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Sunday Within the Octave -          The Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple

12/25/2021

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THE PRESENTATION OF OUR LORD IN THE TEMPLE
Christmas is over; with the angels we have sung the beautiful anthem, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will." We have witnessed the tears of the Child Jesus, but we know that those tears were tears of lave, and for that reason, they did not distress us, but gave us consolation.

Today, with the joy of Christmas still in our hearts, we come with the Holy Family and other pious people to the Temple to witness the ceremony of the Presentation. The first time Our Lord goes out into the world. He directs His Mother to carry Him to church. The moral I wish to draw from this Gospel, dear young people, is, that you should think much of the house of God on earth. We must also imitate the example of Christ and while in church beg our dear Lord to inflame our souls more and more with His holy love. There are many who do not love the Church, through some depravity of heart, or the bad example of others. Will such be dear to Jesus? Will He love such as these? Jesus weeps for them.

Mary and Joseph heard the great prophecy which Simeon had spoken; they wondered at it, they thanked God for the light bestowed upon Simeon, and also that they had been made instruments of His divine providence.

We, too, my dear young people, must rejoice at the honors which God gives His Son, as we must weep when we see Him suffer. Yes, when you see Our Lord honored, feel joyful and be happy; when you see Him despised, be sad of heart. Is not this Jesus your good God? your beloved Redeemer who shed His precious blood for you? Can you witness the outrages which are heaped upon Him without resenting them, or at least trying to hinder them? What would you say of a son who saw his father badly used, and looked on carelessly and coldly? Should not a boy feel a natural impulse to defend his father by word and deed? Well, he that loves Jesus Christ should at least feel compassion when His holy religion is insulted. St. Teresa once said that a soul which loves Our Lord would sooner die than see Him despised or neglected. Elias the prophet, not to witness the wickedness of the Jewish people, hid himself in a cave, and there prayed that God would take him out of this life rather than he should see Him offended.

After Simeon had congratulated Mary and Joseph on their glorious future, he spoke of the sorrows that awaited Mary. "This child is set for the fall and the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be' contradicted; and thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that out of many hearts thoughts may be revealed." What a terrible prophecy this! Is it possible that this Child, who has come to this world for the salvation of His people, should indeed be the cause of the damnation of many? To whom will He be a ruin? to many in Israel, in the true church. He will be a ruin to infidels and heretics who will not believe in Him; a ruin to the proud who will not bow their heads in humility and faith, and to many Christians. But what Christians will be damned by the coming of Christ? Those who are so only in name; who do the works of the heathen and live in sin; who offend and blaspheme Our Lord, even though they were brought up Catholics. This divine Infant will also be the ruin of many young people, of those who from their earliest childhood cared little for Him, drove Him from their hearts to make room for the devil. He will be the utter ruin of those who, not content to lead bad lives themselves, lead others astray by giving bad example or by bad conversation.

The divine Infant is presented today in the Temple. There is nothing dreadful about Him now; but one day they shall see Him, fierce as a lion; they shall see Him as a God, scattering His thunderbolts among sinners; He will demand of them the strictest account of all their works, of all the souls they have ruined, and of whose eternal damnation they have been the cause. May this prophecy not be realized in you. Then it will be too late to please Him; no more time for mercy, but for justice.

There was once a young man at the point of death, who had led a bad life; the priest came and presented the crucifix to him to kiss, saying, "Here, my son, is your hope." The young man fixed his eyes on the cross and said, "Yes, you say truly. He is my hope, but He is now the cause of my despair," and these were his last words. Be you, my dear young people, faithful to Jesus, try to know Him well, do not offend Him, but love Him with a great love; then He will be your salvation and eternal life. But, Mary, my mother, what is that prophecy which Simeon makes concerning you: "Thy own soul a sword shall pierce"? In her subsequent life we see the prophecy verified. A sword of sorrow pierced her very soul, when she saw her divine Son insulted, made an object of hatred, crowned with thorns, and cruelly nailed to a cross. Our minds cannot realize the pain which Mary had to suffer. We know that our sins have been the cause of the Passion and death of Our Lord. Let us, therefore, weep all our life for the sins we have committed, and not renew the Passion of Our Lord or the sufferings of Mary.

The Blessed Virgin once appeared to St. Lutgard, looking very sad; the saint asked her why it was so. Mary replied, "How can I be joyful when so many, day after day, give me new cause of sorrow by again crucifying my most holy Son?" She also appeared to Blessed Mcoletta Franciscana with her Child covered with terrible wounds, and said, "See how sinners treat my Son, inflicting on Him mortal wounds, and giving me also fresh cause of sorrow." St. Alphonsus says that when we sin we take the hammer, and most unmercifully pierce the hands and feet of Jesus with nails, and then we turn on Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and plunge the sword of sorrow deep into her soul.

But let us follow the story of the Gospel: There was in the Temple at the same time a woman, the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Aser; she was eighty years old, and after the death of her husband, had remained about the Temple serving the priests and engaged in prayer; she knew Our Lord at once, adored Him, and proclaimed Him the Saviour; then, filled with the Holy Ghost, she told them of the marvels of God's mercy, who had at last sent the Messias.

You see, my dear young people, how that holy woman who served Our Lord in silence and retirement, deserved so great a grace, so great a light of inspiration, as to be enabled to know Jesus. You, also, should love retirement, love to be near Our Lord in the Temple; speak often to Jesus in prayer, and then the Saviour will bring light to your souls, and speak to your hearts words of eternal life.

But there is something else to be considered in the story of this saintly old woman. We have in our cities and villages many who imitate this St. Anna. Let me say something in praise of these: they would willingly remain in the church, day and night, if they were permitted. We call them devotees. They are peculiar in their ways, considered crazy, derided by the good and bad as useless people; but perhaps they are high in the esteem of God. God gives more light to the simple and unpretending than to the philosophers who are puffed up with the pride of their intellect, and use it only to despise what they do not approve.

You remember that beautiful story of St. Catherine; she had a great dispute with some learned professors in one of the universities of Alexandria, Egypt, and in the presence of the Emperor Maximian, she so convinced them of their errors, that many became Christians and afterwards suffered martyrdom.

It is told of another martyr, who was a poor ignorant man, a laborer in the field, but who had studied Our Lord crucified; this man, when he had been judged guilty of disrespect to the gods and was condemned to death, made such a grand appeal to the emperor, that the tyrant himself acknowledged he was acting only from hatred of the Christian religion and not for the love of truth. These devotees in the sight of the world are useless, but we know that they have consecrated their lives to the service of God. There are also monks and nuns who spend much of their time in prayer. Are these people to be called pious idlers? Do they encumber the face of the earth, and should they be scattered as they have been in some countries? 0, how poor and miserable human beings are! They let vice walk openly in the world, and take little trouble about it; but when poor Religious gather together to pray, it makes them desperate, and they do not stop until they have succeeded in suppressing them. The Gospel ends by telling us that Our Lord lived at Nazareth, and grew in age and grace before God and man.

My dear young people, strive to grow in goodness, in virtue, and in sanctity, for it is the will of God that we all should be saints.

Sermons for Children's Masses, Imprimatur 1900
 
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4th Sunday of Advent - The Baptism of Penance

12/19/2021

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                               GOSPEL. Luke iii. 1-6.
Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and Philip his brother tetrareh of Iturea and the country of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilina, under the high-priests Annas and Caiphas: the word of the Lord was made unto John the son of Zachary, in the desert. And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of penance for the remission of sins, as it was written in the book of the sayings of Isaias the prophet: A voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. Every valley shall be filled: and every mountain and hill shall be brought low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways plain. And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

                                                   THE BAPTISM OF PENANCE
The day is close upon us on which the Messias, the Saviour of the world, the King of the people, the Prince of Peace, the Desired of nations, is to appear on the earth. Christmas is near. You, my children, must make every effort to prepare the way for the coming of Our Saviour.

When a great king is about to visit a city, what a commotion and bustle there is! Every one makes the most magnificent preparations in his power. Our duty is not to a monarch of this world, but to the King of kings, the omnipotent God of heaven and earth. You understand, then, that it is certainly necessary to make some preparation. St. John was sent to indicate what preparation is to be made, and you ought to think of his directions and follow them.

St. John the Baptist, by the inspiration of God, left the desert which he had inhabited for thirty years, and betook himself to the banks of the river Jordan. John, who in all that time had seldom spoken to any one, boldly began to preach penance, inviting the people who flocked to him to be baptized as a sign of the amendment of their lives.

"Do penance," he cried, "for the kingdom of God is at hand." Well fitted was he to preach that penance of which he had become master. His appearance indicated the mortified man; a girdle of leather bound his body; his shoulders were covered with camels hair; he lived in no house, but under the open sky, suffering cold and heat, winds and rain. His food was locusts and wild honey, water was his drink. Such a prodigy of self-denial from his very infancy, as if he came from another world, certainly drew the attention of the religiously inclined. Even soldiers and publicans came to him attracted by his austerity, and asked what they should do. Every condition of life was represented; every sex, every age; all were there, and repeated the same question. They confessed their sins and did penance. This is what you ought to do to prepare the way of the Lord.

I know indeed, my dear children, that while you have preserved your innocence it is not necessary that I should insist very particularly on penance; but what child is there that has not known what sin is, and therefore I am right in preaching penance even to you.

But I would certainly not ask you to do any of the heroic penances such as John the Baptist practiced. For great and older sinners great penances are necessary, and they have
practiced them, as you know from history. Mary Magdalen, St. Peter, St. Paul. The great act of penance which is required even of you is to make a humble confession at the feet of the servant of God in the confessional. But even this light mark of penance does not come easy to some young people who have already fallen into sin. After having committed the sins, they hide them in their breasts; shame closes their mouths to the confessor; when asked about them they deny having committed them. To such I will say: "It is either confession or damnation." The alternative is not hard to choose, but you will find many who would rather be damned than generously declare their sins.

The priest never thinks less of the penitent who makes a clear confession. A youth once went to confession to St. Francis de Sales. He had horrible sins to tell, but he confessed them sincerely and with sorrow. When the confession was over he said to the saint with a blush: "Father, what must you think of me when you hear of such enormous sins?'' "My son,'' answered the saint, embracing him," what do I think of you? I think you are a saint. A moment ago you were a real devil, but now God has pardoned you and you are a saint."

If this was the thought of a saint about his penitent, why should you blush 'to tell all your sins in confession? But should you still feel a repugnance when you go to confession address yourself to Mary, and she will obtain for you the grace of a sincere and open confession.

There was once a girl who had committed a fault and had not the courage to confess it. For eight years she carried that unhappy ulcer of sin about her on her conscience. Though she knew it was a mortal sin, still she went to confession and communion. Outwardly she was calm, but her heart was torn by unbearable remorse. She looked happy, but she was far from being so. At last on Annunciation day she knelt before the image of our mother Mary and cried most bitterly, begging her to gain her grace to tell this fault. She obtained the grace and lived a saintly life afterwards.

There are many who confess their sins indeed, but not with sorrow; it is only by word of mouth they detest them. What did you do when you committed that wicked deed? You offended a good God who has created you, preserved and redeemed you, and for no other reason than to satisfy the demands of a vile passion and degrading habit; and by so doing you deprived yourself of God's grace, you refused Him His honor and glory, you gave yourself over to the power of Satan. Can you find a youth who will take such a view of sin? Very seldom.

This is the kind of penance which St. John wants when he says, "Do penance. Bring forth fruits worthy of penance." And thus it is that the young man who has not a real sorrow for his faults continues to live in sin, and though ostensibly repenting of his sins commits them over and over. What kind of repentance is this ? True repentance demands a real sorrow for sin, and the resolution not to commit it again. What must be foremost in the penitent's mind is the hatred of sin, the abomination of that which is so evil, however pleasing it may be to our senses. What hatred is there for a sin that is committed again?

Let us suppose that a Jew is going to become a Christian. What great consolation such an event is to all. The day approaches when he is to be baptized. He goes to the church and there is a great feast made. But soon he returns to the belief of the Synagogue. What a disappointment, what a feeling of 'disgust, yes, even of hatred, at such 'a miserable wretch! If he believed in the faith of Jesus Christ, the true one, why did he leave it? If false, why did he become a Christian? But after a while he declares he believes again in Christ and yet, for a second time, he perverts and becomes a Jew. Would you say that he was ever a real Christian? No indeed; he pretended to be one, he was always a Jew, he never had the true faith.

Let us apply this to ourselves. Can you really call him penitent who today confesses his sins and says he repents of them, but who never, even for a moment, breaks off his attachment to sin, and to-morrow willfully commits the same sins again? Does he not clearly prove that he loves his sins? This is making a mockery of God. The Lord compares such repentance to the dog that returns to its vomit. St. Paul says that such people despise the kindness of God. Will those who thus continue to sin ever have the peace of God in their souls? Oh, no! The holy peace of a pardoned sinner God gives only to the just, to His friends, not to those who return again and again to their sins. Can they expect the blessing of God at the birth of the divine Infant? No, but they may be sure that maledictions will descend upon them.

My dear children, do all you can to prepare the way of Our Lord; with the Prophet Ezechiel I say to you, "Be converted and do penance for all your iniquities; cast away from you all your transgressions by which you have transgressed, and make to yourselves a new heart and a new spirit."

With St. Augustine I call on you to prepare the way of the Lord by ornamenting your souls with the magnificent virtues of sobriety, chastity, and charity. You must make yourselves worthy to receive the loving caresses of the Child Jesus, not only by being sober in eating and drinking, but by being careful and sober in speaking, careful about the books you read. With sobriety practice purity, too. You know how highly Our Lord values that virtue, for He would have no other than an immaculate Mother and He Himself was called the immaculate Lamb. Your thoughts must be pure, also your looks, your words, your affections, and all your actions. By them show a pure and innocent heart. With all this you must not forget great love and charity, for what are all virtues without the love of God?

St. Augustine shows us in many places how we should love Our Lord. With this great doctor let us say, "I love Thee, Saviour, I desire to love Thee more. Thou art an infinite God and therefore Thou deservest to be loved with an infinite love. Sweet Infant Jesus, come to my heart, and do not delay any longer." Thus the saints loved, and the Child Jesus was so pleased with the tenderness of their love that He sometimes visited them and spoke to them words of love.

St. Gustave at the approach of Christmas felt such a love for the coming of Our Lord, that the Blessed Virgin herself came from heaven and placed the Infant Jesus in his arms on Christmas night.

St. Laurence Justinian, when he said Mass one Christmas, fell into an ecstasy at the consecration and stood there like one turned to stone. When the acolyte saw this, he went up to him and pushed him, so as to rouse him. The saint started as if wakened from a heavy slumber and said: "Why, yes, I will go on with the Mass, but what is to be done with
this beautiful child? ''

What a glorious thing would it not be to 'have such a love for Our Lord! We would then know how to prepare for the birth of the Child Jesus. We would hardly need any instructions, because love would tell us what to do. He would come and make His throne in our hearts. He would fulfill all our wishes, and give us great graces.

Source: Sermons for the Children's Masses, Imprimatur 1900
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2021 Catholic Family Calendar

12/13/2021

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Below you will find our Catholic Family Calendar.  I make one for our family each year with edifying pictures and prayers.  If you wish to use it please feel free to download and print it for your own family. It is not an official calendar of the Catholic Church so please if using double check days of fast.
2022_calendar.pdf
File Size: 16937 kb
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The Wonder Story Coloring Book

12/13/2021

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A Christmas coloring book
to keep the little ones
occupied during
Christmas break.
You can print the whole book or print individual pages.  The choice is yours.
You can find the file below or here.
       
        WE WISH YOU ALL A VERY          
HAPPY AND HOLY CHRISTMAS!!
the_wonder_story_coloring_book.pdf
File Size: 11785 kb
File Type: pdf
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Advent Time

12/13/2021

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The Four Weeks of Advent
The time of preparation for the sweet mysteries of the birth of Our Lord is called Advent, that is to say, the coming. Its four weeks recall to Christians the four thousand years of prayers and sighs which preceded the coming of the Messias.

The Anthems of Advent
Seven days before Christmas is sung at Vespers an anthem called " The O Anthems of Advent," because it begins with this exclamation; it is a cry sent out to the Messias. It is sung at Vespers; for was it not in the evening of the world that the Messias came ? It is sung at the Magnificat to show that the Saviour for Whom we wait will come to us through Mary. (Gueranger, The Liturgical Year.) Again, the repetition of the anthem expresses well the ardent sighs, constantly renewed, of the patriarchs; the Introit has already offered us the same figure.
Practices of Advent
There remain among us to-day few traces of Advent as it was observed by our fathers. They sanctified it by prayer, fasting, and abstinence.. The old-time penitence is always practised in monasteries, but among the faithful the Church has pre- served, but its symbols. During Advent she clothes herself in purple, and this sign of mourning shows us how the Church unites herself to the desire of Israel, who waited in sackcloth and ashes the coming of the Messias. As a sign of widowhood it expresses the sorrow of the Church, who awaits that Spouse Whose absence costs her heart so dear.
Marriages are not celebrated in Advent, their worldly joy being little in agreement with the holy tears and chaste pangs of penitence. Moreover it is toward other nuptial feasts that the Church turns the eyes of her children : these are those of the eternal marriage, begun here below in the Eucharistic banquet. The Alleluia, which continues its tender harmony in these days of penitence, should make us sigh for the joys of the festival of the Lamb.

