The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1922-02-18
Sermons on Catholic Worship.

In the world and the world was made
by Him, and vet refused to acknoYl-
edge Him for it's Creator.
The Word inearnate.
Later on, He came clothed with hui
man nature, unto His own.y and His
people would, not receive Him as their
Messiah. Those, however, who re-
[ceiyed Him as their Savior, He dis
posed to receive the privileges of sons
of God They are those who believe
in Him as the source of eternal life,
who are born not of blood. as a ma
terial cause, nor, of the will of man,
but of God, the only spiritual cause.
And the Word was made flesh, that
is, has assumed In the unity of per-
son, human nature, and dwelt among
us, and we, His disciples, have seen
the. glory of His divinity, which re,
vealed itself by the effects, a glory
that belongs exclusively to the only
hegotten Son of God. He dwelt among
us full of grace and truth. When the
priest says the words, "And the Word
was made fiesh," he kneels to express
his reverence and admiration for that
mystery of the deepest humility ac-
|complished in the incarnation of the
Word.
The Priests Thoughts.
In the first part of this gospel, the
priest is reminded of the greatness
|of the Guest he received in Holy Com.
munion under the humble appearance
/ of bread and wine, namely, the eter-
nal Word, through Whom all things
were made, the Son Of God, consub-
stantial with the Father, the light and
the life of man, through Whom and
in Whom all live and are enlightened.
Further down, when he reads that
1.-The light. shineth in darkness" and
that 1.-The darkness did not compre-
bend it," the priest fears lest these
words should apply to him. For, as
the sun shines on the Blind and the
blind do not see the sun, SO also men
involved in the darkness of earthly
desires fail to see the interior light
of God and to be enlightened by. it.
The priest also is struck by the fol
lowing words. Gle was in the world,
and the world knew Him not; He
came unto His own and His own re-
ceiyed Him not and he hopes and
prays that these words may not be
verified in his case When the priest
comes to the words, He gave them
the power to be made sons Of God,
he hopes these words may be fulfilled
in him in order that some day, as son.
he may be heir of God in heaven, joint
heir with Christ, now present in him,
and full Of grace and truth. 81
At the End of the Gospel.
at the end OF the gospel. the AGO
lyte says in the name Of all present,
aDeo gratias Thanks be to Cod
Thus the Holy Sacrifice concludes
with a simple strong expression OF
gratitude And here assuredly is the
place in which joyfully to exclaim
Thanks be to God for His unspeak-
able gift e Cor. 9:15). For, indeed
precious and glorious is the gift OF
God which we have received from the
altar; inexhaustible and understandable
are the blessings that flow to us from
7 the Holy Sacrifice of the altar.
The words, sDeo gratias." also sig
nifty a warning to the priest to con
ttinue HIS Thanksgiving. He then takes
fthe ehalfce, comes down from the al
tar, makes slight inclination to the
cross, or makes genufiection if the
Blessed Sacrament be kept in the tab
ernacle, and returns in deep recollee
ton to the sacristy, praising the Lord