The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1908-11-21


| God. have a share in the prayers,
masses, Hastings and labors of our pas
tors and in the devotions of the or
phans and the helpless aged.
/ Give to the Most High according to
| What He hath given to thee, and with
a good eye do according to the abil-
ity of thy hands. For the Lord MAX
eth recompense and will give thee sew
| enteen times as much" (Eccl XXXv.
12-19.) Our Lord promises to make
recompense and to give seven times as
much in return to those who give hon
estly according to their means to sup
port the Church. the orphans. the des-
tltute. for the love of Him. God is
the author of blessings. health of soul
and body. happiness, prosperity, immu-
nifty against evils true faith and piety.
reverent and obedient children. and He
never fails TO keep His promises. If
some people complain that they are not
Rewarded, the reason must rest with
themselves. for God cannot deceive nor
be deceived. If such people honestly
examine themselves they will discover
that their offerings were not in due
proportion to their ability, nor made
with 2. cheerful heart or not given for
the sole love of God.
IF any of thy brethren come to pow
| erty thou shalt not harden thy
heart nor close thy hand Z" But
thou shalt give to him that the
Lord thy God may bless thee at all
| times and in all things to which thou
shalt put thy hand CDeut. Nv, 100
If we give cheerfully according to our
| ability for Gods sake He Will reward
us in return.
He that hateth covetousness shall
prolong his days" prov xviii 16.)
| ra
be liberal according to your ability to-
wards the works of God for His sake,
and your life will be prolonged. Some
distribute their own goods and grow
richer: others take what is not their
own and are always in want" prov.
XII. 24) God rewards seven-fold those
good souls who deny themselves and
save up in order to make liberal offer
| ings to the Church and the poor for
the love of God. Though they always
give literally they never complain. but
will testify with joy that God rewards
them seven-fold in return for what
| they give Him. Others make paltry Of
ferings begrudgingly, grumble against
appeals for money, make unkind and
even unjust remarks and seem to be
always in want.
When death comes we can take moth
| ing with u.s. therefore we should lay
up treasures in heaven, where neither
the rust nor the moth doth consume.
and where thieves do not dig through
nor steal Matt. vi, 20) Woe to us
if appear empty handed before the
Judgment seat of God while others
enjoy here below the goods we laid
by God is the absolute owner of all
things, and we are but stewards to
distribute the goods entrusted to our
charge. THE earth is the Lords and
the fullness thereof" Il. Cor. X, 26.)
If we withhold from the Church. the
poor and the orphans the due proper
ton assigned them by God we are I'M
just stewards and will be condemned
Separation from God is the sentence
that awaits unjust stewards: Depart
from Me, you cursed, into everlasting
fire which was prepared for the devil
and his angels. For | was hungry and
you gave Me not to eat: l was thirsty
and you gave Me not to drink: l was
a stranger and you took Me not in;
naked, and you covered Me not; sick
and in prison. and you did not visit
Me-" Matt. XIV, 4143) We are fore
warned that it is not enough to avoid
evil. but we must also do good works
feed the hungry. give drink to the
thirsty, clothe the naked, shelter the
homeless and visit the sick and those
in prison if we would be united with
God in heaven.
Were Christ to appear in person and
ask us for bread, drink, clothing, shell
ter. we would certainly share our
means with Him. Now He assures us
that When we give to His poor we give
to Him. LAS long as you did it to
one of these My least brethren, you did
it TO Me-" Matt. XIV, 400 Our Lord
looks on our treatment of His poor as
if done to Himself, and hence the dread
full sentence awaiting those who are
stingy and begrudging in reply to the
appeals of the orphans and the home
less poor.
Give to the Most High according to
what He hath given to thee" (Eccl
xxXv., 12.) Our contributions, there
fore. to the Church and the poor must
be in due proportion to our means,
otherwise we are unjust with Cod A
rich man may give $25. and yet not
give as much as q. servant who gives
ST. Our Lord knows our means and
judges our offerings according to our
ability to give and in proportion to the
sacrifice we make. Jesus beheld how
the people cast money into the treas
ury, and many that were rich cast in
much. And there came a poor widow,
and she cast in two mites which make
together He saith to them: Amen, /
say TO you, this poor widow hath cast
in more than they all who have cast
into the treasury. or all they did cast
in of their abundance; but she OF her
want cast in all she had, even her
whole living" Mark xii, 4-44) When
contributing to the support of the
Church and>the poor, remember that
our Lord, who knows your means. sees
your offerings. knows whether you give
honestly according to your ability. and
passes judgment as you deserve. Is it
not true that your people often give
more than the rich, as judged by our
Lord because they deny themselves
and give of their want. While the 9TH
ers give of their abundance?
Whatsoever you do. do it from the
heart. as to the Lord. and not to men.
Knowing that YOU shall receive Of the
Lord the reward of inheritance" tCol
ill.,, 23-24) The intention that prompts
US in performing good work deter
mines the kind of reward we shall re-
ceive. IF we do good works to re-
ceiye the applause Of men, to secure
an office. to help business or profess
sion. we have our reward when we at
tain the object sought. Our Lord warns
IIc, Take heed that Won do not VOur