The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1904-11-19
Praying For Sinners.

Like her beloved son, Mary loves sin
ners, and whether we are mourning
our sins or those of some near and dear
one, let us not forget to ask her help.
In connection with this subject, some
words in the sermon of a Paulist ia
fher are appropriate here regarding the
duty Of praying for the cow ersion of
sinners, hardened sinners. drunkards,
libertines, apostates. thieves, and the
like. remembering that they are pur-
chased by the blood of Christ. When
YOU say of one "Oh! he is most
worthless creature" how surprised if
YOU could hear a whisper coming from
his guardian angel: Jesus Christ
thought him worth dying for" says
the preacher. And when you say of
another, Obi I can't bear him; I can't
stay a moment in his company" how
surprised you would be to hear. And
!. an angel of God, 1 gladly keep him
company day and night Surely,
brethren, there is something worth
loving, heartily loving, in a soul that
our Lord would die for. and to whom
God would give a bright angel as a
constant companion. We are like men
going through a picture gallery: we
admire only the brilliant and unmiS-
taxable beauties displayed there-here
q gorgeous sunset, there a fine battle
scene, and again q. ship tossing upon
the waves. But one of better taste
than common, without forgetting all
these, viii be able TO detect
the work of great master
though faded with the lapse of
many years and covered all over with
dust. So it is with poor sinners soul:
it is the work of a great Master. And
what though it be all stained and spot>
ted with mortal sin; is there no such
thing as true repentance? Are there
no fountains Of living waters in the
sacraments in which it may be washed
whittier than snow? Are there no gems
Of divine grace with which it may be
decked out as a cobride waiting for the
bridegroom?
Prayer for the conversion of sinners
should be far more practiced than it is.
Why, brethren, look around you in this
great city, and if you can count the /
stars OF heaven. or the sands Of the !
seashore you can count the men and /
women in mortal sin; and. alaS very /
many Of them belong to our religion. /
Nay, look about in your own families. /
How seldom viii a family be found I
where there is not at least one men, /
Der living openly at enmity with God! !
Now, just here. in the midst OF the 4
worst wickedness, are many thousands /
of devout servants of God. and in eV
cry family whose very names might be
Faithful and True. And God arranges
this mingling Of good and evil. that
the good souls. by their prayers, may
save the bad ones from eternal death; !
Just as in southern countries men
plant, eucalyptus trees in low, marshy
places for the eucalyptus. with its
fragrant leaves. counteracts the poi 1
sonous vapors of the swamp.
IF, therefore, you pray for yourself I
YOU do well; but do not forget that. il !,
YOU are a true Christian. the roor sin
ner is your other self. And II YOU pray L
for the souls in purgatory. do not for
get that there are many souls about
YOU who are always in danger Of hell.
and unless many prayers are offered
for them, they are likely enough to be
lost forever" J.