Except on feast-days, the two angelical hymns, the Gloria in excelsis and the Te Deum, are not sung till the great day when they are chanted at the crib of the infant God. The Ite, Missa est, is replaced by the call to prayer: '' Benedicamus Domino"—"Let us bless the Lord;" for we cannot pray too much in these holy days of waiting.

Feast of the Immaculate Conception, December 8th.
The deluge of iniquities which has inundated the world for four thousand years is about to end ; Mary, the heavenly dove, brings the good tidings to the world. The dark night which has weighed upon humanity will soon see its shadows scattered; she whom the Holy Spirit compared to the dawn will appear in this holy season, like a forerunner of the Sun of justice. The star which precedes the morning shines upon the horizon. A thousand times blessed be the day which brings us so much joy! May all Christians hail with gratitude the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary!

Faith teaches us that at the moment when God united the soul of Mary, which He had just created, to the body which it was to animate, not only had that soul not contracted in the least the stain which till then had disfigured every human soul, but it was filled with grace tremendous in extent and ineffable in beauty. A feast in honor of this glorious mystery existed in the East in the sixth century. The Church of Lyons introduced this solemnity into France. The definition of the Immaculate Conception as a dogma was made under the
pontificate of Pope Pius IX., December 8, 1854.

The Blue Scapular of the Immaculate Conception.--
The venerable Ursula Benincasa, on the day of the purification, saw Mary, who appeared to her clad in a white robe and a blue mantle. She held the infant Jesus pressed against her heart, and a multitude of virgins, clothed like their glorious queen, formed her train. Our Lord showed her the wish that He had of seeing a congregation of virgins arise, who, placing themselves under the invocation of Mary Immaculate, should take the habit in which His Mother was then clad. He promised the greatest graces to those who should be faithful in following the rules of this new Congregation. Ursula begged Our Lord to shower His favors upon those who, living in the world and devoted to the Blessed Virgin, should live chastely according to their state and wear a blue scapular. To prove to her that her prayer was heard, God showed her, while this blissful vision lasted, angels clothing a great number of Christians with this holy habit. The indulgences attached to the blue scapular of the Immaculate Conception are innumerable.  "As for me," says St. Alphonsus Liguori, "I would take all scapulars." But above all you must know that the scapular of the Immaculate Conception, which is blessed by the Theatine Fathers, besides all its partial indulgences, has all the indulgences granted to whatever religious order, whatever devotion, whatever person there can be. And particularly that by reciting six times Pater, Ave, and Gloria, in honor of the Most Holy Trinity and Mary Immaculate, can be gained each time all the indulgences of Rome, of Portiuncula, of Jerusalem, and of Galicia, which amounts to 533 plenary indulgences, without speaking of partial indulgences, which are innumerable." (Glories of Mary, These indulgences have been confirmed by Gregory XVI. in a decree dated July 12, 1845.)

Translation of the Holy House of Loretto, December 10th,
This feast up to this time is not of obligation in the universal Church, but it is celebrated in many countries, and has for its object thanksgiving to God for the blessing with which He has enriched the West, when, in order to compensate it for the loss of the holy sepulchre. He miraculously transported to Catholic ground the house in which the Blessed Virgin received the message of the angel, and where the Word was made flesh.Many of our readers may be ignorant of this marvellous event, which we will repeat here. It was under the pontificate of Celestine V., and when the Christians had entirely lost the holy places in Palestine, that the little house wherein was wrought the mystery of the Incarnation in the womb of Mary was transported by angels from Nazareth into Dalmatia, or Sclavonia, to a little mountain called Tersato.
The miracles which were wrought every day in this holy house, the legal investigation which the deputies of the country went to Nazareth to make, to prove the translation into Dalmatia, as well as the universal conviction of the people who came to venerate it from all parts of the world, seemed to be incontestable proofs of the truth of the miracle. Nevertheless, God wished to give another, which should have, in a sense, Dalmatia and Italy for witnesses. After three years and seven months the holy house was transported across the Adriatic Sea to the territory of Recanati, into a forest belonging to a lady called Loretta; and this event threw the people of Dalmatia into such desolation that it seemed that they would not survive it, and to console themselves they built upon the same spot a church consecrated to the Mother of God, over the door of which they put this inscription: "Hie est locus in quo fait sacra Domus Nazarena quae nunc Recineti partibus colitur,'''' At the same time there were many inhabitants of Dalmatia who came to Italy to fix their residence near to the holy house.
This new translation made such stirring of Christian hearts that a multitude of pilgrims came from nearly every part of Europe to Recanati, in order to honor the house now called ''of Loretto." To prove more and more fully the truth of this event, the inhabitants of the province sent first to Dalmatia, and then to Nazareth, sixteen persons who were the best qualified for the service, who made in these places new investigations; but God deigned to demonstrate the certainty Himself by renewing twice in succession the miracle of the translation even in the territory of Recanati. For at the end of eight months, the forest of Loretto being infested with highwaymen who stopped the pilgrims, the house was transported to a point a mile further, and placed on a little height which belonged to two brothers of the family of Antici ; and when these brothers had taken arms against one another in dispute over the division of the offerings of the pilgrims, the house was transferred to an enclosure a little further removed, and in the midst of the public way, where it has remained and where has since grown up the village called Loretto.
Source: "Catholic Ceremonies" ~ Imprimatur 1896
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Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness Against Thy Neighbor

11/27/2021

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With the beautiful holyday of Christmas not that far off I've been doing some thinking. This is one thing  I've been mulling over in this head of mine.  The Catholic church teaches us that it is a sin to tell a lie.

In the Baltimore Catechism (Imprimatur 1891) I find:

379 Q. What are we commanded by the eighth Commandment?
A. We are commanded by the eighth Commandment to speak the truth in all things, and to be careful of the honor and reputation of every one.

380 Q. What is forbidden by the eighth Commandment?
A. The eighth Commandment forbids all rash judgments, backbiting, slanders, and lies.
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TRUTH
LIE
Christmas is Jesus' birthday, a very special holyday.  A day that the whole world anxiously awaited for 4000 years.  All that sweet little Infant asks of us is our love in return for all that He has done for us.   Please keep Christ in Christmas! 

                                                             Santa (Satan) Claus verses Jesus Christ
                                                                           Jesus is the reason for the Season
                                                                             Keep Jesus Christ in Christmas

Have you seen this article on Santa Claus?

The letters of S-a-n-t-a spell S-a-t-a-n when arranged correctly. Satan's Cause (better known as Santa Claus) is one of the best tools of SATAN to destroy the true meaning of Christmas.

Remember that the real symbols of Christmas are the Star, the Stable and the Crib not Santa and his reindeer! How sad that far more people "decorate" with PAGAN symbols than with the CHRISTIAN Nativity Scene with Jesus, Mary, Saint Joseph, the Shepherds and Wise Men!

Santa has replaced the great St. Nicholas. Santa has, as well, usurped the place of the Christ Child and transformed the meaning of Christmas. Gift giving and holiday cheer is now referred to as "happy holidays" or "xmas", whereas Christmas means Christ's Mass, the coming of Christ. It is also disturbing that Santa has been given attributes of the One True God.

1. God is Eternal. Santa appears as an old man; he has always been, and will always be. He seems Eternal. Vs. Jesus IS eternal.

2. God is Omniscient (all-knowing). Santa, it is said "sees you when you're sleeping, knows when you're awake... he knows if you've been bad or good."

3. God is the Remunerator (Just Rewarder). Santa is said to give his gifts according to whether you are good or bad. Christ says, " I am He that searcheth the reins and hearts, and I will give unto every one of you according to your works." (Apoc. 2, 23) and "Behold I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to his works." (Apoc. 22, 12)

4. God is Omnipresent (present everywhere, at all times). Santa can be in one billion homes in 24 hours; that is 11,057 per second, virtually omnipresent. Jesus said "For where there are two or three gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matt. 18; 20)

5. God is Omnipotent (all-powerful). Santa is said to be powerful enough to carry presents for all the children of the world: that's Omnipotence. Jesus is Omnipotent. "And Jesus coming, spoke to them, saying; All power is given to Me in heaven and in earth." (Matt. 28; 18)

6. Christ, in His Resurrection: Santa is said to come though the doors are locked. After Our Lord's resurrection, He passed through shut doors with His glorified body. "Now when it was late that same day, the first of the week, and the doors were shut, where the disciples were gathered together for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them: Peace be to you...

7. Christ in His Ascension: Santa goes into the air and gives gifts. Jesus ascends on high and gives gifts, especially the gift of eternal life. "Unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the giving of Christ. Wherefore He saith: Ascending on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men." (Eph. 4)

8. Christ will come again: Advent (the four weeks before Dec. 25) is the time to prepare for Christ's three-fold coming: commemoration of His Coming as Babe at Christmas; His coming by grace into our hearts; His coming as Judge at the end of time. Indeed, it is not Santa who is coming to town soon; IT IS CHRIST! "Surely I come quickly." (Apoc. 22)

 Note: Scripture even mentions a city in the north, and that Christ will appear clothed in red, with white hair. "With the joy of the whole earth is Mount Sion founded, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King." Psalm 47;3. "He was clothed with a garment sprinkled with blood: and His name is called the Word of God." (Apoc. 9, 13) "His hairs were white as wool, and as white as snow." (Apoc. 1, 4)

The truth is that it is OUTRIGHT LYING to promote the Satanic belief in Santa Claus! Most adults in the world LIE to their children and grandchildren, and those children in turn LIE to their children and grandchildren when they grow older - as everyone promotes the Satan inspired theory of Santa Claus and his reindeer! Why continue repeating the BIG LIE over and over until nearly everyone sometime during their lifetime believed in the lies concerning Santa Claus, etc. Even most people who say they are Christians are promoting this work of the Devil! They say they believe in God and Sacred Scripture as teaching the TRUTH! But do they actually believe the eternal Truth? Listen to what the Eternal Truth has to say about their habitual lying concerning Santa Claus.

“Lie not one to another.” CoI. 3, 9.

“You are of your father the devil; and the desires of your father you will do. He stood not in the truth, because truth is not in him. When he speakest a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father thereof.” John 8, 44.

“Wherefore, putting away lying, speak ye the truth every man with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.” Ep. 4, 25.

“All liars shall have their portion in the pool burning with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” Apoc. 21,8.

 “You shall not lie, neither shall any man deceive his neighbor.” Lev. 19,11.

Why do people send out Christmas Cards when the pictures and words and contents of the card have nothing to do with the birth of Jesus Christ? Why do people continue to decorate for Christmas without using anything to remind one of the Nativity of Jesus Christ? If you drove around the towns and cities on Christmas Eve (at least in the USA) you will probably find less than 5 percent of the homes and stores with a Nativity Scene! Yet people want us to believe we live in a Christian Nation! A Christian Nation indeed!!! The majority of even the "Christians" are promoting the deceptive LIES of Satan.

Remember that the Christmas Season has to do with the CHILD Jesus and not the KID Jesus. It is very common today that parents speak of their children as kids. Do they think about what they are doing? They are again promoting another deceptive trap of the devil.

The offspring of humans are children, whereas the offspring of goats are kids. Now what is one of the main symbols of the Freemasons if not the goat whose offspring is the kid? Is it not a principle goal of the Freemasons to destroy that which pertains to Jesus Christ and Christianity? When Catholics have their children Baptized, they become a child of God! But the next thing you hear is the fact that they fell into the trap of the Freemasons and call the child of God a Freemasonic goat offspring!

Instead of Merry Christmas to celebrate and commemorate Mary's joys with the Christ CHILD, it is now Happy Holidays to celebrate Satan's day with the KIDS under the guise of Santa Claus.

May God have mercy on us and on the whole world!

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Advent to Christmas in a Catholic Home

11/27/2021

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Christmas is a liturgical season of great joy. It lasts forty days, from December 25 to February 2, during which the birth of Jesus Christ our Savior, is celebrated as one continuous festival. The finale comes with His presentation in the temple. A season most dear to Christian hearts, Christmas is as distinct in the liturgy as Advent, Lent, Easter, or Pentecost.

Four weeks of Advent are scarcely enough to "prepare the way of the Lord" for His coming to us as King. However, if we have used that season as a preparation, we are ready now to receive the Redeemer who will deliver us from sin in answer to our requests. Christ's coming must be, not a lovely idyll or a pastoral scene, but a reality accomplished in our lives and our children's. Forty days of rejoicing are not too long a celebration for so great an event.

The early Church selected December 25, the date of the winter solstice when God the Creator gives the sun an increase of natural light in northern hemispheres, as the day on which to celebrate the birth of the Sun of Justice, Light of the world. Radiating from the Divine Child are a galaxy of wonderful saints whose lives afford a continuing interest in celebrating the feast of His birth. Micheas, who lived in the days of Isaias, prophesied the birthplace of the Messiah: "Thou, Bethlehem, art a little one among the thousands in Judah; out of thee shall He come forth unto me that is to be the Ruler of Israel; and His going forth is from the beginning, from the days of eternity."

The name Bethlehem signifies House of Bread. To it at Christmas - comes the Savior, who is the Bread of Life. By our participation in this mystery the divine transformation takes place whereby He "reshapes the body of our lowliness after the body of His splendor." Our forbearers gave the name Christmas to the feast of our Lord's birth because they kept the "Christ Mass" as the heart of their celebrations. Following closely the liturgy of the Church, they centered their customs and wrote their hymns and carols on her practices of the season, adoration, love, joy, and gratitude. Those practices also increased their admiration for His Virgin Mother Mary, who gave Almighty God His human form. He had created heaven and earth by His Word, but His becoming Man depended on a creature's FIAT, Be it done unto me according to Thy Word. Mary consented. Our forebearers honored her in their great masterpieces because she is God's Mother. For the same reason the world in our day honors her as Queen of Heaven.

It is to our Lady that Christian families must look for help to reestablish Christmas as a season of festivities marking Christ's birth. Either we live the liturgical year with its varying seasons of joy and sorrow, work and rest, or we follow the pattern of the world. Nor is it an easy task to break with the world and the powerful influence of advertising. Their season of Christmas begins around Thanksgiving Day when stores display wares for holiday gift-giving. It lasts until December 24. Families, who would not dream of eating their Thanksgiving turkey a week in advance or of having their 4th of July picnic in June, give no thought to the fact that, when they awake on December 25, there is not a shred of Christmas left. Every present has been opened. Every carol has been sung. The tree has dried out Christmas is apt to be a dull day given to over-eating. There was no fast in Advent, so it follows that there can be no feast.

It is difficult to keep one's home dark in Advent penance; to keep a tree fresh outside the door; to refrain from singing carols until Christmas eve. We see their friends' trees shimmering with ornaments a week before Christmas. Their houses are bedecked with lights. Television and radio blare carols. Not only is it difficult to keep from celebrating beforehand, it is even more difficult to begin forty days of the Christmas season when all around people are concluding their festivities. How
then do families return to the spirit of the Church and begin the season of joy and grace on Christmas eve?

The simplest way is by keeping Advent. Advent is the beginning of the new liturgical year. It is a season of spiritual preparation, marked by eager longing for the coming of the Saviour through grace at Christmas, and for His second and final coming. It is also an ideal time to establish in our homes liturgical customs which will restore our children to Christ.
 
These age-old Advent practices help our children live closer to Christ and His Church during the pre-Christmas season. Time-tested and proven, the customs teach the doctrines of redemption and develop a generosity with God and a coordination of the family's spiritual efforts as effectively now as they did for our forebears. Their strong and living faith will be the heritage of our children if family religious practices, centered in the Liturgy, "The Normal School of Sanctity for the Laity," are established in our homes- Secularism has invaded our households. The Bishops of the United States have warned us that "The Christian must make his home holy - the Christian must realize the Christian ideal." Father Edgar Schmiedler, O.S.B., in his three excellent pamphlets, Your Home A Church in Miniature, says of family customs and blessings: "They are a relatively simple, but highly important, means of union between altar and home. They are a media for channeling from one great spiritual reservoir, given into then Church's keeping by Christ, the living and transforming waters of grace from the Saviour's fountain."

Children love to anticipate. When there are empty mangers to fill with straws of small sacrifices, when the Mary-Candle is a daily reminder on the dinner table, when Advent hymns are sung in the candlelight of a graceful Advent wreath, children are not anxious to celebrate Christmas before time. That would offend their sense of honor. Older children who make Nativity sets, cut Old Testament symbols to decorate a Jesse tree, or prepare costumes for a Christmas play will find Advent all too short a time to prepare for the coming of Christ the King.

