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               An Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism  

                        of Christian Doctrine             

                            For The Use of                

              Sunday-School Teachers and Advanced Classes 

               (Also known as Baltimore Catechism No. 4)  

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                                   by

 

                         Rev. Thomas L. Kinkead

 

 

                           Table of Contents

 

                              APPROBATIONS

 

His Eminence Cardinal Gibbons

Most Rev. M. A. Corrigan, D.D., Archbishop of New York

Most Rev. William Henry Elder, D.D., Archbishop of Cincinnati

Most Rev. Thomas L. Grace, D.D., Archbishop of Siunia

Most Rev. P.J. Ryan, D.D., Archbishop of Philadelphia

Most Rev. William J. Walsh, D.D., Archbishop of Dublin, Primate of Ireland

Right Rev. D.M. Bradley, D.D., Bishop of Manchester

Right Rev. Thomas F Brennan, D.D., Bishop of Dallas

Right Rev. M.E. Burke, D.D., Bishop of Cheyenne

Right Rev. L. De Goesbriand, D.D., Bishop of Burlington

Right Rev. John Foley, D.D., Bishop of Detroit

Right Rev. H. Gabriels, D.D., Bishop-elect of Ogdensburg

Right Rev. N.A. Gallagher, D.D., Bishop of Galveston

Right Rev. Leo Haid, O.S.B., D.D., Vicar Apostolic of North Carolina

Right Rev. John J Hennessy, D.D. Bishop of Wichita

Right Rev. A. Junger, D.D., Bishop of Nesqually

Right Rev. John J Keane, D.D., Rector of the Catholic University, Washington

Right Rev. W.G. McCloskey, D.D., Bishop of Louisville

Right Rev. James McGolrick, D.D., Bishop of Duluth

Right Rev. Camillus P Maes, D.D., Bishop of Covington

Right Rev. C.E. McDonnell, D.D., Bishop-elect of Brooklyn

Right Rev. R Manogue, D.D., Bishop of Sacramento

Right Rev. Tobias Mullen, D.D., Bishop of Erie

Right Rev. H.P. Northrop, D.D., Bishop of Charleston

Right Rev. Henry Joseph Richter, D.D., Bishop of Grand Rapids

Right Rev. S.V. Ryan, D.D., Bishop of Buffalo

Right Rev. L. Scanlan, D.D., Bishop of Salt Lake

 

An Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism

 

 

                        The Lessons of the Catechism

 

LESSON  1:  ON THE END OF MAN

LESSON  2:  ON GOD AND HIS PERFECTIONS

LESSON  3:  ON THE UNITY AND TRINITY OF GOD

LESSON  4:  ON CREATION

LESSON  5:  ON OUR FIRST PARENTS AND THEIR FALL

LESSON  6:  ON SIN AND ITS KINDS

LESSON  7:  ON THE INCARNATION AND REDEMPTION

LESSON  8:  ON OUR LORD'S PASSION, DEATH, RESURRECTION, AND ASCENSION

LESSON  9:  ON THE HOLY GHOST AND HIS DESCENT UPON THE APOSTLES

LESSON 10:  ON THE EFFECTS OF THE REDEMPTION

LESSON 11:  ON THE CHURCH

LESSON 12:  ON THE ATTRIBUTES AND MARKS OF THE CHURCH

LESSON 13:  ON THE SACRAMENTS IN GENERAL

LESSON 14:  ON BAPTISM

LESSON 15:  ON CONFIRMATION

LESSON 16:  ON THE GIFTS AND FRUITS OF THE HOLY GHOST

LESSON 17:  ON THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE

LESSON 18:  ON CONTRITION

LESSON 19:  ON CONFESSION

LESSON 20:  ON THE MANNER OF MAKING A GOOD CONFESSION

LESSON 21:  ON INDULGENCES

LESSON 22:  ON THE HOLY EUCHARIST

LESSON 23:  ON THE END FOR WHICH THE HOLY EUCHARIST WAS INSTITUTED

LESSON 24:  ON THE SACRIFICE OF THE MASS

LESSON 25:  ON EXTREME UNCTION AND HOLY ORDERS

LESSON 26:  ON MATRIMONY

LESSON 27:  ON THE SACRAMENTALS

LESSON 28:  ON PRAYER

LESSON 29:  ON THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD

LESSON 30:  ON THE FIRST COMMANDMENT SAINTS

LESSON 31:  THE FIRST COMMANDMENT -- ON THE HONOR AND INVOCATION OF SAINTS

LESSON 32:  FROM THE SECOND TO THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT

LESSON 33:  FROM THE FOURTH TO THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT

LESSON 34:  FROM THE SEVENTH TO THE END OF THE TENTH COMMANDMENT

LESSON 35:  ON THE FIRST AND SECOND COMMANDMENTS OF THE CHURCH

LESSON 36:  ON THE THIRD, FOURTH, FIFTH, AND SIXTH COMMANDMENTS OF THE CHURCH AND HEAVEN

LESSON 37:  ON THE LAST JUDGMENT AND THE RESURRECTION, HELL, PURGATORY, AND HEAVEN

 

 

 

Nihil Obstat:  D.J. McMahon

               Censor Librorum

 

Imprimatur:   *Michael Augustine

               Archbishop of New York

               New York, September 5, 1891

 

Nihil Obstat:  Arthur J. Scanlan, STD

               Censor Librorum

 

Imprimatur:    *Patrick J. Hayes, D.D.

               Archbishop of New York

               New York, June 29, 1921

 

                              APPROBATIONS

 

His Eminence Cardinal Gibbons:  "I thank you for the copy of The Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism which has just reached me.  A Religious spoke to me in very high terms of your book.  I regard the opinion as of great value."

 

Most Rev. M.A. Corrigan, D.D., Archbishop of New York:  "I congratulate you on the good which it is likely to do."

 

Most Rev. William Henry Elder, D.D., Archbishop of Cincinnati:  "I think the work will be a very serviceable one.  I hope it will meet with great success."

 

Most Rev. Thomas L. Grace, D.D., Archbishop of Siunia:  "Your book entitled An Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism supplies a want which is generally felt by the clergy and others engaged in teaching Catechism.  Apart from the very satisfactory development of the answers to the questions and apt illustrations of the subjects treated, the additional questions inserted in your book give it a special value."

 

Most Rev. P.J.Ryan, D.D., Archbishop of Philadelphia:  "Your explanation of the Baltimore Catechism is excellent and must be of very great service to teachers of Sunday schools and to all who desire a clear exposition of Catholic doctrine, either for themselves or to communicate it to others.  We give the work our cordial approval."

 

Most Rev. William J. Walsh, D.D., Archbishop of Dublin, Primate of Ireland:  "I have had a copy of your admirable work for some weeks past, and on several points it has been of very great use to me and to the committee [a committee of professors of theology, moral as well as dogmatic; priests of long and of wide experience in the work of instructing children in the Catechism; experienced examiners of children; accomplished scholars and writers of English; members both of religious and of secular collegiate communities; and representatives of the missionary priesthood, secular and regular, appointed to draft a new Catechism]."

 

Right Rev. D.M. Bradley, D.D., Bishop of Manchester:  "I am sure this 'Explanation' will be welcomed by the teachers in our schools and indeed by all whose duty it may be to instruct others in the teachings of the Church."

 

Right Rev. Thomas F. Brennan, D.D., Bishop of Dallas:  "I like the book very much and will not only recommend it to the priests and good sisters of my diocese, but will also use it myself at catechism every Sunday in the Cathedral.  The list of questions and general index render its use very easy."

 

Right Rev. M.E. Burke, D.D., Bishop of Cheyenne:  "Your Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism is excellent, and it supplies a much needed means of useful and necessary catechetical instruction for our Sunday schools.  It will be found an excellent textbook for Catholic schools and academies throughout the country and a most useful manual for all who are engaged in the instruction of our children."

 

Right Rev. L. De Goesbriand, D.D., Bishop of Burlington:  "I consider your book, the Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism, as an admirable work.  Nothing can be found more clear, more satisfactory."

 

Right Rev. John Foley, D.D., Bishop of Detroit:  "I congratulate you upon producing a work so useful to those having charge of souls in such clear, concise, and instructive a style.  I shall gladly commend it to the Rev.  Clergy."

 

Right Rev. H. Gabriels, D.D., Bishop-elect of Ogdensburg:  "Your book will furnish solid material to priests who wish to preach at low Masses the catechetical instructions prescribed by the council of Baltimore A rapid perusal of some of its pages has convinced me that it is just what was often looked for in vain in this important branch of the holy ministry"

 

Right Rev. N.A. Gallagher, D.D., Bishop of Galveston:  "Having read your Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism, I wish to say that it is in my opinion a very useful book for priests as well as for teachers; and that it is a valuable book to place in the hands of those who wish to become acquainted with the teachings of Holy Church.  I have just ordered ten copies from the Publishers for my own distribution"

 

Right Rev. Leo Haid, O.S.B., D.D., Vicar Apostolic of North Carolina:  "I am very glad you gave us such a sensible, simple, and complete explanation of the Baltimore Catechism.  I wish it were in the hands of every teacher of Christian doctrine.  In this Vicariate, where priests are few, and often obliged to receive converts into the Church without that thorough instruction which resident pastors can give, your book will be hailed with joy.  I will do my utmost to make it known.  Please send me one dozen copies:'

 

Right Rev. John J Hennessy, D.D. Bishop of Wichita:  "From what I have seen of your book I am delighted with the method which you have adopted for explanation.  It makes the Catechism easy and interesting to both teacher and pupil.  I shall heartily recommend your book to our clergy for introduction into our schools."

 

Right Rev. A. Junger, D.D., Bishop of Nesqually:  "I am sure your work will not fail to obtain its object.  There is not the least doubt that it will be of the greatest and best use for Sunday school teachers and advanced classes who will make use of it, and to whom we highly recommend it.  Such a work was needed, as our Baltimore Catechism does not and cannot contain all the necessary explanations."

 

Right Rev. John J. Keane, D.D., Rector of the Catholic University, Washington:  "The character of the work speaks for itself."

 

Right Rev. W.G. McCloskey, D.D., Bishop of Louisville:  "What I have already seen of it gives me the impression that it is a meritorious work which ought to be encouraged."

 

Right Rev. James McGolrick, D.D., Bishop of Duluth:  "I think you have prepared a thoroughly practical work in your Explanation of the Baftimore Catechism.  You have in well selected and plain English enabled teachers to give useful lessons from the text itself without the need of resort to other books.  Your book will find its way to the desk of every Catholic teacher, and we hope to the home of every Catholic family.  I am glad you marked the Scripture references, for the higher classes after Confirmation can unite their Scripture lessons with such study of your book as to prepare themselves for teaching.  Your series of questions and good index are certainly very useful."

 

Right Rev. Camillus P. Maes, D.D., Bishop of Covington:  "I have examined your Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism on some of the most important points of doctrine and morals.  I find its teachings sound, and the manner of presenting them practical.  I take pleasure in commending your book to priests and teachers, and in congratulating you for having bestowed so much time on the greatest of all pastoral work:  viz:  giving children a thorough and sound knowledge of Holy Church and of her divine teachings"

 

Right Rev. C. E. McDonnell, D.D., Bishop-elect of Brooklyn:  "I beg you to accept my hearty congratulations."

 

Right Rev. R. Manogue, D.D., Bishop of Sacramento:  "We have ponderous works from distinguished authors on the Catechism in general, but yours-An Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism --is the simplest, most concise, most natural and instructive I have yet encountered. It is good not only for advanced pupils, teachers, preachers and priests, but also for the sacred precincts of every Catholic family."

 

Right Rev. Tobias Mullen, D.D., Bishop of Erie:  "Your book appears to me a very meritorious production.  In your preface you observe it has been designed for the use of Sunday school teachers and that it 'should do good in any Catholic family' I think you might have added that any clergyman having the care of souls, whether giving private instructions or preparing for the pulpit, would derive great benefits from its perusal"

 

Right Rev. H.P. Northrop, D.D., Bishop of Charleston:  "The Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism, plain and practical, clear and comprehensive, was a work very much needed.  From a general examination, I think you have done your work well, and you deserve the thanks of all teachers of catechism and those who have charge of our schools.  You have simplified the work of the teacher by putting in his hand such a ready handbook and commentary on the text he is supposed to explain.  If they do what they expect their pupils to do--study the lesson--with such a help as you have furnished them, the work of the Sunday school will be much more satisfactory.  I hope the hearty appreciation of those for whom you have labored will crown your work with abundant success."

 

Right Rev. Henry Joseph Richter, D.D., Bishop of Grand Rapids:  " The aim of your book is excellent.  To judge from the portions which I have read, your labor has been successful.  I recommend the book to all Catholic adults, but especially to teachers and converts, as a convenient handbook of appropriate, plain, and solid instructions on the doctrine of the Catholic Church!'

 

Right Rev. S.V Ryan, D.D., Bishop of Buffalo:  "I think your work fully meets all you claim for it.  It will serve as a good textbook for an advanced catechism class, and a very useful handbook for catechists in instructing converts or our own people what they should know and what they are bound to believe in regard to our holy faith.  The book will, I think, do good in any Catholic family."

 

Right Rev. L. Scanlan, D.D., Bishop of Salt Lake:  "I consider it a most useful if not necessary book, not only for Sunday school teachers and for advanced classes, but for all who may desire to have a clear, definite knowledge of Christian doctrine."

 

 

                                 PREFACE

 

     It must be evident to all who have had experience in the work of our Sunday schools that much time is wasted in the classes.  Many teachers do little more than mark the attendance and hear the lessons; this being done, time hangs heavily on their hands till the school is dismissed.  They do not or cannot explain what they are teaching, and the children have no interest in the study.

     The Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism is intended for their use. The explanations are full and simple.  The examples are taken from Holy Scripture, from the parables of Our Lord, from incidents in His life, and from the customs and manners of the people of His time.  These are made applicable to our daily lives in reflections and exhortations.

     The plan of the book makes it very simple and handy.  The Catechism is complete and distinct in itself, and may be used with or without the explanations.  The teacher is supposed, after hearing the lesson, to read the explanation of the new lesson as far as time will allow.  It may be read just as it is, or may be learned by the teacher and given to the children in substance.

     The Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism will be found very useful also for the instruction of adults and converts.  The priest on the mission is often called upon to instruct persons who can come to him but seldom, and only for a short time; and who, moreover, are incapable of using with profit such books as The Faith of Our Fathers, Catholic Belief, or works of controversy.  They are simply able to use the Child's Catechism when explained to them.  If the Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism is in their hands, they may read the explanations and study the Catechism with pleasure.

     Indeed the book should do good in any Catholic family.  The majority of our people are children as far as their religious knowledge goes.  They may, it is true, have books on particular subjects, such as the Duties of Parents to Their Children, The Sure Way to a Happy Marriage, etc.; but a book that explains to them in the simplest manner all the truths of their religion, and applies the same to their daily lives, ought to be useful.

     The chief aim of the book is to be practical, and to teach Catholics what they should know, and how these truths of their Catechism are constantly coming up in the performance of their everyday duties.  It is therefore neither a book of devotion nor of controversy, though it covers the ground of both.  As in this book the explanations are interrupted by the questions and answers of the Catechism proper, it will, it is hoped, be read with more pleasure than a book giving solid page after page of instructions.

     Wherever a fact is mentioned as being taken from Holy Scripture, it will generally be given in substance and not in the exact text; though the reference will always be given, so that those wishing may read it as it is in the Holy Scripture.  The children are not supposed to memorize the explanation as they do the Catechism itself, yet the teacher, having once read it to them, should ask questions on it.  The book may be used as a textbook or catechism for the more advanced classes, and the complete list of numbered questions on the explanations--given at the end--will render it very serviceable for that purpose.

     As the same subject often occurs in different parts of the Catechism, explanations already given may sometimes be repeated.  This is done either to show the connection between the different parts of the Catechism, or to impress the explanation more deeply on the minds of the children, or to save the teacher the trouble of always turning back to preceding explanations.  The numbering of the questions and answers throughout the Catechism, and the complete index of subjects and list of questions at the end, will, it is hoped, make these comparisons and references easy, and the book itself useful.

     With the hope, then, that the Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism may do all the good intended, I commend it to all who desire a fuller knowledge of their holy religion that they may practice it more faithfully.

 

                                    Rev.  Thomas L. Kinkead

                                    June 21, 1891,

                                    Feast of St. Aloysius

 

 

 

                         Basic Catholic Prayers

 

 

                            THE LORD'S PRAYER

 

     Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come.  Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

 

     This is the most beautiful and best of all prayers, because Our Lord Himself made it. (Matt. 6:9; Luke 11:2).  One day when He was praying and explaining to His Apostles the great advantages of prayer, one of them said to Him:  "Lord, teach us to pray." Then Jesus taught them this prayer.  It contains everything we need or could ask for.  We cannot see its full meaning at once. The more we think over it, the more clearly we understand it.  We could write whole pages on almost every word, and still not say all that could be said about this prayer.  It is called "the Lord's," because He made it, and sometimes the "Our Father," from the first words.

     We say "Our," to show that we are all brethren, and that God is the Father of us all, and therefore we pray not for ourselves alone but for all God's children.

     We say "Father," because God really is our Father.  We do not mean here by Father the First Person of the Blessed Trinity, but the Blessed Trinity itself-one God.  What does a father do for his children?  He gives them their natural existence, provides them with food and clothing, teaches, protects, and loves them, shares with them all that he has, and when he dies leaves them his possessions.  Now, in all these ways, and in a much truer sense, God is our Father.  He created us and gives us all that is necessary to sustain life.  He gives light, heat, and air, without any one of which we could not live.  He provides for us also food and clothing, and long before we need or even think of these things God is thinking of them.  Did you ever reflect upon just how much time and trouble it costs to produce for you even one potato, of which you think so little?  About two years before you need that potato, God puts it into the mind of the farmer to save the seed that he may plant it the following year.  In the proper season he prepares the ground with great care and plants the seed.  Then God sends His sunlight and rain to make it grow, but the farmer's work is not yet ended:  he must continue to keep the soil in good condition and clear away the weeds.  In due time the potato is taken from the ground, brought to the market, carried to your house, cooked and placed before you.  You take it without even thinking, perhaps, of all this trouble, or thanking God for His goodness.  This is only one article of food, and the same may be said of all the rest.  Your clothing is provided for you long before you need it. The little lamb upon whose back the wool is growing, from which your coat is someday to be made, is even now far away on some mountain, growing stronger with the food God gives it till you need its wool.  The little pieces of coal, too, that you so carelessly throw upon the fire were formed deep down in the earth hundreds of years ago.  God produces all you use, because He foresees and knows you will use it.  Moreover He protects us from danger; He teaches us by the voice of our conscience and the ministers of His Church, our priests and bishops.  He loves us too, as we may learn from all that He does for us, and from the many times He forgives us our sins.  He shares what He possesses with us.  He has given us understanding and a free will resembling His own.  He has given us immortality, i.e., when once He has created us, we shall exist as long as Himself-that is, forever.  When Our Lord died on the Cross, He left us His many possessions-His graces and merits, the holy Sacraments, and Heaven itself.

     It is surely, then, just and right to call God Father.  Our natural fathers give us only what they, themselves, get from God.  So even what they give us also comes from Him.

     Before the time of Our Lord, the people in prayer did not call God Father. They feared Him more than they loved Him.  When He spoke to them-as He did when He gave the Commandments to Moses-it was in thunder, lightning, and smoke. (Ex. 19 ). They looked upon God as a great and terrible king who would destroy them for their sins.  He sent the deluge on account of sin, and He destroyed the wicked city of Sodom with fire from Heaven. (Gen. 7:19). They called Him Jehovah, and were afraid sometimes even to pronounce His name. But Our Lord taught that God, besides being a great and powerful king-the Ruler of the universe and Lord of all things-is also a kind and good Father, who wishes His children not to offend Him because they love Him rather than because they fear Him, and therefore He taught His disciples and all Christians to call God by the sweet name of Father.

     "Who art in Heaven." The Catechism says God is everywhere.  Why then do we say, "Who art in Heaven," as if He were noplace else?  We say so to remind us, first, that Heaven is our true home, and that this world is only a strange land in which we are staying for a while to do the work that God wishes us to do here, and then return to our own home; second, that in Heaven we shall see God face to face and as He is; third, that Heaven is the place where God will be for all eternity with the blessed.

     "Hallowed:" means made holy or sacred.  Halloween is the name given to the evening before the feast of All Hallows or All Saints.

     "Thy kingdom come:" This petition contains a great deal more than we at first see in it.  In it we ask that God may reign in our hearts and in the hearts of all men by His grace in this life, and that we and all men may attain our eternal salvation, and thus be brought to reign forever with God in Heaven-the kingdom of His glory. As the Church on earth is frequently called the kingdom of Christ, and as all the labors of the Church are directed to the salvation of souls, we pray also in this petition that the Church may be extended upon earth, that the true religion may be spread over the whole world, that all men may know and serve the true God and cheerfully obey His holy laws; that the devil may have no dominion over them.  While saying this petition we may have it in our minds to pray even for particular ways in which the true religion can be spread; for example, by praying that the missionaries may meet with success and all the missions prosper; that priests and bishops may be ordained to preach the Gospel; that the Church may overcome all her enemies everywhere, and the true religion triumph.

     "Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven:" In Heaven all the angels and saints obey God perfectly; they never offend Him; so we pray that it may be on earth as it is in Heaven, all men doing God's will, observing His laws and the laws of His Church, and living without sin.

     "Give us this day our daily bread:" In this petition "bread" means not merely bread, but everything we need for our daily lives; such as food, clothing, light, heat, air, and the like; also food for the soul, i.e., grace.  If a beggar told you that he had not tasted bread for the whole day, you would never think of asking him if he had eaten any cake, because you would understand by his word bread all kinds of food.  We say "daily," to teach us not to be greedy or too careful about ourselves, and not to ask for unnecessary things, but to pray for what we need for our present wants.

     "And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us:" "Trespasses" means here our sins, our offenses against God.  When we trespass we enter places we should not, or where we are forbidden to go.  So when we sin we go where we should not go, viz., out of the path of virtue that leads to God, and into the way of vice that leads to the devil.

     "As we forgive them:" We take this to mean:  we forgive others who have offended us, and for that reason, God, You should forgive us who have offended You.  Our Lord told a beautiful parable, ie., a story by way of illustration, to explain this. (Matt. 18:23).  A very rich man had a servant who owed him a large sum of money.  One day the master asked the servant for the money, and the poor servant had none to give.  Now the law of the country was, that when anyone could not pay his debts, all that he had could be sold and the money given to the one to whom it was due, and if that was not sufficient, he and his wife and his children could be sold as slaves.  The servant, knowing this, fell on his knees and begged his master to be patient with him, and to give him time and he would pay all.  Then his master was moved to pity, granted not only what he asked, but freed him from the debt altogether.  Afterwards when this servant, who had just been forgiven the large sum, was going out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a very small sum of money, and taking hold of him by the throat, demanded payment.  Now, this poor servant, having nothing to give just then, implored his assailant to be patient with him and he would pay all.  But the hard-hearted servant-though he himself had a little while before asked and obtained the very same favor from his own master-would not listen to the request or wait longer, but went and had his fellow servant cast into prison till he should pay the debt.  The other servants, seeing how unforgiving this man was who had himself been forgiven, went and told all to their master, and he, being angry at such conduct, had the unforgiving servant brought back and cast into prison.

     "And lead us not into temptation:" "Temptation" means a trial to see whether we will do a thing or not.  Here it means a trial made by some person or thing-the devil, the world, or our own flesh-to see whether we will sin or not.  God does not exactly lead us into temptation; but He allows us to fall into it.  He allows others to tempt us. We can overcome any temptation to sin by the help or grace that God gives us. Therefore we ask in this petition that God will always give us the grace to overcome the temptation, and that we may not consent to it.  A temptation is not a sin.  It becomes sin only when we are overcome by it.  When we are tempted we are like soldiers fighting a battle:  if the soldiers are conquered by their enemy, they are disgraced; but if they conquer their enemy, they have great glory and great rewards.  So, when we overcome temptations, God gives us a new glory and reward for every victory.

     "Deliver us from evil:" From every kind of evil, and especially the evil of being conquered by our spiritual enemies, and thus falling into sin, and offending God by becoming His enemy ourselves.  It would be a sin to seek temptation,. though we have a reward for resisting it when it comes.

     "Amen:" means, be it so.  May all we have asked be granted just as we have asked it

 

 

                           THE ANGELICAL SALUTATION

 

     Hail, Mary, full of grace! the Lord is with thee:  blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.  Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.  Amen.

 

     Next in beauty to the Lord's Prayer comes this prayer.  It is made up of three parts:

     "Hail, full of grace! the Lord is with thee:  blessed art thou amongst women:" was composed by the angel Gabriel, for these are the words he used when he came to tell the Blessed Virgin that she was selected to be the Mother of God (Luke 1:28).  All her people knew that the Redeemer promised from the time of Eve down to the time of the Blessed Virgin was now to be born, and many good women were anxious to be His mother, and they believed the one who would be selected the most blessed and happy of all women.

     "The Lord is with thee:" by His grace and favor, since you are the one He loves best.  He is with all His creatures, but He is with you in a very special manner.

     After the visit of the angel, the Blessed Virgin went a good distance to visit her cousin, St. Elizabeth, who was the mother of St. John the Baptist (Luke 1:39).  When St. Elizabeth saw her, she, without being told by the Blessed Virgin what the angel had done, knew by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost what had taken place, and said to the Blessed Virgin:

     "Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb:" That is "blessed" because, of all the women that have ever lived or ever shall live, you are the one selected by God to be the mother of His Son and Our Redeemer, and blessed is that Son Himself This is the second part of the prayer.  The third part, from "Holy Mary" to the end, was composed by the Church.

     "Hail:" This was the word used by the people of that country in saluting one another when they met.  We say when meeting anyone we know, "Good day," or "How do you do?" or some such familiar expression used by all in salutation.  So these people, instead of saying, "Good day," etc., said "Hail" i.e., I wish you health, I greet you, etc.  The angel did not say "Mary," because she was the only one present to address.

     "Full of grace:" When anything is full it has no room for more.  God's grace and sin cannot exist in the same place.  Therefore when the Blessed Virgin was full of grace, there was no room for sin.  So she was without any sin and gifted with every virtue.

     "Holy Mary:" because one full of grace must be holy.

     "Mother of God:"  because her Son was true God and true man in the one person of Christ, Our Lord.

     "Pray for us:" because she has more power with her Son than all the other saints.

     "Sinners:" and therefore we need forgiveness.

     "At the hour of our death:" especially, because that is the most important time for us.  No matter how bad we have been during our lives, if God gives us the grace to die in His friendship, we shall be His friends forever.  On the other hand, no matter how good we may have been for a part of our lives, if we become bad before death, and die in that state, we shall be separated from God forever, and be condemned to eternal punishment.  It would be wrong, therefore, to live in sin, with a promise that we shall die well, for God may not give us the grace or opportunity to repent, and we may die in sin if we have lived in sin.  Besides this, the devil knows how much depends upon the state in which we die, and so he perhaps will tempt us more at death than at any other time; for if we yield to him and die in sin, we shall be with him forever-it is his last chance to secure our souls.

     Besides the Hail Mary there is another beautiful prayer on the same subject, called the Angelus.  It is a little history of the Incarnation, and is said morning, noon, and evening in honor of Our Lord's Incarnation, death, and resurrection.  It is made up of three parts.  The first part tells what the angel did, viz.:  "The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.  And she conceived of the Holy Ghost" After saying these words, we say one Hail Mary in honor of the angel's message.  The second part tells what Mary answered, viz.:  "Behold the handmaid of the Lord.  Be it done unto me according to thy word." We say another Hail Mary in honor of Mary's consent.  The third part tells how Our Lord became Man, viz.:"And the Word was made flesh.  And dwelt among us."  The "Word" means here the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity; and "made flesh" means, became man.  Then another Hail Mary is said in honor of Our Lord's goodness in humbling Himself so much for our sake.  After these three parts we say:  "Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God! that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ"; and, finally, we say a prayer in honor of Our Lord's Incarnation, Passion, and Resurrection.  This beautiful prayer is said three times a day in all seminaries, convents, and religious houses.  The time for saying it is made known by the ringing of a bell called the "Angelus bell." In many parishes the church bell rings out the Angelus.  In Catholic countries the people stop wherever they are and whatever they are doing, and bowing their heads, say the Angelus when they hear its bell.  It is a beautiful practice and one most pleasing to our Blessed Lord and His holy Mother.  Good Catholics should not neglect it.

     I might mention here another kind of prayer often said in honor of our blessed Mother.  It is the Litany.  In this form of prayer we call Our Lady many beautiful names which we know are most dear to her, asking her after each one to pray for us.  We address her first by names reminding her that she is the Mother of God and has therefore great influence with her divine Son.  We say:  Mother of Christ, Mother of Our Creator, Mother of Our Redeemer, etc., pray for us.  Next we remind her that she is a virgin and should take pity on us who are exposed to so many temptations against holy purity.  We call her virgin most pure, virgin most chaste, etc., and again ask her to pray for us.  Lastly we call her all those names that could induce her to hear us.  We say:  health of the weak, refuge of sinners, help of Christians, pray for us.

     In addition to the Litany of the Blessed Virgin, we have the Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus, the Litany of the Blessed Sacrament, the Litany of the Sacred Heart, the Litany of St. Joseph, and many others-all made up in the same form. We have also the Litany of all the Saints, in which we beg the help and prayers of the different classes of saints--the Apostles, martyrs, virgins, etc.

 

 

                                 THE APOSTLES' CREED

 

     I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, Our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified; died, and was buried.  He descended into Hell; the third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.  I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.  Amen.

 

     A creed is a definite list or summary of all the things one believes. The "Apostles' Creed" is therefore a list or collection of all the truths the Apostles believed.  The "Apostles" were the twelve men that Our Lord selected to be His first bishops.  We know they were bishops because they could ordain priests and consecrate other bishops.  They lived with Our Lord like a little family during the three and a half years of His public life; they went with Him and learned from Him wherever He preached.  Besides these He had also His disciples, i.e., followers who went with Him frequently but did not live with Him.  Our Lord wished His doctrine to be taught to all the people of the world, and so He told His Apostles that they must go over the whole world and preach in every country.  During the life of Our Lord and for a short time after His death they preached in only one country, viz., Palestine-now called the Holy Land-in which country the Jews, up to that time God's chosen people, lived. Since the Apostles were to preach to all nations, the time came when they must separate, one going to one country, and another to another.  In those days there were no steamboats or railroads, no post offices, telegraph offices, telephones, or newspapers.  If the Apostles wished to communicate with anyone they had either to go to the place themselves or send a messenger.  By walking or riding it might have taken them months or years in those days to make a journey that we can make now in a few days; and for an answer to a message which we can get now by telegraph in a few hours they might have had to wait months.  The Apostles knew of all these inconveniences, and before leaving the places they were in pointed out the chief truths that all should know and believe before receiving Baptism, that Christian teachers who should come after them might neglect nothing-just as we use catechisms containing the truths of religion, for fear the teachers might forget to speak of some of them.  There are "twelve articles" or parts in the Apostles' Creed, and each part is meant to refute some false doctrine taught before the time of the Apostles or while they lived.  Thus there were those-as the Romans-who said there were many gods; others said not God, but the devil created the earth; others taught that Our Lord was not the Son of God:  and so on for the rest.  All these false doctrines are denied and the truth professed when we say the Apostles' Creed.

     Just as in the Lord's Prayer we do not see all its meaning at first, so in the Apostles' Creed we find many beautiful things only after thinking carefully over every word it contains.

 

     "I believe:" without the slightest doubt or suspicion that I might be wrong.

     "In God:" by the grace that He gives me to believe and have full confidence in Him.

     "God:" to show that there is only one.

     "The Father:" because He brought everything into existence and keeps it so (see Explanation of the Lord's Prayer).

     "Almighty:" i.e., having all might or power; because He can do whatever He wishes. He can make or destroy by merely wishing.

     "Creator:" To create means to make out of nothing.  God alone can create.  When a carpenter makes a table, he must have wood; when a tailor makes a coat, he must have cloth.  They are only makers and not creators.  God needs no material or tools.  When we make anything, we make it part by part; but God makes the whole at once.  He simply wills and it is made.  Thus He said in the beginning of the world:  "Let there be light; and light was made." For example, suppose I wanted a piano.  If I could say, "Let there be a piano" and it immediately sprang up without any other effort on my part, although neither the wood, the iron, the wire, the ivory, nor anything else in it ever existed till I said, "Let there be a piano," then it could be said I created a piano.  No one could do this, for God alone has such power.

     "Heaven and earth:" and everything we can see or know ofi "Jesus Christ:' Our Lord is called by many names, but you must not be confused by them, for they all mean the same person, and are given only to remind us of some particular thing connected with Our Lord.  He is called "Jesus' " which signifies Saviour, and "Christ ' " which means anointed.  He is called the "Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, " and when we call Him "Our Lord," we mean the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity after He became man.  He is called the "Messias" and the "Son of David" to show that He is the Redeemer promised to the Jews.  Also at the end of all our litanies He is called the "Lamb of God," because He was so meek and humble and suffered death so patiently.  In the Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus we will find many other beautiful names of Our Lord, all having their special signification.

     "His only Son:" to show that God, the First Person of the Blessed Trinity, was His real Father. We are called God's children, but we are only His created and adopted children.

     "Who was conceived:" i.e., He began to exist by the power of the Holy Ghost in the womb of His Mother, the Blessed Virgin.

     "Suffered:" We shall see in the explanation of the Passion what He suffered.

     "Under:" means here, at the time a man named Pontius Pilate was governor.  If anyone were put to death today in this country, we should say he was executed under Governor or President so-and-so.  "Crucified," i.e., nailed to a cross.  We say "died " because Our Lord is the Giver of Life, and no one could take His life away unless He allowed it.  Therefore we say He died, and not that He was killed, to show that He died by His own free will and not against His will.

     "Was buried:" This we say to show that He was really dead; because if you bury a man who is not really dead he must die.

     "Hell:" here does not mean the place where the damned are, but a place called "Limbo!' You know that when our first parents sinned, Heaven was closed against them and us, and no human being could be admitted into it till after the death of Our Lord; for He by His death would redeem us--make amends for our fall and once more open for us Heaven.  Now from the time Adam sinned till the time Christ died is about four thousand years.  During that time there were at least some good men, like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, and others, in the world, who tried to serve God as best they could-keeping all the divine laws known to them, and believing that the Messias would some day come to redeem them.  When, therefore, they died they could not go to Heaven, because it was closed against them.  They could not go to Hell, because they were good men.  Neither could they go to Purgatory, because they would have to suffer there.  Where could they go?  God in His goodness provided a place for them-Limbo-where they could stay without suffering till Our Lord reopened Heaven.  Therefore, while Our Lord's body lay in the sepulchre, His soul went down into Limbo, to tell these good men that Heaven was now opened for them, and that at His Ascension He would take them there with Him.

     "The third day:" Not three full days, but the parts of three days, viz., Friday afternoon, Saturday, and Sunday morning.

     "He arose:" by His own power:  and this was the greatest of all Our Lord's miracles.  Some others, like the prophets and Apostles, have, by the power God gave them, raised the dead to life; but no dead person ever raised himself.  Our Lord is the first and only one to do this, and by so doing, showed they could not take away His life unless He wished to give it up; for since He could always take back His life, how could they destroy it?

     "He ascended:" forty days after His Resurrection.

     "Right hand of God:" We know God is a pure spirit having no body; and if He has no body He can have no hands.  Why then do we say right hand?  When the President of the United States invites anyone to dine at his house, he makes the invited guest sit at his right hand, and thus shows his respect by giving him the place of highest honor.

     When Our Lord ascended into Heaven, He went up in the human body He had upon earth, and His Father placed Him as man, in His glorified body, in the place, after His (the Father's) own, the highest in Heaven; but remember, only as man, because as God He is equal to His Father in all things.

     "From thence" that is, from the right hand of God.

     "To judge:" To examine them, to pronounce sentence upon them; to reward them in Heaven or punish them in Hell.

     "The living and the dead:" We may take this in a double sense.  As the general judgment will come suddenly and when not expected, all will be going on in the world as usual--some attending to business, others taking their ease as they do now, or as they were doing when the deluge came upon them.  Just when the judgment is about to take place, God will destroy the earth; and then all those living in the world will perish with its destruction and then be judged.  The "dead" means, therefore, all those who died before the destruction of the world, and the "living" all those who were on earth when the time of its destruction came.  Or the "living" may mean also those in a state of grace, and the "dead" those in mortal sin; for God will judge both classes.

     "Holy Ghost:" i.e., the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity.  Ghost is an old word meaning spirit.  When persons say that a ghost appeared, they mean that the spirit of some dead person appeared.  These stories about ghosts are told generally to frighten children or timid persons.  If those who thought they saw a ghost always examined what they saw, they would find that the supposed ghost was something very natural; probably a bush swayed by the wind, or a stray animal, or perhaps some person trying to frighten them.  Ghost here does not mean the spirit of a dead person, but the Holy Spirit, which is the proper name for the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity.

     "The communion of saints:" There are three parts in the Church.  We have, first, the Church Militant, i.e., the fighting Church, made up of all the faithful upon earth, who are still fighting for their salvation.  The Holy Scripture tells us our life upon earth is a warfare.  We have three enemies to fight.  First, the devil, who by every means wishes to keep us out of Heaven-the place he once enjoyed himself The devil knows well the happiness of Heaven, and does not wish us to have what he cannot have himself; just as you sometimes see persons who, through their own fault, have lost their situation trying to keep others out of it.

     Our second enemy is the world.  This does not mean the earth with all its beauty and riches, but the bad people in the world with their false doctrines; some telling us there is no God, Heaven, or Hell, others that we should pay no attention to the teaching of the Church or the laws of God, and advising us by word and example to resist our lawful superiors in Church or State and give free indulgence to our sinful passions.

     The third enemy is our own flesh.  By this we mean our concupiscence, that is, our passions, evil inclinations, and propensity to do wrong.  When God first created man, the soul was always master over the body, and the body obedient to the soul.  After Adam sinned, the body rebelled against the soul and tried to lead it into sin.  The body is the part of our nature that makes us like the brute animals, while the soul makes us like to God and the angels.

     When we sin, it is generally to satisfy the body craving for what it has not, or for that which is forbidden.  Why did God leave this concupiscence in us? He left it, first, to keep us humble, by reminding us of our former sins, and, secondly, that we might overcome it and have a reward for the victory.

     The second branch of the Church is called the Church Suffering.  It is made up of all those who have gone through this world and are now in Purgatory.

     Some of them while on earth fought well, but not as well as they could have done; they yielded to some temptations, fell into some small sins, received some slight wounds from their spiritual enemies, or they have not satisfied God entirely for the temporal guilt due to their great sins; therefore they are in Purgatory till they can be completely purified from all their sins and admitted into Heaven.

     The last or third branch of the Church is called the Church Triumphant, and is made up of the angels and all those who have lived at one time upon earth and who are now in Heaven with God, enjoying their rewards for overcoming their spiritual enemies and serving God while upon earth.  They are triumphant or rejoicing because they have reached their heavenly home.

     You must not think that those only are saints who have been canonized by the Church and whose names are known to us; for all in Heaven are saints, as we also shall be if admitted into that happy eternity.  God wishes all to be saints, for He wishes all to be saved.  You know we can pray to the saints and ask their help and prayers; but how could we know that certain men or women are really in Heaven?  We can know it when the Church canonizes them, and thus gives proof that they were great spiritual heroes in the service of God and can be more confidently appealed to on account of their eminent sanctity and powerful intercession.

     Therefore the Church by canonization tells us for certain that such and such persons are truly in Heaven.  But might not the Church be deceived like ourselves?

     No! for Christ has promised to be always with His Church, and the Holy Ghost is ever directing her, so that she cannot err in faith or morals.  If the Church made us pray to persons who are not saints, she would fall into the worst of errors, and Our Lord would have failed to keep His promise-a saying that would be blasphemous, for Christ, being God, is infinitely true and could not deceive or be deceived.  To canonize, therefore, does not mean to make a saint, but to declare to the whole world that such a one was a saint while upon earth.  After death we cannot merit, so our reward in Heaven will be just what we have secured up till the moment of our death; hence holiness is acquired in the Church Militant.

     How does the Church canonize a saint?  Let us suppose some good man dies, and all his neighbors talk about his holy fife, how much he did for the poor, how he prayed, fasted, and mortified himself All these accounts of his life are collected and sent to Rome, to the Holy Father or to the cardinals appointed by him to examine such statements.  These accounts must show that the good man practiced virtue in a more than ordinary manner, that he either performed some miracles while he lived, or that God granted miracles after his death through his intercession.

     These accounts are not examined immediately after his death, but sometimes after a lapse of fifty years or more, so that people might not exaggerate his good works because they knew him personally.

     When these accounts are examined, one is appointed to prevent, if he can, the canonization.  He is sometimes called the devil's advocate, because it is his business to find fault with all the accounts and miracles, and prove them false if possible.  This is done to make certain that all the accounts are true and the miracles real.  If everything is found as represented, then the good man is declared venerable, later beatified, i.e., called blessed, and still later canonized, i.e., declared a saint.  If he is only beatified, he can be honored publicly only in certain places or by certain persons; but if he is canonized, he can be honored throughout the whole Church by all the faithful.

     Thus we understand the three branches of the one true Church-the Church Militant, i.e., all those who are on earth trying to save their souls; the Church Suffering, those in Purgatory, having their souls purified for Heaven; and the Church Triumphant, those already in Heaven.

     The "communion of saints:" means that these three branches of the Church can help one another.  We help the souls in Purgatory by our prayers and good works, and the saints in Heaven pray for us.  But "communion of saints" means still more.  Let us take an example.  Suppose there are in a family, living together, a mother and three sons.  The eldest son earns a large salary, the second son enough to support himself, and the youngest very little.  They give their earnings to their mother, who from the combined amounts provides for the wants of all and draws from the large salary of the eldest to supply the needs of the youngest.  Thus he who has too little for his support is-through his mother-aided by the one who has more than he needs.  Now, the Church is our mother, and some of her children-the great saints were rich in good works and did more than was necessary to gain Heaven, while others did not do enough.  Then our mother, the Church, draws from the abundant satisfaction of her rich children to help those who are poor in merit and good works.  The greatest treasure she has to draw from for that purpose is the more than abundant merits of Our Lord and the superabundant satisfaction of the Blessed Virgin and the greatest saints.  Our Lord could have redeemed us all by the least suffering, and yet He suffered dreadful torments, and even shed His blood and died for us.  The Blessed Virgin never sinned, yet she performed many good works and offered many prayers. Therefore "communion of saints" means, also, that we all share in the merits of Christ and in the superabundant satisfaction of the Blessed Virgin and of the saints; also in the prayers and good works of the Church and of her faithful and pious children.

     "The forgiveness of sins:" ie., by the Sacrament of Penance, through the power that God gave His priests; also by Baptism.

     "The resurrection of the body:" i.e., on the last day (Matt. 24:29; Luke 21:25).  When on the last day, at the general judgment, God's angel sounds the great trumpet, all the dead will arise again and come to judgment, in the same bodies they had while living.  But you will say:  If their bodies are reduced to ashes and mixed with the earth, or if parts of them are in one place and parts in another, how is this possible?  Very easily, with God.  If He in the beginning could make all the parts out of nothing, with how much ease can He collect them scattered here and there!  When God made man He gave him a body and a soul, and wished them never to be separated.  Man was to live here upon earth for a time, and then be taken up into Heaven, body and soul, as Our Lord is there now.  But when man sinned, in punishment God commanded that he should die; i.e., that these two dear friends, the body and the soul, should be separated for a time. Death is caused by the separation of the soul from the body.  The body and soul together make a man, and neither one alone can be called a man.  A dead body is only part of a man.  At the resurrection every soul will come from Heaven, Purgatory, or Hell, to seek its own body; they will then be united again as they were in life, never to be separated-to be happy together in Heaven if they have been good upon earth, or miserable together in Hell if they have been bad upon earth.

     "Life everlasting:" --either, as we have said, in Heaven or Hell.  There was a time when we did not exist but it can never be said of us again we do not exist.  When once we have been created, we shall live as long as God Himself, i.e., forever.  When we have lived a thousand years for every drop of water in the ocean; a thousand years for every grain of sand on the seashore; a thousand years for every blade of grass and every leaf on the earth, we shall still be existing.  How short a time, therefore, is a hundred years even if we live so long-and few do-compared with all these millions of years!  And yet it depends upon the time we live here whether all these millions of years in the next world will be for us years of happiness or of misery.  The whole life of a man extends through the two worlds, viz., from the moment of his creation through all eternity; and surely the little while he stays upon earth must seem very short when, after spending a million of years in the next world, he looks back to his earthly life.  There is a good example to illustrate this.  If you stand on a railroad, and look away down the track for about a mile, it will seem to you that the rails come nearer and nearer, till at last they touch.  It seems so on account of the distance, for where they seem to touch they are just as far apart as where you are standing.  So, also, when you look back from eternity, the day of your birth and the day of your death will seem to coincide, and your life on earth appear nothing.  Then, if you are among the lost souls you will think, What a fool I was to make myself suffer all this long eternity for that silly bit of earthly pleasure, which is of no benefit to me now!  And this thought will serve only to make you more miserable.  But, on the other hand, if you look back from a happy eternity, you will wonder at God's goodness in giving you so much happiness for so short a service upon earth.

 

 

                               THE CONFITEOR

 

     I confess to Almighty God, to blessed Mary ever Virgin, to blessed Michael the Archangel, to blessed John the Baptist, to the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and to all the saints, that I have sinned exceedingly, in thought, word, and deed, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore I beseech blessed Mary ever Virgin, blessed Michael the Archangel, blessed John the Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the saints. to pray to the Lord our God for me.

     May the Almighty God have mercy on me, forgive me my sins, and bring me to everlasting life.  Amen.

     May the Almighty and merciful Lord grant me pardon, absolution, and remission of all my sins.  Amen.

 

     This is another beautiful prayer.  In it we can imagine that we are permitted to enter Heaven.  What do we see there?  God, the Blessed Virgin, the thousands of angels, the Apostles, all the saints, martyrs, confessors, doctors and virgins.  They cease singing God's praises, as we enter, and fix their eyes upon us.  Our guardian angel conducts us before the great throne of God, and we kneel down in the presence of the whole court of Heaven, to acknowledge our sins and faults, while all listen attentively.  Touched by so sublime a sight and the thought of having offended a God of so much glory, we begin our accusation of ourselves.  We fix our eyes first upon God, and say:  "I confess," i.e., accuse myself, "to Almighty God:' Then we look upon the rest of the blessed, and say:  "to the Blessed Mary ever Virgin," etc.  Thus we call the whole court of Heaven to be a witness of the fact that we "have sinned," not lightly, but "exceedingly," i.e., very greatly, and in three ways:  "in thought," by thinking of things sinful and forbidden; "in word," by lies, curses, slanders, etc.; "in deed 9 't by every bad action that we have committed; and each of us can say:  I have done all this "through my fault," i.e., willingly and deliberately; and it was not a small fault, but an exceeding great fault, because God was helping me by His grace to overcome temptations and avoid bad thoughts, words, and actions, and I would not accept His help, but willingly did what was wrong. What am I to do, therefore?  Will God pardon all these offenses if I alone ask Him, seeing that all the angels and saints know that I have thus offended Him? What shall I do?  I will ask them to help me by their prayers, and to beg God's pardon for me.  He may grant their prayers, especially those of the Blessed Mother and of the saints, when He would not grant mine.  "Therefore I beseech the Blessed Mary ever Virgin," etc., "to pray to the Lord our God for me:'

     When we kneel down to say the Confiteor, if we could imagine what I have just described to take place, how well we should say it!  With what attention, respect, and sorrow we should ask the prayers of the saints!  When we say the Confiteor, and indeed any prayer, we say it in the presence of God, and of the whole court of Heaven, though we are not in Heaven and cannot see God.  The angels and saints do hear us and will pray for us.  When, therefore, you are saying the Confiteor, imagine that you see all I have described, and you will never say it badly.

 

 

                              AN ACT OF FAITH

 

     O my God!  I firmly believe that Thou art one God in three divine persons, Father, Son and Holy Ghost; I believe that Thy divine Son became man, and died for our sins, and that He will come to judge the living and the dead.  I believe these and all the truths which the Holy Catholic Church teaches, because Thou hast revealed them, Who canst neither deceive nor be deceived.

 

     An "act:" i.e., a profession, of faith.  The whole substance of the act of faith is contained in this:  I believe all that God has revealed and the Catholic Church teaches.  We might mention one by one all the truths God has revealed, i.e., made known to us, and all the truths the Catholic Church teaches as revealed by God.  For example, we might say, I believe in the Holy Trinity, in the Incarnation of Our Lord in the Holy Eucharist, in the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin, in the infallibility of the Pope, and so on, till we write an act of faith twenty pages long, and yet it would all be contained in the words:- I believe all God has revealed and the Catholic Church teaches. Hence we find in prayerbooks and catechisms acts of faith differing in length and words, but they are all the same in substance and have the same meaning. The act of faith in our Catechism gives a few of the chief truths revealed, that it may be neither too short nor too long, and that all may learn the same words.

 

 

                               AN ACT OF HOPE

 

     O my God! relying on Thy almighty power and infinite goodness and promises, I hope to obtain pardon of my sins, the help of Thy grace, and life everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer.

 

     The substance of this act is:  I hope for Heaven and the means to obtain it.  The means by which I will obtain it are the pardon of my sins by God, and the grace which He will give me in the reception of the Sacraments and in prayer, by which grace I will be able to know Him, love Him, and serve Him, and thus come to be with Him forever.  Here again we could make a long act by mentioning all the things we hope for; viz., a good death, a favorable judgment, a place in Heaven, etc.

 

 

                               AN ACT OF LOVE

 

     O my God!  I love Thee above all things, with my whole heart and soul because Thou art all-good and worthy of all love.  I love my neighbor as myself for the love of Thee.  I forgive all who have injured me, and ask pardon of all whom I have injured.

 

     The substance of this act is:  I love God above all things for His own goodness, and my neighbor as myself for the sake of God.  An act of love and an act of charity are the same thing with different names.  We are accustomed to call such things as the giving of alms or help to the poor, the doing of some good work that we are not bound to do for another, charity.  Surely there are many motives that may induce persons to help others in their distress; but what is the chief Christian motive, if it be not the love we bear our brotherman because he is, like ourselves, a child of God, and the desire we have to obey God, who wishes us to help the needy?  The sufferings of others excite our pity, and the more we love them the more sorry are we to see them suffer. Thanks to God for all His mercies to us; He might have made us, instead of this man, poor and in suffering, but He has spared us and afflicted him; we know not why God has done so, and therefore we help him, moved by these considerations even when we feel he is not deserving of the help, because we know his unworthiness will not prevent God from rewarding our good intention.  We may be charitable to our neighbor by saying nothing hurtful about him, by never telling his faults without necessity, etc.  Therefore real charity, in its widest sense, and love are just the same.

 

 

                             AN ACT OF CONTRITION

 

     O my God!  I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins, because 1 dread the loss of Heaven and the pains of Hell, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, Who art all-good and deserving of all my love.  I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life.

 

     The substance of this act is:  O my God!  I am very sorry for all my sins, because by them I have offended Thee, and with Thy help, I will never sin again.  It is well to know what the acts contain in substance, for we can use these short forms as aspirations during the day, when we probably would not think of saying the long forms.  A fuller explanation of the qualities of our contrition will be given in Lesson Eighteen.

 

 

                          THE BLESSING BEFORE MEALS

 

     Bless us, O Lord, and these Thy gifts which we are to receive from Thy bounty, through Christ Our lord.  Amen.

 

 

                               GRACE AFTER MEALS

 

     We give Thee thanks for all Thy benefits, O Almighty God, Who livest and reignest forever.  And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

 

     "Grace:" means thanks.  We saw in the explanation of the Our Father how God provides us with all we need, and most frequently with food.  It is the least we can do, therefore, to thank Him for it, when it is just placed before us.  We should thank Him also after we have eaten it and found it good, pleasing, and refreshing.  When God provides us with food He thereby makes a kind of promise that He will allow us to live awhile longer and give us strength to serve Him. How shameful it is, then, to turn God's gifts into a means of offending Him, as some do by the sin of gluttony!  Again, it is very wrong to murmur and be dissatisfied with what God gives us. He does not owe us anything, and need not give unless He wishes.  What would you think of a beggar of this kind?

 

     He comes to your door hungry, and you, instead of simply giving him some bread to appease his hunger, take him into your house and give him a good dinner, new clothing, and some money.  Now, instead of being thankful, suppose he should complain because you did not give him a better dinner, finer clothing, and more money, and should look cross and dissatisfied; what would you think of him? Would you not be tempted to turn the ungrateful fellow out of your house, with an order never to come again, telling him he deserved to starve for his ingratitude?  We are not quite as ungrateful as the beggar when we neglect grace at meals, because in saying our daily prayers we thank God for all His gifts, our food included, and hence it is not a sin to neglect grace at meals. But do we not show some ingratitude when we murmur, complain, and are dissatisfied with our food, clothing, or homes?  God, even when we are ungrateful, still gives; hence His wonderful goodness and mercy to us.

 

 

                     THE MANNER IN WHICH A LAY PERSON

                    IS TO BAPTIZE IN CASE OF NECESSITY

 

     Pour common water on the head or face of the person to be baptized, and say while pouring it:  "I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."

     N.B. Any person of either sex who has reached the use of reason can baptize in case of necessity.

 

 

                                CATECHISM

 

     A catechism is any book made up in question and answer form, no matter what it treats of.  We have catechisms of history, of geography, etc.  Our Catechism is a book in the same form treating of religion.  It is a little compendium of the truths of our religion, of all we must believe and do.  It contains, in the simplest form, all that a priest learns during his many years of study.  The theology he learns is only a deeper and fuller explanation of the Catechism.  A whole book might be written on almost every question.  For example, might we not write a book on each of the first three questions-the World, God, and Man? There is consequently much meaning in the Catechism, which must be made known to us by explanation.  You should therefore learn the Catechism by heart now, even when you do not fully understand it; because afterwards, when you read books on religion or hear sermons, all these questions and answers will come back to your mind.  Sermons will help you to understand the questions, or the questions will help you to understand the sermons.

 

 

                       Lesson 1:  ON THE END OF MAN

 

Question 1:         Who made the world?

Question 2:         Who is God?

Question 3:         What is man?

Question 4:         Is this likeness in the body or in the soul?

Question 5:         How is the soul like to God?

Question 6:         Why did God make you?

Question 7:         Of which must we take more care, our soul

                    or our body?

Question 8:         Why must we take more care of our soul

                    than of our body?

Question 9:         What must we do to save our souls?

Question 10:        How shall we know the things which we are

                    to believe?

Question 11:        Where shall we find the chief truths which

                    the Catholic Church teaches?

Question 12:        Say the Apostles' Creed.

 

     The end of a thing is the purpose for which it was made.  The end of a watch is to keep time.  The end of a pen is to write, etc.  A thing is good only in proportion to the way it fulfills the end for which it was made.  A watch may be very beautifully made, a very rare ornament, but if it will not keep time it is useless as a watch.  The same may be said of the pen, or of anything else. Now for what purpose was man made?  If we discover that, we know his end.  When we look around us in the world, we see a purpose or end for everything.  We see that the soil is made for the plants and trees to grow in; because if there was no need of things growing, it would be better to have a nice clean solid rock to walk upon, and then we would be spared the trouble of making roads, and paving streets.  But things must grow, and so we must have soil.  Again, the vegetables and plants are made for animals to feed upon; while the animals themselves are made for man, that they may help him in his work or serve him for food.  Thus it is evident everything in the world was made to serve something else.  What then was man made for?  Was it for anything in the world? We see that all classes of beings are created for something higher than themselves.  Thus plants are higher than soil, because they, have life and soil has not.  Animals are higher than plants, because they not only have life, but they can feel and plants cannot.  Man is higher than animals, because he not only has life and can feel, but he has also reason and intelligence, and can understand, while animals cannot.  Therefore we must look for something higher than man himself, but there is nothing higher than man in this world, and so we must look beyond it to find that for which he was made.  And looking beyond it and considering all things, we find that he was made for God-to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him both in this world and in the next.  Again, we read in the Bible (Gen. 1) that at the creation of the world all things were made before man, and that he was created last.  Therefore, if all these things could exist without man, we cannot say he was made for them.  The world existed before him and can exist after him.  The world goes along without any particular man, and the same may be said of all men.  Neither was man made to stay here awhile to become rich, or learned, or powerful, because all do not become rich-some are very poor; all are not learned-some are very ignorant; all are not powerful-some are slaves.  But since all men are alike and equal in this, that they have all bodies formed in the same way, and all souls that are immortal, they should all be made for the same end.

     For example, you could not make a pen like a watch if you want it to write.  Although pens differ in size, shape, etc., they have all one general form which is essential to them.  So, although men differ in many things, they are all alike in the essential thing, viz., that they are composed of body and soul, and made to the image and likeness of God.  Hence, as pens are made only to write with, so all men must have only one and the same end, namely, to serve God.

 

Question 1:   Who made the world?

 

Answer:       God made the world.

 

Explanation:  The "world" here means more than the earth-more than

              is shown on a map of the world.  It means everything that

              we can see-sun, moon, stars, etc.; even those things that

              we can see only with great telescopes.  Everything, too,

              that we may be able to see in the future, either with our

              eyes alone, or aided by instruments, is included in the

              word "world." We can call it the universe.

 

Question 2:   Who is God?

 

Answer:       God is the Creator of Heaven and earth, and of all things.

 

Question 3:   What is man?

 

Answer:       Man is a creature composed of a body and soul, and

              made to the image and likeness of God.

 

Explanation:  "Creature," i.e., a thing created.  Man differs from

              anything else in creation.  All things else are either

              entirely matter, or entirely spirit.  An angel, for example,

              is all spirit, and a stone is all matter; but man is a

              combination of both spirit and matter--of soul and of

              body.

 

Question 4:   Is this likeness in the body or in the soul?

 

Answer:       This likeness is chiefly in the soul.

 

Question 5:   How is the soul like to God?

 

Answer:       The soul is like God because it is a spirit that will never

              die, and has understanding and free will.

 

Explanation:  My soul is like to God in four things.

 

Explanation:  It is "a spirit:' It really exists, but cannot be seen with the

              eyes of our body.  Every spirit is invisible, but every

              invisible thing is not a spirit.  We cannot see the wind.

              We can feel its influence, we can see its work-for

              example, the dust flying, trees swaying, ships sailing,

              etc.-but the wind itself we never see.  Again, we never

              see electricity.  We see the light or effect it produces, but

              we never see the electricity itself.  Yet no one denies the

              existence of the wind or of electricity on account of their

              being invisible.  Why then should anyone say there are

              no spirits-no God, no angels, no souls-simply because

              they cannot be seen, when we have other proofs, stronger

              than the testimony of our sight, that they really and truly

              exist? My soul will "never die;' i.e., will never cease to

              exist; it is immortal.  This is a very wonderful thing to

              think of.  It will last as long as God Himself. My soul

              "has understanding," i.e., it has the gift of reason.  This

              gift enables man to reflect upon all his actions  the

              reasons why he should do certain things and why he

              should not do them.  By reason he reflects upon the past,

              and judges what may happen in the future.  He sees the

              consequences of his actions.  He not only knows what he

              does, but why he does it.  This is the gift that places man

              high above the brute animals in the order of creation; and

              hence man is not merely an animal, but he is a rational

              animal-an animal with the gift of reason. Brute animals

              have not reason, but only instinct, i.e., they follow

              certain impulses or feelings which God gave them at their

              creation. He established certain laws for each class or

              kind of animals, and they, without knowing it, follow

              these laws; and when we see them following their laws,

              always in the same way, we say it is their nature.

              Animals act at times as if they knew just why they were

              acting; but it is not so.  It is we who reason upon their

              actions, and see why they do them; but they do not

              reason, they only follow their instinct.If animals could

              reason, they ought to improve in their condition.  Men

              become more civilized day by day.  They invent many

              things that were unknown to their forefathers.  One man

              can improve upon the works of another, etc.  But, we

              never see anything of this kind in the actions of animals.

              The same kind of birds, for instance, build the same kind

              of nests, generation after generation, without ever making

              change or improvement in them.  When man teaches an

              animal any action, it cannot teach the same to its young.

              It is clear, therefore, that animals cannot reason.Though

              man has the gift of reason by which he can learn a great

              deal, he cannot learn all through his reason; for there are

              many things that God Himself must teach him.  When

              God teaches, we call the truths He makes known to us

              Revelation.  How could man ever know about the Trinity

              through his reason alone, when, after God has made

              known to him that It exists, he cannot understand it?  It

              is the same for all the other mysteries. My soul has "free

              will:' This is another grand gift of God, by which I am

              able to do or not do a thing, just as I please.  I can even

              sin and refuse to obey God.  God Himself-while He

              leaves me my free will-could not oblige me to do

              anything, unless I wished to do it; neither could the devil.

              I am free therefore, and I may use this great gift either to

              benefit or injure myself. If I were not free I would not

              deserve reward or punishment for my actions, for no one

              is or should be punished for doing what he cannot help.

              God would not punish us for sin if we were not free to

              commit or avoid it.  I turn this freedom to my benefit if

              I do what God wishes when I could do the opposite; for

              He will be more pleased with my conduct, and grant a

              greater reward than He would bestow if I obeyed simply

              because obliged to do so.  Animals have no free will.  If,

              for example, they suffer from hunger and you place food

              before them, they will eat; but man can starve, if he wills

              to do so, with a feast before him.  For the same reason

              man can endure more fatigue than any other animal of the

              same bodily strength.  In traveling, for instance, animals

              give up when exhausted, but man may be dying as he

              walks, and still, by his strong will-power, force his

              wearied limbs to move.  But you will say, did not the

              lions in the den into which Daniel was cast because he

              would not act against his conscience, obey the wicked

              king and offend God-as we read in Holy Scripture (Dan.

              6:16)refrain from eating him, even when they were

              starving with hunger?  Yes; but they did not do so of

              themselves, but by the power of God preventing them:

              and that is why the delivery of Daniel from their mouths

              was a miracle.  It is clear, because the same lions

              immediately tore in pieces Daniel's enemies when they

              were cast into the den.

 

Question 6:   Why did God make you?

 

Answer:       God made me to know Him, to love Him, and to serve

              Him in this world, and to be happy with Him forever in

              the next.

 

Explanation:  "To know" Him, because we must know of a thing before

              we can love it.  A poor savage in Africa never longs to

              be at a game or contest going on in America, because he

              does not know it and therefore cannot love it.  We see a

              person and know him; if he pleases us we love him, and

              if we love him we will try to serve him; we will not be

              satisfied with doing merely what he asks of us, but will

              do whatever we think might give him pleasure.  So it is

              in regard to God.  We must first know Him-learn who He

              is from our catechisms and books of instruction, but

              especially from the teaching of God's ministers, the Holy

              Father, bishops and priests.  When we know Him, we

              shall love Him.  If we knew Him perfectly, we should

              love Him perfectly; so the better we know Him the more

              we shall love Him.  And as it is our chief duty to love

              Him and serve Him upon earth, it becomes our strict duty

              to learn here whatever we can of His nature, attributes,

              and holy laws.  The saints and angels in Heaven know

              God so well that they must love Him, and cannot

              therefore offend Him.

 

Explanation:  You have all seen some person in the world, or maybe

              several persons, whom you have greatly admired; still

              you did not love them perfectly; there was always some

              little thing about them in looks, manners, or disposition

              that could be rendered more pleasing; some defect or

              want you would like to see supplied; some fault or

              imperfection you would like to see corrected.  Now

              suppose you had the power to take all the good qualities

              you found in the persons you loved and unite them in one

              person, in whom there would be nothing displeasing, but

              everything perfect and beautiful.  Do you not think you

              would love such a person very much indeed?

 

Explanation:  Moreover, suppose you knew that person loved you

              intensely, would it not be your greatest delight to be ever

              with such a friend?  Well, then, all the lovable qualities

              and beauties you see in created beings come from God

              and are bestowed by Him; yet all the good qualities on

              earth and those of the angels and saints in Heaven, and

              even of the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph, if united in

              one person would be nothing compared to the goodness

              and beauty of God.  How good and how lovable,

              therefore, must He be!  And what shall we say when we

              think that He loves us with a greater love than we could

              ever love Him, even with our most earnest efforts?  Try

              then first to know God and you will surely love and serve

              Him.  Do not be satisfied with the little you learn of Him

              in the Catechism, but afterward read good books, and

              above all hear sermons and instructions.

