth1 so we say1 ,god is beauty4 ,there are two ways in which we are like ,god1 for ,he says3 ,let us make man to our image and likeness4 ,in one way1 the devils and souls in mortal sin are like ,god4 ,they have the gifts of intelligence and free will4 ,this is the image of ,god which1 when a creature once has1 it can never lose4 ,the likeness which a soul in the state of grace bears to ,god1 is in the gift of habitual1 or sanctifying grace4 #bdb ,this can be lost1 and the devils and souls in mortal sin have lost it4 ,god has made us pupils of his1 as it were4 ,our ,master has drawn the outline of ,himself upon our souls1 and our work is to fill up this sketch with light and shade4 ,a ,christian is therefore an artist of the highest class2 for there can be no subject so inspiring as his4 ,what a beautiful talent it is to be able to transfer to canvas some scene from nature1 of which it becomes the exact copy4 ,there are certain combinations of water and mountain1 meadow and foliage1 nature and art1 blended and softened by a peculiar state of the atmosphere1 which act like a spell upon one4 ,all we can say1 is1 how very beautiful6 ,but1 beautiful as it is1 it will vanish before the winter's frost4 ,the canvas1 too1 in time will moulder away4 ,but the image of ,god on our souls is more beautiful than any scene in nature1 and it will preserve its beauty forever4 ,these are some illustrations from ,holy ,scripture which enable us to form an idea of what is the beauty of a soul when in union with ,god4 #bdc ,did you ever know1 my brethren1 that ,god had been so good to you8 ,have you not over looked and undervalued your treasure8 ,this life of yours hitherto1 on the surface of things1 has been both a great mistake and a great misfortune4 ,,ii4 ,to make you realize this1 let me tell you two great advantages of an interior life4 ,the first is1 the great peace that it brings to us4 ,peace1 did ,i say8 ,is it1 then1 possible to wear a constant smile in this valley of tears8 ,can these fretful souls of ours find rest even upon earth8 ,we pray for the ,holy ,souls in ,purgatory1 that they may rest in peace1 as if we felt that there was no rest short of ,heaven4 ,can we find it1 then1 even short of ,purgatory8 ,yes1 for it is a share1 by anticipation1 of the ineffable peace which those holy souls enjoy in the possession of ,god4 ,like them1 we can be glad while we suffer4 ,joy and suffering are not irreconcilable6 ,how was it with our blessed ,lord8 ,you know ,he is called the ,man of sorrows1 in that his ,passion is thought to have been before ,him during the whole of his thirty-three years on earth4 ,but all the while1 his human soul was in the perpetual enjoyment of the ,beatific ,vision1 and therefore in perfect peace4 #bdd ,well1 of this peace1 in the midst of trouble1 our ,lord1 as the great ,head1 allows us1 his members1 to participate4 ,hear what ,he said to his ,apostles3 ,peace ,i leave with you1 my peace ,i give unto you4 ,footnote #ajf ,footnote #ajf3 ,john xiv41 #bg4 ,what robs a man of his peace of soul1 is either an inordinate desire for something which he has not1 or the fear of losing some thing that he has4 ,now1 the man who lives an interior life1 is in the possession of ,god1 who is the fulness and perfection of every good4 ,he does not fear the loss of pleasure1 for his highest pleasure is to do the will of ,god4 ,he says1 it is not ,god's will that ,i should have pleasure now4 ,nor of riches1 for he fears them as a snare4 ,he does not fear poverty--he will have less to give account of at the ,last ,day2 nor of station1 for he feels that there is no nobility like being a son of ,god4 ,he is living with ,god and his ,holy ,angels1 as their companion2 as though ,god and they and he were the only beings in the world4 ,nor of comforts1 for he has learned to bear his cross1 and he is learning to love it4 ,nor of reputation1 for he seeks the favor of ,god alone4 #bde ,man's judgment of him will neither aid nor injure him before his only true ,judge4 ,the daily round of bodily weakness1 sickness1 disappointment1 or mortification1 is turned into so many occasions of gaining merit with ,god4 ,it is true of him what the ,scripture says1 that all things work together for good1 to those who love ,god4 ,footnote #ajg ,he is like ,midas1 the fabled ,king of ,thrace1 who was said to have the power to turn every thing that he touched into gold4 ,footnote #ajg3 ,rom4 viii41 #bh4 ,st4 ,basil was such a man4 ,on one occasion he was called before a magistrate1 who said in great anger1 ,basil1 ,i will tear out your liver4 ,well1 was the meek reply1 you will do me a great favor then1 for it is a great trouble to me where it is4 ,such a man is invulnerable4 ,to come nearer to our own day1 ,i can show you such a man1 in our ,holy ,father ,pope ,pius ,,ix4 ,what is the invariable testimony1 both of ,protestants and of ,catholics1 as to the manner of his receiving them8 ,every one speaks of his composure1 of his cheerful conversation1 and of the sweetness of his smile4 ,now1 where is the man in ,europe1 who has so much care and anxiety upon him as he has8 #bdf ,for whom would we be so ready to make excuse1 in case we were told that he was found to be reserved1 or even at times out of humor1 on occasion of those receptions1 which are so numerous and indiscriminate1 and which we would think must be so very tiresome to him8 ,at this moment1 while ,sovereigns and statesmen are threatening him with the seizure of the ancient inheritance of the ,church1 which is intrusted to his care1 and himself with banishment1 not only is he calm1 but he prophesies that1 from these present trials1 great glory shall result to the ,church4 ,pius the ,ninth is a man who lives in close union with ,god4 ,down in the bottom of his soul there reigns a supernatural calm4 ,with an interior life comes also a strength to do and to suffer1 which is naturally quite beyond us4 ,as our ,lord chose his ,apostles among a class of men whose natural advantages were very few1 in order that his guidance and power might be shown in them1 so ,he has adorned the early ,church with a number of young female ,martyrs1 whose amazing fortitude under the severest torture1 clearly proves that ,he was also the source of their strength4 #bdg ,let me give you an example4 ,st4 ,potamiena was a ,nubian slave of a ,roman master4 ,he required her consent to something which was contrary to the law of ,god4 ,on her refusal1 he threatened her with such torture as was exercised upon those who1 like herself1 had embraced the ,christian faith4 ,the magistrate before whom she was brought on the charge of being a ,christian1 commanded her to obey her master in all things1 or she should be cast into the cauldron of boiling oil1 which was seething before her4 ,she replied3 ,i have but one request to make3 allow my clothes to remain upon me2 then1 if you will1 let me down by inches into this cauldron1 and you will see what strength ,jesus ,christ1 my ,lord1 will give me to bear its pain4 ,this was the cruel death by which1 without a murmur1 she won her crown of ,virgin ,martyr4 ,let me give you another example of fortitude1 which you can perhaps better appreciate4 ,some few years since1 in ,england1 there was a young lady of noble family1 and of very attractive manners1 who became a ,religious in a convent near the town where ,i then resided4 #bdh ,to please her father1 she had1 for several years past1 attended the numerous parties that were given among her circle of acquaintance4 ,her presence was always thought to be a great acquisition4 ,but all the while1 her heart was in religion4 ,she longed for the time when her father would yield1 and allow her to try her vocation within a convent's walls4 ,at last1 he did2 but what was his grief when he found that she had chosen one of the most austere orders in the church4 ,she wished to become a ,poor ,clare4 ,now1 you may not know that a ,poor ,clare never leaves the walls of her convent2 she never sees any one2 she walks bare-footed2 she uses the painful discipline1 and spends many hours of the dead of the night in prayer1 while the outer world is asleep4 ,here1 then1 was a young girl who had been brought up in luxury1 entering at once upon a life of the greatest severity4 ,when ,i last heard of her1 which was a long time after she had entered this convent1 she was said to be as merry as a cricket1 and the life of her convent1 as she had formerly been of her parties of pleasure4 #bdi ,now1 how shall we account for such fortitude as this8 ,i will tell you4 ,it was our ,lord in her heart1 where she had made ,him a home1 that gave her the courage and strength she needed to comply with his call to her1 to be a spouse of his4 ,that became easy to her1 which her relatives and friends could not comprehend4 ,there is no one who can do any thing great for ,god1 without this interior life4 ,i will say even more than this2 neither she nor any other member of a religious community1 can hope to persevere in any well-regulated convent1 on any other ground than this4 ,with this1 any one1 whether in religion or in the world1 can trample underfoot the difficulties and trials peculiar to their state of life4 ,god offers us this interior life1 on two conditions4 ,in the first place1 we must be in the state of grace4 ,one must first be introduced to a man1 before he can become his personal friend4 ,a man in mortal sin is as though he did not know ,god4 ,he needs to make his acquaintance4 ,he is in a condition that is even worse than that of a stranger2 he is ,god's enemy1 and he must be first reconciled4 #bej ,to drive a locomotive at the rate of forty miles an hour1 one must first get it upon the track1 before it will move at all4 ,you1 then1 my dear brethren1 who are so unfortunate as to be in mortal sin--you can take no comfort from any thing that ,i have said4 ,i have been offering peace to such as lead a ,christian life2 but what does ,holy ,scripture say of you8 ,there is no peace1 saith my ,god1 for the wicked4 ,again1 we must be generous with ,god4 ,ah6 now that ,i have told you the terms1 ,i tremble for the cause ,i am advocating4 ,it seems to me that ,i hear you answering1 as some other disciples of our blessed ,lord answered him3 ,this saying is hard1 and who can hear it4 ,footnote #ajh ,footnote #ajh3 ,john vi41 #fa4 ,transcriber's note3 ,the ,,usccb reference is ,john vi41 #fj4 ,what is it to be generous8 ,it is to give from a motive of love1 and because it is a pleasure to give4 ,it is to consider the object to which we are giving1 rather than the amount of what we are giving4 ,what millions of dollars are being expended on the ,central ,park here just beside us8 ,we consider the money contributed1 as little in comparison with the importance of the work4 ,it is an object of pride with us to see tins ,park as ornamental as money and art can make it4 #bea ,see what generous efforts are being made1 by both sides1 in this unhappy conflict1 which has made a battle-field of our country6 ,not money only1 but blood and life1 are as freely offered as water4 ,our citizens who hurried off to ,california at the time of the gold excitement of which ,i have spoken1 thought nothing of the discomfort of a close state-room on board a crowded ship1 for a five months voyage4 ,they had already sacrificed home1 friends and business1 and all this was on the mere chance of success4 ,now1 how is it with us8 ,the burden of the sermons preached from this altar1 the year round1 has been merely to get justice done to ,god4 ,we have been doing our best to get from you what is barely ,god's due4 ,our endeavor has been to get you to restore to ,god those rights of his1 of which you have defrauded ,him2 and at best1 we have had but partial success4 ,but to-day1 ,i ask you not for justice1 but for generosity4 ,did ,i not say well then1 when ,i expressed my fear that ,god would find but few who would accept his terms8 #beb ,on his part1 ,he offers to come and dwell in your souls4 ,he offers you interior peace1 supernatural strength1 holiness1 and salvation4 ,now what does ,he ask of you in return for all this8 ,that you will act the part of a generous friend toward ,him1 by giving ,him a large share of your thoughts1 words1 and actions4 ,he is the magnet in the centre of your hearts4 ,he is always drawing you toward ,himself4 ,he asks that you will put no obstacle in the way of his influence upon you4 ,if disturbing causes for the moment turn you from ,him1 like the needle which may be shaken so as to point to the ,east or the ,south1 like it ,he calls upon you not to rest till you have found your rest again in ,him4 ,st4 ,teresa says1 that a generous soul flies to ,god4 ,she does not say that it runs1 but that it flies to ,god4 ,now1 what are we doing8 ,we are content to creep and crawl toward ,god1 like worms and caterpillars4 ,my dear brethren1 ,i have told you a great truth1 ,i have discovered to you a great treasure4 ,it is within the reach of each one of you4 ,now ,i call upon this congregation for some companions to go with me in search of this treasure4 #bec ,i do not expect to arouse the mass of you1 as the cry of gold from ,california aroused the people of this city4 ,i know the sad truth1 that most people love gold better than they love ,god4 ,but ,i do count upon some4 ,you would not expect that ,i should urge this ,interior ,life upon you1 and remain myself as ,i am8 ,well then4 ,i am going to try for it1 and ,i call again upon you for some souls1 few though they may be1 who with me1 will try to be generous with ,god4 ,i call upon you by your ,saviour's love in dying a painful and shameful death1 to purchase it for you4 ,i call upon you by his still further love in securing to you his abiding presence1 in the most ,holy ,sacrament of the altar4 ,lastly1 ,i call upon you by that act of his love which would be satisfied with nothing short of making your heart a tabernacle1 as it were1 where ,he may dwell perpetually1 where ,he may live your life1 and where you may live his life1 as true children of ,st4 ,paul1 who said3 ,i live now no longer1 but ,christ liveth in me4 ,i have put my question4 ,i have made my call upon you4 ,i leave the answer with yourselves4 ------------- #bed ,sermon ,,xvi4 ,true ,christian ,humility4 ,every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled1 and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted4 --,st4 ,luke1 xviii4 #ad4 7,from the ,gospel for the #ajth ,sunday after ,pentecost47 ,it is impossible to mistake the great moral of this parable of the ,publican and the ,pharisee4 ,it is intended to teach us humility4 ,the ,pharisee1 with all his pretensions to piety and morality1 was rejected because he was