The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-01-13
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also the rule in spiritual ones, only
there is this difference; in the ma
terial we have to depend largely on
our own strength and efforts, whilst
in spiritual things our dependence
must be entirely on God-for it is
only our will and our feeble acts that
we give, and even these must be the
promptings of Gods grace, and all
the rest is Gods.
And this should give us courage
the fact that we are bound to sue
coed in spiritual things if we try, for
God is with us in them. The world
is busy with itself and seeks to make
the most of the fieeting years. It's
votaries turn night into day, so eager
are they to participate in its pleas
ures, and they wear themselves out
before their time in their mad race
to gain earth's prizes, that they may
have the money wherewith to pur-
chase them The thinking Christian
might we'll initiate their activity,
while avoiding its excess, and strive
to do everything he can to enjoy the
pleasure which virtue brings, and aim
in all things to gain the love of God
which ensure it. but let us realize
that our duties in life are two-fold,
namely, the spiritual and the tenn
poral; and yet they are inseparable
and blend as one in the great duly
we owe to God and to ourselves-the
duty of salvation, for to this end must
directed. We only do either well
whilst doing well the other. Hence,
the Christian man is always Chris
tan, and is doing things in a Chris
tian way, whether these be spiritual
or temporal, religious or secular, he
is always sedate and earnest, as par
ticular in small things as in great
ones, for he feels that there is moth
ing Indifferent and that in everything
he can glorify God and help to save
his immortal soul. Such man halls
new year with inexpressible de-
light, for in it he beholds Gods gift
to him wherein he can serve Him
anew with rebounded zeal, glad of
the opportunity to do so, and con-
scious that with the hurried march of
time hiss chances to serve Him are
growing less and less. The wording
halls new year with the thought
that it will give him another round
of pleasures, another race for wealth
but how often are his hopes and his
plans cut short by death! All, this
is what the wording thinks of least,
and what the Christian man is mostly
thinking of and is ever preparing to
meet Man proposes but God dis
poses" The world does not consider
death, though it goes stalking before
Fit every day. It wells it's eyes as it
passes, and will not let the lesson it
teaches enter the mind. How un-
wise this course, for sooner, or later
must the stern reality be met, and
Death will lay it's icy fingers on the
wording and will carry him off to
the grave. o that men would but
enter into themselves and look at
things as they really are!
Holy Church is constantly echoing
in her sermons the words of God. She
is continually preaching the lesson of
death and bidding man to prepare and
be ready to meet it. For we have
not been made for earth, but for
Heaven. ''We have not here" as says
the Apostles "a lasting city, but we
are to seek one that is to come"
The things of this life should not
absorb our attention: we are to us
them only as means to an end, and
that end is that one day we reach
God and the eternal Kingdom of
Heaven.
Let us, then, while mailing the new
year with joy and wishing one an
other our happy New Year, give
thanks first to God for giving us this
new time in which to serve Him,
and then resolve to use it for the
good and help we may be- to one an
other. Soon, like preceding years, it
will run its course-so let us strive
to make it a year of holiness, and
then shall it be good and happy
year for us, and will be made happy
through us for all about us. God
grant it be a happy New Year for all.
-6Isnop COTTON.