,transcriber's notes3 ,this production is based on https3_/_/archive4org_/details_/fiveminu tesermon#jjpaul_/page_/n#d i ,five ,minute ,sermons ,for ,low ,masses on all ,sundays of the ,year by ,priests of the ,congregation of ,st4 ,paul ,volume ,i4 ,frederick ,pustet ,co41 ,printers to the ,holy ,apostolic see and ,the ,sacred ,congregation of ,rites4 ,ratisbon ,rome ,new ,york ,cincinnati ii ,copyright1 #ahgi ,fr4 ,pustet ,co41 ,new ,york and ,cincinnati iii ,preface4 ,these short sermons were commenced in ,st4 ,paul's ,church1 ,new ,york1 toward the close of the year #ahgf4 ,the motive for doing this was that the great number of persons who generally attend only a ,low ,mass on ,sundays might enjoy the advantage of hearing the word of ,god preached1 without being delayed too long for their convenience4 ,for this reason they were limited in time to five minutes1 while the effort was made to condense within this brief compass a sufficient amount of matter at once instructive and hortatory1 in plain and simple language1 to answer the practical purposes of a popular discourse4 ,in order to secure this twofold object of making the sermons so short that they would not overrun the limit of five minutes1 and at the same time so solid and pungent that they would furnish a real nutriment and stimulus to the minds and hearts of the audience1 it was obviously necessary that they should be carefully written out4 ,for each priest to write and commit to memory his own sermon would be undertaking too much2 and therefore the plan was adopted of assigning to one the task of writing all the sermons1 to be read by each priest celebrating a ,low ,mass for the people4 iv ,the sermons have been published every week in the ,catholic ,review1 and an advanced sheet of the printed copy1 pasted on a tablet1 has been furnished1 to be used in preaching the sermon at each one of the ,low ,masses on the ,sunday4 ,the utility of these sermons1 the satisfaction they give to the people who hear them1 and the advantage which can be derived by reading them after they have been published1 are too obvious to need explanation4 ,this advantage we hope to make more extensive by now publishing the greater part of the sermons which have been thus far preached1 and printed in a weekly newspaper1 in the more convenient and permanent form of a volume4 ,it is hoped that they will be practically useful to many priests who may read them1 or use them in preparing similar short sermons of their own for those occasions when it is not practicable to give longer and more elaborate discourses to their congregations4 ,many of them will be found1 besides1 to furnish a nucleus for the composition of sermons of the usual length and rhetorical completeness4 ,to the faithful they afford matter for spiritual reading and profitable meditation which is all the better for being put into a brief and simple shape4 v ,the merit of devising and first carrying into execution this excellent plan of preaching the ,five-,minute ,sermons at ,low ,mass belongs to the late ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown1 ,c4,s4,p4 ,it is quite proper to praise the works of one who has departed this life1 even though he was one of our own society4 ,many of the sermons written by ,father ,brown and contained in the present volume are masterpieces in the art of miniature discourse4 ,they are not fragments or sections of sermons1 reading like pages taken from longer discourses or meditations1 but genuine sermonettes1 each one complete and perfect in itself4 ,they are marked1 also1 by a grave and solemn earnestness remarkable in the utterances of so very young a priest1 and seeming to be like a shadow from a very near proximity to the eternal world1 cast over his spirit as he rapidly drew near to the goal of his appointed course4 ,it will surely be deemed appropriate1 and prove agreeable to the readers of this volume of sermons1 that a few lines should be consecrated to the memory of the one who may justly be called its author1 although the greater portion of its actual contents came from others who succeeded to him in the task from which he was called away at so early a period of his sacerdotal life4 ,father ,algernon ,brown1 the son of a respectable physician who is still living and resides in the ,isle of ,wight1 was born at ,cobham1 ,surrey1 ,england1 ,may #cj1 #ahdh4 ,he was bred in the ,established ,church of ,england1 and during his early youth was educated at a ritualistic school in ,brighton4 vi ,his tastes and predilections were ecclesiastical1 and he entered warmly into the study and practice of the doctrinal1 moral1 and liturgical views and ways of the ,anglican ritualists4 ,at the age of eighteen he was received into the ,catholic ,church by ,father ,knox1 of the ,oratory1 and went first to ,st4 ,edmund's ,college1 afterwards to ,prior ,park1 in order to prepare himself for the priesthood4 ,after nearly completing his course1 and having already received minor orders1 he came in #ahga1 with two younger brothers1 both converts1 and one of the two an ecclesiastical student1 to the ,united ,states1 and was ordained priest by the ,most ,rev4 ,archbishop ,purcell in the ,archdiocese of ,cincinnati1 ,may #be1 #ahgb4 ,in the year #ahgd he was received as a member of the ,congregation of ,paulists after a year's novitiate4 ,during the four years which elapsed between this period and that of his death ,father ,brown suffered continually1 and often severely1 from ill health1 yet nevertheless continued to labor bravely and cheerfully1 beyond his strength1 until he was actually overpowered by fatal disease4 ,his special department of work lay in the direction of the sacristy and of the ceremonies at the public offices of divine worship1 and the management of the devout confraternities established in the parish4 ,his accurate knowledge of the rubrics1 ceremonial1 and sacred chant1 his ardent zeal for the order and decorum of the divine service1 and his untiring assiduity in the work assigned him1 were equally valuable to the religious community of which he was a member1 and edifying to the people4 vii ,after the ,easter of #ahgg his failing health obliged him to make a visit to his native ,england and his paternal home as the last hope of prolonging his life4 ,in the following autumn he returned1 enjoying a considerable but only temporary amelioration in his physical condition1 which soon after began to grow sensibly worse4 ,on the ,feast of the ,immaculate ,conception he attempted for the last time by a heroic effort to say ,mass1 but was prevented by a fainting-fit which prostrated him at the foot of the altar as he was commencing the ,introit4 ,from this day forward he was slowly dying1 until at last1 after long and careful preparation1 he closed his eyes peacefully under the icy hand of death4 ,his death occurred on ,monday in ,passion ,week1 the #hth of ,april1 #ahgh1 at the age of twenty-nine years and eleven months1 and his solemn obsequies were celebrated on the following ,wednesday4 ,all the sermons in this volume which can be identified with certainty as his are marked with his initial letter1 ,b4 ,may they long remain unfaded1 a bouquet of immortelles4 ,transcribers's note3 ,his full name has been substituted for ,b and a ,b has been inserted in the ,table of ,contents entry4 ,in ,,memoriam6 ,st4 ,paul's ,church1 ,ninth ,avenue ,and ,fifty-ninth ,street1 ,new ,york4 ,feast of ,all ,saints1 #ahgi4 viii4 ,five ,minute ,sermons ,volume #a4 ix ,contents4 ,first ,sunday of ,advent3 ,sermon ,i41 ,b4 #ah ,sermon ,,ii41 #bj ,sermon ,,iii41 #bb ,second ,sunday of ,advent3 ,sermon ,,iv41 ,b4 #bg ,sermon ,v41 #cj ,sermon ,,vi41 #cb ,third ,sunday of ,advent3 ,sermon ,,vii41 ,b4 #cg ,sermon ,,viii41 #ci ,sermon ,,ix41 #db ,fourth ,sunday of ,advent3 ,sermon ,x41 ,b4 #dg ,sermon ,,xi41 #di ,sermon ,,xii41 #eb ,sunday within the ,octave of ,christmas3 ,sermon ,,xiii41 ,b4 #ef ,sermon ,,xiv41 #ei ,sermon ,,xv41 #fb ,the ,epiphany3 ,sermon ,,xvi41 #ff ,sermon ,,xvii41 #fh x ,first ,sunday after ,epiphany3 ,sermon ,,xvii41 ,b4 #gc ,sermon ,,xix41 #ge ,second ,sunday after ,epiphany3 ,sermon ,,xx41 ,b4 #hj ,sermon ,,xxi41 #hc ,sermon ,,xxii41 #hf ,third ,sunday after ,epiphany3 ,sermon ,,xxiii41 ,b4 #ia ,sermon ,,xxiv41 #ic ,fourth ,sunday after ,epiphany3 ,sermon ,,xxv41 #ig ,sermon ,,xxvi41 #ajj ,sermon ,,xxvii41 #ajc ,fifth ,sunday after ,epiphany3 ,sermon ,,xxviii41 #ajh ,sermon ,,xxix41 #aaa ,sixth ,sunday after ,epiphany3 ,sermon ,,xxx41 ,b4 #aae ,sermon ,,xxxi41 #aah ,septuagesima ,sunday ,sermon ,,xxxii41 ,b4 #abb ,sermon ,,xxxiii41 #abe ,sermon ,,xxxiv41 #abg ,sexagesima ,sunday3 ,sermon ,,xxxv41 ,b4 #acc ,sermon ,,xxxvi41 #acf ,sermon ,,xxxvii41 #ach xi ,quinquagesima ,sunday3 ,sermon ,,xxxviii41 ,b4 #adb ,sermon ,,xxxix41 #ade ,sermon ,,xl41 #adg ,first ,sunday of ,lent3 ,sermon ,,xli41 #aeb ,sermon ,,xlii41 #aed ,sermon ,,xliii41 ,b4 #aeg ,second ,sunday of ,lent3 ,sermon ,,xliv41 #afa ,sermon ,,xlv41 ,b4 #afd ,sermon ,,xlvi41 #aff ,third ,sunday of ,lent3 ,sermon ,,xlvii41 #agj ,sermon ,,xlviii41 ,b4 #agc ,sermon ,,xlix41 #age ,fourth ,sunday of ,lent3 ,sermon ,l41 #agi ,sermon ,,li41 ,b4 #ahb ,passion ,sunday3 ,sermon ,,lii41 #ahf ,sermon ,,liii41 ,b4 #ahh ,sermon ,,liv41 #aib ,palm ,sunday ,sermon ,,lv41 ,b4 #aif ,sermon ,,lvi41 #aih ,sermon ,,lvii41 #bjj xii ,easter ,sunday3 ,sermon ,,lviii41 ,b4 #bjd ,sermon ,,lix41 #bjg ,sermon ,,lx41 #baj ,low ,sunday3 ,sermon ,,lxi41 ,b4 #bad ,sermon ,,lxii41 #bag ,sermon ,,lxiii41 #bai ,second ,sunday after ,easter3 ,sermon ,,lxiv4 #bbc ,sermon ,,lxv41 ,b4 #bbe ,sermon ,,lxvi41 #bbg ,third ,sunday after ,easter3 ,sermon ,,lxvii41 ,b4 #bcc ,sermon ,,lxviii41 #bce ,sermon ,,lxix41 #bch ,fourth ,sunday after ,easter3 ,sermon ,,lxx41 ,b4 #bdb ,sermon ,,lxxi41 #bde ,sermon ,,lxxii41 #bdh ,fifth ,sunday after ,easter3 ,sermon ,,lxxiii41 #beb ,sermon ,,lxxiv41 #bed ,sermon ,,lxxv41 #beg ,sunday within the ,octave of the ,ascension3 ,sermon ,,lxxvi41 #bfj ,sermon ,,lxxvii41 #bfc ,sermon ,,lxxviii41 #bfe xiii ,feast of ,pentecost1 or ,whit-,sunday3 ,sermon ,,lxxix41 #bfi ,sermon ,,lxxx41 #bgb ,sermon ,,lxxxi41 #bgd ,trinity ,sunday3 ,sermon ,,lxxxii41 #bgi ,sermon ,,lxxxiii41 #bhb ,sermon ,,lxxxiv41 #bhd ,second ,sunday after ,pentecost3 ,sermon ,,lxxxv41 #bhi ,sermon ,,lxxxvi41 #bib ,sermon ,,lxxxvii41 #bie ,third ,sunday after ,pentecost3 ,sermon ,,lxxxviii41 #bii ,sermon ,,lxxxix41 ,b4 #cja ,sermon ,,xc41 #cjd ,fourth ,sunday after ,pentecost3 ,sermon ,,xci41 #cjh ,sermon ,,xcii41 #caa ,fifth ,sunday after ,pentecost3 ,sermon ,,xciii41 ,b4 #cae ,sermon ,,xciv41 #cag ,sixth ,sunday after ,pentecost3 ,sermon ,,xcv41 #cba ,sermon ,,xcvi41 #cbc ,sermon ,,xcvii41 #chh xiv ,seventh ,sunday after ,pentecost3 ,sermon ,,xcviii41 #ccj ,sermon ,,xcix41 #ccb ,sermon ,c41 #cce ,eighth ,sunday after ,pentecost3 ,sermon ,,ci41 #cci ,sermon ,,cii41 #cdb ,sermon ,,ciii41 #cdd ,ninth ,sunday after ,pentecost3 ,sermon ,,civ41 #cdi ,sermon ,,cv41 #ceb ,tenth ,sunday after ,pentecost3 ,sermon ,,cvi41 #cef ,sermon ,,cvii41 #cei ,sermon ,,cviii41 #cfa ,eleventh ,sunday after ,pentecost3 ,sermon ,,cix41 #cff ,sermon ,,cx41 #cfi ,sermon ,,cxi41 #cga ,twelfth ,sunday after ,pentecost3 ,sermon ,,cxii41 #cgf ,sermon ,,cxiii41 ,b4 #cgh ,sermon ,,cxiv41 #cha ,thirteenth ,sunday after ,pentecost3 ,sermon ,,cxv41 ,b4 #che ,sermon ,,cxvi41 #chh ,sermon ,,cxvii41 #cij xv ,fourteenth ,sunday after ,pentecost3 ,sermon ,,cxviii41 ,b4 #cid ,sermon ,,cxix41 #cig ,sermon ,,cxx41 #djj ,fifteenth ,sunday after ,pentecost3 ,sermon ,,cxxi41 ,b4 #djd ,sermon ,,cxxii41 #djf ,sermon ,,cxxiii41 #dji ,sixteenth ,sunday after ,pentecost3 ,sermon ,,cxxiv41 ,b4 #dac ,sermon ,,cxxv41 #daf ,seventeenth ,sunday after ,pentecost3 ,sermon ,,cxxvi41 ,b4 #dbj ,sermon ,,cxxvii41 ,b4 #dbb ,eighteenth ,sunday after ,pentecost3 ,sermon ,,cxxviii41 #dbf ,sermon ,,cxxix41 #dbh ,nineteenth ,sunday after ,pentecost3 ,sermon ,,cxxx41 ,b4 #dcc ,sermon ,,cxxxi41 #dcf ,twentieth ,sunday after ,pentecost3 ,sermon ,,cxxxii41 ,b4 #ddj ,sermon ,,cxxxiii41 #ddb ,twenty-first ,sunday after ,pentecost3 ,sermon ,,cxxxiv41 #ddg xvi ,twenty-second ,sunday after ,pentecost3 ,sermon ,,cxxxv41 ,b4 #deb ,sermon ,,cxxxvi41 #ded ,twenty-third ,sunday after ,pentecost3 ,sermon ,,cxxxvii41 ,b4 #dei ,sermon ,,cxxxviii41 ,b4 #dfa ,sermon ,,cxxxix41 #dfc ,twenty-fourth or ,last ,sunday after ,pentecost3 ,sermon ,,cxl41 ,b4 #dfh ,sermon ,,cxli41 #dga ,sermon ,,cxlii41 #dgd #ag ,first ,sunday of ,advent ,epistle4 ,romans xiii4 #aa-ad1 ,brethren3 ,know that it is now the hour for us to rise from sleep4 ,for now our salvation is nearer than when we believed4 ,the night is passed1 and the day is at hand4 ,let us therefore cast off the works of darkness1 and put on the armor of light2 let us walk honestly as in the day2 not in rioting and drunkenness1 not in chambering and impurities1 not in contention and envy2 but put ye on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,luke xxi4 #be-cc4 ,at that time ,jesus said to his disciples3 ,there shall be signs in the sun1 and in the moon1 and in the stars3 and upon the earth distress of nations1 by reason of the confusion of the roaring of the sea and of the waves1 men withering away for fear1 and expectation of what shall come upon the whole world4 ,for the powers of heaven shall be moved3 and then they shall see the ,son of ,man coming in a cloud with great power and majesty4 ,but when these things begin to come to pass1 look up and lift up your heads3 because your redemption is at hand4 ,and he spoke to them a similitude4 ,see the fig-tree1 and all the trees3 when they now shoot forth their fruit1 you know that summer is nigh2 so you also when you shall see these things come to pass1 know that the kingdom of ,god is at hand4 ,amen ,i say to you this generation shall not pass away1 till all things be fulfilled4 ,heaven and earth shall pass away1 but my words shall not pass away4 #ah ,sermon ,i4 ,heaven and earth shall pass away4 --,st4 ,luke xxi4 #cc4 ,ah6 my friend1 how are you8 ,how do you do8 ,where are you going8 ,these are everyday expressions1 dear brethren4 ,probably some neighbor spoke to you thus as you were coming to ,mass4 ,this is the first ,sunday in ,advent1 the ,sunday of judgment1 and ,i am going to put the same questions to you4 ,i begin with the last one4 ,where are you going8 ,young men1 old men1 women1 girls1 children1 people1 priests1 rich and poor1 where are all of you going8 ,are you going to church or for a walk8 ,no1 we have a trial at court and are summoned to appear4 ,whose trial8 ,our own4 ,yes1 we are all going to judgment1 the trial of eternity before the all-seeing ,judge4 ,we are all formed in a great procession4 ,no matter whether we are good or bad1 in a state of grace or of mortal sin1 no matter whether our case is a good one or a bad one1 no matter if our cause be just or unjust1 we are all going to judgment--all going to the great trial1 in which every living soul1 each man and woman and child1 shall be the prisoners at the bar1 and ,god1 the judge of all1 shall sit upon the great white ,throne4 ,when will that trial-day come8 ,no one knows1 not even the angels1 our ,lord says4 ,judgment will come suddenly4 ,time has been given you4 ,you have been told beforehand4 ,the actual coming will be sudden4 ,behold1 ,i come as a thief in the night4 ,behold1 ,i come quickly4 ,behold1 ,i come as the lightning4 ,such are the terms in which our ,lord speaks of his second advent4 ,when men are eating and drinking1 marrying1 buying1 and selling1 burying the dead1 laboring1 praying1 waking or sleeping1 then there will be a cry heard1 ,behold1 the ,bridegroom cometh2 go ye forth to meet ,him4 #ai ,go forth just as you are2 just as the moment finds you2 without a moment more to prepare1 without an instant in which to say1 ,god help me6 ,where are you going1 then8 ,going to judgment4 ,going to a sudden judgment4 ,going to meet accusers who will rise out of the graves of earth and from the pit of hell to bear witness against sinners for all the commandments they have broken1 all the duties they have neglected1 all the scandal and bad example they have given4 ,woe to bad parents in that day6 ,woe to disobedient children in that day6 ,woe to the drunken1 the impure1 the thieves1 the liars1 the false witnesses1 the apostates in that day6 ,ah6 then1 how do you do4 ,christian1 ,catholic8 ,how are you1 baptized of ,god8 ,how is your health1 the health of your soul8 ,are you in the fever of sin8 ,do you see upon your souls great livid plague-spots of mortal offences against the ,almighty8 ,then tremble1 for you have to face the ,god whose eyes are brighter than the noonday sun6 ,he will ask3 ,how are you8 ,what mean these stains upon your soul8 ,where is the white garment that ,i gave you8 ,where is my image and likeness8 ,woe to every one who cannot answer these questions2 for to be unable to answer means to be unable to go to heaven1 means that you will be found guilty by the ,eternal ,judge and condemned to everlasting death4 ,let1 then1 these two questions ring in your ears3 ,where are you going8 ,how are you in ,god's sight8 ,you are going to judgment4 ,are you in a fit state to appear there8 ,brethren1 it will be an awful day1 that day of judgment1 even for the just4 #bj ,where1 then1 shall the unjust and the sinner appear8 ,look up to the heavens as you leave this church4 ,the clouds are not yet riven4 ,the sun is not yet darkened4 ,oh6 then there is yet time4 ,there is a moment's lull before the storm breaks2 a second's pause before the trumpet sounds4 ,but the day of judgment will come1 for ,jesus ,christ has told us so1 and1 as he says3 ,heaven and earth shall pass away1 but my words shall not pass away4 ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 ------------------ ,sermon ,,ii4 ,brethren3 ,know that it is now the hour for us to rise from sleep4 --,romans xiii4 #aa4 ,to-day1 my dear brethren1 is the ,new ,year's ,day of the ,catholic ,church4 ,today she begins again that round of seasons and festivals which will never cease to be repeated till that day comes of which this season of ,advent reminds us--that day in which1 as ,st4 ,peter tells us1 the heavens shall pass away with great violence1 and the elements shall be melted with heat1 and the earth and the works which are in it shall be burnt up2 that day when ,he who died for us on the cross shall come to judge the living and the dead4 ,the church begins her year with ,advent1 because this season represents principally1 not that last coming of our ,lord of which ,i have just spoken1 but rather that time which went before his first coming--that long period of several thousand years1 answering to the four weeks of this season1 with which the world's history began1 and in which it was waiting for the promise of redemption to be fulfilled4 #ba ,but there is another very good reason for each one of us to begin our own new year now1 and it is one of the reasons why the second advent of ,christ is presented to our minds by the church1 as well as his first1 at this time4 ,it is that we may now make that serious examination of our past life1 and those firm resolutions for the future1 that we can best make at the beginning of a new year1 when we feel most strongly that one more of those short cycles by which our life is measured has gone for ever beyond our reach1 and brought us so much nearer not only to the day of general judgment1 but also to that more imminent one in which each one of us shall stand alone before the throne of ,god to give an account of the use which we have made of these precious years which he has given us1 and which are passing so rapidly away4 ,this new year's day of the church is a time1 then1 above all others in which we should make those resolutions without which we cannot be saved4 ,it is said that hell is paved with good intentions2 it may with equal truth be said that heaven is paved with good resolutions4 ,what is the difference between the two8 ,an intention is a purpose the carrying out of which is put off till some other time2 a resolution is one which is carried out now4 ,so1 as the putting off of our good purposes is the sure way to lose our souls1 the carrying them out at once is the means absolutely necessary to salvation and certain to secure it4 #bb ,no one ever saved his soul without some time or other making a resolution to keep the law of ,god1 and going to work at once to carry it out1 and persevering in it to the end of life1 ,such a resolution has got to be made at some time1 and now is the time to make it4 ,look back1 then1 my brethren1 on this first day of the new year1 at the one which has just gone never to return1 and see if you are satisfied with the way you have spent it4 ,ask yourselves if you have not been trifling away enough of the short time which was given you to be spent in the service of ,god1 and if there is any too much left to make some recompense to him for all that he has done for you2 and say1 with the church in the ,epistle of this ,sunday1 that now it is indeed the hour to rise from sleep1 from this fatal sleep of indifference and ingratitude1 and go to work in real earnest on the business of your salvation1 and not rest again till the time for rest has come4 ,god will surely give that eternal rest to those who labor during life1 but he has not promised it to sluggards and traitors1 as those certainly are who care only for themselves and not for him1 and who expect their reward without doing anything to deserve such a favor at his hands4 ---------------------------- ,sermon ,,iii4 ,heaven and earth shall pass away4 --,st4 ,luke xxi4 #cc4 ,by the word heaven our ,lord does not mean that heaven to which we shall be admitted if we are faithful1 for that1 as we know1 is eternal4 ,no2 he means some part of the visible heavens with which our earth is immediately connected4 #bc ,the earth1 and to some extent the visible heaven also1 we do not know how1 will pass away as to their present state--they will be so changed that it may be said that the old earth and the old heaven have been destroyed4 ,it is to remind us of this second coming1 or advent1 of our ,lord1 when the world and all that it contains shall pass away1 as well as of his first coming1 which we are to celebrate at ,christmas1 that the church keeps this season on which we have just entered1 and calls it by this name of ,advent4 ,this truth1 that the heavens and earth which we see shall pass away1 or be destroyed1 is a matter of faith4 ,we cannot1 probably1 prove by science that this must take place1 certainly not that such a change is so near as the ,scriptures seem to indicate2 but we do not need the light of faith to show us that they shall pass away from us1 and that1 perhaps1 very soon4 ,in a few years--perhaps in a few months or days--we shall close our eyes in death1 and the heavens and earth which we now see shall disappear from our sight for ever4 ,there are two lessons which we may learn from this evident and certain truth1 and which the church wishes us to consider at this time4 ,the first is that the pleasures of this world are so fleeting and uncertain that it is not worth while for us to take any pains to secure them4 ,we can only hold them for a little while at the most2 they are like the treasures which one sometimes possesses in a dream and which melt away in the hands on waking4 ,a moment after death it will make no difference to us whether we have had them or not2 they will seem to have been possessed only as in a dream when we wake to the reality of the next world4 #bd ,they have slept their sleep1 says the ,psalmist1 and all the men of riches have found nothing in their hands4 ,the life of one who makes pleasure his object is like a sleep2 and1 as ,st4 ,paul warns us in the ,epistle of to-day1 it is now the hour for us to rise from sleep4 ,for now our salvation is nearer than when we believed4 ,our real salvation1 the only life which is really worth enjoying1 is coming very soon4 ,this life is only a season of ,advent to prepare for that eternal festival to which we have been invited by the ,king of kings4 ,so1 as our first conclusion is that it is not worth while to seek for the pleasures of this life1 our second is that it is not a matter for great grief if we have pain and affliction in it4 ,one would not mind suffering for a day1 or even for a week1 if the rest of only this short mortal life was to be passed in uninterrupted enjoyment4 ,so1 if it be the will of ,god1 perhaps we can manage to pass a few years in pain and sorrow1 with the promise1 which will not fail us1 of happiness that shall be eternal4 ,especially when we remember that pain and sorrow in this life make that promise all the more sure4 ,blessed are ye poor1 says our ,lord1 for yours is the kingdom of ,god4 ,blessed are ye that hunger now1 for ye shall be filled4 ,blessed are ye that weep now1 for ye shall laugh4 444 ,blessed are they that mourn1 for they shall be comforted4 ,behold1 he says1 ,i come quickly1 and my reward is with me1 to render to every man according to his works4 #be ,let this1 then1 be our care1 not to seek pleasure nor to avoid pain which shall soon pass away1 but so to live that we shall be anxious to meet him and have a well-grounded hope of receiving that reward2 that when he says1 ,surely ,i come quickly1 we may be able to answer with the apostle1 ,amen4 ,come1 ,lord ,jesus4 ,for that life is the best in which one is most willing and ready to die2 in which one hears most gladly that this heaven and this earth shall pass away4 ------------- #bf ,second ,sunday of ,advent ,epistle4 ,romans xv4 #d-ac4 ,brethren3 ,what things soever were written1 were written for our instruction2 that through patience and the comfort of the ,scriptures1 we might have hope4 ,now the ,god of patience and of comfort grant you to be of one mind one towards another1 according to ,jesus ,christ3 that with one mind1 and with one mouth1 you may glorify ,god and the ,father of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,wherefore receive one another1 as ,christ also hath received you unto the honor of ,god4 ,for ,i say that ,christ ,jesus was minister of the circumcision for the truth of ,god1 to confirm the promises made to the fathers4 ,but that the ,gentiles are to glorify ,god for his mercy1 as it is written3 ,therefore will ,i confess to thee1 ,o ,lord1 among the ,gentiles1 and will sing to thy name4 ,and again he saith3 ,rejoice1 ye ,gentiles1 with his people4 ,and again3 ,praise the ,lord1 all ye ,gentiles2 and magnify him1 all ye people4 ,and again ,isaias saith3 ,there shall be a root of ,jesse2 and he that shall rise up to rule the ,gentiles1 in him the ,gentiles shall hope4 ,now the ,god of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing3 that you may abound in hope1 and in the power of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,matthew xi4 #b-aj4 ,at that time3 ,when ,john had heard in prison the works of ,christ1 sending two of his disciples he said to him3 ,art thou he that art to come1 or look we for another8 ,and ,jesus making answer said to them3 ,go and relate to ,john what you have heard and seen4 ,the blind see1 the lame walk1 the lepers are cleansed1 the deaf hear1 the dead rise again1 the poor have the gospel preached to them4 ,and blessed is he that shall not be scandalized in me4 #bg ,and when they went their way1 ,jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning ,john3 ,what went you out into the desert to see8 a reed shaken with the wind8 ,but what went you out to see8 a man clothed in soft garments8 ,behold they that are clothed in soft garments are in the houses of kings4 ,but what went you out to see8 a prophet8 yea1 ,i tell you1 and more than a prophet4 ,for this is he of whom it is written3 ,behold1 ,i send my ,angel before thy face1 who shall prepare thy way before thee4 ----------------- ,sermon ,,iv4 ,behold1 ,i send my ,angel before thy face4 --,st4 ,matthew xi4 #aj4 ,i suppose1 brethren1 among the first things you remember hearing of in your childhood were the angels of ,god or1 as people often say1 the angels of ,god in heaven4 ,you remember1 ,i am sure1 how pleased you were to look at their pictures1 with sweet faces and large1 outstretched wings1 and how glad you were when you were told that one of those guardian spirits was always by your side4 ,but this morning ,i want to speak to you1 not of the angels of ,god in heaven1 but of the angels of ,god on earth4 ,and who are they8 you will ask4 ,are they spirits8 ,have they wings like the angels we saw years ago in the picture-book8 ,no1 they have not wings2 they are not pure spirits2 they are men1 women1 and children just like ourselves4 ,the word angel means a messenger1 one who is sent with tidings4 ,thus ,st4 ,john ,baptist 7who was sent to tell the world that ,jesus ,christ was coming7 is called in to-day's ,gospel an angel--that is1 a messenger from ,god4 ,now1 brethren1 all of us ought to be messengers of ,god to our neighbor and to the world4 #bh ,we are all ,catholics1 have all been called to know the true faith1 and we have all been taught how to observe ,god's moral law4 ,first1 then1 we ,catholics ought to be the angels of ,god on earth to those who are not ,catholics4 ,we ought to do our best in our own little circle to spread the knowledge of our holy religion4 ,by our lives we ought to show the world that the ,catholic religion makes us better citizens1 better and more honest men of business1 and truer lovers of our neighbors and mankind4 ,many of you live out at service in ,protestant or infidel families2 many of you are working for non-,catholic employers2 many are employed in factories1 surrounded by those who belong to false religions or who have no religion at all4 ,oh6 what chances such have to be angels of ,god on earth4 ,you can show by your fidelity to work1 by your strict honesty1 by your modest behavior1 that you belong to a religion which comes from ,god4 ,by a seasonable word1 by the loan of a book1 by showing your horror of cursing and swearing and of bad talk1 you would be doing ,god's work1 and showing to those outside the church that there is something in your belief which makes you good4 ,have you done this8 ,have you not1 on the contrary1 often scandalized our non-,catholic friends by your bad example1 your dishonesty1 your exhibitions of temper1 your outbursts of blasphemy1 and your consent to what was impure8 ,ah6 when you do these things you are the angels of the devil on earth4 ,you are doing his work and bearing his message4 ,again1 to your own ,catholic brethren and to your own family you can be angels of ,god on earth6 ,have you got a scandalous neighbor1 a negligent father or mother1 a wicked child1 a profligate husband or son8 #bi ,oh6 be angels of ,god to these unfortunate ones4 ,by your good example1 your patience in affliction1 by your charity and forbearance1 your strict attention to your religious duties1 and1 in short1 by a really good life1 you will be able to prepare the way of the ,lord4 ,you will go before his face to prepare the way for his graces4 ,don't let it be said by those who are not good ,catholics1 ,i don't see that those who go to their duties are any better than ,i am4 ,show them that you are better1 and that it is religion that makes you so4 ,example is better than precept4 ,actions speak louder than words4 ,oh6 then be angels of ,god to those outside the church1 be angels of ,god to your children1 to your parents1 to your friends and neighbors4 ,once there was a child who had been very badly brought up by his parents4 ,he went to church by chance one day1 and heard an instruction on the laws of the church4 ,when he came home1 although it was ,friday1 there was meat for dinner4 ,the boy would not eat it4 ,furious at this1 his bad parents beat him2 but the child remained firm1 till at last1 touched by his example1 the parents converted themselves and lived as good ,catholics4 ,that boy was an angel of ,god on earth4 ,go ye and do in like manner1 and then our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 the ,angel of the great covenant1 will summon you at death to take your place among his holy angels1 with whom you shall be glorified and chant his praises for ever and ever4 ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 ------------------- #cj ,sermon ,v4 ,he that is not with me is against me4 --,st4 ,matthew xii4 #cj4 ,there are many ,christians who do not seem to know that they are ,christians4 ,they do not seem to realize what the word ,christian means2 or1 if they do1 they do not act as if they did4 ,they do not understand1 if we are to judge them by their actions1 that it is the name of one of the two great parties in this world--the party of ,christ and that of ,anti-christ4 ,the issues between these two parties are more important than those between any others that ever have been or ever will be2 for they are questions not only of time but of eternity4 ,and the principles of these parties are so different that no compromise between them is possible4 ,they are fighting with each other for the possession of the world1 and neither will be satisfied till complete victory is gained--that is1 till the other ceases to be4 ,every one has got to belong to one of these parties4 ,it is impossible for any one to remain neutral in this contest and a mere spectator of it4 ,every one has got to be on one side or the other4 ,this is what our ,lord himself says3 ,he that is not with me is against me4 ,every one1 then1 that does not wish to be on the devil's side has got to be on that of ,christ4 ,but this is just what a great many of you1 my dear friends1 do not1 ,i am afraid1 see so clearly as you should4 ,you often try1 ,i fear1 to stand off and be on neither side when duty requires you to come out boldly on the side to which you belong4 #ca ,perhaps1 for instance1 you are compelled to associate daily with persons--either infidels1 ,protestants1 or bad ,catholics--whose mouths are full of impious or impure talk1 which they expect you to agree with or join in4 ,they enjoy this filth and profanity1 and pretend to think their foul and blasphemous jests very funny1 which they very seldom are2 and they expect you to laugh at them1 as they themselves do4 ,now1 ,i do not say that you are bound each and every time to reprove these sins1 but ,i do say that you are sometimes4 ,you cannot expect not to be counted among these people1 and justly so counted1 too1 unless you say or do enough in some way to show plainly on what side you are4 ,do not1 then1 keep your faith and piety shut up in your prayer-books1 only to be brought out when you are on your knees before ,god and no one by who will not admire you for them4 ,no2 bring them out plainly in the sight of his enemies1 and let them see that you are really in earnest--that you really and truly believe that you have got a soul to save1 and that your professions are not at all a pretence4 ,for1 if you do not do this1 you will be carried over to the other side in spite of yourself4 ,if you do not reprove and separate yourself from what is sinful1 you will join in it4 ,your own experience ought to show you that4 ,your effort to be neither the one thing nor the other1 neither ,god's servant nor the devil's1 always has been in vain and always will be4 ,for the ,eternal ,truth has said1 ,he that is not with me is against me4 #cb ,yes1 my brethren1 it is certain that if you will not confess ,christ boldly and openly before men2 if you will not acknowledge that his faith and his morals are yours also2 if you will not bravely and generously take his part in the great battle which he is fighting in this world1 and in which he has enlisted you to fight under him2 but if1 on the other hand1 you sneak off into a corner and stay there as long as his enemies are in sight1 he will not count you as his servants or friends1 and you will not be so1 either in this world or in the world to come4 ,he that shall deny me before men1 ,i will also deny him before my ,father who is in heaven4 ,and if you will not confess him1 you must deny him2 there is no middle course4 ,be not1 then1 runaways1 but brave soldiers in the conflict to which you are called4 ,the enemies of ,christ are not afraid to let their principles be known2 if you would imitate their example the tables would be turned4 ,they would be ashamed of themselves1 if you would not be2 and it is they who ought to be ashamed1 not you4 ,moreover1 ,god would get the glory which belongs to him1 and if you will not give it to him you cannot expect him to save your mean and cowardly souls4 ----------------- ,sermon ,,vi4 ,what went you out into the desert to see8 a reed shaken with the wind8 --,st4 ,matthew xi4 #h4 --usccb4org_/bible3 ,st4 ,matthew xi4 #g ,in these words1 my dear brethren1 our ,lord holds up the character of his great precursor1 ,st4 ,john ,baptist1 as a model for the imitation of his disciples1 and also for our imitation4 ,st4 ,john is not like a reed shaken with the wind2 see that you follow his example--that is the meaning and the lesson of this question asked by our ,lord4 #cc ,st4 ,john1 indeed1 was not like a reed shaken with the wind4 ,he was rather like a massive column of stone1 which is not moved a hair's-breadth from its place by the most furious storms4 ,he was firm and unyielding to all the assaults of temptation4 ,born free from original sin1 he persevered without actual sin through the whole of his glorious life4 ,he has set us a magnificent example of firmness and fortitude--virtues in which ,christians of the present day are wofully wanting4 ,there is a great deal of piety nowadays1 but it seems often to be of a very superficial kind4 ,it looks well1 but it does not wear well4 ,its outside is very promising1 but there ,is something wanting inside1 and that is a backbone4 ,it does very well in the sheltered atmosphere of the church1 but it breaks down when it is taken out of doors into the world4 ,the assaults it seems to be weakest against are those which come from without4 ,it stands well against interior temptations1 on the whole1 but it quails before even a word spoken against it4 ,it is dreadfully afraid of what people will say4 ,it is very much under the power of false shame and what is called human respect4 ,it is a most lamentable sight to see people who are really in their hearts and principles thoroughly good ,christians1 and who might be the instruments in ,god's hands of a great deal of good both for his glory and the salvation of others1 so terribly under the influence of human respect that their example counts almost for nothing1 or perhaps is even a scandal and a discouragement to those around them4 ,they have a great deal of faith1 and they really want to avoid sin1 but they do not seem to want anybody to know that such is the case4 #cd ,one would perhaps1 think they were very humble and did not want anybody to know how good they are--and ,i have no doubt that they do not want some people1 at any rate1 to think that they are good2 but it is not on account of humility1 but on account of fear4 ,they are afraid of what these people will say2 they tremble at the slightest breath4 ,they are very different from ,st4 ,john1 and very much like reeds shaken by the wind2 and it requires only a very light wind to shake them1 considering the strength they ought to have4 ,there are ,catholics1 for instance--and plenty of them1 to the glory of our faith be it said6--who have a great horror of the dreadful sin of impurity1 and would by no means of their own accord commit any offence of this kind4 ,but their daily occupations lead them among others who have very different ideas and habits1 or who1 perhaps1 are sinning wilfully against the clearest light4 ,these wretched people are continually bandying jests or telling stories which show the corruption of their minds4 ,out of the abundance of their hearts their mouths are always speaking2 they are bad trees1 and all the time bringing forth bad fruit4 ,well1 do our good ,christians show any disgust for these things8 ,oh6 no2 they will say they cannot help laughing at them4 ,i am afraid they are deceiving themselves2 they could help it1 if they dared to help it4 ,they would seldom or never laugh if such foul things occurred to their own mind2 they would be too much afraid of ,god4 ,but now their fear of ,god disappears before their fear of man4 #ce ,or these good ,christians meet with people who1 either through ignorance or malice1 ridicule and blaspheme the ,catholic ,church and the true faith4 ,perhaps these people only need to find some ,catholic who will stand up boldly for his religion4 ,if any one would only confess ,christ before them it might be the beginning of their conversion4 ,but1 instead of coming out fearlessly for the truth1 our good ,christians are afraid of being thought foolish or priest-ridden2 and if they acknowledge that they are ,catholics at all1 it is only to compromise or deny what they in their hearts believe1 so that people may think that they are pretty good ,protestants after all4 ,these instances will suffice to show what ,i mean4 ,you can find plenty of others yourselves4 ,do so1 and resolve1 for the sake of ,god our ,saviour and for the glory of his name1 to put an end to this despicable cowardice1 if you have been guilty of it4 ,catholic faith and morals are things to glory in1 not to be ashamed of4 ,and1 besides1 there is really nothing to fear4 ,what you are afraid of is only like the wind which passes by2 in their hearts even the wicked will honor and hold in everlasting remembrance the true and faithful servants of ,god4 ------------------- #cf ,third ,sunday of ,advent ,epistle4 ,philippians iv4 #d-g4 ,rejoice in the ,lord always3 again1 ,i say1 rejoice4 ,let your modesty be known to all men3 ,the ,lord is nigh4 ,be not solicitous about anything3 but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your petitions be made known to ,god4 ,and the peace of ,god which surpasseth all understanding1 keep your hearts and minds in ,christ ,jesus4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,john i4 #ai-bh4 ,at that time3 ,the ,jews sent from ,jerusalem priests and levites to ,john1 to ask him3 ,who art thou8 ,and he confessed1 and did not deny3 and he confessed3 ,i am not the ,christ4 ,and they asked him3 ,what then8 ,art thou ,elias8 ,and he said3 ,i am not4 ,art thou the prophet8 ,and he answered3 ,no4 ,they said therefore unto him3 ,who art thou1 that we may give an answer to them that sent us8 what sayest thou of thyself8 ,he said3 ,i am the voice of one crying in the wilderness1 ,make straight the way of the ,lord1 as said the prophet ,isaias4 ,and they that were sent1 were of the ,pharisees4 ,and they asked him1 and said to him3 ,why then dost thou baptize1 if thou be not ,christ1 nor ,elias1 nor the prophet8 ,john answered them1 saying3 ,i baptize with water2 but there hath stood one in the midst of you1 whom you know not4 ,the same is he that shall come after me1 who is preferred before me3 the latchet of whose shoe ,i am not worthy to loose4 ,these things were done in ,bethania beyond the ,jordan1 where ,john was baptizing4 #cg ,sermon ,,vii4 ,let your modesty be known to all men4 --,philippians iv4 #e4 ,to-day1 brethren1 is called ,gaudete1 or ,rejoicing ,sunday1 and is intended by the church as a little letup1 as the people say1 on the solemn season of ,advent4 ,to-day flowers deck the altars2 at the ,high ,mass the dalmatic1 the deacon's vestment of joy1 which has not been used for two ,sundays1 is again assumed4 ,where possible1 and where the church is rich enough to buy them1 rose-colored vestments should be worn4 ,the first words of the ,mass are1 ,rejoice in the ,lord always2 again ,i say1 rejoice4 ,it is just as if the church said to you all3 ,be glad and joyful2 make yourselves as happy as you can4 ,ah6 some of you will say1 that is just the doctrine for us2 that is just what we like4 ,do not be too fast1 my friends4 ,listen to what comes next4 ,rejoice1 says the church2 but in that rejoicing1 in that striving to live happily1 let your modesty be known to all men4 ,so1 then1 the ,christian is to be a happy man1 but he is also to be a modest man--a man of simple or moderate habits4 ,my friends1 does not the shoe pinch you a little8 ,do you not see the cap gradually taking a form that will fit some of your heads8 ,you men1 when you are together on some festive occasion--when you have a gala-day of one kind or another--you rejoice then1 it is true1 but is your modesty known to all men8 ,have you not often aped the manners and swagger of the worldly-minded8 ,have you not listened to indecent stories8 ,have you not told some such8 ,oh6 what scandal you give when you do these things4 ,then your immodesty is known to all men4 #ch ,you are going with the crowd4 ,you are following the multitude to do evil4 ,you are walking in the wide path that leadeth unto perdition4 ,you unfortunate drunkards that totter as you walk1 who fall in the gutter and by the wayside1 is your modesty known to all men8 ,no1 your shame is known to all men1 and the shame of all who belong to you4 ,again1 what think you of the woman who1 because it is the fashion1 goes out to balls indecently and improperly dressed--who is not covered as becomes a ,christian matron or maiden1 but is so clad as to bring the blush of lust to the face of the brazen1 and of shame to that of the pure in heart2 or of those who go to all sort of plays and spectacles1 who encourage the most questionable of dances and ballets1 and bring up their children in the same spirit8 ,is their modesty known to all men8 ,my friends1 to find the modesty of such people would be like searching for a needle in a bundle of hay4 ,you would never find it4 ,you1 too1 who spend every cent you have upon your backs1 who have almost all your hard earnings invested in dry goods and millinery1 who come to church tricked out in finery which belongs neither to your state nor calling1 offend also against ,christian moderation and modesty4 ,once there was an old jackdaw who dressed himself up in peacock's feathers2 then off he went among the peacocks and tried to pass for one of them4 ,but these splendid birds soon found him out and pecked him almost to death4 ,my friends1 when you deck yourselves out in clothing1 in fashions which are beyond your means1 unsuited to your calling as a ,christian1 unfit for your state in life1 and fit1 indeed1 for none but the vain people of the world1 what are you8 ,nothing but jackdaws in peacock's feathers4 #ci ,oh6 then don't make yourself ridiculous4 ,follow the advice of ,st4 ,paul3 ,let your modesty be known to all men4 ,these are the days of immodesty1 of wasteful extravagance1 of extreme vanity4 ,oh6 then set your faces against this running tide of worldliness4 ,be modest1 speak modestly1 dress modestly1 enjoy yourselves modestly4 ,don't dress up your children luxuriously1 instilling into their minds even in childhood the spirit of vanity4 ,don't put on too much style or too many airs4 ,be happy1 rejoice always1 but be modest1 be simple4 ,let your modesty be known to all men4 ,the ,lord is nigh4 ,for the rest1 brethren1 whatsoever things are true1 whatsoever modest1 whatsoever holy1 whatsoever lovely1 whatsoever of good fame1 if there be any virtue1 if any praise of discipline1 think on these things4 ,the grace of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ be with your spirit4 ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 ---------------------------- ,sermon ,,viii4 ,there hath stood ,one in the midst of you1 whom you know not4 --,st4 ,john i4 #bf4 ,st4 ,john spoke these words1 as the ,gospel tells us1 not to his disciples1 but to those who had been sent from ,jerusalem to question him on his mission1 to ask him what business he had to preach and to baptize4 ,it may be that both those who were sent and those who sent them had no real desire to know if he were indeed a prophet1 but were merely trying to make him say something which could be used against him--to set a trap for him1 like those which they afterward tried to set for our ,divine ,lord--since his language to them certainly seems like a rebuke4 #dj ,for who was this ,one who had stood in their midst1 and whom they had not known8 ,it was our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,it was the ,son of ,god1 the ,word made flesh4 ,he had been living in their midst since his childhood1 but they had not known him4 ,even those in his own town of ,nazareth1 who had often met him in their streets1 who had often seen him and spoken to him1 had passed him by as if he was no more than one of themselves1 as if he were only a poor carpenter's boy4 ,now1 we1 my dear brethren1 are something like these ,jews at that time4 ,for during our lives there has stood ,one also in the midst of us1 whom we have not known4 ,and it is the same ,one whom the thoughtless and the sinful passed in the streets of ,nazareth1 and whom they afterward crucified in ,jerusalem4 ,the ,king of ,glory is in our midst at this moment2 he who dwells in the tabernacle of the altar is indeed ,god made man4 ,it is true for us as well as for them that we cannot see that it is he with our bodily eyes2 but there is much more to point him out to us than there was to them4 ,the church has taken care that we shall not pass him by unnoticed2 all the worship of the sanctuary is directed to his throne--that poor throne in our midst which he has come down from heaven to occupy4 ,it is because of him that the altar blazes with candles and is adorned with flowers1 and that the clouds of incense rise2 it is to him that we bend the knee2 all the splendid ceremonial of the ,catholic religion is only our poor effort to worthily honor ,him who has condescended to dwell among us under the sacramental veils4 #da ,and yet1 in spite of all the care which his church has taken1 do we not too often behave as the ,jews of his own time had a better excuse for behaving8 ,a better excuse1 ,i say1 for they needed a special light to recognize him2 but all we need is faith1 and that we all have4 ,but one would think that his people had no faith1 to see the way in which they sometimes conduct themselves in his most holy presence4 ,it would seem as if a ,christian had not faith in that ,real ,presence when you see him pretend1 as it were1 to reverence the altar by a sort of half-genuflection1 very quickly made1 which looks more like a sign of disrespect than of adoration4 ,what would you think if you should see the priest1 when saying ,mass1 making his genuflections in this way8 ,well1 you ought to do the same as he4 ,our ,lord is as really before you as before him2 and you are not more exalted in your station than the priest1 that you can afford to treat ,god more familiarly4 ,bring the knee to the floor slowly and reverently when you pass the high altar1 or any other altar1 while the ,blessed ,sacrament is on it4 ,and when our ,lord passes in procession1 or in any other way1 through the church1 kneel down and pray2 do not stand or sit and stare about4 ,and remember1 too1 that he is as really present when he goes outside the church as when he remains in it4 ,the state of things in this country requires us to carry him to the sick without the solemnity which should be observed2 but he is as truly in your houses when he comes to give himself to you there as if the priest brought him with lights and sacred vestments1 with the sound of the bell1 and with a train of attendants to do him honor4 #db ,imagine what you would do if he should come visibly at the side of the priest1 with that ,face with which you are so familiar1 with glory shining round him1 and with the prints of the nails in his hands and feet2 and do the same now4 ,do not stand around and talk to the priest as if he had come for a social visit2 kneel down as soon as he enters the room1 if the ,blessed ,sacrament is with him4 ,and do not kneel leaning on a chair1 with your backs to our ,lord2 that is a strange way to show respect for him4 ,if you will only think who it is that stands in the midst of you1 you will find out many other things which ,i have not time to suggest4 ,it is not really so much want of faith as want of thought that makes people behave to our ,lord in the irreverent and almost insulting way that they sometimes do4 ,think1 then1 about this matter1 and you will need no rubrics to teach you what to do in the presence of ,him whom you really know and love4 ------------------- ,sermon ,,ix4 ,i am the voice of one crying in the wilderness1 ,make straight the way of the ,lord4 --,st4 ,john i4 #bc4 ,whenever1 my dear brethren1 men are going to a place they always ask the way4 ,they also make up their minds as to which is the long way1 which the short way1 which the most convenient and easiest way4 ,they do this with reference to the places to which they go in this world4 ,now1 we are all going to heaven2 at least1 each one of us will say1 ,i hope ,i am going there4 ,we know there are many places to which we can go in this world1 and many different ways by which we can get to them4 #dc ,there are also many places in heaven1 but there is but one way of getting to any one1 even to the least of them4 ,which is that way8 ,some will say it is the good way1 or the way of the good man4 ,another will say it is attending to your duties1 to your church4 ,yet another will say it is by keeping away from mortal sin4 ,each answer is a good one1 but neither one brings out the important point4 ,the true answer1 and the first one to be given1 is that it is ,god's way--the way of the ,lord4 ,yes1 my dear brethren1 it is the very way1 the one and only way1 that our ,lord ,jesus ,christ has travelled before us4 ,every step he took along this path was marked by the precious ,blood from his own veins4 ,it is the way of the cross1 of sacrifice1 of penance and mortification4 ,are we all going this way8 ,is each one of us now here present moving daily and hourly on this path8 ,it is almost useless to ask this question1 for ,i know many1 very many indeed1 will answer4 ,no6 ,it is indeed a sad truth that most people1 most even of our ,catholic people1 are not going this way4 ,but why is this8 ,one reason is because they do not try1 sincerely and earnestly1 to fix in the mind that this is the only condition upon which any soul can be saved4 ,for our ,lord himself declares that unless a man take up his cross daily and follow him he cannot be his disciple4 ,they do not realize that there is an absolute necessity1 an unchangeable law in this assertion4 ,god has said it1 and will not unsay it4 ,yet how quickly will men stop a business or a transaction that will surely cause them to lose their money6 ,how quickly will they turn from a road that is sure to lead to death6 ,they realize the necessity when property and life are to be lost2 but they will not see or feel the same necessity when their souls and eternal life are most certainly to be forever lost4 #dd ,again1 they are discouraged because the way is hard and difficult4 ,show me any way in life not hard and difficult4 ,ask the father1 the mother1 the single man1 the married man4 ,ask the rich and the poor1 the old and the young1 the active business man1 the idle and slothful man1 as well as the common tramp4 ,all have the same answer--that life is a hard road any way you may take it4 ,man1 then1 is reduced to the necessity of suffering and mortification4 ,the secret of this is that all men are under sin1 all poisoned by it4 ,the only remedy is to cure ourselves1 to get rid of this poison4 ,the way of the ,lord is the way given us to go in order to find this cure4 ,all along this way we find the remedy at every turn4 ,it is found in a good confession1 in true penance and mortification1 in the sacrament of the altar1 the ,body and ,blood of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 which is intended to nourish our souls and to act against this terrible poison4 ,make straight1 then1 the way of the ,lord4 ,do not be terrified by trouble1 pain1 and difficulties of any kind4 ,do not permit the devil to make you think it will always last1 always be the same4 ,these difficulties become less and less by degrees4 ,they wear away1 as it were1 or ,god so fills the soul with strength and patience that it is the same in the end4 ,we then bear easily by the grace of ,god that which was so troublesome at first4 #de ,set to work1 then1 at once4 ,let your souls be ready for the holy ,feast of ,christmas4 ,remember that we must celebrate that as ,christians ought to do4 ,gratitude1 love1 ,christian manliness1 and honor require that all shall celebrate the birthday of a suffering ,god in such a manner as to make him feel he is truly remembered and honored4 ,the least one can do1 then1 is to begin to make straight the way of the ,lord by cleansing the soul of all mortal sin and by making a good ,christmas communion4 ,that feast1 you know1 is a time when great graces are given to the sincere soul4 ,do not1 then1 for the sake of your own soul1 fail to keep ,christmas day as a true ,catholic should keep it4 -------------- #df ,fourth ,sunday of ,advent4 ,epistle4 #a ,corinthians iv4 #a-e4 ,brethren3 ,let a man so look upon us as the ministers of ,christ1 and the dispensers of the mysteries of ,god4 ,here now it is required among the dispensers1 that a man be found faithful4 ,but as to me it is a thing of the least account to be judged by you1 or by human judgment3 but neither do ,i judge my own self4 ,for ,i am not conscious to myself of anything1 yet in this am ,i not justified3 but he that judgeth me1 is the ,lord4 ,therefore judge not before the time2 until the ,lord come1 who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness1 and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts3 and then shall every man have praise from ,god4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,luke iii4 #a-f4 ,now in the fifteenth year of the reign of ,tiberius ,csar1 ,pontius ,pilate being governor of ,judea1 and ,herod being tetrarch of ,galilee1 and ,philip his brother tetrarch of ,iturea and the country of ,trachonitis1 and ,lysanias tetrarch of ,abilina1 under the high-priests ,annas and ,caiphas3 the word of the ,lord came to ,john1 the son of ,zachary1 in the desert4 ,and he came into all the country about the ,jordan1 preaching the baptism of penance for the remission of sins3 as it is written in the book of the words of ,isaias the prophet3 ,a voice of one crying in the wilderness3 ,prepare ye the way of the ,lord1 make his paths straight4 ,every valley shall be filled3 and every mountain and hill shall be brought low3 and the crooked shall be made straight1 and the rough ways plain4 ,and all flesh shall see the salvation of ,god4 #dg ,sermon ,x4 ,christmas ,eve4 ,for he shall save his people from their sins4 --,st4 ,matthew i4 #ba4 ,to be saved1 dear brethren1 always supposes a previous danger4 ,thus1 we say saved from drowning1 saved from a fire1 saved from a terrible accident4 ,also it supposes a person or thing that saves4 ,now1 dear friends1 we are met together here to-day1 and it is ,christmas ,eve4 ,the church tells us in the holy ,gospel that ,jesus ,christ came to save his people4 ,let us think1 then1 for a few moments what danger it was that he came to save us from1 and who he was who came to act the part of ,saviour4 ,the danger from which we were to be saved was the danger of sin4 ,sin is dangerous in the extreme4 ,it is more dangerous than the most terrible disease1 more perilous than the cholera or the plague4 ,these things only kill the body2 mortal sin kills the soul4 ,if ,jesus ,christ had not redeemed us sin would have destroyed us4 ,adam and ,eve brought sin into the world4 ,sin spread with the awful swiftness of an epidemic4 ,it threatened to descend upon mankind and to bury everything beneath the ruins of everlasting death4 ,then1 when poor human nature seemed about to be overwhelmed1 ,jesus came and saved it1 washed us in his precious ,blood1 and snatched the uplifted sword from the hand of the enemy4 ,yes1 the danger was great1 but we were saved from it4 ,but a little while ago we read in the papers of an awful calamity--the burning of the ,brooklyn ,theatre4 #dh ,we can imagine how frightful was the scene of hundreds of human creatures fighting for life--the all too narrow door before them1 the crying multitude around them1 the scathing1 ruthless flames behind them4 ,what would we think of one who1 saved from such a place1 should afterwards make light of the danger and care nothing for the one who saved him8 ,o brethren6 it was not from the danger of earthly fire1 from the peril of blazing rafters1 falling beams1 and a trampling multitude1 that ,christ saved you and me4 ',twas from the fire of hell that he snatched us4 ',twas from the danger1 the all-surrounding danger1 of sin4 ,and what have we done1 many of us8 ,we have turned back1 let go the hand that held us1 and gone back into the appalling peril4 ,because men do not see a material danger they will not believe there is any4 ,dear friends1 there is danger4 ,you that have gone back into the ways of sin1 you that are in mortal sin now1 at this moment--you are in an awful danger4 ,save your lives1 then2 take the hand held out to you or you are lost6 ,brethren1 some of those poor creatures who perished in the ,brooklyn fire were so charred1 so burnt that they could not be recognized4 ,take care that you do not become so disfigured by sin that at the last day ,god will say to you3 ,i know ye not4 ,who saved us from the awful peril8 ,it was ,jesus ,christ1 ,jesus the ,son of ,god1 ,jesus the ,babe of ,bethlehem4 ,in the morning it will be ,christmas day4 ,the church will bid you come to the crib4 ,will you still persist in rejecting the ,saviour8 ,you know who he is4 ,you know he is ,god4 ,you know he is full of love and full of power--full of love for your souls1 full of power to rescue you from the danger in which you stood4 ,come to him then1 and no matter how black or how many your sins may be1 you will know that he shall save his people from their sins4 #di ,brethren1 ,i doubt not that many of you mourn the loss of some dear ones4 ,within the last few years some one has gone from the fireside1 some sweet voice has been stilled for ever4 ,perhaps a father or a tender1 beloved mother has gone home to rest with ,god--gone in the peace of ,christ to their reward4 ',tis ,christmas ,eve in heaven to-day1 and oh6 don't you think they are waiting for you--praying for you that you may be there with them8 ,don't disappoint them4 ,don't let them wait in vain4 ,flee from sin1 the danger that threatens to separate you from them for ever4 ,do not disappoint ,jesus and ,mary and ,joseph4 ,do not spend this holy time in sin4 ,don't go back into the danger4 ,keep ,christmas like a ,christian4 ,then1 brethren1 in the morning1 the bright morning of eternity1 the ,christmas morning of heaven1 we shall see ,his glory4 ,we shall be united to ,jesus and our dear ones who have gone before4 ,we shall hear them and the white-winged angels who circle around the throne1 singing aloud3 ,glory be to ,jesus ,christ the ,babe of ,bethlehem1 for he hath saved his people from their sins6 ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 ---------------------- ,sermon ,,xi4 ,preaching the baptism of penance for the remission of sins1 --,st4 ,luke iii4 #c4 ,st4 ,john ,baptist certainly seems1 from what we read about him in the ,gospels1 to have been quite a stern and uncompromising preacher4 ,he did not come with a coach and four to take people to heaven4 #ej ,he had but one message for every one1 high and low1 rich and poor2 and that message was3 ,repent of your sins2 do penance for them1 and bring forth fruits worthy of penance4 ,cease to do evil1 learn to do good2 get rid of your bad habits1 and put good ones in their place4 ,if you have wronged any one1 make restitution for it2 and1 moreover1 practise charity even to those whom you have not wronged4 ,these things you must do2 there is no other way possible in which you can flee from the wrath to come4 ,this was ,st4 ,john's doctrine1 everybody must acknowledge4 ,but some people seem to think that our ,lord1 when he came1 offered salvation to sinners on somewhat easier terms than these4 ,this1 however1 is a great mistake4 ,there never has been1 is not1 and never will be any way for a sinner to be saved except by doing penance4 ,our ,saviour did1 indeed1 by his coming make salvation easier2 but how was it that he did so8 ,it was not by offering it on any other terms than these1 but by making it easier for men to comply with these terms4 ,he did not free us from the obligation of doing penance1 but gave us more abundant grace that we might be better able to do penance4 ,that is plain enough to every one who will stop and think4 ,and yet some ,christians seem to imagine that it is enough to be a ,catholic1 to be quite sure of one's salvation4 ,practically1 at least1 they hold the heresy which the devil brought in at the time of the so-called ,reformation1 and which before that time hardly any one had dared to put in words--that a man may be justified by faith without good works4 #ea ,they say to themselves the very thing which ,st4 ,john warned the ,jews not to say3 ,we have ,abraham for our father4 ,they say to themselves3 ,we are ,catholics2 we are children of the holy church2 all we have to do is to remain so 7and1 thank ,god6 we have not the least idea of being anything else71 and then to receive the rites of our church when we come to die1 and we will be as sure of going to heaven as a child which has just been baptized4 ,but1 my friends1 this is a fatal delusion4 ,depend upon it1 the devil is glad when he sees men or women with this notion in their heads1 for he has got good hopes of having them with him in hell4 ,he knows well what such people do not seem to know3 that it is not enough to be a ,catholic1 but that one must also be a good ,catholic1 if he is to be saved4 ,he knows as well as ,st4 ,john that penance is necessary now1 as it always has been2 but he takes good care not to preach what he knows4 ,and what is penance8 ,is it a mere confession that we are sinners8 ,no1 by no means4 ,if it were1 every one would be a penitent who was not a fool1 for every one who has common sense must acknowledge that he has sinned4 ,nor is it a mere acknowledgment that sin is a bad thing1 and a wish that we had not committed it1 and that ,god had given us more grace that we might not have done so4 ,no1 it is a real and hearty sorrow for it1 with a conviction that we might have avoided it1 and that the fault was not with ,god1 who gave us plenty of grace to avoid it1 but with ourselves1 who did not make use of the grace which he gave4 ,and following from this1 as a matter of course1 is a firm conviction that we can avoid it for the future1 and a firm determination to do so4 #eb ,and following from this1 also as a matter of course1 is a real change in our lives1 a real giving up of sin4 ,that is the only certain mark of a true repentance and of a good confession--that a man stops committing mortal sin4 ,the priest may indeed give absolution to one who continues to fall2 but it is with the gravest fears that the sentence which he pronounces is not confirmed by ,him who alone has power to forgive4 ,i said in the beginning that salvation was easier than before our ,lord came1 because we have now more grace to help our weakness4 ,but that only makes penance the more necessary4 ,a man making void the law of ,moses1 says ,st4 ,paul1 died1 without any mercy1 under two or three witnesses2 how much more1 do you think1 he deserveth worse punishments1 who hath trodden under foot the ,son of ,god1 and hath esteemed the blood of the testament unclean1 by which he was sanctified1 and hath offered an affront to the ,spirit of grace8 ,be warned1 then1 in time2 repent indeed1 and change your lives4 ,make not only a confession but a good confession at this holy time1 and cease1 for the love of ,god1 to offend him any more4 ----------------------- ,sermon ,,xil4 ,prepare ye the way of the ,lord4 --,st4 ,luke iii4 #d4 ,before our ,blessed ,lord came into public notice his missionary1 ,st4 ,john ,baptist1 appeared in the wilderness preaching penance1 and good works worthy of penance1 to the people1 who were in the darkness and bondage of sin4 ,he cried out in a loud1 thrilling voice2 ,prepare ye the way of the ,lord4 #ec ,so the church on the last ,sunday of ,advent1 the first before ,christmas1 cries out to those who expect to meet our ,lord on ,christmas and worship him on that glorious feast3 ,prepare ye the way of the ,lord4 ,to the tepid and lukewarm she cries out3 ,come away from your darling venial sins2 fill up your empty hearts to the brim with the overflowing love and grace of ,god2 be more generous in his worship and service4 ,to the young3 ,prepare ye the way of the ,lord4 ,give me your heart while you are young and tender2 do not be allured by the empty joys and false pleasures of the world2 avoid those dangerous occasions of sin that are about to entice you1 and keep your youth innocent and pure1 that you may see the evening of your life in joy1 and not in bitter remorse4 ,to the old3 ,forget the past2 if it has been bad1 ask pardon and do penance2 if good1 preserve it and live in grace and fervor1 so that when you are near the end of your pilgrimage here you may attain to the great destiny for which you have been created4 ,to the sinner--to the one in mortal sin2 the one who has not had a happy ,christmas for many a year1 for the sinner has no chance to have part in the real joy of ,christmas2 to the sinner who has been exalted with pride and worldly pleasure1 who has been in the valley of impurity1 and wilful neglect1 and cold indifference--oh6 to you there is a voice terrible and irresistible3 ,prepare ye the way of the ,lord4 ,prepare it by prayer for grace2 warm your heart by gratitude and love2 fall on your knees at the foot of the cross in the confessional2 have your heart purified by the bitter waters of penance1 and you will indeed have a happy ,christmas4 #ed ,then the promise3 ,all flesh shall see the salvation of ,god4 ,yes1 to know and to feel and see the pardon and peace and love of ,god--to have the consciousness that he is our friend1 and that we have no enmity against him--is the way to see on this earth the fruits of salvation4 ,the poor shall see the salvation of ,god4 ,o ye poor men and women who have nothing in this world but sorrow1 tears1 and bitter suffering6 to you this coming feast of ,christmas is a foretaste of the great reward that is prepared for you4 ,god loves you4 ,he spurned the palaces and royal robes of the ,csars when he came on the earth1 and chose a poor ,virgin for his mother and a hovel for his birthplace4 ,the poor shepherds were the first to see him1 and they will be near to him in his glory4 ,blessed are ye poor1 for yours is the kingdom of heaven4 ,for ,he who was rich1 for your sakes became poor4 ,the poor shall see the salvation of ,god2 for ,he who was rich1 for their sakes became poor4 ,the rich shall see the salvation of ,god2 for they will be taught humility by looking into the crib at ,bethlehem1 and learning a lesson that they can learn nowhere else1 and that will dazzle them more than their jewels1 diamonds1 dresses1 or palaces4 ,so if we prepare the way of the ,lord we shall finally see the salvation of ,god in eternity1 where we shall rejoice evermore in the thought that all our preparation here to please ,god1 by keeping the commandments1 suffering1 and toiling1 will be rewarded by the vision of the ,redeemer of all nations who washed their robes and made them white in the ,blood of the ,lamb4 -------------------- #ee ,sunday within the ,octave of ,christmas ,epistle4 ,galatians iv4 #a-g4 ,brethren3 ,as long as the heir is a child1 he differeth nothing from a servant1 though he be lord of all3 but is under tutors and governors until the time appointed by the father3 even so we1 when we were children1 were in bondage under the elements of the world4 ,but when the fulness of the time was come1 ,god sent his ,son1 made of a woman1 made under the law3 that he might redeem those who were under the law2 that we might receive the adoption of sons4 ,and because you are sons1 ,god hath sent the ,spirit of his ,son into your hearts1 crying3 ,abba1 ,father4 ,therefore now he is no more a servant1 but a son4 ,and if a son1 an heir also through ,god4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,luke ii4 #cc-dj4 ,at that time3 ,joseph1 and ,mary the mother of ,jesus1 were wondering at these things1 which were spoken concerning him4 ,and ,simeon blessed them1 and said to ,mary his mother3 ,behold this child is set for the ruin1 and for the resurrection of many in ,israel1 and for a sign which shall be contradicted4 ,and thy own soul a sword shall pierce1 that out of many hearts thoughts may be revealed4 ,and there was a prophetess1 called ,anna1 the daughter of ,phanuel1 of the tribe of ,aser2 she was far advanced in years1 and had lived with her husband seven years from her virginity4 ,and she was a widow until fourscore and four years2 who departed not from the temple1 by fastings and prayers serving night and day4 ,now she at the same hour coming in1 gave praise to the ,lord2 and spoke of him to all that looked for the redemption of ,israel4 ,and after they had performed all things according to the law of the ,lord1 they returned into ,galilee1 to their own city1 ,nazareth4 ,and the child grew1 and waxed strong1 full of wisdom3 and the grace of ,god was in him4 #ef ,sermon ,,xiii4 ,and the ,child grew1 and waxed strong1 full of wisdom3 and the grace of ,god was in him4 --,st4 ,luke ii4 #dj4 ,jesus ,christ is our model in all things1 and in the verse above quoted we see him presented as the model of youth4 ,your children1 brethren1 ought to be strong in body1 wise in mind1 and to have the grace of ,god in their hearts4 ,now1 who is to form them after the model of ,jesus ,christ8 ,it is the duty of parents4 ,first1 then1 you ought to take care of the bodily wants of your children1 in order that they may grow and wax strong4 ,how often parents offend against this duty6 ,there are some who let their children eat just what they please1 who pamper their appetites1 who give them all kinds of unwholesome food4 ,such children will never be healthy4 ,there are others who spend all their money in drink--who leave their poor little ones at home1 moaning and starving with hunger2 who1 through their imprudence1 leave their children without food for a whole day1 having squandered their earnings in all sorts of foolish and wicked pleasures4 ,then1 too1 there are those who allow their children to sit up till all hours of the night1 who let them go off to heated ball-rooms1 who dress them either too much or too little--who either coddle them up so that they can hardly stand a whiff of air1 or else send them out to shiver with cold4 #eg ,no wonder that our city children are unhealthy2 no wonder death sweeps them away as it does4 ,is it not because parents are neglectful8 ,look to it1 then2 see to the diet1 the clothing1 the habits of your children4 ,do not overtask their feeble strength by sending them too soon to work4 ,never permit them to form luxurious appetites4 ,watch over their daily lives1 see that they take proper exercise2 then1 like the child ,jesus1 they will grow and wax strong4 ,neglect the duty of corporal education1 and we shall have a generation of sickly children and adult invalids4 ,and if it be so necessary for parents to watch over the bodies of their children1 what shall ,i say of the duty of watching over their minds and souls8 ,your children should be full of wisdom1 and the grace of ,god should be in their hearts4 ,oh6 when ,i think of the neglect of many ,catholic parents in this respect ,i am tempted to take up the ,gospel's most awful tone1 and cry4 ,woe to you1 careless parents6 woe1 eternal woe to you guilty fathers and mothers1 who are letting your little ones run to destruction6 ,you make your home uncomfortable by your crossness1 by your curses1 by your slovenly1 untidy habits4 ,your children1 from their earliest infancy1 take to the street4 ,they hear impurity1 blasphemy1 and cursing4 ,they hear words and see sights which are not fit to be mentioned here on ,god's altar4 ,they keep what company they like4 ,they learn infamous and immoral habits that destroy both body and soul4 ,oh6 for ,god's sake beware1 beware6 ,do you think they will ever be full of wisdom or have the grace of ,god in their hearts8 #eh ,again1 you are anxious enough that they shall learn to read and write1 to keep books and be quick at figures1 but are you sure they know their catechism or can tell a priest all they ought to know of ,jesus ,christ1 their ,saviour1 or how many sacraments and commandments there are8 ,where are they on ,sundays8 ,where are they when confession day comes around8 ,oh6 these are vital questions1 if you want them to be full of grace and wisdom4 ,some boys and girls of our day1 brethren1 have lost a great deal of their freshness4 ,they smoke1 they chew tobacco1 they flirt1 they act like little men and women4 ,there is no innocence about them4 ,they are revolting spectacles to men and angels4 ,wisdom1 forsooth6 ,they have none4 ,grace of ,god8 ,it is destroyed4 ,their childhood is more like the childhood of an incarnate devil than of an incarnate ,god4 ,look1 then1 carefully to your children4 ,look to the little ones2 correct them when they are babies4 ,don't wait till a child is in its teens2 then it will be too late4 ,set them a good example4 ,you know the story of the old crab1 who said to her little ones1 ,why do you walk sideways8 ,suppose1 mother1 they said1 you show us how to walk straight4 ,yes1 if you are wicked1 foolish1 and sinful1 your children will be like you4 ,like father1 like son1 says the proverb4 ,oh6 then you parents1 be pure as ,mary1 be industrious1 modest1 patient like ,st4 ,joseph2 then your children1 like ,jesus1 will grow and wax strong1 full of wisdom and of the grace of ,god4 ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 ----------------- #ei ,sermon ,,xiv4 ,this ,child is set for the fall1 and for the resurrection of many in ,israel4 --,st4 ,luke ii4 #cd4 ,these words of to-day's ,gospel1 my dear brethren1 have1 perhaps1 a strange sound to us at this joyful ,christmas season4 ,it seems strange that holy ,simeon should have said that the blessed ,infant whom he held in his arms1 and who had come to save the world1 should have been set for the fall of many of even his own chosen people4 ,and yet we know that his coming was actually the occasion of the fall not merely of many but of far the greater part of that chosen people of ,israel4 ,however strange ,simeon's prophecy may seem1 we see that it was a true one4 ,up to that time the ,jewish people were ,god's true church on earth2 now almost all of them are wanderers outside of it1 rejecting the true ,messias whom their fathers crucified1 and either vainly looking for one who will never come or ceasing in despair to look for any ,messias at all4 ,instead of ,christ's coming having been the means of salvation for them1 it has really been the occasion of their fall from the grace which they had before4 ,but though we know that it has been so1 it may still seem strange that it should have been so4 ,one would think that the ,saviour1 who is our joy1 our pride1 and our glory1 would have been theirs too1 and even more theirs than ours1 having been born of their own nation1 a ,jew of the royal line of ,david4 ,but if we consider the matter a little we shall see that it was natural enough that it should turn out as it did2 and we shall see1 moreover1 that there is a good deal of danger that1 as they fell from grace when ,christ was presented to them1 so we may do the same4 #fj ,for we shall1 if we think1 find out the reason why they fell1 which is the reason why we may fall too4 ,they were looking for a ,saviour1 indeed1 but not for such a ,saviour as actually came4 ,they were looking for one who would redeem them from their subjection to the ,roman ,empire2 who would make their nation what it had been in the days gone by2 who would make them an independent and powerful people2 who would give them the greatness and glory of this world4 ,so when he did not fulfil their expectation1 when he came not with earthly splendor but in poverty and suffering1 they were scandalized4 ,it was only his miracles which made them hesitate2 and when he would work miracles no longer1 when he would not save himself from the cruel and ignominious death of the cross1 they rejected him with the horrible imprecation1 ,his ,blood be upon us and upon our children4 ,yes1 my brethren1 the cross was their scandal1 and the cross is likely to be our scandal1 too1 for we have the same fallen human nature as they4 ,we preach ,christ crucified1 says ,st4 ,paul1 unto the ,jews indeed a stumbling-block1 and unto the ,gentiles foolishness2 and it is a good deal the same with us ,christians now4 ,we feel glad1 indeed1 when ,christmas comes2 but ,i am afraid that if we had been living at the time of the first ,christmas we should not have been much more likely to rejoice at the birth of our ,lord than his own people were at that time4 ,christmas now is very pleasant1 with its festivity1 its amusements1 its giving and receiving of presents2 but there is not much of the cross in this4 ,the original ,christmas1 with its cold1 its poverty1 and its humiliation1 was quite a different thing4 #fa ,it is right for us to rejoice at ,christmas2 but perhaps we should not rejoice if we remembered that our ,lord came to bring into the world the cross not only for himself but also for us too4 ,that is the scandal for us now4 ,we can see what the ,jews could not1 that it was right that he should suffer2 but we cannot see that it is right that we should suffer too--that what holy ,simeon said to his ,blessed ,mother is true for each one of us3 ,thy own soul a sword shall pierce4 ,so in this way1 even now1 this ,divine ,child1 with his cross in his hand for a ,christmas present to us1 is set for the fall of many in ,israel4 ,we are too apt to shrink away when he urges us to accept it for his sake4 ,indeed1 we should always fall away when the cross is offered to us1 had we only our own natural strength to depend upon4 ,it is not in us1 by any natural power1 to bear the cross of ,christ4 ,but he offers with it the grace to bear it4 ,and in this way he is set also for our resurrection4 ,for it is only by the cross1 by bearing the cross ourselves1 that we can rise from sin1 which is the only death which we really have to fear4 ,this ,child1 then1 is set for our fall by our natural weakness1 but for our resurrection by his supernatural grace4 ,his will is that it should be for the latter2 let his will1 then1 be done4 ,let us welcome him1 then1 at ,christmas1 but let us welcome his cross too2 for it is only by bearing it ourselves that we can come to eternal life4 ------------------------- #fb ,sermon ,,xv4 ,behold1 this ,child is set 444 for a sign which shall be contradicted4 --,st4 ,luke ii4 #cd4 ,my brethren1 can this be possible8 ,it is not only possible but too true4 ,our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 the sign of the love of ,god the ,father to us1 is contradicted1 is resisted1 by those whom he came to save4 ,and is it only those who are strangers to him that contradict him8 ,no2 it is those who know him well and who ought to be his friends--his own people1 who call themselves ,catholics1 who claim to belong to his true church4 ,what does the word contradict mean8 ,it means to speak against or in opposition to any one4 ,it may mean1 also1 to act against any one1 or even to reject inwardly what one say's1 though not a word of contradiction be spoken4 ,fervent gratitude would now exclaim3 ,surely no ,catholic can do any of these to ,jesus ,christ8 ,yet such there are1 though perhaps many of them do not realize what they do4 ,who are they8 ,they are those who speak against and resist the teachers he has sent them2 who put themselves always in opposition to the authority of the church1 and even to its head1 the ,vicar of ,christ on earth2 who believe no more than they are obliged to under pain of ceasing to be ,catholic at all2 and who never obey except when it suits their own convenience4 ,well1 you will say1 ,i am not that kind of a ,catholic4 ,i am glad you are not2 still1 there are many such4 ,but there are many more who do not go quite so far as that1 and yet have a good deal of the same spirit4 ,perhaps you are one of them4 #fc ,who are these that ,i speak of8 ,they are those who are always opposing their pastors and confessors1 finding fault with and criticising their words and their actions4 ,they reject their counsel4 ,they even make a jest of their opinions4 ,they think them behind the times1 and not up to the spirit of the present day4 ,they even sometimes violate the sacred confidence of the confessional1 and talk thus lightly even of what has been said to them there4 ,or they oppose outwardly the plans and efforts of their parish priests4 ,they think that they know more about everything than their pastors4 ,unwilling to unite with them in their work for our ,lord1 they are discontented because others are not as rebellious and disobedient as themselves4 ,they do not rest until they succeed in making a party against those whom they should unite to support1 which destroys a great deal of the good which they have done1 and prevents much which they could otherwise do4 ,in vain do they pretend to be friends of ,christ when they thwart and spoil his work4 ,the work of the parish is as much his work as that of any other part of the church4 ,the church makes parishes wherever she sends her priests4 ,if the people in them oppose her she cannot do ,god's work4 ,or if they do not resist1 they despise their priests1 or certainly act as if they did4 ,they do not seem to remember that every priest1 unworthy as he is1 of course1 still represents our ,lord4 ,if they respect him1 it is as a man1 not as a priest2 that is1 they do not respect the priest at all as such4 ,they use him for their own convenience when their conscience requires them to hear ,mass or approach the sacraments2 but otherwise they treat him just as a ,protestant might do4 #fd ,and by this bad example they lessen the respect of others for him1 and weaken the authority and influence for good which he ought to have4 ,this really is resisting and contradicting our ,lord1 whom he represents4 ,let all1 then1 examine themselves1 and see if they are not in the habit of speaking1 acting1 or neglecting their duties in such a way as to oppose and contradict our divine ,lord4 ,be humble as he was on the first ,christmas day1 and try to help1 not to hinder1 his agents in all they are obliged to do to carry out his work2 for he has said to them3 ,he that heareth you heareth me2 and he that despiseth you despiseth me4 ------------------------- #fe ,the ,epiphany ,epistle4 ,isaias lx4 #a-f4 ,arise1 be enlightened1 ,o ,jerusalem3 for thy light is come1 and the glory of the ,lord is risen upon thee4 ,for behold darkness shall cover the earth1 and a mist the people3 but the ,lord shall arise upon thee1 and his glory shall be seen upon thee4 ,and the ,gentiles shall walk in thy light1 and kings in the brightness of thy rising4 ,lift up thy eyes round about1 and see3 all these are gathered together1 they are come to thee3 thy sons shall come from afar1 and thy daughters shall rise up at thy side4 ,then shalt thou see and abound1 and thy heart shall wonder and be enlarged2 when the multitude of the sea shall be converted to thee1 the strength of the ,gentiles shall come to thee4 ,the multitude of camels shall cover thee1 the dromedaries of ,madian and ,epha3 all they from ,saba shall come1 bringing gold and frankincense3 and showing forth praise to the ,lord4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,matthew ii4 #a-ab4 ,when ,jesus1 therefore1 was born in ,bethlehem of ,juda1 in the days of ,king ,herod1 behold1 there came wise men from the ,east to ,jerusalem1 saying3 ,where is he that is born ,king of the ,jews8 ,for we have seen his star in the ,east1 and we are come to adore him4 ,and ,herod the ,king hearing this1 was troubled1 and all ,jerusalem with him3 and assembling together all the chief priests and ,scribes of the people1 he enquired of them where ,christ should be born4 ,but they said to him1 ,in ,bethlehem of ,juda2 for so it is written by the prophet3 ,and thou ,bethlehem1 the land of ,juda1 art not the least among the princes of ,juda3 for out of thee shall come forth the ruler who shall rule my people ,israel4 #ff ,then ,herod1 privately calling the wise men1 enquired diligently of them the time of the star's appearing to them2 and sending them into ,bethlehem1 said3 ,go and search diligently after the child1 and when you have found him1 bring me word again1 that ,i also may come and adore him4 ,and when they had heard the king1 they went their way2 and behold1 the star which they had seen in the ,east went before them1 until it came and stood over where the child was4 ,and seeing the star1 they rejoiced with exceeding great joy4 ,and going into the house1 they found the child with ,mary his mother1 and falling down1 they adored him2 and opening their treasures1 they offered him gifts2 gold1 frankincense1 and myrrh4 ,and having received an answer in sleep that they should not return to ,herod1 they went back another way into their own country4 --------------------- ,sermon ,,xvl4 ,rise1 and take the ,child and his mother1 and go into the land of ,israel4 --,st4 ,matthew ii4 #bj4 ,at this season of ,christmas and ,epiphany1 in these days when the church brings us to the manger in which the infant ,son of ,god was laid1 it is impossible for any ,christian to come to ,jesus without coming to ,mary also4 ,he cannot see the one without seeing the other2 and surely he will not adore the one without honoring the other also4 ,it is plain enough to us all at this time how inseparable ,our ,lady is from her ,divine ,son1 and how we must go to her if we would gain admission to his presence4 ,but we are apt enough to forget it at other seasons1 even at times like the month of ,may1 specially commemorated to her love and service4 #fg ,we are apt to imagine devotion to her as a sort of thing apart by itself1 beautiful and reasonable1 it is true1 but still having no necessary connection with the worship of ,god4 ,we do not understand that it is impossible for us to love and adore him as he wishes unless we also honor his ,blessed ,mother--as impossible as it would be to have a true devotion to her and forget him4 ,the two devotions must go hand-in-hand not only now but through all the year4 ,the forgetting of this is one great reason why there is so much sin in the world4 ,one who has a true love for ,mary can hardly fall into mortal sin2 and that not only because she will specially pray for him and defend him1 but also because he will love her ,son too much to do so4 ,and even if he should fall into mortal sin he will not stay in it long2 not only because she will obtain his conversion1 but also because love of ,god cannot be far away while that of his ,blessed ,mother remains4 ,this is also true1 in its measure1 of venial as well as of mortal sin1 and of those imperfections which keep people from being saints4 ,you will hear many complaining that they do not make any progress in the spiritual life2 that they are always committing the same faults1 and even just as often2 and that they have no more piety now than they had years ago--perhaps not even so much4 ,well1 of course there may be many reasons for this2 but one of them1 perhaps1 is that they do not cultivate a real1 solid devotion to ,our ,blessed ,lady4 ,they say1 no doubt1 some