The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-04-11
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understand the awful gladneSS, the
spiritual glow that comes into the
heart through Sacrifice It is really a
foretaste of heaven; for, after all,
heaven to us can be compared to the
Resurrection. The task is finished,
the burden has been borne, sin has
been conquered, the work is done
Out from the tomb comes the stain
less soul, and into it's joys at last.
The act of Sacrifice is like living
little life inside big one. 1t is, as
it were, the epitomizing of good life
in the act of an instant; but, after it
is done, comes that which gives us
the foretaste of our actual Resurrec-
ton later on.
OF sacrifices made by the missionary
priest, Father Kelly writes: OF COM
fort, he has none. His home is a cold,
bleak place, where no children's pratt
tie (Which really makes the home) is
ever heard; everywhere the crude sim
plicity that shows only the uncouth
mans touch, makes the poor priest,
without knowing the reason, find little
joy even in the house in which he
lives. But he does not stay long in
it anyhow, for the round of duty is
endless. Nine-tenths of his time he
passes among strangers. Can you i'm
agine a sacrifice short of life, itself,
that is harder? Even a beggar has
his home. A dog can lie by the fire
and look up to kindly eyes. A cat has
friendly lap whereon she can stretch
herself at pleasure, and a gentle hand
to stroke her. But Gods man is denied
even the little pleasure of sympathy.
Then, there is the seeming (but only
seemingly hopelessness of it all. If
one could only see results; but they
are hidden. The child baptized, after
a drive of twenty miles in the cold, is
only new problem added to the mis-
sionary's large stock of problems. He
knows that he has been the medium
of graces flowing into that child's soul;
but another will see the blooming of
them. The end of the long sick-cau
is only the removal of another prob
lem. He does not know if the prob
lem has been solved correctly. His
sermons seems to fall upon stony
ground. Children he loved and in
structed constantly go the way of the
world, and, in his worry, he asks if
the fault has been his. Those whom
he trusted, often betray him. Was it
his fault, or theirs?
Personally, continues Father Kelly,
l have no hallucinations about my
own share just because my hand
writes appeals and through it goes the
money to help hundreds instead of
one. Benefciaries may bless me and
those working with me, but we are
not the missionaries. We have more
worldly consultations than they, for
while we work, we see the results. We
have the satisfaction of watching our
work grow. We hear the blessings.
and dear Lord how the missionaries
can bless; but we know that we are
not as good as they are. We are not
as worthy as they are, and we know
that we will not receive reward in
the same generous measure. All we
hope for is the privilege of joining our
little efforts to their greater efforts.
their thankless efforts, and enter
heaven hidden somewhere in the folds
of their robes of glory.
Go up on a hill, and look out over
great forest. Isn't it beautiful, with
the sun shining on the green of the
tree tops? But it is more beautiful
still in the obscurity underneath the
branches. Those who walk in the OBJ
security are the ones who are blessed
by its real blessing. 1t is something