The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-13
ST. STEPHENS CHURCH.

The Lord and His Visit to Nazareth
Christ I'm tho Temple 1T Twelve Years
or Agc-A Lesson or Humility.
High mass was celebrated at St. Stephens Ro-
man Catholic church yesterday morning by the
Rev. Father Powers, q young clergyman who
was lately ordained at the Ecclesiastical Seminary
at Troy The sermon OF the day was preached by
the Rev. Charles McCready In his usual eloquent
and concise style. Father took for his text the
Gospel OF st. Luke H., ~, g. beginning as
foliows:-"He went down with them to Nazareth,
and was subject to them" The reverend gentle
man said that in those few words Is contained the
history Of the Lords life during q period OF
eighteen years. We lose sight of the bright, in
telligent and interesting boy OF twelve years
in the Temple, only to IND Him
In his thirtieth year a matured man, seeking the
baptism Of penance at the lands of the Precursor.
Could we but draw aside the veil which history
has not dared to penetrate-the veil which the
Father, In His wise designs, has drawn around
that blessed family In Nazareth, what beautiful
and instructive picture would meet our view We
would find them model family, such as God in
tended in the beginning We could discover In
every line and trace Of the picture the distinct
i've mark-humble yet sweet subsection. The child
Jesus subject to His earthly parents; the Virgin
Mother subject to her holy spouse, and he again,
with the others, subject TO their heavenly Father
the Man God to come from Heaven to incul.
cate. Throughout the wonderful mysteries of this
blessed season we find one grand virtue underly-
ing all supporting all, and sustaining and crown
ing everythlng-the one beautiful virtue OF hum-
ity. On these days OF self.assertion and tndepend
ent action, when all that is most opposed
to the spiritual is pressed into the service
Of the world and OF mans Advancement
therein; when not merely false heightened notions
OF honor and spirit that will not brook real or
imagined insult are still popular but when even
MANTLE precocity recommends itself to parental
iavor by It's early development and independence
OF spirit, the bare mention even OF humility is
fallen on times when it would seem almost out OF
place Tor minister OF the Gospel to say aught In
commentator OF this virtue without insinuating
humility Of the Gospel can coexist In the same
individual, still II Is not too much to say that
we are perhaps unconsci0usly too apt to carry
acquired as citizens into our relations with God,
and SO turn that blessing which kind Providence
c0niers on us into weapon against HIMSELF But
we must make here broad distnction-"We must
render unto Caesar the things that are CGsars to
God the things that are Gods" Christ is the
Christians model. In preparing this model
EAST 1or forty days, as / have DONE" "Raise the
dead" to life, or "Go about doing good to all, but
he says simply, Learn of me, Tor | am meek and
humble Of heart.n His conduct during His entire
lie was realization of this teaching. We may
attempt It, but we can never fathom the infinite
depth OF our Lords humility: And we shall have
kingdom, and of beholdng Him face to face in all
His glory and majesty. We will then be able to
form, yet still inadequately, some idea Of that
humility which transferred him from heaven to
enter into the Incarnation, which caused the Sec
Ond Person In the Trinity to take the personality
OF her weak babe of Bethlehem; or which trans
formed the Lord OF All the Hosts OF Heaven into
the friendless criminal in Plates hall or the re-
puted malefactor on the ignOminious tree. As
suredly He could teach with authority who has
given In his own life and conduct such practical
lessons these.