The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-03-08
Lecture in Albany, N. T., ~ Father Rysn.
From the Reflector, Feb. ae.l

| evening last 81. anne Churcl
was filed with an immense congregation d
hear the Rev: Father Ryan, The "Pos
Priest of the South.n The subject Of tS]
lecture was "The Mystery of Faith. ~ or ssI
Christ present in the World" The subiec
was treated by the distinguished gentlems1
with with t his usual ability; and we are sure al
being unable to give full report Of tb1
lecture. The following is brief outline
God said to man by the mouth of an a aed
prophet, 81 have loved you with an even
lasting love-" We find man seeking to f;nd
out God in all ages. Sometimes he womb
gaze upon the stars, and these he would
worship the trees Of the forest, and reeard
these as his God. Even the Pagan WITH
his stone god, land we must not laugh at
hlm), enunciated that great truth, that the
heart Of man longed for and sought after
God. But one thing then could satisfy the
yearnlng heart of man, end it was this,
that the eternal God, the Creator whom sri
John called the Word, should come to
earth and become kith and kin with tbe
human race, as he was kith and kin with
the ever blessed Trinity, three persons. and
one God: At 10 o'clock at midnight on the
18th of December, 1873 years ago, a babe
was born in the stable of Bethlehem. AnS
who was this babe7 God incarnate, born 1n1 of
Mary. And why was he born of Mary hi
was, that he might become your brother
and my brother, that he might reconcile nal
to God, and become the victim. Some in
deed reject Mary, but they that reject the
Blessed Mother must reject the Son-they
must must reject Christ. We do not reject
Blessed Mary. And why should we, when
we find Christ Himself, who lived only
thirty three years in this world, pivinr
thirty years of His life to His Blessed
Mother, aud but three years to the world 2
We md our Blessed Lord at the Last Sup
per surrounded by twelve men, and who
were these twelve menf Fishermen.
poor, illiterate men. And we are told that
He took piece of bread, common, ordi-
nary bread, and said: "Ths is my body,n
Likewise, also, He took chalice with Or
binary wine in it, and said: "This is my
blood" Now, care not so much for the
words of Christ: The Bible is not His, al
more for the character of Christ. I shall
rest what have to say to you on the char
acter of Christ. We know that He said to
His disciples, before his ascension, i" Be-
hold am with you all days, even to the
consummation of the world" After this
we are told that he went up into heaven.
Now let me ask you do you suppose that it
you'd be consistent with the character of
Christ, after His promise to His deciples,
and through them to His Church, that
while He is in heaven he would not be
present in this world7 He is present and
Will 10 III tuo l1Oiy EuCu8FlSGe ana
this is the Mystery of Faith. By the act of
the piece of bread becomes
the Divinity, and Humanity, the Body and
Blood of Christ, aud in the Host Christ is
always present. For can there be a Priest
without sacrifice Can there be O sacri-
ice without victim Can there be vic
tim without an altar7 But come one
objects, and asks me the question. Do you
mean to say that that piece of bread con-
aims the Body and Blood of Christ Why,
you insult my reason by telling me that
bread, material substance, inferior to my
ans-substantiated into the Humanity
md Divinity, Body and Blood of Christ
Alb, my friend, this is the Mystery of
Faith. If you look up to the blue,
eternal sky, and ask who made you,
nethinks I hear it's blue lips answer,
Sod. You ask the wheat who made
you, and if it could answer, the answer
would be, God. Will you limit the power
If God Can the finite comprehend the
infinite Did you eat your suppers this
EVENING" l reckon SO and while I am
speaking, the material substance of which
your body and blood. Why, this process of
5ransubstatiation is continually going on in
,he material world. Why then should we
ioubt that Christ.is present in the world,
when He who spake as man never spake,
said that He would be with US through ali
line, anu VINO promised that He would not
cave US orphans The Catholic Church
believes in and teaches the real presence
IF Christ, but all other systems of religion
outside the Church are conspicuous by
;eaching and preaching an absent Christ.
Every morning may be seen a mana
oriest-clad in antiquated vestments, Off
erlng victim in the Holy Sacrifice of the
Mass, and when the altar bell is rung, the
yorshippers, with bowed heads, feel that
hey are liz the presence of Christ. By the
!ct of conservation the bread is changed
INTO tie Divinity and Humanity, the Body
md Blood of Christ. This is the Mystery
# Faith; thus is Christ present in the
world. Here the faithful enjoy his presence,
md after this life, fortified BY the Sacra.
nents of the Church, they will enjoy His
presence forever and forever.
j. LINCOLN, EsQ.-We would recall to the
linds of our many readers