St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-05-07
FOR BoUNTIFUL HARvEsTs
Father Stanley Explains the Rea-
sons for Special Prayers on Ro-
cation Days.

dtbSF SudHIcy EApldluS Ific MA
sons for Special Prayers on Ro-
cation Days.
Father Stanley delivered the sermon
at the cathedral yesterday, his theme
being "Rogation Days" His remarks
were substantially as follows:
''During the coming week will occur
what are called in the church rogation
days. The word rogation is one not
very frequently used in common con-
versation. 1t means asking, By roga-
ton days is meant those days on which
we ask for something in particular, on
which we ask God for something. They
are days of prayer, and the church has
placed as the gospel for the Fifth
Sunday after Easter that extract
in which our Lord insists ON
the necessity and efficacy of
prayer. The object of the church,
then, in placing this part of the gospel
before US, is to teach US that we must
pray; and she has instituted these roga-
ton days to make more plain the duty
of asking for those things we require.
Rogation days are not days of fasting,
as is commonly supposed. The duty of
prayer is the obligation that rests upon
US. This pious custom was instituted
in the fifth century. In Northern Europe,
in certain year of the fifth century,
the weather was very unsettled. Storms
swept over the country, laying waste
whole villages and making sad havoc
everywhere. These storms were &C
companied by earthquakes, which re-
suited in great loss of life. Plainly the
hand of God was making itself felt
among the Christians of these
days. Famine stared the peo-
mic in tINn fl1nr
was no prospect of a harvest. At this
time pious bishop in the eastern part
of France, moved by the sad condition
of affairs, called OH the people to unite
i'll fervent PRAYER on the three days pre-
ceding the ascension of our Lord into
heaven. The people gathered together
and united in public prayer, and walked
in procession through the different par
ishes singing penitential psalms, and
carrying with them the blessed sacra-
ment. AS result, the hand of God was
stayed, the storms ceased, the grain
sprung up and an abundant harvest was
reaped. This was the beginning of ro-
CATION days. The piOuS custom spread,
and was afterwards sanctioned by the
holy see. So that to-day rogation days
are kept everywhere, and are especially
devoted to prayers that God may
bless the land with rich and
abundant harvests. l needn't tell you
how much depends on the harveStS. All
the wealth of country depends on the
products of its soil. On what does the
/ harvest depend? The wealth of the soil
depends on the will of God: for no mat
ter what religion we may espouse, we
must acknowledge that every blade of
can, if He so chooses, prevent the
growth and increase. On rOgation
days the Litany of Saints is recited pub
licly in all parish churches after the
parish mass, and all Catholics should
try and be present at that time. The
church sanctifes this custom for an
other purpose, viz: to teach US the
necessity of prayer at all times and our
complete dependence on the Creator
of all things. There are among Chris
tianS vast number who very seldom turn
their hearts to God in earnest prayer. A
hurried formula may be recited, but this
meaningless unless accompanied by the
heart. 1t is something shocking to a
Christian to think of the great number
of men, women and children who leave
their homes in the morning and never
ask the divine aid. The great key to
heaven is not going to mass on Sun
days, nor going to confession once a
month, nor giving aims to the poor.
The great means of opening heaven to
our souls IS prayer. The man who does
not pray will never see God. We should
offer up our prayers to God daily and
acknowledge our dependence on Him.
This is the great Christian duty. l
have said that prayer is efficacious, but
God does not love one upon whose soul
is sin, nor does he grant his favors to
such an one. The soul kept in a state
making prayer efficacious. The sinful
man is the slave of Gods enemy, and
therefore his prayers are of little or no
avail"