Part 6
We should not, therefore, be deterred from frequenting these sacraments by human considerations, or by the mockery of the people of this world. We should have these words of Christ deeply engraven in our hearts: “Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, you shall not have life in you.”—John vi. 54. A devout Catholic is easily distinguished from the crowd of careless ones, when we see him humbly and frequently going to confession and to holy communion.
Prayer.
O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.
Thirteenth Day.
Be also reverent and devout in the house of God; not brought there by vain curiosity, or by fashion, but by unfeigned piety, rendering to God an external tribute of dependence and adoration. Look upon priests as the ambassadors of God, treat them with respect, listen to their teaching, and put it into practice. Reverence the bishops as divinely constituted guardians and teachers in the Church: especially the see of St. Peter, the Vicar of Christ, the Roman Pontiff, the Father and teacher, in whom is intrusted the plentitude of power to rule the whole Catholic family. Reverence the infallible authority of the Pope, which guides you in matters of faith, in form of worship, and morality.
Accept with docility and obedience the decisions of the Holy See, and conform to them your opinions and thoughts. Do not follow the changeable and novel opinions of our infidel age.
Prayer.
O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.
Fourteenth Day.
The true Christian must not only profess the faith, but also the laws of Christ. He is anxious to observe them exactly and to observe them all, knowing that he is guilty of damnation who violates the law in one important point. This law bids us to love all men as fellow creatures, to love our relatives, our country, but above all, and before all, we must love God, the Author of our being, the great loving Father of heaven. The honor of God is the very first duty of man, who as a rational being knows God and His infinite goodness; we wish to serve Him as His subjects, render Him the homage due to His immensity, a worship which our infinite littleness renders to God. Never profane the word of God yourself, and prevent curses and oaths in others as far as possible. By acts of praise and benediction let us repair the offences against God when we cannot prevent them. At least pray for those who use the name of God in vain, and thus endeavor to ward off from them the eternal punishment due to that wicked practice.
Prayer.
O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.
Fifteenth Day.
Contribute your share towards the glorification of the name of God, by observing the Sundays and festivals of the Church. God has expressly reserved these days to Himself, and has pointed them out by the authority of the Church. In the Old and in the New Law, God has had days of rest and of religious practices; and for the observances of these He has promised publicly that there should be many rewards. Every good, God‐fearing man will give a just tribute of respect to God, because God wills it, and because he is looking for some benefit from God. Abstain then from servile works on those days, no matter what temporal gains may be expected, and be careful that others, too, keep holy the Sabbath of the Lord, particularly those who are intrusted to your care and command. Do not have work done on Sunday, and allow none to be done about your premises.
Prayer.
O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.
Sixteenth Day.
Respect your parents, superiors, and masters, and all those who hold positions of trust towards you. They hold the authority of God, and he who despises them despises God Himself. Honor and respect those superiors as representatives of God, and obey them in all things that are not against His law; and so we come to that great second commandment, which is like unto the first: “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” We should do unto others as we would wish that others should do unto us; that is, we should look upon one another as children of one great family, of which God is the heavenly Father. “By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love one for another,” not showing this love through politeness only, but through a real, downright feeling of interest in others, and without a selfish regard of our own interests. Try to perform spiritual and corporal works of mercy for your neighbor.
Prayer.
O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.
Seventeenth Day.
In all your intercourse with others respect their persons and property; do not look for unjust gains; be faithful to your bargains and contracts; never look to your own selfish interests solely. Never speak ill of anybody, nor circulate detractions, nor reveal secrets and defects that might lessen the esteem in which any one is held; excuse the faults of others, and find some excuse for the intention with which even an evil action is committed. We are all temples of the Holy Ghost, sanctified and ennobled by the blood of Christ. We are the dwellings of the Holy Trinity, called to a heavenly inheritance. Do not desecrate this sacred temple by impurity; guard against impure thoughts and immodest desires, flee from dangerous occasions. Avoid foolishly pursuing the luxuries and vanities of the world, improper company, and bad conversation. Do not enter theatres or places of amusement where your morals are endangered, and from which you carry nothing but pictures of immoral objects. Arm yourself most effectually against the approach of evil by the powerful shield of prayer, and walk in the presence of God.
Prayer.
O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.
Eighteenth Day.
