The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1900-06-16
Catholic News of the ImtermOuf1taim States

travail they brought US forth. For
months after our birth they fed and
nourished us with their own substance
That we might rest in peace they spent
! sleepleSs nights; that we might become
strong they weakened themselves. The
more helpless and miserable We were,
the more they surrounded us with low
| ing care. The more intensely they suf-
| feTed for us. the more ardently they
! loved us and the more fervently they
imprinted their affectionate kisses on
our infant brows.
The flame of love is ever burning in
the heart of d mother. The unWOrthi-
ness and ingratitude of her children
cannot diminish it: time and distance
far from extinguishing it, acts like new
fuel, and gives it a greater intensity
A mothers loVe-how sweet the name,
What IS q mothers love?
A noble, pure and tender flame,
EnlSindled from above.
THAT we might have food, clothes
and shelter, our fathers declined no
labor, spared no eXertion, shrunk from
no danger. In compensation for their
parental solicitude and affection, the
only ambition and reward they expect
on earth is to receive in return the love
tof their offspring.
If such is the devotion Of parents for
their children, must we wonder at read
of wonderful instances Of filial reVer-
ence and love? Must we wonder at the
strong love of parents implanted in the
hearts of pagan nations in our own
day? If parents have such titles to the
gratitude of their children, must we
wonder at God commanding children to
honor father and mother? No, thou
sand times no. But what we cannot
help wondering at is often to see chill
n Of hriC &c in
tilial devotion by children of old pagan
Greece and Rome, and of modern pagan
nations. What fills us most with
amazement is to witness Christian chill
dren fall short in the observance of
this great commandment of honOring
father and mother, of honoring, loving
and obeying them in all that is not
sin.
The child who does not love his par
ents who gave him birth may justly be
regarded as a deforIuity and a monster
of nature. Woe to the child, the son
and daughter who do not love their
parents in reality and deed; who do
not console them in their sorrow and
aftiiction; who do not visit them, nurse
and wait upon them in their ailings
and sickness: help them in their
trouble, relieve them in their wants.
Who, when their parents have grown
old and infirm, allow them to be de-
pendent on the care and charity of
strangers. Or to be deprived in their
declining years of the comforts of a
home.
Woe to the ungrateful child, son or
daughter, who refuse to bear with the
faults and infirmities of their old par
entS and to tend them with the same
loving care which the parents Iavished
upon them in their infancy and child
hood.
Woe to all those who bring grief and
sorrow to the hearts of their parents.
The silent complaint of that hard work
ing, self-sacriicing and broken down
father: the bitter wall of that disaD-
pointed but still loving mother will
ascend before the throne of the Just
judge and bring the curse and maledic-
ton of the Most High down upon that
and unnatural child, for it
is said in the book of Eli, 3-17: "Of
what an evil fame is he that forsaketh
his father, and he is cursed of God that
angereth his mother" And again: His
life shall be taken away in the midst
of his sins."-Prov. They will finish a
sinful life with a sinful death, and
share the lot of the sinners for ever
lasting ages
BESSIE NJ. LAWLOR.
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