THE LEPER and THE FAITH OF THE CENTURION

Once when Our Lord was coming down from a mountain, followed by a great crowd of people. He entered the city of Capharnaum. At the city gates there was a poor leper, who, bowing down profoundly, addressed Jesus and cried out:

"Lord! if Thou wilt. Thou canst make me clean."

Leprosy is a very filthy, disgusting disease. The whole
body is covered with a false dry skin like scales, so that the person becomes a most hideous and loathsome object. In the East and in this country, too, leprosy is considered contagious, and the laws of sanitary boards separate people afflicted with it from those that are well, and will not allow lepers to come into the cities. This picture is but a very insignificant description of leprosy. You must see it to know how loathsome it really is.

When you read the description of leprosy think of that other kind of leprosy of the soul, for sin is the leprosy of the soul, and is as filthy and more so than the leprosy of the body. Yes, it is the leprosy of sin that makes the soul a horrible sight before God and the angels. The leprous souls that live in so many human bodies in cities and villages are not subject to any laws. They can remain where they please, and still we know that nothing is more contagious than the leprosy of sin. Thus it is that sin is continually growing and spreading, until we find it in every nook and corner of the world. How rare it is to find youths not infected with some vice or other! How few are untouched by this contagion, or who have preserved their baptismal innocence!

If you are already covered with the leprosy of sin, ah, then cry out: "Lord, you see how miserable my condition is! Heal me cleanse me. You see that my mouth is infected because
such bad words, blasphemies, and curses are continually flowing from it. You see, Lord, that my body and my senses are infected with this terrible disease, for it induces the soul to commit the sins of impurity." If you pray in this manner, humbly and confidently, you will hear in your soul the consoling words,

"Yes, I will help you to overcome that vice. I will forgive you and give you the grace of remaining good.'' But Our Lord adds:

"Go and show yourselves to the priest." The priest is the minister of God. He will extend his hands over you, and you will be made whiter than snow. You will start up into a new life, in which you will acquire again the merits of your good actions, which would never have been any benefit to you unless you had thus repented. From slaves of Satan you will become adopted sons of God, co-heirs with Jesus Christ.

But remember well, my beloved children, that you must have a good will. St. Augustine says that God cures all evils, but only those which we really want to be cured. The unhappy leper really wished to be healed, for he realized the sad condition he was in, and Jesus immediately extended His hand and touched him. We admire the power of Christ, for at once the whole body was healed. It was again full of vigor and health. Jesus did not give him time to burst out in sentiments of wonder, exultation or gratitude, but said:

"See thou tell no man, but go, show thyself to the priest." The man obeyed, and as he went he could not help letting people know what Jesus had done for him. The fame of this miracle spread about the country and drew many to look for help from Our Lord.

There was in Caphamaum a centurion, a soldier and a heathen, whose servant lay at the point of death. He came to Our Lord and laid his trouble before Him:

"My servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, and is grievously tormented.''

"I will come and heal him," said Our Lord. But the centurion did not expect so great a favor; he repeated those admirable words: " Lord I am not worthy that Thou shouldst enter under my roof, but only say the word and my servant shall be healed."

These words are so applicable to all poor sinners who are about to receive the visit of the Lord, that the Church has borrowed them and uses them three times when communion is to be given. We should repeat them with a heart full of confusion, because even though we possessed the purity of an angel and the sanctity of John the Baptist, we would not be worthy to receive in our heart Our Lord Jesus. Therefore ought we do all in our power to be free from sin, that we might be the less unworthy to receive Jesus in the great Sacrament of His love.

There are few young people who are so impressed with the sublimity of this holy Sacrament that they approach it with sentiments of respect and veneration. On the contrary they generally go without proper dispositions. They do not endeavor to excite in themselves the sentiments of devotion and love of God which are required to make a good communion. But there are many, too, who are unworthy to receive Jesus in their heart because their souls are blackened with crime. They defile their tongues with impure conversations, and they dare to receive on them the body of Christ. They defile their bodies with impurities and into these they dare to introduce the Holy of holies. They give scandal and they wish to receive Jesus. They go to confession and if the priest refuse them absolution because he sees no signs of amendment, they go to another, who is easier, so that they may get through. How blind such young people are! They do not comprehend that they are making a bad communion.