 

Explanation:  "In this world:" Because unless we do what is pleasing to

              Him in this world we cannot be with Him in the next.

              Our condition in the next world depends entirely upon

              our conduct in this.  Thus we have discovered the answer

              to the great question, What is the end of man; for what

              was he made?

 

Question 7:   Of which must we take more care, our soul or our body?

 

Answer:       We must take more care of our soul than of our body.

 

Question 8:   Why must we take more care of our soul than of our

              body.

 

Answer:       We must take more care of our soul than of our body,

              because in losing our soul we lose God and everlasting

              happiness.

 

Explanation:  Every sensible person will take most care of that which is

              most valuable.  If a girl had a hundred dollars in a

              ten-cent pocket-book, you would consider her a great fool

              if she threw away the hundred dollars for fear of spoiling

              the pocket-book.  Now, he is a greater fool who throws

              away his soul in order to save his body some little

              inconvenience, or gratify its wicked desires or

              inclinations.  Wherever the soul will be, there the body

              will be also; so we should, in a certain way, try to forget

              the body and make sure of getting the soul safely into

              Heaven.  You would not think much of the wisdom of a

              boy who allowed his kite to be smashed in pieces by

              giving his whole attention to the tail of the kite.  If he

              took care to keep the kite itself high in air and away from

              every danger, the tail would follow it; and even if the tail

              did get entangled, it would have a good chance of being

              freed while the kite was still flying.  But of what use is it

              to save a worthless piece of rag, if the kite-the valuable

              thing-is lost?  Just in the same way, of what use is our

              body if our soul is lost?  And remember we have only

              one soul.  Therefore, make sure to save the soul, and the

              body also will be saved-that is, the whole man will be

              saved; for we cannot save the soul and lose the body;

              they will both be saved or both be lost.

 

Question 9:   What must we do to save our souls?

 

Answer:       To save our souls, we must worship God by faith, hope,

              and charity; that is, we must believe in Him, hope in

              Him, and love Him with all our heart.

 

Explanation:  "Worship," that is, give Him divine honor.  We honor

              persons for their worth and excellence, and since God is

              the most excellent, we give Him the highest honors,

              differing from others not merely in degrees but in

              kind-divine honors that belong to Him alone.  And justly

              so, for the vilest animal upon the earth is a thousand

              times more nearly our equal than the most perfect

              creature, man or angel, is the equal of God.  In speaking

              of worship, theologians generally distinguish three kinds,

              namely:  latria, or that supreme worship due to God

              alone, which cannot be transferred to any creature

              without committing the sin of idolatry; dulia, or that

              secondary veneration we give to saints and angels as the

              special friends of God; hyperdulia, or that higher

              veneration which we give to the Blessed Virgin as the

              most exalted of all God's creatures.  It is higher than the

              veneration we give to the other saints, but infinitely

              inferior to the worship we give to God Himself.  We

              show God our special honor by never doubting anything

              He reveals to us, therefore by "faith"; by expecting with

              certainty whatever He promises, therefore by "hope"; and

              finally by loving Him more than anyone else in the

              world, therefore by "charity."

 

Explanation:  But someone may say, I think I love my parents more

              than God.  Well, let us see.  Suppose your mother should

              command you to commit a sinful act (a thing no good

              mother would do) and you have therefore to choose

              between offending her or Almighty God.  Now, although

              you love your mother very much, if in this instance you

              prefer to displease her rather than commit the sin that

              offends God, you show that you love God more than her.

              Again, many who dearly love their parents leave them

              that they may consecrate their lives to the special service

              of God in some religious community and thus prove their

              greater love for Him.  The love we have for God is

              intellectual rather than sentimental; and since it is not

              measured by the intensity of our feelings, how are we to

              know that we love Him best?  By our determination never

              to offend Him for any person or thing in the world,

              however dear to us, and by our readiness to obey and

              serve Him before all others.

 

Question 10:  How shall we know the things which we are to believe?

 

Answer:       We shall know the things which we are to believe from

              the Catholic Church, through which God speaks to us.

 

Explanation:  "Catholic Church" in this answer means the Pope,

              councils, bishops, and priests who teach in the Church.

 

Question 11:  Where shall we find the chief truths which the Catholic

              Church teaches?

 

Answer:       We shall find the chief truths which the Catholic Church

              teaches in the Apostles' Creed.

 

Explanation:  "Chief " because the Apostles' Creed does not contain in

              an explicit manner all the truths we must believe.  For

              example, there is nothing in the Apostles' Creed about the

              Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, about the Immaculate

              Conception of the Blessed Virgin, or the infallibility of

              the Pope; and yet we must believe these and other articles

              of faith not in the Apostles' Creed.  It contains only the

              "chief" and not all the truths.

 

Question 12:  Say the Apostles' Creed.

 

Answer:       I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven

              and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, Our Lord,

              Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the

              Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified,

              died, and was buried; He descended into Hell; the third

              day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into

              Heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father

              Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living

              and the dead.  I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy

              Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the

              forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the

              life everlasting.  Amen.

 

Explanation:  "Descend" means to go down, and "ascend" to go up.

 

 

                   Lesson 2:  ON GOD AND HIS PERFECTIONS

 

Question 13:  What is God?

Question 14:  Had God a beginning?

Question 15:  Where is God?

Question 16:  If God is everywhere, why do we not see Him?

Question 17:  Does God see us?

Question 18:  Does God know all things?

Question 19:  Can God do all things?

Question 20:  Is God just, holy, and merciful?

 

Explanation:  A "perfection" means a good quality.  We say a thing is

              perfect when it has all the good qualities it should have.

 

Question 13:  What is God?

 

Answer:       God is a spirit infinitely perfect.

 

Explanation:  "A spirit" is a living, intelligent, invisible being.  It really

              exists, though we cannot see it with the eyes of our body.

              It has intelligence and can therefore think, understand,

              etc.  It is not because we cannot see it that we call it a

              spirit.  To be invisible is only one of the qualities of a

              spirit. It is also indivisible, that is, it cannot be divided

              into parts.  God is such a being.  He is "infinitely

              perfect," that is, He has every perfection in the highest

              degree.  "Infinite" means to have without limit.  If there

              were any perfection God did not have, He would not be

              infinite.  He is unlimited in wisdom, in power, in

              goodness, in beauty, etc.  But you will tell me persons on

              earth and the angels and saints in Heaven have some

              wisdom and power and beauty, and therefore God cannot

              have all, since He has not the portion with which they are

              endowed.  I still say He is infinite, because what the

              angels and others have belongs to God, and He only

              lends it to them.  "Perfect" means to be without any

              defect or fault.

 

Question 14:  Had God a beginning?

 

Answer:       God had no beginning; He always was and always will

              be.

 

Explanation:  Was there ever a time when we could say there was no

              God?  There was a time when we could say there was no

              Heaven or earth, no angels, men, or animals; but there

              was never a time when there was no God.  We may go

              back in thought millions and millions of years before the

              Creation, and God was then existing.  He had no

              beginning and will never cease to exist.  This is a

              mystery; and what a mystery is will be explained in the

              next lesson.

 

Question 15:  Where is God?

 

Answer:       God is everywhere.

 

Explanation:  "Everywhere" not spread out like a great cloud, but

              whole and entire in every particular place:  and yet there

              is only one God, and not as many gods as there are

              places.  How this can be we cannot fully understand,

              because this also is a mystery.  A simile, though it will

              not be perfect, may help you to understand.  When we

              speak of God, we can never give a true and perfect

              example; for we cannot find anything exactly like Him to

              compare to Him.  If I discharge a great cannon in a city,

              every one of the inhabitants will hear the report; not in

              such a way that each hearer gets his share of the sound,

              but each hears the whole report, just as if he were the

              only one to hear it.  Now, how is that?  There are not as

              many reports as there are persons listening; and yet each

              person hears the whole report.

 

Question 16:  If God is everywhere, why do we not see Him?

 

Answer:       We do not see God because He is a pure spirit and cannot

              be seen with bodily eyes.

 

Explanation:  "Pure spirit," that is, not clothed with any material

              body--spirit alone.

 

Question 17:  Does God see us?

 

Answer:       God sees us and watches over us.

 

Explanation:  "Watches" to protect, to reward or punish us.  He

              watches continually; He not only watches, but keeps us

              alive.  God might have created us and then paid no more

              attention to us; but if He had done so, we should have

              fallen back again into nothingness.  Therefore He

              preserves us every moment of our lives. We cannot draw

              a breath without Him.  If a steam engine be required to

              work ceaselessly, you cannot, after setting it in motion,

              leave it henceforth entirely to itsell You must keep up the

              supply of water and fire necessary for the generation of

              steam, you must oil the machinery, guard against

              overheating or cooling, and, in a word, keep a constant

              watch that nothing may interfere with its motion.

 

Explanation:  So also God not only watches His creatures, but likewise

              provides for them. Since we depend so much upon Him,

              is it not great folly to sin against Him, to offend, and

              tempt Him as it were?  There are some birds that build

              their nests on the sides of great rocky precipices by the

              seacoast.  Their eggs are very valuable, and men are let

              down by long ropes to take them from the nest.  Now

              while one of these men is hanging over the fearful

              precipice, his life is entirely in the hands of those holding

              the rope above.  While he is in that danger do you not

              think he would be very foolish to tempt and insult those

              on whom his life depends, when they could dash him to

              pieces by simply dropping the rope?  While we live here

              upon earth we are all hanging over a great precipice,

              namely, eternity; God holds us by the little thread of our

              lives, and if He pleased to drop it we should be hurled

              into eternity.  If we tempt or insult Him, He might drop

              or cut the thread while we are in mortal sin, and then,

              body and soul, we go down into Hell.

 

Question 18:  Does God know all things?

 

Answer:       God knows all things, even our most secret thoughts,

              words, and actions.

 

Explanation:  Certainly God "knows all things:' First, because He is

              infinitely wise, and if He were ignorant of anything He

              would not be so.  Secondly, because He is everywhere

              and sees and hears all.  Darkness does not hide from His

              view, nor noise prevent Him from hearing.  How could

              we sin if we thought of this!  God is just here, looking at

              me and listening to me. Would I do what I am going to

              do now if I knew my parents, relatives, and friends were

              watching me?  Would I like them to know that I am

              thinking about things sinful, and preparing to do shameful

              acts?  No!  Why then should I feel ashamed to let God

              see and know of this wicked thought or action?  They

              might know it and yet be unable to harm me, but He,

              all-powerful, could destroy me instantly.  Nay, more; not

              only will God see and know this evil deed or thought;

              but, by His gift, the Blessed Mother, the angels and saints

              will know of it and be ashamed of it before God, and,

              most of all, my guardian angel will deplore it. Besides,

              this sin will be revealed to the whole world on the last

              day, and my friends, relatives, and neighbors will know

              that I was guilty of it.

 

Question 19:  Can God do all things?

 

Answer:       God can do all things, and nothing is hard or impossible

              to Him.

 

Question 20:  Is God just, holy, and merciful?

 

Answer:       God is all just, all holy, all merciful, as He is infinitely

              perfect.

 

Explanation:  "All just'--that is, most just.  "Just" means to give to

              everyone what belongs to him-to reward if it is merited or

              to punish if it is deserved. "Holy" that is, good.

              "Merciful" means compassionate, forgiving, less exacting

              than severe justice demands.  In a court a just judge is

              one who listens patiently to all the arguments for and

              against the prisoner, and then, comparing one with the

              other, gives the sentence exactly in accordance with the

              guilt.  If he inflicts more or less punishment than the

              prisoner deserves, or for money or anything else gives an

              unfair sentence, then he is an unjust judge.  The judge

              might be merciful in this way.  The laws say that for the

              crime of which this prisoner is proved guilty he can be

              sent to prison for a term not longer than ten years and not

              shorter than five:  that is, for anything between ten and

              five years.  The judge could give him the full ten years

              that the law allows and be just.  But suppose he believed

              that the prisoner did not know the law and did not intend

              to be as wicked as he was proved; or that it was his first

              offense, or that he heard the prisoner's mother, who was

              old and infirm, pleading for him and saying he was her

              only support; or other extenuating circumstances that

              could awaken sympathy:  the judge might be merciful and

              sentence him for the shortest term the law allows.  But if

              the judge dismissed every prisoner, no matter how guilty,

              without punishment, he would not be a merciful but an

              unjust judge, who would soon be forced to leave the

              court.  In the same way, God is often merciful to sinners

              and punishes them less than He could in strict justice.

              But if He were to allow every sinner to go without any

              punishment whatsoever-as unbelievers say He should do,

              by having no Hell for the wicked-then He would not be

              just.  For as God is an Infinite Being, all His perfections

              must be infinite; that is, He must be as infinitely just as

              He is infinitely merciful, true, wise, or powerful.

 

Explanation:  Now He has promised to punish sin; and since He is

              infinitely true, He must keep His promise.

 

 

                   Lesson 3:  ON THE UNITY AND TRINITY OF GOD

 

Question 21:  Is there but one God?

Question 22:  Why can there be but one God?

Question 23:  How many persons are there in God?

Question 24:  Is the Father God?

Question 25:  Is the Son God?

Question 26:  Is the Holy Ghost God?

Question 27:  What do you mean by the Blessed Trinity?

Question 28:  Are the three Divine Persons equal in all things?

Question 29:  Are the three Divine Persons one and the same God?

Question 30:  Can we fully understand how the three Divine Persons

              are one and the same God?

Question 31:  What is a mystery?

 

Explanation:  "Unity" means to be one, and "Trinity," three in one.

 

Question 21:  Is there but one God?

 

Answer:       Yes; there is but one God.

 

Question 22:  Why can there be but one God?

 

Answer:       There can be but one God because God, being supreme

              and infinite, cannot have an equal.

 

Explanation:  "Supreme" that is, the highest.  "Equal" when two are

              equal one has everything the other has.  You could say

              one pen is the equal of another if it is just as nice and will

              write just as well; one mechanic is the equal of another if

              he can do the work equally well.  Two boys are equal in

              class if they have exactly the same marks at the end of

              the month or year.  You could not have two persons chief

              For example, you could not have two chief generals in an

              army; two presidents in the nation, or two governors in

              a state, or two mayors in a city, or two principals in a

              school, unless they divide equally their power, and then

              they will be equals and neither of them chief.  God

              cannot divide His power with anyone-so as to give it

              away entirely-because we say He is infinite, and that

              means to have all.  Others have only the loan of their

              power from God.  Therefore, all power and authority

              come from God; so that when we disobey our parents or

              superiors who are placed over us, we disobey God

              Himself.

 

Question 23:  How many persons are there in God?

 

Answer:       In God there are three divine persons really distinct and

              equal in all things-the Father, the Son, and the Holy

              Ghost.

 

Explanation:  "Distinct," not mingled together.  We call the first and

              second persons Father and Son, because the second is

              begotten by the first person, and not to indicate that there

              is any difference in their age.  We always see in the

              world that a father is older than his son, so we get the

              idea perhaps that it is the same in the Holy Trinity.  But

              it is not so.  God the Father, and God the Son, and God

              the Holy Ghost existed from all eternity, and one did not

              exist before the other.  God the Son is just as old as God

              the Father, and this is another great mystery.  Even in

              nature we see that two things may begin to exist at the

              same time, and yet one be the cause of the other.  You

              know that fire is the cause of heat; and yet the heat and

              the fire begin at the same time.  Though we cannot

              understand this mystery of the Father and Son, we must

              believe it on the authority of God, who teaches it.  First,

              second, and third person in the Blessed Trinity does not

              mean, therefore, that one person was before the other, or

              brought into existence by the other.

 

Question 24:  Is the Father God?

 

Answer:       The Father is God and the first Person of the Blessed

              Trinity.

 

Question 25:  Is the Son God?

 

Answer:       The Son is God and the second Person of the Blessed

              Trinity.

 

Question 26:  Is the Holy Ghost God?

 

Answer:       The Holy Ghost is God and the third Person of the

              Blessed Trinity.

 

Question 27:  What do you mean by the Blessed Trinity?

 

Answer:       By the Blessed Trinity I mean one God in three Divine

              Persons.

 

Question 28:  Are the three Divine Persons equal in all things?

 

Answer:       The three Divine Persons are equal in all things.

 

Question 29:  Are the three Divine Persons one and the same God?

 

Answer:       The three Divine Persons are one and the same God,

              having one and the same divine nature and substance.

 

Explanation:  Though they are one and the same, we sometimes

              attribute different works to them.  For example, works of

              creation we attribute to God the Father; works of mercy

              to God the Son; and works of love and sanctification to

              the Holy Ghost; and you will often find them thus spoken

              of in pious books; but all such works are ..done by all the

              Persons of the Trinity; because such works are the works

              of God, and there is but one God.

 

Question 30:  Can we fully understand how the three Divine Persons

              are one and the same God?

 

Answer:       We cannot fully understand how the three Divine Persons

              are one and the same God, because this is a mystery.

 

Explanation:  "Fully"--entirely.  We can partly understand it.  We know

              what one God is and we know what three persons are;

              but how these two things go together is the part we do

              not understand-the mystery.

 

Question 31:  What is a mystery?

 

Answer:       A mystery is a truth which we cannot fully understand.

              "A truth," that is, a revealed truth-one made known to us

              by God or His Church.  It is a truth which we must

              believe though we cannot understand it. Let us take an

              example.  When a boy goes to school he is taught that the

              earth is round like an orange and revolving in two ways,

              one causing day and night and the other producing the

              seasons:  spring, summer, autumn, winter.  The boy goes

              out into the country where he sees miles of level land and

              mountains thousands of feet in height.  Again he goes out

              on the ocean where sailors tell him it is several miles in

              depth.

 

Explanation:  Now he may say:  how can the earth be round if deep

              valleys, high mountains, and level plains prove to my

              senses the very opposite, and the countless things at rest

              upon its surface tell me it is motionless.  Yet he believes

              even against the testimony of his senses that the earth is

              round and moving, because his-teacher could have no

              motive in deceiving him; knows better than he, having

              learned more, and besides has been taught by others who

              after long years of careful study and research have

              discovered these things and know them to be true.  If

              therefore we have to believe things that we do not

              understand on the authority of men, why should we not

              believe other truths on the authority of God?  Yes, we

              must believe Him.  If a boy knew all his teacher knew

              there would be no need of his going to school; he would

              be the equal in knowledge of his teacher, and if we knew

              all that God knows we would be as great as He.  As well

              might we try to empty the whole ocean into the tiny holes

              that children dig in the sand by its shore, as fully to

              comprehend the wisdom of God.  This is the mistake

              unbelievers make when they wish to understand with their

              limited intelligence the boundless knowledge and

              mysterious ways of God, and when they cannot

              understand refuse to believe.  Are they not extremely

              foolish?  Would you not ridicule the boy who refuses to

              believe that the earth is round and moving because he

              cannot understand it?  As he grows older and learns more

              he will comprehend it better; so we, when we leave this

              world and come into the presence of God, shall see

              clearly many things that are unintelligible now. For the

              present, we have only to believe them on the authority of

              God teaching us.  Another example.  We take two little

              black seeds that look just alike and place them in the

              same kind of soil; we put the same kind of water upon

              them; they have the same sunlight and air, and yet when

              they grow up one has a red flower and one a blue.

              Where did the red and where did the blue come from?

              From the black seed, or the brown soil, or the pure

              water, air and sunlight? We do not know.  It is there, and

              that is all.  We see it and believe it, though we do not

              understand it.

 

Explanation:  So if we refuse to believe everything we do not

              understand, we shall soon believe very little and make

              ourselves ridiculous.

 

 

                          Lesson 4:  ON CREATION

 

Question 32:  Who created Heaven and earth, and all things?

Question 33:  How did God create Heaven and earth?

Question 34:  Which are the chief creatures of God?

Question 35:  What are angels?

Question 36:  Were the angels created for any other purpose?

Question 37:  Were the angels, as God created them, good and happy?

Question 38:  Did all the angels remain good and happy?

 

Explanation:  This lesson treats of God bringing everything into

              existence.  The chief things created may be classed as

              follows:

 

Explanation:  The things that simply exist, as rocks, and minerals-gold,

              silver, iron, etc. Things that exist, grow, and live like

              plants and trees. Things that grow, live, and feel, like

              animals. Things that grow, live, feel, and understand, like

              men.

 

Explanation:  Besides these we have the sun, moon, stars, etc.; all

              things too that we can see, and also Heaven, Purgatory,

              Hell, and good and bad angels.  All these are the works

              of God's creation.  All these He has called into existence

              by merely wishing for them.

 

Question 32:  Who created Heaven and earth, and all things?

 

Answer:       God created Heaven and earth, and all things.

 

Explanation:  "Heaven" where God is and will always be.  It means,

              too, everything we see in the sky above us.  "Earth," the

              globe on which we live.

 

Question 33:  How did God create Heaven and earth?

 

Answer:       God created Heaven and earth from nothing, by His word

              only; that is, by a single act of His all-powerful will.

 

Question 34:  Which are the chief creatures of God?

 

Answer:       The chief creatures of God are angels and men.

 

Question 35:  What are angels?

 

Answer:       Angels are pure spirits without a body, created to adore

              and enjoy God in Heaven.

 

Explanation:  "Angels" are not the same as saints.  Saints are those who

              at one time lived upon the earth as we do, and who on

              account of their very good lives are now in Heaven.

              They had bodies as we have.  The angels, on the

              contrary, never lived visibly upon the earth.  In the

              beginning God was alone.  We take great pleasure in

              looking at beautiful things.  God, seeing His own beauty,

              and knowing that others would have very great pleasure

              and happiness in seeing Him, determined to create some

              beings who could enjoy this happiness; and thus He

              wished to share with them the happiness which He

              Himself derived from seeing His own beauty.  Therefore

              He created angels who were to be in Heaven with Him,

              singing His praises and worshipping before His throne.

 

Explanation:  The angels are not all equal in dignity, but are divided

              into nine classes, or choirs, according to their rank or

              office, and, as theologians tell us, arranged from the

              lowest to the highest and named as follows; angels,

              archangels, virtues, powers, principalities, dominations,

              thrones, cherubim, and seraphim.  Archangels are higher

              than angels and are so called because sent to do the most

              important works.  It was the Archangel Michael who

              drove Lucifer from Heaven and the Archangel Gabriel

              who announced to the Blessed Virgin that she was to be

              the Mother of God.  The angels receive their names from

              the duties they perform.  The word angel signifies

              messenger.

 

Question 36:  Were the angels created for any other purpose?

 

Answer:       The angels were also created to assist before the throne of

              God and to minister unto Him; they have often been sent

              as messengers from God to man; and are also appointed

              our guardians.

 

Explanation:  The duties of the angels are many.  Some remain always

              in Heaven with God; some are sent to earth to be our

              guardians and to remain with us.  Each of us has an angel

              to take care of us.  He is with us night and day, and

              offers our prayers and good works to God.  He prays for

              us, exhorts us to do good and avoid evil; and he protects

              us from dangers spiritual and temporal.  How unfortunate

              then must one be to cause him to return to Heaven with

              sad complaints to God; such as:  "The one whom I have

              in charge will not obey Thy laws or use the grace Thou

              sendest him:  with all my efforts to save him, he

              continues to do wrong" He will be doubly sad when he

              sees other angels returning with good reports and

              receiving new graces for those whom God has committed

              to their care.  If you love your guardian angel, never

              impose on him the painful duty of bringing to God the

              report of your evil doings.

 

Explanation:  Now, how do we know that the angels offer our prayers

              and good works to God? We know it from the beautiful

              story of Tobias, told in the Holy Scripture. (Tobias).

              This holy man loved and feared God.  He lived at a time

              when his people were persecuted by a most cruel king,

              who wished to force them to give up the true God and

              worship idols, but many of these good people suffered

              death rather than deny God and obey the wicked king.

              When they were put to death, their bodies were left lying

              on the ground, to be devoured by birds of prey or wild

              animals.  Anyone caught burying them was to be put to

              death by the king's servants.  Tobias used to carry the

              dead bodies of these holy martyrs into his house and bury

              them at night.

 

Explanation:  One day when he returned very tired he lay down by the

              wall of his house to rest, and, while lying there, some dirt

              fell into his eyes and he became blind. This Tobias had

              a young son whose name was also Tobias; and as he

              himself was now blind and poor, he wished to send his

              son into a certain city, at a good distance off, to collect

              some money that he had formerly loaned to a friend. As

              the young man did not know the way, his father sent him

              out to look for a guide.  Young Tobias went out and

              found a beautiful young man to be his guide and he

              consented, and he brought Tobias to the distant city.  As

              they were on their way they sat down by the bank of a

              river.  Tobias went into the water near the edge, and soon

              a great fish rushed at him.  Tobias called to his guide.

              The guide told him to take hold of the fish and drag it out

              upon the shore.  There they killed it, and kept part of its

              flesh for food and part for medicine.  Then they went on

              to the city, got the money and returned.  The guide told

              young Tobias to rub the part of the fish he had taken for

              medicine upon his father's eyes.  He did so, and

              immediately his father's eyes were cured and he saw.

              Then both the father and son were so delighted with this

              young guide, that they offered to give him half of all they

              had.  He refused to take it and then told them he was the

              angel Raphael sent from God to be the guide of this good

              man's son.  He told the old Tobias how he (the angel)

              had carried up to God his prayers and good works while

              he was burying the dead.

 

Explanation:  When they heard he was an angel they fell down and

              reverenced him, being very much afraid.  From this

              beautiful history we know that the angels carry our

              prayers and good works to God.  Again we learn from

              the Holy Scripture (Gen. 28) in the history of another

              good man almost the same thing.  The patriarch Jacob

              was on a journey, and being tired, he lay down to rest

              with his head upon a stone.  As he lay there he had a

              vision in which he saw a great ladder reaching up from

              earth to Heaven.  At the top he saw Almighty God

              standing, and on the ladder itself angels ascending and

              descending.  Now the holy Fathers of the Church tell us

              this is what is really taking place; the angels are always

              going down and up from God to man, though not on a

              ladder and not visibly as they appeared to Jacob.  Besides

              the guardian angel for each person, there are also

              guardian angels for each city and for each nation.

 

Explanation:  Again (Gen. 19) angels appeared to Lot to warn him

              about the destruction of the wicked cities of Sodom and

              Gomorrha.  Angels appeared also to the shepherds on the

              night Our Lord was born (Luke 2).  The catechism says

              angels have no bodies-how, then, could they appear?

              They took bodies made of some very light substance

              which would make them visible, and appeared just like

              beautiful young men, clad in flowing garments, as you

              frequently see them represented in pictures.  Angels were

              sometimes sent to punish men for their sins, as the angel

              who killed in one night 185,000 men in the army of the

              wicked king, Sennacherib, who blasphemed God, and

              was endeavoring to destroy Jerusalem, God's city. (4

              Kgs. 19).

 

Explanation:  But here is a difficulty.  If God Himself watches over us

              and sees all things, why should the angels guard us?  It

              is on account of God's goodness to us; though it is not

              necessary.  He does not wish us to have any excuse for

              being bad, so He gives us each a special heavenly servant

              to watch and assist us by his prayers.  If a friend received

              us into his house and did all he could for us himself, we

              should certainly be satisfied, but if he gave us a special

              servant, though it would not be necessary, he would show

              us great respect and kindness.  Moreover whatever the

              angels do for us, we might say God Himself does, for the

              angels are only obeying His commands.

 

Question 37:  Were the angels, as God created them, good and happy?

 

Answer:       The angels as God created them were good and happy.

 

Question 38:  Did all the angels remain good and happy?

 

Answer:       All the angels did not remain good and happy; many of

              them sinned and were cast into Hell; and these are called

              devils or bad angels.

 

Explanation:  God did not admit the angels into His presence at once.

              He placed them for awhile on probation, as He did our

              first parents.

 

Explanation:  One of these angels was most beautiful, and was named

              Lucifer, which means light-bearer.  He was so perfect

              that he seems to have forgotten that he received all his

              beauty and intelligence from God, and not content with

              what he had, became sinfully proud and wished to be

              equal to God Himself.  For his sin he and all his

              followers were driven out of Heaven, and God then

              created Hell, in which they were to suffer for all eternity.

              This same Lucifer is now called Satan, and more

              commonly the devil, and those who accompanied him in

              his fall, devils, or fallen angels.

 

 

                Lesson 5:  ON OUR FIRST PARENTS AND THEIR FALL

 

Question 39:  Who were the first man and woman?

Question 40:  Were Adam and Eve innocent and holy when they came

              from the hand of God?

Question 41:  Did God give any command to Adam and Eve?

Question 42:  Which were the chief blessings intended for Adam and

              Eve, had they remained faithful to God?

Question 43:  Did Adam and Eve remain faithful to God?

Question 44:  What befell Adam and Eve on account of their sin?

Question 45:  What evil befell us on account of the disobedience of our

              first parents?

Question 46:  What other effects followed from the sin of our first

              parents?

Question 47:  What is the sin called which we inherit from our first

              parents?

Question 48:  Why is this sin called original?

Question 49:  Does this corruption of our nature remain in us after

              Original Sin is forgiven?

Question 50:  Was anyone ever preserved from Original Sin?

 

Question 39:  Who were the first man and woman?

 

Answer:       The first man and woman were Adam and Eve.

 

Explanation:  In the beginning God created all things; something

              particular on each of the six days of Creation. (Gen. 1).

              On the first day He made light, on the second, the

              firmament, or the heavens, and on the sixth day He

              created man and called him Adam.  God wished Adam to

              have a companion; so one day He caused Adam to fall

              into a deep sleep, and then took from his side a rib, out

              of which he formed Eve.  Now God could have made

              Eve as He made Adam, by forming her body out of the

              clay of the earth and breathing into it a soul, but He made

              Eve out of Adam's rib to show that they were to be

              husband and wife, and to impress upon their minds the

              nature and sacredness of the love and union that should

              exist between them.

 

Question 40:  Were Adam and Eve innocent and holy when they came

              from the hand of God?

 

Answer:       Adam and Eve were innocent and holy when they came

              from the hand of God.

 

Explanation:  God placed Adam and Eve in Paradise, a large, beautiful

              garden, and gave them power over all the other creatures.

              Adam gave all the animals their appropriate names and

              they were obedient to him.  Even lions, tigers, and other

              animals that we now fear so much, came and played

              about him.  Our first parents, in their state of original

              innocence, were the happy friends of God, without

              sorrow or suffering of any kind.

 

Question 41:  Did God give any command to Adam and Eve?

 

Answer:       To try their obedience God commanded Adam and Eve

              not to eat of a certain fruit which grew in the garden of

              Paradise.

 

Explanation:  He told them (Gen. 2) they could take of all the fruits in

              the garden except the fruit of one tree, and if they

              disobeyed Him by eating the fruit of that tree, they should

              surely die.  God might have pointed out any tree, because

              it was simply a test of obedience.  He gave them a very

              simple command, for if we are faithful in little things we

              shall surely be faithful in greater.  Moreover, it is not

              precisely the consideration of what is forbidden, but of

              the authority by which it is forbidden that should deter us

              from violating the command and prove our fidelity.  Thus

              disobedience to our parents and superiors, even in little

              things, becomes sinful.  Someone might say:  "Why did

              God not try their obedience by one of the Ten

              Commandments?" Let us examine them.  "Remember the

              Sabbath." That one would be unnecessary:  for every day

              was Sabbath with them; the only work was to praise and

              serve God.  "Thou shalt not steal!' They could not;

              everything was theirs; and so for the other

              Commandments.  Therefore, God gave them a simple

              command telling them:  If you obey, you and all your

              posterity will be happy; every wish will be gratified,

              neither sorrow nor affliction shall come upon you and

              you shall never die; but if, on the contrary, you disobey,

              countless evils, misery and death will be your

              punishment.  The earth, now so fruitful, shall bring forth

              no crops without cultivation, and after years of toil the

              dead bodies of yourselves and children must lie buried in

              its soil.  So having the gift of free will they could take

              their choice, and either keep His command and be happy,

              or disobey Him and be miserable.

 

Question 42:  Which were the chief blessings intended for Adam and

              Eve, had they remained faithful to God?

 

Answer:       The chief blessings intended for Adam and Eve, had they

              remained faithful to God, were a constant state of

              happiness in this life and everlasting glory in the next.

 

Explanation:  Our first parents and their children were not to remain in

              the garden of Paradise forever, but were, after spending

              their allotted time of trial or probation upon earth, to be

              taken body and soul into Heaven without being obliged to

              die.

 

Question 43:  Did Adam and Eve remain faithful to God?

 

Answer:       Adam and Eve did not remain faithful to God, but broke

              His commandment by eating the forbidden fruit.

 

Explanation:  As it is told in the Bible (Gen. 3), Eve went to the

              forbidden tree and was standing looking at it, when the

              devil came in the form of a serpent and, tempting, told

              her to take some of the fruit and eat.  It does not appear

              that she went and tasted the fruit of all the other trees and

              finally came to this one, but rather that she went directly

              to the forbidden tree first.  Do we not sometimes imitate

              Eve's conduct?  As soon as we know a certain thing is

              forbidden we are more strongly tempted to try it.

 

Explanation:  See, then, what caused Eve's sin.  She went into the

              dangerous occasion, and was admiring the forbidden fruit

              when the tempter came.  She listened to him, yielded to

              his wicked suggestions, and sinned.  So will it be with us

              if through curiosity we desire to see or hear things

              forbidden; for once in the danger the devil will soon be

              on hand to tempt us-not visibly indeed, for that would

              alarm us and defeat his purpose, but invisibly, like our

              guardian angels; for the devil is a fallen angel who still

              possesses all the characteristics of an angel except

              goodness.  But this is not all.  Eve not only took and ate

              the fruit herself, but induced Adam to do likewise.  Most

              sinners imitate Eve in that respect.  Not satisfied with

              offending God themselves, they lead others into sin.

 

Explanation:  Why should the devil tempt us?  God created man to be

              in Heaven, but the fallen angels were jealous of man, and

              tempted him to sin so that he too should be kept out of

              Heaven and might never enjoy what they lost; just as

              envious people do not wish others to have what they

              cannot have themselves.

 

Question 44:  What befell Adam and Eve on account of their sin?

 

Answer:       Adam and Eve on account of their sin lost innocence and

              holiness, and were doomed to sickness and death.

 

Explanation:  They were innocent and holy because they were the

              friends of God and in a state of grace, but by their sin

              they lost His grace and friendship. "Doomed" means

              sentenced or condemned.  The first evil result, then, of

              Adam's sin was that he lost innocence and made his body

              a rebel against his soul.  Then he was to suffer poverty,

              hunger, cold, sickness, death, and every kind of ill; but

              the worst consequence of all was that God closed Heaven

              against him.  After a few years' trial, as we said, God

              was to take him into Heaven; but now He has closed it

              against Adam and his posterity.  All the people in the

              world could never induce God to open it again; for He

              closed it in accordance with His promise, and man was an

              exile and outcast from his heavenly home.

 

Question 45:  What evil befell us on account of the disobedience of our

              first parents?

 

Answer:       On account of the disobedience of our first parents we all

              share in their sin and punishment, as we should have

              shared in their happiness if they had remained faithful.

 

Explanation:  Does it not seem strange that we should suffer for the sin

              of our first parents, when we had nothing to do with it?

              No. It happens every day that children suffer for the

              faults of their parents and we do not wonder at it. Let us

              suppose a man's father leaves him a large fortune-houses,

              land, and money-and that he and his children are happy

              in the enjoyment of their inheritance.  The children are

              sent to the best schools, have everything they desire now,

              and bright hopes of happiness and prosperity in the

              future.  But alas! their hopes are vain.  The father begins

              to drink or gamble, and soon the great fortune is

              squandered.  House after house is sold and dollar after

              dollar spent, till absolute poverty comes upon the

              children, and the sad condition of their home tells of their

              distress.  Do they not suffer for the sins of their father,

              though they had nothing to do with them?  Indeed, many

              families in the world suffer thus through the faults of

              others, and most frequently of some of their members.

              Could you blame the grandfather for leaving the estate?

              Certainly not; for it was goodness on his part that made

              him give.  Let us apply this example.  What God gave

              Adam was to be ours also, and he squandered and

              misused it because he had free will, which God could not

              take from him without changing his nature; for it is our

              free will and intelligence that make us men, distinct from

              and superior to all other animals.  They can live, grow,

              feel, hear, see, etc., as we can, but the want of

              intelligence and free will leaves them mere brutes.

              Therefore, if God took away Adam's intelligence and free

              will, He would have made him a mere animal-though the

              most perfect.

 

Explanation:  When a man becomes insane or loses the use of his

              intelligence and free will, we place him in an asylum and

              take care of him as we would a tame animal, seldom

              allowing him to go about without being watched and

              guarded.

 

Explanation:  Let us take another example.  Suppose I have a friend

              who is addicted to the excessive drinking of strong liquor,

              and I say to him:  "If you give up that detestable habit for

              one year, I will make you a present of this beautiful

              house worth several thousand dollars.  It will be yours as

              long as you live, and at your death you may leave it to

              your children.  I do not owe you anything, but offer this

              as a free gift if you comply with my request:' My friend

              accepts the offer on these conditions, but the very next

              day deliberately breaks his promise.  I do not give him

              the house, because he did not keep his agreement; and

              can anyone say on that account that I am unjust or unkind

              to him or his children?  Certainly not.  Well, God acted

              in the same manner with Adam.  He promised him

              Heaven, a home more beautiful than any earthly palace

              the place Our Lord calls His father's house (John 14:2)

              and says there are many mansions, that is, dwelling

              places, in it.  God promised this home to Adam on

              condition that he would observe one simple command.

              He had no right to Heaven, but was to receive it,

              according to the promise, as a free gift from God, and

              therefore God, who offered it conditionally, was not

              obliged to give it when Adam violated his part of the

              agreement.

 

Explanation:  The example is not a perfect one, for there is this

              difference in the cases between Adam and my friend:

              when my friend does not get the house, he sustains a

              loss, it is true; but he might still be my friend as he was

              before, and live in my house; but when Adam lost

              Heaven, he lost God's friendship and grace, and the loss

              of all grace is to be in sin.  So that Adam by breaking the

              command was left in sin; and as all his children sustain

              the same loss, they too are all left in sin till they are

              baptized.

 

Question 46:  What other effects followed from the sin of our first

              parents?

 

Answer:       Our nature was corrupted by the sin of our first parents,

              which darkened our understanding, weakened our will,

              and left us a strong inclination to evil.

 

Explanation:  Our "nature was corrupted" is what I have said of the

              body rebelling against the soul.  Our "understanding

              darkened:" Adam knew much more without study than

              the most intelligent men could learn now with constant

              application.  Before his fall he saw things clearly and

              understood them well, but after his sin everything had to

              be learned by the slow process of study.  Then the "will

              was weakened:" Before he fell he could easily resist

              temptation, for his will was strong.  You know we sin by

              the will, because unless we wish to do the evil we commit

              no sin; and if absolutely forced by others to do wrong,

              we are free from the guilt as long as our will despises and

              protests against the action.  If forced, for example, to

              break my neighbor's window, I have not to answer in my

              conscience for the unjust act, because my will did not

              consent.  So, on every occasion on which we sin, it is the

              will that yields to the temptation.  After Adam's sin his

              will became weak and less able to resist temptation; and

              as we are sharers in his misfortune, we find great

              difficulty at times in overcoming sinful inclinations.  But

              no matter how violent the temptation or how prolonged

              and fierce the struggle against it, we can always be

              victorious if determined not to yield; for God gives us

              sufficient grace to resist every temptation; and if anyone

              should excuse his fall by saying he could not help

              sinning, he would be guilty of falsehood.

 

Explanation:  "A strong inclination" to do wrong-that is, unless always

              on our guard against it.  Our Lord once cautioned His

              Apostles (Matt. 26:41) to watch and pray lest they fall

              into temptation; teaching us also by the same warning

              that, besides praying against our spiritual enemies, we

              must watch their maneuvers and be ever ready to repel

              their attacks.

 

Question 47:  What is the sin called which we inherit from our first

              parents?

 

Answer:       The sin which we inherit from our first parents is called

              Original Sin.

 

Question 48:  Why is this sin called original?

 

Answer:       This sin is called original because it comes down to us

              from our first parents, and we are brought into the world

              with its guilt on our souls.

 

Question 49:  Does this corruption of our nature remain in us after

              Original Sin is forgiven?

 

Answer:       This corruption of our nature and other punishments

              remain in us after Original Sin is forgiven.

 

Explanation:  It remains that we may merit by overcoming its

              temptations; and also that we may be kept humble by

              remembering our former sinful and unhappy state.

 

Question 50:  Was anyone ever preserved from Original Sin?

 

Answer:       The Blessed Virgin Mary, through the merits of her

              divine Son, was preserved free from the guilt of Original

              Sin, and this privilege is called her Immaculate

              Conception.

 

Explanation:  The Blessed Virgin was to be the Mother of the Son of

              God.  Now it would not be proper for the Mother of God

              to be even for one moment the servant of the devil, or

              under his power.  If the Blessed Virgin had been in

              Original Sin, she would have been in the service of the

              devil.  Whatever disgraces a mother disgraces also her

              son; so Our Lord would never permit His dear Mother to

              be subject to the devil, and consequently He, through His

              merits, saved her from Original Sin.  She is the only one

              of the whole human race who enjoys this great privilege,

              and it is called her "Immaculate Conception," that is, she

              was conceived-brought into existence by her

              mother-without having any spot or stain of sin upon her

              soul, and hence without Original Sin.

 

Explanation:  Our Lord came into the world to crush the power which

              the devil had exercised over men from the fall of Adam.

              This He did by meriting grace for them and giving them

              this spiritual help to withstand the devil in all his attacks

              upon them.  As the Blessed Mother was never under the

              devil's power, next to God she has the greatest strength

              against him, and she will help us to resist him if we seek

              her aid.  The devil himself knows her power and fears

              her, and if he sees her coming to our assistance will

              quickly fly.  Never fail, then, in time of temptation to call

              upon our Blessed Mother; she will hear and help you and

              pray to God for you.

 

 

                    Lesson 6:  ON SIN AND ITS KINDS

 

Question 51:  Is Original Sin the only kind of sin?

Question 52:  What is actual sin?

Question 53:  How many kinds of actual sin are there?

Question 54:  What is mortal sin?

Question 55:  Why is this sin called mortal?

Question 56:  How many things are necessary to make a sin mortal?

Question 57:  What is venial sin?

Question 58:  Which are the effects of venial sin?

Question 59:  Which are the chief sources of sin?

 

Question 51:  Is Original Sin the only kind of sin?

 

Answer:       Original Sin is not the only kind of sin; there is another

              kind of sin which we commit ourselves, called actual sin.

 

Explanation:  Sin is first or chiefly divided into original and actual; that

              is, into the sin we inherit from our first parents and the

              sin we commit ourselves.  We may commit "actual" sin

              in two ways; either by doing what we should not

              do-stealing, for example-and thus we have a sin of

              commission, that is, a bad act committed; or by not doing

              what we should do-not hearing Mass on Sunday, for

              example-and thus we have a sin of omission, that is, a

              good act omitted. So it is not enough to simply do no

              harm, we must also do some good.  Heaven is a reward,

              and we must do something to merit it.  Suppose a man

              employed a boy to do the work of his office, and when

              he came in the morning found that the boy had neglected

              the work assigned to him, and when spoken to about it

              simply answered:  "Sir, I did no harm"; do you think he

              would be entitled to his wages? Of course he did not and

              should do no harm; but is his employer to pay him wages

              for that?  Certainly not.  In like manner, God is not going

              to reward us for doing no harm; but on the contrary, He

              will punish us if we do wrong, and give no reward unless

              we perform the work He has marked out for us.  Neither

              would the office boy deserve any wages if he did only

              what pleases himself, and not the work assigned by his

              master.  In the same way, God will not accept any

              worship or religion but the one He has revealed.  He tells

              us Himself how He wishes to be worshipped, and our

              own invented methods will not please Him. Hence we see

              the folly of those who say that all religions are equally

              good, and that we can be saved by practicing any of

              them.  We can be saved only in the one religion which

              God Himself has instituted, and by which He wishes to be

              honored.  Many also foolishly believe, or say they

              believe, that if they are honest, sober, and the like, doing

              no injury to anyone, they shall be saved without the

              practice of any form of religious worship.  But how about

              God's laws and commands?  Are they to be despised,

              disregarded, and neglected entirely, without any fear of

              punishment?  Surely not!  And persons who thus think

              they are doing no harm are neglecting to serve God-the

              greatest harm they can do, and for which they will lose

              Heaven.  God, we are told, assigned to everyone in this

              world a certain work to perform in a particular state of

              life, and this work is called "vocation." One, for instance,

              is to be a priest; another, a layman; one married; another

              single, etc.  It is important for us to discover our true

              vocation; for if we are in the state of life to which God

              has called us, we shall be happy; but if we select our own

              work, our own state of life without consulting Him, we

              shall seldom be happy in it.  How are we to know our

              vocation?  Chiefly by praying to God and asking Him to

              make it known to us.  Then if He gives us a strong

              inclination-constant, or nearly constant-for a certain state

              of life, and the ability to fulfill its duties, we may well

              believe that God wishes us to be in that state.

 

Explanation:  After we have begged God's assistance, we must ask our

              confessor's advice in the matter, and listen attentively to

              what the Holy Ghost inspires him to say. The signs of our

              vocation are, therefore, as stated:  first, a strong desire,

              and second, an aptitude for the state to which we believe

              we are called.  For example, a young man might be very

              holy, but if unable to learn, he could never be a priest.

              Another might be very learned and holy, but if too sickly

              to perform a priest's duties, he could not, or at least

              would not, be ordained. Another might be learned and

              healthy, but not virtuous, and so he could never be a

              priest.  Aptitude, therefore, means all the qualities

              necessary, whether of mind, or soul, or body.  The same

              is true for a young girl who wishes to become a religious;

              and the same, indeed, for any person's vocation.  We

              should never enter a state of life to which we are not

              called, simply to please parents or others.  Neither should

              we be persuaded by them to give up a state to which we

              are called; for we should embrace our true vocation at

              any sacrifice, that in it we may serve God better, and be

              more certain of saving our souls.  Thus, parents and

              guardians who prevent their children from entering the

              state to which they are called may sin grievously by

              exposing them to eternal loss of salvation.  Their sin is all

              the greater when they try to influence their children in

              this matter for selfish or worldly motives.  As they may

              be selfish and prejudiced without knowing it, they too,

              should ask the advice of their confessor, and good

              persons of experience.  Oh! how many children, sons and

              daughters, are made unhappy all the days of their life by

              parents or superiors forcing them into some state to which

              they were not called, or by keeping them from one to

              which they were called.  This matter of your vocation

              rests with yourselves and Almighty God, and you are free

              to do what He directs without consideration for anyone.

 

Question 52:  What is actual sin?

 

Answer:       Actual sin is any willful thought, word, deed, or omission

              contrary to the law of God.

 

Explanation:  Three ways we may sin, by "thought"--allowing our

              minds to dwell on sinful things; "word"--by cursing,

              telling lies, etc.; "deed"--by any kind of bad action.  But

              to be sins, these thoughts, words and deeds must be

              willful; that is, we must fully know what we are doing,

              and be free in doing it.  Then they must be "contrary to

              the law of God"; that is, violate some law He commands

              us to obey, whether it be a law He gave directly Himself,

              or through His Church.  We can also violate God's law

              by neglecting to observe it, and thus sin, provided the

              neglect be willful, and the thing neglected commanded by

              God or by His Church.

 

Question 53:  How many kinds of actual sin are there?

 

Answer:       There are two kinds of actual sin-mortal and venial.

 

Explanation:  "Mortal," that is, the sin which kills the soul.  When a

              man receives a very severe wound, we say he is mortally

              wounded; that is, he will die from the wound.  As breath

              shows there is life in the body, so grace is the life of the

              soul; when all the breath is out of the body, we say the

              man is dead.  He can perform no action to help himself

              or others.  So when all grace is out of the soul we say it

              is dead, because it is reduced to the condition of a dead

              body. It can do no action worthy of merit, such as a soul

              should do; that is, it can do no action that God is bound

              to reward-it is dead.  But you will say the soul never

              dies.  You mean it will never cease to exist; but we call

              it dead when it has lost all its power to do supernatural

              good.

 

Explanation:  "Venial" sin does not drive out all the grace; it wounds

              the soul, it weakens it just as slight wounds weaken the

              body.  If it falls very frequently into venial sin, it will fall

              very soon into mortal sin also; for the Holy Scripture says

              that he that contemneth small things shall fall by little and

              little. (Ecclus. 19:1).  A venial sin seems a little thing,

              but if we do not avoid it we shall by degrees fall into

              greater, or mortal, sin.  Venial sin makes God less

              friendly to us and displeases Him.  Now if we really love

              God, we will not displease Him even in the most trifling

              things.

 

Question 54:  What is mortal sin?

 

Answer:       Mortal sin is a grievous offense against the law of God.

 

Explanation:  "Grievous" that is, very great or serious.  "Against the

              law." If we are in doubt whether anything is sinful or not,

              we must ask ourselves:  is it forbidden by God or His

              Church? and if we do not know of any law forbidding it,

              it cannot be a sin, at least for us.

 

Explanation:  Suppose, for example, a boy should doubt whether it is

              sinful or not to fly a kite.  Well, is there any law of God

              or of His Church saying it is sinful to fly a kite?  If not,

              then it cannot be a sin.  But it might be sinful for another

              reason, namely, his parents or superiors might forbid it,

              and there is a law of God saying you must not disobey

              your parents or superiors.  Therefore a thing not sinful in

              itself, that is, not directly forbidden by God or His

              Church, may become sinful for some other reason well

              known to us.

 

Explanation:  We must not, however, doubt concerning the sinfulness

              or lawfulness of everything we do; for that would be

              foolish and lead us to be scrupulous.  If we doubt at all

              we should have some good reason for doubting, that is,

              for believing that the thing we are about to do is or is not

              forbidden.  When, therefore, we have such a doubt we

              must seek information from those who can enlighten us

              on the subject, so that we may act without the danger of

              sinning. It is our intention that makes the act we perform

              sinful or not.  Let me explain.  Suppose during Lent a

              person should mistake Friday for Thursday and should eat

              meat-that person would not commit a real sin, because it

              is not a sin to eat meat on an ordinary Thursday.  He

              would commit what we call a material sin; that is, his

              action would be a sin if he really knew what he was

              doing.  On the other hand, if the person, thinking it was

              Friday when it was really Thursday, ate meat, knowing

              it to be forbidden, that person would commit a mortal sin,

              because he intended to do so.  Therefore, if what we do

              is not known to be a sin while we do it, it is no sin for us

              and cannot become a sin afterwards.  But as soon as we

              know or learn that what we did was wrong, it would be

              a sin if we did the same thing again.  In the same way,

              everything we do thinking it to be wrong or sinful is

              wrong and sinful for us, though it may not be wrong for

              those who know better.  Again, it is sinful to judge others

              for doing wrong, because they may not know that what

              they do is sinful.  It would be better for us to instruct

              than to blame them.  The best we can do, therefore, is to

              learn well all God's laws and the laws of His Church as

              they are taught in the catechism, so that we may know

              when we are violating them or when we are not, i.e.,

              when we are sinning and when we are not.

 

Question 55:  Why is this sin called mortal?

 

Answer:       This sin is called mortal because it deprives us of spiritual

              life, which is sanctifying grace. and brings everlasting

              death and damnation on the soul.

 

Explanation:  When the soul is sent to Hell it is dead forever, because

              never again will it be able to do a single meritorious act.

 

Question 56:  How many things are necessary to make a sin mortal?

 

Answer:       To make a sin mortal three things are necessary:  a

              grievous matter, sufficient reflection, and full consent of

              the will.

 

Explanation:  "Grievous matter." To steal is a sin.  Now, if you steal

              only a pin the act of stealing in that case could not be a

              mortal sin, because the "matter," namely, the stealing of

              an ordinary pin, is not grievous.  But suppose it was a

              diamond pin of great value, then it would surely be

              "grievous matter." "Sufficient reflection," that is, you

              must know what you are doing at the time you do it.  For

              example, suppose while you stole the diamond pin you

              thought you were stealing a pin with a small piece of

              glass, of little value, you would not have sufficient

              reflection and would not commit a mortal sin till you

              found out that what you had stolen was a valuable

              diamond; if you continued to keep it after learning your

              mistake, you would surely commit a mortal sin. "Full

              consent:' Suppose you were shooting at a target and

              accidentally killed a man:  you would not have the sin of

              murder, because you did not will or wish to kill a man.

 

Explanation:  Therefore three things are necessary that your act may be

              a mortal sin:

 

Explanation:  The act you do must be bad, and sufficiently important;

              You must reflect that you are doing it, and know that it

              is wrong; You must do it freely, deliberately, and

              willfully.

 

Question 57:  What is venial sin?

 

Answer:       Venial sin is a slight offense against the law of God in

              matters of less importance, or in matters of great

              importance it is an offense committed without sufficient

              reflection or full consent of the will.

 

Explanation:  "Slight ' " that is, a small offense or fault; called

              "venial," not because it is not a sin, but because God

              pardons it more willingly or easily than He does a mortal

              sin.  "Less importance;" like stealing an ordinary,

              common pin.  "Great importance;' like stealing a

              diamond pin.  Without "reflection" or "consent," when

              you did not know it was a diamond and did not intend to

              steal a diamond.

 

Question 58:  Which are the effects of venial sin?

 

Answer:       The effects of venial sin are the lessening of the love of

              God in our heart, the making us less worthy of His help,

              and the weakening of the power to resist mortal sin.

 

Explanation:  "Lessening of the love;" because it lessens grace, and

              grace increases the love of God in us.  It displeases God,

              and though we do not offend Him very greatly, we still

              offend Him. "Weakening of the power to resist:' If a man

              is wounded, it will be easier to kill him than if he is in

              perfect health.

 

Explanation:  So mortal sin will more easily kill a soul already

              weakened by the wounds of venial sin.

 

Question 59:  Which are the chief sources of sin?

 

Answer:       The chief sources of sin are seven:  Pride, Covetousness,

              Lust, Anger, Gluttony, Envy, and Sloth; and they are

              commonly called capital sins.

 

Explanation:  A "source" is that from which anything else comes.  The

              source of a river is the little spring on the Mountainside

              where the river first begins. This little stream runs down

              the mountain, and as it goes along gathers strength and

              size from other little streams running into it.  It cuts its

              way through the meadows, and marks the course and is

              the beginning of a great river, sweeping all things before

              it and carrying them off to the ocean.  Now, if someone

              in the beginning had stopped up the little spring on the

              mountain-the first source of the river-there would have

              been no river in that particular place.  It is just the same

              with sin.  There is one sin that is the source, and as it

              goes along like the stream it gathers strength; other sins

              follow it and are united with it.  Again:  each of these

              "capital sins," as they are called, is like a leader or a

              captain in an army, with so many others under him and

              following him.  Now, if you take away the head, the

              other members of the body will perish; so if you destroy

              the capital sin, the other sins that follow it will disappear

              also.  Very few persons have all the capital sins:  some

              are guilty of one of them, some of two, some of three,

              but few if any are guilty of them all.  The one we are

              guilty of, and which is the cause of all our other sins, is

              called our predominant sin or our ruling passion.  We

              should try to find it out, and labor to overcome it.

 

Explanation:  Every one of these capital sins has a great many other

              sins following it.

 

Explanation:  "Pride" is an inordinate self-esteem.  Pride comes under

              the First Commandment; because by thinking too much

              of ourselves we neglect God, and give to ourselves the

              honor due to Him.  Of what have we to be proud?  Of

              our personal appearance?  Disease may efface in one

              night every trace of beauty. Of our clothing?  It is not

              ours; we have not produced it; most of it is taken from

              the lower animals-wool from the sheep, leather from the

              ox, feathers from the bird, etc.  Are we proud of our

              wealth, money or property?  These may be stolen or

              destroyed by fire.  The learned may become insane, and

              so we have nothing to be proud of but our good works.

              All that we have is from God, and we can have it only as

              long as He wishes.  We had nothing coming into the

              world, and we leave it with nothing but the shroud in

              which we are buried; and even this does not go with the

              soul, but remains with the body to rot in the earth.  Soon

              after death our bodies become so offensive that even our

              dearest friends hasten to place them under ground, where

              they become the food of worms, a mass of corruption

              loathsome to sight and smell.  Why, then, should we be

              so proud of this body, and commit so much sin for it,

              pamper it with every delicacy, only to be the food of

              worms?  This does not mean, however, that we are not to

              keep our bodies clean, and take good care of them.  We

              are bound to do so, and could not neglect it without

              committing sin.  The one thing to be avoided is taking too

              much care of them, and neglecting our soul and God on

              their account.  The followers of pride are:  conceit,

              hypocrisy, foolish display in dress or conduct, harshness

              to others, waste of time on ourselves, etc.

              "Covetousness," the same as avarice, greed, etc., is an

              inordinate desire for worldly goods. "Inordinate;" because

              it is not avarice to prudently provide for the future either

              for ourselves or others.  Covetousness comes under the

              Tenth Commandment, and is forbidden by it. We must be

              content with what we have or can get honestly. The

              followers of covetousness are:  Want of charity, dishonest

              dealing, theft, etc.  "Lust" is the desire for sins of the

              flesh; for impure thoughts, words, or actions.  It comes

              under the Sixth and Ninth Commandments, and includes

              all that is forbidden by those Commandments.  It is the

              habit of always violating, or of desiring to violate, the

              Sixth and Ninth Commandments.  Lust and impurity

              mean the same thing.  The followers of lust are,

              generally, neglect of prayer, neglect of the Sacraments,

              and final loss of faith.

 

Explanation:  "Anger" comes under the Fifth Commandment.  It is

              followed by hatred, the desire of revenge, etc.

 

Explanation:  "Gluttony" is the sin of eating or drinking too much.

              With regard to eating, it is committed by eating too often;

              by being too particular about what we eat, by being too

              extravagant in always looking for the most costly things,

              that we think others cannot have.  With regard to

              drinking, it is generally committed by taking too much of

              intoxicating liquors.  The drunkard is a glutton and

              commits the sin of gluttony every time he becomes

              intoxicated. Gluttony, especially in drink, comes in a

              manner under the First Commandment, because by

              depriving ourselves of our reason we cannot give God the

              honor and respect which is His due.  Think of how many

              sins the drunkard commits.  He becomes intoxicated,

              which in itself is a sin.  He deprives himself of the use of

              reason, abuses God's great gift, and becomes like a brute

              beast.  Indeed in a way he becomes worse than a beast;

              for beasts always follow the laws that God has given to

              their nature, and never drink to excess.  They obey God,

              and man is the only one of God's creatures that does not

              always keep His laws.  Think too of the number of insane

              persons confined in asylums, who would give all in this

              world for the use of their reason, if they could only

              understand their miserable condition.  Yet the drunkard

              abuses the gift that would make these poor unfortunate

              lunatics happy.  Again, the drunkard injures his health

              and thus violates the Fifth Commandment by committing

              a kind of slow suicide.  He loses self-respect, makes use

              of sinful language; frequently neglects Mass and all his

              religious duties, exposes himself to the danger of death

              while in a state of sin, gives scandal to his family and

              neighbors, and by his bad example causes some to leave

              or remain out of the true Church.  By continued

              intemperance, he may become insane and remain in that

              condition till death puts an end to his career and he goes

              unprepared before the judgment seat of God. Besides all

              this he squanders the money he should put to a better use

              and turns God's gifts into a means of offending Him.  If

              a father, he neglects the children and wife for whom he

              has promised to provide; leaves them cold and hungry

              while he commits sin with the means that would make

              them comfortable. Drunkenness therefore is a sin

              accompanied by many deplorable evils.  There are three

              great sins you should always be on your guard against

              during your whole lives, namely, drunkenness,

              dishonesty, and impurity.  If you avoid these you will

              almost surely avoid all other sins; for nearly all sins can

              be traced back to these three.  They are the most

              dangerous, first, because they have most followers, and

              secondly, because they grow upon us almost without our

              knowing it.  The drunkard begins perhaps as a boy by

              taking a little, even very little; the second time he takes

              a little more; the next time still more, then he begins to

              be fond of strong drink and can scarcely do without it;

              finally he becomes the slave of intemperance and sells his

              soul and body for it.  The passions of dishonesty and

              impurity grow by degrees in the same manner. Therefore

              avoid them in the beginning and resist them while they

              are under your power.  If you find yourself inclined to

              any of these sins in your youth, stop them at once.

 

Explanation:  "Envy" is the desire to see another meet with misfortune

              that we may be benefited by it.  We are glad when he

              does not succeed in his business, we are sorry when

              anyone speaks well of him, etc.  Envy comes under the

              Eighth Commandment.

 

Explanation:  "Sloth" is committed when we idle our time, and are

              lazy; when we are indifferent about serving God; when

              we do anything slowly and poorly and in a way that

              shows we would rather not do it.  They are slothful who

              lie in bed late in the morning and neglect their duty.

              Slothful people are often untidy in their personal

              appearance; and they are nearly always in misery and

              want, unless somebody else takes care of them.  Sloth

              comes under the First Commandment, because it has

              reference in a special manner to the way in which we

              serve God.  How, then, shall we best destroy sin in our

              souls?  By finding out our chief capital sin and rooting it

              out.  If a strong oak tree is deeply rooted in the ground,

              how will you best destroy its life?  By cutting off the

              branches?  No. For with each returning spring new

              branches will grow.  How then?  By cutting the root and

              then the great oak with all its branches will die.  In the

              same way our capital sin is the root, and as long as we

              leave it in our souls other sins will grow out of it.  While

              we are trying to destroy

 

 

              Lesson 7:  ON THE INCARNATION AND REDEMPTION

 

Question 60:  Did God abandon man after he fell into sin?

Question 61:  Who is the Redeemer?

Question 62:  What do you believe of Jesus Christ?

Question 63:  Why is Jesus Christ true God?

Question 64:  Why is Jesus Christ true man?

Question 65:  How many natures are there in Jesus Christ?

Question 66:  Is Jesus Christ more than one person?

Question 67:  Was Jesus Christ always God?

Question 68:  Was Jesus Christ always man?

Question 69:  What do you mean by the Incarnation?

Question 70:  How was the Son of God made man?

Question 71:  Is the Blessed Virgin Mary truly the Mother of God?

Question 72:  Did the Son of God become man immediately after the

              sin of our first parents?

Question 73:  How could they be saved who lived before the Son of

              God became man?

Question 74:  On what day was the Son of God conceived and made

              man?

Question 75:  On what day was Christ born?

Question 76:  How long did Christ live on earth?

Question 77:  Why did Christ live so long on earth?

 

Explanation:  "Incarnation" means to take flesh, as a body.  Here it

              means Our Lord's taking flesh, that is, taking a body like

              ours, when He became man. "Redemption" means to buy

              back.  Let us take an example.  Slaves are men or women

              that belong entirely to their masters, just as horses, cows,

              or other animals do. Slaves are bought and sold, never

              receive any wages for their work, get their food and

              clothing and no more.  As they never earn money for

              themselves, they can never purchase their own liberty.  If

              ever they are to be free, someone else must procure their

              liberty.  Now, suppose I am in some country where

              slavery exists.  I am free, but I want one hundred dollars;

              so I go to a slave owner and say:  I want to sell myself

              for one hundred dollars.  He buys me and I soon

              squander the one hundred dollars.  Now I am his

              property, his slave; I shall never earn any wages and shall

              never be able to buy my freedom.  No other slave can

              help me, for he is just in the same condition as I myself

              am.  If I am to be free, a free man who has the money

              must pay for my liberty.  This is exactly the condition in

              which all men were before Our Lord redeemed them.

              Adam sold himself and all his children to the devil by

              committing sin.  He and they therefore became slaves.

              They could not earn any spiritual wages, that is, grace of

              God to purchase their liberty; and as all men were slaves

              one could not help another in this matter.  Then Our Lord

              Himself came and purchased our freedom.  He bought us

              back again, and the price He paid was His own life and

              blood given up upon the Cross.  In His goodness, He did

              more than redeem us; He gave us also the means of

              redeeming ourselves in case we should ever have the

              misfortune of falling again into the slavery of the

              devil-into sin.  He left us the Sacrament of Penance to

              which we can go as to a bank, and draw out enough of

              Our Lord's grace-merited for us and deposited in the

              power of His Church-to purchase our redemption from

              sin.

 

Question 60:  Did God abandon man after he fell into sin?

 

Answer:       God did not abandon man after he fell into sin, but

              promised him a Redeemer, who was to satisfy for man's

              sin and reopen to him the gates of Heaven.

 

Explanation:  "Abandon" means to leave to one's self.  Adam and his

              posterity were slaves, but God took pity on them.  He did

              not leave them to themselves, but promised to help them.