prayers to her1 and they believe fully and firmly everything about her which the church teaches2 but they do not realize that they cannot acquire the love of her ,divine ,son unless they make his ,mother theirs also2 that they give themselves entirely to her as her loving children1 with all their mind and strength1 all their heart and soul4 #fh ,what a pity it is to neglect so easy and so safe a way not only of salvation but of perfection6 ,it will lead to everything else1 and nothing else will lead anywhere without it4 ,let us1 then1 my dear brethren1 at the beginning of this new year make a good resolution--that is1 to have more devotion to ,our ,lady than we have ever had before4 ,let us take1 as ,st4 ,joseph did1 the ,child and his ,mother1 and set out with them from this place of our exile to the land of ,israel1 the true promised land above4 ,let us take them both1 not only at ,christmas but always1 through our whole journey here below2 not to guard and guide them1 as he did--for we have not such a privilege--but that they may guard us1 and guide us to the country which is waiting1 not for one people only1 but for the redeemed of all nations1 for all the ,israel of ,god4 -------------------- ,sermon ,,xvii4 ,and opening their treasures1 they offered him gifts2 gold1 frankincense1 and myrrh4 --,st4 ,matthew ii4 #aa4 ,to-day1 my brethren1 is a great day for us4 ,it is1 in one way1 a greater day than ,christmas itself2 a day1 that is1 in which we have more cause for rejoicing than we had even then4 ,for what was it which we celebrated then1 and what is it which we are celebrating now8 #fi ,then it was the birth of our ,lord into this world1 and it was indeed a thing which we had cause to rejoice over2 but to-day it is something even more joyous for us than that4 ,it is not only that he was born into this world1 but that he was born for us1 for us ,gentiles--to save us as well as his own chosen people1 the ,jews4 ,the three wise men whom that wonderful star led to his crib were not of that people1 but ,gentiles like ourselves2 and the star which appeared to them signified the appearance to them and to us of the true ,light which was hereafter to enlighten in a more wonderful way than before not only a single nation1 but every man coming into this world4 ,appearance or manifestation is what the ,greek word epiphany means4 ,it was natural1 then1 that they should offer gifts to their newly-born ,saviour1 for they could not but do so in acknowledgment of the great gift which he had given to them4 ,but let us see what was the meaning of the gifts which they did offer--of these gifts of gold1 frankincense1 and myrrh4 ,they may be1 and have been1 interpreted in a great many different ways1 all of which may well be true4 ,it is commonly said that the wise men offered gold to our ,lord because he is the ,king of heaven and earth2 frankincense1 because he is ,almighty ,god2 and myrrh1 because he is also man1 and was to suffer death for the sins of the world--myrrh being used to embalm the dead1 and hence being a symbol of death4 ,but there is another signification of these gifts which is1 perhaps1 more practical for us1 because it suggests more directly the three gifts which each one of us must offer to him who is our ,saviour as well as theirs1 if we would partake of the salvation which he came to bring to us4 #gj ,these three gifts are1 then1 understood by some to represent the three duties of almsgiving1 prayer1 and fasting1 by which we are redeemed from the tyranny of the world1 the devil1 and the flesh4 ,these last three are the great enemies of our salvation1 and they must be overcome if we are to be saved4 ,the love of the world1 and of the treasures which it offers us1 can only be destroyed by sacrificing those treasures for the sake of ,god1 of his church1 and of his poor2 the power of the devil1 who sets himself up as the god whom we are to serve and obey1 can only be resisted by constant prayer1 by which we draw near to the true ,god1 and devote ourselves over and over again to his service2 and the control of the flesh1 with its base and degrading appetites1 over our immortal souls can only be shaken off by fasting--that is1 by mortification of various kinds1 by persistently refusing to our bodies all dangerous and sinful indulgences1 and by sometimes depriving them of pleasures which are innocent in themselves4 ,these three duties are practised in their perfection by those whom ,god calls to the religious life by the three vows of poverty1 obedience1 and chastity4 ,by the vow of poverty the religious sacrifices at once the goods of this world2 by that of obedience he frees himself from the tyranny of the devil1 subjecting himself entirely to ,god1 whom his superiors represent2 by that of chastity he renounces sensual pleasure4 ,but it is not religious alone who are called on to make these three gifts4 ,the same obligation1 in its due measure1 rests upon each of you4 ,almsgiving1 prayer1 and mortification are duties for all ,christians4 #ga ,it is hard to see how any one can be saved who gives no more to ,god and the poor than what is extorted from him1 as it were1 by force2 who merely says prayers now and then because he is afraid to give up the practice1 but who seldom or never really prays2 and who indulges without scruple in everything which his flesh desires1 intending to stop short of nothing but mortal sin4 ,let such things1 then1 my brethren1 not be said of us4 ,as we kneel with the wise men this morning before the manger of our infant ,god1 let us make with them these three gifts4 ,let us offer to him1 as they did1 with a full and willing heart1 our possessions1 our bodies1 and our souls4 ,this is the time for making presents1 and these are the presents which he expects4 ,be generous1 then1 with him1 and he will be generous with you4 ,give to the ,most ,high according to what he hath given to thee4 ----------------- #gb ,first ,sunday after ,epiphany4 ,epistle4 ,romans xii4 #a-e4 ,brethren3 ,i beseech you1 by the mercy of ,god1 that you present your bodies a living sacrifice1 holy1 pleasing to ,god1 your reasonable service4 ,and be not conformed to this world3 but be reformed in the newness of your mind1 that you may prove what is the good and the acceptable1 and the perfect will of ,god4 ,for ,i say1 through the grace that is given me1 to all that are among you1 not to be more wise than it behooveth to be wise1 but to be wise unto sobriety1 and according as ,god hath divided to every one the measure of faith4 ,for as in one body we have many members1 but all the members have not the same office3 so we being many are one body in ,christ1 and each one members one of another in ,christ ,jesus our ,lord4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,luke ii4 #db-eb4 ,when ,jesus was twelve years old1 they went up to ,jerusalem according to the custom of the feast1 and after they had fulfilled the days1 when they returned1 the child ,jesus remained in ,jerusalem2 and his parents knew it not4 ,and thinking that he was in the company1 they came a day's journey and sought him among their kinsfolks and acquaintance4 ,and not finding him1 they returned into ,jerusalem1 seeking him4 ,and it came to pass1 that after three days they found him in the temple sitting in the midst of the doctors1 hearing them and asking them questions4 ,and all that heard him were astonished at his wisdom and his answers4 ,and seeing him1 they wondered4 ,and his mother said to him3 ,son1 why hast thou done so to us8 behold thy father and ,i have sought thee sorrowing4 #gc ,and he said to them3 ,how is it that you sought me8 did you not know that ,i must be about the things that are my ,father's8 ,and they understood not the word that he spoke unto them4 ,and he went down with them and came to ,nazareth3 and was subject to them4 ,and his mother kept all these words in her heart4 ,and ,jesus increased in wisdom and age1 and grace with ,god and men4 ------------------- ,sermon ,,xviii4 ,and he went down with them1 and came to ,nazareth1 and was subject to them4 --,st4 ,luke ii4 #ea4 ,such1 my dear friends1 is the brief record of our ,lord's boyhood and youth4 ,when we next hear of him he has begun his mission to the world4 ,but brief as the record is1 it teaches a great lesson--the lesson of obedience4 ,first it proclaims this lesson to children and the young generally4 ,they ought to be subject to their parents4 ,is this the case8 ,often1 we know1 it is not4 ,there are proud1 rebellious1 and disobedient children in many families--girls and boys who will not do what they are told2 who go to places forbidden by their parents2 who speak of their parents as the old man and the old woman2 children who do their best to make father and mother subject to them2 who think they know better than their parents1 and who despise those set over them by ,god4 ,so glaring has this disrespect for parents become that a witty man has said that soon the sign and title of a firm will be ,jones and ,father instead of ,jones and ,son4 ,disobedient1 proud children1 ,i point you this morning to the little home of ,nazareth4 ,look in1 conceited1 self-sufficient boys and girls4 #gd ,what do you see8 ,god obedient to his creatures2 ,jesus with ,joseph and his ,mother2 ,jesus1 very ,god of very ,god1 subject to them4 ,there is your example4 ,woe to you if you do not follow it6 ,disobedience made hell for the devil and his angels1 and disobedience1 if persisted in1 will make hell for you4 ,hell is the headquarters of disobedience1 and will be the home of the disobedient and rebellious for evermore4 ,so1 then1 you that are young1 cut down your pride1 bend the neck a little easier to the yoke4 ,be more like ,jesus1 who went home with his parents1 stayed home with them1 and was subject to them4 ,but not only to children and the young does this lesson come home2 it strikes all of us4 ,in one sense we are all children--children of holy church whose chief pastor is called the ,holy ,father1 and whose priests are called by all fathers4 ,now1 then1 you children of an older growth1 how have you shown your obedience8 ,are you very particular to keep the laws of mother church8 ,how about fasting and abstinence8 ,what of hearing ,mass on a ,sunday and of abstaining from servile work8 ,was your last ,easter duty made8 ,again1 how about the advice of your father confessor8 ,have you followed it8 ,how do you keep the minor laws and regulations which the pastor of each particular church sees fit to make for the better ordering of his services1 etc41 etc48 ,when the priest has to rebuke you1 to reprove you1 how do you take it8 ,o my friends6 these are the days of disobedience and false independence1 and therefore these questions are of vital importance4 ,you must obey1 if you want to be good ,catholics4 ,you must turn a deaf ear to the suggestions of worldly pride2 you must be submissive to holy mother church1 to our ,holy ,father the ,pope1 to the pastors and fathers set over you in ,god's providence4 #ge ,obedience6 obedience6--that must be your watchword4 ,you must not be scaling the mountains of pride hand-in-hand with infidel and heretic1 and the devil's staff for a support4 ,you must obey the church and follow her teachings1 and submit to lawful authority4 ,as ,st4 ,paul says3 ,be not wise in your own conceits4 ,for ,i say1 by the grace that is given me1 to all that are among you1 not to be more wise than it behooveth to be wise1 but be wise unto sobriety4 ,let every soul be subject to higher powers3 they that resist purchase to themselves damnation4 ,finally1 brethren1 show yourselves law-loving1 obedient citizens of the country in which you live4 ,let the ,catholic always be found on the side of order and regularity4 ,in a word1 show to your pastors and superiors1 show even to our worst enemies1 that you have learnt well the lesson contained in these few words3 ,he went down with them1 and came to ,nazareth1 and was subject to them4 ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 --------------------- ,sermon ,,xix4 ,behold the ,lamb of ,god3 behold1 he who taketh away the sins of the world4 --,st4 ,john i4 #bi4 ,there are no words of the ,gospel1 my dear brethren1 more frequently used in the church of ,god than these4 ,you often hear them from the lips of the priest1 but perhaps you do not remember when4 ,they are more familiar to you in ,latin than in ,english4 #gf ,the moment when they are said is that when the greatest of all gifts is about to be given to you4 ,it is just before the giving of ,holy ,communion4 ,the priest1 turning to you with the ciborium in his hand1 raises one of the sacred particles from it1 and shows it to you1 saying1 ,ecce ,agnus ,dei--which means1 ,behold the ,lamb of ,god--ecce qui tollis peccata mundi1 ,behold1 he who taketh away the sins of the world4 ,the church has put the words in the mouth of the priest at this time1 when he distributes ,holy ,communion1 because he is then showing ,christ to the faithful4 ,and she puts them in the ,gospel of today1 because on this day1 the octave of the great feast which we celebrated last ,sunday1 she commemorates what we may call our ,lord's second ,epiphany after his hidden life of thirty years1 when ,st4 ,john the ,baptist1 his great precursor1 taking the place of the star which showed him to the wise men1 showed him to those who were to become his disciples1 and who were to accompany him in that ministry of three years upon which he was about to enter4 ,as ,st4 ,john took the place of the star1 so the ,catholic priest now takes the place of ,st4 ,john4 ,he has now to show ,christ to the world1 and especially to the faithful4 ,and ,st4 ,john1 in his humility and self-concealment1 has set an example to him which he should try to copy1 and which a good priest does try to copy4 ,that is1 he tries to show our ,lord to the people and to keep himself in the background2 he tries to bring the faithful to his ,master and theirs1 not to himself4 ,he desires that they should see in all that he does not his own power or gifts1 but the grace of ,god1 by which alone he can do them any good2 that they should not be drawn to him1 but to the ,lamb of ,god1 who alone can take away their sins4 #gg ,and what the good priest does you also1 my brethren1 should do4 ,you should not think of the priest1 but of ,him whom the priest represents1 and in whose power he acts4 ,and especially should you take care to do this in those sacramental acts which the priest does more particularly in the name of ,god2 that is1 when he celebrates ,holy ,mass1 baptizes1 hears confessions1 or gives ,holy ,communion4 ,for1 in truth1 it is not he who does these things1 but our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,he1 the ,lamb of ,god1 is the true priest4 ,he who instituted the sacraments also is the one who confers them4 ,remember this when you receive them4 ,when you go to the altar-rail for ,holy ,communion1 and when the priest holds up the sacred ,host before you1 saying1 ,ecce ,agnus ,dei1 ecce qui tollit peccata mundi1 think not of the priest1 of his virtues or his faults1 but of the immaculate ,lamb of ,god1 who is coming to you1 a poor sinner4 ,and when the priest is baptizing think not of him1 but of the ,holy ,one who1 by his own baptism in the ,jordan1 gave water the power to wash away sin4 ,look at him standing by the side of the priest with infinite love and compassion1 and purifying the soul which he came from heaven to save4 ,when you bow your head to receive absolution in the ,sacrament of ,penance think not of the minister of the sacrament before whom you kneel1 and who is1 at the best1 but a sinful man1 but of ,him against whom you have sinned1 and who is now about to forgive you once more4 ,think only of that loving ,saviour who is both your ,god and your ,judge--your judge now not in justice but in mercy4 #gh ,and1 above all1 at holy ,mass remember who it is that is saying ,mass2 who it is that is there at that altar1 offering himself in sacrifice for you4 ,do not be criticising the priest1 and thinking whether he is devout or not2 his dispositions do not concern you much more than those of your neighbor who is kneeling by your side4 ,say to yourself1 as you look at the altar1 ,ecce ,agnus ,dei ecce qui tollit peccata mundi4 ,behold in the midst of that throne the ,lamb standing as it were slain1 and fall down with the angels in adoration before him4 ,yes1 my brethren1 ,christus apparuit nobis3 venite1 adoremus--,christ has appeared to us2 come1 let us worship him4 ,such are the words of the church in the ,divine ,office at this time4 ,let us1 them1 seek him1 find him1 and adore him in this holy ,catholic ,church1 and in all that is done in it by his power and in his name4 -------------------- #gi ,second ,sunday after ,epiphany ,feast ,of ,the ,holy ,name ,of ,jesus4 ,epistle4 ,romans xii4 #f-af4 ,having gifts different1 according to the grace that is given us1 whether prophecy1 according to the proportion of faith1 or ministry in ministering2 or he that teacheth1 in teaching3 he that exhorter in exhorting2 he that giveth with simplicity2 he that ruleth with solicitude2 he that showeth mercy with cheerfulness4 ,love without dissimulation4 ,hating that which is evil1 adhering to that which is good2 loving one another with brotherly love2 in honor preventing one another2 in solicitude not slothful2 in spirit fervent2 serving the ,lord3 rejoicing in hope2 patient in tribulation2 instant in prayer2 communicating to the necessities of the saints2 pursuing hospitality4 ,bless them that persecute you2 bless and curse not4 ,rejoice with them that rejoice1 weep with them that weep2 being of one mind one to another2 not high-minded but condescending to the humble4 ,epistle of the ,feast4 ,acts iv4 #h-ab4 ,then ,peter1 filled with the ,holy ,ghost1 said to them3 ,ye rulers of the people and ancients1 hear3 ,if we this day are examined concerning the good deed done to the infirm man1 by what means he hath been made whole2 be it known to you all1 and to all the people of ,israel1 that in the name of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ of ,nazareth1 whom you crucified1 whom ,god hath raised from the dead1 even by him1 doth this man stand here before you whole4 ,this is the stone which was rejected by you builders2 which is become the head of the corner2 nor is there salvation in any other4 ,for there is no other name under heaven given to men1 whereby we must be saved4 #hj ,gospel4 ,st4 ,john ii4 #a-aa4 ,at that time3 ,there was a marriage in ,cana of ,galilee3 and the mother of ,jesus was there4 ,and ,jesus also was invited1 and his disciples1 to the marriage4 ,and the wine failing1 the mother of ,jesus saith to him3 ,they have no wine4 ,and ,jesus saith to her3 ,woman1 what is that to me and to thee8 my hour is not yet come4 ,his mother said to the waiters3 ,whatsoever he shall say to you1 do ye4 ,now1 there were set there six water-pots of stone1 according to the manner of the purifying of the ,jews1 containing two or three measures apiece4 ,jesus saith to them3 ,fill the waterpots with water4 ,and they filled them up to the brim4 ,and ,jesus saith to them3 ,draw out now and carry to the chief steward of the feast4 ,and they carried it4 ,and when the chief steward had tasted the water made wine1 and knew not whence it was1 but the waiters knew who had drawn the water1 the chief steward calleth the bridegroom1 and saith to him3 ,every man at first setteth forth good wine1 and when men have well drunk1 then that which is worse3 but thou hast kept the good wine until now4 ,this beginning of miracles did ,jesus in ,cana of ,galilee1 and he manifested his glory1 and his disciples believed in him4 ,gospel of the ,feast4 ,st4 ,luke ii4 #ba4 ,at that time3 ,after eight days were accomplished that the child should be circumcised1 his name was called ,jesus1 which was called by the ,angel1 before he was conceived in the womb4 ------------------- ,sermon ,,xx4 ,his name was called ,jesus4 --,st4 ,luke ii4 #ba4 #ha ,to-day1 dear friends1 we keep the ,feast of the ,holy ,name4 ,our dear ,lord is known to us by many names--he is called the ,word1 the ,christ1 the ,son of ,god1 the ,lamb of ,god1 the ,prince of ,peace1 and the like--but to-day we are met together to honor his real name2 the name by which he was called when on this earth2 the name which belonged to him just as our names belong to us2 the name by which we are to be saved--the holy name of ,jesus6 ,brethren1 this name is a holy name1 because it is the name of a ,god made man4 ,it is a precious name3 ,jesus shed his ,blood for us for the first time as he received it4 ,it is a great and noble name1 for it belongs to the mightiest ,warrior the world ever saw--to ,him who fought with sin and death1 and conquered in the fight4 ,it is a terrible name1 for when we invoke it hell trembles1 earth fears1 and even heaven bows the knee4 ,oh6 then1 dear brethren1 if this name is holy--if precious1 if great and noble1 if terrible--how much it ought to be revered and respected4 ,we are told by our dear patron1 ,st4 ,paul1 that our ,lord humbled himself1 becoming obedient unto death1 even the death of the cross4 ,for which cause ,god also hath exalted him1 and hath given him a name which is above all names3 that in the name of ,jesus every knee should bow of those that are in heaven1 on earth1 and under the earth4 ,and yet1 in spite of all this1 although it is so plain that this name is holy1 precious1 mighty1 and terrible1 although it is clear that when it is uttered the faithful on earth1 the white-winged angels in heaven1 ay1 and even the lost spirits in hell bow to do homage to it1 nevertheless there is a creature who will not worship2 there is a created being worse than the very demons2 there is found one who will not reverence that name1 holy and good and true--and that creature is the blasphemer4 #hb ,yes1 brethren1 in our streets1 in our factories1 in our very homes that holy name is taken in vain4 ,jesus--that sweet name is mixed up with everything that is foul and disrespectful4 ,jesus' name1 the name of our ,king1 our ,saviour1 and our ,judge1 is used as an oath2 and not only by men coarse and hardened1 but by boys and girls1 by women1 and1 unheard of impiety6 even by little children4 ,passing through the streets the other day1 ,i heard a volley of curses in which the holy ,name was mingled1 and the curser was a boy who could not1 ,i am sure1 have been more than eight or nine years of age2 and1 alas6 it is not the first time that ,i have heard such things4 ,o brethren6 ,i beseech you1 by the wounds and cross of ,jesus ,christ1 look to this great sin4 ,when ,i hear these little baby blasphemers1 who scarce1 perhaps1 know what they say1 ,i know they have learned these oaths from the father1 the elder brothers1 and perhaps even from the mother1 and ,i tremble to think how deep the evil has sunk into the hearts of men4 ,oh6 then let us never again misuse the holy ,name2 let us cast out cursing and swearing from our midst1 lest it drive us and our children into hell4 ,it belongs to us to be devout to the holy name of ,jesus1 for we are taught by holy church to ask for every blessing through it4 ,are we tempted8 ,let us call upon it1 and ,he who bears it will come to our aid4 ,are we in sorrow8 ,let us whisper to ourselves1 ,jesus6 ,jesus6 and he who knelt in the dark garden and sweat blood for us1 he who faced the horrors of death1 forsaken and heart-broken1 will send us comfort and heal our wounds4 ,do our sins terrify us8 ,let us look up to the ,cross of ,calvary4 #hc ,there on the topmost beam is written the sweet name of ,jesus2 there beneath hangs the ,saviour and the ,comforter4 ,do we need strength for the battle of life1 and courage in the struggle against the world1 the flesh1 and the devil8 ,jesus6 ,jesus6 the ,mighty ,one1 the ,conqueror1 the ,lion of ,juda1 he who is called ,faithful and true1 and with justice doth he judge and fight--he will arm us for the battle and nerve our heart for the combat4 ,oh6 let us reverence the dear1 holy name of our sweet ,saviour while we live2 and when at last our death-cold lips can part no more to utter it1 may the great ,god give us each a friend to whisper it in our ears1 so that ,jesus6 ,jesus6 ,jesus6 may be the last name that we shall hear on earth1 and the first which our enraptured spirits will hear in heaven4 ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 ------------------------- ,sermon ,,xxi4 ,his name was called ,jesus4 --,st4 ,luke ii4 #ba1 ,to-day we celebrate the ,feast of the most ,holy ,name of our ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ4 ,the church sets apart a special ,sunday for the celebration of this feast1 to bring before our minds the sacredness of this name--its preciousness1 and the reverence due to it4 ,this name is the name of the ,god-,man who came into the world to save us from hell4 ,it is the greatest of all names1 because it is the name of the greatest of all beings4 ,it was given to our ,lord by the archangel when he announced to the ,blessed ,virgin that she was to be the mother of ,god4 #hd ,an angel first pronounced it2 the ,blessed ,virgin and ,st4 ,joseph were the first to call the new-born ,babe of ,bethlehem by that name2 and all holy men and women1 from the time of the adoration of the poor shepherds and wise men down to this hour1 have had the greatest veneration for that name4 ,the angel ,st4 ,gabriel said to the ,blessed ,virgin3 ,he shall be called ,jesus1 for he shall save his people from their sins4 ,you see1 then1 how precious this name is3 it is the name by which we are to be freed from our sins delivered from hell1 and admitted among the blessed1 the redeemed of all nations4 ,it is the name by which we are the receivers of the supernatural graces of all the holy sacraments4 ,and ,st4 ,paul says3 ,god gave to his only-begotten ,son a name that is above every name1 that at the name of ,jesus every knee should bow of those that are in heaven1 on earth1 and in hell1 and that every tongue should confess that the ,lord ,jesus ,christ is in the glory of ,god the ,father4 ,it is the name not only of the ,infant of ,bethlehem1 but it is the name of that ,one whom you see in the ,stations and nailed to the cross1 bleeding1 and dying1 and dead for you4 ,and yet how our blood runs cold1 how we tremble with horror1 when we see how little reverence is shown for this name6 ,you need not go far or stay out very long before you hear that name used most irreverently by the child who has hardly learned his prayers1 as well as by thieves1 drunkards1 and murderers1 and the lowest rabble that tread the streets of this city2 not only by bad men and women1 but by people who profess to be respectable ,catholics4 #he ,how often we are made to wonder why ,almighty ,god does not send a thunderbolt and strike dead the blasphemer1 or cause the earth to open under those who so treat this holy name1 and swallow them up quickly in punishment for their crime6 ,a man who steals1 or gets drunk1 or gives way to lust sees a sensual temporary good in these sins2 but what good1 what use is there in blasphemy1 in cursing1 in swearing8 ,none4 ,it is a direct blow at ,almighty ,god himself4 ,if a man were to insult your mother your vengeance would be roused1 and you would think no punishment too great for the offender4 ,shall ,god not be jealous of his name8 ,shall he not punish8 ,yes1 he will4 ,he says3 ,thou shalt not take the name of the ,lord thy ,god in vain2 for the ,lord will not hold him guiltless who taketh his name in vain4 ,if1 then1 you have not controlled your gift of speech1 which was given you to edify your neighbor1 to speak and sing the praises of ,god1 but have given way to a habit of using ,god's holy name and that of his ,son in vain1 ask him to give you the grace to overcome the habit4 ,if you hear people on the street or in company blaspheming1 cursing1 or swearing1 lift up your heart to ,god and make reparation for the injury by saying the prayer1 ,blessed be the name of the ,lord4 ,never give scandal to others1 and especially the little ones around your family hearth1 by blaspheming1 or even by carelessly using the name of ,god or his saints without due reverence4 ,many men and women have grown up with this old habit clinging to them--a habit that they contracted at home1 and that they learned when young from their father and mother4 ,cursing and swearing are the language of hell4 ,blessing1 prayer1 and praise are the language of heaven4 #hf ,do all in your power to learn the language of the saints--that is1 the language of love and reverence for the holy name of ,jesus4 ,for his name is holy and terrible4 ,repeat the prayer which is sung and said in the holy ,mass on this feast3 ,o ,god1 who hast made thy only-begotten ,son to be the ,saviour of mankind1 and hast commanded that he should be called ,jesus1 mercifully grant that we may so venerate his holy name on earth that we may be favored with beholding his face for ever in heaven4 -------------------- ,sermon ,,xxii4 ,there was a marriage in ,cana1 of ,galilee2 and the ,mother of ,jesus was there4 ,and ,jesus also was invited1 and his disciples1 to the marriage4 --,st4 ,john ii4 #a1 #b4 ,as we read the story of this marriage1 my dear brethren1 it must certainly occur to all of us how singularly favored it was1 above all that have ever been celebrated since the beginning of the world1 in being honored with the presence of our ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ1 of his ,blessed ,mother1 and of his apostles1 and in the fact that it witnessed the first of the miracles which he performed in his three years' ministry--the change of water into wine4 ,but when we come to look at the matter more closely we shall see that1 great as was the honor which this marriage received1 every ,christian marriage has the same4 ,for every ,christian marriage is honored really and truly1 though not visibly1 with the presence of our ,lord1 his ,blessed ,mother1 and the apostles2 and at every ,christian marriage a miracle of grace is performed of which we may well believe the change of water into wine to have been only a shadow or type4 #hg ,for what is marriage now in the church of ,christ8 ,it is one of the sacraments4 ,and what does that mean8 ,it means that whenever a marriage is contracted by those who are baptized there is a grace given with it by our ,lord's infallible promise4 ,this grace1 moreover1 is one which1 like those given in the sacraments of ,baptism1 ,confirmation1 and ,holy ,orders1 is to remain permanently in the soul1 and to be a source or fountain from which new graces are continually to flow4 ,so ,i am right in saying that our ,lord is present at a ,christian marriage2 for it is only from him that this grace can come4 ,and ,i am right in saying that ,our ,lady is present at it2 because this grace1 while it comes from him1 comes through her4 ,for she is the channel through which his grace comes to us2 which is shown in this marriage at ,cana1 of which the ,gospel tells us1 by his working the miracle of the change of the water into wine at her intercession4 ,and1 lastly1 ,i am right in saying the apostles are present at a ,christian marriage2 for such a marriage can only lawfully be celebrated in the presence of the priest1 who represents them4 ,i said1 furthermore1 that at every ,christian marriage a miracle is worked which was represented by our ,lord's miracle at ,cana4 ,this miracle is the giving of this wonderful sacramental grace2 and it is well represented by the conversion of water into wine4 ,it is a miracle--that is to say1 an extraordinary and supernatural work of ,god--because it is not naturally connected with marriage itself4 #hh ,marriage1 in itself1 is nothing but a contract or agreement between two parties1 having no special blessing or grace1 except that which comes from its honorable nature and the good dispositions of the parties themselves4 ,such is marriage among the unbaptized4 ,but among ,christians it is1 as ,i have said1 elevated to the dignity of a great sacrament--the contract remaining1 but the sacrament being added to it2 and it cannot exist among ,christians without both4 ,now1 ,i think you will agree with me that this is well represented by the change of water into wine1 in which water1 indeed1 remains1 but is blended with the spirit in such a way that neither can be taken away without destroying the very substance of the wine4 ,such1 then1 my brethren1 is the dignity of ,christian marriage1 represented to us in this marriage at ,cana1 in ,galilee4 ,but is it honored among ,christians according to its dignity8 ,how many are there who reverence this sacrament as they should8 ,it is one of the sacraments of the living1 as they are called2 that is1 one of those which require the soul1 when receiving it1 to be in the state of grace4 ,the ,catholic who comes to it in the state of mortal sin commits a horrible sacrilege as surely as he would if he should go to the altar-rail and receive ,holy ,communion without repentance for his sins4 ,do not forget this4 ,do not dare to come to receive the sacrament of matrimony without preparing your soul by a good confession2 not only on account of the dreadful sacrilege of which you will be guilty in receiving it unprepared1 but also for fear of losing the grace which it is meant to give you throughout life1 and which grace may never return2 for1 like that offered to the soul in ,holy ,communion1 if once despised and rejected1 it may be lost for ever4 #hi ,and1 for the sake of ,him who instituted this great sacrament1 do not make it1 as too many do1 an occasion of mortal sin by making it a privileged time for drunkenness and immodesty4 ,a wedding ought to be a time of joy1 but for a joy of purity and sobriety4 ,if you make it a time for opening the door to sin for yourselves and for others1 tremble lest you bring down on yourselves for the rest of your lives the curse of ,god instead of his blessing4 ,invite1 then1 like the couple at ,cana1 our ,lord to be present at your marriage1 and behave as you would if you were to see him there4 ,so shall you receive his benediction1 both for time and eternity4 ------------------------- #ij ,third ,sunday after ,epiphany4 ,epistle4 ,romans xii4 #af-ba4 ,brethren3 ,be not wise in your own conceits4 ,render to no man evil for evil4 ,provide things good not only in the sight of ,god1 but also in the sight of all men4 ,if it be possible1 as much as is in you1 have peace with all men4 ,revenge not yourselves1 my dearly beloved2 but give place to wrath1 for it is written3 ,revenge is mine2 ,i will repay1 saith the ,lord4 ,but if thy enemy be hungry1 give him to eat2 if he thirst1 give him drink2 for doing this thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head4 ,be not overcome by evil1 but overcome evil by good4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,matthew viii4 #a-ac4 ,at that time3 ,when ,jesus was come down from the mountain1 great multitudes followed him2 and behold a leper coming1 adored him1 saying3 ,lord1 if thou wilt1 thou canst make me clean4 ,and ,jesus1 stretching forth his hand1 touched him1 saying3 ,i will2 be thou made clean4 ,and immediately his leprosy was cleansed4 ,and ,jesus said to him3 ,see thou tell no man2 but go show thyself to the priest1 and offer the gift which ,moses commanded for a testimony to them4 ,and when he had entered into ,capharnaum1 there came to him a centurion1 beseeching him and saying3 ,lord1 my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy1 and is grievously tormented4 ,and ,jesus said to him3 ,i will come and heal him4 ,and the centurion1 making answer1 said3 ,lord1 ,i am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof2 but only say the word1 and my servant shall be healed4 ,for ,i also am a man under authority1 having soldiers under me2 and ,i say to this man1 ,go1 and he goeth1 and to another1 ,come1 and he cometh1 and to my servant1 ,do this1 and he doeth it4 #ia ,and ,jesus1 hearing this1 wondered1 and said to those that followed him3 ,amen ,i say to you1 ,i have not found so great faith in ,israel4 ,and ,i say unto you that many shall come from the east and the west1 and shall sit down with ,abraham1 and ,isaac1 and ,jacob1 in the kingdom of heaven2 but the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into exterior darkness3 there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth4 ,and ,jesus said to the centurion3 ,go1 and as thou hast believed1 so be it done to thee4 ,and the servant was healed at the same hour4 ------------------- ,sermon ,,xxiii4 ,only say the word1 and my servant shall be healed4 --,st4 ,matthew viii4 #h4 ,the centurion in to-day's ,gospel1 dear friends1 is certainly a shining example to us of many virtues1 ,particularly is he an example to those among us who are rich and well off1 or who have any servants or others employed under our authority4 ,when any one is taken sick1 what is the first cry8 ,go for the priest4 ,run for the doctor4 ,and instantly a messenger is sought out4 ,now1 this man's servant was sick4 ,what did he do8 ,centurion1 and high in station as he was1 he went himself for ,one who was both doctor and priest4 ,his servant1 doubtless1 had served him faithfully1 had been obedient and trustworthy2 and now that this servant is sick1 remembering the sublime virtue of charity1 the master runs off to our ,lord and begs of him to speak the word that would heal the servant4 ,now1 many of you1 dear brethren1 have in your houses hired help1 and the poor are around you who serve you in many useful ways2 who do work which1 did they not exist1 would have to be left undone4 #ib ,how do you treat those fellow-,christians8 ,ah6 ,i am afraid1 often in a very different spirit to that displayed by the centurion4 ,they are sick4 ,you grumble at the inconvenience to which you are put1 but what do you do to help them8 ,do you get the doctor8 ,do you offer them such nourishment as a sick person needs8 ,do you visit your servant's sick-bed1 or the beds of the poor1 to whom we are all indebted for so much service8 ,i wish it were always so1 but it is not4 ,often a servant is made to work when bed would be a more fitting place to be in than the kitchen4 ,often the poor suffer dreadfully because those whom they serve in health will not help them in sickness4 ,oh6 then let us all follow the example of the good centurion1 and if our servants in our house1 or our servants out of the house1 are sick1 let us1 moved by a divine charity1 hasten at once to their relief4 ,and then in spiritual things how do we act8 ,catholic heads of families1 employers1 masters and mistresses1 keepers of stores and workshops1 how do you look after those that work for you8 ,do you see that they go to ,mass8 ,do you give them time to get to confession8 ,do you look after the moral conduct of those you employ8 ,when they are sick and suffering are you solicitous that they should have the comfort and help which the holy sacraments afford8 ,are you sensible of the responsibility which lies upon you to see that the priest is sent for1 especially when they are in danger of death8 ,oh6 ,i am much afraid that many are very neglectful in this respect4 #ic ,so long as their work is done they care very little for those they employ4 ,catholic employers often don't bestow a thought upon these things4 ,but don't deceive yourselves3 ,god will require all these souls at your hands4 ,no ,catholic man or woman ought to keep in their houses a servant who is negligent of his or her religious duties4 ,you should give your help and your employees plenty of time to go to ,mass and confession2 and1 more than that1 it is your duty to see that they go4 ,you should not employ by the side of innocent young men and women all sorts of roughs and blackguards4 ,by so doing you put immortal souls in peril4 ,you should remember that you are head of the family1 and that the help and the employees are part of that family1 and therefore you are bound in conscience to care for them4 ,imitate1 then1 the centurion4 ,love those you employ4 ,have a great charity for them4 ,cherish them1 tend them in all their wants4 ,correct their faults1 reward their fidelity2 and by so doing you will advance ,christ's kingdom on earth and people his kingdom in heaven4 ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 -------------------------------- ,sermon ,,xxiv4 ,if it be possible1 as much as is in you1 have peace with all men2 revenge not yourselves1 my dearly beloved4 --,romans xii4 #ah-ai4 ,there are a good many people who seem to find it very difficult to have peace with all men1 or at any rate with all women2 for1 strange to say1 it is1 for some reason or other1 what is known as the gentler sex that gives and has the most trouble in this respect4 #id ,of course it is all the fault of some other party that they cannot live in peace2 not their own at all4 ,they themselves are perfectly innocent--lambs1 in fact1 among wolves4 ,other people are always persecuting and tormenting them1 or at any rate belying them2 this last is one of the favorite complaints of these poor1 harmless1 and much-abused creatures4 ,they try to have peace as far as possible1 but other people will not let them4 ,and of course they never revenge themselves on their cruel enemies4 ,oh6 no4 ,they never injure or belie them2 they would not do such a thing for the world4 ,they may1 indeed1 meekly complain of their troubles to the few friends they have got left2 they tell how wicked these people are who give them so much annoyance4 ,they try to lower other people's esteem of them2 but1 of course1 that is not meant for injury--that is only that others may be duly warned of such dangerous characters4 ,in their zeal they may draw on their imagination a little2 but of course that is not belying4 ,they1 perhaps on some rare occasions will try to take it out of their persecutors in one way or another2 but then that is not revenge--that is only standing up for their rights4 ,they would like to have peace1 and so they try to have it by making reconciliation as hard as possible4 ,it is plain what good ,christians they are from their enjoyment of the words which follow those which ,i have quoted from the ,epistle of to-day4 ,these words are3 ,revenge is mine1 ,i will repay1 saith the ,lord4' ,these are1 indeed1 a great consolation to them4 #ie ,yes1 they say to themselves1 ,i leave them to ,god4 ,i cannot revenge myself on my enemies as ,i would like2 ,i don't dare to1 or my conscience won't let me2 but ,i hope ,god will punish them as they deserve4 ,revenge belongs to him1 ,i know1 and ,i am glad to think that in his own good time he will lay it on to them well4 ,i shall do all my duty if ,i wish patiently for the time when he will begin to do it2 and meanwhile ,i will console myself by praying that he may convert them and make every one of them as good a ,christian as ,i am4 ,the delusion under which these good ,christians are laboring would be amusing1 if it were not so dangerous4 ,the danger is that the revenge of ,god1 about which they like to think1 is hanging as much over their own heads as over those of the ones with whom they are at variance4 ,they are not really trying to have peace2 their own revenge is what they want1 though they are willing that ,almighty ,god should be the instrument of it4 ,they do not care either to preserve peace or to regain it in the only way in which it can be preserved or regained--that is1 by charity and humility4 ,their charity is all for themselves4 ,they may tread on other people's corns1 but nobody else must tread on theirs4 ,other people must be humble1 and1 if they give offence1 even carelessly1 must make an abject apology2 but they themselves are too good to be obliged to do that4 ,perhaps1 however1 my friends1 some of you really do want to live in peace with all4 ,if so1 you can do it by following a very simple rule4 ,it is this3 ,be careful what you say or do to others2 they are sensitive as well as yourself--perhaps more so4 ,you must not expect other people to be saints1 even if you are one yourself4 #if ,do not flatter what is bad in them1 but acknowledge what is good2 stroke them the right way4 ,if they really do you an injury see if you have not provoked it2 examine your own actions4 ,if you are sure you have not1 put it down to ignorance or misapprehension2 try to find out what the matter is1 and set it right by an explanation1 if you can4 ,but if you have committed a fault do not be too proud to acknowledge it4 ,if you cannot procure a reconciliation speak well of the other party1 and believe him or her to be1 on the whole1 better than yourself4 ,for one who has true humility this will not be very hard to do4 ,this is the real meaning of the counsel of ,st4 ,paul2 if you follow it you will1 indeed1 live in peace as far as it is possible in this world4 ------------------------ #ig ,fourth ,sunday after ,epiphany4 ,epistle4 ,romans xiii4 #h-aj4 ,brethren3 ,owe no man anything1 but that you love one another4 ,for he that loveth his neighbor1 hath fulfilled the law4 ,for ,thou shalt not commit adultery4 ,thou shalt not kill4 ,thou shalt not steal4 ,thou shalt not bear false witness4 ,thou shalt not covet4 ,and if there be any other commandment1 it is comprised in this word3 ,thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself4 ,the love of the neighbor worketh no evil4 ,love1 therefore1 is the fulfilling of the law4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,matthew viii4 #bc-bg4 ,at that time3 ,when ,jesus entered into the ship1 his disciples followed him2 and behold a great tempest arose in the sea1 so that the ship was covered with waves1 but he was asleep4 ,and his disciples came to him1 and waked him1 saying3 ,lord1 save us1 we perish4 ,and ,jesus saith to them3 ,why are you fearful1 ye of little faith8 ,then rising up he commanded the winds and the sea1 and there came a great calm4 ,but the men wondered1 saying3 ,who is this1 for even the winds and the sea obey him8 ---------------- ,sermon ,,xxv4 ,and ,jesus saith to them3 ,why are you fearful1 ye of little faith8 --,st4 ,matt4 viii4 #bf4 #ih ,some people are always worrying4 ,it would seem that they must enjoy it1 for they always find something to worry about4 ,if one good matter for worrying is settled they will be sure to rake up another to take its place4 ,some of them worry about temporal matters1 some about spiritual2 but whatever their taste may be in this respect1 they are so fond of the amusement that1 if they cannot get their favorite matter to worry about1 they will take something else rather than not have any at all4 ,you would think that this taste for worrying would be a very uncommon one2 but1 strange to say1 it is not so4 ,in fact1 the number of worriers is almost as great as the number of people in the world1 and they are worrying about every conceivable thing1 though generally only about one thing at a time2 it may be about their sins or about somebody else's sins--their children's1 for instance--or it may be1 and is more likely to be1 about some temporal matter1 such as their health or the state of their worldly affairs4 ,now1 what do ,i mean by worrying8 ,i do not mean thinking seriously about things either spiritual or temporal--for a great many1 though not all1 of the things people worry about are worthy of serious consideration1 whereas nothing is worth a moment's worry--but ,i do mean thinking about them in a way that can do no good1 and that only serves to turn the mind in on itself and away from ,god4 ,here1 for instance1 is a case of worrying1 to which ,i have just alluded3 ,a good father and mother have children who are growing up1 as so many children are growing up1 especially in this city1 in neglect of their duties and are acquiring various bad habits4 ,of course this is very painful to their parents1 and there is very good reason that it should be4 ,they would be unnatural or wicked parents if it were not so4 #ii ,they ought to be distressed about it2 and ,i did not say that people should never be distressed1 but only that they should not worry4 ,but these parents probably do worry4 ,they occupy their minds with all sorts of useless questions and imaginations4 ,they say3 ,what have ,i done that these children of mine are so bad8 ,and perhaps1 though they ask this question1 they never really stop to examine themselves and find out if they have neglected their own duty in any way1 so as to make an act of contrition for it1 and make good resolutions1 if it be not too late1 for the future4 ,what they mean rather by it is3 ,how can ,god allow this when ,i have done my duty8 ,and then they say3 ,suppose these children get worse and disgrace my name1 and even1 lose their souls--what shall ,i do then8 ,or perhaps they say3 ,what shall ,i do now8 ,but that does not really mean anything1 for either they do not set their wits to work to find out what they can do1 or they have concluded with good reason that they cannot do anything except pray2 and that they do not do1 for their time of prayer is taken up with this same useless worrying4 ,now1 what does all this come from8 ,it comes from a distrust in ,god's love and providence4 ,it comes from a feeling like what the apostles had1 as we read in to-day's ,gospel1 as if ,he who ought to take care of them were asleep2 but they ought to have known1 as their own psalms could have taught them1 that ,he shall neither slumber nor sleep that keepeth ,israel4 ,even though they knew him not to be ,god1 they should have known that ,god1 who had sent him into the world1 and on whom their faith in him rested1 would not allow them to come to any harm2 and they should have been willing1 when they had done their own duty1 to trust in his providence for the rest4 #ajj ,they might1 indeed1 well have waked him to get his help and advice as to what to do2 but he1 who read their hearts1 knew that their anxiety had its source1 not in prudence1 but in distrust1 and so he deservedly rebuked them1 saying3 ,why are you fearful1 ,o ye of little faith8 ,that is the reason why we1 like the apostles1 are worrying4 ,it is because we have little faith4 ,we distrust ,god's providence and mercy1 and spend our time in this distrust and complaining1 instead of quietly finding out and doing our own duty1 and then simply and confidently leaving the result to him4 ,but we have less excuse for it than they1 for we know more of him than they did then4 ,let us1 then1 be ashamed of our want of faith1 and try to do better in this respect for the future4 ---------------------- ,sermon ,,xxvi4 ,and behold1 a great tempest arose in the sea4 --,st4 ,matthew viii4 #bd4 ,almost all of us1 my dear brethren1 have at some time of life been in a position like that of the apostles in their little boat on the ,sea of ,galilee4 ,we have been out at sea in a storm1 with the waves beating against our frail craft and threatening to swamp it every moment4 ,so we do not need to draw on our imagination to realize what their feelings must have been4 #aja ,perhaps you may think ,i am exaggerating when ,i say this2 most of you1 ,i suppose1 cannot remember ever having been in a storm at sea4 ,but it is quite true1 nevertheless4 ,only the sea and the storm were far more dangerous ones than those to which the apostles were exposed that night4 ,for the sea over which you were1 and still are1 sailing is the sea of this mortal life2 and the storm was the storm of temptation2 and the danger was that of death1 not to the body1 but to the soul4 ,but perhaps you do not remember ever having met with any very violent storm1 even of this kind4 ,well1 it may be that ,god has singularly favored you1 and given you a very quiet and smooth sea to sail over so far4 ,if so1 you are an exception to the common rule4 ,it may be1 however1 that you escaped the storm in another way2 that is1 by going to the bottom at once4 ,you know the most furious tempests do not reach very far below the surface of the ocean1 so that one can always escape them by sinking4 ,so you1 perhaps1 have escaped temptation by yielding to it at once2 as soon as you were tempted to commit mortal sin you committed it1 and sank into its horrible and fathomless abyss1 continually deeper and deeper1 till you were brought up again to the light and air of ,god's pardon and peace by some mission which he sent you1 or by some other extraordinary grace from him4 ,but that was not what you were made for1 any more than a ship is made to be continually sinking and being pulled up to the surface again4 ,ships are made to sail1 not to sink4 ,their builders expect that they will battle with the elements1 not be overcome by them2 nay1 more1 they expect that the very winds which seem to threaten their safety shall be the means of sending them to the port which they are intended to reach4 #ajb ,and what the builder expects of his ship is what ,god1 who has made us1 expects of us2 especially of us ,christians1 with whom he has taken such great pains4 ,he expects1 and he has a right to expect1 that we shall stay on the surface--that is1 that we shall keep in the state of grace2 that we shall battle with the winds and waves--that is1 that we shall resist temptation2 and1 furthermore1 he expects that the winds1 even if they be ahead1 shall help us on our course--that is1 that they shall be the means1 and even the principal means1 of bringing us into the safe harbor of our eternal home4 ,let us not1 then1 be surprised1 nay1 let us even rejoice1 if we fall into temptation1 so long as we do not seek it4 ,my brethren1 says ,st4 ,james1 count it all joy1 when you shall fall into divers temptations4 ,and why8 ,first1 because the fact that you are harassed by temptations is a sign that you have not given way to them4 ,it shows that you are on the surface1 that you have not foundered yet when you feel the winds and the waves4 ,and1 secondly1 because it is a sign that our ,lord puts confidence in you4 ,the builder of a ship1 if he could do it1 would proportion the wind to the size and strength of his vessel2 and that is what our ,maker actually does4 ,he has let his saints have temptations compared with which yours are as nothing at all4 ,such as he allows you to have are meant for your salvation and perfection2 the more he thinks you worthy of1 the better4 #ajc ,but do not seek them4 ,a prudent captain keeps out of the track of storms4 ,be content with those which you cannot avoid1 for those are the only ones which ,god means you to have4 ,when you cannot avoid them meet them courageously4 ,do not get frightened1 as the apostles did1 for ,god is with you as he was with them1 though he may seem to be asleep4 ,he has not forgotten you1 and with his help you will conquer them1 every one4 ,but you must ask him to do so4 ,you must go to him as the apostles did1 saying3 ,lord1 save us1 we perish4 ,he did not blame them for that1 but for their terror and want of trust in his providence4 ,you must work when you are in the storm of temptation as if the result all depended on yourself2 you must pray as if it all depended on him4 ,if you do this you will not sink in the tempest2 nay1 when it is over you will find that it has driven you nearer to the harbor where storms never come4 ---------------- ,sermon ,,xxvii4 ,candlemas-,day4 ,a light to the revelation of the ,gentiles1 and the glory of thy people of ,israel4 --,st4 ,luke ii4 #cb4 ,the blessing of candles1 and the esteem which ,catholics have for candles when they are blessed1 is one of the things which ,protestants find it very hard to understand4 ,they have no idea of a candle1 except that it is a very old-fashioned article1 useful enough1 perhaps1 if you want to grope in some dark corner of the house1 but1 on the whole1 a very poor affair in these days of gas and the electric light4 ,they cannot see why any one who can get a good kerosene lamp should use a candle instead2 unless1 perhaps1 it might be because the candle will not explode4 #ajd ,the reason for their perplexity is pretty plain4 ,it is because they do not1 or it may be will not1 understand that we honor and prize candles1 as we do the images of the saints and many other things1 not for what they are1 but for what they represent2 and also on account of the sanctification and real use1 not to our bodies so much as to our souls1 that the blessing of the church is able to give to anything to which it is attached4 ,protestants1 ,i say1 do not or will not understand these things2 but ,catholics do4 ,it is not superstition which makes a ,catholic prize a blessed candle4 ,he knows1 first1 that it has been selected by the church to represent our ,blessed ,lord himself2 that its feeble light is a sign of the true light which enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world2 and he honors and esteems it for ,god's sake4 ,and secondly1 he knows that it has a power and use greater and higher than that of the most brilliant lamps that the hand of man can make2 that1 though it be but a material thing1 it has a spiritual value1 like holy-water and other things which the church has blessed and sanctified2 and specially that it is a defence against our spiritual enemies1 ,satan and the other fallen angels1 and all the more so because these proud spirits cannot bear to be put to flight1 as they are1 by such a common and simple thing as a candle or a few drops of water4 #aje ,you know these things1 my friends2 the spirit of faith teaches them to you4 ,but you do not bear them so constantly in mind as you should4 ,how often does the priest go to a house on a sick call1 and find that there is no candle to be had6 ,the law of the church requires it when the sacraments are to be administered2 but one would think it would not need a law to make any one who had the faith see that at least this honor should be given to them4 ,strange to say1 however1 the people of the house never thought of the matter at all4 ,they keep our ,lord waiting while they run out to borrow1 if possible1 a candle from some pious neighbor4 ,perhaps they buy one at the grocery-store2 ,i do not know what blessing they think that has received4 ,when they get the candle1 such as it may be1 there is probably nothing to put it in2 it is likely enough that a bottle is all that can be found4 ,it would look much better1 in some houses which we have to visit1 if there were fewer bottles and more blessed candles4 ,it would look as if the people who lived there thought at least as much of their souls as of their bodies4 ,it is very unpleasant for all parties--and our ,lord is one of them--to have such things happen as ,i have described4 ,get rid of the bottle and have a candlestick in its place4 ,i know that candlesticks1 as well as candles1 are rather out of fashion2 but the supply will always follow the demand4 ,for the honor and for the fear of ,god1 do not remain any longer without a blessed candle in your house and something worthy of it to hold it4 ,there will be no harm in burning it1 even though no one be sick and the priest not there1 if it be at a proper place and time4 #ajf ,and1 if it be possible1 offer a candle to be burned in the place and at the time most pleasing to ,god of all--that is1 on his holy altar while ,mass is being offered1 or his blessing being given to you in the ,sacrament of his love4 ,honor and glorify him everywhere1 but specially in the place where his glory dwelleth1 and where he is daily offered up for you4 ------------------- #ajg ,fifth ,sunday after ,epiphany ,epistle4 ,colossians iii4 #ab-ag4 ,brethren3 ,put ye on therefore1 as the elect of ,god1 holy1 and beloved1 the bowels ol mercy1 benignity1 humility1 modesty1 patience1 bearing with one another1 and forgiving one another1 if any have a complaint against another3 even as the ,lord hath forgiven you1 so do you also4 ,but above all these things have charity1 which is the bond of perfection3 and let the peace of ,christ rejoice in your hearts1 wherein also you are called in one body2 and be ye thankful4 ,let the word of ,christ dwell in you abundantly1 in all wisdom3 teaching and admonishing one another in psalms1 hymns1 and spiritual canticles1 singing in grace in your hearts to ,god4 ,all whatsoever you do in word or in work1 do all in the name of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 giving thanks to ,god and the ,father by ,jesus ,christ our ,lord4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,matthew xiii4 #bd-cj4 ,at that time3 ,jesus spoke this parable to the multitude1 saying3 ,the kingdom of heaven is likened to a man that sowed good seed in his field4 ,but while men were asleep1 his enemy came and oversowed cockle among the wheat1 and went his way4 ,and when the blade was sprung up1 and brought forth fruit1 then appeared also the cockle4 ,then the servants of the master of the house came and said to him3 ,master1 didst thou not sow good seed in thy field8 whence then hath it cockle8 ,and he said to them3 ,an enemy hath done this4 ,and the servants said to him3 ,wilt thou that we go and gather it up8 ,and he said3 ,no1 lest while you gather up the cockle1 you root up the wheat also together with it4 #ajh ,let both to grow until the harvest1 and in the time of the harvest ,i will say to the reapers3 ,gather up first the cockle1 and bind it into bundles to burn2 but gather the wheat into my barn4 ---------------------- ,sermon ,,xxviii4 ,gather up first the cockle1 and bind it into bundles to burn2 but gather the wheat into my barn4 --,st4 ,matthew xiii4 #cj4 ,the parable which is the subject of the ,gospel of to-day is explained by our ,lord himself a little further on4 ,the disciples asked him to expound it to them2 and he told them that the good seed were the children of the kingdom--that is1 all good and faithful ,christians2 and that the cockle were the children of the wicked one--that is1 all those who refuse to believe in the faith which ,god has revealed1 or who will not obey his law4 ,these two kinds of people1 said he1 live together in this world1 but at the end of the world they shall all be for ever separated1 the wicked to be cast into the furnace of fire1 and the just to shine as the sun in the kingdom of their ,father4 ,our ,lord calls the sinful the children of the wicked one--that is1 of the devil4 ,but he does not mean that the devil created them1 for he can create no one2 no1 ,god created us all1 and has1 furthermore1 redeemed us all with his precious ,blood4 ,there is something about them1 though1 which the devil may be said to have created1 and that it is which makes them his children4 ,it is sin1 which he first brought into ,god's creation1 to which he tempted our first parents1 and to which he is all the while tempting us now4 ,sin is the devil's work2 and sinners are his children1 because they do his work4 #aji ,but few people1 at least few ,christians1 are all the time sinners and children of the devil4 ,sometimes they repent and become1 at least for a time1 children of ,god4 ,good and evil are mixed up in them1 as they are in the world4 ,so our ,lord's parable is true of each one of them as it is of the world at large4 ,each of our hearts is a little field in which ,god is sowing the good seed of his holy inspirations1 and the devil the bad seed of his wicked temptations2 and sometimes consent is given to one1 sometimes to the other4 ,perhaps we may have asked ourselves the question 7for it is a very natural one to ask73 ,why has ,god allowed the devil to sow his bad seed in the world and in the hearts of men8 ,and why1 if he lets it be sown1 does he not root out this bad seed1 and not let it grow and choke what is good8 ,i should not wonder at your asking this question1 and you should not wonder if we cannot give all of ,god's reasons for it1 for it is one of the mysteries of his providence4 ,but he has himself given one reason for it in his explanation of this parable4 ,the servants1 you will remember1 wanted to go and root out the cockle2 but the master said3 ,no1 lest while ye gather up the cockle1 you root up the wheat also together with it4 ,would it not be so with us1 too1 if ,god should take away all the bad seed of temptation out of our hearts8 ,a great deal of our virtue would be rooted up1 too1 and what was left would not be very strong and solid4 ,you can see that often4 ,a person seems very good1 but what is the reason8 ,it is because he is not much tempted4 #aaj ,let a strong temptation come1 and perhaps such a person will sin more easily than one who has seemed much worse1 but has really been acquiring solid virtue by faithfully combating with difficulties the other has not had4 ,and not only would our virtue not be solid1 but our merits would not be very abundant1 without temptation2 for most of our merit is gained by resisting sin4 ,our ,lord1 then1 does not mean to pull up the cockle out of the way of the wheat1 but wants the wheat to live and outgrow the cockle4 ,it is for us to see that it does so2 for if there is any cockle left when we come to die there will be something to do before the wheat goes to the barn--that is1 to cast the cockle into the furnace of fire2 and that furnace of fire1 for those who die in the grace of ,god1 is the fire of purgatory4 ,we shall have to wait there till the cockle of sin is all burned before we can go to heaven with our wheat of virtue and of merit4 ,let us not think1 then1 in this month of ,november1 only of praying for those who are in those purging flames1 but also of avoiding them ourselves4 ,our ,lord does not want us to go to purgatory4 ,he would infinitely rather take us to heaven from our death-bed than let us remain in that state of suffering4 ,what he wants is to have the wheat grow over the whole field and choke the cockle instead of being choked by it--in a word1 he wants us to be saints4 ,that is what ,st4 ,paul says3 ,this is the will of ,god1 your sanctification4 ,let this1 then1 be our devotion in the month of ,november and all the year round3 to imitate those 7and there are many of them7 who have died and gone before their ,lord with plenty of wheat and no cockle on their hands4 -------------------- #aaa ,sermon ,,xxix4 ,bearing with one another1 and forgiving one another1 if any have a complaint against another3 even as the ,lord hath forgiven you1 so do you also4 --,colossians iii4 #ac4 ,these words1 my dear brethren1 are taken from the ,epistle of to-day4 ,they certainly contain a most important lesson for us1 and one which we are too apt never even to begin to learn4 ,you will find plenty of people who are near the end of a long life--who have1 as the saying is1 one foot in the grave--who do not seem to know how to overlook and to pardon injuries any better than when they first began to be exposed to them4 ,there are two very good reasons1 my brethren1 why you should learn this lesson4 ,the first is that1 unless you do1 you can never be happy in this life2 the second1 that1 unless you have learned it1 there is great reason to fear for your happiness in the life which is to come4 ,you can never be happy1 ,i say1 in this life1 unless you know how to pardon and overlook the injuries you receive from others4 ,and the reason of this is very plain4 ,it is1 in the first place1 because it is very uncomfortable to be brooding over injuries received--that is plain enough2 and1 in the second place1 you will always be exposed to them4 ,there is a way to avoid them1 it is true3 it is to go out into the desert and live there in some cave or hut all alone4 ,but ,i think there are very few nowadays who have any vocation to that2 and if you should undertake to live the life of a hermit without any vocation for it1 the chances are that you would be ten times as miserable as you would be with the very worst neighbors in the world4 #aab ,this is the only way to avoid them2 for1 however good the people are among whom you live1 they will always be somewhat selfish2 they will want to have their own way sometimes1 at least1 and it will often happen that they cannot have their way and at the same time let you have yours4 ,and they will always be somewhat thoughtless4 ,they will not be so very careful not to offend you2 and you cannot expect it of them1 for you are not so careful yourself4 ,you would be surprised if you should know how often you have given offence to others4 ,the fact is1 there is not room enough in this world for us all to get along without sometimes treading on each other's toes4 ,there are a great many of us sailing together down the stream of life1 and it will take the most careful steering to prevent our now and then running foul of each other4 ,and such careful steering cannot be expected of every one1 or of any except one or two here and there4 ,if you really should try it yourselves you would find how difficult it is4 ,the saints do try it1 and that is one reason why it is a work of sanctity to be indulgent to the faults of others4 ,well1 ,i said the second reason why you should learn the lesson of forgiveness to others is that1 unless you do1 there is great reason to fear for your happiness in the life to come4 ,if you can have any doubt of that1 those words of our ,lord in another place will settle your doubt4 ,if you will not forgive men1 he says1 neither will your ,father forgive you your offences4 ,you may confess all your sins1 and receive the sacraments over and over again1 but so long as you have a hatred against your neighbor your confessions and communions will be bad2 you will not be in the friendship of ,god2 and if you go out of the world with that malice in your heart you will be shut out from his presence4 #aac ,you will say to me1 perhaps1 ,father1 ,i will forgive1 but ,i cannot forget ,if you say this to me ,i say to you3 ,take care4 ,as long as you do not at least try to forget1 as long as you keep in your mind that sore feeling which the injury you have received1 or think you have received1 has caused1 it will always be an occasion of sin to you4 ,it will always prompt you to withhold from the persons whom you blame that charity which you are bound to show to all4 ,you will always be inclined to speak evil of them1 to try to prevent others from praising them1 to throw out some hint in which the venom which lies lurking in your heart comes up to the surface4 ,and do not be too sure that you have really done all that ,god requires because the priest has given you absolution4 ,he cannot read your heart1 and often he is obliged to forgive uncharitable people like yourself1 with great doubt in his mind whether his sentence is approved by the great ,judge who cannot be deceived4 ,now1 that you may forgive more easily1 remember what ,i suggested a little while ago3 that is1 that those who have offended you have generally done so either through selfishness or carelessness1 not through malice4 ,believe me1 real malice is quite a rare thing4 ,if you could see the real dispositions of others you would see that on the whole they are about as good as your own2 and ,i do not suppose you think you are malicious1 and ,i do not believe you are4 ,put1 then1 those unworthy suspicions out of your minds1 and forgive others freely and generously as you yourself wish to be forgiven4 ----------------------- #aad ,sixth ,sunday after ,epiphany ,epistle4 #a ,thessalonians i4 #b-aj4 ,brethren3 ,we give thanks to ,god always for you all3 making a remembrance of you in our prayers without ceasing1 being mindful of the work of your faith1 and labor1 and charity1 and of the enduring of the hope of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ before ,god and our ,father2 knowing1 brethren beloved of ,god1 your election3 for our gospel hath not been to you in word only1 but in power also1 and in the ,holy ,ghost1 and in much fulness1 as you know what manner of men we have been among you for your sakes4 ,and you became followers of us1 and of the ,lord3 receiving the word in much tribulation1 with joy of the ,holy ,ghost3 so that you were made a pattern to all who believe in ,macedonia and ,achaia4 ,for from you was spread abroad the word of the ,lord1 not only in ,macedonia and ,achaia1 but also in every place1 your faith which is towards ,god1 is gone forth1 so that we need not to speak anything4 ,for they themselves relate of us1 what manner of entrance we had unto you2 and how you were converted to ,god from idols1 to serve the living and true ,god4 ,and to wait for his ,son from ,heaven 7whom he raised from the dead71 ,jesus who hath delivered us from the wrath to come4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,matthew xiii4 #ca-ce4 ,at that time3 ,jesus spoke to the multitude this parable3 ,the kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard-seed1 which a man took and sowed in his field4 ,which indeed is the least of all seeds2 but when it is grown up it is greater than any herbs1 and becometh a tree1 so that the birds of the air come and dwell in the branches thereof4 #aae ,another parable he spoke to them4 ,the kingdom of heaven is like to leaven1 which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal1 until the whole was leavened4 ,all these things ,jesus spoke in parables to the multitudes3 and without parables he did not speak to them4 ,that the word might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet1 saying3 ,i will open my mouth in parables1 ,i will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world4 ------------------- ,sermon ,,xxx4 ,the kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard-seed4 --,st4 ,matthew xiii4 #ca4 ,a grain of mustard-seed is very little1 as our ,lord tells us1 and also1 as we know1 very sharp and burning4 ,so is ,god's church1 which is the kingdom of ,christ upon earth4 ,first1 it is little2 not in numbers1 but little because it is poor and lowly4 ,the human spirit is proud above all things1 disobedient1 rebellious1 loving to be exalted1 wishing to be praised4 ,that which lost paradise1 which brought sin and death into the world1 which closed heaven1 which opened hell1 that which robbed us1 stripped us of our heavenly inheritance1 was pride4 ,so1 then1 the kingdom of ,god1 the church1 that which is to govern the heart of man1 to rule its disorders1 to bring us back to heaven1 is poor1 is lowly1 in the world's eyes is little4 ,the proud world likes to swell itself out and appear big1 and makes a wide path to swagger in4 ,our ,lord tells us1 ,except ye become as little children ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven2 and again3 ,narrow is the gate and strait the way that leadeth to life4 ,do not wonder1 then1 that our holy church1 which is glorious and magnificent in the eyes of angels and saints1 should be thought little1 and lowly1 and poor by the world1 and the flesh1 and the devil4 #aaf ,now1 it seems that this very poverty of the church ought to be a reason why we should love it4 ,if you are poor1 then remember birds of a feather flock together4 ,the church is poor1 too4 ,she has not 7particularly in these days7 much of this world's goods4 ,often she is much put about to build even a decent temple in which to worship ,god4 ,the church sometimes can hardly keep house for ,god--can hardly buy those things which are of daily necessity for his service4 ,oh6 then the poor ought to love the church4 ,are you rich8 ,then the poverty of the church ought to touch your heart and open your purse4 ,the poor you have always with you1 says ,jesus ,christ1 and the poorest of the poor is ,god's church4 ,the priest is obliged to beg for church1 for school1 and all that is in them--for almost everything1 indeed1 that is needed for the service of our divine ,master4 ,so1 then1 it is from you who are rich that large alms ought to come1 so that ,jesus ,christ may be able to say that we have you with us and him as well as the poor4 ,again1 while ,i caution you against hankering after mere ease and comfort in church1 and the worldly elegances to be seen in the soft-cushioned and carpeted churches of the sects1 ,i must express my wonder that many wealthy ,catholics appear to be quite content to see the churches where they go to ,mass fitted up with furniture that would be too mean for use in their own houses4 ,if our ,lord finds only more straw and another manger for a cradle for his divine ,majesty nowadays1 it ought not to be because we furnish him no better4 #aag ,secondly1 the church is like a grain of mustard-seed1 because her laws are often sharp and burning to the human heart4 ,mustard-seed1 when crushed1 has1 as you know1 a very strong and pungent odor4 ,if you stand over it when thus crushed it will cause tears to flow from your eyes4 ,if applied to your flesh it will burn and smart4 ,yes2 and sometimes the law of ,god will make tears start from your eyes4 ,there is some habit you find convenient1 some little pet plan you have made1 some person to whom you are attached4 ,these things are leading you from ,god2 so his church says3 ,change your ways4 ,give it up4 ,it is not lawful for thee4 ,cut it off4 ,ah6 don't you feel the sharp mustard-seed getting into your eyes8 ,again1 the flesh rebels4 ,that drink you love so much1 that sinful appetite you like to indulge1 those places of evil amusement to which you want to go--what says the church about such things8 ,take the pledge4 ,throw away drink4 ,you must not gratify that sinful inclination4 ,you cannot go to that place of amusement4 ,give up that bad company or ,jesus ,christ will give you up4 ,ah6 don't you feel how the mustard-seed burns and stings8 ,but have good courage--better be burnt here than burnt hereafter4 ,that burning of the mustard seed will heal you1 will cure you4 ,its warmth will bring you back to life4 ,lastly1 one day the little seed will become a great tree1 whose branches shall reach to the sky1 whose boughs shall wave in heaven4 ,then we1 like poor1 homeless birds of the air1 shall spread our weary wings and go and make our lodgings for ever beneath its sheltering leaves4 ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 ------------------------ #aah ,sermon ,,xxxi4 ,the kingdom of heaven is like to leaven1 which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal1 until the whole was leavened4 --,st4 ,matthew xiii4 #cc4 ,the kingdom of heaven1 my dear friends1 means1 as you know1 in this as well as in many other of our ,lord's parables1 not ,god's kingdom in the next world1 but in this--that is1 his holy ,catholic ,church4 ,understanding it in this way1 it is easy to see why he compares it to a grain of mustard-seed or to leaven2 for it was small in the beginning1 but has grown1 as the mustard-seed grows1 so that it now has spread through the whole earth2 and it was not noticed in the beginning1 as the little leaven or yeast would not be in the dough into which it is put1 but has now made its influence felt in all the world1 as that of the yeast is in the bread which it makes4 ,this was our ,lord's intention1 that his church should be continually growing till every one should enter it1 till every heart should be leavened by its faith4 ,but there are some people--,catholics1 too1 but a very curious kind of ,catholics--who seem to think that the church was only made for those nations or those families which now belong to it1 and will even blame those who are converted to it for leaving the religion of their fathers4 ,i do not know what excuse one can make for these persons1 except to suppose that ,god has blessed them with a very small share of common sense4 #aai ,i do not think that there are many people so stupid as to talk in this way2 but there are a good many who act as if they thought as these people seem to think4 ,i do not mean that there are many who give the cold shoulder to converts1 for that would be an unjust reproach2 but ,i do mean that there are many ,catholics who do not seem to understand the world has got to be converted1 and that they themselves have got to do their share towards it2 that they are part of that leaven with which our ,lord meant that the world should be leavened2 that it was by means of them1 according to their measure of ability and opportunity1 that he meant the faith to be diffused through the world4 ,every ,catholic ought to be a missionary in his way and place1 and do something to bring others to that knowledge of the truth which he himself has received4 ,not that every ,catholic should go out and preach the faith on the corners of the streets1 or to people who would laugh at him or do him more harm than he could do them good2 but that every one should be on the lookout for those who are sincere and well disposed1 and be ready to give them a helping hand1 to explain any difficulties which they may have1 or to persuade them to come to the priest1 who can explain them more fully4 ,but1 above all1 that he should spread among those who do not believe the leaven of good example1 and not scandalize them by a bad life4 ,one can hardly be too careful to avoid scandalizing even the faithful2 and much more care should be taken not to scandalize those who are seeking for the truth1 and particularly about those things on which their ideas are very strict and their consciences very sensitive4 #abj ,take1 for instance1 the horrible vice of profane swearing1 to which many of you1 to your own shame you must confess1 are so much addicted1 and about which you are inexcusably careless4 ,there is no doubt at all that there is many a ,protestant who would not so much as think of enquiring about the faith of a person who was in the habit of blaspheming4 ,and yet he may be really anxious to know the truth1 and his soul is as dear to ,god as yours2 and if you are the cause1 by this abominable habit of yours1 of his turning away in despair from the church1 most assuredly you will have to give an account for it when your soul shall come to be judged4 ,many persons all around us are outside of the church to-day because of the prevalence of this sin of profanity among ,catholics1 because all the ,catholics whom they know seem rather to be children of the devil than of the good ,god4 ,there are many other things1 particularly drunkenness and falsehood1 by which ,catholics spread around them the leaven of bad example1 and drive people away from the faith instead of drawing them to it2 but ,i have not time to speak of all4 ,it is for you1 my brethren1 to look to it that1 when you come to die1 you shall feel that you have indeed done something to diffuse through the world the leaven of faith and virtue1 not of unbelief and vice and that our ,lord will not require at your hands the blood of your brother1 for whom he died as well as for you4 --------------------- #aba ,septuagesima ,sunday ,epistle4 #a ,corinthians ix4 #bd2 x4 #e4 ,brethren3 ,know you not that they who run in the race1 all run indeed1 but one receiveth the prize8 ,so run that you may obtain4 ,and every one that striveth for the mastery refraineth himself from all things2 and they indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown2 but we an incorruptible one4 ,i therefore so run1 not as at an uncertainty3 ,i so fight1 not as one beating the air3 but ,i chastise my body1 and bring it into subjection3 lest perhaps1 when ,i have preached to others1 ,i myself should become reprobate4 ,for ,i would not have you ignorant1 brethren1 that our fathers were all under the cloud1 and all passed through the sea4 ,and all in ,moses were baptized1 in the cloud and in the sea2 and they did all eat the same spiritual food1 and all drank the same spiritual drink 7and they drank of the spiritual rock that followed them1 and the rock was ,christ74 ,but with the most of them ,god was not well pleased4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,matthew xx4 #a-af4 ,at that time3 ,jesus said to his disciples this parable3 ,the kingdom of heaven is like to a master of a family1 who went early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard4 ,and when he had agreed with the laborers for a penny a day1 he sent them into his vineyard4 ,and he went out about the third hour and saw others standing in the market-place idle4 ,and he said to them3 ,go you also into my vineyard1 and ,i will give you what shall be just4 ,and they went their way4 ,and again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour1 and did in like manner4 #abb ,but about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing1 and he saith to them3 ,why stand you here all the day idle8 ,they say to him3 ,because no man hath hired us4 ,he saith to them3 ,go you also into my vineyard4 ,and when evening was come1 the lord of the vineyard saith to his steward3 ,call the laborers and pay them their hire1 beginning from the last even to the first4 ,when1 therefore1 they came1 who had come about the eleventh hour1 they received every man a penny4 ,but when the first also came1 they thought that they should have received more1 and they also received every man a penny4 ,and when they received it1 they murmured against the master of the house1 saying3 ,these last have worked but one hour1 and thou hast made them equal to us1 that have borne the burden of the day and the heats4 ,but he answering one of them1 said3 ,friend1 ,i do thee no wrong2 didst thou not agree with me for a penny8 ,take what is thine and go thy way3 ,i will also give to this last even as to thee4 ,or1 is it not lawful for me to do what ,i will8 is thy eye evil because ,i am good8 ,so shall the last be first1 and the first last1 ,for many are called1 but few chosen4 ----------------- ,sermon ,,xxxii4 ,why stand ye here all the day idle8 --,st4 ,matthew xx4 #f4 ,this life1 my dear friends1 is often spoken of in ,scripture as a day1 both on account of its shortness and because the night of death follows4 ,now1 there are certainly many persons who do stand all their lives idle2 that is to say1 they do not try to work out their own salvation2 they do not try to do anything in the ,lord's vineyard1 the church1 by helping forward good works either by their means or by their active service4 #abc ,there are a great number of men and women who never think of caring for the great business of their salvation4 ,day after day goes by1 week after week1 and they have done no good works1 corrected no faults1 made absolutely no advancement or improvement4 ,it is too much trouble for them to examine their consciences1 too tiresome to stir themselves to go to ,mass and the sacraments4 ,they have sunk into a state of spiritual drowsiness by the world's fireside2 in a word1 they are all the day idle4 ,oh6 if there are any such here1 let them take warning4 ,for the night will surely come1 and then it will be too late4 ,perhaps this is the eleventh hour for you4 ,god has called you often before2 now1 by the voice of his priest1 he speaks once more and says3 ,why stand ye here all the day idle8 ,to-day you see again the purple vestments and hangings2 they tell you that ,lent is fast approaching1 that a time of grace is coming round once more4 ,oh6 then1 you that have yet a few hours of the day of life left1 go into the vineyard of your own souls1 root up the weeds1 till the soil1 plant good seed1 that the ,father of all may be able in the end to give you the wages of everlasting life4 ,again1 such among you as have means1 or who are able to help your pastor by active service in the charge of the sick and the poor1 who can teach the uninstructed1 help along in sewing-schools and in forming sodalities and pious organizations of various kinds--to you also the cry comes1 ,why stand ye all the day idle8 ,why1 when called upon to bear a little part of the priest's burden1 are so many people like an old gun that hangs fire8 ,why is it often so difficult for the priest to get the active co-operation of the lay people8 #abd ,why does he so often get the cold shoulder as people say1 when he asks a little help8 ,is it not because people won't go into the vineyard1 won't work1 won't take trouble8 ,because they would rather not be bothered8 ,how often they say3 ,i have no time2 ,what are the priests for1 anyhow8 ,let them look after these things4 ,thus they stand all the day idle1 and the hard work falls on the priests and just a few self-sacrificing helpers4 ,when you are called on1 then1 by your pastors to help in the parish1 don't be backward in coming forward2 make up your minds that you will not stand idle1 but that it shall be a long pull and a strong pull1 and a pull all together4 ,why should we be so afraid of idleness in spiritual things and in works of charity8 ,because1 my dear friends1 the time is short4 ,life is passing swiftly4 ,the night of death is at hand4 ,soon the cry will be heard3 ,behold1 the ,bridegroom cometh2 go ye forth to meet him4 ,soon the ,master of the vineyard will come and look at our work4 ,woe to us if he finds that we either never went into the vineyard at all1 or1 at best1 the work there was so ill done that our part of the land is choked with docks and darnels and every kind of weed6 ,you know1 doubtless1 that people sometimes give to each of their children a little garden to plant2 ah6 how these children try to make my garden the best one4 ,how careful they are of it1 how grieved if the frost or some noxious insect should destroy the flowers or fruits6 ,we are all children2 ,god has given us each a little garden1 a little piece of his great vineyard1 to care and tend4 ,let us1 then1 like the little ones1 try to make our garden the finest1 that when our ,father1 ,god1 and our dear ,mother1 ,mary1 come to look at it they may find it full of beauty and fragrance1 and say concerning us3 ,this one1 at least1 did not stand all the day idle4 ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 --------------------------- #abe ,sermon ,,xxxiii4 ,they murmured against the master of the house4 --,st4 ,matthew xx4 #aa4 ,we can hardly fail1 my dear brethren1 to understand the meaning of this parable of our ,lord1 though he himself has given no explanation of it4 ,he is the master of the house2 we are the laborers whom he has hired to work in his vineyard1 and hired1 too1 at a very great price2 for the penny which the laborers all received represents the reward of eternal life which he has promised to all who die in his service1 even though they come to that service at the eleventh hour--that is1 at the end of their lives4 ,now1 ,i do not know that we are inclined to find fault with our ,lord for forgiving one who has sinned during his whole life and sincerely repents1 though it be on his death-bed4 ,we are generous enough to be glad when one is really converted and saves his soul2 and perhaps all the more if it be at the last moment4 ,we do not find fault with ,god for his mercy1 but rather we thank him for it4 ,but we are inclined to murmur against him for what seems to us to be an unjust and partial distribution of his mercies1 as the laborers murmured against their master4 ,they did not complain that the last received a penny1 but that they themselves did not receive more4 ,they thought that the master ought to have proportioned the wages to the service rendered2 but we can see plainly enough that he was not so bound4 #abf ,all he was bound to was to give the penny to all those to whom he had promised it2 as for the rest1 he might have given any one of them his whole property1 if he had taken a special fancy to him4 ,you would not say that a man acted unjustly if he should single out any one of his servants and make him a special present over and above his regular wages4 ,you would say1 as the master of the house said1 that he could do what he liked with what remained after his debts were paid4 ,now1 let us apply this1 which is nothing but common sense1 to our ,lord's relations to us4 ,he has a debt to pay to us to which he has bound himself4 ,it is a real debt to us1 because it rests on a real promise which he has made4 ,and that debt is to forgive us when we really turn to him and repent of our sins1 and to give us1 through his own merits and the shedding of his own ,blood1 the eternal happiness which that precious ,blood has