The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-12-28
THE NEW YEAR.

dAOluer cycle is complete. Another
year has gone to join it's long line of
predecessors with it's endless history
OF facts and events of every kind, and
new year has come in it's stead.
What mystery the Aew year con-
ceals in it's hidden folds to be unrav-
eled as the days run on! Lies little
bark is caught up on the wings of hur-
ry1ng time and is carried to unknown
seas and one knows not what will be
the outcome. Shall rocks and shoals
hitherto undiscovered be met with on
our way, or shall we sail safely over
smooth and gentle waters and find
ourselves twelve-month hence secure
ana serene and nearer the port of
heaven?
But first let us thank God, for the
new year, His gracious gift to us to
better prepare ourselves to make sure
eternal years in heaven. Time is the
price of eternity. If we use this year
Well it will be for some of us the en-
trance to the kingdom of heaven. A
mans life is meant for heaven, but to
nave that desired contamination real
lied we must aspire to it and do our
best to rise to it, Heaven is not for
the Indifferent and the idle. Work is
work of the body alone, but the soul
as we'll, which, indeed, must do the
greater part. It's work never ends,
time cannot limit it, nor space circum-
scribe it. What means the new year
for me? each one may ask himself
is 1t the last rung in the ladder that
Will bring me face to face with God,
my judge? Is it my last chance to
serve Him and merit eternal union
With Him? These are hard thoughts
yet most practical at the outset of a
new year, and we should not let them
go unheeded or unanswered. We can
only respond that we know not what
the year will be for us; we can only
hope and pray day by day and trust
1t will be for the best. God has the
year in His keeping, but each mortal
man is the beloved object of His
thoughts. He means we'll for all and
the new year is the pledge of it, We
can safely bide and leave all to His
holy will
The new year opens up new oppor-
tunlties for the soul, and it's untiring
spirit is eager to embrace them 1t
feels in it's conscious immortality the
eternal years approaching and it
wishes to secure the heavenly prize
they hold for those who merit Let
us, then, be up and doing. What can
not we do if we try, and with God
helping us?
We have seen what others have done.
The pages of history are replete with
the narratives of the good and noble
OF every class and condition of life.
The youthful and those of mature
years have acted wisely and we'll and
given much glory to God thereby and
great aid and comfort to their fellow
men. 1t is not of material good we
speak, unless it be the material
prompted by the spiritual, as in the
case of deeds done for the poor, or
money contributed to the furtherance
of worthy objects, but it is of the
spiritual or deeds purely of the soul,
such as the friendly look, the kindly
smile, the cheering word, the helping
hand, the assisting prayer and, first
and above all, the uplifting influence
of a good life. One needs neither
position, nor power, nor wealth to do
these things; he needs only goodwill
and the assistance of Gods grace. 1t
is Gods goodness which gives the
power to do these things, and we are
but His agents in performing them
They are of so necessary a part of
Gfes duties that He enables every one
to perform them if they have the de-
sire to do so. 1t is in this way we
can make the new year happy by max
ing it happy for others, and it is for
this that God has given it to us. How
happy, then, will run the days if this
be the way we shall live them-and
how much they will count for heaven
tI@ O1@r, -
To live well in time, one must live
by anticipation in eternity. 1t is only
the good we now do that will avail
there. 1t is for us to ever keep this
in view and strive to turn all our op
portunities to good account. Thomas
Kempis tells us when we stand be-
fore God in judgment it will not be
what we possess or what we know that
we will be asked about, but what we
have done-what use we have made oil
what God gave to us.
Let us, then, seek to please God in
all things and we shall give pleasure
to ourselves as we'll as to others Oul
eternity will be what our time has
been. If we strew our path with good
things they will be like the century
plant and will live after us; nay, they
will live forever and blossom, as il
were, eternally, for they will receive
an everlasting reward and make fol
us an immortal crown Hail, then
happy new year! Hail, year of Oul
Lord. May the days be peaceful for u:
all-full of prosperity, health, and hap
piness.
The new year is happily launched
under the Holy Name. 1t was Chris
who brought it to us; let us live i
out with Him. With Jesus in ou1
bark there can be no danger and moth
ing will befall us. Let us sail on, con
fidently coursing whittier faith lead:
us, with the hope urging us on ant
charity inspiring to do all good thing:
on the way. Thus we will make /;
good and happy voyage, and should the
Lord will to call us to the final por
we shall indeed be ready to make {
safe and happy landing. Happy New