Go, of course, frequently to communion, but do so with a pure heart, and free from sin, full of humility, reverence, and love. When the time approaches for communion, call on the angels, the archangels and all the holy spirits, and beg of them to accompany you to the banquet of Our Lord.

When Our Lord heard the humble words of the centurion He was struck with astonishment and said,
 
"Amen, I say to you, I have not found so great a faith in Israel." It was certainly a great act of faith, and that was the reason it drew on the centurion that commendation which the Lord seldom gave. The centurion trusted in the power and goodness of Our Lord. He knew, too, that it was not necessary for Our Lord to come to his house. He knew He was God, or at least had the power of God at His command. For this faith and trust Our Lord broke forth into unusual praise.

Even among faithful Christians it is rare to find those who really trust in God. They put trust in their friends, in their own smartness and strength, but they do not remember that they have a God at their command to whom they may go with all confidence. We trust too much to our friends in many things and even prefer them to God.

Here is a young man who, meeting his companions, goes with them to lunch. It is Friday. The young man refuses to eat meat, but his companions persuade him. " Oh, eat it! What wrong can there be? " He yields, and the sin is committed.

Another meets a companion on the street. "Where are you going?"  "To hear a sermon," is the reply. " Oh, don't be so foolish as to sit there to listen to such an insignificant preacher. That is good enough for doting old people or pious women. Come, let us go to the theatre. You will see nice things; you will laugh and be happier there than in church." He goes out of friendship for his companion. He witnesses the derision of his religion, or immoral scenes; he sees many things that please the eye and stir his sensuality. He hears many improper things; his mind is filled with loose sayings and bad thoughts, and all this has happened simply to please a friend. You see then how obsequious you are to your friends, but of God and Christ you make no account.

When Our Lord had said the words of commendation to the centurion He added: "Many shall come from the east and the west and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, but the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into the exterior darkness." God is merciful to all; He calls all; but they must have the faith of the centurion. Then He turned again to the centurion and said,

"Go, and as thou hast believed so be it done to thee." That same moment the servant was healed, and when
the centurion arrived home he found the man perfectly restored to health. Just reflect a moment on these words of Our Lord. " The children of the kingdom shall be cast out into the exterior darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'' Terrible words; but which will prove as true to many Christians as they were to many of the Jews. Not a day passes but many infidels and idolaters come to the faith, are converted, and enter the kingdom of God, while many Christians born in the faith, brought up and educated in it, perish miserably in eternal damnation. A damned soul once returned to the earth and asked whether there were any good people still on earth, for he had seen such innumerable multitudes going to hell that he thought there could not be one left. St. Bernard understood so well the misery of those who went to hell that he used to say,

''If out of all the human race, who number thousands of millions of souls, it were known that only one was to go to hell, I would tremble with fear lest I should be that miserable one." 0, my dear young people, let us make up our minds that we will not be of the number of the wicked Christians who will lose their places in heaven which were marked out for them from all eternity had they remained faithful. Are we, the sons of the kingdom, we, the adopted sons of God, to be excluded from our future heritage in heaven and thrown out into darkness?

Oh, since the Lord has been so good to us that we have received the grace of being born in a Christian family, let us beg also the grace to remain faithful to Christ and love Him so dearly that we may enter the heavenly kingdom which is ours by right. At the same time knowing that many places are left vacant in heaven by bad Christians, let us beg Our Lord to send His light to the east and west and bring many to occupy these seats of glory.