purchased for us4 ,but he is not bound to give us graces which will force us to repent2 nor is he bound to give to each one of us the same graces inclining us to repent4 ,he has promised forgiveness to those who repent1 but not repentance to those who sin4 ,still less is he bound to give to all the same impulses to perfection1 the same interior consolations1 the same extraordinary supernatural gifts of any kind4 ,he is no more bound to this than he is bound to give us all the same amount of natural strength1 whether of mind or body1 or the same amount of worldly goods4 ,he has his reasons for the distribution of his gifts1 it is true1 and they are wise and holy ones1 we may be sure2 for he does not act from caprice1 as we might do4 ,but they are not reasons of justice to us1 but mercy4 ,if we were treated according to strict justice ,i do not know who among us would be saved4 #abg ,remember this1 then1 my brethren1 when you are inclined to find fault with our ,lord for his treatment of you or others4 ,remember that you have already received many times more than in strict justice was your due4 ,remember the countless favors1 both temporal and spiritual1 which you have already received at his hands1 and be ashamed of complaining that others have received even more4 ,beware of envying them those things which ,god1 in his great mercy1 has freely bestowed on them2 take care not to covet your neighbor's goods1 for that is exactly what you are in danger of doing4 ,and remember1 specially1 the great gift which he has given you all1 and which many others who certainly seem1 even in your own eyes1 as good as yourselves have not received2 that is1 the light of the one true faith4 ,remember that you have not had to struggle in darkness and uncertainty2 that you have always been able to know what to believe and what to do4 ,others1 it is true1 might have this1 too1 if they would do their own part2 but that part ,god has done for you4 ,thank him1 then1 for this unspeakable mercy1 and do not complain of other things which he has given or withheld4 ------------------------ ,sermon ,,xxxiv4 ,so run that you may obtain4 --#a ,corinthians ix4 #bd4 #abh ,there is a great rage just now1 my brethren1 as you are aware1 for walking1 running1 or footing it in any way4 ,he or she is the best man or woman who can go the greatest number of miles in a week1 or the greatest number of quarter-miles in the same number of quarter-hours4 ,the interesting question of the present day is who can plod along with the greatest number of big blisters on each foot1 or best endure being stirred up every fifteen minutes from a few winks of much-needed sleep1 and go to sleep again the soonest after accomplishing the required number of laps on a tan-bark track4 ,this is all very well in its way4 ,walking is not a bad thing for the health at any time2 and just now it is a decidedly good thing for the pocket1 if one is strong enough to excel in it4 ,but for most people there are better ways of getting over the ground4 ,even the professional pedestrian will not refuse1 now and then1 to make use of the elevated railway4 ,there is one journey1 however1 which we all have to make on foot4 ,that is the journey to heaven1 where we all want to go4 ,there is no elevated railway to take us there4 ,if we are to get there it must be by our own exertions4 ,we may1 it is true1 save part of the labor by availing ourselves of the very uncomfortable and slow transit provided in purgatory2 but that is a thing which we must surely wish to avoid as far as possible4 ,yes1 my brethren1 every sensible person will try to escape that means of conveyance1 and make this journey on foot over the road prepared in this world4 ,furthermore1 as he has this long walk to take--for heaven is not very near to most of us--he will try to fit himself for it2 to go into training1 and to keep in training1 so that he may not break down on the way1 or find himself with a short record when the end of his time arrives4 ,he will bear in mind the warning of ,st4 ,paul in to-day's ,epistle3 ,so run that you may obtain4 #abi ,how does the pedestrian manage to run so as to obtain his fame1 his thousand dollars1 and his gate-money8 ,in the first place he works hard and sticks to his work4 ,he does not waste his time by sitting down on the benches and watching the other man4 ,he keeps on the track as long as he is able4 ,when he cannot keep on any longer he takes the rest and food that he needs--not a bit more--and goes at it again4 ,sometimes he feels ready to drop2 but he keeps on1 and the fatigue passes away4 ,secondly1 he not only keeps to his work1 but he avoids everything else that can interfere with it4 ,he does not live on plum-cake and mince pie1 or fill up with bad whiskey and drugged beer4 ,he adopts a good1 plain1 wholesome diet--something that will stick to his bones and go to muscle1 not to fat4 ,thirdly1 he does not stagger round the ring with a ,saratoga trunk on his back4 ,far from it4 ,he lays aside every weight that he can4 ,he even makes his clothes as light as possible4 ,he does not care to carry anything more than himself over the five hundred miles that he has to go4 ,lastly1 he has a director4 ,he does not call him by that name--he calls him a trainer2 but it comes to the same thing4 ,he does not trust his own judgment1 but has some one else to feed him1 to tend him1 to check him1 or to urge him on4 ,now1 in all things1 my friends1 the pedestrian sets us a good example3 in the earnestness which inspires him1 and the means he takes to ensure success4 #acj ,imitate him in them in the great journey before you1 in which so much more than fame and gate-money is involved4 ,in the first place1 keep to your work2 let every waking moment be a step toward heaven4 ,be not weary in well-doing4 ,secondly1 do not indulge sensuality2 use what the world has to give so that it may help you on your course1 and not for its own sake4 ,eat and drink so that your body may be strong enough to serve your soul1 but not strong enough to rule it4 ,thirdly1 do not put a great load of riches on your back1 unless you have got some good use to make of it4 ,you will have to drop it at the end of your race1 and it will only keep you back and prevent your winning4 ,lastly1 do not trust yourself too much4 ,have some one to help you--a director who will guide you and tell you when you make mistakes1 when you are going too fast or too slow4 ,this is nothing but common prudence2 use it1 and your transit to the kingdom of heaven shall be both rapid and sure4 ------------------------- #aca ,sexagesima ,sunday4 ,epistle4 #b ,corinthians xi4 #ai-xii4 #i4 ,brethren3 ,you gladly suffer the foolish3 whereas you yourselves are wise4 ,for you suffer if a man bring you into bondage1 if a man devour you1 if a man take from you1 if a man be extolled1 if a man strike you on the face4 ,i speak according to dishonor1 as if we had been weak in this part4 ,wherein if any man is bold 7,i speak foolishly7 ,i am bold also4 ,they are ,hebrews2 so am ,i4 ,they are ,israelites2 so am ,i4 ,they are the seed of ,abraham2 so am ,i4 ,they are the ministers of ,christ 7,i speak as one less wise71 ,i am more2 in many more labors1 in prisons more frequently1 in stripes above measure1 in deaths often4 ,of the ,jews five times did ,i receive forty stripes1 save one4 ,thrice was ,i beaten with rods1 once ,i was stoned1 thrice ,i suffered shipwreck2 a night and a day ,i was in the depth of the sea2 in journeys often1 in perils of rivers1 in perils of robbers1 in perils from my own nation1 in perils from the ,gentiles1 in perils in the city1 in perils in the wilderness1 in perils in the sea1 in perils from false brethren3 in labor and painfulness1 in watchings often1 in hunger and thirst1 in many fastings1 in cold and nakedness4 ,besides those things which are without3 my daily instance1 the solicitude for all the churches4 ,who is weak1 and ,i am not weak8 ,who is scandalized1 and ,i do not burn8 ,if ,i must needs glory1 ,i will glory of the things that concern my infirmity4 ,the ,god and ,father of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 who is blessed for ever1 knoweth that ,i lie not4 ,at ,damascus the governor of the nation under ,aretas the king1 guarded the city of the ,damascenes to apprehend me4 #acb ,and through a window in a basket was ,i let down by the wall1 and so escaped his hands4 ,if ,i must glory 7for it is not expedient indeed72 but ,i will come to visions and revelations of the ,lord4 ,i know a man in ,christ above fourteen years ago 7whether in the body ,i know not1 or out of the body ,i know not3 ,god knoweth71 such an one caught up to the third heaven4 ,and ,i know such a man1 whether in the body or out of the body1 ,i know not3 ,god knoweth2 that he was caught up into paradise2 and heard secret words which it is not granted to man to utter4 ,of such an one ,i will glory3 but for myself ,i will glory nothing1 but in my infirmities4 ,for even if ,i would glory1 ,i shall not be foolish3 for ,i will say the truth4 ,but ,i forbear1 lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth in me1 or anything he heareth from me4 ,and lest the greatness of the revelations should puff me up1 there was given me a sting of my flesh and angel of ,satan1 to buffet me4 ,for which thing ,i thrice besought the ,lord1 that it might depart from me2 and he said to me3 ,my grace is sufficient for thee2 for power is made perfect in infirmity4 ,gladly therefore will ,i glory in my infirmities1 that the power of ,christ may dwell in me4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,luke viii4 #d-ae4 ,at that time3 ,when a very great multitude was gathered together and hastened out of the cities to him1 he spoke by a similitude4 ,a sower went out to sow his seed4 ,and as he sowed some fell by the wayside1 and it was trodden down1 and the fowls of the air devoured it4 ,and some fell upon a rock2 and as soon as it was sprung up1 it withered away1 because it had no moisture4 ,and some fell among thorns1 and the thorns growing up with it1 choked it4 ,and some fell upon good ground2 and sprung up1 and yielded fruit a hundred-fold4 ,saying these things1 he cried out3 ,he that hath ears to hear1 let him hear4 ,and his disciples asked him what this parable might be4 ,to whom he said3 ,to you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of ,god2 but to the rest in parables1 that seeing they may not see1 and hearing they may not understand4 #acc ,now the parable is this3 ,the seed is the word of ,god4 ,and they by the wayside are they that hear3 then the devil cometh1 and taketh the word out of their heart1 lest believing they should be saved4 ,now they upon the rock1 are they who when they hear1 receive the word with joy3 and these have no roots2 who believe for a while1 and in time of temptation fall away4 ,and that which fell among thorns1 are they who have heard1 and going their way1 are choked with the cares1 and riches1 and pleasures of this life1 and yield no fruit4 ,but that on the good ground1 are they who in a good and perfect heart1 hearing the word1 keep it1 and bring forth fruit in patience4 ---------------------- ,sermon ,,xxxv4 ,and some seed fell upon a rock4 --,st4 ,luke viii1 #f4 ,the sentence which forms the text is sometimes translated and some fell upon stony ground--that is to say1 the good seed scattered by the sower fell in a place that was hard and rocky4 ,the sower in the parable is ,jesus ,christ1 the seed is the word of ,god4 ,the great ,chief ,sower1 dear friends1 has gone away1 but the good seed1 the word of ,god1 the doctrines of holy church1 her precepts1 her laws1 the rules of morality1 the standard by which we can tell good deeds from sin--all this good seed is still sown by ,god's priests1 by the divinely appointed and ordained ministers of the word of ,god4 ,chiefly this sowing is done in the confessional and in the pulpit4 ,in the confessional the sower scatters the good seed into each heart individually2 in the pulpit the seed is scattered over the multitude gathered together4 #acd ,it seems a hard thing to say1 but alas6 in these days the word of ,god1 the good seed1 falls for the most part upon stony ground4 ,the priest exhorts1 entreats1 persuades1 threatens1 tells of ,god's justice1 speaks of his mercy1 holds up the joys of heaven as a reward1 points to the abyss of hell as a punishment2 and it all falls upon stony ground4 ,it falls upon the high crags of inaccessible rocks1 upon the heart of the hardened sinner1 upon the stony1 adamantine hearts of those who have given up even the thought of repentance4 ,it falls upon you1 wretched man1 who come to ,mass for the sake of appearances every ,sunday2 upon you who drag a dead1 corpse-like1 blackened1 devil-marked soul here before the altar of ,god every ,sunday morning1 without ever thinking of taking that soul to one of those confessionals which stare you in the face4 ,yes1 the good seed falls upon you1 and it falls upon a rock waiting to be calcined by the fires of hell4 ,the word of ,god falls upon the pavement1 hard and stony as it is4 ,it falls upon the hearts of frivolous1 giddy1 conceited girls4 ,it falls upon the hearts of blaspheming1 drinking1 impure young men4 ,it falls upon the hearts of men of business whose only aim is wealth1 and of the women who are votaries of fashion2 for what are the hearts of all such but a pavement1 a thoroughfare1 along which pass every evil beast1 every low1 degrading passion1 and every unholy desire8 ,o you girls and young men of this city and this day6 you men and women of the world6 you who come and hear the sermon1 and afterwards go away with a simper on your powdered faces and a sneer upon your lips6 you young ladies and young gentlemen of the period--to you ,i say1 your hearts are stony ground4 #ace ,the good seed can never grow upon it4 ,nothing can flourish there but thorns and briers1 whose end is to be burnt4 ,o dear brethren1 young and old1 rich and poor6 tear up the paving-stones1 shiver to atoms your pride1 your love of the world and its vanities2 and when you hear the word of ,god1 when the good seed is scattered1 let your hearts be not stony1 but soft and moist to receive it4 ,there are others whose hearts are like the pebbly beach4 ,the seed falls there1 and then the sea of their pride comes and washes it all away4 ,they know what is said from the pulpit is true1 they know the advice in the confessional is good1 but they are too proud to change their lives1 too proud to own that the priest knows better than they do4 ,they say3 ,why should the church interfere between my wife and me1 or between my children and myself8 ,why should the head of the family be ruled by the clergy8 and the like4 ,on such as these the word falls1 but it falls on stony ground4 ,to all of you1 then1 the ,gospel says this morning1 ,he that hath ears to hear1 let him hear4 ,open your ears and soften your hearts4 ,sermons are not for you to criticise2 they are for you to profit by1 for you to form your lives upon4 ,the words of the priest are the words of ,god4 ,the seed that he sows is the good seed4 ,woe to you if your hearts are stony ground6 ,there is a rank growth which is called stone-crop1 which clings to walls and stones2 there is a weed-like1 yellow grass that sprouts upon neglected house-tops4 ,what do men do with such plants8 ,they cast them forth into the smouldering weed-fire4 ,and so will ,god cast into the fire that is never quenched those who receive the word of ,god on stony ground4 ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 ------------------------- #acf ,sermon ,,xxxvi4 ,a sower went out to sow his seed4 --,st4 ,luke viii4 #e4 ,you all know1 my brethren1 what this seed is1 and who it is that sows it2 for our ,lord himself explains the parable1 and you have just heard the explanation4 ,the seed1 he says1 is the word of ,god2 and it is ,god that sows it4 ,and what is the word of ,god8 ,protestants tell us that it is the ,bible2 and their idea of sowing it is to leave a copy of it with everybody1 whether they can read and understand it or not4 ,that is not the way1 however1 that the ,divine ,wisdom has followed4 ,he has put his word1 of which the ,bible is no doubt a great part1 in the hands and the heart of his church1 and told her to preach it to all nations--not to leave copies of it with them4 ,the word of ,god is1 then1 the religious instruction which you are all the time receiving1 mainly from the priests of the parish to which you belong4 ,it is ,god that gives it to you through them4 ,it ought to bring forth fruit a hundred-fold1 like the seed falling on good ground4 ,you ought not only to hear it but to keep it4 ,do you8 ,what was the sermon about last ,sunday8 ,don't all speak at once4 ,well1 ,i am not going to tell you1 though ,i am pretty sure that many of you will never know unless ,i do4 ,and if you don't remember the last one there is not much chance that you remember the one before that4 ,in fact1 ,i have no doubt that there are plenty of people in the church at this moment who do not remember any sermon at all4 ,all that they ever listened to--or did not listen to--in the many years they have been going to church1 went in1 as the saying is1 at one ear and out at the other4 #acg ,and yet you talk enough about what you hear1 some of you at least4 ,you make yourselves a standing committee to decide on the merits of the various preachers that you sit under4 ,you say to each other3 ,what a fine discourse that was6 or1 perhaps3 ,that was the worst sermon ,i ever heard4 ,but what either of them was about it would puzzle you to tell4 ,your ears were tickled1 or they were not1 and that was all4 ,perhaps you think ,i am rather hard on you4 ,you will say3 ,father1 surely you cannot expect our memories to be so good4 ,and then we hear so much that one thing puts out another4 ,well1 there is some truth in that4 ,even if you try to remember ,i know you will forget a good deal2 but the trouble is that you do not try4 ,you do not hear sermons in the right way4 ,you think whether they are good or not1 but you don't think whether or not there is anything in them that is good for you2 and if so1 what it is4 ,if1 perchance1 you do hear anything that comes home to you1 you fail to make a note of it4 ,you don't get any fruit from the word of ,god1 though you often think your neighbors ought to4 ,you say3 ,i hope ,mr4 or ,mrs4 ,smith1 ,brown1 or ,jones heard that2 but you do not hear it yourself4 ,you do not apply it to your own case4 ,you do not try to find out whether anything has been said that it would be well for you to know1 or to think of if you do know it4 #ach ,try1 then1 to amend in this respect4 ,listen1 when you hear a sermon or instruction1 to the word of ,god in it speaking to you4 ,do not think who says it1 but what is said1 and what use you are going to make of it4 ,one day you will be called to account before ,god's judgment-seat for all these words of his that you have heard2 look to it that they bear fruit in your heart4 ,it is better than remembering them1 to have them change your lives2 but if they do that you will remember them4 ,and they will do that1 unworthy as his servants are through whom they come to you1 if you listen to them in the right way4 ,remember1 now1 what this sermon is about1 and don't forget it before next ,sunday4 ----------------------- ,sermon ,,xxxvii4 ,a sower went out to sow his seed4 --,st4 ,luke viii4 #e4 ,our ,divine ,saviour1 in his explanation of this parable1 points out four kinds of soil upon which the seed fell1 three of which gave no harvest4 ,the barren soils represent those souls which either do not keep the word of ,god--and they are the wayside2 or1 keeping it1 do not bring forth fruit--and they are the stony and the thorny ground4 ,wayside souls are hardened by the constant tramp of sin and dried by the scorching wind of passion4 ,on such ground the seed remains on the surface2 it cannot penetrate4 ,so it is trodden down1 and the birds of the air--that is1 the devil1 swift and noiseless in his flight--come and take the word of ,god out of such hearts1 lest believing they might be saved4 ,stony soil looks fair enough1 but it is shallow2 the rock underneath hinders moisture1 and the seed1 though it sprouts1 has but weak roots1 which soon wither4 #aci ,there are souls who hear and even receive the word with joy2 and these have no roots1 because their ,christianity is shallow2 right under the fair appearances of religion is the hard rock of worldliness and self-love4 ,now1 the soil in which we should be rooted1 says ,st4 ,paul 7,eph4 ii4 #g71 is charity4 ,again1 there are those who believe for a while1 and in time of temptation fall away4 ,the word of ,god has entered into your souls2 it has converted you4 ,but have not evil habits to which you cling1 and cherished sins repeated at the first onset of temptation1 taken all firmness out of your purpose of amendment and nipped in the bud your good resolution8 ,i hope the mission will have more lasting fruit among you4 ,thorny soil is full of the germs and roots of useless and hurtful plants4 ,in such ground1 says our ,saviour1 the good and bad seed started up and for a time grew together4 ,soon the thorns shot ahead1 sucked up for themselves all the juices of the earth1 shut out the warmth of the sun from the wheat1 closed in upon it1 and finally choked it4 ,in our fallen nature are the germs of evil1 the hot-bed of concupiscence4 ,they are part of ourselves2 we cannot get entirely rid of them1 as no ground1 however well worked1 can be freed from bad seeds4 ,there they are with the good1 and will sprout up with it2 the mischief is in letting them grow until they kill the grace of ,god and absorb our souls2 then1 indeed1 we are in a state of spiritual suffocation2 the divine seed is choked in us4 ,now1 the thorns1 says our ,saviour1 are the cares1 the riches1 and the pleasures of life4 ,as long as we are in the world we shall have to bear with its cares4 ,yet the great care1 you know1 is your salvation4 ,all other concerns become choking thorns when they take precedence of this4 #adj ,riches are not the best claim to heaven4 ,yet it is only the unjust getting1 the absorbing love1 and the sinful use of them that choke off the life of the soul4 ,and in riches there is danger for the poor1 strange as it may seem4 ,as the shadow of ,st4 ,peter cured1 so the shadow of wealth diseases by causing envy1 want of resignation4 ,the poor should beware of the evil eye of riches2 it is poverty in spirit which is a passport to heaven4 ,the pleasures of life1 as you know from your own experience1 unless checked by mortification1 are fatal to the growth of ,god's word within us4 ,the sunshine of the world is peculiarly favorable to the tropical vegetation of noxious or useless weeds4 ,remember that your soul is a field in which ,satan has put germs of evil as well as ,god1 of good4 ,both are watching the growth and looking out for the final result4 ,on you it depends which crop your soul will produce1 wheat or thorns4 ,the wheat will be gathered in ,god's granary1 the thorns are only fit to burn4 ,be ye1 therefore1 good ground--i4e41 hearing the word1 keep it1 and bring forth fruit in patience4 --------------------- #ada ,quinquagesima ,sunday4 ,epistle4 #a ,corinthians xiii4 #a-ac4 ,brethren3 ,if ,i speak with the tongues of men and of angels1 and have not charity1 ,i am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal4 ,and if ,i should have prophecy1 and should know all mysteries1 and all knowledge1 and if ,i should have all faith1 so that ,i could remove mountains1 and have not charity1 ,i am nothing4 ,and if ,i should distribute all my goods to feed the poor1 and if ,i should deliver my body to be burned1 and have not charity1 it profiteth me nothing4 ,charity is patient1 is kind3 charity envieth not1 dealeth not perversely1 is not puffed up1 is not ambitious1 seeketh not her own1 is not provoked to anger1 thinketh no evil1 rejoiceth not in iniquity1 but rejoiceth with the truth3 beareth all things1 believeth all things1 hopeth all things1 endureth all things4 ,charity never faileth3 whether prophecies shall be made void1 or tongues shall cease1 or knowledge shall be destroyed4 ,for we know in part1 and we prophesy in part4 ,but when that which is perfect shall come1 that which is in part shall be done away4 ,when ,i was a child1 ,i spoke as a child1 ,i understood as a child1 ,i thought as a child4 ,but when ,i became a man1 ,i put away the things of a child4 ,we see now through a glass in an obscure manner3 but then face to face4 ,now ,i know in part3 but then ,i shall know even as ,i am known4 ,and now there remain faith1 hope1 and charity1 these three3 but the greatest of these is charity4 #adb ,gospel4 ,st4 ,luke xviii4 #ca-dc4 ,at that time3 ,jesus took unto him the twelve1 and said to them3 ,behold we go up to ,jerusalem1 and all things shall be accomplished which were written by the prophets concerning the ,son of ,man4 ,for he shall be delivered to the ,gentiles1 and shall be mocked1 and scourged1 and spit upon3 and after they have scourged him1 they will put him to death1 and the third day he shall rise again4 ,and they understood none of these things1 and this word was hid from them1 and they understood not the things that were said4 ,now it came to pass that when he drew nigh to ,jericho1 a certain blind man sat by the wayside1 begging4 ,and when he heard the multitude passing by1 he asked what this meant4 ,and they told him that ,jesus of ,nazareth was passing by4 ,and he cried out1 saying3 ,jesus1 son of ,david1 have mercy on me4 ,and they that went before1 rebuked him1 that he should hold his peace4 ,but he cried out much more3 ,son of ,david1 have mercy on me4 ,and ,jesus stood and commanded him to be brought to him4 ,and when he was come near1 he asked him1 saying3 ,what wilt thou that ,i do to thee8 ,but he said3 ,lord1 that ,i may see4 ,and ,jesus said to him3 ,receive thy sight3 thy faith hath made thee whole4 ,and immediately he saw1 and followed him1 glorifying ,god4 ,and all the people1 when they saw it1 gave praise to ,god4 ---------------------- ,sermon ,,xxxviii4 ,jesus1 son of ,david1 have mercy on me4 --,st4 ,luke xviii4 #ch4 ,there are two points1 dear brethren1 in the conduct of the blind man of whom we have just read1 that seem to be particularly noticeable4 ,first1 although he could not see ,jesus1 he nevertheless knew that he was passing by1 and cried out3 ,jesus1 son of ,david1 have mercy on me4 ,secondly1 when the crowd rebuked him1 that he should hold his peace1 he cried out much more3 ,son of ,david1 have mercy on me4 #adc ,now1 that blind man is an image of the souls who are grievously tempted1 and also of those who have fallen into the darkness of sin4 ,now1 there are1 as we all know1 some who are dreadfully tempted4 ,there are good1 pious souls who are afflicted with the lowest and most degrading temptations4 ,crowds of evil imaginations fill their minds2 the basest suggestions are made to them by the evil one2 the foulest mind-pictures are produced in them2 they are urged to be proud1 to be vain1 unloving1 uncharitable1 and the like4 ,such people are for the moment blind4 ,they cannot see ,jesus4 ,he is hidden behind these gathering clouds4 ,it seems to them as if the light of ,god's grace had gone out in their hearts1 and they sit down by the wayside1 weary and blind4 ,suddenly they hear sounds in the distance2 it is the ,mass-bell1 the voice of the priest in the confessional1 a word from the pulpit1 the choir chanting out at ,high ,mass or ,vespers4 ,these sounds mingle2 they sound like the tread of a multitude1 and in the midst of the clamor a still1 small voice says3 ',tis ,jesus of ,nazareth who passes by4 ,oh6 then1 poor tempted souls1 and you too1 unfortunate ones1 upon whom has settled the stone-blindness of mortal sin1 never mind if you cannot see ,jesus2 never mind if your darkened orbs cannot gaze upon his sweet face nor meet the look of compassion that he casts upon you2 stretch out your hands towards him1 all covered with the roadside dust as they are1 lift up your choked and faltering voice1 and cry aloud to your ,saviour3 ,jesus1 son of ,david1 have mercy on me6 ,he will hear you2 he will have mercy2 he will touch your poor closed eyes and you shall receive your sight4 ,but now another word of advice1 both to those who are trying to get rid of besetting temptations and to those who are striving to shake off the chains of grievous sin4 #add ,when you have given the first heart-felt cry1 when you have made the first move in the right direction1 when you have roused yourselves to make the first real effort either to shake off your temptations or to get free from the slavery of sin1 then it will very likely happen to you as it did to the blind man3 ,the crowd will rebuke you that you should hold your peace4 ,there are a good many well-known characters in that crowd4 ,their names are ,timid ,conscience1 ,old ,habit1 ,fear1 ,despair1 ,human ,respect1 ,cowardice1 ,weak ,resolution1 ,want of ,firm ,purpose1 ,false ,shame1 ,no ,hope1 and a host of others4 ,now1 all these will rebuke the poor1 blind1 tempted ones and the stone-blind sinners4 ,what1 then1 must they do8 ,they must take example from the blind beggar in the ,gospel4 ,when the crowd rebuked him he cried out much more3 ,son of ,david1 have mercy on me6 ,he knew that he must cry out louder to make his voice drown the buzzing murmurs of the crowd4 ,jesus did not seem to hear him1 so he shouted louder4 ,o you that are blind from temptation1 you that are blind in sin1 you that have given the first cry1 and whose voices seem about to be drowned by the voice of the crowd of old habits and want of trust1 cry louder1 cry much more3 ,son of ,david1 have mercy on me6 ,then1 no matter if your blindness be never so dark1 ,jesus will stand still2 he will command you to be brought to him2 he will say to you3 ,what wilt thou that ,i do to you8 ,and then will be the time for you to pray3 ,lord1 that ,i may see4 ,o my ,god6 grant that all the tempted and all the sinners may have the grace to make that petition4 ,may ,god enlighten all our eyes1 that we sleep not in death1 and bring us all to see the ,god of ,gods in ,sion6 ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 ----------------------------- #ade ,sermon ,,xxxix4 ,and they understood none of these things1 and this word was hid from them1 and they understood not the things that were said4 --,st4 ,luke xviii4 #cd4 ,if you have listened attentively to this ,gospel1 my dear brethren1 it seems to me that you must have been astonished at this part of it4 ,for our ,lord certainly could not have told his apostles more clearly about what was going to happen to him than he had told them in the words which immediately preceded these4 ,the ,son of ,man1 he says1 shall be delivered to the ,gentiles1 and shall be mocked and scourged and spit upon2 and after they have scourged him they will put him to death1 and the third day he shall rise again4 ,what more clear account could he have given them of his approaching passion1 death1 and resurrection8 ,and yet it made no impression on them at all4 ,when the time of his ,passion actually came they were quite unprepared for it1 as much so as if he had said nothing about it beforehand4 ,how can we account for this8 ,what reason can we give for this blindness to what was put so plainly before their eyes8 ,it was as complete a blindness as that of the poor man whose cure is told in the latter part of the ,gospel4 #adf ,there is only one way to account for it4 ,you know there is a proverb that none are so blind as those who do not want to see4 ,that was the trouble with them1 and that was the reason why their blindness was not cured1 as was that of the poor man of whom ,i have just spoken1 and who did most earnestly wish and beg to receive his sight4 ,they had a fixed idea before their minds1 and they did not want to look at anything else4 ,that idea was that their ,master was going to have a great triumph1 overcome all his enemies1 and set up his kingdom in this world as a great prince2 and they were going to have high places in that kingdom1 to be rich1 powerful1 and be respected by everybody4 ,what he said did not fit in with that idea1 so they paid no attention to it4 ,they thought he could not be talking about himself1 that he must mean somebody else1 when he spoke about the ,son of ,man4 ,perhaps you think this was very foolish on their part1 and would lay it to some special stupidity or prejudice on the part of these poor1 ignorant men4 ,but ,i think1 if you look into your own hearts1 you will find them pretty much the same4 ,most ,christians1 ,i am afraid1 have got an idea very much like this in their minds4 ,they know1 indeed1 that ,christ did not come into the world to be a great king1 as the world understands the word2 that he did not acquire great wealth for himself or his friends2 that he did not enjoy what we call prosperity and happiness4 ,but they think that is what they themselves have a right to expect4 ,they know1 of course1 all about the ,passion of ,christ1 but they think it is all over now4 #adg ,and yet there are words for us just as plain as those which the apostles heard and did not understand4 ,we do not see their meaning1 and for the same reason2 that is1 because we do not want to see it4 ,they are not only once repeated1 but so many times that ,i could preach you a long sermon made up of them alone4 ,their meaning is that the ,passion of ,christ is not over2 that each one of us has our share in it2 that the life which he means for us is the same kind of one that he himself led4 ,st4 ,paul understood it well when he said3 ,i fill up those things that are wanting of the sufferings of ,christ4 ,try1 then1 my brethren1 to get the idea out of your minds that you have come into the world to enjoy yourselves and have a good time4 ,it is an idea unworthy of ,christians4 ,not those who prosper1 but those who suffer1 are the ones to excite our envy1 for they are most like our ,divine ,lord4 ,and1 moreover1 those who suffer are really the happiest1 if they remember this1 for their suffering is a pledge of eternal happiness4 ,it is a sign that he has a place waiting for them in his kingdom very near to him4 ,and let us1 like the blind man of the ,gospel1 ask him to take away our blindness1 that we may really see this and believe it2 that our eyes may be opened to the light coming from the next world4 ,that will make pain and adversity beautiful and glorious2 and we will even hardly wish to hasten the day when1 if we are faithful1 ,god himself shall wipe away all tears from our eyes4 ------------------------ ,sermon ,,xl4 ,some very important notices have just been read to you1 my brethren4 ,do you know what they are8 #adh ,you ought to by this time1 for you have heard them many times before2 and yet ,i am sure that some of you to whom they have been read ten or twenty times already know no more about them now than before you ever heard them at all4 ,why is this8 ,it is because1 as ,i said last ,sunday1 you do not listen1 and do not try to remember1 nor care to understand4 ,what were these notices1 then8 ,they were the notices about this great season on which we are entering3 the holy season of ,lent1 the most important one of the whole year4 ,what is the first one of these notices which you have or have not just heard8 ,you don't know4 ,well1 it is this3 ,all the week-days of ,lent1 from ,ash ,wednesday till ,faster ,sunday1 are fast-days of precept1 on one meal1 with the allowance of a moderate collation in the evening4 ,fast-days--do you know what that means8 ,i venture to say that many of you do not2 or1 if you do1 you do not act as if you did4 ,some people that you would think had more sense seem to think that a fast-day is about the same thing as a ,friday through the year1 except that it is not so much harm to eat meat on a fast-day as on a ,friday4 ,it is hard to understand how any one can be so stupid4 ,what is a fast-day1 then8 ,it is a day1 as you hear in the notices1 on one meal4 ,that does not mean two other full meals besides1 and plenty of lunches in between4 ,it means what it says--one full meal1 and only one4 ,the church has1 it is true1 allowed1 as the notices say1 a moderate collation in the evening ,what does that mean8 ,as much as you want to take8 ,no4 ,how much1 then8 ,eight ounces is the amount commonly assigned4 #adi ,that is to say1 you have your dinner1 and a supper of eight ounces in weight4 ,is that all8 ,no1 not quite4 ,custom has also made it lawful to take a cup of tea or coffee and a small piece of bread1 without butter1 in the morning4 ,this is an important point2 for if this will prevent a headache and enable you to get through with your duties as usual1 you are bound to take it1 and not get off from the fast on the ground that you cannot keep a strict fast on nothing at all till noon4 ,this1 then1 is what is meant by a fast-day4 ,it may be a day of abstinence from flesh-meat1 or it may not be4 ,monday1 ,tuesday1 and ,thursday you can have meat1 but at dinner only2 and no fish1 oysters1 etc41 when you have meat--the tea or coffee and the eight ounces the same those days as on the others4 ,but on ,wednesday1 ,friday1 and ,saturday no meat at any time4 ,and remember1 nothing can be eaten on a fast-day but just as ,i have described--no lunches1 large or small1 between meals4 ,but you say3 ,i will get very hungry and lose a good many pounds on such a scant diet as that4 ,yes1 that is quite likely2 and that is just what ,lent was made for1 that you might get hungry and lose as many pounds as you can spare4 ,that never seems to occur to some people4 ,it wouldn't do some of you any harm to lose a few pounds2 you will recover from it1 ,i am sure4 ,the papers say that one of the pedestrians 7a woman1 too1 by the way7 lost over thirty in a long walk she has just finished4 ,is it not as easy to suffer a little for the honor of ,god as a great deal for one's own8 #aej ,but is there no excuse8 ,oh6 yes4 ,there are plenty4 ,they are given in the last paragraph of the notices4 ,if you are weak or infirm--really1 that is2 not with a weakness beginning on ,ash ,wednesday and ending on ,easter ,sunday--if you are too old or too young2 or if from any reason1 like hard work1 you really need abundant food4 ,in case of doubt consult a priest4 ,but these excuses do not allow one to eat meat4 ,they excuse1 as you hear in the rules1 from fasting1 but not from abstinence4 ,and yet you will hear people saying3 ,they told me ,i was not bound to fast1 and forthwith eating meat as often as they can get it1 just the same as if it was not ,lent at all4 ,understand1 then1 it takes a much greater reason to excuse from abstinence than from fasting4 ,never eat meat at forbidden times in ,lent without getting proper permission4 ,ordinary work is no excuse4 ,i would like to say much more about these matters1 that you might fully understand them1 were there time to do so4 ,but remember that the rules of ,lent are binding1 like the other laws of the church1 in conscience2 and if you break them in any notable way you commit a mortal sin4 ,suffer a little now1 that you may not suffer for ever1 banished from the kingdom of ,god4 ------------------- #aea ,first ,sunday of ,lent ,epistle4 #b ,corinthians vi4 #a-aj4 ,brethren3 ,we do exhort you1 that you receive not the grace of ,god in vain4 ,for he saith3 ,in an accepted time have ,i heard thee2 and in the day of salvation have ,i helped thee4 ,behold1 now is the acceptable time3 behold1 now is the day of salvation4 ,giving no offence to any man1 that our ministry be not blamed3 but in all things let us exhibit ourselves as the ministers of ,god1 in much patience1 in tribulation1 in necessities1 in distresses1 in stripes1 in prisons1 in seditions1 in labors1 in watchings1 in fastings1 in chastity1 in knowledge1 in long suffering1 in sweetness1 in the ,holy ,ghost1 in charity unfeigned1 in the word of truth1 in the power of ,god2 by the armor of justice on the right hand and on the left3 through honor and dishonor3 through infamy and good name3 as seducers1 and yet speaking truth3 as unknown1 and yet known3 as dying1 and behold we live3 as chastised1 and not killed3 as sorrowful1 yet always rejoicing3 as needy1 yet enriching many3 as having nothing1 and possessing all things4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,matthew iv4 #a-aa4 ,at that time3 ,jesus was led by the spirit into the desert1 to be tempted by the devil4 ,and when he had fasted forty days and forty nights1 he was afterwards hungry4 ,and the tempter coming1 said to him3 ,if thou be the ,son of ,god1 command that these stones be made bread4 ,but he answered and said3 ,it is written1 ,man liveth not by bread alone1 but by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of ,god4 #aeb ,then the devil took him up into the holy city1 and set him upon the pinnacle of the temple1 and said to him3 ,if thou be the ,son of ,god1 cast thyself down1 for it is written3 ,that he hath given his ,angels charge over thee1 and in their hands shall they bear thee up1 lest perhaps thou hurt thy foot against a stone8 ,jesus said to him3 ,it is written again3 ,thou shalt not tempt the ,lord thy ,god4 ,again the devil took him up into a very high mountain1 and showed him all the kingdoms of the world1 and the glory of them4 ,and said unto him3 ,all these will ,i give thee1 if falling down thou wilt adore me4 ,then ,jesus saith to him3 ,begone1 ,satan1 for it is written3 ,the ,lord thy ,god shalt thou adore1 and him only shalt thou serve4 ,then the devil left him3 and behold1 ,angels came and ministered to him4 ------------------------ ,sermon ,,xli4 ,thou shalt not tempt the ,lord thy ,god4 --,st ,matthew iv4 #g4 ,what is it to tempt ,god8 ,the words sound very strange2 for we know that ,god is infinitely good1 and that he cannot be tempted1 like us1 to commit sin4 ,so that cannot be what is meant by tempting him4 ,we shall see easily enough what is meant by it if we consider what it was that the devil suggested to our ,lord4 ,he said to him3 ,throw yourself down from this pinnacle of the temple2 no harm will happen to you1 for your life is too precious to ,god for him to allow it to be lost4 ,his angels will carry you down safely2 a miracle will be worked in your behalf4 ,that which ,satan wished our ,lord to do is what is meant by tempting ,god4 ,it is to try and see if he will not do some extraordinary thing for us which there is no need for him to do2 to presume on his mercy and providence4 #aec ,that is what the ,latin word means from which our word tempt comes4 ,it means to try1 to make an experiment4 ,that1 in fact1 is the real meaning of our word to tempt4 ,when the devil tempts us he is trying us1 to see how far our love of ,god will go2 he is making an experiment to find out the strength of our souls4 ,god does not let him try all the experiments he would like to4 ,he has no right to try us in this way2 but ,god lets him do it for our own good4 ,but ,god does not allow us to be trying any experiments on his mercy and goodness4 ,he does not allow us to depend upon it1 except when we know that we have a right to do so4 ,and yet that is what people1 and even ,christians1 are doing all the time4 ,perhaps you do not know how2 but you ought to know1 and ,i will tell you4 ,a man tempts ,god when he puts himself1 without necessity1 into an occasion of sin4 ,he knows1 or ought to know1 that he cannot depend on ,god's grace to keep him from sin in such a case4 ,he knows that ,god may indeed help him through1 so that he will not sin1 and perhaps that he has done so before2 but he knows1 or ought to know1 that ,god has not promised him such a grace1 and that it will be nothing surprising if he does not give it to him4 ,such is the case of the drunkard who has some sort of a desire to reform his life1 and who goes into a liquor-store4 ,he ought to know that he must have ,god's grace if he is to avoid getting drunk2 and so he tries ,god1 to see if he will give him that grace4 ,but there is no need for him to make the experiment1 for he could avoid it by simply keeping outside2 and that is what ,god will certainly give him the grace to do1 if he prays and is in earnest4 #aed ,let such a man remember1 before he goes near the place1 those words3 ,thou shalt not tempt the ,lord thy ,god4 ,such is the case1 too1 of young men or women who trust themselves in company of one with whom they have often acted immodestly before4 ,they may pretend to have great sorrow for these past sins1 but it is false2 they may deceive themselves or their confessors1 but not ,almighty ,god1 who reads their hearts4 ,no one is truly sorry for his sins when he continues in the great sin of tempting ,god4 ,i will tell you of some other people who tempt ,god4 ,they are those who remain quietly in mortal sin1 day after day1 week after week1 month after month4 ,they say to themselves3 ,god is good2 he will give me time to repent4 ,god may well say to such a one3 ,thou fool1 who has told thee that8 ,this very night ,i will require thy soul of thee4 ,he has a right to do it2 and you have no right to expect another day of him4 ,when you do so you are trying his patience2 you are making an experiment on his mercy4 ,this present moment is all you have a right to depend on4 ,and yet you will sleep night after night in sin1 forgetting that1 if ,god should treat you justly1 the morning would find you dead2 forgetting that your whole life is nothing but a long temptation of ,god4 ------------------- ,sermon ,,xlii4 ,man liveth not by bread alone1 but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of ,god4 --,st4 ,matthew iv4 #d4 ,one of the greatest1 if not the greatest1 of the defects of the present time is an inordinate care for temporal and material things4 #aee ,how shall we live8 what shall we eat8 wherewithal shall we be clothed8--these are the questions which men are all too much exercised about at the present day4 ,we see persons who rise1 and cause their children to rise1 at a very early hour1 and from that time till late at night they are working and toiling4 ,we see men of the world who really injure their health1 and perhaps shorten their days1 by their close and unflagging attention to business4 ,why do people act thus8 ,all for the sake of the bread that perisheth1 all in order to heap up a few dollars which at best they can keep but for a few years4 ,so great has this thirst for money-making become that we see it even in our young boys4 ,they don't want to stay at school2 they don't want to store up learning2 by the time they are fourteen or a little older 7having nothing in their heads but reading1 writing1 and a little confused arithmetic7 they want to be off to the store1 the workshop1 or the factory4 ,why8 ,because they want to join as soon as possible in the wild-goose chase after the goods of the world4 ,now1 all these classes of persons have to learn that man liveth not by bread alone4 ,my dear friends1 besides that poor body which you work so hard to feed1 to clothe1 and to please1 you have an immortal soul4 ,body and soul united form what we call man4 ,so1 then1 you must not act as if you were all body4 ,you cannot do so without peril to your soul4 ,suppose you were to try an experiment of this kind4 ,you say to yourself3 ,i will eat nothing2 ,i will have prayers for breakfast1 confession for lunch1 prayers and devotions for dinner1 and meditation on death for supper4 ,then you try it for a week4 #aef ,what an elegant skeleton you would make for a museum at the end of that time6 ,yet people treat their souls just in that way4 ,instead of refreshing it with prayers and devotions1 etc41 they give it clothes1 meat and drink1 calculations of stock1 calculations of profits1 cares of this world1 etc41 and thus the soul is starved just as the body would be by improper food4 ,so then1 dear brethren1 don't try to live by bread alone4 ,you can't do it4 ,try also to live by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of ,god--that is to say1 by doing those things which1 either by his church or by the interior inspirations of his grace1 he wishes you to do4 ,are you in business1 or at work8 ,very well2 take care of your affairs prudently1 work faithfully1 but remember this is not all4 ,you must also find time to pray1 find time for confession and the hearing of holy ,mass4 ,don't leave piety to priests1 religious women1 and children1 but let the men also be seen in the church and at the altar-rail4 ,it is a custom in some places that the men should sit on one side of the church and the women on the other4 ,don't you think if we tried that plan that the numbers on the men's side would often be rather slim8 ,why8 ,because they are out in the world trying to live by bread alone4 ,o my dear friends6 why care so much for the goods of this world8 ,why lay up so much treasure where rust and moth destroy1 and where thieves break through and steal8 ,we cannot take a cent with us when we go1 and our poor body1 even that which we have pampered so much1 must decay and return to dust4 ,let us1 then1 this morning make a good resolution1 that when the devil comes and tempts us to give ourselves up too much to thoughts about our food1 our raiment1 and our temporal affairs1 we will repulse him with these words3 ,it is written1 ',man liveth not by bread alone1 but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of ,god4' ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 ------------------------ #aeg ,sermon ,,xliii4 ,jesus was led by the ,spirit into the desert1 to be tempted by the devil4 --,st4 ,matthew iv4 #a4 ,do you know what the word tempt means1 my brethren8 ,i have no doubt that you know what it is to be tempted4 ,you know that1 as ,st4 ,james says1 every man is tempted1 being drawn away1 by his own concupiscence1 and allured4 ,you yourselves have often been tempted2 your concupiscence--that is1 your sinful passions of one kind or another--have often tempted you1 allured you1 enticed you away from the law of ,god4 ,but the word to tempt does not mean to allure or to entice4 ,it means to try4 ,to tempt any one is to try him to see what sort of stuff he is made of2 that's the real meaning of the word--just as a gun1 for instance1 is tried by putting in an overcharge to see if it will burst1 though ,i would not advise any of you to tempt a gun in that way4 ,it is not a very safe experiment4 ,that is the kind of experiment1 though1 that the devil is always trying on us4 ,he is not afraid of accidents4 ,if an accident does happen it will not hurt him4 ,it is just what he wants4 ,so he tries us in various ways to find where our weak point is2 for he cannot tell without trying4 #aeh ,when he succeeds1 when we break down under his temptations1 he says to himself3 ,that's good4 ,i hit the right spot that time1 ,i'll try that again4 ,for you see we are not like guns3 we can be burst more than once4 ,now1 the ,gospel tells us that our ,lord himself was led into the desert to be tempted by the devil2 that is1 to have the devil experiment on him4 ,this seems strange4 ,what use was it to try him8 ,did not the devil know that he was ,god and could not sin8 ,no1 my brethren1 it is probable that he did not4 ,if he had he would not have wasted his time in a temptation which would be of no use4 ,but why did not our ,lord let him know it8 ,it was because1 being man as well as ,god1 he chose to be tempted or tried like the rest of us3 first1 that he might set us an example in resisting temptation2 and1 secondly1 that he might merit for us a grace which should make it easy to do so4 ,so he was led into the desert1 for our sakes1 by his own ,spirit--by the ,holy ,spirit of ,god4 ,he has set us the example and merited for us the grace2 and1 thanks to what he has done for us1 it is easy for us to resist temptation4 ,but you do not believe it1 that is the trouble4 ,some of you think it is impossible to resist temptation4 ,you say1 to excuse your sin1 ,i could not help it4 ,now1 that is simply a lie2 or1 rather1 it is more3 it is a blasphemy against ,god4 ,it is as much as to say1 ,god did not give me the grace to resist temptation1 and thus to make him a partaker in your sins4 #aei ,you can help it4 ,when our ,lord drove away the devil1 as the ,gospel to-day tells us1 he made it easy for us to do the same4 ,and it is a great shame not to do it4 ,what a disgrace to ,god1 and what a laughing-stock to the devil1 is a man or a woman who breaks down every time he or she is tried6 ,yet ,i am afraid there are plenty of such4 ,god does not tempt you4 ,st4 ,james tells us that4 ,he has no need to1 for he knows what you are made of4 ,but he lets the devil do it1 that you may merit by resisting2 and he does not let you have any more temptation than you can bear4 ,remember that1 then1 the next time you are tempted4 ,say to yourself3 ,i have got strength enough to resist this with the help of ,god4 ,i'll turn the laugh on the devil1 instead of his having it on me4 ,i'll show him he was a fool to try to tempt me4 ,i'll let him see that he hit the wrong spot instead of the right one2 in fact1 that there isn't any right spot to hit4 ,here's a chance for me to get some merit1 and to show that ,i am good for something2 that ,i am of some use after all the labor that my ,maker has spent on me4 ,say this in the name of ,god and in the strength which he gives you1 and you will be surprised to see how the devil will run away4 ,no doubt he will try you again1 but if you persevere he will give it up as a bad job at last1 and you will enter heaven with the reward the ,lord wishes to give you--that is1 a great stock of merit instead of sin from the temptations which you have had4 --------------------------- #afj ,second ,sunday of ,lent4 ,epistle4 #a ,thessalonians iv4 #a-g4 ,brethren3 ,we pray and beseech you in the ,lord ,jesus1 that as you have received from us1 how you ought to walk1 and to please ,god1 so also you would walk1 that you may abound the more4 ,for you know what commandments ,i have given to you by the ,lord ,jesus4 ,for this is the will of ,god1 your sanctification3 that you should abstain from fornication4 ,that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor1 not in the passion of lust1 like the ,gentiles who know not ,god3 and that no man overreach1 nor deceive his brother in business3 because the ,lord is the avenger of all such things1 as we have told you before1 and have testified4 ,for ,god hath not called us unto uncleanness1 but unto sanctification in ,christ ,jesus our ,lord4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,matthew xvii4 #a-i4 ,at that time3 ,jesus taketh unto him ,peter and ,james1 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 sun3 and his garments became white as snow4 ,and behold1 there appeared to them ,moses and ,elias talking with him4 ,and ,peter answering1 said to ,jesus3 ,lord1 it is good for us to be here3 if thou wilt1 let us make here three tabernacles1 one for thee1 and one for ,moses1 and one for ,elias4 ,and as he was yet speaking1 behold a bright cloud overshadowed them4 ,and behold1 a voice out of the cloud1 saying3 ,this is my beloved ,son1 in whom ,i am well pleased3 hear ye him4 #afa ,and the disciples hearing1 fell upon their face1 and were very much afraid1 and ,jesus came and touched them1 and said to them3 ,arise1 and be not afraid4 ,and when they lifted up their eyes they saw no man1 but only ,jesus4 ,and as they came down from the mountain1 ,jesus charged them1 saying3 ,tell the vision to no man1 till the ,son of ,man be risen from the dead4 ----------------------- ,sermon ,,xliv4 ,and he was transfigured before them4 ,and his face did shine as the sun3 and his garments became white as snow4 444 ,behold a bright cloud overshadowed them4 ,and behold6 a voice out of the cloud1 saying3 ,this is my beloved ,son1 in whom ,i am well pleased4 --,st4 ,matthew xvii4 #b1 #e4 ,i think1 brethren1 one can hardly read the above account of the ,transfiguration of our dear ,lord without having suggested to our minds one of the most beautiful of the many services of the ,catholic ,church4 ,i mean the rite of ,benediction of the ,blessed ,sacrament4 ,we ourselves are the three disciples4 ,the mountain up into which our ,lord brings us is the holy altar4 ,his face1 shining as the sun1 is represented to us by the bright lights that cluster round his throne1 and by the refulgence of the rays of the monstrance which contains him4 ,then his garments are indeed as white as snow2 for he veils his divinity under the form of the purest wheaten bread1 and hides himself beneath its appearances as though he should wrap his sacred ,body in pure white raiment4 ,then the bright cloud is the floating incense1 and the voice out of the cloud the tinkling bell1 which seems to say to us as ,jesus is held aloft and as we bend low in adoration3 ,this is ,god's beloved ,son1 in whom he is well pleased4 #afb ,so then1 the ,gospel for to-day naturally suggests to our minds a few reflections on this great devotion of the church--,benediction of the ,blessed ,sacrament4 ,now1 a great many persons seem to think that ,benediction is only tacked on1 as it were1 to the office of ,vespers4 ,this idea is all wrong4 ,to be sure4 ,benediction is often given directly after ,vespers1 but it is an entirely separate and distinct service4 ,vespers end with the ,antiphon of the ,blessed ,virgin2 ,benediction begins when the ,holy ,sacrament is taken from the tabernacle and placed in the costly metal frame called the monstrance1 or ostensorium4 ,so1 then1 ,benediction is not part of ,vespers1 or of any function which may precede it2 and ,i want to make this very clear1 because ,i think the false notion that it is merely something supplementary is a reason why so many people neglect it4 ,what1 then1 is ,benediction8 ,it is the solemn exposition of the same ,jesus whose face shone so bright on ,thabor4 ,he stays there upon the altar for a little while1 that we may kneel before him1 adore him1 praise him4 ,then he is lifted up in the hands of his priest1 and he gives us his blessing4 ,remember1 it is not the priest who blesses you at ,benediction2 it is ,jesus himself who does so4 ,now1 it is very true1 dear friends1 that people are not bound to come to ,benediction2 yet surely1 if each one realized what a blessed thing ,benediction is1 no one who could come would stay away4 ,jesus is there on the altar4 ,he is waiting to hear your prayers1 waiting to receive your acts of love and adoration1 waiting to bless you4 ,oh6 then come often to ,benediction4 ,do not say1 ,there is nothing but ,vespers this afternoon2 remember there is something more --,benediction of the ,blessed ,sacrament4 #afc ,there is a day fast approaching on which the ,holy ,sacrament will be carried in procession1 and then placed in the most solemn manner in the repository4 ,i mean ,maundy ,thursday4 ,now1 that is also an exposition of the ,blessed ,sacrament1 and1 although ,jesus is not held aloft by the priest as at ordinary ,benedictions1 who can doubt but that ,jesus blesses us as he passes by8 ,i pray you1 then1 when that day arrives to remember who it is who comes to you4 ,let us see the church full1 not of gazers at the lights and flowers1 but of faithful worshippers of their ,king and ,god4 ,if you go from church to church on that day don't go to peer1 don't go to see1 but to to pray4 ,so when the devotion of the ,forty ,hours is announced in your church--that devotion which is the most solemn of all the expositions and benedictions through the year--be devout2 spend at least an hour in the day before the ,lamb of ,god4 ,remember that the ,holy ,sacrament is ,jesus ,christ--the very same who was born in ,bethlehem and died on ,calvary4 ,lastly1 come to ,benediction always with a living faith and a burning love4 ,never let your place be vacant1 if you can help it1 when you know it is to be given4 ,set a great store by it4 ,in the words of a living preacher3 ,night by night the ,son of ,god comes forth to you in his white raiment1 wearing his golden crown2 night by night his sweet voice is heard1 and he looks for you with a wistful gaze2 do not turn away from such blessedness as this2 do not refuse to listen to his pleading words2 do not let your places be empty before the altar when ,jesus comes4 ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 ----------------------- #afd ,sermon ,,xlv4 ,and that no man over-reach1 nor deceive his brother in business2 because the ,lord is the avenger of all such things4 --#a ,thessalonians iv4 #f4 ,these words are from the ,epistle of to-day1 my dear brethren1 and are certainly suggestive1 or at least should be so1 at this season which the church has assigned as a time for examination of conscience and repentance for sin4 ,the sin which ,st4 ,paul warns us against goes1 when it is practised in other ways1 by worse names than the one which he gives it here4 ,a man meets you on a lonely road and takes your money forcibly from you2 what do you call it8 ,you call it robbery4 ,a man enters your house at dead of night and carries off your property2 what do you call it8 ,you call it burglary4 ,a man picks your pocket on the street2 what do you call it8 ,you call it theft4 ,well1 it is all one and the same thing4 ,all these are various ways of breaking the ,seventh ,commandment2 and what is that8 ,thou shalt not steal4 ,and what is it to deceive or over-reach some one else in business8 ,it is just the same thing as these2 it is the breaking of this same commandment2 it is stealing1 just as much as robbery1 burglary1 and theft are1 only it does not go by so bad a name1 and is not so likely to be punished by the laws of the land4 ,and what do ,i mean by this over-reaching or deceiving8 ,i mean selling goods under false pretences for more than they are really worth2 using false weights or measures2 evading in one way and another the payment of one's just debts2 taking advantage of one's neighbor's difficulties to make an undue profit for one's self2 in short1 all the many ways in which men turn a dishonest penny or dollar2 in which they get rich by trickery and injustice4 #afe ,all these are stealing1 just as bad and a great deal more dishonorable than robbery1 burglary1 or theft1 because not attended with so much risk to the person who is guilty of them4 ,now1 it seems to me that this sin of cheating--for that is the bad name such sharp practices ought to go by1 though they often do not--is a most strange and unaccountable one2 much more so than those other kinds of stealing4 ,the man who breaks into your house or who picks your pocket is generally one who is pretty badly off1 and who needs what he takes more than the people do from whom he takes it4 ,you do not expect to find rich men setting up as burglars or pickpockets4 ,it is true1 sometimes you do find people who have a passion for stealing things when they have plenty of money to buy them2 but that is commonly considered to be a special kind of insanity1 and they have a name made on purpose for it2 they call it kleptomania4 ,the people who do this are supposed to be crazy on this particular point2 but is it not really just the same thing for a man who has enough and to spare to be trying to cheat his neighbor8 ,such a man1 it would seem1 must be crazy too4 ,and there is another way in which cheating is a strange thing1 and especially in a ,catholic4 ,for every ,catholic at least must know that if he tries to cheat he himself gets cheated worse than the people he is trying to impose on4 ,for he gets himself into a very bad position4 ,he has got to do one of two things4 #aff ,one is to restore1 as far as possible1 what he has cheated other people out of2 and that is a very hard thing to do sometimes--much harder than it would have been to have left cheating alone4 ,but hard as this is1 the other is much harder4 ,for the other thing is to go to hell2 to be banished from ,god for ever2 to pay for all eternity the debt which he would not pay here4 ,do not1 then1 my brethren1 get yourselves into this position4 ,but if you are in it do the first of these two things4 ,restore your ill-gotten goods4 ,do it now2 not put it off till you come to die4 ,it will cost you a struggle then as well as now2 and even if you try to do it then1 it is doubtful if those who come after you will carry out your wishes4 ,a purpose to restore which is put off till a time when you cannot be sure of carrying it out is rather a weak bridge on which to pass to eternal life4 ,remember now what you will ,wish at the hour of death to have remembered2 remember those words of our ,lord3 ,what doth it profit a man1 if he gain the whole world and suffer the loss of his own soul8 ------------------------ ,sermon ,,xlvi4 ,those of you1 my brethren1 who are keeping ,lent as it should be kept are beginning by this time1 if ,i am not mistaken1 to think that it is a pretty long and tedious season4 ,fasting and abstinence1 giving up many worldly amusements1 getting up early in the morning and going to ,mass as so many of you do1 and other such things1 get to be rather tiresome to the natural man after a few days2 and ,i have no doubt you are quite glad that ,lent does not last the whole year1 and are looking forward to the time when it will be over4 ,i have always noticed that there were not many at ,mass in ,easter week1 and there are very few1 ,i imagine1 who fast or abstain much then4 #afg ,and perhaps you are even inclined to say3 ,what ever did the church get up ,lent for at all8 ,certainly we could be good ,christians without it1 or save our souls1 at any rate4 ,but when you come to think of it you know well enough why ,lent was instituted4 ,you know that we cannot save our souls without abstaining from sin1 and that we shall not be likely to abstain from sin unless we abstain sometimes also from what is not sinful4 ,you know also that we cannot get to heaven without doing penance for our sins1 and that it is better to do penance here than in purgatory4 ,and you know1 too1 that most people will not abstain much or do much penance beyond what the church commands2 so you know why the church got up ,lent4 ,she did it that we might get to heaven sooner and more surely4 ,that ought to be our encouragement1 then1 in it1 that every good ,lent brings us a good deal nearer to heaven2 that heaven is the reward of penance and mortification4 ,and it is partly to keep this before our minds that the church tells us in to-day's ,gospel the story of our ,lord's transfiguration3 how he took ,peter and ,james and ,john up with him on ,mount ,thabor1 and there appeared to them in his glory2 and filled their hearts with renewed courage and confidence in him1 and with a firm belief that it was worth their while to follow him1 even if they had to sleep out at night1 and not get much to eat1 and suffer in many ways--that it was worth while for the sake of the good time coming1 of which his glory was a promise1 though they did not know just when or what it would be4 #afh ,they thought1 perhaps1 it would be in this world2 that their ,master would come out in the power and majesty that they could see that he had1 put down all his enemies1 and reign as a great king on the earth4 ,we know better2 we know1 or ought to know1 that it will not be in this world4 ,but we know that the good time coming will be something a great deal better than anything that can be in this world4 ,so we ought to be a great deal more encouraged than they were1 especially when we think how little1 after all1 we have to suffer compared with what was asked of our ,lord's chosen apostles4 ,we do not have to sleep on the ground1 or live on grains of wheat picked off the stalk in the fields1 as they sometimes had to do4 ,we have not got to look forward1 as they did after his death1 to long and painful labors and journeyings1 to being driven from one city to another1 to being scourged and buffeted1 and put at last to a cruel death4 ,no2 on the whole1 we have got a pretty easy time4 ,we probably will not starve2 nobody will persecute us2 we will most likely always have a house to live in1 and die in our beds4 ,it is not much1 then1 is it1 to eat fish instead of meat1 to fast enough to have a good appetite1 to lose a little sleep and get a little tired8 ,perhaps if we would think more of the reward for such little things1 and think a little more of the good time coming in heaven1 we might even wish that ,lent was more than forty days long4 ------------------------------- #afi ,third ,sunday of ,lent ,epistle4 ,ephesians v4 #a-i4 ,brethren3 ,be ye followers of ,god1 as most dear children4 ,and walk in love as ,christ also hath loved us1 and hath delivered himself for us an oblation and a sacrifice to ,god for an odor of sweetness4 ,but fornication and all uncleanness1 or covetousness1 let it not so much as be named among you1 as becometh saints3 nor obscenity1 nor foolish talking1 nor scurrility1 which is to no purpose3 but rather giving of thanks4 ,for know ye this1 and understand that no fornicator1 nor unclean1 nor covetous person which is a serving of idols hath any inheritance in the kingdom of ,christ and of ,god4 ,let no man deceive you with vain words4 ,for because of these things cometh the anger of ,god upon the children of unbelief4 ,be ye not therefore partakers with them4 ,for you were heretofore darkness1 but now light in the ,lord4 ,walk ye as children of the light3 for the fruit of the light is in all goodness1 and justice1 and truth4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,luke xi4 #ad-bh4 ,at that time3 ,jesus was casting out a devil1 and the same was dumb2 and when he had cast out the devil1 the dumb spoke2 and the multitude admired3 but some of them said3 ,he casteth out devils in ,beelzebub1 the prince of the devils4 ,and others tempting1 asked of him a sign from heaven4 ,but he1 seeing their thoughts1 said to them3 ,every kingdom divided against itself shall be brought to desolation1 and a house upon a house shall fall4 ,and if ,satan also be divided against himself1 how shall his kingdom stand8 because you say1 that in ,beelzebub ,i cast out devils4 ,now if ,i cast out devils in ,beelzebub1 in whom do your children cast them out8 #agj ,therefore they shall be your judges4 ,but if ,i1 in the finger of ,god1 cast out devils1 doubtless the kingdom of ,god is come upon you4 ,when a strong man armed keepeth his court1 those things which he possesseth are in peace4 ,but if a stronger than he come upon him and overcome him1 he will take away all his armor wherein he trusted1 and will distribute his spoils4 ,he that is not with me1 is against me3 and he that gathereth not with me1 scattereth4 ,when the unclean spirit is gone out of a man1 he walketh through places without water1 seeking rest3 and not finding1 he saith3 ,i will return into my house whence ,i came out4 ,and when he is come1 he findeth it swept and garnished4 ,then he goeth and taketh with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself1 and entering in they dwell there4 ,and the last state of that man becometh worse than the first4 ,and it came to pass1 as he spoke these things1 a certain woman from the crowd lifting up her voice1 said to him3 ,blessed is the womb that bore thee1 and the paps that gave thee suck4 ,but he said3 ,yea1 rather1 blessed are they who hear the word of ,god and keep it4 ----------------------- ,sermon ,,xlvii4 ,every kingdom divided against itself shall be brought to desolation4 --,st4 ,luke xi4 #ag4 ,we can see at once how true the sentence just read is2 for if the head of a kingdom were to rise against the members1 the king against his ministers1 the people against both king and government1 and the army and navy against their proper commanders--if all this should take place1 then ,i say that kingdom would certainly be brought to desolation1 and any enemy could easily come along and take possession of it4 #aga ,now1 dear brethren1 the ,christian family is a little kingdom4 ,the father and mother are the king and queen1 the older and more experienced members of the family are the counsellors1 the children the subjects of that kingdom4 ,the ,christian family ought to be most closely united1 and this for many reasons4 ,each member has been baptized with the same baptism1 been sanctified by the same ,holy ,spirit4 ,they have all been pardoned for their sins through the same ,precious ,blood1 do all eat of the same spiritual food1 the ,body and ,blood of ,christ4 ,then1 to come to natural reasons1 they are bound together by the tie of blood1 by the tie of parental and filial affection2 they live together1 pray together1 rejoice together1 suffer together4 ,so there is every reason why the ,christian family should be united2 and if it is to fulfil its mission properly it must be united1 or it will be brought to desolation4 ,o my dear friends6 how many of these little kingdoms which should go to make up the grand empire of ,jesus ,christ upon earth fall away from their allegiance to him1 and all because they are divided against themselves4 ,we see a father1 for instance1 given over to habits of drunkenness2 he comes home either in a dull1 heavy stupor or else in a perfect fury of rage2 he worries his wife1 scares his children1 disgraces himself2 all his family shrink from him4 ,there you see at once the head divided against the members4 ,or there is in the family a cross1 ill-tempered1 scolding wife1 and1 as the ,scripture says1 there is no anger above the anger of a woman3 it will be more agreeable to abide with a lion and a dragon than to dwell with a wicked woman4 ,as the climbing of a sandy way is to the feet of the aged1 so is a wife full of tongue to a quiet man4 #agb ,such a woman would divide any family2 she destroys the unity thereof just as much as the drunken husband4 ,what1 also1 must be thought of interfering relations1 cousins1 aunts1 uncles1 and last1 but not least1 mothers-in-law8 ,how often do they make mischief and destroy the kingdom of the ,christian family6 ,so1 too1 rebellious children1 quarrelsome brothers and sisters--they all destroy peace1 they all help to divide the kingdom1 they all help to bring it to desolation2 and in the end1 instead of a fair kingdom1 strong and united1 nothing remains but a wretched scene of strife and contention1 and in comes the devil and takes possession of everything4 ,now1 my dear friends1 when by your drunkenness1 your crossness1 your mischief-making and party-spirit1 by your rebellion against parental authority1 you divide the kingdom of your family1 not only you yourselves will suffer1 not only will you and your family have to endure spiritual injury and perhaps loss of salvation1 but the great kingdom of ,christ1 now militant here on earth1 and one day to be triumphant in heaven1 suffers also4 ,who make up the church on earth8 ,individuals1 families4 ,who are to fill the ranks of the heavenly kingdom8 ,the same4 ,oh6 then1 if you are divided against yourselves1 if you are brought to desolation1 you are part of the devil's kingdom on earth1 and will form part of his empire of sin and death in hell4 ,for ,god's sake1 brethren1 stop this evil war4 ,stop these things which make the family miserable4 ,have peace in your homes4 ,let men see that the peace of ,christ and the union of ,christ dwell there4 ,correct your faults2 curb your tongues and your tempers2 be obedient4 #agc ,remember1 the first words the priest says when he comes to your homes on a sick-call are these3 ,peace be to this house and all that dwell therein4 ,try to profit by that benediction4 ,try always to have the peace of ,god1 which passeth all knowledge1 and then shall your kingdom stand4 ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 ---------------------------- ,sermon ,,xlviii4 ,are you going to make your ,easter duty8 ,this is an important question just now1 my dear brethren4 ,you should put it to yourselves1 and your answer should be3 ,yes1 certainly4 ,the church commands it2 and you know very well that he who will not hear the church is to be held as a heathen and a publican2 that he who despises the church despises our ,lord1 and he who despises the ,lord despises his ,father who is in heaven4 ,surely you will not make yourselves guilty of this frightful sin of contempt2 surely you do not wish to be held as a heathen4 ,but knowing1 as you do1 the precept of the church binding at this time1 how can you expect1 if you do not fulfil it1 to escape from the consequences of your disobedience1 as expressed in the words of our ,lord which ,i have just recited8 ,to go against the church in one of her commands is to spurn her authority altogether4 ,it is strange that people should make1 of their own wits or fancy1 distinctions between the precepts of the church1 when the church makes and acknowledges no such distinctions4 ,the authority in all cases is the same1 and1 therefore1 the commands are all equally binding4 ,yet how many ,catholics who would scruple to eat meat on ,friday or miss ,mass on ,sunday think nothing at all of breaking1 without reason1 the fast and abstinence of ,lent1 and give no heed whatever to the obligation of going to confession and communion in ,easter-time6 #agd ,it really looks1 to judge from their conduct1 as if this ,easter duty was not on an equal footing with the other commands of the church2 as if the church did not mean what she prescribes4 ,now1 the truth of it is1 to this precept is attached a more severe sanction than to any other4 ,the church makes any ,catholic who violates it liable to excommunication1 and deprivation of burial in consecrated ground4 ,so you see the obligation is very strict and the church is terribly in earnest about it1 if you are not4 ,to take matters in your own hands1 as so many ,catholics do on this point1 and call little what she calls great1 and slight an order that she is so anxious about1 is to be a heathen1 or1 at any rate1 a ,protestant2 it is to set your private judgment above her authority2 it is to despise ,god1 who commands through her4 ,if you would only take this view of it--and this is the true view to take--you would think more than once before you would say3 ,o pshaw6 any other time will do4 ,once a year8 ,all right2 ,i find it more convenient to go at ,christmas4 ,no1 any other time will not do2 once a year will not do1 unless it be just now at this time4 ,christmas is a glorious feast1 and ,christmas-tide a joyful season1 but it is not the season prescribed by the church for your annual communion2 and1 heathen that you are1 your convenience is not the main point to be considered4 ,the question is3 has the church power from ,god to command me1 and what does the church command8 #age ,oh6 then1 my brethren1 let not the penances1 the prayers1 the instructions1 the special graces of this holy season go to naught and be of no avail2 but rather let them lead you up to the end for which they are intended--that is1 to bring you to repentance for past sins1 amendment for the future1 to restore you to the friendship of your ,god1 and strengthen you1 for further battling in life1 with the bread of heaven1 his most precious ,body and ,blood4 ---------------------- ,sermon ,,xlix4 ,he saith3 ,i will return into my house whence ,i came out4 --,st4 ,luke xi4 #bd4 ,the warning which our ,lord gives us in this ,gospel is certainly a most terrible one1 my brethren1 but it may not seem plain to whom it is addressed2 who they are who1 now and at all times1 are in danger of having the devil come back to them in this way of which he speaks4 ,for nowadays1 thank ,god6 it is not very often that we find people who are really possessed by the devil1 in the proper sense of the word4 ,but1 in a more general sense of it1 there are plenty of people who are possessed by the devil4 ,they are those who are in a state of mortal sin4 ,in them ,satan has regained the possession from which he was driven out in holy baptism--that is1 the soul which was his at least by original1 if not by actual1 sin4 ,and he is in them as a dumb devil1 like the one which the ,gospel tells us that our ,lord cast out2 that is1 he makes the people dumb whom he possesses1 by keeping them from telling their sins and getting rid of them by confession4 #agf ,but the dumb devil is often cast out1 particularly at times of special grace and help from ,god1 like this holy season of ,lent through which we are now passing1 or at the time of a mission or of a jubilee4 ,at such times you will always find people1 who have been away from the sacraments for years1 coming back to them and making an effort to amend their lives and save their souls4 ,now1 this is very unpleasant to the devil1 who has counted on these people as his own4 ,he has a special liking for the souls which have been his so long4 ,so when he is driven out of them he does not simply go off on other business1 as we might expect2 but he always has an eye on his old home4 ,he says to himself1 when he finds that he does not get along so well elsewhere3 ,i will return into my house whence ,i came out4 ,i will see if ,i cannot get in again4 ,so he comes back to his old house1 to the soul which has been his1 and too often he finds it pretty easy to get in again4 ,he finds it1 in fact1 swept and garnished1 as our ,lord says1 and all ready for his reception4 ,so1 of course1 he goes in and takes his old place4 ,the soul1 which has escaped from sin by a good confession1 relapses into it again4 ,what a pity this is6 ,and yet how common it is6 ,how many1 how very many1 there are who a month or so after a mission1 or some other occasion when you would think they would really be converted in good earnest1 are back again in their old sins just the same as if they had never confessed them at all6 ,it seems strange1 perhaps4 ,and yet it is not so strange when you come to think of it4 ,the reason is not very hard to find4 ,it is just the one that our ,lord gives3 it is that the house of the soul1 from which the devil has been driven1 is empty1 swept and garnished4 ,nothing has been put there in the place of the vices and bad habits that were there before4 #agg ,there is no habit of prayer2 there is no remembrance of the good resolutions that were made at confession2 there is no attempt to avoid the occasion of sin2 and1 above all1 there is no grace coming from the sacraments4 ,that is the great mistake these converted sinners have made4 ,they have promised at confession to go every month for the future2 but they have not kept that promise4 ,now1 it is perfect folly and madness for one who has been in the habits of sin to hope to persevere by saying a few short prayers and going to confession once a year4 ,such a way of going on leaves the soul empty of grace1 and without anything to prevent its enemy from coming in4 ,if you want to persevere after a good confession1 go every month to the sacraments4 ,this is not a practice of piety2 it is only common prudence4 ,this is the means which ,god has appointed in his church to fill the soul with grace1 and leave no room for the devil in his old home from which he has once been driven away4 -------------------- #agh ,fourth ,sunday of ,lent4 ,epistle4 ,galatians iv4 #bb-ca4 ,brethren3 ,it is written that ,abraham had two sons3 the one by a bond-woman1 and the other by a free-woman3 but he that was by the bond-woman was born according to the flesh3 but he by the free-woman was by the promise4 ,which things are said by an allegory3 for these are the two testaments3 the one indeed on ,mount ,sina which bringeth forth unto bondage1 which is ,agar3 for ,sina is a mountain in ,arabia1 which hath an affinity to that which now is ,jerusalem1 and is in bondage with her children4 ,but that ,jerusalem which is above1 is free3 which is our mother4 ,for it is written3 ,rejoice1 thou barren1 that bearest not3 break forth and cry out1 thou that travailest not2 for many are the children of the desolate1 more than of her that hath a husband2 now we1 brethren1 as ,isaac was1 are the children of promise4 ,but as then he1 that was born according to the flesh1 persecuted him that was according to the spirit3 so also now4 ,but what saith the ,scripture8 ,cast out the bond-woman and her son3 for the son of the bond-woman shall not be heir with the son of the free-woman4 ,therefore1 brethren1 we are not the children of the bond-woman1 but of the free3 by the freedom wherewith ,christ has made us free4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,john vi4 #a-ae4 ,at that time3 ,jesus went over the sea of ,galilee1 which is that of ,tiberias3 and a great multitude followed him1 because they saw the miracles which he did on them that were infirm4 ,and ,jesus went up into a mountain1 and there he sat with his disciples4 ,now the pasch1 the festival day of the ,jews1 was near at hand4 #agi ,when ,jesus therefore had lifted up his eyes1 and seen that a very great multitude cometh to him1 he said to ,philip3 ,whence shall we buy bread that these may eat8 ,and this he said to try him1 for he himself knew what he would do4 ,philip answered him3 ,two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them1 that every one may take a little4 ,one of his disciples1 ,andrew1 the brother of ,simon ,peter1 saith to him3 ,there is a boy here that hath five barley loaves1 and two fishes2 but what are these among so many8 ,then ,jesus said3 ,make the men sit down4 ,now there was much grass in the place4 ,so the men sat down1 in number about five thousand4 ,and ,jesus took the loaves3 and when he had given thanks he distributed to them that were sat down4 ,in like manner also of the fishes as much as they would4 ,and when they were filled1 he said to his disciples3 ,gather up the fragments that remain1 lest they be lost4 ,so they gathered up1 and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves1 which remained over and above to them that had eaten4 ,then those men1 when they had seen what a miracle ,jesus had done1 said3 ,this is the prophet indeed that is to come into the world4 ,when ,jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force and make him king1 he fled again into the mountain himself alone4 --------------------- ,sermon ,l4 ,when1 therefore1 ,jesus had lifted up his eyes and seen that a very great multitude cometh to him1 he said to ,philip3 ,whence shall we buy bread that these may eat8 --,st4 ,john vi4 #e4 ,to-day is mid-,lent ,sunday1 dear brethren4 ,half of the holy season has passed away1 and the ,pasch is near at hand4 ,all through ,lent the church has been praying1 fasting1 and preaching1 making extra efforts to bring in the sinners who have so long stayed without the fold4 #ahj ,like the ,divine ,master1 she looks down upon the crowd and she has pity on them4 ,she wants to heal the sick2 they will not be healed4 ,she wants to feed the hungry2 they will not be fed4 ,the church looks round upon the vast crowd of her children and wants them to make their ,easter duty2 alas6 how many neglect it4 ,why should you make the ,easter duty8 ,first1 because it is a strict law of the church4 ,if you fail to make it by your own fault you commit a grievous mortal sin and put yourself in a position to be excommunicated from ,god's church4 ,secondly1 for your own spiritual good4 ,what kind of a ,christian can he be who does not go to confession or communion at least once in a year8 ,how shall you make it8 ,first go to confession1 and then1 when you have received absolution1 go to communion4 ,that is all simple and plain enough4 ,why1 then1 do some people stay away from their ,easter duty8 ,let us tell the truth4 ,confession must come first1 and confession is the difficulty4 ,a man has been engaged for years in an unlawful business1 or he has stolen a sum of money1 or he has been the receiver of stolen goods1 or in some way or other cheated in trade4 ,such a man is a thief4 ,he knows it1 and he is also aware that if he goes to confession the priest will say3 ,give up the ill-gotten money1 sell your fine house and your gilded furniture1 and make restitution2 you must restore or you will damn your soul4 ,they won't do that1 won't give up the dishonest gains1 and so they won't make the ,easter duty4 ,or there are some who have committed sins of impurity2 they have been unfaithful husbands1 dissolute wives4 #aha ,they won't give up their bad habits or won't tell their shameful sins1 and so they won't make the ,easter duty4 ,there are others on whom the fiend of drunkenness has settled2 they are always on a spree1 always pouring the liquor which stupefies them down their throats2 they won't repent and they won't make the ,easter duty4 ,ah6 then1 if there be any such sinners here--if there be any thieves1 if there be any who are living upon dishonest gains1 if there be any who are wallowing in impurity and drunkenness--tell me1 how long is this going to last8 ,how many more years will you slink away from your ,easter duty like cowards and cravens8 ,will you go on so to the end of your lives8 ,oh6 then you will go down to hell1 and your blood be upon your own heads4 ,no one stays away from ,easter duty except for disgraceful reasons4 ,there is always something bad behind that fear of the confessional1 and such a man deserves to be pointed at by every honorable ,catholic4 ,suppose you have stolen1 or been an adulterer1 or a fornicator1 or a drunkard1 or what not4 ,now is the time to repent1 and amend1 and make reparation4 ,don't you see the church looking down with eyes of mercy upon you8 ,why1 then1 stay8 ,there can be only one reason1 and that reason is because you want to go on being thieves1 adulterers1 and drunkards4 ,o brethren6 do not1 ,i pray you1 so wickedly4 ,the church is kind4 ,the blood of ,christ is still flowing4 ,the confessionals are still open4 ,go in there with your heavy sins and your black secrets4 ,go in there with your long story of sin4 ,go in1 even if your hands are red with blood--go in1 ,i say1 and if you are truly penitent you will be cleansed and consoled4 ,let there not be a single man or woman in this church who can have it said of them this year3 ,you missed your ,easter duty4 #ahb ,and you that have been away for years and years1 don't add another sin to your already long list of crimes4 ,you are sick1 you are fainting with hunger1 you are a poor wandering sheep2 but never mind1 remember ,jesus looks with pity upon you1 and he will heal your sickness in the sacrament of penance1 and feed you with his own ,body and ,blood4 ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 ------------------------- ,sermon ,,li4 ,gather up the fragments that remain1 lest they he lost4 --,st4 ,john vi4 #ab4 ,it seems rather odd1 does it not1 my brethren1 that our ,divine ,lord should have been so particular about saving all the broken bits of those loaves and fishes8 ,he had just worked a wonderful miracle1 and he could have repeated it the next day without any difficulty4 ,when he or his apostles or the crowd who came to hear him were hungry1 he had nothing to do but to say the word1 and they could all have as much to eat as they wanted4 ,why1 then1 be so particular about hunting up all the crusts of bread and bits of fish that were lying round in the grass8 ,perhaps you will say3 ,it was to show what a great miracle he had worked2 to show that1 in spite of their all having dined heartily1 there were twelve basketfuls of scraps left over--much more than they had to start with4 ,i do not think that was it4 ,the greatness of the miracle in feeding five thousand men on five loaves and two fishes was plain enough4 ,at any rate1 that was not the reason that he himself gave4 #ahc ,he said3 ,gather them up1 lest they be lost4 ,well1 then1 a prudent housekeeper would say1 the reason is plain enough4 ,it was to teach us economy--not to let anything go to waste2 to save the scraps1 and make them up into bread-puddings and fish-balls4 ,i know you do not think that was it4 ,most people who are not forced