proud4 ,the ,publican1 like the generality of revenue officers in that day1 was loaded with sins2 but he was sorry for them1 and being humble1 and ready to acknowledge himself for what he was1 his prayer was accepted4 ,all piety1 therefore1 without humility1 is false4 ,no matter what they may say about a man's good deeds or virtues2 if he is proud1 he is no saint4 #bee ,there is no surer test of solid ,christian virtue than humility4 ,st4 ,philip ,neri once called to see a sick ,roman lady1 who enjoyed a high reputation for sanctity4 ,he found her sitting up1 looking very weak1 and very pious4 ,being desirous of putting all this perfection to the test1 he lifted his dusty shoe upon the beautiful counterpane which covered the bed1 and which1 as it appeared to him1 the good dame regarded with more than ordinary satisfaction4 ,it turned out as he expected4 ,he might as well have put his toe into a hornet's nest1 for the pious lady was so mortified at the soiling of her counterpane that she let loose her tongue upon him in such strong ,italian terms as came first to mind4 ,i wish you good morning1 holy sister1 said ,st4 ,philip4 ,we may easily imagine what he thought of her sanctity4 ,indeed1 to prove the necessity of this virtue1 we need go no farther than to the example contained in this day's gospel1 and to the words of our blessed ,lord in the text2 for ,he tells us in plain terms3 ,every one1 that exalteth himself shall be humbled2 and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted4 #bef ,since1 then1 humility is so necessary1 let us study it this morning2 let us try to discover what true humility is1 and to fill our hearts with the esteem of it1 and the love of it4 ,christian humility ,i understand to be this3 ,a lowly estimate of one s own worth in the light of ,divine ,truth4 ,this is1 ,i am well aware1 a definition of humility in the mind1 rather than that of the heart2 but it is not necessary to dwell upon any such distinction here1 for humility of the heart is nothing else than the heart's consent to this lowly estimate of one's self1 and practically speaking the two are seldom found apart4 #a4 ,humility1 ,i say1 is a lowly estimate of one's own worth4 ,men are proud because they esteem themselves too highly2 and this they do because they look at themselves in a false light4 ,they look at themselves with worldly eyes1 and compare themselves with what they see around them4 ,they plume themselves up on advantages which1 in the eyes of faith1 are of little value4 ,they look too low4 ,the king sees nothing greater than himself1 and looks down upon the nobles2 the nobles look down upon the untitled gentry4 #beg ,we have neither king nor nobles in our country1 but we have a class of gentry who live upon fortunes made by their fathers1 and were reared in good society4 ,these look down upon those who have made their own fortunes by some honest trade4 ,the tradesman looks down upon the farmer1 the farmer upon the hired laborer1 and the laborer who has a shanty1 with a cow and pigs1 finds some one still poorer to look down upon2 and this last1 perhaps1 is proudest of all1 for he is descended from some patriot of the ,revolution1 or1 it may be1 from ,brian ,boroihme4 ,if1 on the contrary1 they would look at the sacred law of ,god1 if they would study the pure and holy lessons of the ,gospel1 if they would raise their eyes upward to the high and heavenly destiny for which they were created--if by this new light they would compare themselves as they are with what they might be1 and ought to be1 the trifling advantages of this world would disappear1 their pride would wither away1 and give place to humility1 the earliest1 if not the sweetest flower of the ,christian year4 #beh ,but how is it with those who are spiritually proud8 ,do not they estimate themselves by the light of faith8 ,no4 ,their pride would soon die out if they did4 ,faith1 directing their eyes upward1 would discover to them in ,god1 in ,jesus1 and in the ,saints1 what true holiness is1 and their poor store of sanctity would show like thumb-marks in a prayer-book1 or spots upon the sun4 ,in the darkness of a cloudy night1 when only the nearest objects that lie about your feet are visible1 your thoughts are bound up in that little circle as if all the universe were near you and beneath you1 and you walking on its summit2 but when the clouds are driven away1 and the moon and the vast world of stars appear1 the heaven seems like a measureless dome1 and you1 a little insect creeping upon the floor1 look up in breathless wonder4 ,so the pathway of a conceited devotee is lighted only by a few straggling rays of religious truth1 and he sees himself shining as a luminous point in that narrow circle which is visible to his eyes2 but let faith open the sky above him1 and give him one long1 calm1 thoughtful look at the world above1 and he stands rebuked and humbled4 ,oh6 how little our virtue appears when1 instead of comparing ourselves with the worldly crowd around us1 we look up to see how the saints have lived1 and what they have done6 #bei ,during the ,moorish wars in ,spain1 while the ,spaniards were besieging a city of the ,moors1 a brave ,castilian knight advanced before his comrades1 at great peril of his life1 and for a memorial of his valor1 wrote upon one of the city gates3 ,hitherto came ,vasco ,fernandez4 ,his companions were scandalized at his pride1 and anxious to teach him a lesson4 ,the next day1 therefore1 another hero of superior prowess forced his way still farther1 and wrote in large letters upon another gate3 ,hitherto ,vasco ,fernandez did not come4 ,this1 my dear brethren1 is a lesson for the ,christian soldier also1 and well worth learning4 ,instead of comparing ourselves with the feeble and imperfect1 and feeding our pride thereby1 let us humble ourselves before the achievements of the ,saints4 #b4 ,if humility is a lowly estimate of one's self1 it is none the less truthful on that account4 ,we must look upon ourselves as we really are1 in the light of ,divine ,truth1 for this is included in my definition4 ,one may think meanly of himself upon false grounds4 #bfj ,one may be ashamed of himself for things which in reality are praiseworthy4 ,there is no virtue in this4 ,genuine humility needs to borrow no aid from falsehood4 ,she is a grace bestowed by the ,god of truth4 ,now1 there is something very unhealthy and degrading in this spurious sort of humility1 which is founded upon self-calumny and pious exaggeration1 for it leads to self-degradation4 ,and this is the reason why ,i abhor the ,protestant doctrine of total depravity4 ,it teaches men to say that they are1 from their birth and by nature1 so thoroughly corrupt1 that there is absolutely nothing good in them4 ,that there is1 in reality1 no such thing as natural virtue4 ,that filial piety1 honesty1 fidelity1 love of truth1 chastity and temperance1 have no merit in the unregenerate man1 but1 on the contrary1 are sinful and displeasing to ,god4 ,and their doctrine of justification leaves the ,saint as bad as the sinner2 for although his life is acceptable with ,god1 it is not because he is in reality any better1 or that his actions are more meritorious4 ,on the contrary1 his righteousness is all filthy rags1 and there is positively nothing good in him4 ,he is justified and saved by faith alone4 #bfa ,if you say to them1 ,ah1 well1 ,i understand you2 this faith of which you speak is at least something meritorious1 because it is enlivened and made holy by charity1 or the love of ,god4 ,it is this which makes faith so efficacious4 ,no2 they will not admit your explanation2 there is popery in it2 it is only an entering wedge to make way for the doctrine of good works4 ,they refuse to accept any principle by which the good man may be supposed to be really any better than his neighbors4 ,he is regenerated by the mantle of ,christ's righteousness1 which does not take away1 but only covers up his filthy rags4 ,and his lesson of humility is1 to insist upon it that there is nothing good in him4 ,now1 ,i never saw any one1 either man or woman1 so bad that ,i thought there was no good in him2 and ,i am always sorry to hear my ,protestant friends speak so ill of themselves1 for ,i don't believe them--,i have seen too much real merit among them4 ,in truth1 all this is false humility4 ,it is but a form of words1 and nobody in his heart believes it1 or can believe it4 ,virtue is not vice4 ,there is such a thing as real virtue and real merit in man4 #bfb ,god has given to all a conscience1 which is nothing else than ,his own voice applauding or rebuking4 ,there is such a thing as natural virtue1 which deserves a reward in the natural order of ,god's providence2 and there is such a thing as ,christian virtue1 which is begotten by supernatural grace1 and deserves the supernatural reward of the ,saints4 ,no wonder that1 in the world1 humility is too often looked upon as a counterfeit and degrading virtue1 which takes away all manliness1 hope1 courage1 and generous ambition1 from the soul4 ,oh1 if it were so1 ,i would suffer my tongue to be torn out of my mouth1 before ,i would preach it at this altar4 ,if ever there was a time when we needed manly virtue in the ,church1 it is now4 ,if ever there was a time when ,christianity seemed to have melted into effeminacy and pusillanimity1 it is now4 ,the race of ,martyrs1 of ,confessors of the faith1 of ,christian athletes1 of true ,sages and sacred ,scholars1 of men of action who knew how to open their eyes1 and men of prayer who knew how to shut them1 of ,catholic ,matrons and ,virgins whose hunger after holiness was not satisfied by crosses and medals1 scapulars and holy water--this ancient race of ,christians has well nigh dwindled away4 #bfc ,we of the present day seem to be playing with religion4 ,we are not in earnest4 ,we are ashamed of what ought to be our glory2 we are proud of that which constitutes our shame4 ,we have no blushes for our sins2 while we are too bashful to be devout1 and too timid to practise virtue4 ,we acknowledge that we are wicked2 although we do not hold it to be precisely our own fault1 but a fault of our nature1 and we have no ambition to be better4 ,we confess our sins by throwing all the blame upon the ,god who made us1 and this we call humility4 ,oh6 this is false humility4 ,god made us well enough2 our sins are all our own4 ,if we look at ourselves as we really are1 in the light of divine truth1 we shall find matter enough to make us humble4 #c4 ,true ,christian humility1 so far from degrading1 ennobles the heart in which it dwells4 ,it leads directly to hope2 and hopefulness is1 in all great hearts1 the essential element of their courage1 energy1 enterprise1 and success4 ,now ,pride1 with her two brazen-faced daughters ,self-conceit and ,self-confidence1 stands directly in the way of ,christian hope and courage4 #bfd ,in spiritual matters1 so long as one depends upon himself1 he is sure of failure2 for without the grace of ,god one cannot advance a single step4 ,without ,me1 said our ,lord to ,his disciples1 you can do nothing4 ,footnote #aji ,footnote #aji3 ,st4 ,john xv41 #e4 ,with repeated failure comes despair1 or at least1 despondency2 and then all hope1 courage1 and generous enterprise take flight4 ,but how different is the experience of the humble heart6 ,it begins with self-distrust2 it acknowledges its own feebleness4 ,for ,i know1 says the ,apostle ,paul1 that there is no good dwelling in me2 that is to say1 in my flesh4 ,as for the will to do good1 that ,i find present1 but the power to do it ,i do not find4 ,footnote #aaj ,footnote #aaj3 ,rom4 vii4 #ah4 ,not daring1 therefore1 to trust in himself1 the humble ,christian learns to lean upon ,god1 and to confide fully in his grace2 and then he becomes strong and full of courage1 and can say with ,st4 ,paul1 ,i can do all things through him who strengthens me4 ,footnote #aaa ,footnote #aaa3 ,phil1 iv41 #ac4 #bfe ,thus1 in the ,christian warfare1 humility is the first and last lesson of all noble1 generous1 and heroic souls2 for their great hearts are sustained by great hopes1 and their hope is nourished by humility4 ,humility1 and that hopefulness and courage which grow out of humility1 are also the most efficacious means of converting the shamefaced1 downcast sinner4 ,take1 for example1 the habitual drunkard4 ,the pledge will not help him long2 and why8 ,because he is degraded in his own eyes1 and has no confidence in his own resolutions4 ,what he wants most is courage1 and the pledge cannot give him that4 ,the pledge teaches him to rely on himself1 and on himself he cannot rely4 ,i'm willing1 says he1 but ,i'm weak4 ,if you are going to give me the pledge1 put it on me strong1 so that ,i won't break it4 ,see how the poor fellow is anxious to find some support to lean upon1 outside of his own weak will1 and is almost ready to believe that the priest can give him that stability which he so much needs4 ,now1 what is to be done8 ,the only way is to put confidence and courage into his heart2 and this is done by pointing him upward to ,god1 the only source of grace and strength1 and who is able to do all things more abundantly than we can ask4 ,footnote #aab ,footnote #aab3 ,ephes4 iii41 #bj4 #bff ,do not take the heart out of him by words of contempt and scalding abuse1 but speak to him kindly and encouragingly4 ,i know1 my dear friend1 that you are weak2 but ,god is strong1 and his grace is able to make you strong4 ,he has had worse cases than you in hand before now1 and made glorious ,saints of them too4 ,never despair2 you were created for better things4 ,make one more trial now1 and with the help of ,god you'll shake off this miserable habit forever4 ,that's the way to reform a confirmed drunkard who has grace enough1 at least1 to be ashamed of himself4 ,do not strike a man that is already down4 ,do not make him more self-degraded than he is1 but out of his humiliation endeavor to fill him with hope in ,god4 ,talk to him cheerfully4 ,give him a clean shirt and a clean collar4 ,get him to wash himself and shave himself1 and brush his hair4 ,he will now begin to feel like a man2 and the next step is to feel like a ,christian4 ,take him then to the ,church1 and to confession2 and when upon his knees1 with1 a contrite heart1 he has confessed and renounced his sins1 let him there pledge himself against that drink which has poisoned him1 body and soul2 and the grace of ,god will carry him through4 #bfg ,in this way1 courage and strength are born of humility4 ,it is a virtue that does not degrade1 but ennobles the heart where it lodges4 ,i have said enough1 ,i think--all1 at least1 my dear brethren1 that can well be said within the