   THE MARRIAGE FEAST OF CANA
We are all astonished at the fact that Our Lord was present at the marriage feast of Cana. It is truly wonderful that Our Lord, who practiced mortification in so heroic a degree; who gave us such an example of penitential life, should at the very outset of His public career visit a marriage feast. It was that same Jesus who had just completed His fast of forty days and nights and who afterwards said,

"Take up your cross and follow Me," who went as an invited guest to this banquet at which it is usual to find such joyfulness, where language is sometimes unrestrained, where modesty is often not observed, where sobriety and temperance in eating and drinking are not to be found.

My dear children, change your surprise into wonder; for Our Lord wished to be there so as to approve an honest marriage tie, and to show that it is a great sacrament; and at the same time to show that only that marriage is holy and pleasing to God where at least in the hearts of the assembled guests Jesus and Mary are found, and that such a marriage is under His special protection and will receive His divine blessing. It is certain that at this feast there were those who were good and simple, and that there certainly would be no disorder. Had it been one of those meetings which the worldly and rich of this world attend. Our Lord and the Blessed Virgin would not have been there.

Should any of you ever be invited to such a feast, think, before you accept the invitation, if those who ask you are good people who observe the law of God; will there be people there who are good and temperate? If you cannot decline the invitation be on your guard; keep a watch over your eyes and over your thoughts, and above all be temperate, especially in drink.

The guests were reclining at the repast; and as it was going on it was noticed that the wine was giving out. Mary soon observed it, and in order that the newly married couple should be spared the shame of making known their poverty, she turned to Our Lord and said to Him,

"They have no wine." Mary is really the Mother of providence. If she was so solicitous about the wine, how much more anxious will she be in our spiritual needs? Mary, you have a tender heart! You will surely feel for us, afflicted with such evils; you will help and console us, defend us against the infernal enemy, and you will throw your mantle over us. But if we expect to find all these qualities in Mary, we must honor and love her, and be her tender and devout children. Mary once said to a youth that was praying:

"I feel little concern in your prayers, for you keep impurity in your heart." Never offend the purest of virgins by committing an act of impurity. Be proper and decent; grow every day in devotion to her. Are you growing cold in her service? Think of her more frequently, and when you go to church pray to her; she is there near the tabernacle, for where Jesus is, there also is His Mother. If you have no devotion, and are careless about her, it seems as if you said,

"Forget me, Mother! I am going to follow the world; I will not be bothered with the thought of you in the future." And when no more graces come to you; when blindness in your faith and carelessness in practicing it has taken hold of you, you need not be surprised, for you are going away from God. Thomas a Kempis, when a child, had the habit of saying every day a prayer in honor of Mary; but by carelessness he at first forgot it and after a while never thought of it more. Mary, who on her part loved young Thomas, appeared to him one night as he dreamed that he was with some companions.  The Blessed Virgin was very kind, affable even, to the young men, but when she approached Thomas, who thought he too would receive signs of love from her, she said,
" What? Do you expect a sign of love and regard from me? Have you not forgotten me? Go away! My kindnesses are not for such as you." The vision or dream was over, but it made such a great impression on the youth's mind that he began his devotions again and was careful not to omit them in the future.

Mary, having told Jesus that the wine was out. He answered:

"Woman, what is to Me and to thee? My hour is not yet come." If this answer had been given to any one of us, we surely would have despaired of having our petition granted. But Mary did not think so. She was, in fact, sure He was going to work a miracle, for she went to the servants and told them to do everything He commanded. Did Our Lord wish to seem harsh to His Mother, and not listen to her prayer? He was not harsh nor disrespectful. Immediately, though His hour had not yet come. He heard her prayer. The Lord does the same to us. Often He seems not to hear our prayers, in fact He acts as if He did not want to hear them. But He does hear them nevertheless, and gives us a great deal more than we have asked for. God does His work of kindness to man as He wants us to do our works of charity, quietly and in secret; so that the left hand may not know what the right hand does.