Children, who love the beauty and simplicity of family religious practices, make the traditions easy to establish. As a rule it is best to begin with one or two customs and others in years to come. It is also highly desirable that families develop their own special customs, at least by adapting traditional ones to their personal circumstances. Once established, customs recall to older members of the family long forgotten practices of their own childhood. These have a special appeal because they belonged to our forefathers and link us to the wealth of national customs now fallen into disuse.

Celebrating Christmas in its season can be accomplished more easily when several families try it together. Frequently there are families who, if only for sentimental reasons, would like to keep the joy and surprise of Christmas for the eve. Christians of the Eastern rite wait until their particular feast of Christmas comes in January. We should likewise begin ours on its proper day. We also need time for our festivities. As difficult as it may be, we should decline invitations to celebrate Christmas
at the various parties sprinkled throughout the Advent season. The Church gives us a period of forty days for rejoicing. Instead invite friends and family to your own joyous celebration of Christ's birth during the many days following December 25th, when for others it is otherwise a disappointing and barren time.

If during Advent we open our souls fully, the Heavens will rain the Just One." St. Pius X, whose burning desire was to restore all things to Christ, might well become the patron of parents who wish to restore their children to Christ through these practices. Our Blessed Lady and St. Joseph too will send inspiration from the Holy Spirit, for theirs was a home where feast day cooking, family customs, family prayers and singing abounded, according to prescribed Jewish law. It is to them we must look for help in order to train our children "to live temperately, justly, reverently, in this world, awaiting the Advent of the glory of the great God."

May you all have a blessed and fruitful Advent Season!
                 Source:  Advent and Christmas in a Catholic Home, Imprimatur 1950
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Prayer for Advent

11/27/2021

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                                                A Prayer For Advent

Sweet Infant Jesus, I bring to Thee this day and all the days of Advent my heart, my love, my very life, together with those little acts of self-denial and sacrifice made in Thy honor, and which Thou alone knowest.

Let me, I beg Thee heap with gifts around Thy crib that they may on Christmas morning prove my love for Thee, and may my love and adoration serve to warm Thy poor stable and make bright and happy the day of Thy birth.

                                             Amen Sweet Jesus.

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"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year"

11/25/2021

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THERE is a whole school of thought that sniffs at the idea of encouraging Catholic customs in the home--or anywhere else, for that matter. Customs like the saying of the rosary together, the decorating of an altar in May seem to them too childish for consideration. For them the doctrines of the Church are sufficient, without these extras. And indeed the doctrines of the Church are enough for anyone. They are like straight, unwinding roads that lead into eternity; only on either side of these roads are hedges and ditches and meadows and all sorts of flowers. The ultra-catholic Catholic is not interested in these flowers or fields. Still, such things are to a road what Catholic customs are to the faith; they adorn it, enliven it, they help to keep one on the journey.
   
It is not strange that all sorts of devotional practices have sprung up around Catholicism, sometimes practices that may seem rather trifling until one realizes that customs cannot be worthless that have evolved from the faith of the people through many hundreds of years, sometimes through well over a thousand years. What family is there that does not use certain sayings and phrases that have significance only for those belonging to the circle? What family exists that has no peculiar customs, nicknames, rites, birthday ceremonies that outsiders cannot be expected to appreciate? Can anyone account for the curious rites they observed as children. Those rites are not necessary for family life, but they adorn it and enliven it. And since the Church is not an institution but a family that ranges from God and God's mother and thence to the saints and thence to the souls in purgatory and from them to ourselves, is it not astonishing then that spiritual family rites and customs have sprung up? It is surprising how few people think of this. But the parents who do enter into these spiritual family customs can give their children treasures, whose value they may not realize until eternity. 
   
There is nothing forced in this idea: why does the church in her liturgy allot the various days to the honor of her saints, or to events in the lives of Christ and of Mary, if she does not wish us to celebrate them in some way?
   
These feasts of the Church are fixed, but the way they can be celebrated can vary--and does vary tremendously from place to place. With the passing of time the festivities and the customs of the day have also changed, still the essence remains the same. At Christmas, for instance, Jesus is the center of the day, and everywhere in the world Christians will show their love to the new-born Child in their own way, whether this be with carol singing, erecting cribs, hanging Advent wreaths, placing lighted candles in the windows, leaving empty places at the table for the holy Family, or by making it a special festive day for children, their own or other people's. 
                                                                    ~ adapted from: "A Candle  is Lighted," Imprimatur 1945. ~

It is with these thoughts in mind I will share those traditions that we do to help bring our Faith to life.
   
ADVENT - Holy Mother Church's way of teaching Her children to prepare for the coming of Christ, both on His birthday and on Judgment Day.  To this family the Advent and Christmas season  is the most wonderful time of the year.  We have many traditions that help make the season penitential as well as joyous. 
   
My children as well as my husband and I are eagerly awaiting the first Sunday of Advent.  It is on this day that we start our traditions. Besides the Advent Wreath with it's prayers and songs, we have another tradition called "Christkindl" (Christ Child).  After our Mass prayers are said and our breakfast eaten I bring out a bowl which I pass around.  In it are pieces of paper each containing a different  name of  one of our family members. The papers are neatly rolled up, because the drawing has to be done in great secrecy.  Each person then draws a piece of paper from the bowl and looks at it in secret.  (This tradition is a little hard when all the children are small because the burden of keeping track of each person's Christkindl falls on the mother)  The person whose name one has drawn is now in one's special care. From this day until Christmas, one has to do as many little favors for him or her as one can. One has to provide at least one surprise every single day--but without ever being found out. This creates a wonderful atmosphere of joyful suspense, kindness, and thoughtfulness. Perhaps you will find that somebody has made your bed, done your chores or has informed you, in a disguised handwriting on a holy card, that "a rosary has been said for you today" or a number of sacrifices have been offered up.  (Note: I will type up on paper prayers like, 3 Hail Mary's or a decade of the Rosary, etc. and place them in the center of the Advent wreath for the children to use for each other.  When it has been found by the Christkindl it is then returned to the wreath to be used again.)    The beautiful thing about this particular custom is that the relationship is a reciprocal one. The person whose name I have drawn and who is under my care becomes for me the helpless little Christ Child in the manger; and as I am performing these many little acts of love and consideration for someone in the family I am really doing them for the Infant of Bethlehem, according to the word, "And he that shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me." That is why this particular person turns into "my Christkindl." At the same time I am the "Christkindl" also for the one I am caring for because I want to imitate the Holy Child and render all those little services in the same spirit as He did in that small house of Nazareth, when as a child He served His Mother and His foster father with a similar love and devotion. Many times throughout these weeks can be heard such exclamations as, "I have a wonderful Christkindl this year!" or, "Goodness, I forgot to do something for my Christkindl and it is already suppertime!" It is a delightful custom, which creates much of the true Christmas spirit and ought to be spread far and wide.
   
We  have a large manger (just the Infant's bed)  that we set up on  our domestic altar.  It is empty and throughout the Advent season after our evening prayers are said, the children place pieces of hay into it for each good deed they have performed during the day. The more good they have done, the softer Baby Jesus' bed will be come Christmas morning.  (Note: We use straw colored yarn cut into pieces instead of the hay that can be reused year after year.)
   
There is still one very important thing to do for Advent.  Each member of the family writes a letter to the Baby Jesus mentioning his resolutions for the weeks of Advent and listing the wish for a gift.  This "Christkindl Brief" (letter to the Holy Child) is put under the manger on our domestic altar for the Guardian Angels to  take to the Christ Child.  (I have kept these over the years and love to read them over again.)
   
It cannot be said often enough that during these weeks before Christmas, songs and hymns of Advent should be sung. No Christmas carols! Consciously we should work toward restoring the true character of waiting and longing to these precious weeks before Christmas. Just before Midnight Mass, on December 24th, is the moment to sing for the first time "Silent Night, Holy Night," for this is the song for this very night. It may be repeated afterwards as many times as we please, but it should not be sung before that holy night.
    
This  year we will be adding yet another tradition or actually changing the way that we do one.  We used to at the beginning of the school year have each child pick a Saint that they have to research, make a costume for, and tell about come All Saints Day.  This year we are going to do things a little differently.
   
The following has been taken from: "Around the Year with the Trapp Family" and it is this tradition that we are going to adapt to our own.                 
    "One of the old customs is to choose a patron saint for the new year of the Church. The family meets on Saturday evening, and with the help of the missal and a book called "The Martyrology," which lists thousands of saints as they are celebrated throughout the year, they choose as many new saints as there are members of the household. We always choose them according to a special theme. One year, for instance, we had all the different Church Fathers; another year we chose only martyrs; then again, only saints of the new world....During the war we chose one saint of every country at war.
    The newly chosen names are handed over to the calligrapher of the family.  She writes the names of the saints in gothic lettering on little cards. Then she writes the name of every member of the household on an individual card and hands the two sets over to the mother
In the afternoon of the first Sunday of Advent,  the whole family meets in the living room. The Advent wreath hangs suspended from the ceiling on four red ribbons; the Advent candle stands in the middle of the table or on a little stand on the side. Solemnly the father lights one candle on the Advent wreath, and, for the first time, the big Advent candle. Then he reads the Gospel of the first Sunday of Advent. After this the special song of Advent is intoned for the first time, the ancient "Ye heavens, dew drop from above, and rain ye clouds the Just One...."
    After our first gathering around the Advent light, and the singing of the first Advent hymn, an air of expectancy spreads over the family group; now comes the moment when the mother goes around with a bowl in which are the little cards with the names of the new saints. Everybody draws a card and puts it in his missal. This saint will be invoked every morning after morning prayer. Everyone is supposed to look up and study the life story of his new friend, and some time during the coming year he will tell the family all about it. As there are so many of us, we come to know about different saints every year. Sometimes this calls for considerable research on the part of the unfortunate one who has drawn St. Eustachius, for instance, or St. Bibiana. But the custom has become very dear to us, and every year it seems as if the family circle were enlarged by all those new brothers and sisters entering in and becoming known and loved by all.

Start a tradition or two with your families this Advent season, your children will learn to love and cherish them and it will help bring your Faith to life. 

May you all have a very fruitful and blessed Advent! 

Below you will find a printable file with the Advent Wreath Prayers:
advent_prayers.pdf
File Size: 191 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
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24th Sunday after Pentecost - Prepare to Face the Judgment

11/10/2021

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My dear children: As our holy faith teaches us, Jesus Christ will come again at the end of the world to judge the living and the dead. All men that ever lived will rise out of their graves and be gathered together before the Lord of Heaven and earth. God wills all men to be saved, but to a great majority of mankind the sentence of condemnation will be pronounced, as men will not do what is necessary for obtaining salvation. Children, what must we do in order to obtain a favorable judgment? Listen and I shall tell you.

Make a good confession. Many nominal Catholics live for years in entire forgetfulness of God and add sin upon sin. In order to set things right they must make a confession of their past life. There are some who confess invalidly on account of their want of contrition and a firm purpose of amendment; some do not examine their conscience strictly enough, and on that account their confession is very imperfect. Even for those who are pious a rehearsal of their past confessions is at times advisable. In their examination of conscience they might find that one or the other of their past confessions was essentially faulty.

St. John Climacus relates the following consoling story: There lived in the East a young man who had from his youth given himself up to every kind of sin, and was remarkable even among those who were wicked for his evil deeds. But God spoke to the heart of this young man and inspired him with the resolution to return to his Heavenly Father. Going at once to a monastery in Alexandria, he fell down at the feet of the Abbot and besought him to admit him into the number of his religious. The holy man who had heard much about the bad life of this man was indeed glad to see him kneeling so humbly at his feet, but fearing that the present emotions would pass away, he said to him: 'My child, you will
never be able to practice the austerities which our monks practice; besides you would never be able to confess your sins publicly in Church, as is the custom amongst us.' 'Yes, my Father," he answered, "not only would I confess all my sins before the monks of your house, but I am willing to confess them in public before all the world, if necessary.' The abbot on hearing this admitted him.

On the following Sunday, when the monks were assembled in the church to the number of two hundred and thirty, the Abbot ordered the young man to be brought in. He entered clothed in sackcloth and covered with ashes. The Abbot then placed him in the middle of the Church and told him to begin his confession. He at once obeyed and recited his sins amid sobs and tears. During the time he was thus accusing himself one of the monks saw standing at his side a beautiful angel. He held a large open book and with a pen he effaced every sin that was confessed. God was pleased to make known in this way that He forgave that great sinner all that he had done wrong, because he was sorry for his sins, and confessed them.

The same thing happens to you, children, every time you make a good confession. God's angel effaces your sins from the book in which they were recorded, never to appear against you again. Oh, try then, always to make good confessions that your sins may be blotted out, and that your soul may become beautiful before God. If you find it difficult to tell some sin you may have committed, ask the most holy Mother of God to obtain for you the grace to confess it.

When we find that a general confession is necessary we must never delay it. No one knows whether he will be so situated as to make a good general confession. A Spanish nobleman came one day to a missionary, requesting him to hear his general confession. To the question why he wished to make one then he replied : "Ah, must I not die! But if I wait till that time the thought of wife and children, fear, the vehemence of the sickness, may prevent me from being calm and deliberate ; how great, therefore, would be my imprudence if I should put off this business to such an inopportune time and under so many difficulties." And he would not defer his general confession for a single day. Children, do not let a mission, or a jubilee, or a change of your state of life pass by without making a general confession.

Marie, spouse of Louis XV. of France, had a son whom she also trained in the fear of God up from his infancy. When he grew up to be a young man he had to leave his mother's house and live for a time among strangers. During his absence word was brought to his mother that he had to spend part of his time among those who would take a pleasure in corrupting his young heart. As soon as she was informed of this, she threw herself on her knees at the foot of the crucifix and recommended her beloved child to the protection of his Heavenly Father. "O my God," she prayed, "take my darling boy to Thyself, rather than permit him to offend Thee by sin, or to lose the treasure of his innocence."

God heard the prayer of that good mother and delivered him from the evil that threatened him. When he returned home, the first question his mother asked him was if he had much to endure from the companions he had to mingle with. "Yes, my mother," he replied, "great indeed were the dangers they put around me to ruin me; but, thanks be to God, and to your prayers, I have still kept my soul pure and stainless." Not long after this time the young Prince became suddenly very ill and died in sentiments of great piety. On the evening of the day of his death his mother sent for her other children, and, with tears in her eyes, said to them: "Your brother is dead; it is I, your mother, who asked God to take him to Himself. Sometime ago I heard that he was in danger of committing sin. I went on my knees and prayed fervently to God to take him out of this world rather than permit him to lose his innocence. God has heard me, and I thank Him for His goodness to me. Still I weep for him, for I loved him as dearly as any mother could love her child."

Children, you have just heard how prayer kept the son of the king pure and innocent, you can rest assured that his conscience was always in order. How calm and innocent he must have stood before the just Judge. In order to persevere in grace unto the end we need special help from God, for the enemies of our soul are very powerful. We must ask for this help and that is obtained first of all by prayer. Only those obtain salvation who pray, and those are lost who do not pray. All the saints have been saved because they prayed. Who then would not pray with fervor, since so much depends on prayer?

The Sacraments of Penance and the Blessed Eucharist are another means to keep our conscience in order. As often as you make a humble and sincere confession you are cleansed from all your sins, both mortal and venial, and at the same time you also receive special graces by which you are strengthened against sin. Holy Communion affords us extraordinary power and strength to overcome all the assaults of the devil and to persevere in good. Besides these means there is another and that is devotion to the saints of God. By devotion to the saints we can obtain many graces, they are in great favor with God and are His friends. But we may promise to ourselves still greater graces from our devotion to Mary, because she is not only a servant of God, but also the Mother of God. The prayer of Mary, being the prayer of a mother, has the virtue almost of a command.

A young man who had many times fallen into mortal sins went to confession to a certain priest. The good priest in order to encourage his penitent to be good, said : "My child, I will tell you an easy means to overcome temptations. If you do what I tell you, you will never fall again." "Oh, my Father," he replied, "tell me what it is, for with all my heart I desire to overcome all my evil habits." "Say a 'Hail Mary' every morning and evening in honor of her immaculate purity, and whenever you are tempted to do evil, say to her at once, 'O Mary, help me, for I am thine.' " The young man followed this advice, and in a short time was entirely delivered from his bad habits. Now it happened a short time afterwards that he was relating this to some of his acquaintances whom he had formerly scandalized by his bad conduct. Amongst those who were listening to him was a young officer, who, like himself, had fallen into many sins, because he went willfully with bad companions. As soon as he had heard the young man's story he resolved to follow his example. He at once went to confession and continued to lead a pious life. "O Mary, help me, for I am thine," was his watchword whenever any temptation assailed him. Some months after his conversion he had the imprudence to go again to visit those companions who had formerly led him into sin; he wished to see if they had followed his example. But no sooner had he reached the place where they dwelt than a strange feeling of terror came over him, and he cried out : "O Mary, help me, for I am thine." That very instant he felt himself thrust back by an invisible hand and found himself at a distance from the house. He immediately saw the danger in which he had been and returned his most heartfelt thanks to God and His Holy Mother for having thus preserved him.