So far we have considered the law of God practically interpreted in our every‐day life; let us go still further and endeavor to learn the laws of the Church, for the Lord has said: “He that heareth you, heareth Me; and he that despiseth you despiseth Me,” and “If he will not hear the Church let him be to thee as the heathen and publican.” On Sundays and holydays of obligation, we ought to hear Mass. We should observe the feasts of the Church and the restriction from flesh meat on Fridays and other days of abstinence. Remember that these little acts of mortification are a great benefit to us, since the Lord has commanded, “That we should bring forth fruits worthy of penance.” Make your Easter duty, for the Church has laid down the law that you should fulfil those duties, not from routine or human respect, but with the knowledge of the needs of your soul.
Prayer.
O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.
Nineteenth Day.
What an exalted opinion we should have of Christian piety! It inspires the Christian man and woman with lofty ideas, and prepares them for noble undertakings. These lessons of piety should be planted early in the hearts of the young, that they may take root and grow up to a magnificent fruit of mature virtue. Serve God as a loving and dutiful child, cherish a great devotion to the Blessed Virgin, and have recourse to her in all your wants, being sure that all your petitions will meet with a ready and hearty response. Never forget these three truths, which should be the main considerations of the true Christian on every occasion: First, That sin is the only evil which should be feared; Second, The grace of God is the real good for which we should strive with all our heart; Third, The salvation of the soul is the all‐important business of our lives, for which we were created, and which should be looked after with that care which it deserves.
Prayer.
O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.
Twentieth Day.
The husband, as head of the family, owes to his wife fidelity, love, and support. Fidelity is that constancy of affection which he has promised at his marriage, and which must be preserved inviolable until death; it means that purity of soul and body which will not permit itself to be degraded by impurity and adultery. Conjugal fidelity is a great and holy duty, in which matrimony is held sacred. There you find peace, happiness, and the blessing of almighty God. Our Lord was very stringent upon this point, for He says: “Whosoever shall look on a woman to lust after her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart.”—Matt. v. 28. Whosoever then commits adultery transgresses a most important divine commandment. In the Old Law this crime was punished by stoning the guilty person to death, and in the primitive Church by a severe public penance of many years’ duration. What fidelity does not the husband demand of the wife! With the same strictness is he obliged to be faithful to her whom he has chosen as his life companion.
Prayer.
O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.
Twenty‐first Day.
The second duty of the husband and wife is conjugal love. The word conjugal means joined together, because husband and wife are united to bear the same burden. The Apostle says: “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ also loved the Church, and delivered Himself up for it.”—Ephes. v. 25. Husband and wife are individuals whom God has joined in inseparable companionship. The greatest bond between mankind, and the sweetest one, is conjugal love, of which we are thinking on this day consecrated to the Holy Family. Keep this great duty before your eyes and never forget it, for it is easily destroyed. It is from that love, too, that should spring your children, who are to grow up to take your place in the Church and the State. These children you are to bring up in the fear and love of God, faithful to the Church and their fatherland. A tremendous responsibility!
Prayer.
O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.
Twenty‐second Day.
The husband is the main worker in the family, so that his duty is to provide for his family by his industry and economy. He must look for employment and strive to keep it, so as to have a never‐failing source of income, by which his people may live in comparative comfort. There are husbands who will allow their wives and children to work, while they themselves live idle lives, which is the fashion of the untutored Indian. Not only must the husband work, but he must live in economy, and not throw his money away foolishly in gaming or in drunkenness. The most frequent cause of a husband and father’s failure to provide for his family is drunkenness. Drunkenness causes woe, sin, sorrow and shame. Drunkenness besots the mind, and makes of an intelligent being a brute in his passions, and a fool in his actions; it extinguishes the spirit of God in him, all sentiments of religion are lost, the Church of God is despised and disgraced. Drunkenness does as much harm as the greatest vices, bringing ruin with it whenever indulged in.
Prayer.
O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.
Twenty‐third Day.