And still it may really be a fact that He does not hear our prayer, for the simple reason that we do not pray in the right manner. We must pray with attention; our whole soul must be on the subject of our prayer; we must pray with unlimited confidence in God's power, kindness, and willingness; at the same time always add a little prayer that God may keep you from sin, which is the greatest gift He can give you. Add this to your other petitions and your prayer will appear less selfish; God will grant you much for this consideration Read this example of long-continued prayer.

For seventeen years St. Monica prayed for the conversion of Augustine, her son. The more she prayed the deeper he seemed to fall into heresy and sin. Monica followed him everywhere with motherly love, and continued her prayers. At last she was heard but how? She obtained a great deal more than she asked for. He went to the church and was baptized by St. Ambrose. Nor was this all. He was shortly afterwards made a priest, and then a bishop. Monica asked only for his conversion, but this was too little for God, who had heard her prayer. He prepared the way for greater gifts and graces. He became the scourge of heretics, a column of the Church, a doctor teaching all nations, and a great saint. The prayer of St. Monica was well made. From this you can form a very good idea how prayers should be said.

At the wedding of Cana there were in the house six large stone water-pots. Our Lord then said to the servants: "Fill the water-pots with water,'' and they filled them to the brim.

"Take some to the master of the servers and let him taste.'' The water had been made wine at that instant. They were astonished; it was a remarkable miracle. The wine was even better than that which they had had. Our Lord worked this miracle at the prayer of the Blessed Virgin for the consolation of a poor family. For the happiness of good people
He worked His first miracle and manifested His divine power.

It was the custom in those days to give the best wine first, and when men had well drunk then that which was poorer. The world gives us pleasures, honors, and riches in our youth. But at the end of life, when we see that we have lost so much time, that great treasure which is only appreciated at death, the bad wine of sorrow and regret is served. That will be the bitter wine perhaps of repentance, perhaps of despair. But for the good Our Lord reserves at the end the wine of happiness, the memory of our sweet communions, of devotions to Mary, and of what we have suffered for Jesus. In peace we will close our eyes to the light of this world to open them to the brightness of paradise.

Be not fond of the wine of the world, which intoxicates and renders us foolish, but follow Our Lord and Saviour, who will give us the spiritual wine of divine consolation. When the world shall have left us, Jesus alone will remain with us, and that will be all that we can desire.

Sermons for Children's Masses, Imprimatur 1900

Gospel. Luke II. 42-52. When Jesus was twelve years old they going up into Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast, and having fulfilled the days, when they returned, the child Jesus remained in Jerusalem, and his parents knew it not. And thinking that he was in the company, they came a day's journey, and sought
him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And not finding him, they returned into Jerusalem seeking him. And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple sitting in the midst of the doctors, hearing them and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his wisdom and his answers. And seeing him, they wondered. And his mother said to him: Son, why hast thou done so to us? behold thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And he said to them: How is it that you sought me? did you not know that I must be about my Father's business? And they understood not the word that he spoke unto them. And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth; and was subject to them. And his mother kept all these words in her heart. And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age, and grace with God and men.
                                                       
                                                        THE FINDING IN THE TEMPLE
This days Gospel is especially adapted for children, who can draw from it, even in their humble way of thinking, many useful lessons. The law of Moses commanded every man of the Hebrew nation to go to the Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Passover. When Jesus was twelve years old, having come to the use of reason according to human judgment He went to Jerusalem with His parents. During the seven days of the feast they remained in the city; then they went back to Nazareth. In those days it was customary for those who attended the Passover to travel in separate bands; the men in one, the women in another, while the children could accompany either. Mary thought that Jesus was with Joseph, and Joseph thought He was with Mary, so, not at all uneasy, they journeyed homeward. When in the evening they came together at the khan, it became evident that the Child Jesus was lost or left in Jerusalem. Realize, if you can, the dreadful anguish of the heart of Mary at that time. To feel with her on this occasion, we should keep before our minds the tender love she bore Jesus.

