The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-05-22
ST. JAMES, ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.


THO Savionr's Love and Mercy-sermon by
the Rev. Father Byrne, of ClO8her, Ire.
land.
At st. James Roman Catholic church yesterday
morning high mass was celebrated by the Rev.
Father Martin, and after the first gospel the Rev.
Father Byrne, OF the diocese OF Cogher, Ireland,
preached from the gospel OF the day. beginning at
the close OF the fifteenth chapter OF Matthew.
The life OF our blessed Lord was one continued
exercise OF love and mercy 10 men. Not alone the
just were the recipients Of His favors, but even to
sinners were extended most merciful invitations to
penitence and promises OF heavenly reward. AS
TIE GOOD SHEPHERD
leaves the mock to go in search OF the missing sheep,
go does The Saviour follow the sinner seeking to re-
store him once more to the ioid. There numbers
OF instances In the Gospels In which Jesus teaches
US how much lie desires the conversion OF sinners.
and how eagerly and cheerluy He receives back the
lost one and offers Ills love to the pentent heart.
Has He not Himself said that there Is more Joy In
heaven over the conversion OF one sinner than the
heavenly hosts feel from all the virtues OF ninety
nine Justs In the parable OF
THE PRODIGAL SON,
that touching story which the sinner is lKened to
the spendthrirt and sinful son, ana In which the
Redeemer takes the place Of the loving and f0rgv-
ing father. the conversion OF the son is hailed with
reIoicings ana the father goes out to meet him on
his return extending TO him pardon for all his errors
and receiving him again as his lost child
restored. Thus does Jesus receive back the
sinner. who. having wandered away from
Him in the paths or sin and iniquity comes
again, penitent and contrte for his evil doings, TO
the feet OF his Redeemer In all the consciousness OF
the wrong he hos done, and moved to sorrow as he
experiences
TIE LOVE AND MERCY
OF Him whom he had sinned against. There is not
sinner on earth who when ms heart IL moved to
abandon his career OF crime, shall nor feel II he has
only courage to advance, that Jesus like tho father
III the parable, comes to meet him and extend 10
him HIS infinite mercy ana even to rejoice that this
lost soul Is now restored. But beautiful as arc tho
parallels In the Gospel which convey to US this love
OF Jesus for converted sinners, II we want 10 60
must come to the passion Of our sacred Lord ord and
then we shall find the proof OF the Infinite agony
sna s .na that ea he er
spirit the Garden OF Gethsemane and sees the Son Of
to wipe out the sins OF the world and yet he un-
moved and cling to sin! There Is an infinite love
here, and 1t Is The love OF the Creator for the
ture 1t Is Jesus weeping Tor our sins, praying to
Ills Father lor forgiveness for those evil deeds
enormity Of the malice thew Contain, needed the
sacred blood itself to wipe out the stains. There
not step OF the Passion that does not appeal to
men for love and sorrow and neutrality-suspicious. it
be Gethsemane the scourging at the pillar, the
browning with thorns, the carrying OF the heavy
cross along the road TO Calvary or
THE LAST DREAD SCENE
| itself, which made heaven and earth tremble. It
was the same love and mercy which manifested the
infntnde u Jesus In the miracles lie performed IN
His pubic life. which raised the dead to ifc healed
the sick. gave sight to the blind and pardoned Mag
dalen, that led Him TO the pillar TO be scOurged,
that suffered the th0rns 10 pierce His sacred
head, that made Him submit 10 be spit
upon, Knocked and treated with ignominy
To describe the death OF Jesus on the cross
would be impossible; to tell how every part Of
His sacred body was racked and torn with pam,
how every sense was tortured with agony, how HIS
prosecutors added even other tOrments than those
OF the cross, would feebly give an idea OF the death
or the saviour. But VIC can turn to the cross aud
behold
THE DYING SON OF GOD
and hear His last words They were words so init
nitely loving and merciful that the greatest sinner
must feel nope and courage ne reflects upon lnem
They were words that Jesus only could have uttered
One is prayer for those who are putting Him to
death; the other is the pardon Of repentant
The preacher then continued to speak or the
OF all the sufferlngs OF Christ which was SIN. In
eloquent terms he besougDt OF his hearers receive
the Rraces which Jesus gave abundantly TO eacn In
order to secure salvation which was the only object
or life, that for which we were created. Especially
lie warned those who might be in sin not 10 put OF
conversion, for the longer the sinner delayed IN
ceptng the invitations OF the Saviour 10 repentance
the more the dtfiiculty would be growing and the
greater the chance OF being found unprepared for
that judgment which was as certain 10 come as
death.