My dear boys and girls, you know what you must do that you may be prepared to face judgment. You must keep your conscience in order and therefore fervently practice prayer, read pious books, frequently receive the Sacraments and have a great devotion to the Blessed Virgin. Consider that your doom for all eternity will be decided before the judgment seat of God, and therefore let it be your only business to prepare yourselves well for the Day of Judgment.

Source: Story Sermonettes for the Children's Mass, Imprimatur 1921
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23rd Sunday after Pentecost - A Very Earnest Thought

10/30/2021

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My dear children: A day and an hour will come when we will cease to breathe, our eyes will close, our ears will no longer hear the wailings of our friends, our hands and feet will grow cold, our heart will cease to beat, and our body will lie there motionless, its soul departed, like a castaway garment whose owner will use it no longer. Death is certain to all. And that is why I am speaking of death to you, my dear boys and girls, although you are so young, just starting in to live. From the first breath you drew you have started your march on to death. Since death is certain to all, it is certainly reasonable to think frequently of death that we may prepare ourselves properly for the greatest event of our life.

When you rise in the morning you do not know whether you will be living in the evening. Thousands have risen in the best of health in the morning, and before sunset they were corpses. This was the fate of Abel. Heli, the high priest, and his two sons died suddenly the same day. On the fifteenth of August, 1842, Father Papillon was preaching a sermon in the presence of Prince Polignac and a vast audience in the chapel of the French Embassy in London.

He was in the midst of his sermon, and said: "How precious is time, for we never know at what moment the Almighty will summon us before His tribunal, there to give an account of all our actions." These were the last words he ever uttered. No sooner had he finished this sentence than those who were present noticed his color change; they ran up to the pulpit to help him, but it was too late, the vital spark had fled and the venerable priest was a lifeless corpse. Is it not possible that you may rise in the morning, but when the evening comes you will not lie down, because during the course of the day death will have overtaken you? Since you are not secure one moment against death, is it not right that every morning when you rise you should think of death ?

St. Rose of Lima took a firm resolution to love and to serve God to the end of her life. God sent her many crosses, but she accepted them all with loving resignation to the Divine Will and bore them with heroic patience. She had also much bodily pain to suffer, but this, too, she bore from the hand of God. One day she was suffering more than usual; so great was the pain that she thought it would be impossible for her to endure it much longer. As this thought was passing through her mind she heard a sweet voice which said these words: "My dear child, My Cross was still more painful." These words consoled her and she bore her sufferings patiently to the end. She is now in Heaven enjoying the crown of happiness they gained for her.

Death enters into cities and villages at night and snatches his prey, now here now there. It was in the darkness of the night that the destroying angel came into the houses of the Egyptians and snatched away the first born. It was in the darkness of the night that the heroic Judith cut off the head of the drunken Holofernes.

Experience teaches us that more people die in the night than in the day-time. It is at any rate possible that some of us this night must make that journey on which everything depends. Consider this and never go to bed without a serious thought of death. And when you awake during the night think of your grave and say a "Hail Mary" for a happy death. Think of death in all temptations. Our life upon earth is a continuous struggle, and scarcely a day passes when we are not tempted.

Examples from Holy Scripture can show us the terrible devastations wrought. Cain, who slew his own brother Abel ; David, who loaded his conscience with a double crime; Judas Iscariot, who betrayed his Lord and Master. Whence these crimes? From temptations which were not resisted.

St. Rose of Lima, when a little girl, had very beautiful hair which hung in ringlets over her shoulders. Although she already loved God very much she was not altogether free from vanity which so often enters the hearts even of little children. One day while she was playing with her brother, he accidentally threw a quantity of mud on her hair. At this the child looked at him with a vexed countenance and was on the point of getting angry with him for what he had done to her. When he saw this and knew what was taking place in her heart, he said : "My dear sister, do not be angry at what I have done ; I did not intend to do it. But keep in mind that the devil often makes use of fine curls like these to drag good girls down to hell." Rose at once put away the anger that Had risen in her heart, and from that moment, young as she was, she took the resolution never to allow her heart to be attached to any worldly thing, that she might always persevere in the service of God.

How can we preserve ourselves from sin in all temptations? By thinking of death. How would it be possible to sin if we but said to ourselves : I must die, and I know neither how, when, nor where. This thought had been a shield to thousands, they escaped many temptations. Blessed Thomas More, the Chancellor of England, was in prison; his death on the block was certain unless he would renounce his allegiance to the Catholic Church and accommodate himself to the will of the king. His wife visited him in prison and conjured him with many tears to obey the king. Thomas looked at his wife earnestly and said: "Tell me how long shall I live if I do the will of the king and offend God ?" "O surely twenty years," was the reply. "O foolish woman," he replied, "for the sake of twenty years to die miserably and plunge myself into hell ? No, no; I would rather die than displease God. I would rather die the temporal than the eternal death." Thus spoke the great and good man. Take an example from this heroic champion.

In a hospital for sick soldiers there was a young man lying in danger of death ; he was a Catholic. Several times during his illness the priest asked him to prepare to die well, as there was but little hope of his recovery. "Not yet," he always answered. "Not yet; I will think of it tomorrow." The next day he gave the same answer, but added : "I should like very much to make my confession, but it is impossible for me to do so." "What is there that can make it impossible for you to make your confession, my boy?" said the priest The only answer the dying man gave was : "Don't speak to me of this any more, I beseech you, for I tell you it is impossible." The priest tried to show him the happiness and peace that fill the soul of a sinner who has obtained God's pardon, and asked him for God's sake to make his peace with God. The soldier shook his head. "It is of no use, Father, for you to ask me to do this. Do you see those men there? What would they think or say?" The priest at once saw that it was human respect which made the young man so stubborn, so he went to the group of visiting soldiers and said to them : "Comrades, you are making that young man die an unhappy death." "How, sir, are we doing that?" "He says," answered the priest, "that you would call him a coward and a fool if he went to confession." The men rose up in a body and went over to their dying comrade. "Do you think that we are pagans?" they exclaimed. "Instead of even thinking of calling you a coward we were quite alarmed about your refusal." These words cured the young man. He called the priest and made his confession and died an hour afterwards with a peaceful smile upon his countenance.

Children, we all have to make a long journey and like every good traveler we ought to prepare ourselves for it. And how can we be so forgetful as not to think of this journey? All persons who had the salvation of their soul at heart often thought of death. The Emperor Maximilian had his coffin made years before his death. He kept it in his room, and when he traveled he brought it with him in order by the sight of it to be reminded of death.

You see a funeral procession ; what is more natural than to think: Soon I shall be carried to the grave. You see this one or that one taking sick and dying. Ought you not to think : my turn will soon come. When you hear the clock strike, will you not think of your dying hour and say: Perhaps I shall die at the same hour that has just struck and appear before God. These frequent thoughts of death will be the means for the preservation of a good conscience, and a good conscience is like a continual feast.

My dear boys and girls, walk in the fear of God that you may obtain the greatest, most desirable and necessary of all graces—the grace of a happy death.

Source: Story Sermonettes for the Children's Mass, Imprimatur 1921
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22nd Sunday after Pentecost - Venial Sin

10/23/2021

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My dear Children: God is infinitely holy, and therefore hates and detests every sin, even the least. Did He not want to destroy the entire human race when in the. days of Noe He saw His chosen people piling sin upon sin ? Holy Scripture says : "It repented Him that He had made man." Furthermore He sent His only begotten Son into the world, that He, as the Lamb of God, might take away the sins of the world. Even venial sin had caused the world to need a Redeemer. And should we hold venial sin, then, to be a small evil? The saints thought differently. St. Anselm and St. Thomas said that they would rather be burning in hell innocently than be in heaven with one venial sin on their conscience.

There was once a girl who worked in a factory. One day, her work was done, and it was time to go home. Seeing on her dress some white lint, she stooped down to brush it off, but as she bent over, the machinery caught her loose hair and drew her along with it. In a moment her head and body were drawn among the wheels and she was crushed to death. It was by a few hairs only that this poor girl was at first caught. You would think that it would have been easy to have broken them and so to escape. But no; while each hair is so very small of itself, together they are stronger than a rope. So it is with venial sin, my children. Keep away, therefore, from the slightest venial sin.

As there is nothing more precious in the world than the grace of God, whatever deprives of this should be considered a great evil. It is true venial sin does not separate us entirely from God, but it grieves Him and puts an obstacle to His grace. So it happens that persons who go on committing venial sins willfully, often fall into mortal sin. Not being strengthened by grace, they succumb to temptation and lose the friendship of God. Almighty God inflicts severe punishments on those who commit venial sins, both in this world and in the world to come. Now supposing that one of you were tempted to steal a penny, and you knew that, if you stole it, you would be thrown into prison or burnt in a slow fire, do you think that you would take it? Most assuredly you would not. And yet we know that if we die in the guilt of venial sin, we shall be sent into the prison and burnt in the fire of purgatory. Let us always remember, therefore, when we are tempted to commit venial sin, that God will be sure to punish it either in this life or in the next.

You know the story of Lot's wife who was turned into a pillar of salt. She acted contrary to the command of God's angel and out of mere curiosity looked back at the burning city. Yet, see her punishment! Mary, the sister of Moses, was, on account of a little murmuring infected with a terrible leprosy, from which she could only be freed by the prayer of her brother. Moses, just for a moment doubted God's goodness when he was told to draw water from solid rock. For this small venial sin, he was deprived of entering the promised land.

St. Louis had the good fortune to have a most excellent mother. "Guard against sin !" was the constant warning of Queen Blanche to the child who was to be the future king of France. Often she would say to him : "I know that I love you, my dear son, With the greatest tenderness that a mother can have ; yet I would rather see you dead than guilty of sin." Such teachings made a deep impression on the prince, and he himself said later in life that he never forgot the instructions of his mother, but thought of them every day. Oh, that all children would take their mother's teachings thus to heart. After his father's death Louis became king of France, and as a ruler he fulfilled his duties most conscientiously. He honored the Catholic Church as her faithful son. He attended Mass every day and read many devout books. He visited hospitals and often nursed the sick, even lepers, with his own hands.

On his deathbed the holy king exhorted his son to be faithful to his duties, and said to him: "My dear son, the first thing that I commend to you is that you love God above all things. Live only for Him and be ready to endure sufferings and trials, rather than to commit a single sin." Dear children, it was the teaching of St. Louis' mother, the good Queen Blanche, that made this good king such an admirable ruler. Repeat it often in your hearts, especially when you are tempted, remembering that sin is the greatest evil
that can befall you.

For the forgiveness of venial sins God has given us many means. Sincere acts of contrition, act of love and works of penance will serve to cleanse our souls from these stains. If you have told lies, you must try not to tell such any more; if you have been angry, try to be gentle and kind; if disobedient, to be willing and docile.

When St. Macarius was a little boy, he was playing with some other children in a garden. At a little distance stood a fig tree, laden with ripe fruit. The boys said : "What beautiful figs ! Let us take some." So they plucked a few, and began to eat them. While Macarius was eating, his conscience seemed to be always saying to him: "You have done wrong! You have done wrong!" And he found no pleasure in eating the fig he had taken. Afterwards, when he grew up to manhood, his disciples would often see him weeping: "I am weeping," he would say, "for the sin I committed when I was a child, by stealing a fig." "But, dear Father, that was only a venial sin." "Ah, my brethren," he would answer "it was an offense against God, and that is enough."

My dear children, keep away from venial sin, since it is so terrible in the eyes of God. If you try every evening when you retire to think how you have failed in being good, and resolve to do better the next day, you will learn by experience how good God is to those who seek Him. There is no true happiness to be found on earth except in the love and service of so good a God.

Source: Story Sermonettes for the Children's Mass, Imprimatur 1921
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21st Sunday after Pentecost - The Blindness of Sinners

10/16/2021

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My dear Children : A Roman philosopher tells of an old woman who lived in his house but who on account of age had become blind. Yet she called continually upon her servants to take her to some other dwelling, as she could not see in the one she occupied, because, as she thought, all the windows were walled up. Sinners are like this poor woman. They are blind, but will not believe it. There are many who desire to be praised and honored; who are always right and will yield to no one. They are evidently proud, and the worst feature is that they cannot see it; though they go to confession they fail to accuse themselves of the sin of pride. There are others again whose heart is so set on getting money, that they will even deny themselves and others the necessities of life, just to accumulate money. These are misers, totally blind to the passion of avarice. Lastly there is a class of spiritually blind persons who live according to the spirit of the world, never mortifying themselves, but following a code of morals contrary to the spirit of Christianity. To which of these class do you belong? Be not blind, children; compare your actions with the Christian law, and with the example of Christ and the saints.

St. Dominic received from God the grace of converting most obstinate sinners into great saints. One of these was Don Pedro, a nobleman of Aragon. When the saint was preaching in that part of the country, this gentleman, hearing of the wonders he wrought, had a great desire to see him. So he set out one day,accompanied by servants, and entered the church where St. Dominic was going to preach. Not with the intention of changing his life did he go there, but only to satisfy his curiosity. The people who knew of the bad life he was leading were astonished to see him in church. When Don Pedro entered, St. Dominic was kneeling before the altar, and God was pleased to make known to this holy man the dreadful state of the sinner's soul. He seemed to behold entering the church a hideous monster, with eyes starting from his head, and hands like eagle's claws. At this sight the man of God was filled with terror. "O my God, I beseech Thee," he cried out, "change the heart of this great sinner and make him truly penitent." Then going into the pulpit, he preached a sermon upon the awful effects of mortal sin. But all his eloquence was lost on this stubborn sinner. Not many days afterwards the same nobleman returned once more to this church, and St. Dominic was preaching as he came in. Suddenly stopping his sermon, and turning towards the crucifix, he exclaimed: "O Jesus, full of mercy, O Jesus, all-powerful, let Thy people here see with their bodily eyes the sad state of the soul of him who has just entered Thy Holy House." This prayer was heard. In an instant the proud Don Pedro appeared before them as a hideous monster, surrounded by a multitude of evil spirits, who held him by a chain. Terror and fear came upon all the gathered multitude. Some began to scream; in short a great tumult arose in the house of God. Don Pedro was astonished at seeing the dismay his appearance had caused, nor could he understand whence it proceeded. Calling one of his servants who was trembling from head to foot, he asked what it all meant. "My Lord," answered the servant, "is it possible that you alone do not see the terrible change that has come over you? You are surrounded by evil spirits that hold you by a chain."Only then did the unfortunate man realize that God had manifested the state of his soul to those who were present. Thereupon St. Dominic exhorted the people to cease their cries and to pray instead. Calling one of his disciples he gave him his rosary beads, and said : "Give these to Don Pedro and tell him to ask mercy and pardon from God." No sooner had Don Pedro taken the beads into his hands than he assumed his usual appearance. Kneeling down before the altar of the Blessed Mother he was filled with compunction of heart, and amid a flood of tears confessed his sins to St. Dominic and asked pardon of all the people for the scandal he had given them. Ever afterwards his life was one of penance and piety and he died in the odor of sanctity.
 
Like a man asleep sinners have lost their hearing. Conscience, it is true, is ever awake and knocks at the sinner's heart, reproaching him bitterly for his sinful life, but he is perfectly deaf. He drowns the voice of conscience by worldly pleasures and refuses to heed the admonitions of his pastor and friends. There are many daughters who do not regard the warning words of their parents. They persevere in sin, as though this world were never to be destroyed,— as though they had here an eternal resting place ! Oh, that every sinner would be aroused from the sleep of sin!

A certain young man was filled with the deepest melancholy at the death of a young person with whom he had been sinning. Nothing could console him, and very soon his health began to give way. . One of his companions, observing this, and knowing well the cause of it, thought of a cure, severe indeed, but one which he hoped would prove effective; for being pious himself he desired to bring his friend back to the path of virtue. He asked him to accompany him to the cemetery, and going to the grave wherein the remains of the young person had been interred, he opened it, as also the coffin. The stench of the decaying corpse was so unbearable that the young man turned to run away. "Why do you run away?" said the other. "Of what are you afraid? Come and behold the countenance of your friend, the friend with whom you have broken God's commandments—one who weeps in the other life for the momentary pleasures of this wicked world. Come and learn what a sad and bitter thing it is to have forsaken the Lord Thy God."

This lesson, though severe, had the desired effect. The young man repented of his past sins, and lived and died as saints do. You have learned by experience, my children, how sleep deprives you of the use of your senses; in like manner the torpor of sin does not permit you to see the pernicious consequences of a godless life.

There is no greater misfortune than sin; by it you lose the grace of God; you relinquish your rights to the merits you have acquired for heaven; and are in imminent danger of being lost forever. Cooperate then with the grace of God all your life long for that will enable you to see clearly the way to heaven.