My dear children, have you ever lost Jesus? Who knows how often? How many times have you ignominiously put Him out of your hearts by sin? You have brought the devil in with great pomp, and placed the demon on the throne which God should occupy. Mary and Joseph lost Our Lord Jesus without their fault; you lost Him because you made
up your minds you would no longer keep company with Jesus. And when you had put away this beloved Jesus did you feel the loss? I know that young people who for the first time have lost Jesus by sin really feel that they have committed a horrible crime. They are tormented in mind, and troubled within themselves, fearing, indeed, that the house may tumble over their heads and crush them, or that the earth may open and swallow them. They can find no rest, until they have recourse to confession and have driven out tho devil and reinstated Our Lord. But there are many youths, on the contrary, who do not feel the sting of conscience, or are surprised if they do; who never consider their horrible condition, and remain in it for months and years. Jesus is always near them, even when sent away, and looks to get back into the soul. His voice is not silent. He tells the poor sinner to open his heart, that He wants to enter there. But many have made a compact with the devil; they have sworn fealty to him and him they wish to serve and no other, because he gives them so many opportunities of gratifying their passions. These souls think they may let Jesus stand beside them, unnoticed, until the end of their
lives and that then they will be converted. But they will not find Him then, because they have abused the grace of God.

If any of you have lost Our Lord, lose no time in finding Him at once. And you, my good young people, who have kept Our Lord in your hearts, 0, keep Him there with tenderness and love, as your greatest treasure; beg of Him most sincerely to keep you near Him. Cultivate in your souls the virtues of humility, obedience, purity, patience, mortification, and charity, that Jesus, charmed by these precious virtues, may remain with you always.

Mary and Joseph were very anxious and could not rest, but immediately returned to Jerusalem, knowing that nowhere but there and in the Temple would He be found. And there He was sitting, with the doctors attentive around Him: the Child was a prodigy, and excited their admiration; they listened to His explanations of the law, they asked Him questions, and clearly and authoritatively came back the answers. It was an admirable instruction that Our Lord gave them.

Mary and Joseph found Our Lord in the Temple. My dear young people, if your parents were to look for you during the day or night, would they find you in church or in good company, passing the time in pious conversation? Or would they find you with bad company, engaged in bad conversation, drinking, cursing, blaspheming, perhaps?
As soon as Mary saw Jesus she said to Him, '

'Son, why hast Thou done so to us? behold. Thy father and I have sought Thee sorrowing." Our Lord answered her:

"How is it that you sought Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Fatlier^s business? '' This answer has a very deep meaning. Jesus was the Son of Mary and had come into the world to work for the honor of God His Father, and to do great things for His service.

The Child Jesus gives us a great example; He teaches us a great lesson: how we should act toward our parents. We must rather obey God than them, when there is question of
the glory and honor of God. You must not be afraid to go to your parents, and lay before them the will of God as you understand it. Sometimes parents are very worldly, and enemies of God's glory in regard to their children; they have views of the future for them which are not at all of God, and consequently should not be followed. There are parents who would rather see their children miserably unhappy for life than to see them become Religious dedicated to the service of God. For example, if any of you my dear young people, feel that God calls you, that you are fitted for the religious life, that you have patience and fortitude to persevere, then follow the call from God. Many young men who have served the altar from early youth have felt that they had a vocation to consecrate themselves to God; but they resisted, remained in the world, fell into sin, and were lost to their faith. Some young women who have the vocation, instead of leaving the paternal roof and going into a convent, marry and live unhappily to the end of their days.

Had these young people consecrated themselves to God they would have done much for the glory of God, they would have been glorious instruments in promoting the interests of the Church. St. Augustine wrote to his most intimate friend, Lucius, begging him to embrace a religious life.

"See what magnificent talents are going to waste on this foolish world! What a pity that such a bright intellect should amount to so very little. The devil has taken hold of you, and is going to ruin you. Supposing you found a chalice in the street; what would you do with it? you would bring it to the church because it belongs there. You have received golden talents from God; then say good-by to the devil, and attach yourself to God."