 

Explanation:  "Gates of Heaven:" Heaven has no gates, because it is

              not built of material-of stone, or iron, or wood.  It is only

              our way of speaking; just as we say "hand of God,'

              although He has no hands.  Heaven is the magnificent

              home God has prepared for us, and its gates are His

              power by which He keeps us out or lets us in as He

              pleases.  Our Lord, therefore, obtained admittance for us.

 

Question 61:  Who is the Redeemer?

 

Answer:       Our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is the

              Redeemer of mankind.

 

Question 62:  What do you believe of Jesus Christ?

 

Answer:       I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the second

              Person of the Blessed Trinity, true God and true man.

 

Explanation:  "True God:" He was true God equal to His Father from

              all eternity.  He became man when He came upon the

              earth about 2,000 years ago, and was born on Christmas

              Day.  Now He is in Heaven as God and man.  Therefore,

              He was God always, but man only from the time of His

              Incarnation.

 

Question 63:  Why is Jesus Christ true God?

 

Answer:       Jesus Christ is true God because He is the true and only

              Son of God the Father.

 

Explanation:  God the Father, first Person of the Blessed Trinity, is His

              real Father, and St. Joseph was His foster-father, selected

              by the Heavenly Father to take care of Our Lord and

              watch over Him while on earth.  A foster-father is not the

              same as a stepfather.  A stepfather is a second father that

              one gets when his real father dies.  A foster-father is one

              who takes a person, whether a relative or a stranger, and

              adopts him as his son.

 

Explanation:  It was a very great honor for St. Joseph to be selected

              from among all men to take care of the Son of God; to

              carry in his arms the great One of whom the prophets

              spoke; the One for whom the whole world longed during

              so many thousand years; so that next to our Blessed

              Mother St. Joseph deserves our greatest honor.

 

Question 64:  Why is Jesus Christ true man?

 

Answer:       Jesus Christ is true man because He is the Son of the

              Blessed Virgin Mary, and has a body and soul like ours.

 

Explanation:  He has all that we have by nature, but not the things we

              have acquired such as deformities, imperfections, and the

              like.  Everything in Our Lord was perfect.  Above all, He

              had no sin of any kind; nor even inclination to sin. He

              could be hungry, as He was when He fasted forty days in

              the desert. (Matt. 4:2).  He was thirsty, as He said on the

              Cross. (John 19:28).  He could be wearied; as we read in

              the Holy Scripture (John 4:6) that He sat down by a well

              to rest, while His disciples went into the city to buy food.

              All these sufferings come from our very nature.  We say

              a thing comes from our very nature when everybody has

              it.  Now, everyone in the world may at times be hungry,

              thirsty, or tired; but everybody in the world need not

              have a toothache or headache, because such things are

              not common to human nature, but due to some defect in

              our body; and such defects Our Lord did not have,

              because He was a perfect man.  Therefore, Our Lord had

              a body like ours, not as it usually is with defects, but as

              it should be, perfect in all things that belong to its nature,

              as Adam's was before he sinned.

 

Question 65:  How many natures are there in Jesus Christ?

 

Answer:       In Jesus Christ there are two natures:  the nature of God

              and the nature of man.

 

Explanation:  He was perfect God and perfect man.  His human nature

              was under the full power of His divine nature, and could

              not do anything contrary to His divine will.  You cannot

              understand how there can be two natures and two wills in

              one person, because it is another of the great mysteries;

              but you must believe it, just as you believe there are three

              Persons in one God, though you do not understand it.

              Those who learn theology and study a great deal may

              understand it better than you, but never fully.  It will be

              enough, therefore, for you to remember and believe that

              there are two natures-the divine nature and the human

              nature-in the one person of Our Lord.

 

Question 66:  Is Jesus Christ more than one person?

 

Answer:       No, Jesus Christ is but one Divine Person.

 

Explanation:  "But one;" so that the Second Person of the Blessed

              Trinity, the Son of God, the Messias, Christ, Jesus, Our

              Lord, Our Saviour, Our Redeemer, etc., are all names for

              the one Person; and, besides these, there are many other

              names given to Our Lord in the Holy Scripture, both in

              the Old and the New Testaments.

 

Question 67:  Was Jesus Christ always God?

 

Answer:       Jesus Christ was always God, as He is the Second Person

              of the Blessed Trinity, equal to His Father from all

              eternity.

 

Question 68:  Was Jesus Christ always man?

 

Answer:       Jesus Christ was not always man, but became man at the

              time of His Incarnation.

 

Question 69:  What do you mean by the Incarnation?

 

Answer:       By the Incarnation I mean that the Son of God was made

              man.

 

Question 70:  How was the Son of God made man?

 

Answer:       The Son of God was conceived and made man by the

              power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the Blessed

              Virgin Mary.

 

Question 71:  Is the Blessed Virgin Mary truly the Mother of God?

 

Answer:       The Blessed Virgin Mary is truly the Mother of God,

              because the same Divine Person who is the Son of God

              is also the Son of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

 

Question 72:  Did the Son of God become man immediately after the

              sin of our first parents?

 

Answer:       The Son of God did not become man immediately after

              the sin of our first parents, but He was promised to them

              as a Redeemer.

 

Explanation:  God did not say to Adam when He would send the

              Redeemer, and so the Redeemer did not come for about

              4,000 years after He was first promised. God permitted

              this long time to elapse in order that mankind might feel

              and know how great an evil sin is, and what misery it

              brought upon the world. During these 4,000 years men

              were becoming gradually worse.  At one time-about

              1,600 years after Adam's sin they became so bad that

              God destroyed by a deluge, or great flood of water, all

              persons and living things upon the earth, except Noah,

              his wife, his three sons and their wives, and the animals

              they had in the ark with them. (Gen. 6).  Let me now

              give you more particulars about this terrible punishment.

              After God determined to destroy all living things on

              account of the wickedness of men, He told Noah, who

              was a good man, to build a great ark, or ship, for himself

              and his family, and for some of all the living creatures

              upon the earth. (Gen. 6).  When the ark was ready, Noah

              and his family went into it, and the animals that were to

              be saved came by God's power, and two by two were

              taken into the ark.  Besides the two of each kind of

              animals, Noah was required to take with him five more of

              each kind of clean animals.  Clean animals were certain

              animals which, according to God's law, could be offered

              in sacrifice or eaten; they were such animals as the ox,

              the sheep, the goat, etc.  Therefore, seven of each of the

              clean animals, and two of each of the other kinds.  Why

              did He have seven clean animals?  two were to be set free

              upon the dry earth with the other animals, and the other

              five were for food and sacrifice.  Noah spent a hundred

              years in making the ark.  At that time men lived much

              longer than they do now.  Adam lived over 900 years and

              Mathusala, the oldest man, lived to be 969 years old.

              There are many reasons why men live a shorter time now

              than then.  When the door of the ark was closed, God

              sent a great rain that lasted for forty days and forty

              nights.  All the springs of water broke forth, and all the

              rivers and lakes overflowed their banks.  Men ran here

              And there to high places, while the water rose higher and

              higher till it covered the tops of the mountains, and all

              not in the ark were drowned.  The big ark floated about

              for about a year; for although it stopped raining after

              forty days, just think of the quantity of water that must

              have fallen!  Think of the rain what would fall during the

              whole of Lent from Ash Wednesday to Easter

              Sunday-forty days.  It took a long time, therefore, for the

              waters to go down and finally disappear.  When the

              waters began to go down, Noah, wishing to know if any

              land was as yet above the water, opened the little

              window, and sent out a raven or crow over the waters.

              The raven did not come back, because it is a bird that

              eats flesh, and it found plenty of dead bodies to feed

              upon.  Then Noah sent out a dove, and the dove came

              back with the bough of an olive tree in its mouth.  From

              this Noah knew that the earth was becoming dry again.

              After some days, the ark rested on the top of a mountain

              named Ararat.  When all the waters had dried up, Noah

              and his family and all the animals passed out of the ark.

              He offered a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and he and his

              family settled once more upon the earth.  For a while, the

              descendants of Noah were good, but when they became

              numerous they soon forgot the deluge and its

              punishments, and became very wicked.  Many forgot the

              true God altogether, and began to worship the sun, moon,

              and stars.  Some worshipped animals, and others idols of

              wood or stone.  They offered up human victims and

              committed all kinds of sins most displeasing to God.

              Many were in slavery; masters were cruel; and things

              were becoming daily worse, till just before the coming of

              Our Lord the world was in a terrible condition of misery

              and sin. The lawmakers tried to remedy these evils by

              their laws, and the teachers and professors by their

              teaching; but all was of no avail.  God Himself must save

              the world.

 

Explanation:  God gave many promises of the Redeemer.  The first one

              was given in the garden to our first parents.  God said

              (Gen. 3:15) to the serpent:  I will put enmities, that is

              hatred, between thee and the woman; that is, between the

              devil and the Blessed Virgin-whom the holy writers call

              the second Eve; because as the first Eve caused our fall,

              the second Eve helped us to rise again.  I will put also a

              great hatred between the devil and your Redeemer.  The

              next promise of the Redeemer was made to Abraham.

              (Gen. 15).  Another was made to Isaac, and another to

              Jacob; and later these promises were frequently renewed

              through the prophets; so that during the four thousand

              years God encouraged the good people, by promising

              from time to time the Redeemer.

 

Explanation:  Some of the prophets foretold to what family He would

              belong, and when He would be born, and when and what

              He would suffer, and how He would die.  They also

              foretold signs or things that would come to pass just

              before the advent or coming of the Messias (Gen. 49:10);

              so that when the people saw these things coming to pass,

              they could know that the time of the Messias was at hand.

              Thus when Our Lord came, the whole world was waiting

              and looking for the promised Redeemer, because the

              signs foretold had appeared or were taking place.  But the

              majority did not recognize Our Lord when He came, on

              account of the quiet, humble, and poor way in which He

              came.  They were expecting to see the Redeemer come as

              a great and powerful king, with mighty armies conquering

              the world; and in this they were mistaken.  If they had

              studied the Holy Scriptures they would have learned how

              He was to come-poor and humble.

 

Question 73:  How could they be saved who lived before the Son of

              God became man?

 

Answer:       They who lived before the Son of God became man could

              be saved by believing in the Redeemer to come, and by

              keeping the Commandments.

 

Explanation:  We have seen that God promised the Redeemer during

              four thousand years. Now, those who believed these

              promises and kept all God's Commandments, and

              observed all His laws as they knew them, could be saved.

              They could not, it is true, enter into Heaven after their

              death, but they could wait in Limbo without suffering till

              Our Lord opened Heaven for them.  They were saved

              only through the merits of Our Lord.  And how could this

              be when Our Lord was not yet born? Do you know what

              a promissory note is?  It is this.  When a man is not able

              to pay his debts just now but will be able afterwards, he

              gives those to whom he owes the money a promissory

              note, that is, a written promise that he will pay at a

              certain time.  Now, those who died before Our Lord was

              born had the Holy Scripture promising that Christ would

              pay for them and for their sins when He would come.  So

              God saved them on account of this promise and kept them

              free from suffering till Our Lord came.  If any died when

              they were little infants, their parents answered for them as

              godfathers and godmothers do now for infants at Baptism.

 

Question 74:  On what day was the Son of God conceived and made

              man?

 

Answer:       The Son of God was conceived and made man on

              Annunciation Day-the day on which the Angel Gabriel

              announced to the Blessed Virgin Mary that she was to be

              the Mother of God.

 

Explanation:  "Annunciation Day" is the 25th of March.  You can

              easily remember that feast.  Everybody knows that St.

              Patrick's Day is on the 17th of March, and therefore

              eight days after it comes Annunciation day.  There is

              another feast coming in between them, the feast of St.

              Joseph, on the 19th of March. Therefore it is easy to

              remember these three feasts coming all in March and

              almost together.  Annunciation is the name given to that

              day after the angel came, but it was not called so before.

              Annunciation means to tell or make known, and this is

              the day the angel made known to the Blessed Virgin that

              she was selected for the high office of Mother of God.

              The Blessed Virgin was expecting the Messias, and was

              probably praying for His speedy arrival, as were the rest

              of her people, when suddenly the angel came and said:

              Hail, full of grace. (See Hail Mary Expl.).

 

Question 75:  On what day was Christ born?

 

Answer:       Christ was born on Christmas Day in a stable at

              Bethlehem, over nineteen hundred years ago.

 

Explanation:  "Christmas Day" is the 25th of December, one week

              before the New Year. It is called Christmas Day since the

              time Our Lord was born, over nineteen hundred years

              ago.  "In a stable at Bethlehem:" The story of Our Lord's

              birth is in every way a very sad one.  The Blessed Virgin

              and St. Joseph lived in Palestine-called also the Holy

              Land since Our Lord lived there.  Palestine was the

              country where God's people, the Jews, lived, and at the

              time we are speaking of, it was under the power of the

              Roman Emperor, who had his soldiers and governor

              there.  He wished to find out how many people were

              there, and so he ordered a census or count of the people

              to be made. (Luke 2).  We take the census very

              differently now from what they did then.  We in the

              United States, by order of the government, send men

              around from house to house to write down the names; but

              in Palestine, when they wanted the number of the people,

              everyone, no matter where he lived, had to go to the city

              or town where his forefathers had lived and there register

              his name with all the others who belonged to the same

              tribe or family.  Now, the forefathers of St. Joseph and

              the Blessed Virgin belonged to the little town of

              Bethlehem (Luke 2); so they had to leave Nazareth where

              they were then living and go to Bethlehem. This was

              shortly before Christmas.  When they got to Bethlehem,

              they found the place crowded with people who also came

              to enroll their names.  They went to the inn or hotel to

              seek for lodging for the night.  The hotels there were not

              like ours.  They were simply large buildings with small

              rooms and no furniture; they were called caravansaries.

              A man was in charge of the building, and by paying him

              something persons were allowed the use of a room.  No

              food was sold there, so travelers had to do their cooking

              at home and bring whatever they needed with them.

              When the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph went to the inn

              they found all the rooms occupied.  Then they went up

              and down the streets looking for some house where they

              might stay.  Nobody would take them in, because St.

              Joseph was old and poor and had no money, or little, to

              give.  They were refused at every door, a very sad thing

              indeed.  What were they to do?  It was growing dark, and

              the lights most likely were being lighted here and there in

              the houses.  The old towns were not built as ours are,

              with houses on the outskirts growing fewer as we advance

              into the country.  They were surrounded by great walls to

              keep out their enemies.  There were several large gates in

              these walls, through which the people entered or left the

              city.  At night these gates were closed and guarded.

              Nearly all the people lived within the walls and the

              country was lonely and almost deserted.  Only shepherds

              were to be found in the country, and they lived in tents,

              which they carried about from place to place, as soldiers

              do in time of war.  Such was the country about

              Bethlehem.  As St. Joseph and the Blessed Virgin could

              not find anyplace to stay in the town they were forced to

              go into the country.  They must have suffered also from

              fear because the country was infested with wolves and

              wild dogs, so fierce that they sometimes came into the

              towns and attacked the people in the streets.  Besides,

              many robbers were wandering about waiting for victims.

 

Explanation:  Palestine is a hilly country and there were on the sides of

              some of the hills large caves in which these robbers

              frequently took refuge or divided their spoils.  Because

              the shepherds at times, especially in bad weather, brought

              their animals into these caves, they are often called

              stables.  The Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph found, we are

              told, one of these cold, dark places, went into it for the

              night, and there Our Lord was born.

 

Explanation:  It was the month of December and must have been quite

              cold, so the little Infant Jesus must have suffered greatly

              from the cold.  If it had been a stable such as we see in

              our days it would have been bad enough; but think of this

              cold, dark, miserable cave, and yet it was Our Lord, the

              King of Heaven and earth, who was born there.  There

              are few people so poor that they have to live in a cave.

              What wonderful humility, then, on the part of Our Lord.

              He could have been born, if He wished, in the grandest

              palace man could construct and have had thousands of

              angels to bring Him whatever He needed, for they are

              His servants in Heaven.  But Our Lord became so humble

              to teach us.  What impression should this make on those

              who are too fond of dress and too vain about their homes.

 

Explanation:  It was foretold by the prophets that Our Lord would be

              born in Bethlehem, and when the time was near at hand

              His parents were living in Nazareth; then the Roman

              Emperor gave the decree that the census be taken, which

              obliged Our Lord's parents to go to Bethlehem, and thus

              Our Lord was born there, and the words of the prophets

              fulfilled.  See how God moves the whole world, if

              necessary, to accomplish what He desires.  But how

              naturally He does everything.  Nobody knew-not even the

              Roman Emperor himself-that he was giving an edict to

              fulfill the prophecies and the promises of God.  So, at

              times, people do many things to carry out the designs of

              God, though they know it not. We should never complain

              therefore to do unwillingly whatever work we have to

              perform, because it may be something that God wishes us

              to do for some very special end.  If you look back upon

              your lives, you can see that God guided and directed you

              upon many occasions.

 

Question 76:  How long did Christ live on earth?

 

Answer:       Christ lived on earth about thirty-three years, and led a

              most holy life in poverty and suffering.

 

Explanation:  The life of Our Lord was spent in the following manner.

              At the time Our Lord was born in Bethlehem wise men or

              kings, called Magi, came from the East-perhaps from

              Persia or Arabia-to adore Him.  They saw a strange star,

              and leaving their own country came to Palestine.  When

              they came as far as Jerusalem, they went to King Herod

              and asked him where the young King was born. Herod

              was troubled, for he was afraid the new King would

              deprive him of his throne.  He called together all the

              priests and asked them about this royal child.  They told

              him and the Magi that, according to the prophecies, the

              Saviour should be born in Bethlehem.  The Wise Men

              saw the star once more, and followed it to Bethlehem,

              where it stood over the stable in which Our Lord lay.

              They entered, and adored the Infant Jesus, and offered

              Him presents.  Now, Herod told them to come back after

              they had found the newborn King, and tell him where He

              was, that he too might go and adore Him.  But such was

              not Herod's real intention.  He wished not to adore but to

              kill Him.  See, then, how the wicked pretend at times to

              do good, that they may deceive us and lead us astray.  Be

              always on your guard against a person if you suspect his

              goodness. But Herod could not deceive God, who,

              knowing his heart, warned the Wise Men not to return to

              Herod, but to go back to their own country by another

              way, which they did.  We celebrate the day on which the

              Wise Men adored the Infant Jesus on the feast of the

              Epiphany (six days after New Year's Day).  When the

              Magi did not return, Herod knew that they had avoided

              him.  He was very angry indeed, and in order to be sure

              of killing the poor little Infant Jesus, he had all the infants

              or children in or near Bethlehem who were not over two

              years old put to death.  We honor these first little martyrs

              who suffered for Christ on the feast of Holy

              Innocents-three days after Christmas.

 

Explanation:  After the departure of the Wise Men, God sent an angel

              to St. Joseph warning him of Herod's evil designs, and

              telling him to fly with Jesus and Mary into Egypt.  Then

              St. Joseph, with the Blessed Virgin and the Infant, set out

              for Egypt.  St. Joseph did not ask the angel how long he

              would have to stay there; nor did he ask to be allowed to

              wait till morning.  He obeyed promptly; he arose in the

              night, and started at once.  What an example of

              obedience for us! They must have had many hardships on

              the way.  They must have suffered much from hunger,

              cold, and fear.  They dare not go on the best roads, for

              we may well suppose that Herod had his spies out

              watching for any that might escape. So they went by the

              roughest roads and longest way.  In Egypt they were

              among strangers, and how could a poor old carpenter like

              St. Joseph find enough work there!  The Holy Family

              must at times have suffered greatly from want.  They

              remained in Egypt for some time.  Afterwards, when

              Herod died, they returned to Nazareth. (Matt. 2).

 

Explanation:  At twelve years of age Our Lord went to the Temple of

              Jerusalem to offer sacrifice with His parents. (Luke 2:42).

              He afterwards returned to Nazareth, and then for eighteen

              years-called His hidden life-we do not hear anything of

              Him.  Most likely He worked in the carpenter shop with

              His foster-father, St. Joseph.

 

Explanation:  At the age of thirty (Luke 3:23), Our Lord began His

              public life; that is, His preaching, miracles, etc.  His

              public life lasted a little over three years, and then He

              was put to death on the Cross.

 

Question 77:  Why did Christ live so long on earth?

 

Answer:       Christ lived so long on earth to show us the way to

              Heaven by His teaching and example.

 

Explanation:  Christ went through all the stages of life that each might

              have an example.  He was an infant:  then a child; then

              a young man, and finally a man. He did not become an

              old man to set an example to the old, because if men

              follow His example in their youth and manhood they will

              be good in old age. Youth is the all-important time to

              learn.  If you want a tree to grow straight, you must keep

              it straight while it is only a little twig.  You cannot

              straighten an old oak tree that has grown up crooked.  So

              you must be taught to do right in your youth, that you

              may do the same when old.  Of the hidden or private life

              of Our Lord we, as I have said, know nothing, except

              that He was obedient to His parents; for He wished to

              give an example also to those holy persons who lead a

              life hidden from the world.  Some books have given

              stories about what Our Lord did in school, etc., but these

              stories are not true.  The only true things we know of

              Our Lord are those told in the Holy Scripture, or handed

              down to us by the Church in her teachings, or those

              certainly revealed to God's saints.  Remember, then, that

              others are taught best by example, and be careful of the

              example you give.

 

 

                              Lesson 8:

         ON OUR LORD'S PASSION, DEATH, RESURRECTION, AND ASCENSION

 

Question 78:  What did Jesus Christ suffer?

Question 79:  On what day did Christ die?

Question 80:  Why do you call that day "good" on which Christ

              suffered so sorrowful a death?

Question 81:  Where did Christ die?

Question 82:  How did Christ die?

Question 83:  Why did Christ suffer and die?

Question 84:  What lessons do we learn from the sufferings and death

              of Christ?

Question 85:  Whither did Christ's soul go after His death?

Question 86:  Did Christ's soul descend into the hell of the damned?

Question 87:  Why did Christ descend into Limbo?

Question 88:  Where was Christ's body while His soul was in Limbo?

Question 89:  On what day did Christ rise from the dead?

Question 90:  How long did Christ stay on earth after His resurrection?

Question 91:  After Christ had remained forty days on earth, whither

              did He go?

Question 92:  Where is Christ in Heaven?

Question 93:  What do you mean by saying that Christ sits at the right

              hand of God?

 

Explanation:  The Passion, that is, the terrible sufferings of Our Lord,

              began after the Last Supper, and ended at His death.  On

              Thursday evening, Our Lord sat down for the last time

              with His dear Apostles.  He had been talking, eating, and

              living with them for over three years; and now He is

              going to take His last meal with them before His death.

              He told them then how He was to suffer, and that one of

              them was going to betray Him.  They were very much

              troubled, for only Judas himself knew what he was about

              to do.

 

Question 78:  What did Jesus Christ suffer?

 

Answer:       Jesus Christ suffered a bloody sweat, a cruel scourging,

              was crowned with thorns, and was crucified.

 

Explanation:  After the Supper, Our Lord went with His Apostles' to a

              little country place just outside Jerusalem, and separated

              from it by a small stream.  He told the three Apostles,

              Peter, James, and John, to stay near the entrance, and to

              watch and pray, while He Himself went further into the

              Garden of Olives, or Gethsemani, as this place was

              called, and throwing Himself upon His face, prayed long

              and earnestly, but the Apostles fell asleep.

 

Explanation:  We often find persons who are in great anguish or dread

              covered with a cold perspiration.  Now, Our Lord's

              agony in the garden was so intense that great drops, not

              of sweat, but of blood, oozed from every pore, and

              trickled to the ground.

 

Explanation:  There are three reasons given for this dreadful agony:

 

Explanation:  (1) The clear, certain knowledge of the sufferings so soon

              to be endured. If we were to be put to death tomorrow

              and knew exactly the manner of our death and the pain it

              would inflict, how great would be our fear!  Our Lord,

              knowing all things, knew in every particular what He

              would have to undergo. Moreover, His sufferings were

              greater than ours could be, even if we suffered the same

              kind of death; because His body was most perfect, and

              therefore more susceptible of pain than ours.  A wound

              in the eye, because the most sensitive and delicate part of

              the body, would cause us greater pain than a wound on

              the foot or hand.  Thus, all the parts of Our Lord's body

              being so perfect and sensitive, we can scarcely imagine

              His dreadful torments, the very thought of which caused

              Him such agony. (2) The sins, past, present, and future

              of all men.  He knew all things, as we have said, and

              looking back upon the world He saw all the sins

              committed, of thought, word, and deed, from the time of

              Adam down to His own; and seeing all these offenses

              against His Father, He was very much grieved. (3).The

              third reason why He grieved.  He looked forward and

              saw how little many persons would profit by all the

              sufferings He was about to endure.  He saw all the sins

              that would be committed from the time of His death down

              to the end of the world.  He saw us also sinning with the

              rest.  No wonder then that He suffered so much in the

              garden.  This suffering on that night is called "Our Lord's

              Agony in the Garden." That night Judas, who had

              betrayed Him to His enemies, came with a great band of

              soldiers and people, with swords and clubs, to make Our

              Lord a prisoner.  He did not try to escape, but stood

              waiting for them, though all His Apostles, who had

              promised to stay with Him, ran away. Then the soldiers

              led Our Lord to the house of the Chief Priest.  Then they

              gathered the priests, and gave Him a kind of trial, and

              said He was guilty of death.  But at that time the Jews

              had no power to put persons to death according to the

              law; so they had to send Our Lord to Pontius Pilate, the

              Roman Governor, to be condemned, because they were

              under the power of the Romans. The Jews acted against

              their laws in the trial of Our Lord.

 

Explanation:  (1) They tried Him at night; and (2) they allowed Him no

              witnesses in His defense, but even employed false

              witnesses to testify against Him, and thus acted against all

              law and justice.  Early in the morning they led Him to

              Pilate, who commanded that He should be scourged.

              Then they stripped Our Lord of His garments, fastened

              His hands to a low stone pillar, and there He was

              "scourged" by the Roman soldiers.  The lashes used by

              the Romans were made of leather, with pieces of bone,

              iron, or steel fastened into it, so that every stroke would

              lay open the flesh.  It is most likely these were the lashes

              used upon Our Lord till every portion of His body was

              bruised and bleeding, and they replaced His garments

              upon Him.  Now, you know if you put a cloth upon a

              fresh wound the blood will soak into it and cause it to

              adhere to the mangled flesh.  Our Blessed Lord's

              garment, thus saturated with His blood, adhered to His

              wounded body, and when again removed caused Him

              unspeakable pain.  Next, the soldiers, because Our Lord

              had said He was a king-meaning a spiritual king-led Him

              into a large hall and mocked Him.  They made a crown

              of long, sharp thorns, and forced it down upon His brow

              with a heavy rod or reed; every stroke driving the thorns

              into His head, and causing the blood to roll down His

              sacred face.  They again took off His garments, and

              opened anew the painful wounds.  Because kings wore

              purple, they put an old purple garment upon Him, and

              made Him a mock king, genuflecting in ridicule as they

              passed before Him. They struck Him in the face and spat

              upon Him; and yet it seems our patient Lord said not a

              word in complaint.  Then they put His garments upon

              Him, and Pilate asked the people what he should do with

              Him, and they cried, "Crucify Him" It was then Friday

              morning, and probably about ten or eleven o'clock. They

              made a cross of heavy beams, and laying it upon His

              shoulders, forced Him to carry it to Calvary-the place of

              execution, just outside the city; for it was not allowed to

              execute anyone in the city.  Our Lord had not eaten

              anything from Thursday evening, and then with all He

              suffered and the loss of blood, He must have been very

              weak at eleven o'clock on Friday morning.  He was

              weak, and fell many times under the Cross.  His suffering

              was increased by seeing His Blessed Mother looking at

              Him.  When He arrived at Calvary they tore off His

              garments and nailed Him to the Cross, driving the rough

              nails through His hands and feet.  It was then about

              twelve o'clock.  From twelve to three in the afternoon

              Our Blessed Saviour was hanging on the Cross, with a

              great multitude of His enemies about Him mocking and

              saying cruel things.  Even the two thieves that were

              crucified with Him reviled Him, though one of them

              repented and was pardoned before death.  Our Lord's

              poor Mother and His few friends stood at a little distance

              witnessing all that was going on.  When Our Lord was

              thirsty His executioners gave Him gall to drink.  At three

              o'clock He died, and there was an earthquake and

              darkness, and the people were sorely afraid. But you will

              ask, how could these soldiers be so cruel?  They were

              Romans; and in those days men called gladiators used to

              fight with swords before the Roman Emperor and all the

              people-just as actors play now for the amusement of their

              audience. People who could enjoy such scenes as men

              slaying one another in deadly conflict would scarcely be

              moved to pity by seeing a man scourged.  Again, in the

              early ages of the Church, during the persecutions, the

              Emperors used to order the Christians to be thrown to

              wild beasts to be torn to pieces in the presence of the

              people who applauded these horrible sights.  They who

              could see so many put to death would not mind putting

              one to death, even in the most terrible manner.

 

Question 79:  On what day did Christ die?

 

Answer:       Christ died on Good Friday.

 

Explanation:  "Good Friday," so called since that time.

 

Question 80:  Why do you call that day "good" on which Christ

              suffered so sorrowful a death?

 

Answer:       We call that day good on which Christ died, because by

              His death He showed His great love for man. and

              purchased for him every blessing.

 

Question 81:  Where did Christ die?

 

Answer:       Christ died on Mount Calvary.

 

Explanation:  "Mount Calvary," a little hill just outside the city of

              Jerusalem.  For every city they have a special prison or

              place where all their criminals are executed.  Now, as the

              great Temple of God was in Jerusalem, the city itself was

              called the City of God, because in the Temple God spoke

              to the priests in the Holy of Holies.  The Temple was

              divided into two parts:  one part, something like the body

              of our churches, called the Holy, and the other part,

              where the Ark of the Covenant was kept, called the Holy

              of Holies.  It had about the same relation to the Temple

              as our altar and sanctuary have to our churches.  The Ark

              of the Covenant was a box about four feet long, two and

              a half feet high, and two and a half feet wide, made of

              the finest wood, and ornamented with gold in the most

              beautiful manner.  In it were the tables of stone, on which

              were written the Commandments of God; also the rod that

              Aaron-Moses' brother-changed into a serpent before King

              Pharaoh; also some of the manna with which the people

              were miraculously fed during their forty years' journey in

              the desert when they fled out of Egypt.  All these things

              were figures of the true religion.  The Ark itself was a

              figure of the tabernacle, and the manna of the Holy

              Eucharist.  The Holy of Holies was hidden from the

              people by a veil.  Only the Chief Priest was allowed into

              that sacred place, and but once a year.  The veil-called

              the veil of the Temple-hiding that Holy of Holies, though

              the things mentioned above were no longer in it, was torn

              asunder when Our Lord died on the Cross (Matt. 27:51);

              because after His death there was no need any longer of

              figures; for after His death we have the tabernacle itself

              and the real manna, the real bread from Heaven, viz., the

              body of Our Lord. The veil was rent to show also that

              God would not remain any longer in the Temple, but

              would be for the future only in the Christian Church.  On

              account of all these things, therefore, Jerusalem was

              called the Holy City, and no criminals were put to death

              in it, but were conducted to Calvary-which means the

              place of skulls-and were there put to death.  I now call

              your attention to one thing.  If the Jews showed such

              great respect and reverence for the Ark containing only

              figures of the Blessed Sacrament, how should we behave

              in the presence of the tabernacle on the altar containing

              the Blessed Sacrament itself!

 

Question 82:  How did Christ die?

 

Answer:       Christ was nailed to a cross and died on it, between two

              thieves.

 

Explanation:  "Two thieves," because they thought this would make His

              death more disgraceful-making Him equal to common

              criminals.  One of these thieves, called the penitent thief,

              repented of his sins and received Our Lord's pardon

              before his death.  The other thief died in his sins.  Holy

              writers tell us that one of these thieves was saved to give

              poor sinners hope, and to teach them that they may save

              their souls at the very last moment of their lives if only

              they are heartily sorry for their sins and implore God's

              pardon for them.  The other thief remained and died

              impenitent, that sinners may fear to put off their

              conversion to the hour of death, thus rashly presuming on

              God's mercy.  Persons who willfully delay their

              conversion and put off their repentance to the last

              moment, living bad lives with the hope of dying well,

              may not accept the grace to repent at the last moment, but

              may, like the unfortunate, impenitent thief, die as they

              lived, in a state of sin.

 

Question 83:  Why did Christ suffer and die?

 

Answer:       Christ suffered and died for our sins.

 

Explanation:  It was not necessary for Our Lord to suffer so much, but

              He did it to show how much He loved us and valued our

              souls, and how much He was willing to give for them.

              We, alas! do not value our souls as Christ did; we

              sometimes sell them for the merest trifle-a moment's

              gratification.  How sinful!

 

Question 84:  What lessons do we learn from the sufferings and death

              of Christ?

 

Answer:       From the sufferings and death of Christ we learn the great

              evil of sin, the hatred God bears to it, and the necessity

              of satisfying for it.

 

Explanation:  We learn "the great evil of sin" also from the misery it

              brought into the world; the "hatred God bears to it," from

              the punishment He inflicted on the wicked angels and on

              our first parents for it; and lastly, the "necessity of

              satisfying for it," from the fact that God allowed His dear

              and only Son to suffer death itself for the sins even of

              others.

 

Question 85:  Whither did Christ's soul go after His death?

 

Answer:       After Christ's death His soul descended into hell.

 

Question 86:  Did Christ's soul descend into the hell of the damned?

 

Answer:       The hell into which Christ's soul descended was not the

              hell of the damned, but a place or state of rest called

              Limbo, where the souls of the just were waiting for Him.

 

Explanation:  Hell had many meanings in olden times.  The grave was

              sometimes called hell.  Jacob, when he heard that wild

              beasts had devoured his son Joseph, said:  "I will go

              down with sorrow into hell." He meant the grave.  Limbo

              is not the same as Purgatory.  It does not exist now, or,

              if it does, is only for little children who have never

              committed actual sin and who have died without Baptism.

              They will never get into Heaven or see God, but they will

              not have to suffer pains as they who are in Purgatory or

              Hell endure.

 

Question 87:  Why did Christ descend into Limbo?

 

Answer:       Christ descended into Limbo to preach to the souls who

              were in prison-that is, to announce to them the joyful

              tidings of their redemption.

 

Question 88:  Where was Christ's body while His soul was in Limbo?

 

Answer:       While Christ's soul was in Limbo His body was in the

              Holy Sepulchre.

 

Explanation:  "Sepulchre" is the same as tomb.  It is like a little room.

              In it the coffin is not covered up with earth as it is in the

              grave, but is placed upon a stand.  We call such places

              vaults, and you can see many of them in any cemetery or

              burying ground.  Sometimes they are cut in the side of

              elevated ground with their entrance level with the road,

              and sometimes they are built altogether under the ground.

              The one in which Our Lord was placed was cut out of the

              side of a rock, and had for a door a great stone against

              the entrance. Our Lord was not placed in a coffin, but

              was wrapped in a linen cloth.  It was the custom of the

              Jewish people and of many other ancient nations to

              embalm the bodies of the dead, wrap them in cloths, and

              cover them with sweet spices. (Matt. 27:59).  Thus it was

              that Mary Magdalene and other good women came early

              in the morning to anoint the body of Our Lord.  But you

              will say, why did they not do it on Friday evening or

              night?  The reason was this:  The day with the Jews

              began at sunset-generally about six o'clock-and ended at

              sunset on the next evening.  We count our twenty-four

              hours, or day, from twelve at midnight till twelve the next

              night.  Therefore, with the Jews six o'clock on Friday

              evening was the beginning of Saturday.  They kept

              Saturday, or the Sabbath, instead of Sunday as a day of

              worship.  On that day, which they kept very strictly, it

              was not allowable to do work of any kind; so they could

              not anoint Our Lord's body till the Sabbath ended, which

              was about six o'clock, or sunset on Saturday evening.

              So, as the Holy Scripture tells us, they came very early

              in the morning; for Mary Magdalene and these good

              women were Jews, and strictly observed the Jewish law.

              You must know that Our Lord Himself, the Blessed

              Virgin, St. Joseph, and the Apostles were Jews; and that

              the Jewish religion was the true religion up to the coming

              of Our Lord; but as it was only a figure and a promise of

              the Christian religion, it ceased to have any meaning or

              to be the true religion when the Christian religion itself

              was established by Our Lord.

 

Question 89:  On what day did Christ rise from the dead?

 

Answer:       Christ rose from the dead, glorious and immortal, on

              Easter Sunday, the third day after His death.

 

Explanation:  "Rose" by His own power.  This is the greatest of all Our

              Lord's miracles, because all He taught is confirmed by it

              and depends upon it.  A miracle is a work that can be

              performed only by God, or by someone to whom He has

              given the power.  If anyone performs a real miracle to

              prove what he says, his words must be true; for God,

              who is infinite truth, could not sanction a lie-could not

              help an impostor to deceive us. Now Our Lord said He

              was the Son of God; that He could forgive sins, etc.; and

              He performed miracles to prove what He said.  Therefore

              He must have told the truth.  So all those whom God sent

              to do any great work were given the power to perform

              miracles that the people might know they were really

              messengers from God.  They, on the other hand, who

              claim-as many have done from time to time in the

              world-that they have been sent by God to do some great

              work, and can give no convincing proof of their mission,

              are not to be believed.  Thus, when Martin Luther

              claimed that he was sent by God to reform the Catholic

              Church which had existed nearly 1,500 years before he

              was born-he performed no miracles, nor did he give any

              other proof that he had any such commission from God;

              and he cannot therefore be believed.

 

Explanation:  God has established all the laws of nature permanently.

              They will not vary or change, so that we can depend

              upon them.  We can always be sure that the sun will rise

              and set; that the seasons will come; that fire will burn,

              etc.  Now, if we see three young men in a great fiery

              furnace without being burned (Dan. 3), we say it is a

              great miracle; because naturally the fire would burn them

              up if God did not prevent it. Again, water will not stand

              up like a high wall without something keeping it back; it

              will always run about and fill every empty spot near it.

              If, therefore, we see water standing up like a high wall,

              as it did in the Red Sea at the command of Moses, and in

              the River Jordan, we say it is a miracle.  So in all cases

              where the laws of nature do not work in the ordinary

              manner, we say a miracle is being performed.  Now Our

              Lord performed many such miracles-many times He

              suspended the laws of nature-which God alone can do,

              since He alone established them.  Our Lord called back

              the soul to the body after death, thus raising the dead.

              He healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, cured the

              lame, etc., when all medicine and natural means were

              useless.  He did all these things instantly as a rule, and

              without remedies.  Therefore His miracles prove His

              divine power.  Since the resurrection was a great miracle,

              and Our Lord performed it to prove that He was the true

              and only Son of God, He must have been just what He

              said He was.

 

Explanation:  "Glorious." Our Lord rose in the same body He had

              before His death; but when He rose it had new qualities-it

              was glorified.  The qualities of a glorified body are four,

              viz.:  brilliancy, agility, subtlety, and impassability.  (1)

              It has brilliancy; that is, it shines like a light; it gives

              forth light; the soul shines through the body.  You have

              heard of the Transfiguration of Our Lord.  One day He

              took three of His Apostles-Peter, James, and John-unto a

              high mountain (Matt. 17); and as He was speaking to

              them, suddenly His whole body began to shine like the

              sun.  Then Moses and Elias-two great and holy men of

              the Old Law-came and conversed with Him.  The

              Apostles were astonished and delighted at the sight, and

              wished to remain there always.  Our Lord's body at that

              time showed one of the qualities of a glorified body.  The

              same three Apostles that saw Him thus transfigured and

              heard the voice of the Heavenly Father saying, "This is

              My beloved Son," were present in the garden during Our

              Lord's agony. He allowed them to see the

              Transfiguration, so that when they should see Him

              suffering as man, they would remember that they saw

              Him on the mountain glorified as God.

 

Explanation:  (2) Agility; that is, a glorified body can move rapidly

              from one place to another, like the lightning itself.  After

              His resurrection Our Lord was in Jerusalem, and almost

              immediately He appeared near the village of Emmaus to

              two disciples going there. (Luke 24).  They had left

              Jerusalem after the Crucifixion, probably through fear,

              and were going along together talking about what had

              happened during the days of Our Lord's Passion.

              Suddenly Our Lord came and walked and talked with

              them, but they did not know Him.  They asked Him to

              stay that night at their house, for it was growing dark.

              He did not stop with them, and at supper they knew Him,

              and then He vanished from their sight.  An ordinary

              person would have to get up and walk away; but He

              vanished, showing on this occasion the second quality of

              His glorified body-agility.

 

Explanation:  (3) Subtlety; that is, such a body can go where it pleases

              and cannot be resisted by material things.  It can pass

              through closed doors or gates, and even walls cannot

              keep it out.  It passes through everything, as light does

              through glass without breaking it.  At one time after Our

              Lord's resurrection the Apostles were gathered together

              in a room, for they were still afraid of being put to death,

              and the doors were tightly closed.  Suddenly Our Lord

              stood in the midst of them and said:  "Peace be to you."

              (John 20:19).  They did not open the door for Him;

              neither wood nor stone could keep Him out:  and thus He

              showed that His body had the third quality.

 

Explanation:  (4) His body had the fourth quality also impassability,

              which means that it can no longer suffer.  Before His

              death, and at it, Our Lord suffered dreadful torments, as

              you know; but after His resurrection nothing could injure

              or hurt Him.  The spear could not hurt His side, nor the

              nails His hands, nor the thorns His head.  Shortly after

              His resurrection Our Lord appeared to His Apostles while

              Thomas, one of them, was absent. (John 20:24).  When

              Thomas returned, the other Apostles told him that they

              had seen the Lord risen from the dead; but he would not

              believe them, saying:  "Unless I see the holes where the

              nails were in His hands and feet, and put my finger into

              His side, I will not believe." Now Our Lord, knowing all

              things, knew this also; so He came again when Thomas

              was present, and said to him:  "Now, Thomas, put your

              hand into My side." Thomas cried out:  "My Lord and

              my God!" He believed then, because he saw.  Now if this

              body of Our Lord's had been an ordinary body, it would

              have caused Him pain to allow anyone to put his hand

              into the wound; but it was impassable.  It seems very

              strange, does it not, that Thomas would not believe what

              the other Apostles told him?  God permitted this.  Why?

              Because, if they all believed easily, some enemies of Our

              Lord might say the Apostles were simple men that

              believed everything without any proof.  Now they cannot

              truly say so, because here was one of the Apostles,

              Thomas, who would not believe without the very

              strongest kind of proof.  Another person, one would

              think, would have been satisfied with seeing Our Lord's

              wounds; but Thomas would not trust even his eyes-he

              must also touch before he would believe:  showing,

              therefore, that the Apostles were not deceived in anything

              Our Lord did in their presence, for they had always the

              most convincing proofs.

 

Explanation:  After the Resurrection, at the last day, the bodies of all

              those who are to be in Heaven will have the qualities I

              have mentioned; that is, they will be glorified bodies.

 

Explanation:  Speaking of Our Lord's wounds, I might tell you what

              the stigmata means, if you should ever hear or read of it.

              There have been some persons in the world-saints, of

              course who have had upon their hands, feet, and side

              wounds just like those Our Lord had, and these wounds

              caused them great pain.  For example, St. Francis of

              Assisi (see Butler's Lives of the Saints, Oct. 4th). Up to

              1883-that is, only a few years ago-there lived in Belgium

              a young girl named Louise Lateau who had the stigmata.

              We have the most positive proof of it, as you may see in

              the accounts of her life now published.  Her wounds

              caused her great pain and bled every Friday for many

              years.  She was a delicate seamstress, and lived with her

              mother and sisters in almost continual poverty. She had

              always been remarkable for her true piety, patience in

              suffering, and charity to the sick.  I mention this young

              girl because she lived in our own time, and is the latest

              person we know of who had the stigmata, or wounds of

              Our Lord.  So if you ever hear of the stigmata of St.

              Francis or others, you will know that it means wounds

              like those of Our Lord impressed on their bodies in a

              miraculous manner.

 

Explanation:  "Immortal"--that is never to die again, as it will be with

              us also after the Resurrection.

 

Explanation:  "The third day." It was not three full days, but the parts

              of three days.  Suppose someone should ask you on

              Friday evening how long from now to Sunday; you

              would answer:  Sunday will be the third day from today.

              You would count thus:  Friday one, Saturday two, and

              Sunday itself three.  So it was with Our Lord.  He died

              on Friday at about three in the afternoon, and remained

              in the sepulchre till Sunday morning.

 

Question 90:  How long did Christ stay on earth after His resurrection?

 

Answer:       Christ stayed on earth forty days after His resurrection,

              to show that He was truly risen from the dead, and to

              instruct His Apostles.

 

Explanation:  After Our Lord's resurrection He remained on earth forty

              days:  but you must not think He was visible all that time.

              No. He did not appear to everybody, but only to certain

              persons, and not all the time to them either. He appeared

              to His Apostles and others in all about nine times; at

              least, we know for certain that He appeared nine times,

              though He may have appeared oftener.  He showed that

              "He was truly risen," for He ate with His Apostles and

              conversed with them. (Luke 24:42).  It was after the

              resurrection that He breathed on them and gave them the

              power to forgive sins. (John 20).

 

Question 91:  After Christ had remained forty days on earth, whither

              did He go?

 

Answer:       After forty days Christ ascended into Heaven, and the

              day on which He ascended into Heaven is called

              Ascension Day.

 

Explanation:  One day He was on a mountain with His Apostles and

              disciples; and as He was talking to them He began to rise

              up slowly and quietly, just as you have sometimes seen a

              balloon soar up into the air without noise.  Higher and

              higher He ascended; and as they gazed up at Him, the

              clouds opened to receive Him, then closed under Him:

              and that was the last of Our Lord's mission as man upon

              earth.  The Ascension took place forty days after the

              resurrection. (Acts 1).

 

Question 92:  Where is Christ in Heaven?

 

Answer:       In Heaven Christ sits at the right hand of God the Father

              Almighty.

 

Question 93:  What do you mean by saying that Christ sits at the right

              hand of God?

 

Answer:       When I say that Christ sits at the right hand of God, I

              mean that Christ as God is equal to His Father in all

              things, and that as man He is in the highest place in

              Heaven next to God.

 

 

                             Lesson 9:

         ON THE HOLY GHOST AND HIS DESCENT UPON THE APOSTLES

 

Question 94:  Who is the Holy Ghost?

Question 95:  From whom does the Holy Ghost proceed?

Question 96:  Is the Holy Ghost equal to the Father and the Son?

Question 97:  On what day did the Holy Ghost come down upon the

              Apostles?

Question 98:  How did the Holy Ghost come down upon the Apostles?

 

Question 99:  Who sent the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles?

Question 100: Why did Christ send the Holy Ghost?

Question 101: Will the Holy Ghost abide with the Church forever?

 

Question 94:  Who is the Holy Ghost?

 

Answer:       The Holy Ghost is the Third Person of the Blessed

              Trinity.

 

Question 95:  From whom does the Holy Ghost proceed?

 

Answer:       The Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son.

 

Question 96:  Is the Holy Ghost equal to the Father and the Son?

 

Answer:       The Holy Ghost is equal to the Father and the Son, being

              the same Lord and God as they are.

 

Question 97:  On what day did the Holy Ghost come down upon the

              Apostles?

 

Answer:       The Holy Ghost came down upon the Apostles ten days

              after the Ascension of Our Lord; and the day on which

              He came down upon the Apostles is called Whit-Sunday

              or Pentecost.

 

Explanation:  We have seen already that the Apostles fled and were

              very much afraid when Our Lord was taken prisoner.

              Even Peter, the chief of the Apostles, who said he would

              die rather than leave Our Lord, shamefully denied Him;

              and St. John, the beloved disciple, stood near the Cross,

              but offered no resistance to Our Lord's enemies.  After

              the Crucifixion of Our Lord, the Apostles, afraid of being

              put to death, shut themselves up in a room.  Ten days

              after Our Lord's Ascension they were praying as usual in

              their room, when suddenly they heard the sound as it

              were of a great wind, and then they saw tongues the

              shape of our own, but all on fire, coming, and one

              tongue resting on the head of each Apostle present. (Acts

              2).

 

Explanation:  This was the Holy Ghost coming to them.  The Holy

              Ghost, being a pure spirit without a body, can take any

              form He pleases.  He sometimes came in the form of a

              dove; so when you see a dove painted in a church near

              the altar, it is there to represent the Holy Ghost.  You

              could not paint a spirit, so angels and God Himself are

              generally represented in pictures as they at some time

              appeared to men.

 

Explanation:  "Whit-Sunday," or White-Sunday; probably so called

              because in the early ages of the Church converts were

              baptized on the day before, and after their Baptism wore

              white robes or garments as a mark of the soul's purity

              after Baptism.

 

Explanation:  "Pentecost" means the fiftieth day, because the feast

              comes fifty days after the resurrection of Our Lord.

              After His resurrection He remained forty days upon earth,

              and ten days after He ascended into Heaven the Holy

              Ghost came, thus making the fifty days.

 

Explanation:  After the Holy Ghost came down upon the Apostles they

              were no longer timid men. They went forth boldly into

              the streets and preached Christ crucified, telling the

              people how the Son of God -- the true Messias promised

              -- had been put to death.  Many who heard them believed

              and were baptized.  The first time St. Peter preached to

              the people three thousand were converted (Acts 2:41); so

              that when all the Apostles preached the number of

              Christians increased rapidly, and the Christian religion

              was soon carried to distant parts of the world.

 

Explanation:  At the time Our Lord was put to death the Jews were

              celebrating a great feast in Jerusalem.  The Jews were not

              like us in this respect.  We have many churches, and in

              all of them sacrifice, that is, the Holy Mass, is offered.

              The Jews had only one temple where sacrifice could be

              offered, and that was in Jerusalem.  They had synagogues

              or meeting houses throughout the land in which they

              assembled to pray and hear the Holy Scriptures read; but

              they could not offer sacrifice in them.  Three times a year

              they went to Jerusalem to celebrate their great feasts.

              One of these feasts was called the Pasch, or Passover,

              and it was during the celebration of that feast that Our

              Lord was put to death; so that there were many persons

              from all parts of the nation present at the sad execution.

              I must now tell you why they celebrated the Pasch.  We

              generally celebrate a feast to commemorate -- to remind

              us of -- some great event; and the Jews celebrated this

              feast to remind them of their deliverance from the slavery

              of the Egyptians, in which their ancestors had been

              suffering for about two hundred years.  At the end of that

              time God sent Moses to deliver them.  You should know,

              then, who Moses was and what he did to deliver his

              people, and you should know also something of the

              history of his people -- the Israelites -- and how they

              came to be in Egypt.

 

Explanation:  At the time I am now going to speak of the old patriarch

              Jacob, Abraham's grandson, had eleven sons -- for

              Benjamin, the twelfth son, was born afterwards -- and the

              youngest was called Joseph.  Joseph was the favorite of

              his father, and his brothers were jealous of him.  The

              brothers were shepherds, and used to take their flocks to

              feed at a great distance from home, and did not return for

              a long time.  One day the father sent Joseph to his

              brothers to see if all were well.  They hated Joseph

              because his father loved him best; and when they saw

              him coming they agreed never to let him return to his

              father. (Gen. 37).  They intended to kill him.  While they

              were debating about how they should put him to death --

              he was then only sixteen years old -- some merchants

              passed on their way to Egypt; so, instead of killing him,

              they sold him as a slave to the merchants.  Then they

              took Joseph's coat and dipped it in the blood of a kid,

              and sent it to their poor old father, saying they had found

              it, and making him believe that some wild beast on the

              way had eaten Joseph.  When the merchants arrived in

              Egypt, Potiphar, one of the king's officers, bought

              Joseph, and brought him as a slave to his own house.

              While there, Joseph was falsely accused of a great crime,

              and cast into prison.  While Joseph was in prison the king

              had a dream. (Gen. 41).  He saw in the dream seven fat

              cows coming up out of a river, followed by seven lean

              cows; and the lean cows ate up the fat cows. He saw also

              seven fat ears of corn and seven lean ears of corn; and

              the seven lean ears ate up the seven fat ears.  The king

              was very much troubled, and called together all his wise

              men to tell him what the dream meant, but they could

              not.  Then the king heard of Joseph, and sent for him.

              Now Joseph was a very good young man, and God

              showed him the meaning; so he told the king that the

              seven fat ears of corn and the seven fat cows meant seven

              years of great abundance in Egypt, and that the seven

              lean ears and the seven lean cows meant seven years of

              famine that would follow, and all the abundance of the

              previous seven years would be consumed.  So he advised

              the king to build great barns during the years of plenty,

              and gather up all the corn everywhere to save it for the

              years of famine.  The king was delighted at Joseph's

              wisdom, and made him after himself the most powerful in

              the kingdom, giving him charge of everything, so that

              Joseph himself might do what he had advised.  Now it

              happened years after this that there was a famine in the

              country where Joseph's father lived, and he sent all his

              sons down into Egypt to buy corn. (Gen. 42).  They did

              not know their brother Joseph, but he knew them; and

              after forgiving them for what they had done to him, he

              sent them home with an abundance of corn.  Afterwards

              Joseph's father and brothers left their own country and

              came to live near Joseph in Egypt.  The king gave them

              good land (Gen. 47), and they lived there in peace and

              happiness.  Learn from this beautiful history of Joseph

              how God protects those that love and serve Him no

              matter where they are or in what danger they may be

              placed; and how He even turns the evil deeds of their

              enemies into blessings for them.

 

Explanation:  After the death of Joseph and his brothers, their

              descendants became very numerous, and the new king of

              the Egyptians began to persecute them. (Ex. 2).  He

              imposed upon them the hardest works, and treated them

              most cruelly. He ordered that all their male infants

              should, as soon as born, be thrown into the River Nile.

              Now about that time Moses was born. (Ex. 2).  His

              mother did not obey the king's order, but hid him for

              about three months.  When she could conceal him no

              longer she made a little cradle of rushes, and covering it

              over with pitch or tar to keep out the water, placed him

              in it, and then laid it in the tall grass by the edge of the

              river, sending his little sister to watch what would become

              of him.  Just then the king's daughter came down to

              bathe, and seeing the little child, ordered one of her

              servants to bring him to her.  At that moment Moses'

              little sister, pretending not to know him, ran up and asked

              the king's daughter if she wished to procure a nurse for

              him.  The king's daughter replied in the affirmative and

              permitted her to bring one; so Moses' own mother was

              brought and engaged to be his nurse:  but he was not

              known as her son, but as the adopted son of the king's

              daughter.  When Moses grew up he was an officer in the

              king's army; but because he took the part of his

              persecuted countrymen he offended the king, and had to

              fly from the palace.  He then went into another country

              and became a shepherd.

 

Explanation:  During all this time the persecuted Israelites were praying

              to the true God to be delivered from the slavery of the

              Egyptians, who were idolaters.  One day Moses saw a

              bush burning; and as he came near to look at it, he heard

              a voice telling him not to come too near, and bidding him

              take off his shoes, for he was on holy ground. (Ex. 3).

              It was God who thus appeared and spoke to him, and He

              ordered him to take off his shoes as a mark of respect and

              reverence. When we want to show our respect for any

              person or place, we take off our hats; but the people of

              that country, instead of their hats, took off their shoes. It

              was the custom of the country and did not seem strange

              to them.

 

Explanation:  Then God told Moses that He was going to send him to

              deliver His people from the Egyptians and lead them back

              to their own country; and He sent Aaron, the brother of

              Moses, with him.  Then Moses said to God, the king of

              Egypt will not let the people go, and what can I do?  God

              gave Moses two signs or miracles to show the king, so

              that he could know that Moses was really sent by Him.

              He gave him power to change a rod into a serpent, and

              back again into a rod; power also to bring a disease

              instantly upon his hand, and to heal it instantly. (Ex. 4).

              Do these, said Almighty God, in the presence of the king.

              Then Moses and Aaron went to the king and did as God

              commanded them; and when the rod of Aaron became a

              serpent, the king's magicians -- that is, men who do

              apparently wonderful things by sleight of hand or the

              power of the devil -- cast their rods upon the ground, and

              they also became serpents -- not that their rods were

              changed into serpents, but the devil, who was helping

              them, took away instantly their rods and put real serpents

              in their place -- but Aaron's serpent swallowed them up.

              (Ex. 7).  After these signs the king would not let the

              people go with Moses; for God permitted the king's heart

              to be hardened, so that all the Egyptians might see the

              great work God was going to do for His people.

 

Explanation:  Then God sent the ten plagues upon the Egyptians, while

              the Israelites -- God's people -- suffered nothing from

              these plagues.

 

Explanation:  The first plague was blood.  All the water in the land was

              converted into blood. (Ex. 7).  The king then sent for

              Moses and promised that if he would take away the

              plague he would allow all the people to depart.  Moses

              prayed to God, and the plague was removed.  But after it

              was taken away the king's heart was hardened again and

              he would not keep his promise.  Just as people in

              sickness, distress, or danger sometimes promise God they

              will lead better lives if only He will help them, and when

              they are saved they do not keep their promises, so did

              Pharao; and therefore God sent another plague.  The

              second plague was frogs.  Great numbers of them came

              out of the rivers and lakes, and filled all the houses of the

              Egyptians, and crawled into their food, beds, etc.  Again

              the king sent for Moses and did as before; and again

              Moses prayed, and all the frogs went back into the waters

              or died. (Ex. 8). But the king again hardened his heart

              and did not keep his promise.  The third plague was

              sciniphs (Ex. 8) -- very small flies, that filled the land.

              Imagine our country filled with mosquitoes so numerous

              that you could scarcely walk through them; it would be a

              dreadful plague.  As it is, two or three might cause you

              considerable annoyance, and pain:  what then if there

              were millions doubly venomous, because sent to punish

              you?  So these little flies must have greatly punished the

              Egyptians.  The fourth plague was flies that filled the land

              and covered everything, to the great disgust of the

              people. The fifth plague was murrain -- a disease that

              broke out among the cattle.  The sixth plague was a

              disease -- boils -- that broke out on men and beasts, so

              that scarcely anyone could move on account of the pains

              and suffering.  The seventh plague was hail, that fell in

              large pieces and destroyed all their crops. The eighth

              plague was locusts.  These are very destructive little

              animals.  They look something like our grasshoppers, but

              are about two or three times their size.  They fly and

              come in millions. They come to this country in great

              numbers -- almost a plague -- every fifteen or twenty-five

              years, and the farmers fear them very much.  They eat up

              every green blade or leaf, and thus destroy all the crops

              and trees.  When the locusts came upon Egypt, Moses, at

              the king's request, prayed, and God sent a strong wind

              that swept them into the sea, where they perished in the

              water. The ninth plague was a horrible darkness for three

              days in all the land of Egypt.  The tenth plague, the last,

              was the most terrible of all -- the killing of the firstborn

              in all the land of Egypt. (Ex. 12).  God instructed Moses

              to tell the Israelites in the land that on a certain night they

              were to take a lamb in each family, kill it, and sprinkle its

              blood on the doorposts of their houses.  They were then

              to cook the lamb and eat it standing, with their garments

              ready as for a journey. (Ex. 12).  The lamb was called

              the paschal lamb, and was, after that, to be eaten every

              year, at about what is with us Easter-time, in

              commemoration of this event.  That night God sent an

              angel through all the land, and he killed the firstborn of

              man and beast in all the houses of the Egyptians.  That is,

              he killed the eldest son in the house; and if the father was

              the firstborn in his father's family, he was killed also; and

              the same for the beasts.  This was a terrible punishment.

              In the house of every Egyptian there were some dead but

              not one in the houses of the Israelites; for when the angel

              saw the blood of the lamb on the doorposts, he passed

              over and did not enter into their houses, so that this

              event, called Passover or Pasch, was kept always as a

              great feast by God's people.  This paschal lamb was a

              figure of our blessed Lord, for as its blood saved the

              Israelites from death, so Our Lord's blood saved and still

              saves us from eternal death in Hell.

 

Explanation:  After that dreadful night Pharao allowed the people to

              depart with Moses; but when they had gone as far as the

              Red Sea, he was sorry he let them go, and set out with a

              great army to bring them back.  There the people stood,

              with the sea before them and Pharao and his army coming

              behind them; but God provided for them a means of

              escape.  At God's command, Moses stretched his rod

              over the sea, and the waters divided and stood like great

              walls on either side and all the people passed through the

              opening in the waters, on the dry bed of the sea. (Ex.

              14).

 

Explanation:  Pharao attempted to follow them, but when he and his

              army were on the dry bed of the sea, between the two

              walls of water, God allowed the waters to close over

              them, and they were all drowned.  Then the Israelites

              began the great journey through the desert, in which they

              travelled for forty years.  During all that time God fed

              them with manna.  He Himself, as a guide, went with

              them in a cloud, that shaded them from the heat of the

              sun during the day and was a light for them at night.  But

              you will ask:  Was the desert so large that it took forty

              years to cross it?  No, but these people, notwithstanding

              all God had done for them, sinned against Him in the

              desert; so He permitted them to wander about through it

              till a new generation of people grew up, who were to be

              led into the promised land by Josue, the successor of

              Moses.  From this we may learn a lesson for ourselves:

              God will always punish those who deserve it, even

              though He loves them and may often have done great

              things to save them; but He will wait for His own time to

              punish.

 

Explanation:  The Israelites then, as I have said, went from every part

              of the land up to the Temple in Jerusalem to celebrate the

              Pasch each year.  It was during one of these celebrations

              that Our Lord was put to death, and during another feast

              that St. Peter preached to the people after Our Lord's

              death.  He spoke only in one language, and yet all his

              hearers understood, for each heard his own language

              spoken. (Acts 2:6).  This was called the gift of tongues,

              and was given to the Apostles when the Holy Ghost came

              upon them.  For example, if each of you came from a

              different country and understood the language only of the

              country from which you came, and I gave the instructions

              only in English, then if everyone thought I was speaking

              his language -- German, French, Spanish, Italian, etc --

              and understood me, I would have what is called the gift

              of tongues, and it would be a great miracle, as it was

              when bestowed upon the Apostles.

 

Explanation:  In the first ages of the Church God performed more

              miracles than He does now, because they are not now so

              necessary.  These miracles were performed only to make

              the Church better known, and to prove that she was the

              true Church, with her power and authority from God.

              That can now be known and seen in Christian countries

              without miracles.  These special gifts, like the gift of

              tongues, were given also to some of the early Christians

              by the Holy Ghost, when they received Confirmation; but

              they were not a part of or necessary for Confirmation, but

              only to show the power of the true religion. Those who

              heard St. Peter preach, when they went back to their own

              countries told what they had seen and heard, and thus

              their countrymen were prepared to receive the Gospel

              when the Apostles came to preach it.

 

Question 98:  How did the Holy Ghost come down upon the Apostles?

 

Answer:       The Holy Ghost came down upon the Apostles in the

              form of tongues of fire.

 

Question 99:  Who sent the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles?

 

Answer:       Our Lord Jesus Christ sent the Holy Ghost upon the

              Apostles.

 

Question 100: Why did Christ send the Holy Ghost?

 

Answer:       Christ sent the Holy Ghost to sanctify His Church, to

              enlighten and strengthen the Apostles, and to enable them

              to preach the Gospel.

 

Explanation:  "Sanctify," to make more holy by the grace which He

              would give to the members of the Church.  "To

              enlighten." The Apostles did not understand very well

              everything Our Lord taught while He was with them; but

              after the Holy Ghost came upon them they understood

              perfectly, and remembered many things which Our Lord

              said to them, and understood the true meaning of all.

              The prophets foretold that when the Messias, Christ,

              would come, He would bring all the world under His

              power.  The prophets meant in a spiritual sense; but most

              of the people understood that He was to be a great

              general, with powerful armies, who would subdue all the

              nations of the earth, and bring them under the authority

              of the Jews.  We know they thought that the great

              kingdom He was to establish upon earth would be a

              temporal kingdom, from many of their sayings and

              actions.  One day the mother of two of Our Lord's

              Apostles came to ask Him if, when He had established

              His kingdom upon the earth, He would give her sons

              honorable positions in it, and place them high in

              authority. (Matt. 20:20). Our Lord told her she did not

              understand what she was asking.  This shows that even

              some of the Apostles -- much less the people -- did not

              understand the full nature of Our Lord's mission upon

              earth, nor of His kingdom, the Church.  Often too, when

              He preached to the people, the Apostles asked Him on

              His return what His sermon meant (Luke 8:9).  But after

              the Holy Ghost came, they were enlightened, and

              understood all without difficulty. "Strengthen."  I told you

              already that before the Holy Ghost came they were timid

              and afraid of being arrested, but that afterwards they went

              out boldly, and taught all they had learned from Our

              Lord.  They were often taken prisoners and scourged, but

              it mattered not -- they were firm in their faith, and could

              suffer anything for Christ after they had been enlightened

              and strengthened by the Holy Ghost.  Finally, they were

              all, with the exception of St. John, put to death for their

              holy faith.  St. Peter and St. Paul were crucified at Rome

              about the year 65, that is, about thirty-two years after the

              death of Our Lord.  St. James was beheaded by order of

              King Herod.  St. John lived the longest, and was the only

              one of the Apostles who was not put to death, though he

              was cast into a large vessel of boiling oil, but was

              miraculously saved.

