The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-10-26
CHRISTIAN HOPE.

The virtue of Christian hope has
been called the horn of plenty, from
which, according to the ancient poets,
came forth all forms of most dellcl-
GUS fruits. This comparison, says the
Los Angeles "Tidings," fits we'll to
the character of the effects of hope
in the Christian soul. First of all, it
consoles us in our miSerieS. Exposed,
as we are, to many sorrows and trials
of life, we often feel that sorrow and
affliction, under thousand different
forms, are our Inheritance in this
world. Injustice, sickness, tribulations
of all kinds, seem to follow us and
oftentimes enter strongly into our
very lives. Yet Notwithstanding all
the trials of life, all it's sorrows and
iniustices, there is in the true Chris
tan a spirit of peaceful resignation to
whatever comes in the way OF trial,
because he recognizes that from the
hand of God come equally prosperity
and adversely, sunshine and sorrow,
and that whatever comes, ii accepted
as from the hand of God, serves as a
stepping stone to salvation. For
which cause" says st. Paul, Il also
suffer these things, for I know whom
| have believed, and am certain that
he is able to keep what l have com
mitted unto Him against that day.
Christian hope strengthens the resolu-
ton in us to suffer, if need be, be-
cause the time of our suffering will
pass, and sorrow and misery endured
for the love of God will procure in
eternity an immensely of glory. He
knows that the day will come when
God himself will wipe away his tears
and call him to enter into the partlcl-
patton of infinite delights. The pa
thence in suffering and forebearance
in trials appear to him as graces from
God which furnish the means of ex-
plating his faults and engraving upon
his soul, in the most perfect manner,
the adorable image of his Savior,
whose life from Bethlehem to Cal
vary was one continued suffering
borne for our sakes and for our sal
walton. Another effect of the virtue
of Christian hope is that it strength
ems us against temptation. From all
sides temptation threathens us. The
world is full of dangers our nature is
prone to evil as result of the great
sin. But all the enemies of our sal
walton, the world, the flesh and the
devil, no matter how great their eff
forts-can do nothing against a heart
truly animated with Christian hope.
"The Lord is my light and my saliva
ton, whom shall fear; the Lord is
the protector of my life, of whom
shall 1 be afraid" The blessed hope
of God gives strength to resist the
strongest temptations because we
have His word that we shall not call
on Him in vain, and we know the
grace that comes from prayer to the
saints of God and especially to the
Blessed Mother of the Saviour,
through whose intercession comes
that power to the soul by which we
are able to resist evil and do good.
A result or effect of hope is that it
detaches us from this life, because
it serves to lift our eyes to Heaven.
there to see the home for which God
created us. Heaven is our true
home; this life is but pilgrimage
and true happiness finds its perfec-
ton in the eternity OF Gods glory.
Hope speaks to us in the words of the
Prophet, "Oh, We sons of men, how
long will you be dull of heart? Why
do you love vanity and seek after
lying?" The vision which hope gives
us of Gods eternal rewards, truly