compass of a morning's sermon1 to illustrate the true nature of ,christian humility4 ,i need not enlarge upon the advantages or the necessity of it4 ,humility is one of those sweet virtues which carries its own recommendation with it1 which needs only to be seen in order to be prized4 ,enough has already been said to justify that maxim of the ascetic writers1 that humility is the foundation of all the virtues4 ,any mason will tell you1 that before you can build a substantial ,church you must dig away the loose dirt below1 and hollow out a foundation for the walls4 ,this is the first step of all1 and until this is done1 neither walls1 nor tower1 nor roof1 nor any part of the building can be safely undertaken4 ,it is the same in that spiritual temple which has to be erected in every soul that is saved4 #bfh ,before we build up we must first go down4 ,humility must first begin the work2 must dig up and throw aside the sand and rubbish of pride1 and self-conceit1 and vain confidence1 which have gathered like a loose soil upon our hearts4 ,then1 and not till then1 are we ready1 with faith1 and hope1 and charity1 and the other virtues1 to rear the strong walls1 and towers1 and arches1 with all the parts and ornaments which make the ,temple of ,god complete within our souls4 ,in fine1 religion is of little use to one who will not learn to be humble2 and therefore an ,english poet1 varying the figure which ,i have employed1 says very well3 ,ye who would build the churches of the ,lord1 ,see that ye make the western portals low6 ,let no one enter who disdains to bow6 ,if any thing were needed to confirm this view of the necessity of humility1 we have the words of our ,lord himself3 ,unless you be converted and become as little children1 ye shall not enter into the kingdom of ,heaven4 ,footnote #aac ,footnote #aac3 ,st4 ,matt1 xviii41 #c4 #bfi ,are we then1 my brethren1 anxiously desirous of saving our souls8 ,would we be something in the kingdom of ,god8 ,would we become strong in faith1 great in hope1 abounding in charity8 ,then let us cast pride away6 ,let us learn to be humble6 ,let us become willing imitators of ,jesus ,christ1 who has said3 ,learn of me1 for ,i am meek and humble of heart1 and you shall find rest to your souls4 ,footnote #aad ,footnote #aad3 ,st4 ,matt1 xi41 #bi4 ,and let us believe his word1 that there is no other way of salvation2 for ,he it is who tells us in this day's ,gospel1 that every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled2 and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted4 ------------------ #bgj ,sermon ,,xvii ,what ,the ,desire ,to ,love ,god ,can ,do4 ,thou shalt love the ,lord thy ,god with thy whole heart1 and with thy whole soul1 and with all thy strength1 and with all thy mind4 --,st4 ,luke x41 #bg4 7,from the ,gospel for the #abth ,sunday after ,pentecost7 ,there are two ways in which one may set about fulfilling this commandment of the ,lord4 ,the first way is1 to do what is barely necessary in order that we may be said to fulfil it at all4 ,the second way is1 to fulfil it in its perfection1 according to the most generous meaning of the words4 ,when may one be said to fulfil it in the first way8 ,when he has a firm determination to keep clear1 at all times1 of every mortal sin4 ,it is plain1 that in this case he can be said to fulfil the commandment1 because1 after all1 he prefers ,god to every thing else4 #bga ,when he determines to avoid every mortal sin1 no matter what the temptation to commit it may be1 he does give his whole mind and heart to ,god in some sense--at least1 really and substantially1 though it may be imperfectly4 ,if he does not go that far1 he does not in any sense fulfil this commandment4 ,he loves the sinful thing more than he loves ,god4 ,he is ready to give up ,god1 rather than his will and pleasure4 ,his whole heart and soul loves sin--is turned away from ,god4 ,he cannot entertain any hope of eternal life3 that is clear from the words of the ,saviour in to-day's ,gospel4 ,the ,lawyer asked ,him1 ,what shall ,i do to possess eternal life8 ,the ,saviour said1 ,what is written in the law8 how readest thou8 ,he answered3 ,thou shalt love the ,lord ,god with thy whole heart1 and with thy whole soul1 and with all thy strength1 and with all thy mind4 ,and the ,saviour replied3 ,thou hast answered right1 this do and thou shalt live4 ,you see what the condition is4 ,we must fulfil this commandment1 or there is no eternal life for us4 #bgb ,let us not deceive ourselves4 ,if we cannot honestly and sincerely say3 ',i am determined to keep clear of every mortal sin1' our religion is vain4 ,don't build on the idea that we shall be saved because of the ,catholic faith we profess4 ,think not1 says ,jesus1 to say1 ,we have ,abraham for our ,father4 ,do penance2 the axe is laid to the root of the tree2 every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewn down and cast into the fire4 ,footnote #aae ,footnote #aae3 ,st4 ,luke iii41 #h1 #i4 ,but is it enough just barely to fulfil the commandment in this way8 ,no1 it is not4 ,one who does not go farther1 runs a very great risk of being lost4 ,the fact is1 to maintain one's self in an habitual horror of mortal sin requires a great deal of fervor and recollection4 ,in order to do so1 one must also aim at avoiding every deliberate sin1 small or great2 one must really be in earnest to please ,god1 or1 in other words1 one must strive to fulfil the commandment of the text with a good degree of perfection4 ,that is plain enough to the dullest comprehension4 ,a man may get over an ordinary difficulty well enough1 but when a great one comes in his way1 he requires all his strength and resolution to overcome it4 #bgc ,so the ordinary temptations may be avoided1 but there come times which try the soul1 great temptations1 or unusual difficulties1 and great fervor is necessary to overcome them4 ,they come just when least expected1 when one is off his guard4 ,unless one maintains himself1 then1 in this state of fervor1 so as to be prepared for these occasions1 he must fall4 ,a ship that is strong enough for fair weather1 goes down in a strong gale of wind4 ,a drowsy sentinel may serve as well as another for awhile1 but when suddenly beset by an enemy1 is slain before he can get ready to defend himself2 so the ,christian1 who goes on the principle of keeping clear of mortal sin1 but makes light of lesser sins1 will be sure to come to a grievous fall at last4 ,he that despiseth small things1 the ,scripture says1 shall fall by little and little4 ,footnote #aaf ,footnote #aaf3 ,ecclus4 xix41 #a4 ,transcriber's note3 ,ecclesiastes ends with chapter #ab4 ,sirach xix4 #a4 reads ,whoever does this grows no richer2 those who waste the little they have will be stripped bare4 ,the man who goes on the principle of gratifying his passions as much as he can short of mortal sin1 will never stop there4 ,he will overleap his boundary1 as surely as the sun goes down at the close of day1 as surely as the water that eats out the sand from the foundations of a house will finally bring it to ruin4 #bgd ,such a person is not only in danger of ruin in the world to come1 but loses the peace and consolation which the servants of ,god ought to have in this world4 ,there is too much selfishness about him4 ,he is trying to join together two things as contrary as ,god and the world--an impossibility1 as ,god ,himself says3 ,no man can serve two masters1 for either he will love the one and hate the other1 or he will hold to the one and despise the other4 ,ye cannot serve ,god and mammon4 ,footnote #aag ,footnote #aag3 ,matt4 vi41 #bd4 ,now1 the ,lord intended to remove these evils1 to show us a sure and safe way to everlasting life1 and to fill our souls habitually with a heavenly peace and consolation1 by enjoining on us to fulfil this commandment with perfection1 and1 as the words sound--with all our hearts1 and with all our souls1 and with all our mind1 and with all our strength4 ,i think this is enough to prove conclusively the necessity of such fulfilment2 now let us see how it is to be done4 #bge ,but1 at the very outset1 a great repugnance and distaste will arise1 ,i doubt not1 in the minds of many1 at hearing these strong words of the text4 ,it will seem to be asking too much--more than they can dream of fulfilling4 ,in their idea1 it would seem an impossibility1 even if they had the best will in the world4 ,what1 says the father of a family1 give my whole soul and mind to ,god8 ,to take care of my children1 to put bread in their mouths and clothes on their backs1 takes up1 and must take up the principal part of my time and attention4 ,i must attend to my business1 and use all my skill and prudence and activity to make all things meet4 ,i can not do as the old hermits of the desert did1 pass my time in constant prayer and meditation4 ,what1 says the mother1 give all my strength and all my mind to ,god6 ,how can ,i do it8 ,i must expend all my strength going up and down stairs1 in the kitchen1 in the dining-room1 in my own room sewing and mending1 to keep every thing decent for the children4 ,i must teach them1 and look out for them4 ,one thing or another takes up my time and attention the whole day1 so that1 when night comes round1 ,i am glad enough to get to bed and to sleep as quick as ,i can4 #bgf ,what1 says the young woman1 just growing out of her girlhood1 give my whole heart to ,god1 when this dear old world is so pleasant1 and ,i have such fine times in it8 ,alas6 not the young woman only1 but the young man1 and the old man and the old woman1 too1 are apt enough to speak in this way4 ,dissipation and pleasure keep such a hold upon them1 that they seem to be more giddy and foolish as they grow older4 ,and another cry comes up from all quarters3 ,how can ,i give my whole heart and soul to ,god1 when the troubles and sorrows of the world1 its cares and anxieties and disappointments fill me with bitterness and rage1 and excite every evil passion8 ,in this miserable world there is no such thing as tranquillity or peace1 and how1 without these1 can the whole heart be given to ,god8 ,now1 dear brethren1 whoever you may be who speak or who think in this way1 put down that feeling a little while2 listen with patience while ,i propose to you a means of fulfilling ,christ's commandment which will smooth away these difficulties1 and enable you to do so in a manner most pleasant and agreeable to you4 #bgg ,i do not pretend that this means takes away from you all necessity of exertion--all effort and care to do right4 ,no1 the words of ,christ must hold true3 ,strive to enter into the straight gate1 ,he says4 ,fight the good fight1 says ,st4 ,paul4 ,the prize of our high calling is too valuable to be had without being in earnest about it4 ,but ,i can venture to say1 that by the method ,i propose1 it is by no means so difficult a thing to fulfil ,christ's commandment as you may suppose2 that1 with a little patience and perseverance1 it will become an easy and agreeable thing to do so4 ,what is this method8 ,it is--to excite and keep in your souls an ardent desire to love ,god4 ,this desire will do every thing1 if it is strong and lively4 ,now1 the desire to love ,god is a thing natural to the soul4 ,how so8 ,why1 thus4 ,we naturally desire what is good--what will conduce to our interest1 our pleasure or profit4 ,we express this by the very word desirable4 ,as soon as we become acquainted with the value of any thing to us1 we desire it1 and our desire for it is in proportion to our appreciation of it4 ,so a good name is more desired among noble-minded men than the possession of riches--a substantial wealth1 more than the pleasure of the senses4 #bgh ,now1 what is more desirable than ,god8 ,to possess ,him1 is to possess all that is good1 all that is beautiful1 all that is honorable1 all that makes happiness4 ,as soon as we know1 even imperfectly1 what ,god is1 a strong desire to possess ,him must arise in the soul4 ,it may be transitory1 quickly fade away and lost sight of1 through the things of the world which occupy the attention1 but1 whenever we reflect on it1 that desire must--it is impossible that it should not--rise up in the soul4 ,this transitory desire1 which passes away like a vapor1 is of little or no value2 it does not last long enough to produce any practical impression4 ,it is what is called a velleity1 or ineffectual wish1 if it is not nourished and made permanent1 so as to influence one's life4 ,but since this desire to love ,god is natural to one who knows what ,he is1 it must be1 therefore1 an excellent and easy means to acquire a high degree of that love4 ,it is like the oar in the hands of the rower4 ,it is like the wing by which a bird mounts high in the air4 ,why1 as soon as this desire acquires force enough to control the will 7and any strong desire is sure to do so71 we cannot separate the desire to love ,god from the love of ,god itself4 #bgi ,god does not measure our love to ,him by our feelings1 for we may seem to ourselves to have little1 while our will shows that we love ,him dearly4 ,the trouble then with us1 and ,i may say our only trouble is1 that we do not enough desire to love ,him2 that we do not keep that desire bright and lively in our souls4 ,surely we have abundant reason for it6 ,besides the loveliness of ,god attracting us1 our eternal destiny depends upon it--heaven and hell4 ,only let us turn over in our minds the vast importance of loving ,god1 and we must be compelled to cry out with intense desire3 ,oh1 that ,i did love ,god with all my heart1 with all my soul1 with all my mind and strength6 ,i say1 then1 excite this desire2 think1 and think every day1 on these simple things3 ,who am ,i8 ,who is ,god8 ,what has ,god made me for8 ,what is the world and all in it1 compared to the love of ,god8 ,or1 as the ,gospel reads1 ,what shall it profit me to gain the whole world1 if ,i suffer the loss of my soul8 ,perhaps this fire of desire is almost out in your soul2 but there is still fire there--there is one coal at least burning yet4 #bhj ,blow it into a flame6 ,keep on blowing1 and that fire will be sure to spread1 until the whole heap is in a blaze4 ,you see1 all that is required of you is to think1 to reflect4 ,put your mind upon it with earnestness2 and the desire of ,god must speedily gain the mastery of your soul4 ,when it does so1 it will regulate all its motions1 and make every thing that was before so unnatural and difficult seem wonderfully easy4 ,let us see how it would fare then with sin4 ,only keep that ardent desire to love ,god burning in your soul1 and you will find it a very hard thing to commit any deliberate sin4 ,it is a maxim in physical science that