The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1904-04-08

from sln ana 10 INSPIRE us WITH tJe reso-
luton 10 perseyere in HE grace. And II
Is pleasure TO turn from the thought Of
punishment 20 that ot reward.
The hrst effect Of a good lie that can
not iali 10 impress you strongly Is the
oheerfulness and Joy oorn c. the testimony
Of a good conscience Instead OF the de-
pressing and overpowering sense of guilt
produced by SIN, You now experience a
light heSrtedness and a buoyancy which
tells you plainly that a terrible weight
has been Lifted from your soul. The dom
lnant note Of your life now Is peace, that
peace which surpasseth all understand
ing, the peace that enables you TO look
the world IN the face unconscious OF pub
he otfense OF secret dehlsment. You were
strangers 10 this neace while Won were
aware that you were not IN the friendship
Of God. Now that II Is yours YOU VIII
guard IL against all attacks and never
again forfeit II by sin. You viii not allow
yourselves 10 be blinded by the seductive
and fieeiing pleasures OF the moment You
will be brave and loyal and steadiast in
temptation and remain true 10 your God
and grateful for His mercies. Evermore
you viii keep before your minds the prom
Use OF our Lord BE faithful until death
and ] will give thee the crown of life"
And when, at ls-,, the struggle is about
10 close and this droary world IL fading
from your sight, with the smile of God
sweetiy beekonlng YOU on, YOU Will be able
10 lay down youi weary heads IN peace
and resignation. You will take courage
from the declaration of Christ: He that
perseveres unto the end, he shall be
saved Death will have no terrors for
you because you will Zoe able to regard It
as the gate through which all must pass
10 enter upon the rewards 4 eternal life.
The inspired words of Holy Scripture:
Blessed are the dead who die IN the
Lord will find their fulillment IN your
case, for you Will go cheerfuly with the
seal OF faith 10 the sweet repose OF ever
lasting peace.
Whittier? To God and HIS heaven. Let
us consider our reward. Let us try to
pierce the skies and cstcn a glimpse Of the
joys awaiting US. Our mental vision
ranges over the myrads angels md arcn-
angels, patriarchs and prophets, -postlos
and martyrs, coniessors and virgins, who
bask IN the sunshine OF the presence of
God. Oar souls are transported beyond
the bounds of the material Dody when we
think that we, too. are called TO JOIN IN
the praise OF God, with the nine choirs of
angels. Oar hearts expand with Joy when
we behold those now ieJocng who, like
rs. have battled with ,..e enemies of their
salvation. They have fought the good
fight, they have finished their course, they
have kept the faith Now they are enjoy
ing the crown of justice which God, the
just Judge, has awarded them for their
fidelity. They are paced beyond the
reach of tribulation. for in heaven God
shall wipe away all tears from their eyes: I:
and death shall be no more, nor mourn
ing, nor crying, nor sorrow shall be any
more, for these things have passed away"
How clearly does their happy state oX-
emphfy the apostles words The suffer
ings OF the present timo are unworthy Of
I.aftR % hn .vlA 70 p.a
which shall be revealed 20 US"
And TO think that the blessedncss OF the
saints is the destiny which God has
marked out for you. This is the final
vocation TO which God has called you
Listen to St Paul: you are come says
he, Ito the Mount of Zion, and to the city
of the living God, the heavenly Jerusa-
lem, and the many thousands OF angels,
and the church of the first born who are
written in heaven, and God the Judge of
All, and Jesus the Mediator of the New
Testament" Has earth any Joys compared
TO these! Il there anything under God
which can justify us IN iorieiting this i'm
mortal happiness? Where shall we find a
more loving father than God, n swoeter
friend than Christ, a kinder mother than
Mary nobler brothers and sisters than the
apostles, martyrs ana virgins already re-
Jocing before the throne Of God! Oh
what humiliation it must cause us TO feel
ourselves so sin stained and unworthy
and yet TO know that we are called TO as
sociate with such pur'ty and spendor!
Who are we that we should aspire TO the
companionship of the blessed? What have
we done that with them we should gaze
forever on the blissiul vision of God, that
we should intone the cantces OF adoTa-
tion with the quiring seraphim, that we
should knee as children at the feet of
the Immaculate Mary, that we should con
sort with such saints as Peter and Paul,
that we should proclaim the glory of the
Lamb OF God with John the Baptist, that
We should sing His praises with Holy
David, that we should reposc IN peace and
rest with the victorious martyrs, that we
should attend IN the tram of Christ with
spotcss virgins, that we should behold the
bright radiance OF eternal truth and beau
~ with st. Augustine and st. Thomas?
All this and unspoakably more is the lot
of those who are numbered among the
saints. And yet 1t is TO this that God
invites us, calls us and entreats us.
Let us listen TO His voice and let our
thoughts and affections dwell in heaven,
and let us serve God as the saints served
Him. Strive heroically, consistently and
steadfastly with your passions. Follow
faithfully the means of perseverance point
ed out 10 you In the holy tribunal of pen
ance. Keep IN sight the crown Of glory
laid up for you. And although your names
may not be registered among the canon
izcd, nevertheless recurrence of this
happy day will find you reigning in bliss
The storm Will be past, the haven reached,
the inheritance secured. Happiness un-
speakable, for "eye hath not seen, nor ear
heard, neither hath II entered into the
heart OF man, what things God hath pre-
pared for those who ove Him" May you
and l and all who love God one day be
numbered among those who stand before
the throne when God shall wipe away all
tears from our eyes, and death shall be no
more, nor mourning, nor crying, nor sor.
row, shall be any more. for those things