St. Stanislaus Kostka considered it one of the greatest faults of his life, that, having felt for certain the call of God in his heart to leave the world, he waited for six months, at the risk of abusing the Lord's friendship and the inestimable grace of the divine vocation.

Beg of God with heartfelt sincerity to let you know His holy will; pray to Mary, your angel guardian, and the saints of paradise, that they may intercede with the Holy Ghost for you, so that you may know your duty. Do not act foolishly, but when you are once certain of what you should do, cut off all ties, howsoever tender they be, and whatever else might place obstacles in the way. Turn a deaf ear to the devil, the world, and the flesh; be prompt as was the boy Samuel, who when God called him, jumped from bed several times, saying,

"Here I am, Lord; you have called me."

Jesus returned with Mary and Joseph to Nazareth, to the humble station that He held. The Gospel tells us in very short words what was His principal occupation during these
years of His boyhood and youth; He obeyed His parents. You may see Him in the poor carpenter shop of Nazareth, with His saw and ax, working zealously, gaining His livelihood by the work of His hands until He reached His thirtieth year. He was God, that God who governs the heavens and the earth. children, headstrong, wilful, and independent, learn from Jesus obedience to your parents. Do not cause them to weep over your bad lives, bringing their gray hairs in sorrow to the grave. Honor your parents, love them with a tender and true love, be their delight, and you will have such a reward from God as will astonish you.

Jesus grew in wisdom, in age, and grace before God and before man: He was wisdom itself, and how could He grow in wisdom? He was sanctity itself, and how could He be more holy? Still, adapting Himself to our humanity, with every day He manifested those qualities more and more, as suited His age. And people knew this Child and loved Him. What a grace it was for relatives and neighbors to be acquainted with the carpenter's Son!

But let us make our reflections. Do our youths grow in piety, devotion, wisdom, and love of God as they advance in years? While children they are good and lovable, but as they reach the years of manhood or womanhood what becomes of their innocence, their obedience, their loveliness? They have made themselves the slaves of the devil; the devil
does not practice such virtues and neither do they. What has become of your devotion? You used to say your beads, and pray morning and night, and had devotion to the Blessed Virgin. Do you still pray to her, or do you not consider this, as well as all other devotions, foolish practices? You had a very tender conscience as a child; the least sin would give you concern, you had much to confess; now it seems that sin does not disturb you, you are as gay after a great sin as if nothing had happened; you do not feel the qualms of conscience, you never go to confession any more. Why do you not act as formerly? The fact is, you have already partially lost your faith, and be assured it will not be long before you will have lost it altogether. Such then is the wickedness of your life.

In a few years you will be hardened in sin, you will be worse than the Turks or the pagans. How many such youths are there? Who would believe it unless they had seen it with their own eyes? What a feeling of disappointment it is to all religious educators, when they see all their efforts wasted. You young people, who are still good, pray for them that Our Lord may convert them and bring them back to a sense of their duty. Recommend to Our Lord those who were your companions in doing good, but now, by their bad example, would make you, too, unfaithful to God.

St. Celarinus had a sister who had yielded to the fury of the persecution, and offered sacrifice to the idols. When he heard of this miserable fear, he clothed himself in sackcloth and fasted severely; even on Easter days he did not cease praying to God that the grace of conversion might be granted her, and he resolved to do this penance until he saw her again reconciled to the Church. St. Dominic prayed whole nights for the conversion of sinners and did penances for them. St. Francis Xavier was so zealous for the conversion of sinners that he went about the city of Molacca ringing a bell and crying out in a loud voice, that all should pray for those in mortal sin. Do you also pray for those companions of your own age who once were brothers and sisters of Our Lord, but now are slaves of Satan? who at one time went with you to the banquet of the Immaculate Lamb, but now live in union with the devil? As for yourselves, stand firm in your faith, be vigilant that you may not fall into the sins of the wicked, grow in grace, in purity, in virtue, in wisdom, in the love of God, and you shall be dear to Our Lord, dear to all mankind, and it will be said of you as it was said of Jesus: "He grew in wisdom, in age, and in grace before God and men."