to this kind of economy are apt to turn up their noses at it1 and connect it in their minds with a stingy disposition1 which they very rightly think is not pleasing to ,god4 ,but1 after all1 ,i don't see what it could very well have been but economy that our ,lord meant to teach4 ,i don't see what other meaning you can get out of his command to gather up the fragments1 that they might not be lost4 ,if that does not mean economy1 what does it mean8 ,no1 my brethren1 economy1 or a saving spirit1 is not such a contemptible thing when rightly understood4 ,there may be stinginess with it1 but stinginess is not a part of it4 ,economy1 rightly understood1 is setting a proper value on the gifts of ,god4 ,yes2 what comes from him--and everything does--is too valuable to be thrown away4 ,to despise his gifts is very much like despising him4 ,and besides1 there is not1 in fact1 an unlimited supply of them1 though there might be4 ,he might have fed his followers in that miraculous way every day2 but he only did so twice in his life4 ,our ,lord1 then1 did mean1 ,i think1 to set us an example of economy4 ,practise it as he did1 my brethren4 ,prize ,god's gifts1 whatever they may be2 do not waste them4 ,but especially his spiritual gifts2 for they are infinitely more precious than the material ones4 ,don't count on having a future extraordinary supply of them4 #ahd ,you have got enough to save your souls now1 and to sanctify them1 if you will only make use of it4 ,you have got the faith1 the sacraments1 and the word of ,god4 ,you don't need to have any one rise from the dead to convert you4 ,our ,lord tells us that a certain rich man who was in hell wanted to go back to earth and appear to his brothers1 that they might take warning by his example4 ,he was told that it was not necessary2 that they had ,moses and the prophets4 ,well1 you have got a great deal more4 ,you know just as well what you must do to save your souls1 and even to become saints1 as if you had been beyond the grave yourselves4 ,don't expect more yet4 ,save up your spiritual gifts1 my brethren2 you have got plenty now1 but you do not know how much more you will get4 ,when ,god gives you any grace make the most of it2 perhaps it will be the last you will have4 ,bring back to your minds what you have heard1 and the good thoughts and purposes which the ,holy ,ghost has given you2 serve up the spiritual feasts you have had1 not only a second time1 but over and over again4 ,make what you have got go as far as possible1 and your souls will grow stout and strong4 ,wait for unusual graces like a mission or a jubilee1 and they will be thin and weak all the time4 ,be economical1 especially in spiritual things2 that is a very important lesson of the ,gospel of to-day4 ---------------- #ahe ,passion ,sunday4 ,epistle4 ,hebrews ix4 #aa-ae4 ,brethren3 ,christ being come a high-priest of the good things to come1 by a greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands1 that is1 not of this creation3 neither by the blood of goats1 nor of calves1 but by his own blood1 entered once into the ,holies1 having obtained eternal redemption4 ,for if the blood of goats and of oxen1 and the ashes of a heifer being sprinkled1 sanctify such as are defiled1 to the cleansing of the flesh3 how much more shall the blood of ,christ1 who by the ,holy ,ghost offered himself unspotted unto ,god1 cleanse our conscience from dead works1 to serve the living ,god8 ,and therefore he is the mediator of the new testament3 that by means of his death1 for the redemption of those transgressions1 which were under the former testament1 they that are called may receive the promise of eternal inheritance in ,christ ,jesus our ,lord4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,john viii4 #df-ei4 ,at that time3 ,jesus said to the multitude of the ,jews3 ,which of you shall convince me of sin8 ,if ,i say the truth to you1 why do you not believe me8 ,he that is of ,god1 heareth the words of ,god4 ,therefore you hear them not1 because you are not of ,god4 ,the ,jews1 therefore1 answered and said to him3 ,do not we say well that thou art a ,samaritan1 and hast a devil8 ,jesus answered3 ,i have not a devil2 but ,i honor my ,father1 and you have dishonored me4 ,but ,i seek not my own glory3 there is one that seeketh and judgeth4 ,amen1 amen1 ,i say to you3 if any man keep my word1 he shall not see death for ever4 ,the ,jews therefore said3 ,now we know that thou hast a devil4 #ahf ,abraham is dead1 and the prophets2 and thou sayest3 ,if any man keep my word1 he shall not taste death for ever4 ,are thou greater than our father ,abraham1 who is dead8 ,and the prophets are dead4 ,whom dost thou make thyself8 ,jesus answered3 ,if ,i glorify myself1 my glory is nothing4 ,it is my ,father that glorifieth me1 of whom you say that he is your ,god4 ,and you have not known him1 but ,i know him4 ,and if ,i shall say that ,i know him not1 ,i shall be like to you1 a liar4 ,but ,i do know him1 and do keep his word4 ,abraham your father rejoiced that he might see my day3 he saw it1 and was glad4 ,the ,jews therefore said to him3 ,thou art not yet fifty years old1 and hast thou seen ,abraham8 ,jesus said to them3 ,amen1 amen1 ,i say to you1 before ,abraham was made1 ,i am4 ,they took up stones therefore to cast at him4 ,but ,jesus hid himself1 and went out of the temple4 ----------------------- ,sermon ,,lii4 ,but ,jesus hid himself4 --,st4 ,john viii4 #ei4 ,thick and fast1 dear brethren1 the shadows of the ,great ,week begin to fall upon us4 ,only a few more days and it will be ,palm ,sunday1 the first day of ,holy ,week4 ,to-day we are left1 as it were1 alone4 ,the crucifix1 with its figure of the dead1 white ,christ1 is veiled2 the dear1 familiar faces of the ,blessed ,virgin and ,st4 ,joseph are veiled also2 and even the saints before whom we were wont to kneel are all hidden behind the purple veil of ,passion-tide4 ,not till ,good ,friday will ,jesus look upon us again1 not till ,holy ,saturday will the ,blessed ,virgin1 ,st4 ,joseph1 and the saints once more come forth to our view4 ,we are1 then1 alone by ourselves4 ,god wants us to stand up before him just as we are4 ,jesus has hidden his face for a while4 #ahg ,the crucifix has bidden you good-by4 ,in what state were you last night when devout hands veiled the figure of ,christ8 ,will you ever look upon the old1 familiar crucifix again8 ,it may be1 before the purple veil is lifted from this cross1 you will have looked upon the face of ,christ in judgment4 ,o brethren6 to-day the face of ,jesus is hidden4 ,may be the last time you looked upon it you were in mortal sin1 and are so still4 ,when and how shall you look upon it again8 ,if you live till ,good ,friday you will see it then held aloft by the priest1 and afterwards kissed by all the faithful4 ,if you die before then1 and die1 as you may1 without warning or preparation1 then you will look upon the face of ,christ upon the judgment seat1 then you will hear the awful words3 ,depart from me1 ye cursed1 into everlasting fire4 ,or perhaps--and may ,god grant it6--you will next see the face of ,jesus in the person of his priest in the confessional1 and there it will be turned upon you in mercy and forgiveness4 ,there are some of you1 ,i know1 who are as dead men4 ,there are some of you who1 even up to this late hour1 are holding out against grace4 ,still in mortal sin6 ,i point you to the veiled ,christ4 ,i ask you1 here in the sacred presence of ,god1 ,i ask you in the most solemn manner1 when and how will you look upon his face again8 ,he has bidden you good-by to-day1 he has said farewell1 and as he said it he saw that you were a blasphemer1 a drunkard1 an adulterer1 a slanderer1 a creature full of pride1 full of sloth1 full of all kinds of sin4 ,oh6 say1 shall he still find you so when he returns8 ,say1 when he is uncovered on ,good ,friday can you1 dare you add to his grief by still being what you are now8 ,and to us all1 even the most devout1 this lesson of the veiled crucifix ought not to pass unheeded4 #ahh ,christ has gone from us to-day6 ,how will he come back to us8 ,all torn and bloody1 all thorn-scarred1 all spear-pierced1 nailed to the cross1 and all for love of us6 ,we1 too1 brethren1 who are trying to walk strictly in the narrow path--we1 too1 may ask ourselves4 ,when and how shall we see him again8 ,perhaps before ,good ,friday1 ay1 perhaps even before our hands can grasp the green palm-branch of next ,sunday1 we may see the unveiled face of our ,beloved4 ,are we afraid of that8 ,oh6 no4 ,we have loved the face of suffering too well to dread the face of glory4 ,we only expect to hear from his lips words of love and welcome4 ,brethren1 there is a day coming when all veils shall be lifted4 ,there is a time nearing us when all must look upon the face that died on ,calvary's ,mount4 ,on that day and at that time will take place the great unveiling of the face of ,christ3 ,i mean the day of general judgment4 ,o solemn1 ,o awful thought for us to-day before the veiled image of our ,lord6 ,may be the judgment day will come before that light veil is lifted from the well-known crucifix4 ,great ,god6 our next ,good ,friday may be spent either in heaven or in hell4 ,go home1 brethren1 with these thoughts fixed deeply in your hearts4 ,come here often to pray4 ,if you have sins come here and confess them2 and often and often as we turn to the veiled ,christ1 let us most devoutly cry3 ,jesus1 when and how shall we look upon thy face again8 ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 ------------------------------ ,sermon ,,liii4 ,under the false accusations of the ,jews how calm and self-possessed our ,lord remains6 #ahi ,he does not return passion for passion1 anger for anger1 accusations for accusations1 violence for violence2 but he meets calumny with the assertion of truth1 and confounds his enemies by humility and meekness4 ,they accuse him of sin2 with the sublime simplicity of a pure conscience he dares them to convince him of sin4 ,they call him names3 ,thou art a ,samaritan2 to so evident a falsehood he deigns no reply4 ,blinded by anger1 they accuse him of being possessed3 ,thou hast a devil2 a simple denial1 ,i have not a devil1 the leaving of his own glory to his ,father1 the assertion of his divine mission1 is the answer to the blasphemous calumny4 ,now we know thou hast a devil1 repeat they1 waxing more passionate2 but1 unimpassioned1 ,jesus rises above their rage to the calm heights of the ,godhead1 and affirms his eternal generation4 ,finally1 losing all control of themselves1 they take up stones to cast at him2 but he quietly goes out of the temple and hides himself1 for his hour--the hour when he would bear in silence the accusations and indignities of man1 and allow himself to be led to slaughter--had not yet come4 ,in this our ,saviour teaches us how we should behave when the passions of others fall upon us and we are made the butt of accusations1 just or unjust4 ,in such circumstances what is generally your conduct8 ,by no means ,christian1 ,i am afraid1 but very worldly2 for the world counts it true valor and justice to give tit for tat1 to take tooth for tooth and eye for eye4 ,do you not give back as good--and often worse--than you get8 ,prudence1 let alone ,christianity1 should dictate to you quite another conduct4 #aij ,your counter-accusations do but strengthen and confirm the calumny2 they allow it to stand1 ,you're another and you're no better are poor arguments to clear yourselves4 ,it's a flank movement that does not cover your position1 a feint that does not save you from attack4 ,the answering of a question by asking another question is a smart trick1 but no answer4 ,a calm denial1 if you could make it1 or dignified silence would do the work more surely and thoroughly4 ,and so the fight of words goes on in true ,billingsgate style2 to and fro they fly thick and hot1 hotter and hotter as passion rises on both sides4 ,one word brings on another1 until white heat is reached and all control of temper lost4 ,then1 as the ,jews ended with stones1 so you perhaps come to more serious passion than mere words4 ,the result is quarrels1 deadly feuds1 bodily injuries1 and worse1 may be--bloodshed and the jail4 ,a cow kicked a lantern in a stable1 and ,chicago was on fire for days4 ,some frivolous accusation that you pick up1 while you should let it fall1 starts within you a fire of anger that makes a ruin of your whole spiritual life and throws disorder all around you2 families are divided2 wife and husband sulk1 quarrel1 live a cat and dog life2 friends are separated1 connections broken4 ,peace flies from your homes1 your social surroundings1 your own hearts2 the very horrors of hell are around you4 ,christian charity has been wounded to death1 and the slightest of blows1 the lightest of shafts has done it4 ,all for the want of a little patience and self-possession6 ,how often we hear it said3 ,oh6 ,i have such a bad temper2 ,i'm easily riz1 ,god forgive me6 ,i've a bad passion entirely4 ,well1 my dear brethren1 learn from this ,gospel how you should control yourselves1 how you should possess your souls in patience4 #aia ,one-half the sins of the world would be done away with1 if only the lesson of this ,gospel were laid to heart and put into practice4 ,what is the lesson8 ,firstly1 never seek self-praise in self-justification4 ,jesus turns aside the calumny of the ,jews1 but leaves the glorifying of himself in the hands of his ,father1 who seeketh and judgeth4 ,secondly1 pay no attention to accusations that are absurd1 evidently untrue1 and frivolous4 ,when ,jesus is called names and is made out to be what every one knows he was not--a ,samaritan--he makes no answer4 ,thirdly1 if serious calumny1 calculated to injure your usefulness in your duties and state of life1 assail you1 it then becomes your right1 and sometimes your duty1 to repel the calumny1 as ,jesus did when he was accused of having a devil4 ,but in this case your self-justification1 like that of our ,saviour1 should ever be calm1 dignified1 and ,christian4 ,it should be a defence1 never an attack4 ,the true ,christian parries1 he does not give the thrust2 he shields himself from the arrows of malice1 he does not shoot them back4 ,superior to revenge1 he pities enemies for the evil they do2 he forgives them and prays for them1 as our ,lord has commanded4 ,this is ,christian charity1 and ,christian humility as well4 ,but as it avails little to know what we should do1 if we have not ,god's grace to enable us to do it1 let us often say1 especially in temptations to impatience3 ,o ,jesus1 meek and humble of heart6 make me like unto thee4 ---------------------------- #aib ,sermon ,,liv4 ,why is to-day called ,passion ,sunday1 my brethren8 ,there does not seem to be any special commemoration of our ,lord's sacred ,passion in the ,mass1 as there is next ,sunday1 when the long account of it from ,st4 ,matthew's ,gospel is read2 and most people1 ,i think1 hardly realize that to-day is anything more than any other ,sunday in ,lent4 ,but if you look into the matter a little more you will notice a great change which comes upon the spirit of the church to-day1 and remains during the two following weeks4 ,the ,preface of the ,mass is not that of ,lent1 but that of the ,cross2 the hymns sung at ,vespers and at other times are about the cross and our ,lord's death upon it2 and all the way through the ,divine ,office you will see evident signs that the church is thinking about this mystery of the cross1 the commemoration of which is consummated on ,good ,friday4 ,and if you look about the church this morning you will see the pictures all veiled1 to tell us that during these two weeks we should think principally of our ,lord's suffering and humiliation2 that we should1 as it were1 for a while forget his saints and everything else connected with his glory4 ,and even the cross itself is concealed1 for it is after all a sign of triumph and victory to our eyes2 it is waiting to be revealed till ,good ,friday1 when the sacrifice shall be accomplished and the victory won4 ,to-day1 then1 is called ,passion ,sunday because it is the opening of this short period1 from now till ,easter1 which the church calls ,passion-time4 #aic ,what practical meaning has this ,passion-time for us1 my brethren8 ,it means1 or should mean1 for us sorrow1 humiliation1 sharing in the ,passion of our ,lord4 ,lent1 all the way through1 is a time of penance2 but more especially so is this short season which brings it to a close4 ,now1 surely1 is the time1 if ever1 when we are going to be sorry for our sins1 when we cannot help thinking of what they have made our ,divine ,saviour suffer4 ,now is the time to think of the malice and ingratitude of sin2 to see it as it really is1 as the one thing which has turned this earth from a paradise into a place of suffering and sorrow2 to see our own sins as they truly are1 as the only real evils which have ever happened to us1 and to resolve to be rid of them for our own sake and for ,god's sake2 for he has suffered for them as well as we4 ,now is the time to go to confession1 and to make a better confession than we have ever made before1 or ever can make1 probably1 till ,passion-time comes round again4 ,for now is it easier for us to be sorry for our sins1 not only because we have everything to show us how hateful they are1 but also because ,god's grace is more liberally given4 ,he has sanctified this time and blessed it for our repentance and conversion4 ,he calls us and helps us always to penance1 but never so much as now4 ,hear his voice1 then1 my brethren1 and1 in the words with which the church begins her office today3 ,to-day if you shall hear his voice1 harden not your hearts4 ,do not obstinately remain in sin1 and put off your repentance and confession to a more favorable time4 ,there is no time nearly as good as this2 this is the time which ,god himself has appointed4 #aid ,you must make your ,easter duty1 if you would not add another terrible sin to the many which you have already made our ,lord bear for you2 make it now before ,easter comes4 ,take your share now in the ,passion1 that you may have your share of the ,easter joy4 ,and there is another reason why you should come now to confession2 for there is another unusual grace which ,god now offers you--the grace of the ,jubilee1 which you heard announced last ,sunday4 ,now1 a ,jubilee is not a mere devotion for those who frequent the sacraments2 it is a call and an opportunity for those who have neglected them4 ,i beg you not to let it be said that you have allowed this opportunity to go by4 ,come and give us some work to do in the confessional2 the more the better4 ,we will not complain1 but will thank you from the bottom of our hearts4 ,the best offering you can make to your priests1 as well as to the ,god whose servants they are1 is a crowded confessional and a full altar-rail at this holy ,passion-time4 ------------------- #aie ,palm ,sunday4 ,epistle4 ,philippians ii4 #e-aa4 ,brethren3 ,let this mind be in you1 which was also in ,christ ,jesus3 who being in the form of ,god1 thought it not robbery himself to be equal with ,god3 but debased himself1 taking the form of a servant1 being made to the likeness of men1 and in shape found as a man4 ,he humbled himself1 becoming obedient unto death1 even the death of the cross4 ,wherefore ,god also hath exalted him1 and hath given him a name which is above every name3 that in the name of ,jesus every knee should bow1 of those that are in heaven1 on earth1 and in hell4 ,and that every tongue should confess that the ,lord ,jesus ,christ is in the glory of ,god the ,father4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,matthew xxvii4 #fb-ff4 ,and the next day1 which followed the day of preparation1 the chief priests and the ,pharisees came together to ,pilate1 saying3 ,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 day3 lest his disciples come and steal him away1 and say to the people1 ,he is risen from the dead3 so the last error shall be worse than the first4 ,pilate said to them3 ,you have a guard2 go1 guard it as you know4 ,and they departing1 made the sepulchre sure with guards1 sealing the stone4 ----------------------------- #aif ,sermon ,,lv4 ,behold thy ,king cometh to thee meek4 --,st4 ,matthew xxi4 #e4 ,through humility and suffering to exaltation and glory--that is the way our ,lord went to heaven1 dear brethren1 and that is the way we must go if we wish to follow him4 ,to-day is ,palm ,sunday1 the day on which our ,lord rode in triumph to begin his ,passion4 ,yes1 in triumph2 but what an humble one6 ,he rode upon a lowly beast2 there were no rich carpets spread along the way1 only the poor and well-worn garments of the apostles and of the multitude thrown together with the boughs and branches torn from the wayside trees4 ,all was humble1 and doubly so if we think that he was riding to his death4 ,yes1 brethren1 those palm-branches were scarce withered1 the dust had hardly been shaken from those garments1 when the cross was laid upon his shoulders and the thorny crown pressed upon his brow4 ,dear brethren1 let us ask ourselves this morning if we want to go to heaven4 ,do we want to be where ,jesus is now1 and where he will be for all eternity8 ,if we do we must follow him through suffering and humility to exaltation and glory4 ,we must be content with little and short happiness in this world2 for1 as ,i have said1 the triumph of ,palm ,sunday was short-lived indeed4 ,what followed8 ,jesus was brought before ,pilate4 ,he was condemned to death1 forsaken1 set at naught1 buffeted1 mocked1 spit upon4 ,he1 the innocent ,lamb of ,god1 was scourged1 stripped of his garments1 crowned with thorns4 ,then upon his poor1 torn shoulders was laid a heavy cross1 which he carried till he could no longer bear it4 ,and1 lastly1 outside the city gates they nailed him to that same cross1 and he died4 ,but after that came the glory and the triumph--the glory of the resurrection2 the triumph over sin1 and death1 and hell4 #aig ,brethren1 we needs must think of heaven to-day2 the waving palms1 the chanted hosannas1 all speak to us of that delightful place4 ,we cannot help thinking of that great multitude1 clad in white robes and with palms in their hands1 of whom ,st4 ,john speaks1 and of those others who cast down their golden crowns before the glassy sea4 ,we want to reach that blessed place2 we want to hear the sound of the harpers harping upon their harps2 we want to hear the angels' songs and see the flashing of their golden wings2 we want to gaze upon ,jesus and ,mary and all the heavenly host4 ,but1 brethren1 not yet1 not yet4 ,see the long path strewn with stones and briers2 see that steep mount with its cross of crucifixion at the top4 ,that way must be trodden1 that mountain scaled1 that cross be nailed to us and we to it1 or ever we may hear the golden harps or the angels' song4 ,through humility and suffering to exaltation and glory4 ,oh6 let us learn the lesson well this ,holy ,week4 ,let us learn it to-day as we follow ,jesus to prison and to death2 let us learn it on ,holy ,thursday when we see him humble himself to the form of bread and wine2 let us learn it on ,good ,friday when we kiss his sacred feet pierced with the nails4 ,yes1 let us learn the lesson and never forget it4 ,heaven has been bought for you4 ,heaven lies open to you3 but there is only one way there1 and that way is the way of suffering4 ,so1 then1 brethren1 when your trials come thick and fast2 when your temptations seem more than you can endure2 when you are pinched by poverty1 slighted by your neighbors1 forsaken--as it seems to you--even by ,god himself1 then remember the way of the cross4 ,remember the agony in the garden2 remember the mount of ,calvary4 #aih ,grasp the palm firmly in your hand to-day2 let it be in fancy the wood of the cross4 ,cry aloud as you journey on3 ,through humility and suffering to exaltation and glory4 ,keep close to ,jesus4 ,onward to prison6 ,onward to crucifixion6 ,onward to death6 ,onward to what comes afterwards6 ,resurrection6 ,reward6 ,peace6 ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 ------------------------ ,sermon ,,lvi4 ,he humbled himself1 becoming obedient unto death1 even the death of the cross4 --,philippians ii4 #h4 ,we are entering to-day1 my dear brethren1 on the great week1 the ,holy ,week1 as it is called1 of the ,christian year--the week in which we commemorate the ,passion and death of our ,lord2 and at this time our minds cannot1 when we assist at the offices of the church1 be occupied with any other thoughts than those which are suggested by his sufferings for our redemption4 ,and surely there is enough to occupy them not only for one short week1 but for all our lives4 ,the ,passion of ,christ is a mystery which we can never exhaust1 in this world or in the world to come4 ,it is the book of the saints1 and there is no lesson of perfection which we cannot learn from it4 ,so we must needs look at it to-day only in part1 and learn one of its many lessons2 and let that be one suggested to us by the words of the text1 taken from the ,epistle read at the ,mass3 ,he humbled himself1 becoming obedient unto death1 even the death of the cross4 #aii ,what is this lesson8 ,it is that of humility1 which is the foundation of all supernatural virtues1 and yet the last one which most ,christians try to acquire4 ,in fact1 it would seem that many people1 who are very good in their way1 are rather annoyed than edified by the examples of humility that they find in the lives of the saints4 ,it seems to them like hypocrisy when they read that the saints considered themselves the greatest sinners in the world4 ,but it was not hypocrisy2 they said what they really felt4 ,they were not in the habit1 as most people are1 of noticing their neighbors' faults and making the most of them1 and of excusing their own4 ,so1 though it was not really true that they were such great sinners when compared with others1 it seemed to them that it was4 ,and1 moreover1 they were willing that others should think them so4 ,in that they differed very much from some whom you would think were saints4 ,the real saints are willing to bear contempt2 they are willing to be considered sinners1 even in their best actions1 as long as ,god's glory is not in question2 and1 what is really harder1 though it ought not to be1 they are willing to be considered fools4 ,almost any one would rather be thought a knave than a fool4 ,there are very few good people who like to be told of their faults2 there are fewer still who like to be told of their blunders4 ,now1 it is with regard to this matter that we need specially to think of our ,saviour's example4 ,he1 who could not be deceived1 could not believe himself to be a knave or a fool2 but he consented that others should consider him so1 to set us an example of humility4 #bjj ,he was reckoned among sinners in his life as well as in his death2 and he hid the treasures of his divine wisdom and knowledge under the appearance of a poor1 simple man of the lower classes4 ,but it was in his sacred ,passion that his humility is seen most plainly2 he became obedient unto death1 even the death of the cross2 he1 our ,lord and our ,god1 suffered the most disgraceful punishment that has ever been devised for common criminals4 ,there is the example1 then1 my brethren1 for us poor sinners to follow4 ,and the humility which we need most is nothing but the pure and simple truth4 ,it is nothing but getting rid of the absurd notion that we are wiser and better than other people whom anybody else can see are our equals or superiors2 for1 strangely enough1 it is always hardest to be humble when it is most clear that we ought to be4 ,and depend on it1 it is high time to set about acquiring this virtue2 for1 simple as it seems1 to get even as much as this of it will take1 for most of us1 all our lives4 ----------------- ,sermon ,,lvii4 ,i will say a few words to you this morning1 my brethren1 on the ,jubilee just proclaimed by our ,holy ,father4 ,what is a ,jubilee8 ,it is the proclamation of a great spiritual favor which may be obtained by any ,catholic in the world during a specified time4 #bja ,this spiritual favor is a special plenary indulgence which1 if gained in a way that perfectly fulfils all the conditions and completely satisfies the intentions of the church1 will surely wipe out not only all the actual sins one has committed in all his life before1 but take away also all the temporal punishment one would have to undergo in this life or in purgatory on account of those sins1 be they great or small4 ,no wonder that all the children of the ,catholic ,church rejoice to hear such a favor proclaimed by their ,holy ,father1 and that everybody is so anxious to partake of its benefits4 ,what is to be done8 ,just what the ,pope says1 and in a way specially directed for his diocesans by each bishop4 ,there are visits to be made to certain churches1 and prayers to be said there4 ,there is a fast to be observed on one day4 ,there are alms to be given4 ,there is confession to be made and ,holy ,communion to be received4 ,and all to be done by or before next ,pentecost ,sunday4 ,first4 ,the visits4 ,for this city there are three churches named by ,his ,eminence the ,cardinal--viz41 ,st4 ,patrick's ,cathedral1 ,st4 ,stephen's1 and the ,church of the ,epiphany4 ,each one of these three churches must be visited twice4 ,all the visits may be made in one day or on different days1 and one may1 if he pleases1 pay the two visits to the same church at once before going to another4 ,second4 ,prayers are to be said in the churches2 and they ought1 of course1 to be devout ones1 and offered for all the intentions laid down by the ,holy ,father4 ,no particular prayers are prescribed4 ,one can hear ,mass1 or say the beads1 or say five times the ,our ,father and ,hail ,mary1 or one of the ,litanies2 or any of these prayers will do4 #bjb ,third4 ,the fast4 ,this may be in ,lent or after1 on any day that meat is allowed4 ,but on the day you choose for the fast you must also abstain from meat4 ,fourth4 ,the alms4 ,the amount or kind is not prescribed1 but is left to your own generosity4 ,it may be in money1 in food1 or in clothing1 and it may be given to an orphan asylum or other such charitable institution1 or to build a church4 ,it may be given when making the visits2 and special alms-boxes will be found in those churches to be visited1 into which the offering can be put4 ,fifth4 ,confession and ,communion2 and both ought to be prepared for and made the very best one can4 ,moreover1 as one gains the more merit by doing actions in a state of grace1 one will likely make the ,jubilee better if he begins by making a good confession4 ,now is the time for great sinners to return to ,god and obtain his merciful forgiveness2 for the ,pope has given special privileges to confessors1 in order that they may absolve the hardest kind of cases4 ,let no one1 therefore1 despair1 nor think himself too hard a case4 ,that is what the ,jubilee is for--to bring down the mercy and forgiveness of ,god upon this sinful generation4 ,to ensure this the father of the faithful sets the whole ,catholic world together praying1 and fasting1 and giving alms1 and confessing their sins1 and making holy1 devout communion1 so as to take heaven by storm1 as our ,lord said we might4 ,for the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence1 and the violent bear it away4 ,what a sublime spectacle1 which only the ,catholic ,church can show--two hundred and fifty millions of people all turning to ,god at once6 ,no wonder the ,catholic ,church saves the world4 #bjc ,look out that you are not found1 in eternity1 to be one of those whom she failed to turn to ,god1 and lost for ever because you would not hear her instruction and counsel1 nor be guided by her into the way of eternal life4 ---------------- #bjd ,easter ,sunday4 ,epistle4 ,i ,corinthians v1 #g1 #h4 ,brethren3 ,purge out the old leaven1 that you may be a new mass1 as you are unleavened4 ,for ,christ1 our pasch1 is sacrificed4 ,therefore let us feast1 not with the old leaven1 nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness1 but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,mark xvi4 #a-g4 ,at that time3 ,mary ,magdalen1 and ,mary the mother of ,james and ,salome1 bought sweet spices1 that coming they might anoint ,jesus4 ,and very early in the morning1 the first day of the week1 they come to the sepulchre1 the sun being now risen4 ,and they said one to another3 ,who shall roll us back the stone from the door of the sepulchre8 ,and looking1 they saw the stone rolled back1 for it was very great4 ,and entering into the sepulchre1 they saw a young man sitting on the right side1 clothed with a white robe3 and they were astonished4 ,and he said to them3 ,be not affrighted2 ye seek ,jesus of ,nazareth1 who was crucified3 he is risen1 he is not here2 behold the place where they laid him4 ,but go1 tell his disciples and ,peter that he goeth before you into ,galilee2 there you shall see him as he told you4 ----------------------- ,sermon ,,lviii4 ,mary ,magdalen4 --,st4 ,mark xvi4 #a4 ,dear brethren1 you have all felt the great contrast that there is between the awful rites of ,good ,friday and the joy of to-day4 #bje ,still fresh in your minds is the memory of the darkened church1 the uplifted crucifix1 the wailing of the reproaches4 ,you remember1 too1 the silence that might be felt that reigned in ,god's temple on ,holy ,saturday4 ,you can recall how still the church seemed yesterday at early morning1 just as if some awful deed had been done there the day before2 you may remember how unspeakably solemn seemed the silent procession to the porch to bless the new fire2 how quiet and subdued all that followed4 ,but suddenly a voice rang out into the darkness--the voice of the sacrificing priest at the altar2 an exceeding great cry pierced the stillness1 and instantly every veil fell2 the sunlight streamed in through every window2 chiming bells1 pealing organ1 and choral voices burst upon your senses2 everything seemed to say1 ,he is risen6 he is risen6 ,and we felt it was almost too much1 almost more than the feeble human heart could bear and not break for very joy4 ,if1 then1 this contrast is so marked and this joy so great after a lapse of eighteen hundred years and more1 oh6 what must have been the joy of the first ,easter day4 ,the first crucifix bore no ivory or metal figure2 it had nailed to it the flesh of the ,son of ,god4 ,the first ,good ,friday was no commemoration of an event2 it was the event itself4 ,oh6 then how great1 how great beyond mind to imagine or tongue to tell1 must have been the joy of the first ,easter4 ,jesus had died1 left all his beloved4 ,he had been buried1 and there he rested in the quiet garden4 ,very early in the morning come ,mary ,magdalen and the other women to the tomb4 ,the sun was just rising2 the flowers of that blessed garden were just awaking2 the dew-drops sparkled like rubies in the red sunrise2 the vines and the creepers1 fresh with their morning sweetness1 hung clustering round the sacred tomb4 #bjf ,to that spot the women hasten2 the sun rises2 she1 ,mary ,magdalen1 stoops down2 her ,lord is not there1 but lo6 the great stone is rolled away2 a bright angel sits thereon2 other angelic spirits are in the tomb4 ,the angel speaks3 ,he is risen2 he is not here4 ,behold1 he goes before you to ,galilee4 ,alleluia6 alleluia6 ,the ,lord is risen indeed4 ,and now1 brethren1 wishing you every joy that this holy feast can bring1 ,i will ask the question4 ,where or of whom shall we learn our ,easter lesson8 ,we will learn it from her whose name1 whose lovely1 saintly name1 forms the text of this discourse4 ,in pointing you to ,mary ,magdalen1 the great saint of the ,resurrection1 ,i do but follow the mind of the church2 for in today's sequence the whole universal church calls upon her1 ,die nobis1 ,maria1 quid vidistis in via8--,declare to us1 ,mary6 what sawest thou in the way8 ,she saw the sepulchre of ,christ1 in which were buried her many sins4 ,in the way1 the sorrowful way of the cross1 she saw the ,passion of ,christ2 in the way1 the glorious way of the triumph of ,christ1 she saw the glory of the ,risen ,one and the angel witnesses4 ,oh6 is not our lesson plain8 ,like ,magdalen1 let us see the sepulchre1 and let us cast our sins in there4 ,let us see the way of the cross and walk therein2 let us see the glory of the ,risen ,one and the angel witnesses in the heavenly kingdom4 ,o poor1 repentant sinners6 you who during ,lent have kissed the feet of ,jesus and stood beneath his cross in the confessional1 what a day of joy1 what a lesson of consolation comes to you6 ,who was it upon whom fell the first ray of ,resurrection glory8 #bjg ,who is it upon whom the great voice of the church liturgy1 in the ,holy ,sacrifice1 calls to-day8 ,ah6 it was and is upon the sometime sinner1 ,mary4 ,joy6 joy6 for the forgiven sinner to-day4 ,alleluia6 alleluia6 to you1 blood-washed children of ,jesus ,christ2 for she who saw the ,master first was once a sinner--a sinner like unto you4 ,alleluia1 and joy and peace1 unto you all in ,jesus' name1 and in the name of the redeemed and pardoned ,mary6 ,alleluia1 and joy and peace6 whether you be sinner as she was1 or saint as she became4 ,alleluia1 and joy and peace6 for ,christ our hope hath risen1 and he shall go before us into ,galilee4 ,alleluia1 and joy and peace6 for we know that ,christ hath risen from the dead4 ,lord1 we know that we are feeble and sinful1 but lead1 ,conquering ,king1 lead on2 go thou before to the heavenly ,galilee4 ,time was when we feared to follow2 but she1 more than martyr and more than virgin--she1 ,mary ,magdalen1 is in thy train1 and1 penitent like her1 we follow thee4 ,alleluia1 and joy and peace1 to young and old6 ,alleluia1 and joy and peace1 to saint and pardoned sinner6 for ,christ hath risen from the dead4 ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 ------------------------ ,sermon ,,lix4 ,he is risen4 --,st4 ,mark xvi4 #f4 ,this is ,easter ,sunday1 and the heart of every ,christian is full of joy2 for on this day the voice of ,god is heard assuring us that the dead can and will rise again to enter upon a new and never-dying life4 ,to die is to suffer the most poignant grief1 the greatest loss1 the most grievous pain that man is called upon to endure4 #bjh ,however long or sweet may be the pleasure of the draught of life1 and health1 and prosperity that one may drink1 all must find this one bitter drop at the bottom of the cup4 ,it is death2 and if ,god himself did not tell us1 how could we know but that it is the end of all8 ,but now ,christ is risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that sleep4 ,who says ,christ is risen again8 ,god4 ,how do we hear his voice of truth1 which cannot deceive nor be deceived8 ,we hear him when we hear the voice of his divine church1 which he has made the pillar and the ground of the truth4 ,this is1 then1 her joyful and triumphant news to-day4 ,all who die shall rise again from the dead1 because our ,saviour1 ,jesus ,christ1 first of all rose from the dead1 and promised that the change of a similar resurrection should come upon all mankind4 ,and ,i say again that we know that to be true because the ,catholic ,church1 the only divine voice there is in the world1 assures us that it is true4 ,bitter as death may be1 the hope of the resurrection is its complete antidote4 ,now ,i understand why the words1 a happy death1 is so common a speech among ,catholics4 ,it implies an act of faith in the resurrection1 and a confidence that he who dies has not only prepared himself to die but also to rise again4 ,this is an important reflection to make on ,easter ,sunday1 for there is a resurrection unto eternal life and a resurrection unto damnation1 which1 compared to eternal life1 is eternal death4 ,a philosopher said3 ,happy is that man who1 when he comes to die1 has nothing left but to die4 ,but the ,christian says3 ,happy is that man who1 when he comes to die1 leaves the world and all he has to do or might do in it1 sure of a happy and glorious resurrection4 #bji ,all ,catholics believe that they will rise again from the dead1 but ,i am free to say that many of them do not prove their faith by their works4 ,they seem to think so much of this world1 and give so much of their thoughts and words and actions to it1 that certainly no heathen would imagine for a moment that they thought even death possible1 or that there was any future state to get ready for4 ,i wonder how any one of us would act or what we would be thinking about1 if we were absolutely sure that in less than an hour's notice we would some day be called to be made a bishop or a pope1 or a king or queen2 or would be carried off to a desert island1 and left there to starve and die without help4 ,we do not believe either fortune likely to happen to any of us1 therefore we do not prepare for it4 ,alas6 so many ,catholics do not prepare for the sudden call to rise to a glory and dignity far higher than that of any prelate or prince1 or to sink to a miserable state infinitely worse than to starve and die on a desert island2 and why not8 ,i say the heathen would answer1 because they do not believe that either fortune will be likely to happen to them4 ,if they did their lives would prove their faith4 ,now1 ,i know ,i have set some of you thinking1 and that has just been my purpose4 ,have ,i a right to participate in the ,easter joy of to-day1 or am ,i only making an outside show of it1 while my conscience tells me ,i am a hypocrite8 ,have ,i kept the commandments of ,god and of the church8 ,have ,i made my ,easter duty1 or resolved to make it8 #baj ,what kind of a life would ,i rise to on the day of resurrection1 if ,i died to-night8 ,what would ,jesus ,christ1 my ,judge and ,saviour1 find in me that looked like him1 and therefore ought to give me the same glorious resurrection as he had8 ,dear brethren1 that is what he wants to find in us all4 ,that is what he died to give us4 ,that is what the ,holy ,spirit is striving hard to help every one of us to obtain4 ,come1 a little more courage1 and let us rise now from all that is deathly1 or dead1 or corrupt1 or rotten in this life we are leading1 and ,jesus will be sure to find in us what will fashion us unto the likeness of his own resplendent and divine resurrection to eternal life4 ------------------- ,sermon ,,lx4 ,christ1 our pasch1 is sacrificed4 ,therefore let us feast1 not with the old leaven nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness1 but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth4 --#a ,corinthians v1 #g1 #h4 ,there are none of us1 my dear brethren1 ,i am sure1 who can fail on this ,easter morning to have something of the spirit of joy which fills the church at this time1 and which runs through all her offices at this season4 ,this is the day that the ,lord hath made1 she is continually saying to us2 let us rejoice and be glad in it4 ,yes1 we are all glad now2 we all have something of the ,easter spirit1 in spite of the troubles and sorrows which are perhaps weighing on us1 and from which we shall never be quite free till we celebrate ,easter in heaven--in that blessed country where death shall be no more1 nor mourning1 nor crying1 nor sorrow shall be any more2 where ,god shall dwell with us1 and he himself with us shall be our ,god4 #baa ,but what is the cause of our joy8 ,is it merely that the season of penance through which we have just passed is over1 that the church no longer commands us to fast and mortify ourselves8 ,that may1 indeed1 be one reason1 for there are certainly not a great many people who enjoy fasting and abstinence2 but there should be another and a much better one4 ,it should be that ,lent has not left us just where it found us2 that we can say to-day not only that ,christ has risen1 but that we also have risen with him4 ,yes1 my brethren1 that is the joy that you ought to be feeling at this time4 ,what is ,easter1 or ,christmas1 or any other feast of the church worth without the grace of ,god8 ,it is no more than any secular holiday2 merely a time for amusement1 for sensual indulgence1 and too often an occasion of sin4 ,if you are happy to-day with any happiness that is really worth having1 it is then because you have the grace of ,god in your souls1 either by constant habits of virtue1 or by a good confession and communion which you have made to-day or lately4 ,it is now1 as at the last day1 only to those who are really and truly the friends of ,christ that he can say3 ,well done1 good and faithful servant3 444 enter thou into the joy of thy ,lord4 ,for this is the day1 the great day of his joy2 and it is only by being united with him that you can share in it4 ,this1 then1 is the desire which ,i have when ,i wish you to-day a happy ,easter1 as ,i do with my whole heart3 that if you have not made your ,easter duty1 you will make it soon2 and that if you have made it1 you will persevere--that1 having risen from the dead1 you will die no more4 #bab ,it is the wish compared with which all others are as nothing2 for the happiness of the world is but for a few short years1 but the joy of the soul is meant to last for ever4 ,and if you would have it1 there is one thing above all which you must do--which you must have done1 if you have made a really good communion4 ,holy church reminds us of it in a prayer which is said today at ,mass1 and which is repeated frequently through the ,easter season4 ,this is to put away all that old leaven of malice and wickedness1 that spirit of hatred and uncharitableness for your neighbor1 which is so apt to rankle in your hearts4 ,if you would be friends with ,god you must be friends with all his children4 ,let there be no one whom you will not speak to1 whom you would avoid or pass by4 ,when there has been a quarrel one of the two must make the first advances to reconciliation2 try to have the merit of being that one1 even though you think1 probably wrongly1 that you were not at all in fault4 ,this day1 when we meet to receive the blessing of our risen ,saviour1 is the day above all others for making friends4 ,unite1 then1 with your whole hearts in this prayer of the church which ,i am now about to read at the altar1 first translating it for you3 ,pour forth on us1 ,lord6 the spirit of thy charity1 that by thy mercy thou mayest make those to agree together whom thou hast fed with thy paschal mysteries2 through ,christ our ,lord4 ,amen4 ------------------------ #bac ,low ,sunday4 ,epistle4 #a ,st4 ,john v4 #d-aj4 ,dearly beloved3 ,whatsoever is born of ,god overcometh the world2 and this is the victory which overcometh the world1 our faith4 ,who is he that overcometh the world1 but he that believeth that ,jesus is the ,son of ,god8 ,this is he that came by water and blood1 ,jesus ,christ2 not in water only1 but in water and blood4 ,and it is the spirit that testifieth1 that ,christ is the truth4 ,for there are three that give testimony in heaven1 the ,father1 the ,word1 and the ,holy ,ghost4 ,and these three are one4 ,and there are three that give testimony on earth3 the spirit1 the water1 and the blood1 and these three are one4 ,if we receive the testimony of men1 the testimony of ,god is greater4 ,for this is the testimony of ,god1 which is greater1 because he hath testified of his ,son4 ,he that believeth in the ,son of ,god1 hath the testimony of ,god in himself4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,john xx4 #ai-ca4 ,at that time3 ,when it was late that same day1 being the first day of the week1 and the doors were shut1 where the disciples were gathered together for fear of the ,jews1 ,jesus came and stood in the midst1 and said to them3 ,peace be to you4 ,and when he had said this1 he showed them his hands1 and his side4 ,the disciples therefore were glad when they saw the ,lord4 ,and he said to them again3 ,peace be to you4 ,as the ,father hath sent me1 ,i also send you4 ,when he had said this he breathed on them2 and he said to them3 ,receive ye the ,holy ,ghost4 ,whose sins you shall forgive1 they are forgiven them2 and whose you shall retain1 they are retained4 #bad ,now ,thomas1 one of the twelve1 who is called ,didymus1 was not with them when ,jesus came4 ,the other disciples therefore said to him3 ,we have seen the ,lord4 ,but he said to them3 ,unless ,i shall see in his hands the print of the nails1 and put my finger into the place of the nails1 and put my hand into his side1 ,i will not believe4 ,and after eight days his disciples were again within1 and ,thomas with them4 ,jesus cometh1 the doors being shut1 and stood in the midst1 and said3 ,peace be to you4 ,then he saith to ,thomas3 ,put in thy finger hither1 and see my hands2 and bring hither thy hand1 and put it into my side2 and be not incredulous1 but faithful4 ,thomas answered1 and said to him3 ,my ,lord1 and my ,god4 ,jesus saith to him3 ,because thou hast seen me1 ,thomas1 thou hast believed2 blessed are they that have not seen1 and have believed4 ,many other signs also did ,jesus in the sight of his disciples1 which are not written in this book4 ,but these are written that you may believe that ,jesus is the ,christ1 the ,son of ,god3 and that believing you may have life in his name4 -------------------------- ,sermon ,,lxi4 ,unless ,i shall see in his hands the print of the nails1 and put my finger into the place of the nails1 and put my hand into his side1 ,i will not believe4 --,st4 ,john xx4 #be4 ,it is no vain question1 says ,father ,matthias ,faber1 of the ,society of ,jesus1 from whose writings this sermon is adapted--it is no vain question whether we do not owe more to ,st4 ,thomas1 who was slow in believing the fact of ,christ's resurrection1 than to the other apostles1 who credited it instantly4 ,then he goes on to quote ,st4 ,gregory1 who says that the doubt of ,st4 ,thomas really removed all doubt1 and placed the fact that our ,lord had really risen with his human body beyond all dispute4 #bae ,so today1 following the good ,jesuit father1 ,i am going to be ,st ,thomas4 ,i shall hear from many of you something of this kind3 ,o father6 ,i am so delighted3 my wife or my husband1 my son1 my brother1 my friend1 has risen from the dead4 ,he or she has been to confession1 given up his bad habits1 come again into our midst2 has been to ,communion1 has said1 ,peace be to you1 has altogether reformed and become good4 ,ah6 indeed4 ,is that so8 ,of course it is quite possible2 but towards those whose resurrection you announce to me ,i am ,st4 ,thomas this morning1 and say to them3 ,unless ,i shall see in their hands the print of the nails1 and put my finger into the place of the nails1 and put my hand into their side1 ,i will not believe4 ,in a word1 ,i will not believe that any of you have risen from the dead1 ,i will not believe that you have come out of the grave of mortal sin1 unless ,i see in you the signs of a former crucifixion4 ,first1 ,i want to see the print of the nails4 ,i want to see in your hands and feet--that is1 in your inclinations and passions--the print of the nails that the priest drove in1 in the confessional4 ,i want to see that these hands strike no more1 handle no more bad books1 pass no more bad money1 write no more evil letters1 sign no more fraudulent documents1 are stretched forth no more unto evil things1 raised no more to curse4 ,i want to see these hands lifted in prayer1 stretched out to give alms1 extended in mercy1 busy in toiling for ,god and his church4 ,i want to see these hands smoothing the pillows of the sick1 giving drink to the thirsty1 food to the hungry1 and raiment to the naked4 ,i want to see the print of the nails1 or ,i will not believe4 ,these feet1 too--,i must see them bearing you to the confessional regularly1 taking you to ,mass1 carrying you to ,benediction1 bent under you in prayer4 #baf ,in a word1 ,i must see in you the signs of a true conversion1 or ,i will not believe that you have really risen from the death of sin4 ,then1 like ,st4 ,thomas1 ,i must put my finger into the place of the nails4 ,that is1 when you are taken down from the cross1 when1 as it were1 you have persevered for quite a while in ,god's service1 ,i want at any time to be able to assure myself that the wound is really there4 ,i want to be sure that those old charlatans1 the world and the flesh1 haven't been round and healed those wounds with their salve of roses1 their pleasures of life1 and their elixir of youth4 ,i want to know for certain that you have1 by ,god's grace1 raised your body from the grave1 having first nailed it to the cross1 and to be sure that it is the same body4 ,i want to put my finger into the scars of crucifixion4 ,lastly1 ,i want to put my hand into your side to see if the heart is wounded4 ,i want to see if there is true contrition there4 ,i want to find out if the old designs1 the old loves1 the old plans are driven out2 ,i want to find out if that heart has really upon it the scar of the spear of ,god4 ,o brethren6 to say1 ,i have risen with ,christ1 is an easy thing2 for others to tell the priest that you are truly converted presents no difficulty2 but ,i am ,st4 ,thomas1 and ,i want to see the wounds4 ,then what a consolation for the priest if he can perceive plainly the print of the nails1 put his hand into the place of the nails1 and put his hand into the side6 ,then1 like ,st4 ,thomas1 he can cry3 ,my ,lord and my ,god4 ,for in the truly crucified and converted sinner he can see clearly the work of the ,almighty4 ,ah6 then1 brethren1 strive to crucify your flesh every day2 strive to know nothing but ,jesus1 and him crucified4 #bag ,try to bear about in your bodies the stigmata of the ,lord ,jesus1 for they will be your best credentials on earth and your brightest glory in heaven4 ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 --------------------- ,sermon ,,lxii4 ,for this is the charity of ,god1 that we keep his commandments4 --#a ,st4 ,john v4 #c4 ,we have in these words the infallible test of a true ,christian life4 ,he alone truly loves ,god who keeps his commandments4 ,i once heard of a man who used to get down on his knees every morning and recite the ,ten ,commandments as a part of his morning prayers4 ,i believe that that man's religion was practical4 ,he certainly had in his mind the right idea of what religion meant4 ,we are apt to keep the commandments too much in the background4 ,true1 we have them and know them well enough1 but they don't shine out in our lives as they should4 ,here is a man that prays1 but don't pay his honest debts4 ,here is another that always goes to ,mass1 but has the habit of cursing4 ,another is honest and just with his neighbors1 but1 as everybody knows1 gets drunk4 ,people sometimes talk about the difficulties of having faith2 but this is not where the trouble lies4 ,the real struggle and conflict of religion is to correct the morals of men4 ,true religion insists upon the keeping of the commandments1 and that is why it is so repugnant to men4 ,faith is easy to the virtuous2 if men wished to be moral there would be no difficulties about faith4 ,we sometimes hear people say3 ,your religion is a perfect tyranny4 ,yes1 if you choose to call the ,ten ,commandments tyranny4 #bah ,this is the only tyranny that ,i have ever found4 ,i think1 also1 that every ,catholic will testify that these ,ten ,commandments are what really make religion hard1 and that if these could only be set aside men would never complain of its being hard4 ,i never heard of a ,catholic who was willing to keep the ,ten ,commandments who thought that anything else connected with his religion was hard4 ,here we have1 then1 in a nutshell1 the whole secret of the opposition of men to the true religion2 but1 inconsistent as it may seem and really is1 men1 while they hate1 have yet to admire what they hate4 ,an apostate monk may set himself up as a reformer and talk about justification by faith alone1 but the world laughs at such nonsense4 ,it trembles1 though1 when it hears our ,lord say3 ,every tree1 therefore1 that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be cut down and cast into the fire4 ,if any man loves me he will keep my commandments4 ,this pretended reformer1 ,doctor ,martin ,luther1 who called that wonderful ,epistle of ,st4 ,james1 in which we are taught that faith without good works is dead1 an epistle of straw1 proved1 however1 to the world by his own life that it was this straw of being obliged to keep the commandments which broke his back1 as it has broken the backs of so many others4 ,but people do not have to leave the church to be thus broken1 for we have in the bosom of the church1 also1 those who try to have piety without morality2 but they are the hypocrites1 the sham followers of ,christ4 ,they will some day1 unless they speedily change their lives1 hear our ,lord saying to them3 ,i never knew you2 depart from me1 ye that work iniquity4 ,ah6 may we not some of us have good reason to fear that we shall one day be judged as hypocrites8 #bai ,the bankrupt merchant is afraid to look at his books1 and trembles at the thought of attempting to calculate his liabilities2 so those false ,christians dare not look at the law of ,god to examine their lives by it4 ,but1 to their shame and grief1 the day of reckoning will come4 ,the devil may whisper to such1 ,soul1 take thy ease1 but1 thank ,god6 there is the voice of ,god's church1 which will not allow us to delude ourselves4 ,if we ,catholics go to hell it will be with our eyes wide open4 ,the waves of passion can never drown that voice4 ,it will always tell us of our sins1 and will never let us be content in being hearers of the law1 unless we are also doers4 ,this is the way which is certainly pointed out to us2 and it shall be called the holy way4 ----------------------- ,sermon ,,lxiii4 ,jesus came1 and stood in the midst1 and said to them1 ,peace be to you4 --,st4 ,john xx4 #bf4 ,in spite of there being so much fighting in the world1 ,i think1 my brethren1 that there are not many of us who really like it for its own sake1 or who would not rather have peace4 ,of course we are not willing to sacrifice everything for it2 we do not want peace at any price4 ,we do not want the peace of slavery--that which comes from being beaten4 ,we want an honorable one--that which comes from having had the best of our adversary in a just war4 #bbj ,there is another kind of peace besides these two4 ,it is that which comes from being let alone4 ,but that is something which is not intended for us in this world4 ,somebody will always be interfering with us2 if nobody else does1 the devil1 at any rate1 will be sure to do so4 ,no1 arrange it as we may1 our life will always be full of annoyances and conflicts1 both from without and from within4 ,and this kind of peace was not what our ,lord wished and gave to his apostles on that glorious day when he arose from the dead4 ,he knew very well that they1 of all men in the world1 were not going to be let alone4 ,they were going to be put in the very front of the battle4 ,not only their neighbors but the whole world was going to rise up against them2 and ,satan1 with his infernal host1 was going to single them out as the special objects of his hatred and vengeance4 ,no1 the peace which our ,lord gave to his apostles was not this1 but that which comes from victory4 ,and that is the peace which he wishes us also to have4 ,over whom1 then1 are we going to be victorious8 ,in the first place1 over the devil and all his temptations4 ,many ,christians1 ,i am sorry to say1 make the opposite kind of peace with the devil--that is1 the peace of slavery2 one which they would be ashamed to make with anybody else4 ,should they be tempted by him to impurity1 drunkenness1 hatred1 or blasphemy1 they give in and strike their colors at once4 ,being tempted and sinning are all the same thing to them4 ,well1 they have peace in a certain way by this2 that is1 the devil1 when he finds what miserable and cowardly soldiers of ,christ they are1 does not trouble himself much about them4 ,he feels pretty sure of them2 they are his prisoners of war1 and it is for his interest to treat them well as long as they are in this world4 #bba ,yes1 if you want to make peace with the devil you can surrender to him at once4 ,but shame1 ,i say1 on such a peace as this6 ,it is a base1 contemptible1 and cowardly one1 and it will not last long4 ,satan only waits for this life to be over to satisfy all his malice and hatred on those he now seems to love4 ,but you may have1 if you will1 the peace and satisfaction of victory over him4 ,make up your mind to have it--to have it every time he tempts you4 ,it is not so hard as you think2 it is easy by the merits of our ,lord's sacred ,passion1 which are at your command4 ,he showed this to his apostles on that first ,easter day1 when he said to them3 ,peace be to you4 ,he showed them his hands and his side1 bearing those glorious wounds1 the marks and the pledge of victory4 ,and you can also have the peace of victory over all others who trouble you in this world1 however unjust and strong they may be4 ,how8 ,why1 in the same way as our ,lord and his apostles had it4 ,not by fighting with them1 and giving back as good as you get--no1 but by giving much better than you get2 by doing them all the good you can4 ,evil is not to be conquered by evil1 but by good4 ,love your enemies2 do good to them that hate you2 that is what the ,eternal ,wisdom has said2 that is the way to have victory and peace1 not only in the next world but also in this2 and the sooner you believe it and act on it the happier will you be4 ----------------------- #bbb ,second ,sunday after ,easter4 ,epistle4 #a ,st4 ,peter ii4 #ba-be4 ,dearly beloved3 ,christ has suffered for us1 leaving you an example that you should follow his steps4 ,who did no sin1 neither was guile found in his mouth4 ,who1 when he was reviled1 did not revile3 when he suffered1 he threatened not3 but delivered himself to him that judged him unjustly4 ,who his own self bore our sins in his body upon the tree3 that we1 being dead to sins1 should live to justice3 by whose stripes you were healed4 ,for you were as sheep going astray3 but you are now converted to the pastor and bishop of your souls4 ,gospel4 ,st ,john x4 #aa-af4 ,at that time3 ,jesus said to the ,pharisees3 ,i am the good shepherd4 ,the good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep4 ,but the hireling1 and he that is not the shepherd1 whose own sheep they are not1 seeth the wolf coming and leaveth the sheep1 and flieth2 and the wolf snatcheth and scattereth the sheep3 and the hireling flieth1 because he is a hireling3 and he hath no care for the sheep4 ,i am the good shepherd3 and ,i know mine1 and mine know me4 ,as the ,father knoweth me1 and ,i know the ,father2 and ,i lay down my life for my sheep4 ,and other sheep ,i have1 that are not of this fold3 them also ,i must bring1 and they shall hear my voice1 and there shall be one fold and one shepherd4 --------- #bbc ,sermon ,,lxiv4 ,i am the ,good ,shepherd4 --,st4 ,john x4 #aa4 ,it is not requisite for me to prove to you1 dear brethren1 that our ,lord was and is1 in every sense1 the ,good ,shepherd1 nor is it my intention to speak of him this morning in that character4 ,i want to bring this fact before your minds--namely1 that although the great ,shepherd and ,bishop of our souls has gone from us1 yet he has left other authorized pastors to take charge of his flock4 ,the ,pope is a shepherd1 the bishops are shepherds1 and1 to bring it down close to you1 the priests of ,god's church are shepherds4 ,you and your children are the sheep and the lambs of ,christ's flock2 we are your shepherds appointed by ,jesus ,christ to feed you1 to watch over you1 to keep you in the fold1 to check you when you want to go astray4 ,now1 then1 every priest can say1 ,i am the good shepherd4 ,and what does a good shepherd do8 ,first1 he tends his flock with care2 and1 secondly1 he derives from it his means of support4 ,now1 brethren1 the priest's duty is to watch over and care for you2 and that he does so you will not deny4 ,he must hear your confessions1 give you ,holy ,communion1 come to you when you are ill1 administer the sacraments to you1 advise you1 preach to you1 instruct you1 shield you from the wolves and seek you when you are lost1 and often serve you at the risk of his own life4 ,now1 the priest does all these things1 not because he is paid1 not because the people hire him and pay him a salary1 but simply and solely because he is the good shepherd2 because it is his mission1 his office to do so2 because he is placed over you by authority4 #bbd ,now1 it follows from this that it is your duty to be fed1 to be kept in the fold1 to be checked when you are going wrong1 to hear his voice and obey him4 ,i am afraid some don't understand this4 ,how is it we hear of milk-and-water ,catholics going to be married before magistrates1 or1 what is worse1 before ministers of a false religion8 ,how is it that we find ,catholics denying their faith and going to a ,protestant place of worship for the sake of a little food and clothing8 ,the priest has ,god's own authority2 you are the sheep4 ,the priest has you in charge4 ,god does not come and ask you if you would like a shepherd2 he places one over you1 and that he may guide you1 and not that you may guide him4 ,i say this for the benefit of those who are always talking about their priests1 always picking holes in the conduct of their pastors4 ,such people forget their position1 forget their obligations1 and make themselves appear very ignorant1 much wanting in faith1 and very impertinent4 ,again1 the shepherd lives by his flock2 so the priest must be supported by the people4 ,a priest has a body as well as you have1 and he can't live on air or on shavings4 ,then he wants to build and keep in repair ,god's temples4 ,he wants money to build schools and support them2 he wants money to feed and clothe the poor4 ,he wants money because it is your duty to give it2 for one of the laws of the church is1 ,to pay tithes to your pastors4 ,often1 too1 it is a great kindness for us to accept some of your worldly riches1 which otherwise would1 perhaps1 prevent your entry into heaven4 ,we can do with the riches what the shepherd does with his wool3 make clothes for the naked and destitute1 exchange what we get for building and decorating ,god's church1 and a hundred other things of which you1 the sheep1 and your children1 the lambs of ,christ's flock1 will get the heavenly merit and the everlasting profit4 #bbe ,oh6 then1 brethren1 have faith1 try always to cling to the priest as the good shepherd1 so that at the last day we may call you all by name1 and find that of the little flock of sheep and lambs not one is missing4 ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 -------------- ,sermon ,,lxv4 ,christ suffered for us1 leaving you an example that you should follow his steps4 --#a ,st4 ,peter ii4 #ba4 ,the holy church is not going to let us forget the cross1 my brethren1 even in this joyous ,easter season4 ,there is a prayer1 or ,commemoration of the ,cross1 which she orders to be said in the divine ,office even more frequently now than during the rest of the year2 and here in the ,epistle of to-day she warns us that we all must take up our cross as our ,lord took his1 if we would have a share in the triumph which we now celebrate4 ,christ1 says ,st4 ,peter1 left us an example that we should follow in his steps4 ,st4 ,peter had not forgotten those words which his ,master after his resurrection spoke to him on the shore of the ,sea of ,galilee3 ,do thou follow me4 ,he tried to do it2 and he did follow his ,lord in a life of toil and suffering1 ended by a painful death on the cross like to that which his ,saviour had borne4 ,he followed the example which had been set him2 he believed what he says in this ,epistle of his1 and acted on it4 ,how is it with us8 #bbf ,many ,christians seem to imagine that our ,lord1 by his resurrection1 took away1 or ought to have taken away1 all trouble from the earth4 ,they cannot understand how it is that in this redeemed world1 whose sins his ,blood has expiated1 the cross still keeps coming down on them at every turn4 ,they honor the cross1 and are grateful for the redemption which it has brought them2 but even when they kiss it on ,good ,friday they do not understand that they have got to take it1 embrace it1 and bear it themselves4 ,and yet that is the fact4 ,the cross is to free us from eternal suffering1 but not from that which passes away4 ,our ,lord did not suffer in order that we might have no suffering at all1 but that we might be able to bear our sufferings better1 and to bear greater ones than we could otherwise have borne4 ,he might have redeemed us without suffering as he did2 but one of the reasons why he did not choose to was that we1 the guilty1 to whom the cross belongs1 may bear it cheerfully when we see ,him who was innocent taking it on his shoulders4 ,but why did not our ,lord suffer enough to free us from suffering at all8 ,i think there are not many who are ungenerous enough to ask such a question plainly1 though it seems to be in a great many people's minds4 ,well1 ,i will tell you why he left us a share of his cup4 ,it was for the same reason that he took his own share3 it was because he loved us1 and chose what was for our best good4 ,and he knew it was better for us to be saved through our own sufferings as far as possible4 #bbg ,they could not be enough of themselves2 so he did what was enough1 and then enough more to bring down our own share to just what we could make the best use of with his grace and by his example4 ,that is the reason1 then1 why the cross is left in the world4 ,try to see it and acknowledge it yourselves2 that is better than to have the cross meeting you as a strange and unaccountable thing4 ,for it will meet you at ,easter as well as at other times of the year2 even when you are happiest there will always be some cloud in your sky4 ,there will never be any real and true ,easter for you till you shall1 like your ,redeemer1 have exchanged this temporal life for that which is eternal4 ,but do not be too much in a hurry for that time4 ,he knows best how much suffering is good for you4 ,count it a joy and an honor that he has thought you worthy to follow in his steps1 and thank him for the example which he has given you to help him to do so1 as well as for his merits which he has also given you that your following might not be in vain4 --------------- ,sermon ,,lxvi4 ,and other sheep ,i have that are not of this fold2 them also ,i must bring1 and they shall hear my voice1 and there shall be one fold and one shepherd4 --,st4 ,john x4 #af4 ,if we only knew how much our ,lord loves those other sheep who are not in the one true fold1 we should think and act differently from what we do towards them4 ,as we look upon the sacred image of our ,divine ,lord upon the cross1 we behold his arms and hands stretched to their utmost extent to embrace the whole world4 #bbh ,he is the second ,adam1 who came to undo the work of the first ,adam2 and as the terrible consequences of the first transgression have extended to all men without exception1 so1 also1 to repair this evil which has come upon all men it was necessary that the grace of salvation should be offered to all without exception4 ,and from this we may infer that ,god does not simply will that men should be saved1 but that he actually gives to every man that is born sufficient grace to accomplish this great work4 ,but are those who stay outside of the one fold in the way to use this sufficient grace8 ,certainly they are not1 or our ,lord never would have said3 ,them also ,i must bring1 and they shall hear my voice1 and there shall be one fold and one shepherd4 ,no one1 therefore1 can be said to be in the way of salvation who stays outside of the one true fold of the ,catholic ,church4 ,we cannot1 of course1 know what extraordinary means of grace ,god may use for those who are ignorant of the church1 yet we do know with perfect certainty that the ,catholic ,church1 with its doctrine1 sacraments1 and other means of grace1 is the only divinely-established means of salvation for all men4 ,knowing1 then1 that our ,divine ,lord1 inasmuch as he died for all men1 wills to bring all men into the one true fold1 where they may be under one shepherd1 we must feel it to be our duty1 if we have the love of ,christ in our hearts1 by our prayers1 words1 and good example to bring the other sheep of whom our ,lord speaks so lovingly to the knowledge of this one fold4 #bbi ,it is only a coldness of faith and charity which can make us look upon those who are outside of the church as if they were already where they ought to be1 and where ,god wishes them to be1 or make us think that it is a hopeless task to try to bring them into the true church4 ,our ,lord has promised that they shall hear his voice4 ,we know1 then1 that he will co-operate by his all-powerful grace with what we do for their salvation4 ,our first duty is that of prayer for these other sheep4 ,every prayer that we offer up for the conversion of infidels and heretics will be heard1 and will bring down upon them additional grace4 ,prayer opened the hearts of the ,irish people1 when they were in the darkness of paganism1 to receive the true faith from ,st4 ,patrick4 ,in our own day1 also1 prayer has brought thousands of ,protestants and infidels into the true church4 ,father ,ignatius ,spencer1 of the ,order of ,passionists1 was raised up by ,god to spread among the ,catholics of ,ireland and ,england the devotion of prayers for ,england1 and we behold the results of these prayers in the great ,oxford movement1 which brought so many into the church and has opened the way for so many more conversions4 ,can we ever by our words bring others into the church8 ,yes4 ,an explanation of some point of ,catholic doctrine1 an invitation to come and hear a sermon1 the lending of a ,catholic book1 may be the means which ,god has chosen for the conversion of our ,protestant neighbor4 ,who knows1 said ,st4 ,alphonsus ,liguori1 what ,god requires of me8 ,perhaps the predestination of certain souls may be attached to some of my prayers1 penances1 and good works4 ,but1 above all1 by our good example we should lead others into the one fold4 ,actions speak louder than words1 but woe to us if our actions belie the truth of our faith6 #bcj ,what shall we answer if accused before the tribunal of ,god by souls who would have known and have been saved by the truth but for our bad example8 ,we must never forget1 dear brethren1 our duty towards those other sheep for whom our ,lord died just as much as he did for us4 ----------------------- #bca ,third ,sunday after ,easter4 ,feast of the ,patronage of ,st4 ,joseph4 ,epistle4 #a ,st4 ,peter ii4 #aa-ai4 ,dearly beloved1 ,i beseech you as strangers and pilgrims to refrain yourselves from carnal desires1 which war against the soul2 having your conversation good among the ,gentiles2 that whereas they speak against you as evil-doers1 considering you by your good works they may glorify ,god in the day of visitation4 ,be ye subject therefore to every human creature for ,god's sake2 whether it be to the king as excelling1 or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evil-doers and for the praise of the good2 for so is the will of ,god1 that by doing well you may silence the ignorance of foolish men3 as free1 and not as making liberty a cloak of malice1 but as the servants of ,god4 ,honor all men2 love the brotherhood2 fear ,god2 honor the king4 ,servants1 be subject to your masters with all fear1 not only to the good and gentle1 but also to the froward4 ,for this is thankworthy1 in ,christ ,jesus our ,lord4 ,epistle of the ,feast4 ,genesis xlix4 #bb-bf4 ,joseph is a growing son1 a growing son and comely to behold2 the daughters run to and fro upon the wall4 ,but they that held darts provoked him1 and quarrelled with him1 and envied him4 ,his bow rested upon the strong1 and the bands of his arms and his hands were loosed by the hands of the mighty one of ,jacob3 thence he came forth a pastor1 the stone of ,israel4 #bcb ,the ,god of thy ,father shall be thy helper1 and the ,almighty shall bless thee with the blessings of heaven above1 with the blessings of the deep that lieth beneath1 with the blessings of the breasts and of the womb4 ,the blessings of thy father are strengthened with the blessings of his fathers3 until the desire of the everlasting hills should come2 may they be upon the head of ,joseph1 and upon the crown of the ,nazarite among his brethren4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,john xvi4 #af-bb4 ,at that tine3 ,jesus said to his disciples3 ,a little while1 and now you shall not see me3 and again a little while1 and you shall see me3 because ,i go to the ,father4 ,then some of his disciples said one to another3 ,what is this that he saith to us3 ,a little while1 and you shall not see me3 and again a little while1 and you shall see me1 and because ,i go to the ,father8 ,they said therefore3 ,what is this that he saith1 a little while8 we know not what he speaketh4 ,and ,jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him2 and he said to them3 ,of this do you inquire among yourselves1 because ,i said3 ,a little while1 and you shall not see me3 and again a little while1 and you shall see me8 ,amen1 amen ,i say to you1 that you shall lament and weep1 but the world shall rejoice3 and you shall be sorrowful1 but your sorrow shall be turned into joy4 ,a woman1 when she is in labor1 hath sorrow1 because her hour is come3 but when she hath brought forth the child1 she remembereth no more the anguish1 for joy that a man is born into the world4 ,so also you now indeed have sorrow1 but ,i will see you again1 and your heart shall rejoice2 and your joy no man shall take from you4 ,gospel of the ,feast4 ,st4 ,luke iii4 #ba-bc4 ,at that time it came to pass1 when all the people were baptized1 that ,jesus also being baptized and praying1 heaven was opened3 and the ,holy ,ghost descended in a bodily shape as a dove upon him3 and a voice came from heaven3 ,thou art my beloved ,son1 in thee ,i am well pleased4 ,and ,jesus himself was beginning about the age of thirty years3 being 7as it was supposed7 the son of ,joseph4 ---------------------------- #bcc ,sermon ,,lxvii4 ,our ,holy ,father1 ,pope ,pius ,,ix41 as you know1 dear brethren1 has made his reign glorious by defining the dogma of the ,immaculate ,conception2 thus placing in our dear ,lady's diadem the brightest gem that adorns it4 ,he has further rendered his pontificate glorious by declaring the chaste spouse of ,mary ,immaculate1 ,st4 ,joseph1 to be the patron of the universal church4 ,when we celebrated the feast of ,st4 ,joseph1 on the #aith of last month1 his statue was veiled by the hangings of ,passion-tide2 but today his image is exposed to our gaze1 and ,i have thought that this discourse cannot be better occupied than by considering how fitting it is that good ,st4 ,joseph should be the patron of the universal church1 and how great a devotion we should have towards him4 ,st4 ,joseph is a fitting patron for the rich and for those whom ,god has placed in the high positions and stations of this world2 for let us never forget that ,st4 ,joseph1 although poor1 was1 by lineal descent1 of the royal house of ,david4 ,he was of high birth1 of noble blood1 and yet how humble1 how willing to work for his living when it became necessary6 ,so1 then1 here is a lesson for those who hold their heads high in the world4 ,some day1 dear friends1 you may come down1 you may be brought low4 ,you may lose your money1 lose position1 lose your place in society4 ,take example1 then1 from ,st4 ,joseph4 ,do not say like the unjust steward3 ,to dig ,i am unable1 and to beg ,i am ashamed2 but remember that the fairest hands that ever were1 and the noblest blood that ever flowed1 are never disgraced by honest labor or necessary toil4 #bcd ,st4 ,joseph is a fitting patron also for the poor4 ,he had to work hard4 ,he had1 for the safety of the ,divine ,child and his ,immaculate ,spouse1 to take long and weary journeys4 ,he had the pain of seeing ,jesus and ,mary turned from the doors of ,bethlehem1 while those who had money were safely and comfortably lodged4 ,yet he never complained1 never murmured4 ,he worked1 and bore all the inconveniences of poverty without a word4 ,is it so with you who are poor8 ,don't you sometimes envy the rich1 get discontented with your position1 feel rebellious against the will of ,god8 ,if so1 ,i point you to ,st4 ,joseph4 ,he is your model4 ,he is your example2 strive to imitate him in all things4 ,are you humiliated8 ,bear it for ,christ's sake4 ,are you punished by cold and hunger8 ,bear it for ,christ's sake4 ,are you weary after your day's labor8 ,bear it1 bear it all for ,christ's sake1 as good ,st4 ,joseph did4 ,st4 ,joseph1 too1 is a model for the married4 ,he cared tenderly for the ,virgin ,mother and her ,divine ,child4 ,he loved them1 he guarded them4 ,he is a model for the unmarried in his purity of life4 ,he is a model for the priest1 a model for the people1 a model for the young1 an example for the old4 ,oh6 then how wisely our ,holy ,father acted in making him patron of the universal church4 ,but not only is ,st4 ,joseph patron of the living1 but also of the dying and the dead--of the dying1 because he died in the arms of ,jesus and ,mary4 ,beautiful death6 ,the ,son of ,god at his side1 the ,mother of ,god to support his dying form6 brethren6 we who are here to-day living will one day be dying4 #bce ,let us1 then1 pray ,st4 ,joseph that he will obtain for us the grace of a happy death--the grace to die1 as he died1 in the arms of ,jesus and ,mary4 ,then1 no matter if flames devour us1 or waters overwhelm us1 or disease slays us1 we shall be safe--safe1 for the ,son of ,god will hold us by the hand2 safe1 for the ,mother of ,god will throw around an all-protecting mantle of defence4 ,and1 lastly1 ,st4 ,joseph is the patron of those who are dead and in purgatory4 ,he waited long in limbo before he entered into the joy of heaven4 ,separated from all he loved on earth1 and seeing the pearly gates of heaven1 not yet opened by the bloodshed of ,calvary1 shut against him1 oh6 how great must his longing have been4 ,ah6 then ,i am sure ,st4 ,joseph feels for and loves the holy souls in purgatory1 who1 like himself1 have lost earth and not yet gained heaven4 ,let us all1 then1 hasten to ,st4 ,joseph to-day4 ,let us pray for ourselves and others4 ,let us pray for the living and pray for the dead4 ,let us say3 ,o great patron of the whole church6 look down from the loftiness of thy mountain to the lowliness of our valley2 obtain for us to live like thee1 to die like thee1 and to reign with thee in everlasting bliss4 ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 -------------------- ,sermon ,,lxviii4 ,on this ,sunday1 my dear brethren1 the church celebrates every year the feast of the ,patronage of ,st4 ,joseph4 ,you have often heard it read out from the altar1 you heard it just now2 and yet ,i am afraid most of you might as well not have heard it1 for all the impression it made on you4 #bcf ,if you thought anything about the notice you probably thought that it was only something to interest the pious people1 to let them know when to say their prayers and go to ,communion4 ,if you did you made a great mistake4 ,st4 ,joseph is not a saint for pious people only1 but for every ,christian4 ,that is true of all the saints1 but specially so of ,st4 ,joseph4 ,all the saints take an interest in all of us1 however weak and imperfect1 or even sinful1 we may be2 they all love us and care for us far more than our friends in this world4 ,still1 they have perhaps a particular care for some1 as we have1 or should have1 a particular devotion to some of them as our patrons4 ,but ,st4 ,joseph is everybody's patron4 ,that is what holy church means by inviting us all to celebrate this feast of his ,patronage1 and by giving him the title1 as she did only a few years ago1 of patron of the universal church4 ,he is the patron of the church in general and of each member of it in particular4 ,what is a patron8 ,the word has rather gone out of common use4 ,well1 it is a friend at court4 ,a patron is one who has got influence and power to use for our advantage4 ,if we want anything he is the one to get it for us4 ,he is the man that you go to if you want to get an office or employment of any kind from the powers that be2 and generally you will find it pretty hard to get a place1 if you have not such a friend to go to4 #bcg ,well1 ,st4 ,joseph is such a friend for all of us in the court of heaven1 and that is the one where we all want to have an interest2 for there is where all matters are really arranged1 whether regarding heaven or earth4 ,if you want anything whatever ,st4 ,joseph is the one to go to1 whether it be the most important thing of all--that is1 the grace of final perseverance and salvation--or merely to pay your debts or save you from want4 ,he will get you either one1 though ,i do not know that he will get you the dollar1 if you do not want the grace also4 ,but you will say1 perhaps3 ,i do not need ,st4 ,joseph's help so much1 for ,i have ,our ,blessed ,lady to go to2 is not she more powerful even than he is8 ,well1 ,i do not deny that1 of course1 nor that she is the best of all patrons4 ,neither does the church2 for she celebrates1 as you know1 the feast of ,our ,lady's ,patronage also4 ,but ,i would not give much for your devotion to her1 neither would she herself1 unless you include ,st4 ,joseph in it4 ,you might as well try to separate her from her ,divine ,son as ,st4 ,joseph from her4 ,besides1 you know the saints have what ,i may call their specialties4 ,it is not1 for instance1 a superstition to ask the help of ,st4 ,anthony of ,padua to find for us what we have lost4 ,st4 ,joseph has several specialties2 and one of them1 and one which ,i know you will think quite important1 is the help which he will give to us in temporal necessities when we are hard pressed for money1 or things seem in any way to be going very much against us4 ,let me1 then1 suggest to you a very practical form of devotion to him4 ,when anything goes wrong1 instead of worrying about it and making it keep you from prayer1 or even1 perhaps1 from ,holy ,mass1 go to ,st4 ,joseph about it2 ask him to get you what you want or to relieve your from your trouble4 ,he will do it for you1 unless it be bad for your soul4 #bch ,perhaps you think this is all fancy4 ,well1 all ,i say is1 just try1 and you will see whether it is or not4 ,you will find plenty of people who will tell you that what ,i say is true4 ,but ask ,st4 ,joseph to help your soul1 too1 for he does not want to have you neglect that4 ,see if you cannot make the patronage of ,st4 ,joseph1 both temporally and spiritually1 more of a reality to yourselves before another year has gone by4 -------------------- ,sermon ,,lxix4 ,be ye subject therefore to every human creature for ,god's sake4 --#a ,st4 ,peter ii4 #ac4 ,if we stop to consider these words of the ,epistle1 my dear brethren1 they must certainly have a strange sound to us in this age of the world1 and especially in this country1 which makes liberty its great boast4 ,many of us1 ,i am afraid1 in spite of their reverence for ,st4 ,peter1 who gives this instruction1 would be tempted to say that this doctrine of his is a very curious one4 ,be subject to every human creature1 indeed6 ,why1 on the contrary1 in this free and enlightend republic1 we do not acknowledge subjection to any one2 we hold that every man is equal2 we are all sovereigns and make laws ourselves--not subjects1 obedient to laws made by others4 ,we observe the laws of the land1 it is true1 but that is because they are arrangements made by the majority for the good of the nation1 state1 or city1 and because we must have some sort of law if we are to have any kind of order4 #bci ,well1 this creed1 which some of you1 perhaps1 have adopted1 may sound well enough in itself1 but unfortunately it does not seem to agree very well with ,st4 ,peter's inspired and infallible teaching4 ,we must1 if we are ,catholics1 acknowledge that instead of claiming that no one has a right to control us1 we ought1 as he says1 to be subject to every human creature4 ,the only thing1 then1 is to find out just what he means by this4 ,does ,st4 ,peter mean1 then1 that we must be willing to obey every human creature1 every man1 woman1 or child that undertakes to command us8 ,yes1 there is no doubt that such is his doctrine4 ,we must be willing to obey every one2 we must have a spirit of subjection and humility1 not of superiority and pride4 ,we must not think that we are too good or too wise to be commanded by any one1 however bad or however foolish he may seem to be4 ,we must have a desire to obey1 not to command4 ,but does ,st4 ,peter mean that we actually must always obey every one1 man1 woman1 or child1 who chooses to command us8 ,no1 of course he does not mean that4 ,we shall see what he does mean by bringing in the rest of the text4 ,be ye subject1 he says1 to every human creature for ,god's sake4 ,that is1 be subject1 as a matter of counsel1 to every human creature1 whenever we can suppose that creature to be speaking in the name of ,god2 and as a matter of precept whenever we are sure that such is the case4 #bdj ,the first is a counsel1 as ,i said1 to be followed by those who would be perfect2 to mortify our own will and submit to the direction of others when it is not evidently wrong or foolish4 ,but the second is a strict duty to be practised if we would be saved3 to submit to the commands of those who certainly do speak in ,god's name1 when their commands are not plainly wrong4 ,and who are those who speak in ,god's name8 ,first1 they are those whom he has appointed to rule his church--your ,holy ,father the ,pope1 the bishops1 and your pastors4 ,remember1 when they speak to you they speak in the name of ,god2 do not murmur against them1 but obey cheerfully for his sake1 whether their commands come to you directly or through others whom they appoint to duties connected with the church4 ,secondly1 they are those whom he has appointed to rule the state or nation4 ,no state or nation can be governed except in the name of ,god4 ,that is what ,st4 ,paul says distinctly3 ,the powers that are1 he says--and he was speaking of the heathen emperors--are ordained of ,god4 ,therefore he that resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of ,god4 ,and they that resist purchase to themselves damnation4 ,be submissive1 then1 to the authorities and officers of every degree and kind in the nation1 state1 or city1 when you meet them in the discharge of their duty4 ,though you may have chosen them yourselves1 when they have been chosen they speak to you in ,god's name4 ,lastly1 those who rule in the family do so in the name of ,god4 ,children should remember that when they disobey their parents it is ,god's commands they are disobeying1 and that disobedience in any grave matter is a mortal sin4 ,and servants--for such really are those who live out in families--should also bear in mind their duty of obedience for ,god's sake and as to ,god4 ,servants1 says ,st4 ,peter in this ,epistle1 be subject to your masters with all fear4 #bda ,yes1 we should all fear to disobey lawful authority1 because ,god has established it1 not we ourselves4 ,and we should also understand that only in obedience for ,god's sake is true liberty to be found4 -------------------- #bdb ,fourth ,sunday after ,easter4 ,epistle4 ,st4 ,james i4 #ag-ba4 ,dearly beloved3 ,every best gift1 and every perfect gift1 is from above1 coming down from the ,father of lights1 with whom there is no change