The Washington herald., 1917-07-15
The Duty Of Gratitude to
God and Country.

The Duty OF Gratitude to
God and Country.
In the second chapter Of his Gospel
st. Luke ushers us into the Temple
of Jerusalem, and introduces us to
a small group of visitors assembled
there, very poor in appearance, very
modest in demeanor. very insignificant
j to all outward seeming. Yet one
member of that group has shed more
lustre on that sacred edifice than any
other living being that ever entered its
hallowed walls. And oh what a
glorious thing 1t stood for to the
chosen people Of God. Why the very
material building was almost an OBJ
ject of worship among them, apart
from the fact that 1t was the House
OF God-that it contained the Holy of
Holes and was the shrine whittier all
the Jews at least once year went
in solemn pilgrimage to adore the God
Of their fathers. And that temple
was built by God. not by them, they
loved to think. For what man un-
less divinely inspired, unless aided by
| Jehovah himself, could build a temple
| like unto 1t? And 10! there it stood
spread out before them-a vision of
splendor and a dream of beauty-un-
paralleled in richness, in magnitude.
and in magnificence; one of the noblest
Of all the works Of earth. Examine its
beacties in detail, they would say,
Why only angel hands could chisel
such fairy-like tracery-could mold
such delicate arches. and only giants
with superhuman strength could have
hewn out its massive columns and
stood them upright to support its mar
velous portico. And that temple be-
longed to them-for every Jew had
contributed to its erection - the
wealthy man dropped his princely do
nation in the box, side by side with
the poor widows mite.
And oh how they loved and vener-
ated 1t. What mighty pagents had
glorifed 1t. What rites and cere-
monies had taken place there-par-
ticipated in by the most prominent
men OF all Judea-its scholars, its
high priests, its heroes. That temple
had ever been the scene of everything
that was highest and noblest and
most sacred in Jewish life. But, on
that day referred to by st. Luke, the
King of Glory. the King of Kings
had entered in. God had visited his
temple and his people. That sacred
shrine had received its greatest and
1 SNNSNs Iiillis lllhttu, III whose
honor 1t had been erected. Yet there
are no hymns of praise TO welcome
Him-no hosannahs. no rejoicings.
The heavens do not open-no voice
from on high proClaims the glao
event. Israel does not recognize this
momentOus visitation. God has come
TO honor his temple and Israel is
asleep. And amid that nation of
Worshippers of the true God and amid
all these watchers and lovers of the
temple. on that day, there are only
two who slumber not. nor sleep: only
two who come forward to do Him
honor; only two who, divinely in
spired, recognize in the Infant Jesus
their Messiah and their God. and
those two are Simeon and Anna, the
prophecies. And now at last their
llfes dream has been realized. their
life's faith has been rewarded by
sight, their life's love has nestled in
their aged. shrunken arms. Years
| had passed in the waiting. Like
ghosts they had haunted the temple.
day and night. watching still and
horing. Poverty had come to them
but was borne heroically-for the
golden wealth of priceless love was
always filling their hearts: sufferings
had come. but they were accepted
patiently and resignedly-for the
soothing balm of hope was ever heal
| ing their wounds. Old age had come,
with its feebleness and its pain-and
still they waited on joyfully with
sweet music in their soul, divins
melody in their hearts and now they
have seen their God, at last! How
short after all were the long years
of waiting; how trivial were the SOL
rows-how light the burden of years
Then bursts forth their song of
Sadness. then rushed forth from the
lips of Simeon that wonderful poem
of Thanksgiving and love; Now thou
dost dismiss thy servant. o Lord,
according to thy word in peace; for
mine eyes have been thy salvation,
which thou hast prepared before the
face OF all peoples-a light to the
revelation NJ the gentiles, the glory Of
thy people, Israel.
And when Jesus, Mary and Joseph
departed from the temple on that day
deep gloom settled upon it-for the
light Of the world had departed. But
oh, there was no gloom in the souls
Of Simeon and Anna. The brightness
of eternal. inaccessible light had
taken possession of them-and from
that da! sJrth there was Gods own
! music In their souls-making melody
'n their hearts. From that day forth
Simeon and Anna had but one prayer,
! the prayer Of thanksgiving and praise
Tor the goodness and mercy which
their Lord and God had shown them.
The beauty. then. and the duty of
praise and Thanksgiving to God is
the lesson we must learn from ST
Luke's story of Simeon and Anna.
Looking at their lives from a worldly
standpoint they had little to he
thankful e. small cause for reioic-
ing But one thing Is absolutely GER
tain. they understood two very es-
sential truths-first, the beauty and
goodness of God. and, second. their
dependence upon him for everything
no matter how small or trifinR II
might be. They knew that as Great
ures they owed worship to their
creator and Lord, and they also
knew that the essential parts OF wor-
ship consist of praise and thanks
giving. Therefore, they praised and
thanked God for everything with all
the ardor and gratitude of their
souls-and We have seen their reward
the vision of God himself in tbe
mesh. All the saints of God have nm
derstood tLis duty or praise and
thanksgiving to God-and how well
tney always kept in mind those words
OF 81. Paul to the Colossians: Re va
nIled with the Holy Ghost making
melody in your hearts, giving thanks
10 God always and for ali things
ana see how David, the roval
prophet, fulfilled this duty of giving
rnangs to God. Why. the book of