"For God has not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness."

          You often hear people complaining that hit is hard to be a good Catholic. It is hard. Nobody ever said it was easy. Christ Himself did not say it was easy; He told us to take up our cross and follow Him, and it is not easy to carry a cross. But always remember this. It is hard to be a Catholic because it is a position of great honor. Farmer White was very proud of his farmyard. He had all kinds of animals in it-prize horses, fat pigs, beefy cows. He was proud of them all but was proudest of his white doves. He had a hundred of them. People used to look at them and say, "How white they are-just like angels." The doves lived very happily in their dovecot and were very proud of their whiteness. But one day they let themselves be talked into something. One dove, who has been sulking in the corner of the dovecot for months, hopped up onto the top of the cot and made a speech. "Fellow doves," he said, "I am starting a new society which is to be called the S. P.W.I.W.D.- the Society for the Prevention of Whiteness in White Doves. And why, fellow doves? Because we are white, we have to keep white and cannot have as much fun as the other animals in the farmyard do. Look at that fat sow snorting and rolling in the mud. How happy she is. Look at all the other little pigs rollicking in their pigsty. Look at the cows standing up to their knees in that muddy creek, and the horses rolling in the dust. So say, fellow doves, unite! No more whiteness in white doves. Follow me to the pigsty and roll in the mud." So all the doves joined the S.P.W.I.W.D. and went off and rolled in the mud of the pigsty. What fun they had until Farmer White came to see them and show them to some of his friends. That's the way it is when you hear people say it is hard to be a Catholic. It is hard to be a white dove-but is it worth it. Being a white dove is a position of honor. Anyone can be a pig and roll in the mud. But you are the chosen ones of Christ-and because you are children you are his very special chosen ones-and because you are white you should do your best to stay pure. Do not let anyone talk you into joining the S.P.W.I.W.D. This is what St. Paul meant when he wrote to the early Christians in Thessalonica and told them not to be like their pagan neighbors but to keep themselves unspotted from the world. "For God has called us not unto uncleanness, but unto holiness in Christ Jesus our Lord."
                                                                                                ~ Heirs of the Kingdom ~

                              THE WISDOM OF THE WORLD IN ONE LITTLE BOOK
                                                                 The Catechism

There was once an Arab scholar named Malluch. He was young and strong and learned. But Malluch’s brow was wrinkled with thought as he walked out of the Caliph’s palace one day. A Caliph, you know, is an Arab ruler. The Caliph had just told Malluch to do what seemed impossible. He had told him to write all the wisdom of the world into one little book. What would you do if someone told you to do that? You wouldn’t know. Neither did Malluch know what to do. But he was young and strong and learned. He began to travel the world, to study and to write.

After ten years he returned to the Caliph and said, “My Lord, I have brought you all the wisdom in the world, but it is not in one book. It is in five hundred books.”

“It will not do,” said the Caliph. “I have not time to read five hundred books.”      

Malluch went off again and took his five hundred books with him. Ten years later he came back with the wisdom of the world in a hundred books.

“It will not do,” said Caliph, “It will not do. My sight is failing and I have not time to read a hundred books before I die.”

Malluch went off again. He was himself no longer young and strong. He must hurry. He worked and worked until he had all the wisdom of the world boiled down into fifty books.

“It will not do,” said the Caliph.

Malluch walked off again. “I can do no more,” he mused. What will become of me?” He sat down and cried himself to sleep.

He was awakened by a little boy saying things out loud from a small book. Malluch took the book, read it and ran quickly to the Caliph with it. “Here, my Lord, is the wisdom of the world in one book. Take and read.”

The Caliph read it and said, “You have done well, Malluch.

It will do. Name your reward.”

Malluch left the palace mumbling to himself, “If I had only found this book thirty years ago, I could have saved myself a lot of trouble.”

Now what was the book that Malluch took to the Caliph in such a hurry? Three guesses. Here it is if you don’t believe me. Yes, the Catechism. All the wisdom of the world in one little book.

There are many people walking about our City at this moment who are trying to find the answer to some very important questions. They are asking themselves, “Where did I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going?”

In trying to find the answer they flounder around like Malluch did. They could find their answers very easily in the penny catechism. “God made me to know Him, to love Him and to serve Him in this world and to be happy with Him in the next.”

Do you remember what we said last week about making ourselves into images of Christ? For the next few weeks we will tell you some of the things that you will need to put into your image. The first thing you will need is a knowledge of your catechism.  There is a little lesson to be learned from today’s story.

You should be like the boy at the well, who was studying his catechism so hard. You should pay attention at your catechism classes in school and in Sunday school. You have in this little book what Malluch tried to write in thirty years. The wisdom of the world for a penny. The wisdom of the world in the palm of your hand. Remember Malluch’s words, “If I had only found this book thirty years ago I could have saved myself a lot of trouble.” Remember his words and save yourselves a lot of trouble.

                                                      ~ “Heavenwords,” Imprimatur 1947 ~

                                                         THE SEVEN BOOKS OF WISDOM
         "Whatsoever things have been written have been written for our instruction."

The Sultan of Arabia, a man named Haroun, was very anxious to be the wisest man on earth. He spent most of his life studying. One day he learned of a man who lived which contained all the wisdom of the world in them. He went to the man and said that he wanted to buy the seven books, so that he himself could become the wisest man on earth. "What is your price?" asked Haroun. The man replied, "My price is half your kingdom." Haroun was very angry and said, "That is too much." Without a word the man took three of the books and threw them into the fire. "What is the price of the other four?" asked Haroun "The price of four is the same as the price of seven," said the man. "That is too much," said Haroun getting angrier all the time. Without a word the man took three of the books and threw them in the fire. "I will buy the one you have left" said Haroun, "What is the price?" The man replied, "The price of one is the same as the price of seven-half of your kingdom." Haroun bought the one book and paid the same price that he would have paid for the seven of them. St. Paul tells us in his Epistle, "Whatsoever things have been written, have been written for our instruction." Everything that the Church teaches is taught to us for our own good. Now these are not very nice days for children to grow up in, because people do not listen to the teachings of the Church the way they should. You hear people saying, "I am going to get a divorce." I am going to marry a divorced man." "I am not going to let anyone tell me what to do." When you hear these things remember the story of Haroun and the wise man. Haroun had to pay the same price. If he had paid willingly in the first place he would have received greater value. People who defy the Church must pay the price. They must follow the teachings of Christ eventually or lose their souls. The price remains the same but you get less for it if you do not pay willingly. Make up your minds now that you will never go against the teachings of the Church, because the teachings of the Church are the teachings of Christ. They are taught to us for our own good. "Whatever things have been written have been written for our instruction."

Each is given a bag of tools,

A shapeless mass,

A book of rules;

And each must make,

Ere life has flown,

A stumbling block,

Or a stepping stone.

                                                         - Heirs of the Kingdom ~ Imprimatur: 1949 ~