nor shadow of vicissitude4 ,for of his own will hath he begotten us by the word of truth1 that we might be some beginning of his creatures4 ,you know1 my dearest brethren1 and let every man be swift to hear1 but slow to speak1 and slow to anger4 ,for the anger of man worketh not the justice of ,god4 ,wherefore casting away all uncleanness1 and abundance of malice1 with meekness receive the engrafted word1 which is able to save your souls4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,john xvi4 #e-ad4 ,at that time3 ,jesus said to his disciples3 ,i go to him that sent me1 and none of you asketh me3 ,whither goest thou8 ,but because ,i have spoken these things to you1 sorrow hath filled your heart4 ,but ,i tell you the truth3 it is expedient to you that ,i go3 for if ,i go not1 the ,paraclete will not come to you2 but if ,i go1 ,i will send him to you4 ,and when he shall come1 he will convince the world of sin1 and of justice1 and of judgment4 ,of sin indeed3 because they have not believed in me4 ,and of justice3 because ,i go to the ,father2 and you shall see me no longer4 ,and of judgment3 because the prince of this world is already judged4 ,i have yet many things to say to you3 but you cannot bear them now4 ,but when he1 the ,spirit of truth1 shall come1 he will teach you all truth4 ,for he shall not speak of himself3 but what things soever he shall hear1 he shall speak1 and the things that are to come he shall show you4 ,he shall glorify me3 because he shall receive of mine1 and will declare it to you4 ----------------------- #bdc ,sermon ,,lxx4 ,i tell you the truth3 it is expedient for you that ,i go1 444 ,but ,i will see you again1 and your heart shall rejoice2 and your joy no man shall take from you4 --,st4 ,john xvi4 #g1 #bb4 ,we all know1 dear brethren1 what place our ,lord was speaking about and to which he was soon to go4 ,he was soon to leave his disciples and go to heaven4 ,to that place we all hope to go also1 that we may see him there1 where1 as he promises further on in the same discourse1 our hearts shall rejoice1 and where our joy no man shall take from us4 ,now1 there are three joys1 it seems to me1 which go to make up the happiness of heaven4 ,first1 we shall be consoled2 second1 we shall be satisfied2 and1 last and best of all1 we shall see ,god4 ,we shall be consoled for all the evils we have suffered in this world4 ,oftentimes we have to fight pretty hard against the world1 the flesh1 and the devil1 and we have received1 perhaps1 many a grievous wound in mind and heart4 ,then1 again1 we have endured much sickness1 experienced many a bitter pang1 undergone many a heavy trial4 ,once we are in heaven we shall be consoled for all these things there2 our wounds will be healed1 our sins forgiven1 our hearts comforted4 ,there we shall see the fruits of our penance1 there we shall be solaced for all we have borne4 ,he who leads his flock like a shepherd and carries the lambs in his bosom will come to us2 he will fold us in his holy arms1 and for evermore we shall be at peace4 ,again1 we shall be satisfied4 ,here we love certain places and their surroundings2 we love creatures2 we love all that is beautiful4 ,but we are not satisfied1 for all these things either leave us or we are forced to leave them4 #bdd ,now1 in heaven exists all the beauty and loveliness of earth1 only in a degree infinitely higher and fairer4 ,there we shall have all things we can desire1 and possess them without fear of change or loss4 ,there we feel all the sweetness of prayer1 all the delights of sensible devotion1 all that the saints on earth felt when rapt in ecstasy1 and more4 ,here there is always something to disappoint us1 something that makes us restless and uncomfortable4 ,there everything will exceed our highest hopes1 our best desires--in a word1 in heaven1 and in heaven alone1 we shall be perfectly satisfied4 ,then1 lastly1 ,o joy of joys6 we shall see ,god4 ,we shall see him face to face4 ,we shall see the beauty of ,god4 ,we shall behold his wisdom and his everlasting glory4 ,yes1 brethren1 these poor eyes1 that have shed so many tears1 they shall see ,god4 ,the poor eyes so weary from watch and vigil1 so tired of looking up into heaven after ,jesus and ,mary1 so sick of looking around on earth1 so terrified from looking down into hell--these eyes shall see ,god4 ,we shall gaze on all the blessed4 ,we shall see ,jesus1 and ,mary1 and ,joseph4 ,our eyes will look upon the golden pavement of the celestial streets1 the gates of pearl1 and the walls of amethyst4 ,we shall see all the brightness and glory of heaven1 for we shall see ,god4 ,brethren1 these joys are waiting for you4 ,every baptized member of ,christ's mystical body has a right to a home in that land of peace6 ,ah6 then be careful1 ,i pray you1 not to lose the way4 ,see where the ,standard-bearer leads6 ,see the cross that he bears4 ,oh6 you all want to go to heaven1 ,i am sure you do4 ,there is only one thing that can keep you out1 and that is mortal sin4 #bde ,stain your soul with mortal sin by grievous violation of any one of the commandments1 and that is enough1 should you die impenitent1 to keep you for ever from being consoled1 from enjoying eternal happiness1 from seeing ,god4 ,ah6 then1 brethren1 walk in the narrow road4 ,be faithful and loving children of the church1 and then one day you will leave this poor1 weary1 sinful world and go to dwell for ever within the walls of the ,city of ,peace4 ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 ----------------- ,sermon ,,lxxi4 ,let every man be swift to hear1 but slow to speak4 --,st4 ,james i4 #ai4 ,i think that every one of you1 my dear friends1 will agree with me that this would be a much happier world than it is if this recommendation of ,st4 ,james1 in the ,epistle of to-day1 were carried out4 ,for it is quite plain1 ,i think1 to every one of you that other people talk too much4 ,if they would only say less1 and listen more to what you have to say1 things would go on much better4 ,if they would only be swift to hear1 but slow to speak1 the world would get much more benefit from your wisdom and experience than is now the case4 ,but1 unfortunately1 this general conviction1 in which1 ,i think1 we all share more or less1 does not tend to produce the desired result1 but rather the contrary2 for it makes everybody more anxious to speak and to be listened to1 and more unwilling to listen themselves4 ,we all want everybody except ourselves to keep ,st4 ,james's rule1 but do not set them a good example4 #bdf ,so our example does harm1 while our conviction does no good2 and things are worse than if we did not agree with ,st4 ,james at all4 ,now1 would it not be a good idea if each one would try1 if it were only for the sake of good example1 to be less willing to talk and more willing to listen8 ,and perhaps1 after all1 even we ourselves do sometimes say a word or two which is hardly worth saying1 or perhaps a great deal better unsaid4 ,a story is told of a crazy man who1 in some very lucid interval1 asked a friend if he could tell the difference between himself and the people who were considered to be of sound mind4 ,his friend1 curious to see what he would say1 said3 ,no2 what is it8 ,well1 said the crazy man1 it is that ,i say all that comes into my head1 while you other people keep most of it to yourselves4 ,my friends1 ,i am afraid the crazy man was about right1 but he was too complimentary in his judgment of others4 ,by his rule there would be a great many people in the asylum who are now at large4 ,really1 it seems as if it never occurred to some persons who are supposed to be in their right minds whether their thoughts had better be given to the world or not4 ,out they must come1 no matter whether wise or foolish1 good or bad4 ,yes1 the madman1 for once in his life1 was pretty nearly right4 ,one who talks without consideration1 who says everything that comes into his or her head1 is about as much a lunatic as those who are commonly called so2 for such will have one day to give an account for all their foolish and inconsiderate words1 long after they themselves have forgotten them4 ,and to carelessly run up this account is a very crazy thing4 #bdg ,a little instrument has lately been invented1 as you no doubt have heard1 which will take down everything you say2 it is called the phonograph4 ,it makes little marks on a sheet of tinfoil1 and by means of these it will repeat for you all you have said1 though it may have quite passed out of your own mind4 ,there are a great many uses to which this little instrument may be put2 but ,i think that one of the best would be to make people more careful of what they say4 ,they would think before they spoke1 if a phonograph was around4 ,few people would like to have a record kept of their talk1 all ready to be turned off at a moment's notice4 ,it would sound rather silly1 if no worse1 when it was a day or two old4 ,perhaps the phonograph will never be used in this way2 but there is a record of all your words on something more durable than a sheet of tinfoil4 ,this record is in the book from which you will be judged at the last day4 ,our ,lord has told us that at that day we shall have not only to hear but to give an account for all the idle words spoken in our lives4 ,should not1 then1 this thought restrain our tongues1 and make us rather be swift to hear than to speak8--more especially as it is generally only by hearing that one can learn to speak well4 ,but what should you be swift to hear8 ,not the foolish or sinful talk of others no more careful than yourselves4 ,be willing1 indeed1 to listen to all with humility1 believing them to be wiser or better than you are2 but seek the company and conversation of those whom you know to be so4 ,nothing better can come out of your heads than what is put into them4 ,you will be like those with whom you converse4 #bdh ,and therefore1 above all1 seek silence1 that in it you may converse with ,almighty ,god1 and hear what he has to say to you4 ,he is the one above all others whom you should be swift to hear4 ,when you get in the way of listening to him you will be slow enough to speak4 ,there is nothing so sure to prevent idle words as the habit of conversation with ,god4 ------------------- ,sermon ,,lxxii4 ,let every man be 444 slow to anger4 ,for the anger of man worketh not the justice of ,god4 --,st4 ,james i4 #ai1 #bj4 ,what is the reason1 my brethren1 that people sin by anger so much8 ,there is no temptation1 it seems to me1 that is more often given way to4 ,other ones1 though frequently consented to1 are also frequently resisted1 even by those most subject to them2 but with this it seems as if we were like gunpowder3 touch the match to us1 and off we go2 if any one does us an injury or says an insulting word1 we flare up at once and give back all we got1 and more4 ,afterward1 perhaps1 we are sorry2 but that seems to do no good4 ,next time it is just the same4 ,and so it goes on1 till perhaps we begin to think that we really are like gunpowder2 that ,god made us so that we cannot help going off when the match of provocation is applied4 ,but that is not true4 ,it will never do to make ,god the cause of our sins4 ,it is our own fault4 ,but what is the fault8 ,what is the matter that this temptation is not resisted like others8 #bdi ,i will tell you what ,i think the matter is4 ,it is that the temptation to anger does not seem to be a temptation at the time4 ,the angry word seems to you all right when you utter it4 ,it is not so with other things--sins of impurity1 for instance4 ,you know they are wrong1 and that you ought to resist them1 even when they are on you2 and sometimes you make up your mind to do so4 ,but it is not so in this sin of anger4 ,and why does it not seem to be a temptation8 ,why do you think it no sin to say the angry word1 to flare up when you are provoked8 ,it is because your mind is confused at the time1 so that you cannot tell what is sin and what is not4 ,that is the truth1 if ,i am not mistaken4 ,it is just the peculiar danger of this temptation that it disturbs and confuses the mind more than any other one4 ,you cannot tell what really is right when you are under it2 it is not safe to do anything at all4 ,you are for the time like one who is drunk or crazy4 ,when a man has drank too much1 if he have any sense left he will keep out of the way of other people until he is sobered4 ,for he knows he is not fit to do or say anything when he is intoxicated1 and that he will only make a fool of himself if he tries4 ,that is common sense and prudence2 and many men1 oven when drunk1 have enough common sense and prudence left to follow this course4 ,but very few have when under the passing drunkenness of anger4 ,most angry people do not know enough to hold their tongues4 ,they ought to4 ,they ought to have learned by experience4 ,well1 then1 this being the matter1 the fault of angry people is plain enough4 ,it is this3 that they do not try to guard themselves against this temptation in the only way they can--that is1 by remembering and acting on these words of ,st4 ,james which ,i read to you from the ,epistle of to-day3 ,the anger of man worketh not the justice of ,god4 ,it always works injustice2 that is1 it always makes a mistake and does what is wrong4 ,it has not sense enough to do what is right4 #bej ,the only way to avoid the sin1 then1 is the one that ,st4 ,james gives4 ,be slow to anger4 ,don't trust it1 however sure you may be that it advises you rightly4 ,it is a fool2 don't listen to it4 ,wait till you get cool1 till reason can have fair play4 ,i say this is the only way you can avoid this sin4 ,i mean that nothing else will cure you of it unless you do this4 ,confession and ,communion1 prayer1 penance1 and other things1 will help you2 but this is indispensable4 ,you know when you are under the influence of anger well enough4 ,when you are1 hold your tongue and hold your hand4 ,you may have to do or say something afterwards1 but very seldom there and then4 ,god will not be likely to give you grace that is not needed2 and you will not have the grace to do what is right when your duty is to do nothing1 and wait till the temptation passes by4 ,remember that you are a fool when you are angry1 if you do not want to act like one and be sorry for it afterwards4 ------------------------ #bea ,fifth ,sunday after ,easter4 ,epistle4 ,st4 ,james i4 #bb-bg4 ,dearly beloved3 ,be ye doers of the word1 and not hearers only1 deceiving your own selves4 ,for if a man be a hearer of the word1 and not a doer1 he shall be compared to a man beholding his natural countenance in a glass4 ,for he beheld himself1 and went his way1 and presently forgot what manner of man he was4 ,but he that hath looked into the perfect law of liberty1 and hath continued in it1 not becoming a forgetful hearer1 but a doer of the work3 this man shall be blessed in his deed4 ,and if any man think himself to be religious1 not bridling his tongue1 but deceiving his own heart1 this man's religion is vain4 ,religion pure and unspotted with ,god and the ,father1 is this3 to visit the fatherless and widows in their tribulation2 and to keep one's self undefiled from this world4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,john xvi4 #bc-cj4 ,at that time3 ,jesus said to his disciples3 ,amen1 amen ,i say to you1 if you ask the ,father anything in my name1 he will give it you4 ,hitherto you have not asked anything in my name4 ,ask1 and you shall receive3 that your joy may be full4 ,these things have ,i spoken to you in proverbs4 ,the hour cometh when ,i will no more speak to you in proverbs1 but will show you plainly of the ,father4 ,in that day you shall ask in my name3 and ,i say not to you1 that ,i will ask the ,father for you4 ,for the ,father himself loveth you1 because you have loved me1 and have believed that ,i came forth from ,god4 ,i came forth from the ,father1 and am come into the world2 again ,i leave the world1 and ,i go to the ,father4 ,his disciples say to him3 ,behold now thou speakest plainly1 and speakest no proverb4 ,now we know that thou knowest all things1 and that for thee it is not needful that any man ask thee4 ,in this we believe that thou camest forth from ,god4 ---------------- #beb ,sermon ,,lxxiii4 ,amen1 amen ,i say to you1 if you ask the ,father anything in my name1 he will give it you4 --,st4 ,john xvi4 #bc4 ,what a wonderful promise this is--that everything we ask of ,almighty ,god1 who is the ,father of mercies1 shall be granted to us1 if we ask it in the name of his only-begotten ,son1 our ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ6 ,does our ,lord really mean all he says8 ,do people get all they pray for8 ,does it not seem to us sometimes that we pray in vain--that ,god seems to shut his ears against our cry1 and has no regard to our tears and supplications8 ,yes1 it does often seem so1 but it is not really so4 ,god's ways are not always our ways to reach the end we desire4 ,and our own experience will tell us that it is very seldom it would be the best for us if ,god took us at our word4 ,the real reason why we do not obtain the answer we wish to many of our prayers is1 first1 because we do not ask1 as we ought1 in the name of ,jesus ,christ4 ,what is it to ask in his name8 ,it is to ask in the name of ,him who came on earth1 not to do his own will1 but the will of his ,divine ,father4 ,oh6 how seldom we pray for favors and blessings according to the will of ,god4 ,our blessed ,lord1 on the night before he was crucified1 foreseeing his death1 and bowed to the earth in his agony1 ended his prayer with the words4 ,not as ,i will1 but as thou wilt4 ,that is not our way4 #bec ,when we are in sorrow and trouble we think ,god should will as we will1 and we are disappointed and discouraged because we do not get well of our sickness1 or that calamity we feared comes1 or poverty sticks to us1 or the conversion of those we pray for is denied1 or we do not obtain the employment we seek1 or we have to give up hope of getting that farm we set our heart upon4 ,who is the judge1 after all1 about granting prayers8 ,who else but ,god1 who not only has the power to grant or refuse them1 as he chooses1 but also has the perfect knowledge whether it would be best for us to receive a favorable answer or not8 ,he who prays in the name of ,jesus1 prays with implicit trust in ,god's goodness and wisdom1 and if he has not mistaken his own will for the will of ,god1 will feel and should feel just as contented1 no matter which way ,god answers his prayer4 ,the second reason why we do not always get what we pray for is because we are constantly asking for things which we dare not presume to ask in the name of ,jesus ,christ4 ,we know in our heart of hearts that it is a petition he would not offer to his ,divine ,father for us4 ,if we had to write that petition down we would neither begin nor end it with the words1 ,in the name of ,jesus4 ,it is our pride that is praying1 our worldly ambition1 our lusts and our selfish desires4 ,we do not put the name of ,jesus to our prayer1 because the spirit of ,jesus is not in it4 ,charity is wanting4 ,we want to be happy1 even if others are suffering4 ,we want money1 even if our brethren starve4 ,we desire high places and the success of our undertakings1 even if our neighbor and his interests go to the wall4 ,alas6 it is self that prays the loudest and the oftenest and makes the greatest show4 #bed ,now1 dear brethren1 let us learn to bring all our prayers up to the right standard4 ,no matter what we ask for1 let it be always according to the will of ,god1 and that alone4 ,then our prayer will surely be granted1 for the will of ,god1 no longer opposed and hindered by our will1 accomplishes just what is best for us4 ,if we do not get just what we think best1 it is because ,god1 in his divine generosity1 chooses to give us something better1 or takes a wiser way to do it than we knew of4 ,if ,i were to advise you how to always pray in the name of ,jesus1 ,i would say1 ,add always these words to every prayer you make3 ,so may ,god grant it1 if my salvation be in it4 ,god grants no prayer that does not have that end in view4 ,his divine love for us constantly regards that1 even if we forget it4 ,pray1 then1 with confidence and perseverance1 but have a care to pray always with and for the will of ,god4 ,then in heaven we shall see1 if not here1 how not a single true prayer we ever made was left unanswered4 ---------------------- ,sermon ,,lxxiv4 ,amen1 amen ,i say to you1 if you ask the ,father anything in my name1 ,he will give it you4 --,st4 ,john xvi4 #bc4 ,these are the words of ,christ1 taken from the ,gospel of to-day2 we cannot doubt them for a moment4 ,they are the words of him who is the infallible ,truth1 who can neither deceive nor be deceived4 ,and yet how seldom do we act as if we really believed them6 ,how seldom do you1 my brethren1 ask anything of the ,father in the name of ,christ with real confidence that you will receive what you ask for4 #bee ,many people say prayers1 but few really pray4 ,that is1 many say over certain forms of prayer which they know by heart or read out of their prayer-books2 many even feel bound to say some particular set of prayers every day1 for the scapular which they wear1 or for some other reason2 but if you should ask them what they are praying for1 what particular thing they wish to obtain from ,god when they say these prayers1 few would be able to tell you1 unless1 indeed1 they happened to be making a novena for some special object4 ,so1 ,i say1 it does not seem as if we ,christians believed what our ,lord tells us in these words4 ,for surely1 if we did1 almost all our prayers would be petitions for some particular thing which we wanted1 instead of mere devotional exercises4 ,and why8 ,because we are always in want of something1 and we must certainly believe that ,almighty ,god has the power to give us what we want2 should we not1 then1 be always praying for what we want1 did we fully believe that he has the will to give it to us8 ,is it1 then1 really true that ,god will give us all good things which we ask in prayer8 ,yes1 it certainly is2 that is exactly the meaning of these words of ,christ4 ,all good things1 ,i say2 for it is only good things which we can ask in his name4 ,and if ,god would give us bad things which we should ask for1 our ,saviour's promise would be a curse1 not a blessing as it really is4 ,no2 ,god will not answer bad prayers--that is1 prayers for what is bad4 ,people sometimes make such prayers and expect him to answer them4 ,they pray for vengeance on those who have injured them2 they pray that others may suffer as much as they have made them suffer1 and the like4 #bef ,or they pray for something which seems to them good1 but really is not so--that they may get rich1 for instance1 when riches will only be an occasion of sin to them4 ,the prayer seems to them good1 but it is not2 perhaps even those prayers for vengeance may seem so4 ,but ,god knows better1 and will not1 as he says in the ,gospel of to-morrow1 give us a stone when we ask for what seems to be bread4 ,if anything1 he will give better1 instead of worse1 than what we ask4 ,but really most things that ,christians would think of praying for are not bad2 but you do not pray for them1 because you think that if they are good for you1 you will get them1 if you try1 whether you pray or not4 ,now1 that is the great mistake which our ,lord wishes to correct4 ,when he says1 ,if you ask the ,father anything in my name1 he will give it you1 that means1 also1 that if you do not ask he will not1 or at least not in such abundance4 ,try1 then1 to bring this truth home to yourselves and make it practical3 that if you want anything the way to get it is to ask it from ,god1 not forgetting1 of course1 to work for it as well as to pray2 for no one prays in earnest who does not do that4 ,and the way not to get it is not to ask for it4 ,pray1 then1 for what you want2 and of course1 before praying1 find out what you do want4 ,you want1 for instance1 to be kept from sin2 but what sin8 ,what is the one you are most inclined to8 ,examine your conscience and find out4 ,then your prayer will really mean something1 especially if it be accompanied by good and strong resolutions against your besetting vices4 #beg ,if you know what you want1 and pray for it in ,christ's name and in earnest1 using all other means to get it1 it shall1 if it be good1 be yours4 ,that is the lesson of our ,lord's words in the ,gospel of to-day4 --------------- ,sermon ,,lxxv4 ,amen1 amen ,i say to you1 if you ask the ,father anything in my name1 ,he will give it you4 ,st4 ,john xvi4 #bc4 ,these words must be true1 my brethren1 for it is the ,eternal ,truth who has spoken them4 ,and yet ,i dare say you cannot see how they are4 ,you have often1 perhaps1 asked ,god for something which you wanted1 and put our ,lord's name to your prayers1 and yet you have not got the thing on which your heart was set4 ,well1 let us see what is the matter2 why it is that our experience seems to contradict our faith4 ,it may be that1 though the words seem plain1 we do not understand them aright4 ,perhaps we are under a mistake as to what is meant by asking in the name of ,christ4 ,let us consider what is really the common and natural sense of asking for anything in somebody else's name4 ,what should we ourselves mean by it8 ,suppose ,i say to one of you3 ,if you ask ,mr4 ,so-and so for such a position or employment in my name you will get it1 what do ,i mean8 ,i mean that his regard for me is such that1 if you have my name to support you1 he will give it to you for my sake4 ,well1 now1 this is1 as it seems to me1 what our ,lord means by his promise4 ,the sense of it is3 ,the ,father loves me so much that if you have my name to support your prayers--that is1 if ,i wish that you should have what you ask for--he will give it to you for my sake4 #beh ,what it comes to1 then1 is this3 ,if we ask the ,father for anything really in the name of ,christ--that is1 if our ,lord really endorses our prayer--we shall have it4 ,well1 perhaps you may say1 it seems to me that does not amount to much4 ,will not ,god give us what our ,lord approves of1 any way1 whether we ask it or not8 ,i don't see what we gain by praying1 if that is all4 ,there1 my friends1 you labor under a great mistake4 ,the ,father wants ,christ's name1 but he wants your prayer1 too4 ,some things1 it is true1 you have got without praying2 but there are many which you have not got1 but which you might have had if you had added your own prayer to the name of our ,lord4 ,i do not believe1 for instance1 that you ever asked in his name to be rich4 ,and yet it is quite possible that you might have done so4 ,if he knew that it would be good for yourself and others for you to have money1 if he knew that you would make a good use of it1 he would have put his name to your request4 ,so you might1 perhaps1 have been much richer than you are2 perhaps it was only the prayer for it on your part that was wanting4 ,if it could have been made in the name of ,christ--that is1 with his approval--it would have been effectual4 ,it is very likely that he would1 for good reasons1 have refused to give his name to such a prayer4 ,still it would be worth while to try4 ,it is always worth while to try praying for anything that is not in itself bad2 we may be able to get ,christ's name for it1 who knows8 ,and if we do not pray for what we want we will not be nearly so likely to get it4 #bei ,there are some things1 though1 that we can be sure to have his name for1 and which are besides much better than worldly goods4 ,those are the virtues with which our souls ought to be adorned--our true riches1 the riches of the soul4 ,pray for these1 then1 with full confidence that he will endorse your prayer4 ,but when you pray for them work for them too4 ,he will not give you either spiritual or temporal riches if you sit still and fold your hands1 and wait for them to drop into your lap4 ,a prayer which is not in earnest is no prayer at all2 and no prayer is in earnest if the one who makes it is not trying to get what he wants in every way open to him4 ,now1 ,i hope you see that our ,lord's promise is a real and true one2 for by it we can get many1 very many things which otherwise we never can have4 ,and ,i hope you see that it is a most generous one2 for by it we can have everything that is really good4 ,could you possibly ask anything more8 ------------------------------ #bfj ,sunday within the ,octave of the ,ascension4 ,epistle4 #a ,st4 ,peter iv4 #g-aa4 ,dearly beloved3 ,be prudent1 and watch in prayers4 ,but before all things have a mutual charity among yourselves3 for charity covereth a multitude of sins4 ,using hospitality one towards another without murmuring4 ,as every man hath received grace1 ministering the same one to another1 as good stewards of the manifold grace of ,god4 ,if any man speak1 let him speak as the words of ,god4 ,if any man minister1 let it be as from the power which ,god administereth3 that in all things ,god may be honored through ,jesus ,christ our ,lord4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,john xv4 #bf-xvi4 #d4 ,at that time3 ,jesus said to his disciples3 ,when the ,paraclete shall come whom ,i will send you from the ,father1 the ,spirit of truth1 who proceedeth from the ,father1 he shall give testimony of me4 ,and you shall give testimony1 because you are with me from the beginning4 ,these things have ,i spoken to you1 that you may not be scandalized4 ,they will put you out of the synagogues3 yea1 the hour cometh that whosoever killeth you1 will think that he doeth a service to ,god4 ,and these things will they do to you1 because they have not known the ,father1 nor me4 ,but these things ,i have told you1 that when the hour of them shall come1 you may remember that ,i told you4 -------------- ,sermon ,,lxxvi4 ,charity covereth a multitude of sins4 --#a ,st4 ,peter iv4 #h4 #bfa ,those words are from the ,epistle appointed for this ,sunday1 and ,st4 ,peter1 when he wrote them1 meant that a man who gets his heart full of charity is sure to be truly penitent for his sins1 no matter how many they may have been1 and will thus win the mercy of ,god and receive full pardon for them4 ,st4 ,peter's words are quite a popular saying4 ,you will hear all sorts of people quote them with evident satisfaction and belief in their truth4 ,but do they all mean just what ,i have said he meant8 ,i am not so sure that they do4 ,i fear that some think that giving a few dollars to the poor 7which they call charity7 is a convenient way of throwing a cloak over a multitude of sins--covering them up1 as it were--and hiding them rather than getting rid of them4 ,i know the ,scripture says also that almsgiving redeems the soul from death1 and tells the sinner to redeem his sins with alms and his iniquities with works of mercy to the poor4 ,but the ,catholic doctrine is that charity must prompt the almsgiving in order to work the miracle of pardon4 ,it is not the money or the clothing1 the food or the fire1 given to those who need1 which compounds for sins and buys pardon at a cheap rate2 but the virtue of divine charity1 a ,christ-like love of ,god and of our neighbors1 that wipes out the judgment of condemnation and cleanses the guilty stains from the soul4 ,the giving of alms to the suffering poor is certainly one of the first things that a sinner who is trying to get back1 or has already got back1 the love of ,god will set himself to do2 and it is the very sacrifice of his goods for ,god's sake and for ,god's love that proves he wants to have done with his sins1 and that he is anxious to do penance for them4 ,it would be the greatest folly in the world for a man to give alms for his sins1 if he was not trying to do so for the love of ,god4 #bfb ,it is all very well and very benevolent to help a poor wretch with food and raiment because we do not like to see a fellow human being suffer4 ,but thieves1 and adulterers1 and drunkards1 and ,easter-duty breakers1 and all sorts of sinners who have no intention whatever of stopping their sinful career will do that2 and when they say1 ,charity covereth a multitude of sins1 they are very well content to have their benevolence accounted as a set-off to their sins4 ,but mere benevolence is not charity1 and to think it is would be a very great mistake4 ,st4 ,paul says that a man may distribute all his goods to feed the poor1 and yet not have charity4 ,so then1 dear brethren1 if you want your almsgiving to be profitable to your own soul as well as helpful to your suffering neighbor1 stop your sins and begin to be1 first of all1 a little generous with ,god4 ,give him what he is constantly knocking at the door and begging for--your heart1 your love4 ,then you will have the charity that covereth a multitude of sins1 even before you give the poor a cent4 ,get into the love of ,god1 and then the love of your neighbor for ,god's sake will follow of itself4 ,you will then feed and clothe and comfort the poor1 not only because you pity them1 but because you love them4 ,then will ,god love you and forgive you your sins4 ,now that we have a just idea of charity1 you see how it is to be exercised in a great many more ways than in almsgiving4 ,you will easily forgive your neighbor his offences against you2 you will hold no spite or revenge in your heart4 ,if he has disgraced himself you will not go and tell all your acquaintances of it1 but will jealously hide it and excuse it1 and help him out of his trouble4 #bfc ,thus the charity you have will not only cover a multitude of your own sins1 but a multitude of your neighbor's sins as well4 ,when you forgive in charity you will forgive out and out1 as ,god does1 and hold no grudge afterwards4 ,o my dear ,christians6 try to learn this lesson and lay it to heart4 ,strive after this divine love2 pray for it2 ask ,our ,blessed ,lady and all the saints to help you obtain it2 your salvation depends on it4 ,i say it again3 your salvation depends on it4 ,charity covereth a multitude of sins4 ,yes2 but nothing else will cover even one sin4 ,without the love of ,god there is no contrition2 without contrition there is no absolution2 without absolution you are lost6 ,think well on this4 ---------------------- ,sermon ,,lxxvii4 ,before all things1 have a mutual charity among yourselves2 for charity covereth a multitude of sins4 --#a ,st4 ,peter iv4 #h4 ,what does ,st4 ,peter mean1 my brethren1 by these words8 ,how does charity cover a multitude of sins8 ,well1 it covers our own sins1 of course--that is1 it helps us to obtain their forgiveness1 and it atones for them when they have been forgiven4 ,there is no better way to obtain mercy from ,god than to show it to others4 ,but then all the virtuous acts which we can do have the same effect to some extent2 so ,i think that the sins which ,st4 ,peter speaks of are not our own merely1 but also those of others4 ,and it is a special effect of charity to cover the sins of others2 it seems1 then1 that it is charity as shown in this way that the apostle here urges on us4 #bfd ,it is not a very common kind of charity1 either1 this of covering other people's sins4 ,some1 indeed1 seem to think that the sins of their neighbors ought not to be covered4 ,they do not appear to understand that every one has a real right that his sins should remain unknown2 that it is not only uncharitable but unjust to mention them to those who do not know them already4 ,no2 as soon as they hear a piece of news to any one's disadvantage they are not easy till they have told it to their whole circle of acquaintance2 the idea of covering it up1 of not letting it go any farther1 of saving their neighbor's character never occurs to them4 ,if they feel pretty sure that it is true1 that is enough to remove all scruple about telling it4 ,but this telling about people's sins is a sin1 as ,i have said1 not only against charity but against justice4 ,charity goes a good deal farther than that4 ,it covers sins not only from other people's eyes1 but even from our own4 ,that is what ,st4 ,paul says about it4 ,he says3 ,charity thinketh no evil--that is to say1 it does not see sin in other people2 it puts the best construction on their actions4 ,how rare it is to find any one who thoroughly practises charity of this kind6 ,for instance1 somebody tells something about you which you know to be false2 do you put the best construction on this8 ,no1 you put the very worst you can4 ,you say to yourself3 ,he1 or she1 did that out of malice4 ,he knew very well that what he said was not true1 and said it to slander me1 out of pure spite4 ,you never stop to think that he maybe laboring under a false impression--may really think that what he says is true1 and that he is1 moreover1 justified in saying it4 #bfe ,you never make any allowance for the passion he may be under which has blinded his judgment2 you never think of the provocations he may have had1 or may at least fancy that he has had4 ,the utmost you do is to say3 ,well1 ,i do not wish him any evil2 ,i forgive him the injury he has done me4 ,and if you have said that1 which ought to be a matter of course1 you look upon yourself as a great ,christian hero4 ,try to learn1 then1 that charity means more than forgiving sins4 ,it means excusing them--finding out1 if possible1 some reason which may show that what seems to be a sin was not really so4 ,you are ready enough to excuse your own sins2 to say1 ,i could not help it1 or ,i did not mean any harm4 ,why don't you say the same thing for somebody else8 ,throw the veil of charity over the faults of others--if they have sinned it will do you no good to know it--and take it off from your own1 which you ought to know a great deal better than you do4 ,by the charity of covering other people's sins from your own eyes you will cover your own from the eyes of ,god4 ----------------- ,sermon ,,lxxviii4 ,before all things1 have a mutual charity among yourselves2 for charity covereth a multitude of sins4 --#a ,st4 ,peter iv4 #h4 ,nothing is more frequently or more forcibly commanded by our ,lord and his apostles than fraternal charity4 ,mind well the text3 ,before all things1 says ,st4 ,peter1 have a mutual charity among yourselves4 ,in fact1 if you give a little attention to your daily thoughts1 words1 and deeds1 you will find that the burden of your daily sins is uncharitableness in one form or another4 #bff ,it was want of fraternal charity that brought about murder on the very morning of this world's life4 ,hatred came between the first two brothers of our race1 and the result was the murder of the innocent ,abel4 ,a preacher who lived some three hundred years ago--they had a quaint way of telling plain truths in those days--said in a sermon1 and was willing to wager1 that the first thing that ,adam and ,eve did after eating the apple was to quarrel1 to have a downright good dispute1 which was only continuing1 in another way1 the first sin4 ,samson slew a thousand ,philistines with a jawbone1 even the jawbone of an ass4 ,how many reputations are destroyed in a like manner6--for a wise man knows how to hold his tongue4 ,what a heaven on earth our homes and our social circles would be1 if a constant mutual charity was kept up between husband and wife1 brothers and sisters1 and acquaintances6 ,with charity1 said ,st4 ,gregory1 man is to man a god2 without charity man is to man a wild beast4 ,it may seem rather bold of ,st4 ,peter to say that charity should be had before all things2 but he gives a good reason for his assertion1 and a very consoling one it is for us3 for charity covereth a multitude of sins4 ,we all have1 ,god knows1 a multitude of sins on our souls2 anything that will take them away1 rid us of them1 cover them up from ,god's sight1 is of the greatest possible benefit to us4 ,now1 this is just what charity does4 ,how8 ,it is said that love is blind2 charity blinds us to the defects and sins of our neighbor--in fact1 covers them up either by excusing1 or by bearing patiently1 or by forgiving the sins and offences of others4 #bfg ,charity1 says ,st4 ,paul1 is patient1 is kind1 charity envieth not1 thinketh no evil1 rejoiceth not in iniquity1 beareth all things1 endureth all things4 ,but in thus covering the sins of others how does charity cover our own8 ,remember your ,our ,father3 ,forgive us our trespasses1 as we forgive those who trespass against us4 ,here is a contract between you and ,god2 you stake the forgiveness from ,god of your sins on your forgiveness of the sins of others4 ,if1 therefore1 from a motive of charity you cover the sins of others1 ,god will cover your sins2 they will stand no more before him and against you4 ,well1 well1 dear father1 it is often said to us1 forgive1 yes2 but ,i will never forget4 ,my dear friend1 you remind me of the beggar who1 seeing a gentleman put his hand in his pocket1 fervently exclaimed1 ,may the blessing of ,god follow you1 and then1 seeing that it was the smallest of coins that was handed to him1 added no less fervently1 and never overtake you6 ,to forgive really is to forget4 ,we are to forgive as ,god forgives2 that is the bargain1 is it not8 ,now1 ,god forgets our sins2 they are for ever wiped out of his memory4 ,remembrances of offences are temptations that you must hunt down as you would impure thoughts2 you must try to forget1 else you do not forgive4 ,next ,sunday we celebrate the descent of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,the ,holy ,ghost is the spirit of love1 the outcome of the mutual charity of the ,father and the ,son4 ,pray to him that he may put in your hearts the true virtue of ,christian charity4 ------------------ #bfh ,feast of ,pentecost1 or ,whit-,sunday4 ,epistle4 ,acts ii4 #a-aa4 ,when the days of the ,pentecost were accomplished1 they were all together in the same place3 and suddenly there came a sound from heaven1 as of a mighty wind coming1 and it filled the whole house where they were sitting4 ,and there appeared to them cloven tongues as it were of fire1 and it sat upon every one of them4 ,and they were all filled with the ,holy ,ghost1 and they began to speak with divers tongues1 according as the ,holy ,ghost gave them to speak4 ,now there were dwelling at ,jerusalem1 ,jews1 devout men out of every nation under heaven4 ,and when this voice was made1 the multitude came together1 and was confounded in mind1 because that every one heard them speak in his own tongue4 ,and they were all amazed and wondered1 saying3 ,behold1 are not all these who speak1 ,galileans8 ,and how have we every one heard our own tongue wherein we were born8 ,parthians1 and ,medes1 and ,elamites1 and inhabitants of ,mesopotamia1 ,judea and ,cappadocia1 ,pontus and ,asia1 ,phrygia and ,pamphilia1 ,egypt and the parts of ,libya about ,cyrene1 and strangers of ,rome1 ,jews also1 and proselytes1 ,cretes and ,arabians3 we have heard them speak in our own tongues the wonderful works of ,god4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,john xiv4 #bc-ca4 ,at that time3 ,jesus said to his disciples3 ,if any one love me1 he will keep my word1 and my ,father will love him1 and we will come to him1 and make our abode with him4 ,he that loveth me not1 keepeth not my words4 ,and the word which you have heard is not mine1 but the ,father's who sent me4 #bfi ,these things have ,i spoken to you1 remaining with you4 ,but the ,paraclete1 the ,holy ,ghost1 whom the ,father will send in my name1 he will teach you all things1 and bring all things to your mind1 whatsoever ,i shall have said to you4 ,peace ,i leave with you2 my peace ,i give to you3 not as the world giveth do ,i give to you4 ,let not your heart be troubled1 nor let it be afraid4 ,you have heard that ,i have said to you3 ,i go away1 and ,i come again to you4 ,if you loved me1 you would indeed be glad1 because ,i go to the ,father3 for the ,father is greater than ,i4 ,and now ,i have told you before it come to pass2 that when it shall come to pass1 you may believe4 ,now ,i will not speak many things with you4 ,for the prince of this world cometh1 and in me he hath not anything4 ,but that the world may know that ,i love the ,father3 and as the ,father hath given me commandment1 so ,i do4 ------------------ ,sermon ,,lxxix4 ,the ,holy ,ghost1 whom the ,father will send in my name1 he will teach you all things4 --,st4 ,john xiv4 #bf4 ,today1 my dear friends1 as you know1 we celebrate the descent of the ,holy ,ghost upon the apostles4 ,it was1 of all the wonderful works that ,god has wrought for the salvation of men1 in one way the most extraordinary and miraculous2 for it was an immediate and evident change1 not in the material world1 but in the spiritual--that is1 in the souls of those upon whom the ,holy ,spirit thus came4 ,in a moment they became entirely different men from what they had been before4 #bgj ,what was this change which was worked in the souls of the apostles8 ,it was1 as we commonly regard it1 an infusion of supernatural courage and strength4 ,before they had been hiding themselves1 hardly daring to appear in public1 still less to preach the ,gospel1 or even to profess themselves ,christians2 but now they came forth boldly1 ready not only to be known as followers of ,christ1 but also to suffer all things for his sake4 ,there was1 however1 another change worked in them in that moment2 and it is the one which our ,lord predicted in the words which ,i have taken from the ,gospel of this day4 ,the ,holy ,ghost1 said he1 will teach you all things4 ,what was the meaning of this promise1 and what was its fulfilment8 ,did our ,lord mean that the ,holy ,ghost would teach the apostles all the truths of natural science2 that they should become great chemists1 geographers1 or mechanics2 that they should know how to construct steam-engines or telegraphic cables8 ,by no means4 ,these things are in themselves of little importance1 and would have had no direct bearing on the work to which ,st4 ,peter and his companions were called4 ,no2 the things which the ,holy ,ghost was to teach them1 and did teach them on the day of ,pentecost1 were spiritual things--those things which concerned the salvation of their own souls1 and of the other souls which were committed to their charge4 ,in an instant they became learned in the mysteries of the kingdom not of nature but of grace2 they became in a moment great saints and doctors of theology4 ,they knew at once what others1 superior to them in natural gifts1 have not been able to acquire after long years of study and prayer4 ,they were miraculously prepared to do the work of infallible founders and teachers of the ,church of ,god4 #bga ,it was a wonderful promise of ,christ to them1 and wonderful was its fulfilment4 ,but are we merely to admire it in them1 or have we too a share in it8 ,we have a share in it4 ,yes1 though the promise in its fulness was only made to them1 all of us1 even the humblest1 can claim it for ourselves4 ,the ,holy ,ghost will teach us also all spiritual things1 if we will only listen to his voice--not suddenly or miraculously as to them1 but none the less surely4 ,he has already taught to millions of the faithful children of the church1 though they were ignorant of that natural science which the world values1 what the most learned and able men have died without knowing4 ,he will teach us all things1 but we must listen to his voice4 ,where1 then1 is that voice to be heard8 ,first1 it is to be heard in the voice of the church itself1 which speaks in his name and by his power4 ,you can hear it in the words of your ,holy ,father the ,pope1 the successor of the apostles1 and in those of your bishop and of your pastors4 ,you can also hear it in good books1 published with the authority and approval of the church4 ,lastly1 you can hear it in your own souls4 ,the ,holy ,ghost is always speaking there1 but it is with a gentle and low voice2 and if you would hear it pride and passion must be still4 ,it is in silence and in prayer that you will learn those things which he has to teach you4 ,listen1 then1 to the voice of ,god1 of the spirit of wisdom1 of understanding1 of counsel1 and of knowledge1 which you have received in ,confirmation1 and which dwells in your souls2 and our ,divine ,lord's promise shall certainly be fulfilled in you4 ------------------- #bgb ,sermon ,,lxxx4 ,if any one love me he will keep my word4 --,st4 ,john xiv4 #bc4 ,there are some people who have a great deal of what they call devotion1 and there are others who seem to have very little or none at all4 ,the hearts of the first are filled1 one would think1 with the love of ,god4 ,they are never so happy as when at church1 assisting at ,mass or some other service1 or on their knees before their altar at home4 ,they say as many prayers every day as would make up the office which a priest is bound to recite1 or perhaps even more4 ,some other people1 on the contrary1 find it a hard matter to say any prayers4 ,their minds wander1 they cannot tell why4 ,they do not care much about coming to church2 they come1 though1 for all that4 ,but it is all uphill work with them2 and they think they are in a very bad way1 and are tempted to envy those who seem to be getting along so much better4 ,but is it certain that those whom they are tempted to envy are1 in reality1 in so much better a state8 ,no1 ,i do not think it is4 ,of course it is a good sign for any one to like to pray4 ,it is much better to have a taste for that than for the pleasures of the world4 ,but it does not certainly follow that one who likes to pray really loves ,god very much4 ,he may like it because he is paid for it2 that is1 because he gets rewarded for it in a way that others do not4 ,he may like it in the same way that a child would like the company of any one who would give him candy4 ,if the supply of candy stops his affection is gone4 ,if1 instead of getting candy1 he is asked to go on an errand1 his feeling will be very different4 #bgc ,so one may like to pray because he or she has in prayer a pleasure which would be attractive to any one1 even to the greatest sinners4 ,the pleasure may come merely from one's having a lively imagination1 and getting what seems to be a vision of heaven when on one's knees or in church4 ,but ask such a person to do something for the one who gives him this pleasure--that is1 ,god--and there will perhaps be a great change4 ,if our ,lord1 instead of giving candy1 proposes him an errand--if he asks a girl1 for instance1 instead of going to ,mass or to ,communion1 to stay at home and help her mother--the shoe1 it may be1 will begin to pinch immediately4 ,the others1 who have little of what is called devotion1 may stand this trial much better4 ,they may be willing not only to give up prayer1 which they are not so fortunate as to like1 but other things which they really do1 if it is the will of ,god4 ,they pray because it is ,god's will1 and because they know it will bring them nearer to him1 and they will do anything else that he wishes them to do for the same reason4 ,now1 do not misunderstand me4 ,i do not mean that all those who do not like to pray are better than those who do2 far from it4 ,but ,i do mean that real devotion which is the same as a true love of ,god1 is what our ,lord sets before us in the words of to-day's ,gospel which ,i have read4 ,if any one love me1 he says1 he will keep my word2 that is1 he will do what ,i want him to4 ,you are my friends1 he says in another place1 if you do the things that ,i command you4 ,that is true devotion1 to have our will the same as ,god's will2 to be willing to sacrifice everything for him1 even the pleasure we may find in his society4 #bgd ,so ,i mean that a person who has none of what is called devotion1 but who does what he understands to be ,god's will1 and avoids what is contrary to it1 is much more acceptable in his sight than one who has what is called devotion1 and gives up ,god's will to satisfy it4 ,thus1 for instance1 any one of you1 my brethren1 who has not been to ,holy ,communion since ,lent began1 and who really wants to please ,god1 will go this week1 before the time of the ,easter-duty runs out1 and not wait for ,corpus ,christi1 which comes in the next week4 ,that is just now a special good example2 try and remember it4 ,if any one wants to commit a mortal sin1 let him put off his ,easter-duty till ,corpus ,christi and the ,forty ,hours1 for devotion's sake4 ,real devotion is to remember ,god's words and obey them at any cost4 ,this is the true way1 as he also says in to-day's ,gospel1 to induce him and his ,father to really come to us and make their abode with us2 and to have the ,holy ,ghost1 who proceeds from them1 enter into our hearts1 though we may not feel his presence1 as the apostles did on the first ,pentecost day4 ----------------- ,sermon ,,lxxxi4 ,let not your heart be troubled1 nor let it be afraid4 --,st4 ,john xiv4 #bg4 ,our ,lord spoke these words to his apostles before his ,passion1 but they were not to have effect till after his ascension into heaven4 ,it was not his will that they should have the courage and confidence to which he here exhorts them till that time which we celebrate to-day1 when the ,holy ,ghost came upon them and fitted them for the great work to which they were appointed4 #bge ,even while our ,lord was with them after his resurrection1 and still more after he had ascended and left them to themselves1 they were anxious and fearful1 not daring to call themselves his disciples or to risk anything for his sake4 ,but when they received the ,holy ,ghost all this was changed4 ,they confessed ,christ openly2 all their doubts and fears were gone2 and they rejoiced1 as we read in the ,acts1 that they were accounted worthy to suffer reproach for the name of ,jesus4 ,and they ceased not every day1 in the temple and from house to house1 to teach and preach ,christ ,jesus4 ,now1 we ought to imitate their conduct after ,pentecost1 and not that before4 ,for we have not the excuse that they had before that time4 ,we have received the ,holy ,ghost1 as they did4 ,he has not come on us visibly in fiery tongues1 but he has come just as really and truly in the sacrament of confirmation which we have received4 ,there is no reason for us to be troubled or afraid2 when the ,holy ,ghost came into our hearts he brought courage and confidence with him2 he brought them to each one of us1 as he did to the holy apostles4 ,and he gave this courage and confidence to each of us for the same reason as to them1 because we have all to be apostles in our own way and degree4 ,we have not all got to preach ,christ publicly1 as they did1 but we have all got to speak a word for him when the proper occasion comes4 ,we have not all got to die for ,christ1 as they did1 but we have got to suffer something for the sake of our faith in him1 and that quite often1 too1 it may be4 #bgf ,we have a real duty in this matter2 we shall be rewarded if we fulfil it1 and punished if we do not4 ,it was not for his apostles only but for each one of us that those words of his were meant3 ,every one that shall confess me before men1 ,i will also confess him before my ,father who is in heaven2 but he that shall deny me before men4 ,i will also deny him before my ,father who is in heaven4 ,and yet how often must it be acknowledged1 to our shame and disgrace1 that ,christians do deny their ,lord and ,master before men6 ,i do not mean that they deny their faith1 and say they are not ,catholics when they are asked2 this1 thank ,god6 though it does happen1 is not so very common4 ,but is it not common enough to find young ,catholic men and women with whom one might associate for years and never suspect them to be ,catholics1 and1 in fact1 be quite sure that they were not8--and this not merely because they do not parade their religion1 but because they do not defend it when it is attacked2 because they agree with1 and even express1 all sorts of infidel1 heretical1 false1 and so-called liberal opinions1 that they may not give offence2 or even1 perhaps1 without any sort of need1 but only to win favor for themselves by falling in with the fashion of those with whom they associate4 ,and how often1 again1 do ,christians1 even if they do stand up for their faith1 cast contempt on it in the eyes of the world by acting and talking just as if it had no power over their lives1 and was never meant to have any6 ,they curse1 and swear1 and talk immodestly1 just as those do who do not profess to believe in ,god and ,christ1 and even1 perhaps worse4 #bgg ,or if they do not go so far as this1 they laugh at profanity and impurity1 and make companions of those who are addicted to these vices2 and this they do1 not because they really wish to do or to sanction such things1 but merely from a miserable weakness that prevents them from facing a little contempt and unpopularity4 ,what would they do1 if called on to shed their blood for ,christ1 who cannot bear even to be laughed at a little for being practical ,catholics8 ,they are like cowardly soldiers who run away from a battle at the first smoke from the enemy's guns4 ,you know what a shame it is for a soldier to be a coward4 ,and now try to remember1 dear ,christians1 especially on this holy day1 that a ,christian has got to be a soldier1 and that if he is a coward he disgraces himself and his cause4 ,the ,holy ,ghost is given to us in confirmation that we may not be weak and cowardly1 but strong and perfect ,christians1 and true soldiers of ,jesus ,christ4 ,if you have not yet received him in this way make haste to do so2 if you have1 make use of the graces which he has given you4 ,do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid2 there is nothing to be afraid of1 for ,god is on your side4 ,do not fear but rather count it a joy to suffer a little persecution for his name4 ------------------ #bgh ,trinity ,sunday4 ,epistle4 ,romans xi4 #cc-cf4 ,o the depth of the riches1 of the wisdom1 and of the knowledge of ,god6 ,how incomprehensible are his judgments1 and how unsearchable his ways6 ,for who hath known the mind of the ,lord8 ,or who hath been his counsellor8 ,or who hath first given to him1 and recompense shall be made to him8 ,for of him1 and by him1 and in him1 are all things4 ,to him be glory for ever4 ,amen4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,matthew xxviii4 #ah-bj4 ,at that time3 ,jesus said to his disciples3 ,all power is given to me in heaven and on earth4 ,go ye1 therefore1 and teach all nations3 baptizing them in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost3 teaching them to observe all things whatsoever ,i have commanded you2 and behold ,i am with you all days1 even to the consummation of the world4 ,last ,gospel4 ,st4 ,luke vi4 #cf-db4 ,at that time3 ,jesus said to his disciples3 ,be ye merciful1 as your ,father also is merciful4 ,judge not1 and you shall not be judged4 ,condemn not1 and you shall not be condemned4 ,forgive1 and you shall be forgiven4 ,give1 and it shall be given to you3 good measure and pressed down1 and shaken together and running over1 shall they give into your bosom4 ,for with the same measure that you shall measure it shall be measured to you again4 ,and he spoke also to them a similitude3 ,can the blind lead the blind8 do they not both fall into the ditch8 ,the disciple is not above his master2 but every one shall be perfect1 if he be as his master4 ,and why seest thou the mote in thy brother's eye1 but the beam that is in thy own eye thou considerest not8 #bgi or how canst thou say to thy brother1 ,brother1 let me pull the mote out of thy eye1 when thou thyself seest not the beam in thy own eye8 ,thou hypocrite1 cast first the beam out of thy own eye1 and then shalt thou see clearly to take out the mote from thy brother's eye4 -------------- ,sermon ,,lxxxii4 ,teach all nations3 baptizing them in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost4 --,st4 ,matthew xxviii4 #ai4 ,the mystery of the ,most ,blessed ,trinity is one of those wonderful truths of our holy faith which form the foundation of the ,christian religion4 ,he who does not believe in the ,trinity cannot call himself a ,christian2 neither can any one be a ,christian unless he is baptized in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,we are taught to make acts of profession of this mystery oftener than of any other4 ,we do so every time we make the sign of the cross2 and there are very few ,catholics who do not make that sign more than once every day4 ,every one should know what is meant by the ,trinity4 ,there is but one ,god1 who is the infinite1 eternal1 almighty1 all-wise1 all-good1 and all-just ,being who created all things that exist4 ,but ,god1 who is one in his ,divine ,being1 is a ,trinity in person4 ,that is1 he is three persons4 ,these persons are named ,father1 ,son1 ,holy ,ghost4 ,god is1 then1 ,father1 and he is ,son1 and he is ,holy ,ghost4 ,these three persons are the same ,god4 ,so1 if there were three men praying to ,god1 one praying to the ,father1 a second to the ,son1 and the third to the ,holy ,ghost1 they would all be praying to the same ,god4 #bhj ,how there can be more than one person in one being is a mystery to us1 because we have no knowledge of any other being but ,god who has more than one person4 ,but now this truth is revealed to us1 we know1 by our faith1 which is divine knowledge1 that there are three persons in ,god1 and are sure also that ,god must1 as a ,divine ,being1 have three persons1 because ,god cannot be other than he is4 ,let us help our minds to understand this by a comparison4 ,suppose a tower built in such a shape that it has three sides4 ,now1 there are three distinct sides and only one tower2 and whichever side we look at we see a distinct side which is not either of the other two sides1 but we always can say1 ,i see the tower4 ,so1 no matter which person of ,god we regard1 it is always the same ,god4 ,our holy faith teaches us that ,god the ,father is the ,divine ,person who created all things1 as we say in the ,creed3 ,i believe in ,god1 the ,father ,almighty1 creator of heaven and earth4 ,it furthermore teaches us that ,god the ,son is the ,divine ,person who redeemed us by becoming man and dying on the cross1 as the words of the ,creed declare2 and again it teaches us that ,god the ,holy ,ghost is the ,divine ,person who sanctifies us and is the source and giver of all grace4 ,these truths are revealed to us1 and we believe them1 as we do all mysteries1 for the reason we give when we make an act of faith3 ,o my ,god6 ,i believe all things taught by the holy ,catholic ,church1 because thou1 who canst neither deceive nor be deceived1 hast revealed them to her4 #bha ,the ,catholic ,church is the voice of ,god to us1 and when we hear her we hear ,god4 ,she lives1 and speaks1 and acts by the ,holy ,ghost through ,jesus ,christ1 our ,saviour1 her ,divine ,head4 ,the reason some very wise people1 very learned in different kinds of science1 do not believe in the ,trinity and other mysteries of religion as we do is because they do not hear the voice of ,god in the ,catholic ,church4 ,it is not by science that we know the ,trinity to be true1 but by divine faith4 ,this divine faith is a gift of ,god1 which we are bound to nourish in our souls with profound gratitude and humility1 for it is a sad truth that this faith may be lost4 ,catholics lose their faith by their sins1 and chiefly by the sin of pride4 ,all heretics and apostates show this in their conduct and in their words4 ,they adhere to their own opinions and refuse to submit to the divine teaching of the church4 ,o dear brethren6 let us fear this sin of pride more than all other sin--a temptation1 too1 that is very apt to come up when we are ridiculed by unbelievers for our faith4 ,then is the time to confess the truth boldly1 for if we deny our ,lord before men he will deny us before the face of his ,father in heaven4 ,let us keep our faith by purity of life and humility of heart2 for1 as says the ,imitation of ,christ3 ,what doth it avail thee to discourse profoundly of the ,trinity1 if thou be wanting in humility1 and consequently displeasing to the ,trinity8 ,if thou didst know the whole ,bible by heart1 and the sayings of all the philosophers1 what would it profit thee without the love of ,god and his grace8 ------------------- #bhb ,sermon ,,lxxxiii4 ,in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost4 --,st4 ,matthew xxviii4 #ai4 ,to-day1 my dear brethren1 the church celebrates the greatest of all the mysteries of our religion3 the mystery of the ,holy ,trinity2 of the one ,god in three ,divine ,persons--the ,father1 the ,son1 and the ,holy ,ghost4 ,we all believe it2 we must believe it if we would be saved4 ,but no one of us can perfectly understand it4 ,st4 ,patrick1 you know1 is said to have illustrated it to his converts by showing them the shamrock with its three leaves on one stem2 but1 of course1 he never pretended that this was a perfect explanation of it4 ,no perfect explanation of it can be given to us4 ,and why not8 ,is it because it really has no explanation8 ,no1 but because we are not able to understand the one which might be given4 ,explain the solar system to a child of five years3 will he understand you8 ,it is something the same with us and this greater mystery of ,god4 ,some people1 especially at the present day1 who consider themselves very wise1 say to themselves and to others3 ,oh6 this doctrine of the ,trinity cannot be true4 ,ask them why not1 and they will say3 ,because we cannot understand it2 it seems to us to be nonsense4 ,well1 what does their argument amount to8 ,just to this3 ,if the doctrine were true we should understand it2 but we don't understand it1 therefore it is not true4 #bhc ,if it were true1 they say1 we should understand it4 ,and why8 ,why1 of course1 because we are so wise that we can understand everything4 ,it is well enough for stupid people1 like those benighted ,romanists1 to believe what they don't understand1 but such a proceeding would be quite below our dignity and intelligence4 ,it is quite absurd to suppose that there is any mystery so deep that we cannot see to the bottom of it4 ,now1 ,i do not want to accuse these worthy people of any one of the seven capital sins2 they are1 no doubt1 as good as they are wise4 ,but there is something in what they say that looks just a little bit like one of those sins2 like the first and most deadly of them all3 that is1 the sin of pride4 ,and there is not much doubt that pride has in some form or other had something to do with all heresies2 so ,i am afraid that those who deny the ,holy ,trinity are not quite free from it4 ,you think so1 my brethren1 ,i have no doubt4 ,but1 after all1 are you not perhaps guilty of a little of the same sin yourselves8 ,you believe in the ,holy ,trinity1 it is true1 but are there not some other things which you do not fully believe1 though you ought to1 and for very much the same reason8 ,god has given you the gift of faith2 and you are willing to believe what you know to be of faith1 even if it be beyond your reason1 especially if it be something1 like the ,holy ,trinity1 beyond the reason of any one else4 ,but are you not sometimes rather unwilling to believe other matters of religion1 for which there is good authority1 just because you1 with your present lights1 do not quite see through them8 ,that is just the trouble with the heretics of whom ,i have spoken2 is it not so with you1 too1 perhaps8 #bhd ,do you not say even about some of these matters3 ,oh6 ,i do not think the same about that as the priests do2 they are welcome to their opinion but ,i claim the right to mine8 ,it may be some question of morals2 then you say3 ,the priest say so-and-so is not right2 but ,i don't see any harm in it4 ,i have got a conscience of my own4 ,did it ever occur to you that as ,god knows more1 and has told more to his church about himself than you could have found out1 so he may have enlightened it rather more about some other matters in its own sphere than he has enlightened you1 even though they are not of faith8 ,and even setting that aside1 is it not possible that those who have studied a subject know more about it than those who have not8 ,i think there is only one answer to these questions4 ,try1 then1 to have the same humility which you have about the doctrine of the ,holy ,trinity in other things too4 ,you believe that the officers of a ship know a little more about her position and proper course than you do2 make the same presumption in favor of those who are in charge of the bark of ,st4 ,peter4 ,it is only reasonable to think so2 only showing a little of the same common sense which you show in other things4 -------------------------- ,sermon ,,lxxxiv4 ,why seest thou the mote in thy brother's eye1 but the beam that is in thy own eye thou considerest not8 --,st4 ,luke vi4 #da4 ,these words1 my dear brethren1 are taken from the ,gospel of the first ,sunday after ,pentecost1 which is always read at the end of ,mass on this day4 ,of all those which our ,divine ,lord spoke during his ministry on earth1 there are none more practical1 none which have a more immediate bearing on our daily lives4 #bhe ,there is nothing which shows the perversity of our fallen nature more clearly than the common habit1 in which even many persons who are pious in their way continually indulge1 of criticising and commenting on the actions and character of others4 ,some people1 indeed1 seem to think that there is no harm in talking about the character and conduct of their neighbors1 as long as they do not say anything which is not true4 ,this is a great mistake2 one hardly needs to stop and reflect for a moment to see that it is a grievous injustice to speak of a sin which another person has actually committed1 if it be not known1 or at least certain soon to be known in some other way1 by the one to whom we speak4 ,so there are many who have sense enough not to make this mistake and who do hold their tongues about the secret sins of others4 ,but there are comparatively few who seem to realize that it is against charity1 though not against justice1 to speak even of well-known and evident faults of one's neighbors1 when there is no good object to be gained by so doing2 and1 in fact1 even to think of them and turn them over in one's mind1 for which there can never be any good object4 ,it is to such as these--and there are hosts of them--that our ,lord's words are addressed4 ,he does not himself answer the question which he asks in the text2 but there is not much difficulty in our answering it ourselves4 #bhf ,why1 then1 seest thou the mote in thy brother's eye1 but the beam in thy own eye thou considerest not8 ,the two always go together4 ,you will always find that just in proportion to a person's watchfulness about others' faults is his carelessness about his own4 ,why1 ,i say1 do you do so8 ,let us try to find out4 ,are you so sensitive about your neighbor's faults because they offend ,god8 ,no1 ,i do not believe that is the reason4 ,if it were you would be a great deal more troubled about your own than you are4 ,if you really cared for ,god's honor in the matter you would go to work on your own sins1 which you really can amend1 and not on those of your neighbors1 which you only carp at but do not even try to correct4 ,do not pretend1 then1 that your habit of finding fault with others comes from a desire that ,god may be better served4 ,such a pretence would be only hypocrisy4 ,it is especially to such pretenders that our ,saviour says3 ,hypocrite1 cast first the beam out of thy own eye2 and then shalt thou see clearly to take out the mote from thy brother's eye4 ,are you so sensitive about your neighbor's faults1 then1 because they offend yourself8 ,no1 ,i do not think that can be the reason either--or1 at least1 not the whole reason2 for you are nearly as apt to speak of them when they do not concern you at all4 ,you even take trouble to find out about those which do not come under your own observation4 ,i know that we all have a weakness for noticing unpleasant things when they occur1 and passing over those which are agreeable as a matter of course2 we complain of the weather when it is bad1 and give no thanks when it is fine2 we grumble when we have a bad dinner1 and say nothing about a good one4 ,but this does not explain the matter entirely1 for most of the faults which you notice in others do not hurt you in any way4 #bhg ,no2 the fact is1 it is simply a vice in yourselves which makes your neighbor's faults so glaring in your eyes4 ,and that vice is the great vice of pride4 ,you are trying to exalt yourselves1 at least in your own mind1 above others1 and the easiest way to do it is to try to push them down4 ,this is at the bottom of all this uncharitableness which is the staple of so many people's thoughts and conversation4 ,there is1 therefore1 only one real remedy for it1 only one which strikes at the root of the whole thing3 that is to cultivate the virtue which is the opposite of pride1 the great virtue of humility4 ,i said just now that as a person is watchful about his neighbor's faults1 so is he careless about his own4 ,well1 the rule works both ways4 ,if you will be careful about your own you will not notice those of other people4 ,for you will acquire this virtue of humility4 ,you will appear so bad in your own sight that others will appear good in comparison4 ,and then1 when you have cast out this beam of pride from the eye of your own soul1 you will indeed be fit to correct others1 and not till then4 -------------------- #bhh ,second ,sunday after ,pentecost4 and ,sunday within the ,octave of ,corpus ,christi4 ,epistle4 #a ,st4 ,john iii4 #ac-ah4 ,dearly beloved3 ,wonder not if the world hate you4 ,we know that we have passed from death to life1 because we love the brethren4 ,he that loveth not1 abideth in death4 ,whosoever hateth his brother1 is a murderer4 ,and you know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in himself4 ,in this we have known the charity of ,god1 because he hath laid down his life for us3 and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren4 ,he that hath the substance of this world1 and shall see his brother in need1 and shall shut up his bowels from him3 how doth the charity of ,god abide in him8 ,my little children1 let us not love in word1 nor in tongue1 but in deed and in truth4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,luke xiv4 #af-bd4 ,at that time3 ,jesus spoke to the ,pharisees this parable3 ,a certain man made a great supper1 and invited many4 ,and he sent his servant at supper-time to say to them that were invited that they should come1 for now all things are ready4 ,and they began all at once to make excuse4 ,the first said to him3 ,i have bought a farm1 and ,i must needs go out and see it2 ,i pray thee1 have me excused4 ,and another said3 ,i have bought five yoke of oxen1 and ,i go to try them2 ,i pray thee1 have me excused4 ,and another said3 ,i have married a wife1 and therefore ,i cannot come4 ,and the servant returning1 told these things to his lord4 #bhi ,then the master of the house1 being angry1 said to his servant3 ,go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city1 and bring in hither the poor and the feeble1 and the blind and the lame4 ,and the servant said3 ,lord1 it is done as thou hast commanded1 and yet there is room4 ,and the lord said to the servant3 ,go out into the highways and hedges1 and compel them to come in1 that my house may be filled4 ,but ,i say unto you that none of those men that were called shall taste my supper4 ------------ ,sermon ,,lxxxv4 ,a certain man made a great supper1 and invited many4 --,st4 ,luke xiv4 #af4 ,if there could be any question about what kind of a great supper our ,lord meant in the parable all doubt is removed by reading the ,gospel1 which tells us that some one of the persons to whom he was speaking had just said3 ,blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of ,god4 ,we know how to interpret the parable4 ,the great supper is the divine banquet of ,holy ,communion1 in which we receive the ,body and ,blood of ,jesus ,christ4 ,on another occasion our ,lord said3 ,i am the bread that came down from heaven4 ,if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever1 and the bread that ,i will give is my flesh for the life of the world4 ,the parable of the great supper is1 therefore1 very appropriately chosen as the ,gospel for this ,sunday in the octave of the magnificent and triumphal festival of ,corpus ,christi4 ,this festival is also well placed in the calendar of the church1 coming as it does1 at the end of all the solemn commemorations of the divine life and person of our ,lord4 ,for the institution of the ,blessed ,sacrament is the greatest act of his love2 the consummation and fulfilment of his love4 #bij ,having loved his own1 he loved them unto the end4 ,he is present in this divine mystery because he would be present with us and give himself to us1 and unite himself to us in the most intimate manner4 ,he promised that he would live in us1 and we in him and be one with him4 ,in the ,blessed ,sacrament he makes that life and union a reality4 ,before the altars of his holy church1 therefore1 he spreads the holy table for his great supper1 and he invites many to the banquet4 ,such an invitation1 we would think1 does not need much urging to bring in the guests--all the guests--as quickly and as frequently as he desires4 ,and yet1 as he tells us in the parables1 and as we see and hear ourselves1 there are many who make little of his invitation1 and either do not come at all or come with such reluctance or so seldom that it is plain they are acting more from fear of punishment than from a motive of love4 ,it is true that those who do not come when he calls are far from daring to say that it is not worth coming to1 but they act very much as if they thought so4 ,they have other friends who invite them to their feasts1 and as they think more of these friends than they do of ,jesus ,christ1 and relish their food more than they do his1 they send in their excuses to him4 ,these excuses are paltry enough4 ,one has bought a farm and must go and see it2 another has purchased five yoke of oxen--this is just the time he must go and try them2 a third has just got married1 and so on4 ,any excuse for not coming to ,communion seems good enough for some ,catholics1 who want to keep friends and company with the world1 the flesh1 and the devil1 and eat their dishes of avarice1 lust1 and pride4 #bia ,i don't wonder they stay away2 for let a man get his heart full of avarice1 or burning with lust1 or puffed up with pride1 the very idea of ,holy ,communion is wearisome and distasteful to him4 ,but there is a dreadful warning in the parable4 ,the excuses are not taken2 and he who sets forth the banquet declares that none of such men shall eat of his supper2 and he makes that threat in anger4 ,woe1 then1 to those ,easter-duty breakers who heard the invitation and came not6 ,they have incurred the anger of the ,lord4 ,to pass by the ,easter duty out of contempt for it1 or because one is unwilling to give up the sins that he knows make him unfit to make it1 is to commit a mortal sin4 ,and when ,i see some persons who know their duty1 and have every opportunity1 neglecting their ,easter ,communion for years1 and appearing to be perfectly hardened against every appeal and argument made to them1 ,i am always fearful lest the ,lord is not only angry with them1 but that he is carrying out his threat that he will never invite them again1 and that they will die some day without absolution and without ,communion4 ,oh6 if there be any such here let them hasten to beg pardon with deep contrition for their past neglect1 and earnestly seek for admission to the heavenly banquet4 ,perhaps it may not be yet too late even for them4 ,i know it is the eleventh hour1 but the ,lord invites some to come even at the eleventh hour4 ,but they must not wait longer6 ,at midnight the door will be shut1 and the only answer they will get then is2 ,it is too late2 ,i know you not6 ,god grant that such a curse of banishment from the eternal ,communion of heaven shall never be addressed to one of us6 --------------- #bib ,sermon ,,lxxxvi4 ,and they began all at once to make excuse4 --,st4 ,luke xiv4 #ah4 ,notice the words1 my brethren4 ,our ,lord does not say that these men whom the master of the house invited to supper all happened to have an excuse1 but that they began all at once to make one4 ,they gave various flimsy reasons why they could not come-- reasons that anybody could see would not have prevented them from coming if they had wanted to1 but were merely given in order to avoid telling the plain truth1 which was that they did not care a straw for the one who had invited them or for the supper that he proposed to give4 ,well1 now1 what did our ,saviour mean by this story which ,i have read you in the ,gospel8--for he certainly did not tell it simply for the amusement of his disciples4 ,it was a parable1 and had a spiritual signification1 or more than one4 ,i think there cannot be much doubt in our minds about one of them1 at least4 ,we cannot help seeing that the supper means the rich banquet to which all of us are invited1 and which has been commemorated in the great solemnity of ,corpus ,christi1 through which we have just passed4 ,god himself is the master of the house1 and he has invited all of as his friends--that is1 all of us who have come by holy baptism into the fold of his church--to come to this great feast1 the feast of his own ,body and ,blood4 ,not once only but many times he has invited1 nay1 commanded1 you all to come and taste of this supper1 which is himself--to receive him in ,holy ,communion4 #bic ,and what have you done--many of you1 at least8 ,you have done exactly what these men did of whom the parable tells us4 ,you have1 as soon as the words of invitation came to you1 immediately set about to see if you could not find some way of avoiding compliance with them4 ,you have begun all at once to make excuses--excuses as silly as those which the men made in the parable4 ,oh6 you say1 ,i have not got time to approach the sacraments worthily4 ,it's all very well for women1 who can run to church whenever they want1 but ,i have got my business to attend to2 if ,i neglect it my family will starve4 ,humbug6 ,i say--as transparent humbug as that stupid story which the man whom our ,lord speaks of had about his farm4 ,i have bought a farm1 says he1 and ,i must needs go out and see it4 ,that excursion to his farm was got up just to dodge the invitation1 which he did not care to accept4 ,it is the same with you4 ,your business is not so important that it will keep you from the theatre or the liquor-store1 but as soon as the service of ,god is mentioned it becomes urgent all at once4 ,or perhaps you do not plead any particular business1 but you make an excuse like that of the man who said he had married a wife1 and therefore could not come4 ,you say3 ,piety is very good for priests and religious2 but ,i am living in the world1 and can't be good enough to go to ,communion4 ,humbug6 #bid ,i say again2 you know very well that there have been plenty of people1 who have lived in a much brighter world than is ever likely to be open to you1 who have not only made good communions1 but made them frequently1 and become saints by doing so4 ,kings and queens have given the lie to your excuse4 ,are you more in the world than ,st4 ,henry1 ,emperor of ,germany2 ,st4 ,louis1 ,king of ,france2 the two ,saints ,elizabeth1 of ,hungary and ,portugal2 and ,st4 ,margaret1 ,queen of ,scotland1 whose feast we kept last ,tuesday8 ,don't make any more foolish excuses1 then2 our ,lord1 who has invited you to his banquet1 will not be deceived by them4 ,acknowledge the truth1 that if you do not come to his supper it is because you do not care for it1 or for ,him who gives it4 ,but do you dare to say this8 ,i hope not4 ,do not say it1 then4 ,do what is far better4 ,come when he calls you4 ,come1 that you may not offend him1 as those ungrateful men of whom the parable tells us offended the master of the house4 ,come1 that he may not say to you1 as the master of the house said3 ,those men who were called shall not taste my supper1 not even when they shall desire it at the hour of their death4 ,come1 that your inheritance in the kingdom of heaven may not be taken away from you1 and others called in to take the places which you have refused4 ,come and show love and not base ingratitude to ,him who has taken so much pains to prepare this feast for you2 this feast which is not only the greatest gift that he can give you now1 but also a pledge of the kingdom which has been prepared for such of you as are faithful1 from the foundation of the world4 ------------------ #bie ,sermon ,,lxxxvii4 ,and they began all at once to make excuse4 --,st4 ,luke xiv4 #ah4 ,when men are in sin and do not wish to give it up the answer which they commonly make to an invitation of ,god is an excuse4 ,excuses6 ,yes1 there are plenty of them4 ,but from what do these men of whom our ,lord speaks in this parable wish to be excused8 ,is it from something painful and humiliating8 ,no1 strange to say1 it is from a great privilege2 it is from a wonderful feast in which men receive the ,food of ,angels and are made one with ,god2 it is from the feast of the ,blessed ,sacrament1 in which our ,blessed ,lord offers his own ,body and ,blood4 ,what6 is it possible that one who has the faith and is possessed of reason can slight such a gift from the ,god who has redeemed him8 ,listen to the excuse of one3 ,i have bought a farm4 ,what is a farm8 ,it is dirt4 ,his excuse1 then1 is that he does not want the ,bread of ,heaven1 because he is occupied with dirt4 ,in a word1 he prefers dirt to ,god4 ,but another man has this excuse for spurning the heavenly banquet3 ,he has bought five yoke of oxen1 and he wants to go and try them4 ,he declines the company of the saints and angels because he prefers that of oxen4 ,he had rather be with the brutes1 because he is much like them himself4 ,his body rules his soul1 and he is too much of an animal to care anything about a feast which furnishes only good for the soul4 #bif ,but we hear yet another excuse4 ,here is a man who has married a wife1 and therefore cannot come4 ,what does this mean8 ,does he pretend that the holy sacrament of matrimony is keeping him away8 ,but this is not the shadow of an excuse4 ,ah6 if he would speak out his mind clearly he certainly would have an excuse4 ,he means that he cannot come because he is wallowing in the mire of sin4 ,he is too filthy to come4 ,he would have to purify himself4 ,he cannot put on the wedding garment of divine grace and wallow with the swine1 so he thinks that he will leave the ,body and ,blood of ,jesus ,christ to others and stay where he is4 ,you see1 brethren1 what it is to offer an excuse when ,god invites or commands2 and these are only fair samples of the excuses which all sinners who seek to justify their conduct make4 ,but what do such excuses denote8 ,they are sure signs of impenitence4 ,men often make hypocrites of themselves by their excuses4 ,some even make bad confessions by covering their guilt with an excuse2 and a great many show their imperfect sorrow for sin in this way4 ,on the other hand1 the man who is sincerely sorry for his sins fears nothing so much as to excuse a fault4 ,he would rather accuse himself of too much than to excuse himself for the least fault4 ,excuses such as are mentioned in this parable may justify men before the world1 but never before ,god4 ,when our souls come before the ,divine ,judge all their disguises shall be torn off4 ,eternal justice shall then reveal all2 it shall weigh every motive2 it shall judge every act4 ,but what does our ,divine ,lord say of those who now refuse his invitation to this heavenly banquet8 ,he says3 ,none of those men who were called shall taste my supper4 #big ,those who now receive the sweet invitation of our ,blessed ,lord to approach the altar will at the hour of death wish for that divine food1 which they now treat with so much contempt2 but ,god may then say to them3 ,you did not come when ,i invited you1 and now you shall not taste my supper4 --------------------------- #bih ,third ,sunday after ,pentecost4 ,epistle4 #a ,st4 ,peter v4 #f-aa4 ,dearly beloved3 ,be you humbled under the mighty hand of ,god1 that he may exalt you in the time of visitation4 ,casting all your solicitude upon him1 for he hath care of you4 ,be sober and watch2 because your adversary the devil1 as a roaring lion1 goeth about seeking whom he may devour4 ,whom resist ye1 strong in faith3 knowing that the same affliction befalleth your brethren who are in the world4 ,but the ,god of all grace1 who hath called us unto his eternal glory in ,christ ,jesus1 when you have suffered a little1 will himself perfect1 and confirm1 and establish you4 ,to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever4 ,amen4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,luke xv4 #a-aj4 ,at that time3 ,the publicans and sinners drew near unto ,jesus to hear him4 ,and the ,pharisees and the ,scribes murmured1 saying3 ,this man receiveth sinners1 and eateth with them4 ,and he spoke to them this parable1 saying3 ,what man among you that hath a hundred sheep3 and if he shall lose one of them1 doth he not leave the ninety-nine in the desert1 and go after that which was lost until he find it8 ,and when he hath found it1 doth he not lay it upon his shoulders rejoicing3 and coming home call together his friends and neighbors1 saying to them3 ,rejoice with me1 because ,i have found my sheep that was lost4 ,i say to you1 that even so there shall be joy in heaven upon one sinner that doth penance1 more than upon ninety-nine just who need not penance4 ,or what woman having ten groats1 if she lose one groat1 doth not light a candle and sweep the house and seek diligently until she find it8 ,and when she hath found it1 call together her friends and neighbors1 saying3 ,rejoice with me1 because ,i have found the groat which ,i had lost4 ,so ,i say to you1 there shall be joy before the angels of ,god upon one sinner doing penance4 ----------------------- #bii ,sermon ,,lxxxviii4 ,rejoice with me1 because ,i have found my sheep that was lost4 --,st4 ,luke xv4 #f4 ,i am sure you have often heard related1 if you have not yourselves known1 examples of the singular affection which parents show towards the worst behaved child they have1 the black sheep of the flock1 as their neighbors call him1 or her1 as the case may be--some wretched1 ungrateful1 dissipated son whose disgraceful life and cruel treatment of them fairly breaks their hearts2 or some disobedient1 wild daughter who is led off and gets ruined4 ,while they are in the height of their bad career the parents are very apt to act as if they wished every tie between them broken4 ,no one dares mention the name of their lost child to them4 ,instances have been known where the angry parents have blotted out the name of the dishonored one from the record in the family ,bible where it was written on the day when he was brought back an innocent child from the font of baptism1 and when they have taken the little lock of flaxen hair cut from their darling's head1 and kept so many years as a treasure1 and have scattered it to the winds4 ,but what do we see8 ,there comes a time when things are at their worst1 when their poor lost one has reaped the bitter fruits of his disobedience and is in utter misery and despair2 then the hearts of the parents are softened2 they yearn to see their poor child once more1 and all on a sudden there is a reconciliation1 all is forgiven and forgotten2 the one who was dead has come to life again1 and the lost one is found4 #cjj ,the parents will not hear one word said against him1 but on the contrary1 in word and action1 say to all their friends3 ,rejoice with