 

Explanation:  Certainly by dying for their faith the Apostles showed that

              they were not impostors or hypocrites.  They must really

              have believed what they taught, otherwise they would not

              have laid down their lives for it.  They were certain of

              what they taught, as we saw when speaking of St.

              Thomas.

 

Question 101: Will the Holy Ghost abide with the Church forever?

 

Answer:       The Holy Ghost will abide with the Church forever, and

              guide it in the way of holiness and truth.

 

Explanation:  "Abide" means to stay with us.

 

 

              Lesson 10:  ON THE EFFECTS OF THE REDEMPTION

 

Question 102: Which are the chief effects of the redemption?

Question 103: What do you mean by grace?

Question 104: How many kinds of grace are there?

Question 105: What is sanctifying grace?

Question 106: What do you call those graces or gifts of God by which

              we believe in Him, hope in Him, and love Him?

Question 107: What is faith?

Question 108: What is hope?

Question 109: What is charity?

Question 110: What is actual grace?

Question 111: Is grace necessary for salvation?

Question 112: Can we resist the grace of God?

Question 113: What is the grace of perseverance?

 

Question 102: Which are the chief effects of the redemption?

 

Answer:       The chief effects of the redemption are two:  the

              satisfaction of God's justice by Christ's sufferings and

              death, and the gaining of grace for men.

 

Explanation:  An effect is that which is caused by something else.  If

              you place a danger signal on a broken railroad track the

              effect will be preventing the wreck of the train, and the

              cause will be your placing the signal.  Many effects may

              flow from one cause.  In our example, see all the good

              effects that may follow your placing the signal -- the cars

              are not broken, the passengers are not killed, the rails are

              not torn out of their places, etc.  Thus the redemption had

              two effects, namely, to satisfy God for the offense offered

              Him by the sins of men, and to merit grace to be used for

              our benefit.

 

Question 103: What do you mean by grace?

 

Answer:       By grace I mean a supernatural gift of God bestowed on

              us, through the merits of Jesus Christ, for our salvation.

 

Explanation:  "Supernatural," that is, above nature.  "A gift";

              something, therefore, that God does not owe us.  He

              owes us nothing, strictly speaking. Health, talents, and

              such things are natural gifts, and belong to our nature as

              men; but grace is something above our nature, given to

              our soul.  God gives it to us on account of the love He

              has for His Son, Our Lord, who merited it for us by

              dying for us.  "Merits."  A merit is some excellence or

              goodness which entitles one to honor or reward.  Grace

              is a help we get to do something that will be pleasing to

              God.  When there is anything in our daily works that we

              cannot do alone, we naturally look for help; for example,

              to lift some heavy weight is only a natural act, not a

              supernatural act, and the help we need for it is only

              natural help.  But if we are going to do something above

              and beyond our nature, and cannot do it alone, we must

              not look for natural, but for supernatural help; that is, the

              help must always be like the work to be done. Therefore

              all spiritual works need spiritual help, and spiritual help

              is grace.

 

Question 104: How many kinds of grace are there?

 

Answer:       There are two kinds of grace:  sanctifying grace and

              actual grace.

 

Question 105: What is sanctifying grace?

 

Answer:       Sanctifying grace is that grace which makes the soul holy

              and pleasing to God.

 

Explanation:  "Sanctifying," that is, making us holy by cleansing,

              purifying our souls.  Sin renders the soul ugly and

              displeasing to God, and grace purifies it.  Suppose I have

              something bright and beautiful given to me, and take no

              care of it, but let it lie around in dusty places until it

              becomes tarnished and soiled, loses all its beauty, and

              appears black and ugly.  To restore its beauty I must

              clean and polish it.  Thus the soul blackened by sin must

              be cleaned by God's grace.  If the soul is in mortal sin --

              altogether blackened -- then sanctifying grace brings back

              its brightness and makes it pleasing to God; but if the

              soul is already bright, though stained or darkened a little

              by venial sin, then grace makes it still brighter.

 

Question 106: What do you call those graces or gifts of God by which

              we believe in Him, hope in Him, and love Him?

 

Answer:       Those graces or gifts of God by which we believe in

              Him, and hope in Him, and love Him, are called the

              divine virtues of faith, hope, and charity.

 

Explanation:  "Virtues."  Virtue is the habit of doing good.  The

              opposite to virtue is vice, which is the habit of doing evil.

              We acquire a habit bad or good when we do the same

              thing very frequently.  We then do it easily and almost

              without thinking; as a man, for instance, who has the

              habit of cursing curses almost without knowing it, though

              that does not excuse him, but makes his case worse, by

              showing that he must have cursed very often to acquire

              the habit.  If, however, he is striving to overcome the bad

              habit, and should unintentionally curse now and then, it

              would not be a sin, since he did not wish to curse, and

              was trying to overcome the vice.  One act does not make

              a virtue or a vice.  A person who gives alms only once

              cannot be said to have the virtue of charity. A man who

              curses only once a year cannot be said to have the vice of

              cursing. Faith, hope, and charity are infused by God into

              our souls, and are therefore called infused virtues, to

              distinguish them from the virtues we acquire.

 

Question 107: What is faith?

 

Answer:       Faith is a divine virtue by which we firmly believe the

              truths which God has revealed.

 

Explanation:  "A divine virtue" is one that is heavenly or holy.  Faith

              is the habit of always believing all that God has revealed

              and the Church teaches. "Firmly," that is, without the

              slightest doubt.  "Revealed," that is, made known to us.

              Revelation is the collection of all the truths that God has

              made known to us.  But why do we believe?  Because we

              clearly see and know the truth of what is revealed?  No,

              but because God reveals it; we believe it though we

              cannot see it or even understand it.  If we see it plainly,

              then we believe it rather because we see it than because

              God makes it known to us. Suppose a friend should come

              and tell you the church is on fire.  If he never told you

              lies, and had no reason for telling you any now, you

              would believe him -- not because you know of the fire,

              but because he tells you; but afterwards, when you see

              the church or read of the fire in the papers, you have

              proof of what he told you, but you believed it just as

              firmly when he told you as you do afterwards.  In the

              same way God tells us His great truths and we believe

              them; because we know that since God is infinitely true

              He cannot deceive us or be deceived.  But if afterwards

              by studying and thinking we find proof that God told us

              the truth, we do not believe with any greater faith, for we

              always believed without doubting, and we study chiefly

              that we may have arguments to prove the truth of God's

              revelations to others who do not believe.  Suppose some

              person was present when your friend came and said the

              church is burning, and that that person would not believe

              your friend.  What would you do?  Why, convince him

              that what your friend said was true by showing him the

              account of the fire in the papers.  Thus learning does not

              change our faith, which, as I have said, is not acquired

              by study, but is infused into our souls by God.  The little

              boy who hears what God taught, and believes it firmly

              because God taught it, has as good a faith as his teacher

              who has studied all the reasons why he should believe.

 

Question 108: What is hope?

 

Answer:       Hope is a divine virtue by which we firmly trust that God

              will give us eternal life and the means to obtain it.

 

Explanation:  "Eternal," that is, everlastings life -- life without end.

              "Means," that is, His grace, because without God's grace

              we cannot do any supernatural thing.

 

Question 109: What is charity?

 

Answer:       Charity is a divine virtue by which we love God above all

              things for His own sake, and our neighbor as ourselves

              for the love of God.

 

Explanation:  The virtue of charity makes us "love God," because He

              is so good and beautiful, wise and powerful in Himself;

              therefore for His own sake and without any other

              consideration. "Above all things," in such a way that we

              would rather lose anything than offend Him.  But

              someone may say, he thinks he loves his parents more

              than God.  Well, let us see.  To repeat an example

              already given, suppose his parents told him to steal, and

              he knew stealing to be a sin; if he would not steal, that

              would show, would it not, that he loved God more than

              his parents, for he would rather offend his parents than

              God. That is the kind of love we must have for God; not

              mere feeling, but the firm belief that God is the best of

              all, and when we have to choose between offending God

              and losing something, be it goods or friends, we would

              rather lose anything than offend God.

 

Explanation:  "Neighbor."  Not merely the person living near us, but

              all men of every kind and nation -- even our enemies.

              The people who lived at the time of Our Lord in His

              country used to dispute about just what persons were to

              be considered their neighbors; so one day they asked Our

              Lord, and He answered them by telling them the

              following.  Said He:  (Luke 10:30) A man was once

              going down from Jerusalem, and on the way robbers beat

              him, robbed him, and left him on the wayside dying.

              First one man came by, looked at the wounded man, and

              passed on; then another came and did the same; finally a

              third man came, who was of a different religion and

              nationality from the wounded man. But he did not

              consider these things.  He dressed the poor man's

              wounds, placed him upon his horse and brought him to

              an inn or hotel, and paid the innkeeper to take care of

              him.  "Now," said Our Lord, "which of these three was

              neighbor to the wounded man?" And they answered

              rightly, "The man that helped him." Our Lord, by this

              example, wished to teach them and us that everybody is

              our neighbor who is in distress of any kind and needs our

              help.  Neighbor, therefore, means every human being, no

              matter where he lives or what his color, learning,

              manners, etc., for every human being in the world is a

              child of God and has been redeemed by Our Lord.

              Therefore every child of God is my neighbor, and even

              more -- he is my brother; for God is his father and mine

              also, and if he is good enough for God to love, he should

              be good enough for me.

 

Explanation:  "As ourselves."  Not with as much love, but with the

              same kind of love; that is, we are to follow the rule laid

              down by Our Lord:  "Do unto others as you would have

              others do unto you." Never do to anyone what you would

              not like to have done to yourself; and always do for

              another just what you would wish another to do for you,

              if you were in the same position.  Our neighbor is our

              equal and gifted with all the gifts that we ourselves have.

              When we come into the world we are all equal.  We have

              a body and a soul, with the power to develop them.

              Money, learning, wealth, fame, and all else that makes up

              the difference between men in the world are acquired in

              the world; and when men die, they go out of the world

              without any of these things, just as they came into it.

              The real difference between them in the next world will

              depend upon the things they have done, good or bad,

              while here.  We should love our neighbor also on another

              account:  namely, that he is one day to be in Heaven with

              us; and if he is to be with us for all eternity, why should

              we hate him now?  On the other hand, if our neighbor is

              to be in Hell on account of his bad life, why should we

              hate him?  We should rather pity him, for he will have

              enough to suffer without our hatred.

 

Question 110: What is actual grace?

 

Answer:       Actual grace is that help of God which enlightens our

              mind and moves our will to shun evil and do good.

 

Explanation:  "Actual."  Sanctifying grace continues with us, but when

              grace is given just so that we may do a good act or avoid

              a bad one, it is called actual grace.  Suppose, for

              example, I see a poor man and am able to aid him.

              When my conscience tells me to give him assistance, I am

              just then receiving an actual grace, which moves me and

              helps me to do that good act; and just as soon as I give

              the help, the actual grace ceases, because no longer

              needed.  It was given for that one good act, and now that

              the act is done, the actual grace has produced its effect.

              Again, a boy is going to Mass on Sunday and meets other

              boys who try to persuade him to remain away from Mass

              and go to some other place.  When he hears his

              conscience telling him to go to Mass by all means, he is

              receiving just then an actual grace to avoid the mortal sin

              of missing Mass, and the grace lasts just as long as the

              temptation.  Sacramental grace is sanctifying grace --

              given in the Sacraments -- which contains for us a right

              to actual graces when we need them.  These actual graces

              are given to help us to fulfill the end for which each of

              the Sacraments was instituted.  They are different for

              each Sacrament, and are given just when we need them;

              that is, just when we are tempted against the object or end

              for which the Sacrament was instituted.

 

Question 111: Is grace necessary for salvation?

 

Answer:       Grace is necessary for salvation, because without grace

              we can do nothing to merit Heaven.

 

Question 112: Can we resist the grace of God?

 

Answer:       We can and unfortunately often do resist the grace of

              God.

 

Explanation:  Grace is a gift, and no one is obliged to take a gift; but

              if God offers a gift and we refuse to take it, we offend

              and insult Him.  To insult God is to sin.  Therefore to

              refuse to accept, or to make bad use of the grace God

              gives us, is to sin.

 

Question 113: What is the grace of perseverance?

 

Answer:       The grace of perseverance is a particular gift of God

              which enables us to continue in the state of grace till

              death.

 

Explanation:  "Perseverance" here does not mean perseverance in our

              undertakings, but perseverance in grace -- never in mortal

              sin, always a friend of God.  Now, if God keeps us from

              all sin till the day of our death and takes us while we are

              His friends, then He gives us what we call the gift of

              final perseverance.  We cannot, strictly speaking, merit

              this great grace, but only pray for it; so anyone who

              commits mortal sin may be taken just in that state and be

              lost for all eternity.

 

 

                    Lesson 11:  ON THE CHURCH

 

Question 114: Which are the means instituted by Our Lord to enable

              men at all times to share in the fruits of the Redemption?

Question 115: What is the Church?

Question 116: Who is the invisible head of the Church?

Question 117: Who is the visible head of the Church?

Question 118: Why is the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, the visible head of

              the Church?

Question 119: Who are the successors of the other Apostles?

Question 120: Why did Christ found the Church?

Question 121: Are all bound to belong to the Church?

 

Explanation:  Before speaking of the Church I wish to give you a short

              account of the true religion before the coming of Our

              Lord.  When Adam was created in a state of grace, God

              communicated with him freely; he knew God even better

              than we do now.  But after their sin our parents fell from

              the friendship of God.  Cain -- one of Adam's sons --

              murdered his brother Abel, and for this he and his

              posterity were cursed by God, and all his descendants

              became very wicked. (Gen. 4:11).  The other children of

              Adam remained faithful to God as long as they kept away

              from the children of Cain; but just as soon as they

              associated and intermarried with them, they also became

              wicked.  This should teach us to avoid evil company, for

              there is always more likelihood that the good will become

              bad than that the bad will be converted by the good.  You

              know the old saying, that if you take a basket of good

              apples and place a bad one among them, in a short time

              they will be spoiled.

 

Explanation:  After the deluge Noe and his family settled once more

              upon the land, and for a time their descendants remained

              faithful to God; but later they became wicked and

              undertook to build a great tower (Gen. 11), which they

              thought would reach up to Heaven.  They believed,

              perhaps, that if ever there should be another deluge upon

              the earth, they could take refuge in the tower.  But God

              was displeased with their conduct and prevented them

              from completing the tower by confusing their tongues or

              language so that they could not understand one another.

              Then those who spoke the same language went to live in

              the same part of the country, and thus the human race

              was scattered over the earth, and the different nations had

              different languages.

 

Explanation:  After a time they were all losing the knowledge of the

              true God and beginning to worship idols.  God did not

              wish that the whole human race should forget Him, so He

              selected Abraham to be the father and head of one chosen

              people who should always worship the true God.  He sent

              Abraham from his own country into another, and

              promised him great things, and renewed to him the

              promises of the Redeemer first made to Adam and Eve.

              After the death of Abraham, God raised up, from time to

              time, prophets to tell the people His holy will, to warn

              them of their sins and the punishment they would receive,

              and to remind them of the promised Messias.

              Prophets,are men that God inspires to tell the future.

              They tell what will happen often hundreds of years after

              their own death.  They do not guess at these things, but

              tell them with certainty.  At times, statesmen can foresee

              that there will be a war in a country at a certain time; but

              they are not prophets, because they only guess at such

              things, or know them by natural signs; and very often

              things thus foretold do not occur.  True prophecy is the

              foretelling of something which could not be known by

              any means but inspiration from God.

 

Explanation:  Neither are persons who call themselves fortune-tellers

              prophets, but only sinful people, who for money tell lies

              or guess at the future.  It is a great sin to go to them or

              listen to them, as we shall see later in another question.

 

Explanation:  At the time promised, God sent His Son -- Our Lord -- to

              redeem the world and save all men.  He came to save all

              men, and yet He remained upon earth only thirty-three

              years.  We can easily understand that by His death He

              could save all those who lived before He did; but how

              were they to be saved who should live after Him, down

              to the end of the world?  How was His grace to be given

              to them?  How were they to know of Him, or of what He

              taught?  All this was to be accomplished by His Church.

 

Question 114: Which are the means instituted by Our Lord to enable

              men at all times to share in the fruits of the Redemption?

 

Answer:       The means instituted by Our lord to enable men at all

              times to share in the fruits of the Redemption are the

              Church and the Sacraments.

 

Explanation:  Our Lord instituted the Church to carry on the work He

              Himself was doing upon the earth -- teaching the

              ignorant, visiting the sick, helping the poor, forgiving

              sins, etc.  He commanded all men to hear the Church

              teaching, just as they would hear Himself.  But suppose

              some persons should establish a false Church and claim

              that it was the true Church of Our Lord, how could

              people know the true Church from false churches?  When

              a man invents anything to be sold, what does he do that

              people may know the true article -- say a pen?  Why, he

              puts his trademark upon it.  Now the trademark is a

              certain sign which shows that the article bearing it is the

              genuine article; and if others use the trademark on

              imitation articles, they are liable to be punished by law.

              Now Our Lord did the same.  He gave His Church four

              marks or characteristics to distinguish it from all false

              churches.  He said, "My Church will be one; it will be

              holy; it will be catholic; it will be apostolic; and if any

              church has not these four marks, you may be sure it is

              not My Church." Some false church may seem to have

              one or two, but never all the marks; so when you find

              even one of the marks wanting, you will know it is not

              the true Church established by Christ.  Therefore, all the

              religions that claim to be the true religion cannot be so.

              If one man says a thing is white and another says it is

              black, or if one says a thing is true and another says it is

              false, they cannot both be right. Only one can be right,

              and if we wish to know the truth we have to find out

              which one it is.  So when one religion says a thing is true

              and another religion says the same thing is false, one of

              them must be wrong, and it is our duty to find out the

              one that is right.  Therefore, of all the religions claiming

              to be the true religion of Our Lord, only one can be

              telling the truth, and that one is the religion or Church

              that can show the four given marks.  The Roman Catholic

              Church is the only one that can show these marks, and is,

              therefore, the only true Church, as we shall see in the

              next lesson.

 

Explanation:  "Fruits of His redemption," that is, to receive the grace

              merited by Our Lord when He redeemed us by His death.

 

Question 115: What is the Church?

 

Answer:       The Church is the congregation of all those who profess

              the faith of Christ, partake of the same Sacraments, and

              are governed by their lawful pastors under one visible

              head.

 

Explanation:  "Congregation."  Not the building, therefore; because if

              Mass was offered up in an open field, with the people

              kneeling about, it would still be the church of that place.

              The buildings that we use for churches might have been

              used for anything else -- a public hall, theater, or school,

              for example; but when these buildings we call churches

              are blessed or consecrated, they become holy.  They are

              holy also because the Gospel is preached in them, the

              Sacraments are administered in them, and the Holy

              Sacrifice of the Mass is offered in them.  But they are

              holy especially because Our Lord dwells in them in the

              tabernacle, where He lives and sees and hears just as

              truly as He did when He was man upon earth.

 

Explanation:  In the early ages the Christians had no churches -- they

              met secretly in private houses.  Later, when the cruel

              pagan emperors began to persecute and put to death the

              Christians, they made large tunnels under ground and in

              these places they heard Mass and received the

              Sacraments.  These underground churches were called the

              catacombs, and some of them may still be seen at Rome.

              In these catacombs, too, the Christians buried their dead,

              especially the bodies of the holy martyrs.  On their tombs

              -- generally of stone -- Mass was celebrated.

 

Explanation:  In every altar the table, or flat part on which the priest

              celebrates Mass, should be of stone; but if the altar is

              made of wood, then at least the part just in front of the

              tabernacle must be of stone and large enough to hold say

              two chalices -- that is, about ten or twelve inches square.

              In this stone are placed some relics of the holy martyrs.

              A piece is cut out of the stone and the relic placed in the

              opening.  Then the bishop puts the little piece of stone

              back into its place over the relic, seals the opening,

              blesses the stone, and gives it to the Church.  This is

              called the altar stone.  You cannot see it because it is

              covered with the altar cloth; but unless it is in the altar

              the priest cannot say Mass.  This stone reminds us of the

              stone tombs of the saints upon which Mass was

              celebrated.

 

Explanation:  The Church -- that is, the Christians -- was persecuted for

              about three hundred years after the death of Our Lord.

              These persecutions took place at ten different times and

              under ten different Roman emperors.  Orders were given

              to put to death all the Christians wherever they could be

              found.  Some were cast into prison, some exiled, some

              taken to the Roman Coliseum -- an immense building

              constructed for public amusements -- where they were put

              to death in the most terrible manner in the presence of the

              emperor and people assembled to witness these fearful

              scenes.  Some were stripped of their clothing and left

              standing alone while savage beasts, wild with hunger,

              were let loose upon them. Sometimes by a miracle of God

              the animals would not harm them, and then the Christians

              were either put to death by the sword, mangled by some

              terrible machine, or burned.  In these dreadful sufferings

              the Christians remained faithful and firm, though they

              could have saved their lives by denying Our Lord or

              offering sacrifice to idols.  The few who through fear did

              deny their faith are now forgotten and unknown; while

              those who remained steadfast are honored as saints in

              Heaven and upon earth; the Church sings their praises

              and tells every year of their holy lives and triumph over

              all their enemies.

 

Explanation:  Even some pagans who came to see the Christians put to

              death were so touched by their patience, fortitude,

              courage, and constancy, that they also declared

              themselves anxious to become Christians, and were put to

              death, thus becoming martyrs baptized in their own

              blood.  How many lessons we may learn from all this:

 

Explanation:  (1) How very respectful we should be in the Church,

              which is holy for all the reasons I have given. (2) What

              a shame it is for us not to hear Mass when we can do so

              easily.

 

Explanation:  Our churches are never very far from us, and generally

              well lighted, ventilated, furnished with seats and every

              convenience, and in these respects unlike the dark, damp,

              underground churches of the early Christians.  Moreover,

              we may attend our churches freely and without the least

              danger to our lives; while the Christians of the early ages

              were constantly in dread and danger of being seized and

              put to death.  Even at the present day, in many countries

              where holy missionaries are trying to teach the true

              religion, their converts sometimes have to go great

              distances to hear Mass, and even then it is not celebrated

              in comfortable churches, but probably on the slope of a

              rugged mountain or in some lonely valley or wood where

              they may not be seen, for they fear if they are captured

              -- as often happens -- both they and their priest will be

              put to death.  You can read in the account of foreign

              missions that almost every year some priests and many

              people are martyred for their faith. Is it not disgraceful,

              then, to see some Catholics giving up their holy faith and

              the practice of their religion so easily -- sometimes for a

              little money, property, or gain; or even for a bad habit,

              or for irreligious companions and friends?  What answer

              will they make on the day of judgment when they stand

              side by side with those who died for the faith?

 

Explanation:  "All those who profess the faith," etc.  The Pope,

              bishops, priests, and people all taken together are the

              Church, and each congregation or parish is only a part of

              the Church.

 

Explanation:  "Partake," that is, receive.  "Lawful pastors," that is,

              each priest in his own parish, each bishop in his own

              diocese, and the Pope throughout the world.  "Visible

              head," that is, one who can be seen, for invisible means

              cannot be seen.

 

Question 116: Who is the invisible head of the Church?

 

Answer:       Jesus Christ is the invisible head of the Church.

 

Explanation:  "Invisible head."  If, for example, a merchant of one

              country wishes to establish a branch of his business in

              another, he remains in the new country long enough to

              establish the branch business, and then appointing

              someone to take his place, returns to his own country.

              He is still the head of the new establishment, but its

              invisible head for the people of that country, while its

              visible head is the agent or representative he has placed

              in charge to carry on the business in his name and

              interest.  When Our Lord wished to establish His Church

              He came from Heaven; and when about to return to

              Heaven appointed St. Peter to take His place upon earth

              and rule the Church as directed.  You see, therefore, that

              Our Lord, though not on earth, is still the real head and

              owner of the Church, and whatever His agent or vicar --

              that is, our Holy Father, the Pope -- does in the Church,

              he does it with the authority of Our Lord Himself.

 

Question 117: Who is the visible head of the Church?

 

Answer:       Our Holy Father the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, is the

              vicar of Christ on earth and the visible head of the

              Church.

 

Explanation:  The "Bishop of Rome" is always Pope.  If the Bishop of

              New York, or of Baltimore, or of Boston, became Pope,

              he would become the Bishop of Rome and cease to be the

              Bishop of New York, Baltimore, or Boston, because St.

              Peter, the first Pope, was Bishop of Rome; and therefore

              only the bishops of Rome are his lawful successors -- the

              true Popes -- the true visible heads of the Church.  The

              bishops of the other dioceses of the world are the lawful

              successors of the other Apostles who taught and

              established churches throughout the world.  The bishops

              of the world are subject to the Pope, just as the other

              Apostles were subject to St. Peter, who was appointed

              their chief, by Our Lord Himself.

 

Explanation:  "Vicar," that is, one who holds another's place and acts

              in his name.

 

Question 118: Why is the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, the visible head of

              the Church?

 

Answer:       The Pope, the Bishop of Rome, is the visible head of the

              Church because he is the successor of St. Peter, whom

              Christ made the chief of the Apostles and the visible head

              of the Church.

 

Explanation:  "Of Rome."  That is why we are called Roman Catholics;

              to show that we are united to the real successor of St.

              Peter, and are therefore members of the true apostolic

              Church.

 

Question 119: Who are the successors of the other Apostles?

 

Explanation:  Answer:

              The successors of the other Apostles are the bishops of

              the holy Catholic Church.

 

Explanation:  We know the Apostles were bishops, because they could

              make laws for the Church, consecrate other bishops,

              ordain priests, and give Confirmation -- powers that

              belong only to bishops, and are still exercised by them.

 

Question 120: Why did Christ found the Church?

 

Answer:       Christ founded the Church to teach, govern, sanctify, and

              save all men.

 

Explanation:  "Teach" religion.  "Govern" in things that regard

              salvation. "Sanctify," make good.  "Save" all who wish

              to be saved.

 

Question 121: Are all bound to belong to the Church?

 

Answer:       All are bound to belong to the Church, and he who

              knows the Church to be the true Church and remains out

              of it, cannot be saved.

 

Explanation:  Anyone who knows the Catholic religion to be the true

              religion and will not embrace it cannot enter into Heaven.

              If one not a Catholic doubts whether the church to which

              he belongs is the true Church, he must settle his doubt,

              seek the true Church, and enter it; for if he continues to

              live in doubt, he becomes like the one who knows the

              true Church and is deterred by worldly considerations

              from entering it.

 

Explanation:  In like manner one who, doubting, fears to examine the

              religion he professes lest he should discover its falsity and

              be convinced of the truth of the Catholic faith, cannot be

              saved.

 

Explanation:  Suppose, however, that there is a non-Catholic who

              firmly believes that the church to which he belongs is the

              true Church, and who has never -- even in the past -- had

              the slightest doubt of that fact -- what will become of

              him?

 

Explanation:  If he was validly baptized and never committed a mortal

              sin, he will be saved; because, believing himself a

              member of the true Church, he was doing all he could to

              serve God according to his knowledge and the dictates of

              his conscience.  But if ever he committed a mortal sin,

              his salvation would be very much more difficult.  A

              mortal sin once committed remains on the soul till it is

              forgiven.  Now, how could his mortal sin be forgiven?

              Not in the Sacrament of Penance, for the Protestant does

              not go to confession; and if he does, his minister -- not

              being a true priest -- has no power to forgive sins.  Does

              he know that without confession it requires an act of

              perfect contrition to blot out mortal sin, and can he easily

              make such an act?  What we call contrition is often only

              imperfect contrition -- that is, sorrow for our sins because

              we fear their punishment in Hell or dread the loss of

              Heaven.  If a Catholic -- with all the instruction he has

              received about how to make an act of perfect contrition

              and all the practice he has had in making such acts --

              might find it difficult to make an act of perfect contrition

              after having committed a mortal sin, how much difficulty

              will not a Protestant have in making an act of perfect

              contrition, who does not know about this requirement and

              who has not been taught to make continued acts of perfect

              contrition all his life.  It is to be feared either he would

              not know of this necessary means of regaining God's

              friendship, or he would be unable to elicit the necessary

              act of perfect contrition, and thus the mortal sin would

              remain upon his soul and he would die an enemy of God.

 

Explanation:  If, then, we found a Protestant who never committed a

              mortal sin after Baptism, and who never had the slightest

              doubt about the truth of his religion, that person would be

              saved; because, being baptized, he is a member of the

              Church, and being free from mortal sin he is a friend of

              God and could not in justice be condemned to Hell.  Such

              a person would attend Mass and receive the Sacraments

              if he knew the Catholic Church to be the only true

              Church.

 

Explanation:  I am giving you an example, however, that is rarely

              found, except in the case of infants or very small children

              baptized in Protestant sects.  All infants rightly baptized

              by anyone are really children of the Church, no matter

              what religion their parents may profess.  Indeed, all

              persons who are baptized are children of the Church; but

              those among them who deny its teaching, reject its

              Sacraments, and refuse to submit to its lawful pastors, are

              rebellious children known as heretics.

 

Explanation:  I said I gave you an example that can scarcely be found,

              namely, of a person not a Catholic, who really never

              doubted the truth of his religion, and who, moreover,

              never committed during his whole life a mortal sin.

              There are so few such persons that we can practically say

              for all those who are not visibly members of the Catholic

              Church, believing its doctrines, receiving its Sacraments,

              and being governed by its visible head, our Holy Father,

              the Pope, salvation is an extremely difficult matter.

 

Explanation:  I do not speak here of pagans who have never heard of

              Our Lord or His holy religion, but of those outside the

              Church who claim to be good Christians without being

              members of the Catholic Church.

 

 

          Lesson 12:  ON THE ATTRIBUTES AND MARKS OF THE CHURCH

 

Question 122: Which are the attributes of the Church?

Question 123: What do you mean by the authority of the Church?

Question 124: What do you mean by the infallibility of the Church?

Question 125: When does the Church teach infallibly?

Question 126: What do you mean by the indefectibility of the Church?

Question 127: In whom are these attributes found in their fullness?

Question 128: Has the Church any marks by which it may be known?

Question 129: How is the Church one?

Question 130: How is the Church holy?

Question 131: How is the Church catholic or universal?

Question 132: How is the Church apostolic?

Question 133: In which church are these attributes and marks found?

 

Explanation:  An attribute is any characteristic or quality that a person

              or thing may be said to have.  All good qualities are good

              attributes, and all bad qualities are bad attributes.  All

              perfections or imperfections are attributes.  If I can say of

              you that you are good, then goodness is one of your

              attributes.  If I can say you are beautiful, then beauty is

              one of your attributes.  We have seen already that the

              Church has four marks; but besides these it has three

              attributes, which flow from its marks.  It is easier to see

              the marks of the Church than its attributes.  It is easier to

              see, for instance, that the Church is one than that it is

              indefectible.

 

Question 122: Which are the attributes of the Church?

 

Answer:       The attributes of the Church are three:  authority,

              infallibility, and indefectibility.

 

Question 123: What do you mean by the authority of the Church?

 

Answer:       By the authority of the Church I mean the right and

              power which the Pope and the bishops, as the successors

              of the Apostles, have to teach and govern the faithful.

 

Explanation:  Authority is the power which one person has over

              another, so as to be able to exact obedience.  A teacher

              has authority over his scholars, because they must obey

              him; but the teacher need not obey the scholars, because

              they have no authority over him.  God alone has authority

              of Himself and from Himself All others who have

              authority receive it from God, either directly or through

              someone else.  The Pope has authority from God

              Himself, and the priests get theirs through their bishops.

              Therefore, to resist or disobey lawful authority is to resist

              and disobey God Himself.  If one of you were placed in

              charge of the class in my absence, he would have lawful

              authority, and the rest of you should obey him-not on

              account of himself, but on account of the authority he

              has.  Thus the President of the United States, the

              governor, the mayor, etc., are only ordinary citizens

              before their election; but after they have been elected and

              placed in office they exercise lawful authority over us,

              and we are bound as good citizens and as good Catholics

              to respect and obey them.

 

Question 124: What do you mean by the infallibility of the Church?

 

Answer:       By the infallibility of the Church I mean that the Church

              cannot err when it teaches a doctrine of faith or morals.

 

Explanation:  "Infallibility." When we say Church is infallible, we mean

              that it cannot make a mistake or err in what it teaches;

              that the Pope, the head of the Church, is infallible when

              he teaches ex cathedra -- that is, as the successor of St.

              Peter, the vicar of Christ.  Cathedra signifies a seat, ex

              stands for "out of"; therefore, ex cathedra means out of

              the chair or office of St. Peter, because chair is

              sometimes used for office.  Thus we say the presidential

              chair is opposed to this or that, when we intend to say the

              president, or the one in that office, is opposed to it.  The

              cathedral is the church in which the bishop usually

              officiates, so called on account of the bishop's cathedra,

              or throne, being in it.

 

Question 125: When does the Church teach infallibly?

 

Answer:       The Church teaches infallibly when it speaks through the

              Pope and bishops united in general council, or through

              the Pope alone when he proclaims to all the faithful a

              doctrine of faith or morals.

 

Explanation:  But how will we know when the Pope speaks ex cathedra,

              when he is speaking daily to people from all parts of the

              world?  To speak ex cathedra or infallibly, three things

              are required:

 

Explanation:  He must speak as the head of the whole Church, not as

              a private person; and in certain forms of words by which

              we know he is speaking ex cathedra. What he says must

              hold good for the whole Church that is, for all the

              faithful, and not merely for this or that particular person

              or country. He must speak on matters of faith or

              morals-that is, when the Holy Father tells all the faithful

              that they are to believe a certain thing as a part of their

              faith; or when he tells them that certain things are sins,

              they must believe him and avoid what he declares to be

              sin.  He could not make a mistake in such things.  He

              could not say that Our Lord taught us to believe and do

              such and such, if Our Lord did not so teach, because Our

              Lord promised to be with His Church for all time, and to

              send the Holy Ghost, who would teach it all truth and

              abide with it forever.  If then the Church could make

              mistakes in teaching faith and morals, the Holy Ghost

              could not be with it, and Our Lord did not tell the truth-to

              say which would be blasphemy.  But remember, the Pope

              is not infallible unless he is teaching faith or morals; that

              is, what we believe or do in order to save our souls.  If

              the Holy Father wrote a book on astronomy,

              mathematics, grammar, or even theology, he could make

              mistakes as other men do, because the Holy Ghost has

              not promised to guide him in such things.  Nevertheless,

              whatever the Pope teaches on anything you may be pretty

              sure is right.  The Pope is nearly always a very learned

              man of many years' experience.  He has with him at

              Rome learned men from every part of the world, so that

              we may say he has the experience of the whole world.

              Other rulers cannot and need not know as much as the

              Holy Father, because they have not to govern the world,

              but only their own country.  Moreover, there is no

              government in the whole world as old as the Church, no

              nation that can show as many rulers without change; so

              we may say the Pope has also the experience of all the

              Popes who preceded him, from St. Peter down to our

              present Holy Father, Pius XI-two hundred and sixty-one

              popes.  Therefore, considering all this, we should have

              the very greatest respect for the opinions and advice of

              the Holy Father on any subject.  We should not set up

              our limited knowledge and experience against his, even

              if we think that we know better than he does about certain

              political events taking place in our country, for we are

              not sure that we do.  The Holy Father knows the past

              history of nations; he knows the nature of mankind; he

              knows that what takes place in one nation may, and

              sometimes does, take place in another under the same

              circumstances.  Thus the Holy Father has greater

              foresight than we have, and we should be thankful when

              he warns us against certain dangers in politics or other

              things.  He does not teach politics; but as everything we

              do is either good or bad, every statesman or politician

              must consider whether what he is about to do be right or

              wrong, just or unjust.  It is the business and duty of the

              Holy Father to declare against the evil or unjust actions

              of either individuals or nations, and for that reason he

              seems at times to interfere in politics when he is really

              teaching morals.  At times, too, governments try to

              deprive the Church or the Holy Father of their rights; and

              when he defends himself against such injustice and

              protests against it, his enemies cry out that he is

              interfering with the government.

 

Explanation:  You understand now what the infallibility of the Pope

              implies, and that it does not mean, as the enemies of the

              Church say, that the Pope cannot sin, cannot be mistaken

              in anything.  The Pope can sin just the same as anyone

              else; he could be a very bad man if he wanted to be so,

              and take the punishment God would inflict for his sins.

              Could he not be very angry, entirely neglect prayer, or

              pray with willful distraction; could he not be proud,

              covetous, etc.? And these are sins.  Therefore he could

              sin; and hence he has to go to confession and seek

              forgiveness just as we do.  Therefore remember this:

              whether the Pope be a bad man or a good man in his

              private life, he must always tell the truth when he speaks

              ex cathedra, because the Holy Ghost is guiding him and

              will not permit him to err or teach falsehood in faith or

              morals.

 

Explanation:  We have examples in the Bible (Numbers 22, 23) where

              God sometimes makes even bad men foretell the truth.

              Once He gave an ass the power to speak, that it might

              protest against the wrongdoing of its wicked and cruel

              rider.

 

Explanation:  We have seen how governments interfere with the rights

              of the Holy Father, and thus he has need of his temporal

              power that he may be altogether independent of any

              government.  Now let me explain to you what is meant

              by the Temporal Power of the Pope.  Well, then, the

              Holy Father should have some city or states, not

              belonging to any government, in which he would be the

              chief and only ruler.  Up to the year 1870 the Holy

              Father did have such states:  they were called the Papal

              States, and the power he had over them just like that of

              any other ruler-was called the temporal power.

 

Explanation:  Now how did he get those states and how did he lose

              them?  He got them in the most just manner, and held

              possession of them for about a thousand years.

 

Explanation:  Hundreds of years ago the people of Rome and the

              surrounding countries elected the Pope their sole ruler.

              He was already their spiritual ruler, and they made him

              also their temporal ruler.  Then the Pope protected and

              governed them as other rulers do.  Later, kings and

              princes added other lands, and thus by degrees the

              possessions of the Pope became quite extended.

 

Explanation:  How did he lose these possessions?  The Italian

              government took them from him in the most unjust

              manner.  Besides the lands, they deprived the Church of

              other property donated to it by its faithful children.  No

              ruler in the world had a more just claim or better right to

              his possessions than the Holy Father, and a government

              robbed him of them as a thief might take forcibly from

              you whatever had been justly given to you, when he

              found you were unable to defend yourself against him.

 

Explanation:  But has the Holy Father need of his temporal power?

              Yes, the Holy Father has need of some temporal power.

              He must be free and independent in governing the

              Church.  He must be free to say what he wishes to all

              Catholics throughout the world, and free to hear whatever

              they have to say to him.  But if the Pope is under another

              ruler he cannot be free.  That ruler may cast him into

              prison, and not allow him to communicate with the

              bishops of the world.  At least, he can say nothing about

              the injustice of the ruler who is over him.  Therefore the

              Pope must have some possessions of his own, that he

              may not be afraid of the injustice of any ruler, and may

              speak out the truth boldly to the whole world, denouncing

              bad rulers and praising good ones as they deserve.

 

Explanation:  Mind, I do not say what possessions the Holy Father

              should have but simply that he should have some, in

              which he would be altogether independent.  In justice he

              should have all that was taken from him.  We have a

              good example here in the United States to illustrate the

              need of the independence of the Pope.  You know every

              State in the United States is a little government in itself,

              with its own governor, legislature, laws, etc.  Now over

              all these little governments or States we have the

              government of the United States, with the President at its

              head.  In the beginning the members of the United States

              Government assembled to transact the business of the

              nation sometimes in one State and sometimes in

              another-sometimes in New York and sometimes in

              Pennsylvania, etc.  But they soon found that in order to

              be independent of every State and just to all, they must

              have some territory or possessions of their own not under

              the power of any State.  So some of the States granted

              them Washington and the country about it for ten miles

              square-now called the District of Columbia which the

              United States government could freely perform its duties.

              In a similar manner the Holy Father is over all the

              governments of the world in matters of religion-in matters

              of justice and right; and just as the United States

              government has to decide between the rights of one State

              and the rights of another, so the Holy Father has

              sometimes to decide between the rights of one

              government and the rights of another, and must, in order

              to be just with all, be free and independent of all.

 

Explanation:  Again, the temporal power of the Pope is very useful to

              the Church; for with the money and goods received from

              his possessions the Holy Father can educate priests and

              teachers, print books, etc., for the foreign missions.  He

              can also support churches, school, and institutions in poor

              countries, and especially where the missionaries are

              laboring for the conversion of the native heathens.

 

Explanation:  When the Holy Father had his own possessions he could

              do much that he cannot now do for the conversion of

              pagan nations.  At present he must depend entirely upon

              the charitable offerings of the faithful for all good works,

              even for his own support.  The offering we make once a

              year for the support of the Holy Father is called "Peter's

              pence," because it began by everyone sending yearly a

              penny to the Pope, the successor of St. Peter.

 

Question 126: What do you mean by the indefectibility of the Church?

 

Answer:       By the indefectibility of the Church I mean that the

              Church, as Christ founded it, will last till the end of time.

 

Explanation:  Therefore indefectibility means that the Church can never

              change any of the doctrines that Our Lord taught, nor

              ever cease to exist.  When we say it is infallible, we

              mean that it cannot teach error while it lasts; but when we

              say it is indefectible, we mean that it will last forever and

              be infallible forever, and also that it will always remain

              the same as Our Lord founded it. There are two things

              that you must clearly understand and not confound,

              namely, the two kinds of laws in the Church-those which

              Our Lord gave it and those which it made itself.  The

              laws that Our Lord gave it can never change For

              example, the Church could not abolish one of the

              Sacraments, leaving only six; neither could it add a new

              one, making eight.  But when, for example, the Church

              declares that on a certain day we cannot eat flesh meat,

              it makes the law itself, and can change it when it wishes.

              Our Lord left His Church free to make certain laws, just

              as they would be needed.  It has always exercised this

              power, and made laws to suit the circumstances of the

              place or times.  Even now it does away with some of its

              old laws that are no longer useful, and makes new ones

              that are more necessary.  But the doctrines, the truths of

              faith or morals, the things we must believe and do to save

              our souls, it never changes and never can change:  it may

              regulate some things in the application of the divine laws,

              but the laws themselves can never change in substance.

 

Question 127: In whom are these attributes found in their fullness?

 

Answer:       These attributes are found in their fullness in the Pope,

              the visible head of the Church, whose infallible authority

              to teach bishops, priests, and people in matters of faith or

              morals will last to the end of the world.

 

Question 128: Has the Church any marks by which it may be known?

 

Answer:       The Church has four marks by which it may be known:

              it is one; it is holy; it is catholic; it is apostolic.

 

Question 129: How is the Church one?

 

Answer:       The Church is one because all its members agree in one

              faith, are all in one communion, and are all under one

              head.

 

Explanation:  The Catholic Church is "one," first in government and

              second in doctrine.  In government every pastor has a

              certain parish or territory in which all the people belong

              to his congregation-they form his flock.  He has to take

              care only of these, to teach them, give them the

              Sacraments, etc.  He has not to be responsible for those

              outside his parish.  Then over the pastor we have the

              bishop, who looks after a certain number of pastors; then

              comes the archbishop over a certain number of bishops;

              next comes the primate, who is head of all the

              archbishops in the country; and over all the primates of

              the world we have the Holy Father.  Thus, when the

              Holy Father speaks to the bishops, the bishops speak to

              the priests, and the priests to the people.  The Church is

              therefore one in government, like a great army spread

              over the world. We can go up step by step from the

              lowest member of the Church to the highest-the Holy

              Father; and from him to Our Lord Himself, who is the

              invisible head of all.  This regular body of priests,

              bishops, archbishops, etc., so arranged, one superior to

              the other, is called the hierarchy of the Church.

 

Explanation:  The Church is one also in doctrine-that is, every one of

              the three hundred million of Catholics in the world

              believes exactly the same truths.  If any Catholic denies

              only one article of faith, though he believes all the rest,

              he ceases to be a Catholic, and is cut off from the

              Church.  If, for example, you would not believe

              Matrimony or Holy Orders a Sacrament, or that Our Lord

              is present in the Holy Eucharist, you would not be a

              Catholic, though you believed all the other teachings of

              the Church.

 

Explanation:  Therefore the Church is one both in government and

              teaching or doctrine.  Now, has any other Church

              claiming to be Christ's Church that mark?  No. The

              Protestant religions are not one either in government or

              belief The Protestants of England have no authority over

              the Protestants of America, and those of America have

              nothing to say over those of Germany or France.  So

              every country is independent, and they have no chief

              head.  Neither are they one in belief. In the same country

              there are many kinds of Protestants, Episcopalians,

              Presbyterians, Methodists, etc., who do not believe the

              same thing.  Even those who attend the same church and

              profess the same religion do not all believe the same.

              Everyone, they say, has a right to interpret the Holy

              Scriptures according to his own views, so they take many

              different meanings out of the very same words.  There

              must be some chief person to tell the true meaning of the

              Holy Scriptures when there is a dispute about it; but they

              have no such chief, and the result is they are never done

              disputing.

 

Explanation:  The United States has a constitution and laws.  Now,

              suppose every citizen was allowed to construe the laws to

              suit himself, without any regard for the rights of others,

              what a fine state of affairs we should soon have.  But the

              wise makers of the constitution and laws of the United

              States did not leave us in such danger.  They appointed

              judges to interpret or explain the laws and give the

              correct meaning when disputes arise.  Then in

              Washington there is a chief judge for the whole United

              States; and when he says the words of the law mean this

              or that, every citizen must abide by his decision, and

              there is no appeal from it.  Just in the same way Our

              Lord made laws for all men, and while He was upon

              earth He explained them Himself.  He never left all men

              free to take their own meaning out of them.  He

              appointed judges-the bishops; and a chief judge for the

              whole world the Pope.  The Holy Ghost guides him, as

              we have seen above, so that he cannot make mistakes in

              the meaning of Christ's laws; and when he says, this is

              what the words of Our Lord in His law signify, no one

              who is a true Christian can refuse to believe, or can

              appeal from his decision.

 

Question 130: How is the Church holy?

 

Answer:       The Church is holy because its founder, Jesus Christ, is

              holy; because it teaches a holy doctrine, invites all to a

              holy life, and because of the eminent holiness of so many

              thousands of its children.

 

Explanation:  Protestant religions have not holy doctrines if we examine

              them closely. They teach, for example, that faith without

              good works will save us, and thus take away the motives

              for doing good; that marriage is not binding for life-the

              husband and wife may for some causes separate, or get a

              divorce, and marry again.  This would leave the children

              without the care of their proper parents, sometimes

              without a home, and nearly always without religious

              instruction.  The same persons might separate again and

              marry another time, and thus there would be nothing but

              confusion and immorality in society.  Again, some of

              their doctrines teach that we cannot help sinning; so

              everyone could excuse himself for his sins by saying he

              could not help them, which you can easily see would lead

              to the worst of consequences.  Lastly, their doctrines

              have never made one saint-acknowledged as such from

              miracles performed.  Protestants are so called because,

              when their ancestors rebelled against the Church about

              three hundred years ago, the Church made certain laws

              and they protested against them, separated from the

              Church, and formed a new religion of their own.

 

Question 131: How is the Church catholic or universal?

 

Answer:       The Church is catholic or universal because it subsists in

              all ages, teaches all nations, and maintains all truth.

 

Explanation:  "Subsists" means to have existence.

 

Explanation:  "Catholic," The word catholic signifies universal.  The

              Church is universal in three ways, viz.:  in time, in place,

              and in doctrine.  It is universal in time; for from the day

              Our Lord commissioned His Apostles to preach to the

              whole world down to the present, it has existed, taught,

              and labored in every age.  It is universal in place; that is,

              it is not confined to one part of the world, but teaches

              throughout the entire world.  It is universal in doctrine,

              for it teaches the same doctrines and administers the same

              Sacraments everywhere; and its doctrines are suited to all

              classes of men-to the ignorant as well as the learned, to

              the poor as well as the rich. It teaches by the voice of its

              priests and bishops, and all, civilized or uncivilized, to

              whom its voice reaches, can learn its doctrines, receive its

              Sacraments, and practice its devotions.

 

Explanation:  It has converted all the pagan nations that have ever been

              converted, and the title catholic belongs to the Roman

              Catholic Church alone.  All Protestant churches that claim

              this title do so unjustly.  They are not universal in time,

              and cannot be called the Church of all ages, because they

              were established only three hundred or four hundred or

              less years ago.  They are not catholic in place, because

              they are mostly confined to particular countries.  They

              are not universal in doctrine, because what they teach in

              one country they reject in another; and even in the same

              country, what they teach at one time they reject at

              another.  Wherever it is possible for civilized people to

              go, there you will find a priest saying Mass in just the

              same way you see him saying it here.  It is a great

              consolation for one in a strange country to enter a church

              and hear Mass, perceiving no difference in the vestments,

              ceremonies, or language of the priest.  A little altar boy

              from the United States could serve Mass in any part of

              the world.  See, therefore, the great advantage the

              Church has in using the Latin language instead of the

              vernacular or ordinary language of the people. If the

              Church used the usual language of the people, the Mass

              would seem different in every country; while natives

              would understand the words of the priest, strangers would

              not.

 

Explanation:  The Latin language is now what we call a dead language;

              that is, it is not the common language of any country; and

              because it is a dead language does not change:  another

              reason why the Church uses it, that nothing may change

              in its divine service.  The prayers used in the Church are

              exactly the same today as they were when they were

              written many centuries ago.  The living languages-that is,

              those in use, such as English, French, German, etc., are

              always changing a little new words are being added, and

              the meaning of old ones changed.  The Church uses the

              same language all over the world to show that it is not the

              Church of any particular country, but the true Church of

              all men everywhere.

 

Explanation:  Again, using only one language, the Church can hold its

              great councils, call together all the bishops of the world,

              that they may condemn errors or make wise laws.  When

              the Holy Father addresses them in Latin they can all

              understand and answer him.  If, therefore, the Church did

              not use the same language everywhere how could this be

              done, unless everyone present understood all the

              languages of the world-which is a thing nearly

              impossible.  But someone might say, if the Mass was said

              in English we could follow it better.  You can follow just

              as well in Latin, for in nearly all prayerbooks you have

              besides the Latin said by the priest the meaning of it in

              English on the same page, or you have the English alone.

 

Question 132: How is the Church apostolic?

 

Answer:       The Church is apostolic because it was founded by Christ

              on His Apostles and is governed by their lawful

              successors, and because it has never ceased, and never

              will cease, to teach their doctrine.

 

Explanation:  "Apostolic," which means that the Church was founded

              at the time of the Apostles, and has been the same ever

              since.

 

Explanation:  Since the time of St. Peter, the first Pope, there have

              been 261 Popes.  You can go back from our present Holy

              Father, Pius XI, to Benedict XV, who was before him, to

              Pius X, who was before him, to Leo XIII, before him,

              and so on one by one till you come to St. Peter himself,

              who lived at the time of Our Lord.  Thus the Church is

              apostolic in its origin or beginning.

 

Explanation:  It is also apostolic in its teaching; for all the doctrines it

              teaches now were taught by the Apostles.  The Church

              does not make new doctrines, but it teaches its truths

              more clearly and distinctly when someone denies them.

              For example it would not be necessary for you to prove

              yourself good and honest till somebody said you were bad

              and dishonest.  You prove your honesty when it is

              denied, but both you and your friends believed it always,

              though you did not declare it till it was denied.  In just

              the same way the Church always believed that Our Lord

              is the Son of God; that there are seven Sacraments; that

              the Pope is infallible, etc.  These truths and all the others

              were believed by the Apostles, and the Church

              proclaimed them in a special manner when they were

              denied.  Then it called together in council all its bishops,

              and they, with the Holy Father, proclaimed these

              truths-not as new doctrines, but as truths always believed

              by the Church, and now defined because denied.

 

Explanation:  Protestants have not for their churches the mark apostolic.

              How could their churches be founded by the Apostles,

              when the Apostles were dead more than fourteen hundred

              years before there were any Protestant churches?  What

              is more, they have changed the teachings of the Apostles;

              and so they have not the mark apostolic either in their

              origin or teaching.

 

Explanation:  But they say the Catholic Church fell into error and made

              mistakes, and that God wished reformers to correct these

              errors.  How could the Church fall into error when Our

              Lord promised to remain always with- it, and to send the

              Holy Ghost to guide and teach it forever?  And,

              secondly, if God sent the Protestants to correct the

              mistakes of the Catholic Church, what proof do they give

              us that they have such power from God?  When, as we

              have seen, God sends anyone to do a special work, He

              always gives him power to prove his mission. When He

              sent Moses, He gave him signs-the plagues of Egypt.

              When He sent His prophets, they called down fire and

              rain from Heaven. (3 Kings 18).  But Protestants have

              shown us no signs and performed no miracles; therefore

              we cannot believe their assertion that God sent them to

              correct the Catholic Church.  Neither can we believe that

              Our Lord broke His promise to stay with the Church.

              We shall see the whole truth of the matter if we go back

              to the establishment of the Protestant religion and

              consider the life of Luther and the others who founded it.

 

Explanation:  Luther, then a young man, while out one day saw his

              friend killed at his side by a stroke of lightning.  Much

              affected by that sad event, Luther became a priest in the

              order of the Augustinians.  He was a learned man and a

              great preacher, but very proud.  The Holy Father was

              completing St. Peter's Church in Rome, and about that

              time granted an indulgence to those giving alms for the

              purpose, just as pastors now offer Masses for those who

              contribute means to build a new church, or hospital,

              asylum, etc.

 

Explanation:  The Holy Father sent Dominican priests to preach about

              this indulgence and collect this money.  Then Luther,

              when he found that he, a great preacher, was not

              appointed, was probably jealous.  He first began to

              preach against the abuses of indulgences:  but pride made

              him go further, and soon he began to preach against the

              doctrine of indulgences, and thus became a heretic.  Then

              he was condemned by the Pope, and cut off from the

              Church.  Being proud, he would not submit, but began to

              form a new religion, now called Protestant.  But how did

              he get the people to follow him?  Oh, very easily.  Then,

              as now, there were plenty of bad and indifferent

              Catholics.  At that time the Church was rich and had

              much property and lands; because when rich Catholics

              died they often left to the Church property for its own

              support and the support of its institutions.  Even during

              their lifetime kings and princes sometimes gave the

              Church large donations of lands and money.  The Church

              then was supported by these gifts and the income or rents

              of the lands, and did not need to look for collections from

              the people, as it has to do now.  Here, then, is how

              Luther got many to follow him.  He told greedy princes

              that if they came with him they could become rich by

              seizing the property of all the churches, and the greedy

              princes, glad of an excuse, went with him.  Then he told

              the people-the bad Catholics-that fasting was too severe;

              going to confession too hard; hearing Mass every Sunday

              too difficult; and if they renounced their faith and

              embraced his new religion he would do away with all

              these things:  so they also followed him.  He himself

              broke his solemn vows made to God, and the people

              easily followed his example.

 

Explanation:  Those attending the Protestant churches in our times are

              generally rich and refined people, but you must not think

              that the first Protestants of three hundred years ago were

              just like them.  No. Many of them were from the lowest

              and worst-I do not say poorest-classes in society; and

              when they got an excuse, they went about destroying

              churches and institutions, burning beautiful statues,

              paintings, music, books, and works of art that the Church

              had collected and preserved for centuries.  This you may

              read in any of the histories of the Church and times.  The

              Protestants of the present day praise all these works of art

              now; but if their ancestors had had their way every

              beautiful work of art would have been destroyed.

 

Explanation:  Some persons say they would not be members of the

              Catholic Church because so many poor people attend it.

              Then they do not want to belong to the Church of Our

              Lord, because His Church is the Church of both poor and

              rich.  When St. John the Baptist sent his disciples to ask

              Our Lord if He were really the Messias, Our Lord did not

              say yes or no, but told them to relate to John what they

              had heard and seen (Matt. 11:5), namely, that He (Christ)

              cured the blind, the lame, and the deaf, and preached to

              the poor.  Therefore Our Lord gave preaching to the poor

              as a proof that He is the true Redeemer; and since Our

              Lord Himself had the poor in His congregation, the

              Church everywhere must have the poor among its

              members, for it must do what Our Lord did.  So if you

              see a church to which the poor people never go, in which

              they are not welcome, you have good reason to suspect

              it is not the Church of Our Lord not the true Church.

              Again, poverty and riches belong only to this world and

              make a distinction only here.  The one who is poorest in

              this world's goods may be richest in God's grace.

              Indeed, if most Protestants studied the early history of

              theirreligion they would not be proud, but ashamed of it.

              How little they would think of their ancestors who gave

 

Explanation:  up God for some worldly gain, while the Catholic martyrs

              gave up everything, even their lives, rather than forsake

              God and the true religion.

 

Question 133: In which church are these attributes and marks found?

 

Answer:       These attributes and marks are found in the Holy Roman

              Catholic Church alone.

 

Explanation:  We have seen that some religions may seem to have one

              or two of the marks; but the Catholic Church alone has

              them all, and is consequently the only true Church of

              Christ.  The other religions are not one-that is, united

              over the world; they give no proof of holiness, never

              having had any great saints whom God acknowledged as

              such by performing miracles for them.  They are not

              catholic, because they have not taught in all ages and

              nations.  They are not apostolic, because established

              hundreds of years after the Apostles.  They are not

              infallible, for they have now declared things to be false

              which they formerly declared to be true; they are not

              indefectible-they are not as Our Lord founded them, for

              He never founded them; and they are constantly making

              changes in their beliefs and practices.

 

Explanation:  The marks of the Church are necessary also because the

              Church must be a visible Church, that all men may be

              able to see and know it; for Our Lord said, "He that will

              not hear the Church, let him be to thee as the heathen and

              the publican." (Matt. 18:17).  Heathens were those who

              worshipped false gods.  Publicans were men who

              gathered the taxes from the Jews for the Romans; they

              were generally very cruel to the people, and were much

              hated and despised by them.  Therefore Our Lord meant:

              if anyone will not obey the Church, you should avoid him

              as you avoid the heathens and the publicans, whom you

              despise. Now no one can be blamed for not obeying a

              church that is invisible and unknown.  Therefore the true

              Church must be a visible body and easily known to all

              who earnestly seek it as the Church of Christ.  But if

              some shut their eyes and refuse to look at the light of

              truth, ignorance will not excuse them; they must be

              blamed and fall under the sentence of Our Lord.

 

 

               Lesson 13:  ON THE SACRAMENTS IN GENERAL

 

Question 136: What is a Sacrament?

Question 137: How many Sacraments are there?

Question 138: Whence have the Sacraments the power of giving grace?

Question 139: What grace do the Sacraments give?

Question 140: Which are the Sacraments that give sanctifying grace?

Question 141: Why are Baptism and Penance called Sacraments of the

              dead?

Question 142: Which are the Sacraments that increase sanctifying grace

              in the soul?

Question 143: Why are Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Extreme Unction,

              Holy Orders, and Matrimony called Sacraments of the

              living?

Question 144: What sin does he commit who receives the Sacraments of

              the living in mortal sin?

Question 145: Besides sanctifying grace, do the Sacraments give any

              other grace?

Question 146: What is sacramental grace?

Question 147: Do the Sacraments always give grace?

Question 148: Can we receive the Sacraments more than once?

Question 149: Why can we not receive Baptism, Confirmation, and

              Holy Orders more than once?

Question 150: What is the character which these Sacraments imprint in

              the soul?

Question 151: Does this character remain in the soul even after death?

 

Explanation:  This lesson does not speak of any Sacrament in

              particular, but upon all the Sacraments taken together.  It

              explains what we find in all the Sacraments.

 

Question 136: What is a Sacrament?

 

Answer:       A Sacrament is an outward sign instituted by Christ to

              give grace.

 

Explanation:  Three things are necessary to make a Sacrament.  There

              must be:

 

Explanation:  "An outward," that is, a visible, "sign"; this sign must

              have been instituted or given by Our Lord; it must give

              grace.

 

Explanation:  Now, a sign is that which tells us that something else

              exists.  Smoke indicates the presence of fire.

 

Explanation:  A red light on a railroad tells that there is danger at the

              spot.  Therefore, the outward signs in the Sacraments tell

              us that there is in the Sacraments something we do not

              see and which they signify and impart.  For example, the

              outward sign in Baptism is the pouring of the water on

              the head of the person to be baptized, and the saying of

              the words.  Water is generally used for cleaning

              purposes.  Water, therefore, is used in Baptism as an

              outward sign to show that as the water cleans the body,

              so the grace given in Baptism cleans the soul.  It is not a

              mere sign, for at the very moment that the priest pours

              the water and says the words of Baptism, by the pouring

              of the water and saying of the words with the proper

              intention the soul is cleansed from Original Sin; that is,

              the inward grace is given by the application of the

              outward sign. Again, in Confirmation the outward sign is

              the anointing with oil, the Bishop's prayer, and the

              placing of his hands upon us.  Now what inward grace is

              given in Confirmation?  A grace which strengthens us in

              our faith.  Oil, therefore, is used for the outward sign in

              this Sacrament, because oil gives strength and light.

 

Explanation:  In olden times the gladiators-men who fought with swords

              as prize-fighters do now with their hands-used oil upon

              their bodies to make them strong.  Oil was used also to

              heal wounds.  Thus in Confirmation the application of

              this outward sign of strength gives the inward grace of

              light and strength.  Moreover, oil easily spreads itself

              over anything and remains on it. A drop of water falling

              on paper dries up quickly; but a drop of oil soaks in and

              spreads over it.  So oil is used to show also that the grace

              of Confirmation spreads out over our whole lives, and

              strengthens us in our faith at all times.

 

Explanation:  Again, in Penance we have the outward sign when the

              priest raises his hand and pronounces over us the words

              of absolution.

 

Explanation:  If we did not have these outward signs how could anyone

              know just at what time the graces are given?  We can

              know now, for at the very moment the outward sign is

              applied the grace is given; because it is the application of

              the sign that by divine institution gives the grace, and

              thus the two must take place together.

 

Explanation:  "Institution by Christ" is absolutely necessary because He

              gives all grace, and He alone can determine the manner

              in which He wishes it distributed. The Church can

              distribute His grace, but only in the way He wishes.

              Hence it cannot make new Sacraments or abolish old

              ones.

 

Question 137: How many Sacraments are there?

 

Answer:       There are seven Sacraments:  Baptism, Confirmation,

              Holy Eucharist, Penance, Extreme Unction, Holy Orders,

              and Matrimony.

 

Explanation:  The life of our soul is in many ways similar to the life of

              our body. Our bodies must first be born, then

              strengthened, then fed.  When sick, we must be cured:

              and when about to die, we must be taken care of.  Then

              there must be someone to rule others, and there must be

              persons to be governed.  In like manner, we are

              spiritually born into a new life by Baptism, we are

              strengthened by Confirmation, fed with the Holy

              Eucharist, and cured of the maladies of our souls by

              Penance.  By Extreme Unction we are helped at the hour

              of death; by Holy Orders our spiritual rulers are

              appointed by God; and by Matrimony families, with a

              father at the head and children to be ruled, are

              established. Thus we have our spiritual life similar in

              many things to our physical or bodily life.

 

Question 138: Whence have the Sacraments the power of giving grace?

 

Answer:       The Sacraments have the power of giving grace from the

              merits of Jesus Christ.

 

Explanation:  Our Lord died to merit grace for us, and appointed the

              Sacraments as the chief means by which it was to be

              given.

 

Question 139: What grace do the Sacraments give?

 

Answer:       Some of the Sacraments give sanctifying grace, and

              others increase it in our souls.

 

Explanation:  Baptism and Penance give this sanctifying grace when

              there is not any of it in the soul.  But the other

              Sacraments are received while we are in a state of grace,

              and they therefore increase the quantity of it in our souls.

 

Question 140: Which are the Sacraments that give sanctifying grace?

 

Answer:       The Sacraments that give sanctifying grace are Baptism

              and Penance; and they are called Sacraments of the dead.

 

Explanation:  "Of the dead," Not of a dead person; for when a person

              is dead he cannot receive any of the Sacraments.  It is

              only while we live upon earth that we are on trial, and

              can do good or evil, and merit grace.  At death we

              receive simply our reward or punishment for what we

              have done while living.  Therefore, Sacraments of the

              dead mean Sacraments given to a dead soul, that is, to a

              soul in mortal sin.  When grace--its life--is all out of the

              soul it can do nothing to merit Heaven; and we say it is

              dead, because the dead can do nothing for themselves.