two bodies cannot occupy the same space at the same time4 ,one must displace the other4 ,so1 ,i say1 two strong desires1 that are opposed to each other1 cannot stay together in one heart4 ,either one or the other must give way and yield possession4 ,so our ,lord said long ago under cover of this comparison3 ,when a strong man armed keepeth his court1 those things which he possesseth are in peace4 ,but if one stronger than he cometh upon him and overcome him1 he will take away all his armor wherein he trusted1 and distribute his spoils4 ,footnote #aah ,footnote #aah3 ,st4 ,luke xi41 #ba1 #bb4 #bha ,the strong desire for ,god's love will take away from the desire for sin all its armor1 all its strength1 and leave it powerless to hurt us4 ,it had a peaceable possession of the soul before1 because nothing seriously disputed its right to govern1 but now the desire to love ,god has made it hateful and loathsome4 ,the strong man has become weak as an infant4 ,when we fix our eyes on sin1 perhaps its allurements1 and the force of old habits1 may make it so attractive1 that it would gain the mastery once more4 ,certainly it would make a desperate struggle for the mastery4 ,but let us look up to ,god6 ,let us consider how necessary1 how desirable in every view is his love1 until we become resolved that at least we will long for it1 and continue longing for it1 as long as life is long2 saying with the royal ,psalmist3 ,as the hart panteth after the fountains of water1 so panteth my soul after thee1 ,god4 ,footnote #aai ,footnote #aai3 ,ps4 xli4 #a4 ,transcriber's note3 ,the ,,usccb reference is ,ps4 xlii4 #b4 ,then will all those allurements and attractions of sin vanish4 ,we shall only wonder how such miserable things could have blinded us so long4 #bhb ,we all know how strong and engrossing the passion of earthly love is4 ,the lover is taken with some real or fancied perfection of his mistress1 either a beautiful face1 a noble figure1 or1 it may be1 with what is far more to be prized1 some noble qualities of the mind or disposition4 ,his whole mind is taken up with her night and day1 and his only study is1 how he may recommend his suit4 ,if encouraged with the prospect of success1 transports of joy fill his soul2 if met by neglect and indifference1 he is plunged into the deepest melancholy4 ,if parents or relatives put obstacles in the way1 heaven and earth are moved to get them out of the way4 ,this is the burden of so many novels and romances that are read with eagerness by people of every condition and every class of society4 ,if the desire of earthly beauty1 of body or soul1 so imperfect1 so unsatisfying1 so short-lived1 can thus engross the soul of man1 why should not the desire of ,god's love1 who is perfect beauty1 perfect wisdom1 perfect goodness1 and our promised portion for ever and ever1 be able to do far more8 ,it will remove all obstacles out of the way4 #bhc ,we shall say1 as did ,st4 ,agnes to her admirer and tempter3 ,depart from me thou food for death1 for ,i am betrothed to ,him whom the angels serve1 whose beauty sun and moon admire4 ,every creature that breathes is food for death4 ,sin is the food of eternal death4 ,the idea that mortal sin brings eternal death1 eternal separations from this infinite beauty and goodness1 must make us regard it with the same horror that fills the soul at the sight of a ferocious tiger or deadly serpent4 ,it will make the occasions of sin hateful1 and cause the soul to exclaim3 ,away from me1 ye frightful temptations6 ,i know you3 ,ye bear the serpent's tongue and the tiger's claw4 ,ye carry with you the risk of ,god's anger and my eternal ruin4 ,who that loves ,god1 or desires to love ,him1 could venture into any place1 into the society of any person1 where the danger of mortal sin is lurking1 since he knows that mortal sin is banishment from ,god8 #bhd ,this sacred desire would also consume every kind of deliberate sin1 whether great or small4 ,this is the language of a heart that longs after divine love4 ,oh6 how can ,i admit this1 it is sinful2 it will cool away the fervor of my soul1 it will prevent me from making that near approach to ,god's love which ,i so much covet4 ,cursing and swearing1 lying1 slandering1 pilfering1 and every form of dishonesty1 all immodesty in deed1 word or thought1 anger and foolish pride--how would these all disappear before such a fervent desire6 ,and all this would be accomplished without any violence to the soul1 quietly1 but powerfully and effectually1 and even with delight and satisfaction4 ,for is it not a joy to follow where our heart's desires lead8 ,but this holy desire leads toward ,god1 and away from sin4 ,again1 this ardent desire to love ,god more and more will make it easy and pleasant to us to perform all our duties4 ,we cannot work without a motive1 without proposing something to ourselves which appears good in our eyes4 ,if the work to be done is arduous or difficult1 the motive or inducement must be a strong one4 ,such a strong motive will render what is difficult easy4 ,how easy it is for men to take the longest journeys1 endure the greatest labors1 when their souls are fired with the desire of providing for their beloved ones at home1 or with a noble ambition to serve their country1 or even for the miserable pursuit of gain4 #bhe ,only hold out the prospect of success1 and any amount of labor seems light to them4 ,cannot the motive of ,god's love do as much8 ,is it not as great8 ,can it not fill the soul as much as any other8 ,for an answer to these questions1 look at what the ,saints1 holy men and women1 have done4 ,urged and animated by this all-absorbing love1 they have not counted life even as dear to them1 but given it up freely and gladly under the most frightful torments4 ,look at the labors and sufferings of others1 for example1 of a ,st4 ,francis ,xavier1 enough in his case1 one would suppose1 to kill twenty ordinary men1 all endured with the most heroic cheerfulness and joy4 ,no1 depend upon it1 the labors and duties of ordinary life will seem trifling in the eyes of the ,christian who longs for the love of ,jesus ,christ4 ,his soul burns for opportunities4 ,what shall ,i do8 he says4 ',why do ,i stand here idle8 ,lord1 send me something to do4' ,the cares1 duties1 and responsibilities of every-day life are the first things to be done2 sent by the ,lord to be done for his sake4 ,therefore the soul1 instead of finding in them a source of complaint1 finds an outlet for that activity which she desires to exercise for ,god4 #bhf ,suppose one would only say to himself1 ,i want to do something to please ,god and increase in his love4 ,now1 ,i have not to search for it2 it is here before my face4 ,to take care of my family1 endure fatigue and exertion for them1 to discharge with fidelity this office or employment committed to me1 by which ,i earn my bread4 ,i will set right to work to do it4 ,it is little indeed that is required of me1 but that little1 and nothing else1 is what ,god requires of me now4 ,thanks be to ,him who has made my way plain before my face4 ,in this way do things naturally distasteful and irksome become agreeable1 when the love of ,god is spread over them4 ,this desire for ,god's love will also moderate all excessive desire for the pleasures of the world4 ,i do not speak now so much of sinful pleasures1 as of allowing the heart to go too much after such as are allowed4 ,such liberty leads to sin by a short road4 ,our life is too important to be trifled away4 ,god requires of us not to set our hearts on the pleasures or pomp of this world1 because then it is sure to forget1 what is of so much more importance1 ,himself4 #bhg ,now1 as soon as the soul in earnest perceives that indulgence is producing this effect1 that she is losing the relish for the love of ,god and spiritual things1 she is startled1 and cannot but feel afflicted4 ,what1 she says1 shall ,i barter away so immense a good for such trifles8 ,the very pain this reflection causes weans her away from pleasure4 ,she judges1 and judges rightly1 that a small enjoyment neglected for so high a motive1 will bring a higher and better happiness4 ,we all know this in every-day affairs4 ,most men prefer to neglect the pleasure of the moment when they see that they gain a greater one for themselves in the future4 ,how provident1 how temperate they are in early life to lay up an abundance for old age6 ,what old age can compare with eternity8 ,how strong then the motive of the soul to moderate all her earthly desires1 that she may have time and opportunity to look out for that eternity4 ,the ardent lover of ,god looks at every thing in such a light4 ,pleasure becomes irksome to him very soon1 because he has something so much more important on his mind1 that he cannot1 and will not rest easy1 unless it be attended to4 #bhh ,he is no longer a little child1 and cannot amuse himself with running after butterflies the whole day4 ,besides1 a greater pleasure has engrossed and filled up his soul1 and leaves no room for trifles4 ,it is the happiness of uniting himself to ,god4 ,there is no drawback to this4 ,after a day spent in trying1 with all his heart1 to please his ,god1 he feels no regret for it at night1 when he lies down on his pillow4 ,he is not left uneasy1 restless1 and dissatisfied1 as when pleasure1 ease1 and self-indulgence were his aim1 but is full of tranquillity1 full of hope1 and full of the desire that his whole life may be thus spent in the same1 or greater efforts1 to please ,god4 ,the pleasures of the world soon grow to be worthless in the eyes of such a man4 ,with ,st4 ,paul he says3 ,i account all things as dung1 so that ,i may win ,christ4 ,footnote #abj ,footnote #abj3 ,phil4 iii4 #h4 ,it is not hard to part with what we esteem so little4 ,the joy of the heart amply compensates for all sacrifices1 so that instead of a long face1 a melancholy and soured heart1 such a one enjoys deep gladness and satisfaction of mind1 which grows deeper and more complete1 in proportion as he is weaned away from the pleasures of the world4 #bhi ,finally1 all those things which are naturally disagreeable1 such as misfortunes1 pains1 sickness1 trials of all kinds1 become easy and even agreeable through such a strong desire4 ,the ,martyrs smiled in the midst of their torments4 ,did they not feel them8 ,most certainly they had the same flesh and blood as ourselves4 ,but their souls had a sight of ,jesus1 surrounded by his ,angels1 and this distracted their attention from all their torments4 ,so ,st4 ,stephen1 when he saw this sight1 became radiant with joy1 and his face shone like the face of an ,angel4 ,sufferings1 tribulations and trials are things that force the soul to look steadfastly upon ,jesus1 and the sight of ,him takes from them all their bitterness4 ,so we read that an old hermit of the desert complained when his yearly sickness failed to come upon him1 that the ,lord had neglected to visit him4 ,the soul that earnestly desires ,god's love needs only to be told that pain of body or mind1 borne patiently1 as coming from ,god's hand1 is the surest means of obtaining its desire4 ,pain is accepted then with alacrity1 and with pleasure4 #bij ,to be sure1 the first pangs may be exceedingly hard to bear2 the soul may require a little time to recollect herself1 and gather force to overcome the repugnance of nature4 ,but a little reflection puts every thing in its proper place4 ,shall ,i1 she says1 reject the very things ,i have longed for1 the opportunities of making rapid progress in the love of ,god8 ,if this does not still the tumult of nature1 prayers are resorted to1 and in the end comes victory and triumph1 a wonderful vigor and refreshment of the soul4 ,this is not merely for ,martyrs and canonized ,saints2 it is a thing that belongs to every-day life--the grand remedy for all the ills we are subject to3 ,take up my yoke1 says the ,saviour1 for my yoke is easy and my burden light1 and ye shall find rest for your souls4 ,footnote #aba ,footnote #aba3 ,st4 ,matt1 xi41 #bi4 ,it seems strange that the cross of ,christ should give rest1 but it is so2 and the tribulations which come from his hand1 as ,st4 ,james says1 work patience1 and patience hath a perfect work2 therefore it is to be counted joy to receive them1 and not sorrow4 ,and such will be the sentiment of the lover of ,god4 #bia ,so in the ,sermon on the ,mount1 the burden is always3 ,rejoice and be exceeding glad4 ,for what8 ,poverty1 afflictions1 persecutions1 false testimony1 and so on--they are worthy of joy1 because they bring what the soul so much desires4 ,see then what great things the desire to love ,god will do for you6 ,may the poor thoughts which ,i have strung together1 excite in your minds this fruitful and wonder-working desire4 ,regard the love of ,god as the pearl of great price4 ,consider over and over again the value of it4 ,persevere in efforts to appreciate it4 ,say to yourselves--,i will not forget4 ,i will continually repeat3 ,oh1 ,god1 make me to know thee1 and to love thee more and more6 ,oh1 how ,i wish to love my ,god better than ,i do6 ,excite this desire in the morning when you arise--during the day1 when you are tempted--when you are discouraged--when you have any thing to suffer--in the midst of pleasure1 and whenever the ,holy ,ghost inspires it4 ,at night1 take some time to reflect upon the love of ,god1 to sigh and beg for it4 ,persevere1 and it will not be long before your heart will be inflamed with it--your whole life will be filled with it4 ,your only uneasiness will be because that burning desire cannot be fully satisfied in this world4 #bib ,this is to hunger and thirst after justice4 ,what a blessed hunger and thirst it is1 and what a blessed promise accompanies it6 ,blessed are ye who hunger and thirst after justice1 for you shall be filled4 ,footnote #abb ,filled with justice6 ,what does that mean8 ,filled so that we shall not want any more4 ,not filled with money--which will leave us poor and naked at the last hour4 ,not filled with sensual pleasures1 which please the heart in time and burn it in eternity2 but filled with justice1 that is1 filled with ,god--filled with a deep inward peace and joy during our mortal life--a foretaste of heaven2 and filled with glory and happiness unspeakable in heaven itself forever4 ,amen4 ,footnote #abb3 ,st4 ,matt4 v41 #f4 ----------------- #bic ,sermon ,,xviii4 ,the ,worth ,of ,the ,soul4 ,there shall be joy before the angels of ,god over one sinner doing penance4 --,st4 ,luke xv41 #aj4 7,from the ,gospel for the #c;d ,sunday after ,pentecost47 ,this is what theologians call an accidental joy4 ,the essential joy of ,heaven consists in the perfect knowledge and love of ,god1 and