me1 because ,i have found my child that was lost4 ,now1 if we examine into any such a case we shall almost certainly discover that the penitence of the bad child bears no comparison to the greatness of the parents' affection or to the magnanimity of their forgiveness4 ,very few such repenting sinners are deserving of the joyful pardon they receive4 ,mercy is always a mystery1 and pardon ever a miracle4 ,so it is with ,god and his divine forgiveness of repenting sinners4 ,our ,lord tells us there is joy in heaven over their return4 ,did you ever know any such case whose repentance you thought was worthy of such celestial rejoicings8 ,very1 very few1 ,i am sure4 ,and how many forgiven sinners1 do you think1 realize that ,god loves them so much as that--so much that1 when he has brought back to his love and obedience one so unworthy1 he should tell all his holy angels of the happy event and bid them rejoice with him8 ,not many4 ,this truth however1 is a most important one which our ,lord wishes us to learn4 ,it is the greatness of his mercy and the depth of his love4 ,to tell the honest truth1 it is the revelation of ,god's mercy and love that will bring hardened sinners back1 which will win and convert them when nothing else will4 ,we often see the proof of this on our missions1 when we find the hardest cases1 the most abandoned and hopeless sinners1 coming to confession after the sermon on the mercy of ,god4 #cja ,and who does not know that an appeal made to sinners by showing them the crucifix1 where they see their ,lord and ,saviour dying for his great love1 with arms outstretched to receive them back1 is an argument few of them can withstand8 ,the sermon of the ,cross is one the holy church is always preaching--the sermon of love and mercy4 ,well1 dear brethren1 learn this lesson from the ,gospel4 ,when you find the burden of sin heavy on you1 and your conscience tells you that you have wandered far from ,god1 go before a crucifix and let the love and mercy of your crucified ,lord preach to you4 ,there is nothing helps one so much to overcome the horror and shame of going to confession as a few minutes' prayer on one's knees before a crucifix4 ,are you in temptation and danger of losing ,god8 ,kiss the feet of a crucifix and you are saved4 ,do you want to win and save those who have sinned against you8 ,preach to them the sermon of mercy and love1 in your own way1 and1 like ,god1 you will win them and convert them1 and rejoice with your friends that you have found the lost one again4 ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 ---------------------- ,sermon ,,lxxxix4 ,be sober1 and watch4 --#a ,st4 ,peter v4 #h4 ,these few words of the ,epistle1 my brethren1 contain a most important lesson for us4 ,we may indeed say that of all the innumerable souls which have been lost1 and which are going down every day into hell1 far the greater part have come to this terrible end for neglect of this warning4 #cjb ,there is a proverb1 with which you are all familiar1 that the road to hell is paved with good intentions4 ,what does this mean8 ,does it mean that a good intention in itself is a thing which leads to hell8 ,of course not4 ,but it means that the kind of good intentions which people are too apt to make are signs rather of damnation than of salvation1 as they should be4 ,what is this kind of good intention8 ,it is one which stops just there1 and which the one who makes it does not take the means to carry out4 ,sometimes we call them by a stronger name than intentions4 ,we call them purposes1 even firm purposes of amendment4 ,they are the kind of purposes which a great many people make when they repent1 or think they repent1 of their habitual sins4 ,a man comes to confession with a fearful habit of sin--of profane swearing1 for instance4 ,it has been on him for years4 ,he has learned it in his youth1 perhaps1 from wicked parents or companions4 ,he has almost become unconscious of it1 and it seems to him no very important thing2 it may be that he would not even mention it1 did not the priest question him pretty closely4 ,but when the priest does warn him about it he makes up his mind in a certain way that he ought to stop it1 and makes a kind of purpose to do so4 ,it is to be feared1 however1 that this is one of the purposes or intentions with which hell is paved4 ,and why8 ,because it stops just there4 ,it has no effect at all4 ,it is all gone before he gets out of the confession-box4 ,he will swear just as much to-morrow as he did to-day4 ,he does not1 probably1 even remember his purpose1 at any rate only till the time of his ,communion2 or if1 perchance1 he does remember it1 he does not take the means to carry it out4 #cjc ,and what is that means above all others8 ,it is to watch against his sin4 ,this he does not do4 ,he does not keep on his guard to avoid those horrible oaths which have become a fixed habit with him4 ,he does not watch himself1 and1 of course1 falls again as he did before4 ,now you see1 perhaps1 the importance of ,st4 ,peter's warning in the ,epistle4 ,most of you who will be lost will be lost on account of habitual sins like this ,i have spoken of1 not on account of occasional and unusual ones4 ,it may be a habit of impure thoughts or words1 of drunkenness1 or something else2 but it is a habit of some kind that will cause your damnation4 ,the habit is a disease of your soul2 you must get rid of it1 if you wish to have any well-grounded hope of salvation4 ,and you cannot get rid of it without watching as well as praying4 ,watch1 says our ,lord1 that you enter not into temptation4 ,yes1 a bad habit is a disease of your soul1 a weak spot in it which you must guard4 ,it is there your enemy is going to enter4 ,what does ,st4 ,peter go on to say8 ,be sober1 and watch1 he says1 for your adversary1 the devil1 as a roaring lion1 goeth about seeking whom he may devour4 ,very well2 the devil is not such a fool as to neglect your weak points4 ,so it is those which you must watch and guard4 ,if1 then1 you would be saved1 keep before your mind all the time your habitual sins4 ,be on your guard against them continually1 just as a man going on slippery ice is all the time careful how he places his feet4 ,repeat your resolutions frequently2 make them practical and definite4 ,say to yourself1 ,next time ,i am provoked ,i will keep down that profane word2 next time such an object comes before my eyes ,i will turn them away2 next time such a thought occurs ,i will instantly repel it4 #cjd ,be on the lookout for danger1 as a sailor is for rocks or icebergs in his course4 ,pray1 of course1 earnestly and frequently1 but watch as well as pray4 ,if you do you will save your soul2 if you do not you will lose it4 ---------------------- ,sermon ,,xc4 ,there shall be joy in heaven upon one sinner that doth penance1 more than upon ninety-nine just who need not penance4 --,st4 ,luke xv4 #g4 ,i do not think1 my brethren1 that there is any parable in the ,gospel which comes more home to your own experience than these which you have just heard about the lost sheep and groat4 ,i am sure you have all of you lost something at some time or other2 and ,i am sure1 too1 that1 even though it was not very valuable1 you began to think it was when it was lost1 and hunted for it high and low4 ,it seemed to you that you cared more for it than for any other article of your property1 and that you did not mind much what became of your other things as long as that was missing4 ,that1 of course1 was not really the case4 ,for1 although you seemed to give all your thoughts and energy in searching for the lost article1 you cared just as much all the time for what you meanwhile left at home or unnoticed4 ,and if1 while you were hunting up one thing1 another should get lost1 you would start out after that with just as much anxiety as you did for the other4 #cje ,so our ,lord spends his time1 not only now and then but always1 chiefly in hunting after what he has lost1 and lets what he has got shift a good deal for itself4 ,always1 ,i say2 for he has always lost something4 ,he keeps losing things all the time4 ,the sheep keep straying away from his fold continually4 ,as soon as one is brought back another has gone1 and he has to set out in pursuit of it4 ,and meanwhile the sheep in the fold do not seem to get as much care and attention as they think they deserve for their obedience and general good behavior4 ,now1 this is an important thing for the sheep to understand1 both for those who have not strayed away and for those who have4 ,those who are faithful must be contented with his absence1 and those who are not should thank him and reward him for his labor for them4 ,those who need no penance--that is1 those who remain habitually in the state of grace--are apt to say3 ,why is it that religion does not give me more happiness8 ,why is it that ,i have so little devotion and that ,god seems so far away8 ,well1 the reason is because he is away4 ,he is off hunting for sinners4 ,he is giving them his chief attention and his choicest graces because they need them4 ,the just can get along with the sacraments1 which are always open to them1 and with the other ordinary means of salvation4 ,or you say1 perhaps3 ,why is it that the best preachers and confessors among the fathers are out on the mission1 so that we seldom or never see or hear them8 ,well1 that is for the same reason4 ,our ,lord sends them out on the hunt in which he is so much interested4 ,surely you will not find fault with him4 ,you will not deprive him of his greatest joy--that of bringing sinners back--for the sake of offering him a little more devotion1 which he does not care so much about4 #cjf ,no1 you will rather be faithful1 and do your duty in the place where he has put you1 and be very thankful that you are not among the lost1 and perhaps one among them who will never be found4 ,and surely those who have strayed away and whom he is seeking1 when they come to think of it1 will try to give him the consolation which he takes so much trouble to secure4 ,they will not let him spend all his time on them and get nothing for it in return4 ,no1 they will not hide from him any longer2 they will give themselves to him1 never to stray again2 and be the occasion of a joy in heaven which shall not be merely for a moment1 but which shall last for evermore4 ------------------- #cjg ,fourth ,sunday after ,pentecost4 ,epistle4 ,romans viii4 #ah-bc4 ,brethren3 ,i reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come1 that shall be revealed in us4 ,for the expectation of the creature waiteth for the revelation of the sons of ,god4 ,for the creature was made subject to vanity1 not willingly1 but by reason of him that made it subject1 in hope3 because the creature also itself shall be delivered from the servitude of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of ,god4 ,for we know that every creature groaneth1 and is in labor even till now4 ,and not only it1 but ourselves also1 who have the first-fruits of the spirit1 even we ourselves groan within ourselves1 waiting for the adoption of the sons of ,god1 the redemption of our body1 in ,christ ,jesus our ,lord4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,luke v4 #a-aa4 ,at that time3 ,when the multitudes pressed upon ,jesus to hear the word of ,god1 he stood by the lake of ,genesareth4 ,and he saw two ships standing by the lake3 but the fishermen were gone out of them1 and were washing their nets4 ,and going up into one of the ships that was ,simon's1 he desired him to thrust out a little from the land4 ,and sitting down1 he taught the multitudes out of the ship4 ,now when he had ceased to speak1 he said to ,simon3 ,launch out into the deep1 and let down your nets for a draught4 ,and ,simon answering1 said to him3 ,master1 we have labored all the night1 and have taken nothing3 but at thy word ,i will let down the net4 ,and when they had done this1 they enclosed a very great multitude of fishes1 and their net was breaking4 ,and they beckoned to their partners that were in the other ship1 that they should come and help them4 #cjh ,and they came1 and filled both the ships1 so that they were almost sinking2 which when ,simon ,peter saw1 he fell down at ,jesus' knees1 saying3 ,depart from me1 for ,i am a sinful man1 ,lord4 ,for he was wholly astonished1 and all that were with him1 at the draught of the fishes which they had taken4 ,and so were also ,james and ,john1 the sons of ,zebedee1 who were ,simon's partners4 ,and ,jesus saith to ,simon3 ,fear not1 from henceforth thou shalt be taking men4 ,and when they had brought their ships to land1 leaving all things1 they followed him4 ---------------------- ,sermon ,,xci4 ,and sitting down1 he taught the multitudes out of the ship4 --,st4 ,luke v4 #c4 ,the ship1 as the ,gospel tells us1 was ,st ,peter's1 and our ,lord continues to teach his divine doctrine from the same ship4 ,this ship of ,st4 ,peter is the ,catholic ,church4 ,its captain is the ,pope1 the ,vicar of ,jesus ,christ4 ,he not only guides the ship in its ordinary course1 but knows also what special orders to give when particular dangers threaten it4 ,the plain duty of every ,catholic is1 therefore to receive with obedience the teaching of the ,pope1 and in times of danger to be on the alert and obey quickly1 without hesitation and with perfect confidence4 ,there is no fear for the ship herself1 no matter what storms may arise4 ,the danger is for those who are in her1 and each one's safety depends upon his prompt obedience4 ,there are some ,catholics who appear to think that because the ship is always safe they are safe too1 no matter how they behave4 #cji ,alas6 this is often a fatal mistake4 ,christ teaches by the mouth of ,peter1 and their salvation depends upon their listening to what is taught1 and learning the lessons of faith and morality which fall from his lips4 ,but what do we see8 ,we see many who remain so ignorant of their religion that they ought to be ashamed to call themselves ,catholics4 ,there is plenty of instruction given1 but they take no pains to hear it4 ,year in and year out they never come to a sermon or instruction4 ,they never think of reading a good religious book or a ,catholic newspaper4 ,they have time to go to some immoral play at the theatre1 they read the trashy1 beastly stuff that is served up daily and weekly to pander to depraved appetites such as theirs1 but of their sublime1 true1 and holy religion1 which should be a light to their minds and a comfort to their hearts1 they know next to nothing4 ,they let their children grow up in the like ignorance1 who are swift to follow the bad example set before them4 ,now1 the chief duty of a ,catholic is to learn what his religion teaches1 and it is a grievous sin to neglect the opportunities one has to acquire that knowledge4 ,the devil is busy scattering the seed of false doctrine1 and keeping his agents at work telling all sorts of lies about ,god and ,jesus ,christ and the ,catholic ,church1 and it is not possible for one to keep his faith pure unless he takes care to learn all he has the chance to learn of the truths of his holy religion4 ,then1 again1 see how anxious people are nowadays that their children should have what is called a good education4 ,what is the teaching of ,christ from the ship of ,peter on this subject8 ,it is that without religion education cannot be good4 #caj ,our faiths1 as well as our experience1 tells us that an education with religion left out is apt to prove rather a curse than a blessing to a child4 ,pride1 conceit1 loose morals1 love of money1 disobedience to parents and clergy--these are the things we see plenty of in the lives and habits of children who have received a good education with religion left out4 ,there is another thing which is often the subject of much wonder to me4 ,from time to time the bishops and priests find it necessary to warn their people against certain prevailing vices1 or to denounce certain secret societies as anti-,christian1 or to make regulations which are required to secure the proper administration of the sacraments--for instance1 the publication of the bans of marriage--and there are found ,catholics who set themselves in opposition to these counsels and laws of their pastors with a pertinacious obstinacy such as one would not expect to see except in a downright heretic4 ,the conceit of these people is truly marvellous4 ,they talk and act as if the whole ,catholic ,church belonged to them1 and their priests were a miserable set of hirelings who can be persuaded to connive at anything they choose to pay them for4 ,what is the reason of this8 ,i'll tell you4 ,it is due to their ignorance4 ,the better instructed a ,catholic is the more docile and humble he is4 ,he hears ,christ teaching when he hears the instructions of his pastor1 and he rejoices to follow his counsels4 ,he that heareth you heareth me1 said our ,lord4 ,god send us ,catholics who love their religion well enough to make them desirous of being well instructed in its doctrine6 ---------------------- #caa ,sermon ,,xcii4 ,i reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come4 --,romans viii4 #ah4 ,brethren1 if we wish to rejoice in the next world we must suffer in this4 ,there is no escape from suffering here if we reckon on happiness hereafter4 ,and there are good reasons for this4 ,one is because we must atone for sin4 ,do not our own sins1 little or great1 continually cry out for penance8 ,and if we give not suffering willingly they threaten to crucify us in spite of ourselves4 ,and there are the sins of others1 of heathens1 and heretics1 and bad ,catholics--all these demand atonement1 and1 as it was not beneath the dignity of the ,son of ,god to die for them1 so1 if we are ,christians more than in name1 we shall be ready to suffer with our blessed ,lord for the sins of the world4 ,another reason why we mast suffer is that we may not become attached to the joys of this world1 for we must leave them all some day or other4 ,and1 besides1 ,god demands a heart quite undivided2 he wants all our love1 and not what is left after we have expended our chief affections on created things4 ,and yet another reason for suffering is that we may merit more happiness in heaven4 ,the ,christian has a kind ,father in heaven1 who notes every pang1 and sigh1 and tear1 and who will know how to reward4 ,so one would think that a wise man would seek sufferings rather than avoid them2 would thank ,god for the afflictions of his providence1 and would look upon the troubles of this life--the loss of health1 the loss of reputation1 the loss of money--would look upon all this as ,god's way of elevating our life here on earth and of increasing our happiness hereafter2 and that it would be true wisdom to voluntarily deny ourselves the joys of this world1 reckoning rather upon those of the future life as the apostles did4 #cab ,yes1 brethren1 patient suffering is the very ,a ,b ,c of the ,christian religion4 ,what are ,christ's blessings8 ,blessed are the poor2 blessed are they that mourn2 blessed are you when they persecute and revile you4 ,truly his religion is a religion of the cross4 ,but what kind of ,christians must we think ourselves since we all hate to suffer8 ,we reckon fondly upon the joys of this life2 those of the life to come may take care of themselves4 ,although we have a lifetime of horrid sins in our memory1 and know that we have not done any penance1 still we not only refuse to suffer willingly1 but we speak and act as it ,god were a cruel tyrant thus to send upon us sickness1 and poverty1 and disgrace4 ,and as to suffering in union with our ,lord ,jesus ,christ for the sins of the world1 such a generous thought never enters our mind at all2 nor do we think of mortifying the rebellious passions1 nor of the merit of sacrifice1 nor of anything except to enjoy this world1 to cling to this poor1 fleeting world and its deceptive joys4 ,brethren1 let us strive to obtain a wiser and stronger spirit in regard to suffering4 ,i know that we may not hope to become heroes all at once1 but may in time if we begin without delay2 and the only way to begin is by prayer4 ,you complain of the company of wicked and unpleasant people2 but instead of snapping at them and quarrelling1 offer your annoyance to ,god and pray him to assist you4 #cac ,are you in poverty8 ,instead of giving way to weariness and despair1 think of ,jesus and ,mary at the humble cottage at ,nazareth2 think of the poor1 wandering life of our ,lord while he preached the ,gospel1 and beg him to give you some of his own patience4 ,are you afflicted with incurable illness8 ,remember that ,god has sent you this for your own good and will know how to recompense you4 ,instead of making your friends miserable by your impatience1 think of ,christ upon the cross1 and of your sins which crucified him4 ,st4 ,teresa had for her motto these words3 ,either to suffer or to die4 ,oh6 that we had only a little of the heroic spirit of the saints4 ,then we could welcome every dispensation of divine providence1 whether of pleasure or of pain1 and should be able to say with ,st4 ,paul3 ,i have learned in whatsoever state ,i am to be content therewith4 ,i know both how to be brought low and how to abound 444 both to be full and to be hungry1 both to abound and to suffer need2 ,i can do all things in him who strengtheneth me 7,phil4 iv4 #aa-ac74 --------------------- #cad ,fifth ,sunday after ,pentecost4 ,epistle4 #a ,st4 ,peter iii4 #h-ae4 ,dearly beloved3 ,be ye all of one mind1 having compassion one of another1 loving brotherhood1 merciful1 modest1 humble3 not rendering evil for evil1 nor railing for railing1 but on the contrary1 blessing3 for unto this are you called1 that by inheritance you may possess a blessing4 ,for he that will love life1 and see good days1 let him refrain his tongue from evil1 and his lips that they speak no guile4 ,let him decline from evil1 and do good3 let him seek peace1 and pursue it3 because the eyes of the ,lord are upon the just1 and his ears unto their prayers3 but the countenance of the ,lord against them that do evil things4 ,and who is he that can hurt you1 if you be zealous of good8 ,but if also you suffer anything for justice' sake1 blessed are ye4 ,and be not afraid of their terror and be not troubled2 but sanctify the ,lord ,christ in your heart4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,matt4 v4 #bj-bd4 ,at that time3 ,jesus said to his disciples3 ,i say to you1 that unless your justice abound more than that of the ,scribes and ,pharisees1 you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven4 ,you have heard that it was said to them of old3 ,thou shalt not kill4 ,and whosoever shall kill shall be guilty of the judgment4 ,but ,i say to you1 that whosoever is angry with his brother1 shall be guilty of the judgment4 ,and whosoever shall say to his brother1 ,raca1 shall be guilty of the council4 ,and whosoever shall say1 ,thou fool1 shall be guilty of hell fire4 ,therefore if thou offerest thy gift at the altar1 and there shalt remember that thy brother hath anything against thee1 leave there thy gift before the altar1 and first go to be reconciled to thy brother1 and then come and offer thy gift4 #cae ,sermon ,,xciii4 ,unless your justice abound more than that of the ,scribes and ,pharisees1 you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven4 --,st4 ,matt4 v4 #bj4 ,the ,scribes and ,pharisees were very particular about keeping the letter of the law1 and prided themselves mightily on this kind of justice4 ,but ,jesus ,christ says that unless our righteousness exceed theirs we shall not save our souls4 ,here1 then1 he teaches us that we must keep the spirit of the commandments as well as the letter4 ,and to show what he means by the spirit of the law1 he quotes the commandment which forbids murder4 ,now1 it is not enough1 he says1 that you refrain from committing murder2 you must equally refrain from the passion of anger--anger1 that is1 which destroys charity1 and breeds ill-will1 hatred1 and revenge2 for those who give way to these malicious feelings shall be arraigned at my judgment-seat side by side with murderers4 ,among those who heard him was ,st4 ,john1 his apostle2 and ,st4 ,john says3 ,he that hateth his brother is a murderer4 ,again1 our ,lord tells us that the spirit of the ,fifth ,commandment includes lesser sins than anger--that to call our brother contemptuous names1 to provoke and irritate him by hard words 7except1 of course1 in the case of just rebuke71 is a grave violation of this law as he would have us ,christians understand it4 #caf ,the words which follow--addressed to those who were in the habit of going into the temple to lay their gifts before ,god's altar--apply with even greater force to us4 ,we come before ,god's altar when we come to hear ,mass1 and we come with the profession1 at least1 of offering a gift--that worship which is the tribute of our faith and love4 ,there is one thing1 then1 which our ,lord requires before he will receive our offering3 that our brother have not anything against us4 ,in other words1 we must be in perfect charity with our neighbor4 ,if we have anything against him1 we must forgive him there and then from our hearts4 ,if he have anything against us1 we must either have already done our best towards reconciliation and reparation1 or at least be prepared and determined to do it at the very first opportunity4 ,now1 it may be we are not in the state of grace when we come to hear ,mass1 but1 on the contrary1 laden with mortal sins4 ,well1 we still have the right to hear ,mass--nay1 are bound to hear it2 and1 further1 we can still offer a gift1 and a very acceptable gift--an earnest prayer for contrition and amendment--a cry for mercy and deliverance4 ,our ,lord once said to ,st4 ,mathilda3 ,however guilty a man may be1 however inveterate the enmity of his heart against me4 ,i will patiently bear with him whenever he is present at ,mass1 and will readily grant him the pardon of his sins if he sincerely ask it4 ,clearly1 then1 dear brethren1 there is but one thing that can keep even a poor sinner from coming before ,god's altar with an acceptable gift--viz41 the want of charity to his neighbor2 that is1 either the refusal to say from his heart3 ,forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us2 or1 equally1 the refusal to seek reconciliation or make reparation for wrongs of his own doing4 #cag ,now1 in either case there is a brother who has something against us1 and that brother is ,jesus ,christ himself1 who calls all men his brethren without exception1 and especially our fellow-,catholics1 having given to all his ,sacred ,heart and the love of his ,blessed ,mother4 ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 --------------------------- ,sermon ,,xciv4 ,he that will love life and see good days1 let him refrain his tongue from evil4 --#a ,st4 ,peter iii4 #aj4 ,the words of the blessed ,apostle ,st4 ,peter teach us that the good1 peaceable man is the happiest1 that ,god rewards a kind heart even in this life4 ,yes1 the kindly-spoken man is a happy man4 ,he has no quarrels on his hands4 ,you cannot make him quarrel4 ,though he be strong and active1 yet he is incapable of using his strength to injure his neighbor4 ,say a sharp1 bitter thing to him1 and instead of feeling insulted1 he will laugh it off1 and tell you to be good-natured1 or will act as if he had offended you4 ,and the good1 peaceable man is no slanderer or tale-bearer4 ,when he hears anything to his neighbor's detriment he is sorry2 he buries it in his kind heart1 and tries to forget it4 ,if his friends quarrel among themselves1 he is the ready and successful peacemaker4 ,if death1 sickness1 or misfortune of any kind afflicts his neighbor1 he is the kind and skilful comforter4 ,what do people think of such a man8 ,everybody loves him4 ,and is not that happiness8 ,why1 if a dog loves you it gives you joy1 and the affection of many friends makes this world a paradise4 ,so the good1 peaceable man has that element of a lovely life and good days4 #cah ,i need not say that the good1 peaceable man is happy in his family4 ,how children love a kind parent6 ,how they enjoy home when he is there1 with his happy laugh and innocent jest6 ,his wife is proud of that husband1 and blesses ,god for such a father for her little ones4 ,there is no bickering1 jealousy1 or ill-will in that home1 but charity and joy the whole year round4 ,and the good1 peaceable man is happy in his own self-respect4 ,without presumption he may say with the apostle3 ,i owe no man anything4 ,he owes no man any grudge4 ,he has inflicted sorrow upon no man4 ,he has deprived no man of honor or of goods4 ,he who is not at war with his neighbor is at peace with himself4 ,his conscience is at peace1 and a peaceful conscience is a soft pillow4 ,so that by his kind words and deeds he really loves his life1 as ,st4 ,peter says1 and has provided himself with good days4 ,but besides all this1 ,god watches over the good1 peaceable man4 ,he that loveth his neighbor hath fulfilled the law1 says the ,scripture4 ,our ,lord loves those who love his children1 and he is one who can make his friends happy4 ,did he not promise a reward for even a cup of cold water8 ,and are not kind words often of more worth than bodily refreshment8 ,god loves the good1 peaceable man1 and the love of ,god is enough to make any one happy4 #cai ,so the next time you complain and say1 ,oh6 why am ,i so miserable8 what ails me or my family1 or my neighbors1 that ,i am always in hot water1 and can scarcely call one day in ten really happy8 just ask yourself3 ,am ,i a peaceable1 good-natured man8 ,anger1 hatred1 and ill-will poison one's food as well as kill the soul1 disturb one's sleep as well as perplex the conscience4 ,to be happy you must be loved2 and who will love one who hates8 ,a sour face1 a bitter tongue1 a bad heart1 gain no friends4 ,a harsh voice1 a cruel hand1 a selfish heart1 turn wife and child into enemies4 ,so the suspicious man is unhappy2 he breeds treason and jealousy among his friends4 ,the touchy man is unhappy2 you shun his company1 for you fear to offend him4 ,the critical man is unhappy2 he is over-zealous about others and careless of himself4 ,and1 brethren1 ,i might continue the sad litany1 and to every unkind act1 or thought1 or word ,i could answer1 it makes men miserable4 ,come1 brethren1 let us all try and be good-natured4 ,let us be so for the love of our ,lord1 who made and loves us all1 and died to bind us all together in one happy household4 ---------------------- #cbj ,sixth ,sunday after ,pentecost4 ,epistle4 ,romans vi4 #c-aa4 ,brethren3 ,we all1 who are baptized in ,christ ,jesus1 are baptized in his death4 ,for we are buried together with him by baptism unto death3 that as ,christ is risen from the dead by the glory of the ,father1 so we also may walk in newness of life4 ,for if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death1 in like manner we shall be of his resurrection4 ,knowing this1 that our old man is crucified with him1 that the body of sin may be destroyed1 and that we may serve sin no longer4 ,for he that is dead is justified from sin4 ,now if we be dead with ,christ1 we believe that we shall live also together with ,christ3 knowing that ,christ rising again from the dead1 dieth now no more1 death shall no more have dominion over him4 ,for in that he died to sin1 he died once3 but in that he liveth1 he liveth unto ,god4 ,so do you also reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin1 but alive to ,god in ,christ ,jesus our ,lord4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,mark viii4 #a-i4 ,at that time3 ,when there was a great multitude with ,jesus1 and had nothing to eat1 calling his disciples together1 he saith to them3 ,i have compassion on the multitude1 for behold they have now been with me three days1 and have nothing to eat4 ,and if ,i send them away fasting to their own houses1 they will faint in the way1 for some of them came from afar off4 ,and his disciples answered him3 ,from whence can any one satisfy them here with bread in the wilderness8 ,and he asked them3 ,how many loaves have ye8 ,and they said3 ,seven4 ,and he commanded the people to sit down on the ground1 and taking the seven loaves1 giving thanks1 he broke1 and gave to his disciples to set before them1 and they sat them before the people4 #cba ,and they had a few little fishes1 and he blessed them and commanded them to be set before them4 ,and they did eat and were filled1 and they took up that which was left of the fragments1 seven baskets4 ,and they that had eaten were about four thousand3 and he sent them away4 ------------------- ,sermon ,,xcv4 ,taking the seven loaves1 giving thanks1 he broke and gave to his disciples to set before them4 --,st4 ,mark viii4 #f4 ,on this and on other occasions our ,lord ,jesus ,christ blessed the food that was to be eaten4 ,in imitation of his divine example we are taught to give thanks and bless ourselves and our food at meals4 ,this pious practice is commonly called grace before and after meat4 ,the word grace is ,english for the ,latin word gratias1 which means thanks1 taken from the thanksgiving to be said after meals4 ,there are two prayers to be said1 therefore3 the first1 a blessing to be invoked upon ourselves and upon the food prepared2 and the second1 a thanksgiving to be said after we have eaten it4 ,the first is as follows3 ,bless us1 ,lord1 and these thy gifts which we are about to receive from thy bountiful hands1 through ,christ our ,lord4 ,amen4 ,when we say the words1 ,bless us1 ,lord1 we should make the sign of the cross on ourselves4 ,when we say ,these thy gifts1 we should make the sign of the cross over the table4 ,the thanksgiving is said thus3 ,we give thee thanks1 ,almighty ,god1 for all thy benefits1 who livest and reignest for ever and ever4 ,amen4 ,and it is also proper to add3 ,may the souls of the faithful departed1 through the mercy of ,god1 rest in peace4 ,the ,catholic practice is also to say these prayers standing4 #cbb ,in religious communities the blessing and grace are much longer1 consisting of versicles and sentences from ,scripture appropriate to the ecclesiastical season or festival2 the ,lord's ,prayer is said and the ,te ,deum is said4 ,this is a pious practice which ought to prevail in all ,catholic families4 ,the children should be taught to do it from the time they can bless themselves and lisp the words4 ,yes1 everything we eat and wear ought to be blessed first before we use it4 ,the sign of the cross and asking ,god's blessing is to acknowledge1 as we are in duty bound1 the source of all that is given to us1 and to sanctify it to our own use1 and also to make a good intention in using it4 ,to act otherwise--to hurry to table and eat and drink without a thought of ,god or a word of religion1 as ,i have seen so many do--is to act like a heathen or a beast4 ,and this practice is not only for those who have a table set before them supplied with every luxury in the way of food1 but it is especially good for those whose poverty compels them to sit down to scanty and common meals4 ,the rich certainly ought to bless their bountifully-supplied tables1 lest they prove to them the dangerous occasion of intemperance and gluttony1 but the poor should remember the miracle of to-day's ,gospel1 when our ,lord blessed and gave thanks over seven loaves and a few little fishes1 and with that small store satisfied the hunger of four thousand people4 ,god is ever a kind1 loving ,father1 and will not forget the cry of those who put their trust in him4 #cbc ,such was the trust of the poor man who had nothing but a little porridge to set before his family at dinner when he said3 ,god be good to us1 and make this trifle of porridge go far enough for a poor man with a wife and seven children4 ,this makes me think of two classes of people who ,i wish could be obliged to bless with the sign of the cross what they give and receive as nourishment4 ,i mean the liquor-seller and the drunkard4 ,the grocery-keeper1 the butcher1 the baker could do it1 and why not the liquor-seller8 ,you know the result if they did2 the one would soon give up the business1 and the other would soon give up drinking4 ,but do not forget1 as some do1 to return thanks--to say the grace after meals4 ,thank ,god for what you have received from his bounty4 ,again ,i say1 act like a reasonable being and a ,christian in this1 and not like a heathen or a beast4 ,you who are parents should see to the carrying out of this instruction4 ,if you have not done so yet1 begin to-day4 ,let the father say the prayer and make the sign of the cross over the table1 and if one of the children come late don't give him a morsel to eat till he has said his blessing4 ,in all things remember you are ,christians1 giving thanks always for all things in the name of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ to ,god and the ,father4 ---------------- ,sermon ,,xcvi4 ,know you not that all we who are baptized in ,christ ,jesus are baptized in his death4 --,romans vi4 #c4 #cbd ,these are strong words1 brethren1 too strong1 ,i fear1 to be accepted in their full meaning by many of us2 for we are quite too apt to mitigate the strong doctrine of ,christ4 ,those great maxims of penance1 of poverty1 of obedience1 of perfection1 which the saints understood in their plain reality1 we are very anxious to understand in a figurative sense1 or to apply to somebody else besides our guilty selves4 ,but let us look fairly and frankly at these strong words of ,st4 ,paul4 ,how are we baptized in ,christ's death8 ,by being guilty of the sins which delivered him up to his enemies4 ,did he not die on account of mortal sins1 and have we not committed mortal sins--violated ,god's most sacred commandments1 and done it often--and wilfully1 and knowingly1 and habitually done it8 ,then the innocent blood of the ,lamb of ,god is upon our hands1 and nothing but penance can ever wash it off4 ,and what sort of a penance8 ,so thorough1 so heartfelt1 so practical that the apostle says it must condemn and put us to death with ,christ2 a penance so thorough that our ,lord himself tells us that it must produce a new being in us3 ,unless a man be born again he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven4 ,so you see that ,st4 ,paul1 in the words of our text1 has given us the very charter of ,christian penance2 just as he explains it a little further on3 ,knowing this1 that our old man is crucified with ,christ1 that the body of sin may be destroyed4 ,behold1 therefore1 brethren1 the plain statement of the greatest of all the practical duties of the ,christian2 to make reparation to ,god for his sins in union with the sufferings and death of ,jesus ,christ4 ,they tell us that our only hope of restored innocence is in participation in the crucifixion--its shame1 its agony1 and its death4 #cbe ,oh6 that we could fully realize the necessity of penance4 ,oh6 that the terrible form of ,christ upon the cross could be ever in our eyes as it is ever above our altars4 ,oh6 that the awful cries of ,jesus' death agony could be ever sounding in our ears4 ,then we should be ,christians indeed4 ,then the profound hatred of sin1 the ,christian duties of fasting and prayer1 the holy offices of helping the poor and instructing the ignorant1 the devout reception of ,god's grace in the sacraments2 in a word1 all the yearly round of a good ,catholic life would have its true meaning4 ,if we appreciated that ,christ died for our sins1 we should not have to drag ourselves so reluctantly to confession1 we should not grumble at the fast of ,lent1 we should not strive to creep out of the duty of paying our debt of penance to ,god by this or that all too ready excuse1 but we should take ,christ for our example and his cross for our standard1 and long for stripes and even death as the wages of sin4 ,we should appreciate the wisdom of what the old monk of the desert said to the novice when asked for a motto3 ,wherever you are1 or whatever you are doing1 say often to yourself3 ,i am a pilgrim4 ,yes1 a pilgrim2 a banished son wearily waiting till his ,father shall call him home2 a convicted traitor working out the years of his banishment4 ,i know1 brethren1 that this sounds like a melancholy doctrine4 ,yet is it not true8 ,and to know the truth is the first beginning of peace in the heart4 ,and listen to the joyful side4 ,hear it stated by the apostle in this very epistle3 ,for if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death1 in like manner we shall be of his resurrection4 #cbf ,yes2 if we die to our old selves and to sin1 we shall rise with our ,lord ,jesus ,christ to everlasting glory4 ,he sprang forth from the grave filled with joy1 triumphing over sin2 and so shall we rise if we are buried with him in penance4 ,and what is the world's joy compared to the joy of paradise8 ,what care we for a few years of labor and waiting here1 when we think of the countless ages of the kingdom of heaven6 ,you have heard1 brethren1 that ,st4 ,peter of ,alcantara led a very penitential life2 well1 shortly after death he appeared to one of his friends surrounded with heavenly light and his face beaming with joy1 and he exclaimed3 ,oh6 happy penance which has gained for me so great a reward4 ,brethren1 let us do penance while we can1 and leave it to a good ,god to provide us with happiness1 and he will give us joys which will never fade4 --------------- ,sermon ,,xcvii4 ,that as ,christ is risen from the dead by the glory of the ,father1 so we also may walk in newness of life4 --,romans vi4 #d4 ,the words of the ,epistle to-day carry us back to ,easter-tide1 and give us a renewal of the lessons of ,easter4 ,st4 ,paul tells us that as ,christ is risen from the dead and dieth no more1 so we also should die indeed to sin1 and rise again to newness of life through ,jesus ,christ our ,lord4 ,and as the ,gospel relates how our ,lord miraculously fed the multitudes in the wilderness1 the church to-day seems to speak with especial force to those who have let the ,easter-time go by without fulfilling the precept of yearly ,communion1 without seeking that heavenly food without which our souls must surely die of starvation4 #cbg ,to you and to all sinners the church appeals to-day1 bidding them at least now to rise from the death of sin and walk in newness of life4 ,the circumstances attending our ,lord's resurrection teach us how we1 too1 should rise from the dead4 ,an angel descended from heaven1 and a mighty earthquake shook the holy sepulchre4 ,and so the grace of ,god descends into our hearts1 moving us to penance1 and as with an earthquake our hearts must tremble with the fear of ,god and true sorrow for our sins4 ,and then as the angel rolled away the stone from the mouth of the tomb1 so divine grace will assist us in removing every obstacle in the way of our repentance--the slowness and dulness of our minds and wills1 our spiritual sloth1 the false shame that may keep us back from a good confession4 ,arise1 and1 ,god's grace urging you1 make one mighty effort1 and the stone will speedily be rolled away4 ,around the grave of our ,lord stood the watch of ,roman soldiers1 guarding the seal that had been set upon the stone4 ,satan1 perhaps1 has set his seal upon your heart1 and the devils watch around it for fear you should break loose from their bondage4 ,but if you are determined to rise from the death of sin they will be as powerless to hinder you as the ,roman soldiers were to prevent the resurrection of ,jesus4 ,when he rose from the dead he left behind him the grave-clothes and linen bandages with which his body had been bound4 ,and this teaches us that we should leave behind us our evil habits and inclinations1 and no longer remain slaves to our passions4 ,lazarus could not walk freely after his resurrection until he had been freed from his grave-clothes4 #cbh ,your grave-clothes are the habits of sin you have contracted1 the cravings1 of your sensual appetites1 the love of sin that lingers in your hearts4 ,cast off these thongs that bind your souls1 that you may walk freely in newness of life4 ,when the women came to seek the body of ,jesus the angel said to them3 ,why seek you the living among the dead8 ,he is not here1 but is risen4 ,if1 risen from the death of sin1 ,satan should again seek to gain possession of you2 if your former bad companions should try to bring you back to your old ways2 if the voice of passion should strongly lure you to leave the path of right1 you can answer3 ,why seek you the living among the dead8 ,my soul is not here2 but is risen--risen from the dead4 ,it dieth no more2 death hath no more dominion over it4 ,crucify1 then1 my dear brethren1 the old man within you1 that the body of sin may be destroyed1 and that you may serve sin no longer4 ,let not sin reign in your mortal bodies1 so as to obey the lusts thereof1 but reckon yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin1 but alive to ,god1 in ,christ ,jesus our ,lord4 ,as our ,lord had compassion upon those who listened to his words1 and fed them with the loaves and fishes1 so will he also have mercy upon you1 if you hearken to his voice now calling you to penance1 and will feed you with his own most precious ,body and ,blood4 -------------------------- #cbi ,seventh ,sunday after ,pentecost4 ,epistle4 ,romans vi4 #ai-bc4 ,brethren3 ,i speak a human thing1 because of the infirmity of your flesh4 ,for as you have yielded your members to serve uncleanness and iniquity1 unto iniquity2 so now yield your members to serve justice1 unto sanctification4 ,for when you were the servants of sin1 you were free from justice4 ,what fruit therefore had you then in those things1 of which you are now ashamed8 ,for the end of them is death4 ,but now being made free from sin1 and become servants to ,god1 you have your fruit unto sanctification1 and the end everlasting life4 ,for the wages of sin is death3 but the grace of ,god1 everlasting life in ,christ ,jesus our ,lord4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,matthew vii4 #ae-ba4 ,at that time3 ,jesus said to his disciples3 ,beware of false prophets1 who come to you in the clothing of sheep1 but inwardly they are ravenous wolves4 ,by their fruits you shall know them4 ,do men gather grapes of thorns1 or figs of thistles8 ,even so every good tree yieldeth good fruit1 and the bad tree bad fruit4 ,a good tree cannot yield bad fruit1 neither can a bad tree yield good fruit4 ,every tree that yieldeth not good fruit1 shall be cut down1 and shall be cast into the fire4 ,wherefore by their fruits you shall know them4 ,not every man that saith to me1 ,lord1 ,lord1 shall enter into the kingdom of heaven3 but he that doeth the will of my ,father who is in heaven1 he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven4 ----------------- #ccj ,sermon ,,xcviii4 ,beware of false prophets1 who come to you in the clothing of sheep1 but inwardly they are ravenous wolves4 --,st4 ,matthew vii4 #ae4 ,a prophet is a teacher1 and a teacher who assumes to have more than ordinary knowledge4 ,he is one who claims to speak from authority1 and demands a hearing on the score of his being inspired directly by the all-wise ,god1 or as being commissioned to speak in the name of ,god4 ,when such true teachers speak to us we are bound1 of course1 to listen to them1 to receive their words with humility and obey them implicitly4 ,it is the way of ,god with men4 ,we are taught all we know4 ,now1 if all teachers were true teachers1 all men would believe alike and there would be no error in the world4 ,but because there have been and are many false teachers1 there are many false religions and innumerable lies of all kinds which thousands believe to be truths4 ,for one to be sure1 therefore1 that what he believes is true1 he must not be simply content with the fact that he sincerely believes it1 but he must know that his teacher is a true teacher4 ,those who are not ,catholics wonder how it is that we feel so certain of the truths of our faith4 ,their wonder would cease if they were to become ,catholics1 as it does happen with all converts2 for then they would know1 as we know1 how it feels to be sure of one's teacher4 ,that is our inestimable privilege and inexpressible joy--that we know our teacher is true1 and that a false teacher is instantly detected1 no matter how carefully and cunningly he has put on his sheep's clothing4 ,the disguise is never thick enough to hide the wolf's teeth and claws4 #cca ,i do not say that a ,catholic may not be deceived and be misled by these wolves in sheep's clothings else our ,lord would not have told us to beware of such1 and the history of all heresies proves that many can be deceived by them4 ,but that is their fault4 ,they go out of the fold where all is light and clear1 and where a wolf is found out in a moment1 and they wander about in places and in company where there is no light of divine faith4 ,to tell the truth1 the false teacher finds his victims already misled and enticed away by their own passions and pride4 ,he finds they have already begun to believe a lie1 and he has only to encourage them in it4 ,what do ,i mean by wandering outside the fold8 ,i mean imitating the talk and following the example of those whose principles are false2 who say3 ,religion is a matter of choice2 ,it does not matter what a man believes so long as he is good2 ,education is the business of the state2 ,religion has nothing to do with science2 and also immoral principles such as these3 ,a man cannot help his nature2 ,a young man is expected to sow his wild oats2 ,we are in the world and must go with it1 and such like4 ,when a ,catholic talks that way he is fair game for the first false teacher that comes along4 ,then one wanders outside the fold and is caught by the wolves when he ventures into forbidden secret societies4 ,these wolves have got the sheep's clothing of charity and brotherly love on4 ,it is a wonder that there can be found ,catholics silly enough not to feel the wolf's claw the first time they are taught the secret-society grip4 #ccb ,charity and brotherly love forsooth6 ,they had better say1 ,we swear to love ourselves1 and to look out for number one1 for this is what all the twaddle of these secret brotherhoods amounts to4 ,avoid them4 ,their leaders are false teachers1 their principles are false1 and their association is dangerous to both faith and morals4 ,beware of the false newspaper prophet4 ,everybody reads the newspapers1 and too many1 alas6 think they have the right to read any newspaper that is printed4 ,that is what the false newspaper prophet says when he offers for sale his filthy1 licentious1 and lying sheet4 ,beware of him6 ,his talk is corrupting and demoralizing4 ,do you wish1 dear brethren1 to make sure of not being deceived by these wolves in sheep's clothing8 ,then obey with humility and docility the shepherd of the flock4 ,when he cries1 ,wolf6 wolf6 then be sure that there is a wolf4 ,defer to his judgment4 ,his preaching1 you know1 is true4 ,follow that1 and not even the devil himself can deceive you4 ---------------- ,sermon ,,xcix4 ,every tree is known by its fruit4 --,st4 ,luke vi4 #dd4 ,the great lesson taught us to-day by the offices of the church is that the ,christian life of faith must show itself in good works4 ,faith is the foundation1 but a building must not stop with the foundation2 more stones must be added continually until it rises complete in all its parts1 according to the plan of the architect4 #ccc ,so we must not be content with the foundation of faith1 but1 by co-operating with the graces ,god is always giving us1 must be always striving after the model set before us by the ,divine ,architect1 our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 always adding virtue to virtue1 until at last we shall appear before the ,god of gods in ,sion to receive the reward of our good deeds4 ,faith is the root1 but the root must grow into a tree1 and put forth not only leaves and blossoms1 not only pious thoughts and fine words1 but the fruit of good deeds1 the fruit of a life spent in conformity to the maxims of our holy faith4 ,our ,lord tells us that a tree is known by its fruit4 ,for there is no good tree that bringeth forth evil fruit1 nor an evil tree that bringeth forth good fruit4 ,so the earnestness of our faith will be known by our lives4 ,if we find that our lives correspond to what our faith teaches us1 we may be sure that our faith is living and not dead4 ,by their fruits ye shall know them1 ,alas6 how many who call themselves ,catholics make their lives an argument against the faith in the hands of its enemies1 who point at us the finger of scorn1 and loudly proclaim that1 by our ,lord's own test1 we fail4 ,and then we have the careless and the lukewarm1 who1 while they are not an open scandal1 yet fall far short of the test our ,lord proposes4 ,in them we see plenty of leaves1 and even blossoms1 but the fruit is sadly wanting1 or1 at best1 is but worm-eaten and rotten through a lack of earnestness and a pure intention4 ,they1 perhaps1 will talk about their faith as though they were the most zealous ,catholics in the world2 but if we look into their practice we find it very different from what their language would lead us to expect4 ,how many1 for instance1 are ready enough to defend in argument the doctrine of the ,real ,presence who never think of making a visit to the ,blessed ,sacrament1 nay1 who rarely approach the ,holy ,communion1 and perhaps have not made their ,easter-duty6 #ccd ,well1 ,i fear it will always be so4 ,fine words are cheap and good resolutions are easily made1 but it is another thing to keep them4 ,but listen to our ,lord's warning3 ,every tree that yieldeth not good fruit shall be cut down1 and cast into the fire4 ,our eternal welfare depends upon our deeds4 ,our faith alone will not save us4 ,it is necessary1 indeed2 for just as the root is to the tree the source of all its life1 so faith is what gives to our good works their merit before ,god4 ,but unless it bears the fruit of good works it is worthless and dead4 ,not every one that saith unto me1 ,lord1 ,lord1 shall enter the kingdom of heaven3 but he that doth the will of my ,father who is in heaven1 he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven4 ,that is to say1 not every one who professes the true faith shall be saved1 but those only who shall bring their wills into conformity with the will of ,god4 ,it is not enough to acknowledge ,god as our ,lord and ,king1 if his holy will is not fulfilled in us and by us4 ,if we would enter into life eternal we must keep the commandments of ,god and his church4 ,and we also do the will of ,god by suffering it2 that is1 by enduring with patience all the trials and crosses he may send us1 for these are his holy will for us as much as his positive precepts4 ,there is often more merit in patiently suffering than in great deeds that would astound the world4 ,this is the way to fulfil the prayer so often on our lips3 ,thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven4 ,strive1 then1 both in doing and in suffering1 to make real for yourselves this holy petition1 that ,god may not have to say of you1 as he said of the ,jews of old3 ,this people honoreth me with their lips1 but their heart is far from me4 ----------------- #cce ,sermon ,c4 ,the wages of sin is death4 --,romans vi4 #bc4 ,this is a truth plain enough to the thoughtful2 but there are some1 alas6 who think about it only when it is too late4 ,the wages have not yet become due1 and the sinner1 thinking only of his present pleasures1 goes on unmindful of that time when the terrible wages will have to be paid in full4 ,death1 says ,st4 ,paul1 is the wages4 ,tell a man that if he goes to a certain place or performs a certain act the penalty will be death1 and he cannot be persuaded to go to that place or perform that fatal act4 ,on the other hand1 he will do anything to save himself from such a fate4 ,but the death of which ,st4 ,paul speaks is not to be compared with that of the body1 for it is the soul4 ,the wages of sin is1 then1 a spiritual death4 ,if we could see before us in one vast pile a number of bodies corrupted by death1 what a revolting spectacle it would be6 ,but if we could see the dead souls of so many around us1 who seem to be so full of life1 as ,god beholds them1 we should be far more horrified4 ,there are some who1 as they sit in their houses1 walk in the streets1 are engaged at work1 or even as they are on their knees in church1 have with them only wretched corpses of souls4 ,who will reap this terrible wages of sin8 ,we have all sinned1 therefore we must all reap some of its wages4 #ccf ,by the sin of one man death has passed unto all men1 in whom all have sinned4 ,death is the most dreadful temporal calamity with which we are acquainted2 yet it is the wages which the whole human race have to pay for the sin of one4 ,but the penalty of that second death1 which is eternal1 is the most terrible wages of sin2 and yet our holy faith teaches us that one mortal sin is enough to cause the instant death of the soul4 ,but the man who lives in mortal sin abides in death4 ,every sin that he commits plunges his soul deeper into the abyss of death1 till at last he receives the full wages of his crimes in the flames of hell4 ,how shall we escape this terrible penalty8 ,our blessed ,lord1 by his death1 received the wages due to us on account of sin4 ,through the infinite merits of his death our souls may be brought to life1 if we will truly repent and sin no more4 ,st4 ,paul says3 ,as in ,adam all die1 so also in ,christ all shall be made alive4 ,but we cannot hope to escape the bitter wages of sin1 unless we cease to sin4 ,if we live in sin1 and1 as generally happens to such1 die in sin1 we shall not be helped by the death of ,christ1 but shall receive more bitter wages for our sins than if ,christ had not died for us4 ,we shall then1 in addition to our other crimes1 be guilty of the death of our ,blessed ,redeemer2 for1 as ,st4 ,paul says3 ,by our sins we crucify ,jesus ,christ afresh4 ,there are1 also1 wages which have to be paid for sins forgiven4 ,though the eternal guilt is remitted1 the infinite justice of ,god has yet to be satisfied4 ,we shall all of us have to receive the wages of our forgiven sins in penance and sufferings in this life and in purgatory till the last farthing has been paid4 #ccg ,this ought to make us fearful about our past sins1 and to make us dread nothing so much as to fall into sin again4 ,the words of the text1 ,for the wages of sin is death1 should be continually in our minds when we are tempted to sin1 and1 knowing the terrible consequences which must follow every sin1 we shall rather endure any temporal evil than to incur the terrible misfortune of having offended ,god4 ------------------ #cch ,eighth ,sunday after ,pentecost4 ,epistle4 ,romans4 viii4 #ab-ag4 ,brethren3 ,we are debtors not to the flesh1 to live according to the flesh4 ,for if you live according to the flesh1 you shall die4 ,but if by the spirit you mortify the deeds of the flesh1 you shall live4 ,for whosoever are led by the spirit of ,god1 they are the sons of ,god4 ,for you have not received the spirit of bondage again in fear3 but you have received the spirit of adoption of sons1 whereby we cry1 ,abba 7,father74 ,for the ,spirit himself giveth testimony to our spirit1 that we are the sons of ,god4 ,and if sons1 heirs also3 heirs indeed of ,god1 and joint heirs with ,christ4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,luke xvi4 #a-i4 ,at that time3 ,jesus spoke to his disciples this parable3 ,there was a certain rich man who had a steward3 and the same was accused unto him1 that he had wasted his goods4 ,and he called him1 and said to him3 ,what is this ,i hear of thee8 ,give an account of thy stewardship3 for now thou canst not be steward4 ,and the steward said within himself3 ,what shall ,i do1 because my lord taketh away from me the stewardship8 ,to dig ,i am not able1 to beg ,i am ashamed4 ,i know what ,i will do1 that when ,i shall be put out of the stewardship1 they may receive me into their houses4 ,therefore calling together every one of his lord's debtors1 he said to the first3 ,how much dost thou owe my lord8 ,but he said3 ,a hundred barrels of oil4 ,and he said to him3 ,take thy bill and sit down quickly1 and write fifty4 ,then he said to another3 ,and how much dost thou owe8 ,who said3 ,a hundred quarters of wheat4 ,he said to him3 ,take thy bill and write eighty4 #cci ,and the lord commended the unjust steward1 forasmuch as he had done wisely3 for the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light4 ,and ,i say to you3 ,make to yourselves friends of the mammon of iniquity1 that when you shall fail they may receive you into everlasting dwellings4 ---------------- ,sermon ,,ci4 ,make to yourselves friends of the mammon of iniquity1 that when you shall fail they may receive you into everlasting dwellings4 --,st4 ,luke xvi4 #i4 ,what is this mammon of iniquity of which1 or with which 7for that is the true sense of the words71 we are to make friends for ourselves8 ,it is the money or other property that ,god has given us to use in this world4 ,we have only to read a few verses more to see that this is what it means2 for when our ,lord said immediately afterwards1 ,you cannot serve ,god and ,mammon1 the evangelist tells us that the ,pharisees1 who were covetous1 laughed at him4 ,it is called the mammon of iniquity or injustice1 because it is the cause of almost all the injustice in the world4 ,we have1 then1 to make friends for ourselves with the money or other temporal means which ,god has entrusted to us4 ,this is what the steward of whom the ,gospel tells us did4 ,he was entrusted by his master with the management of an estate4 ,he was to take care of it in his master's interest1 not in his own1 for it did not belong to him2 as we are here to use our property in ,god's interest1 for he is our ,master1 and what we have really belongs to him and not to ourselves4 #cdj ,the steward was not faithful to his master2 he wasted his goods2 so he was discharged from his office and had to give an account of his stewardship1 as we also shall have to give an account of ours to our ,master when we are discharged from it--that is1 when we come to die4 ,then he began to think how he could make use of the means that had been committed to him to provide for himself in the new state of life upon which he had to enter4 ,he had not much time to make his arrangements1 but he hit upon a very good plan4 ,in that we do not resemble him1 for with all our lifetime to make our arrangements in1 and the certainty that we shall have some time to be discharged from our stewardship1 and give an account of it before the judgment-seat of ,god1 we too often make none at all4 ,as our ,lord says3 ,the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light4 ,the steward1 ,i say1 hit on a good plan2 and that was to obtain the favor of his master's debtors by taking something off the bills which they had to pay1 that they might in return contribute something to his support and save him from the necessity of working or begging for the remainder of his life4 ,in this way he made friends for himself with the money which had been committed to him1 in order that these friends might receive him into their dwellings when he was turned out of his own4 ,this is the part of his conduct which we have to imitate4 ,we have to imitate the steward by making friends with the means which our ,lord has given us--friends who will be of service to us in the new life upon which we have so soon to enter1 the life which comes after death4 #cda ,but who are these friends to be8 ,generally people try to buy the favor of the rich and the great4 ,but these are not the friends who are going to be of use to us in the next world4 ,no1 the poor1 not the rich1 are the ones whose friendship will be of use to us there4 ,in this life they will not help those who help them1 because they cannot2 but they will in the next4 ,if you help them the blessing which they give you is not only a blessing when you receive it1 but it is treasured up for you1 long after you have forgotten it1 in ,god's eternal memory4 ,he is preparing in heaven beautiful and glorious mansions for these friends of yours1 who are also friends of his1 to make up for the miserable ones in which they have lived on earth4 ,there are others like them which he is preparing for us all4 ,he has gone to get them ready4 ,in my ,father's house1 said our ,lord1 there are many mansions4 444 ,i go to prepare a place for you4 ,these mansions are being prepared for you1 but whether you enter into their possession depends very much on how you treat the poor1 to whom they more properly belong4 ,be charitable1 then1 to them1 for they have the keys of the homes which you will shortly have to seek4 ,and in your charity to the poor remember one who is always poor1 at least in this country of ours4 ,i mean ,god's holy church4 ,she is a very great beggar1 and a very tiresome one1 ,i know--always asking you for more2 it seems as if she would never be satisfied1 and ,i do not believe she ever will4 #cdb ,but then she is a good friend of yours1 and what you give to her is1 like what you give to other poor people1 more for your own good than for hers4 ,for it is chiefly by her help that you are to reach those everlasting dwellings which our ,lord promises to you4 ,if you did not do anything for her it certainly would be hard for you to be saved2 for it is through her that the means of salvation come4 ,the more liberal you are to her the more liberally will those means be given to you2 and if you think you have enough of them1 and are quite sure of heaven with what you have got1 certainly that is not the case with everybody2 and you know we ought to love our neighbor as ourselves4 ,these1 then1 ,god's poor and his church1 are the best friends you can make with the temporal means that he has given you1 for they are the ones who can provide for you in that eternity which is coming so soon4 ,imitate the prudence of the steward1 and you will not only make friends as he did1 but you will also please your ,master1 which he did not1 and obtain from ,him who is your best friend an eternal reward4 ------------------- ,sermon ,,cii4 ,give an account of thy stewardship4 --,st4 ,luke xvi4 #b4 ,there is nothing said against the ability of this steward4 ,on the contrary1 he gives every evidence of being a shrewd business man4 ,his investments had probably been prudent1 and his debtors reliable men4 ,the fault for which he is held blamable is carelessness4 ,he had not kept his accounts squared up4 #cdc ,if the master had waited for the regular time of enquiring into his accounts1 or had given him a little notice of his intention to do so1 he would1 in all probability1 have found everything in excellent order1 and have praised his steward for his good management4 ,but he came upon him unawares1 when he had many debts outstanding and his books were in disorder4 ,this1 in a business man1 is inexcusable2 and whenever we hear of a similar case we always condemn the unfortunate man1 and say1 ,it served him right2 he should have attended to his business4 ,little do we think1 indeed1 how our own words may some day stand witness against us4 ,the application of the ,gospel is too plain to need any explanation1 but there is one point ,i would impress upon you particularly this morning3 our carelessness4 ,we are all stewards of our own souls1 and concerning the care we have taken of them1 the use to which we have put the many opportunities of merit1 the investment1 as it were1 we have made of the innumerable graces offered us1 we shall have to render a strict account1 and at what moment we know not4 ,we know that we have many debts1 and that it would go hard with us if we had to meet them at once2 we know that we have not straightened up our accounts for a long time1 and that everything is in disorder4 ,yet we go on in the same careless way day after day and month after month4 ,sometimes we get messages and warnings from our ,lord2 a mission is preached1 we meet with temporal reverses1 or we are thrown on a bed of sickness and think our ,lord is about to ask us for the account of our stewardship1 and we make a hurried compromise with our sins1 the best we can do under the circumstances4 #cdd ,but no sooner do we find the account is not really required than we fall back into the former careless way of conducting the business of our soul4 ,indeed1 it is strange that women who are such good housewives1 and men who give such careful attention to the temporal things of this life1 are so utterly negligent when it comes to that which is the most important of all--the business of their soul4 ,one would think they had no faith4 ,the foolish excuses they make6--they are too much mixed up with the world to be pious1 they have to attend to their family1 and the like4 ,as though they were not to save their soul in this world2 as though the attending to their soul and the care of their family were two separate and distinct things6 ,and then1 when ,god1 seeing that prosperity is not good for them1 sends them reverses1 they neglect their soul more than ever1 and fail to see that if they had looked after their soul they might have been even better off in this world's affairs4 ,take a warning1 then1 my brethren1 from the lesson of to-day's ,gospel2 keep the accounts of your soul in order1 for you know not the time when the ,master will say3 ,give an account of thy stewardship4 ,and let not those who make their ,easter duty think the lesson does not apply to them1 but let not a single month pass by without rendering an account to ,god4 --------------------- ,sermon ,,ciii4 ,make to yourselves friends of the mammon of iniquity1 that when you shall fail they may receive you into everlasting dwellings4 --,st4 ,luke xvi4 #i4 #cde ,every ,christian knows our ,lord does not intend to encourage men to love that which is entirely worldly4 ,in fact1 his caution often repeated1 his most important warning to men1 is that they do not love too much the riches of this world4 ,he even tells us it is impossible for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven unless ,god himself keep that man from loving his money and possessions more than he ought to do4 ,this is what too often makes riches a mammon of iniquity4 ,the words can also be taken to mean riches gained by fraud1 robbery1 or unjust dealing of any kind4 ,men of the world will say this is all the words can mean4 ,god1 however1 has more to say about it4 ,in his mind these words include all that a man may gain from motives which are impure and mean in the sight of ,god4 ,now1 the duty of every man is to look at everything as ,god looks at it4 ,he must find out ,god's opinion of what is right or wrong1 and make that opinion the law of his own life4 ,the words mammon of iniquity mean1 therefore1 not only riches and possessions gained unjustly1 but also that honor1 esteem of men1 that social position1 or that high office gained by sinful actions or from bad motives4 ,what1 then1 is a man to do who has offended ,god in this way8 ,if he has gotten unjustly money or property he must restore it1 be it much or little4 ,but1 one may say1 ,i will lose my reputation if ,i give it back4 ,i shall be found out4 ,this is not true in most cases4 ,a man can restore privately4 ,he can see that the one he has wronged gets back again that which belongs to him4 ,he is not obliged to tell him who took it from him4 ,if it cannot be done by himself without losing his good name1 let him tell his confessor about it4 ,he will manage it for him4 ,the priest is ordained and instructed in order to help him in this as well as in other difficulties4 #cdf ,moreover1 what sort of a good name is that which that man knows is a false one8 ,if not dead to sincerity of spirit that man must feel like a hypocrite4 ,he must feel that he is not even the shadow of an honest man so long as he is called by a name he does not deserve4 ,he must sometimes long to be again a truly honest man4 ,let him restore1 and then he will be again an honest man4 ,he will then have that peace which is more to him than wealth or honor of this world4 ,at least let him tell the priest about it4 ,he makes a great mistake who stays away from confession because he has done wrong4 ,the confessor can help him when he cannot help himself4 ,he can make it easy for him to do right when it seems hard4 ,another will say3 ,i have taken a little from this one and a little from that one4 ,i do not know the people ,i have wronged4 ,then give what is gained unjustly to the poor4 ,the law of the land1 as well as ,god's law1 will not permit a man to keep that which he has gained dishonestly4 ,the one who restores in this manner adds good works to his act of restitution4 ,he relieves ,god's poor2 he clothes the naked and feeds the hungry2 he gains the prayers of the poor1 whom ,god has promised to hear always4 ,these prayers bring blessings on his head1 true sorrow for sin into his soul1 and secure for him the grace of a happy death4 ,riches of injustice thus used will make friends who will get for him by their prayers an everlasting habitation in heaven4 ,what other things are included in the riches of injustice8 ,all that is valued by pride1 ambition1 self-love1 vanity4 ,all that man loves in this world because it makes him appear to be above his fellow-men4 ,the proud1 ambitious1 selfish1 and vain man has robbed ,god of the glory and honor due to him alone4 #cdg ,he has worked for himself alone1 and forgotten ,god1 except to use ,god for his own private benefit4 ,this man will often make bad confessions and communions in order to appear to be good4 ,but what riches of injustice has he gained8 ,he has gotten a pleasant manner1 a sweet smile1 a habit of talking respectfully to every one whose praise is pleasing to him1 who can bring him custom or give him a vote for office4 ,these things1 good in themselves1 are made bad by the motive in his heart4 ,let this man change his motive and all will be right4 ,he must use these same manners and smiles for ,god's sake4 ,he must show that respect to every one1 high or low1 rich or poor4 ,he must do this for the love of ,god and love of all men1 for ,god's sake4 ,this man1 also1 will then have gained the prayers of the poor by repairing in this way sins of pride1 ambition1 and self-love4 ,he will find he has gained friends with the riches of injustice who will cause him to be received into everlasting habitations4 ------------------ #cdh ,ninth ,sunday after ,pentecost4 ,epistle4 #a ,corinthians x4 #f-ac4 ,brethren3 ,we should not covet evil things1 as they also coveted4 ,neither become ye idolaters1 as some of them3 as it is written3 ,the people sat down to eat and drink1 and rose up to play4 ,neither let us commit fornication1 as some of them committed fornication1 and there fell in one day three and twenty thousand4 ,neither let us tempt ,christ3 as some of them tempted1 and perished by the serpents4 ,neither do you murmur3 as some of them murmured1 and were destroyed by the destroyer4 ,now all these things happened to them in figure2 and they are written for our correction1 upon whom the ends of the world are come4 ,wherefore let him that thinketh himself to stand1 take heed lest he fall4 ,let no temptation take hold on you1 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 make also with temptation issue1 that you may be able to bear it4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,luke xix4 #da-dg4 ,at that time3 ,when ,jesus drew near ,jerusalem1 seeing the city1 he wept over it1 saying3 ,if thou also hadst known1 and that in this thy day1 the things that are for thy peace2 but now they are hidden from thy eyes4 ,for the days shall come upon thee3 and thy enemies shall cast a trench about thee3 and compass thee round1 and straiten thee on every side1 and beat thee flat to the ground1 and thy children who are in thee2 and they shall not leave in thee a stone upon a stone3 because thou hast not known the time of thy visitation4 #cdi ,and entering into the temple1 he began to cast out them that sold therein1 and them that bought1 saying to them3 ,it is written3 ,my house is the house of prayer2 but you have made it a den of thieves4 ,and he was teaching daily in the temple4 ------------------ ,sermon ,,civ4 ,my house is the house of prayer4 ,but you have made it a den of thieves4 --,st4 ,luke xix4 #df4 ,what made our ,lord so severe with these people of whom the ,gospel tells us1 who were selling and buying in the temple8 ,he was usually gentle and mild1 not violent1 as on this occasion4 ,he was generally content with reproving what was wrong2 here he resorted to force--that force which no one could resist1 and which he could always have used if he had chosen2 by which he could have destroyed all his enemies in a moment1 if he had seen fit to do so4 ,and he not only made these buyers and sellers leave the house of ,god1 but he drove them out in confusion1 and also1 as we read elsewhere1 overturned the tables and chairs which they had used4 ,well1 one reason for his severity probably was that those who sold were making an unjust profit out of the necessities of those who bought2 for the things which they were selling were such as had to be offered by the people for the sacrifices of the temple1 and could not well be obtained by them anywhere else4 ,but ,i think his principal motive was to impress on his followers1 and on us who were to come after them1 a lesson which we are very apt to forget4 ,he wanted to teach it to us in such a way that we could not forget it3 and therefore he made use of this extraordinary means4 #cej ,this lesson is contained in the words which he quotes from his prophet ,isaias3 ,my house is the house of prayer4 ,these words were true of the temple in which he then was1 but they have a more special reference to the temples in which he now dwells1 in which he dwells continually1 which he did not in that temple1 magnificent as it was4 ,you know1 or ought to know1 what these temples are4 ,they are our churches1 where he is all the time1 in his ,real ,presence1 in the ,blessed ,sacrament4 ,these are the temples of which that in ,jerusalem was only a figure or type4 ,the church is the place for prayer4 ,that is the lesson for us1 and we were1 as ,i have said1 the ones whom he chiefly wanted to instruct4 ,for prayer--that is1 for acts of religion of all kinds--and for nothing else4 ,it is the place to think of ,god and to speak to him1 and not to do anything else1 innocent though it be4 ,it is not a place to talk or laugh in4 ,you know that well enough1 and would not1 ,i suppose1 laugh or talk2 at any rate not much in church1 especially if ,mass was being celebrated or if there were a good many people there4 ,but perhaps that would be because you would be afraid of what these people would say or think of you2 for there are persons who1 sometimes when nobody seems to be looking1 do not scruple to have quite a nice little conversation1 which might just as well be put off till some other time1 if1 indeed1 there was any need for it at all4 #cea ,the church is not a place to stare around in1 or to see what is going on1 except at the altar4 ,and yet there are persons who come to it1 especially if there is to be a wedding or some other event of general interest1 simply for this purpose and for nothing else4 ,perhaps they will kneel down a little while for form's sake2 but they did not enter ,god's house to pray for themselves or for anybody else1 but only to gratify their worldly curiosity by seeing how people look or behave1 and to have something to talk about1 possibly to make fun about afterwards1 if not1 indeed1 at the time4 ,and that reminds me of another thing4 ,the church is not the place to see what kind of clothes people have on1 or to show off one's own good clothes4 ,it is a place to be well dressed in1 as far as one's means will properly allow2 but that is in order to give honor to ,god1 not to win it from one another4 ,it is the place to dress neatly1 but not showily2 not in such a way as to attract the eyes of others1 and draw their thoughts from those things on which they should then be employed4 ,and this again suggests something else2 that is1 that our thoughts1 as well as our words and actions1 belong specially to our ,lord when we are in his presence1 before his altar4 ,let us take particular care about this4 ,if we take care of our thoughts our words and actions will take care of themselves4 ,and let us remember that when we spend our time in church unworthily we are stealing something from ,god4 ,what is this that we are stealing8 ,it is the time and the honor that he has a right to expect from us4 ,it is because of these thefts that he can truly say to us3 ,my house is the house of prayer2 but you have made it a den of thieves4 ,this seems strong language2 but do we not deserve it if we take from our ,lord the little that he claims as his own8 #ceb ,he may have called those who sold in the temple thieves1 because they were cheating their neighbors2 but is it not as bad to cheat him8 ,let us1 then1 be sorry for this cheating of ours1 and try to make restitution in the time that is to come4 ------------------- ,sermon ,,cv4 ,god is faithful1 who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able4 --#a ,corinthians x4 #ac4 ,some people seem to think that their sins are principally ,god's fault4 ,a great many of you1 my dear friends1 who are listening to me now have frequently1 ,i have no doubt1 said as much4 ,of course you will say1 and very rightly too1 that such a charge against the good ,god is a horrible blasphemy2 but1 for all that1 you have often been guilty of it4 ,you will1 ,i think1 want me to prove this before you will fully believe it4 ,well1 it is very easy to do so4 ,have you never1 when you accused yourself of some sin1 said that you could not help it8 ,you got in a passion1 for instance1 perhaps quite frequently1 and spoke angry words1 which of course you were sorry for afterwards2 but you say that at the time you could not help it4 ,what follows1 then1 if what you say is true8 ,why1 in the first place1 it follows1 of course1 that it was not your fault that you sinned2 that in fact it was no sin for you at all1 for if a person really cannot help doing a thing he is not to blame for it4 ,but it was a sin2 you acknowledge that2 so if it was not your sin it must have been somebody else's4 #cec ,and that somebody else must have been ,almighty ,god4 ,he was answerable for the sin by not giving you the grace to avoid it4 ,that is what it amounts to when you say that you could not help committing sin4 ,this horrible blasphemy1 which then certainly is implied by the words1 ,i could not help it--this blasphemy1 which makes ,god the author of sin and responsible for it1 is what ,st4 ,paul denies in the words from the ,epistle of to-day which ,i have read to you4 ,he says3 ,god is faithful2 he does give you enough grace4 ,he will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able2 he will not let you have a temptation so strong that1 with the grace which he gives you1 you cannot resist it4 ,there are some things which one cannot help1 but sin is not one of them4 ,if a hot coal falls on one's hand one cannot help feeling pain from it2 and in the same way one cannot help feeling the fire of temptation with which ,god is sometimes pleased that we should be tried4 ,but sin1 which is the giving way of the will to temptation1 one can always help4 ,sin1 the giving way to temptation1 is like holding the hot coal in your hand after it has fallen there4 ,you do not want to hold the coal in your hand2 but you do want to give way to temptation1 because there is something pleasant in that4 ,it is more pleasant to give way than to resist it2 if it were not it would not be a temptation4 ,it relieves your mind to say that angry word when you are provoked4 ,it is hard often to resist temptation2 that is the amount of it4 ,but it is not impossible4 #ced ,never say1 then1 when you accuse yourself of anything with which your conscience really reproaches you1 that you could not help it4 ,do not say it1 unless you wish to blaspheme ,god and throw the blame of your sin upon him4 ,remember that he is faithful1 and does not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able2 and say1 rather1 ,it was hard to help it2 ,i was very much tempted1 but ,i could have resisted1 and ,i am very sorry that ,i did not4 ,i know that is what you mean very often when you say1 ,i could not help it4 ,say1 then1 what you mean1 for it will help you very much the next time4 ,it will put you in mind of what you must know to be the truth--that is1 that you could have kept from sin2 and when you are convinced of this you will1 if you are in earnest1 use all the means you have to do so4 ,above all you will see that one great reason why it was so hard to resist temptation was that1 though you had grace enough to do so1 you did not have enough to make it easy2 and you will pray hard to get that abundant help which ,god will give to all who continually ask it from him4 ---------------------- #cee ,tenth ,sunday after ,pentecost4 ,epistle4 #a ,corinthians xii4 #b-aa4 ,brethren3 ,you know that when you were heathens1 you went to dumb idols1 according as you were led4 ,wherefore ,i give you to understand1 that no man1 speaking by the ,spirit of ,god1 saith ,anathema to ,jesus4 ,and no man can say1 ,the ,lord ,jesus1 but by the ,holy ,ghost4 ,now there are diversities of graces1 but the same ,spirit3 and there are diversities of ministries1 but the same ,lord4 ,and there are diversities of operations1 but the same ,god1 who worketh all in all4 ,but the manifestation of the ,spirit is given to every man unto profit4 ,to one1 indeed1 by the ,spirit1 is given the word of wisdom3 to another1 the word of knowledge according to the same ,spirit3 to another1 faith in the same ,spirit2 to another1 the grace of healing in one ,spirit3 to another1 the working of miracles3 to another1 prophecy3 to another1 the discerning of spirits3 to another1 divers kinds of tongues3 to another1 interpretation of speeches3 but all these things one and the same ,spirit worketh1 dividing to every one according as he will4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,luke xviii4 #i-ad4 ,at that time3 ,to some who trusted in themselves as just1 and despised others1 ,jesus spoke this parable3 ,two men went up into the temple to pray3 the one a ,pharisee1 and the other a publican4 ,the ,pharisee1 standing1 prayed thus with himself3 ,o ,god6 ,i give thee thanks that ,i am not as the rest of men1 extortioners1 unjust1 adulterers1 nor such as this publican4 ,i fast twice in the week3 ,i give tithes of all that ,i possess4 #cef ,and the publican1 standing afar off1 would not so much as lift up his eyes towards heaven2 but struck his breast1 saying3 ,o ,god6 be merciful to me a sinner6 ,i say to you1 this man went down to his house justified rather than the other2 because every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled3 and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted4 --------------------- ,sermon ,,cvi4 ,two men went up into the temple to pray3 the one a ,pharisee1 and the other a publican4 --,st4 ,luke xviii1 #aj4 ,there are not supposed to be any ,pharisees nowadays1 and the word publican is getting rather old-fashioned2 so perhaps1 before applying this parable to our own times1 we had better understand who the ,pharisees and the publicans were4 ,the ,pharisees1 in our ,lord's time1 were a very religious class among the ,jews1 very strict and correct in their belief1 and with very strict consciences1 too--strict1 at least1 about some things1 particularly about such things as concerned their reputation for piety4 ,about other matters they were sometimes rather too easy and charitable--easy and charitable1 that is1 to themselves2 for it is quite possible that they might have criticised others for faults not very different from their own1 as when this ,pharisee in the ,gospel called the poor publican standing in the corner an extortioner1 or robber1 as perhaps the word is better rendered2 forgetting1 it may be1 some little transactions which1 if rightly understood1 might have fixed as bad a name on himself4 #ceg ,these publicans1 on the other hand1 were not in any way a religious set of people2 they did not pretend1 like the ,pharisees1 to be so1 nor were they in point of fact4 ,they were called publicans because they collected the public taxes2 they were blamed by the people1 and with good reason1 for extorting money unjustly from the poor4 ,their business was really1 in those times1 a proximate occasion of sin2 this was the reason why ,st4 ,matthew1 who was a publican before our ,lord called him to be an apostle1 never went back to his business again1 as ,st4 ,peter did to his innocent occupation as a fisherman4 ,the publican of this parable also1 no doubt1 had either made up his mind to give up his sinful life or was endeavoring to do so4 ,both of these men1 the ,pharisee and the publican1 were sinners4 ,in that they were alike2 the difference between them was that the publican acknowledged that he was a sinner and was trying to amend his life1 while the ,pharisee thought that he was perfect1 or that1 if he had any faults1 they were such as no one could avoid1 and which his ,maker would readily overlook1 especially in a person of his exalted piety4 ,now1 ,i said in the beginning that there were not supposed to be any ,pharisees nowadays3 but ,i think that we shall find that there are some people of this kind1 even among us ,christians2 and perhaps1 if we go down very deep into our own consciences1 we shall even find that we are ,pharisees ourselves4 ,some of these ,pharisees make excellent confessions4 ,they show a care in their examination of conscience equal to that of the saints2 they have the most accurate knowledge of every fault1 and are willing to go into every detail1 if they are permitted to do so4 ,this delicacy of perception of sin is a quality which certainly commands our admiration2 but there is a circumstance which prevents this admiration from being quite unlimited4 #ceh ,this circumstance is that the faults which they are so keenly alive to are not their own4 ,they are those of other people with whom they live1 or of whom they hear through some person of the same sort of sensitive conscience that they themselves have4 ,the world1 in the eyes of these sensitive people1 certainly has a melancholy aspect4 ,everybody is doing wrong1 and nobody is doing right--nobody1 that is1 except themselves4 ,they1 thank ,god6 are not so bad4 ,they are innocent sufferers1 enduring a continual martyrdom at the hands of these wicked people who live in the same house or close by4 ,their only consolation here below is to tell their friends how much they suffer1 and how much others suffer1 from these sinners4 ,others1 it is true1 may deserve it1 but they themselves certainly never have4 ,they wish that they were dead and out of reach of their persecutors4 ,the most curious thing is that one of their great causes of annoyance is the way that other people will carry stories2 this is the story that they spend their lives in carrying4 ,perhaps you think this picture is overdrawn4 ,i hope it is4 ,and ,i do not believe that many people are such thorough ,pharisees as these whom ,i have described4 ,but there is too much1 a great deal too much1 of the ,pharisaic spirit about us all4 ,and not nearly enough of the spirit of the publican--of humility1 contrition1 and purpose of amendment4 ,how shall we acquire this spirit ,by looking into our own conscience1 unpleasant as it may be1 and letting those of our neighbors alone4 #cei ,if we sincerely examine our