              If a person receives--as many do--the Sacrament of

              Penance while his soul is not in a state of mortal sin,

              what then?  Then the soul--already living--receives an

              increase of sanctifying grace, that is, greater spiritual life

              and strength.

 

Question 141: Why are Baptism and Penance called Sacraments of the

              dead?

 

Answer:       Baptism and Penance are called Sacraments of the dead

              because they take away sin, which is the death of the

              soul, and give grace, which is its life.

 

Question 142: Which are the Sacraments that increase sanctifying grace

              in the soul?

 

Answer:       The Sacraments that increase sanctifying grace in the soul

              are:  Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Extreme Unction,

              Holy Orders, and Matrimony; and they are called

              Sacraments of the living.

 

Question 143: Why are Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Extreme Unction,

              Holy Orders, and Matrimony called Sacraments of the

              living?

 

Answer:       Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Extreme Unction, Holy

              Orders, and Matrimony are called the Sacraments of the

              living because those who receive them worthily are

              already living the life of grace.

 

Question 144: What sin does he commit who receives the Sacraments of

              the living in mortal sin?

 

Answer:       He who receives the Sacraments of the living in mortal

              sin commits a sacrilege, which is a great sin, because it

              is an abuse of a sacred thing.

 

Explanation:  "Sacrilege," There are other ways besides the unworthy

              reception of the Sacraments in which a person may

              commit sacrilege.  You could commit it by treating any

              sacred thing with great disrespect.  For example, by

              making common use of the sacred vessels used at the

              altar; by stealing from the church; by turning the church

              into a market, etc.  You could commit it also by willfully

              killing or wounding persons consecrated to God, such as

              nuns, priests, bishops, etc.  Therefore sacrilege can be

              committed by willfully abusing or treating with great

              irreverence any sacred person, sacred place, or sacred

              thing.

 

Question 145: Besides sanctifying grace, do the Sacraments give any

              other grace?

 

Answer:       Besides sanctifying grace, the Sacraments give another

              grace, called sacramental.

 

Question 146: What is sacramental grace?

 

Answer:       Sacramental grace is a special help which God gives to

              attain the end for which He instituted each Sacrament.

 

Explanation:  For example, what was the end for which Penance was

              instituted?  To forgive sins and keep us out of sin.

              Therefore -the sacramental grace given in Penance is a

              grace that will enable us to overcome temptation and

              avoid the sins we have been in the habit of committing.

              When a person is ill the doctor's medicine generally

              produces two effects:  one is to cure the disease and the

              other to strengthen the person so that he may not fall

              back into the old condition.  Well, it is just the same in

              the Sacraments; the grace given produces two effects:

              one is to sanctify us and the other to prevent us from

              falling into the same sins.  Again, Confirmation was

              instituted that we might become more perfect Christians,

              stronger in our faith.  Therefore the sacramental grace of

              Confirmation will strengthen us to profess our faith when

              circumstances require it; or when we are tempted to doubt

              any revealed truth, it will help us to overcome the

              temptation.  So in all the Sacraments we receive the

              sacramental grace or special help given to attain the end

              for which the Sacraments were separately instituted.

 

Question 147: Do the Sacraments always give grace?

 

Answer:       The Sacraments always give grace, if we receive them

              with the right dispositions.

 

Explanation:  "Right dispositions"; that is, if we do all that God and the

              Church require us to do when we receive them.  For

              instance, in Penance the right disposition is to confess all

              our mortal sins as we know them, to be sorry for them,

              and have the determination never to commit them again.

              The right disposition for the Holy Eucharist is to be in a

              state of grace, and-except in special cases of

              sickness-fasting for one hour.

 

Question 148: Can we receive the Sacraments more than once?

 

Answer:       We can receive the Sacraments more than once, except

              Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders.

 

Explanation:  Baptism is so important that if we do not receive it we

              cannot receive any other of the Sacraments.  Now, to

              administer Baptism validly, that is, properly, everything

              must be done exactly as Our Lord intended and the

              Church teaches.  The proper kind of water and all the

              exact words must be used.  Also, the water must touch

              the body, that is, the head if possible.  Now persons not

              knowing well how to baptize might neglect some of these

              things, and thus the person would not e baptized.  The

              Church wishes to be certain that all its children are

              baptized; so when there is any doubt about the first

              Baptism, it baptizes again conditionally, that is, the priest

              says in giving the Baptism over again:  If you are not

              baptized already, I baptize you now.  Therefore if the

              person was rightly baptized the first time, the second

              ceremony has no effect, because the priest does not

              intend to give Baptism a second time.  But if the first

              Baptism was not rightly given, then the second takes

              effect.  In either case Baptism is given only once; for if

              the first was valid, the second is not given; and if the first

              was invalid, the second is given.

 

Explanation:  Converts to the Church are generally baptized

              conditionally, because there is doubt about the validity of

              the Baptism they received.

 

Explanation:  The Sacraments may be given conditionally when we

              doubt if they were or can be validly given.

 

Question 149: Why can we not receive Baptism, Confirmation, and

              Holy Orders more than once?

 

Answer:       We cannot receive Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy

              Orders more than once, because they imprint a character

              in the soul.

 

Explanation:  "A character," It is a spiritual character, and remains

              forever, so that whether the person is in Heaven or Hell

              this mark will be seen.  It will show that those having it

              were Christians, who received Baptism, Confirmation, or

              Holy Orders.  If they are in Heaven, these characters will

              shine out to their honor, and will show how well they

              used the grace God gave them.  If they are in Hell, these

              characters will be to their disgrace, and show how many

              gifts and graces God bestowed upon them, and how

              shamefully they abused all.

 

Question 150: What is the character which these Sacraments imprint in

              the soul?

 

Answer:       The character which these Sacraments imprint in the soul

              is a spiritual mark which remains forever.

 

Question 151: Does this character remain in the soul even after death?

 

Answer:       This character remains in the soul even after death:  for

              the honor and glory of those who are saved; for the

              shame and punishment of those who are lost.

 

 

                        Lesson 14:  ON BAPTISM

 

Question 152: What is Baptism?

Question 153: Are actual sins ever remitted by Baptism?

Question 154: Is Baptism necessary to salvation?

Question 155: Who can administer Baptism?

Question 156: How is Baptism given?

Question 157: How many kinds of Baptism are there?

Question 158: What is Baptism of water?

Question 159: What is Baptism of desire?

Question 160: What is Baptism of blood?

Question 161: Is Baptism of desire or blood sufficient to produce the

              effects of Baptism of water?

Question 162: What do we promise in Baptism?

Question 163: Why is the name of a saint given in Baptism?

Question 164: Why are godfathers and godmothers given in Baptism?

Question 165: What is the obligation of a godfather and a godmother?

 

Question 152: What is Baptism?

 

Answer:       Baptism is a Sacrament which cleanses us from Original

              Sin, makes us Christians, children of God, and heirs of

              Heaven.

 

Explanation:  "Christians," that is, members of the Church of Christ.

              "Children of God," that is, adopted children.  All men are

              children of God by their creation, but Christians are

              children of God, not merely by creation, but also by

              grace and union with Our Lord.  "Heirs of Heaven." An

              heir is one who inherits property, money, or goods at the

              death of another.  These things are left by a will or given

              by the laws of the State, when the person dies without

              making a will.  A will is a written statement in which a

              person declares what he wishes to have done, at his

              death, with whatever he possesses the charitable objects

              or the persons to whom he wishes to leave his goods.

              This will is called also the last testament.  It is signed by

              witnesses, and after the death of the testator is committed

              to the care of a person-called the executor whose business

              it is to see that all stated in the will or testament is carried

              out. There is an officer in the State to take these things in

              hand and settle them according to law, when the amount

              left is large, and there is a dispute about it.  You can

              understand better now why we call the Bible the Old and

              the New Testament.  When Our Lord died we were left

              an inheritance and spiritual property.  The inheritance

              was Heaven, which we had lost through the sin of Adam

              and regained by the death of Our Lord.  The spiritual

              property was God's grace, which He merited for us.  The

              Old Testament contains the promise of what Our Lord

              would leave us at His death, and the New Testament

              shows that He kept His promise and did leave what He

              said.  The Old Testament was written before He died, and

              the New Testament after His death.  The witnesses of

              these testaments were the patriarchs, prophets, Apostles,

              and evangelists, who heard God making the promises

              through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost.  The Church

              is the executor of Christ's will, and it is its business to

              see that all men receive what Christ left them, namely,

              God's grace and Heaven.  It must also see that they are

              not cheated out of it by their enemies-the devil, the

              world, and the flesh.

 

Question 153: Are actual sins ever remitted by Baptism?

 

Answer:       Actual sins and all the punishment due to them are

              remitted by Baptism, if the person baptized be guilty of

              any.

 

Explanation:  We know that Baptism remits Original Sin.  But suppose

              a person is not baptized till he is twenty-five or thirty

              years old; he has surely committed some sins since he

              was seven years of age-the time at which he received the

              use of reason.  Now the question asks, Are all his sins,

              those he committed himself as well as the Original Sin,

              forgiven by Baptism?  The answer is, Yes.  All his sins

              are forgiven, so that he has not to confess them.  But he

              must be heartily sorry for them and have the firm

              determination of never committing them again, just as in

              confession.  Moreover, that he may not have to confess

              these sins, we must be absolutely certain that he was

              never baptized before.  Besides remitting the sins

              themselves, Baptism remits all the temporal punishment

              due to them.

 

Explanation:  In the Sacrament of Penance the sinner is saved from the

              eternal punishment-that is, Hell-and from part of the

              temporal punishment.  But although the sins have been

              forgiven, the sinner must make satisfaction to God for the

              insult offered by his sins.

 

Explanation:  Therefore, he must suffer punishment in this world or in

              Purgatory.  We call this punishment temporal, because it

              will not last forever.  You can make this satisfaction to

              God while on earth, and thus avoid much of the temporal

              punishment by prayers, fasting, gaining indulgences,

              alms, and good works; and even by bearing your

              sufferings, trials, and afflictions patiently, and offering

              them up to God in satisfaction for your sins.

 

Explanation:  In Baptism both the eternal and temporal debt are washed

              away; so that if a person just baptized died immediately,

              he would go directly to Heaven, not to Purgatory:

              because persons go to Purgatory to pay off the temporal

              debt. Neither could that person gain an indulgence,

              because indulgences are only to help us to pay the

              temporal debt.  Neither could that person receive the

              Sacrament of Penance, because Penance remits only sin

              committed after Baptism, and that person had no sins to

              remit, because he died just after receiving Baptism.  See,

              then, the goodness of Our Lord in instituting Baptism, to

              forgive everything and leave us as free from guilt as our

              first parents were when God created them.

 

Question 154: Is Baptism necessary to salvation?

 

Answer:       Baptism is necessary to salvation, because without it we

              cannot enter into the kingdom of Heaven.

 

Explanation:  Those who through no fault of theirs die without Baptism,

              though they have never committed sin, cannot enter

              Heaven neither will they go to Hell. After the Last

              Judgment there will be no Purgatory.  Where, then, will

              they go? God in His goodness will provide a place of rest

              for them, where they will not suffer and will be in a state

              of natural peace; but they will never see God or Heaven.

              God might have created us for a purely natural and

              material end, so that we would live forever upon the earth

              and be naturally happy with the good things God would

              give us.  But then we would never have known of

              Heaven or God as we do now.  Such happiness on earth

              would be nothing compared to the delights of Heaven and

              the presence of God; so that, now, since God has given

              us, through His holy revelations, a knowledge of Himself

              and Heaven, we would be miserable if left always upon

              the earth.  Those, then, who die without Baptism do not

              know what they have lost, and are naturally happy; but

              we who know all they have lost for want of Baptism

              know how very unfortunate they are.

 

Explanation:  Think, then, what a terrible crime it is to willfully allow

              anyone to die without Baptism, or to deprive a little child

              of life before it can be baptized!  Suppose all the

              members of a family but one little infant have been

              baptized; when the Day of Judgment comes, while all the

              other members of a family-father, mother, and

              children-may go into Heaven, that little one will have to

              remain out; that little brother or sister will be separated

              from its family forever, and never, never see God or

              Heaven.  How heartless and cruel, then, must a person be

              who would deprive that little infant of happiness for all

              eternity-just that its mother or someone else might have

              a little less trouble or suffering here upon earth.

 

Question 155: Who can administer Baptism?

 

Answer:       The priest is the ordinary minister of Baptism; but in case

              of necessity anyone who has the use of reason may

              baptize.

 

Explanation:  "Ordinary" that is, the one who has a right to baptize and

              generally does; others can baptize only in case of

              necessity.

 

Explanation:  "Priest" and all above him-bishops, and the Pope; for

              they have all the power the priest has, and more besides.

              "Minister" is the name given here to one who performs

              any of the sacred rites or ceremonies of the Church.

              "Necessity." When the ordinary minister cannot be had

              and when Baptism must be given; for if it is not

              absolutely necessary to give the Baptism, then you must

              wait for the ordinary minister.

 

Explanation:  "Anyone" Even persons not Catholics or not Christians

              may, in case of necessity, baptize a person wishing to

              receive Baptism, if they know how to baptize and

              seriously wish to do what the Church of Christ does when

              it baptizes.  You cannot baptize a person against his will.

              Neither can you baptize an infant whose parents are

              unwilling to have the child baptized, or when the child

              will not be brought up in the Catholic religion.  But if the

              child is dying, it can and should be baptized, even

              without the consent of the parents.

 

Explanation:  "Use of "reason" Because the person must intend to do

              what Our Lord ordered to be done in giving Baptism; and

              a little child could not understand, and could not therefore

              baptize.

 

Question 156: How is Baptism given?

 

Answer:       Whoever baptizes should pour water on the head of the

              person to be baptized, and say, while pouring the water:

              I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son,

              and of the Holy Ghost.

 

Explanation:  When the priest baptizes in the church, he uses

              consecrated water-that is, water blessed for that purpose

              on Holy Saturday, and mixed with holy oil. When he or

              any other, in case of necessity, baptizes in a private

              house, he may use plain, clean water, and he baptizes

              without the other ceremonies used in the church.

              Remember, in Baptism you can use ordinary clean water,

              warm or cold.  When the priest or anyone baptizes by

              simply pouring the water and pronouncing the words of

              Baptism, we call it private Baptism.  The Baptism given

              in church with all the ceremonies is called solemn

              Baptism.  Any person baptized privately should be

              brought to the church afterwards to have the rest of the

              ceremonies performed.

 

Explanation:  It will increase your respect for the Sacrament to know

              what ceremonies are used in solemn Baptism, and what

              they signify.  The following things must be prepared:  the

              holy oils, a little salt, a little pitcher or something similar

              to pour the water from, a vessel to receive the water

              when poured, some cotton, two stoles, one white and one

              purple, towels, a white cloth, candle, and candlestick.

 

Explanation:  All being ready, the person holding the infant takes it on

              the right arm, face up, and the priest, having learned the

              name it is to be given, begins by asking the one to be

              baptized, "What do you ask of the Church of God?" And

              the godparents answer for the child, "Faith." If the person

              receiving Baptism is capable of answering for himself, he

              must do so.  Then the priest exhorts the child to keep the

              Commandments and love God; then he breathes three

              times upon it and bids the evil spirit depart.  He next

              prays for the child and puts a little salt into its mouth, as

              a sign of the wisdom that Faith gives, and again prays for

              the child.  Then he places the end of his stole over it as

              a sign that it is led into the Church; for Baptism is given

              in a place called the baptistery, railed off from the church

              and near the door, because formerly the ceremony up to

              this point was performed outside the church, and at this

              part of the ceremony the person was led in to be

              baptized.  Then before Baptism the person says the Creed

              and the Our Father; for when a grown person is to be

              baptized he must first be instructed in all the truths of

              religion, and he must say the Creed to show that he

              believes them.  Again the priest prays and places a little

              spittle on the ears and nose of the child, using at the same

              time the words used by Our Lord when He spit upon the

              ground, and rubbing the spittle and clay upon the eyes of

              the blind man, healed him. (John 9:6).  The priest next

              asks the child if it renounces the devil and all his works

              and pomps--that is, vanities and empty shows; and having

              received the answer anoints it with holy oil on the breast

              and back.  Then he again asks for a profession of faith,

              and finally baptizes it.  After Baptism he anoints its head

              with holy chrism, places a white cloth upon it to signify

              the purity it received in Baptism, and as a sign that it

              must keep its soul free from sin. Then he places in its

              hand a lighted candle, to signify the light of faith it has

              received in Baptism.  We are baptized at the door of the

              church to show that without Baptism we are out of the

              Church.  We are often signed with the Sign of the Cross

              to remind us that our salvation is due to the Cross and

              Passion of Our Lord.  The priest's stole is placed over us

              to show that the Church takes us under its protection and

              shields us from the power of the devil.  We are anointed

              as a sign that we are freed from our sins and strengthened

              to fight for Christ.  The white cloth or garment is placed

              upon us to remind us of the glory of the Resurrection; the

              light is placed in our hand to show that we should burn

              with Christian charity.

 

Question 157: How many kinds of Baptism are there?

 

Answer:       There are three kinds of Baptism:  Baptism of water, of

              desire, and of blood.

 

Question 158: What is Baptism of water?

 

Answer:       Baptism of water is that which is given by pouring water

              on the head of the person to be baptized, and saying at

              the same time, I baptize thee in the name of the Father,

              and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

 

Question 159: What is Baptism of desire?

 

Answer:       Baptism of desire is an ardent wish to receive Baptism,

              and to do all that God has ordained for out salvation.

 

Explanation:  "Ardent wish" by one who has no opportunity of being

              baptized-for no one can baptize himself.  He must be

              sorry for his sins and have the desire of receiving the

              Baptism of water as soon as he can; just as a person in

              mortal sin and without a priest to absolve him may, when

              in danger of death, save his soul from Hell by an act of

              perfect contrition and the firm resolution of going to

              confession as soon as possible.

 

Explanation:  Baptism of desire would be useful and necessary if there

              was no water at hand or no person to baptize; or if the

              one wishing to be baptized and those about him did not

              know exactly how Baptism was to be given-which might

              easily happen in pagan lands.  One thing you must

              especially remember in giving Baptism in case of

              necessity:  namely, that it would not do for one person to

              pour the water and another to say the words.  The same

              person must do both, or the Baptism will not be valid.  If

              you are called to baptize in case of necessity, be very

              careful to observe the following points, otherwise the

              Baptism will not be valid:  use clean water and nothing

              but water-no other liquid would do.  Say every one of the

              exact words:  "I baptize thee in the name of the Father,

              and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." It would not do

              to say, "I baptize thee in the name of God"; or, "I baptize

              thee in the name of the Blessed Trinity"; nor would it do

              to say simply, "In the name of the Father, and of the

              Son, and of the Holy Ghost," without saying, "I baptize

              thee." Say the words at the same time you pour the

              water, and be sure the water touches the skin.  It would

              not do to pour the water simply on the hair.  You must

              not sprinkle the water, but pour it upon the head.

 

Explanation:  When you have followed the above instructions carefully

              and are sure you have baptized properly, never under any

              circumstance repeat the Baptism on the same person.  It

              is a sin to try to baptize more than once when you know

              Baptism can be given only once.  The sight of the person

              dying and the fact that you are called for the first time

              may cause you to be somewhat excited; but be calm,

              remember the importance of the Sacrament, and you will

              administer it as directed.  Parents should not baptize their

              own children in case of necessity, if there is any other

              person present who can validly do it.  Remember those

              who administer Baptism contract a spiritual relationship

              with the person they baptize (not with his parents).  If

              they wished, years afterwards, to marry the person they

              baptized, they must make this relationship known to the

              priest.

 

Explanation:  Sponsors are not necessary in private Baptism.  A person

              may be sponsor for a child in Baptism without being

              present at the Baptism, provided someone else holds the

              child in his name and answers the questions he himself

              would answer if he were present.  Such a sponsor is said

              to stand for the child by proxy, and he, and not the one

              who holds the child, is then the real godparent when, at

              the request of the parents or priest he has consented to be

              sponsor.

 

Question 160: What is Baptism of blood?

 

Answer:       Baptism of blood is the shedding of one's blood for the

              faith of Christ.

 

Explanation:  Baptism of blood, called martyrdom, is received by those

              who were not baptized with water, but were put to death

              for their Catholic faith.  This takes place even nowadays

              in pagan countries where the missionaries are trying to

              convert the poor natives.  These pagans have to be

              instructed before they are baptized.  They do everything

              required of them, let us suppose, and are waiting for the

              day of Baptism.  Those who are being thus instructed are

              called Catechumens.  Someday, while they are attending

              their instructions, the enemies of religion rush down upon

              them and put them to death.  They do not resist, but

              willingly suffer death for the sake of the true religion.

              They are martyrs then and are baptized in their own

              blood; although, as we said above, blood would not do

              for an ordinary Baptism even when we could not get

              water; so that if a person drew blood from his own body

              and asked to be baptized with it, the Baptism would not

              be valid.  Neither would they be martyrs if put to death

              not for religion or virtue but for some other reason-say

              political.

 

Question 161: Is Baptism of desire or blood sufficient to produce the

              effects of Baptism of water?

 

Answer:       Baptism of desire or of blood is sufficient to produce the

              effects of the Baptism of water, if it is impossible to

              receive the Baptism of water.

 

Question 162: What do we promise in Baptism?

 

Answer:       In Baptism we promise to renounce the devil with all his

              works and pomps.

 

Question 163: Why is the name of a saint given in Baptism?

 

Answer:       The name of a saint is given in Baptism in order that the

              person baptized may imitate his virtues and have him for

              a protector.

 

Explanation:  The saint whose name we bear is called Our patron saint.

              This saint has a special love for us and a special care

              over us. People take the names of great men because they

              admire their good qualities or their great deeds.  So we

              take saints' names because we admire their Christian

              virtues and great Christian deeds.  We should, therefore,

              read the life of our patron saint and try to imitate his

              virtues, and the day on which the Church celebrates the

              feast of our patron saint should be a great day for us also.

              The Church generally celebrates the saint's feast on the

              day on which he died, that is, as we believe, the day on

              which he entered into Heaven.

 

Question 164: Why are godfathers and godmothers given in Baptism?

 

Answer:       Godfathers and godmothers are given in Baptism in order

              that they may promise in the name of the child what the

              child itself would promise if it had the use of reason.

 

Question 165: What is the obligation of a godfather and a godmother?

 

Answer:       The obligation of a godfather and a godmother is to

              instruct the child in its religious duties if the parents

              neglect to do so or die.

 

Explanation:  This is a very important obligation, and we should be

              faithful in the fulfillment of it before God.  Godfathers

              and godmothers are also called sponsors.  The following

              persons cannot be sponsors:

 

Explanation:  All persons not Catholics, because they cannot teach the

              child the Catholic religion if they do not know it

              themselves. All persons who are publicly leading bad

              lives; for how can they give good examples and teach

              their godchild to be good when they themselves are

              public sinners? All persons who are ignorant of their

              religion should not take upon themselves the duties of

              godparents.

 

Explanation:  Therefore parents should select as sponsors for their

              children only good, practical Catholics-not Catholics

              merely in name, but those who live up to their faith, and

              who will be an example for their children.  To repeat

              what has already been said, godparents contract a spiritual

              relationship with their godchild, and in the event of

              marriage, they must make known this relationship to the

              priest.  The godfather and the godmother do not contract

              a relationship between themselves, or with the child's

              parents, but only with the child so that neither the

              godfather nor the godmother could later marry their

              godchild without first obtaining proper dispensation; that

              is, permission from the Church granted by the bishop or

              Pope.  With regard to names, parents should never be

              induced by any motive to give their child some foolish or

              fancy name taken from books, places, or things.  Above

              all, they should never select the name of any enemy of

              the Church or unbeliever, but the name of one of God's

              saints who will be a model for the child.  Whatever name

              is taken, if it be not a saint's name, the name of some

              saint should be given as a middle name.  If this has been

              omitted in Baptism, it should be supplied in Confirmation,

              at which time a new name can be added.  Again, if a

              saint's name has been taken in Baptism it should not be

              shortened or changed so as to mean nothing; as, for

              example, Mazie, Miz, etc., for Mary.  When your correct

              name is mentioned your saint is honored, and I might say

              invoked, because it should remind you of him. For that

              reason you should not have meaningless or foolish pet

              names, known only to your family or your friends.

 

 

                       Lesson 15:  ON CONFIRMATION

 

Question 166: What is Confirmation?

Question 167: Who can administer Confirmation?

Question 168: How does the bishop give Confirmation?

Question 169: What is holy chrism?

Question 170: What does the bishop say in anointing the person he

              confirms?

Question 171: What is meant by anointing the forehead with chrism in

              the form of a cross?

Question 172: Why does the bishop give the person he confirms a slight

              blow on the cheek?

Question 173: To receive Confirmation worthily is it necessary to be in

              the state of grace?

Question 174: What special preparation should be made to receive

              Confirmation?

Question 175: Is it a sin to neglect Confirmation?

 

Question 166: What is Confirmation?

 

Answer:       Confirmation is a Sacrament through which we receive

              the Holy Ghost to make us strong and perfect Christians

              and soldiers of Jesus Christ.

 

Explanation:  In Baptism we are made Christians, but we are not very

              strong in our faith till the Holy Ghost comes in

              Confirmation.  You remember how timid the Apostles

              were before the coming of the Holy Ghost, and how firm

              and determined in their faith they were afterwards; and

              how fearlessly they preached even to those who crucified

              Our Lord.  "Soldiers," because we must fight for our

              salvation against our three enemies, the devil, the world,

              and the flesh.  Our Lord is our great leader in this

              warfare, and we must follow Him and fight as He directs.

              A soldier that fights as he pleases and not as his general

              commands, will surely be beaten.

 

Question 167: Who can administer Confirmation?

 

Answer:       The bishop is the ordinary minister of Confirmation.

 

Explanation:  "Ordinary," because in some very distant countries where

              on account of the small number of Christians they have

              as yet no bishops, the Pope allows some priest to give

              Confirmation; but then he must use the holy oil

              consecrated by a bishop, and cannot consecrate oil

              himself.

 

Question 168: How does the bishop give Confirmation?

 

Answer:       The bishop extends his hands over those who are to be

              confirmed, prays that they may receive the Holy Ghost,

              and anoints the forehead of each with holy chrism in the

              form of a cross.

 

Question 169: What is holy chrism?

 

Answer:       Holy chrism is a mixture of olive oil and balm,

              consecrated by the bishop.

 

Explanation:  The oil signifies the strength we receive, and the balm

              that we should be free from the corruption of sin, and

              give forth the sweetness of virtue.

 

Question 170: What does the bishop say in anointing the person he

              confirms?

 

Answer:       In anointing the person he confirms the bishop says:  I

              sign thee with the Sign of the Cross, and I confirm thee

              with the chrism of salvation, in the name of the Father,

              and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

 

Question 171: What is meant by anointing the forehead with chrism in

              the form of a cross?

 

Answer:       By anointing the forehead with chrism in the form of a

              cross is meant, that the Christian who is confirmed must

              openly profess and practice his faith, never be ashamed

              of it, and rather die than deny it.

 

Explanation:  "Openly profess" that is, acknowledge that he is a

              Catholic when it is necessary to do so.  He need not

              proclaim it in the streets.  "Practice" it without regard for

              what other people think, say, or do.  "Ashamed" of a

              religion so glorious as the Catholic religion?  Would we

              not be proud to belong to a society of which kings and

              princes were members?  Well, a few centuries ago nearly

              all the kings, princes, and great men of the earth were

              Catholics.  All the saints were Catholics.  All the Popes

              were Catholics.  At present over three hundred million

              people in the world are Catholics.  This Church was

              founded when Christ Our Lord was on earth, and is

              nearly two thousand years old.  All the other churches are

              only a few hundred years old. We ought, therefore, to be

              proud of our religion, for which and in which so many

              noble persons died.  We should feel proud that we are

              Catholics; while Protestants should feel ashamed in our

              presence, for they have deserted the true standard of

              Christ, and followed some other leader who set up a

              religion of his own in opposition to the true Church of

              Our Lord.  They will not have the cross or crucifix, the

              standard of Christ, in their churches or houses or about

              their persons, and yet they claim to be Christians

              redeemed by the Cross. We are called upon to defend or

              profess our religion when we have to do what the Church

              and God require us to do:  for example, hear Mass on

              Sundays and holy days; abstain from the use of fleshmeat

              on Ash Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent, fast on

              fast-days, and the like, when we are among persons not

              Catholics.

 

Question 172: Why does the bishop give the person he confirms a slight

              blow on the cheek?

 

Answer:       The bishop gives the person he confirms a slight blow on

              the cheek to put him in mind that he must be ready to

              suffer anything, even death, for the sake of Christ.

 

Question 173: To receive Confirmation worthily is it necessary to be in

              the state of grace?

 

Answer:       To receive Confirmation worthily it is necessary to be in

              the state of grace.

 

Question 174: What special preparation should be made to receive

              Confirmation?

 

Answer:       Persons of an age to learn should know the chief

              mysteries of faith and the duties of a Christian, and be

              instructed in the nature and effects of this Sacrament.

 

Explanation:  How can one be a good soldier who does not know the

              rules and regulations of the army nor understand the

              commands of his general?  How can one be a good

              Christian who does not understand the laws of the Church

              and the teachings of Christ?  The "nature"--that is,

              understand the Sacrament itself.  "Effects"  that is, what

              it does in our souls.

 

Question 175: Is it a sin to neglect Confirmation?

 

Answer:       It is a sin to neglect Confirmation, especially in these evil

              days when faith and morals are exposed to so many and

              such violent temptations.

 

Explanation:  "Temptations"--from the sayings and writings of the

              enemies of religion. To neglect it when we have an

              opportunity of receiving it without any very great

              difficulty would be a sin.  When persons have been

              unfortunate enough to grow up without Confirmation,

              they should come at any time in their lives to receive it,

              and not be ashamed to do so on account of their age or

              condition in life.

 

 

            Lesson 16:  ON THE GIFTS AND FRUITS OF THE HOLY GHOST

 

Question 176: What are the effects of Confirmation?

Question 177: What are the gifts of the Holy Ghost?

Question 178: Why do we receive the gift of fear of the Lord?

Question 179: Why do we receive the gift of piety?

Question 180: Why do we receive the gift of knowledge?

Question 181: Why do we receive the gift of fortitude?

Question 182: Why do we receive the gift of counsel?

Question 183: Why do we receive the gift of understanding?

Question 184: Why do we receive the gift of wisdom?

Question 185: Which are the beatitudes?

Question 186: Which are the twelve fruits of the Holy Ghost?

 

Question 176: What are the effects of Confirmation?

 

Answer:       The effects of Confirmation are an increase of sanctifying

              grace, the strengthening of our faith, and the gifts of the

              Holy Ghost.

 

Explanation:  "Increase;" because we must be in a state of grace, that

              is, having already sanctifying grace in our souls when we

              receive Confirmation. "Strengthening' " so that we have

              no doubt about the doctrines we believe.

 

Question 177: What are the gifts of the Holy Ghost?

 

Answer:       The gifts of the Holy Ghost are wisdom, understanding,

              counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the

              Lord.

 

Question 178: Why do we receive the gift of fear of the Lord?

 

Answer:       We receive the gift of fear of the Lord to fill us with a

              dread of sin.

 

Explanation:  On account of the goodness of God and the punishment

              He can inflict.

 

Question 179: Why do we receive the gift of piety?

 

Answer:       We receive the gift of piety to make us love God as a

              Father, and obey Him because we love Him.

 

Question 180: Why do we receive the gift of knowledge?

 

Answer:       We receive the gift of knowledge to enable us to discover

              the will of God in all things.

 

Question 181: Why do we receive the gift of fortitude?

 

Answer:       We receive the gift of fortitude to strengthen us to do the

              will of God in all things.

 

Explanation:  Some know the will of God-what they should do-but they

              have not the courage to follow the dictates of their

              conscience.  For example, a person goes with bad

              company:  the gift of knowledge will teach him that he

              should give it up; but the gift of fortitude will enable him

              to do what his conscience shows him to be right.

 

Question 182: Why do we receive the gift of counsel?

 

Answer:       We receive the gift of counsel to warn us of the deceits of

              the devil, and of the dangers to salvation.

 

Explanation:  The devil is much wiser than we are, and has much more

              experience, being among the people of the world ever

              since the time of Adam-about 6,000 years. He could

              therefore easily deceive and overcome us if God Himself

              by the gift of counsel did not enable us to discover his

              tricks and expose his plots.  When at times we are

              tempted, our conscience warns us, and if we follow the

              warning we shall escape the sin.  Counsel tells us when

              persons or places are dangerous for our salvation.

 

Question 183: Why do we receive the gift of understanding?

 

Answer:       We receive the gift of understanding to enable us to know

              more clearly the mysteries of faith.

 

Explanation:  "Mysteries," truths we could never know by reason, but

              only by the teaching of God; and the gift of

              understanding enables us to know better what His

              teaching means.  The Apostles heard and knew what Our

              Lord taught, but they did not fully understand the whole

              meaning till the Holy Ghost had come.

 

Question 184: Why do we receive the gift of wisdom?

 

Answer:       We receive the gift of wisdom to give us a relish for the

              things of God and to direct our whole life and all our

              actions to His honor and glory.

 

Explanation:  "Relish," a liking for, a desire for.

 

Question 185: Which are the beatitudes?

 

Answer:       The beatitudes are:

 

Explanation:  Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of

              Heaven. Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the

              land. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be

              comforted. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after

              justice, for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful,

              for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the clean of

              heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the

              peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.

              Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake,

              for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.

 

Explanation:  The beatitudes are part of a sermon Our Lord once

              preached to the people on the Mount. (Matt. 5).  When

              Our Lord wished to preach, the Jews would not always

              allow Him to enter their synagogues or meeting houses;

              so He preached to the people in the open air.  Sometimes

              He stood in a boat by the seashore; sometimes on a little

              hill, with the people standing or sitting near Him.  Did

              you ever think how you would have acted if you lived at

              that time and were present when Our Lord preached?

              How anxious you would have been to get near to Him?

              How you would have pushed your way through the

              crowd and listened to every word?  Why, then, do you

              sometimes pay so little attention in church or at

              instructions when the words of Our Lord are repeated to

              you?  Our Lord instituted a Church which, as we know,

              is sometimes called the kingdom of Heaven.  In this

              sermon He laid down the condition for being good

              subjects of His kingdom; that is, He gives the virtues we

              should practice to be good children of the Church.  He

              tells us what rewards we shall have for practicing these

              virtues and leading a holy life:  namely, God's grace and

              blessing in this world and everlasting glory in Heaven.

 

Explanation:  (1) "Poor in spirit." One is poor in spirit if he does not

              set his heart upon riches and the goods of this world in

              such a way that he would be willing to offend God in

              order to possess them, or rather than part with them.

              Thus one who has no money but who would do anything

              to get it, would be poor, but not poor in spirit, and

              therefore not among those Our Lord calls blessed. If we

              are really poor and wish to be poor in spirit also, we

              must be contented with our lot--with what God gives

              us--and never complain against Him.  No matter how

              poor, miserable, or afflicted we may be, we could still be

              worse, since we can find others in a worse condition than

              we are.  We do not endure every species of misery, but

              only this or that particular kind; and if the rest were

              added, how much worse our condition would be!  The

              very greatest misery is to be in a state of sin.  If we are

              poor and in sin, our condition is indeed pitiable, for we

              have no consolation; but if we are virtuous in poverty,

              bearing our trials in patience and resignation for the love

              of God, we have the rich treasures of His grace and every

              assurance of future happiness.  On the other hand, if one

              is very rich and gives freely and plentifully to the poor

              and works of charity, and is willing to part with riches

              rather than offend God, such a one is poor in spirit and

              can be called blessed.  It is a great mistake to risk our

              souls for things we must leave to others at our death.

              Sometimes those who leave the greatest inheritance are

              soonest forgotten and despised, because the money or

              property bequeathed gives rise to numerous lawsuits,

              quarrels and jealousies among the relatives, and thus

              becomes a very curse to that family, whose members hate

              one another on its account.  Or it may happen that the

              heirs thoughtlessly enjoy and foolishly squander the

              wealth the man, now dead, has labored so hard to

              accumulate, while he, perhaps, is suffering in Hell for

              sins committed in securing it.  Again, how many children

              have been ruined through the wealth left them by their

              parents!  Instead of using it for good purposes they have

              made it a means of sin; often lose their faith and souls on

              account of it; and in their ingratitude never offer a prayer

              or give an alms for the soul of the parent, who in his

              anxiety to leave all to them left nothing in charity to the

              Church or the poor.  Surely it is the greatest folly to set

              our hearts upon that which can be of no value to us after

              death.  When a person dies men ask:  What wealth has he

              left behind?  But God and the angels ask, What merits has

              he sent before him? (2) "Possess the land"--that is, the

              promised or holy land, which was a figure of the Church.

              Therefore it means the meek shall be true members of

              Our Lord's Church here on earth and hereafter in

              Heaven, and be beloved by all. (3) "That mourn:"

              Suffering is good for us if we bear it patiently. It makes

              us more like Our Blessed Lord, who was called the Man

              of Sorrows. (4) "Justice"--that is, all kinds of virtue.

              "Filled"--that is, with goodness and grace.  In other

              words, if we ask and really wish to become virtuous, we

              shall become so.  St. Joseph is called in Holy Scripture "a

              just man, to show that he practiced every virtue. (5) If we

              are "merciful" to others, God will be merciful to us. (6)

              "Clean of heart'!--that is, pure in thoughts, words, deeds,

              and looks. (7) "Peacemakers:' If persons who try to make

              peace and settle disputes are called the children of God,

              those who, on the contrary, try to stir up dissensions

              should be called the children of the devil.  Never tell the

              evil you may hear of another, especially to the one of

              whom it was spoken; and never carry stories from one to

              another:  it is contemptible, and sinful as well.  If you

              have nothing good to say of the character of another, be

              silent, unless your duty compels you to speak.  Never be

              a child of the devil by exciting jealousy, hatred, or

              revenge in anyone; but on the contrary, make peace

              wherever you can, and be one of the children of God. (8)

              "Suffer persecution:' Therefore, when you are badly

              treated on account of your piety or religion, remember

              you are like the martyrs of your holy faith, suffering for

              virtue and truth, and that you will receive your reward.

 

Question 186: Which are the twelve fruits of the Holy Ghost?

 

Answer:       The twelve fruits of the Holy Ghost are charity, joy,

              peace, patience, benignity, goodness, long-suffering,

              mildness, faith, modesty, continency, and chastity.

 

Explanation:  "Fruits," the things that grow from the gifts of the Holy

              Ghost. "Charity," love of God and. our neighbor,

              "Peace" with God and man and ourselves.  With God,

              because we are His friends.  With man, because we deal

              justly with all and are kind to all.  With ourselves,

              because we have a good conscience, that does not accuse

              us of sin.  "Benignity," disposition to do good and show

              kindness.  "Long-suffering"--same as patience.

              "Modesty, continency, and chastity" refer to purity in

              thoughts, words, looks, and actions.

 

 

               Lesson 17:  ON THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE

 

Question 187: What is the Sacrament of Penance?

Question 188: How does the Sacrament of Penance remit sin, and

              restore the soul to the friendship of God?

Question 189: How do you know that the priest has the power of

              absolving from the sins committed after Baptism?

Question 190: How do the priests of the Church exercise the power of

              forgiving sins?

Question 191: What must we do to receive the Sacrament of Penance

              worthily?

Question 192: What is the examination of consciences

Question 193: How can we make a good examination of conscience?

Question 194: What should we do before beginning the examination of

              conscience?

 

Explanation:  When Our Blessed Lord redeemed us, He applied the

              benefits of the Redemption in the Sacrament of Baptism.

              By this Baptism He freed us from sin and the slavery of

              the devil; He restored us to God's grace; He reopened for

              us Heaven; made us once more children of God:  in a

              word, He placed us in the condition in which we were

              before our fall through the sin of our first parents.  This

              was certainly a great kindness bestowed upon us, and one

              would think we would never forget it, and never more

              lose God's friendship by any fault of ours; especially

              when we had seen the great miseries brought upon the

              world by sin, and had learned something of Hell where

              we would have been, and of Heaven which we would

              have lost, if Our Lord had not redeemed us.  Our Blessed

              Lord saw, however, that we would forget His benefits,

              and again, even after Baptism, go freely into the slavery

              of the devil.  How, then, could we be saved?  We could

              not be baptized again, because Baptism can be given only

              once.  Our good Lord in His kindness instituted another

              Sacrament, by which we could once more be freed from

              sin if we had the misfortune to fall into it after Baptism-it

              is the Sacrament of Penance.  It is called the plank in a

              shipwreck.  When sailors are shipwrecked and thrown

              helplessly into the ocean, their only hope is some floating

              plank that may bear them to the shore.  So when we fall

              after Baptism we are thrown into the great ocean of sin,

              where we must perish if we do not rest upon the

              Sacrament of Penance, which will bring us once more in

              safety to the friendship of God.  How very thankful the

              poor shipwrecked sailors would be to anyone who would

              offer them a plank while they are in danger!  Do you

              think they would refuse to use it?  In like manner how

              thankful we should be for the Sacrament of Penance, and

              how anxious we should be to use it when we arc in

              danger of losing our souls!

 

Explanation:  The Sacrament of Penance shows the very great kindness

              of Our Lord.  He might have said:  I saved them once,

              and I will not trouble Myself more about them; if they

              want to sin again, let them perish.  But no, He forgives

              us and saves us as often as we sincerely call on Him for

              help, being truly sorry for our sins. He left this power

              also to His Apostles, saying to them:  As often as any

              poor sinner shall come to you and show that he is truly

              sorry for his sins, and has the determination not to

              commit them again, and confesses them to you, I give

              you the power to pardon his sins in the Sacrament of

              Penance.  The forgiveness of your sins is the chief though

              not the only blessing you receive in the reception of this

              Sacrament, through which you derive so many and great

              advantages from the exhortation, instruction, or advice of

              your confessor.

 

Explanation:  Is it not a great benefit to have a friend to whom you can

              go with the trials of your mind and soul, your troubles,

              temptations, sins, and secrets?  You have that friend-the

              priest in the confessional.  He is willing to help you, for

              he consecrated his life to God to help men to save their

              souls.  He is able to help you, for he understands your

              difficulties, sins, and temptations, and the means of

              overcoming them.  He has made these things the study of

              his life, and derives still greater knowledge of them from

              hearing the sad complaints of so many relating their

              secret sorrows or afflictions, and begging his advice.

 

Explanation:  Then you are sure that whatever you tell him in the

              confessional will never be made known to others, even if

              the priest has to die to conceal it.  You might tell your

              secrets to a friend, and if you afterwards offended him he

              would probably reveal all you told him.  The priest asks

              no reward for the service he gives you in the

              confessional, but loves to help you, because he has

              pledged himself to God to do so, and would sin if he did

              not.  Some enemies of our holy religion have tried to

              make people believe that Catholics have to pay the priest

              in confession for forgiving their sins; but every Catholic,

              even the youngest child who has been to confession,

              knows this to be untrue, and a base calumny against our

              holy religion; even those who assert it do not believe it

              themselves.  The good done in the confessional will never

              be known in this world.  How many persons have been

              saved from sin, suicide, death, and other evils by the

              advice and encouragement received in confession!  How

              many persons who have fallen into the lowest depths of

              sin have by the Sacrament of Penance been raised up and

              made to lead good, respectable lives-a blessing to

              themselves, their families, and society!

 

Question 187: What is the Sacrament of Penance?

 

Answer:       Penance is a Sacrament in which the sins committed after

              Baptism are forgiven.

 

Explanation:  One who has never been baptized could not go to

              confession and receive absolution, nor indeed any of the

              Sacraments.

 

Question 188: How does the Sacrament of Penance remit sin, and

              restore the soul to the friendship of God?

 

Answer:       The Sacrament of Penance remits sin and restores the

              friendship of God to the soul by means of the absolution

              of the priest.

 

Explanation:  "Absolution" means the words the priest says at the time

              he forgives the sins.  Absolve means to loose or free.

              When ministers or ambassadors are sent by our

              government to represent the United States in England,

              France, Germany, or other countries, whatever they do

              there officially is done by the United States.  If they make

              an agreement with the governments to which they are

              sent, the United States sanctions it, and the very moment

              they sign the agreement it is signed and sanctioned by the

              authority of our government whose representatives they

              are, and their official action becomes the action of the

              United States itself.  But when their term of office

              expires, though they remain in the foreign countries, they

              have no longer any power to sign agreements in the name

              and with the authority of the United States.

 

Explanation:  You see, therefore, that it is the power that is given them,

              and not their own, that they exercise.  In like manner Our

              Lord commissioned His priests and gave them the power

              to forgive sins, and whatever they do in the Sacrament of

              Penance He Himself does.  At the very moment the priest

              pronounces the words of absolution on earth his sentence

              is ratified in Heaven and the sins of the penitent are

              blotted out.

 

Explanation:  It may increase your veneration for the Sacrament to

              know the precise manner in which absolution is given.

              After the confession and giving of the penance, the priest

              first prays for the sinner, saying:  "May Almighty God

              have mercy on you, and, your sins being forgiven, bring

              you to life everlasting.  Amen." Then, raising his right

              hand over the penitent, he says:  "May the Almighty and

              merciful Lord grant you pardon, absolution, and

              remission of your sins.  Amen." Then he continues:

              "May Our Lord Jesus Christ absolve you, and 1, by His

              authority, absolve you from every bond of

              excommunication and interdict, as far as I have power

              and you stand in need.  Then I absolve you from your

              sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of

              the Holy Ghost.  Amen." At these last words he makes

              the Sign of the Cross over the penitent.  In conclusion he

              directs to God a prayer in behalf of the penitent in the

              following words:  "May the Passion of Our Lord Jesus

              Christ, the merits of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of all

              the saints, and whatsoever good you may have done or

              evil you may have suffered, be to you unto the remission

              of your sins, the increase of grace, and the recompense

              of everlasting life.  Amen." Then the priest says, "God

              bless you" "Go in peace:  or some other expression

              showing his delight at your reconciliation with God.

 

Question 189: How do you know that the priest has the power of

              absolving from the sins committed after Baptism?

 

Answer:       I know that the priest has the power of absolving from

              sins committed after Baptism, because Jesus Christ

              granted that power to the priests of His Church when He

              said:  "Receive ye the Holy Ghost.  Whose sins you shall

              forgive, they are forgiven them; whose sins you shall

              retain, they are retained:'

 

Explanation:  Every Christian knows Our Lord Himself had power to

              forgive sins:  (1) because He was God, and (2) because

              He often did forgive them while on earth,. and proved

              that He did by performing some miracle; as, for example

              (Mark 2; John 5), when He cured the poor men who had

              been sick and suffering for many years, He said to them,

              "Thy sins are forgiven thee; arise, take up thy bed, and

              walk:' And the men did so.  Since Our Lord had the

              power Himself, He could give it to His Apostles if He

              wished, and He did give it to them and their successors.

              For if He did not, how could we and all others who, after

              Baptism, have fallen into sin be cleansed from it?  This

              Sacrament of Penance was for all time, and so He left the

              power with His Church, which is to last as long as there

              is a living human being upon the earth.  Our Lord

              promised to His Apostles before His death this power to

              forgive sins (Matt. 18:18), and He gave it to them after

              His resurrection (John 20:23), when He appeared to them

              and breathed on them, and said:  "Whose sins you shall

              forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall

              retain, they are retained"

 

Question 190: How do the priests of the Church exercise the power of

              forgiving sins?

 

Answer:       The priests of the Church exercise the power of forgiving

              sins by hearing the confession of sins, and granting

              pardon for them as ministers of God and in His name.

 

Explanation:  The power to forgive sins implies the obligation of going

              to confession; because, as most sins are secret, how could

              the Apostles know what sins to forgive and what sins to

              retain-that is, not to forgive-unless they were told by the

              sinner what sins he had committed?  'They could not see

              into his heart as God can, and know his sins; and so if

              the sinner wished his sins forgiven, he had to confess

              them to the Apostles or their successors.  Therefore, since

              we have the Sacrament of Penance, we must also have

              confession.

 

Question 191: What must we do to receive the Sacrament of Penance

              worthily?

 

Answer:       To receive the Sacrament of Penance worthily we must

              do five things:

 

Explanation:  We must examine our conscience. We must have sorrow

              for our sins. We must make a firm resolution never more

              to offend God. We must confess our sins to the priest.

              We must accept the penance which the priest gives us.

 

Explanation:  When we are about to go to confession the first thing we

              should do is to pray to the Holy Ghost to give us light to

              know and remember all our sins; to fully understand how

              displeasing they are to God, and to have a great sorrow

              for them, which includes the resolution of never

              committing them again.  The next thing we should do is:

 

Explanation:  "Examine our conscience"; and first of all we find out

              how long a time it is since our last confession, and

              whether we made a good confession then and received

              Holy Communion and performed our penance.  The best

              method of examining is to take the Commandments and

              go over each one in our mind, seeing if we have broken

              it, and in what way; for example:  First.  "I am the Lord

              thy God; thou shalt not have strange gods before Me."

              Have I honored God? Have I said my prayers morning

              and night; have I said them with attention and devotion?

              Have I thanked God for all His blessings?  Have I been

              more anxious to please others than to please God, or

              offended Him for the sake of others? Second "Thou shalt

              not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain" Have I

              cursed?  Have I taken God's name in vain or spoken

              without reverence of holy things?  Third.  "Remember

              thou keep holy the Sabbath day.  " Have I neglected to

              hear Mass through my own fault on Sundays and holy

              days of obligation?  Have I kept others from Mass?  Have

              I been late, and at what part of the Mass did I come in?

              Have I been willfully distracted at Mass or have I

              distracted others?  Have I done servile work without

              necessity?  Fourth. "Honor thy father and thy mother."

              Have I been disobedient to parents or others who have

              authority over me-to spiritual or temporal superiors,

              teachers, etc.? Have I slighted or been ashamed of

              parents because they were poor or uneducated?  Have I

              neglected to give them what help I could when they were

              in need of it?  Have I spoken of them with disrespect or

              called them names that were not proper?  Fifth.  "Thou

              shalt not kill." Have I done anything that might lead to

              killing?  Have I been angry or have I tried to take

              revenge? Have I borne hatred or tried to injure others?

              Have I given scandal? Sixth.  "Thou shalt not commit

              adultery." Have I indulged in any bad thoughts, looked at

              any bad pictures or objects, listened to any bad

              conversation, told or listened to bad or immodest jokes or

              stories, or, in general, spoken of bad things?  Have I

              done any bad actions or desired to do any while alone or

              with others?  Seventh.  "Thou shalt not steal" Have I

              stolen anything myself or helped or advised others to

              steal?  Have I received anything or part of anything that

              I knew to be stolen? Do I owe money and not pay it

              when I can?  Have I bought anything with the intention

              of never paying for it or at least knowing I never could

              pay for it?  Have I made restitution when told to do so by

              my confessor; or have I put it off from time to time?

              Have I failed to give back what belonged to another?

              Have I found anything and not tried to discover its

              owner, or have I kept it in my possession after I knew to

              whom it belonged?  Have I cheated in business or at

              games?  Eighth. "Thou shalt not bear false witness

              against thy neighbor.  " Have I told lies or injured anyone

              by my talk?  Have I told the faults of others without any

              necessity?  It is not allowed to tell the faults of

              others-even when you tell the truth about them-unless

              some good comes of the telling. Ninth. "Thou shalt not

              covet thy neighbor's wife." This can come into our

              examination on the Sixth Commandment.  Tenth.  "Thou

              shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods" This can come into

              our examination on the Seventh Commandment.  After

              examining yourself on the Commandments of God,

              examine yourself on the Commandments of the Church.

              First.  "To hear Mass on Sundays and holy days of

              obligation" This has been considered in the examination

              on the Third Commandment.  Second "To fast and

              abstain on the days appointed" Have I knowingly eaten

              meat on Ash Wednesday or the Fridays of Lent, or not

              done some chosen penance on the other Fridays of the

              year, or not fasted on Ash Wednesday or Good Friday,

              unless I had good reason not to do so on account of poor

              health or other reason?  Third.  "To confess at least once

              a year." Is it over a year, and how much over it, since I

              have been to confession?  Fourth.  "To receive Holy

              Eucharist during the Easter time:' Did I go to Holy

              Communion between the first Sunday of Lent and Trinity

              Sunday?  If not, I have committed a mortal sin.  Fifth.

              "To contribute to the support of our pastors." Have I

              helped the church and reasonably paid my share of its

              expenses-given to charity and the like, or have I made

              others pay for the light, heat, and other things that cost

              money in the church, and shared in their benefits without

              giving according to my means?  Have, l kept what was

              given me for the church or other-charity, or stolen from

              the church and not stated that circumstance when I

              confessed that I stole?  Sixth.  "Not to marry persons who

              are not Catholics, or who are related to us within the

              third degree of kindred, or privately without witnesses,

              nor to solemnize marriage at forbidden times." Have I

              anything to tell on this Commandment? After examining

              yourself on the Commandments of God and of His

              Church, examine yourself on the capital sins, especially

              on "Pride:' Have I been impudent and stubborn, vain

              about my dress, and the like?  Have I despised others

              simply on account of poverty or something they could not

              help?  "Gluttony." Have I ever taken intoxicating drink to

              excess or broken a promise not to take it?  Have I

              knowingly caused others to be intoxicated?  "Sloth:' Have

              I wasted my time willfully and neglected to do my duty

              at school or elsewhere?  After examining yourself on the

              Commandments and capital sins, examine yourself on the

              duties of your state of life.  If you are at school, how

              have you studied? You should study not alone to please

              your parents or teachers, but for the sake of learning.  If

              you are at work, have you been faithful to your

              employer, and done your work well and honestly? The

              above method is generally recommended as the best in

              the examination of conscience.  But you need not follow

              these exact questions; you can ask yourself any questions

              you please:  the above questions are given only as

              examples of what you might ask, and to show you how

              to question yourself.  It is useless to take any list of sins

              in a prayerbook and examine yourself by it, confessing

              the sins just as they are given.  If you do take such a list

              and find in it some questions or sins that you do not

              understand, do not trouble yourself about them.  In

              asking yourself the questions, if you find you have sinned

              against a Commandment, stop and consider how many

              times.  There are few persons who sin against all the

              Commandments. Some sin against one and some against

              another.  Find out the worst sin you have and the one

              you have most frequently committed, and be sure of

              telling it. "Have sorrow for our sins:' After examining

              your conscience and finding out the sins you have

              committed, the next thing is to be sorry for them.  The

              sorrow is the most essential part in the whole Sacrament

              of Penance. In this Sacrament there are, as you know,

              three parts:  contrition, confession, and satisfaction-and

              contrition is the most important part.  When, therefore,

              we are preparing for confession, we should spend just as

              much time, and even more, in exciting ourselves to

              sorrow for our sins as in the examination of our

              conscience.  Some persons forget this and spend all their

              time examining their conscience.  We should pray for

              sorrow if we think we have none.  Remember the act of

              contrition made at confession is not the sorrow, but only

              an outward sign by which we make known to the priest

              that we have the sorrow in our hearts, and therefore we

              must have the sorrow before making the confession-or at

              least, before receiving the absolution.  Now what kind of

              sorrow must we have?  Someone might say, I am not

              truly sorry because I cannot cry.  If some of my friends

              died, I would be more sorry for that than for my sins.

              Do not make any such mistakes.  The true and necessary

              kind of sorrow for sin is to know that by sin you have

              offended God, and now feel that it was very wrong, and

              that you have from this moment the firm determination

              never to offend Him more.  If God adds to this a feeling

              that brings tears to your eyes, it is good, but not

              necessary. Remember real sorrow for sin supposes and

              contains "a firm resolution" never to sin again.  How can

              you say to God, "O my God, I am heartily sorry," etc.,

              if you are waiting only for the next opportunity to sin?

              How can we be sorry for the past if we are going to do

              the same in the future?  Do you think the thief would be

              sorry for his past thefts if he had his mind made up to

              steal again as soon as he had the chance?  Ah, but you

              will say, nearly all persons sin again after confession.  I

              know that; but when they were making their confession

              they thought they never would, and really meant never to

              sin again; but when temptation came, they forgot the

              good resolution, did not use God's help, and fell into sin

              again.  I mean, therefore, that at the time you make the

              act of contrition you must really mean what you say and

              promise never to sin, and take every means you can to

              keep that promise.  If you do fall afterwards, renew your

              promise as quickly as possible and make a greater effort

              than before.  Be on your guard against those things that

              make you break your promise, and then your act of

              contrition will be a good one.  A person may be afraid

              that he will fall again, but being afraid does not make his

              contrition worthless as long as he wishes, hopes, and

              intends never to sin again.  We should always be afraid

              of falling into sin, and we will fall into it if we depend

              upon ourselves alone, and not on the help which God

              gives us in His grace. "Confess our sins." Having made

              the necessary preparation, you will next go into the

              confessional; and while you are waiting for the priest to

              hear you, you should say the Confiteor.  When the priest

              turns to you, bless yourself and say:  "Bless me, father,

              for I have sinned.  It is a month or a week (or whatever

              time it may be) since my last confession, and I have since

              committed these sins" Then tell your sins as you found

              them in examining yourself.  In confession you must tell

              only such things as are sins.  You must not tell all the

              details and a long story with every sin.  For example, if

              a boy should confess that he went to see a friend, and

              after that met another friend, and when he came home he

              was asked what had kept him, and he told a lie.  Now,

              the going to see the friend and the meeting of the other

              friend, and all the rest, was not a sin:  the sin was telling

              the lie, and that was all that should have been confessed.

              Therefore, tell only the sins.  Then tell only your own

              sins, and be very careful not to mention anyone's

              name-even your own-in confession.  Be brief, and do not

              say, I broke the First Commandment or the Second by

              doing so and so; tell the sin simply as it is, and the priest

              himself will know what Commandment you violated.

              Again, when you have committed a sin several times a

              day do not multiply that by the number of days since

              your last confession and say to the priest, I have told lies,

              for example, four hundred and forty-two times.  Such

              things only confuse you and make you forget your sins.

              Simply say, I am in the habit of telling lies, about so

              many, three or four-or whatever number it may be-times

              a day.  Never say "sometimes" or "often" when you are

              telling the number of your sins. Sometimes might mean

              ten or it might mean twenty times.  How then can the

              priest know the number by that expression?  Give the

              number as nearly as you can, and if you do not know the

              whole number give the number of times a day, etc.

              Never say "maybe" I did so and so; because maybe you

              did not, and the priest cannot judge.  Tell what you

              consider your worst sin first, then if there be any sin you

              are ashamed to tell or do not know how to tell, say to the

              priest:  "Father, I have a sin I am ashamed to tell, or a

              sin I do not know how to tell"; and then the priest will

              ask you some questions and help you to tell it.  But never

              think of going away from the confessional with some sin

              that you did not tell.  The devil sometimes tempts people

              to do this, because he does not like to see them in a state

              of grace and friends of God.  When you are committing

              the sin, he makes you believe it is not a great sin, and

              that you can tell it in confession; but after you have

              committed it he makes you believe that it is a most

              terrible sin, and that if you tell ,it, the priest will scold

              you severely.  So it is concealed and the person leaves

              the confessional with a new sin upon his soul-that of

              sacrilege.  When Judas was tempted to betray Our Lord,

              he thought thirty pieces of silver a great deal of money;

              and then, after he had committed the sin, he cared

              nothing for the money, but went and threw it away, and

              thought his sin so dreadful that he hanged himself, dying

              in despair. It is not necessary to tell the priest the exact

              words you said in cursing or in bad conversation, unless

              he asks you; but simply say, Father, I cursed so many

              times.  Do not speak too loud in the confessional, but

              loud enough for the priest to hear you.  If you are deaf,

              do not go into the confessional while others are near, but

              wait till all have been heard and then go in last, or ask

              the priest to hear you someplace else. Listen attentively

              to hear what "penance" the priest gives you, and say the

              act of contrition while he pronounces the words of

              absolution; and above all, never leave the confessional till

              the priest closes the little door or tells you to go. If the

              priest does not say at what particular time you are to say

              your penance, say it as soon as you can.  When you

              have, told all your sins, you will say:  "For these and all

              the sins of my whole life, especially any I have forgotten,

              I am heartily sorry, and ask pardon and penance!' Listen

              to the priest's advice, and answer simply any question he

              may ask you.  If you should forget a mortal sin in

              confession and remember it the same day or evening, or

              while you are still in the church, it will not be necessary

              to wait and go to confession again.  It is forgiven already,

              because it was included in your forgotten sins; but you

              must tell it the next time you go to confession, saying

              before your regular confession:  In my last confession I

              forgot this sin. Of course if you tried to forget your sins

              your confession would be invalid. It is only when you

              examine your conscience with all reasonable care, and

              then after all forget some sins, that such forgotten sins are

              forgiven.  Never talk or quarrel for places while waiting

              for confession, and never cheat another out of his turn in

              going to confession.  It is unjust, it makes the person

              angry, and lessens his good disposition for confession.

              It creates confusion, and annoys the priest who hears the

              noise.  If you are in a hurry, ask the others to allow you

              to go first; and if they will not be contented and wait, and

              if you cannot wait, go some other time, unless you are in

              the state of mortal sin. In this case you should go to

              confession that day, no matter what the inconvenience.

              Spend your time while waiting in praying for pardon and

              sorrow. Never keep the priest waiting for you in the

              confessional-, pass in as soon as he is prepared to hear

              you.

 

Question 192: What is the examination of consciences

 

Answer:       The examination of conscience is an earnest effort to

              recall  to mind all the sins we have committed since our

              last worthy confession.

 

Explanation:  "Worthy confession," because if we made bad confessions

              we must tell how often we made them, and whether we

              received Holy Communion after them or not, and also all

              the sins we told in the bad confessions, and all others

              committed since the good confession.  If, for example, a

              boy made a good confession in January, and in

              confession in February concealed a mortal sin and went

              to confession after that every month to December, he

              would have to go back to his last good confession, and

              repeat all the sins committed since January, and also say

              that he had gone to confession once a month and made

              bad confessions all these times.

 

Question 193: How can we make a good examination of conscience?

 

Answer:       We can make a good examination of conscience by

              calling to memory the Commandments of God, the

              precepts of the Church, the seven capital sins, and the

              particular duties of our state in life, to find out the sins

              we have committed.

 

Question 194: What should we do before beginning the examination of

              conscience?

 

Answer:       Before beginning the examination of conscience we

              should pray to God to give us light to know our sins and

              grace to detest them.

 

 

                     Lesson 18:  ON CONTRITION

 

Question 195: What is contrition or sorrow for sin?

Question 196: What kind of sorrow should we have for our sins?

Question 197: What do you mean by saying that our sorrow should be

              interior?

Question 198: What do you mean by saying that our sorrow should be

              supernatural?

Question 199: What do you mean by saying that our sorrow should be

              universal?

Question 200: What do you mean when you say that our sorrow should

              be sovereign?

Question 201: Why should we be sorry for our sins?

Question 202: How many kinds of contrition are there.

Question 203: What is perfect contrition?

Question 204: What is imperfect contrition?

Question 205: Is imperfect contrition sufficient for a worthy confession?

Question 206: What do you mean by a firm purpose of sinning no

              more?

Question 207: What do you mean by the near occasions of sin?

 

Question 195: What is contrition or sorrow for sin?

 

Answer:       Contrition or sorrow for sin is a hatred of sin and a true

              grief of the soul for having offended God, with a firm

              purpose of sinning no more.

 

Explanation:  "Offended" that is, done something to displease Him.

 

Question 196: What kind of sorrow should we have for our sins?

 

Answer:       The sorrow we should have for our sins should be

              interior, supernatural, universal, and sovereign.

 

Question 197: What do you mean by saying that our sorrow should be

              interior?

 

Answer:       When I say that our sorrow should be interior, I mean

              that it should come from the heart, and not merely from

              the lips.

 

Explanation:  "Interior" that is, we must really have the sorrow in our

              hearts.  A boy, for example, might cry in the confessional

              and pretend to the priest to be very sorry, and the priest

              might be deceived and absolve him; but God, who sees

              into our hearts, would know that he was not really sorry,

              but only pretending, that his sorrow was not interior, but

              exterior; and God therefore would withhold His

              forgiveness and would not blot out the sins, and the boy

              would have a new sin of sacrilege upon his soul; because

              it is a sacrilege to allow the priest to give you absolution

              if you know you have not the right disposition, and you

              are not trying to do all that is required for a good

              confession.  So you understand you might deceive the

              priest and receive absolution, but God would not allow

              the absolution to take effect, and the sins would remain;

              for if the priest knew your dispositions as God did, or as

              you know them, he would not give you absolution till

              your dispositions changed.