Source: Story Sermonettes for the Children's Mass, Imprimatur 1921
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20th Sunday after Pentecost - Parental Example

10/10/2021

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My dear Children: We know that example draws, be it for good or for evil. At the conclusion of today's Gospel we read that not only the ruler, but also his whole house, believed in Jesus. If the ruler had not believed in Christ, those of his household would not have believed in Him; his whole house, his wife, children, and servants believed in Him.

Children, if you are blessed with good parents who give you a good example there is no better means of training you to become good Catholic men and women. Good example is the best teacher of good morals.

The unbounded confidence which you have in your parents, makes you consider everything they do as right and good. If you see that your parents pray devoutly, diligently visit the church, and if their daily conduct shows that they have the fear of God before their eyes, it will make a salutary impression upon you ; that which is good will take root in the hearts of the children of such parents and will become almost a second nature. And when you, young folks, grow up, when severe and dangerous trials have to be endured, you will have become so confirmed in virtue, that sin will not overcome you. And even if you should fall, you will soon rise; your wounded conscience will give you no rest, but will  urge and impel you to reconcile yourselves with God as soon as possible.

The Prophet Ezechiel speaks of a wagon drawn by four living beings; as these moved along, the wheels of the wagon turned round and followed. By this wagon we can understand a family; the beings that draw the wagon are the parents ; but the wheels are the children. Now, just as the wheels turned around and went the same direction as the beings that drew the wagon, so children act according to the example of their parents. St. Chrysostom says : "The works of the parents are books from which the children learn. The tongue, the lips of the parents, are as so many books, from which children are taught."
 
There lived about the middle of the thirteenth century, in Brittany, a pious married couple. God blessed their union by giving them a son, whom they called Yves, and whom they resolved to bring up in piety and the knowledge of God's holy law. The mother especially watched over him, and ceased not to say to him, over and over again : "Yves, you must be a saint." The child, hearing these words so often, said to her one day: "Mother, what is a saint?" "A saint, my child, is one whom God has made to be forever with Him in heaven. A saint is one who loves God above all things, and His Son Jesus Christ : one who keeps all the commandments of God, that he may be with Jesus Christ in heaven." The child listened to these lessons of his mother with his hands joined, and his eyes fixed on hers, eager for every word she said, andwhen she had ended he would say to her : "My mother, I must be a saint; I will love God with all my heart, and all my lifetime I will try to please Him." His father then would say: "My child, your mother has taught you how to love God, I will teach you now how to love your neighbor for God's sake." And he took his little boy on errands of charity and showed him those outward deeds of virtue that mark the Christian among men, and make him glorify His Father who is in heaven. And thus the child grew up a saint.

We read in the Bible that Tobias led a blameless and holy life in the midst of a godless, vicious city. He did this because he was so fortunate as to have a father who not only instructed him in every virtue, but also gave him a most beautiful example. How was it that Timothy lived so piously that St. Paul states that he had found a disciple who was entirely of his own disposition, and who interested himself in the welfare of the faithful as zealously as himself?

The Apostle traces the source to the disciple's mother and grandmother. What kind of parents have as a rule good children? To whom belong those boys and girls who are distinguished for modesty, obedience, fervor in prayer, and fear of God ? Who are those young men and women, who by their reserve and modesty are models for the entire congregation? They are usually the children of good Catholic parents. Since those young people see and hear nothing at home but what is good, they themselves become good, and justify in their parents the hope that they will always remain so. Yes, the lessons and admonitions of parents sink deeply into the hearts of children. They resemble a gentle rain, which moistens ' the soil and causes a plentiful supply of fruit.

There was once a pious mother who had a son whom she taught to love God. From his earliest years he followed the holy counsels she gave him, and grew up a model to all the young men around him. He went frequently to the Sacraments, and there was every appearance that he would live and die a saint. Things went on in this hopeful way till he had reached his seventeenth year. All at once a change came over him. His piety seemed to melt slowly away, and he no longer went to the Sacraments as he used to do. This change in his conduct was soon observed by his good mother. For a long time she tried very hard to find out what was the cause of this change. He never went with bad companions, and she never saw him read bad books. One day when she was more sorrowful than ever she went to see him in his room. "My dear child," she said to him, "you must tell me what is the cause of the great change that I observe in you ; you are not the same pious boy that you used to be. You must tell me all about it." But the son did not speak. He hung his head, and his face grew crimson with shame. His mother became more and more alarmed, and she pressed him with the most endearing words. "My mother," he began, "since you have asked me in this way, I will not hide anything from you; I will tell you all. I loved my religion dearly and I found my greatest delight in the practice of it. But now I have grown up, and I have begun to reflect. Look at my father; see how the world honors and esteems him. Oh, how much I would like to resemble him ! Yet he does not practice his religion. Surely I cannot do wrong in acting as he does. Now, my dearest mother, I have told you all." The poor afflicted mother left her son, and flew at once to the room where her husband was. She sat down by his side, and in the midst of tears and sobs, told him all that her son had said to her. "Come with me," he said, "I have misled my boy, but I may yet save him." Saying these words he went down to his son's room. "My child," he said, "it is indeed a hard thing for a father to go on his knees to his own son, but I will do it. Yes, my child, I am guilty—guilty of a great sin. I have not lost my faith. It is that cursed human respect that kept me from professing my faith openly. Thanks be to God, it is not too late. Forgive me, my dear child, for the bad example. Who is your confessor, he shall also be mine."

The best person if he has bad example before him is in great danger to lose his good principles. This is very true of children who like to imitate what they see and hear, without knowing the consequences of sin. In their simplicity they think that everything done by their parents is good and lawful. As the youth, so the man. The result is that such children often live and die in sin and perish eternally. As long as David himself was pious, his children were the same. But when the father sinned grievously, the children also departed from the right path, and committed heinous crimes.

My dear boys and girls, thank God from the bottom of your heart if you have good Catholic parent? parents who give you a good example. Oh that every Christian mother would ever remember the great influence her example has upon her children for good or for evil, so that she may forever enforce her instruction by her own good example.

Source: Story Sermonettes for the Children's Mass, Imprimatur 1921
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19th Sunday after Pentecost -         Honor Due the Anointed of the Lord

10/3/2021

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My dear Children: We honor and revere ambassadors and representatives of kings and potentates of this earth; how much more should we not honor and revere the priest, the representative of the King of kings, namely God. When we consider the exalted office and the sublime power entrusted by Jesus Christ to His ministers upon earth, and especially to His priests and bishops, we are struck with amazement, and cannot fail to be penetrated with the deepest reverence for their sacred office. They are the representatives of Jesus Christ here below; in them He still lives among us, speaking to us through their lips the words of eternal life. Ah, my dear children, with what holy awe and profound reverence should we not regard the office of the priest! What respect, too, should we not show in our conduct towards him ! The lips of the priest have the power to call the Son of God down upon the altar, and to open the gates of heaven to the penitent sinner. His hands are daily sanctified by the touch of the most pure and spotless Body of Jesus, which he holds, and raises aloft, and carries in Communion to the faithful, having a privilege like to that of Mary herself, to whom it was given to carry the divine Infant in her arms.

St. Martin, the illustrious Bishop of Tours, being on a visit, upon an affair of business, at the court of Emperor Maximus, was invited, with the priest who accompanied him, to sit down to dinner at the emperor's table. During the repast a cup of wine was poured out and presented to Maximus, who, wishing to do honor to the bishop, ordered it to be first handed to St. Martin, expecting that, when he had tasted, he would return it to him again. To his surprise, however, and of that of the whole court, St. Martin, after he had drunk, passed the cup to his companion, the priest, as being after him the most exalted person in the assembly. So far from being displeased, Maximus applauded this action of the saint, acknowledging that, in the sight of God, who estimates persons at their true value, the imperial is far inferior to the priestly dignity.

The priest announces to us the messages of God, and interprets His divine commandments. He speaks to us, on the part of God, words of consolation, encouragement, counsel, direction, and also reproof, and he continually pleads for us at the throne of grace by the recital of the canonical hours. Truly the office of the priest is an angelic office, or rather is an office far higher than that of the angels, who are but the ministers of God to do His will ; whereas the priest is not only His minister, but His representative upon earth, and a mediator between Him and His people. Hence St. Francis of Assisi was wont to say : "Were I to meet in the street an angel and a priest, I would first bow in reverence to the priest and afterwards in reverence to the angel." And you also, my dear children, when you respectfully bow to salute the priest, or kneel to receive his blessing, show thereby that the same faith which animated the saints burns within your breasts. For you do so because you see with the eyes of your soul Jesus Christ Himself in the person of His priest, and know and feel that though he may be poor and lowly in the eyes of unbelieving men, his sacred character raises him in dignity and honor far above the kings and mighty of the world.

A certain traveler happened at nightfall to reach a large forest, through which he was obliged to pass to reach his destination. There was a shepherd with his flock, and of him he asked the necessary directions by which he might reach in safety the place to which he was going. "The way which leads to the town you wish to go to," he answered, "is long and dangerous, and it will be very difficult for me to point it out to you, for the forest is crossed by so many paths that it will be almost impossible for you to find the right one. There is, indeed, one high road which is broad and easy to walk on, but it leads to a terrible abyss, into which many incautious travelers have fallen and perished." "What is that terrible abyss of which you speak?" said the stranger. "It is a deep ravine, situated at the other end of this forest. There are many wild beasts, and one of them especially is most ferocious, so that we often find remains of unfortunate people whom it has devoured. I have stationed myself here at the entrance of the forest through charity to any who may happen to enter it from this side, that I may guide them. Follow me therefore if you wish to escape death." Then, carrying in one hand a lantern, he took with the other one his companion's hand and during the remainder of the night they walked together through the forest. When the morning dawned, they had reached without accident the farther end of the wood. It was only then the traveler came to realize the extent of the favor that his guide had conferred upon him.

Children, the traveler of whom I have spoken is yourself; the large forest is the world in which we live. The wild beasts are the enemies of our soul, and the terrible monster which destroyed so many people is Satan himself. The abyss which the stranger escaped is Hell, and the path by which he was led to the end of his journey is the one of piety, charity, justice, and purity. The charitable guide is not only your invisible guardian angel, but in a particular manner it is also the priest, whom God has given you to be your visible guide, to instruct you in the way you should go, and to direct your feet in the paths of His commandments, until you reach your home—the kingdom of God your Father. Listen, therefore, my dear boys and girls, to the words of the priest, who is the representative of Jesus Christ to you, that you may reach your, true home.

We must love our priests. It is they who ever encourage our best endeavors, continually exhort us to virtue and the fear of God, share our joys and woes, daily pray for us, and even long after our death continue to recommend us to the mercy of God in the sacrifice of the Mass and in prayer.

You must pray for your priests. The gratitude which you owe them for the benefits they bestow upon you demands this. The first Christians did this. When St. Peter was in prison, they prayed without intermission for him until God delivered him. We must with a good will give them what is due them. Good conscientious Catholics give their pastors what is due them, according to justice and usage, and all the more cheerfully because they know that they will employ their savings for charitable purposes.

Priests preach the truths of our holy Faith, for they are commissioned and empowered to teach Christian Doctrine in school and church. What they teach and preach is not their own word, but the Word of God, the doctrine of the Catholic Church. Good Catholics receive the teaching of their pastor with a believing heart, for they know that he teaches not his own doctrine, but the doctrine of the Church, which is the pillar and ground of truth.

Guard against violating your duties as Catholic children towards your priests and pastors of your souls. Honor them, because the sacred office they administer is one deserving honor, though as men they may have some faults and frailties. Love them, for they are your greatest benefactors, caring for your souls and conferring many graces on you for your salvation. Rest assured that it will be to you a sweet consolation on your death-bed if you can say to yourself that you have always honored and loved your priests.

Source: Story Sermonettes for the Children's Mass, Imprimatur 1921
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18th Sunday after Pentecost - The Sin of Blasphemy

9/25/2021

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 My dear Children: In your catechism you have learned under the Second Commandment what blasphemy means. By blasphemy we mean speaking injuriously of God, or His saints and angels, or sacred things. This is, indeed, a crime which we should expect to find only among the devils in hell. For can it be possible that man, the creature of God, redeemed by the Blood of the Son of God, receiving daily his existence and innumerable benefits from the hand of God, should be capable of speaking injuriously of God, or what immediately relates to Him. And yet, unhappily, it is so.

Many, indeed, blaspheme that which they know not; for example those who, not belonging to our holy religion, and misled by prejudice and false teachers, misrepresent Catholic Doctrine, mock at the ceremonies of the Church, or speak disrespectfully of our Blessed Lady, or the saints, or the holy Sacraments ; but there are others, alas ! Catholics in name, who blaspheme that which they do know, by murmuring against the Justice or Providence of God, jesting about holy things, or mocking at the ministers of the Church.

You can easily understand how heinous this crime is in the sight of God. In the Old Law the blasphemer was, by the command of God Himself, sentenced to death, and stoned in sight of all the people, and in the laws of many Christian nations we find the severest punishments enacted against this crime, as, for example, in the laws of St. Louis, king of France, who ordered the tongue of the blasphemer to be pierced with a red-hot iron. Many instances are likewise recorded, in which God took it upon Himself at once to avenge His own honor, and struck the blasphemer dead in the very act of insulting Him.

Some years ago the town of Nottingham was visited by a most awful thunderstorm, the effects of which were most disastrous. The lower part of the town was flooded, and the poorer classes, who inhabited cellars, as well as many shopkeepers, suffered severely. Among those who sought shelter from the pitiless storm in the Milton's Head public-house, was a young man, a lace-maker by trade. For some time he amused himself with ridiculing the fears of the people, but his language, which was from the first light and unbecoming, became at last impious and profane. He used the Holy Name of God in the most blasphemous manner, and, with bitter oaths, expressed a wish that a thunderbolt might come down and strike his companions blind. Then raising himself, he looked through the skylight over the room in which they were sitting and, with profane gestures, defied the lightning. At that moment a vivid flash entered the room, and in an instant he was lying speechless on the floor. He was taken up by the trembling bystanders, none of whom were injured, and laid upon a couch. The first words he uttered on recovering his speech were: "God forgive me!" He had become blind.

God is blasphemed when we wish Him evil, or when we curse creatures, in so far as they are God's works. He who wishes that there was no God, or that He had not the power to punish the wicked, is guilty of the most horrid blasphemy. He who curses men, cattle, or anything else, such as the weather, is guilty of blasphemy,' according to St. Thomas of Aquin, since these are creatures or works of God; for dishonoring that which God has made is in fact dishonoring God Himself. But God can be blasphemed not only with words, but also with signs and gestures; when a man, for instance, full of rage, raises his clenched hands towards heaven, gnashes his teeth, spits upon holy things, as the soldiers did when they spat upon Jesus,' bent their knees before Him and in derision saluted Him as their king.

Children, this sin can also be committed in thought, when we voluntarily think something of God or His saints which is to their dishonor. Persons who are troubled with involuntary blasphemous thoughts must not allow themselves to be disquieted in their devotion. They should often say "Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost."

A very holy man left his cell in the desert to visit a sick friend of his youth who dwelt in Alexandria, and who wished to see him before he died. Most of the inhabitants of that city were pagans, who hated the Christian religion. As soon, therefore, as he entered, they knew by his dress that he was a Christian hermit, and began to mock him. Some carried their hatred so far as to strike him, and to abuse him in other ways. But the good man passed on without uttering a word of complaint, and bore all patiently for the love of God. Some of them cried after him in mockery : "Did Jesus Christ ever work a miracle?"

A man who was passing and who was a Christian said: "Yes, Jesus Christ did work many miracles; but even if He had not wrought any, the conduct of this holy man is enough to prove the truth of the Christian religion. What greater miracle could you desire to see? You have insulted and abused the good man because he is a disciple of Jesus Christ, and yet he has borne it all without murmur." These words silenced the people : they were ashamed of what they had done. And some of them, touched by the meekness of the good monk, were led to believe in God and to renounce forever paganism.

Children, by blasphemy God is attacked personally, and His honor violated. One who offends a king personally, commits a greater crime than if he transgresses one of his laws, so the blasphemer commits a far greater sin than some sinner who sins not immediately against God, but only against His law. Now if a man dares to insult and blaspheme God, whom the Cherubim and Seraphim adore with the most profound veneration, must it not be a horrible sin? If a Catholic who is a member of the true Church of God, curses God despite of all graces and evidences of His love, instead of praising and glorifying Him, is it not the most atrocious crime? Very sad to say that even some children, who scarcely know how to make the Sign of the Cross, know how to give themselves to the devil ; they learn how to curse sooner than to pray. Oh, that parents would carefully guard against cursing and blaspheming, so as not to give scandal to their children.

My dear boys and girls, I beg of you avoid the company of blasphemers, they are living devils. Furthermore, consider what you would have to reveal before the throne of God, when you must give an account of every idle word. Let the divine praises be constantly on your lips : "Blessed be God, blessed be His Holy Name."

