Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1916-03-16
uENTEN SERMON AT
ST. MARY's CHURCH
Norwich Town Rector Spoke on Prayer
Before Good Gized Congregation.


A fair sized congregation was pres
ent at the Lenten services In St |
Mary's church on Wednesday evening |
at 7.30 o'clock. Rev. ]. H. Fftzmau- |
rice led in the recitation OF the holy |
rosary and litany OF the Blessed Nir-
gin Mary and also OBLIGATED at bene-
diction OF the most blessed sacrament
The weekly Lenten sermon was de-
livered by Rev. Charles w. Brennan.
rector of The Sacred Heart church at
Norwich Town, who took for his
theme. Prayer, and went on to say that
St. Paul urges us To pray for one an
other while St. Augustin defines II as
the uplifting Of our hearts and mind
to God and from this definition We
can pray without work
| The woman who was I'll and who
had spent money with doctors with
no relief in sight had n desire for
prayer, for she said il / but touch the
/ hem of His garments / shall be cured
| and He neld her up as an example to
the unbelieving people by inquirinG,
who has touched Me2 Yes. prayer lie
| the uplifting of our hearts and mind
| to God; but some Will say they are
too tired 20 pray, by leaving their
! prayers until the last minute and then
retire without saying any prayers at
| all. Are your sorrows and fluctuations
| too deep for words, then uplift your
minds and hearts to God2 It may
/
as the Creator and fix your mind on
God alone.
The first form of prayer is the pray
er of adOration-prayer OF heaven.
The touching passage at Christmas
u tnme pictures the shepherds keeping
watch over their flocks by night and
knew when the angels came that
heaven was opened at the birth OF the
Saviour. All the angels OF God adored
Him in manifestation Of the shep-
/ t. H.. 90
prayer.
Next comes the prayer of thanks
} giving-fOr friends. relatives. country
and church. One thing of the world
hateful to God and man is the IN
grateful person. Too often have our
petitions been answered, we 20 our
own way. An illustration Of this is
. the curing OF the ten men from lep-
rosy and but one returned to give
thanks So often have we been help
; ed ourselves. If we but examine our
conscience find ourselves ungratefUl
The more n man has less depend
, ence upon God it becomes a grave
: danger to his soul for the rich man
, feels he don't want to know God and
this accounts for the passage in Scrip
ture which says he viii find IL diff
cult thing to reach heaven. It is very
hard thing to realize that some peO-
! pie have not prayed for 40 years and
4 get IL is true. BismarlI. the great
ruler. admitted that he had not pray.
ed ut all in his youth for he said Al
4 mighty God knew what he w>nted
| but in his old age he realized what g
grave mistake he had made. What
= ever we receive from God we shoul,
b.. he thankful for the same as we wOult
e be to a friend IN life.
r The next form of prayer IS that o
]. petition. II Is the lowest form o
prayer because II is the most selfsl
s but Joined to the other forms become
e holy and sanctified. Prayer may b.
: mental or vocal. Prayer of desire
g this is the great prayer used at bene
u diction. wherein the soul is refreshed
IS In going TO holy communion listen Z
! the inspiration wherein God speaks I
y you.
e Then there IS the prayer OF sIlenc
" when You know that God is every
where: practice this especially in Hi
II holy church. People find fault wit
n distraction when a. prayer. If yo
n have Your mind on God ii will z
lie along like n river and never cham
n its direction but thoughts on tn
world the opposite course is bound {
e follow. 1t is not necessary that W
J. should always be in n knceling posi-
l. ton for prayer though II IS most rev
- erential to practice same at our morn
d ing and evening prayers and when !
l. church. a priest celebrating the hCl
mass-the most sublime praper OF
.s fered illustrates the truth OF this.
rs The prea ched gave n beautiful def
IL milton of the Our Father which wa
} contracted for all and not for any in
dividual