Source: SERM0NS FOR CHILDREN'S MASSES -  ACCORDING TO THE SUNDAYS AND PRINCIPAL FESTIVALS OF THE YEAR. Adapted from the original of Rev. Raphael Frassinetti, by Very Rev. Dean A. A.Lings, Imprimatur 1900 

OUR Saviour was no sooner born than He wished to teach us that He was to be adored in spirit and truth. Through a star, never before seen in the heavens, He hails to His crib three Wise Men from the far East. They adore Him and offer Him precious gifts—gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Listen to the story of the Wise Men. Have you seen the stars shining in the night? Some are little twinkling ones, and others big and bright. In the far East there were many wise men, who spent most of the night watching the stars. One night three of these watchers stood in a garden gazing at the sky. They were dressed in white woolen cloaks and white pointed caps. They were not studying the old stars that night. They were watching for a new star, for they had read that a new star would arise in the East to show the world that Christ, the promised King, was born. Every night for months they stood in the dark garden watching and waiting. They be gan to wonder if they ever would see the new star, when suddenly they clasped their hands in joy, for there in the sky a strange star had suddenly appeared, small, but of a wonderful brightness. Larger and larger it grew, sparkling and flashing through the night, until the light from that one golden star filled the whole world. "It is the star," cried the Wise Men, "the Saviour's star, the King so long foretold!" The star moved across the sky a space, stopped a moment, as if waiting for them to follow, and then very slowly it went westward.

Outside the gate of the garden stood three camels laden with many bags, as if ready for a journey. The Wise Men mounted the animals and over the desert they hurried, in the path made bright by the new star. All night long they traveled, and many days and nights, over the dry sands, hardly stopping to eat or to sleep. At last the desert was crossed and they reached a country where there were many green fields. Over the white roads they hurried, the star leading them, up a steep hill to the little town of Bethlehem. The camels walked one by one through the dark, narrow streets. Then the star began to move more slowly, and the Wise Men wondered if it would lead them to one of the great palaces. But no; it passed over them, then suddenly stopped over a very lowly little hut. The camels knelt before the door, and the Wise Men lighted to the ground. The door opened, and what did they see inside? A beautiful woman, Mary, with the lovely Baby, the little Lord Jesus, asleep in her lap. The Wise Men fell on their knees before Him and worshiped Him. Then they opened the bags the camels had carried. These bags were full of gold and sweet perfumes, and they laid them at the Infant's feet. They had brought the Lord Jesus their most precious
treasures. Then, filled with happiness, they quickly rode away. But all their lives they never forgot what they had seen, the little Child Jesus Christ, who came into the world to make them and all others of good will happy and good.

Why were these gifts the Wise Men brought so pleasing to the Lord? Gold, frankincense and myrrh, the gifts of their devotion, signify the liveliness of their faith, the firmness of their hope, and the fervor of their charity. This is what made their gifts so pleasing to God. Faith, hope and charity are the first and most necessary virtues, because they bring us most closely to God. These three virtues are the foundation of all other virtues, and it may well be said that no one can be saved unless he makes frequent acts of faith, hope and charity.

