Los Angeles herald., 1906-12-31
SERMON CLOSES
. CHRISTMAS-TIDE
MGR. HARNETT MAKES AN EL0-
oUENT ADDRESS
Shows Reason Why Babe Of 5ethIe,
hem Came as Child and Not
Fully Developed
Man

"The Infancy of Jesus Christ" was
the subject of an eloquent sermon
preached by Rt. Rev. Mgr Harnett, V.
G., yesterday morning at the cathedral
of st. Vibiana, as a close to the Christ
mas season. On every hand were the
evidences of the Christmas celebration
present, and at the altar of the Sacred
Heart the crib of Bethlehem arranged
for the Christmas observance, was still
before the view of the large congrega-
tion.
Monsignor Harnett, after speaking of
the intention of the church regarding
the observance of Christmas season for
eight days, said in part:
IF we look to the saints of God, we
can perhaps see the true meaning of the
meditation on the divine childhood
Look at st. Francis of Assist. He
ordered grotto arranged and that a
manger be placed within the grotto
and called the people together and
urged them t. mediate on the divine
childhood.
Let me ask you, why did Jesus Christ
become little child? God might have
sent him as a full grown man. Adam
was not created as a child, but as a
man. Then why did God prefer to send
him as tiny babe? God desired that
all mankind should form one family,
| as it were, one chain, with Adam as the
| first link, and that the Son of man
should be a link in the chain of hu-
manity, to elevate humanity. So we
| find that human nature in heaven is
above the angels-next to God. st. Paul
says 1t behooves us to be like him in all
| Things. 1t behooves Christ to be like
us in all things AS we are born, so
was the Son of God The human and
the divine natures were in one per-
son. Let us pause and adore God this
morning because of the elevation of our
nature by his Son, for we had one like
unto us without sin.
Gives Man Opportunity
Christ came into the world for the
salvation Of the world and it gives
man an opportunity to save his soul-to
lead man back to his God
But while he came to preach and
teach, this was not enough. We think
we know human nature well, but God
knows 1T better. God knew that to
teach by words alene is vain, so he sent
his Son to teach in words and by his
actions, that he might be a pattern
and model for all mankind. AS God of
old gave to Moses the pattern OF the
tabernacle, so did the eternal God give
his Son as a pattern for all men. He is
the model for childhood, youth and per-
feet manhood, for he was thirty-three
years old when he died. All can have
model in him and no man can say I
know not how to save my SOUL We
have but to look at Jesus Christ to ac-
quire virtue.
God sent his divine Son to make it
easier for us to love him. You know
the command, Thou shalt love the Lord
thy God with all thy heart Did men
prior to Christ love God with their
whole hearts? They rather looked up
on him as a tyrant to be dreaded. This
was not only among the Israelites, but
to all nations, and God knew how men
looked upon him.
God, who longed that all men should
love him, decreed that his own divine
Son should become tiny infant. Do we
see aught in the infant that is to be
dreaded? Do you see anything dread
full in the Babe of Bethlehem? The
omnipotence of cd Is concealed in the
tiny arms of the infant; his goodness
is concealed in that divine smile and
justice In the heart of the infant. Moth
ing of majesty is visible-only tiny
baby. Are you then afraid to approach
and love this infant?
"He sent Christ as a child that we
might love and our hearts ought to go
out to God that he sent this child which
we could love.
Love Children Naturally
"Our hearts usually go out to children
and we do not ask ourselves why we
love them. There is something that
draws us when we see them suffering
1t makes our hearts bleed. We clasp
them to our hearts. Brethren, was not
this the child that was born in Bethle-
hem disowned by relatives, prosecuted
by Herod? Look at this child and his
mother; fleeing into Egypt, and then
returning to Judea and to Nazareth
He lives in poverty and suffering
Besides being a link in the chain of
humanity and. model, the Son Of the
eternal God became man in order to
make us little children-that we should
| learn the virtues that characterize
childhood. AS God loves the little
children, so will he love us If we be like
unto children. Did our Lord not say to
the little ones, Suffer little children to
come unto me, and forbid them not, for
| of such is the kingdom of heavens?
And again, Unless you become as little
children you cannot enter the kingdom
of God God desires that we should
have the humility of childhood. He
humbled himself to give us an example.
He is a tiny babe in the arms of his
mother, yet the creator of heaven and
earth; he has the omnipotence of God,
yet he is in his mothers arms and she
takes care of him. Let us learn from
this Babe of Bethlehem humility. There
is no jealousy in childhood, no i'll will.
We should be honest, straightforward,
truthful and these are the virtues we
learn from children. We should be
obedient to God in whom we live, move
and have our being. Would to God we
could be obedient to him at all times"