The Washington herald., 1918-03-17

The Very Rev. Peter J. O'Callaghan, G. 8. p,
superior Of the Apostolic Mission House at the
on Faith especially for The Washington Her
add
By REV. PETER J. O'CALLAGHAN.
The fool has said in his heart
There is no God.''-Psa.. 1871.
st. Paul has given the most splen-
did definition of faith In declaring 1t
to be the substance of things to be
hoped for, the evidence Of things
that appear not" II the things ito
be hoped for" are to be tangible.
knowledge Of them must come from
sources that are superhuman. THE
evidence of things that appear not"
must be provided by those whose Wis
ion stretches beyond human ken.
Nothing short of the revelation of
what 10 necessarily beyond present
human experience can be Of any sub
stantial religious value to any man in
his quest after God. The sum total
OF purely human knowledge can add
nothing material to our understand
ing OF any destiny beyond the grave.
Unless some one who has gone down
through the grave into the valley of
the shadow of death and has risen
from the dead, will speak to US the
silence Of the tomb will forever mock
our questioning souls. The criminal
audacity of those who have dared to
speak without such a title upon the
things Of eternity is as evident as
the inanity of their speech.
Faith Reason on Tiptoes.
Although it is true that the soul of
man must needs learn from a Divine
Master the things that are to its
eternal salvation, II remains true
| that there are many things which the
wisdom of man can learn about re-
| ligion which have at least a philo-
| sOphical value. Vital as Is the knowl-
edge of the way unto life eternal
other knowledge is both valuable and
fruitful and is now attainable. This
knowledge Of the road along which
we are now trudging has a religious
value in that it leads to the knowl-
edge of better things and prepares
the mind for faith which is reason
J standing upon its tiptoe and by
Gods grace enabled to see beyond
the horizon that separates us from
eternal things.
As philosophers we may come to the
brink Of human knowledge and 1t is
good for US to stand upon the brink
of this abyss which divides us from
the world beyond. Nowhere else can
we think such thoughts as force them
selves Jpn US when we strive to reach
this abyss.
| Nowhere else can we realize the
! limitations and profit by the realiza-
tion of them as completely as when
we gaze across its limitless expanse.
Human genius has widened our vision
and opened to US a new earth and a
new heaven that were undreamed of
by our fathers. Science has revealed
to US wonders that have been hidden
from the race from the foundation
of the earth. The superficial may be
most deeply impressed by the instru-
ments Of this larger vision and re-
gard them as newly-found toys de-
vised for their intellectual amuse-
ment.
Truth the Absorbing Passion.
The thinking man may give some
passing attention to the instruments
: but truth is his absorbing passion and
, upon IL he will riyet his eager eyes.
He rejoices not only in the achieve
ment of human reason, but in the
deeper knowledge Of its limitations.
The accumulated experiences of scien-
tific investigators have impressed upon
| this truth that the ever-enlarging field
| Of knowledge renders it impossible
to set limits to the realities OF the
world beyond US. That world Is as
real as the world at our feet. There is
no escaping the conviction that If we
could but stand upon the uttermost
/ adE Nf
the immeasurable realities Of eternity,
not less real because unattainable by
| our outstretched hands A sense of
the reality OF the limitless expanse
! Of the unknown that must remain be-
yond mans ultimate effort to COM
pass all knowledge ought to deepen in
US sense of the reality of the un-
movable which constitutes that realm
| Of Tight inaccessible" which the In
finite inhabiteth.
Astronomy Awed by Creation.
Astronomy has ceased to evolve
world formulas. 1t has been so awed
by the immensity Of creation that 1t
no longer dares to utter Judgment as
to the ultimate laws that rule II. 1t
contributes that which 1t learns to the
sum total of human knowledge and
reverently leaves to the future solu-
titon Of the mysteries of the universe.
Only the youth who has begun the
| study Of life's problems, or the grown
up man whose mentality has not kept
pace with his physical growth, will
dare to question the reality Of the
world beyond humanity's present
knowledge, or of the world beyond
the ultimate reach Of the finite.
A deepening sense OF the reality of
the unknown universe and the un-
movable realm Of the Infinite IL the
chief spiritual proft of human knowt-
edge. Such sense of reality clears the
way for faith. 1t makes the wise
man realize that he is as a little child
in the presence Of the immensity of
truth. Out Of the depth of his soul
| he exclaims In the words of st. Paul:
"oh, the depth Of the riches Of the
wisdom and Of the knowiedge Of God!