is unchangeable and eternal2 but the accidental joy of ,heaven springs from the knowledge of those events in time which display the goodness and greatness of ,god4 ,the first of these events was the creation itself1 when the hand of ,god spread the carpet of the earth and stretched the curtains of the heavens4 ,then the morning stars praised ,him together1 and all the sons of ,god made a joyful melody4 ,footnote #abc ,footnote #abc3 ,job xxxviii41 #g4 #bid ,after this the great historic events of the world have been successively the burden of the angelic songs--the unfolding of the plan of ,redemption1 the birth of ,christ1 the triumphs of the ,church4 ,but lo6 of a sudden these lofty strains are stopped4 ,there is silence for a moment1 and then the golden harps take up a new and tenderer theme4 ,what is it that has happened8 ,what is the event that can interrupt the great harmonies of ,heaven1 and furnish the ,angels with a new song8 ,in some corner of the earth1 in some secret chamber1 in some confessional1 on some sick bed1 in some dark prison1 a sinner is doing penance4 ,he prays1 whose mouth had been full of cursings4 ,he weeps1 who had made a mock at sin4 ,the slave of ,satan and of ,hell turns back to ,god and ,heaven--and that is the reason of this unusual joy4 ,it is not that a recovered sinner is really of more account than one who has never fallen1 but his recovery from danger is the occasion of expressing that esteem and love for the souls of men which always fills the heart of ,god and the ,angels4 ,therefore1 as that contrite cry reaches heaven the ,angels are silent1 for they know that there is no music in the ear of ,god like that4 #bie ,and then1 when ,god has ratified the absolving words of the priest1 and restored the contrite sinner to ,his favor1 they cast themselves before the throne1 and break forth into loud swelling strains of ecstasy and triumph1 while ,he ,himself smiles his sympathy and joy4 ,oh1 my brethren1 what a revelation this is6 ,a revelation of the value of the soul4 ,there are great rejoicings on earth when a battle is won1 or upon the occasion of the visit of some great statesman or warrior1 or when some great commercial enterprise is successful1 but these things do not cause joy in ,heaven4 ,the conversion of one soul--it may be a child1 or a young man1 or an old woman--the conversion of one soul1 that it is that makes a gala day in ,heaven4 ,now ,god sees every thing just as it is1 and if there are such rejoicings in ,heaven when a soul is won1 what must be the value of a soul6 ,let us confess the truth1 we have not thought enough of the value of a soul4 ,we have thought too much of the world1 of its pleasures1 of its profits1 of its honors1 but too little of our own souls4 ,we have not thought of them as ,god thinks of them4 ,let us then strive to exalt our ideas1 by considering some of the reasons why we should put a high value on our souls4 #bif ,in the first place1 we should value a human soul1 because it is in itself superior to any thing else in the world4 ,the whole world1 indeed1 with every thing in it1 is good1 for ,god made it4 ,but ,he proceeded in a very different manner in the creation of the material world from what ,he did when ,he made the soul4 ,he made the world1 the trees1 the rivers1 the lights of heaven1 the living creatures on the earth1 by the mere word of his power4 ,god said1 ,be light made4 ,and light was made4 ,footnote #abd ,and ,god said1 ,let the earth bring forth the green herb1 and the fruit tree yielding fruit after its kind4 ,and it was so4 ,footnote #abe ,footnote #abd3 ,gen4 i41 #c4 ,footnote #abe3 ,gen4 i41 #ab4 ,transcriber's note3 ,the ,,usccb reference is ,gen4 i41 #aa1ab4 ,but when ,he made the soul1 the ,scriptures tell us1 ,he breathed into the face of man and he became a living soul4 ,footnote #abf ,footnote #abf3 ,gen4 i41 #bf4 ,transcriber's note3 ,the ,,usccb reference is ,gen4 ii41 #g4 ,by this action we are to understand that ,god communicated to man a nature kindred to his own divinity4 ,the ,holy ,ghost1 the ,third ,person of the ,blessed ,trinity1 is the uncreated ,spirit of ,god1 eternally breathing forth and proceeding from the ,father and the ,son2 and ,god when ,he breathed into the face of man1 signified that ,he imparted to man a creative spirit kindred to his own eternal spirit4 #big ,the ,holy ,scriptures indeed1 expressly tell us that such was the case2 ,let us make man to our ,image and our ,likeness4 ,footnote #abg ,footnote #abg3 ,gen4 i41 #bf-bg4 ,this likeness consisted in the possession of understanding and free will1 the power of knowledge and love--the two great attributes of ,god ,himself4 ,you are then1 my brethren1 endowed with a soul which raises you immeasurably above ,god's material creation4 ,you have a soul made after ,god's image4 ,this is the source of your power4 ,the two things go together in ,holy ,scripture4 ,let us make man to our ,image and ,likeness3 and let him have dominion over the fishes of the sea1 and the fowls of the air1 and the beasts1 and the whole earth1 and every creeping creature that moveth upon the earth4 ,footnote #abh ,footnote #abh3 ,gen4 ii41 #g4 ,transcriber's note3 ,the ,,usccb reference is ,gen4 i41 #bf4 ,in the state of original innocence1 no doubt1 this dominion was more perfect1 but even now it exists in a great degree4 ,every kind of beast1 and of birds1 and of serpents1 and of the rest1 is tamed1 and hath been tamed by mankind4 ,footnote #abi ,footnote #abi3 ,st4 ,james iii41 #g4 #bih ,see how a little boy can drive a horse4 ,see how a dog obeys his ,master's eye and voice4 ,see how even lions and tigers become submissive to their keepers4 ,and the elements1 often wilder than ferocious beasts1 are obedient to you4 ,the fire warms you and cooks for you1 and carries you when you want to travel for business or pleasure4 ,the wind fans the sails of your vessels1 and the waters make a path for them under your feet4 ,even the lightning leaps and exults to do your bidding and to be the messenger of your will4 ,thus every thing falls down before you and does you homage1 and proclaims you lord and master4 ,what is the reason that every thing thus honors you8 ,it is on account of the soul that is in you--the power of reason and will--the godlike nature with which you are endowed4 ,yes1 and your soul is the source of your beauty1 too4 ,in what consists the beauty of a man8 ,is it a mere regularity of form and feature8 ,do you judge of a man as you do of a horse or a dog8 ,no2 the most exquisitely chiseled features do not interest you1 until you see intelligence light up the eye1 and charity irradiate the countenance--then you are captivated4 #bii ,a man may be a perfect model of grace in his movements without exciting you1 but when he becomes warm with inspirations of wisdom and virtue1 when his words flow1 his eye sparkles1 his breast heaves1 his whole frame becomes alive with the emotions of his soul1 then it is you are carried away1 you are ready almost to fall down and worship4 ,what is the reason that ,christian art has so far surpassed heathen art8 the ,madonna so far more beautiful than the ,venus de ,medicis8 ,it is because the heathens portrayed the beauty of dead matter2 the ,christians portrayed the beauty of the soul4 ,and if the soul is so beautiful in the little rays that escape from the body1 what must it be in itself8 ,god has divided his universe into several orders1 and we find the lowest in a superior order higher than the highest in the inferior order4 ,the soul1 then1 is more beautiful than any thing material4 ,she is more beautiful than the sun1 and above all the order of the stars2 being compared with the light she is found before it4 ,footnote #acj ,footnote #acj3 ,wisdom vii41 #bi4 #cjj ,oh1 my brethren1 do not admire men for their form1 or their dress1 or their grace1 but admire them for the soul that is in them1 for that is the true source of their beauty4 ,it is also the secret of their destiny4 ,god did not give you this great gift to be idle4 ,he gave it for a worthy end4 ,he gave understanding that you might know ,him1 and free will that you might love ,him2 and this is the true destiny of man4 ,you were not made to toil here for a few days1 and then to perish4 ,you were made to know ,god1 to be the friend of ,god1 the companion of ,god1 to think of ,god1 to converse with ,god1 to be united to ,god here1 and then to enjoy ,god hereafter forever4 ,once more then1 ,i say1 do not admire a man for his wealth1 or his appearance1 or his learning4 ,do not ask whether he is poor or rich1 ignorant or learned1 from what nation he springs1 whether he lives in a cabin or palace4 ,let it be enough that he is a man1 possessed of understanding and free will1 spiritual and immortal1 with a soul and an eternal destiny4 ,that is enough4 ,bow down before him with respect4 ,yes1 respect yourselves--not for your birth1 or your station1 or your wealth1 but for your manhood4 #cja ,let not the wise man glory in his wisdom1 and let not the strong man glory in his strength1 and let not the rich man glory in his riches4 ,but let him that glorieth glory in this1 that ,,he ,,understandeth ,,and ,,knoweth ,,me4 ,footnote #aca ,yes1 my brethren1 this is your true dignity1 the soul that is in you--the soul1 that makes you capable of knowing and loving ,god4 ,footnote #aca3 ,jer4 ix41 #bc1 #bd4 ,transcriber's note3 ,the ,,usccb reference is ,jer4 ix41 #bb1 #bc4 ,and yet1 there is another reason why you should value your souls1 besides their intrinsic excellence--,i mean1 the great things that have been done for them4 ,do you ask me what has been done for your souls8 ,i ask you to look above you1 and around you1 and under you4 ,oh1 how fair the earth is6 ,see these rivers and hills6 ,look on the green grass6 ,behold the blue vault of heaven6 ,well1 this is the palace ,god has prepared for you above2 nay1 not for your abode--your dwelling-place is beyond the skies1 where the light of the moon is as the light of the sun1 and the light of the sun seven fold1 as the light of seven days1-- but for the place of your sojourn4 ,this earth was made for you2 and1 as your destiny is eternal1 therefore the earth must have been made to subserve your eternal destiny4 #cjb ,why does the sun rise in the morning1 and go down at night8 ,it is for you--for your soul4 ,why do summer and winter1 seed-time and harvest1 return so regularly8 ,it is for you1 and your salvation4 ,the earth is for the elect4 ,when the elect shall be completed1 the earth1 having done its work1 will be destroyed4 ,this is the end to which1 in ,god's design1 all things are tending4 ,god does not look at the world1 or its history1 as we do4 ,we say3 ,here such a great battle was fought2 there such a celebrated man was born2 in this epoch such an empire took its rise1 such a dynasty came to an end4 ,but ,god says3 ,here it was a little child died after baptism1 and went straight to heaven2 there it was ,i recovered that gifted soul1 which had wandered away into error and sin1 but which afterward became so great in sanctity2 in such an age it was that ,i lost that great nation which fell away from the faith1 and in such another1 by the preaching of my missionary1 ,i won whole peoples from heathenism4 ,i know we shrink from this in half unbelief4 ,when it is brought home to us that this little earth is the centre of ,god's counsels1 and our souls of the universe1 we are amazed and offended4 #cjc ,but so it is4 ,all things work together unto good to them that love ,god4 ,footnote #acb ,all things2 not blindly1 but by the overruling ,providence of ,him who made them for this end4 ,footnote #acb3 ,rom4 viii41 #bh4 ,do you ask me what has been done for your souls8 ,i answer1 the ,church has been established for them4 ,look at the ,church1 and see how many are her officers and members--,bishops1 ,priests1 ,levites1 ,teachers1 ,students4 ,all are yours--all are for you4 ,for you the ,pope sits on his throne2 for you ,bishops rule their ,sees2 for you the ,priest goes up to the altar2 for you the ,teacher takes his chair1 and the ,student grows pale in the search for science4 ,that the ,apostolic commission might come down to you1 ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,linus and ,cletus ordained ,bishops in the churches4 ,that the true doctrine of ,christ might come down to you uncorrupted1 the ,fathers of the ,church gathered in council1 at ,nice1 and ,ephesus1 and ,chalcedon1 and ,trent4 ,that you might hear of the glad tidings of ,christ1 ,st4 ,paul and ,st4 ,patrick labored and died4 ,for you1 for each one of you1 as if there were no other1 the great machinery of grace1 if ,i may express myself so coarsely1 goes on4 #cjd ,do you ask what has been done for your souls8 ,angels and ,archangels1 and ,thrones and ,dominions1 and ,principalities and ,powers--all the hosts of ,heaven--have labored for them4 ,are they not all ministering spirits1 sent to minister for those who shall receive the inheritance of salvation8 ,footnote #acc ,for you the whole ,court of ,heaven is interested1 and one bright particular ,angel is commissioned to be your guardian4 ,for you ,st4 ,gabriel flew on his message of joy to the ,blessed ,virgin ,mary1 and ,st4 ,michael1 the standard-bearer1 waits at the gate of death4 ,footnote #acc3 ,heb4 i41 #ad4 ,do you ask what has been done for your souls8 ,from all eternity ,god has thought of them1 the means of salvation been determined on1 the chain of graces arranged4 ,and the ,son of ,god has worked for them4 ,galilee1 and ,judea1 and ,calvary were the scenes of his labors on earth1 and on his mediatorial throne in heaven ,he carries on still his unceasing labors in our behalf4 #cje ,and the ,holy ,ghost has worked4 ,he spake by the ,prophets1 and on the day of ,pentecost ,he came to take up his abode in the ,church1 never to be overcome by error1 or grieved away by sin1 to vivify the ,sacraments1 and to enlighten the hearts of the faithful by the preaching of the ,gospel and his own holy inspirations4 ,why1 who are you1 my brethren8 ,the woman at ,endor1 when she had pierced the disguise of ,saul1 and knew that she was talking with a king1 was afraid1 and said with a loud voice3 ,why hast thou deceived me1 for thou art ,saul8 ,footnote #acd ,footnote #acd3 #a ,kings xxviii41 #ab4 ,transcribers ,note3 ,the ,,usccb reference is ,i4 ,samuel xxviii4 #ab4 ,so1 ,i ask you1 who are you8 ,i look upon your faces1 and ,i see nothing to make me afraid2 but faith tears away the disguise1 and ,i see each one of you radiant with light1 a true prince1 and an heir of heaven4 ,i look above1 and see ,heaven open and the ,angels of ,god ascending and descending on errands of which you