The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1934-03-03
REV. DOUCHERTY
TO HOLD LENTEN
SERVICE SUNDAY
LIVING WITH CHRIST AND
LIVING WITHOUT HIM"
TO BE EXPLAINED IN SER
MON AT MORNING HOUR
(Communicated)


Sunday, at the 10 o'clock Mass,
Father F. X. Dougherty speaking
on the gospel of the third Sunday
of Lent will show the cost and
compensation of being a Christian.
There are two ways of going
through life, with Christ or with
out Him.
The costs of genuine Chris
tianity were anticipated by Christ
Himself and He told His follow
ers the truth. He did not paint
for them an alluring picture of
earthly happiness as a reward of
their loyalty. He told them the
truth. He said that His religion
would be a yoke and a burden
a yoke that was sweet and bur-
den that was light-nevertheless
yoke and burden. He prom
ised persecution not only to them
but to all His followers unto the
end of time. ''The servant is not
above the Master. If they per-
secuted Me they will prosecute
you"
The definite costs that Chris
tians must pay for their active
membership with Christ were in
Dictated by the Master in that in
comparable Sermon on the Mount.
There, in pointing out to them
how to find happiness, He men,
toned the costs they would pay
for their loyalty to Him. To live
with Him may bring them power
ty, loss of position and prestige,
in comparison with the riches and
honor of those without conscience.
In the midst of pride and passion
they would be misrepresented-
criticized-regarded foolish and
suspicious. In a sea of unre-
strained pleasure they would
stand alone in their sorrow. In
the epidemics of irreligion and
spiritual indifference they would
believe and follow Him reasonably
but not Understandings, and be
the butt of the jibes and ridicule
of so-called science and higher
critics. In pandemics of rage of
suspicion, hatred, envy, whether
it be under the name of nation
alism, patriotism, fraternalism,
they should love those that hate
them. Even if the rest of the
world lost sight of suffering, pow
erty, sin, heaven and hell, His
followers were to look at the
stable of Bethlehem, the Cross of
Calvary and believe all He said,
remembering 81 am the way, the
truth and the life"
The experience of nineteen
hundred years shows that Christ
was correct, that His followers
are members of a Body whose
Head was thorn-crowned. The per-
son who follows Christian con-
science is at a disadvantage in
business with those who have no
sense of honesty and justice. In
preserving purity the Christian
too is under handicap in a world
gone pleasure mad. But genuine
Christianity has many compensa-
tions. | do not refer to the de-
layed pleasure and enjoyment that
it holds out until the future life.
Christianity gives sacredness to
human personality, to both body
and soul. 1t saves souls. 1t sane
titles the home. 1t ennobles wom-
an-and motherhood. 1t gives GER
tainty to the problems of life. its
origin, its trials, its pain, its des-
tiny. 1t gives me Christ for my
imitation, my guide, my authority.
my comparison, my support. Chris
tianity gives me correction. And
that is a blessing. Christianity
gives me consolation in distress,
sorrow and death. 1t gives me
comforting hope, one that reaches
out beyond the grave. Christian
ity gives me pardon and peace. It
gives me Christ's Church. with His
assurance that He will remain
with in unto the consummation of
the world. With His promise of
the Holy Ghost to keep it in truth
free from error in handing
down His saving doctrines and
mercies. His faith gives me Sc
curity in what l believe, hope for
comfort in dying-pardon and
peace and eternal companionship
with the Saints of God. These are
compensations that can't be pur-
chased by wealth. by passion, by
irreligion; and they are enjoy
ments without which men can not
be happy.
On Wednesday night Father
Dougherty viii speak on "Are
you a Christian What Average?
passing? -conditioned? - fail
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