The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-03
ST. STEPHENS CHURCH.
Father Flynn on the Virtues of the Sa-
ViOur-Jesus on the Sea OF GnliIee.

Father Flynn on the Virtues of the Sa.
viOur-Jesus on the Sea or GnliIee.
Yesterday morning high mass was celebrated at
ST. Stephens Roman Catholic church, and the Rev.
Father Flynn preached the sermon. The text was
taken from the eighth chapter of st. Matthew
"Lord save us or we perish" Father Flynn said =
1t cannot be denied, my friends that there is
something in our very nature, some thing
that is born with us and remains with us through
life, which teaches-yea, even urges and forces-us
to seek comfort in adversely consolation in affic-
ton and advice amid temptations. When we have
found out who is able and willing to aid us in our
needs, who peurs forth into bleeding and aflicted
heart the balm Of comfort and or consolation. how
we cling to him, how we love. honor and respect
him! But IT Is rare thing TO find in
THIS WORLD TRUE FRIEND
one to whom we may tell our tale of woe and mis-
fortune, the inmost secrets Of our hearts without
fear-one that will remain steadfast In adversely
as well as in prosperity Such q friend we may
have sought but sought in vain, and sometimes
when we thought we had found him we were
cruelty deceived.
WHAT, THEN, ARE WE TO DO
amid the turmoils and cares of this life? Must we
bear them aloneS Shall we seek for comfort but
seek in vain Not so, my friends. We are to mi
tate the apostles, Of whom we read in today's Cos
pei. iney lclb tne SnOre with the PROSPECT or q
pleasant voyage. All was calm and tranquil. There
were but gentle breezes, which wOnld aid them to
reach their destination. They had not, however,
proceeded lar when, as we read,
A TEMPEST AROSE,
so that the ship was covered with waves. We can
easily imagine their astonishnent- terror was de.
plcted upon their cOuntenanceS, fear had taken
possession OF their souls. They were in trouble
and aliliction--they imagine to see the hand OF
what did they dor They went to Jcsus-"and his
disciples came to Him." But this was not all.
They likewise prayed. Lord" they said Lord,
this mortal state Is
SIMILAR TO THAT OF THE APOSTLES.
We from our birth, are launched upon the sea OF
life in order to work our passage towards distant
shore. But, alas we have scarcely passed the
years OF our childhood when tempests arise. Winds
and waves fury against us and threaten to us ruin
and destruction long before we reach the port tow
ards which we are bound. The
APOSTLES PRAYED AND WE MUST.
do likewise, for prayer Is necessary. Prayer Is
ellcacious when accompanied with the true con-
ditions. 1t is necessary, and to convince ourselves
OF this truth have but to recall to mind that the
end for which we have been created is supernat-
ural gratuitous gilt OF God, by no means due to
our nature, but a favor bestowed upon us by
the 0mnipotence ana goodness of the Almighty.
without Me-" says our divine Lord, you
can do nothing To believe hope and love God,
To Lepen 81 H1 ss WEI SSs nave We
stand in need OF this great and holy gilt. He well
understands our wants and the enemies we have TO
combat He could likewise, and sometimes does,
lend to man all the help he needs without prayer.
This be could do but the fact is that he does not in
His ordinary providence and general government
OF the moral order OF things. Lie everlasting and
the grace to obtain 1t are, as l SAID, gratuiteus
gifts, and consequently God has perfect right to
establish the conditions upon which they may be
gained. He had the right and he exercised 1t BY
placing the conditions fact which we learn from
tnnumerablc passages OF Holy Writ. Christ, In the
Garden OF Gethsemane, goes TO His disciples ana
finds them asleep. Temptations surround them
upon oil sides, the enemy Is near at hand, the time
OF trial has arrived. Christ by His 0mnipOtence,
could have protected them without disturbing them
from their sumbers. But no; He wished them to
be on the alert. lie desired that they should ask
for the grace to overcome those temptations.
WATCH YE AND PRAY THAT We MAY NOT ENTER
INTO TEMPTATION"
The saints OF God were greatly attached to prayer,
for they well knew that In this exercise the soul
speaks with God, opens itself TO Him with all con-
ndence and receives wisdom therein. ASK" says
our divine Lord-"Ask, and IL shall be gwen
you; seek, and ye shall nnd knock and
II shall be opened unto you; for every one
that asketh receveth and he that seeketh nndeth,
and to him that knocketh IL shall be opened.o
These words need no explanation they contain the
precept and the promise. II, then, amid so many
temptations. we ask
GOD TO HELP U.s.
VIII lie, SO good, 80 perfect, so mercfu-will He,
our good Father, be deaf 20 our entreates III you
ask Him for bread will lie give to us q stonef II
Tor hsh VIII lie give to us a serpentS on. no.
answers our DIVINE Lord. your Father Ia