It was the holy season of Epiphany when the Christ-child was first shown to the Gentiles. Among the many who went to church that day was a little boy who loved no place so well as the House of God, with its "dim religious light," its fair white columns and its solemn music. He was a very quiet little boy, and thoughtful beyond his years. Often he would go into church alone, when there was no service, and kneel down and think and pray. It seemed to him that when the light streamed through the stained-glass windows and fell upon his prayer-book, he could see the sky open and catch a glimpse of that wondrous city of which St. John speaks in the Bible. It seemed, too, that some times the pictured saints and angels in the window would smile upon him, as though they were pleased to see a little boy in church. But there was one window at which the little boy never tired of looking. It showed the Wise Men offering their gifts to the Child, Christ Jesus. Whenever he looked at this picture there was always one thought in his mind: "Oh, that I might see Jesus, and that I might give Him an offering! "The child was always saying to himself : "If I could only see Jesus and take Him a gift! "One day when he had heard the wondrous story of Epiphany over again, the little boy remained in church, lost in thought. He fancied that the organ was being played very soft and low, as though an angel's fingers were touching the keys, and as he gazed on his favored window the figures seemed to live and move. He saw a very brilliant star, like a comet, shining down from the sky and making all the picture bright. The scene was a rude stable, and the oxen and the other animals were standing there. The animals seemed to bow their heads before the little Babe, wrapped in swaddling clothes. At first the boy could not see the face of the Babe, but he observed that she who held Him in her arms was most beautiful. As the stream of light became brighter the little boy could see the features of the Babe, and he thought that they smiled lovingly upon Him. After awhile the boy saw three strangers kneeling before the Mother and her Babe, and he knew that they must be the Wise Men who came to worship Jesus. As he watched the wonderful scene the child saw the Wise Men open their stores of treasure and the first, kneeling very humbly, presented his offering of gold to the Holy Babe. Then the second Wise Man drew near and held in his hand a silver dish, from which rose a sweet-smelling vapor, and the boy knew that it was frankincense. Then the third Wise Man approached the crib and offered something wrapped in a fine linen cloth; at this the boy noticed the face of the Holy Babe and His Mother grew sad, and he remembered that this was the gift of myrrh. By and by the scene faded away, and the boy saw only the stained-glass window as before. But now the longing to see Jesus came upon him stronger than ever, and as he knelt he prayed most earnestly: "O Jesus, let me see Thee, and give Thee an offering!" Some one seemed to whisper in his ear, " In as much as you have done it to the least of these, my brethren, ye have done it unto Me."

"When the boy went home his mother gave him a ripe, rosy apple, and the boy was delighted with the fruit. Just as he was going to eat it, he thought of a boy friend, a poor sick lad, who lived in a back street in the town. He hastened to the poor lad's bedside and gave him the apple of which he thought so much. The apple was all he had to give, but it brought comfort to the parched lips of the dying lad.

On his next visit to the church he seemed to see once more the vision in the stained-glass window. And, to his surprise, he saw an apple of pure gold among the gifts that lay at the feet of Jesus. And so the good boy learned how he could offer gold to Jesus by doing good to His poor people. But still he wondered how he could offer frankincense and myrrh. That night in a dream he thought an angel came to him, bearing a silver censer in his hand. And as he swung the censer to and fro there went up a cloud of sweet incense. And the angel smiled upon the child and said:

"These are the prayers of all holy children who pray to Jesus, and your prayers of today are among them." Then the little boy was very happy, for he knew that he had offered two gifts to Jesus, gold and frankincense.

Soon the sick lad died and was buried in the church-yard. The children of his class, of which the little boy was one, agreed among themselves that they should deck the grave with flowers each day in turn.

Very early, one morning in summer, when the old sexton was on his way to work, he was surprised to find a boy lying asleep upon the grassy mound where the lad lay buried. The sexton asked him how he happened to be there, and the little boy answered: that on the night before it had been his turn to deck the grave, but he had not been able to find any flowers beautiful enough, and so, said he, " I would not disappoint my dead friend, and I thought that, as he used to call me his 'little flower,' I would just put myself on his grave, to show him how I loved him." And this childish act of kindness was the third gift, myrrh.

Let us open the treasures of our heart, my dear children. Our God and Saviour requires of us this day the sacrifice of true love. Let us, then, offer Him our hearts and all that we have, in return for giving Himself to us.

Source:  Anecdote - Sermonettes for Children's Masses