Source: Story Sermonettes for the Children's Mass, Imprimatur 1921
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17th Sunday after Pentecost - Loving God Above All Things

9/19/2021

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My dear Children: We must love God. What does this mean? It means that we must love God not only exteriorly, but also interiorly. It not only the mere tribute of our words or external appearance in our prayer that He demands, but our words come must from the very bottom of our hearts. Who are those who love God only with their lips ? Those boys or girls who pray without thinking of what they say. Their heart is with their playmates or their toys. Such children offer an insult to God, and consequently cannot expect any result from their prayer.

Those who do not give their heart to God do not love Him. All those who are in mortal sin do not love God; they love their evil passions; they tell a direct lie to God as often as they say: "My God I love Thee" God is not satisfied with a divided heart; we must not divide our love between Him and His Creatures. To love with the whole heart means to love God alone, and everything besides God for God's sake and in such a manner as He wills.

St. Francs de Sales loved God with his whole heart, for he says of himself: "If I knew that there was in my heart a single fibre not for God, I would tear it out at once." If you have any inordinate love for any person of thing expel it from your heart, forr the heart man is a tabernacle in which God alone should dwell.

I heard a story the other day about a little boy who surely had the love of God in his heart. There is one thing he never forgot namely, to take his offering with him every Sunday to church. He had his envelope for his weekly offering just as his father had and he never would go to church unless he had it with him I happened one day that he had to go to church alone on a Sunday when his father and mother were absent. However, he did not go without his offering. He had it in his little white envelope which he carried in his pocket.  That morning a strange lady sat at the head of the seat in the same pew, and when the time came for the offering to be given she looked in her bag and found that she had no money with her. She didn't seem to be troubled about it, but the little boy was greatly troubled and wondered what she would do when the men would come with the plates to receive the offering and she had none to give. You see he had formed the habit of giving and he enjoyed it, and wondered how anybody could go to church without a gift. Well, he got more troubled and anxious the nearer the ushers came with the collection-plates, and when they came to the seat in front of the one where he was sitting he held out his little white envelope to the strange lady, and said to her: "Here, please, take this and put it in the plate, and I'll get under the seat. I'm small and they won't see me." That boy has formed a habit of giving, and when he grows to be a man it will be part of his life and part of his religion to offer his gifts unto the Lord. I think that every boy, no matter how small, ought to give some of his money—however little it may be—to God.

Charity requires that we always will what God wills, that we make a sacrifice of our will to God, and therefore accept cheerfully all crosses and afflictions from His hand. In this way all pious souls manifest their love of God. When St. Gertrude said the "Our Father," she used to repeat three times the words "Thy will be done." While praying thus one day, our blessed Lord appeared to her, having health in one hand and sickness in the other, and said to her: "Choose, daughter, between health and sickness." Which do you suppose the saint chose? Health, of course. No. Well, then sickness ? No. As she did not know what our Lord thought good to give her, she said : "Lord, not my will but Thine be done." Let us be satisfied with whatever God is pleased to send us, firmly convinced that He will send us what is good for us.

In the year 1623, at the beginning of Lent, the Venerable Agnes of Jesus became very ill. She was at that time only twenty-one years old. The physicians did not seem to understand the nature of the malady, and gave her medicine which, instead of making her better, only made her suffer the more. But Agnes never uttered one word of complaint, the only words she said were the following, which she repeated often every day: "O my God, mayest Thou be blessed a thousand times." When Easter Sunday came, God was pleased to reward the patience with which she had suffered the heavy crosses He had been pleased to send her, by permitting her guardian angel to appear to her. "My child," said the angel, "are you happy in your sufferings?" "Yes," she answered, "because it is the holy Will of God, whom I love with all my heart. My heart and my will are entirely united to Him : let Him dispose of me according to His divine Will." The angel answered: "Continue to love Jesus in this way, and be assured that He will never forsake you."

When we love some one sincerely we often think of him, for where our treasure is there also is our heart. If, therefore, we truly love God, we shall frequently think of Him and raise our heart to Him. St. Aloysius was always occupied with the thought of God and divine things, and, whether alone or in company, whether he worked or rested, he had no room in his heart for anything but God.

To spare his weakened health, his superiors ordered him to turn his thoughts sometimes from God and to divert himself. But it was impossible for him to do so. Hence it is not a good sign that so many of us have our thoughts everywhere except with God; that we rise in the morning and lie down in the evening without thinking of God, that we occupy ourselves the whole day entirely with temporal affairs, without even a passing thought of God, that even when in church we give way to distractions, and that in general we care as little about God as about a stranger. If we feel ourselves guilty we must admit that our love of God resembles a weak spark which is liable every moment to be extinguished.

A father and mother were living with their two children on a desert island in the ocean, on which they had been shipwrecked. Roots and vegetables served them for food; a spring was their drink; and a cavern in the rock their dwelling. Storms and tempests often raged fearfully on the island. The children knew nothing of the vast continent; bread, milk, fruit, and whatever other luxury is obtainable there, were things unknown to them.

There landed one day upon the island four Moors in a small boat. The parents were greatly delighted, and hoped now to be rescued from their sufferings. But the boat was too small to take them all over together to the adjoining land, so the father determined to risk the passage first. The mother and children wept, when he embarked in the frail wooden boat, and the four black men were to take him away. But he said : "Weep not, it is a better land : and you will all follow soon." When the little boat returned, and took away the mother, the children wept still more. But she also said: "Weep not! In the better land we shall all meet again." At last came the boat to take away the two children. It was with fear and trembling that they drew near the land. But how delighted were they when their parents appeared on the shore, offered them their hands, led them into the shade of lofty palm trees, and regaled them with milk and honey. "My dear children," said the father, "our voyage from the desert island to this beautiful country has a higher meaning. We are all destined to make a much longer journey, to a much more beautiful country. The whole earth upon which we dwell resembles an island ; this glorious land is an image for us, although only a faint one, of heaven ; the voyage hither over the stormy sea is death ; that little boat resembles the bier, upon which men in black apparel shall sooner or later carry us forth.

But when the hour strikes for us, for myself, your mother, or you! to leave this world, be not afraid. Death is for pious people, who have loved God, and have done His will, nothing else but a voyage to the Better Land."

Children, whatever you do, do all for the love of God, that you may become richer and richer in merits in this world, and hereafter receive in heaven the reward of all that love God.

Source: Story Sermonettes for the Children's Mass, Imprimatur 1921
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16th Sunday after Pentecost - The Sin of Pride

9/11/2021

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My dear Children: Pride is a sin with which almost all men are more or less infected ; even Christians who otherwise lead a good life, are not entirely free from it. It is also certain that no sin causes so much evil as pride, for it is the origin of all vices, and the ruin of all virtues. Girls and boys sometimes wish to appear more than what they really are. They wear fine clothes, they want everybody to see them, they try to make people believe that they are rich. They assume affected and haughty airs, and make others think that they are very smart. Some talk piously and pray devoutly just for the sake of appearing to be saints, and a stranger would expect them one day to be canonized. The likes of these appear to be better  than they really are; they exalt themselves, and sin by pride. There are many who are greatly displeased when others make no ado about them. They desire more honor than they deserve.

A farmer went out with his little boy, Tobias, into the cornfield, to see if his corn was nearly ripe. "Father," said the boy, "how is it that some stalks bend so low to the earth, but others hold their heads so upright? The latter must surely be very fine ones, and the others, which bow so low before them, must be very inferior." His father plucked a couple of ears : "Look," said he, "at this ear, which bends itself so modestly, it is full of the finest
grains; but this, which holds itself so proudly aloft, is quite barren and empty." A mincing air and haughty tread speak a weak heart and empty head.

The proud man refuses to give God the honor that is due Him. All natural and supernatural goods which we possess are gifts of God. If one ascribes to himself the good which he has, he is unjust towards God, and sins by pride. This kind of pride is very common. People ascribe everything to their own application, to their own skill, and deny to have received anything from God, so that they may not be obliged to give thanks to God. Thus the farmer says : "It is no wonder that I have good crops, I have prepared my ground well. There is no mystery in my prosperity."

The business man says : "I understand my business ; I am a shrewd business man and a good financier." These proud persons do not consider that with all their diligence they could not accomplish the least thing if God withheld His blessing. If any one on account of his good works seeks honor and praise from men, he does God a great injustice ; for God demands that men, whose chief end is to praise and glorify God, should occupy themselves in glorifying Him. Let us therefore guard against seeking our own glory in anything, but rather have God's glory in view in all our actions.

St. Rose of Lima was very beautiful in feature and form. But she looked upon beauty as a dangerous gift, because it easily leads to vanity, and she avoided everything that might attract notice. She even destroyed the delicate color of her skin by rubbing it with a sharp drug. Her beautiful hair she cut off. When misfortune suddenly befell her parents her devotion to them led her to try to think of a means to help out. She planted her garden with flowers, made bouquets, and sent a servant out to sell them on the market-place. The proceeds she gave to her mother. Rose permitted no pride to come to her mind. Therefore she did not hesitate to take service as a maid in the household of a man named Gonsalvus. She worked busily at her task, day and night, without, however, interrupting her communion with God. The poor and the sick of the city she visited diligently, but she scorned to make worldly calls merely for social pleasure. St. Rose had neither pride of mind nor of body. She did not think that she was better nor more virtuous than others; she was not vain of her physical beauty ; when her parents had become poor she did not hesitate to serve as a maid for their sake. And because she was not proud she was active in visiting the poor and the sick of the city. He who is proud does not do that, for with pride goes hardness of heart towards our fellow being. He who is proud makes life unbearable
for himself and for others, and at last comes to a fall.
 
Everything we have is loaned to us by God and we keep it only as long as God wills. God resists the proud. On account of pride Lucifer was cast out of heaven. Pride drove our first parents out of paradise, and plunged the whole human race into the misery of sin. Pride confused the tongues of the workers on the Tower of Babel. Pride brought the plague down on the legions of David.

A certain ruler in the East, whose name was Saladin, lay at the point of death. Seeing his end approaching, he commanded one of the courtiers to ride through the whole city, bearing on the point of his spear the winding-sheet which was being prepared for him, and in which he would soon be wrapped, and at the same time cry with loud voice, saying: "This is all that the great Saladin, the terror of his enemies, the mighty potentate of the East, can take with him to the grave, out of all the riches and treasures he possessed'."

My dear boys and girls, as we brought nothing into this world when we came into it, so also, when we depart out of it, we can take nothing with us. Why then should we be proud? Remember where you are, and sigh. Where is your soul? In a body which is subject to a thousand frailties. Where is your body? Upon an earth upon which the curse of God rests; in a valley of tears from which countless sighs and) groans daily ascend to heaven. How can we be proud ? What can dust be proud of ? Whither does our body go ? Into the grave, where it will moulder and return into its original dust.

The adorable Son of God chose for His mother a poor maiden of Galilee, for His foster-father a poor carpenter, for his palace a stable; He lived thirty years as the reputed son of a carpenter. He who was God became man to teach us that we are but men. The saints served God with fidelity, practiced all virtues, rendered great service to men—and yet they were little in their own eyes, and no vain thought found room in their hearts. Mary, the Mother of God, calls herself the handmaid of the Lord. St. John the Baptist deems himself unworthy to loose the latchet of the shoes of our Saviour. Looking at such examples, should we not banish all pride from our hearts ?

Frequently think of the awful consequences which pride draws after it; consider your lowly state, and keep the example of Jesus and His saints before you eyes, that you may learn of them to be meek and humble of heart.

Source: Story Sermonettes for the Children's Mass, Imprimatur 1921
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15th Sunday after Pentecost -        Constant Preparation for the Hour of Death

9/4/2021

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My dear Children: Must I speak to you about death; you who are so young, so hopeful for many years to come? It is, indeed, a sad thought, death. The event related in the gospel of this day is one that has been renewed numberless times, and will be renewed every day as long as there are men upon earth. Where is there a city, a village, or even a house, out of which no dead are carried?

Like the young man of Naim, we, too, shall one day be carried to the cemetery, the last resting place. Nothing is more certain than death; and yet nothing is more uncertain than the hour of death. The history of all times tells us that we do not know when death will come. The first family consisted of four persons, Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel. Who would have believed that Abel, the
youngest member of the family, would die first? The people in Noah's time were eating and drinking when the flood came and took them all away. The daily papers report sudden deaths. We read that some people were killed by burglars and robbers, that one man fell from a scaffold and broke his neck, that many persons drowned, others lost their lives by accidents on railroads or by explosions. Are not persons most dear to us snatched away from our side by sickness, or by accidents ?

What lesson should we draw from this? If you are in the state of grace, you must employ all means to persevere in it unto the end. If you depart from the path of virtue and enter upon the road of sin, death may come suddenly upon you in the midst of your sins.

There was one Stephen, a hermit, who, after he had lived a great part of his life in solitude, fasting, watching, and praying, at last fell sick; and when he was at the point of death, the devil set upon him, and suggested many things to him. Sometimes the hermit cried out: "So it is indeed, I confess I did it; but I have lasted and prayed so many years for it." Other times he cried out : "That is a lie, I did not do it," and again he said : "It is so indeed; but I have shed tears for it; yet notwithstanding," said he, "there is need for mercy."

This example, children, ought to make you wary in all your actions, and flee from sin, and all the occasions of sin, since even this holy man, who had lived nearly forty years a retired and holy life, was so hard pressed by the devil at the hour of his death.

We do not know when death will come; it is active everywhere and knows where to find its victims. It penetrates into all places; no wall, no lock, no bolt can keep it out. People generally die when they least expect it. At the invitation of his brother, the unsuspecting Abel goes out into the field, when Cain suddenly falls upon him and slays him. A man has gallows erected for Mardochai; and a few days afterwards he swings on that very gallows himself. Heli sits down in an armchair to rest himself ; he falls backwards over the chair, and breaks his neck.

Children, we must have God everywhere before our eyes and shun injustice and sin. Avoid all places dangerous to life. Do not commit any foolhardy trick: it is better to be living than dead.

A certain holy priest by the name of Father Arnold saw that his end was near and he received the Sacraments with edifying piety. He asked all those who surrounded his bed to pray for him that he might have a happy death. He had scarcely made this request, when a sudden fear came over him and cold sweat covered his face. "O my brethren," he cried out, "do you not see the evil spirits around me, wanting to carry me to hell ? O, ask Mary, my heavenly Mother, to help me." His friends at once recited the Litany of the Blessed Virgin. When they came to the words, "Holy Mary, pray for him," he cried out, "brethren, say those words again; I am standing at God's judgment-seat." It seemed as if he saw the wicked spirits standing there to accuse him, he seemed to hear accusations, for he said: "Yes, but I did penance for that." He constantly pressed the crucifix to his lips, and continued to whisper the holy name of Mary. On a sudden he exclaimed: "I come, my Lady, I come," and while saying these words he tried to raise himself in his bed, but in doing so he expired.
 
The infinite goodness of God, which sanctifies us on our entrance into the world by Baptism, strengthens and enlightens us by Confirmation, nourishes us with the Holy Eucharist, and heals our spiritual infirmities by Penance, has provided us also with a special Sacrament to assist us in our passage out of this life, and prepare us for a happy eternity. This Sacrament is called Extreme Unction, or the Last Anointing, because in it we are for the last time anointed with Holy Oil. I need not tell you, my dear children, that willfully to omit receiving the Sacrament of Extreme Unction in our last illness, a Sacrament which affords many and such powerful helps towards a good and holy death, would be a sinful neglect and a great ingratitude to God. It would also be wrong willfully to put off receiving this great Sacrament from day to day, when our state has once been declared dangerous ; for we should thereby expose ourselves to the risk of dying without it, or, at least, of receiving it at a time when our strength is so reduced, and our mind so enfeebled, that we could not receive this Sacrament with that spirit of recollection and devout affection which would enable us to reap the full fruit of it. Foolish and ignorant people often imagine that Extreme Unction is like a sentence of death, and that when one has received it, his state may well be despaired) of. On the contrary, there is far more reason to hope for his recovery; for one of the principal effects of this Sacrament is to bless and assist the natural means taken for our bodily cure, whenever God sees this is for our real good.

The virtuous son of Louis XII one day learned that an old servant of his house was in danger of death, and that he would not hear of regulating the affairs of his conscience. He was painfully affected, and thinking that he might do some good in behalf of a man who had spent his life in his service, he went to his house. "Well, my friend," said he, "I am coming to see you, to tell you how sorry I am on your account. I have not forgotten that you always served me with affection ; you would give me, for the first time in your life, the greatest of all sorrows if you did not employ the little while you have yet to live in preparing for death." The poor man was moved to tears by this step of his good master, prepared himself for the Sacraments, and received them with great  piety and devotion.

As for you, my dear children, when serious illness overtakes you, earnestly desire to be purified by the grace of the Sacrament of Extreme Unction. Do your best to secure the same blessing for your father and mother, your relations and friends, and all to whom you may happen to be near in their last moments. How wicked and cruel are those false friends and unnatural children who allow a sick person or parent to approach to the very gate of eternity without the knowledge of their danger, which would enable them to set their affairs in order, and to make their peace with God! By complying with this instruction you will have the happiness of knowing that you have acquitted yourselves of a duty imposed upon you by filial piety, or, at least, by fraternal charity.

