The herald., 1895-04-15


Rev. Father Fitzgerald preached at the
Cathedral during high mass, which was
celebrated by Bishop Montgomery. as
sisted by the entire clergy OF the parish.
The reverend gentleman said:
shall Rome rule? Never. Shall Rome
rule? For ever. What a question and
what answers on this blessed Easter sun
day morning: Yet, if you will have
patience with me for little while. | hope
10 be able to show you that neither ques-
ton nor answers are out OF place, that
whether YOU belong to the church or not
a right understanding of the question and
answers will enable you to participate IN
the spirit of the church. spirit to which
she frequently gives expression today,
saving: This is the day which the Lord
made let us he glad and rejoice therein;
The object of religion is to save souls.
Christ came to effect the same purpose
"Relgion pure and indebted is 10 know
the true and living God and Jesus Christ
whom Thou hast sent. - To know Christ
is essential to religion, essential to saliva
zion, hence to Know that to which He
Himself pointed as the clinchns proof
of His divinity, namely, His resurrection.
The speaker dwelt upon the events pre-
ceding the resurrection. showing now
death and the grave seemed TO all TO close
Chrst's history forever: But no; no
epitaph was written on His tomb it was
announced by the angel: He is risen;
He is not here; behold the place where
they laid Him." The death and resur-
recIion of Jesus were facts testified to by
q, many and such witnesses that there
vas not shadow of doubt about them.
The spirit in which the resurrection
should be celebrated was spirit OF
Christian 10y and gladness mixed with
contention-for sin laid Jesus in the
tomb. Even on today from every Christ
ian heart should go up the exclamation
God, be nerciiul to me, sinner.
The resurrection was a pledge of the
triumph of the church, and a pledge OF
our individual resurrection. Christ in
rising from the dead showed He was
God. He worked many miracles during
His public mission, but only to the resur
rection did He appeal proof of the
assertion of His divinity.
The resurrection was the foundation OF
the Christian doctrines st. Paul says
IF Christ be not risen. then is our
preaching vain. Nobody but God
could restore life to the dead. Mans
power was great and used with wonder
Jul results, but it could never move the
heart or hand once stayed by death.
Christ rose, showing He was God and Civ
ing to His apostles a guarantee OF the
truth of the doctrines they announced.
With nothing but this truth and the
power of God the apostles went TO. tn to
conquer the world. They did cong ,,cr
but at the price of their blood. Christ
predicted THE world will hate you soon as
it hated me-. y 1t was so at the begin
ming; it has been so all along since the
days of, the apostles, and it is SO now.
The song of victory is the cry OF battle
Christ in constituting His church liv-
ing, active body made Peter the head.
Thou art Peter, and upon this rock |
will build my church. and the gates OF
hell shall not prevail against it. PEERS
authority was the strength and authority
of Christ. Christ gave to Peter in His
official capacity power and authority.
Peter fixed his seat in power as the states
fix the center of their power in Washing
ton, and by a common figure of speech
we speak of the place as the power. Shall
Rome rule? Shall Peter rule? Shall
Christ rule? Yes, and forever. Christ
rose to die no more, to rule forever. 1t
is in this sense and none other that We
speak of Rome ruling, for none would
dislike more than children of the Catholic
church to see any foreign power ever
holding sway in cur land.
AS pledge of our individual resurrec-
ton, the feast we celebrate is most con-
selling in the trials and sorrows that are
the part of many. But participation in
the resurrection is an impossibillty eX-
cept we rise from sin, and rise to die no
more.
Then the Father described the misera-
BILE life of the sinper, the happiness of
the resurrectior- and the glory of perse-
yerance. and concluded by SAYING
Beloved brethren and sisters in Jesus
Christ, if today from the loving heart of
your glorified Savior an affectionate ray
should steal into your souls, do not shut
out that ray; yea, rather open the aper
ture, and let the genial light and heat
make fruitful your barren souls. Be not
deceived by false cries. Christ rose from
the dead, to die no more, to rule forever.
Lei nobody steal away your affection
from your risen Savior. Who else is
worthy of your love? Rise with Jesus,
put on the properties of the risen soul
Persevere. always bearing in mind with
Job: For | know that my Redeemer
liveth. and on the last day | am to rise
out of the earth, and in my flesh | shall
see my God.N