are the object4 ,i look higher yet1 and ,i see ,god the ,father watching you with anxiety1 and the ,son offering his blood for you1 and the ,holy ,ghost pleading with you1 and the ,saints and ,angels1 some with folded hands supplicating for you1 and others pointing with outstretched hand to the glorious throne reserved in ,heaven for you4 #cjf ,have you1 my brethren1 so regarded yourselves8 ,have you valued that soul of yours8 ,have you kept it as your most sacred treasure8 ,is it now safe and secure8 ,oh1 how carefully do men keep a treasure they value highly6 ,kings spend many thousand dollars yearly just to take care of a few jewels4 ,the crown jewels of ,england are kept1 as you know1 in the ,tower4 ,it is a heavy fortress1 guarded by soldiers who are always on watch4 ,at each door and avenue there is an armed sentinel4 ,the jewels themselves are kept in glass cases1 and visitors are not allowed to touch them4 ,and all these pains and outlay to take care of a few stones that have come down to the ,queen by descent1 or been taken from her enemies6 ,and that precious soul of yours1 before which all the wealth of the world is but worthless dross--with what care have you kept that8 ,alas6 every door has been left open4 ,no guard has been at your eyes to keep out evil looks4 ,no guard at your ears to keep out the whispers of temptation4 #cjg ,no guard at your lips to stop the way to the profane or filthy word4 ,nay1 not only have you kept up no guard1 but you have carried your soul where soul-thieves congregate4 ,the ,holy ,scripture says3 ,a net is spread in vain before the eyes of a bird4 ,footnote #ace ,footnote #ace3 ,prov4 i41 #ag4 ,yes1 the birds and beasts are cunning enough to avoid an open snare2 but you go rashly into dangers that are apparent to all but you4 ,sinners lie in wait for you4 ,they say1 in the language of ,scripture3 ,come1 let us lie in wait for blood2 let us hide snares for the innocent without cause4 ,let us swallow him up alive like hell1 and whole as one that goeth down into the pit4--and you trust yourself in their power4 ,oh1 fly from them6 ,consider the treasure you carry4 ,what shall it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul8 ,will you sin against your own soul8 you that are made after ,god's likeness2 you that are princely and of noble rank1 will you defile that image1 and degrade yourselves to a level with the brutes that perish8 #cjh ,but there are others whose offence is of an other kind4 ,they let their salvation go by sheer neglect4 ,if a man plants a seed1 he must water it1 or it will not grow4 ,so the soul needs the dew of ,god's grace2 and prayer and the ,sacraments are the channels of ,god's grace4 ,yet how men neglect the ,sacraments6 ,even at ,easter1 when we are obliged to receive them1 some absent themselves4 ,it has been a matter of the keenest pain to us to miss some members of this congregation during the late ,paschal season4 ,you say1 you have nothing on your conscience1 and it is not necessary to go to confession4 ,but is it not necessary to go to ,communion8 ,will you venture to deprive yourselves of that food of which1 unless ye eat1 the ,saviour has said3 ,ye have no life in you8 ,oh6 you have a sad story to tell4 ,you have fallen into mortal sin1 and you are afraid to come4 ,but do you think we have none of the charity of the ,angels8 ,only convert truly1 for it is a true conversion that gives the ,angels joy1 and we can give you the promise that ,thomas ,kempis puts into the mouth of ,him whose place we fill3 ,how often soever a man truly repents and comes to me for grace and pardon1 as ,i live1 saith the ,lord1 who desireth not the death of a sinner1 but rather that he should be converted and live1 ,i will not remember his sins any more1 but all shall be pardoned him4 #cji ,and to you1 my brethren1 who1 during the ,easter season just past1 have recovered the grace of ,god1 ,i have a word of advice to give in conclusion4 ,keep your souls with all diligence4 ,keep your souls2 that is your chief1 your only care4 ,keep them by fleeing from the occasions of sin4 ,keep them by overcoming habitual sins4 ,nourish them by prayer and the sacraments4 ,how great a disgrace1 that all the irrational world should do the will of ,god1 and you1 the rulers of the world1 should not do it6 ,the kite in the air hath known her time2 the turtle1 and the swallow1 and the stork have observed the time of their coming2 but my people have not known the judgment of the ,lord4 ,footnote #acf ,footnote #acf3 ,jer4 viii41 #g4 ,how great an evil it is in a ,state when an unworthy ,ruler is at its head4 ,the people mourn and languish1 and at last rebel4 ,so1 when a man neglects the end for which he was made1 the whole creation cries out against him4 ,the stones under his feet cry out4 ,the air he breathes1 the food he eats1 protest against the abuse he makes of them4 #caj ,balaam's ass rebuked the madness of the ,prophet2 so when you live in sin1 the very beasts reproach you4 ,your horse1 your cow1 your dog1 your pigs cry out3 ,if we had souls we would not be as you4 ,now we serve ,god blindly1 and of necessity2 but if we had souls1 it would be our pride and happiness to give ,him our willing service4 ,all things praise the ,lord2--showers and dew2 fire and heat2 mountains and hills2 seas and rivers2 beasts and cattle4 ,o1 sons of men1 make not a discord in the universal harmony6 ,receive not your souls in vain6 ,serve ,god2 praise ,him and exalt ,him forever4 --------------------- #caa ,sermon ,,xix4 ,merit ,the ,measure ,of ,reward4 ,behold1 ,i come quickly2 and my reward is with ,me1 to render to every man according to his work4 --,apoc4 xxii41 #ab4 ,society is made up of numerous classes of persons1 of very varied position and attainments4 ,how marked is the line1 for instance1 which divides the man who lives in the ,fifth ,avenue1 anywhere below ,fortieth street1 from the occupant of a shanty on the outskirts of the city6 ,again1 what point of contact is there between the man of science or literature1 whose life is spent in intellectual pursuits1 and the vacant lounger that hangs around our steamboat landings and wharves8 ,these men move in separate spheres1 and have scarcely anything in common4 #cab ,they are like two different races of men4 ,the difference is perhaps less marked in this country than elsewhere1 inasmuch as royalty and nobility and hereditary titles do not exist here4 ,but even in this country there is a clear line of division between distinct classes of persons4 ,shall this always be so8 ,shall these accidental and artificial barriers survive death8 ,how will it be in heaven8 ,no1 my dear brethren1 these particular lines of division1 of rich and poor1 learned and unlearned1 shall cease with this world2 but others will be set up in their place4 ,there is an aristocracy1 there is a hierarchy1 in ,heaven4 ,st4 ,paul1 after saying1 ,there is one glory of the sun1 and another glory of the moon1 and another glory of the stars1 for star differeth from star in glory1 adds1 so also is the resurrection of the dead4 ,footnote #acg ,footnote #acg3 #a ,cor4 xv41 #da1 #db4 ,st4 ,teresa calls this difference a prodigious inequality4 ,we must not imagine1 however1 that these various ranks of glory in ,heaven are founded upon such accidents as birth or good fortune4 ,they are founded upon that proportion of merit which we shall have gained1 each one by his good deeds in this life4 #cac ,the amount of grace and personal holiness that we possess when we appear in judgment before the ,lord1 this1 and not wealth1 or position1 or gifts of any kind1 will be the standard by which we take a high or low place there4 ,it is about this principle of personal merit before ,god1 and in view of ,heaven1 that ,i am going to speak to you this morning4 ,in order to do this1 ,i shall speak of the certainty of merit1 of the sources of merit1 and the conditions of merit4 ,i4 ,the ,certainty ,of ,merit4 ,what is meant by merit8 ,it is that supernatural reward1 which ,god has promised by way of justice1 to a good work done in the state of grace4 ,god has made a contract with us1 as it were1 in virtue of which ,he has given us the privilege of claiming eternal happiness from ,him on certain conditions4 ,let me show you how this is the teaching of ,holy ,scripture4 ,rejoice and be glad1 for great is your reward in heaven4 ,footnote #ach ,footnote #ach3 ,st4 ,matt1 v41 #ab4 #cad ,our ,lord1 you see1 uses the word reward which ,i have used4 ,every one shall receive his own reward according to his labor4 ,footnote #aci ,footnote #aci3 #a ,cor4 iii41 #h4 ,st4 ,paul here adds another idea to that of reward1 namely1 that it shall be given according to one's labor1 or good works4 ,this is what our ,lord says in the words of my text3 ,behold ,i come quickly1 and my reward is with me1 to render to every man according to his work4 ,for the rest there is laid up for me a crown of justice1 which the ,lord the just ,judge will give me in that day2 and not to me only1 but to them also who love his coming4 ,footnote #adj ,footnote #adj3 #b ,tim4 iv41 #h4 ,in this passage ,st4 ,paul tells us another truth about the principle of final rewards4 ,he says they shall be given by way of justice4 ,the time for mercy will then have passed1 and we shall be weighed in the balance of justice1 and our reward shall be in strict proportion to the weight of merit we have cast into the scale4 ,therefore1 my beloved brethren 7he writes to the ,corinthians71 be ye firm and immovable1 always abounding in the work of the ,lord2 knowing that your labor is not in vain in the ,lord4 ,footnote #ada ,footnote #ada3 #a ,cor4 xv41 #eh4 #cae ,then1 there is that passage of which ,i have already spoken1 where ,st4 ,paul illustrates the diversity of rewards4 ,for there is one glory of the sun1 another glory of the moon1 and another glory of the stars2 for one star differeth from another star in glory4 ,so also shall it be in the resurrection from the dead4 ,thus from ,holy ,scripture we get these several facts with regard to the rewards of the next life1 namely1 first1 that it is a reward1 and not merely a favor from ,god4 ,next1 that it is a reward for good works4 ,thirdly1 that this reward is given by way of justice4 ,and lastly1 that these rewards differ as widely from one another as do the several lights of the sun1 moon1 and stars4 ,but of what use is ,holy ,scripture to us without ,her interpretation1 whose office it is to interpret1 as it has been to preserve it8 ,i will quote you two1 out of many1 decrees which the ,holy ,church made on this matter at the ,council of ,trent4 ,if any one shall say that the just ought not for their good works done in ,god1 to expect and hope for an eternal recompense from ,god1 through his mercy and the merits of ,jesus ,christ1 if so be that they persevere to the end in well doing1 and in keeping the ,divine commandments1 let him be anathema4 #caf ,again1 ,if any one shall say that the good works of a justified man are in such sense the gifts of ,god1 that they are not also the merits of the justified man himself1 let him be anathema4 ,it is then certain1 both from ,holy ,scripture and from the decisions of ,holy ,church1 that we can merit the possession of heaven as a right1 by our good works4 ,but you will say1 if this be true1 does it not tend to cherish in us a spirit of self-sufficiency1 and of independence of ,god8 ,no1 it does not2 and for the reasons ,i am now going to give you1 in speaking on the second point1 namely3 ,,ii4 ,the ,sources ,of ,merit4 ,there are two sources of merit1 neither of which are in ourselves1 but both of them are in ,god4 ,one is the goodness of ,god2 the other1 the merits of ,christ4 #a4 ,my brethren1 ,god is not bound to his creatures except so far as ,he has been pleased to bind ,himself4 ,he could have lived on as well without any creation at all4 ,and even now that he has created our race1 his promise is the only measure of our rights and privileges4 ,these promises were forfeited by our first parents1 and ,god might never have renewed them to us1 their posterity4 #cag ,but ,god so ,loved the world as to give his only begotten ,son1 that whoever believeth in ,him may not perish1 but may have life everlasting4 ,footnote #adb ,footnote #adb3 ,john iii41 #af4 ,behold what charity the ,father hath bestowed upon us1 says ,st4 ,john in his ,epistle1 that we should be called1 and that we should be the sons of ,god4 ,footnote #adc ,footnote #adc3 #a ,john iii41 #a4 ,it is because we are sons of ,god1 and joint heirs with ,christ1 that ,god has honored us so much1 and made it possible for us to merit by our good works4 ,in order however1 to keep us humble and to make us mindful that in all things we are indebted to his goodness1 ,god has reserved to ,himself two graces which we cannot merit1 and without which we cannot be saved4 ,these are the gifts of sanctifying grace and of final perseverance4 ,a man is not likely to take airs upon himself and be insolent to you1 when he is lying on the broad of his back in the road1 and cannot stir hand or foot to help himself4 ,no1 he is most likely to address you in terms of supplication and entreaty4 #cah ,well1 this is our condition when ,god1 of his pure love1 bestows upon us the gift of sanctifying grace4 ,then1 again1 though we should have this gift to-day1 we may lose it to-morrow1 and but for ,god's continued graces we would infallibly lose it4 ,can you imagine a dependence which is more pure than ours is upon ,god8 ,an infant is not more dependent upon its mother for the preservation of its physical life1 than we are upon ,god for our spiritual life4 ,give us this day our daily bread1 is our every morning prayer4 ,we are like little birds in a nest before they are able to fly4 ,all we can do is to make a piteous cry1 and hold up our mouths to be filled4 ,where1 then1 is there room for presumption in such teaching as this8 ,now1 let me go on to my second source of merit1 which is the merit of ,christ4 #b4 ,we are in a double sense indebted to our ,blessed ,lord4 ,he is not only our ,creator1 our ,preserver1 and our ,benefactor1 but ,he is also our ,redeemer4 ,it is by his bitter ,passion and ,death1 and in union with these1 that what we do in his name has a value and a price in the sight of the ,eternal ,father4 ,it is that precious ,blood of his which is poured into our soul in holy ,baptism2 it is that precious ,blood of his which we drink in ,holy ,communion1 that constitutes the pure and holy source of every good and meritorious act of ours4 #cai ,he has ,himself explained how this is1 in the parable of the vine4 ,i am the vine1 ye the branches4 ,he that abideth in ,me1 and ,i in him1 he