New Britain herald., 1917-11-01

the victim chosen by God to redeem
the sins of Mankind-that she herself
would have her heart pierced, and that
before she became the Queen of
Heaven. she would be the Queen Of
Martyrs?
Do you not know the ground on
which the foundations Of our holy
Catholic apostolic and Roman Church
were laid was almost continuously Wa
tered for three centuries by the blood
OF legions of martyrs?
The Leader Of our army proclaim ed
1t: "whosoever will come after Me,
let him take UP his Cross
And have you not heard the Apostle
st. Paul recall to you, again aud again,
the law of your origin? In his Epis-
tie to tho Romans (viii., 15) he says:
you have received the spirit of adop-
ton of sons, whereby we cry, Abba
(Father). For the Spirit Himself CIV
eth testimony to our spirit that we
are the sons OF God" And If sons,
heirs Also" continues the Apostle.
heirs indeed OF God. joint heirs with
Christ; yet 80 II we suffer with Him.
THAT we may be also glorifled with
Him. Isl tamen compatimur. ut ct
conglorifcemur'
You are the disciples of Christ, says
the brave apostle elsewhere, and you
are DESTROYS of showing yourselves
worthy Of His gospel. What does that
mean2 That you have faith in Christ
Yes, without q doubt. But also that
You receive the privilege of suffering
for Him. For unto you 1t Is given
for Christ, not only to believe In Him.
but to suffer for Him" e.
| In reality, we are only the children
| Of God in that We are the brothers of
! our Lord Jesus Christ. In the str1ctest
| sense Of the word, the Eternal Father
has only one Son, His Word, and II He
condescenda to adopt us into the d.
vine family. 1t is in order to give His
only Son. tho honour and. joy OF hav-
ing host of brothers. So they shall
| be made on the model of their elder
| brother. According to the divine plan,
st. Paul tells US further. those whom
He foreknew, he also predestinated to
be made conformable to the image OF
His Son: that He might be the first
born amongst many brethren" :
Now, our elder brother is the Word
Incarnate. Not only was He born and
suffered, but He was born in order to
! be able to suffer.
The Incarnation and the Redemp-
ton form but a single mystery; the
first Is onl., step towards the second,
as st. Thomas Aquinas teaches.
Would not your generous hearts, my
Brethren. have been unwilling to al
low that our divine Jesus should be
alone in Hts suffering? Would He not
have cruelty Inundated you had He
said untQ@you: 81 have desired% to
empty hcup OF Grsef,4d9y to the
very alonei sbht dosytIh drink OF
the goblet OF ploasafe ZIP xfha ful12''
Wall YOU not rather receive your small
portion OF the Holy Cross, on Bonded
knees. with a gratitude even greater
than your reverence?--
The Passion of our divine Saviour is
not a work come yet to its completion,
says st. Paul (Colos. 1-24): II now re-
joice," says he, in my aufferings for
you. and fill up. those things that are
wanting Of the sufferings of Christ, in
my flesh. for His body. which is the
Church,
And then, turning to US in the con-
clusion Of his Epistle to the Hebrews.
the noble apostle cries unto us all:
"And therefore we also having so
great a cloud of witnesses over our
head. laying aside every weight, and
sin which surrounds u.s. let US run by
patience to the night proposed to us:
looking on Jesus, the author and nm
Usher Of faith, who. having Joy set be-
fore Him. endured the cross. despis-
ing the shame, and now sitteth on the
right-hand of the throne OF God" ~
THE horrors of the war have reused
the indifference OF many, and for that
we give thanks unto the wisdom and
pity Of Him who knows so admirably
how to bring good out OF evil. But
| ~ ho1 NhfmNf In
Gods inception. and ought to- produce
In US another effect which is to make
us accept and love the law Of suffer-
ing and pain.
The good things Of this world ex-
orcise their fascination upon you: be-
ware of their attractions. Do not
make riches the one or supreme ideal
Of your life.
You suffer privatione; your tears
flow; you are the victims of annoy
ances. vexations, calunnies. 1t may be,
or prosecutions. Do not rebel. Do not
complain.
:. Just now you heard the Epistle of
the Mass which proclaimed the Anal
triumph. Now read. too, the Gospel
for this same Day Of All Saints. Our
divine Saviour repeats his Beatitudes
to you This IL the programme OF the
struggles that come before the: VIC
tory.
Alas, seem to hear from amongst
your ranks a voice rising in protest:
I'm possible." 1t says, Impossible
that happiness should be found in the
midst of privations and tears!"
impossible, my brethren? But try,
| only try.
Our Lord deceives nobody.
When He announces the conditions
of happiness we are bound to believe
! that he who fulfills them cannot fail
to be happy.
| Let it be we'll understood that there
| IL no question here Of that superficial