As soon as the priest has fixed the day and hour for administering the last Sacraments, you should prepare beforehand a little altar, on which he may place the holy Eucharist and the consecrated oil. Cover a small table with a clean cloth and place thereon a crucifix, two wax candles, some holy water and some common water, and add a few flowers. Meet the priest at the door with a burning candle and escort him to the bedside of the sick person. Kneel down and pray earnestly to God to bless and pardon the sick person.

Be always prepared for death; keep your conscience undefiled; and if you should have the misfortune to fall into sin, make at once a sincere act of contrition and go as soon as you can to confession, in order to reinstate yourself in the state of grace. Pray every day to God for the blessing of a happy death.

Source: Story Sermonettes for the Children's Mass, Imprimatur 1921
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14th Sunday after Pentecost - God and Mammon

8/29/2021

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My dear Children: Our Lord tells us in the Gospel of this Sunday that we cannot serve two masters. God and Mammon are two masters always at war with each other. Mammon means nothing else than riches or avarice, the inordinate desire after the goods of this world, and a sinful desire to obtain them.

The avaricious man does not seek first the kingdom of God and His justice; what he seeks and desires is money and goods; he thinks only of them. He violates Christian charity and justice; he oppresses the poor, widows and orphans when there is a question of gratifying his avarice.

Children, understand me, to be rich and to be avaricious are not one and the same thing. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Job and David were rich, but not avaricious. They were holy men. There are rich people who are not avaricious, and there are poor people who are very avaricious. Only those who inordinately seek and love money and other worldly goods are avaricious.

A merchant named William made a long journey into a distant country, acquired a large fortune by his industry and skill, and after many years returned to his native country. Just as the ship arrived, he heard that all his relations were assembled at a merry supper party in a near-by country house. He immediately hurried to it, and, in the joy of his heart, did not even take time to exchange for a better coat his traveling dress, which had grown rather shabby in the course of the voyage. The consequence was that, as he came into the brilliantly-lighted room, his fine cousins showed but little pleasure at seeing him back again, imagining from his shabby apparel that he had returned home poor. A young servant whom he had brought with him was indignant at the conduct of these relations. "What a heartless set!" said he, "who do not even give their friend a hearty welcome after so long an absence/' "Just wait a moment," said the merchant to him, in a low voice; "they will soon show a different countenance."

He then put a precious ring, which he carried with him, on his finger; and, lo! all their countenances brightened up, and each pressed towards "dear Cousin William." One took him by the hand, another embraced him, and all contended for the honor of receiving and entertaining him at their houses. "Can it then be," said the astonished servant, "that the ring has some hidden power to bewitch the people?" "Oh, no," said William, "it is only that they see by the sparkling ring, which is worth some thousand dollars, that I am rich; and riches rank above everything else in their eyes." "Oh! you blinded men!" cried the boy; "it is not, then, the ring, but your own avarice, that has bewitched you! Can it, indeed, be that men should prize a bit of yellow ore and a brilliant stone more highly than a man so noble as my master?" How many a silly fool worships wealth and is blind to virtue!

We must always be on our guard, dear children, against the hateful and contemptible vice of avarice, which is the fruitful source of so many evils, and we should be the more watchful because it is apt to grow upon people without their perceiving it, especially as they acquire wealth and advance in years. Your parents, dear children, should take every opportunity of promoting liberality in you, teaching you to be generous to your companions, and to love above all things Christ's poor ; otherwise your parents will see you grow up mean, selfish and miserly. You should always remember the words of our divine Lord that He has promised on His own divine word, that even a cup of water given in His name shall not lose its reward.

We have a terrible example of the fatal consequences of 'avarice in the traitor Judas, who, for the few paltry pieces of silver, betrayed His divine Master. On the other hand, it was the charity of Tobias which obtained for him the visit of the archangel Raphael and many blessings, both spiritual and temporal.

Again, it was the hospitality which the woman of Sunam showed to the prophet Eliseus that merited the restoration of her son to life.
 
A rich miser, who had never given a penny to a poor man, kept a monkey for his amusement; but this monkey he even hoped to sell again for more than he had cost. One day this hardhearted man had gone out. The ape got his paws upon the well-filled money chests, and threw whole handfuls of gold and silver out of the window into the street. The people who saw this ran to pick the money up; they scrambled and fought for it and gathered up as much as they could. At length, when the chests were almost empty, the miser came up the street and saw with horror what was going on. "Oh! you hideous, stupid brute!" he cried out, threatening the ape with his clenched fist. A neighbor, however, said to him in the midst of his fury : "Keep your temper. It is certainly stupid to throw money out of the window like this monkey; but, pray, is the man more reasonable who locks it up in chests and makes no use whatever of it ? See how God punished the avaricious man by the means of a stupid animal!

Children, there is a great difference between a proper and an inordinate love of money. He who properly loves money has not the money itself in mind, but the proper use of it; he would be quite indifferent to it if he could not make use of it. Money is to him what medicine is to a sick man. He loves medicine because thereby he hopes to gain a benefit. On the contrary, he who loves money for money's sake, has only the money and not the use of it in view; the possession of money gives him great pleasure.

Thus the rich merchant, of whom Caesarius relates that his friends were obliged to promise him that they would bind a purse of gold upon his heart and put it into the grave with him, certainly loved money. Thus the Emperor Caligula loved money; he often rolled himself on it with great satisfaction. Many Catholics have indeed no purse bound upon their heart, nor do they roll themselves upon their money, but their hearts and souls cling to it; their most pleasant hours are spent in counting their money. The rich man may lose all his wealth by misfortune, and be reduced to beggary during his lifetime; but death tears from man all he possesses. Suppose a man has boxes full of gold, death will not leave him a cent; suppose he owns houses and lands, nothing remains for him but the coffin, in which his body is laid, and a few feet of clay in which he moulders.

The Emperor Constantine one day demonstrated this truth to one of his officers, to cure him of his inordinate love of money. He marked out with his sword on the surface of the ground a space six feet long and two feet wide, and then said to him: "This is all that finally remains for us, my friend ; why should we labor so much to gather riches ?"

Children, often think of this story when you have a desire for the riches and pleasures of the world. 'That is all that will remain to me in death." Remember, man is made for heaven, his eyes look towards heaven. Give a horse a bundle of hay, and a dog a piece of meat, and they are satisfied and wish for no more. The heart of man is made for love and union with God and will never find rest in sensual enjoyments. In spite of his millions the heart of the avaricious man feels disquieted.

A miser had hidden with care a large sum of money in the hollow of a rock. A father of a family, in despair at the want of his children, betook himself to that spot, with the intention of hanging himself with a rope he carried for that purpose. Of a sudden he felt the ground yielding beneath him, and he fell into the hollow which the miser had dug out. After recovering from his fall, he found the treasure hidden there, and took it off as a present from heaven. Later on the miser came to contemplate his gold; finding it gone, he hanged himself with the rope the other had left behind him.

My dear boys and girls, as Christians and followers of Jesus Christ, we must consider that when He came down from heaven upon earth that He would not possess any riches, which you so greedily desire; nay, He loved poverty so much that He chose to be born of a poor and lowly virgin, and not of a rich princess of the earth. When He came into the world He would not live in a magnificent palace, but in a miserable manger where rough straw touched His tender body. Moderate your desires for earthly goods which are vain and frail. Your divine Judge will ask you what you have done for heaven, not what you possessed of the goods of this world. Endeavor to be rich in virtues and good works; these are true treasures, far more precious than all the gold and silver of the world.

Source: Story Sermonettes for the Children's Mass, Imprimatur 1921
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13th Sunday after Pentecost - A Healing of Sinful Man

8/21/2021

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 My dear Children: If you see among your companions a boy or a girl afflicted with a bad eruption on the skin, you try to avoid them. The Gospel story we have just read, tells of lepers who were looked upon as unclean. The disease they had was called leprosy. Leprosy is a symbol of sin, for as this disease defiles the body, so sin contaminates the soul, deprives it of the life of grace, and plunges it into eternal death. If we wish to be freed of the leprosy of the soul, we must show ourselves to the priests, i. e., we must sincerely confess our sins to them, for they have the power, not only of pronouncing us clean, but of really cleansing us from sins.

We should confess frequently, because we often sin. If there were a man who never in his life committed even a venial sin, he could not and should not confess, for confession is only ordained for sinners. But there is no man or woman who does not some time or other commit sin during the course of life; even the greatest saints were not without some sin, and although they did not sin grievously, yet they were not free from lesser faults. As every man is a sinner, every man must confess, because Christ has ordained it so. Whether we commit mortal or venial sins, we should frequently go to confession.

A hermit having fallen through human frailty into several faults, went to Siloe, one of the great Fathers of the desert, to ask him what he should do. "My son," he answered, "you must rise again from your fall." "But, my Father, I have already done so, and I have fallen again." "Well, just rise again once more." "And how often must I thus rise again?" "As often as you fall," replied the Father. "Rise again always as long as you live, and when the hour of your death comes, it will find you either standing or lying down, and it will carry you in that position before the sovereign tribunal of God."

May God grant, my children, that, when that terrible messenger comes to you, he will find you standing, that is, in the grace of God, so that your sentence then may be that of the just. Though he who lives in the state of grievous sin may perform all kinds of good works, pray, fast, and give alms, yet he cannot expect the least reward for it hereafter. What an injury do not sinners inflict upon themselves who for a long time, often for years, neglect to confess! Even venial sins are a great evil; and if we view them as an offense against God we must look upon them as the greatest of temporal evils. Venial sins prevent our entrance into heaven, and unless forgiven here, they must be atoned for in purgatory. The greater the number of venial sins, the longer will be the punishment in purgatory. Should we not, then, confess frequently in order to free ourselves more and more from venial sins, and not be compelled to suffer long in purgatory? Those who disregard venial sins commit them without fear or scruple. He who does not confess often, easily falls into a state of lukewarmness, and runs the risk of finally falling into mortal sins, and of being ultimately rejected.

A young boy, who had made his First Communion only a few months previously, was sent by his parents as an apprentice to a trade they had chosen for him. On the day of his First Communion he had taken one great resolution, which at all hazards he was resolved to keep. It was this: "If by some great misfortune I should happen to fall into mortal sin, I will go to Confession before I retire to rest on that very same day." This misfortune did occur. It was on a Saturday, and the weather was exceedingly stormy; moreover, the priest lived at a considerable distance from the place where the boy dwelt. The tempter, who had been the occasion of his fall, suggested to him that he might easily delay his visit to the priest for a few days, considering he dwelt at such a distance and the weather was so bad. But suddenly recalling to mind his promise, the boy seemed to hear deep down in his soul a voice—perhaps it might have been that of his guardian angel—which urged him to go immediately: "Go to Confession at once; do as you promised."
 
For a moment he hesitated. Falling down on his knees, he said a "Hail Mary," to obtain the grace of knowing the will of God, and of following it. He rose from his knees and set out for the church. On his return he met his godmother, who inquired of him where he had been. He told her all, with joy on his countenance. "I could not go to sleep," he said, "until I had become reconciled to God." His mother was accustomed on Sunday mornings to allow her children a longer time for sleep than on other days. When it became rather late on this Sunday, she went to the door of the little room in which he slept to awake him. She knocked, but received no answer. She then opened the door, and found him still in bed, asleep, as she thought. "Rise quickly, you lazy boy," she said, as she approached the bed. Seeing that he heeded not, she took his hands; they were cold. With terror she looked more closely at him. This look told her all. The child was dead and his body cold. How fortunate for him that he had not delayed going to Confession. Children, learn from this example never to delay even for one instant the return to God when by misfortune a mortal sin has separated you from Him. Make immediately an act of contrition, and go to Confession as soon as possible.

Most persons immediately after Confession have an earnest desire to sin no more, to avoid all evil occasions, and to lead a new life. For some time everything goes well; they carefully
avoid everything that might cause them to fall, and diligently employ the means prescribed by the confessor. But their fervor gradually lessens; they cease to pray fervently, to not renew their resolutions so frequently; they incline again more to the world. Thus it goes on for some time. Gradually the impressions of grace begin to wane and the fear of God grows weaker and gradually they commit the old sins again. Why this relapse? Because they deferred confession too long; temptation got the upper hand of them.

Children, if you wish to be a good Catholic, and you want to be sure of heaven, you must confess not only once a year, but often. In general, I advise young people to go to Confession once a month. I am convinced that if you confess and communicate often you will preserve yourself from sin, make progress in virtue, and attain salvation.

Source: Story Sermonettes for the Children's Mass, Imprimatur 1921
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17th Sunday after Pentecost - Loving God Above all Things

8/15/2021

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My dear Children: We must love God. What does this mean?
It means that we must love God not only exteriorly, but also interiorly. It not only the mere tribute of our words or external appearance in our prayer that He demands, but our words come must from the very bottom of our hearts. Who are those who love God only with their lips ? Those boys or girls who pray without thinking of what they say. Their heart is with their playmates or their toys. Such children offer an insult to God, and consequently cannot expect any result from their prayer.   Those who do not give their heart to God do not love Him. All those who are in mortal sin do not love God; they love their evil passions; they tell a direct he to God as often as they say: "My God I love Thee." God is not satisfied with a divided heart; we must not divide our love between Him and His creatures. To love God with the whole heart means to love God alone, and everything besides God for God's sake and in such a manner as He wills.
St. Francs de Sales loved God with his whole heart, for he savs of himself: "If I knew that there was in my heart a single fibre not for God, I would tear it out at once." If you have any inordinate love for any person or thing expel it from your heart, for the heart man is a tabernacle in which God alone should dwell.

I heard a story the other day about a little boy who surely had the love of God in his heart. There is one thing he never forgot namely, to take his offering with him every Sunday to church. He had his envelope for his weekly offering just as his father had and he never would go to church unless he had it with him I happened one day that he had to go to church alone on a Sunday when his father and mother were absent. However, he did Z without his offering. He had it in his little white envelope which he carried in his pocket.  That morning a strange lady sat at the head of the seat m the same pew, and when the time came for the offering to be given she looked in her bag and found that she had no money with her. She didn't seem to be troubled about it, but the little boy was greatly troubled and wondered what she would do when the men would come with the plates to receive the offering and she had none to give. You see he had formed the habit of giving and he enjoyed it, and wondered how anybody could go to church without a gift. Well, he got more troubled and anxious the nearer the ushers came with the collection-plates, and
when they came to the seat in front of the one where he was sitting he held out his little white envelope to the strange lady, and said to her: "Here, please, take this and put it in the plate, and I'll get under the seat. I'm small and they won't see me." That boy has formed a habit of giving, and when he grows to be a man it will be part of his life and part of his religion to offer his gifts unto the Lord. I think that every boy, no matter how small, ought to give some of his money—however little it may be—to God.

Charity requires that we always will what God wills, that we make a sacrifice of our will to God, and therefore accept cheerfully all crosses and afflictions from His hand. In this way all pious souls manifest their love of God. When St. Gertrude said the "Our Father," she used to repeat three times the words "Thy will be done." While praying thus one day, our blessed Lord appeared to her, having health in one hand and sickness in the other, and said to her: "Choose, daughter, between health and sickness." Which do you suppose the saint chose? Health, of course. No. Well, then sickness ? No. As she did not know what our Lord thought good to give her, she said : "Lord, not my will but Thine be done." Let us be satisfied with whatever God is pleased to send us, firmly convinced that He will send us what is good for us.

In the year 1623, at the beginning of Lent, the Venerable Agnes of Jesus became very ill. She was at that time only twenty-one years old. The physicians did not seem to understand the nature of the malady, and gave her medicine which, instead of making her better, only made her suffer the more. But Agnes never uttered one word of complaint, the only words she said were the following, which she repeated often every day: "O my God, mayest Thou be blessed a thousand times." When Easter Sunday came, God was pleased to reward the patience with which she had suffered the heavy crosses He had been pleased to send her, by permitting her guardian angel to appear to her. "My child," said the angel, "are you happy in your sufferings?" "Yes," she answered, "because it is the holy Will of God, whom I love with all my heart. My heart and my will are entirely united to Him: let Him dispose of me according to His divine Will." The angel answered: "Continue to love Jesus in this way, and be assured that He will never forsake you."

When we love some one sincerely we often think of him, for where our treasure is there also is our heart. If, therefore, we truly love God, we shall frequently think of Him and raise our heart to Him. St. Aloysius was always occupied with the thought of God and divine things, and, whether alone or in company, whether he worked or rested, he had no room in his heart for anything but God.

To spare his weakened health, his superiors ordered him to turn his thoughts sometimes from God and to divert himself. But it was impossible for him to do so. Hence it is not a good sign that so many of us have our thoughts everywhere except with God; that we rise in the morning and lie down in the evening without thinking of God, that we occupy ourselves the whole day entirely with temporal affairs, without even a passing thought of God, that even when in church we give way to distractions, and that in general we care as little about God as about a stranger. If we feel ourselves guilty we must admit that our love of God resembles a weak spark which is liable every moment to be extinguished.