own hearts we shall not thank ,god that we are not like others1 but rather pray to him that we may1 before we die1 have something like the perfection that many others have already reached2 and ask him1 as the publican did1 to have mercy on us sinners--on us poor sinners1 who are trying to be so no more4 ,that is the way1 and the only way1 that we sinners can get into the company of the saints2 not by fancying ourselves there already4 ,if we wish1 then1 to reach that blessed company1 let us start on this way at once1 for there is no time to lose4 ---------------------- ,sermon ,,cvii4 ,every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled2 and he that humbleth himself shall be exulted4 --,st4 ,luke xviii4 #ad4 ,one does not need to be a ,christian1 my dear brethren1 to understand1 as it would seem1 the truth of these words of our ,lord4 ,everybody knows that a man who is all the time praising himself1 or who even shows that he has a pretty good opinion of himself1 loses by it in the opinion of others4 ,he does not even get as much credit for ability or virtue as he really deserves1 besides being considered as stuck up and conceited1 which everybody feels to be a defect4 ,in fact1 a man who is evidently very proud makes himself ridiculous4 ,and1 on the other hand1 one who is modest and unassuming generally is supposed to be more clever than he really is4 ,people sometimes get a reputation for learning and depth of thought by simply holding their tongue--so convinced is the world that a really great man will not make a parade of his greatness4 #cfj ,but this lesson of worldly prudence is not the real meaning of our ,saviour's words4 ,he does not wish to show us how to get a reputation for learning or for anything else4 ,this would be merely encouraging and helping our vanity and pride4 ,what he wishes to teach us is humility4 ,he wants us to humble ourselves really2 not to pretend to do so1 that we may be more esteemed by the world4 ,why1 then1 if that is the object1 does he promise us that if we humble ourselves we shall be exalted8 ,that1 it would seem1 could be no inducement to a man who had real humility4 ,such a man would not want to be exalted1 you will say4 ,ah6 there is where you are mistaken4 ,every humble man1 every really good man1 does want to be exalted4 ,the saints1 who are the models of humility for us1 wanted it more than any one else in the world4 ,this may sound strange1 but it is undoubtedly true4 ,for what is it to be exalted in the true sense of the word8 ,it is to get near to ,god1 who is the ,most ,high4 ,and the more one loves ,god the more does he wish to be near him2 so all those who love ,god wish to be thus exalted and the saints more than all1 because they love ,god more than any one else4 ,and this exaltation1 which comes from being near to ,almighty ,god1 is what he promises1 in these words of the ,gospel1 to the humble and refuses to the proud4 ,this was what he gave to the publican and refused to the ,pharisee2 for he gave the publican his grace and his friendship1 but the ,pharisee failed to receive it on account of his pride4 ,this man1 says our ,lord1 went down to his house justified rather than the other--that is1 nearer to ,god1 and therefore more exalted4 #cfa ,the humble1 then1 will be raised into the friendship of ,god1 and the proud will not4 ,nor can they come near him in any other way4 ,he is too high above us for us to come near him except on his own terms4 ,you cannot get near ,almighty ,god by making the most of your natural powers1 any more than you can get near the stars by going on the roof of your house4 ,some people in old times thought to scale the heavens by building a high tower2 but ,god confounded their pride1 and the tower of ,babel is a byword for human folly and presumption to this day4 ,let us1 then1 my dear brethren1 not follow their example4 ,let us seek truly to be exalted1 but in the way that he has appointed1 in the way that his saints have chosen1 and especially the way of ,our ,blessed ,lady1 the nearest to him and the humblest of all4 ,and1 in fact1 if we really wish for this true exaltation it must needs be in this way2 for if we really wish to be near ,god it must be for the love of him2 and if we love him we must often think of him2 and if we often think of him we must be humble2 for how can the creature be proud who often thinks of the ,creator of heaven and earth8 ----------------- ,sermon ,,cviii4 ,every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled2 and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted4 --,st4 ,luke xviii4 #ad4 ,it is a blessed and a happy moment1 a sort of turning-point in life1 my brethren1 for any one of us when he wakes up to the conviction that he is nothing extraordinary after all4 ,that is1 if there is such a moment2 for sometimes this conviction dawns on one gradually4 #cfb ,almost every one begins life with the other idea4 ,not that he has it himself at the start1 but his friends have it for him4 ,almost every baby is considered1 as you know1 to be the finest and most beautiful one that ever was seen4 ,perhaps he does not quite come up afterward to the expectations of his fond parents2 but at least he is remarkable in some way4 ,he is a very clever boy1 or a very good boy1 or1 at any rate1 he could be if he wanted to2 he has got it in him2 he is much finer in some respects1 perhaps in a great many1 than the common run4 ,he is going to turn out a great man2 he is much more likely to be ,president of the ,united ,states than any other boy of his age4 ,and by the time he has got to man's estate he has a good deal of the same opinion himself4 ,he does not like to have it even hinted that he is at all below par in anything2 or if it is plain1 even to himself1 that he is1 then it is a thing of no consequence1 or he could excel in it if he chose to4 ,the sorest points are of course those in which his choosing would make no difference4 ,the less said about these the better4 ,well1 you know all this is what we call pride4 ,almighty ,god has mercifully arranged it so that it is generally knocked out of us to some extent as we travel on through the world2 but still a good deal of it remains4 ,it is a thing that gives us a great deal of trouble of mind1 and which generally keeps us back a great deal from really excelling in anything4 ,it is a thing1 therefore1 which it is good to get rid of as soon as we can2 and of course1 therefore1 you all want to know how to do this4 ,i think the ,gospel story of to-day throws some light on this point4 #cfc ,the way to do it is the way of the publican1 and the way not to do it is that of the ,pharisee4 ,and the way of the publican is that of common sense1 too4 ,what is it8 ,it is lo look at and consider our defects1 and not our strong points4 ,the publican might have talked like the ,pharisee1 too4 ,he might have said3 ,i am a much better fellow than that old ,pharisee4 ,i am a good1 hearty1 generous soul4 ,i treat my friends to the best ,i have got2 and if ,i do cheat sometimes a little in business ,i make up for it in charity2 and ,i don't make a show of the good ,i do and put on a pretence of religion like those canting hypocrites4 ,and so he might have gone on to the end of the chapter4 ,but he didn't4 ,no2 he just went off in a corner all by himself and said3 ,o ,god6 be merciful to me a sinner4 ,he did not think about his virtues1 but about his sins2 and when he asked the ,lord to be merciful to him he meant that he wanted to amend his life1 and was going to do it with the help of ,god1 and imitate the ,pharisee1 whom he really thought better than himself2 for you see he did not think of the sins of the ,pharisee1 but of his virtues4 ,i say that his way was of common sense4 ,it is the way we all follow when at work on anything except ourselves4 ,we look at the defects in our work1 and not its excellences2 and if we have very good sense it seems to us pretty much all defects4 ,humility1 then1 after all1 is only common sense4 ,and ,i think you ought to see pretty well one reason at least why1 as our ,lord says1 he that exalteth himself shall be humbled1 and he that humbleth himself exalted4 #cfd ,the one who exalts himself1 who stops to look at his virtues1 is all the time running down1 and losing even the little virtue that he admires2 while he that really humbles himself is constantly getting better4 ,so humility is necessary for progress4 ,it is so in the things of this world even1 and much more so in our spiritual affairs4 ----------------- #cfe ,eleventh ,sunday after ,pentecost4 ,epistle4 #a ,corinthians xv4 #a-aj4 ,brethren3 ,i make known unto you the gospel which ,i preached to you1 which also you have received1 and wherein you stand3 by which also you are saved1 if you hold fast after what manner ,i preached to you1 unless you have believed in vain4 ,for ,i delivered to you first of all1 which ,i also received3 how that ,christ died for our sins1 according to the ,scriptures3 and that he was buried1 and that he rose again the third day1 according to the ,scriptures3 and that he was seen by ,cephas1 and after that by the eleven4 ,then was he seen by more than five hundred brethren at once1 of whom many remain until this present1 and some are fallen asleep4 ,after that he was seen by ,james1 then by all the apostles4 ,and last of all1 he was seen also by me1 as by one born out of due time4 ,for ,i am the least of the apostles1 who am not worthy to be called an apostle1 because ,i persecuted the church of ,god4 ,but by the grace of ,god ,i am what ,i am3 and his grace in me hath not been void4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,mark vii4 #ca-cg4 ,at that time3 ,jesus going out of the borders of ,tyre1 came by ,sidon to the sea of ,galilee1 through the midst of the territories of ,decapolis4 ,and they bring to him one that was deaf and dumb2 and they besought him to lay his hand upon him4 ,and taking him aside from the multitude1 he put his fingers into his ears1 and spitting1 he touched his tongue3 and looking up to heaven1 he groaned1 and said to him3 ,ephpheta1 which is1 ,be opened4 ,and immediately his ears were opened1 and the string of his tongue was loosed1 and he spoke right4 ,and he charged them that they should tell no man4 #cff ,but the more he charged them so much the more a great deal did they publish it4 ,and so much the more did they wonder1 saying3 ,he hath done all things well2 he hath made both the deaf to hear1 and the dumb to speak4 -------------------- ,sermon ,,cix4 ,he hath made both the deaf to hear1 and the dumb to speak4 --,st4 ,mark vii4 #cg4 ,our ,saviour1 in his ministry on earth1 no doubt cured a great many deaf and dumb people4 ,the story of this particular cure has been preserved for us on account of the peculiar and significant way in which he performed it4 ,the memory of it is renewed every time that a child is baptized in the ,catholic ,church4 ,in the ceremonies of baptism the priest1 who represents our ,lord in this as in all other sacraments1 touches the nostrils and the ears of the infant or adult with his thumb moistened with the saliva of his mouth1 saying this same word1 ,ephpheta--that is1 ,be opened4 ,now1 the child or grown person who is brought to baptism is not1 as a general thing1 deaf or destitute of any of the senses1 and the priest does not1 in performing this ceremony1 work what we should commonly call a miracle1 as our ,lord did in the cure of this deaf and dumb man4 ,but in baptism what we may call a miracle1 because it is so wonderful1 though so common1 is worked2 or rather not one miracle but many4 ,one of them--the one represented by this action of the priest1 and also by that of our ,saviour in the ,gospel--is the opening of the spiritual senses by the words which come from the mouth of ,god4 #cfg ,this opening of the spiritual senses is a much greater blessing than the opening of the bodily ears4 ,but1 unfortunately1 most of us who are baptized do not preserve this great grace4 ,as we grow up1 instead of seeing and hearing better and better all the time with our spiritual eyes and ears1 as we do with our bodily ones1 we are too apt to lose the use of them altogether4 ,they get covered over and choked up with the dust of this world2 and1 after a while1 though having eyes we do not see1 and having ears we do not hear4 ,so there are a great many deaf and dumb people besides those who are commonly called so4 ,these deaf and dumb people1 however1 often talk a good deal1 and hear1 as it would seem1 pretty much everything that is to be heard4 ,but there is only a very little of all the immense amount of talk that comes from their mouths that is of any use to themselves or to their neighbors1 and that which they happen to hear that might be of use to them seems to go in at one ear and out at the other4 ,what is it that the spiritual ear ought to hear8 ,it is the voice of ,god4 ,the ,holy ,ghost is all the time speaking to us1 either by his own inspirations in our hearts1 by our guardian angels1 by the voice of the clergy who preach with his authority and in his name1 by good books1 or by some other means4 ,but we do not listen to his voice2 we do not let it reach the ears of our soul1 though it may those of our body2 and so those ears of the soul1 from want of practice1 get so deaf that they cannot hear it1 though it sound ever so plainly4 #cfh ,and so1 becoming deaf1 we become dumb also4 ,you know that is always the way4 ,when a person cannot hear at all he is apt to forget how to speak4 ,this is the case with people who become deaf to ,god's voice4 ,first they do not try to hear it1 either because they are careless1 or because they do not want to2 they stifle his inspirations2 they never think of such a thing as reading a spiritual book1 and if they listen to sermons it is only to criticise the preacher1 not to hear the word of ,god1 which they could find in any ,catholic sermon1 if they chose4 ,and so1 not hearing his voice1 their spirit loses its tongue2 they forget to pray to him1 or1 if they do pray1 it is only with the lips and not with the heart2 they forget to say anything for him or about him to their neighbor2 and1 worst perhaps of all1 they forget to go to confession4 ,that is where their tongues are specially tied4 ,sometimes they even imagine that if they should go to confession they would have nothing to tell4 ,to be spiritually deaf and dumb is a great deal worse than to have no bodily senses at all4 ,a man may live without those senses just as with them2 but when he is spiritually deaf and dumb1 it means that his soul is dead4 ,if1 then1 you are in this state1 or falling into it1 rouse yourself while there is time1 and beg of our ,lord to open your ears that you may hear his voice plainly1 for it will not speak to you much more2 and to loose your tongue1 that it may give glory to his name before you die4 ------------------------- #cfi ,sermon ,,cx4 ,he hath made both the deaf to hear1 and the dumb to speak4 --,st4 ,mark vii4 #cg4 ,there are a good many people1 my dear brethren1 who are afflicted with a deafness and dumbness a great deal worse than that of the poor man whose cure is recorded in to-day's ,gospel4 ,you all know several such people1 ,i think2 perhaps you are acquainted with quite a number2 it may be even that you are such yourselves4 ,the trouble with the poor man whom our ,lord cured was only in his body2 the trouble with these people of whom ,i speak is in their souls4 ,he was deaf and dumb corporally2 they are deaf and dumb spiritually4 ,who are these unfortunate people8 ,they are those who are in the state of mortal sin2 who are living day after day in that state1 and have been1 perhaps1 for years4 ,their souls are deaf2 for ,god is calling to them continually to repent1 and they refuse to hear him4 ,their souls are dumb2 for they have had for a long time a confession to make1 and that confession is not yet made4 ,as ,i said just now1 you all know such people4 ,they are easily known4 ,they are the people who let ,easter after ,easter go by without approaching the sacraments4 ,their life may be evidently bad2 or perhaps1 on the other hand1 it may seem to be pretty good4 ,they go1 it may be1 quite regularly to ,mass1 and observe some of the other laws of the church4 ,but there is one which they neglect1 and that is the one which shows their true character4 ,that is the precept of the yearly confession4 #cgj ,when it comes to that either they are honest enough to say3 ,i cannot make up my mind to give up my sins1 so it will be no use for me to go to confession1 or they are dishonest enough to make some wretched excuse1 such as3 ,i have too much reverence for the sacraments to receive them without due preparation1 and ,i have not time to prepare1 or1 ,i am sure ,i don't know what ,i would have to say to the priest2 ,i can't think what you people are bothering him for all the time4 ,my dear brethren1 people that make excuses of this kind are like ostriches4 ,these birds1 it is said1 when pursued1 hide their heads in the sand to avoid being seen1 leaving their whole bodies exposed4 ,excuses like these never deceived anybody yet1 and never will4 ,everybody knows that if a man refuses to go to his confession when the church requires him to do so1 the reason is that he is living in a way that his conscience reproaches him for1 and that he does not choose to live in any other way4 ,everybody knows that if a man's conscience is really clear he will be very willing to go to the priest and tell him so2 and everybody knows that everybody has time to prepare4 ,no1 the fact is that these ,christians who live in the state of sin and neglect of their duties are1 if not already quite deaf and dumb spiritually1 at least rapidly becoming so4 ,every day the voice of the ,holy ,ghost is sounding more and more faintly in their ears2 every day1 instead of bringing them nearer to a good confession1 puts them farther away from it4 ,every day the cure of their spiritual deafness and dumbness is getting more and more difficult1 and needing more of a miracle of ,god's grace to accomplish it4 ,they are like travellers who lie down to rest in the ,alpine snows and wake only in the next world4 #cga ,if any of you1 my dear brethren in ,christ1 who are now here and listen to my voice1 which is another call from him to you1 are in this fearful state1 or are falling into it1 may he work that miracle and bring you back to your senses6 ,but whether he is to work it or not depends very much upon yourself4 ,rouse yourself1 then1 and ask him to do so while you are yet able4 ,for a time is coming1 and that soon1 but too late for you1 when he will make you hear and speak indeed1 whether you will or no2 when the thunders of his eternal judgment shall sound in your ears1 and when you will have to confess your sins1 not to one man in secret1 but before all men and all the angels and saints2 and not with the hope of forgiveness1 but with the certainty of condemnation4 ,god grant that you may save your soul before that dreadful day1 and be able to say with thankfulness1 not with terror and despair3 ,he hath made both the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak4 --------------------- ,sermon ,,cxi4 ,and taking him aside from the multitude4 --,st4 ,mark vii4 #cc4 ,i suppose there is no trouble more common to people in the practice of their religion1 whether they are particularly pious or not1 than distractions at prayer4 ,one's thoughts1 perhaps1 are pretty well under control while employed in the usual duties of the day2 but as soon as the time comes to get on one's knees before ,god1 away go the thoughts over everything under the sun except the words which are in the prayer-book4 #cgb ,it really is quite discouraging sometimes2 it appears as if our ,lord did not want to speak to us or to have us speak to him4 ,but we know that this is not so4 ,how1 then1 shall we account for our not hearing his voice1 and not being able to say anything worth his hearing1 when we set out to pray8 ,how is it that we are so deaf and dumb in his presence8 ,there are various reasons1 no doubt1 my brethren1 but there is one common to almost all people living in the world2 and ,i think it was this which our ,saviour wished to suggest to us when he took the deaf and dumb man aside from the multitude1 as we read in to-day's ,gospel1 before he would work his cure4 ,he could have cured the man where he was2 but he took him aside from the multitude1 he got him away from the crowd in which he was1 to show us1 as it seems to me1 that we cannot be cured of our spiritual deafness and dumbness1 that we shall never be able to hear ,god or to speak to him as we should1 till we1 too1 come out of the crowd4 ,this living all the time in a crowd is really the most common and most fatal obstacle to prayer1 at least with those who are really trying to serve ,god4 ,it is not always that there are so very many people around us2 we may make a crowd1 a multitude for ourselves out of a very few4 ,the crowd is not so much one of people as of ideas coming from the people and things which we meet with in our daily life4 ,we talk too much2 we look around and notice things too much2 we read the papers too much--too much for our profit in any way1 but especially for acquiring the spirit of prayer4 #cgc ,what wonder is it that it is so hard to pray1 and that there are so many distractions8 ,one kneels down at the end of the day and tries to say some evening prayers4 ,there is not a single thought in his or her head like those which are in the prayer-book4 ,and why not8 ,because there is no room for any4 ,the poor head is packed full of all sorts of other ones coming from the events of the past day or week4 ,all the people one has seen1 all the foolish things they have said1 the gossip they have retailed1 even the clothes they have worn1 or perhaps the stories or squibs and the useless and trifling news one has seen in the paper1 take up the mind2 there is a multitude of reflections and echoes from the sights and sounds of the day1 which hide the face of ,god and drown his voice4 ,it is in vain to say that one cannot help it4 ,of course one cannot separate one's self from these things altogether4 ,those who live a life of prayer in the most secluded convent1 even the hermits of the desert1 have sources of distraction around them and in their past lives4 ,but what is the need of having so many of them8 ,why not hear less talk and gossip1 see fewer people and things1 read less useless trash1 cultivate silence a little more1 and make a little solitude within ourselves1 even when we cannot have it outside8 ,if we will not do this1 if we will distract ourselves needlessly out of the time of prayer1 what wonder if we are distracted in it8 #cgd ,come out of the multitude1 then--the multitude of people that surround you1 and of unnecessary thoughts1 words1 and actions1 and see if your spiritual deafness and dumbness will not get better4 ,you will hear a good deal from ,god1 and be able to say a good deal to him that seems impossible now1 if you will get a little away from this crowd1 and from the noise it makes4 ------------------------- #cge ,twelfth ,sunday after ,pentecost4 ,epistle4 #b ,corinthians iii4 #d-i4 ,brethren3 ,such confidence we have1 through ,christ towards ,god4 ,not that we are sufficient to think anything of ourselves as of ourselves2 but our sufficiency is from ,god4 ,who also hath made us fit ministers of the new testament1 not in the letter1 but in the ,spirit4 ,for the letter killeth2 but the ,spirit giveth life4 ,now if the ministration of death1 engraven with letters upon stones1 was glorious1 so that the children of ,israel could not steadfastly behold the face of ,moses1 for the glory of his countenance1 which is done away3 how shall not the ministration of the ,spirit be rather in glory8 ,for if the ministration of condemnation be glory1 much more the ministration of justice aboundeth in glory4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,luke x4 #bc-cg4 ,at that time3 ,jesus said to his disciples3 ,blessed are the eyes that see the things which you see4 ,for ,i say to you that many prophets and kings have desired to see the things that you see1 and have not seen them3 and to hear the things that you hear1 and have not heard them4 ,and behold a certain lawyer stood up1 tempting him1 and saying3 ,master1 what must ,i do to possess eternal life8 ,but he said to him3 ,what is written in the law8 how readest thou8 ,he answering1 said3 ,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 mind3 and thy neighbor as thyself4 ,and he said to him3 ,thou hast answered right3 this do1 and thou shalt live4 ,but he1 willing to justify himself1 said to ,jesus3 ,and who is my neighbor8 #cgf ,and ,jesus answering1 said3 ,a certain man went down from ,jerusalem to ,jericho1 and fell among robbers1 who also stripped him1 and having wounded him1 went away1 leaving him half dead4 ,and it happened that a certain priest went down the same way1 and seeing him1 he passed by4 ,in like manner also a ,levite1 when he was near the place and saw him1 passed by4 ,but a certain ,samaritan being on his journey came near him2 and seeing him was moved with compassion4 ,and going up to him1 bound up his wounds1 pouring in oil and wine3 and setting him upon his own beast1 brought him to an inn1 and took care of him4 ,and the next day he took out two pence1 and gave to the host1 and said3 ,take care of him3 and whatsoever thou shalt spend over and above1 ,i at my return will repay thee4 ,which of these three in thy opinion was neighbor to him that fell among the robbers8 ,but he said3 ,he that showed mercy to him4 ,and ,jesus said to him3 ,go and do thou in like manner4 ------------------- ,sermon ,,cxii4 ,which of these three in thy opinion was neighbor to him that fell among the robbers8 ,but he said3 ,he that showed mercy to him4 ,and ,jesus said to him3 ,go and do thou in like manner4 --,st4 ,luke x4 #cf1 #cg4 ,you would not think it a compliment if one should say that you were a bad neighbor1 for that would mean that you were quarrelsome and tale-bearing1 that you kept late and noisy hours1 that you beat the neighbors' children2 perhaps that you would steal something1 if you got the chance4 ,so none of us would like to be called a bad neighbor4 ,but let us see how good a neighbor we are1 using our ,blessed ,lord's words read to-day as a text4 #cgg ,as we pass along the road of life here and there we see a neighbor lying half dead4 ,he is stricken down with sickness2 his body tormented with racking pains1 burning with fever1 and perhaps deserted by all--not one left to give him a drink of cold water4 ,what kind of a neighbor are we to this poor brother of ours8 ,when we hear him moan and cry1 and ask for a bite of nourishing food1 for a little money to buy some medicine1 does our heart soften towards him1 do we kindly assist him1 or do we pass on as if we saw him not1 hard of heart like the degraded ,jewish priest or the self-sufficient ,levite8 ,and we come across many a poor creature who has fallen among the worst kind of thieves--viz41 those who have stripped him of his good name4 ,alas6 you are often forced to stand by and see and hear your neighbor deprived of his reputation by scandal-mongers4 ,how do you act in that case8 ,does your heart burn with sympathy for him8 ,do you raise your voice in his defence8 ,do you correct your children when they engage in such talk8 ,do you turn out of your house those notorious backbiters and tale-bearers of your neighborhood when they begin their poisonous gossip8 ,if you act in this way you are a good neighbor1 a good ,samaritan to an outraged and dying brother4 ,but if you fail in this--if you hold your peace when you could say a good word of praise or excuse2 if you permit those subject to you to talk ill of others2 if you let your house be made a gossip-shop--then1 by your silence and your consent1 you are like the priest and ,levite of this day's ,gospel4 ,and if you join in backbiting1 why you are worse yet2 you are yourself a robber of your neighbors dearest possession1 his good name4 #cgh ,but ,o my brethren6 what lot so sad as that of the poor wretch who has fallen into the clutches of ,satan and his devils1 who has been robbed of ,god's very grace1 his soul killed by mortal sin8 ,the ways of life are full of such poor sufferers4 ,oh6 what pity have you for the poor sinner8 ,what prayers do you offer to ,god for the conversion of the sinner8 ,what warnings and exhortations do you give him1 especially if he be dear to you by ties of blood8 ,what example do you set him8 ,i fear that some of us despise the poor sinner1 and feel quite too holy to seek him out1 to invite him to hear a sermon1 to ask him to come and get the pledge1 to try and get him into good company4 ,brethren1 may ,god give us grace to be good ,samaritans2 to have a tender heart and a generous hand for ,christ's poor and sick and outcast2 to have a charitable word for the saving of our neighbor's good name2 and1 above all1 to be always ready to bind up the spiritual wounds of the sinner by our prayers and example1 and to pour healing oil upon them by our exhortations6 ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 ----------------------- ,sermon ,,cxiii4 ,there are two opposite faults to both of which almost everybody is more or less inclined4 ,the first of these is meddling with other people's business2 the second is shirking one's own4 ,it is rather the second of these than the first which is rebuked in the ,gospel of to-day1 in the persons of the priest and the ,levite who went by without helping the poor wounded man4 #cgi ,now1 in the first place1 let me explain what ,i mean by shirking one's own business or duties4 ,it is not simply leaving them undone and expecting that they will remain so2 but it is putting off what one ought to do one's self on to somebody else1 and expecting somebody else to do it for you4 ,so it is1 you see1 just the opposite of meddling1 which is trying to do somebody else's duty for him when he would prefer to do it himself4 ,now1 this shirking was just what the priest and ,levite were guilty of4 ,i do not suppose that our ,lord meant to describe them as really hard-hearted men1 willing to let the poor man die rather than help him2 but they said to themselves1 ,oh6 this is not my business particularly2 there are plenty of other people passing along this road all the time1 and ,i am a little hurried now4 ,i have got a deal to attend to1 and there will be somebody coming this way before long4 ,five minutes or so will not make much difference2 and perhaps there is not so much the matter with the man after all4 ,it may be his own fault4 ,very likely he has been drinking4 ,at any rate1 he has got no special claim on me4 ,this is a very natural state of mind for a person to get into1 and how common it is1 in such a case as this1 we can see from the common proverb that everybody's business is nobody's business4 ,there are very many good works that really are everybody's business1 that everybody ought to do something towards at least1 but which are in great danger of not being done at all on account of this habit of shirking which is so common4 ,and the ones which are most in this danger are those of the kind of which this ,gospel gives us an example2 that is1 works of charity toward our neighbor4 #chj ,people say to themselves1 just as the priest and ,levite did3 ,oh6 there are plenty of other people that can attend to this matter a great deal better and easier than ,i can4 ,i am sure it will be done somehow or other4 ,such things always are attended to4 ,i don't feel specially called on to help in it4 ,well1 this might be all very good1 if those people did really help in some things generously1 and the case before them was one of no very urgent need4 ,of course we cannot contribute to everything4 ,but the difficulty is that too often we find them shirking1 not occasionally1 but all the time4 ,if a poor man comes to the door1 or a collection is taken for the poor in the church1 they say to themselves3 ,the ,st4 ,vincent de ,paul ,society can look out for those things2 ,i am sure they must have money enough4 ,i shall do my duty if ,i put a few pennies in the poor-box now and then4 ,if contributions are called for in times of famine or pestilence1 they say3 ,there is plenty coming in to supply all that is wanted2 ,i can see that by the papers4 ,they can get along very well without me4 ,and so it goes all the way through4 ,they do not give anything to anybody or do anything for anybody--that is1 nothing to speak of--without getting a return for it4 ,they will go to picnics1 fairs1 or amusements for a charitable object2 but when it comes to doing anything simply for the love of their neighbor1 that is left for somebody else4 ,let us all1 then1 my brethren1 examine ourselves on this point1 and resolve to amend and to do our fair share of the work of charity1 which is everybody's business2 and not1 like the priest and the ,levite1 pass it on to the next man who comes along4 --------------------- #cha ,sermon ,,cxiv4 ,but he1 willing to justify himself1 said to ,jesus3 ,and who is my neighbor8 --,st4 ,luke x4 #bi4 ,the lawyer of whom the ,gospel tells us to-day1 my brethren1 seems to have wanted to be excused from loving everybody1 and to find out just how far the circle of his affections must be extended2 or1 at least1 to get our ,lord's opinion on that point4 ,the question which he asked was something like that of ,st4 ,peter when he enquired how often he must forgive his brother2 though ,i hardly think the lawyer was as much in earnest as the great ,prince of the ,apostles to know the answer4 ,well1 our ,saviour1 as you see1 did not answer the question directly1 but told a story which is1 or should be1 familiar to all of you3 the story of the good ,samaritan4 ,he made the ,samaritan give his judgment on the point1 and then approved that judgment4 ,which of these three1 he asked of the lawyer after telling him the story1 was neighbor to him that fell among the robbers8 ,that is1 ,which of the three seems to have considered the poor fellow to be his neighbor8 ,the ,samaritan1 replied the lawyer1 of course1 because he showed love for him4 ,very well1 then1 said our ,lord1 adopt his opinion1 for it is the right one4 ,go and do thou in like manner4 ,and yet what reason had the ,samaritan to consider this man to be his neighbor8 ,he must naturally have supposed him to be a ,jew1 finding him so near to ,jerusalem2 and the ,samaritans had no very neighborly feeling toward the ,jews4 #chb ,the ,samaritans and ,jews were1 in fact1 very much like cats and dogs to each other4 ,you may read in the chapter of the ,gospel just preceding this how the inhabitants of a certain place in ,samaria would not let our ,lord into it1 simply because he seemed to be going to ,jerusalem2 and in another of the towns of the ,samaritans a woman thought it strange that our ,lord1 being a ,jew1 should even presume to ask her for a drink of water4 ,and though this was a good ,samaritan who was passing over that road between ,jerusalem and ,jericho1 still he must have had some of the feelings of his people4 ,the reason why the good ,samaritan considered the man his neighbor is1 then1 plain enough4 ,if he regarded a ,jew as his neighbor it was because he regarded every one as such4 ,that was the judgment of his which our ,divine ,lord approved4 ,let there be no limit to your charity4 ,love every one2 that is the meaning of his command1 just as he told ,st4 ,peter to forgive any number of times4 ,but how few there are who obey this law of his6 ,some only care for their relations or acquaintances1 and regard the rest of the world with the most supreme indifference4 ,others1 on the contrary1 live in a perpetual quarrel with almost every one whom they know1 though very willing to be friendly with strangers4 ,others stop at the limit of their own nation or race2 a man who is so unfortunate as to speak a foreign language or have a skin somewhat darkly colored is quite beyond the reach of their benevolence4 #chc ,it is plain enough that this is all wrong4 ,if we would be like our ,lord1 and do as he commands1 we must get over all these feelings4 ,above all1 we must sink for ever out of sight those hateful standing quarrels which are more after the devil's own heart than anything else which he finds in this world2 we must drop at once all that humbug about not wishing any harm to ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,so-and-so1 but being never going to speak to them again4 ,it is not enough to wish no harm to any one2 we must wish good to every one1 and try to do every one all the good that comes in our way2 make up our minds to feel kindly to every one1 and to show every one that we are willing and anxious to act as we feel4 ,of course there must be degrees in affection2 we are not required to love every one as much as a father or mother1 or a son or a daughter2 but that no one must be excluded from it2 that we must have a positive love for all2 that it will not do even to pass by with indifference a single one of our brethren1 however seemingly estranged from us--this is the lesson taught us by the parable of the priest1 the ,levite1 and the good ,samaritan4 ---------------------- #chd ,thirteenth ,sunday after ,pentecost4 ,epistle4 ,galatians iii4 #af-bb4 ,brethren3 ,to ,abraham were the promises made1 and to his seed4 ,he saith not1 ,and to his seeds1 as of many2 but as of one1 ,and to thy seed1 who is ,christ4 ,now this ,i say1 that the testament which was confirmed by ,god1 the law which was made after four hundred and thirty years1 doth not disannul1 to make the promise of no effect4 ,for if the inheritance be of the law1 it is no more of promise4 ,but ,god gave it to ,abraham by promise4 ,why then was the law8 ,it was set because of transgressions1 until the seed should come1 to whom he made the promise1 being ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator4 ,now1 a mediator is not of one3 but ,god is one4 ,was the law then against the promises of ,god8 ,god forbid4 ,for if there had been a law given which could give life1 verily justice should have been by the law4 ,but the ,scripture hath concluded all under sin1 that the promise by the faith of ,jesus ,christ might be given to them that believe4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,luke xvii4 #aa-ai4 ,at that time3 ,as ,jesus was going to ,jerusalem1 he passed through the midst of ,samaria in ,galilee4 ,and as he entered into a certain town1 there met him ten men that were lepers1 who stood afar off3 and lifted up their voice1 saying3 ,jesus1 master1 have mercy on us4 ,and when he saw them1 he said3 ,go1 show yourselves to the priests4 ,and it came to pass that1 as they went1 they were cleansed4 #che ,and one of them1 when he saw that he was cleansed1 went back1 with a loud voice glorifying ,god2 and he fell on his face1 before his feet1 giving thanks3 and this was a ,samaritan4 ,and ,jesus answering1 said2 ,were there not ten made clean8 and where are the nine8 ,there is no one found to return and give glory to ,god1 but this stranger4 ,and he said to him3 ,arise1 go thy way1 for thy faith hath made thee whole4 --------------- ,sermon ,,cxv4 ,and as he entered into a certain town1 there met him ten men that were lepers1 who stood afar off4 --,st4 ,luke xvii4 #ab4 ,the leprosy is a most foul and loathsome disease which attacks the skin and sometimes spreads itself over almost the entire surface of the body4 ,this pestilential disorder1 besides the intense suffering it must cause1 renders its victim an object of disgust and aversion to those around him4 ,it seems to have been very prevalent in the ,east in former times1 and during the middle ages it was quite common in ,europe1 where it was brought by the ,crusaders returning from the wars carried on for the possession of the ,holy ,land4 ,a man infected with leprosy was looked upon by the state as dead1 and hence the disease was called civil death4 ,the leper was cut off from all intercourse with his fellows1 and compelled to live alone or in the company of other lepers4 ,leprosy1 therefore1 subjected a man to the most galling sort of exile1 since it forced him to part from home and friends1 and to tear asunder every tie which binds the heart of man to this earth and to his fellow-men4 ,the holy ,fathers have always regarded leprosy as a strong figure of sin4 ,sin spreads itself over the soul as leprosy does over the body1 tainting and corrupting it1 rendering it disgusting in the sight of its ,maker1 and forcing him to separate it from himself and the company of his angels and saints4 #chf ,sin1 too1 forces the soul into exile from ,god1 its true home1 and severs all those endearing attachments which cluster round the thought of home4 ,in this sense all mortal sin is a spiritual leprosy2 but the one sin which deserves the name above all others is the sin of impurity1 because it defiles body and soul alike1 and is more infectious even than the ancient leprosy of the ,east4 ,impurity not only reproduces its pestilential self1 but has1 besides1 the sickening power of engendering a horde of other frightful maladies distinct from1 and only less disgusting than1 itself4 ,and yet1 alas6 impurity is now1 as it was in the days of ,noe1 the crying sin of the world2 a sin that is foreign to no class of society1 to no order of civilization2 a sin that each individual has to take constant and wearisome precautions against1 if he would not be infected by its virus1 which seems to permeate the very air we breathe1 and lurk unseen in the meat and drink we take for the support of life4 ,st4 ,clement of ,alexandria calls impurity the metropolis of vices1 by reason1 doubtless1 of the numberless other vices which are born of it and make their home around it4 ,this leprosy of the soul1 impurity1 is worse than any leprosy of the body1 inasmuch as the death of the soul is an infinitely greater evil than that of the body4 ,god has at times allowed some of his saints to experience something of the foulness which the sin of impurity inflicts on the soul of the one who commits it4 ,so it was with ,st4 ,euthymius and ,st4 ,catherine of ,siena1 who discovered impure persons by the stench which emanated from their presence4 #chg ,it were well1 perhaps1 if all innocent persons possessed this rare gift of some of ,god's saints1 for they might then easily avoid contracting from others the foul leprosy of impurity4 ,no one1 indeed1 can look for a grace so extraordinary1 but every one who has charge of others1 especially of the young1 should take every means suggested by wisdom and experience to preserve them from contact with persons already infected with this vile pestilence4 ,a brief conversation with one badly tainted with the leprosy of impurity is oftentimes enough to implant its seeds in young and innocent hearts2 and once the seeds are planted1 they are hardly1 if ever1 entirely uprooted4 ,leprosy not only attacked persons1 but was found also in garments and in houses4 ,so it is with the contagion of impurity1 which not only watches its victim from the muddy eye of the libertine1 but hides itself also in the folds of the lascivious dress1 by which it is scattered abroad1 and clings like some noxious vapor to the walls of houses where wanton deeds are done and loose language spoken4 ,from all such persons1 and things1 and places keep the young and the innocent afar off4 ,let us remember that those only who love cleanness of heart shall have the ,king of heaven for their friend2 and as we know from ,holy ,scripture that we cannot be chaste unless ,god gives us power to be so1 let us ask him fervently and frequently for this most royal of all royal gifts1 the gift of purity4 ,let us put aside all pride of heart1 which1 more than anything else1 would provoke ,almighty ,god to leave us to our own weakness and folly4 ,impurity is the lewd daughter of pride1 while humility is the chaste mother of purity4 #chh ,finally1 brethren1 let us all listen to the exhortation of ,st4 ,paul1 and walk in the love of ,christ1 and let not fornication and uncleanness be so much as named among us2 nor obscenity1 nor foolish talking1 nor scurrility1 but rather giving of thanks 7,ephesians4 v4 #e-f74 ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 ------------------------- ,sermon ,,cxvi4 ,and it came to pass1 as they went1 they were cleansed4 --,st4 ,luke xvii4 #ad4 ,you will find people who go to the sacraments pretty regularly sometimes giving rather a strange excuse when they have been away longer than usual4 ,they will say1 ,my mind was upset1 or ,i had a falling out with my neighbor2 and they seem to think that1 of course it was out of the question to go to confession till their minds got right side up again1 or till they were thoroughly at peace with themselves and all the world4 ,and you will find people who do not go to the sacraments regularly1 who1 in fact1 have not been for a long time1 and who make a similar excuse for staying away--that is1 that they are not in good dispositions to receive absolution4 ,these people also think that they should not go to confession till in some way or another they have got in good dispositions4 ,it is natural enough1 perhaps1 that both these kinds of people should think as they do4 ,they want1 of course1 to make a really good confession4 ,they would not like to receive absolution feeling just as they do now2 so they put it off till some time when their dispositions will be improved2 but they make a great mistake1 and lose a great deal of time by doing so4 #chi ,the mistake which they make is in not understanding that the preparation for confession which they could make with their present dispositions is the best way for getting them into better ones4 ,they might learn a salutary lesson from the ,gospel of to-day4 ,you will have noticed1 if you have listened to it carefully1 that the poor men whom our ,lord cured were simply told by him to go and show themselves to the priests1 and that they set off1 with the defilement of the leprosy still upon them1 to obey his commands4 ,they might very well have excused themselves by saying that they were not fit to go before the priests2 and it would have been very true that they wore not4 ,for1 according to the law of the ,jews1 it was only lepers who had already been cured who were to show themselves to the priests2 just as now it is only sinners who are penitent who can ask for absolution4 ,the priests of the ,old ,law could not cure the leprosy1 any more than those of the ,new ,law can absolve a sinner before he repents4 ,but1 nevertheless1 they went1 though it seemed to be of no use for them to go4 ,and what happened to them on the road8 ,why1 it happened1 as the ,gospel tells us1 that as they went they were made clean4 ,now1 this1 as ,i have said1 has a lesson and a meaning for such as now are laboring under any spiritual disease or disorder1 be it small or great1 which is keeping them from the sacraments4 ,the remedy for them1 as for these men of whose cure we read in this ,gospel1 is to set out to show themselves to the priests2 that is1 to prepare themselves for confession4 ,if they do they also will be cured on the way4 #cij ,i will venture to say that if those ,catholics throughout the world who now feel themselves in any way indisposed for absolution would go to a church at the next opportunity1 kneel down by a confessional1 say a few prayers in earnest1 examine their consciences1 and then go in when their turn should come--and these are surely things that any one can do--far the greater part of them would be in good dispositions for absolution before it was time for the priest to give it4 ,some time1 perhaps when they were on the way to the church1 perhaps when they were kneeling and trying to prepare themselves1 perhaps not till they were telling their sins or receiving the priest's advice1 but some time or other the affection to sin or the temptation which now disturbs the peace of their souls would be taken away4 ,why1 then1 not try such a simple remedy8 ,if you really want to recover the health of your soul set out to make your confession1 to show yourself to the priest1 whether you feel it or not4 ,if you will believe me1 depend on it1 it shall also be true for you that your faith shall make you whole4 ---------------------- ,sermon ,,cxvii4 ,were not ten made clean8 and where are the nine8 --,st4 ,luke xvii4 #ag4 ,how often1 my brethren1 has our ,lord been obliged to ask this question and to make this reproach6 ,times there have been when your souls were suffering from the leprosy of sin1 times when the sight of your defilement1 the pangs of a guilty conscience1 roused you to a sense of your unhappy state1 and you have raised your voice and cried out1 ,jesus1 ,master1 have mercy on me4 #cia ,and he1 who is goodness and compassion1 has looked upon you1 and bid you show yourself to the priest1 and you have been healed4 ,but have you followed the example of the one grateful leper--have you gone back to thank him8 ,have you prostrated yourself before him1 mindful of the greatness of the favor1 and in word and deed1 by fervent prayer1 by humility1 by a new life1 shown your gratitude8 ,or have you1 like the nine1 gone your way1 thankful indeed1 but with a momentary1 imperfect1 unspoken gratitude1 because the greatness of the benefit was not dwelt upon8 ,this ingratitude1 which is so common1 this forgetfulness1 cannot be put before you too strongly or too often4 ,at the coming of ,jesus1 during a mission or a jubilee1 many call out to him to cleanse them2 they go to confession and ,communion1 and for a time are healed of their leprosy4 ,but because they so quickly go their way2 because in the bustle of the world they neglect to come back to thank ,jesus1 their ,master and ,healer2 because they do not separate themselves from and avoid infected persons and places1 their old companions1 their old haunt of drinking1 the occasions of sin whatever they may be1 therefore it is that the old malady returns4 ,and as ,jesus looks out on the few who come to his feet1 to the ,holy ,communion1 he is forced to exclaim in sorrow3 ,were not ten made clean8 where are the nine8 ,alas6 that we should so often wound that sensitive1 loving ,heart1 that we should be so remiss in giving a return of thanks1 that we should check the divine goodness and turn its very favors into a cause of our own condemnation at the great day of reckoning6 #cib ,ingratitude has always been considered1 and deservedly1 the worst of vices2 it touches us more keenly than any other wrong or injury1 it moves us with a sense of anger1 sorrow1 and aversion peculiar to itself1 because it is an abuse or a forgetfulness of that which is highest and best in us--our love1 and the effects of our love1 our kindness4 ,yet ,god's benefits are innumerable1 his love is infinite1 his honor unspeakable1 his power almighty4 ,many who call themselves ,christians can find no time to thank him for the blessings of each day2 many1 whom he has healed from sin1 go their way in forgetfulness2 even those who do try to make some return1 who do keep themselves in his grace and frequent the church and the sacraments1 are often niggardly and ungenerous in their efforts4 ,does his grace move them to some sacrifice of their pride1 their convenience1 or their means8 ,the kind word1 the charitable act come1 but oh6 so slowly2 the poor are dismissed with a trifling alms1 the church-collector is an unwelcome visitor4 ,yet it is by these things we show our gratitude4 ,let us remember1 brethren1 that as ,god is infinitely bountiful himself1 so he in turn loves a generous giver1 and that his benefits bear a proportion to our return of thanks in words and in actions4 -------------------- #cic ,fourteenth ,sunday after ,pentecost4 ,epistle4 ,galatians v4 #af-bd4 ,brethren3 ,i say then1 walk in the spirit1 and you shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh4 ,for the flesh lusteth against the spirit3 and the spirit against the flesh2 for these are contrary one to another3 so that you do not the things that you would4 ,but if you are led by the spirit1 you are not under the law4 ,now the works of the flesh are manifest1 which are1 fornication1 uncleanness1 immodesty1 luxury1 idolatry1 witchcraft1 enmities1 contentions1 emulations1 wrath1 quarrels1 dissensions1 sects1 envy1 murders1 drunkenness1 revellings1 and such like4 ,of the which ,i foretell you1 as ,i have foretold to you1 that they who do such things shall not obtain the kingdom of ,god4 ,but the fruit of the spirit is charity1 joy1 peace1 patience1 benignity1 goodness1 longanimity1 mildness1 faith1 modesty1 continency1 chastity4 ,against such there is no law4 ,and they that are ,christ's1 have crucified their flesh with the vices and concupiscences4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,matthew vi4 #bd-cc4 ,at that time3 ,jesus said to his disciples3 ,no man can serve two masters4 ,for either he will hate the one1 and love the other3 or he will hold to the one1 and despise the other4 ,you cannot serve ,god and ,mammon4 ,therefore ,i say to you1 be not solicitous for your life1 what you shall eat1 nor for your body1 what you shall put on4 ,is not the life more than the food1 and the body more than the raiment8 ,behold the fowls of the air1 for they sow not1 neither do they reap1 nor gather into barns3 and your heavenly ,father feedeth them4 ,are not you of much more value than they8 #cid ,and which of you by thinking can add to his stature one cubit8 ,and for raiment why are you solicitous8 ,consider the lilies of the field how they grow3 they labor not1 neither do they spin4 ,and yet ,i say to you1 that not even ,solomon in all his glory was arrayed as one of these4 ,now if ,god so clothe the grass of the field1 which to-day is1 and to-morrow is cast into the oven3 how much more you1 ye of little faith8 ,be not solicitous therefore1 saying3 ,what shall we eat1 or what shall we drink1 or wherewith shall we be clothed8 ,for after all these things do the heathen seek4 ,for your ,father knoweth that you have need of all these things4 ,seek ye1 therefore1 first the kingdom of ,god and his justice1 and all these things shall be added unto you4 --------------------- ,sermon ,,cxviii4 ,no man can serve two masters4 --,st4 ,matthew vi4 #bd4 ,who is your master8 ,perhaps you think you are your own master4 ,you may say1 ,i am a free man in a free country4 ,but think a moment4 ,is your soul really free8 ,surely not2 for you cannot hinder your thoughts from running backward and forward4 ,sometimes you think of the past in spite of yourself2 you enjoy its sinful pleasures over again in your memory1 or you again suffer pain at the bare recollection of past sorrows and trials4 ,nor can you hinder your soul from rushing into the future4 ,you dream of success2 you enjoy in anticipation the pleasures of gratified ambition4 ,now1 why does your soul thus cling to the dead past2 why does it strive to fly to the unborn future8 ,because your soul is a servant4 ,and who is its master8 ,pleasure4 ,yes1 and pleasure is so powerful a master that we obey and serve even its remembrance1 its shadow4 ,indeed1 ,i might say that we are slaves of pleasure rather than servants4 #cie ,but this master takes different shapes4 ,sometimes he calls himself ,fashion4 ,very many otherwise intelligent persons are servants of ,fashion4 ,did you ever spend an hour looking at the drives in ,central ,park on a pleasant afternoon8 ,there you can see men and women whirled along in carriages fit for kings to ride in1 drawn by horses worth thousands of dollars--beasts whose trappings are fastened with gold-plated buckles--and coachmen and footmen dressed in showy livery4 ,and why is all this parade8 ,because those who ride out in that style are servants4 ,the name of their master and lord is ,fashion2 he demands all this extravagance of them1 and they obey him4 ,follow them home1 and you will see them again at his service1 spending many thousand dollars in adorning their houses with the costliest furniture and decking their bodies1 for ,fashion's sake1 with rich silks and gold3 everything offered up on the altar of ,fashion1 though the poor of ,christ are starving all around them4 ,and many of the poor are servants4 ,who is the master of the poor8 ,he is a devil1 and his name is ,drink4 ,this devil of ,drink must have a good share of a poor man's wages of a ,saturday night4 ,and as soon as a poor man loses work and loses courage this devil of ,drink comes and whispers in his ear3 ,be my servant and ,i will make you happy4 ,and by this lie he entices the poor fellow into one of his dens1 and there he makes him drunk1 and from the bar-room he sends him home to be a scandal to his little children1 and may be to beat his wretched wife4 #cif ,others this master sends from that liquor-store to steal1 and so to prison and hopeless ruin2 others he sends to brothels2 many a one he afflicts with frightful diseases and sudden accidents1 and so brings them to hell4 ,sometimes1 too1 this demon of ,drink gathers his slaves together into a mob to murder and plunder1 and then to be shot down by soldiers4 ,o brethren6 is it not strange that any one should be a servant of this devil4 ,drink8 ,yet he has countless slaves1 and not only among the poor but in every station in life4 ,but the strangest thing of all is that the foolish servants of sin and ,satan fancy that they can at the same time be servants of ,almighty ,god4 ,they call themselves by ,christ's name--,christians4 ,they go to his church now and then3 and although they have served ,mammon all their days1 they yet hope to enjoy ,god and his happiness for all eternity4 ,hence ,jesus ,christ in to-day's ,gospel cries out in warning3 ,you cannot serve two masters4 ,hence in another place he says3 ,amen1 amen ,i say unto you1 that whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin4 ,so we have got to choose4 ,we must be either servants of ,god or servants of ,mammon2 we cannot be both at once4 ,therefore1 brethren1 instead of giving our time1 and money1 and health1 and heart1 and soul to sinful pleasures1 to lust and intemperance1 and fashion and avarice--all cruel tyrants--let us have the good sense to enter the service of our blessed ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 the ,lord and ,master who made us1 and who redeemed us1 and who will judge us2 whose yoke is sweet and whose burden is light2 whose servants are innocent and happy in this life1 and who shall enter with him into everlasting dwellings in the kingdom of heaven4 ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 ------------------------- #cig ,sermon ,,cxix4 ,the works of the flesh are manifest444 ,of the which ,i foretell you1 as ,i have foretold to you1 that they who do such things shall not obtain the kingdom of ,god4 --,galatians v4 #ai1 #ba4 ,the works of the flesh--that is1 the various ways in which the desires of the flesh can be gratified--have always been the chief obstacles presented by the world to our salvation4 ,this was specially the case in ,st4 ,paul's day1 when a corrupt and sensual civilization had been attained which placed the happiness of man in bodily pleasure4 ,and it is also specially the case now more than at any other time since then2 for a similar so-called civilization is the boast of the present age1 in which the desires and appetites of the body are exalted above those of the soul4 ,but the temptations of this modern age are more concealed than those of the former one2 and on that account they are more dangerous to ,christians than those of the time of ,st4 ,paul were4 ,satan has1 we may say1 learned wisdom by experience4 ,at the present day1 instead of shocking us by sins like these of the pagans1 which could only repel and disgust those who had even the weakest love of ,god1 he has learned to seduce the faithful by the gradual introduction of amusements and pleasures having the name of being innocent1 making them worse and worse as the moral sense of those who engage in them1 or who witness them1 becomes more and more blunted4 #cih ,a prominent example of such amusements is to be found in the dances which have become fashionable in the last few years4 ,there can be no question at all that1 had they been suddenly presented to our eyes not very long ago1 every one1 without hesitation1 would have pronounced them sinful1 and no one would have engaged in them who professed to have a delicate conscience2 whereas now it is equally certain that very many people who are careful1 and even scrupulous1 profess to see no harm in these dangerous recreations4 ,let me not be understood to mean that dancing is in itself condemned by the law of ,god4 ,there is no other harm in it1 if it be done in a proper way1 than the danger of excess and waste of time to which any amusement is liable4 ,nor is there any more harm in two people dancing together than in eight standing up in a set2 and the particular measure of the music is a matter of no consequence4 ,the harm is in the improper positions assumed in what are called round dances1 and which have been lately brought into almost all others4 ,these mutual positions of the parties1 these embraces--for that they simply are--are in themselves evidently contrary to modesty and decency4 ,it seems as if no one would have to stop1 even a moment1 to see and acknowledge this4 ,a very plain proof of it1 however1 should it be needed1 is that every person pretending to be respectable would blush to be detected in such positions on any other occasion1 unless united to the other party by very near relationship or marriage4 ,and let no one say that fashion justifies them4 ,if it did it could justify every other indecency or impropriety4 ,neither fashion nor anything else can justify what is in itself wrong4 #cii ,nor is it true that they are not noticed or cared for by those who indulge in them2 that they are indulged in only because the dance happens to be so arranged4 ,that may be true for some persons2 but there is1 unfortunately1 very little doubt that many only dance on account of these positions1 and would not care about learning or practising this amusement were it not for the opportunity offered by it for them4 ,this is a good enough straw to show which way the wind blows4 ,the plain state of the case is this3 ,to many these dances are1 as one would expect1 a remote1 or even a proximate1 occasion of sin1 at least in thought1 and sometimes in word and action4 ,to many more they are a sensual excitement bordering on impurity4 ,to many1 it is true1 they are simply an amusement2 but this is due to the force of habit1 aided by the grace of ,god1 not to the natural state of the case4 ,but for all they are paving the way--in fact1 they have already done so--to things which are more plainly wrong2 in fact1 they themselves are becoming worse and worse all the time4 ,one of the works of the flesh of which ,st4 ,paul speaks in this ,epistle is immodesty4 ,take away the veil of concealment which the gradual introduction of this sensuous practice has put over your eyes1 and see if it does not deserve that name4 ,do not defend yourselves by saying that some confessors allow it4 ,they only allow it because they are afraid of keeping you altogether away from the sacraments2 and they do not wish to do that1 if in any way they can satisfy themselves that you have even the most imperfect dispositions with which you can be allowed to receive them4 ,but it is better to be on the safe side4 #djj ,there is no confessor who would not far rather that you should abandon this dangerous pastime1 that you should cease to set this bad example4 ,there is not one who would not be much consoled should you do so4 ,i beg you1 then1 to give them that consolation4 ,give up these dances for ,god's sake1 and for the sake of the salvation of your own soul and those of others4 ,give them up1 and you will receive an abundant reward of grace in this world1 and of glory in that which is to come4 ----------------------- ,sermon ,,cxx4 ,no man can serve two masters4 --,st4 ,matthew vi4 #bd4 ,it is perhaps a little strange1 my dear brethren1 and not much of a compliment on the part of ,christians to the wisdom of ,him whose disciples they profess to be1 that so great a part of them should spend their lives in trying to do what he so solemnly declares to be impossible4 ,it is curious that so many1 so very many1 of them should never have made up their minds which shall be their master4 ,almighty ,god or the devil1 but should be hopefully trying to serve both4 ,some there are--nay1 many1 if you take their absolute number--who have truly gone over1 once for all and in real dead earnest1 to ,god's side4 ,they keep up a constant battle with temptation2 if by weakness and surprise they fall for a moment1 they pick themselves up again instantly by a sincere repentance and confession1 and begin the fight again4 ,they live in the grace and friendship of their ,creator1 and they are willing not only to be his friends but to be known as such2 they are not ashamed to be pious1 but would be very much ashamed to be anything else4 #dja ,on the other hand1 there are not a few who were put on ,god's side by baptism1 but have gone over entirely to the camp of his enemy2 who have sold themselves body and soul to the devil4 ,these wretched traitors have denied their faith1 and now perhaps even blaspheme or ridicule it2 they give free rein to their favorite vices1 whatever they may be2 they have abandoned prayer1 and have openly and even boastingly taken the road which leads to hell4 ,you all know of such4 ,in these days of apostasy many of you have such among your acquaintance4 ,they have got ,satan's mark on their foreheads1 and they do not care to conceal it4 ,but there is a very common kind of ,christian who does not answer to either of these descriptions or belong to either of these parties1 but is trying to get the advantages of both--to serve both masters1 ,god and the devil1 and get paid by both4 ,he fulfils part of the divine law2 he goes to ,mass1 sometimes at least2 perhaps he does not eat meat on ,friday2 and now and then1 it may be once a year1 or on the occasion of a mission or jubilee1 he puts in an appearance at a confessional and tells about the sins he has committed4 ,he goes to ,holy ,communion1 and seems to come over really and entirely to ,god's side4 ,well1 perhaps he does come over1 for a little while at least1 a few days or weeks2 but the chances are very great that he never really means to quit the other side for ever2 or1 it may be1 at all4 ,in his mind impure thoughts1 words1 and actions1 drunkenness1 and the pleasures of the devil generally1 are a kind of necessity of life2 he has no idea of really quitting them at once and for ever4 ,his idea is to make a sort of a compromise with ,god2 to do his duty1 as he calls it--that is1 to keep in what he imagines to be the state of grace for a few hours or days now and then1 and afterward go on as before4 #djb ,he wants to serve the devil during life1 and yet be acknowledged as ,god's servant at the end2 in short1 he tries to be the servant of two masters4 ,are there not many of you here1 my friends1 who have lived in this way all your lives1 and mean to all the rest of the time that ,god spares you in this world8 ,there are even many who have this intention on whose tongues the traces of his ,body and ,blood are yet fresh4 ,how do ,i know8 ,because they are not resisting temptation2 because they have not left the occasions of sin2 because1 instead of calling on ,god continually in prayer1 they go on wantonly blaspheming his holy name2 because the immodest jest is ready to come at any moment to their lips2 because1 instead of showing dislike to impiety in others1 they acquiesce in it and applaud it2 because1 in short1 they have not even begun the battle by which alone they can be saved4 ,brethren1 this is not the way to live2 this is not the way to prepare to die4 ,if you will not be ,god's servants during life1 the devil will claim you at the hour of your death1 and get you1 too1 in spite of the last sacraments which you may receive4 ,ha6 he will say to you1 you tried to serve two masters1 did you8 ,what a fool you were6 ,you were mine all along4 ,you tried to give ,god a share of your heart2 know now1 since you would not know it before1 that he will not take less than the whole4 ----------------------- #djc ,fifteenth ,sunday after ,pentecost4 ,epistle4 ,galatians v4 #be2 vi4 #aj4 ,brethren3 ,if we live in the ,spirit1 let us also walk in the ,spirit4 ,let us not become desirous of vainglory1 provoking one another1 envying one another4 ,and if a man can be overtaken in any fault1 you1 who are spiritual1 instruct such a one in the spirit of mildness1 considering thyself1 lest thou also be tempted4 ,bear ye one another's burdens1 and so shall you fulfil the law of ,christ4 ,for if any man think himself to be something1 whereas he is nothing1 he deceiveth himself4 ,but let every one prove his own work1 and so he shall have glory in himself only1 and not in another4 ,for every one shall bear his own burden4 ,and let him who is instructed in the word communicate to him that instructeth him1 in all good things4 ,be not deceived1 ,god is not mocked4 ,for what things a man shall sow1 those also shall he reap4 ,for he that soweth in the flesh1 of the flesh also shall reap corruption4 ,but he that soweth in the ,spirit1 of the ,spirit shall reap life everlasting4 ,and in doing good1 let us not fail4 ,for in due time we shall reap1 not failing4 ,therefore1 whilst we have time1 let us do good to all men1 but especially to those who are of the household of the faith4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,luke vii4 #aa-af4 ,at that time3 ,jesus went into a city called ,nain3 and there went with him his disciples1 and a great multitude4 ,and when he came nigh to the gate of the city1 behold a dead man was carried out1 the only son of his mother2 and she was a widow3 and much people of the city was with her4 ,and when the ,lord saw her1 he had compassion on her1 and said to her3 ,weep not4 #djd ,and he came near and touched the bier4 7,and they that carried it stood still47 ,and he said3 ,young man1 ,i say to thee1 ,arise4 ,and he that was dead sat up and began to speak4 ,and he delivered him to his mother4 ,and there came a fear on them all3 and they glorified ,god1 saying3 ,that a great prophet is risen up among us3 and ,god hath visited his people4 ------------------- ,sermon ,,cxxi4 ,behold a dead man was carried out4 --,st4 ,luke vii4 #ab4 ,the sight which our ,lord saw1 and which is recorded in to-day's ,gospel1 we have often seen4 ,we can scarcely walk a mile or two in a great city without seeing a dead man carried out4 ,the hearse1 the funeral procession1 the pall1 the coffin1 the sabled mourners1 are all familiar and every-day objects4 ,again1 we read of death every day4 ,we find in the newspapers1 the hospital reports1 and so forth1 death in a thousand shapes4 ,we see that death waits for us at every corner of the street1 that it lurks in the river1 hovers in the atmosphere1 hides in our very bodies1 is concealed even in our pleasures4 ,again and again we have heard the beating of its heavy wings and seen the clutch of its clammy fingers--sometimes in our own houses1 sometimes in our neighbors'1 sometimes on the sea1 sometimes on land1 sometimes in the busy street1 sometimes in the silent chamber4 ,strange to say1 however1 although nothing is better known than death1 nothing is more forgotten4 ,we hear people saying every day1 ,how shall we live8 but seldom do they ever think of adding1 and how shall we die8 #dje ,my brethren1 every one of you here this morning must die4 ,there will come an hour when your heart will cease to beat1 when you will close your eyes and fold your hands in death1 and when1 like the dead man in the ,gospel1 you will be carried out4 ,o brethren6 how are you preparing for that supreme moment8 ,are you ready now1 at this moment1 to die8 ,if you are not you ought to be4 ,let us1 then1 see how we should prepare ourselves4 ,above all things you should never forget death4 ,when you see other men die1 when you read of death1 when you see the priest in black vestments1 and hear the sweet tones of the choristers chanting the solemn requiem1 then you should say to yourselves1 ,it may be my turn next4 ,keep death always before your eyes2 then when it comes you will not shrink from its touch4 ,again1 keep your conscience clear1 and make every confession and ,communion as if it were to be your last4 ,how many have come to their duties on ,saturday and ,sunday1 and on ,monday have departed for ever from this world6 ,the earth1 dearly beloved1 is a vast field1 and ,death with his sharp scythe toils in it every day4 ,blade after blade1 flower after flower1 tender plant and fragrant herb1 fall beneath his sweeping blows every hour1 every second4 ,you may now be as the grass that is the most distant from the steel3 there may be acres upon acres between you and the severing blade1 but the strong1 patient mower is nearing you slowly but surely4 ,listen6 listen6 and you will catch the sharp hiss of his scythe and hear the murmur of the falling grass4 ,oh6 then be ready1 with girded loins and burning lamp4 ,be ready1 for you know not when death shall come4 ,be ready1 with clear conscience and well-cared for soul1 for the last great hour4 #djf ,lastly1 pray to ,st4 ,joseph that you may obtain the grace of a happy death4 ,go to his altar2 kneel at his feet and say1 dear spouse of our ,lady and foster-father of ,jesus ,christ6 obtain for me to die1 as thou didst1 in the arms of ,jesus and ,mary1 and to remain with them and thee in the paradise of ,god4 ,beloved1 death is nearing1 death is coming4 ,oh6 then1 ,i beseech you1 neglect not these words of warning and advice4 ,here we have not an abiding city1 but seek one to come1 even the heavenly ,jerusalem1 the ,city of ,god1 which shines above4 ,the gate of that city is a good and ,christian death4 ,god grant1 then1 that through that blessed portal we all may pass1 lest we be left cold and shivering in the black night of the outer darkness6 ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 ------------------------ ,sermon ,,cxxii4 ,if we live in the spirit1 let us also walk in the spirit4 --,galatians v4 #be4 ,there is a saying which1 in ,latin1 runs as follows3 ,dum vivimus1 vivamus4 ,put into ,english1 it is3 ,while we live let us live2 or1 to bring out the idea more clearly3 ,while we live let us make the most of life4 ,it is a saying which has always been very popular with infidels4 ,we have this life1 they say--it is our own2 but we do not know what is coming after it1 or1 indeed1 if anything at all is2 so1 while we have it1 let us use it2 there is not much of it1 and it will soon be gone1 but it is ours now4 ,a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush2 so1 then1 ,dum vivimus1 vivamus--while we live let us make the most of life4 #djg ,now1 the ,christian idea of life and the way to use it is somewhat different from that of the infidel4 ,a ,christian does know what is coming after this life2 he knows that this short life is only a preparation for the next1 which is eternal2 he knows that pursuing the pleasure of this world1 after the infidel fashion1 will endanger his salvation2 and if he values his salvation--that is to say1 if he has common sense--he looks out for the life of his soul rather than that of his body1 so that he may always be ready for death when it shall come4 ,and he has a fear of pleasure1 rather than a desire of it1 on account of its danger2 he crucifies the flesh1 with its vices and concupiscences1 as ,st4 ,paul says in the conclusion of the ,epistle of last ,sunday1 that it may be subject to the soul1 instead of subjecting the soul to itself4 ,he makes up his mind1 in short1 to live in the spirit instead of the flesh2 and in that1 as ,i have said1 he shows his common sense4 ,but when he has got as far as that his common sense seems too often to fail him4 ,he ought then to come back to the maxim of the infidel2 for it is a very sensible one in itself1 the only trouble with it being that the infidel has the wrong idea of life4 ,it would be all right for the ,christian4 ,the ,christian ought to say--you and ,i1 my dear brethren1 ought to say3 ,dum vivimus1 vivamus4 ,or1 in the words of ,st4 ,paul in the beginning of today's ,epistle1 which immediately follows that of last ,sunday1 we ought to say3 ,if we live in the spirit1 let us also walk in the spirit4 #djh ,that is1 if we are going to live in the spirit rather than in the flesh1 let us make the most of our spiritual life4 ,let us enjoy it1 advance in it1 and get all out of it that we can4 ,we have1 indeed1 much more reason to say so than the man of the world2 for not only shall we have more of it in the next world for all that we get out of it now1 but there is much more to be got out of it even here than out of the life of the body4 ,and yet many1 perhaps most1 good ,christians content themselves with simply keeping in the state of grace and avoiding sin4 ,they just keep themselves spiritually alive1 and that is all4 ,they are like misers1 who starve in the midst of their gold4 ,there are pleasures for them1 even in this world1 far above what it can itself give1 and they do little or nothing to obtain them4 ,something has to be done to obtain them1 of course4 ,it is the same1 however1 with bodily pleasure1 and those who seek it know that4 ,many a man has made a slave of himself all his life to get a few years of ease and comfort at the end of it4 ,why should not we do the same for the comfort of our souls8 ,something has to be done1 but not so much after all4 ,a little more earnestness in prayer2 a little more fidelity in meditation and spiritual reading2 a little more care to uproot our evil habits2 a little more charity and spirit of sacrifice for our brethren2 and1 last but not least1 a little mortification beyond what is forced on us1 or what is necessary to avoid sin1 and the reward would soon come4 ,temptations would be lighter2 the struggle would be easier2 ,god would come nearer to us2 and that dawn would rise in our hearts which is brighter than the lights which earthly hands can kindle1 and which is the sure fore-runner of the eternal day4 ---------------------- #dji ,sermon ,,cxxiii4 ,let us not become desirous of vainglory4 --,galatians v4 #bf4 ,these words1 my dear brethren1 are from the ,epistle of the ,mass of this ,sunday4 ,i feel quite sure that the advice which ,st4 ,paul gives us in them is a very sensible one1 and one which we all need to take very much to heart4 ,what is this vainglory of which he speaks8 ,it is the vain and false glory which comes from the admiration of others4 ,it is what1 in the more important matters of life1 the world calls glory1 and does not call vain4 ,it is what many great geniuses have spent their lives to acquire1 and have even been admired for doing so4 ,but it is what in smaller matters the world calls it vanity to seek2 and the world generally laughs1 at least in its sleeve1 at those who do so4 ,the girl whose great desire it is to have her hat acknowledged to be the prettiest one in church is called vain and made fun of1 perhaps1 even by her rivals1 who wish in their hearts that they had a nicer one1 if it was only to take the conceit out of her2 but the man whose ambition it is to have the brain that his hat covers acknowledged to be the smartest one in the country is not laughed at1 but very much respected1 if the brain be really a fine one4 ,and yet the desire is really all the same thing in both of them4 #daj ,now1 my brethren1 we are all more or less vain or desirous of this vainglory2 rather more1 in fact1 than less4 ,it will not do for us to laugh very hard at each other for it1 for we are all in the same boat4 ,it is a passion which is almost universal4 ,some people who are quite proud may fancy that they do not care a straw for what others think of them2 but ,i fancy that they do1 though perhaps the reason may be that the praise of others will help them to admire themselves4 ,so you see that ,i was right in saying that ,st4 ,paul's advice was one which we all need to take very much to heart--all of us1 not only girls with the new styles of hats1 but young men at college or in business1 eminent merchants and professional men1 including those whom ,god has called to serve him at the altar4 ,we have all got to look out for this snare of vainglory4 ,and how8 ,by despising it8 ,yes1 in a certain way1 but not in the way of pride4 ,by resolving to value nothing according to the opinion that men have of it1 but according to that which ,almighty ,god has of it4 ,he values nothing much but what is1 like himself1 eternal4 ,he does not care so very much more for your cleverness than for your beauty4 ,he could spoil either one of them in an instant1 if he chose4 ,but what he does care for1 and what he himself cannot spoil1 though of course he could not wish to1 are the merits which he has given you this life to acquire and to bring before the throne of his judgment1 to be transformed into your immortal crown4 ,those are the only things which are worth your caring for1 because they are the only things which he cares for4 ,and they are what all can have1 however low in worldly station they may be4 #daa ,yes1 my dear ,christians1 that is the glory for us to seek--the glory of ,god2 that which comes from him4 ,try to have him think well of you4 ,it is not vain to wish to be praised and admired1 only let him be the one whom you want to have praise and admire you4 ,he will do it1 if you want him to and will give him a chance4 ,he1 your ,creator1 desires to honor and glorify you for ever4 ,when you think of this can you care for other praise8 ------------------- #dab ,sixteenth ,sunday after ,pentecost4 ,epistle4 ,ephesians iii4 #ac-ca4 ,brethren3 ,i beseech you not to be disheartened at my tribulations for you1 which is your glory4 ,for this cause ,i bow my knees to the ,father of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 of whom all paternity in heaven and earth is named1 that he would grant you1 according to the riches of his glory1 to be strengthened with power by his ,spirit unto the inward man4 ,that ,christ may dwell by faith in your hearts3 that being rooted and founded in charity1 you may be able to comprehend1 with all the saints1 what is the breadth1 and length1 and height1 and depth4 ,to know also the charity of ,christ1 which surpasseth knowledge1 that you may be filled unto all the fulness of ,god4 ,now to him who is able to do all things more abundantly than we ask or understand1 according to the power which worketh in us3 to him be glory in the church1 and in ,christ ,jesus1 throughout all generations1 world without end4 ,amen4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,luke xiv4 #a-aa4 ,at that time3 ,when ,jesus went into the house of a certain prince of the ,pharisees1 on the ,sabbath day1 to eat bread1 and they were watching him4 ,and behold1 there was a certain man before him that had the dropsy4 ,and ,jesus answering1 spoke to the lawyers and ,pharisees1 saying3 ,is it lawful to heal on the ,sabbath day8 ,but they held their peace4 ,but he1 taking him1 healed him1 and sent him away4 ,and answering them1 he said3 ,which of you whose ass or his ox shall fall into a pit1 and will not immediately draw him out on the ,sabbath day8 ,and they could not answer him to these things4 #dac ,and he spoke a parable also to them that were invited1 marking how they chose the first seats at the table1 saying to them3 ,when thou art invited to a wedding1 sit not down in the highest place1 lest perhaps one more honorable than thou be invited by him3 and he who invited thee and him1 come and say to thee3 ,give place to this man2 and then thou begin with blushing to take the lowest place4 ,but when thou art invited1 go1 sit down in the lowest place3 that when he who invited thee cometh1 he may say to thee3 ,friend1 go up higher4 ,then shalt thou have glory before them that sit at table with thee4 ,because every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled3 and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted4 ------------------- ,sermon ,,cxxiv4 ,they were watching him4 --,st4 ,luke xiv4 #a4 ,how condescending and kind1 brethren1 was the spirit of our ,lord when he entered into the house of the ,pharisee to eat bread2 how base and ungracious1 on the other hand1 the conduct of the latter and his friends1 who1 as the ,gospel says1 were watching him6 ,they watched him that they might catch him breaking the laws of the ,sabbath4 ,they envied him because his reputation was great with the people4 ,they watched him because he had a daily beauty in his life which made theirs ugly1 and tried to find something to carp at1 something to find fault with4 ,he was their guest2 they were bound to treat him with respect and kindness2 yet they violated the rules of hospitality1 deceitfully making the banquet a cover for their plan to catch him4 #dad ,he was their ,saviour and the benefactor of their people2 one who1 as they well knew1 had healed the sick1 given speech to the dumb1 and made the blind to see4 ,the knowledge of his goodness and power only moved them to envy4 ,he was greater than they1 and so they watched him that they might find something in his conduct which would lessen his reputation and good name4 ,are there not found some in our own day who imitate the conduct of the ,pharisee and his friends8 ,jesus is often near you2 you often meet him in your every-day life1 often have him in your house in the person of one of his pious servants--,i mean any one of your neighbors whose life is better than your own4 ,there are many who watch such an one with the spirit of envy and criticism1 and they try to find out worldly motives for their neighbor's piety4 ,such persons say1 as ,satan did of old1 ,does ,job serve ,god for naught8 ,often they exclaim1 ,i see my neighbor frequently at ,communion1 but she only goes for show2 ,i should like to see some change in her life2 or ,what does she run to church so much for8 ,it would be a great deal better for her if she stayed at home and minded her family4 ,again1 many watch the prosperity of their neighbor with an envious eye2 they hate to see their neighbor in a better house than their own1 don't like him to have more money than themselves1 and so forth4 ,all this is watching ,jesus as the ,pharisee did4 ,there are many1 too1 whose consciences must accuse them of watching ,jesus in the persons of his priests1 who envy the priest's position1 envy his authority over them1 and such like4 #dae ,these people try to pick a hole in the priest's ways1 to pass their opinion on his manner1 his judgments1 his actions4 ,they watch him in his words1 at table in their own houses1 to see if perchance they can find something to make a dish of scandal out of4 ,yes1 brethren1 there are many such watchers as these1 and ,pharisees are they all4 ,envy1 which prompts this horrible spirit of unchristian criticism1 is one of the worst offences against the great and fundamental virtue of charity4 ,envy has inspired the hearts of men with the most wicked crimes4 ,envy delivered the innocent ,lamb of ,god to a cruel death4 ,envy1 therefore1 is a grievous sin4 ,envy and the spirit of criticism spring from pride4 ,envy makes us watch others1 and such watching is from pride4 ,watch yourselves rather than your neighbor and your superiors4 ,brethren1 says ,st4 ,paul1 if a man be overtaken in any fault1 you1 who are spiritual1 instruct such an one1 in the spirit of meekness1 considering thyself lest thou also be tempted4 ,walk and pray lest ye enter into temptation4 ,watch ,jesus and his servants1 if you will1 but do so to be edified1 do so to learn something good4 ,watch ,jesus1 who is meek and humble of heart1 that you may learn the lesson which he tried to teach the proud and envious ,pharisees3 ,every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled1 and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted4 ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 ---------------------- #daf ,sermon ,,cxxv4 ,every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled4 --,st4 ,luke xiv4 #aa4 ,that was an unlucky guest who sat down in the first place and was sent to take the lowest4 ,no wonder he was covered with shame2 served him right4 ,to be humbled in the very act of exalting ourselves is indeed hard punishment1 sharp and painful as a pang in a tenderly sore spot4 ,it is like being caught in a theft or a lie4 ,for1 truly1 pride is theft4 ,we have no right to be proud1 because we own as our property nothing that we may be proud of4 ,all that we have that is good is ,god's2 to pride ourselves on that is to rob ,god of his due1 and appropriate what does not belong to us4 ,and pride is a lie1 a deceit2 for if thou hast received1 says ,st4 ,paul1 why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received8 ,a vain boast is simply lying4 ,to lie and to steal are very mean things to do4 ,to be caught lying and stealing makes us feel very mean in the eyes of others2 and that is what comes to us when our pride is evident and is found out by our fellow-men1 and then we are humbled as was the poor guest spoken of in the ,gospel4 ,truth is the badge of honor among men4 ,humility is truth1 because humility is to know our place and keep it2 in this is truthfulness and comfort also4 ,we feel at ease when we are where we ought to be4 ,a bone dislocated is a torture2 anything out of place is an offence and a nuisance1 whether it be a misshapen limb or a stove-pipe that doesn't fit and smokes4 ,you remember in the fable the fate of the foolish frog who wanted to be as big as the ox--he blew until he burst and collapsed4 #dag ,now1 is there not a great deal of that kind of work among us--,i mean getting too big1 reaching above us1 exalting ourselves--in a word1 not knowing our place8 ,let me instance3 ,the poor will pass for rich3 fine dress and flashy jewels in broad daylight on the street2 at home1 dirt1 wretchedness1 almost starvation4 ,the ignorant will know more than they have learned1 and so stretch themselves all out of shape1 and wed in the most repulsive manner pretentious speech to gross ignorance4 ,not only is one man as good as another1 but a great deal better4 ,the layman will teach theology and canon law to the priest4 ,the ward politician1 who buys votes at five cents a glass1 and trades them off for street contracts or other valuable consideration1 can run the world1 the ,holy ,see not excepted4 ,our ,american boy of twelve thinks the old folks not a circumstance to him1 and shows it in his behavior4 ,the school girl who can do a sum and thump an easy exercise on the piano scorns domestic work1 leaves the kitchen to ma1 and cultivates the fine arts in the parlor4 ,our talk1 our press even1 is fall of unreality1 inflated bombast and buncombe4 ,we have no degrees of comparison but the superlative4 ,god help us for a vain1 boastful set6 ,what is it all but untruthfulness1 want of humility1 strutting up to the head of the table in one way or another8 ,our conversations are full of ourselves2 we threaten horrors or we promise wonders2 and it all issues1 like the mountain in travail1 in ridiculous failures4 ,let us know our place1 or humiliation will teach it us4 #dah ,adam and ,eve were well off1 and might have been till this day had they known their place and been satisfied2 but they wanted to go up1 to become as ,god--and they came down to all the miseries of fallen nature4 ,simon the ,magician started1 with the help of the devil1 to ascend into heaven like our ,saviour2 but ,god brought him down before he got very far4 ,he that exalteth himself shall be humbled4 ,moreover1 pride finds its