The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-03-26
Lenfen Sermon By
 Jesuit Father Al St. Patrick's Church

The fourth lecture of the lenten course now going on at St. Patrfck's church was given by the Rev. c. A. Shyne, S. J., last evening. He gave a synopsis of the three lectures already delivered before passing on to his sub ject. He showed that reason can prove that God exists, that man is made for God, that revelation is neces- sary for man if he is to love and serve God as God may choose to bs loved and served ana then asked the question who are those fit to see and enjoy God, or ssWho aHas a Title to Heaven,a whsch was the subject of the. lecture delivered to a packed church St Paul told the Hebrews that with out faith it is impossible to please God.'sI St. John says, .He that doth not believe is already judged" and St- Mark proclaims He that believeth not shall be condemned and from the third chapter of St John we learn that any faith or believing as we please will not save us. If I am to be condemned unless I believe then there must be some teacher here on earth to assure me of what am to believe and that teacher must be an fnfallib1e one, else St. Marks state ment can have no meaning. Faith is an assent of mind to the truths of revelation on account Of the authority of God revealing them.
 The faith that is not UNIVERSAI5 FIRM CONSTANT, lively is not the faith spoken of by the apostles or evangelists- Too many people ground their faith upon their feelings or ex- periences. St. Thomas Aquinas han dled this point over six centuries ago and anyone who studies his words can see that christian faith cannot. be grounded on impulse or sentiment or the inclination of heart or will but on objective truths which God has declared to the world and which the Church breaches to the children of men If your faith is what you like to believe, or what your nature inc1ines you to believe, you can be
 Only when we believe what God has chosen for our belief, are we believing as christians. We are not chosers in this matter.
 Another virtue. which the soul must have to see God is HOPE An act of hope is an act of the will whereby we desire to obtain from God the pos- session of Himself in eternal beatitude and all the means necessary to reach Him, because He is the supreme good.
 We desire God and are confident of obtaining from Him all the help re- quired to reach Him, when we hope in Him. The motive of our hope is the goodness of God as our supreme good
 The virtue Of hope is a supernatural habit incli1ling us to eIicite acts of hope We are living among people who call hope what should be called and really is, presumption: that is, an inordinate confidence of obtaining bea- titude in a way different from that which God has appointed. They ex- pect. glory without grace; pardon without repentance; or persevere dur ing health in sin and presume to die in Gods friendship when illness comes.
 The third jewel in the wedding gar ment which we must have if we are to see and enjoy God is charity.
 The virtue of charity is a superna- tural, infused habit. inclining us to make acts of charity. It can be in- creased by good works and lost by mortal sin Without it faith and hope would not fit us for the enjoy mer1t of God.
 "As the body without the spirit is dead. so also faith without good works is dead
 It is charity that gives faith and hope life. In other words. you may have faith, just as the devils have and hope such as those who presume have and if you die without charity or sanctifying grace you shall never see OF enjoy God because you have no title to heaven.
 How to guard these three virtues will be the subject of the lecture on Wednesday evening.