The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-08-27

|
any expansion of,soul could reach beyond love
OF country No. They were citizens, they were
great Patriotism expression of theirs having
ntIie Value now-a-days, because patriotism
wnen we use the word without qualification
seems TO us very narrow and far below the viz
snes demanded of us by the Gospel. But con.
sloerlng Jesus Christ simply in his character as
man, ne had In view something far beyond bis
native territory of Judea, his thou ghts were for
~ humanity He came to conquer and to save
Inc world-to give all the world his word-the
| trnth-Which was part of himself inasmuch as
he was also God He came for all, without ex-
ceptlon and could We see his soul under a
| transparent form, we should see it projecting
IT'S rays OF light like sun, even to the limits
OF all humanity, embracing all the world in its
desires, it's emotions and it's sacr;i $685.
In the second place,
| WHO WAS EVER MORE ELEVATED
| What did he look up to when wishing to save
| usi He fixed his gazs upon his father-upon
God Bat, of the many things be saw in God
WI Wnat was II he looked upon as his main guide 7
was IL simply Justice, such was delivered on
Sanai--suoh as men had already accepted. 1t
was indeed Justice, but it was such as the world
had not known hitherto. And yet it was bat
the first step towards his designs, and the lofty
ends he bad in view.
Let me for q moment suppose that in those
former days, 10 the presence of the Roman
Senate, that most illustrions assembly the
world ever saw before the Parliament of Eng
land, which is a Christian body-let us sup
pose that in the days before the appearance of
Christ, man imbued with the principles of
Christ had presen ted himself before the Senate,
and having obtained from the Roman officer
the honorable privilege of speaking in 30 au-
gust a presence, he had said: Senators and
COnsulsl
ALL MEN ARE EQUAL
before God; all men are brothers; all men,
plebslans and patricians, are of one family,
whose author is God all men are members Of
common humanity the person of every
citizen is sacred and inviolable 80 long as he
breaks no law of society-commits no crime.
All nations are sisters; no nation has the right
another only by justice and by treaties-never
by the mere force of conquest Should this
man have SO spoken before the Roman Senate, |
he would simply have expressed grand truth, |
till then undreamed of by that great nation
the most perfect lawmakers before Christ-a |
truth, indeed, which they daily violated both |
in their military and in their legislative action.
Aud yet, my dear Christians, it was this that
was contem plated by Jesus Christ: this was
one OF his guiding principles in coming and
working in our midst /; but, after all, it was
the principles which directed him. He came
not only to reveal to the highest, the most
perfect form of Justice, but he came to intro
duce charity, and to tell us, not that God is
Just for men already had some knowledge of
that-bu5 to say words that neither senates
nor nations had ever yet listened to: "Deus
CharitGS eStF
"GoD IS cHAR1TYw
"Ios must lore one another" The lowly must
owe the lofty, notwithstanding that terrible
aversion towards the latter with which q cor
,upted nature inspires the former: the lofty
must love the lowly, in spite of their pride of
birth and their distorted education kings
must put themselves on a level with their sub
acts, and the poor subjects must confidently
Ldvauce towards royalty. You shall love and
espect yourselves and when q person has
elf respect, he is not inclined. either to pull
Town those above, nor to trample under foot
hose lower than himself Loving yourselves,
'ou will be transformed by love. l come, not
rs came my Father once to droVn the world
mandate bOQndlnsa .
'cean of Charity.
Behold here the character of Jesus Christ
1t the same true he did not, like the Romans
nd others, make use of any means unworthy of
he lofty principles Involved in the salvation
# mankind. Abdicating the power of his
father, putting aside the sword and the lepions
# angels, he said 81 come to you with words
md with the JUNCTION of my own soul come
o give them to you who are but men, in order !
hat they may enlighteo your minds and give /
o your words the power of convincing. Aud,
10 matter what may happen to Christianity, I
although, for the repression Of errors, she may,
rom time to time accept the aid of human I
ocieties-the fact remains, that, sooner or
alter, brutal force shall disappear upon earth.
The living power of Charity shall triumph, and
lnder it's government and enlightenment. truth i
ball cease to bow down before error, and right !
before might. Behold here that which will CON :
'ert the world, and lead it safely through the
purifying waters of Christian truth" t
Suoh, my friends, are the means used by God }
or our saIvation: Charity as the IN olive princ r
lie and Charity as the active means Thus the r
usprAtion Of Christs obj cot and of the means r
IN ploysd by him is from q source higher tn an =
IL others, since it lies beyond justice it, !
elf, and far hi9he, than men had ever yet !
,AZed into the starry ornament. :
In the third place, patience +
WHO WAS EVER MORE PATIENTf
Who has ever suffered morei Do you not see
hat, while trying to show the greatness of
esus Christ, 1 sink into common place Ian I
:uagsf Patience! All! Look upon the orucifx! | !
Where is the man, the soldier, the patriot, who !
las Suffered for his oountry-for few fellow I
jesus Christ has suffered for the
Thole human racef Thus his patience surpasses ,
ii patience; and, in view of what he has under
zone, she WiHe men Of this world will never
are point to ther death-scaffolds. The Cross
las taken rank above all bloody deaths and I
'lwAys far above the sufferings Of every human | {
oul, one may see to use the words of Bossuet, :
this divine, hanging victim, showing forth, in !
lis superhumAn ignominy, charity whose I
patience surpAsses all patience, as his charity {
tself surpAsses all charity" 7
Thus, an expansive generosity which was all