Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1919-12-20
Social blessings OF the Christmas
Spirit Over the Whole
World.
Men Still Refuse TO Walk Ways
That Lead to Individual
Happiness.
Why the Peace of Christ Does
Not Yet Abide in
Society.
THE LESSON OF ST. FRANCIS.

The face of the earth has not yet
been renewed, the dawn of blessed
peace has not yet broken over the
whole world, the sons of men have
not yet tasted the sweet fruits of
the period of the universal brother
hood. Strife and angry quarrels,
mutual distrust and envy still sepa-
rate those who should be united In
the bonds of gracious fellowship.
But who will say that men do not
long more earnestly today than ever
before for the advent of that glori-
Gus era when hatred and social bit
| terness will be forgotten, and when
| out of the discomfort and confusion
of the times shall rise the city of
peace and league of nations dedi-
Gated to the welfare and elevation
of mankind. And why is 1t that
men today, after so many abortive
attempts to inaugurate that day of
universal peace and harmony, after
so many sanguinary wars, still have
hopes of the promised period when
men shall beat their swords into
plowshares, and that they will con-
idently await the coming of the
| time
when the war-drum throbs no
longer
And the battle-fag is furled;
In the parliament of nations,
The federation of the world?"
1t is because nineteen centuries
ago the "Star rose out of Juda" and
because the Prince of Peace and the
Expected of Nations came to dwell
among the children of men. The
great promise He held out to them
of new day of gladness and world
wide harmony has indeed not vet
been realized But 1t is not owing
to the failure of the Prince of Peace
to bring the gifts and blessings
needed by men to rebuild their So
eial order and to establish the era
of Christian fellowship.
No, men themselves are to blame.
They refused, and many still refuse,
to walk the ways that lead to in
dividual happiness and to social
peace and progress. They preferred,
and still prefer, to listen to the
voice of angry passion. to pride and
lust and avarice. The shepherds
who were blessed with the vision of |
the glory OF the first Christmas |
teach us how we may gain the |
priceless graces and privileges of |
the Nativity of the Lord Christ. |
They were men ''of good will" They |
mad cast out of their hearts envy |
and hatred and self-seeking. They |
were not promoters of social unrest /
and enemies of the established or
der. They labored for social peace
by performing we'll the tasks that |
had fallen to them in the worlds
work. The reason then why the
peace of Christ" does not yet abide
in society is that the components of |
that society, individual men and wo-
men, are not 'of good will" They
do not want to make those conces-
sions which we must all make to
tone down individual shortcomings /
and to eradicate selfishnesS and
avarice and envy. The proud cry
of Lucifer, 81 will not serve" has
rung down the ages. And wherever
that cry prevails there peace must
hide her face and the spirit OF
brotherhood and glad service can
find no home.
1t is not then that the message
OF the first Christmas. the message
OF great joy to all the world" has
lost its meaning for the men of our
time. No, the Christmas message
still brings healing and uplift to
millions of bleeding, broken hearts.
II still enters with genial warmth
and sunshine into the palaces of
the rich and into the novels of the
poor. 1t still expands the soul of
employer and wage-earner. Alas,
that its uplifting appeal does not
reach the hearts of all meni But
we have already pointed to the rea-
son why the joy of the Savior, the
inv Whfah h0 oil .,f.. a.
not found in many sections of the
community. The fault lies In So
ciety itself The vices which the
Savior had come to cast out of the
social body still flourish: the yir-
tues He came to teach are contemn-
ed. He came to cast out sin and
evil desires from the hearts of men.
But, too many there are who make
friends with sin. He came to teach |
humility and charity and obedience.
But men hearken to the demon of /
pride, are hard-hearted and are toe |
conceIted to obey.
The great saint and social re-
former of the thirteenth century.
st. Francis of Assist. had to contend |
against these very evils. So he |
brought the men of his time-rich !
and poor, young and old, saint and |
sinner-to the "crib of Bethlehem"
and there preached to dukes and |
lords, to wealthy ladies and aristo-
Gratis, to fishermen and peasants, of |
the love of the Christ child for men.
told them of the virtues He teaches |
us all, and of the path to happiness |
which He pointed out. And the |
"poverello," the poor. little man."
as he was called, won the day. The |
simple sermon was successful be- |
yond expectation. Peace and har-
mony took up their abode in homes
and cities where bsiore had ragged
hatred and rebellion.
In these days of social uphenval
and revolution. OF strikes and labor
unrest, of class hatred and of race
riots. we need the spirit OF the gen
tie Christ. We need once moro 10