The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-01-24

the decline of sectarian organizations
relatively to the growth of organiza-
lions in the world of business and
politics, the decay of faith resulting
from the disunion and antagonisms of
those who assume to speak in the
name of Christ, and the obstacles
which disunion and discord are found
to place in the way of missions to
the heather world. The seventeenth
chapter of ST. Johns Gospel is more
widely studied today that it was ever
before. 1t is a true instinct which
leads Christians to turn to that chap
ter for light on the subject. The whole
chapter is prayer, Christ prays first
for Himself, then for the Apostles,
and lastly for all true believers in
Him; and the great object of His
prayer is Christian Unity; that they
all may be one"
christ's Prayer for Us.
After praying for the Apostles, our
Lord looks at His Church in the CEN
turtles to come. He sees us. He sees
that the dividing line between His
Church and the world remains, but
also that the vast multitudes of peo-
pie who have passed over from one
side to the other have brought with
them those forces of the world which
divide men, into mutually hostile
races, nations, classes, and parties.
His own guardianship had been the
visible, uniting force in the case of
the Apostles, and, after praying that
we may all be one, He expresses by
the word GLORY the corresponding
uniting force in the case Of His
Church. His words are:
"And not for them (the Apostles)
only do pray, but for them also who
through their word shall believe in
Me, that they all (pastors and people,
may be one, as Thou, Father, in Me,
and in Thee, that they may be made
perfect in one"
The unity our Lord prayed and
worked for is not mere local unity.
1t is a worldwide unity. 1t embraces
all who through the word of His
Apostles believe in Him. That is the
scope of His prayer.
The Principle of Christian Life.
John was baptizing in the Jordan.
Jesus came with others to be bap-
tized, and then, for the second time,
the heavens opened to glorify the Son
of Man. The Holy Ghost descended in
= mi
upon Him; and the voice of the
Father in heaven said: Thou art My
beloved Son; in Thee l am well
pleased" The glory here witnessed
to is twofold: CD the abiding pres,
ence of the Holy Ghost, and (2) the
divine Sonship. This twofold glory
Christ gave to His Church that ii
might be one.
1. Every society has spirit or prin
ciple of life. Otherwise it is a corpse
not living body. What gives to civil
society it's enduring life is our social
human nature, and the spirit of
business corporation is the love Of
gain. Now, the Church of Christ diff
fers from all other societies in this
that it's animating principle is a divine
Person dwelling in it. Our Lord sem
His own spirit to abide in the Church
and to be to the Church what the
soul is to the body of man, so thai
His Church is in very truth the Body
of Christ, as St. Paul calls it. CAL
these things one and the same Spiri
worketh, dividing to every one ACCORD
ing as He will. For as the body 20
mani is one and hath many members
and all the members of the body
whereas they are many yet are on
, body; so also (the Body of Christ
For in one Spirit were we all baptized
into one Body. Now yo1
I (Christian people, are the Body o
| Christ e. Cor. xiii. BY this indwell
ing of the Holy Ghost the Church is
living organism, and it's corporate
J activities, such as the administrator
f of the Sacramento, have thence a di
vine efficacy. II will ask the Father
| and He shall give you anothe
Paraclete, that He may abide wit
5 you for ever" He still abides wit
? CuOS6 luCluu0u Ill CudL YOU.
Words of st. Augustine.
The comment of st. Augustine il
, the fourth century is very suggestive
What the soul is to the body of
man, that the Holy Ghost is to tn
body of Christ, which is the Church
What the Holy Ghost does in tn
whole Church, that the. soul does i
all the members of one body. But Sc
what We have to beware of, to watc
ever, and to fear In the body of
man it may happen that member
the hand, the finger, or the foot, ma
be cut off. Does the soul follow tn
severed member? While it was in tn
body it was alive; cut it off, it's life
lost So a man is a Christian and
Catholic while he is alive in the body
cut off, he becomes a hereto. Tn
Holy Ghost does not follow the amp
tated limb. If therefore We would liv
by the Holy Ghost, hold fast Chart.
love truth, desire unity, that We ma
attain to eternity"