The Catholic bulletin., 1916-01-15

the sacraments two or three times "a
year, and then IL 4 word of admoni,
tion Is given they answer: Why. /
am no great sinner II may be ad-
mitted that you are no great sinner,
but that is where the fault lies. TIL
you we're great sinner a person
could point out to you the enormity
of your faults and then. like a Peter
or a Magdalene, be moved to true
contrition, but since you are luke
warm you. resemble a Pharisee, who
never repented. II would thou vert
cold or hot. But because thou art
lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,
| will begin to yomit thee out of my
mouth (Apoc Ill, 15-16).
Lukewarmness is a grievous mall
ady and almost always leads to spir-
itual ruin. Why? Because the tepids
soul is in grave danger of falling into
serious sin. The danger Of falling.
into the displeasure Of God is the
greater, the more numerous and more
violent the temptations on the one
hand, and the weaker the person on
the other. Both of these conditions
are realized to the fullest extent in
the case of the lukewarm Christian.
First of all, the tepid person neglects
prayer, then follow carelessness as re-
CARDS the fulfillment of religious duties,
hardness of heart and at last despair.
Did you say: IF do not pray
much at least attend Mass on Sun
days and holydays of obligation" Now
let us see how you attend Mass.
First of all, are you on time, or do
you belong to that class of Catholics
that comes at the "Gloria or
"Credo"? When you assist at Mass
are your thoughts directed towards
Almighty God, or are your pious
emotions merely external exhibitions
of interior hypocrisy? And to keep
color to your ewall-fiower Cathol-
city" you will receive the sacraments
once or twice year, but with what
| devotion and fruit you are uncon-
cerned. Your conscience becomes
benumbed, and consequently you do
not mind committing numerous venial
sins; you think to yourself that as
long as no mortal sin is committed,
all is we'll Your conscience does not
reproach you as long as you commit
no grievous fault. Your conscience
is quiet because you are very careful
| to avoid all that may bring you to your
senses. Sermons, you say, are not
meant for you; pious books and pa
pers, in your estimation, are for re-
ligious and .old women" your father
confessor is too strict for you; you
do not return to him, because you will
not follow his advice.
/ All these conditions lead on to decay
of faith, the "dry-rot" of the American
nation. America is fast becoming a
Goddess country. Are we Catholics
going to stand by and help along this
| awful state of affairs with careless
and sinful lives, we who have been
raised and brought up as members of
| the true Church? Turn where we
will, in no matter what part of the
globe, and we can see numberless
souls lost on account of the luke
4 warmness and half-heartedness of our
/ Catholics. Saint Bernard tells u.s.
Nothing in fact is the person. if he
does not serve God; nothing if he
does not elevate his heart and soul
to God; nothing, if he does not obey
God Z, +. sf1f II. .ss.. s+fs 81
! Let us all cleanse our souls from
/ the vice of lukewarmness, especially
at this season of the year, and let us
learn from the shepherds who came
on the first Christmas night to adore
the new born Saviour, what we must
do in order to obtain lively faith in
our souls. Above all, let not our
lives be without an aim and purpose,
but let every action be closely inter
woven with the three theological yir-
tues, faith, hope and charity.