beareth much fruit4 ,footnote #add ,footnote #add3 ,john xv41 #e4 ,let us now try to get at our ,lord's meaning4 ,it is quite common nowadays to see a grapery in a gentleman's country garden4 ,the entire roof of those ornamental glass-houses is covered with luxuriant vines2 and they in turn are loaded with rich green leaves1 and with beautiful bunches of grapes4 ,the sap has made its course through the length of the vine1 and into the various branches4 ,here it has forced out a green leaf1 and there a bunch of fruit4 ,these it continues to feed1 by a continuous flow1 until the leaf has gained its size and color1 and the fruit its delicacy of flavor4 ,both leaf and fruit owe their existence1 their beauty1 and whatever is excellent in them1 to this sap1 which is the source of all2 but will you say that they do not have these things in themselves8 ,will you say that the grapes are not really fine flavored1 but only called so because they belong to an excellent vine8 #cbj ,no1 certainly not4 ,you say the grapes are fine1 because they really are fine1 because they answer in point of taste to what you understand by that term4 ,they have in themselves a something which is not accidental to them1 but which is an essential quality in grapes of that kind1 namely1 that delicate flavor which has established their worth4 ,now1 apply this to ourselves4 ,we are united to our ,lord through the ,sacraments1 as branches to a vine4 ,his grace is that precious ,sap which has been let in upon our souls1 through those seven main channels4 ,they cleanse and purify our souls4 ,they sanctity them1 and make them beautiful and pleasing to ,god4 ,the acts of the soul1 so long as it is united to ,god by this divine gift of grace1 are at the same time the acts of grace4 ,they are good and meritorious1 inasmuch as they are done by the co-operation of grace with our intelligence and free will4 ,by rewarding such acts as these1 ,god rewards the works of his own hands4 ,this is what ,st4 ,augustine says3 ,when ,god crowns our merits1 ,he does no more than crown his own gifts4 #cba ,let me illustrate this in another way4 ,st4 ,paul says1 in his second ,epistle to the ,corinthians1 ,i have espoused you to one husband1 that ,i may present you as a chaste virgin to ,christ4 ,footnote #ade ,footnote #ade3 #b ,cor4 xi41 #b4 ,here he calls the soul the wife1 and ,christ its husband4 ,by this we are to understand1 that the grace of ,christ in the soul enables it first to conceive good desires1 and then to bring forth good works1 which are1 as it were1 the children of the soul4 ,thus a dignity and worth are communicated to them1 which are1 in a true sense1 divine4 ,suppose1 for instance1 a ,prince of royal blood were to marry a peasant girl4 ,her children would unquestionably have royal blood in their veins1 how ever obscure may have been the parentage of their mother4 ,they would be entitled to the right of succession1 and could claim the throne of their father4 ,well1 in like manner our good works1 having ,god as their ,author1 are able to claim from ,him a supernatural reward4 #cbb ,,iii4 ,the ,conditions ,of ,merit4 ,there is one condition of being able to do a good supernatural work1 which always comes first1 and that is1 that the person shall be in the state of grace when he does it4 ,god can find no pleasure in us so long as our will and affections are turned away from ,him1 and this is the case when we are in mortal sin4 ,again1 our merit will be in proportion to the excellence of the work in itself considered4 ,one apple is better than another1 though both have grown upon the same branch4 ,to attend the bedside of some poor sick person1 is a more excellent work than merely to bestow an alms upon him4 ,to be contrite for one's sins1 is more excellent than to do penitential works in expiation of them4 ,to forgive the injury of one's enemy1 is more excellent than to pardon the unkindness of an acquaintance4 ,the poorest effort at self-control1 is better than the best advice given to another4 ,i remember a story which shows what even one excellent work will do for a soul4 ,it is in ,the ,lives of the ,fathers of the ,desert4 ,a monk1 who was serving ,god with much prayer and self-denial1 was tempted with the desire to see a man whose merit in the sight of ,god should be the very counterpart of his own4 ,god gratified his weakness4 ,he was directed to go to a certain inn in a neighboring village where he would see such a man4 #cbc ,on reaching it1 there stood before the door a poor fiddler playing for pennies4 ,the monk understood1 by an interior light1 that this was the man4 ,much surprised1 and rather mortified too1 he nevertheless addressed the fiddler1 and asked him what sort of a life he had led1 and what he was then doing for ,god8 ,he answered1 that he had1 for many years1 gained a poor but honest livelihood in the same humble employment4 ,that as to his having done any thing very good1 he did not know about that1 although there was one thing that he always remembered with a great deal of satisfaction4 ,with some danger to myself1 ,i once rescued a poor girl from those who would have ruined her4 ,the good monk was made to understand1 that for preventing that outrage1 ,god had raised this poor fiddler to a great purity of soul4 ,a good work1 again1 is more excellent in proportion as it is more difficult4 ,what a consolation this ought to be to us6 ,how hard we think it sometimes to get on in life1 with its multiplied vexations and discouragements6 #cbd ,we say1 ,what a strange world6 ,what a weary world6 ,in the language of ,holy ,scripture we say1 ,in the morning1 who will grant me evening8 and at evening1 who will grant me morning8 ,footnote #adf as though things were turning out very different from what we had a right to expect4 ,footnote #adf3 ,deut4 xxviii41 #eg4 ,transcriber's note3 ,the ,,usccb reference is ,deut4 xxviii41 #fg4 ,ah6 ,god has been good to us in the planning out of our lives1 better than we should be1 if we had all the planning to ourselves4 ,i have shown you that future rewards are to be determined by merit2 now our merits are measured by our trials4 ,by your own admission then1 this world1 in being full of trials1 most completely answers the end for which ,god created it4 ,if we could but get into the habit of looking at things from this point of view1 the face of life would be lit up with a perpetual sunshine4 ,yes1 the harder our state of life is to bear1 the more difficulties we find in following our ,lord1 the more laborious the work1 so much the brighter are our prospects for the life to come1 if we prove faithful to the end4 #cbe ,how well the mother of the ,maccabees1 that noble woman1 knew this6 ,holy ,scripture says3 ,she was to be admired above measure1 and worthy to be remembered by good men1 who beheld her seven sons slain in the space of one day1 and bore it with a good courage for the hope she had in ,god4 ,footnote #adg ,footnote #adg3 #b ,maccabees vii41 #bj4 ,as the youngest1 her last and dearest1 was about to be put to death1 she encouraged him to be resolute2 and he went to a martyr's reward under the influence of a consoling thought1 which he thus beautifully expressed3 ,my brethren having now undergone a short pain1 are under the covenant of eternal life4 ,again1 our merit is in proportion to the purity of the intention with which we do the work4 ,the intention we make1 either actual or habitual1 is the chalice1 as it were1 in which we make our offerings to ,god4 ,it is even more than this2 for the excellence of the intention is imparted to the work itself1 and becomes the measure of its merit4 ,i once saw some wooden goblets in the window of an apothecary shop4 ,being curious to know what they were for1 ,i was told by the clerk that they were made of quassia1 a peculiar kind of wood which imparted to pure water1 when drank from these goblets1 a most healthy tonic4 #cbf ,now1 so it is with a pure intention4 ,if the work that we do for ,god is only pure and good in itself1 the intention will communicate to it its own peculiar excellence1 and the work will receive the reward of that excellence1 which has become its own4 ,suppose1 for instance1 you hear ,mass from a mere motive of duty1 as being a ,catholic4 ,it is a supernatural work1 and it will secure a supernatural reward4 ,but to that intention you have added another the next time you hear ,mass2 namely1 the intention of doing penance for your sins4 ,well1 the same act is now doubly meritorious4 ,the third time you hear ,mass from a pure desire to make reparation to our ,lord for all the injuries ,he has received in the ,blessed ,sacrament1 and your intention is more excellent still1 and1 if united with the other two1 will merit a three-fold reward4 ,again1 great merit is gained by small things done for ,god4 ,this is surely very encouraging for us who have not the abilities1 or the opportunities1 of doing great things4 ,of course ,i mean great things as the world views them4 #cbg ,a check put upon a wrong thought2 the arrest of an improper word2 the silence to which we have forced ourselves1 when we feel within us the swelling of anger2 the call we make upon a sick neighbor in passing2 the alms we bestow1 however small2 the effort to be patient under sickness or pain2 the kind word of advice to the erring2 each such act as these1 will be a passport at the gate of ,heaven4 ,and now1 dear brethren1 ,i repeat once more what ,i said when ,i began4 ,there is an aristocracy1 there is a hierarchy1 in ,heaven4 ,as there are nine choirs of ,angels1 and1 so ,st4 ,john tells us1 except the one hundred and forty four thousand who had consecrated their virgin bodies as first-fruits to ,god1 none could sing the new song or follow the ,lamb whithersoever he goeth1 so shall it be forever4 ,i will say more2 and this is what ,i wish especially to impress upon your minds4 ,you must already have gathered it from what ,i have said4 ,it is this4 ,that aristocracy1 that hierarchy1 is in process of formation at this moment4 ,it is not determined by an arbitrary choice in heaven1 but on the principle of personal merit1 here on earth4 #cbh ,how is it with a large body of students at one of our colleges or universities8 ,they are class-mates1 or even room-mates1 for years1 but look at them after the lapse of twenty years1 and what are their respective positions8 ,one is a merchant1 in a small way1 in a country town of a new state2 while the other is representing his country as ,minister at a first-class foreign court4 ,one is a village physician1 while the other is the nation's choice to fill the ,presidential ,chair4 ,so shall it be with families4 ,some will scarcely be saved1 while others will fill up the ranks of the seraphs1 which were broken at the time of ,lucifer's rebellion4 ,where1 ,i ask1 shall our place be in this hierarchy8 ,our ,lord says3 ,the last shall be first1 and the first last4 ,where shall we be8 ,grace and a good will are the only materials wanting in the formation of a ,saint ,aloysius1 a ,saint ,stanislas1 or a ,saint ,elizabeth of ,hungary2 and these are in the reach of every one4 ,what shall ,i say in conclusion1 dear brethren1 to spur you on to do good works8 ,i will ask you to look back upon the past4 ,does it not lie in your memory in all the blackness and barrenness of a western prairie1 over which the desolating fire of the savage has passed8 #cbi ,where can you find the trace of any real care of your souls8 ,where your good works8 ,where your merit8 ,at least let us resolve now1 while our hearts are warm1 that we will improve the present1 remembering that what things a man shall sow1 those also shall he reap2 and that he that soweth in the ,spirit1 shall reap life everlasting4 ,footnote #adh ,footnote #adh3 ,gal4 vi41 #h4 --------------- #ccj ,sermon ,,xx4 ,self-denial4 ,we came into the land to which thou sentest us1 which in very deed floweth with milk and honey1 as may be known by these fruits4 --,num4 xiii41 #bh4 ,transcriber's note3 ,the ,,usccb reference is ,num4 xiii41 #bg4 7,a ,sermon for the first ,sunday in ,lent47 ,when the ancient people of ,israel1 after traversing the desert of ,arabia1 drew nigh to the promised land of ,canaan1 ,moses1 their prophet and leader1 sent out one of every tribe to view the country1 that they might be able to bring back an accurate account of it--of its productiveness1 the number and strength of its population1 and its means of defence4 ,these spies1 upon their return1 were all agreed in regard to the wonderful fertility of the country1 but in other respects their account was very discordant4 #cca ,one of their number1 ,caleb the son of ,jephone1 was full of enthusiasm1 and said to the people3 ,let us go up and possess the land1 for we shall be able to take it6 ,but the others that had been with him spoke ill of the country1 representing it as unhealthy1 and impossible to be conquered4 ,the land which we have viewed devoureth its inhabitants2 the people that we beheld are of a tall stature4 ,there we saw monsters of the sons of ,enac1 of the giant kind1 in comparison of whom we seemed like locusts4 ,why did these last give such a different account from the first8 ,it was because they were cowardly1 and afraid of the inhabitants of ,canaan1 and this blinded them to the fertility of its soil1 its fine fruits and great beauty4 ,their fears caused them to exaggerate difficulties1 and to overlook blessings which were within their reach4 ,this party of pusillanimous ,israelites represent a portion of the ,christian world in our day1 who1 taking counsel of their fears1 and consulting their ease1 speak of the practice of self-denial1 and the virtue of penance1 as something to be dreaded1 unnecessary1 and even criminal4 ,it is a land which devoureth its inhabitants6 #ccb ,they imagine insurmountable obstacles in the way4 ,we saw there monsters of the sons of ,enac1 of the giant kind4 ,if their souls were of a more robust make1 if their hearts were a little larger1 their error would be dispelled1 and they would see that a life of ,christian mortification1 instead of devouring them1 would introduce them to the enjoyment of spiritual advantages and pleasures such as they never yet conceived of4 ,they would find it a land which in very deed floweth with milk and honey1 as may be known by these fruits4 ,their error concerning the virtue of ,self-denial is owing in some measure to a misconception of its true meaning4 ,to establish its true meaning1 let us ask ourselves first of all1 what is a true ,christian life8 ,the little catechism tells us that man was created to know ,god1 to love ,him and to serve ,him in this world1 and be forever happy with ,him in the next4 ,a true ,christian