 

Question 198: What do you mean by saying that our sorrow should be

              supernatural?

 

Answer:       When I say that our sorrow should be supernatural, I

              mean that it should be prompted by the grace of God, and

              excited by motives which spring from faith, and not by

              merely natural motives.

 

Explanation:  "Supernatural"--that is, we must be sorry for the sin on

              account of some reason that God has made known to us.

              For example, either because our sin is displeasing to God,

              or because we have lost Heaven by it, or because we fear

              to be punished for it in Hell or Purgatory.  But if we are

              sorry for our sin only on account of some natural motive,

              then our sorrow is not of the right kind. If a man was

              sorry for stealing only because he was caught and had to

              go to prison for it, his sorrow would only be natural.  Or

              if a boy was sorry for telling lies only because he got a

              whipping for it, his sorrow would only be natural.  Or if

              a man was sorry for being intoxicated because he lost his

              situation and injured his health, he would not have the

              necessary kind of sorrow.  These persons must be sorry

              for stealing, lying, or being intoxicated because all these

              are sins against God--things forbidden by Him and worthy

              of His punishment.  If we are sorry for having offended

              God on account of His own goodness, our contrition is

              said to be perfect.  If we are sorry for the sins because by

              them we are in great danger of being punished by God,

              or because we have lost Heaven by them, and without

              any regard for God's own goodness, then our contrition

              is said to be imperfect.  Imperfect contrition is called

              attrition.

 

Question 199: What do you mean by saying that our sorrow should be

              universal?

 

Answer:       When I say that our sorrow should be universal, I mean

              that we should be sorry for our mortal sins without

              exception.

 

Explanation:  "Universal." If a person committed ten mortal sins, and

              was sorry for nine, but not for the tenth, then none of the

              sins would be forgiven.  If you committed a thousand

              mortal sins, and were sorry for all but one, none would

              be forgiven.  Why?  Because you can never have God's

              grace and mortal sin in the soul at the same time.  Now

              this mortal sin will be on your soul till you are sorry for

              it, and while it is on your soul God's grace will not come

              to you. Again, you cannot be half sorry for having

              offended God; either you must be entirely sorry, or not

              sorry at all.  Therefore you cannot be sorry for only part

              of your mortal sins.

 

Question 200: What do you mean when you say that our sorrow should

              be sovereign?

 

Answer:       When I say that our sorrow should be sovereign I mean

              that we should grieve more for having offended God than

              for any other evil that can befall us.

 

Question 201: Why should we be sorry for our sins?

 

Answer:       We should be sorry for our sins, because sin is the

              greatest of evils and an offense against God our Creator,

              Preserver, and Redeemer, and because it shuts us out of

              Heaven and condemns us to the eternal pains of Hell.

 

Explanation:  We consider an evil great in proportion to the length of

              time we have to bear it.  To be blind is certainly a

              misfortune; but it is a greater misfortune to be blind for

              our whole life than for one day.  Sin, therefore, is the

              greatest of all evils; because the misfortune it brings upon

              us lasts not merely for a great many years, but for all

              eternity.  Even slight sufferings would be terrible if they

              lasted forever, but the sufferings for mortal sin are worse

              than we can describe or imagine, and they are forever.

              The greatest evils in this world will not last forever, and

              are small when compared with sin.  Sin makes us

              ungrateful to God, who gives us our existence.

 

Explanation:  "Our Preserver," because if God ceased to watch over us

              and provide for us, even for a short time, we would cease

              to exist.

 

Explanation:  "Our Redeemer," who suffered so much for us.

 

Question 202: How many kinds of contrition are there.

 

Answer:       There are two kinds of contrition:  perfect contrition and

              imperfect contrition.

 

Question 203: What is perfect contrition?

 

Answer:       Perfect contrition is that which fills us with sorrow and

              hatred for sin because it offends God, who is infinitely

              good in Himself and worthy of all love.

 

Explanation:  It can be a very hard thing to have perfect contrition, but

              we should always try to have it, so that our contrition

              may be as perfect as possible. This perfect contrition is

              the kind of contrition we must have if our mortal sins are

              to be forgiven if we are in danger of death and cannot go

              to confession.  Imperfect contrition with the priest's

              absolution will blot out our mortal sins.

 

Question 204: What is imperfect contrition?

 

Answer:       Imperfect contrition is that by which we hate what offends

              God because by it we lose Heaven and deserve Hell; or

              because sin is so hateful in itself.

 

Question 205: Is imperfect contrition sufficient for a worthy confession?

 

Answer:       Imperfect contrition is sufficient for a worthy confession,

              but we should endeavor to have perfect contrition.

 

Question 206: What do you mean by a firm purpose of sinning no

              more?

 

Answer:       By a firm purpose of sinning no more I mean a fixed

              resolve not only to avoid all mortal sin, but also its near

              occasions.

 

Explanation:  "Fixed." Not for a certain time, but for all the future.

 

Question 207: What do you mean by the near occasions of sin?

 

Answer:       By the near occasions of sin I mean all the persons,

              places and things that may easily lead us into sin.

 

Explanation:  "Occasions." There are many kinds of occasions of sin.

              First, we have voluntary and necessary occasions, or

              those we can avoid and those we cannot avoid.  For

              example:  if a companion uses immodest conversation we

              can avoid that occasion, because we can keep away from

              him; but if the one who sins is a member of our own

              family, always living with us, we cannot so easily avoid

              that occasion.  Second, near and remote occasions.  An

              occasion is said to be "near" when we usually fall into sin

              by it.  For instance, if a man gets intoxicated almost

              every time he visits a certain place, then that place is a

              "near occasion" of sin for him; but if he gets intoxicated

              only once out of every fifty times or so that he goes

              there, then it is said to be a "remote occasion." Now, it

              is not enough to avoid the sins:  we must also avoid the

              occasions.  If we have a firm purpose of amendment, if

              we desire to do better, we must be resolved to avoid

              everything that will lead us to sin. It is not enough to say,

              I will go to that place or with that person, but I will never

              again commit the same sins.  No matter what you think

              now, if you go into the occasion, you will fall again;

              because Our Lord, who cannot speak falsely, says:  "He

              who loves the danger will perish in it." Now the occasion

              of sin is always "the danger"; and if you go into it, Our

              Lord's words will come true, and you will fall miserably.

              Take away the cause, take away the occasion, and then

              the sin will cease of itself.  Let us suppose the plaster in

              your house fell down, and you found that it fell because

              there was a leak in the water-pipe above, and the water

              coming through wet the plaster and made it fall.  What is

              the first thing your father would do in that case?  Why,

              get a plumber and stop up the leak in the pipe before

              putting up the plaster again. Would it not be foolish to

              engage a plasterer to repair the ceiling while the pipe was

              still leaking?  Everyone would say that man must be out

              of his mind:  the plaster will fall down as often as he puts

              it up, and it matters not either how well he puts it up.  If

              he wants it to stay up, he must first mend the pipe-take

              away the cause of its falling.  Now the occasion of sin is

              like the leak in the pipe-in the case of sin, it will very

              likely cause you to fall every time.  Stop up the leak, take

              away the occasion, and then you will not fall into sin-at

              least not so frequently.

 

Explanation:  "The persons" are generally bad companions, and though

              they may not be bad when alone, they are bad when with

              us, and thus we become also bad companions for them,

              and occasions of sin.

 

Explanation:  "The places," Liquor saloons, low theaters, dance halls,

              and all places where we may see or hear anything against

              faith or morals.

 

Explanation:  "Things," Bad books, pictures, and the like.

 

 

                     Lesson 19:  ON CONFESSION

 

Question 208: What is Confession?

Question 209: What sins are we bound to confess?

Question 210: What are the chief qualities of a good confession?

Question 211: When is our confession humble?

Question 212: When is our confession sincere?

Question 213: When is our confession entire?

Question 214: What should we do if we cannot remember the number of

              our sins?

Question 215: Is our confession worthy if, without our fault, we forget

              to confess a mortal sin?

Question 216: Is it a grievous offense willfully to conceal a mortal sin in

              confession?

Question 217: What must he do who has willfully concealed a mortal sin

              in confession?

Question 218: Why does the priest give us a penance after confession?

Question 219: Does not the Sacrament of Penance remit all punishment

              due to sin?

Question 220: Why does God require a temporal punishment as a

              satisfaction for sin?

Question 221: Which are the chief means by which we satisfy God for

              the temporal punishment due to sin?

Question 222: Which are the chief spiritual works of mercy?

Question 223: Which are the chief corporal works of mercy?

 

Question 208: What is Confession?

 

Answer:       Confession is the telling of our sins to a duly authorized

              priest, for the purpose of obtaining forgiveness.

 

Explanation:  "Duly authorized"--one sent by the bishop of the diocese

              in which you are.

 

Explanation:  "Forgiveness." You might tell a priest all your sins while

              in ordinary conversation with him, but that would not be

              confession, because you would not be telling them to

              have them pardoned.  If a person has lost the use of his

              speech, he can make his confession by writing his sins on

              a paper and giving it to the priest in the confessional.  If

              the priest returns the paper the penitent must be careful to

              destroy it afterwards.  Also, if you have a poor memory

              you may write down the sins you wish to confess, and

              read them from the paper in the confessional; then you

              also must be careful to destroy the paper after confession.

              If a person whose language the priest does not understand

              is dying, or is obliged to make his yearly confession, he

              must tell what he can by signs, show that he is sorry for

              his sins, and thus receive absolution.  In a word, the

              priest would act with him as he would with one who had

              lost the use of his speech and power to write.

 

Question 209: What sins are we bound to confess?

 

Answer:       We are bound to confess all our mortal sins, but it is well

              also to confess our venial sins.

 

Explanation:  "Bound"--obliged in such a way that our confession

              would be bad if we did not tell them.

 

Explanation:  "Well," because we should tell all the sins we can

              remember; but if we did not tell a venial sin after we had

              told a mortal sin, our confession would not be bad.  Or

              if we committed a little venial sin after confession, that

              should not keep us from Holy Communion; because the

              Holy Communion itself would blot out that and any other

              venial sin we might have upon our souls:  so that you

              should never let anything keep you away, unless you are

              certain you have committed a mortal sin after the

              confession, or have broken your fast.

 

Question 210: What are the chief qualities of a good confession?

 

Answer:       The chief qualities of a good confession are three:  it

              must be humble, sincere, and entire.

 

Question 211: When is our confession humble?

 

Answer:       Our confession is humble when we accuse ourselves of

              our sins, with a deep sense of shame and sorrow for

              having offended God.

 

Question 212: When is our confession sincere?

 

Answer:       Our confession is sincere when we tell our sins honestly

              and truthfully, neither exaggerating nor excusing them.

 

Explanation:  "Exaggerating." You must never tell in confession a sin

              you did not commit, any more than conceal one you did

              commit.  You must tell just the sins committed, and no

              more or less; and if you are in doubt whether you have

              committed the sin, or whether the thing done was a sin,

              then you must tell your doubts to the priest:  but do not

              say you committed such and such sins when you do not

              know whether you did or not, or only because you think

              it likely that you did.

 

Question 213: When is our confession entire?

 

Answer:       Our confession is entire when we tell the number and

              kinds of our sins and the circumstances which change

              their nature.

 

Explanation:  "Number"--the exact number, if you know it; as, for

              example, when we miss Mass we can generally tell

              exactly the number of times.  But when we tell lies, for

              instance, we may not know the exact number:  then we

              say how often in the day, or that it is a habit with us, etc.

 

Explanation:  "Kinds" whether they are cursing, or stealing, or lying,

              etc.

 

Explanation:  "Circumstances which change their nature," In the case of

              stealing, for example, you need not tell whether it was

              from a grocery, a bakery, or dry-goods store you stole,

              for that circumstance does not change the nature of the

              sin:  you have simply to tell the amount you took.  But if

              you stole from a church you would have to tell that,

              because that is a circumstance that gives the sin of

              stealing a new character, and makes it sacrilegious

              stealing.  Or if you stole from a poor beggar all he

              possessed in the world, so that you left him starving, that

              would be a circumstance making your sin worse, and so

              you would have to tell it.  Therefore you have to tell any

              circumstance that really makes your sin much worse or

              less than it seems; all other circumstances you need not

              tell:  they will only confuse you, and make you forget

              your sins and waste the priest's time.

 

Question 214: What should we do if we cannot remember the number of

              our sins?

 

Answer:       If we cannot remember the number of our sins, we should

              tell the number as nearly as possible, and say how often

              we have sinned in a day, a week, or a month and how

              long the habit or practice has lasted.

 

Question 215: Is our confession worthy if, without our fault, we forget

              to confess a mortal sin?

 

Answer:       If without our fault we forget to confess a mortal sin, our

              confession is worthy, and the sin is forgiven; but it must

              be told in confession if it again comes to our mind.

 

Question 216: Is it a grievous offense willfully to conceal a mortal sin in

              confession?

 

Answer:       It is a grievous offense willfully to conceal a mortal sin in

              confession, because we thereby tell a lie to the Holy

              Ghost, and make our confession worthless.

 

Explanation:  "A lie to the Holy Ghost," God sees every sin we

              commit, and in His presence we present ourselves to the

              priest in the confessional, and declare that we are

              confessing all.  If, then, we willfully conceal a sin that we

              are bound to confess, God is a witness to our sacrilegious

              lie.  If I see you in some place to which you were

              forbidden to go, and you, knowing that I saw you,

              positively deny that you were there, your guilt would be

              doubly great, for, besides the sin of disobedience

              committed by going to the forbidden place, you also resist

              the known truth, and endeavor to prove that 1, when I

              declare I saw you, am telling what is untrue.  In a similar

              manner, concealing a sin in confession is equivalent to

              denying before God that we are guilty of it. Besides, it is

              a great folly to conceal a sin, because it must be

              confessed sooner or later, and the longer we conceal it

              the deeper will be our sense of shame for the sacrileges

              committed.  Again, why should one be ashamed to

              confess to the priest what he has not been ashamed to do

              before God, unless he has greater respect for the priest

              than he has for the Almighty God-an absurdity we cannot

              believe.  Moreover, the shame you experience in telling

              your sins is a kind of penance for them.  Do you not

              suppose Our Lord knew, when He instituted the

              Sacrament of Penance, that people would be ashamed to

              confess?  Certainly He did; and that act of humility is

              pleasing to God, and is a kind of punishment for your

              sins, and probably takes away some of the punishment

              you would have to suffer for them.  Often, too, the

              thought of having to confess will keep you from

              committing the sin.  There is another thought that should

              encourage us to gladly make a full confession of all our

              sins, and it is this:  it is easier to tell them to the priest

              alone than to have them exposed, unforgiven, before the

              whole world on the Day of Judgment. Do not imagine

              that your confessor will think less of you on account of

              your sins.  The confessor does not think of your sins after

              he leaves the confessional.  How could he remember all

              the confessions he hears ' often hundreds in a single

              month?  And what is more-he does not even wish to

              recall the sinful things heard in the confessional, because

              he wishes to keep his own mind pure, and his soul free

              from every stain.  The priest is always better pleased to

              hear the confession of a great sinner or of one who has

              been a long time from the Sacraments, than of one who

              goes frequently or who has little to tell.  He is not glad,

              of course, that the sinner has committed great sins, but he

              is glad that since he has had the misfortune to sin so

              much, he has now the grace and courage to seek

              forgiveness.  Our Lord once said (Luke 15:7) while

              preaching, that the angels and saints in Heaven rejoice

              more at seeing one sinner doing penance than they do

              over ninety-nine good persons who did not need to do

              penance.  The greater the danger to which a person has

              been exposed, the more thankful he and his friends are

              for escape or recovery from it.  If your brother fell into

              the ocean and was rescued just as he was going down for

              the last time, you would feel more

 

Explanation:  grateful than if he was rescued from some little pond into

              which he had slipped, and in which there was scarcely

              any danger of his being drowned.  So, also, the nearer

              we are to losing our, souls and going to Hell, the more

              delighted the angels and saints are when we are saved.

              One who has escaped great danger will more carefully

              avoid similar accidents in the future:  in like manner, the

              sinner, after having escaped the danger of eternal death

              by the pardon of his sins, should never again risk his

              salvation.

 

Question 217: What must he do who has willfully concealed a mortal sin

              in confession?

 

Answer:       He who has willfully concealed a mortal sin in confession

              must not only confess it, but must also repeat all the sins

              he has committed since his last worthy confession.

 

Explanation:  "Willfully," Remember, forgetting is not the same as

              concealing; but if you should willfully neglect to examine

              your conscience or make any effort to know your sins

              before going to confession, then forgetting would be

              equivalent to concealing.  Without any preparation your

              confession could hardly be a good one.  When you are in

              doubt whether an action is sinful or not, or whether you

              have confessed it before, you should not leave the

              confessional with the doubt upon your mind.

 

Explanation:  It is a foolish practice, however, to be always disturbing

              your conscience by thinking of past sins, especially of

              those that occurred very early in your life.  Sometimes it

              is dangerous; because if, while thinking of your past sins,

              you should take pleasure in them, you would commit a

              new sin similar to the past sins in which you take delight.

 

Explanation:  It is best, therefore, not to dwell in thought upon any

              particular past sin with the time, place, and circumstances

              of its commission; but simply to remember in general that

              you have in the past sinned against this or that

              Commandment or virtue.

 

Explanation:  The past is no longer under our control, while the future

              is, and becomes for us, therefore, the all-important

              portion of our lives.  Not unfrequently it may be an

              artifice of the devil to keep us so occupied with past

              deeds that we may not attend to the dangers of the future.

              Do not, then, after your confession spend your time in

              thinking of the sins you confessed, but of how you will

              avoid them in the future.  When a wound is healed up,

              nobody thinks of opening it again to see if it has healed

              properly; so when the wounds made in our souls by sin

              are healed up by the absolution, we should not open them

              again.

 

Explanation:  This is the rule with regard to our ordinary confessions;

              but we should sometimes make a general confession.

              What is a general confession?  It is the confession of the

              sins of our whole life or of a portion-say one, two or

              five, etc., years-of our life.  A general confession may be

              necessary, useful, or hurtful.  It is necessary, as you

              know, when our past confessions were bad.  It is useful,

              though not necessary, on special occasions in our lives;

              for example, in the time of a retreat or mission; in the

              time of preparation for First Communion, Confirmation,

              Matrimony, etc., or in preparing for death.  It is very

              useful also for persons about to change their state of life;

              for such as are about to become priests or religious, etc.

              It is useful because it gives us a better knowledge of the

              state of our souls, as we see their condition not merely

              for a month or two, but for our whole lifetime.  We are

              looking at them as God will look at them in the Last

              Judgment, considering all the good and evil we have ever

              done, and comparing the amount of the one with the

              amount of the other.  We resolve to increase the good

              and diminish the evil in our future lives.  We promise to

              do penance for the past and to avoid sin for the future;

              and thus we are benefited in general confession by this

              judgment of ourselves, as we may call it.

 

Explanation:  General confession is hurtful to scrupulous persons.

              Scrupulous persons are those who think almost everything

              they do is a sin.  They are always dissatisfied with their

              confessions, and fear to approach the Sacraments. Their

              conscience is never at ease, and they are forever

              unhappy.  It is very wrong for them to think and act in

              this manner, and they must use every means in their

              power to overcome their scruples.

 

Explanation:  Our Lord in His goodness never intended to make us

              unhappy by instituting the Sacraments, but on the

              contrary to make us happy, and set our minds and

              consciences at ease in the reception of His grace.

              Scrupulous persons must do exactly whatever their

              confessor advises, no matter what they themselves may

              think.  Such persons, as you can plainly see, should not

              make general confessions, because their consciences

              would be more disturbed than pacified by them.

 

Explanation:  You prepare for general confession as you would for any

              other, except that you take a longer time for it, and do

              not pay so much attention to your more trifling sins.

 

Question 218: Why does the priest give us a penance after confession?

 

Answer:       The priest gives us a penance after confession, that we

              may satisfy God for the temporal punishment due to our

              sins.

 

Explanation:  "Penance," The little penance the priest gives may not

              fully satisfy God, but shows by our accepting it that we

              are willing to do penance.  What, for example, is a

              penance of five "Our Fathers" compared with the guilt of

              one mortal sin, for which we would have to suffer in Hell

              for all eternity?  Then think of the penances performed by

              the Christians many centuries ago, in the early ages of the

              Church.  There were four stages of penance.  The

              churches were divided into four parts by railings and

              gates.  The first railing across the church was at some

              distance from the altar, the second was a little below the

              middle of the church, and the third was near the door.

              Those who committed great sins had to stand clad in

              coarse garments near the entrance of the church, and beg

              the prayers of those who entered.  After they had done

              this kind of penance for a certain time, they were allowed

              to come into the church as far as the second railing.

              They were allowed to hear the sermon, but were not

              permitted to be present at the Mass.  After doing

              sufficient penance, they were allowed to remain for Mass,

              but could not receive Holy Communion.  When they had

              performed all the penance imposed upon them, they were

              allowed to receive the Sacraments and enjoy all the rights

              and privileges of faithful children of the Church.  These

              penances lasted for many days and sometimes for years,

              according to the gravity of the sins committed.  The sins

              for which these severe penances were performed were

              generally sins that had been committed publicly, and

              hence the penance, amendment, and reparation had also

              to be public.

 

Explanation:  "Temporal Punishment," Every sin has two punishments

              attached to it. one called the eternal and the other the

              temporal.  Let me explain by an example. If 1, turning

              highway robber, waylay a man, beat him and steal his

              watch, I do him, as you see, a double injury, and deserve

              a double punishment for the twofold crime of beating and

              robbing him.  He might pardon me for the injuries caused

              by the beating, but that would not free me from the

              obligation of restoring to him his watch or its value, for

              the fact that he forgives me for the act of stealing does

              not give me the right to keep what justly belongs to him.

              Now, when we sin against God we in the first place insult

              Him, and secondly rob Him of what is deservedly His

              due; namely, the worship, respect, obedience, love, etc.,

              that we owe Him as our Creator, Preserver, and

              Redeemer.

 

Explanation:  In the Sacrament of Penance God forgives the insult

              offered by sinning, but requires us to make restitution for

              that of which the sin has deprived Him.  In every sin

              there is an act of turning away from God and an act of

              turning to some creature in His stead.  If a soldier

              pledged to defend his country deserts his army in time of

              war, he is guilty of a dishonorable, contemptible act; but

              if, besides deserting his own army, he goes over to aid

              the enemy, he becomes guilty of another and still greater

              crime-he becomes a traitor for whom the laws of nations

              reserve their severest penalties.  By sin we, who in

              Baptism and Confirmation have promised to serve God

              and war against His enemies, desert Him and go over to

              them; for Our Blessed Lord has said:  He that is not with

              Me is against Me.

 

Explanation:  We pay the temporal debt due to our sins, that is, make

              the restitution, by our penances upon earth, or by our

              suffering in Purgatory, or by both combined.

 

Explanation:  The penances performed upon earth are very acceptable

              and pleasing to God; and hence we should be most

              anxious to do penance here that we may have less to

              suffer in Purgatory.  St. Augustine, who had been a great

              sinner, often prayed that God might send him many

              tribulations while on earth, that he might have less to

              endure in Purgatory.  Therefore, after performing the

              penance the priest gives you in the confessional, it is wise

              to impose upon yourself other light penances in keeping

              with your age and condition, but never undertake severe

              penances or make religious vows and promises without

              consulting your confessor.  In every case be careful first

              of all to perform the penance imposed upon you in the

              reception of the Sacrament.  The penance given in

              confession has a special value, which none of the

              penances selected by yourself could have.

 

Explanation:  If you forget to say your penance, your confession is not

              on that account worthless; but as the penance is one of

              the parts of the Sacrament, namely, the satisfaction, you

              should say it as soon as possible, and in the manner your

              confessor directs.  If you cannot perform the penance

              imposed by your confessor, you should inform him of

              that fact, and ask him to give you another in its stead.

 

Explanation:  Indulgences also are a means of satisfying for this

              temporal punishment. Sometimes God inflicts the

              temporal punishment in this world by sending us

              misfortunes or sufferings, especially such as are brought

              on by the sins committed.

 

Question 219: Does not the Sacrament of Penance remit all punishment

              due to sin?

 

Answer:       The Sacrament of Penance remits the eternal punishment

              due to sin, but it does not always remit the temporal

              punishment which God requires as satisfaction for our

              sins.

 

Explanation:  Remember that Baptism differs from Penance in this

              respect, that although they both remit sin, Penance does

              not take away all the temporal punishment, while Baptism

              takes away all the punishment, both eternal and temporal;

              so that if we died immediately after Baptism we would go

              directly to Heaven, while if we died immediately after

              Penance we would generally go to Purgatory to make

              satisfaction for the temporal debt.

 

Question 220: Why does God require a temporal punishment as a

              satisfaction for sin?

 

Answer:       God requires a temporal punishment as a satisfaction for

              sin to teach us the great evil of sin, and to prevent us

              from failing again.

 

Question 221: Which are the chief means by which we satisfy God for

              the temporal punishment due to sin?

 

Answer:       The chief means by which we satisfy God for the

              temporal punishment due to sin are:  prayer, fasting,

              almsgiving, all spiritual and corporal works of mercy, and

              the patient suffering of the ills of life.

 

Explanation:  "Chief," but not the only means.  "Fasting," especially

              the fasts imposed by the Church-in Lent for instance.

              Lent is the forty days before Easter Sunday during which

              we fast and pray to prepare ourselves for the resurrection

              of Our Lord, and also to remind us of His own fast of

              forty days before His Passion.  "Almsgiving"--that is,

              money or goods given to the poor.  "Spiritual" works of

              mercy are those good works we do for persons' souls.

              "Corporal" works of mercy are those we do for their

              bodies.  "Ills of life"--sickness or poverty or misfortune,

              especially when we have not brought them upon ourselves

              by sin.

 

Question 222: Which are the chief spiritual works of mercy?

 

Answer:       The chief spiritual works of mercy are seven:  to

              admonish the sinner, to instruct the ignorant, to counsel

              the doubtful, to comfort the sorrowful, to bear wrongs

              patiently, to forgive all injuries, and to pray for the living

              and the dead.

 

Explanation:  "To admonish the sinner." If we love our neighbor we

              should help him in his distress, even when it is an

              inconvenience to us.  We should help him also to correct

              his faults, we should point them out and warn him of

              them.  We are obliged to do so in the following

              circumstances:  First.  When his fault is a mortal sin.

              Second.  When we have some authority or influence over

              him. Third.  When there is reason to believe that our

              warning will make him better instead of worse.  If our

              advice only makes him worse, then we should not say

              anything to him about his fault, but keep out of his

              company ourselves. "Ignorant" especially in their

              religion.  "Doubtful" about something in religion which

              you can explain and make clear to them. "Comfort,"

              saying kind words of encouragement to them.  "Wrongs,"

              things not deserved; for example, persons talking ill about

              us, accusing us falsely, etc.; but if the false accusations,

              etc., are going to give scandal, then we must defend

              ourselves against them.  If, for instance, lies were told

              about the father of a family, and it were likely all his

              children would believe them and lose their respect for his

              authority, then he must let them know the truth.  But

              when we patiently suffer wrongs that injure only

              ourselves, and that are known only to God and ourselves,

              God sees our sufferings and rewards us.  What matters it

              what people think we are if God knows all our doings and

              is pleased with them?  "Living"--especially for the

              conversion of sinners, or for those who are on their

              deathbed.  "The dead"--those suffering in Purgatory,

              especially if we have ever caused them to sin.

 

Question 223: Which are the chief corporal works of mercy?

 

Answer:       The chief corporal works of mercy are seven:  to feed the

              hungry, to give drink to the thirsty, to clothe the naked,

              to ransom the captive, to harbor the harborless, to visit

              the sick, and to bury the dead.

 

Explanation:  "Ransom the captive"--that is, chiefly those who while

              teaching or defending the true religion in pagan lands are

              taken prisoners by the enemies of our faith.  You have

              perhaps heard of the Crusades or read about them in your

              history.  Now let me briefly tell you what they were and

              why they were commenced.  About the year 570, that is,

              about thirteen hundred years ago, when the Christian

              religion was spread over nearly the whole world, a man

              named Mahomet was born in Arabia.  He pretended to be

              a great prophet sent from God, and gathered many

              followers about him.  He told them his religion must be

              spread by the sword.  He plundered cities and towns, and

              divided the spoils with his followers.  He told them that

              all who died fighting for him would certainly go to

              Heaven.  In a short time his followers became very

              numerous; for his religion was an easy and profitable

              one, allowing them to commit sin without fear of

              punishment, and giving them share of his plunder.  Many

              others not influenced by these motives joined his religion

              for fear of being put to death.  His followers were

              afterwards called by the general name of Saracens. They

              took possession of the Holy Land, of the City of

              Jerusalem, of the tomb of Our Lord, and of every spot

              rendered dear to Christians by Our Saviour's life and

              labors there.  They persecuted the Christians who went to

              visit the Holy Land, and put many of them to death.

              When the news of these dreadful crimes reached Europe,

              the Christian kings and princes, at the request of the

              Pope, raised large armies and set out for the East to war

              against the Saracens and recover the Holy Land.  Eight

              of these expeditions, or Crusades, as they are called,

              went out during two hundred years, that is, from 1095 to

              1272.  Those who took part in them are called Crusaders,

              from the word cross, because every soldier wore a red

              cross upon his shoulder.

 

Explanation:  Some of these expeditions were successful, and some

              were not; but, on the whole, they prevented the Saracens

              from coming to Europe and taking possession of it.

              Many of the Christian soldiers and many of the pilgrims

              who visited the Holy Land were taken prisoners by the

              Saracens and held, threatened with death, till the

              Christians in Europe paid large sums of money as a

              ransom for their liberty.  To free these captives was a

              great act of charity, and is one of the corporal works of

              mercy.  Ransom means to pay money for another's

              freedom.  Even now there are sometimes captives in

              pagan lands.

 

Explanation:  A pilgrim is one who goes on a journey to visit some

              holy place for the purpose of thus honoring God.  He

              would not be a pilgrim if he went merely through

              curiosity.  He must go with the holy intention of making

              his visit an act of worship.  In our time pilgrimages to the

              Holy Land, to Rome, and other places are quite frequent.

              "To harbor" that is, to give one who has no home a place

              of rest.  A harbor is an inlet of the ocean where ships can

              rest and be out of danger; so we can also call the home

              or place of rest given to the homeless a harbor.  "Sick"

              especially the sick poor and those who have no friends.

              "To bury" those who are strangers and have no friends.

              All Christians are bound to perform these works of mercy

              in one way or another.  We have been relieved to some

              extent of doing the work ourselves by the establishment

              of institutions where these things are attended to by

              communities of holy men or women called religious.

              They take charge of asylums for the orphans, homes for

              the aged and poor, hospitals for the sick, etc., while

              many devote themselves to teaching in colleges,

              academies, and schools.  But if these good religious do

              the work for us, we are obliged on our part to give them

              the means to carry it on.  Therefore we should contribute

              according to our means to charitable institutions, and

              indeed to all institutions that promote the glory of God

              and the good of our religion.  To explain more fully,

              religious are self-sacrificing men and women who,

              wishing to follow the evangelical counsels, dedicate their

              lives to the service of God.  They live together in

              communities approved by the Church, under the rule and

              guidance of their superiors.

 

Explanation:  Their day is divided between prayer, labor, and good

              works, more time being given to one or other of these

              according to the special end or aim of the community.

              The houses in which they live are called convents or

              monasteries, and the societies of which they are members

              are called religious orders, communities, or

              congregations.  In some of these religious communities of

              men all the members are priests, in others some are

              priests and some are brothers, and in others still all are

              brothers.  Priests belonging to the religious orders are

              called the regular clergy, to distinguish them from the

              secular clergy or priests who live and labor in the

              parishes to which they are assigned by their bishops.

              Sisters and nuns mean almost the same thing, but we

              generally call those nuns who live under a more severe

              rule and never leave the boundaries of their convent.  In

              like manner friars, monks, and brothers lead almost the

              same kind of life, except that the monks practice greater

              penances and live under stricter rules.  A hermit is a holy

              man who lives alone in some desert or lonely place, and

              spends his life in prayer and mortification.  In the early

              ages of the Church there were many of these hermits, or

              Fathers of the desert, but now religious live together in

              communities.

 

Explanation:  The members of religious orders of men or women take

              three vows, namely, of poverty, chastity, and obedience.

              These orders were founded by holy persons for some

              special work approved of by the Church.  Thus the

              Dominicans were founded by St. Dominic, and their

              special work was to preach the Gospel and convert

              heretics or persons who had fallen away from the Faith.

              The Jesuit Fathers were organized by St. Ignatius Loyola,

              and their work is chiefly teaching in colleges, and giving

              retreats and missions.  So also have the Redemptorists,

              Franciscans, Passionists, etc., their special works, chiefly

              the giving of missions.  In a word, every community, of

              either men or women, must perform the particular work

              for which it was instituted.

 

Explanation:  But. why, you will ask, are there different religious

              orders?  In the first place, all persons are not fitted for

              the same kind of work:  some can teach, others cannot;

              some can bear the fatigue of nursing the sick, and others

              cannot.  Secondly, when Our Lord was on earth He

              performed every good work and practiced every virtue

              perfectly.  He fasted, prayed, helped the needy,

 

 

            Lesson 20:  ON THE MANNER OF MAKING A GOOD CONFESSION

 

Question 224: What should we do on entering the confessional?

Question 225: Which are the first things we should tell the priest in

              confession?

Question 226: After telling the time of our last confession and

              Communion, what should we do?

Question 227: What must we do when the confessor asks us questions?

Question 228: What should we do after telling our sins?

Question 229: How should we end our confession?

Question 230: What should we do while the priest is giving us

              absolution?

 

Question 224: What should we do on entering the confessional?

 

Answer:       On entering the confessional we should kneel, make the

              Sign of the Cross, and say to the priest:  "Bless me,

              Father"; then add, "I confess to Almighty God, and to

              you, Father, that I have sinned:'

 

Question 225: Which are the first things we should tell the priest in

              confession?

 

Answer:       The first things we should tell the priest in confession are

              the, time of our last confession and whether we said the

              penance and went to Holy Communion.

 

Question 226: After telling the time of our last confession and

              Communion, what should we do?

 

Answer:       After telling the time of our last confession and

              Communion we should confess all the mortal sins we

              have since committed, and all the venial sins we may

              wish to mention.

 

Explanation:  "We may wish," We should tell every real sin we have

              never confessed. If we have no mortal sin to confess, it

              is well to tell some kind of mortal sin we have committed

              in our past life, though confessed before.  We should do

              this because when we have only very small sins to

              confess there is always danger that we may not be truly

              sorry for them, and without sorrow there is no

              forgiveness.  But when we add to our confession some

              mortal sin that we know we are sorry for, then our

              sorrow extends to all our sins, and makes us certain that

              our confession is a good one.  If you should hear the sin

              of another person while you are waiting to make your

              own confession, you must keep that sin secret forever.

              If the person in the confessional is speaking too loud, you

              should move away so as not to hear; and if you cannot

              move, hold your hands on your ears so that you may not

              hear what is being said.

 

Question 227: What must we do when the confessor asks us questions?

 

Answer:       When the confessor asks us questions, we must answer

              them truthfully and clearly.

 

Question 228: What should we do after telling our sins?

 

Answer:       After telling our sins we should listen with attention to the

              advice which the confessor may think proper to give.

 

Explanation:  The priest in the confessional acts as judge, father,

              teacher, and physician.  As judge he listens to your

              accusations against yourself, and passes sentence

              according to your guilt or innocence.  As a father and

              teacher he loves you, and tries to protect you from your

              enemies by warning you against them, and teaching you

              the means to overcome them.  But above all, he is a

              physician, who will treat your soul for its ills and restore

              it to spiritual health.  He examines the sins you have

              committed, discovers their causes, and then prescribes the

              remedies to be used in overcoming them.  When anything

              goes amiss with our bodily health we speedily have

              recourse to the physician, listen anxiously to what he has

              to say, and use the remedies prescribed.  In the very

              same way we must follow the priest's advice if we wish

              our souls to be cured of their maladies.  Just as a person

              who is unwell would not go one day to one physician and

              the next day to another, so a penitent should not change

              confessors without a good reason; and if you have any

              choice to make let it be made in the beginning, and let it

              rest on worthy motives.  In a short time your confessor

              will understand the state of your soul, as the physician

              who frequently examines you does the state of your body.

              He will know all the temptations, trials, and difficulties

              with which you have to contend.  He will see whether

              you are becoming better or worse; whether you are

              resisting your bad habits or falling more deeply into

              them; also, whether the remedies given are suited to you,

              and whether you are using them properly.  All this your

              confessor will know, and it will save you the trouble of

              always repeating, and him the trouble of always asking.

              Thus the better your confessor knows you and all the

              circumstances of your life, the more will he be able to

              help you; for besides the forgiveness of your sins there

              are many other benefits derived from the Sacrament of

              Penance.

 

Explanation:  But if at any time there should be danger of your making

              a bad confession to your own confessor-on account of

              some feeling of false shame-then go to any confessor you

              please; for it is a thousand times better to seek another

              confessor than run the risk of making a sacrilegious

              confession.

 

Explanation:  Never be so much attached to any one confessor that you

              would remain away from the Sacraments a long time

              rather than go to another in his absence.

 

Explanation:  You should not consider the person in the confessional,

              but the power he exercises.  You should be anxious

              concerning only this fact:  Is there a priest there who was

              sent by Our Lord?  Is there a minister of Christ there who

              has power to pardon my sins?  If so, I will humbly go to

              him, no matter who he is or what his dispositions.

 

Question 229: How should we end our confession?

 

Answer:       We should end our confession by saying, "I also accuse

              myself of all the sins of my past life" telling, if we

              choose, one or several of our past sins.

 

Question 230: What should we do while the priest is giving us

              absolution?

 

Answer:       While the priest is giving us absolution, we should from

              our heart renew the Act of Contrition.

 

Explanation:  All, especially children, should know this act well before

              going to confession.

 

 

                       Lesson 21:  ON INDULGENCES

 

Question 231: What is an indulgence?

Question 232: Is an indulgence a pardon of sin, or a license to commit

              sin?

Question 233: How many kinds of indulgences are there?

Question 234: What is a plenary indulgence?

Question 235: What is a partial indulgence?

Question 236: How does the Church by means of indulgences remit the

              temporal punishment due to sins?

Question 237: What must we do to gain an indulgence?

 

Question 231: What is an indulgence?

 

Answer:       An indulgence is the remission in whole or in part of the

              temporal punishment due to sin.

 

Explanation:  I have explained before what the temporal punishment is;

              namely, the debt which we owe to God after He has

              forgiven our sins, and which we must pay in order that

              satisfaction be made.  It is, as I said, the value of the

              watch we must return after we have been pardoned for

              the act of stealing.  I said this punishment must be blotted

              out by our penance.  Now, the Church gives us an easy

              means of so doing, by granting us indulgences.  She

              helps us by giving us a share in the merits of the Blessed

              Virgin and of the saints.  All this we have explained

              when speaking in the Creed of the communion of saints.

 

Question 232: Is an indulgence a pardon of sin, or a license to commit

              sin?

 

Answer:       An indulgence is not a pardon of sin, nor a license to

              commit sin, and one who is in a state of mortal sin cannot

              gain an indulgence.

 

Explanation:  If you are in a state of mortal sin you lose the merit of

              any good works you perform.  God promises to reward

              us for good works, and if we are in the state of grace

              when we do the good works, God will keep His promise

              and give us the reward; but if we are in mortal sin, we

              have no right or claim to any reward for good works,

              because we are enemies of God.  For this reason alone

              we should never remain even for a short time in mortal

              sin, since it is important for us to have all the merit we

              can.  Even when we will not repent and return to Him,

              God rewards us for good works done by giving us some

              temporal blessings or benefits here upon earth.  He never

              allows any good work to go unrewarded any more than

              He allows an evil deed to go unpunished.  Although God

              is so good to us we nevertheless lose very much by being

              in a state of mortal sin; for God's grace is in some

              respects like the money in a bank:  the more grace we

              receive and the better we use it, the more He will bestow

              upon us.  When you deposit money in a savings bank,

              you get interest for it; and when you leave the interest

              also in the bank, it is added to your capital, and thus you

              get interest for the interest.  So God not only gives us

              grace to do good, but also grace for doing the good, or,

              in other words, He gives us grace for using His grace.

 

Question 233: How many kinds of indulgences are there?

 

Answer:       There are two kinds of indulgences-plenary and partial.

 

Question 234: What is a plenary indulgence?

 

Answer:       A plenary indulgence is the full remission of the temporal

              punishment due to sin.

 

Explanation:  "Full remission"; so that if you gained a plenary

              indulgence and died immediately afterwards, you would

              go at once to Heaven.  Persons go to Purgatory, as you

              know, to have the temporal punishment blotted out; but

              if you have no temporal punishment to make satisfaction

              for, there is no Purgatory for you.  Gaining a plenary

              indulgence requires proper dispositions, as you may

              understand from its very great advantages.  To gain it we

              must not only hate sin and be heartily sorry even for our

              venial sins, but we must not have a desire for even venial

              sin.  We should always try to gain a plenary indulgence,

              for in so doing we always gain at least part of it, or a

              partial indulgence, greater or less according to our

              dispositions.

 

Question 235: What is a partial indulgence?

 

Answer:       A partial indulgence is the remission of a part of the

              temporal punishment due to sin.

 

Question 236: How does the Church by means of indulgences remit the

              temporal punishment due to sins?

 

Answer:       The Church by means of indulgences remits the temporal

              punishment due to sin by applying to us the merits of

              Jesus Christ, and the superabundant satisfactions of the

              Blessed Virgin Mary and of the saints, which merits and

              satisfactions are its spiritual treasury.

 

Explanation:  "Superabundant" means more than was necessary. (See

              explanation of communion of saints in the "Creed.")

 

Question 237: What must we do to gain an indulgence?

 

Answer:       To gain an indulgence we must be in a state of grace and

              perform the works enjoined.

 

Explanation:  "Works"--to visit certain churches or altars; to give alms;

              to say certain prayers, etc.  For a plenary indulgence it is

              required in addition to go to confession and Holy

              Communion, and to pray for the intention of our Holy

              Father the Pope; for this last requirement it is sufficient

              to recite one Our Father and one Hail Mary.  Now, what

              does praying for the intention of the Pope or bishop or

              anyone else mean?  It does not mean that you are to pray

              for the Pope himself, but for whatever he is praying for

              or wishes you to pray for. For instance, on one day the

              Holy Father may be praying for the success of some

              missions that he is establishing in pagan lands; on

              another, he may be praying that the enemies of the

              Church may not succeed in their plans against it; on

              another, he may be praying for the conversion of some

              nation, and so on; whatever he is praying for or wishes

              you to pray for is called his intention.

 

Explanation:  There are three basic ways of gaining a partial

              indulgence.  A partial indulgence can be gained by:

 

Explanation:  raising one's heart to God amidst the duties and trials of

              life and making a pious invocation, even only mentally;

              giving of oneself or one's goods to those in need;

              voluntarily depriving oneself of something pleasing, in a

              spirit of penance.

 

Explanation:  A partial indulgence is also granted for reciting various

              well-known prayers, such as the acts of faith, hope,

              charity and contrition, and for performing certain acts of

              devotion, such as making a Spiritual Communion.

 

Explanation:  To gain an indulgence you must also have the intention of

              gaining it.  There are many prayers that we sometimes

              say to which indulgences are attached, and we do not

              know it.  How can we gain them?  By making a general

              intention every morning while saying our prayers to gain

              all the indulgences we can during the day, whether we

              know them or not.  For example, there is a partial

              indulgence granted us every time we devoutly make the

              Sign of the Cross or devoutly use an article of devotion,

              such as a crucifix or scapular, properly blessed by any

              priest.  Many may not know of these indulgences; but if

              they have the general intention mentioned above, they

              will gain the indulgence every time they perform the

              work.  In the same way, by having this intention all those

              who are in the habit of going to confession every two

              weeks are able to gain a plenary indulgence when they

              fulfill the other prescribed conditions for gaining a

              plenary indulgence, even when they do not know that

              they are gaining the indulgence.

 

Explanation:  Since partial indulgences were formerly designated by

              specific amounts of time, you sometimes see printed after

              a little prayer:  An indulgence of forty days, or, an

              indulgence of one hundred days, or of a year, etc.  What

              does that mean? Does it mean that a person who said that

              prayer would get out of Purgatory forty days sooner than

              he would have if he had not said it?  No. I told you how

              the early Christians were obliged to do public penance for

              their sins; to stand at the door of the church and beg the

              prayers of those entering.  Sometimes their penance lasted

              for forty days, sometimes for one hundred days, and

              sometimes for a longer period.  By an indulgence of forty

              days the Church granted the remission of as much of the

              temporal punishment as the early Christians would have

              received for doing forty days' public penance.  Just how

              much of the temporal punishment God blotted out for

              forty days' public penance we do not know; but whatever

              it was, God blotted out just the same for one who gained

              an indulgence of forty days by saying a little prayer to

              which the indulgence was attached.  But why, you may

              wonder, did the early Christians do such penances?

              Because in those days their faith was stronger than ours,

              and they understood better than we do the malice of sin

              and the punishment it deserves.  Later the Christians grew

              more careless about their religion and the service of God.

              The Church, therefore, wishing to save its children, made

              it easier for them to do penance.  If it had continued to

              impose the public penances, many would not have

              performed them, and thus would have lost their souls.

 

 

                   Lesson 22:  ON THE HOLY EUCHARIST

 

Question 238: What is the Holy Eucharist?

Question 239: When did Christ institute the Holy Eucharist?

Question 240: Who were present when Our Lord instituted the Holy

              Eucharist?

Question 241: How did Our Lord institute the Holy Eucharist?

Question 242: What happened when Our Lord said, "This is My body,

              this is My blood"?

Question 243: Is Jesus Christ whole and entire both under the form of

              bread and under the form of wine?

Question 244: Did anything remain of the bread and wine after their

              substance had been changed into the substance of the

              body and blood of Our Lord?

Question 245: What do you mean by the appearances of bread and

              wine?

Question 246: What is this change of the bread and wine into the body

              and blood of Our Lord called?

Question 247: How was the substance of the bread and wine changed

              into the substance of the body and blood of Christ?

Question 248: Does this change of bread and wine into the body and

              blood of Christ continue to be made in the Church?

Question 249: When did Christ give His priests the power to change

              bread and wine into His body and blood?

Question 250: How do the priests exercise this power of changing bread

              and wine into the body and blood of Christ?

 

Question 238: What is the Holy Eucharist?

 

Answer:       The Holy Eucharist is the Sacrament which contains the

              body and blood, soul and divinity of Our Lord Jesus

              Christ under the appearances of bread and wine.

 

Explanation:  When we say "contains," we mean the Sacrament which

              is the body and blood, etc.  The Holy Eucharist is the

              same living body of Our Lord which He had upon earth;

              but it is in a new form, under the appearances of bread

              and wine.  Therefore Our Lord in the tabernacle can see

              and hear us.

 

Question 239: When did Christ institute the Holy Eucharist?

 

Answer:       Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper,

              the night before He died.

 

Explanation:  "Last Supper," on Holy Thursday night. (See Explanation

              of the Passion, Lesson 8, Question 78.)

 

Question 240: Who were present when Our Lord instituted the Holy

              Eucharist?

 

Answer:       When Our Lord instituted the Holy Eucharist the twelve

              Apostles were present.

 

Question 241: How did Our Lord institute the Holy Eucharist?

 

Answer:       Our Lord instituted the Holy Eucharist by taking bread,

              blessing, breaking, and giving to His Apostles, saying:

              "Take ye and eat.  This is My body"; and then by taking

              the cup of wine, blessing and giving it, saying to them:

              "Drink ye all of this.  This is My blood which shall be

              shed for the remission of sins.  Do this for a

              commemoration of Me."

 

Explanation:  "Eucharist" means thanks.  Hence this Sacrament is called

              Eucharist, because Our Lord gave thanks before changing

              the bread and wine into His body and blood, and because

              the offering of it to God is the most solemn act of

              thanksgiving.  "Do this"--that is, the same thing I am

              doing, namely, changing bread and wine into My body

              and blood. "Commemoration"--that is, to remind you of

              Me, that you may continue to do the same till the end of

              time.

 

Question 242: What happened when Our Lord said, "This is My body,

              this is My blood"?

 

Answer:       When Our Lord said, "This is My body," the substance

              of the bread was changed into the substance of His body.

              When He said, "This is My blood," the substance of the

              wine was changed into the substance of His blood.

 

Explanation:  "Substance" literally means that which stands underneath.

              Underneath what?  Underneath the outward appearances

              or qualities-such as color, taste, figure, smell, etc.-that

              are perceptible to our senses.  Therefore we never see the

              substance of anything.  Of this seat, for instance, I see

              the color, size, and shape; I feel the hardness, etc.; but I

              do not see the substance, namely, the wood of which it is

              made.  When the substance of anything is changed, the

              outward appearances change with it.  But not so in the

              Holy Eucharist; for by a miracle the appearances of bread

              and wine remain the same after the substance has been

              changed as they were before.  As the substance alone is

              changed in the Holy Eucharist, and as I cannot see the

              substance, I cannot see the change.  I am absolutely

              certain, however, that the change takes place, because

              Our Lord said so; and I believe Him, because- He could

              not deceive me.  He is God, and God could not tell a lie,

              because He is infinite truth.  This change is a great

              miracle, and that is the reason we cannot understand it,

              though we believe it. Once at a marriage in Cana of

              Galilee (John 2) Our Lord changed water into wine.  The

              people were poor, and Our Lord, His Blessed Mother,

              and the Apostles were present at the wedding when the

              wine ran short; and our Blessed Lady, always so kind to

              everyone, wishing to spare these poor people from being

              shamed before their friends, asked Our Lord to perform

              the miracle, and at her request He did so, and changed

              many vessels of water into the best of wine.  In that

              miracle Our Lord changed the substance of the water into

              the substance of the wine.  Why, then, could He not

              change in the same way and by the same power the

              substance of bread and wine into the substance of His

              own body and blood? When He changed the water into

              wine, besides changing the substance, He changed

              everything else about it; so that it had no longer the

              appearance of water, but everyone could see that it was

              wine.  But in changing the bread and wine into His body

              and blood He changes only the substance, and leaves

              everything else unchanged so that it still looks and tastes

              like bread and wine; even after the change has taken

              place and you could not tell by looking at it that it was

              changed.  You know it only from your faith in the words

              of our divine Lord, when He tells you it is changed.

 

Explanation:  Again, it is much easier to change one thing into another

              than to make it entirely out of nothing.  Anyone who can

              create out of nothing can surely change one thing into

              another.  Now Our Lord, being God, created the world

              out of nothing; and He could therefore easily change the

              substance of bread into the substance of flesh.  I have

              said Our Lord's body in the Holy Eucharist is a living

              body, and every living body contains blood; and that is

              why we receive both the body and the blood of Our Lord

              under the appearance of the bread alone.  The priest

              receives the body and blood of Our Lord under the

              appearance of both bread and wine, while the people

              receive it only under the appearance of bread.  The early

              Christians used to receive it as the priest does under the

              appearance of bread and under the appearance of wine;

              but the Church had to make a change on account of

              circumstances.  First, all the people had to drink from the

              same chalice or cup, and some would not like that, and

              show disrespect for the Blessed Sacrament by refusing it.

              Then there was great danger of spilling the precious

              blood, passing it from one to another; and finally, some

              said that Christ's blood was not in His body under the

              appearance of bread. This was false; and to show that it

              was false, and for the other reasons, the Church after that

              gave Holy Communion to the people under the

              appearance of bread alone.  The Church always believes

              and teaches the same truths.  It always believed that the

              Holy Eucharist under the appearance of bread contained

              also Our Lord's blood; but it taught it more clearly when

              it was denied.

 

Question 243: Is Jesus Christ whole and entire both under the form of

              bread and under the form of wine?

 

Answer:       Jesus Christ is whole and entire both under the form of

              bread and under the form of wine.

 

Question 244: Did anything remain of the bread and wine after their

              substance had been changed into the substance of the

              body and blood of Our Lord?

 

Answer:       After the substance of the bread and wine had been

              changed into the substance of the body and blood of Our

              Lord there remained only the appearances of bread and

              wine.

 

Question 245: What do you mean by the appearances of bread and

              wine?

 

Answer:       By the appearances of bread and wine I mean the figure,

              the color, the taste, and whatever appears to the senses.

 

Explanation:  "Senses"--that is, eyes, ears, etc.  Thus we have the sense

              of seeing, the sense of hearing, the sense of tasting, the

              sense of smelling, the sense of feeling.

 

Explanation:  The Holy Eucharist is the body of Our Lord just as long

              as the appearances of bread and wine remain, and when

              they go away Our Lord's body goes also. For example,

              if a church, tabernacle and all, was buried by a great

              earthquake, and after many years the people succeeded in

              getting at the tabernacle and opening it, and then found in

              the ciborium--that is, the vessel in which the Blessed

              Sacrament is kept in the tabernacle--only black dust, Our

              Lord would not be there, although He was there when the

              church was buried.  He would not be there, because there

              was no longer the appearance of bread there:  it had all

              been changed into ashes by time, and Our Lord left it

              when the change took place.  But if the appearance of

              bread had remained unchanged, He would be there even

              after so many years.

 

Explanation:  When we receive Holy Communion, the appearance of

              bread remains for about fifteen or twenty minutes after

              we receive, and then it changes or disappears. Therefore

              during these fifteen or twenty minutes that the appearance

              remains Our Lord Himself is really with us; and for that

              reason we should remain about twenty minutes after Mass

              on the day we receive, making a thanksgiving, speaking

              to Our Lord, and listening to Him speaking to our

              conscience.  What disrespect some people show Our Lord

              by rushing out of the church immediately after Mass and

              Holy Communion, sometimes beginning to talk or look

              around before making any thanksgiving!  When you

              receive Holy Communion, after returning to your seat

              you need not immediately begin to read your prayerbook,

              but may bow your head and speak to Our Lord while He

              is present with you. After the appearances of bread

              vanish, Our Lord's bodily presence goes also, but He

              remains with us by His grace as long as we do not fall

              into mortal sin.

 

Question 246: What is this change of the bread and wine into the body

              and blood of Our Lord called?

 

Answer:       This change of the bread and wine into the body and

              blood of Our Lord is called Transubstantiation.

 

Explanation:  "Transubstantiation" that is, the changing of one

              substance into another substance; for example, the

              changing of the wood in a seat into stone.

 

Question 247: How was the substance of the bread and wine changed

              into the substance of the body and blood of Christ?

 

Answer:       The substance of the bread and wine was changed into

              the substance of the body and blood of Christ by His

              almighty power.

 

Question 248: Does this change of bread and wine into the body and

              blood of Christ continue to be made in the Church?

 

Answer:       This change of bread and wine into the body and blood

              of Christ continues to be made in the Church by Jesus

              Christ through the ministry of His priests.

 

Question 249: When did Christ give His priests the power to change

              bread and wine into His body and blood?

 

Answer:       Christ gave His priests the power to change bread and

              wine into His body and blood when He said to His

              Apostles, "Do this in commemoration of Me."

 

Question 250: How do the priests exercise this power of changing bread

              and wine into the body and blood of Christ?

 

Answer:       The priests exercise this power of changing bread and

              wine into the body and blood of Christ through the words

              of consecration in the Mass, which are the words of

              Christ:  "This is My body; this is My blood."

 

Explanation:  "Consecration:' At what part of the Mass are the words

              of consecration pronounced?  Just before the Elevation;

              that is, just before the priest holds up the Host and the

              chalice. while the altar boy rings the bell.

 

Explanation:  When the priest is going to say Mass he prepares

              everything necessary in the sacristy-the place or room

              near the altar where the sacred vessels and vestments are

              kept, and where the priest vests.  He takes the

              chalice-that is, the long silver or gold goblet-out of its

              case; then he covers it with a long, narrow, white linen

              cloth called a purificator.  Over this he places a small

              silver or gold plate called the paten, on which he places

              a host-that is, a thin piece of white bread prepared for

              Mass, perfectly round, and about the size of the bottom

              of a small drinking glass.  He then covers this host with

              a white card, called a pall, after which he covers the

              chalice and all with a square cloth or veil that matches the

              vestments.  Then he puts on his own vestments as

              follows:  Over his shoulders the amice, a square, white

              cloth. Next the alb, a long white garment reaching down

              to his feet.  He draws it about his waist with the cincture,

              or white cord.  He places on his left arm the maniple, a

              short, narrow vestment.  Around his neck he places the

              stole, a long, narrow vestment with a cross on each end.

              Over all he places the chasuble, or large vestment with

              the cross on the back.  Lastly, he puts on his cap or

              biretta.  Before going further I must say something about

              the color and signification of the vestments.  There are

              five colors used, namely, white, red, green, violet, and

              black.  White signifies innocence, and is used on the

              feasts of Our Lord, of the Blessed Virgin, and of some

              saints.  Red signifies love, and is used on the feasts of the

              Holy Ghost and of the martyrs.  Green signifies hope,

              and is used on Sundays from the Epiphany to Pentecost,

              unless some feast requiring another color falls on Sunday.

              Violet signifies penance, and is used in Advent and Lent.

              Black signifies sorrow, and is used on Good Friday and

              in Masses for the dead.  As regards the vestments

              themselves:  the amice signifies preparation to resist the

              attacks of the devil; the alb is the symbol of innocence;

              the cincture of charity; the maniple of penance; the stole

              of immortality; and the chasuble of love, by which we are

              enabled to bear the light burden Our Lord is pleased to

              lay upon us.

 

Explanation:  Vested as described, when the candles have been lighted

              on the altar, the priest takes the covered chalice in his

              hand and goes to the altar, where, after arranging

              everything, he begins Mass.  After saying many prayers,

              he uncovers the chalice, and the acolyte or altar boy

              brings up wine and water, and the priest puts some into

              the chalice.  Then he says a prayer, and offers to God the

              bread and wine to be consecrated.  This is called the

              offertory of the Mass, and takes place after the boy

              presents the wine and water. Immediately after the

              Sanctus the priest begins what is called the Canon of the

              Mass, and soon after comes to the time of consecration,

              and has before him on the paten the white bread, or host,

              and in the chalice wine.  Remember, it is only bread and

              wine as yet.  After saying some prayers the priest bends

              down over the altar and pronounces the words of

              consecration, namely, "This is My body," over the bread;

              and "This is My blood" over the wine.  Then there is no

              longer the bread the priest brought out and the wine the

              boy gave, upon the altar, but instead of both the body

              and blood of Our Lord.  After the words of consecration,

              the priest genuflects or kneels before the altar to adore

              Our Lord, who just came there at the words of

              consecration; he next holds up the body of Our Lord-the

              Host-for the people also to see and adore it; he then

              replaces it on the altar and again genuflects.  He does just

              the same with the chalice.  This is called the Elevation.

              The altar boy then rings the bell to call the people's

              attention to it, for it is the most solemn part of the Mass.

              After more prayers the priest takes and consumes, that is,

              swallows, the sacred Host and drinks the precious blood

              from the chalice.  Then the people come up to the altar to

              receive Holy Communion.  But where does the priest get

              Holy Communion for them if he himself took all he

              consecrated?  He opens the tabernacle, and there, in a

              large, beautiful vessel he has small Hosts.  He

              consecrates a large number of these small hosts

              sometimes while he is consecrating the larger one for

              himself.  When they are consecrated, he places them in

              the tabernacle, where they are kept with the sanctuary

              lamp burning before them, till at the different Masses

              they have all been given out to the people.  Then he

              consecrates others at the next Mass, and does as before.

              The size of the Host does not make the slightest

              difference, as Our Lord is present whole and entire in the

              smallest particle of the Host.  A little piece that you could

              scarcely see would be the body of Our Lord.  However,

              the particle that is given to the people is about the size of

              a twenty-five cent piece, so that they can swallow it

              before it melts.  In receiving Holy Communion you must

              never let it entirely dissolve in your mouth, for if you do

              not swallow it you will not receive Holy Communion at

              all.

 

Explanation:  Here I might tell you what Benediction of the Blessed

              Sacrament is.  The priest sometimes consecrates at the

              Mass two large hosts, one he consumes himself, as I have

              told you, and the other he places in the tabernacle in a

              little gold case.  When it is time for Benediction, he

              places this little case--made of glass and gold, about the

              size of a watch--in the gold or silver monstrance which

              you see on the altar at Benediction.  It is made to

              represent rays of light coming from the Blessed

              Sacrament.  After the choir sings, the priest says the

              prayer and goes up and blesses the people with the

              Blessed Sacrament; that is, when he holds up the

              monstrance over the people Our Lord Himself blesses

              them.  Should we not be very anxious, therefore, to go to

              Benediction? If the bishop came to the church, we would

              all be anxious to receive his blessing; and if our Holy

              Father the Pope came, everybody would rush to the

              church.  But what are they compared to Our Lord

              Himself?  And yet when He comes to give His blessing,

              many seem to care little about it.  Because Our Lord in

              His goodness is pleased to give us His blessing often, we

              are indifferent about it.  The holy teachers and fathers of

              the Church tell us that if we could see the sanctuary at

              Mass and Benediction as it really is, we would see it

              filled with angels all bowed down, adoring Our Lord.

              These good angels must be very much displeased at those

              who are so indifferent at Mass or Benediction as not to

              pay any attention; and above all, at those who stay away.

              The large silk cloak the priest wears at Benediction is

              called the cope, and the long scarf that is placed over his

              shoulders the humeral, or Benediction veil.  At the words

              of consecration, you must know, the priest does not say

              "This is Christ's body," but "This is My body"; for at the

              altar the priest is there in the place of Our Lord Himself.

              It is Our Lord who offers up the sacrifice, and the priest

              is His instrument.  That is why the priest wears vestments

              while saying Mass or performing his sacred duties, to

              remind him that he is, as it were, another person; that he

              is not acting in his own name or right, but in the name

              and place of our Blessed Lord.

 

Explanation:  I have given you in a general way a description of the

              Mass:  let me now mention its particular parts by their

              proper names, and tell you what they are.  At the foot of

              the altar the priest says the Confiteor, a psalm, and other

              prayers as a preparation.  Then he ascends the altar

              steps-praying as he goes and says the Introit, which is

              some portion of the Holy Scripture suitable to the feast of

              the day.  He next says the Kyrie Eleison, which means:

              Lord, have mercy on us.  He then says the Gloria, or

              hymn of praise, though not in all Masses.  After the

              Gloria he says the Collect, which is a collection of

              prayers in which the priest prays for the needs of the

              Church and of its children.  This is followed by the

              Epistle, which is a part of the Holy Scripture.  Then the

              Mass-book is removed to the other side of the altar, and

              the priest reads the Gospel--that is, some portion of the

              Gospel written by the evangelists.  After the Gospel the

              priest, except in some Masses, says the Creed, which is

              a profession of his faith in the mysteries of our religion.

              After this the priest uncovers the chalice, and offers up

              the bread and wine which is to be consecrated.  This is

              called the Offertory of the Mass.  The offertory is

              followed by the Lavabo, or washing of the priest's hands:

              first, that the priest's hands may be purified to touch the

              Sacred Host; and, second, to signify the purity of soul he

              must have to offer the Holy Sacrifice.  After saying some

              prayers in secret he says the Preface, which is a solemn

              hymn of praise and thanksgiving. The Preface ends with

              the Sanctus.  The Sanctus is followed by the Canon of the

              Mass.  Canon means a rule; so this part of the Mass is

              called the Canon, because it never changes.  The Epistle,

              Gospel, prayers, etc., are different on the different feasts,

              but the Canon of the Mass is always the same.  The

              Canon is the part of the Mass from the Sanctus down to

              the time the priest again covers the chalice.  After the

              Canon the priest says the Post-Communion, or prayer

              after Communion; then he gives the blessing and goes to

              the other side of the altar, and ends Mass by saying the

              last Gospel.

 

Explanation:  During the Mass the priest frequently makes the Sign of

              the Cross, genuflects or bends the knee before the altar,

              strikes his breast, etc.  What do all these ceremonies

              mean?  By the cross the priest is reminded of the death of

              Our Lord; he genuflects as an act of humility, and he

              strikes his breast to show his own unworthiness.  You

              will understand all the ceremonies of the altar if you

              remember that Our Lord-the King of kings-is present on

              it, and the priest acts in His presence as the servants in a

              king's palace would act when approaching their king or

              in his presence, showing their respect by bowing,

              kneeling, etc. You will see this more clearly if you watch

              the movements of the priest at the altar while the Blessed

              Sacrament is exposed.

 

 

                                Lesson 23:

            ON THE END FOR WHICH THE HOLY EUCHARIST WAS INSTITUTED

 

Question 251: Why did Christ institute the Holy Eucharist?

