Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1911-12-16
Heralds Anniversary of the
Greatest Event OF the
Ages.
What We should Do at the
Approach of Season
of JOY.
1T WILL SOON GLIDE PAST US

This is the season which heralds
event of the ages-the birth of the
Messiah. Centuries had rolled past
since the fall of man; away in the
infinite solitude of his eternal maj
esty God declared that man should
be redeemed. AS the years multi
piled prophets arose and declared
their missions; humanity looked out
of darkness upon the dawning of
salvation's day. 1t was the past, the
wonderful advent in which the chill
dren of God gazed forth upon the
future and anticipated the fulfill
ment of those promises which had
been given. At last a star twinkled
In the armament, a star that pro-
claimed the approach of the rising
Sun of Justice. Gradually the clouds
of night vanished, and finally the
great, round, effulgent orb of re-
demption rolled up from behind the
hills of time, and shot rays of prom
Use down the slopes of the future.
Each year this season of Advent is
celebrated. During four weeks (in-
stead of four thousand years) the
faithful look forward to the coming
of the new born King. The day is
approaching when his star will be
seen by the Wise Men In the East.
And across the desert of trouble and
sin we follow that star, until 1t
twinkles above the little crib at
Bethlehem. All Christians look for
the star that shall flash upon the
eastern sky of their earthly pilgrim
age, prepared to follow in it's track
until II pauses over the resting place
Is the hope of the nations. Advent is
season of penance. According to
the rule of Gods church every Fri
day of Advent is a day of fast. The
affairs of the churches are draped in
purple and at the holy sacrifice the
priest dons penitential garment. All
these are tokens of the great
humility with which we should cover
ourselves at the approach of the
season of joy, universal love and
general peace. Advent is not only
a season of penance, but also one of
prayer. Oh! that mighty instrument
OF prayeri IT is the real weapon in
the hands of every soldier who walks
in the ranks of the Church Militant.
It is a sword and a buckler-an in
one. It has pierced the heart of
Christ and has drawn forth there
from the endless sources of grace;
It has smitten the skull Of the demon
and laid him low at the feet of
faith; 1t has beheaded the hydra of
sin and destroyed the influence of
that enemy of humanity, as It flashed
in the vanguard of the celestial army
and led the hosts of Michael the
Archangel to victory so has It been
unsheathed by the saints of God to
assert the rights that belong to
Christ's church; and IL serves as a
shield against the poison-tipped ar
row of Satanic vengeance that the
barbaric hordes of infidelity pour in
upon the army of the faithful. II is
the only weapon upon which human
ity can rely, and in no season more
than that OF Advent is 1t so power
fully fruitful. Ii Is just and right
that Christmas should be a time of
rejoicing, that 1t should be a period
of universal happiness. In order,
however, that 1t may be such II is
necessary that the preparation there
fore be in accordance with the spirit
OF. tne cnurcn. Let us look ahead
and behold the dawn OF salvation.
The sun has not yet appeared, but
we can already see His star in the
east" The flush of morning is upon
the horizon. But we have still a por-
tion of the vast desert OF human
fraility to traverse. Let us do so
and with charity. For us all the
Advent season will next week pass
and before we know It we will find
ourselves at the feet of the Divine
Infant in Bethlehem's stable, where
the angels, the shepherds, the King,
and representatives OF the world
adore Him. II is Advent; let us
make use OF the season. and when
the day of rejoicing comes our hap
piness will be In proportion to our
merits during this holy season OF
penance.