The husband has to share the care of the children and he should look after the instruction of the child. Children are a great treasure, worth more than all the wealth of the world. The Lord said of them to the apostles: “Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.” And why is the Lord so anxious for the welfare of the innocent child? Because it is a weak human being, unable to help itself, destined for heaven, redeemed by the blood of Jesus, and a temple of the Holy Ghost, more fitted to be such on account of the purity of its soul. Now the care of this child is given to the father and the mother, under whose care it is to grow up a true Christian, an exemplary member of the Church of God; to live on until it has fulfilled its days and the duties of its state of life, when, like yourself, having come to the fulness of maturity, it is gathered in to render an account of its life work to almighty God. The success of the child’s life depends chiefly on the manner in which its parents fulfil their duty.
Prayer.
O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.
Twenty‐fourth Day.
In what special duties are you to instruct your children? First of all, let the young children learn early to pray, make them think of God, speak to them of His love for mankind, teach them to adore Him, because He has created them, to thank Him for all His benefits which flow to them so abundantly, to ask Him with confidence for all the graces that they need. Correct the children for their faults: Lying, stealing, cursing, stubbornness, disobedience, fighting, and cruelty. Have an eye very early on their morals, for little children learn to do wicked things, by which they lose the love and grace of God. Be not a tyrant, but a sensible, religious father or mother, and see to it that the children are free from these vices. Give them no bad example, especially by using profanity, or by getting intoxicated. All this presupposes perpetual vigilance; remember you will have to render a strict account of these things before God.
Prayer.
O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.
Twenty‐fifth Day.
Having considered the husband’s duties, we must now look at the duty of a wife. The Scriptures say of the wife: “A good wife is a good portion; she shall be given in the portion of them that fear God, to a man for his good deeds.”—Eccles. xxvi. 3. There is nothing in the whole world more precious than a good wife. “A wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish will pull down with her hands that also which is built.”—Prov. xiv. 1. A wife must love her husband, and she owes him the most scrupulous fidelity; if the first duty of the husband is to love his wife, so also is there a corresponding duty to return that love. She must be patient with him when he comes home murmuring against his fate; she must make the home agreeable to him by cleanliness and cheerfulness. She must bear the burdens of this life with her husband, and encourage him, that he may not be despondent. The wife must be sober, not given to scolding and fault‐finding. “Let women be subject to their husbands, as to the Lord; because the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the Church.”—Ephes. v. 22.
Prayer.
O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.
Twenty‐sixth Day.
The conscientious observance of the marriage vows is to be a supreme law to the wife. Purity must be the virtue principally looked to in marriage, according to the laws of the Sacrament of Matrimony; the wife’s motto must be that of Susanna of old, who said: “I will rather die than sin before God.” The wife owes her husband a compliance at least to his wishes; not exactly an abject obedience, but that the husband and wife consult with each other, and that she comply in all lawful and sensible things. This subjection is founded on the Scriptures. God Himself said to Eve, “Thou shalt be under thy husband’s power, and he shall have dominion over thee” (Gen. iii. 16), and St. Paul declares, “Let women be subject to their husbands as to the Lord.”—Ephes. v. 22. The loving, true, and obedient wife exerts an unbounded influence for good over her husband. She will make him great in the eyes of men, she will make him respectable and presentable in society; in short, she will make the married life a truly happy one from beginning to end.
Prayer.
O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.
Twenty‐seventh Day.
The wife has a sublime calling to be a mother. What is more beautiful than motherhood? what is more useful to the new‐born humanity than the mother? All the world recognizes her dignity, and respects her. A Christian mother will consider the child a gift from God, which though given to her, still belongs to God; hers is the first care of the newly‐born infant, her care and love will not relax for all time to come. She is always the mother. Have the child presented for Baptism at the very earliest moment; if it be in danger of death see that it receives private baptism. Then start out in patience and kindness to rear it, giving it a secular but above all a religious training, as the child must be prepared to take its place as a good member of society and of the Church. Hence prayers must be taught, and care must be taken that they are recited with piety and regularity; the dogmas of the Church must be impressed on the child. At home it has to learn all that pertains to the spiritual life of the holy Roman Catholic Church, of which it is a member. Secular learning must be imparted, too, as much as possible in schools belonging to the Church, so that the very best education may be secured for the child.
Prayer.
O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.
Twenty‐eighth Day.