Question 252: How are we united to Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist?

Question 253: What is Holy Communion?

Question 254: What is necessary to make a good Communion?

Question 255: Does he who receives Communion in mortal sin receive

              the body and blood of Christ?

Question 256: Is it enough to be free from mortal sin, to receive

              plentifully the graces of Holy Communion?

Question 257: What is the fast necessary for Holy Communion?

Question 258: Is anyone ever allowed to receive Holy Communion when

              not fasting?

Question 259: When are we bound to receive Holy Communion?  A.

              We are bound to receive Holy Communion, under pain of

              mortal sin, during the Easter time and when in danger of

              death.

Question 260: Is it well to receive Holy Communion often?

Question 261: What should we do after Holy Communion?

 

 

Question 251: Why did Christ institute the Holy Eucharist?

 

Answer:       Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist:

 

Explanation:  To unite us to Himself and to nourish our souls with His

              divine life. To increase sanctifying grace and all the

              virtues in our souls. To lessen our evil inclinations. To be

              a pledge of everlasting life. To fit our bodies for a

              glorious resurrection. To continue the sacrifice of the

              Cross in His Church.

 

Explanation:  "To nourish." The Holy Eucharist does to our souls what

              natural food does to our bodies.  It strengthens them and

              makes up for the losses we have sustained by sin, etc.

              "A pledge," because it does not seem probable that a

              person who all during life had been fed and nourished

              with the sacred body of Our Lord should after death be

              buried in Hell.  "To fit our bodies," because Our Lord

              has promised that if we eat His flesh and drink His blood,

              that is, receive the Holy Eucharist, He will raise us up on

              the last day, or Day of Judgment. (John 6:55).

 

Question 252: How are we united to Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist?

 

Answer:       We are united to Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist by

              means of Holy Communion.

 

Question 253: What is Holy Communion?

 

Answer:       Holy Communion is the receiving of the body and blood

              of Christ.

 

Explanation:  Holy Communion is therefore the receiving of the

              Sacrament of Holy Eucharist.

 

Question 254: What is necessary to make a good Communion?

 

Answer:       To make a good Communion it is necessary to be in a

              state of sanctifying grace, to be fasting for one hour, and

              to have a right intention.

 

Explanation:  "Fasting"--that is, not having taken any food or drink for

              one hour before the time of Communion. (Water and true

              medicine do not break the fast and may be taken at any

              time.) What, then, are you to do, if, without thinking,

              you break your fast?  Do not go to Communion at that

              Mass; you can remain in church and receive Communion

              at the following Mass.  Never, never, on any account, go

              to Holy Communion when you have broken your fast.

              Never let fear or shame or anything else make you do

              such a thing.  It is no shame to break your fast by

              mistake; but it is a great sin to knowingly go to

              Communion after breaking your fast.

 

Explanation:  "A right intention"--holy and spiritual motive, such as, to

              obey Our Lord's command, to receive strength to resist

              temptation, or to be united with Our Lord.

 

Question 255: Does he who receives Communion in mortal sin receive

              the body and blood of Christ?

 

Answer:       He who receives Communion in mortal sin receives the

              body and blood of Christ, but does not receive His grace,

              and he commits a great sacrilege.

 

Explanation:  "The body and blood," because the appearance of bread

              and wine is there after consecration, and he receives it.

              He who receives the Holy Eucharist in mortal sin receives

              Our Lord into a filthy soul.  If a great and

              highly-esteemed friend was coming to visit your house,

              would you not take care to have everything clean and

              neat, and pleasing to him?  And the greater the dignity of

              the person coming, the more careful you would be.  But

              what are all the persons of dignity in the world-kings or

              popes-compared with Our Lord, who leaves the beauties

              of Heaven to come to visit our soul? and the purest we

              can make it is not pure enough for Him.  But He is kind

              to us, and is satisfied with our poor preparation if He sees

              we are doing our very best.  But oh, what a shame to

              receive Him into our soul without any preparation! and

              more horrible still, to fill it with vile sins, that we know

              are most disgusting to Him!  No wonder, therefore, that

              receiving Holy Communion unworthily is so great a

              crime, and so deserving of God's punishment.  Why

              should not the heavenly Father punish us for treating His

              beloved Son with such shameful disrespect and contempt?

 

Question 256: Is it enough to be free from mortal sin, to receive

              plentifully the graces of Holy Communion?

 

Answer:       To receive plentifully the graces of Holy Communion it

              is not enough to be free from mortal sin, but we should

              be free from all affection to venial sin, and should make

              acts of lively faith, of firm hope and ardent love.

 

Question 257: What is the fast necessary for Holy Communion?

 

Answer:       The fast necessary for Holy Communion is the abstaining

              for one hour from everything which is taken as food or

              drink.

 

Explanation:  "Food or drink." If you swallowed a button, for example,

              it would not break your fast, because it is not food or

              drink.

 

Question 258: Is anyone ever allowed to receive Holy Communion when

              not fasting?

 

Answer:       Anyone in danger of death is allowed to receive

              Communion when not fasting.

 

Explanation:  "Not fasting." But then the Holy Communion is called by

              another name; it is called the Viaticum, and the priest

              uses a different prayer in giving it to the sick person.

              When a person dies, he goes, as it were, on a journey

              from this world to the next.  Now, when persons are

              going on a journey they must have food to strengthen

              them.  Our Lord wished, therefore, that all His children

              who had to go on this most important of all

              journeys--from this world to the next--should be first

              strengthened by this sacred food, His own body and

              blood.  The Latin word for road or way is via, and

              Viaticum therefore means food for the way.  Not only are

              persons in danger of death allowed to receive when not

              fasting, but they are obliged to receive; and the priest is

              obliged under pain of sin to bring Holy Communion to

              the dying at any hour of the day or night.

 

Explanation:  When I speak of a great journey from this world to the

              next, from earth to Heaven, you must not understand me

              to mean that it is a great many miles from earth to

              Heaven, or that it takes a long time to go to the next

              world.  No.

 

Explanation:  We cannot measure the distance, nor does it take time to

              get there. The instant we die, no matter where that

              happens, our soul is in the next world, and judged by

              God.

 

Question 259: When are we bound to receive Holy Communion?  A.

              We are bound to receive Holy Communion, under pain of

              mortal sin, during the Easter time and when in danger of

              death.

 

Question 260: Is it well to receive Holy Communion often?

 

Answer:       It is well to receive Holy Communion often, as nothing

              is a greater aid to a holy life than often to receive the

              Author of all graces and the Source of all good.

 

Question 261: What should we do after Holy Communion?

 

Answer:       After Holy Communion we should spend some time in

              adoring Our Lord, in thanking Him for the graces we

              have received and in asking Him for the blessings we

              need.

 

 

                  Lesson 24:  ON THE SACRIFICE OF THE MASS

 

Question 262: When and where are the bread and wine changed into the

              body and blood of Christ?

Question 263: What is the Mass?

Question 264: What is a sacrifice?

Question 266: How is the Mass the same sacrifice as that of the Cross?

Question 267: What are the ends for which the sacrifice of the Cross

              was offered?

Question 268: Is there any difference between the sacrifice of the Cross

              and the sacrifice of the Mass?

Question 269: How should we assist at Mass?

Question 270: Which is the best manner of hearing Mass?

 

Question 262: When and where are the bread and wine changed into the

              body and blood of Christ?

 

Answer:       The bread and wine are changed into the body and blood

              of Christ at the consecration in the Mass.

 

Question 263: What is the Mass?

 

Answer:       The Mass is the unbloody sacrifice of the body and blood

              of Christ.

 

Explanation:  The Holy Sacrifice is called Mass probably from the

              words the priest says at the end when he turns to the

              people and says, "Ite Missa est"; that is, when he tells

              them the Holy Sacrifice is over.

 

Question 264: What is a sacrifice?

 

Answer:       A sacrifice is the offering of an object by a priest to God

              alone, and the consuming of it to acknowledge that He is

              the Creator and Lord of all things.

 

Explanation:  "Sacrifice" From the very earliest history of man we find

              people--for example, Abel, Noah, etc.--offering up

              sacrifice to God; that is, taking something and offering it

              to God, and then destroying it to show that they believed

              God to be the Master of life and death, and the Supreme

              Lord of all things.  These offerings were sometimes

              plants or fruits, but most frequently animals.

 

Explanation:  When men lost the knowledge of the true God and began

              to worship idols of wood and stone, they began or

              continued to offer sacrifice to these false gods. Very

              often, too, they sacrificed human beings to please, as they

              imagined, these gods.  They believed there was a god for

              everything--a god for the ocean, a god for thunder, a god

              for wind, for war, etc.; and when anything happened that

              frightened or injured the people, they believed that some

              of these gods were offended, and offered up sacrifice to

              pacify them.  They had a temple in Rome called the

              Pantheon, or temple of all the gods, and here they kept

              the idols of all the gods they could think of or know.  At

              Athens, they were afraid of neglecting any god whom

              they might thus give offense, and so they had an altar for

              the unknown god.  When St. Paul came to preach, he

              saw this altar to the unknown god, and told them that was

              the God he came to preach about. (Acts 17).  He

              preached to them the existence of the true God, and

              showed them that there is only one God and not many

              gods.

 

Explanation:  They did not have these idols of wood and stone in their

              temples for the same reason that we have images in our

              churches, because they believed that the idols were really

              gods, and offered sacrifice to them, whereas we know

              that our images are the works of men.  Near the city of

              Jerusalem there was a great idol named Molech, to which

              parents offered their infants in sacrifice.  We know, too,

              from the history of this country that the Indians used to

              send a beautiful young girl in a white canoe over the falls

              of Niagara every year, as a sacrifice offered to the god of

              the falls.  Even yet human sacrifices are offered up on

              savage islands.  Sometimes certain animals were selected

              to be heathen gods.  The people who worship idols,

              animals, or other things of that kind as gods are called

              pagans, idolaters, or heathens.

 

Explanation:  The Israelites, who worshipped the true God and offered

              Him sacrifices because He made known to them by

              revelation that they should do so, had four kinds of

              sacrifice.  They offered one for sin, another in

              thanksgiving for benefits received, another as an act of

              worship, and another to beg God's blessing.  It is just for

              these four ends or objects we offer up the one Christian

              sacrifice of the holy Mass.  In the beginning the head of

              the family offered sacrifice-as Noah did when he came

              out of the Ark--but after God gave His laws to Moses He

              appointed priests to offer up the sacrifices.  Aaron, the

              brother of Moses, was the first priest appointed, and after

              him his descendants were priests.  When Our Lord came

              and instituted a new sacrifice He established the

              priesthood of the New Law, and appointed His own

              priests, namely, the Apostles, with St. Peter as their

              chief, and after them their lawfully appointed successors.

              the bishops of the world, with the Pope as their chief The

              sacrifices of the Old Law were figures of the sacrifice of

              the New Law, and were to cease at its institution; and

              when the ancient sacrifices ceased the ancient priesthood

              was at an end.

 

Explanation:  But how is the Mass a sacrifice?  It is a sacrifice because

              at the Mass the body and blood of Our Lord are offered

              to His heavenly Father at the consecration, and afterwards

              consumed by the priest.  In offering up the body and

              blood of Our Lord the bread and wine are consecrated

              separately, and kept separate on the altar at Mass to

              signify their separation at Our Lord's death in the

              sacrifice of the Cross, when His sacred blood flowed

              from His body.  The Holy Eucharist is also a Sacrament,

              because it has the three things necessary to constitute a

              Sacrament; namely,

 

Explanation:  The outward sign--that is, the appearance of bread and

              wine. The inward grace; for it is Jesus Christ Himself,

              the Author and Dispenser of all graces. It was instituted

              by Our Lord.

 

Explanation:  The Holy Eucharist is therefore both a sacrifice and a

              Sacrament.  It is a sacrifice when offered at Mass, and a

              Sacrament when we receive it and when it is reserved in

              the tabernacle.

 

Question 265: How is the Mass the same sacrifice as that of the Cross?

 

Answer:       The Mass is the same sacrifice as that of the Cross

              because the offering and the priest are the same--Christ

              Our Blessed Lord:  and the ends for which the sacrifice

              of the Mass is offered are the same as those of the

              sacrifice of the Cross.

 

Explanation:  On the Cross the offering was the body and blood of Our

              Lord; the one who offered it was Our Lord; the reason

              for which He offered it was that He might atone for sin;

              the one to whom He offered it was His heavenly Father.

              Now, at Mass it is the same.  The object offered is Our

              Lord's body and blood, the one suffering is Our Lord

              Himself, through the priest; it is offered for sin, and it is

              offered to the heavenly Father.  All things are the same,

              except that the blood of Our Lord is not shed, and Our

              Lord does not die again.

 

Question 267: What are the ends for which the sacrifice of the Cross

              was offered?

 

Answer:       The ends for which the sacrifice of the Cross was offered

              were:  first, to honor and glorify God; second, to thank

              Him for all the graces bestowed on the whole world;

              third, to satisfy God's justice for the sins of men; fourth,

              to obtain all graces and blessings.

 

Question 268: Is there any difference between the sacrifice of the Cross

              and the sacrifice of the Mass?

 

Answer:       Yes; the manner in which the sacrifice is offered is

              different.  On the Cross Christ really shed His blood and

              was really slain; in the Mass there is no real shedding of

              blood nor real death, because Christ can die no more; but

              the sacrifice of the Mass, through the separate

              consecration of the bread and the wine, represents His

              death on the Cross.

 

Question 269: How should we assist at Mass?

 

Answer:       We should assist at Mass with great interior recollection

              and piety and with every outward mark of respect and

              devotion.

 

Explanation:  If you were admitted into the presence of a king or of the

              Holy Father you would be careful not to show any

              indifference or disrespect in his presence.  You would not

              be guilty of looking around or of talking idly to those

              near you.  Your eyes would be constantly fixed on the

              great person present.  So should you be at Mass, for

              there you are admitted into the presence of the King of

              kings, our divine Lord.  Your whole attention, therefore,

              should be reverently given to Him, and to no other.  How

              displeasing it must be to Him to have some in His

              presence who care so little for Him and who insult Him

              without thought or regard!  If we acted in the presence of

              any prince as we sometimes act in the presence of Our

              Lord on the altar, we should be turned out of his house,

              with orders not to come again.  But Our Lord suffers all

              patiently and meekly, though He will not allow any of

              this disrespect to go unpunished in this world or in the

              next.  Knowing this, some holy persons offer up their

              prayers and Holy Communions in reparation for these

              insults, and try to atone for all the insults offered to Our

              Lord in the Blessed Sacrament.  They have united in holy

              society for this purpose, called the Apostleship of Prayer,

              or League of the Sacred Heart, now established in many

              parishes.  If you do not belong to such a society, you

              should make such an offering yourself privately.

 

Explanation:  In the Old Law the people brought to the temple whatever

              they wished the priests to offer up for them-sometimes a

              lamb, sometimes a dove, sometimes fruit, etc.  The

              offering or sacrifice was theirs, and they offered it up by

              the hands of the priests.  In the early ages of the Church

              the Christians brought to the priests the bread and wine to

              be consecrated and offered up at Mass.  Now as the

              bread and wine used at the Mass must be of a particular

              kind, namely, wheaten bread and wine of the grape, there

              was some danger of the people not bringing the proper

              kind:  so instead of the people bringing these things

              themselves, the priests began to buy them, and the people

              gave him money for his own support; and thus you have

              the origin of offering money to the priest for celebrating

              Mass for your intention.  The money is not to pay for the

              Mass, because you could not buy any sacred thing

              without committing sin. The priest may use the money

              also for the candles burned, the vestments and sacred

              vessels, etc., used at the Mass.  To buy a holy thing for

              money is the sin of simony-so called after Simon, a

              magician, who tried to bribe the Apostles to give him

              Confirmation when he was unworthy of it.  To buy

              religious articles before they are blessed is not simony,

              nor even after they are blessed, if you pay only for the

              material of which they are made; but if you tried to buy

              the blessing, it would be simony.  When the Holy Mass

              is offered, the fruits or benefits of it are divided into four

              classes.  The first benefit comes to the priest who

              celebrates the Mass; the second, to the one for whom he

              offers the Mass; the third benefit to those who are present

              at it; and the fourth to all the faithful throughout the

              world.

 

Question 270: Which is the best manner of hearing Mass?

 

Answer:       The best manner of hearing Mass is to offer it to God

              with the priest for the same purpose for which it is said,

              to meditate on Christ's sufferings and death, and to go to

              Holy Communion.

 

Explanation:  That is, to offer it up for whatever intention the priest is

              offering it--for the dead, for the conversion of sinners, for

              the good of others, etc.; but especially for the four ends

 

Explanation:  of which I have already spoken-to worship God, thank

              Him, etc.  "Christ's death," of which it reminds us.

              "Holy Communion," if we are in a state of grace, and

              have prepared to receive Communion.

 

Explanation:  You should go to Holy Communion as often as possible,

              and you should try every day to make yourself more

              worthy of that great Sacrament.  Think of it!  To receive

              your God and Saviour into your soul, and to be united

              with Him, as the word communion means!  The early

              Christians used to go to Communion very frequently.

              The Church requires us to go to Holy Communion at

              least once a year, but we should not be satisfied with

              doing merely what is necessary to avoid mortal sin.  Do

              we try to keep away from persons we love?  Then if we

              really love Our Lord should we not desire to receive

              Him?  All good Catholics should go to Holy Communion

              at least once a week, on Sunday.  Persons wishing to lead

              truly holy lives should go to Communion more often, or

              even every day.

 

Explanation:  When we cannot go really to Communion we can merit

              God's grace by making a spiritual Communion.  What is

              a spiritual Communion?  It is an earnest desire to receive

              Communion.  You prepare yourself as if you were really

              going to Communion; you try to imagine yourself going

              up, receiving the Blessed Sacrament, and returning to

              your place.  Then you thank God for all His blessings to

              you as you would have done had you received.  This is

              an act of devotion, and one very pleasing to God, as

              many holy writers tell us.

 

Explanation:  I cannot leave this lesson on the Holy Eucharist without

              telling you something of the devotion to the Sacred Heart

              of Jesus, now so universally practiced and so closely

              connected with the devotion to the Blessed Sacrament.

              The Church grants many indulgences, and Our Lord

              Himself promises many rewards to those who honor the

              Sacred Heart.  But what do we mean by the Sacred

              Heart?  We mean the real natural heart of Our Lord, to

              which His divinity is united as it is to His whole body.

              But why do we adore this real, natural heart of Our Lord?

              We adore it because love is said to be in the heart, and

              we wish to return Our Lord love, and gratitude for the

              great love He has shown to us in dying for us, and in

              instituting the Sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist,

              by which He can remain with us in His sacred humanity.

              When Our Lord appeared to Saint Margaret Mary He

              said:  "Behold this Heart, that has loved men so ardently,

              and is so little loved in return." The first Friday of every

              month and the whole month of June are dedicated to the

              Sacred Heart.

 

 

               Lesson 25:  ON EXTREME UNCTION AND HOLY ORDERS

 

Question 271: What is the Sacrament of Extreme Unction?

Question 272: When should we receive Extreme Unction?

Question 273: Should we wait until we are in extreme danger before we

              receive Extreme Unction?

Question 274: Which are the effects of the Sacrament of Extreme

              Unction?

Question 275: What do you mean by the remains of sin?

Question 276: How should we receive the Sacrament of Extreme

              Unction?

Question 277: Who is the minister of the Sacrament of Extreme

              Unction?

Question 278: What is the Sacrament of Holy Orders?

Question 279: What is necessary to receive Holy Orders worthily?

Question 280: How should Christians look upon the priests of the

              Church?

Question 281: Who can confer the Sacrament of Holy Orders?

 

Explanation:  "Unction" means the anointing or rubbing with oil or

              ointment. "Extreme" means last.  Therefore Extreme

              Unction means the last anointing.  It is called the "last"

              because other unctions or anointings are received before

              it.  We are anointed at Baptism on three parts of the

              body-on the breast, the back, and the head.  We are

              anointed on the forehead at Confirmation; and when

              priests are ordained they are anointed on the hands. The

              last time we are anointed is just before death, and it is

              therefore very properly called the last anointing, or

              Extreme Unction.  But if the person should not die after

              being anointed would it still be called Extreme Unction?

              Yes; because at the time it was given it was thought to be

              the last.  It sometimes happens that persons receive

              Extreme Unction several times in their lives, because they

              could receive it every time they were in danger of death

              by sickness.  Suppose a person should die immediately

              after being anointed in Baptism or Confirmation, would

              the anointing in Baptism or Confirmation then become

              Extreme Unction?  No. Because Extreme Unction is in

              itself a separate and distinct Sacrament-a special anointing

              with prayers for the sick.  Oil is used in Extreme

              Unction-as in Confirmation-as a sign of strength; for as

              the priest applies the holy oil in the Sacrament, the grace

              of the Sacrament is taking effect upon the soul.  This

              Sacrament was instituted as much for the body as for the

              soul, as all the prayers said by the priest while

              administering it indicate.  It is given generally after a

              person has made his confession and received the

              Viaticum, and when his soul is already in a state of grace;

              showing that it is in a special way intended for the body.

              It must be given only in sickness; for although one might

              be in danger of death if the danger did not come from

              within, but from without, he could not be anointed.  A

              soldier in battle, persons being shipwrecked, firemen

              working at a great fire, etc., could not be anointed,

              although they are in very great danger of death; because

              the danger is not from within themselves, but from

              without.  If, however, these persons were so frightened

              that there was danger of their dying from the fright, they

              could then be anointed.

 

Question 271: What is the Sacrament of Extreme Unction?

 

Answer:       Extreme Unction is the Sacrament which, through the

              anointing and prayer of the priest, gives health and

              strength to the soul, and sometimes to the body, when we

              are in danger of death from sickness.

 

Explanation:  "Anointing." In this Sacrament the priest anoints all our

              senses-the eyes, the ears, the nose, the mouth, the hands,

              and the feet-and at the same time prays God to forgive

              the poor sick person all the sins he has committed by any

              of these.  The eyes, by looking at bad objects or pictures;

              the ears, by listening to bad conversation; the nose, by

              indulging too much in sensual pleasures; the mouth, by

              cursing, lying, bad conversation, backbiting, etc.; the

              hands, by stealing, fighting, or doing sinful things; the

              feet, by carrying us to do wrong or to bad places.  I told

              you already most of our sins are committed for our body,

              and the senses are the chief instruments.  "Strength to the

              body," if it is for our spiritual welfare.  If God foresees,

              as He foresees all things, that after our sickness we shall

              lead better lives and do penance for our sins, then He

              may be pleased to restore us to health, and give us an

              opportunity of making up for our past faults.  But if He

              foresees that after our sickness we would again lead bad

              lives, and fall perhaps into greater sins, then He will

              likely take us when we are prepared, and will not restore

              us again to health.  As He always knows and does what

              is best for His children, we must in sickness always be

              resigned to His holy will, and be satisfied with what He

              sees fit to do with us.

 

Question 272: When should we receive Extreme Unction?

 

Answer:       We should receive Extreme Unction when we are in

              danger of death from sickness, or from a wound or

              accident.

 

Question 273: Should we wait until we are in extreme danger before we

              receive Extreme Unction?

 

Answer:       We should not wait until we are in extreme danger before

              we receive Extreme Unction, but if possible we should

              receive it whilst we have the use of our senses.

 

Explanation:  We should always be glad to receive the grace of the

              Sacraments.  When, therefore, we are sufficiently ill to be

              anointed--when there is any danger of death--we should

              send for the priest at once.  If the sick person has any

              chance of recovering, the Sacrament will help him and

              hasten the recovery; but if the priest is sent for just when

              the person is in the last agony of death, the person could

              not recover except by a miracle, and God does not

              perform miracles for ordinary reasons.  If you are in

              doubt whether the person is sick enough to receive the

              last Sacraments, do not be the judge yourself, send for

              the priest and let him judge; and then all the responsibility

              is removed from you in case the person should die

              without the Sacraments.  Very often persons are near

              death, and their relatives do not know it.  The priest, like

              the doctor, has experience in these cases, and can judge

              of the danger.  Again, do not foolishly believe, as some

              seem to do, that if the priest comes to anoint the sick

              person it will frighten him by making him think he is

              going to die. It has never been known that the priest

              killed anyone by coming to see him; and if these same

              persons who are now sick receive the Sacraments in the

              church from the very same priest, why should they be

              afraid to receive them from him in their house?  And if

              they are so near death that a little fright would kill them,

              then they are surely sick enough to receive the

              Sacraments.  The sick person who is afraid that Extreme

              Unction will kill him or hasten his death shows that he

              has not the proper faith and confidence in God's grace.

              They who do not wish to receive Holy Communion or the

              Holy Viaticum in their houses do not want Our Lord to

              visit them.  How ungrateful they are!  When Our Lord

              was on earth the people carried the sick out into the

              streets to lay them near Him that He might cure them.

              Now, He does not require us to do that, but comes

              Himself to the sick in the most humble manner, and they

              refuse to receive Him. See how ungrateful, therefore, and

              how wanting in faith and devotion such persons are!  If

              the sick person is one who has been careless about his

              religion, and has for some time neglected to receive the

              Sacraments, do not wait for him to ask for the priest or

              for his consent to send for him.  Few persons ever

              believe they are so near death as they really are:  they are

              afraid to think of their past lives, and do not like to send

              for the priest, or at least they put off doing so, frequently

              till it is too late.  The devil tempts them to put off the

              reception of the Sacraments, in hopes that they may die

              without them, and be his forever.  In these cases speak to

              the sick man quietly and gently, and ask him if he would

              not like to have the priest come and say a few prayers for

              his recovery.  Do not say anything about the Sacraments

              if you are afraid he will refuse.  Simply bring the priest

              to the sick man, and he will attend to all the rest.  Even

              if the person should refuse-if he has been baptized in the

              Catholic religion-send for the priest and explain to him

              the circumstances and dispositions of the sick man.  It

              would be terrible to let such persons die without the

              Sacraments if there is any possibility of their receiving

              them.  Even when they refuse to see the priest it

              generally happens that after he has once visited them,

              talked to them, and explained the benefits of the

              Sacraments, they are better pleased than anyone else to

              see him coming again.

 

Explanation:  Sometimes it is God's goodness that sends sickness to

              such persons, to bring them back to His worship and the

              practice of their religion.  What does a good father

              generally do with an unruly child?  He advises and warns

              it, and when words have no effect, punishes it with the

              rod, not because he wishes to see it suffer, but for its

              good, that it may give up its evil habits and become an

              obedient, loving child.  In like manner God warns sinners

              by their conscience, by sermons they hear, by accidents

              or deaths around about them, etc.; and when none of

              these things have any effect on them, He sends them

              some affliction-He brings them to a bed of sickness.  He

              punishes them, as it were, with a rod. This He does, not

              that He may see them suffer, but for their good; that they

              may understand He is their Master, the only one who can

              give them health; that all the doctors and all the friends

              and money in the world could not save them if He

              determined that they should die.  Then they come to

              know that the world is not their friend; then they see

              things as they really are, and begin to think of the next

              world, of eternity, etc.  Thus they again turn to God and

              to the practices of religion.  Many persons who reform

              and begin to lead good lives in sickness would never have

              changed if God had left them always in good health.  But

              you must not think that all who are sick are so on account

              of sin. Sometimes very holy persons are in a state of

              sickness, and then it is sent them that they may bear it

              patiently, and have great merit before God for their

              sufferings, and thus become more holy.  Again, very

              small children who have never sinned are sick, and then

              it is perhaps that their parents may have merit for

              patiently taking care of them.  I say that God sometimes

              sends sickness to persons living in sin for the purpose of

              bringing them back to a better way of living, and in that

              case their sickness is for them a great mercy from God,

              who might have allowed them to continue in sin till His

              judgments and condemnation came suddenly upon them.

 

Question 274: Which are the effects of the Sacrament of Extreme

              Unction?

 

Answer:       The effects of Extreme Unction are:  first, to comfort us

              in the pains of sickness and to strengthen us against

              temptations; second, to remit venial sins and to cleanse

              our soul from the remains of sin; third, to restore us to

              health when God sees fit.

 

Question 275: What do you mean by the remains of sin?

 

Answer:       By the remains of sin I mean the inclination to evil and

              the weakness of the will, which are the result of our sins

              and which remain after our sins have been forgiven.

 

Explanation:  "Remains of sin" that is, chiefly the bad habits we have

              acquired by sin.  If a person does a thing very often, he

              soon begins to do it very easily, and it becomes, as we

              say, a habit.  So, too, a person who sins very much soon

              begins to sin easily.  This Sacrament therefore takes away

              the ease in sinning and the desire for past sins acquired

              by frequently committing them.

 

Question 276: How should we receive the Sacrament of Extreme

              Unction?

 

Answer:       We should receive the Sacrament of Extreme Unction in

              a state of grace and with lively faith and resignation to the

              will of God.

 

Question 277: Who is the minister of the Sacrament of Extreme

              Unction?

 

Answer:       The priest is the minister of the Sacrament of Extreme

              Unction.

 

Explanation:  The Sacraments that the priest administers in the house

              are the Sacraments for the sick; namely, Penance,

              Viaticum, or Holy Communion, and Extreme Unction.

              The other Sacraments may be administered there in

              special cases of necessity.  You should know what things

              are to be prepared when the priest comes to administer

              the Sacraments in your house.  They are as follows:  A

              small table covered with a clean white cloth, and on it a

              crucifix and one or two lighted candles in candlesticks;

              some holy water in a small vessel, with a sprinkler which

              you can make by tying together a few leaves or small

              pieces of palm; a glass of clean water, a tablespoon, and

              a napkin for the sick person to hold under the chin while

              receiving; also a piece of white cotton wadding, if the

              priest should ask for it.

 

Explanation:  Then you may have ready in another place near at hand

              some water, a towel, and a piece of bread or lemon for

              purifying the priest's fingers; but these things are not

              always necessary:  still, it would be better to have them

              ready in case the priest should require them, so as not to

              keep him waiting.  Every good Catholic family should

              have all these things put away carefully in the house. It

              would be well, though it is not necessary, to keep a

              special spoon, napkin, etc., for that purpose alone.

              Sometimes persons are taken ill very suddenly in the

              night, and when the priest comes they have none of the

              things they should have; and if their neighbors are as

              careless as themselves, they will not have them either:  so

              the priest is delayed in giving the Sacraments, or is

              obliged to administer them in a way that is always

              disrespectful to Our Lord.  If we would make such

              preparations for the coming of a friend to our house, why

              should we be so careless when Our Lord comes?  If a

              friend comes when we are not prepared to receive him,

              we feel very much ashamed, and make a thousand

              excuses for our want of thought.  Therefore provide the

              things necessary for the administration of these

              Sacraments in your house, and keep them though they

              may be seldom if ever required in your family.

 

Explanation:  When Our Lord comes to visit your house receive Him

              with all possible respect and reverence.  Some good

              Catholics have the very praiseworthy practice of meeting

              the priest at the door with a lighted candle when he

              carries the Blessed Sacrament, and of going before him to

              the sickroom.  This can be done where there is only one

              family living in the house, or at least in the apartment.

              All who can do this should do it, because it is in keeping

              with the wish of the Church.  In olden times, and even

              now in Catholic countries, the priest brings the Blessed

              Sacrament in procession to the sick.  He goes vested as

              for Benediction, accompanied by altar boys with lighted

              candles and bells. The people kneel by the way as Our

              Lord passes.  Our Lord is carried in procession always in

              the church and on the feast of Corpus Christi, on Holy

              Thursday, and during the Devotion of Forty Hours.  The

              Church would like to have this solemn procession in

              honor of Our Lord every time the Blessed Sacrament is

              brought from one place to another.  But this cannot

              always be done in the streets, because there are many

              persons not Catholics who would insult Our Lord while

              passing along; and in order to prevent this, the priest

              brings the Blessed Sacrament to the dying without any

              outward display.  But we should always remember the

              very great respect due to Our Lord, and do all we can to

              show it when possible.

 

Question 278: What is the Sacrament of Holy Orders?

 

Answer:       Holy Orders is a Sacrament by which bishops, priests,

              and other ministers of the Church are ordained and

              receive the power and grace to perform their sacred

              duties.

 

Explanation:  "Other ministers," means deacons and subdeacons,

              properly so-called. When a young man goes to study for

              the priesthood--after he has discovered that God has

              called him to that sacred office--he passes several years in

              learning what is necessary, and in fitting himself for his

              sacred duties.  After some time he receives what is called

              tonsure; that is, on the day of ordination the bishop cuts

              a little hair from five places on his head, to show that this

              young man is giving himself up to God.  The tonsure is

              a mark of the clerical state, and in Catholic countries it is

              made manifest by keeping a small circular spot on the

              crown of the head shaved perfectly clean.  It reminds the

              cleric or priest of having dedicated himself to God, and

              also of the crown of thorns worn by Our Blessed Saviour.

              For this reason some of the holy monks shaved all the

              hair from their head, with the exception of a little ring,

              which resembles very much a wreath or crown of hair

              encircling the head.  You often see them thus represented

              in holy pictures.

 

Explanation:  After the young student has received the tonsure and

              studied for a longer time, he receives the four Minor

              Orders, by which he is permitted to touch the sacred

              vessels of the altar, and do certain things about the

              church which laymen have not the right to do, especially

              to serve Mass.  After more preparation he becomes a

              subdeacon, and then he may wear vestments and assist

              the celebrant at Solemn Mass.  At a Solemn Mass there

              are three priests in vestments.  The priest standing on the

              platform of the  altar and celebrating Mass is called the

              celebrant; the one who stands just behind him, generally

              one step lower, is called the deacon, and the one who

              stands behind the deacon and on the lower step is called

              the subdeacon.  The one who directs the whole

              ceremony, and gives signs to the others when to stand, sit

              down. or kneel, is called the Master of Ceremonies.

 

Explanation:  When speaking of the Mass, I forgot to tell you

              something about the different kinds of Masses--that is,

              different as far as the ceremonies are concerned, for they

              are all alike in value.  First we have the Low Mass, such

              as the priest says every day and at the early hours on

              Sundays.  It is called low, because there is no display in

              ceremony about it.  Next we have the High Mass--called

              Missa Cantata (sung)--at which the priest and choir sing

              in turn.  Lastly, we have the Solemn High Mass, at which

              we have three ministers or priests, and singing by both

              ministers and choir, as well as all the ceremonies

              prescribed by the Church.  When any of these Masses are

              said in black vestments they are called Requiem Masses,

              because the priest offers them for the rest or happy repose

              of the soul of some dead person or persons, and the word

              requiem means rest.  Vespers is a portion of the Divine

              Office of the Church.  It is sung generally on Sunday

              afternoon or evening in the church, and is usually

              followed by Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.  It is

              not a mortal sin to stay from Vespers on Sundays, even

              willfully, because there is no law of the Church obliging

              you to attend.  Nevertheless all good Catholics will attend

              Vespers when possible.

 

Explanation:  To continue about the ministers of the Church:  When the

              subdeacon is ordained a deacon, he can wear still more of

              the priestly vestments, and also baptize solemnly, preach,

              and give Holy Communion.  After a time the deacon is

              ordained a priest, and receives power to celebrate Mass

              and forgive sins.  If afterwards the priest should be

              selected by the Holy Father to be a bishop, he is

              consecrated; and then he has power to administer

              Confirmation and Holy Orders, ordaining priests and

              consecrating bishops.  Thus you see there are grades

              through which the ministers of the Church must pass.

              First the tonsure, then Minor Orders, then subdeaconship,

              then deaconship, then priesthood.  Nuns, Sisters,

              Brothers, etc., are not, as some might think, ministers of

              the Church, because they have never received any of the

              Holy Orders.

 

Explanation:  The ordained ministers of the Church can perform the

              duties of any office for which they have ever been

              ordained, but not the duties of any office above that to

              which they have been ordained.  For example, a

              subdeacon cannot take the place of a deacon at Mass, nor

              a deacon the place of a priest; but a priest may take either

              of their places, because he has, at one time, been

              ordained to both these offices.

 

Explanation:  Altar boys should never forget that they are enjoying a

              very great privilege in being allowed to take the place of

              an ordained minister of the Church, and serve Mass

              without being ordained acolytes.

 

Explanation:  In olden times princes and noblemen used to seek for this

              wonderful favor, and count themselves happy if they

              secured it. Think of it!  To stand so near our Blessed

              Lord that they are able to see His sacred body resting

              upon the altar, and to offer the wine, which a few

              minutes later is changed into His very blood!

 

Question 279: What is necessary to receive Holy Orders worthily?

 

Answer:       To receive Holy Orders worthily it is necessary to be in

              the state of grace, to have the necessary knowledge, and

              a divine call to this sacred office.

 

Explanation:  "Knowledge"--that is, to be able to learn and to have

              learned all that a priest should know.

 

Explanation:  "Divine call," explained before in the explanation of

              vocation, a word that means call. (See Lesson 6, Question

              51.)

 

Question 280: How should Christians look upon the priests of the

              Church?

 

Answer:       Christians should look upon the priests of the Church as

              the messengers of God and the dispensers of His

              mysteries.

 

Explanation:  "Messengers." Our Lord said to His Apostles:  "As the

              Father sent Me, I also send you." That is, as the heavenly

              Father sent His Beloved Son, Our Lord, into the world to

              save men's souls, so Our Lord sends His Apostles and

              their successors through the world to save souls.  God

              told the priests of the Old Law that if they did not warn

              the people of coming dangers they would be held

              responsible for the people; but if they warned the people

              and the people did not heed, then the people would be

              responsible for their own destruction.  So, too, in the

              New Law the priests warn you against sin, and if you do

              not heed the warning the loss of your soul will be upon

              yourself.  Therefore you should take every warning

              coming from the ministers of God as you would from

              Himself, for it is really God that warns you against sin,

              and the priests are only His agents or instruments.

              "Dispensers"--that is, those who administer the

              Sacraments.

 

Question 281: Who can confer the Sacrament of Holy Orders?

 

Answer:       Bishops can confer the Sacrament of Holy Orders.

 

Explanation:  "Confer"--that is, give or administer.  So can a cardinal,

              if he be a bishop, and so can the Holy Father, who is

              always a bishop, and called bishop of Rome, while Pope

              of the whole Church.  It will be well here to give some

              explanation about cardinals-who they are, and what they

              do.  In the United States the President has about him ten

              prominent men selected by himself, and called his

              Cabinet.  They are his advisers; he consults them on all

              important matters, and assigns to them various duties.

              The Holy Father, who is also a ruler-a spiritual ruler-not

              of one country, but of the whole world, has also a

              Cabinet, but it is not called by that name:  it is called the

              Sacred College of Cardinals.  There are seventy

              cardinals, to whom the Pope assigns various works in

              helping him to govern the Church.  Some of these

              cardinals are in different parts of the world, as our own

              cardinals right here in America.  There are cardinals in

              England, France, Germany, Canada, Spain, etc., but a

              certain number always remain in Rome with the Holy

              Father.  When a bishop is made cardinal he is raised in

              dignity in the Church, but he does not receive any greater

              spiritual power than he had when only a bishop.  The

              cardinals, owing to their high dignity, have many

              privileges which bishops have not.  Their greatest

              privilege is to take part in the election of a new Pope

              when the reigning Pope dies.

 

Explanation:  The Pope dresses in white, the cardinals in red, the

              bishops in purple, and the priests and other ministers in

              black.  A "Monsignor" is also a title of dignity granted by

              our Holy Father to some worthy priests.  It gives them

              certain privileges, and the right to wear purple like a

              bishop.  The "Vicar General" is one who is appointed by

              the bishop in the diocese, and shares his power.  In the

              bishop's absence he acts as bishop in all temporal and

              worldly matters and also in some spiritual things,

              concerning the diocese.  A diocese is the extent of

              country over which a bishop is appointed to rule, as a

              parish is the extent over which a pastor is appointed to

              administer the Sacraments and rule under the direction of

              the bishop.  Pastors are also called rectors.  Pastor means

              a shepherd, and rector means a ruler; and as all pastors

              rule their flocks, pastor and rector mean about the same.

 

Explanation:  An archbishop is higher than a bishop, though he has no

              more spiritual power than a bishop.  The district over

              which an archbishop rules contains several dioceses with

              their bishops, and is called an ecclesiastical province.

              The bishops in the province are called suffragan bishops,

              because subject in some things to the authority of the

              archbishop, who is also called the metropolitan, because

              bishop of a metropolis or chief city of the province over

              which he presides.

 

Explanation:  The archbishop can wear the pallium, a garment worn by

              the Pope, and sent by him to patriarchs, primates, and

              archbishops.  It is a band of white wool, worn over the

              shoulders and around the neck after the manner of a

              stole.  It has two strings of the same material and four

              black or purple crosses worked upon it. It is the symbol

              of the plenitude of pastoral jurisdiction conferred by the

              Holy See.  Morally speaking, it reminds the wearer how

              the good shepherd seeks the lost sheep and brings it home

              upon his shoulders, and how the loving pastor of souls

              should seek those spiritually lost and bring them back to

              the Church, the true fold of Christ.

 

 

                         Lesson 26:  ON MATRIMONY

 

Question 282: What is the Sacrament of Matrimony?

Question 283: Can a Christian man and woman be united in lawful

              marriage in any other way than by the Sacrament of

              Matrimony?

Question 284: Can the bond of Christian marriage be dissolved by any

              human power?

Question 285: Which are the effects of the Sacrament of Matrimony?

Question 286: To receive the Sacrament of Matrimony worthily, is it

              necessary to be in the state of grace?

Question 287: Who has the right to make laws concerning the Sacrament

              of marriage?

Question 288: Does the Church forbid the marriage of Catholics with

              persons who have a different religion or no religion at

              all?

Question 289: Why does the Church forbid the marriage of Catholics

              with persons who have a different religion or no religion

              at all?

Question 290: Why do many marriages prove unhappy?

Question 291: How should Christians prepare for a holy and happy

              marriage?

 

Question 282: What is the Sacrament of Matrimony?

 

Answer:       The Sacrament of Matrimony is the Sacrament which

              unites a Christian man and woman in lawful marriage.

 

Explanation:  "Christian," because if they are not Christians they do not

              receive the grace of the Sacrament.

 

Question 283: Can a Christian man and woman be united in lawful

              marriage in any other way than by the Sacrament of

              Matrimony?

 

Answer:       A Christian man and woman cannot be united in lawful

              marriage in any other way than by the Sacrament of

              Matrimony, because Christ raised marriage to the dignity

              of a Sacrament.

 

Explanation:  "Lawful." Persons are lawfully married when they

              comply with all the laws of God and of the Church

              relating to marriage.  To marry unlawfully is a mortal

              sin, in which the persons must remain till the sin is

              forgiven. "Sacrament." Before the coming of Our Lord

              persons were married as they are now, and even lawfully

              according to the laws of the Old Testament or old

              religion; but marriage did not give them any grace.  Now

              it does give grace, because it is a Sacrament, and has

              been so since the time of Our Lord.  Before His coming

              it was only a contract, and when He added grace to the

              contract it became a Sacrament.

 

Question 284: Can the bond of Christian marriage be dissolved by any

              human power?

 

Answer:       The bond of Christian marriage cannot be dissolved by

              any human power.

 

Explanation:  "Dissolved"--that is, can married persons ever--for any

              cause--separate and marry again; that is, take another

              husband or wife while the first husband or wife is living?

              Never, if they were really married.  Sometimes, for good

              reason, the Church permits husband and wife to separate

              and live in different places; but they are still married.

              Sometimes it happens, too, that persons are not really

              married although they have gone through the ceremony

              and people think they are married, and they may think so

              themselves.  The Church, however, makes them separate,

              because it finds they are not really married at all-on

              account of some impeding circumstance that existed at the

              time they performed the ceremony.  These circumstances

              or facts that prevent the marriage from being valid are

              called "Impediments to Marriage:" Some of them render

              the marriage altogether null, and some only make it

              unlawful.  When persons make arrangements about

              getting married they should tell the priest every

              circumstance that they think might be an impediment.

              Here are the chief things they should tell the

              priest-privately, if possible.  Whether both are Christians

              and Catholics; whether either has ever been solemnly

              engaged to another person; whether they have ever made

              any vow to God with regard to chastity, the religious life,

              or the like; whether they are related and in what degree;

              whether either was ever married to any member of the

              other's family-say sister, brother, or cousin, etc.; whether

              either ever was a godparent in Baptism for the other or

              for any of the other's children; whether either was

              married before, and what proof can be given of the death

              of the first husband or wife; whether they really intend to

              get married; whether they are of lawful age; whether they

              are in good health or suffering from some sickness that

              might prevent their marriage, etc.  They should also state

              whether they live in the parish, and how long they have

              lived in it.  They should give at least three weeks' notice

              before their marriage, except in special cases of necessity.

              They should not presume to make final arrangements and

              invite friends before they have made arrangements with

              their pastor; because if there should be any delay on

              account of impediments it would cause them great

              inconvenience.  Let me take an example of a fact that

              would render the marriage invalid or null though the

              persons performing the ceremony might not be aware of

              it.  Suppose a woman's husband went to the war, and she

              heard after a great many years that he had been killed in

              battle, and she, believing her first husband to be dead,

              married another man.  But the report of the first

              husband's death turns out to be false, and after a time he

              returns.  Then the Church tells the woman and she knows

              it now herself-that the second marriage was invalid, that

              is, no marriage, because it was performed while the first

              husband was still living. She must leave the second man

              and go back to her husband.  You see in that case the

              Church was not dissolving or breaking the marriage

              bond, but only declaring that the woman and second man

              were not married from the very beginning, although they

              thought they were, being ignorant of the existing

              impediment, and the priest also being deceived performed

              the ceremony in the usual manner.  If it ever happens,

              therefore, that you hear of the Church permitting persons,

              already apparently married, to separate and marry others,

              it is only when it discovers that their first marriage was

              invalid, and by its action it does not dissolve the bond of

              marriage, but simply declares that the marriage was null

              and void from the beginning, as you now easily

              understand.  Thus persons might unwittingly marry with

              existing impediments that would render their marriage

              invalid or illicit.  Such things, however, happen very

              rarely, for the priest would discover the impediments in

              questioning the persons about to marry.

 

Explanation:  Protestants and persons outside the Catholic Church teach

              that the marriage bond can at times be dissolved, but such

              doctrines bring great evil upon society.  When the father

              and mother separate and marry again, the children of the

              first marriage are left to take care of themselves, or

              receive only such care as the law gives them.  They are

              left without Christian instruction and the good influence

              of home.  Then persons who are divorced once may be

              divorced a second or third time, and thus all society

              would be thrown into a state of confusion, and there

              would be scarcely any such thing as a family to be found.

              It is bad enough at present, on account of divorces

              granted by the laws and upheld by Protestants; and only

              for the influence and good public opinion created by the

              teaching and opposition of the Catholic Church, it would

              be much worse.  Again, if husbands and wives could

              separate for this or that fault, they would not be careful

              in making their choice of the person they wish to marry,

              nor would their motives be always holy and worthy of the

              Sacrament.

 

Question 285: Which are the effects of the Sacrament of Matrimony?

 

Answer:       The effects of the Sacrament of Matrimony are:  first, to

              sanctify the love of husband and wife; second, to give

              them grace to bear with each other's weaknesses; third,

              to enable them to bring up their children in the fear and

              love of God.

 

Explanation:  The union and love existing between a husband and wife

              should be like the union and love existing between Our

              Lord and His Church.  The grace of the Sacrament helps

              them to have such a love.  "Weaknesses" that is, their

              faults, bad dispositions, etc.  "Bring up their children."

              This is their most important duty, and parents receive

              grace to perform it, and woe be to them if they abuse that

              grace!  Children should remember that their parents have

              received this special grace from God to advise, direct,

              and warn them of sin; and if they refuse to obey their

              parents or despise their direction, they are despising

              God's grace.  Remember that nothing teaches us so well

              as experience. Now your parents, even if God gave them

              no special grace, have experience. They have been

              children as you are; they have been young persons as you

              are; they have received advice from their parents and

              teachers as you do.  If your parents are bad, it is because

              they have not heeded the advice given them.  If they are

              good, it is because they have heeded and followed it.

              The years of your youth quickly pass, and you will soon

              be thrown out into the world, among strangers to provide

              for yourselves, and will perhaps have no one to advise

              you.  If you neglect to learn while you have the

              opportunity you will be sorry for it in after life.  If you

              waste your time in school, you will leave it knowing very

              little, and an ignorant man can never take any good

              position in the world; he can seldom be his own master

              and independent; he must always toil for others as a

              servant.  God gives us our talents and opportunities that

              we may use them to the best of our ability, and He will

              hold us accountable for these.  It is good and

              praiseworthy to raise ourselves and others in the world if

              we do so by lawful and proper means.  You may have

              the opportunity of getting a good position, and will not be

              able to take it because you are not sufficiently educated.

              Many young men live to be sorry for wasting time in

              school, and try to make up for it by studying at night.

 

Explanation:  You cannot really make up for lost time.  Every moment

              God gives you He gives for some particular work, and

              He will require an account from you, at the last day, for

              the use you made of your time.  Besides, you can learn

              with greater ease while you are young.  But what shall I

              say of neglecting to learn your holy religion?  If you

              neglect your school lessons you will not be successful in

              the world as businessmen or professional men; but if you

              neglect your religious lessons, you will be miserable, not

              merely in this world, but in the next, and that for all

              eternity.  Again, will you not feel ashamed to say you are

              a Catholic when persons who are not Catholics ask you

              the meaning of something you believe or do, and you will

              not be able to answer?  When they tell falsehoods against

              your religion, you will not, on account of your ignorance,

              be able to refute them.  Almost the only time you have to

              learn the truths and practices of your holy religion is

              during the instructions at Sunday school or day school,

              and after a few years you will not have this advantage.

              When you grow up you may hear a sermon, and if you

              attend early Mass, only a short instruction, on Sundays;

              and if you do not know your Catechism, you will be less

              able to profit by the instructions given.  Therefore the

              time to learn is while you are young, have sufficient

              leisure, and good, willing teachers to explain whatever

              you do not understand.

 

Explanation:  When you attend Sunday school, bear in mind that your

              teachers have frequently to sacrifice their time or pleasure

              for your sake, and that you should not repay them for

              their kindness by acts of disobedience, disrespect, and

              stubbornness.  By spending your time in idleness, in

              giving annoyance to your teacher, and in distracting

              others who are willing to learn, you show a want of

              appreciation and gratitude for the blessings God has

              bestowed upon you, and please the devil exceedingly; and

              as God will hold you accountable for all His gifts, this

              one--the opportunity of learning your religion--will be no

              exception.

 

Question 286: To receive the Sacrament of Matrimony worthily, is it

              necessary to be in the state of grace?

 

Answer:       To receive the Sacrament of Matrimony worthily it is

              necessary to be in the state of grace, and it is necessary

              also to comply with the laws of the Church.

 

Explanation:  "The laws," laws concerning marriage.  Laws forbidding

              the solemnizing of marriage at certain times, namely,

              Advent and Lent; laws forbidding marriage with relatives,

              or with persons of a different religion or of no religion;

              laws with regard to age, etc.

 

Question 287: Who has the right to make laws concerning the Sacrament

              of marriage?

 

Answer:       The Church alone has the right to make laws concerning

              the Sacrament of marriage, though the State also has the

              right to make laws concerning the civil effects of the

              marriage contract.

 

Explanation:  "Civil effects,"--that is, laws with regard to the property

              of persons marrying, with regard to the inheritance of the

              children, with regard to the debts of husband and wife,

              etc.

 

Question 288: Does the Church forbid the marriage of Catholics with

              persons who have a different religion or no religion at

              all?

 

Answer:       The Church does forbid the marriage of Catholics with

              persons who have a different religion or no religion at all.

 

Question 289: Why does the Church forbid the marriage of Catholics

              with persons who have a different religion or no religion

              at all?

 

Answer:       The Church forbids the marriage of Catholics with

              persons who have a different religion or no religion at all

              because such marriages generally lead to indifference,

              loss of faith, and to the neglect of the religious education

              of the children.

 

Explanation:  We know that nothing has so bad an influence upon

              people as bad company. Now, when a Catholic marries

              one who is not a Catholic, he or she is continually

              associated with one who in most cases ignores the true

              religion, or speaks at least with levity of its devotions and

              practices.  The Catholic party may resist this evil

              influence for a time, but will, if not very steadfast in the

              faith, finally yield to it, and, tired of numerous disputes

              in defense of religious rights, will become more and more

              indifferent, gradually give up the practice of religion, and

              probably terminate with complete loss of faith or apostasy

              from the true religion.  We know that the children of Seth

              were good till they married the children of Cain, and then

              they also became wicked; for, remember, there is always

              more likelihood that the bad will pervert the good, than

              that the good will convert the bad.  Besides the disputes

              occasioned between husband and wife by the diversity of

              their religion, their families and relatives, being also of

              different religions, will seldom be at peace or on friendly

              terms with one another.  Then the children can scarcely

              be brought up in the true religion; for the father may wish

              them to attend one church, and the mother another, and

              to settle the dispute they will attend neither. Besides, if

              they have before them the evil example of a father or

              mother speaking disparagingly of the true religion, or

              perhaps ridiculing all religion, it is not likely they will be

              imbued with great respect and veneration for holy things.

              There is still another reason why Catholics should dread

              mixed marriages.  If the one who is not a Catholic loses

              regard for his or her obligations, becomes addicted to any

              vice, and is leading a bad life, the Catholic party has no

              means of reaching the root of the evil, no hope that the

              person may take the advice of the priest, or go to

              confession or do any of those things that could effect a

              change in the heart and life of a Catholic. For all these

              very good reasons and others besides, the Church

              opposes mixed marriages, as they are called when one of

              the persons is not a Catholic. Neither does the Church

              want persons to become converts simply for the sake of

              marrying a Catholic.  Such conversions would not be

              sincere, and would do no good, but rather make such

              converts hypocrites, and guilty of greater sin.

 

Question 290: Why do many marriages prove unhappy?

 

Answer:       Many marriages prove unhappy because they are entered

              into hastily and without worthy motives. .

 

Explanation:  "Hastily,"--without knowing the person well or

              considering their character or dispositions; without trying

              to discover whether they are sober, industrious, virtuous,

              and the like; whether they know and practice their

              religion, or whether, on the contrary, they are given to

              vices forbidden by good morals, and totally forgetful of

              their religious duties.  In a word, those wishing to marry

              should look for enduring qualities in their lifelong

              companions, and not for characteristics that please the

              fancy for the time being.  They should, besides, truly

              love each other.  Again, the persons should be nearly

              equals in education, social standing, etc., for it helps

              greatly to secure harmony between families and unity of

              thought and action between themselves.

 

Explanation:  "Worthy motives." The motives are worthy when persons

              marry to fulfill the end for which God instituted marriage.

              It would, for example, be an unworthy motive to marry

              solely for money, property, or other advantage, without

              any regard for the holiness and end of the Sacrament.

              There are many motives that may present themselves to

              the minds of persons wishing to marry, and they will

              know whether they are worthy or unworthy, good or bad,

              if by serious consideration they weigh them well and

              value them by their desire to please God and lead a good

              life.

 

Explanation:  Every person's motive in getting married or in entering

              into any new state of life should be that he may be able

              to serve God better in that state than in any other.

 

Question 291: How should Christians prepare for a holy and happy

              marriage?

 

Answer:       Christians should prepare for a holy and happy marriage

              by receiving the Sacraments of Penance and Holy

              Eucharist; by begging God to grant them a pure intention

              and to direct their choice; and by seeking the advice of

              their parents and the blessing of their pastors.

 

Explanation:  They should pray for a long time that they may make a

              good choice.  They would do well to read in the Holy

              Scripture, in the Book of Tobias (8), of the happy

              marriage of Tobias and Sara, and how they spent their

              time in prayer both before and after their marriage, and

              how God rewarded them.  Advice is very necessary, as

              marriage is to last for life, and is to make persons either

              happy or miserable.  They should ask advice from

              prudent persons, and should try to learn something of the

              former life of the one they wish to marry.  They should

              know something about the family, whether its members

              are respectable or not, etc.  It is an injustice to parents for

              sons or daughters to marry into families that may have

              been disgraced, or that may bring disgrace upon them.

              Sometimes, however, parents are unreasonable in this

              matter:  they are proud or vain, and want to suit

              themselves rather than their children.  Sometimes, too,

              they force marriage upon their children, or forbid it for

              purely worldly or selfish motives.

 

Explanation:  In such cases, and indeed in all cases, the best one to

              consult and ask advice from is your confessor.  He has

              only your spiritual interests at heart, and will set aside all

              worldly motives.  If your parents are unreasonable, he

              will be a just judge in the matter, and tell you how to act.

 

Explanation:  I have now explained all the Sacraments, but before

              finishing I must say a word about the Holy Oils.  We

              have seen that oil is used in the administration of some

              Sacraments.  There are three kinds of oil blessed by the

              bishop on Holy Thursday, namely, oil for anointing the

              sick, called "oil of the infirm"; oil to be used in Baptism

              and in the ordination of priests, called "oil of

              catechumens" (catechumens are those who are being

              instructed for Baptism); the third kind of oil is used also

              in Baptism, in Confirmation, and when the bishop blesses

              the sacred vessels, altars, etc.; it is called "holy chrism"

              Therefore the Sacraments in which oil is used are:

              Baptism, in which two kinds are used; Confirmation,

              Extreme Unction, and Holy Orders.

 

 

                       Lesson 27:  ON THE SACRAMENTALS

 

Question 292: What is a sacramental?

Question 293: What is the difference between the Sacraments and the

              sacramentals?

Question 294: Which is the chief sacramental used in the Church?

Question 295: How do we make the Sign of the Cross?

Question 296: Why do we make the Sign of the Cross?

Question 297: How is the Sign of the Cross a profession of faith in the

              chief mysteries of our religion?

Question 298: How does the Sign of the Cross express the mystery of

              the Unity and Trinity of God?

Question 299: How does the Sign of the Cross express the mystery of

              the Incarnation and death of Our Lord?

Question 300: What other sacramental is in very frequent use?

Question 301: What is, holy water?

Question 302: Are there any other sacramentals besides the Sign of the

              Cross and holy water?

 

Question 292: What is a sacramental?

 

Answer:       A sacramental is anything set apart or blessed by the

              Church to excite good thoughts and to increase devotion,

              and through these movements of the heart to remit venial

              sin.

 

Explanation:  It is not the sacramental itself that gives grace, but the

              devotion, the love of God, or sorrow for sin that it

              inspires.  For example, a person comes into the church

              and goes around the Stations of the Cross.  The stations

              are a sacramental. In looking at one station he sees Our

              Lord on trial before Pilate; in another he sees Him

              crowned with thorns; in another, scourged; in another,

              carrying His Cross; in another, crucified; in another,

              dead and laid in the tomb.  Before all these pictures he

              reflects on the sufferings of Our Saviour, and begins to

              hate sin, that caused them.  Then he thinks, of his own

              sins, and begins to be sorry for them.  This sorrow,

              caused by going around the stations, brings him grace

              that remits venial sins.  When we receive the Sacraments

              we always get the grace of the Sacraments when we are

              rightly disposed; but in using the sacramentals, the more

              devotion we have the more grace we receive.

 

Explanation:  "Increase devotion." If we knelt down before a plain

              white wall we could not pray with the devotion we would

              have kneeling before a crucifix.  We see the

              representation of the nails in the hands and feet, the blood

              on the side, the thorns on the head; and all these must

              make us think of Our Lord's terrible sufferings.  The

              picture of a friend hanging before us will often make us

              think of him when we would otherwise forget him.  So

              also will the pictures of Our Lord and of the saints keep

              them often in our minds.

 

Question 293: What is the difference between the Sacraments and the

              sacramentals?

 

Answer:       The difference between the Sacraments and the

              sacramentals is:  first, the Sacraments were instituted by

              Jesus Christ and the sacramentals were instituted by the

              Church; second, the Sacraments give grace of themselves

              when we place no obstacle in the way; the sacramentals

              excite in us pious dispositions, by means of which we

              may obtain grace.

 

Explanation:  The Church can increase or diminish the number of the

              sacramentals, but not the number of the Sacraments.

 

Question 294: Which is the chief sacramental used in the Church?

 

Answer:       The chief sacramental used in the Church is the Sign of

              the Cross.

 

Question 295: How do we make the Sign of the Cross?

 

Answer:       We make the Sign of the Cross by putting the right hand

              to the forehead, then on the breast, and then to the left

              and right shoulders; saying, In the name of the Father,

              and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.  Amen.

 

Explanation:  It is important to make an exact cross, and to say all the

              words distinctly.  From carelessness and habit some

              persons do not make the Sign of the Cross, though they

              often intend to bless themselves.  They put the hand only

              to the forehead and breast, or forehead and chin, or

              forehead and shoulders, etc.  Some do not even touch the

              forehead.  All these, it is true, are some signs and

              movements of the hand, but they are not the Sign of the

              Cross.  Therefore, from childhood form the good habit of

              blessing yourself correctly, and you will continue to do it

              properly all your life.

 

Question 296: Why do we make the Sign of the Cross?

 

Answer:       We make the Sign of the Cross to show that we are

              Christians and to profess our belief in the chief mysteries

              of our religion.

 

Explanation:  The cross is the banner or standard of Christianity, just as

              the stars and stripes-the flag of the United States-is our

              civil standard, and shows to what nation we belong.

 

Question 297: How is the Sign of the Cross a profession of faith in the

              chief mysteries of our religion?

 

Answer:       The Sign of the Cross is a profession of faith in the chief

              mysteries of our religion because it expresses the

              mysteries of the Unity and Trinity of God and of the

              Incarnation and death of Our Lord.

 

Question 298: How does the Sign of the Cross express the mystery of

              the Unity and Trinity of God?

 

Answer:       The words:  "In the name" express the Unity of God; the

              words that follow, "of the Father, and of the Son, and of

              the Holy Ghost" express the mystery of the Trinity.

 

Question 299: How does the Sign of the Cross express the mystery of

              the Incarnation and death of Our Lord?

 

Answer:       The Sign of the Cross expresses the mystery of the

              Incarnation by reminding us that the Son of God, having

              become man, suffered death on the Cross.

 

Explanation:  Besides these chief mysteries, we will find, if we think a

              little, that the Sign of the Cross reminds us of many other

              things.  It reminds us of the sin of our first parents,

              which made the Cross necessary; it reminds us of the

              hatred God bears to sin, when such sufferings were

              endured to make satisfaction for it; it reminds us of

              Christ's love, etc.

 

Question 300: What other sacramental is in very frequent use?

 

Answer:       Another sacramental in very frequent use is holy water.

 

Question 301: What is, holy water?

 

Answer:       Holy water is water blessed by the priest with solemn

              prayer to beg God's blessing on those who use it, and

              protection from the power of darkness.

 

Explanation:  The priest prays that those who use this water may not

              fall into sin; may be free from the power of the devil and

              from bodily diseases, etc. Therefore when they do use the

              water they get the benefit of all these prayers, because the

              priest says:  "If they use it, God grant them all these

              things."

 

Question 302: Are there any other sacramentals besides the Sign of the

              Cross and holy water?

 

Answer:       Besides the Sign of the Cross and holy water there are

              many other sacramentals, such as blessed candles, ashes,

              palms, crucifixes, images of the Blessed Virgin and of the

              saints, rosaries, and scapulars.

 

Explanation:  "Candles," blessed on the Feast of the Purification of the

              Blessed Virgin (see Butler's Lives of the Saints, Feb. 2,

              Feast of the Purification). The Church blesses whatever

              it uses.  Some say beautifully that the wax of the candle

              gathered by the bees from sweet flowers reminds us of

              Our Lord's pure, human body, and that the flame

              reminds us of His divinity.  Again, candles about the altar

              remind us of the angels, those bright spirits ever about

              God's throne; they remind us, too, of the persecution of

              the Christians in the first ages of the Church, when they

              had to hear Mass and receive the Sacraments in dark

              places, where lights were necessary that priests and

              people might see. Again, lights are a beautiful ornament

              for the altar, and in keeping with holy things.  Lights are

              a sign of joy:  hence the very old custom of lighting

              bonfires to express joy.  So we have lights to express our

              joy at the celebration of the Holy Mass.  Again, if we

              wish to honor any great person in the Church or State.

              we illuminate the city for his reception.  So, too, we

              illuminate our altars and churches for the reception of

              Our Lord, that we may honor Him when He comes in the

              Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and is present at Benediction.

 

Explanation:  "Ashes" are placed on our heads by the priest on Ash

              Wednesday, while he says:  "Remember, man, thou art

              but dust and unto dust thou shalt return." They are a sign

              of penance, and so we use them at the beginning of Lent.