life1 then1 consists in knowing1 loving and serving ,god4 ,if we give any other direction to our thoughts1 or affections1 or actions1 we live falsely4 ,self-denial1 as a ,christian virtue1 consists in renouncing all misdirection of the powers of the soul1 or in setting aside all things which stand in the way of our realizing the great end for which we were created4 ,complete self-denial places the soul in true and complete relations with ,god4 #ccc ,man has become in a great measure the servant and slave of the appetites and passions of his inferior nature1 and by every act of self-denial he recovers his lost superiority1 and renders himself again their master4 ,whenever1 therefore1 we find our passions and appetites are leading us astray1 we should resist them1 and practise self-denial and mortification4 ,if a man1 for instance1 finds that his sensual appetites lead him to gluttony and drunkenness1 he should fast and practise sobriety4 ,if pride and vanity are entering his heart1 he should exercise himself in humility4 ,when he finds that the love of riches is making him miserly1 he should be liberal to the poor4 ,anger must be overcome by meekness1 incontinence by chastity1 and sloth by vigilance and action4 ,briefly1 the office of self-denial is to deny to the instincts of our lower nature what is contrary to right reason1 and to ,god's holy law4 #ccd ,should there1 however1 arise conflicting claims between our higher and lower nature1 then the renunciation of one good for another of a higher order must be practised2 according to the words of ,christ3 ,if thine eye scandalize thee1 pluck it out1 and cast it from thee4 ,footnote #adi ,footnote #adi3 ,st4 ,matt1 xviii41 #i4 ,for what1 after all1 are created things1 or the members of a man's body1 or even his life1 compared with the eternal salvation of his soul8 ,men do not hesitate to sacrifice the less to save the greater2 to cut away the masts of a ship in a storm to save the vessel2 to amputate a limb to save the whole body4 ,it is on this principle that our ,lord declares that1 ,it is better for thee that one of thy members should perish1 than that thy whole body should go into hell4 ,again our ,lord says1 on the same point1 ,if any man come to me1 and hate not his father1 and mother1 and wife1 and children1 and brethren1 and sister1 yea1 and his own life also1 he cannot be my disciple4 ,footnote #aej ,footnote #aej3 ,st4 ,luke xiv41 #bf4 ,the meaning of our ,lord is not that there is in these human ties any thing contrary to ,god's law1 for his commandment to us is1 ,honor thy father and thy mother2 ,love thy neighbor as thyself4 #cce ,the meaning of the text is2 if your father1 or your mother1 or your wife or children1 or your brother or sister1 or even your own life1 should stand in the way of your duty to ,god1 then they must be subordinated1 or even sacrificed1 to your obedience and duty to ,him4 ,our duty to ,god is supreme2 and when the question arises of obeying ,him or clinging to something else we possess or prize1 ,he is content with nothing less than an unconditional surrender4 ,so1 then1 self-denial is practised not to deny one's self of any thing that is a real good1 but in regulating what is disorderly1 in repressing what is excessive1 in renouncing what is evil1 that we may come in possession of our sovereign good4 ,it aims at restraining the excesses of our animal instincts1 and holding them in subjection to reason1 and not at their destruction4 ,for1 in themselves considered1 there is nothing even in our animal instincts which is irreconcilable with the perfection of the soul4 ,the same may be said of all human relationships2 if they are not made to stand in the way of our salvation1 and the keeping of the ,divine ,law1 they render our natural life the more complete1 and the obligation for their renunciation ceases4 #ccf ,did not ,christ look upon mankind with human eyes1 and make all our human feelings his own8 ,as a son ,he obeyed his mother until his death2 and even while suffering on the cross1 such was his filial love and solicitude for her welfare1 that ,he gave her in charge to his beloved disciple4 ,as a friend1 ,he wept at the death of ,lazarus4 ,in fine1 all human sympathies1 sorrows1 and woes1 found a home in his bosom4 ,no1 there is nothing in all created things1 nor in human nature1 even in its lowest appetites and passions1 which may not be brought into harmony with reason1 be reconciled with what holds the first place in the rank of our duties1 and be made to contribute and adorn the perfection of the soul4 ,for it is not the purpose of ,christianity to supersede man's nature2 it supposes his nature4 ,christianity would be of no account independent of human nature4 ,christianity finds us men1 and leaves us men2 gentle1 not cowardly2 child-like1 not childish2 amiable1 not effeminate2 zealous1 not fanatical2 earnest1 not narrow-minded2 pious1 not weak2 humble1 not abject2 full of faith1 and yet rational2 obedient1 not slavish2 mortified1 not mutilated2 for ,christ died to save man1 and not to transmute man into something else4 ,christianity demands for its fullest manifestation the most complete nature4 ,the more we are men1 the greater our capacity for ,christianity4 #ccg ,this being so1 how strange it is to find men who modestly assume the character of ,christian philosophers2 and yet when the word self-denial1 mortification1 or asceticism is pronounced in their presence1 they startle like one who is about to be exorcised6 ,an ascetic1 in their courteous language1 is a miserable victim of a falsely interpreted religion1 starved and withered in delusion4 ,miserable victim indeed1 if the highest purposes of life are1 to gratify our animal instincts and give one's self up to ease and self-indulgence6 ,deluded certainly1 if it were our belief1 as it was that the heathen1 that the grossest indulgence of sensual passions is a part of religious worship6 ,on such a theory1 an ascetic is unquestionably a miserable victim6 ,but do these men really fancy that all that lies beyond their mental conceptions is delusion1 like the ,chinese1 who look upon all that come from beyond the limits of their country as barbarians8 #cch ,can they never learn the simple truth1 that the practice of self-denial and kindred virtues1 will always correspond in degree to one's conception of the dignity of the human soul1 and the greatness of its destiny4 ,or are they cognizant of this truth1 but pusillanimous like the ,jews1 who conjured up to their imaginations1 monsters of the sons of ,enac1 of the giant kind1 being too cowardly to face the dangers and conquer the enemies which stood between them and the possession of the land flowing with milk and honey8 ,strange indeed it is1 that these self-called liberal ,christians are not liberal enough to allow men1 who have higher aims than the indulgence of sensual propensity and appetite1 to live the life they like6 ,if a man abstains from eating meat1 why not let him1 if he likes1 eat fish8 ,if another is bent on practising entire abstinence1 why not allow him to fast8 ,if another fancies he will improve by scourging himself1 why not let him whip his body8 ,if another takes the notion to shave his crown and walk with uncovered feet1 wherein is he to be blamed8 ,if another seeks the desert1 or ensconces himself in a cave1 what commandment does he break8 ,what is there criminal in these actions1 that there should be displayed so much spleen against those who live in this way8 #cci ,christ was born in a stable1 he fasted forty days and forty nights in the desert1 and often had not a stone to rest his weary head upon4 ,daniel fed upon pulse1 and gained both wisdom and health4 ,the ,baptist fed upon honey and locusts1 and there has not risen among those that are born of women a greater than ,john the ,baptist4 ,these men were in pursuit of a great object4 ,you perhaps don't perceive it6 ,it is because the object which they aimed at does not lie within your range of vision1 but above it4 ,they were hungering and thirsting after the beauty of holiness4 ,this was the great aim of their lives1 and they followed it up like men in earnest4 ,life was to them a battle-field1 ,their hearts a holy land4 ,be true to thyself1 ,o friend2 and learn to let every one abound in his own sense1 and in thy liberality1 let all the spirits praise the ,lord4 #cdj ,meanwhile the practice of these virtues richly repays the soul4 ,they restore to the soul her true and perfect liberty4 ,is this not a great boon8 ,suppose that a queen was torn from her throne by a band of ruffians1 and being stripped of her royal robes1 was clothed in rags1 and thrown into a dark and loathsome prison4 ,abuse and contempt are heaped upon her1 putrid meat and filthy water are given to her for food and drink4 ,her cries are unheeded1 and often she meditates an escape1 but the sight of the cold and massive walls around her shake and overpower her resolutions4 ,enfeebled and exhausted1 she finally relapses into indifference and despair4 ,now a slight but strange noise reaches her ears4 ,it grows louder and louder4 ,she listens attentively1 and to her quick ears the sounds seems to come like blows struck upon her prison walls4 ,they come nearer and grow louder2 the iron bars of her cell give way under them2 friends enter and her chains are broken4 ,she steps forth free1 breathes once more the fresh air1 sees the fair world around her1 and she is replaced with increased splendor and dignity upon her throne4 ,can you not easily imagine that every stroke she heard given against her prison walls1 must have sent a thrill of joy through her whole frame8 #cda ,what language can express the gratitude which filled her heart toward her deliverers8 ,and this is simply the picture of a soul which has been subject to the demands of its lower appetites and passions1 and has been freed by the practice of self-denial4 ,for what prison walls are so strong as the tyranny of passion over the soul8 ,what degradation is equal to that of a ,christian enslaved by vice8 ,what food is so loathsome to the body as lust and sensuality must be to a soul made for wisdom and virtue8 ,what comparison is there between the relief felt at escaping from a material prison to the liberation of the soul from the fetters of sin1 free to breathe the pure air of angels1 and feed on celestial joys4 ,oh6 blessed virtue of ,penance which emancipates the soul1 and restores that image of ,god which is stamped upon it1 to its original beauty and splendor6 ,besides1 penance renders a man invincible against his spiritual foes4 ,the mortified man is like a horse in the open fields4 ,you may approach him with a halter in hand1 and almost lay your hands upon him1 but he easily escapes your grasp4 #cdb ,so the devil may approach a man who has gained mastery over his appetites and inordinate affections1 with his temptations1 and the opportunity of committing sin ready at hand1 but he has no power to capture or bind him4 ,but the self-indulgent man has not the moral life to resist1 nor the strength to escape2 he is easily led into sin and made the slave of the devil4 ,the mortified man is like a flower which draws nothing but its necessary nourishment from the earth1 and that through a slender stem1 while it opens wide its bosom to the light and air of heaven2 so he1 by self-denial1 has narrowed all those avenues of his soul which lie earthward1 while his whole mind is open to the contemplation of ,god1 and his heart is filled with the taste of ,his sweetness4 ,moreover1 it renders the practice of prayer easy4 ,all the irregular movements of our lower nature being subdued1 the soul thus disengaged is able to think steadfastly on ,god1 and attend to his inspiration1 according to those words of the divine ,spouse in ,scripture3 ,i will lead her into the solitude1 and will speak to her heart1 and she shall sing there as in the days of her youth4 ,footnote #aea ,footnote #aea3 ,osee ii41 #ad4 ,transcriber's note3 ,osee refers to ,hosea4 #cdc ,according to the experience of all spiritual men1 the spirit of prayer can only spring from1 mortification4 ,give more study to mortification1 says ,lewis da ,ponte1 than to contemplation1 for an unmortified person seeks after the spirit of prayer and cannot find it1 whilst prayer itself seeks the man who is truly mortified1 and knows how to find him4 ,saint ,ignatius once heard one say in the praise of a great servant of ,god3 ,he is a great man of prayer4 ,the saint replied1 ,no1 he is a man of great mortification4 ,and on another occasion he remarked1 that a quarter of an hour spent in prayer is sufficient to unite a mortified man closely to ,god2 whereas an unmortified man would not obtain this in two hours4 ,he who does not live according to the corruption of the senses1 says ,st4 ,john of the ,cross1 has the consolation to see all the operations of the powers of his soul tend to the contemplation of ,god as to their centre4 ,finally1 it fills the soul with spiritual consolations1 according to the words of ,holy ,scripture4 ,who is this that cometh up from the desert flowing with delights1 leaning upon her beloved8 ,footnote #aeb ,footnote #aeb3 ,cant4 viii41 #e4 #cdd ,while the heart is disturbed with irregular affections and filled with inordinate love for created things1 divine love cannot enter it4 ,the desert of which ,solomon speaks in the passage just quoted1 is produced in the soul by the renunciation and mortification of the irregular movements of the sensual appetites1 and the soul then goes forth to meet the celestial spouse2 and as all obstacles to his love are removed1 she is filled with his divine consolation4 ,and thus supported by her ,beloved1 the practice of every virtue becomes easy4 ,whilst my heart was dilated with thy consolations1 ,i ran in the way of thy commandments4 ,footnote #aec ,oh1 blessed penance1 which recovers for the soul its supreme good1 and gives it here a foretaste of ,paradise6 ,footnote #aec3 ,psalm cxviii4 ,transcriber's note3 ,this appears to be a paraphrase of ,psalm cxix41 #a4 ,let us1 then1 enter upon the duties of ,lent with the conviction of their necessity and their high importance4 ,let us manfully conquer all our repugnances to the works of penance enjoined by ,holy ,church2 for every act of self-denial and mortification of sensuality will open avenues of true spiritual joy to the soul4 #cde ,let us pass through this holy season with sincerity and confidence1 practising all its requirements1 that it may be said of us also1 ,who is this that cometh up from the desert1 flowing with delights1 leaning on her beloved8 ,for only those who take part in the penances of ,lent can share in the joys of ,easter4