The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-01-02

evil desires. God sent His Son, made
! under the law, that He might redeem
them who were under the law, that
we might receive the adoption of
sons" Gal. ", 4. And then He re-
ceived the name of Jesus, name inn
posed by Almighty God HIMSELF signf-
| fying the Office He had from the Fa-
Their, to redeem His people from their
sins. His sublime title of the Messiah,
the Christ, the Amounted, compasses
in its meaning the majesty of the
| Son of God, that Anointment by which
| He was consecrated King and Pontiff.
| He is the Christ, the Son of the Liv-
ing God, and therefore, He is God, He
is King of Kings, He is Prophet and
of God, and He is the Great High
Priest. The Holy Name of Jesus sig
nifies One Who has loved us unto dy-
ing for us; it bears in upon the heart
a profound impress of love, a heaven
! " sweetness, q secret relish of saliva
ton, and fortaste of our deliverance.
The Epiphany, celebrated on the 9Th
of January, commentaries the COM
ing and the alteration of the Magi.
Many important and interesting ques-
tons might be considered in reference
to this wonderful event, and the i'm
preston it has always made upon the
mind Of the Church. For us the prac-
teal lessons are of the greatest i'm
pOrtance.
The Star arises for us all, that will
lead us to Jesus and to Mary His
Mother if we follow it as faithfully
as the Magi did. 1t arises when men
get the first call to Faith. 1t arises
when God calls them to special walk
OF life. 1t will guide them Alright ii
they shall have watched for it in
prayer, and are obedient when the
light from God shines into their souls.
The Star arises for us when our spe.
cial vocation is made known to lis
in answer to our prayers 1t shines
above when we are called back from
the path of sin to the way of life;
when we are warned to abandon evil
habits, to forsake the occasions of sim
to become earnest and jealous instead
of Iukewarm and Indifferent about the
concerns of our immortal souls.
The Church says in her Office for
the Epiphany: Three are the pre-
cious gifts which the Magi offered on
that day, and they contain in them
selves divine Mysteries. In the gold
the royal power is shown; in the
frankincense, see the Great High
Priest: in the myrrh consider the
burial of our Lord Quite the same
is the constant tradition of the
Church in reference to the meaning
of the gifts of the Magi. The gold
was given to the King, the franklin
cense signified the supreme Worship
due to the Son Of God, equal to the
Father in all things; the myrrh, like
the precious ointment of Mary Magda
lena indicated the reality of that. hu,
man nature which was to suffer, to
die, and to be buried and embalmed
in the tomb.
We too must give of our best to
our Saviour, our God, our King. AS
the Magi came from far countries to
adore Him, we must come into the
New Year full of the purpose OF ador-
ing, loving, serving with our whole
heart and soul. What gift does he
ask from us? He says to each of us:
"Son give Me thy heart" 1t is not
hard to offer this gift to Jesus, for
His very Name, if we dwell upon it.
appeals to all that is tenderest, most
generous, and most elevated in our
souls His Yoke is sweet and His bur
den is light. His Star beckons us
on to new, a better, a manlier and
more worthy life in the New Year that
is opening. And there is another Star
that shines above in mild effulgence
to guide and to cheer us on our way;
Mary Star of the Sea, if we look I'll
to her, will conduct us safely MID
life's dangers and tempests, she viii
guide lis on to Jesus, guide us home
The new life we take up with the New
Year will be strengthened and pre-
served by a renewed devotion to the
Mother of our newborn King.