The mother must watch over the children, and be very careful of the company they keep. She must see that prayers are said morning and night, before and after meals, that they go regularly to church on Sundays, and to school every day. When they are able to go to work, give them an occupation so that they will not be idle. Keep a vigilant eye on your grown‐up sons and daughters. They are forming acquaintances which perhaps are not good for them; their associations may not be the best. Unrestricted, unobserved meetings should not be allowed, for they excite the passions. When the time of their marriage comes, pray to almighty God that they may find such partners as will be a help to them for the rest of their lives, and lead them on in sanctity to their eternal salvation. As you have been a good mother to your children, they will respect your memory, will pray for you when you are gone, and will imitate your virtues. The memory of a good mother lives forever.
Prayer.
O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.
Twenty‐ninth Day.
The principal feast during the month of February is the feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin, or Candlemas. On that day Mary goes to the Temple, because the days of her purification are over. For forty days she was excluded from the Temple as being impure. Mary, as we know, was holy and good, and did not need to subject herself to the Law of Moses; but she was obedient and permitted herself to be regarded as an ordinary woman. There in the Temple she presented her first‐born Son to God. He belongs to God already, He is God; He is the victim by whose atonement a permanent reconciliation is effected between God and man. The gates of heaven are opened, and the places made vacant by the fall of the angels are to be filled. Mary brings with her the offering of the poor, a pair of turtle‐doves as a ransom. God has accepted the sacrifice of His divine Son, made for Him by His holy Mother. O holy Virgin! do thou also make propitiation to the Father for us poor sinners, that we may be acceptable to God, may belong to God, and may spend our lives in His service.
Prayer.
O most loving Jesus, etc., etc.
Litany of the Holy Family.
(_For Private Devotion Only._)
Lord, have mercy on us. _Lord, have mercy on us._ Christ, have mercy on us. _Christ, have mercy on us._ Lord, have mercy on us. _Lord, have mercy on us._ Christ, hear us. _Christ, graciously hear us._ God, the Father of heaven, _Have mercy on us_. God, the Son, Redeemer of the world, _Have mercy on us_. God, the Holy Ghost, _Have mercy on us_. Holy Trinity, one God, _Have mercy on us_. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, _Have mercy on us_. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, worthy subjects of our reverence and love, _We all have recourse to you._ Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, by the voice of the ages called the Holy Family, _We all have recourse to you._ Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, names forever blessed, of the father, the Mother, and the Child, who compose the Holy Family, _We all have recourse to you._ Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, pure husband, pure spouse, and divine Child, restorers of the family, degraded before Christianity, _We all have recourse to you._ Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, image of the august Trinity on earth, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, whose chaste union was prepared for by an innocent and virtuous youth, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, tried by great contradictions, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, afflicted in the journey to Bethlehem, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, repulsed by all, and forced to take refuge in a stable, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, greeted by the concert of angels, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, visited by the poor shepherds, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, extolled by holy Simeon, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, persecuted and exiled to a strange land, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, hidden and unknown at Nazareth, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, faithful to the law of God, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, model of the Christian family, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, in which reign peace and concord, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, whose head is a model of paternal vigilance, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, whose spouse is a model of maternal solicitude, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, whose Child is a model of obedience and filial piety, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, who led a poor, laborious, and penitent life, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, who earned your bread by the sweat of your brow, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, poor in goods of the earth, but rich in goods of heaven, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, despised by men, but great in God’s eyes, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, our support during life and our hope at the hour of our death, _We all have recourse to you._ Holy Family, patron and protector of our associates, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, _We all have recourse to you._ Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, _Spare us, O Lord_! Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, _Graciously hear us, O Lord_! Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, _Have mercy on us, O Lord_! Jesus, hear us. _Jesus, graciously hear us._
_Let Us Pray._
O God of goodness and mercy, Who hast vouchsafed to call us to this pious association of the Holy Family, grant us the grace always to honor and imitate Jesus, Mary, and Joseph; that having pleased them on earth we may enjoy their company forever in heaven. Through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.
Memorare To Mary.
Remember, O most loving Virgin Mary! that no one ever had recourse to thy protection, implored thy aid, or sought thy mediation without obtaining relief. Confiding, therefore, in thy goodness and mercy, we cast ourselves at thy sacred feet, and do most humbly supplicate thee, O Mother of the Eternal Word! to adopt us as thy children and to take upon thyself the care of our salvation. O let it not be said, our dearest Mother, that we have perished, where no one ever found but mercy, grace, and salvation. Amen.
Form Of Renewing The Baptismal Vows.