The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1953-03-06
Just Among Ourselves
Fassins Comment censidsrsd or Ineonsidersts

The season of Lent is season Of special graces
and spiritual opportunities. Not that God is more
generous in this cluster of weeks God is never more
generous for His generosity is boundess in every
season, and indeed at every instant. Lent under the
urging OF the Church and by efforts we are reluct.
antly made to. exert, is time when We are more
likely than al other times to open our hearts to
the Influence of grace.
profitable and heart.opening thought for this
ilme,-and indeed for any time,-is the thought of
our business in being alive. We are so beset with
noisy claims on attention that this useful
thought has little chance in our workaday lives
Business, pleasure scrabbng for subsistence aches
and pains alarums and discussions make the ay-
erage American life a kind of mental brawl Ser
iouS thinking about matters OF eternal import is
effectively blocked out And to add To the uphesval
ana disturbance, We have an endless clamor of the
advertiser, the vail OF the prophet OF DOOM the
happy quackery OF the social optlmlst and the con
slant fret about security. It's noisy world to try
TO think in.
But we must think 1t is of paramount import
ance. Our Mother the Church tries hard to give us
chance TO do It, Hence we have such things as
Lenten deVotlonS II we do not get a practical hold
on the real purpose Of existence we cannot make
success OF life If pay all attention to the business
oi being secure" for few fading years, we have
none left for arranging the eternal security for
achieve It, This Is dreary prospect indeed No
wonder the inspired prophet said that desolation is
come upon the world because no man hnketh in
his heart"
We need serious thought with resultant resolu
uon, about the work OF winning our way to heaven
God has put us here to do Just that and not thing
else That IS the only reason we have for occupying
space for breathing the air Now ii is one thing IN
realize me tactual character OF this truth it is quite
another TO put the truth into practical realization
by living daily IN its light Academic assent is not
enough; practical recognition is required Truth
makes men free 10 travel the true path; truth is
the light that makes the path plain But We have to
use freedom and ledlk nt The path Ii is long walk
and iatlguing walk; for we carry the Cross OF
1hlist as We go But 1t Is the only way to success
and when We get into it with energy we find that
tne labor 1t eA'e's brings peace and JOY.
Our Job is TO use Gods ever present grace and
get TO heaven. The tools for this Job are our Chris
llan hearts minds wills and the supernatural gifts
oi revelation, Faith and Grace To administer and
guard the supernatural tools, and so TO keep the
natural ones in good trim, the wondrous Church is
~atehfully al hand No mother every had a greater
and more unWearyng care of children than
The Church has of us. No mother was ever more
KIND, more patient, more lovingly hopeful that no
matter how we have hashed our opportunities
heretofore, We will finally listen to her counsel and
turn out all right
The natural tool of understanding of reason
OF the thinking mind, makes us aware of the fact
that this world and ourselves in il. have an explain
alton. We realize that there is FIRST Cause; that
this Cause has purpose in II action OF creating and
preserving us. In a word we are aware by reason
that God exists and that we have an assigned task TO
accomplish namely, the saving of our souls for
eternal happiness with God When the reason, The
understanding puts these truths before US we are
aware OF duty; we recognize the obligation of &C
knowledging God by alteration. and putting heart
and Will into the work of serving Him and coming
al the last to Him in heaven. Mind and heart and
viii are tools for essential labor
Yet these are not enough Our end is super
natural; these means are natural They need to he
upfted and suffuscd by supernatural power 10
make them effective. They require Gods grace
And grace is available to us through the Church
which channels 10 us all need Christ is God land
that fact too, be known with certainty BY
sheerly human means,-reason working on the facts
Of history and Christ has made the Church our ark
Of salvation. He set ii up: commissioners ii gave
It His own voice and authority entrusted TO il the
Divine Sacrifice and the Sacraments; insured 1t by
promising to remain with il TO the end of time guar
aneed its permanenee in the very face of "he gates
Of hell"
Reason can show us the Church as the one in.
work here earth. The living teaching office of
the Church, authorized and commissioned to her
teaching by Christ Himself is the rule of our faith
And the Church indicates and guards the fountains
of Revelationthe written Word Of Holy Scripture,
and the living testimony Of her own divnely guided
action, which is Sacred tradition.
Raised up by Faith given power by grace,
guided by the Church helped to the constant use
Of the Sacraments and prayer by which grace is
renewed increased and If lost, recovered. We are
fitted for the business of life Faithful children of
the Church, We arc in position 10 do what we arc
made to dc. But Il takes our doing Even the Church
cannot do all our work for us. We must do it,
Lent Is time for realizing all these things II
i time for turning with fervor with strong
resolution to persevere 10 the only task need Ia
do and which We alone with Gods help can do
Thus Lent IS time for thinking in the heart
We must somehow shut out for while the uproar
Of worldly distractions We must 10 realized
grips with fundamental facts And We must rouse
up energy 10 face those facts unblinkingly anc
steadily and to make them the actual determinant
Of our lives II We succeed IN doing that this Lent
shall have reason to say. not in tones of solemn
warning, but with joyous realization Now Is th