punishment in the very ridiculousness of itself4 ,the fool imagines himself to be other than he is2 the insane insists on taking to himself a character which is not his4 ,well1 brethren1 the mock-king and queen of the asylum are not more foolish and insane1 because not more untruthful1 than the proud man4 ,the lesson1 then1 is this3 ,keep to the place ,god has given you1 don't put yourself forward in conversation1 acknowledge your nothingness before your ,creator1 be true and real to your fellow-men2 thus you will escape shameful humiliation and deserve to be exalted in the esteem of others and in the kingdom of heaven4 ----------------- #dai ,seventeenth ,sunday after ,pentecost4 ,epistle4 ,ephesians iv4 #a-f4 ,brethren3 ,as a prisoner in the ,lord1 ,i beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation in which you are called1 with all humility and mildness1 with patience1 supporting one another in charity1 careful to keep the unity of the ,spirit in the bond of peace4 ,one body and one ,spirit3 as you are called in one hope of your vocation4 ,one ,lord1 one faith1 one baptism1 one ,god and ,father of all1 who is above all1 and through all1 and in us all1 who is blessed for ever and ever4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,matthew xxii4 #ce-df4 ,at that time3 the ,pharisees came nigh to ,jesus3 and one of them1 a doctor of the law1 asked him1 tempting him3 ,master1 which is the great commandment in the law6 ,jesus said to him3 ,thou shalt love the ,lord thy ,god with thy whole heart1 and with thy whole soul1 and with thy whole mind4 ,this is the greatest and the first commandment4 ,and the second is like to this3 ,thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself4 ,on these two commandments dependeth the whole law and the prophets4 ,and the ,pharisees being gathered together1 ,jesus asked them saying3 ,what think you of ,christ8 ,whose son is he8 ,they say to him3 ,david's4 ,he saith to them3 ,how then doth ,david in spirit call him ,lord1 saying3 ,the ,lord said to my ,lord3 ,sit on my right hand1 until ,i make thy enemies thy footstool8 ,if ,david then call him ,lord1 how is he his son8 ,and no man was able to answer him a word3 neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions4 #dbj ,sermon ,,cxxvi4 ,thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself4 --,st4 ,matthew xxii4 #ci4 ,nothing can be plainer than the fact that we must love ,god1 and it is equally plain that we must love our neighbor4 ,our ,lord declares that on these two precepts depend the whole law and the prophets4 ,yet we see people who make very little of them both4 ,the precept to love our neighbor is perhaps the least regarded4 ,let us1 therefore1 reflect upon this commandment to-day4 ,in the first place1 there is no doubt about the obligation4 ,jesus says plainly1 and with authority3 ,thou shalt love thy neighbor2 and again1 in another place1 he says3 ,a new commandment ,i give unto you1 that you love one another4 ,by this shall all men know that you are my disciples1 if you have love for one another4 ,so1 then1 if you want to keep the commandment of ,jesus ,christ1 if you want to be known as his disciples1 you must love your neighbors4 ,the obligation is clear and plain4 ,but our ,lord not only gives a commandment1 but also explains the method of fulfilling it4 ,he not only says1 ,thou shalt love thy neighbor1 but also adds as thyself4 ,he does not say as much as thyself1 because1 of course1 the orders of nature and charity both require that we should love ourselves better than our neighbor4 ,we must save our own soul first4 ,we must not peril our own salvation in order to benefit our neighbor4 ,our ,lord says as thyself--that is1 in the same manner1 not in the same degree4 ,we must love our neighbor for his own sake1 just as we love ourselves for our own sake4 #dba ,if we only love our neighbor on account of the use he can be to us1 the pleasure he can give us1 or the positions he can obtain for us1 then that is really no love at all4 ,that is nothing more or less than loving ourselves4 ,we must love him as ,jesus ,christ has loved us--with a supernatural love1 with a love which is founded on a desire to save our neighbor's soul4 ,and now in every-day life how must we treat our neighbor in order to fulfil the command of ,jesus ,christ1 ,thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself8 ,first1 do your neighbor no wrong1 either by thought1 word1 or deed4 ,you don't like any one to think evil of you4 ,very well1 don't think evil of your neighbor4 ,you don't like any one to speak ill of yourself2 you don't like to be insulted2 can't bear to be abused4 ,ah6 then be careful that you don't visit such things upon your neighbor4 ,you don't like to be defrauded or cheated2 you don't like to have your property or your reputation injured1 or to be wronged in any way4 ,why8 ,because you love yourself4 ,very well1 then1 love thy neighbor as thyself1 and don't do to him what you are unwilling should be done to you4 ,again1 not only refrain from doing your neighbor wrong1 but wish him well and do him good4 ,try to have his name on your lips when you are at prayer4 ,say3 ,o ,god6 prosper my neighbor1 even as thou hast prospered me4 ,endeavor to show your fellow-,christian that you are interested in his well-being1 and heartily glad when he succeeds in life4 ,have that spirit in your heart which makes you as glad to hear that your neighbor has gained five hundred dollars as if you had made the sum yourself4 #dbb ,then1 when you can do your friend a good turn1 do it with a hearty good-will2 give him a helping hand2 try to encourage him in his business4 ,don't say1 ,every man for himself and ,god for us all1 and the devil take the hindermost2 but say1 ,do unto others as you would they should do unto you4 ,and1 lastly1 you want ,god to forgive your sins8 ,you want men to condone your offences and look over your shortcomings and defects8 ,then love your neighbor as yourself4 ,if he has injured you1 pardon him2 if he has done wrong1 overlook it2 if he has got defects1 bear with them4 ,all things1 says one of the saints1 are easy to him who loves4 ,so1 then1 love ,god1 love your neighbor1 and all things will be easy to you4 ,this life will pass away all the more pleasantly1 and the life to come will be all the more bright and its reward all the more precious1 if you will only remember and act upon this great commandment3 ,thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself4 ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 ---------------------- ,sermon ,,cxxvii4 ,with patience1 supporting one another in charity4 --,ephesians iv4 #b4 ,we hear a great deal nowadays1 my dear brethren1 about toleration4 ,it is a thing which the nineteenth century takes a special pride in4 ,it seems to imagine that it is really a great deal more charitable and patient than any previous one1 and that1 in fact1 the apostles themselves might learn a lesson of ,christian virtue from it1 if they could come back to the earth4 #dbc ,i wish that such were actually the case2 but if we examine this pretended toleration and charity we shall have to confess that it is simply a sham1 having nothing whatever in it to make it deserve the name it takes4 ,you would not say of any man that he was of a tolerant and patient disposition because he was quite willing that some stranger should be interfered with1 provided he himself was let alone4 ,well1 that is precisely the tolerance of the nineteenth century4 ,the world is now tolerant about all things in which the rights of ,almighty ,god are concerned1 because it has made him a stranger to itself2 but it resents interference with itself1 and insists on being let alone in its own enjoyments as much as1 or more than1 ever4 ,the world1 then1 has not yet learned to be tolerant1 patient1 or charitable in any true sense of those words1 in spite of all its boasting2 and it is much to be feared that it never will4 ,after all1 it is not much wonder that it has not2 for this is a very difficult lesson1 and one which one must have the help of ,god to learn4 ,true tolerance or patience1 bearing with others when they interfere1 not with somebody else1 but with ourselves1 is a fruit of grace rather than of nature4 ,it cannot be expected from those who have rejected the grace of ,god as a needless encumbrance in the journey of life4 ,if they have the appearance of it1 it is only an outside finish of what is called politeness1 put on merely to save trouble and make things more comfortable on the whole4 ,but it is not for ,christians who are trying to live by the light of grace1 not of nature2 who believe in ,god and are trying to keep his commandments2 who wish to imitate ,christ1 and are receiving the sacraments which should enable them to do so1 to follow the example of such4 #dbd ,we ought to try to be really tolerant with our brethren1 whatever their faults or defects may be or however much they may put us out or interfere with our comfort consciously or unconsciously1 with patience1 supporting one another in charity1 as ,st4 ,paul says in the ,epistle of to-day4 ,and yet must we not confess that too often we do not even make an attempt to practise this virtue8 ,your neighbor offends you in some trifling way1 perhaps without really meaning to do so or knowing that he does2 it may be even by some peculiarity which is not really his fault at all4 ,do you put up with it2 do you say3 ,oh6 that is not much2 ,i must take people as ,i find them and as ,god made them1 not as ,i would like to have them2 we all have plenty of defects1 and perhaps ,i myself am the worst of all8 ,do you not rather say3 ,oh6 there is no getting along with such a person2 ,i will keep out of his way2 ,i cannot bear the sight of him2 it will be better for us to avoid speaking1 and the like8 ,this intolerance1 which is so common1 is simply avoiding a cross which we ought to carry1 not only for the love of ,god1 like all others1 but for the love of our neighbor also2 and especially when it comes from those who are our brethren not only by a common humanity but by a common faith1 who have with us1 as ,st4 ,paul goes on to remind us1 one ,lord1 one faith1 one baptism1 one ,god and ,father of all1 who is above all1 and through all1 and in us all4 ,try1 then1 to bear this cross cheerfully1 and show1 by so doing1 that you really are aiming to fulfil the great commandments given in to-day's ,gospel1 by loving ,god1 from whom it comes1 with your whole heart and soul and mind1 and your neighbor1 by whom it comes1 as yourself4 ------------------ #dbe ,eighteenth ,sunday after ,pentecost4 ,epistle4 #a ,corinthians i4 #d-h4 ,brethren3 ,i give thanks to my ,god always for you2 for the grace of ,god that is given you in ,christ ,jesus1 that in all things you are made rich in him1 in every word1 and in all knowledge3 as the testimony of ,christ was confirmed in you3 so that nothing is wanting to you in any grace1 waiting for the manifestation of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 who also will confirm you unto the end without crime1 in the day of the coming of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,matthew ix4 #a-h4 ,at that time3 ,jesus entering into a boat1 passed over the water and came into his own city4 ,and behold they brought to him a man sick of the palsy lying on a bed4 ,and ,jesus1 seeing their faith1 said to the man sick of the palsy3 ,son1 be of good heart1 thy sins are forgiven thee4 ,and behold some of the ,scribes said within themselves3 ,this man blasphemeth4 ,and ,jesus seeing their thoughts1 said3 ,why do you think evil in your hearts8 ,which is easier1 to say1 ,thy sins are forgiven thee2 or to say1 ,rise up and walk8 ,but that you may know that the ,son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins 7then saith he to the man sick of the palsy71 ,rise up3 take thy bed and go into thy house4 ,and he rose up1 and went into his house4 ,and the multitude seeing it1 feared1 and glorified ,god who had given such power to men4 -------------------- #dbf ,sermon ,,cxxviii4 ,why do you think evil in your hearts8 --,st4 ,matthew ix4 #d4 ,all those1 dear brethren1 who are trying to lead a holy life have a great horror of external sins4 ,they will not lie1 steal1 murder1 or be guilty of adultery or intemperance4 ,still1 ,i am afraid a great many of us are awfully careless about internal sins4 ,we forget that not only the sins which we openly commit1 but those also which we secretly assent to in our own minds1 are offences against ,god4 ,you can see this in to-day's ,gospel4 ,when our ,lord said to the sick man1 ,thy sins are forgiven thee1 the ,scribes directly said within themselves1 ,he blasphemeth2 and although they did not shape this sentence in words1 it was accounted to them for sin1 as we can see from the reply of ,jesus ,christ contained in the text4 ,you see1 then1 brethren1 if you want to keep your conscience clear1 you must not only avoid external but even internal sins4 ,indeed1 ,i think the sins which we commit internally are even more deadly than the external ones4 ,first1 because they always precede the open offence2 as our ,lord says in another place1 ,from the heart come forth evil thoughts1 murders1 adulteries1 fornications1 thefts1 false testimonies1 blasphemies4 ,now1 you will see at once that evil thoughts come first on the list1 by which ,i think our ,lord wishes to intimate that they are the root of all the others4 ,again1 evil thoughts1 whether they are against charity1 or against chastity1 or against faith--whether they are thoughts of pride1 of hatred1 or envy1 or avaricious thoughts--insomuch as they are concealed from the sight of others1 do not cause the same shame to the guilty person as an overt act would4 ,thus1 being the more easily committed1 they are the more frequent and the more deadly4 #dbg ,lastly1 dear friends1 evil thoughts pollute the mind and heart1 and in proportion as they and their darkness enter1 ,god and his brightness leave4 ,to indulge in evil thoughts is to defile the stream at its fountain-head and poison all the river below4 ,be on your guard1 then1 dear brethren1 against this insidious enemy4 ,perhaps evil thoughts against faith may assail you4 ,cast them out before they have time to enter fully into the mind4 ,many1 better perhaps and holier than you1 have in times past become heretics1 apostates1 enemies of ,god's church because they did not trample at once upon these beginnings of evil4 ,you may be assaulted by imaginations against holy purity4 ,stifle them1 ,i beseech you1 at once1 or they will grow in strength and gain in frequency till they have buried the grace of ,god1 peace of mind1 and strength of intellect in one common and unhallowed grave4 ,you have all doubtless heard of the avalanche which happens in regions where the mountains which rise from the great valley and tower above the nestling valleys are covered with perpetual snow4 ,perhaps it is a slight puff of air1 or the light tread of the mountain goat1 or it maybe nothing but the brushing of a bird's wing that detaches the ball of snow2 but be that as it may1 the particle1 once started1 rushes down the mountain-side1 gathering strength as it hurries on1 leaping from one precipice to another1 till finally1 having swept everything before it1 the enormous heap falls upon the peaceful village and buries everything in a chaos of indistinguishable death4 #dbh ,yet in the beginning that avalanche was but a ball of snow4 ,so it is with evil thoughts against faith1 chastity1 charity1 humility1 and all the other virtues4 ,once let them start and you can never tell in what awful ruin they will end4 ,nip evil thoughts1 then1 in the bud2 and as chief remedies ,i would say3 #a4 ,fill your mind with good thoughts4 ,a vessel cannot be full of two liquids at the same time4 ,think of heaven2 think of ,god1 of ,jesus1 of ,mary and her pure spouse1 ,st4 ,joseph4 #b4 ,remember the eye that sees the secrets of all hearts1 and ,him who saw the thoughts of the ,scribes in the ,gospel of to-day4 #c4 ,remember that you can commit a mortal sin by thought as well as by deed4 ,lastly1 picture to yourself ,one ever standing by your side1 with wounded hands and pierced heart1 whose name is faithful and true1 whose eyes are as a flame of fire1 and on his head many diadems2 who is clothed with a garment of blood1 and who cries to you night and day1 ,why do ye think evil in your hearts8 ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 --------------- ,sermon ,,cxxix4 ,and ,jesus seeing their faith1 said to the man sick of the palsy3 ,son1 be of good heart1 thy sins are forgiven thee4 --,st4 ,matthew ix4 #b4 ,these words of our ,lord must have been something of a surprise to the paralytic and his friends2 welcome they must have been1 but still unexpected1 and to some extent disappointing4 ,for the sick man had not been brought to ,christ to have his sins forgiven2 and that favor had not been asked1 at least no request had been made for it in words4 #dbi ,the paralytic himself must have wished it1 it is true1 for ,god never forgives our sins unless we desire forgiveness2 but he did not say so1 and his mind1 like those of his bearers1 was probably more occupied with his bodily than with his spiritual cure4 ,it will be worth our while to see why our ,saviour chose to give them this surprise2 why he did not cure the sick man first and forgive him afterwards4 ,that might seem to be the more natural way3 to restore him first to bodily health1 and then to move him by gratitude to repentance and conversion4 ,still1 when we come to consider it ,i think we shall hit upon two very good reasons for his course1 and that without very much reflection4 ,the first reason1 then1 for our ,lord doing as he did1 was to show us that the health of the soul is more important in his sight than that of the body1 and hence requires our first attention4 ,the second follows from the first3 it was to remind us that1 such being the case1 we cannot reasonably expect bodily health or any other temporal blessing if we neglect to reconcile ourselves to ,god4 ,now1 these are two things that all of us1 my dear brethren1 must certainly know very well1 otherwise they would not occur to our minds so readily4 ,but in spite of this we too often fail to give our knowledge a practical application4 ,how few there are1 strange to say1 who really act as if the health of their souls were of more importance than that of their bodies6 ,take1 for instance1 in proof of this1 a fact which we have often seen recorded lately in the daily papers4 ,the yellow fever1 you will hear1 has appeared in some ,southern town1 and what has been the result8 #dcj ,all the inhabitants1 who could leave the place immediately did so1 perhaps taking the very next train1 and1 it may be1 leaving their property in the hands of strangers4 ,well1 we may think this a little cowardly and foolish1 considering that1 after all1 there would not have been1 perhaps1 more than one chance in ten even of sickness1 if they had stayed2 but still we cannot blame them1 for we feel that we should very likely have done the same ourselves4 ,but how many would act in this way in the presence of a spiritual danger1 though it were much more certain and imminent than that of the body in this terrible ,southern plague8 ,ask yourselves the question1 you who remain contentedly in unnecessary occasions of sin1 with much more than one chance in ten1 nay1 with an absolute certainty1 that your soul will be not only sick but dead as long as you remain there2 ask yourselves if you value the health of your soul more than that of the body2 see if you practise what you must believe if you are a ,christian--that it is better to die even to-day in a state of grace than live for a moment in that of sin4 ,well1 whether you act on this belief or not4 ,almighty ,god does4 ,he shows you that1 as ,i have said1 in this ,gospel of to-day4 ,and it follows that you cannot please him or be in his grace as long as you do not do for your soul what you would do for your body2 that is1 as long as you do not remove it from needless dangers4 ,that is the first practical lesson to be learned from our ,lord's action in the cure of the paralytic4 #dca ,and the second is that1 if we hope to obtain from ,god temporal favors out of the natural order of his providence1 we must first provide for our souls1 which come first in his estimation4 ,and yet many people seem to expect him to reverse the order which he has established4 ,they promise conversion if they obtain the temporal blessing which they want4 ,they may succeed through his abundant mercy2 but the better and the surer course would be to think of the soul first and the body afterward4 ,seek first1 and he says1 the kingdom of ,god and his justice1 and all things shall be added unto you4 ,and remember that this must be the real disposition of your souls1 if you would be saved4 ,the catechism tells you that the only contrition which will obtain forgiveness1 even in the sacrament of ,penance1 must be what is called sovereign2 that is1 we should be more grieved for having offended ,god than for all the other evils that could happen to us4 ,think well of this1 and you will be able to add a good deal to what ,i have had time to say4 ------------------- #dcb ,nineteenth ,sunday after ,pentecost4 ,epistle4 ,ephesians iv4 #bc-bh4 ,brethren3 ,be ye renewed in the spirit of your mind3 and put on the new man1 who1 according to ,god1 is created in justice1 and holiness of truth4 ,wherefore1 putting away lying1 speak ye the truth every man with his neighbor3 for we are members one of another4 ,be angry1 and sin not4 ,let not the sun go down upon your anger3 ,give not place to the devil4 ,let him that stole1 steal now no more1 but rather let him labor1 working with his hands that which is good1 that he may have to give to him who is in need4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,matthew xxii4 #b-ad4 ,at that time3 ,jesus spoke to the chief priests and ,pharisees in parables1 saying3 ,the kingdom of heaven is like to a man being a king1 who made a marriage for his son4 ,and he sent his servants to call them that were invited to the marriage3 and they would not come4 ,again he sent other servants1 saying3 ,tell them that were invited3 ,behold1 ,i have prepared my dinner2 my beeves and fatlings are killed1 and all things are ready3 come ye to the wedding4 ,but they neglected1 and went their ways1 one to his farm1 and another to his merchandise4 ,and the rest laid hands on his servants1 and1 having treated them contumeliously1 put them to death4 ,but when the king heard of it he was angry1 and1 sending his armies1 he destroyed those murderers and burnt their city4 ,then he saith to his servants3 ,the wedding indeed is ready3 but they that were invited were not worthy4 ,go ye therefore into the highways1 and as many as you shall find1 invite to the wedding4 ,and his servants going out into the highways1 gathered together all that they found1 both bad and good3 and the wedding was filled with guests4 #dcc ,and the king went in to see the guests1 and he saw there a man who had not on a wedding garment4 ,and he saith to him3 ,friend1 how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment8 ,but he was silent4 ,then the king said to the waiters3 ,having bound his hands and feet1 cast him into the exterior darkness3 there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth4 ,for many are called1 but few are chosen4 ---------------------------- ,sermon ,,cxxx4 ,let him that stole1 steal now no more4 --,ephesians iv4 #bh4 ,these words1 dear friends1 are taken from the ,epistle appointed to be read to-day1 and contain a most useful lesson4 ,now1 ,i know the words steal1 stealing1 thief1 etc41 have a very ugly sound4 ,people have a horror of them4 ,the worst insult you can give to any one is to say1 ,you are a thief4 ,still1 in spite of this feeling1 we know that sins against justice are very often committed4 ,public men steal from public moneys4 ,employees rob their employers1 children steal from their parents1 servants from their masters1 trustees from those whose affairs they have under control1 and so on4 ,from the time that ,judas put his hand into the bag and filched from the scanty funds of his ,master and his brethren1 down to this present day1 there have been ,catholics who have so far forgotten themselves and the vocation to which they are called as to steal4 ,do you doubt this8 ,take up the first daily paper that comes to hand1 and you will have evidence in black and white4 #dcd ,now1 there are three ways in which we can commit the sin of stealing3 first1 by taking that which does not belong to us2 secondly1 by unjustly retaining what does not belong to us2 and1 thirdly1 by injuring what is not our own4 ,first1 then1 we must not take what is not our own4 ,now1 this you all know so well that ,i need only say a few words about it4 ,brethren1 the man1 woman1 or child who takes money1 articles1 clothing1 or what not from another1 without their consent and knowledge1 is a thief6 ,when such persons creep to the till1 the box1 the desk of their neighbors1 with stealthy tread and bated breath1 to take what does not belong to them1 ,god sees them1 ,god's angel sees them2 and1 could they but hear it1 they would be aware of a hundred voices crying aloud1 ,thou shalt not steal4 ,you are a thief6 ,you are a thief6 ,if you steal you must restore4 ,having stolen1 you will find it very difficult to restore even when you have the money4 ,if you do not restore 7being able7 you will go to that outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth4 ,oh6 then1 he that stole1 let him now steal no more4 ,again1 we must not retain what is not our own1 for this also is a species of stealing4 ,first under this head comes paying our just debts4 ,brethren1 owe no man anything1 says ,st4 ,paul4 ,now1 my friends1 if you contract debts1 and then when the time comes you do not pay them1 but use the money for other purposes1 you are unjustly retaining what is not your own1 and thereby commit a sin against justice4 ,there are some people who want 7as the saying is7 to have their cake and eat it4 #dce ,they run in debt1 they enjoy the things obtained on credit1 and then when the time comes to pay they want the money also4 ,brethren1 the motto of every ,catholic ought to be1 ,pay your way4 ,when we leave our debts long without liquidation we not only destroy our credit1 but we practically steal from our neighbor4 ,then we must be careful also to pay our debts to ,god by supporting our pastors and our churches4 ,it is a solemn command of ,god that we should give to the support of church and priest4 ,it is our duty4 ,it is a debt owing to ,god4 ,if you do not give of your means to this holy purpose you rob ,god--you steal from the ,almighty by retaining what belongs by right to church and pastor4 ,ah6 then1 he that stole1 let him now steal no more4 ,lastly1 we can sin against justice by injuring property or goods which belong to our neighbor4 ,now1 my friends1 if we hire a house or lands1 or if we take some official charge of our fellow-,christian's goods1 we ought to be as careful of these things as if they were our own4 ,if we1 through our carelessness1 our neglect1 allow another's property to be damaged1 lost1 lessened in any way in value1 we steal from him just that much4 ,be careful1 then1 of these sins against justice4 ,do not rob your fellow-men4 ,do not retain what is their due2 do not injure their goods or property4 ,remember the great ,god who sees you4 ,he is not only perfect charity2 he is also perfect justice1 and with his justice will he one day judge4 ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 ---------------------------- #dcf ,sermon ,,cxxxi4 ,and he sent his servants1 to call them that were invited to the marriage3 and they would not come4 --,st4 ,matthew xxii4 #c4 ,we cannot for a moment hesitate1 my dear brethren1 as to who is represented1 in this parable of our ,lord1 by the king who made a marriage for his son4 ,it is ,god the ,father2 and it is his ,divine ,son for whom he has made the marriage4 ,and that marriage is the union of our human nature with his divinity2 it is what we call the ,incarnation4 ,and those who were first invited to this marriage1 to partake of its benefits1 are the ,jews1 who were first called to the church1 to whom alone our ,lord himself preached1 and who were the first objects of the labors of his apostles2 but who would not answer the invitation1 even persecuting and putting to death those who gave it1 and thus causing it to be given to others--that is1 to ourselves--the city of ,jerusalem being at the same time destroyed1 together with the national existence of the ,jewish people1 as a punishment for their rejection of the ,gospel invitation4 ,we ,gentiles have accepted what they1 his chosen people1 refused4 ,we have come by faith and holy baptism to this marriage of the ,king's ,son1 for we are within the fold of his ,holy ,catholic ,church4 ,but having done so1 we are now all invited to sit down at the marriage feast4 ,it does not satisfy his love for us that we should simply be within the four walls of his house2 he wishes that we should also partake of the good things which he has prepared in it for the refreshment of our soul--that is to say1 the special graces which come to us only by means of the church1 and which are not found outside3 particularly the sacraments1 and1 most of all1 the great and wonderful ,sacrament of the ,altar1 in which he has given us his ,precious ,body and ,blood for the food of our souls4 #dcg ,this1 then1 is pre-eminently the marriage feast of which he has invited us to partake1 now that we are within his house4 ,it is the ,holy ,communion4 ,one would think we would be only too glad to do so4 ,you would not expect to find wedding guests insulting their host by refusing to taste of the refreshment prepared for them4 ,but how is it in fact8 ,as he has had to send all over the world by his messengers1 the apostles and their successors1 through its highways and byways1 to find people1 not rich and great1 as he might expect1 but poor1 humble1 and despised1 to fill up his house1 so he has to send round among those guests whom he has secured1 to beg them to eat at his table4 ,he has been obliged not only to ask them but to entreat them1 and even to command them1 under penalty of being turned out of his doors by excommunication1 if they refuse4 ,and in spite of all this1 there are so many that do refuse that he does not carry out this threat1 lest even his house should be deserted4 ,is not this a shame8 ,is it not too bad that we1 his miserable and unworthy guests1 who have no right to be in his church at all1 should have to be compelled to receive the food which he has prepared for us in it8 ,more especially when we remember what that food is2 that it is himself1 his own ,body and ,blood2 for such is his love that nothing else seemed to him good enough for us4 #dch ,here it is1 this royal banquet1 waiting for us all4 ,every day we are allowed to receive it4 ,and yet how few there are who do so6 ,if any one should go to ,holy ,communion once a month he is regarded rather as presumptuous than obedient4 ,in spite of our ,lord's repeated request1 his people do not seem to believe that it is his will that not only a few but all of them should frequently come to receive him in this sacrament of his love4 ,of course1 if you are to do his will in this matter1 you must in others too4 ,this feast is not for those who continually and obstinately break his laws4 ,but how often you can approach it is a question for those to whom it has been entrusted to decide4 ,let the responsibility rest on your confessor1 not on yourself4 ,do not let it be said that you1 who are invited1 will not come4 ,let not our ,lord have to reproach you with ingratitude4 ,let not his table be deserted through your fault4 ,the communion-rail is the place for all1 not for a few4 ,come1 then1 often to it1 if not for your own sakes1 at least for the sake of ,him who so longs to see you there and who has done so much for you4 ------------------- #dci ,twentieth ,sunday after ,pentecost4 ,epistle4 ,ephesians v4 #ae-ca4 ,see1 brethren1 how you walk circumspectly3 not as unwise1 but as wise3 redeeming the time1 for the days are evil4 ,wherefore become not unwise1 but understanding what is the will of ,god4 ,and be not drunk with wine1 wherein is luxury1 but be ye filled with the ,holy ,spirit4 ,speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns1 and spiritual canticles1 singing and making melody in your hearts to the ,lord3 giving thanks always for all things1 in the name of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 to ,god and the ,father3 being subject one to another in the fear of ,christ4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,john iv4 #df-ec4 ,at that time3 ,there was a certain ruler whose son was sick at ,capharnaum4 ,he having heard that ,jesus was come from ,judea into ,galilee1 went to him1 and prayed him to come down and heal his son1 for he was at the point of death4 ,then ,jesus said to him3 ,unless you see signs and wonders1 you believe not4 ,the ruler saith to him3 ,sir1 come down before that my son die4 ,jesus saith to him3 ,go thy way1 thy son liveth4 ,the man believed the word which ,jesus said to him1 and went his way4 ,and as he was going down1 his servants met him3 and they brought word1 saying that his son lived4 ,he asked therefore of them the hour wherein he grew better4 ,and they said to him3 ,yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him4 ,the father therefore knew that it was at the same hour that ,jesus said to him1 ,thy son liveth2 and himself believed1 and his whole house4 --------------------------- #ddj ,sermon ,,cxxxii4 ,sir1 come down before that my son die4 --,st4 ,john iv4 #di4 ,there are many useful lessons to be learnt from the ruler in to-day's ,gospel4 ,we can admire his confidence in ,jesus ,christ1 his perseverance in prayer1 his ready and speedy conversion to the faith4 ,there is1 however1 another lesson to be learnt from him which is contained in the above words3 ,lord1 come down before that my son die4 ,now1 disease1 sickness1 fever1 etc41 is1 as you know1 dear friends1 the symbol of sin1 while death is the symbol of mortal sin and eternal perdition4 ,now1 you will notice that the ruler did not wait till his son was dead before coming to ,christ3 he came when his child was at the point of death1 or when 7according to the exact meaning of the ,latin text7 he began to die4 ,the ruler1 then1 is a model for parents4 ,he teaches you what care you ought to take of your children's souls4 ,many of your children1 dear brethren1 are sick4 ,they are sinful1 disobedient1 careless1 and so forth4 ,now1 do you correct them in the beginning8 ,ah6 ,i know a great many of you do not4 ,you let them go on till the fever of sin rises higher and higher and burns fiercer and fiercer4 ,you let them go on till they die and are buried in habits of mortal sin1 and not till then do you call upon ,god and his church4 ,brethren1 of all things you should watch your children when they are young4 ,a husbandman does not try to force the well-grown wood to grow as he wishes2 he trains the young and tender shoots4 ,how often we see in the streets of our city a tribe of swaggering boys and wanton1 frivolous girls1 who have upon their faces the very mark of premature age and sinful precocity6 #dda ,we see young boys and girls at beer-gardens1 at variety theatres1 in billiard-saloons2 and1 alas6 if they are there1 there is every reason to fear that the grace of ,god does not adorn their souls4 ,these poor children are spiritually dead4 ,ah6 but there must have been a time when they began to die4 ,there must have been a moment when they first took to these scandalous habits4 ,then why did you not see that they went to confession1 to ,mass1 to ,holy ,communion8 ,why did you not insist upon their morning and evening prayers being said8 ,why did you not keep them at home after dark8 ,brethren1 soon we shall come to this pass3 that none will be considered a child after five years of age4 ,our children of this age and country are at the point of death4 ,they are growing up with ideas of false independence1 false liberality1 and false religious principles4 ,you parents1 then1 must call upon ,christ4 ,jesus is represented on earth by his church and his priests4 ,you must go1 then1 to church and priest1 if you want your children to be saved before they die the death of sin4 ,you must cut them off from the beginning of evil as soon as you see the least sign of the fever of sin upon them4 ,go yourself to ,jesus ,christ4 ,kneel down and pray for them4 ,lift up your voices and cry3 ,lord1 come down before that my child shall die4 ,send them to the sacraments2 send them to ,sunday-school2 send them to ,vespers and ,benediction4 ,above all1 interest yourself in your children4 ,go to ,jesus1 as the ruler did4 ,pray for your children every time you go to ,mass and ,communion1 and every night and morning4 #ddb ,do not let them form evil companions and low associates4 ,insist upon their obeying the parental authority1 and above all1 teach them that boys and girls of fifteen or sixteen are not men and women4 ,lastly1 let us all1 priests and people1 lift up our hands and cry to ,jesus3 ,lord1 come down before that these children die2 come down with thy lessons of obedience2 come down in ,holy ,communion2 come down with thy grace and with thy quickening ,spirit4 ,then1 if we do these things--if we attend to our solemn duties as parents and pastors--we may each expect to hear from our dear ,master's lips3 ,go thy way1 thy son liveth4 ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 -------------------- ,sermon ,,cxxxiii4 ,giving thanks always for all things4 --,ephesians v4 #bj4 ,if we stop a moment1 my dear brethren1 to consider the meaning of these words1 which we find in the ,epistle of to-day1 they will1 ,i think1 seem to us rather surprising2 and if we did not believe in the inspiration of their author we should be inclined to say that he rather exaggerated the truth1 and that we cannot be expected to take the lesson which he here teaches us quite literally4 ,surely1 we might say1 ,st4 ,paul must have meant that we should give thanks for all things which are really fit subjects for thanksgiving2 that we should not neglect our duty of gratitude to ,god for his benefits4 ,and when he tells us to give thanks for all things it was a little slip of his pen2 we muse understand not all things1 but all good things4 #ddc ,we might talk in this way1 ,i say1 if we did not know that ,st4 ,paul was inspired2 but knowing that1 we must drop the idea that there can be any mistake or exaggeration4 ,it must really be that we ought to give thanks for all things that happen to us1 without exception4 ,if our plans succeed we must give thanks2 but we must do the same if they fail4 ,whether our wishes are gratified or not1 we must give thanks4 ,if we have riches1 good health1 plenty of friends1 or if1 on the other hand1 we are poor1 sick1 and without a friend in the world1 we must thank ,god1 in adversity the same as in prosperity4 ,well1 you may say1 it must be so1 since we have the word of the ,holy ,ghost for it2 but1 for my part1 ,i cannot see how it can be4 ,i should be very willing to thank ,god for all these bad things1 but ,i do not see what there is in them to thank him for4 ,i acknowledge that ,i deserve punishment for my sins1 and ,i will try to take it with as good a grace as ,i can2 but as to giving thanks for it1 that is a little too much for me4 ,it seems to me that ,i should only be a hypocrite if ,i should pretend to do so4 ,some of you1 ,i am pretty sure1 feel like talking in this way1 at least at times when trouble has come upon you4 ,let us see if we cannot find the reason that your faith is so much tried4 ,it seems to me that it is because it seems to you that you are required to believe that evil is really good2 and of course that is as hard to believe as that black is really white4 ,you think that our ,lord means evil to you2 that he is acting with you as the authorities of the state might act4 ,if any one breaks the laws he is shut up in prison or has to pay a fine4 ,well1 that may do him good1 but it is not meant for that4 ,it is meant to do harm to him1 that others may profit by his example and that the good order of society may be maintained4 #ddd ,so a criminal cannot personally thank the judge1 if he sentences him to hard labor for five years4 ,it would not be reasonable for him to do so1 and the judge does not want him to do it1 for he does not mean to give him a favor4 ,so you think1 when our ,lord punishes you in any way1 that he really means to do you harm1 for some wise end in his providence1 to be sure1 but still really harm as far as you yourself are concerned4 ,you regard it simply as the satisfaction of his justice on you1 or perhaps for some good purpose in which you are not concerned2 and so it is as hard for you personally to thank him for it as to say that black is white4 ,but this is just where you are mistaken2 for there is a great difference between the punishments of ,god and those of man4 ,if our ,lord sends you any misfortune or cross it is principally for your own good4 ,he always has that in view2 he is not like a human judge4 ,he would not allow a hair of your head to be touched1 were it not really for your good2 for he loves you more dearly than your best friend in the world can possibly do4 ,this1 then1 my dear brethren1 is the right exercise for our faith3 not to believe that evil is good1 but to believe that ,god is good and does not mean evil to us1 and that when he gives what seems to be evil it is really a blessing in disguise4 ,though it is plain that it must be so1 instead of being contrary to reason1 still it is an exercise of faith for all that2 but an easy one1 if we will only try it4 #dde ,try it1 then1 when you are tempted to murmur against ,god's providence1 and you will be able to give thanks for all things1 whether they seem to be bad or good2 and you will see that after all it is only good things which you are told to thank him for1 because all things which he sends you really are good4 ---------------- #ddf ,twenty-first ,sunday after ,pentecost4 ,epistle4 ,ephesians vi4 #aj-ag4 ,brethren3 ,be strengthened in the ,lord1 and in the might of his power4 ,put you 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 blood3 but against principalities and powers1 against the rulers of the world of this darkness1 against the spirits of wickedness in the high places4 ,wherefore take unto you the armor of ,god1 that you may be able to resist in the evil day1 and to stand in all things perfect4 ,stand1 therefore1 having your loins girt about with truth1 and having on the breastplate of justice3 and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace3 in all things taking the shield of faith1 wherewith you may be able to extinguish all the fiery darts of the most wicked one4 ,and take unto you the helmet of salvation2 and the sword of the ,spirit 7which is the word of ,god74 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,matthew xviii4 #bc-ce4 ,at that time3 ,jesus spoke to his disciples this parable3 ,the kingdom of heaven is likened to a king1 who would take an account of his servants4 ,and when he had begun to take the account1 one was brought to him that owed him ten thousand talents4 ,and as he had not wherewith to pay it1 his lord commanded that he should be sold1 and his wife and children and all that he had1 and payment to be made4 ,but that servant1 falling down1 besought him1 saying3 ,have patience with me1 and ,i will pay thee all4 ,and the lord of that servant being moved with compassion1 let him go1 and forgave him the debt4 #ddg ,but when that servant was gone out1 he found one of his fellow-servants that owed him a hundred pence2 and laying hold of him1 he throttled him1 saying3 ,pay what thou owest4 ,and his fellow-servant1 falling down1 besought him saying3 ,have patience with me1 and ,i will pay thee all4 ,and he would not3 but went and cast him into prison1 till he should pay the debt4 ,now his fellow-servants1 seeing what was done1 were very much grieved1 and they came and told their lord all that was done4 ,then his lord called him1 and said to him3 ,thou wicked servant6 ,i forgave thee all the debt1 because thou besoughtest me3 shouldst not thou then have had compassion also on thy fellow-servant1 even as ,i had compassion on thee8 ,and his lord being angry1 delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all the debt4 ,so also shall my heavenly ,father do to you1 if you forgive not every one his brother from your hearts4 ------------------------ ,sermon ,,cxxxiv4 ,our wrestling is not against flesh and blood3 but against principalities and powers4 --,ephesians vi4 #ab4 ,it is a most important truth1 my brethren1 and a very practical one for all of us1 which is contained in these words of ,st4 ,paul2 and it is the subject of the whole ,epistle of this ,sunday1 from which this passage is taken4 ,this truth is that we have a host of enemies to contend with in the battle which we must fight to win the kingdom of heaven1 who are much more powerful than flesh and blood--that is1 than any human foes2 much more formidable than any others which attack us1 from within or from without4 #ddh ,who are these enemies8 ,they are ,satan and all his army of fallen angels4 ,that these are what the apostle means by principalities and powers is plain from these very words1 which are the names1 as you know1 of two of the nine angelic choirs4 ,it is plain also1 from what he says immediately before1 that we should put on the armor of ,god1 in order to be able to stand against the deceits of the devil4 ,who can doubt that these lost spirits are terrible enemies to our salvation8 ,they desire nothing more earnestly than our eternal ruin1 and labor most persistently to bring it about4 ,they have a malicious hatred and envy for us1 and spare no effort to induce us to sin1 as that is the greatest evil which can happen to us4 ,as there is joy before the angels of ,god upon one sinner who repents1 so there is exultation among these fallen angels over every one who does not1 and especially over every one who repents of his repentance and turns to sin again4 ,and besides the will which they have to injure us1 they have an immense power to do so4 ,they are superior to us in the order of creation2 they have much more intelligence1 knowledge1 and strength than we4 ,if they were permitted they could easily make us all subject to them1 and reign over us with a more cruel tyranny than the world has ever seen4 ,well1 father1 you may say to me1 of course this must be true2 but then they are not permitted to trample on us in this way4 ,god holds them in check1 so that they cannot do us the harm which they wish1 and would otherwise be able to accomplish4 ,i grant you this4 ,they certainly are not allowed to do us all the harm they might do and would like to do2 but they are allowed to do a great part of it--so much that1 without the help of ,god on our side1 they would1 even as it is1 destroy us1 soul and body4 #ddi ,by our own strength we cannot possibly escape these terrible and merciless enemies1 but only by the power of ,god4 ,without that we should be as helpless before them as a child among lions and tigers4 ,if we would escape them it can only be1 then1 by calling upon ,god1 and getting from him the strength and protection which he alone can give4 ,this is what ,st4 ,paul tells us in this ,epistle1 ,put on the armor of ,god1 he says2 and again1 ,take unto you the armor of ,god4 ,if you do not you will fall4 ,our ,lord has allowed the devils to have the power which they still have to injure us1 that we may learn in our dire extremity to have recourse to him4 ,and yet so far are we from realizing our danger1 and seeking the only protection which can save us1 that many ,christians seem almost to doubt1 like infidels1 the very existence of the devil and his angels4 ,there is nothing which ,satan likes better than this1 or which puts us more completely in his power4 ,he does not care that we should know4 ,just now at least1 who does us the harm1 so long as the harm is done2 and he knows that if we do not believe in him we shall not look out for him1 and that if we do not look out for him we shall certainly fall into his snares4 ,rouse yourselves1 then1 my brethren1 from this indifference to your greatest peril4 ,believe1 with a real and practical belief1 in the existence and the tremendous power of these enemies who are hunting down your souls4 ,know that you cannot resist them of your own strength1 and act on that knowledge4 ,pray to ,god to protect you1 to keep them from you1 and you from them4 ,ask ,our ,blessed ,lady1 who is their terror1 to drive them away1 and your guardian angel to keep them from your side4 ,avoid the occasions of sin which they prepare for you4 #dej ,flee from them if you can2 if not1 resist them1 and they will flee from you2 but when you resist them1 let it be in the name of ,him who has conquered them1 or they will conquer you4 ----------------------- #dea ,twenty-second ,sunday after ,pentecost4 ,epistle4 ,philippians i4 #f-aa4 ,brethren3 ,we are confident of this very thing1 that he1 who hath begun a good work in you1 will perfect it unto the day of ,christ ,jesus4 ,as it is meet for me to think this for you all3 because ,i have you in my heart2 and that in my bonds1 and in the defence1 and confirmation of the gospel1 you all are partakers of my joy4 ,for ,god is my witness1 how ,i long after you all in the bowels of ,jesus ,christ4 ,and this ,i pray1 that your charity may more and more abound in knowledge1 and in all understanding3 that you may approve the better things1 that you may be sincere and without offence unto the day of ,christ4 ,replenished with the fruit of justice through ,jesus ,christ1 unto the glory and praise of ,god4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,matthew xxii4 #ae-ba4 ,at that time3 ,the ,pharisees going away1 consulted among themselves how to ensnare ,jesus in his speech4 ,and they sent to him their disciples with the ,herodians1 saying3 ,master1 we know that thou art a true speaker1 and teachest the way of ,god in truth1 neither carest thou for any man2 for thou dost not regard the person of men4 ,tell us1 therefore1 what dost thou think4 ,is it lawful to give tribute to ,csar1 or not8 ,but ,jesus1 knowing their wickedness1 said3 ,why do you tempt me1 ye hypocrites8 ,show me the coin of the tribute4 ,and they offered him a penny4 ,and ,jesus saith to them3 ,whose image and inscription is this8 ,they say unto him3 ,csar's4 ,then he saith to them3 ,render1 therefore1 to ,csar the things that are ,csar's1 and to ,god the things that are ,god's4 ----------------------- #deb ,sermon ,,cxxxv4 ,the ,pharisees going away1 consulted among themselves how to ensnare him in his speech4 --,st4 ,matthew xxii4 #ae4 ,it is needless to say1 brethren1 that they waited in vain4 ,our dear ,lord never uttered anything but words of wisdom1 justice1 and piety4 ,is it so with us8 ,we have enemies1 strong and powerful1 who have consulted among themselves how to ensnare us in our speech4 ,satan and his demons1 evil companions1 enemies of the holy faith--all these are watching to see if they cannot destroy us by means of our tongue4 ,what1 then1 must we do to control it1 of which ,st4 ,james says3 ,the tongue is a fire1 a world of iniquity2 the tongue is placed among our members which defileth the whole body1 being set on fire by hell8 ,we must watch it carefully1 watch it jealously1 watch it constantly4 ,some of the older writers have said that nature herself has taught us how careful we ought to be of our tongue4 ,first1 because we have only one4 ,we have two eyes1 two ears1 two hands1 two feet1 but only one tongue4 ,again1 the tongue is placed in the centre of the head1 to show 7as they say7 that it ought to be under the absolute control of our reason2 again1 because nature places it behind two barriers1 the lips and teeth1 so as to keep it prisoner2 and1 lastly 7says an old writer in his quaint way71 because it is chained in the mouth4 ,but there are other more solid reasons than these for watching our tongue4 #dec ,there is nothing so poisonous as a bitter word1 an uncharitable remark1 an offensive observation4 ,words such as these have ruined families1 have caused murders1 have damned souls4 ,how often has a bitter word rankled so deeply in our neighbor's mind and heart that he curses us1 refuses to speak to us1 and thus is driven by us into mortal sin6 ,what then8 ,the devil1 who is on the watch1 has ensnared us in our speech2 he has got one more sin recorded against us4 ,had we watched our tongues he would not have caught us2 we should not have sinned2 our neighbor would not have been scandalized4 ,how common it is for us to hear ,god's name taken in vain and spoken lightly2 how frequently1 alas6 do we hear the sweet name of ,jesus used for a curse2 how often that holy name1 which is above every name1 is bandied about as though it were as the name of the lowest of creatures6 ,blasphemer6 reviler of the ,holy ,one6 ,satan has ensnared you in your speech4 ,you have cursed1 blasphemed1 sinned6 ,had you watched your tongue you had not done so4 ,and what horrible mutterings are these that we hear coming up from dark corners1 from workshops1 from factories1 from lodging-houses1 from streets8 ,what whisperings are these1 hot and burning with the fire of hell8 ,they are words of impurity and bad conversations4 ,they are accents that slay living souls1 that pollute both the lips of the speaker and the ears of the listener2 and1 alas6 the tongue1 the unguarded1 unwatched tongue1 is the offender again4 ,ah6 you are ensnared once more in your speech4 ,watch your tongue1 then1 lest you die the death of mortal sin4 ,there is an every-day expression1 brethren1 which contains1 ,i think1 the best advice that can be given you2 and that is1 ,hold your tongue4 ,yes1 hold it under control of reason2 chain it by prayer and the sacraments4 #ded ,if it wants to run into bitter words and unkind speeches1 hold it back4 ,if it wants to blaspheme1 hold it2 hold it1 or you are lost6 ,if it wants to utter words contrary to ,christian modesty1 hold it for ,christ's sake1 or you are undone4 ,take care lest ,satan ensnare you in your speech2 if he does he will condemn you to a cruel death in hell4 ,speech is silver and silence is gold4 ,few1 if any1 have been saved by much speaking2 many have been lost by it4 ,oh6 then1 watch your tongue lest it destroy you4 ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 ------------------------ ,sermon ,,cxxxvi4 ,render1 therefore1 to ,csar the things that are ,csar's1 and to ,god the things that are ,god's4 --,st4 ,matthew xxii4 #ba4 ,what does our ,lord mean by this1 my brethren8 ,he seems to say that there are some things which do not belong to ,god1 but to some one else2 that ,god has only a partial right in this world which he has created4 ,it would appear to belong partly to ,csar2 and who can this ,csar be1 who shares the earth with its ,creator8 ,csar was the name of the ,roman emperor1 and our ,lord means by ,csar the temporal authority of the state4 ,now1 it must seem absurd to any ,catholic1 and indeed to any one who believes in ,god at all1 to say that this authority has any right in the world other than that which ,god has lent to it2 so we cannot imagine that our ,lord meant anything like that4 ,nevertheless1 there are plenty of people1 who do not profess to be atheists1 who really maintain not only that the state has rights against him1 but even that its right always prevails over his4 ,they say that we must render everything to ,csar1 whether ,god wants it or not2 that the law of the state must be obeyed1 even against the law of ,god as shown to us by conscience4 #dee ,these people are really atheists1 whether they profess to be or not4 ,the only true ,god1 in whom we believe1 will not and cannot resign his right to our obedience or give up his eternal laws4 ,nay1 more1 he will and must reserve to himself the right of making new laws if he pleases1 and annulling laws of the state which are contrary to them4 ,besides all this1 he has also only given to the state a limited sphere in which it can work1 and in which only its laws can have any force--that is1 he will only allow it to make laws providing for the temporal well-being of its subjects4 ,this1 then1 is what belongs to ,csar--that is1 to the state4 ,it has the right to claim and enforce our obedience to laws intended for the temporal welfare of its subjects1 and to these only as far as they are not contrary to the eternal law of ,god1 or to others which he may choose to make4 ,and that is all4 ,when it does not exceed its rights we must give our obedience to it2 and we must presume that it does not exceed them unless it is clear that it does4 ,this is what we must render to ,csar4 ,but how shall we tell that it does exceed its rights8 ,first1 by the voice of conscience1 when that voice is clear and certain2 secondly1 by our knowledge of the laws which ,god himself has made2 lastly1 by the voice of that other authority which he has put in the world to provide for our spiritual welfare--that is1 the ,catholic ,church4 ,when ,god speaks to us in either of these ways we must obey him whether it interferes with ,csar or not2 this is what we must render to him4 #def ,if the state makes a law commanding us to blaspheme1 deny our faith1 or commit impurity1 we will not obey4 ,conscience annuls such a law4 ,if the state commands us to do servile work on ,sunday its law has no force4 ,we know that ,god's law is against it4 ,and1 lastly1 if the state goes outside its sphere1 and makes laws regarding things not belonging to its jurisdiction1 as the sacraments1 we are not bound by such laws4 ,it has no power1 for instance1 to declare marriage among ,christians valid or invalid4 ,the church has told us this plainly4 ,it is here specially where the state goes out of its province1 that it is subject to correction by the church2 though it may be in other matters also4 ,our ,lord1 then1 means that we should render to ,csar the things that belong to him1 not because of any right that he has in himself1 but because ,god has lent it to him2 but that we should render to ,god the things that he has not lent to ,csar1 whether ,csar consents or not4 ,obedience must always be given to ,god4 ,give it to him through the state in those things about which he has given the state authority1 and in other things without regard to the state2 thus shall you render to ,csar the things which are ,csar's1 and to ,god the things that are ,god's4 ------------------ #deg ,twenty-third ,sunday after ,pentecost4 ,epistle4 ,philippians iii4 #ag2 iv4 #c4 ,be followers of me1 brethren1 and observe them who walk so as you have our model4 ,for many walk1 of whom ,i have told you often 7and now tell you weeping7 that they are enemies of the cross of ,christ3 whose end is destruction1 whose ,god is their belly1 and whose glory is in their shame3 who mind earthly things4 ,but our conversation is in heaven3 from whence also we wait for the ,saviour1 our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 who will reform the body of our lowness1 made like to the body of his glory1 according to the operation whereby also he is able to subdue all things unto himself4 ,therefore1 my dearly beloved brethren1 and most desired1 my joy and my crown3 so stand fast in the ,lord1 my most dearly beloved4 ,i beg of ,euodia1 and ,i beseech ,syntyche to be of one mind in the ,lord4 ,and ,i entreat thee1 my sincere companion1 help those women who have labored with me in the ,gospel1 with ,clement and the rest of my fellow-laborers1 whose names are in the book of life4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,matthew ix4 #ah-bf4 ,at that time3 ,as ,jesus was speaking these things unto them1 behold a certain ruler came1 and adored him1 saying3 ,lord1 my daughter is just now dead2 but come1 lay thy hand upon her1 and she shall live4 ,and ,jesus1 rising up1 followed him1 with his disciples4 ,and behold a woman who was troubled with an issue of blood twelve years1 came behind him1 and touched the hem of his garment4 ,for she said within herself3 ,if ,i shall but touch his garment ,i shall be healed4 ,but ,jesus1 turning about and seeing her1 said3 ,take courage1 daughter1 thy faith hath made thee whole4 #deh ,and the woman was made whole from that hour4 ,and when ,jesus came into the house of the ruler1 and saw the minstrels and the crowd making a rout1 he said3 ,give place1 for the girl is not dead1 but sleepeth4 ,and they laughed at him4 ,and when the crowd was turned out he went in1 and took her by the hand1 and the girl arose4 ,and the fame hereof went abroad into all that country4 ----------------- ,sermon ,,cxxxvii4 ,my daughter is just now dead2 but come1 lay thy hand upon her1 and she shall live4 --,st4 ,matthew ix4 #ah4 ,such was the entreaty made by the ruler to our ,lord in to-day's ,gospel1 and such are the words that the ,lord says to us during the month of ,november1 in behalf of the poor souls in purgatory4 ,these souls have been saved by the ,precious ,blood1 they have been judged by ,jesus ,christ with a favorable judgment1 they are his spouses1 his sons and daughters1 his children4 ,he cries to us1 ,my children are even now dead2 but come1 lay your hands upon them1 and they shall live4 ,what hand is that which our ,lord wants us to lay upon his dead children8 ,brethren1 it is the hand of prayer4 ,now1 it seems to me that there are three classes of persons who ought to be in an especial manner the friends of ,god's dead children1 three classes who ought always to be extending a helping hand to the souls in purgatory4 ,first1 the poor1 because the holy souls are poor like yourselves4 ,they have no work--that is to say1 the day for them is past in which they could work and gain indulgences and merit1 the money with which the debt of temporal punishment is paid2 for them the night has come when no man can work4 #dei ,they are willing to work1 they are willing to pay for themselves1 but they cannot2 they are out of work1 they are poor1 they cannot help themselves4 ,they are suffering1 as the poor suffer in this world from the heats of summer and the frosts of winter4 ,they have no food2 they are hungry and thirsty2 they are longing for the sweets of heaven4 ,they are in exile2 they have no home2 they know there is abundance of food and raiment around them which they cannot themselves buy4 ,it seems to them that the winter will never pass1 that the spring will never come2 in a word they are poor4 ,they are poor as many of you are poor4 ,they are in worse need than the most destitute among you4 ,oh6 then1 ye that are poor1 help the holy souls by your prayers4 ,secondly1 the rich ought to be the special friends of those who are in purgatory1 and among the rich we wish to include those who are what people call comfortably off4 ,god has given you charge of the poor2 you can help them by your alms in this world1 so you can in the next4 ,you can have ,masses said for them2 you can say lots of prayers for them1 because you have plenty of time on your hands4 ,again remember1 many of those who were your equals in this world1 who like yourselves had a good supply of this world's goods1 have gone to purgatory because those riches were a snare to them4 ,riches1 my dear friends1 have sent many a soul to the place of purification4 ,oh6 then1 those of you who are well off1 have pity upon the poor souls in purgatory4 ,offer up a good share of your wealth to have ,masses said for them4 ,do some act of charity1 and offer the merit of it for some soul who was ensnared by riches and who is now paying the penalty in suffering2 and spend some considerable portion of your spare time in praying for the souls of the faithful departed4 #dfj ,and lastly1 the sinners and those who have been converted from a very sinful life ought to be the friends of ,god's dear children4 ,why8 ,because although the souls in purgatory cannot pray for themselves1 they can pray for others1 and these prayers are most acceptable to ,god4 ,because1 too1 they are full of gratitude1 and they will not forget those who helped them when they shall come before the throne of ,god4 ,because sinners1 having saddened the ,sacred ,heart of ,jesus by their sins1 cannot make a better reparation to it than to hasten the time when he shall embrace these souls that he loves so dearly and has wished for so long4 ,because sinners have almost always been the means of the sins of others4 ,they have1 by their bad example1 sent others to purgatory4 ,ah6 then1 if they have helped them in they should help them out4 ,you1 then1 that are poor1 you that are rich1 you that have been great sinners1 listen to the voice of ,jesus2 listen to the plaint of ,mary during this month of ,november3 ,my children are now dead2 come lay thy prayers up for them1 and they shall live4 ,hear ,mass for the poor souls2 say your beads for them2 supplicate ,jesus and ,mary and ,joseph in their behalf4 ,fly to ,st4 ,catherine of ,genoa and beg her to help them1 and many and many a time during the month say with great fervor3 ,may the souls of the faithful departed1 through the mercy of ,god1 rest in peace6 ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 -------------------------- #dfa ,sermon ,,cxxxviii4 ,when ,jesus was come into the house of the ruler1 and saw the minstrels and the crowd making a rout1 he said1 ,give place4 --,st4 ,matthew ix4 #bc4 ,one of the great difficulties against which ,god's church has to contend to-day is the spirit of worldliness which has crept in to a very serious extent among the faithful4 ,there are many dear brethren among us who 7as ,st4 ,paul says to-day in the ,epistle7 mind earthly things2 ,catholics who try as far as they can to conform themselves to this world and the fashions thereof4 ,we can see this worldly spirit in the manner in which many ,catholics dress1 the style with which they decorate their houses1 the way in which they speak and act4 ,but there is another way by which this tendency is indicated4 ,i mean the manner in which we bury our dead4 ,now1 certainly1 there is nothing more beautiful to the eye of faith than a dead ,christian body4 ,what is it that lies there still1 and motionless1 and cold8 ,a corpse8 ,yes2 but something more than that4 ,brethren1 that poor dead thing is beautiful1 it is holy4 ,its head has been touched by the cleansing waters of baptism and anointed with holy chrism1 its tongue has touched the ,body and ,blood of ,christ4 ,its eyes1 ears1 and hands1 all its senses have been anointed with holy oil4 ,that poor body has been the temple of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,more than this3 that cold clay is a germ1 a seed from which one day shall rise a fairer flower than earth hath ever seen2 for1 as ,st4 ,paul says1 ,that which thou sowest is not quickened except it die first4 ,and that which thou sowest thou sowest not the body that shall be1 but bare grain1 as of wheat or of some of the rest4 #dfb ,yes1 brethren1 this dead thing is the bare grain1 but in the eternal spring-time it shall bud forth into the full ear1 for it is the seed of a body glorified by the power of ,god4 ,oh6 then1 seeing how holy the dead body of a ,christian is1 no wonder that the church should surround the burial of it with a certain holy pomp4 ,she burns lights by its side1 she carries it in procession1 she sprinkles it with holy water1 she censes it with incense4 ,not only does she pray for the soul1 she also respects the body4 ,so then1 dear friends1 to show respect for the dead1 to surround them with that pomp which the church wishes1 is well and good2 but to make a dead body an object about which to display earthly vanity and pride is to defile that which is holy and outrage that which is decent4 ,yet this is often done4 ,in place of the simple shroud or the holy habit which used to be considered the proper raiment of the departed1 we now see them arrayed in garments which vie in extravagance and fashion with those of the theatre and the ball-room4 ,oh6 brethren1 when ,i think of our dear ,master's body1 in ,bethlehem's manger1 wrapped up in swathing bands1 in the holy garden enveloped in linen cloths1 and even to this day reposing upon our altars on the fair white linen corporal1 it shocks me to think of those ,christian dead who go down to the tomb decked out in silks and lace1 and satins and trinkets1 as though they were rather the votaries of earth than the heirs of the kingdom of heaven4 ,i seem to see the ,master standing by1 and saying1 ,give place4 #dfc ,again1 what an abuse it is to see a body followed to the grave by a train of carriages which would often be more than enough for the funeral of a cardinal or a pope4 ,what some one has called the eternal fitness of things requires that something of public display should be made over those whom ,god has set in authority4 ,but to make such display over any ordinary ,christian is simply absurd4 ,oh6 my dear friends1 far better spend your money to have ,masses said for the soul than for a hundred vehicles to follow the body4 ,alas6 ,i fear those hundred carriages and two hundred horses soothe your pride far more than they comfort the poor soul in purgatory who is panting and longing for the possession of ,god4 ,let me end with a slight paraphrase of the text1 such as we may imagine our ,lord1 were he now on earth1 might use3 ,and when ,jesus was come into the house of death1 and saw the silks and the satins1 and the worldly display1 and the multitude making a tumult1 and the horses and the carriages1 and the garlands and the wreaths1 and the feasting1 he said3 ,give place1 give place to me and to my church2 and may the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace4 ,amen4 ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 --------------------- ,sermon ,,cxxxix4 ,many walk1 of whom ,i have told you often 7and now tell you weeping7 that they are enemies of the cross of ,christ3 whose end is destruction1 whose ,god is their belly1 and whose glory is in their shame3 who mind earthly things4 --,philippians iii4 #ah1 #ai4 #dfd ,here ,st4 ,paul gives us1 dear brethren1 a rule by which we may know1 by their manner of living1 the difference between the bad and the good anywhere in the world4 ,this rule1 however1 shows us also who is a bad ,christian and who is a good one4 ,for it is too true that we can find many1 calling themselves ,catholics1 who hate the cross1 who find their happiness in sensuality1 who love this world more than they love ,god1 and who make a boast of their sins and crimes4 ,the end of these is indeed destruction and eternal ruin4 ,now1 who are they8 ,one need not go far to find them4 ,they are those who are boasting about how much they can eat and drink more than another4 ,they are those who try to drink others drunk1 and then brag about it4 ,they even make a laughing-stock of the poor1 wretched man or woman who can't stand as much as they can4 ,neither are they to be found only among the men who almost live around and in grog-shops4 ,young men of great respectability and old gray-headed parents1 of high position in society1 do these things4 ,they even look with contempt upon him who can't sin as much and as boldly as they do4 ,more than all1 the poor man feels ashamed and blushes because he is not superior to them in this kind of wickedness4 ,in the same way do some boast of their impurities1 and their lying and swindling1 in a business way1 as they call it4 ,these indeed glory in that which is a shame to the heathen4 ,how much more1 indeed1 then1 is this a shame to him who calls himself a ,christian4 #dfe ,but these are not the only crimes in which they glory who are enemies of the cross of ,jesus ,christ4 ,there are those who cannot bear to be outdone in malice or revenge4 ,often do we hear them say1 ,i paid him off for it1 or again1 ,she got as good as she sent4 ,this generally means that by malice1 spite1 revenge1 the one who did the first wrong was punished more severely than justice required4 ,it means that the devil and one's evil passions were listened to1 their promptings followed1 and all made a boast of afterwards4 ,a beautiful ,christian example6 ,two immortal souls trying to see which can insult the crucified ,redeemer the most6 ,how can such an one ever kiss the crucifix8 ,how dare to press those lips there represented1 from which blessings were always returned for cursing8 ,again1 those who glory in their shame are those who boast of their careless lives1 of never going to ,mass1 to confession1 or to their ,easter-duty1 and of never observing the light law of the church by keeping the fasts of ,lent and other days4 ,others1 again1 boast of spending their money freely1 not heeding the cries of wife and children for food4 ,they neglect those who have been entrusted to them by ,god4 ,they let the poor wife work herself to death merely because they love the praise of a world which calls their folly openheartedness4 ,these are really the meanest of men1 but they believe the world when it calls them good1 generous1 noble4 ,all of these are1 indeed1 truly enemies of the cross which all ,christians are bound to love4 ,they are its enemies because the cross saves mankind1 whereas they try to ruin souls4 ,by their example and false teaching they make others like themselves4 ,they help souls to hell while our crucified ,lord is trying to save them4 ,they take the part of the devil against their ,god4 --------------------- #dff ,easter being a movable ,feast which can occur on any day from the #bb;d of ,march to the #beth of ,april1 the number of ,sundays between ,epiphany and ,septuagesima1 and between ,pentecost and ,advent1 varies according to the situation of ,easter4 ,there are always at least two ,sundays1 unless ,epiphany falls on a ,sunday1 and never more than six1 between ,epiphany and ,septuagesima4 ,likewise1 there are never fewer than twenty-three ,sundays after ,pentecost1 or more than twenty-eight4 ,the ,gospel and ,epistle for the last ,sunday after ,pentecost are always the same4 ,when there are twenty-three ,sundays1 the ,gospel and ,epistle for the last ,sunday are substituted for those of the twenty-third4 ,when there are twenty-five ,sundays1 the ,gospel and ,epistle for the sixth ,sunday after ,epiphany are taken2 when there are twenty-six1 those also of the fifth after ,epiphany2 when there are twenty-seven1 those of the fourth1 and when there are twenty-eight those of the third1 in order to fill up the interval which occurs4 ,in any year1 in which there are more than twenty-four ,sundays after ,pentecost1 proper sermons for these ,sundays are to be found among those which are arranged for the ,sundays following the ,feast of the ,epiphany4 ,if one sermon is wanting1 it is taken from the sixth ,sunday after ,epiphany2 if two1 three1 or four are needed1 the last two or three or four sermons which precede ,septuagesima are to be taken1 in their order4 -------------------- #dfg ,twenty-fourth or ,last ,sunday after ,pentecost4 ,epistle4 ,colossians i4 #i-ad4 ,brethren3 ,we cease not to pray for you1 and to beg that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding3 that you may walk worthy of ,god1 in all things pleasing3 being fruitful in every good work1 and increasing in the knowledge of ,god3 strengthened with all might according to the power of his glory1 in all patience and long-suffering with joy1 giving thanks to ,god the ,father1 who hath made us worthy to be partakers of the lot of the saints in light3 who hath delivered us from the power of darkness1 and hath translated us into the kingdom of the ,son of his love3 in whom we have redemption through his blood1 the remission of sins4 ,gospel4 ,st4 ,matthew xxiv4 #ae-ce4 ,at that time3 ,jesus said to his disciples3 ,when you shall see the abomination of desolation1 which was spoken of by ,daniel the prophet1 standing in the holy place3 he that readeth1 let him understand4 ,then let those that are in ,judea flee to the mountains4 ,and he that is on the house-top1 let him not come down to take anything out of his house3 and he that is in the field1 let him not go back to take his coat4 ,and woe to them that are with child1 and that give suck in those days4 ,but pray that your flight be not in the winter or on the ,sabbath4 ,for there shall be then great tribulation1 such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now1 neither shall be4 ,and unless those days had been shortened1 no flesh should be saved3 but for the sake of the elect those days shall be shortened4 #dfh ,then1 if any man shall say to you3 ,lo1 here is ,christ1 or there1 do not believe him4 ,for there shall arise false christs and false prophets1 and shall show great signs and wonders1 insomuch as to deceive 7if possible7 even the elect4 ,behold ,i have told it to you beforehand4 ,if therefore they shall say to you3 ,behold he is in the desert2 go ye not out3 ,behold he is in the closets2 believe it not4 ,for as lightning cometh out of the east1 and appeareth even unto the west1 so shall also the coming of the ,son of ,man be4 ,wheresoever the body shall be1 there shall the eagles also be gathered together4 ,and immediately after the tribulation of those days1 the sun shall be darkened1 and the moon shall not give her light1 and the stars shall fall from heaven1 and the powers of the heavens shall be moved4 ,and then shall appear the sign of the ,son of ,man in heaven3 and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn3 and they shall see the ,son of ,man coming in the clouds of heaven with great power and majesty4 ,and he shall send his angels with a trumpet1 and a great voice3 and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds1 from the farthest parts of the heavens to the uttermost bounds of them4 ,now learn a parable from the fig tree3 when its branch is now tender1 and the leaves come forth1 you know that summer is nigh4 ,so also you1 when you shall see all these things1 know that it is near1 even at the doors4 ,amen ,i say to you1 this generation shall not pass till all these things be done4 ,heaven and earth shall pass away1 but my words shall not pass away4 --------------- ,sermon ,,cxl4 ,behold ,i have told it to you beforehand4 --,st4 ,matthew xxiv4 #be4 #dfi ,once in a venerable manor-house1 at the head of the carved oak stairway1 stood an old clock4 ,about half a minute before it struck it made a curious1 buzzing1 whirring sound4 ,then all the children of the house said1 ,ah6 the old clock is warning2 and upstairs they ran to see the clock strike4 ,the clock told them beforehand what it was going to do4 ,now1 brethren1 there is a clock that has gone on warning and striking for many a century1 and that clock is called the ,church's ,year4 ,it was wound up last ,advent1 and since then it has struck ,christmas1 it has struck ,epiphany1 it has struck ,st4 ,paul's ,day1 it has struck ,easter1 ,pentecost1 ,assumption1 ,all ,saints and ,all ,souls4 ,to-day it has nearly run down2 it is warning for next ,sunday1 when it will strike ,advent again4 ,the ,church1 next ,sunday1 will bring you face to face with judgment4 ,to-day she warns you that the great season of ,advent is coming once more2 that the old year is passing1 that the new one is about to begin4 ,so1 then1 brethren1 before the clock strikes for judgment1 before time is dead1 while life and grace and opportunities still remain1 take up your stand before the old clock2 look at the hours depicted on the dial1 and ask yourself how you spent last year1 how you would be prepared if judgment should come to you a week hence4 ,listen6 ,how merrily that chime rings4 ,you heard it about a year ago4 ,it was the ,church clock striking ,christmas4 ,where were you then8 ,some of you1 we know1 were where you should be--at holy ,mass1 receiving ,holy ,communion at the altar-rail4 ,you heard the organ pealing and the choir singing ,adeste fideles2 you saw the little ,infant ,jesus in the crib1 and the bright evergreens decking the church1 and felt in your hearts that indeed there was peace on earth4 ,happy you if it was thus4 #dgj ,but alas6 was it so8 ,were you not away from ,mass last ,christmas8 ,were you not neglecting your religion8 ,were you not in mortal sin8 ,were you not revelling1 getting drunk1 thinking rather of feasting and enjoying yourselves than of devotion and thanksgiving8 ,then the hour of ,epiphany struck6 ,what gifts had you to bring to the manger-bed8 ,had you the gold of ,christian charity to present8 ,had you the incense of faith and the myrrh of sweet and fragrant hope8 ,ah6 it is to be feared that some knelt not at the manger-bed of ,jesus1 but on the brink of hell3 forgetting ,god1 scandalizing their neighbor1 damning their own souls4 ,on the ,feast of ,light 7as the ,epiphany is sometimes called7 some were kneeling at the shrine of the world and 'holding the candle to the devil4 ,didn't you hear the pendulum of the old clock ticking1 ticking1 and seeming to say1 as it swung3 ,behold6 ,i have told you beforehand6 ,behold6 ,i have told you beforehand6 ,why1 then1 did you not do penance8 ,then came ,lent2 and on the first ,sunday of that holy time the clock warned loud and clear for ,easter4 ,a voice almost seemed to be heard shouting in your ears3 ,easter-duty6 ,easter-duty6 ',time and tide wait for no man6' ,and so at last the clock struck4 ,easter had passed4 ,you had been told beforehand4 ,you did not heed1 and thus1 oh6 listen heaven1 and listen hell1 another ,easter-duty was missed1 and another mortal sin committed4 ,to-day1 dear friends1 the ,church clock warns you again4 ,the ,church herself cries to you to cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light4 ,give ear1 then1 while there is yet life and hope4 ,have you been negligent8 ,better late than never2 now is the time to mend4 #dga ,have you been a drunkard8 ,now be sober and watch4 ,have you neglected your children8 ,begin to care for them as you should4 ,have you neglected the sacraments8 ,come1 prepare at once to receive them worthily4 ,whatever your state may be1 remember--judgment is coming2 death is at hand6 ,maybe ,god's clock in heaven already points1 for you1 at the last hour2 maybe this is the last time that you will be warned1 and then the clock will strike and you will be in eternity4 ,time and tide are rushing on4 ,every tick of the clock brings you nearer heaven or nearer hell4 ,oh6 then prepare yourself for the great day1 that so when time is dead and gone2 when the great clock strikes for the last time1 you may be found ready1 and go in with ,jesus to his marriage feast4 ,rev4 ,algernon ,a4 ,brown4 ----------------------------- ,sermon ,,cxli4 ,that you may walk worthy of ,god4 --,colossians i4 #aj4 ,brethren1 says ,st4 ,paul1 in the ,epistle of this ,sunday1 we cease not to pray for you1 444 that you may walk worthy of ,god4 ,these words may1 no doubt1 be understood to mean that we should live in such a way as to be worthy to receive ,god in his ,real ,presence at the time of ,holy ,communion1 and by his grace at all times2 and1 finally1 to receive him1 and to be received by him1 in his eternal kingdom of glory4 ,but there is another sense1 perhaps a more natural one1 and certainly a more special one1 in which we may understand them4 #dgb ,this sense is1 that we should live in a way worthy of1 and suitable to1 the dignity and the favor which he has conferred upon us1 in making or considering us worthy1 as the apostle goes on to say1 to be partakers of the lot of the saints in light--that is in bringing us into1 and making us members of1 his one1 true1 and ,holy ,catholic ,church4 ,in other words1 that we should behave in such a way as to be creditable to him and to his holy church1 to which we belong4 ,now1 this is a point the importance of which cannot be overrated1 and which we are too apt to forget4 ,we lose sight of the fact that the honor of ,god and of his church has been placed in our hands1 and confided to our charge2 so that every sin which we commit1 besides its own proper malice1 has the malice of an indignity to the holy state to which we have been called4 ,for this reason1 a sin committed by a ,catholic is always greater than the same sin committed by any one else2 not only on account of the greater grace and clearer light which he has received1 but also because ,god is more specially robbed of his honor by it4 ,you all see this plainly enough when it is a question of a sin committed by one who has been called to the ecclesiastical or religious state4 ,if a priest or a religious is guilty of any offence1 though it be but a small one1 you are scandalized by it1 not only because he ought to have been better able to avoid it1 but also because it dishonors ,god's choice of him to be a special image in this world of his divine goodness4 #dgc ,but you forget that you also1 merely because you are ,catholics1 dishonor ,god1 and bring him and his holy religion into contempt by the sins which you commit4 ,it is plain enough1 however1 that you do1 though in a somewhat less degree than those whom he has more specially chosen4 ,and other people do not forget it1 though you may4 ,look at those ,catholics1 the world outside is continually saying2 they may belong to the true church1 but they do not do much honor to it4 ,see how they drink1 lie1 and swear4 ,if that is all the good it does one to be a ,catholic1 ,i would rather take my chance of saving my soul somewhere else than be reckoned among such people4 ,now1 it is all very true that such talk as this is unjust and unfair1 and that the very persons who say such things may really be much worse1 at least considering their temptations1 than those whom they find fault with4 ,but still they have a right to find fault that those whom ,god has brought into the true church are not evidently as much better as they ought to be1 than those whom he has not2 and you cannot altogether blame them for finding fault with him rather than with yourselves1 and saying that this ,catholic ,church of his is rather a poor instrument to save the world with4 ,remember then1 my brethren1 that a bad ,catholic is a disgrace to his church1 and a dishonor to ,almighty ,god1 who founded it4 ,a story is told of a man who1 when drunk1 would deny that he was a ,catholic2 he had the right feeling on this point1 though he committed a greater sin to save a less one4 ,imitate him1 not in denying your faith1 but in taking care not to disgrace it2 for ,god will surely require of you an account1 not only of your sins1 but also of the dishonor which they have brought on the holy name by which you are called4 ------------------ #dgd ,sermon ,,cxlii4 ,as lightning cometh out of the east1 and appeareth even unto the west3 so shall also the coming of the ,son of ,man be4 --,st4 ,matthew xxiv4 #bg4 ,these words of our ,lord1 my dear brethren1 refer principally to the general judgment1 which will come suddenly upon all1 at least all of those who shall be alive at the time when it shall occur4 ,and he could not have used a more striking comparison to show how sudden it will be2 how it will take every one unawares1 even of those who will be expecting it4 ,you know that when you watch the flashes of lightning in a thunder-storm1 though you are expecting them all the time1 yet each one takes you by surprise2 you hardly know that it has come till it has gone2 you do not so much see it as remember it4 ,so it will be at the last and awful day2 all at once1 without any warning1 the heavens will open1 and ,god will come suddenly1 not this time in mercy1 but in justice2 not to save the world1 but to judge it2 there will be no time even for an act of contrition1 but as every one is then found1 so will he be for all eternity4 ,probably you and ,i will not be in this world at the time of the general judgment2 it is most likely that we shall die before it comes4 ,we shall rise from our graves and be present at it1 but we shall have been already judged2 so that it will not be by it that we shall be saved or lost4 ,but that judgment which we shall have gone through will perhaps also have come on us suddenly2 as suddenly as the one on the last day4 ,for it will come on us the instant that our souls leave the body2 the moment after we die we shall appear before the throne of ,god to receive the sentence of eternal salvation or condemnation4 ,so it may surprise us at any moment2 for we may suddenly die4 #dge ,there is not one of us here who has any certainty that he may not before to-day's sun sets1 nay1 even this very hour or minute1 even before he can draw another breath1 be standing before that terrible judgment seat1 and receiving that sentence from which there is no appeal4 ,how often do we hear of people suddenly struck down by death without a moment's warning2 people who were promising themselves1 as you no doubt are promising yourselves1 many more days to live4 ,they did not do anything1 so far as we can see1 to deserve such a sudden blow2 they were living lives no worse and no better than those of others around them4 ,those eighteen1 says our ,lord1 upon whom the tower fell in ,siloe1 and slew them2 think you that they also were debtors--that is to say1 sinners--above all the men that dwelt in ,jerusalem8 ,no1 ,god calls us suddenly in this way to show that he is the owner of our lives1 that he has made no promise to give any one of us a single moment beyond those which he has already given4 ,but sudden death is not1 we may say1 any special visitation of ,god4 ,it is natural1 not wonderful4 ,if you could see the way in which your own bodies are made1 you would wonder not so much that people die suddenly1 but rather that they should die in any other way4 ,it is not more surprising that one should die suddenly than that a watch should suddenly stop4 ,the body is in many ways a more delicate thing than a watch2 and in its most delicate parts the slightest thing out of order may be fatal4 ,so we continue to live rather by the special care which our ,lord takes to preserve our lives1 than by any hold which our souls have on our bodies4 #dgf ,but you will say1 ,after all1 father1 very few really do die suddenly1 compared to those who have time to prepare4 ,well1 it is true that there are not many who pass instantly from full health into the shadow of death2 but if there were only one in a million1 is it not a terrible risk for one who is not prepared8 ,and1 besides1 in another way it is not true4 ,for almost all die sooner than they expect4 ,all think1 even when they have some fatal illness1 that they will have more time than is really to be given them4 ,death1 when it actually comes1 is a surprise2 for every one1 perhaps1 the coming of the ,son of ,man is at the last like the lightning2 every one expects it1 but not just then2 every one looks for a few moments more4 ,when you think of these things1 my dear brethren1 there is only one reasonable resolution for you to make4 ,it is to live in such a way that you may be ready to die at any instant2 to be like those wise virgins of whom the ,gospel of to-day's feast1 the feast of the glorious martyr ,st4 ,catherine1 tells us1 who had oil in their lamps when the cry came at midnight3 ,behold the bridegroom cometh1 go ye forth to meet him4 ,to have the grace of ,god1 which is represented by that oil1 always in the lamp of your soul2 to be always in the state of grace1 never in that of sin2 for most assuredly that cry will come to each one of you1 and sooner than you think2 and woe be to you if you are not prepared when it shall sound in your ears6 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