A father and mother were living with their two children on a desert island in the ocean, on which they had been shipwrecked. Roots and vegetables served them for food; a spring was their drink; and a cavern in the rock their dwelling. Storms and tempests often raged fearfully on the island. The children knew nothing of the vast continent; bread, milk, fruit, and whatever other luxury is obtainable there, were things unknown to them. There landed one day upon the island four Moors in a small boat. The parents were greatly delighted, and hoped now to be rescued from their sufferings. But the boat was too small to take them all over together to the adjoining land, so the father determined to risk the passage first. The mother and children wept, when he embarked in the frail wooden boat, and the four black men were to take him away. But he said : "Weep not, it is a better land : and you will all follow soon." When the little boat returned, and took away the mother, the children wept still more. But she also said: "Weep not! In the better land we shall all meet again." At last came the boat to take away the two children. It was with fear and trembling that they drew near the land. But how delighted were they when their parents appeared on the shore, offered them their hands, led them into the shade of lofty palm trees, and regaled them with milk and honey. "My dear children," said the father, "our voyage from the desert island to this beautiful country has a higher meaning. We are all destined to make a much longer journey, to a much more beautiful country. The whole earth upon which we dwell resembles an island ; this glorious land is an image for us, although only a faint one, of heaven ; the voyage hither over the stormy sea is death; that little boat resembles the bier, upon which men in black apparel shall sooner or later carry us forth. But when the hour strikes for us, for myself, your mother, or you! to leave this world, be not afraid. Death is for pious people, who have loved God, and have done His will, nothing else but a voyage to the Better Land."

Children, whatever you do, do all for the love of God, that you may become richer and richer in merits in this world, and hereafter receive in heaven the reward of all that love God.

Source: Story Sermonettes for the Children's Mass, Imprimatur 1921
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The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

8/15/2021

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The Church  keeps no festival in honor of any event in the life of the Queen after the Purification, unless we consider that of the Seven Dolors as such.  The Sorrows of Mary are commemorated on two days - the Friday in Passion Week and the third Sunday of September.  I will tell you of both together when we come to the Queen's Sundays.

Now we will speak of the Assumption of Our Lady into heaven, which is kept, as you know, on the 15th of August, and is a Holy Day of Obligation that is, it is one of those days which the Church commands us to keep holy as we keep the Sundays, by hearing Mass and doing no unnecessary servile work. 

You know that the Gospels tell us very little about Our Lady during the public life of her Divine Son, and nothing at all of what she did or where she lived after His ascension into heaven. Even St. Luke, who loved to write about the holy Child and His Mother, and who also wrote the Acts of the Apostles, tells us nothing at all of what we should so much like to know.  We can only suppose that the Queen in her humility desired both St. John and St. Luke to be silent as to all that concerned her.  She knew that "henceforth all generations should call her blessed," because "He that is mighty had done great things to her," and that was enough.

But the Apostles and the early Christians treasured many memories of what happened to their Mother  and ours; and these memories were handed down in the Church by tradition, even if they were not found in the written word of God.   We know that Out Lord when dying left His Blessed Mother to the care of St. John  and "That disciple took her to his own."

We learn from tradition that Mary went with her adopted son to Ephesus, and that after spending some years there she returned to Jerusalem in order to visit again the scenes of Our Lord's Passion and death before she herself went to rejoin Him in heaven.

About twelve years after He had ascended from the top of Mt. Olivet her call came, and Mary gave her soul into the hands of God.  Her body was buried by the Apostles, but it was not allowed to remain in the tomb.  As Our Lord had preserved her soul from the taint of Original Sin, so He preserved her most pure body from the corruption which is a part of sin's punishment.  On the third day Mary's soul and body were reunited by the power of God, and borne by angels triumphantly to heaven.  This is what is meant by the Assumption.

"Then it is just the same as the Ascension?"

No; it is not at all the same. To ascend is to go up by your own will and your own power; to take yourself up, in fact.  To be assumed is to be taken up by the will and power of another. Our Lord ascended went up entirely by His own power; the Queen was assumed or carried up by the will and power of God.

Two other persons have been assumed into heaven by the power of God: Enoch and Elias.  But they were not taken into the beatific vision, and they must return to earth some day to die.  The Blessed Mother's body, on the other hand, was reunited to her soul and passed into the presence of God, where she will be happy for all eternity.

If you look at a picture or a stained-glass window of the Assumption, you will probably see the Apostles represented as kneeling or standing around an open tomb which is filled with flowers - generally roses and lilies.  The story is this:

When the Queen was about to die, the Apostles, who had known and loved her, were scattered abroad, "teaching all nations and baptizing them," but they learned by revelation that Mary was leaving the earth, and they were carried by the power of God to Jerusalem that they might see her once more and say farewell.  Only poor Thomas did not reach the Holy City until after the burial of the Queen.  He was so sorry, and the others were sorry for him, that they determined to open the sepulcher so that Thomas might look upon the beautiful face once more.  But he was really too late this time.  "The stone was rolled back from the sepulcher," and they found nothing within but lilies and roses.  The body of the Blessed Mother had been taken to heaven.

The Assumption of Our Lady has never been declared and Article of Faith, but has always been believed by the faithful.  The Church has testified her  approval of the belief by establishing a festival in honor of this great privilege of Mary, and by making this festival a Holy Day of Obligation.  It is a Double with an Octave and has its own most beautiful Mass. 

The priest wears white vestments on the feast of the Assumption, as on all the festivals of the Queen.  Its eve or Vigil is a fasting day.

The feast of the Assumption has been kept from very early days, but before the invention of printing and telegraphy and such aids to quick learning, knowledge spread slowly.  In the fifth century after Our Lord, the Empress Pulcheria, who was learned lady and a saint besides, sent to the Patriarch of Jerusalem for relics of the Queen, wherewith to enrich a church built in her honor.  What the good Patriarch told Pulcheria about the Assumption was the first she had heart of it.  However, she took care to let the other people know, and very soon the festival of the Assumption was kept throughout the Church.

If ever you go to the Holy Land, you may visit the empty tomb of the Blessed Mother in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Source: The Queen's Festivals, Imprimatur 1907
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12th Sunday after Pentecost - Heroic Love

8/15/2021

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My dear Children: In His public life Jesus taught us to forgive our enemies. He is surrounded on all sides by enemies who envy, hate and persecute Him. They call His miracles the works of the devil, they misrepresent His doctrine, and say that He seduces the people; they pursue Him and strive to take His life. How does He conduct Himself towards them? Does He return evil for evil? No; He suffers and forgives.

In His Passion again Jesus taught us to forgive our enemies. He is apprehended and bound as a malefactor deserving death; He is dragged with contumely and abuse from judge to judge; He is scourged; the soldiers put a crown of thorns on His head and spit in His face; He is crucified between two thieves and is mocked and blasphemed even in the agony of death. He silently and patiently endures it all, and when dying opens His mouth, not to complain, but to pray for His enemies and murderers. After knowing this can we refuse to forgive our enemies ?

During the persecution of Maximinian, St. Sabinus, Bishop of Aris, was tortured at the command of the governor Venustianus. His two hand had been cut off, when the cruel governor was seized with a terrible pain in his eyes and suffered horribly. The holy martyr went over to him and began to pray over him. He had scarcely finished his prayer when the governor was released of his pain. Count Francis of Guise, who waged war against the Protestants, was told that one of them was in the camp seeking to kill him. He had him arrested. The Protestant admitted his purpose. The Count asked him: "Have I done you any harm?" "No," he replied, "but I intended to kill you because you are the greatest enemy of my faith." The Count said: "If you wish to kill me on account of your faith I will forgive you on account of mine," and he dismissed him without punishment, permitting him to pass unmolested out of the camp. To bear wrongs patiently and to forgive injuries, are part of the duty of every Christian. Indeed, it is the very spirit of the Christian religion to suffer patiently the injuries we receive from others, and to forgive our enemies from our hearts. "I say to you," said our Lord, "not to resist evil, but if a man strike thee on the right cheek, turn to him the other also." My dear boys and girls, by bearing patiently the evil which others do us, we prevent their further sin, inasmuch as we soothe their angry feeling, nay, often our very meekness will bring them to repentance; whereas, if we fly into a passion and reproach them, we increase their anger and are the cause of their offending God still more. "A mild word breaketh wrath," says the Wise Man, "but a harsh word stirreth up fury."

A certain official attached to the Court of the Emperor of China became afflicted with a loathsome disease. He was driven from the palace, and, having no friends, was on the point of perishing from exposure and want. Two poor Christians took compassion on him and received him into their cottage, dressed his sores, and waited on him with the greatest tenderness. At the end of three months they ventured to speak to him about the affairs of his soul. To their grief and astonishment he flew into a passion, loaded them with reproaches, and threatened to denounce them to the persecutors. In fact, he left their house and did not return for some time, leaving them for a whole month in fear and trembling. At the end of that time he again had recourse to them for assistance. Forgetting the ingratitude and ill-treatment they had received from him, they welcomed him with the
same charity, and waited on him with the same care, redoubling, in the meanwhile, their prayers for his conversion; whereupon the heart of the pagan was softened. "A religion," said he, "which inspires such conduct cannot but come from God. Teach me to know and love the God whom you serve, and to prepare myself for death which cannot be far distant." The Christians instructed him and had him baptized. Not long after, he expired, glorifying God and blessing his charitable benefactors.
 
It is a universally acknowledged truth: The more difficult the work the greater the reward. The love of friends causes no inconvenience; it is in our nature; but to love an enemy we must do violence to ourselves and overcome ourselves ; it demands some effort on our part. But does not heaven demand efforts? and does it not deserve every effort to gain it? Now, because the love of enemies demands greater efforts, hard struggles, and great self-denial, it has a claim to a great reward.

The great war has brought to light some very striking examples of heroic love. We were told by the daily papers that the Germans hate the English, that the English hate the Turks, and the Turks hate the Italians, and the Italians hate the Austrians, and the Austrians hate the Russians. Everybody hated the other one, for war teaches men to hate their enemies. Jesus, however, taught us to love our enemies. Jesus loved Judas. He prayed for the men who crucified Him. If people would only practice the teaching of Christ there would be no more war.

One of the New York dailies told the story of an Englishman and a German, who had both been severely wounded in one of the battles in Northern France. They lay very near together in the trench. One of them had some water in his canteen, and the other had none, so the one who had the water crawled over and shared it with the suffering enemy. And then they began to love each other, and when they loved each other they could not be enemies any longer.

If you had a little garden, what would you do with it? You would plant flower or vegetable seeds there, and raise something that would be pretty and useful. You would not plant in that garden the seeds of weeds and poisonous plants that would be useless and hurtful. In the same way Jesus tells us that in the garden of the heart we must be sure to plant only good seeds, seeds of love and kindness. We must not allow a single plant of hate to grow there, even hate for our enemies.

Children, if you live in enmity with any of your companions, give it up this very moment, forgive your enemy from your heart, and at the first opportunity extend to him the hand of reconciliation. Be at peace with every one. Forgive one another, that God may forgive you your sins and receive you as His children into the mansions of everlasting peace.

Source: Story Sermonettes for the Children's Mass, Imprimatur 1921
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11th Sunday after Pentecost - Unprofitable Speech

8/7/2021

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. My dear Children : There was one saint once who said : "I wish I had buttons on my lips, which I should have to unfasten before I could speak, for I should then gain more time to reflect and to consider my speech." And that saint is called Francis. He surely did not have need for such buttons, for he was prudent in all things, but we need them in order that that, what is said of the deaf and dumb man in the gospel of this day, may be applied to us: he spoke right. Many sins are committed with the eyes, ears, feet and hands, and with the other senses and members of the body in general; but most sins are committed with the tongue. On the day of judgment we shall see how great is the number of people who on account of sins of the tongue are cast into hell.

Among the Japanese there are certain men called story-tellers. They stand on street corners and a group of children are listening to what he has to say. It happened that one day a Jesuit missionary was passing and he stood and listened, and this is what he heard.
Once upon a time a little boy went to heaven, and the first thing he saw was a long shelf with very strange articles upon it. "What is that," he asked, "is that something to make soup of?" The Japanese are very fond of soup, and the boy thought that the strange things he saw might be used for that purpose. "No," was the reply, "these are the ears of little boys and girls who didn't pay any attention to what they heard, and when they died their ears came to heaven, but the rest of their bodies did not." The little boy saw another shelf with things that were strange and queer to him, and asked what it was. "Those things are tongues," he was told, "they belonged to boys and girls who were always talking and telling other people how to be good, but they themselves never did as they told others to do, and when they died their tongues came to heaven, but the rest of their bodies did not."

Now you know what that story means. It is just a fairy story but like all fairy stories it has a lesson. God gives us ears and tongues and hands and feet and eyes and hearts, to help us if
used rightly, and if we don't use them as God wants us to use them, they do us no good, but evil. Jesus said it would be better for us to be blind than to see only bad things, and that it would be better for us to be deaf than for us to hear only wicked things.

Among your companions you will find boys and girls who always want to speak of their knowledge and cleverness, and when they have done something good they cannot rest until they have published it everywhere. Such discourses are objectionable for two reasons: First, they offend against humility; secondly, they deprive our good works of all merit before God. "Let another praise thee, and not thy own mouth; a stranger, and not thy own lips," so says Holy Writ.

During the cruel persecution of the Chinese Emperor, Hien Fong, A.D. 1850, a Christian convert named Yin came to settle down at the pagan town Lo, where he began to work at his trade, which was that of a tile-maker. He had not received much instruction, and, though fervent and pious, was by no means clever; accordingly he made no attempt to announce the gospel to his new neighbors. Being, however, a man of simple manner, and of a pure, innocent, and upright life, he preached much by his example.

He heard those around him cursing and swearing, but he never cursed. He saw them quarreling and fighting, but he was never seen in a passion or in enmity with his neighbors.

A course of life so different from that of his neighbors excited the curiosity of some gardeners who lived near him. To satisfy themselves they came to visit him. "How is it," they said, "that you do not live as we do? You are not like us; what sort of a man are you?" "I am a Christian," he replied, "and I do nothing but follow the teaching of my religion." "Your religion!" said they; "what is your religion and what is its teaching?" Explanations followed, and his religion was thought to be good because he himself was good. In a short time eighteen pagans became Christians.
 
Unprofitable speech is found in whispering and tale-bearing, which consists in telling a person the evil things another has said about him and thus sowing the seeds of dissension and discord. A tale-bearer frequently causes those who have loved one another and lived in peace to become bitter enemies. The tale-bearer pretends to be well-disposed towards his fellow men; he does not let it appear that he means any harm; by a friendly manner he endeavors to gain confidence; in the meantime, he lies in wait, like the sneak he is, watching all their movements and words, and then reports them, exaggerated and distorted, to the person or the persons whom he wishes to prejudice against them.

Children, tale-bearing is an abominable vice in the eyes of God; therefore the Sacred Scripture says: "Six things there are which the Lord hateth, and the seventh His soul detesteth: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that deviseth wicked plots, feet that are swift to run into mischief, a deceitful witness that uttereth lies, and him that soweth discord among brethren." Boys and girls, guard against this vice, and be faithful to secrets entrusted to you.

One day an English nobleman came to see John Wedgwood, the famous potter. You know a potter is a man who makes beautiful things out of clay. One of the employees, a lad of fifteen years, was delegated to show the nobleman around the factory. Now this nobleman was a man who didn't believe in God, and who, while he was learned, yet was very rough in his speech and used bad words and made light of sacred things. The boy was at first greatly shocked at the nobleman's wicked words, but after a while laughed at his smart remarks. Mr. Wedgwood, who followed them, heard much of the conversation and was very indignant at the way in which the nobleman spoke before the boy. When they came back to the office, Mr. Wedgwood picked out a very beautiful vase of the choicest pattern, and holding it in his hands, told the nobleman the long and careful way in which it had been prepared. The nobleman was greatly pleased with the explanation and was much charmed with the beautiful shape and color and design of the vase, and reached out his hand to take it.

Just as he touched it, however, the owner let it fall to the ground, and his visitor, uttering an angry word, said : "I wanted that one for myself, and now it is ruined by your carelessness." "My lord," said the old potter, "there are things more precious than any vase—things which when ruined can never be restored. I can make another vase like this for you, but you can never give back to the boy who has just left us the simple faith and the pure heart which you have destroyed by making light of sacred things and by using impure words in his presence." I have heard men say that they would give their right arm if they could forget some of the things they heard when they were boys.

Children, be prudent in your speech, and always reflect, before you open your mouth, whether what you are going to say is right and according to the will of God. Be moderate in speaking; the less you speak the less you sin, and the more easily you can give an account of your words. If you observe this one rule, you will not contaminate your conscience with any sinful word.

 Source: Story Sermonettes for the Children's Mass, Imprimatur 1921


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