The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1906-02-17

the rest of the human family. How
wonderful then is the mechanism Of
the human voice, and how marvellous.
Is the Hand that framed our vocal
organs! What a proof that We are
the work of the Divine Artist, and that
We can say with the Psalmist: "Thy
hands, O Lord, have framed and
fashioned mel"
Ascending from the material to the
spiritual world, from the order of ma
ture to the order of grace, we know
that there is not only variety, but that
there are also grades of distinction
among the angels in heaven. The angelic
hierarchy is composed of nine distinct
choirs. There are Angels and Arch
angels. Thrones and Dominations Prin-
cipalities and powers, Virtues Cheru-
bim and Seraphim. These angelic hosts
ascend in rank, one above the other:
One order of angels excels in sublimity
of intelligence, or in intensity of love,
or in the dignity of the mission assign
ed to them.
And in like manner God is unequal
in the distribution of His graces to
mankind He gives in large measure
to one, and III less measure to another.
To one He grants five talents, to an
other He grants two. and to another
He gives one talent.
When the divine Husbandman hires
His laborers to work in His vineyard,
He recompenses those who labored but
one hour as much as He does those
"who have borne the burden of the day
and the heats" The reward is Alto
gether disproportioned to the toll. If
you complain of Gods discrimination
Christ will answer you in the words of
the Gospel: my friend. l do thee
no wrong. Take what is thine. and go
thy way Is 1t not lawful for me to
do what l will? Is thine eye evil be-
cause I am goodo What claim have
you on my Justice? Is not all that you
possess of nature or of grace the gra-
| tulCOuS SlLt Oh my DOullty.
st. Paul answering the complaint of
his countrymen that the Gentiles were
sharing in the spiritual heritage of the
Jews. says to them: 90 man, who art
thou that answerest against God? Hath
not the potter power over the clay of
the same lump to make one vessel in
deed unto honor. and another unto dis
honor?" Is not God free to bestow
honor on whom He pleases? May we
not exclaim with the Apostle: 20 the
depth of the riches of the wisdom and
of the knowledge of God! How in
comprehensive are His judgments, and
how unsearchable His ways! For who
who hath been His counsellors? Or
who hath first given to Him, and rec
ompense shall be made him?"
Again the same Apostle says: There
are diversities of graces. but the same
Spirit. there are diversities of minis
tries. but the same Lord, there are di-
versities of operations but the same
lGod who wor'ieth all in ALL To one
lis given the grace of ruling the Church
universal, to another the grace of rul-
ing a diocese, to another the grace of
the priesthood, to another the grace of
tbeirg devout member OF a religious
community, to others, the grace of full
filling the duties of the married state.
and of bringing up their children in
the love and fear of God.
And thus we see that as in the firma
ment above us. lone is the glory Of the
sun. and another the glory of the moon,
and another the glory of the stars. for
star differeth from star in glory" so
also in the Kingdom of Heaven, the
saints and angels Of God shine with
unequal splendor and are clothed with
variety.
Nevertheless among Gods elect,
there is no jealousy or discomfort.
Those who enjoy a higher grade of
bliss do not look with disdain on their
Interiors. And those who are in low
er grade Of felicity, do not envy those
1aboye them. All are happy and con-