New Britain herald., 1917-11-01
ALL SAINTS AND ALL SOULS
Affairs of Moment Touched Upon Cardinal MERCER
s. Prelate, in Pastoral Letter Which Is Classic

any literature, so glorious q process
Ion as that which the Catholic Litur-
u brings before our eyes on the Day
az All Saints and on the Day OF the
Dead.
Already, on the preceding day, the
Church has made us familiar with this
thought--that our dead, when they
~leave us In a state Of grace. are gath
cred into the hand of God. sheltered
from evil and sorrow; and that, how
ever foolishly we may imagine them
10 be no more, they are none the less
living, and in peace.
On the day of the Feast OF All
saints. as the priest goes up to the
altar. and the sub-deacon sings the
epistle, the faithful, transported with
Joy, have eyes only for the half
opened heavens where Christ Jesus.
conqueror of death and SIN, displays
the tokens OF his triumph, before the
heavenly city. The centuries before
Christ have sent their legions thither.
Each of the twelve tribes Of Israel Is
represented by twelve Thousand OF the
chosen. Then comes q great multi
tude. which no man could number. Of
I'll nations. kindreds, people, and
tongues. They stand before the
throne. where reigns the Lamb OF
0OU, WHO HAS WA6HSO away NAA0 sans
of the world. Their robes are of q
Wilderness unstained. they wave palm
Branches in their hands; and from
East to West, from North to South,
the heavens sound with the mighty
voice OF their Hoeannahs: Thanks be
3 our God. the King of all, thanks
into the Lamb, through Whom we are
saved"
The angels take part in the rejoice
ing; their choirs surround the royal
throne; the heralds Of Nature and of
the Gospel stand, each in his place:
and all this mighty assembly. bowling
Aown In alteration. repeats "Amen!
Nanediction and glory and wisdom.
ana thanksgiving. honour and power,
and strength to our God. for ever and
ever" - ,-s,.a-. e....-s..
It pleased Providence to entrust to
the apostle whom the Saviour loved
best the duty Of giving the world
specially distinct revelation Of the div
unity OF our Lord Jesus Christ, and OF
the merciful designs Of His Sacred
Heart. --..-.
After the Evangelists st. Matthew,
st. Mark and st. Luke had finished
writing the history Of the birth. the
public ministry. the Passion, and
Death, the Resurrection and Assem-
sion Of our, Lord Jesus Christ; after
g. Paul, st. Peter, and st. Jude had
revealed the many aspects OF the mys-
terry Of the Kingdom Of Heaven, It was
necessary to unfold the ways OF Love
to the souls Of all men Of goodwill.
This was the apostolic duty more ,,
especially Of him who had the priv
iloge of resting his head At TfhA last |
supper on the breast OF tAe eternal
Efigh Priest. It was for him to gath
er, at the foot Of the cross. side by |
-side with the Queen Of Martyrs. the
last breath of the divine Crucified, the
last drops of blood and water that
were set flowing by the lance Of Lon
rfnus from the Sacred Heart which |
loved mankind SO well. and which, my
BrAthren, despite such love for us, Is
stir and evermore so little loved by |
each of US In return.
It seems that st. John wrote his |
Gospel. his three letters. and his
APOCALYPSE. In order to acQuaint us. |
not DO much with the Jesus OF his |
tory. as with the divine Jesus, eternal
ly eOnsubstantial with the Father;
Jesus, the revealer Of the profound
mystery of the divine life; the Jesus
Who ascendad. through His own pow
er. to the regions of glory, where he
shares the throne of the All Holy Trim
ity, realises the fulfillnent OF the pro-
pheay. Thou art a priest for ever &C
coeding to the order Of Melchlsedech
ava, offers an everlasting sacrifce to
ms Father on our behalf-the sacri-
nee of Calvary-and< for US also and
always, his living intercession, until
the day when He shall come again to
pronounce His judgment upon the
world for the last time. This Jesus Is
f4o Who, in all His glory with His
FS&her, continually sends his beloved
spouse, the Church, that divine COM
forter. Whom He promised In His
parting discourse.
In his Apocalypse, that Is, In his
Revelation" the last Of the divinely-
inspired books, st. John has at heart
above all the. task of strengthening
the troubled souls Of them that suffer.
The first pagan prosecutions have
already broken out in their fury;
others are imminent The aged apos-
ties heart bleeds. The Church of his
Losd Jesus Christ is struggling. suf
fcring, mourning. There are martyrs
who are triumphant, but there are
Also their weaker brethren who show
SIGNS Of bending under the storm. And
now, as far - his prophetic gaze ex-
tdhde he sees, all down that long road
OF the centuries to be trodden by the
Christian community, nothing but
sore labour, and tears mingled with
blood.
And Christ IL no more with US. The
apostles and their first disciples had at
least the consolation OF seeing Him.
OF. hearing His voice, and sometimes
ofepartaking food with Him. The most
unbelieving OF them, such as Thomas.
could kiss the wounds in His feet and
dis hands, or put his finger In the open
wound Of His Sacred Heart But as
for US, we are alone, and our Jesus