 

Explanation:  "Palms, to remind us of Our Lord's coming in triumph

              into Jerusalem, when the people out of respect for Him

              threw palms, and even their garments, beneath His feet

              on the way, singing His praises and wishing to make Him

              king. Yet these same people only one week later were

              among those who crucified Him. Do we not also at times

              honor Our Lord, call Him our king, and shortly

              afterwards insult and, as far as we can, injure Him by

              sin?  Do we not say in the Our Father, "Hallowed, or

              praised, be His name," and blaspheme it ourselves?

 

Explanation:  "Crucifix," if it has an image of Our Lord upon it; if not

              it is simply a cross, because crucifix means fixed to the

              cross.

 

Explanation:  "Images"--that is, statues, pictures, etc.

 

Explanation:  "Rosaries," called also the beads.  The rosary or beads is

              a very old and very beautiful form of prayer.  In the

              beginning pious people, we are told, used to say a certain

              number of prayers, and keep count of them on a string

              with knots or beads.  However that may be, the Rosary,

              as we now have it, comes down to us from St. Dominic.

              He instructed the people by it, and converted many

              heretics.  In the rosary beads here are fifty-three small

              beads on which we say the "Hail Mary" and six large

              beads on which we say the "Our Father." In saying the

              Rosary, before saying the "Our Father" on the large

              beads, we think or meditate for a while on some event in

              the life of Our Lord, and these events we call Mysteries

              of the Rosary.  There are fifteen of these events taken in

              the order in which they occurred in the life of Our Lord;

              and hence there are fifteen Mysteries in the whole

              Rosary.  First we have the five Joyful Mysteries.

 

Explanation:  The Annunciation-that is, the angel Gabriel coming to tell

              the Blessed Virgin that she is to be the Mother of God.

              The Visitation, when the Blessed Virgin went to visit her

              cousin St. Elizabeth-the mother of St. John the Baptist,

              who was six months older than Our Lord.  Elizabeth said

              to her, "Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is

              the Fruit of thy womb"; and the Blessed Virgin answered

              her in the beautiful words of the Magnificat, that we sing

              at Vespers while the priest incenses the altar. The

              Nativity, or birth of Our Lord, which reminds us how He

              was born in a stable, in poverty and lowliness. The

              Presentation of the child Jesus in the Temple.  According

              to the law of Moses, the people were obliged to bring the

              first boy born in every family to the temple in Jerusalem

              and offer him to God.  Then they gave some offering to

              buy him back, as it were, from God.  The Blessed Virgin

              and St. Joseph, who kept all the laws, took Our Lord and

              offered Him in the temple-although He Himself was the

              Lord of the temple.  Nevertheless others did not know

              this, and the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph observed the

              laws, though not bound to do so, that their neighbors

              might not be scandalized in seeing them neglect these

              things.  They did not know, as she did, that the little

              Infant was the Son of God, and need not keep the. law of

              Moses or any law, because He was the maker of the

              laws.  We should learn from this never to give scandal;

              and even when we have good excuse for not observing

              the law, we should observe it for the sake of good

              example to others; or at least, when we can, we should

              explain why we do not observe the law. The fifth Joyful

              Mystery is the finding of the child Jesus in the temple.

              All the men and boys, from twelve years of age upward,

              were obliged, according to the Old Law, to go p to

              Jerusalem and offer sacrifice on the great feasts. On one

              of these feasts the Blessed Virgin, St. Joseph, and Our

              Lord went to Jerusalem.  When His parents and their

              friends were returning home Our Lord was missing.  He

              had not accompanied them from the city.  Then the

              Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph went back to Jerusalem and

              sought Him with great sorrow for three days.  At the end

              of that time they found Him in the temple sitting with the

              doctors of the law asking them questions.  Our Lord

              obediently returned with His parents to Nazareth.  At

              thirty years of age He was baptized by John the Baptist in

              the River Jordan.  The baptism of John was not a

              Sacrament, did not give grace of itself; but, like a

              sacramental, it disposed those who received it to be sorry

              for their sins and to receive the gift of faith and Baptism

              of Christ.  The eighteen years from the time Our Lord

              went down to Nazareth after being found in the temple till

              His baptism is called His hidden life, while all that

              follows His baptism is called His public life.  It is very

              strange that not a single word should be given in the Holy

              Scriptures about Our Lord during His youth-the very time

              young men are most anxious to be seen and heard.  Our

              Lord knew all things and could do all things when a

              young man, and yet for the sake of example He remained

              silent, living quietly with His parents and doing His daily

              work for them.  Thus you understand hat is meant by the

              five Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary:  he Annunciation,

              the Visitation, the Nativity of Our Lord, he Presentation

              of the child Jesus in the temple, and the finding of the

              child Jesus in the temple.  You meditate on one of these

              before each decade (ten) of the beads.

 

Explanation:  Next in order in the life of Our Lord come the five events

              called the Sorrowful Mysteries, namely:

 

Explanation:  The agony in the garden, when Our Lord went there to

              pray on Holy Thursday night, before He was taken

              prisoner.  There the blood came out through His body as

              perspiration does through ours, and He was in dreadful

              anguish.  The reason of His sorrow and anguish has

              already been given in the explanation of the Passion. The

              scourging of Our Lord at the pillar.  This also has been

              explained. What terrible cruelty existed in the world

              before Christianity!  In our times the brute beasts have

              more protection from cruel treatment than the pagan

              slaves had then.  The Church came to their assistance.  It

              taught that all men are God's children, that slaves as well

              as masters were redeemed by Jesus Christ, and that

              masters must be kind and just to their slaves.  Many

              converts from paganism through love for Our Lord and

              this teaching of the Church, granted liberty to their

              slaves; and thus as civilization spread with the teaching of

              Christianity, slavery ceased to exist.  It was not in the

              power of the Church, however, to abolish slavery

              everywhere, but she did it as soon as she could.  Even at

              present she is fighting hard to protect the poor Negroes of

              Africa against it, or at least to moderate its cruelty. The

              third Sorrowful Mystery is the crowning with thorns. The

              carriage of the Cross to Calvary.  It was the common

              practice to make the prisoner at times carry his cross to

              the place of execution, and over the cross they printed

              what he was put to death for.  That is the reason they

              placed over Our Lord's cross I.N.R.I., which are the first

              letters of four Latin words meaning, "Jesus of Nazareth,

              King of the Jews." They pretended by this sign that Our

              Lord was put to death for calling Himself King of the

              Jews, and was thus a disturber of the public peace, and

              an enemy of the Roman emperor under whose power they

              were.  Our Lord did say that He was King of the Jews,

              but He also said that He was not their earthly but their

              heavenly king.  The real cause of their putting Our Lord

              to death was the jealousy of the Jewish priests and

              Pharisees.  He rebuked them for their faults, and showed

              the good, sincere people what hypocrites these men were.

              The last of the Sorrowful Mysteries is the Crucifixion.

              At the foot of the Cross our blessed Mother stood on the

              day of Crucifixion, and it must have been a very sad

              sight for Our Lord.  She was without anyone to take care

              of her; for St. Joseph was dead, and her Son was soon to

              ' die.  Our Lord asked St. John, one of His Apostles, to

              take care of her St. John was dear to Christ, and on that

              account is called the beloved disciple.  He is known to us

              as St. John the Evangelist.  He was the last of the

              Apostles to die.  At one time he was cast into a cauldron

              of boiling oil, but was miraculously saved by God (see

              Butler's Lives of the Saints, Dec. 27).  He lived to be

              over a hundred years old, and while on the island of

              Patmos wrote the Apocalypse or Revelations-the last book

              of the New Testament-containing prophecies of what will

              happen at the end of the world.  The Blessed Virgin lived

              on earth about eleven years after the Ascension of Our

              Lord.  They buried her in a tomb, and tradition tells us

              that after her burial the angels carried her body to

              Heaven, where she now sits beside her Divine Son.  This

              taking of her body to Heaven is called the Assumption.

              This feast was celebrated in the Church from a very early

              age.  A very strong proof of the Assumption is that no

              persons ever claimed to have any part of the body of the

              Blessed Virgin as a relic.  We have the bodies of some of

              the Apostles, especially St. Peter, St. Paul, and St. James

              transmitted to us; and certainly if it had been possible the

              first Christians would have endeavored to get some

              portion, at least, of the Blessed Virgin's body.  Surely St.

              John, who knew her so well, would have given to the

              church he established some part of her body as a relic;

              but since her entire body was taken to Heaven, it was

              never possible.

 

Explanation:  After the Sorrowful Mysteries come the five Glorious

              Mysteries, and they are:

 

Explanation:  The Resurrection of Our Lord; The Ascension of Our

              Lord; The Coming of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles;

              The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin; and The

              Coronation of the Blessed Virgin in Heaven.

 

Explanation:  All but the last have been explained in foregoing parts of

              the Catechism.  In this last Mystery we consider our

              Blessed Lady just after her entrance into Heaven, being

              received by her Divine Son, our Blessed Lord, and being

              crowned Queen of Heaven over all the angels and saints.

              In saying the Rosary we are, as I have told you before,

              to stop after mentioning the Mystery and think over the

              lesson it teaches, and thus excite ourselves to love and

              devotion before saying the "Our Father" and "Hail

              Marys" in honor of it.  Generally what we call the beads

              is only one third of the Rosary; that is, we can only say

              five mysteries on the beads unless we go over them three

              times.  If you say your beads every day you will say the

              whole Rosary twice a week and have one day to spare.

 

Explanation:  On Sundays, except the Sundays of Advent and Lent, we

              should say always the Glorious Mysteries.  You see, the

              Mysteries run in the order in which they happen in Our

              Lord's life.

 

Explanation:  So on Monday we say the Joyful Mysteries, on Tuesday

              the Sorrowful, and on Wednesday the Glorious.  Then we

              begin again on Thursday the Joyful, on Friday the

              Sorrowful, on Saturday the Glorious.  In Advent we say

              the Joyful, and in Lent the Sorrowful Mysteries on every

              day.  In Eastertime we always say the Glorious mysteries.

 

Explanation:  I have told you what the letters I. N. R. I. mean; now let

              me tell you what I. H. S. with a cross over them mean.

              You often see these letters on altars and on holy things.

              They are simply an abbreviation for Our Lord's name,

              "Jesus," as it was first written in Greek letters.  Some

              also take these letters for the first letters of the Latin

              words that mean:  Jesus, Saviour of men.  And as the

              cross is placed over these letters it can signify that He

              saved them by His death on the Cross.

 

Explanation:  "Scapulars." The scapular is a large broad piece of cloth

              worn by the monks and priests of some of the religious

              orders.  It extends from the toes in front to the heels

              behind, and is wide enough to cover the shoulders.  It is

              worn over the cassock or habit.  It is called scapular

              because it rests on the shoulders.  The scapular as we

              wear it is two small pieces of cloth fastened together by

              two pieces of braid or cord resting on the shoulders.  It

              is made thus in imitation of the large scapular, and is to

              be worn under our ordinary garments.  The brown

              scapular is called the Scapular of Mount Carmel.  It was

              given, we are told on good authority, to blessed Simon

              Stock by the Blessed Virgin herself, with wonderful

              promises in favor of those who wear it.  The Church

              grants many privileges and indulgences to those who wear

              the scapular.

 

Explanation:  We wear the scapular to indicate that we place ourselves

              under the special protection of the Blessed Virgin.  We

              can tell to what army or nation a soldier belongs by the

              uniform he wears; so we can consider the scapular as the

              particular uniform of those who desire to serve the

              Blessed Virgin in some special manner.  This wearing of

              the brown scapular is therefore a mark of special devotion

              to the Blessed Virgin Mary.  As it was first introduced

              among people by the Carmelite Fathers, or priests of the

              Order of Mount Carmel, this Scapular is called the

              Scapular of Mount Carmel.  We have also a red scapular

              in honor of Our Lord's Passion; a white one in honor of

              the Holy Trinity; a blue one in honor of the Immaculate

              Conception; and a black one in honor of the seven dolors

              of sorrows of the Blessed Virgin.  When all these are

              joined together (not in one piece, but at the top only) and

              worn as one, they are called the five scapulars.

 

Explanation:  The seven dolors are seven chief occasions of sorrow in

              the life of our Blessed Lady.  They are:

 

Explanation:  The circumcision of Our Lord, when she saw His blood

              shed for the first time. Her flight into Egypt to save the

              life of the little Infant Jesus when Herod was seeking to

              kill Him. The three days she lost Him in Jerusalem.

              When she saw Christ carrying His Cross. His death.

              When He was taken down from the Cross. When He was

              laid in the sepulchre.

 

Explanation:  There are beads called seven dolor beads constructed with

              seven medals bearing representations of these sorrows,

              and seven beads between each medal and the next.  At

              the medals we meditate on the dolor, and then in its

              honor say "Hail Marys" on the beads.

 

 

                              Lesson 28:  ON PRAYER

 

Question 303: Is there any other means of obtaining God's grace than

              the Sacraments?

Question 304: What is prayer?

Question 305: Is prayer necessary to salvation?

Question 306: At what particular times should we pray?

Question 307: How should we pray?

Question 308: Which are the prayers most recommended to us?

Question 309: Are prayers said with distractions of any avail?

 

Question 303: Is there any other means of obtaining God's grace than

              the Sacraments?

 

Answer:       There is another means of obtaining God's grace, and it

              is prayer.

 

Question 304: What is prayer?

 

Answer:       Prayer is the lifting up of our minds and hearts to God to

              adore Him, to thank Him for His benefits, to ask His

              forgiveness, and to beg of Him all the graces we need

              whether for soul or body.

 

Explanation:  "Hearts," because the mere lifting up of the mind would

              not be prayer. One who blasphemes Him might also lift

              up his mind.  We lift up the mind to know God and the

              heart to love Him, and in so doing we serve Him -- the

              three things for which we were created.  If we do not

              think of God we do not pray.  A parrot might be taught

              to say the "Our Father," but it could never pray, because

              it has no mind to lift up.  A phonograph can be made to

              say the prayers, but not to pray, for it has neither mind

              nor heart.  So praying does not depend upon the words

              we say, but upon the way in which we say them. Indeed

              the best prayer, called meditation, is made when we do

              not speak at all, but simply think of God; of His goodness

              to us; of our sins against Him; of Hell, Purgatory,

              Heaven, death, judgment, of the end for which we were

              created, etc.  This is the kind of prayer that priests and

              religious use most frequently.  As you might like to

              meditate -- for all who know how may meditate -- let me

              explain to you the method.  First you try to remember

              that you are in the presence of God.  Then you take some

              subject, say the Crucifixion, to think about.  You try to

              make a picture of the scene in your own mind.  You see

              Our Lord on the Cross; two thieves, one on each side of

              Him, the one praying to Our Lord and the other cursing

              Him.  You see the multitude of His enemies mocking

              Him.  Over at some distance you behold our Blessed

              Mother standing sorrowful with St. John and Mary

              Magdalen.  Then you ask yourself -- for you must

              imagine yourself there -- to which side would you go.

              Over to our Blessed Mother to try and console her, or

              over to the enemies to help them to mock?  Then you

              think how sin was the cause of all this suffering, and how

              often you yourself have sinned; how you have many a

              time gone over to the crowd and left the Blessed Mother.

              These thoughts will make you sorry for your sins, and

              you will form the good resolution never to sin again.

              You will thank God for these good thoughts and this

              resolution, and your meditation is ended.  You can spend

              fifteen minutes, or longer if you wish, in such a

              meditation.  The Crucifixion is only one of the many

              subjects you may select for meditation.  You could take

              any part of the "Our Father," "Hail Mary," or "Creed,"

              and even the questions in your Catechism.  Mental

              prayer, therefore, is the best, because in it we must think;

              we must pay attention to what we are doing, and lift up

              our minds and hearts to God; while in vocal prayer -- that

              is, the prayer we say aloud -- we may repeat the words

              from pure habit, without any attention or lifting up of the

              mind or heart.

 

Question 305: Is prayer necessary to salvation?

 

Answer:       Prayer is necessary to salvation, and without it no one

              having the use of reason can be saved.

 

Explanation:  We mean here those who never pray during their whole

              lives, and not those who sometimes neglect their prayers

              through a kind of forgetfulness.

 

Question 306: At what particular times should we pray?

 

Answer:       We should pray particularly on Sundays and holy days,

              every morning and night, in all dangers, temptations, and

              afflictions.

 

Explanation:  "Sundays and holy days," because these are special days

              set apart by the Church for the worship of God.  In the

              "morning" we ask God's grace that we may not sin

              during the day.  At "night" we thank Him for all the

              benefits received during the day, and also that we may be

              protected while asleep from every danger and accident.

              We should never, if possible, go to sleep in mortal sin;

              and if we have the misfortune to be in that state, we

              should make as perfect an act of contrition as we can, and

              promise to go to confession as soon as possible.  So

              many accidents happen that we are never safe, even in

              good health; fires, earthquakes, floods, lightning, etc.,

              might take us off at any moment.  If you saw a man

              hanging by a very slender thread over a great precipice

              where he would surely be dashed to pieces if the thread

              broke, and if you saw him thus risking his life willfully

              and without necessity, you would pronounce him the

              greatest fool in the world.  One who commits sin is a

              greater fool.  He suspends himself, as I have told you

              once before, over an abyss of eternal torments on the

              slender thread of his own life, that may break at any

              moment.  Do we tempt God and do to Him what we dare

              not to do to our fellowman because He is so merciful?

              Let us be careful.  He is as just as He is merciful, and

              some sin will be our last, and then He will cut the thread

              of life and allow us to fall into an eternity of sufferings.

              "Dangers," whether of soul or body.  "Afflictions,"

              sufferings or misfortunes of any kind; such as loss of

              health, death in the family, etc.

 

Question 307: How should we pray?

 

Answer:       We should pray:

 

Explanation:  first, with attention; second, with a sense of our own

              helplessness and dependence upon God; third, with a

              great desire for the graces we beg of God; fourth, with

              trust in God's goodness; fifth, with perseverance.

 

Explanation:  "Attention," thinking of what we are going to do.  Before

              praying we should think for a moment what prayer is.  In

              it we are about to address Almighty God, our Creator,

              and we are going to ask Him for something -- and what

              is the particular thing we need and seek for?  No one

              would think of going to a store without first considering

              what he wanted to buy.  He would make, too, all the

              necessary preparations for getting it.  He would find out

              how much he wanted, and what it would cost, and bring

              with him sufficient money.  He would never think of

              going in and telling the storekeeper to give him anything.

              Now it is the same in prayer.  When we have thought of

              what we want of God, from whom we can obtain it, and

              of the reasons why we need it and why God might be

              pleased to grant it, we can then kneel down and pray for

              it.  We should pray to God just as a child begs favors

              from its parents.  We should talk to Him in our own

              simple words, and tell Him the reasons why we ask and

              why we think He should grant our request.  We should,

              however, be humble and patient in all our prayers.  God

              does not owe us anything, and whatever He gives is a

              free gift. We should not always read prayers at Almighty

              God.  If you wanted anything very badly from a friend,

              you would know how to ask for it.  You would never ask

              another to write out your request on paper, and then go

              and read it to your friend.  Now, that is just what we do

              when we read the prayers that somebody else has written

              in a prayerbook.  Try, therefore, to pray with your own

              prayers.  Of course when the Church gives you certain

              prayers to say -- as it does to its priests in the divine

              office -- or recommends to you such prayers as the "Our

              Father," "Hail Mary," and "Creed," you should say them

              in preference to your own, because then the Church adds

              its petition to yours, and God is more likely to grant such

              prayers.  I mean, therefore, that we should not always

              pray from prayerbooks, and hurry through the "Our

              Father" that we may give more time to some printed

              prayer that pleases us.  Our prayer should be a

              conversation with God.  We should, after speaking to

              Him, listen to what He has to say to us, by our

              conscience, good thoughts, etc.

 

Explanation:  I must warn you against some prayers that have been

              circulated by impostors for the purpose of making money.

              They pretend that these prayers were found in some

              remarkable place or manner; that those who carry them

              or say them will have most wonderful advantages -- they

              will never meet with accident; they will be warned of

              their death; they will go directly to Heaven after death,

              etc.  If there were any such wonderful prayers the Church

              would surely know of them and commend them to its

              children.  When you find any prayers of the kind I

              mention, bring them to the priest and ask his opinion

              before you use them yourself or give them to others.

              Never buy prayers or articles said to be blessed from

              persons unknown to you.  Persons selling such things are

              frequently impostors, who by suave manners and pious

              speeches unfortunately find Catholics who believe them.

              These persons -- sometimes not Catholics themselves, or

              at least very bad ones -- laugh at the superstition and

              foolish practices of Catholics who believe everything they

              hear about pious books, prayers, or articles.

 

Explanation:  In the early ages of the Church, when the enemies of

              Christ found that they could not refute His teaching, they

              began to circulate foolish doctrines, pretending that they

              were taught by Christ, and thus they hoped to bring

              ridicule upon Christianity.  So also in our time many

              things are circulated as the teaching of the Catholic

              Church by the enemies of the Church, in hopes that by

              these falsehoods and foolish doctrines they may bring

              disgrace and ridicule upon the true religion.  Be on your

              guard against all impostors, remembering it is a safe rule

              never to buy a religious article from or give money to

              persons going about from door to door.  If you have

              anything to give in alms, give it to some charitable

              institution or society connected with the Church, or put it

              in the poor-box, and then you will be sure it will do the

              good you intend. Remember, too, that all the religious

              articles carried about for sale do not come from Rome or

              the Holy Land, and you are deceived if you think so,

              notwithstanding the assurance of their owners.

 

Explanation:  "A trust" -- with full confidence that God will grant our

              petitions if we really need or deserve what we pray for.

              It is a fault with a great many to pray without the belief

              that their prayers will be answered.  We should pray with

              such faith and confidence that we would really be

              disappointed if our prayer was not granted.  Once when

              Our Lord was going about doing good, a poor woman

              who had been suffering for twelve years with a disease,

              and who, wishing to be healed, had uselessly spent all her

              money in seeking medical aid, came to follow Him.

              (Mark 5:25).  She did not ask Him to cure her, but said

              within herself, "If I can but touch the hem of His garment

              I know I shall be healed" So she made her way through

              the throng and followed Our Lord till she could touch His

              garment without being seen.  She succeeded in

              accomplishing her wishes, touched His garment, and was

              instantly cured.  Our Lord knew her desires and what she

              had done, and turning around told the people, praising

              her great faith and confidence, on account of which He

              had healed her.  Such also should be our confidence and

              trust when we pray to God for our needs.

 

Explanation:  "Perseverance."  We should continue to pray though God

              does not grant our request.  Have you ever noticed a little

              child begging favors from its mother?  See its persistence!

              Though often refused, it will return again and again with

              the same request, till the mother, weary of its

              importunity, finally grants what it asks.

 

Explanation:  St. Monica prayed seventeen years for the conversion of

              her son St. Augustine. St. Augustine's father was a

              pagan, and Monica, his wife, prayed seventeen years for

              his conversion, and he became a Christian.  Just about

              that time her son Augustine, who was attending school,

              fell in with bad companions and became a great sinner.

              She prayed seventeen years more for him, and he

              reformed, became a great saint and learned bishop in the

              Church.  See, then, the result of thirty-four years' prayer:

              Monica herself became a saint, her son became a saint,

              and her husband died a Christian.  If St. Monica had

              ceased praying after ten years, Augustine might not have

              reformed.  We never know when God is about to grant

              our petition, and we may cease to pray just when another

              appeal would obtain the object of our prayer.  So we

              should continue to pray till God is pleased to grant our

              request.  Some say their prayers are not heard when they

              mean to say their prayers are not granted; for God always

              hears us.  But why does He not always grant our request?

              There are many reasons:

 

Explanation:  We may not pray in the proper manner, namely, with

              attention, reverence, humility, patience, and

              perseverance; We may ask for things that God foresees

              will not be for our spiritual good.This is true even for

              things that seem good to us, such as the removal of an

              affliction, temptation, or the like.  It often happens that

              God shows us His greatest mercy in not granting our

              prayers.  Suppose, for example, a father held in his hand

              a bright and beautiful but very sharp instrument, for

              which his child continually asked.  Do you believe the

              father would give it if he loved the child?  Certainly not.

              The child thinks, no doubt, it would be benefitted by the

              possession of the instrument, but the father sees the

              danger. As God is our loving Father, He acts with us in

              the same manner. Our prayers are not granted sometimes

              that we may learn to pray with proper dispositions, and

              God withholds what He intends finally to give, that we

              may persevere in prayer and have greater merit.  Have

              you ever observed a mother teaching her child to walk?

              What does she do?  She goes at some distance from the

              child and holds out an object that she knows will be

              pleasing to it, and thus tempts it to walk to her.  When

              the child draws near she moves still farther away, and

              keeps it walking for some time before giving the object.

              This she does, not through unwillingness to give the

              article, but in order to teach the child to walk, for she

              loves to see its efforts.  When it falls, she lifts it up and

              makes it try again.  So, too, God teaches us to pray; and

              though He loves us, He withholds His gifts, that we may

              pray the longer, and thereby afford Him greater pleasure.

 

Question 308: Which are the prayers most recommended to us?

 

Answer:       The prayers most recommended to us are the Lord's

              Prayer, the Hail Mary, the Apostles' Creed, the

              Confiteor, and the Acts of Faith, Hope, Love, and

              Contrition.

 

Question 309: Are prayers said with distractions of any avail?

 

Answer:       Prayers said with willful distractions are of no avail.

 

Explanation:  "Distraction"--that is, when we willingly and knowingly

              think of something else while saying our prayers.  It

              would be better not to pray than to pray with disrespect.

              If there is any time at which we cannot pray well, we

              should postpone our prayer:  for God does not require us

              to say our prayers just at a particular time; but when we

              do pray, He requires us to pray with reverence and

              respect.  We would pray well always if we reflected on

              the great privilege we enjoy in being allowed to pray.

 

 

                   Lesson 29:  ON THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD

 

Question 310: Is it enough to belong to God's Church in order to be

              saved?

Question 311: Which are the Commandments that contain the whole law

              of God?

Question 312: Why do these two Commandments of the love of God

              and of our neighbor contain the whole law of God?

Question 313: Which are the Commandments of God?

Question 314: Who gave the Ten Commandments?

 

Question 310: Is it enough to belong to God's Church in order to be

              saved?

 

Answer:       It is not enough to belong to the Church in order to be

              saved, but we must also keep the Commandments of God

              and of the Church.

 

Explanation:  We call some commandments the Commandments of God

              and others the commandments of the Church.  We do so

              only to distinguish the Commandments that God gave to

              Moses from those that the Church made afterwards.

              They are all the commandments of God, for whatever

              laws or commandments the Church makes, it makes them

              under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and by God's

              authority.  It would be a mortal sin to break the

              commandments of the Church, just as it would be to

              break the Commandments of God.  You must remember

              that the Ten Commandments always existed from the time

              of Adam, but they were not written till God gave them to

              Moses.  You know that it was always a sin to worship

              false gods, to blaspheme, to disobey parents, to kill, etc.;

              for you know Cain was punished by God for the murder

              of his brother Abel (Gen. 5), and that took place while

              Adam was still alive.

 

Explanation:  Before the coming of Our Lord the Israelites, or God's

              chosen people, had three kinds of laws.  They had the

              civil laws for the government of their nation-just as we

              have our laws for the people of the United States.  They

              had their ceremonial laws for their services in the

              temple-as we have our ceremonies for the Church.  They

              had their moral laws such as the Commandments-teaching

              them what they must do to save their souls.  Their civil

              laws were done away with when they ceased to be a

              nation having a government of their own.  Their

              ceremonial laws were done away with when Our Lord

              came and established His Church; because their

              ceremonies were only the figures of ours.  Their moral

              laws remained, and Our Lord explained them and made

              them more perfect. Therefore we keep the

              Commandments and moral laws as they were always kept

              by man.  Fifty days after the Israelites left Egypt they

              came to the foot of Mount Sinai. (Ex. 19).  Here God

              commanded Moses to come up into the mountain, and in

              the midst of fire and smoke, thunder and lightning, God

              spoke to him and delivered into his hands the Ten

              Commandments written on two tablets of stone.

 

Explanation:  Every day while the Israelites were traveling in the desert

              God sent them manna-a miraculous food that fell every

              morning.  It was white, and looked something like fine

              rice.  It had any taste they wished it to have.  For

              instance, if they wished it to taste like fruit, it did taste so

              to them; but its usual taste was like that of flour and

              honey. (Ex. 16).

 

Explanation:  I said there is no difference between the Ten

              Commandments of God and the six commandments of the

              Church-, and there is no difference as far as the sin of

              violating them is concerned.  But they differ in this:  the

              Church can change the commandments it made itself,

              while it cannot change those that God Himself gave

              directly.

 

Question 311: Which are the Commandments that contain the whole law

              of God?

 

Answer:       The Commandments which contain the whole law of God

              are these two:  first, thou shalt love the Lord thy God

              with thy whole heart, with thy whole soul, with thy whole

              strength, and with thy whole mind; second, thou shalt

              love thy neighbor as thyself.

 

Explanation:  "As thyself"--that is, as explained elsewhere, with the

              same kind, though not necessarily with the same degree,

              of love.  First we must love ourselves and do what is

              essential for our own salvation, because without our

              cooperation others cannot save us, though they may help

              us by their prayers and good works.  Next to ourselves

              nature demands that we love those who are related to us

              in the order of parents, children, husbands, wives,

              brothers, etc., and help them in proportion to their needs,

              and before helping strangers who are in no greater

              distress.

 

Question 312: Why do these two Commandments of the love of God

              and of our neighbor contain the whole law of God?

 

Answer:       These two Commandments of the love of God and of our

              neighbor contain the whole law of God because all the

              other Commandments are given either to help us to keep

              these two, or to direct us how to shun what is opposed to

              them.

 

Explanation:  Of the Ten Commandments the first three refer to

              Almighty God and the other seven to our neighbor.  Thus

              all the Commandments may be reduced to the two of the

              love of God and of the love of our neighbor.  The First

              Commandment says you shall worship only the true God;

              the Second says you shall respect His holy name; and the

              Third says you shall worship Him on a certain day.  All

              these are contained therefore in this:  Love God all you

              possibly can, for if you do you will keep the first three of

              the Commandments.  The Fourth says:  Honor your

              father-who in the sense of the Commandment can also be

              called your neighbor-that is, respect him, help him in his

              needs.  The Fifth says do not kill him; namely, your

              neighbor.  The others say do not rob him of his goods;

              do not tell lies about him; do not wish unjustly to possess

              his goods and do not covet his wife.  Thus it is clear that

              the last seven are all contained in this:  Love your

              neighbor, for if you do you will keep the last seven

              Commandments that refer to him.

 

Question 313: Which are the Commandments of God?

 

Answer:       The Commandments of God are these ten:

 

Explanation:  I am the Lord thy God, Who brought thee out of the land

              of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.  Thou shalt not

              have strange gods before Me.  Thou shalt not make to

              thyself a graven thing, nor the likeness of any thing that

              is in Heaven above, or in the earth beneath, nor of those

              things that are in the waters under the earth.  Thou shalt

              not adore them, nor serve them. Thou shalt not take the

              name of the Lord thy God in vain. Remember thou keep

              holy the Sabbath Day. Honor thy father and thy mother.

              Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou

              shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against

              thy neighbor. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife.

              Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods.

 

Question 314: Who gave the Ten Commandments?

 

Answer:       God Himself gave the Ten Commandments to Moses on

              Mount Sinai, and Christ Our Lord confirmed them.

 

 

                     Lesson 30:  ON THE FIRST COMMANDMENT

 

Question 315: What is the First Commandment?

Question 316: How does the First Commandment help us to keep the

              great Commandment of the love of God?

Question 317: How do we adore God?

Question 318: How may the First Commandment be broken?

Question 319: Do those who make use of spells and charms, or who

              believe in dreams, in mediums, spiritists, fortune tellers,

              and the like, sin against the First Commandment?

Question 320: Are sins against faith, hope, and charity also sins against

              the First Commandment?

Question 321: How does a person sin against faith?

Question 322: How do we fail to try to know what God has taught?

Question 323: Who are they who do not believe all that God has taught?

Question 324: Who are they who neglect to profess their belief in what

              God has taught?

Question 325: Can they who fail to profess their faith in the true Church

              in which they believe expect to be saved while in that

              state?

Question 326: Are we obliged to make open profession of our faith?

Question 327: Which are the sins against hope?

Question 328: What is presumption?

Question 329: What is despair?

Question 330: How do we sin against the love of God?

 

Question 315: What is the First Commandment?

 

Answer:       The First Commandment is:  "I am the Lord thy God:

              thou shalt not have strange gods before Me:'

 

Explanation:  "Strange gods."  The Israelites were surrounded on all

              sides by pagan nations who worshipped idols and false

              gods, and sometimes by mingling with these people they

              fell into sin, and, forgetting the true God, worshipped

              their idols.  Sometimes, too, they were at war with these

              pagan nations, and when defeated were led captive into

              pagan countries and there fell into the sin of worshipping

              false gods.  It was against this sin that God cautioned His

              people in the First Commandment.  From this sin of

              idolatry among the Israelites we have an example of the

              evil results of associating with persons not of the true

              religion.  One would think that the Israelites, knowing the

              true God, might have converted their pagan neighbors to

              the true religion by the influence of their teaching and

              example; but, on the contrary, they lost the true faith

              themselves, as nearly always happens in such cases.

              How do we sometimes worship false or strange gods?  By

              making dress, money, honor, society, company, or

              pleasure our god--that is, by giving up the worship of

              God and sinning for their sake, and thus making them

              god, at least for the time being, by giving them our heart,

              mind, and service.

 

Question 316: How does the First Commandment help us to keep the

              great Commandment of the love of God?

 

Answer:       The First Commandment helps us to keep the great

              Commandment of the love of God because it commands

              us to adore God alone.

 

Question 317: How do we adore God?

 

Answer:       We adore God by faith, hope, and charity, by prayer and

              sacrifice.

 

Question 318: How may the First Commandment be broken?

 

Answer:       The First Commandment may be broken by giving to a

              creature the honor which belongs to God alone; by false

              worship; and by attributing to a creature a perfection

              which belongs to God alone.

 

Explanation:  "Creature" -- that is, anything created; anything but God

              Himself, for all other persons and things have been

              created.  If one knelt before a king and adored him, he

              would be giving to a creature the honor due to God

              alone. "False worship"--that is, worshipping God not as

              He directs us by His Church, but in some ways pleasing

              to ourselves.  For example, to sacrifice animals to God

              would now be false worship; to offer now any of the

              sacrifices commanded in the Old Law would be false

              worship, because all these were figures of the real

              sacrifice of the Cross and Mass, and were to put the

              people in mind that one day Christ the promised

              Redeemer would offer up the one great sacrifice of His

              own body and blood to blot out all the sins of the world.

              And now that we have the real sacrifice it would be sinful

              to use only figures, and it would be a false worship

              displeasing to God.  So, too, all those who leave the true

              Church to practice a religion of their own have a false

              worship, for they worship God not as He wishes, but as

              they wish.

 

Explanation:  Heaven is a reward, and when we see how the saints

              labored to secure it we must be ashamed of the little we

              do for God.  Take out of a whole year--that is, 365 days

              or 8,760 hours-the time you give to the service of God,

              and you will find it very little.  Even the time you spent

              at Mass and prayers was filled with distraction and little

              of it entirely given to God.  Since this is true for one

              year, what will it be for all the years of your life?  Think

              of them all and you will perceive that God, who gave you

              all the time you had, and who on the last day will

              demand an exact account of it, will find very little of it

              spent in His honor or in His service.  Even the time

              wasted in school and instructions will all stand against

              you.  Time lost is lost forever, and you can never make

              it up.  Next to grace, time is the most valuable thing God

              gives us, and we should use it well.  "Attributing to a

              creature a perfection" etc.  Persons who go to fortune

              tellers do this.  Fortune tellers are persons who pretend to

              know what is going to happen in the future.  We know

              from our religion that only God Himself knows the

              future.  Neither the angels nor saints, nor even the

              Blessed Virgin, know the future.  Even they could not tell

              your fortune unless God revealed it to them.  So when

              you go to a fortune teller you place the poor sinful person

              who is doing the devil's work above the Blessed Virgin

              and all the saints and angels, and make that wretch equal

              to God Himself.  Surely this is a sin, even if you do not

              believe these so--called fortune tellers, but go to them

              merely through curiosity or with others. Again, we pay

              these persons for telling us some foolish nonsense, and

              thus encourage them to continue their sinful business.

              They doubtless laugh at the foolishness of those who go

              to them or believe what they say and pay them

              generously.  You might with as much sense stop a man

              on the street, ask him to tell your fortune, and hand him

              your money, for he would know as much about it as

              so--called fortune tellers do.  Rarely these sinful people

              might tell you something that has happened in your life;

              but if they do, they merely guess at it or are aided by the

              devil.  The devil did not lose his intelligence when driven

              out of Heaven, and he uses it now for doing evil.  He has

              vast experience, for he is as old as Adam, or older, and

              has seen and known all the men that have lived in the

              world.  He can move rapidly through the world and

              easily know what is visibly taking place, so that, strictly

              speaking, he could make known to his sinful agents what

              is present or past, but never the future. Thus some

              fortune tellers, clairvoyants, mindreaders, mediums, or

              whatever else they call themselves, who are truly in

              league with the devil, may by his power tell you the past

              of your life to make you believe that they know also the

              future.  The past and present in your life you already

              know, and the future they cannot tell; therefore it is

              useless as well as sinful to go to them.  I say only it is

              possible for some fortune tellers to employ the assistance

              of the devil, for all of them, with very rare exception, are

              clever impostors who take your money for guessing at

              what they suspect you will be most pleased to hear.

 

Question 319: Do those who make use of spells and charms, or who

              believe in dreams, in mediums, spiritists, fortune tellers,

              and the like, sin against the First Commandment?

 

Answer:       Those who make use of spells and charms, or who

              believe in dreams, in mediums, spiritists, fortune tellers,

              and the like, sin against the First Commandment, because

              they attribute to creatures perfections which belong to

              God alone.

 

Explanation:  "Spells" are certain words, the saying of which persons

              believe will effect for them something wonderful--a

              miraculous cure, for instance, or protection from some

              evil.  "Charms" are articles worn about the body for the

              same purpose.  They may be little black beans, little

              stones of a certain shape, the teeth of animals, etc.  In

              uncivilized countries the inhabitants use many of these

              charms.  But you may ask, Are not these medals,

              scapulars, etc., that we wear, also charms?  No. These

              things are blessed and worn in honor of God, of His

              Blessed Mother, or of the saints.  We do not expect any

              help from the little piece of brass or cloth we wear, but

              from those in whose honor we wear it, and from the

              prayers said in the blessing for those who wear it.  But

              they who wear charms expect the help from the thing

              itself, which makes their conduct foolish and sinful, since

              God alone can protect from evil.  Again, such things as

              medals, crosses, and scapulars are blessed by the Church

              and worn by its consent, and it could never allow all its

              children to do a sinful thing.  It is good and praiseworthy,

              therefore, to wear the blessed sacramentals in God's

              honor; but even with these holy things we must be careful

              not to go too far.  It is true the Blessed Virgin will protect

              those who wear her scapular; but it would be sinful

              willfully to expose ourselves to danger without any

              necessity, because we wear a scapular.  Thus it would be

              suicide for a boy who could not swim to plunge into deep

              water because, having his scapulars on, the Blessed

              Virgin ought to save him by a miracle.  Again, it is

              wrong to look for miracles from God when natural help

              will answer.  Thus it would be wrong for a man who

              broke his leg to refuse to have the doctors set it, because

              he wanted God alone to heal it.  "Dreams" are caused by

              the mind being at work while the body is sleeping or at

              rest.  The mind never sleeps; it is always awake and

              working.  Thus when we are asleep the imagination,

              without the reason to guide it, mixes together a number

              of things we have seen, heard, or thought of, and gives

              us strange scenes and pictures. Sometimes what we dream

              of seems to happen; but that is only because we dream so

              much that it would be strange if none of the things ever

              happened.  We will generally dream about whatever was

              on our mind shortly before.  We read in the Holy

              Scriptures that God at times made known His will to

              certain persons by dreams; as when the king of Egypt

              dreamt of the great famine that was to come; or when the

              angel appeared in sleep to St. Joseph, telling him to take

              Our Lord into Egypt, where Herod the king could not kill

              him. (Matt. 2).

 

Explanation:  The dreams mentioned in the Holy Scripture were more

              frequently visions than dreams.  In a vision the things we

              see are really present, whereas in dreams they are not,

              but we imagine they are.  God no longer makes use of

              dreams as a means of communicating with His creatures,

              because His Church will make known to us His will.  He

              sometimes, however, makes known certain things to His

              holy servants on earth in a very special and private

              manner:  as, for example, when Our Lord appeared to

              Saint Margaret Mary and told her He would like to have

              the devotion to the Sacred Heart established.  We must

              always believe what the Church tells us God has made

              known to it; but when holy people tell us that God

              revealed special things to them, we are not obliged to

              believe what they say, unless the Church confirms it.  I

              say we are not obliged--that is, we may if we please; but

              we would not be heretics and commit sin if we did not

              believe all the revelations and wonderful things we find

              recorded in the lives of saints, though they may all be

              true.

 

Explanation:  "Mediums and spiritists" are persons who pretend they

              can talk with the dead in the other world, and learn where

              they are and what they are doing. They have figures to

              move and apparently speak, and other contrivances to

              deceive those who confide in them.  Their work is all

              deception and very sinful.  If any of these things could be

              done, or if God wished them to be known, He would give

              the power to the Church founded by His divine Son, and

              not to a few sinful men or women here and there.  After

              a soul leaves the body its fate is hidden from us, and we

              can say nothing with absolute certainty of its reward or

              punishment.  No one ever came back from the other

              world to give a minute account of its general appearance

              or of what takes place there.  All that is known about it

              the Church knows and tells us, and all over and above

              that is false or doubtful.  By thinking a little you can see

              how all these dealings with fortune tellers, etc., are giving

              to creatures what belongs to God alone.

 

Question 320: Are sins against faith, hope, and charity also sins against

              the First Commandment?

 

Answer:       Sins against faith, hope, and charity are also sins against

              the First Commandment.

 

Question 321: How does a person sin against faith?

 

Answer:       A person sins against faith, first, by not trying to know

              what God has taught; second, by refusing to believe all

              that God has taught; third, by neglecting to profess his

              belief in what God has taught.

 

Explanation:  "Not trying to know."  Thus children who idle their time

              at Sunday school or religious instruction, and do not learn

              their Catechism, sin against faith in the first way.  In like

              manner grown persons who do not sometime or other

              endeavor to hear sermons or instructions, to attend

              missions or learn from good books, sin against faith.

              "Refusing to believe," as all those do who leave the true

              religion, or who, knowing it, do not embrace it.

              "Neglecting to profess."  We may do this by not living up

              to the practice of our holy religion.  We believe, for

              example, we should hear Mass every Sunday and holy

              day; we should receive the Sacraments at certain times in

              the year; but if we only believe these things and do not

              do them, we neglect to profess our faith, neglect to show

              others that we really believe all the Church teaches, and

              are anxious to practice it.  Many know and believe what

              they should do, but never practice it.  Such persons do

              great injury to the Church, for persons who do not live

              up to their holy religion but act contrary to its teaching

              give scandal to their neighbor.  How many persons at

              present not Catholics would be induced to enter the true

              Church if they saw all Catholics virtuous, truthful, sober,

              honest, upright, and industrious!  But when they see

              Catholics--be they ever so few--cursing, quarrelling,

              backbiting, drinking, lying, stealing, cheating, etc.--in a

              word, indulging in the same vices as those who claim to

              have no religion, what must they think of the moral

              influence of Catholic faith?  Thus they do great injustice

              to the Church and the cause of religion, and are working

              against our Blessed Lord when they should be working

              for Him.

 

Explanation:  The Christian religion spread very rapidly through the

              world in the first ages of its existence; and one of the

              chief reasons was the good example given by the

              Christians; for pagans seeing the holy lives, the kindness

              and charity of their Christian neighbors, could not help

              admiring and loving them, and wishing to be members of

              the Church that made them so good and amiable.  How

              many pagans do you think would be converted nowadays

              by the lives of some who call themselves Catholics?  Not

              many, I think.  Besides this, the early Christians really

              labored to instruct others in the Christian religion, and to

              make them converts.  Often we find servants--even

              slaves--by their instructions converting their pagan

              masters and mistresses.  They all felt that they were

              missionaries working for Jesus Christ, and their influence

              reached where the priest's influence could not reach,

              because they came in contact with persons the priests

              never had an opportunity of seeing.  If all Catholics had

              the same spirit, what good they could do!  Their business

              or duty may often bring them into daily intercourse with

              persons not of their faith, and who never knew or perhaps

              heard any of the beautiful truths of our holy religion.

              Yes, Catholics could do much good if they had only the

              good will and knew their religion well. I do not mean that

              they should be always discussing religion with everyone

              they meet.  Let them preach chiefly by the example of

              their own good lives, and when questioned explain

              modestly and sincerely the truths they believe.

 

Explanation:  If you should be asked, for instance:  Why do you not eat

              flesh-meat on Friday? you should be able to answer:

              "Because I am a Christian and wish to keep always before

              my mind how our Blessed Lord suffered for me in His

              holy flesh on that day; and anyone who claims to be a

              Christian, ought, I think, to be glad to do what reminds

              him so regularly and well of Our Lord's Passion." Such

              an answer if given kindly and mildly would silence and

              instruct your adversary; it might make him reflect, and

              might, in time, bring him to the true religion. Sometimes

              a few words make a great impression and bring about

              conversion.  St. Francis Xavier was a worldly young

              man, learned and ambitious, and he heard from St.

              Ignatius these words of Our Lord:  "What doth it profit a

              man if he gain the whole world and suffer the loss of his

              own soul?"  He went home and kept thinking of them till

              they impressed him so strongly that he gave up the world,

              became a priest and by his labors and preaching in India,

              converted to the true religion many thousand pagans.  In

              the lives of the saints there are many examples of a few

              words, by God's grace, bringing men from a life of sin

              to a life of great holiness.

 

Question 322: How do we fail to try to know what God has taught?

 

Answer:       We fail to try to know what God has taught by neglecting

              to learn the Christian doctrine.

 

Question 323: Who are they who do not believe all that God has taught?

 

Answer:       They who do not believe all that God has taught are the

              heretics and infidels.

 

Explanation:  There are many kinds of unbelievers:  atheists, deists,

              infidels, heretics, apostates, and schismatics.  An atheist

              is one who denies the existence of God, saying there is

              no God. A deist is one who says he believes God exists,

              but denies that God ever revealed any religion.  These are

              also called freethinkers.  An infidel properly means one

              who has never been baptized--one who is not of the

              number of the faithful; that is, those believing in Christ.

              Sometimes atheists are called infidels.  Heretics are those

              who were baptized and who claim to be Christians, but

              do not believe all the truths that Our Lord has taught.

              They accept only a portion of the doctrine of Christ and

              reject the remainder, and hence they become rebellious

              children of the Church.  They belong to the true Church

              by being baptized, but do not submit to its teaching and

              are therefore outcast children, disinherited till they return

              to the true faith.  A schismatic is one who believes

              everything the Church teaches, but will not submit to the

              authority of its head--the Holy Father.  Such persons do

              not long remain only schismatics; for once they rise up

              against the authority of the Church, they soon reject some

              of its doctrines and thus become heretics; and indeed,

              since Vatican Council I, all schismatics are heretics.

 

Question 324: Who are they who neglect to profess their belief in what

              God has taught?

 

Answer:       They who neglect to profess their belief in what God has

              taught are all those who fail to acknowledge the true

              Church in which they really believe.

 

Explanation:  There are some outside the Church who feel and believe

              that the Catholic Church is the true Church, and yet they

              do not become Catholics, because there are so many

              difficulties in the way.  For example, they have been

              brought up in another religion, and all their friends,

              relatives, or associates are opposed to the Catholic

              religion.  Their business, their social life, their worldly

              interests will all suffer if they become Catholics.  So,

              although they feel they should at once embrace the true

              religion, they keep putting off till death comes and finds

              them outside the Church--and most probably guilty of

              other mortal sins.  Such persons cannot be saved, for they

              reject all the graces God bestows upon them.  A very

              common fault with such people is to excuse this conduct

              by saying:  Oh! I was brought up in the Protestant

              religion, and everyone ought to live in the religion in

              which he was brought up. Let me ask:  If persons were

              brought up with some bodily deformity that their parents

              neglected to have remedied while they were young,

              would they not use every means themselves to have the

              deformity removed as soon as they became old enough to

              see and understand their misfortune?  In like manner, if

              unfortunately parents bring up their children in a false

              religion--that is, with spiritual deformities, it is the duty

              of the children to embrace the true religion as soon as

              they know it. Again persons will say:  Oh, I believe one

              religion as good as another; we are all Christians, and all

              trying to serve God.  If one religion is as good as

              another, why did not Our Lord allow the old

              religions--false or true--to remain?  If one man says a

              thing is black and another says it is white, they cannot

              both be right, for a thing cannot be black and white at the

              same time.  Only one can be right; and, if we are anxious

              about the color of the object, we must try to find which

              one is right. Just in the same way all the religions that

              claim to be Christian contradict one another; one says a

              thing is false and another says it is true:  one says Our

              Lord taught so and so and another says He did not.  Now

              since it is very important for us to know which is right,

              we must find out which is really the Church Our Lord

              established; and when we have found it we will know that

              all the other pretended Christian religions must be false.

              Our Lord has given us marks by which we can know His

              Church, as we saw while speaking of the marks of the

              Church; and the Roman Catholic Church is the only

              Church that has all these marks.  We say that we are

              Roman Catholics to show that we are in communion with

              the Church of Rome, established by St. Peter, the chief

              of the Apostles.

 

Question 325: Can they who fail to profess their faith in the true Church

              in which they believe expect to be saved while in that

              state?

 

Explanation:  Answer:

              They who fail to profess their faith in the true Church in

              which they believe cannot expect to be saved while in that

              state, for Christ has said:  "Whoever shall deny Me

              before men, I will also deny him before My Father who

              is in Heaven."

 

Question 326: Are we obliged to make open profession of our faith?

 

Answer:       We are obliged to make open profession of our faith as

              often as God's honor, our neighbor's spiritual good, or

              our own requires it.  "Whosoever," says Christ, "shall

              confess Me before men, I will also confess him before

              My Father who is in Heaven."

 

Explanation:  It is not necessary for us to proclaim in the streets that we

              are Catholics; neither need we tell our religion to

              impudent people that may ask us only to insult us; but

              when a real need of professing our faith presents itself,

              then we must profess it.  Suppose you are stopping in a

              hotel in which you are the only Catholic.  If flesh-meat is

              placed before you on a Friday in Lent you must quietly

              push it aside and ask for fish or other food; although by

              so doing you will show that you are a Catholic and make

              a silent profession of your faith.  God's honor and your

              own good require it, for you must keep the laws of God

              and of His Church on every possible occasion.  Suppose

              again there were in the same hotel some indifferent

              Catholics, socially your equals or inferiors, who through

              human respect were ashamed to go to Mass on Sunday;

              then you should publicly go to Mass and even declare

              that you must go, for by so doing you would encourage

              these indifferent Catholics to follow your example. In that

              case your neighbor's good requires that you profess your

              faith.  In a word, you must keep up the practice of your

              religion even if by so doing you have to make an open

              profession of your faith and suffer for it.  But suppose it

              is something that God or the Church does not command

              you to do but only recommends, such as blessing yourself

              before meals or some pious practice, you could in public

              omit such an action if you pleased without any sin or

              denial of faith, because you violate no law.

 

Question 327: Which are the sins against hope?

 

Answer:       The sins against hope are presumption and despair.

 

Question 328: What is presumption?

 

Answer:       Presumption is a rash expectation of salvation without

              making proper use of the necessary means to obtain it.

 

Explanation:  A person who goes on leading a bad life, and says when

              warned of his danger that he is in no hurry to reform,

              that he will repent some day before he dies, is always

              living in and committing the sin of presumption.  It is a

              great sin, for it is living in open defiance of Almighty

              God.  Such persons are very seldom given the

              opportunity to repent at the last moment, and are, in most

              cases, called to judgment when they least expect it.  We

              are all presumptuous sometimes.  Do we not often, when

              we have fallen into a certain sin, easily repeat the act,

              saying to ourselves, now that we will have to confess the

              sin committed, the mention of the number of times will

              not make such difference for it will not increase our

              shame and confusion?  This is presumption; for we do

              not know whether God will ever give us the opportunity

              of making a confession. Again, one mortal sin is

              sufficient to keep our souls in Hell for all eternity; what

              then will be our punishment for many mortal sins?  Then

              there is another thing you should remember:  God has

              fixed a certain number of sins that He will suffer you to

              commit before He sends His punishment.  You do not

              know which sin will complete the number and be the last.

              The very sin you are now about to commit may be that

              one, and the moment you have committed it, God will

              call you to judgment, whether it be night or day, whether

              you are at home or in the streets--though perhaps not

              immediately, but before you commit another sin. Such a

              thought alone should keep you from sinning.  Moreover,

              after confession you strongly resist the first temptation to

              mortal sin, but after you have yielded to the first you

              scarcely make any more resistance, but easily yield again

              and again.  You should therefore, to prevent this, go to

              confession just as soon as you possibly can after falling

              into mortal sin.  It is bad enough to commit mortal sin,

              but it is terrible to be living in that state day and

              night--always an enemy of God--losing the merit of all the

              works you do and yet you must stay in that state of sin

              till you go to confession and receive absolution.  Peter the

              Apostle committed the sin of presumption. (Matt. 26).

              Our Lord told him to watch and pray for he would be

              tempted and yield that night, but Peter said:  "No Lord,

              I will never deny Thee."  Instead of begging Our Lord's

              help and grace, he trusted to himself and fell miserably

              into sin.  He went into dangerous company and that was

              another cause of his fall.  But afterwards he saw his sin

              and folly and never ceased to repent of it.

 

Question 329: What is despair?

 

Answer:       Despair is the loss of hope in God's mercy.

 

Explanation:  Despair is a sin because by it you deny that God is

              infinitely merciful--that He is merciful enough to forgive

              even your many and great sins if you are truly sorry for

              them.  Judas committed the sin of despair.  After he had

              betrayed Our Lord, he went and hanged himself, thus

              committing, besides the sin of betraying his divine

              Master, two other great sins; namely, despair in God's

              mercy and suicide.  If he had gone to Our Lord and

              confessed his sin, and implored pardon and promised

              penance, can we doubt that He would have forgiven even

              Judas, as He forgave Peter, and those that crucified Him,

              praying that His Father might not punish them for their

              sins?  Therefore, no matter what sins you have

              committed, never lose confidence in God's mercy.  See

              how Our Lord pardoned the thief on the cross and Mary

              Magdalen and other sinners.  Be sorry for your sins, and

              God will hear your prayers.  Call upon the Blessed

              Virgin, your patron saint, and guardian angel to help you,

              and ask others, especially good persons, to pray for you.

 

Question 330: How do we sin against the love of God?

 

Answer:       We sin against the love of God by all sin, but particularly

              by mortal sin.

 

 

                  Lesson 31:  THE FIRST COMMANDMENT --

                  ON THE HONOR AND INVOCATION OF SAINTS

 

Question 331: Does the First Commandment forbid the honoring of the

              saints?

Question 332: Does the First Commandment forbid us to pray to the

              saints?

Question 333: What do we mean by praying to the saints?

Question 334: How do we know that the saints hear us?

Question 335: Why do we believe that the saints will help us?

Question 336: How are the saints and we members of the same Church?

Question 337: What is the communion of the members of the Church

              called?

Question 338: What does the communion of saints mean?

Question 339: What benefits are derived from the communion of saints?

Question 340: Does the First Commandment forbid us to honor relics?

Question 341: Does the First Commandment forbid the making of

              images?

Question 342: Is it right to show respect to the pictures and images of

              Christ and His saints?

Question 343: Is it allowed to pray to the crucifix or to the images and

              relics of the saints?

Question 344: Why do we pray before the crucifix and the images and

              relics of the saints?

 

Question 331: Does the First Commandment forbid the honoring of the

              saints?

 

Answer:       The First Commandment does not forbid the honoring of

              the saints, but rather approves of it; because by honoring

              the saints. who are the chosen friends of God, we honor

              God Himself.

 

Explanation:  Think of the many helps God gives us to save our souls:

              an angel to be always with us upon earth; a saint always

              praying for us in Heaven, and besides these all the

              graces, the Sacraments, the Masses, the prayers, etc.  If

              then we lose our soul, surely we cannot say, God did not

              give us sufficient help. "Invocation" means calling upon

              them to help us.  Everyone is pleased when his friends

              are honored.  Who is not glad to hear his parents praised

              or see them respected?  By praying to the saints, instead

              of dishonoring God--as Protestants say we do--we really

              honor Him more than by praying directly to Himself We

              show that we believe in His great dignity, His awful

              majesty and our own nothingness.  If a poor person

              wanted to obtain a favor from the President of the United

              States, would he go directly to the President himself?

              No. He would find someone who had influence with the

              President, and ask him to obtain the favor.  Why, the

              very persons that say we should not use the influence of

              saints do themselves use the influence of others to obtain

              favors.  They never go to an enemy of the one from

              whom they desire the favor, but to some of his friends,

              knowing that a person will often grant a favor for a

              friend's sake that he would not grant for the sake of

              others.  Now we do exactly the same when we pray to

              the saints.  they are the special friends of God.  They

              fasted, prayed, preached, labored, or suffered death for

              His honor and glory.  He showed them great favors while

              they were upon earth.  He performed miracles at their

              request.  Will He deny them now, when they are always

              present with Him in Heaven -- where they could not

              possibly sin?  He loves to grant them favors; and, as they

              do not need any for themselves, He grants them for

              others through their intercession.  Again men are honored

              by the praises of their fellowman. A great general is

              honored by having all his countrymen praise him; so, too,

              God wants His saints honored, for their great spiritual

              deeds, by the praise of the children of the Church.  God

              is not annoyed by being asked for favors. Nothing can

              trouble Him, for all is done by an act of His will.  He

              loses nothing by giving, for He is infinite.  By praying to

              the saints for help we confess that we are too unworthy to

              present ourselves to God and address Him--to come

              before His awful Majesty, and that we will wait here in

              the humble attitude of prayer while you, holy saints, His

              dearest friends, go into His presence and ask for us the

              favors and graces we require.

 

Question 332: Does the First Commandment forbid us to pray to the

              saints?

 

Answer:       The First Commandment does not forbid us to pray to the

              saints.

 

Explanation:  We do not pray to them as to God.  We never say to

              them, "Give us this or that," but always, "Obtain it for

              us" In all the litanies you cannot find one petition where

              we say, even to the Blessed Virgin:  "Have mercy on

              us," but, "Pray for us," or, "Intercede for us."

 

Question 333: What do we mean by praying to the saints?

 

Answer:       By praying to the saints we mean the asking of their help

              and prayers.

 

Question 334: How do we know that the saints hear us?

 

Answer:       We know that the saints hear us, because they are with

              God, who makes our prayers known to them.

 

Question 335: Why do we believe that the saints will help us?

 

Answer:       We believe that the saints will help us because both they

              and we are members of the same Church, and they love

              us as their brethren.

 

Question 336: How are the saints and we members of the same Church?

 

Answer:       The saints and we are members of the same Church,

              because the Church in Heaven and the Church on earth

              are one and the same Church, and all its members are in

              communion with one another.

 

Question 337: What is the communion of the members of the Church

              called?

 

Answer:       The communion of the members of the Church is called

              the communion of saints.

 

Question 338: What does the communion of saints mean?

 

Answer:       The communion of saints means the union which exists

              between the members of the Church on earth with one

              another and with the blessed in Heaven and with the

              suffering souls in Purgatory.

 

Question 339: What benefits are derived from the communion of saints?

 

Answer:       The following benefits are derived from the communion

              of saints:  the faithful on earth assist one another by their

              prayers and good works, and they are aided by the

              intercession of the saints in Heaven, while both the saints

              in Heaven and the faithful on earth help the souls in

              Purgatory.

 

Question 340: Does the First Commandment forbid us to honor relics?

 

Answer:       The First Commandment does not forbid us to honor

              relics, because relics are the bodies of the saints or

              objects directly connected with them or with Our Lord.

 

Explanation:  "Relic" means a thing left.  Relics are pieces of the body

              -- bones, etc.  Pieces of saints' clothing, writing, etc., are

              also called relics. Pieces of the True Cross, the nails that

              pierced Christ's hands, etc., are relics of Our Lord's

              Passion.  We have no relic of Our Lord's Body because

              He took it into Heaven with Him when He ascended.  All

              relics of the saints must be examined at Rome, by those

              whom the Holy Father has appointed for that work. They

              must be marked and accompanied by the testimony of the

              Cardinals, or others who examined them, to show that

              they are true relics.  It would be superstitious to use

              anything as a relic unless we were sure of its being

              genuine.

 

Question 341: Does the First Commandment forbid the making of

              images?

 

Answer:       The First Commandment does forbid the making of

              images if they are made to be adored as gods, but it does

              not forbid the making of them to put us in mind of Jesus

              Christ, His Blessed Mother, and the saints.

 

Explanation:  Protestants and others say that Catholics break the First

              Commandment by having images in their churches,

              because the First Commandment says:  "Thou shalt not

              make graven images or the likeness of anything upon the

              earth," etc. Now, if that is exactly what the

              Commandment means, then they break it also, because

              they make the images of generals, statesmen, writers,

              etc., and place them in their parks.  They also take

              photographs of their relatives and friends and hang them

              on the walls of their homes.  They do this, they say, and

              we believe them, to show their respect and veneration for

              the persons represented, and not to worship their images.

              Now we do no more.  We simply place in our churches

              the images of saints to show our respect and veneration

              for the persons they represent, and not to worship the

              images themselves.  So if we break the First

              Commandment, they who make any picture or statue

              break it also. Can our accusers not see that they and

              every citizen do the very thing for which they reproach

              us? On Decoration Day they place flowers around the

              statue of Washington and other great men.  Does anyone

              believe that they are trying to honor the piece of metal or

              stone, or that the metal or stone statue knows that it is

              being honored?  Certainly not.  They do so to honor

              Washington or whomsoever the statue represents; and for

              the same reason Catholics place flowers and lights around

              the statues and images of saints.  Every child knows that

              the wood in the statue might as well have been a pillar in

              the Church, and that its selection for a statue was merely

              accidental, and hence he knows that the statue cannot

              hear or see him, and so he prays not to the statue but to

              the person it represents.  Again if you can offer a person

              insult by dishonoring his image, may we not honor him

              by treating it with respect?  What greater insult, for

              instance, could be offered to your deceased father and

              yourself than to burn him in effigy, or contemptuously

              trample his picture under foot in your presence?  Thus

              they who treat the images of Christ or His saints with

              disrespect dishonor Christ and His saints.

 

Explanation:  Again we may learn our religion by our sight as well as

              by our hearing, and may be led by these visible objects

              to a knowledge of the invisible things they represent.  Let

              us take an example.  A poor ignorant man enters a

              Catholic church, and sees hanging there a picture of St.

              Vincent de Paul.  He can learn the life of the saint from

              that picture almost as well as if he read it in a book.  He

              sees the saint dressed in a cassock, and that tells him St.

              Vincent was a priest.  He sees him surrounded by little

              ragged children and holding some of them in his arms;

              that tells him the saint took care of poor children and

              orphans, and founded homes and asylums for them.  He

              sees on the saint's table a human skull, and that tells him

              St. Vincent frequently meditated upon death and what

              follows it.  He sees beside the skull a little lash or whip,

              and that tells him the saint was a man who practiced

              penance and mortification. Thus you have another reason

              why the true Church is very properly called Catholic;

              because its teaching suits all classes of persons.  The

              ignorant can know what it teaches as well as the learned;

              for if they cannot read they can listen to its priests, watch

              its ceremonies, and study its pictures, by all of which it

              teaches.  The Protestant religion, on the contrary, is not

              adapted to the needs of every class, for it teaches that all

              must find their doctrines in the Bible, and understand

              them according to their lights, giving their own

              interpretation to the passages of the sacred text; and thus

              we come to have a variety of Protestant denominations,

              all claiming the Bible for their guide, though following

              different paths.  If every Protestant has the right to take

              his own meaning out of the Holy Scripture, what right

              have Protestant ministers to preach the meaning they have

              found, and compel others to accept it?  The Bible alone

              is not sufficient.  It must be explained by the Church that

              teaches us also the traditions that have come down to us

              from the Apostles.  If the Bible alone were the rule of our

              faith, what would become of all those who could not read

              the Bible?  What would become of those who lived before

              the Apostles wrote the New Testament? for they did not

              write in the first years of their ministry, neither did they

              commit to writing all the truths they taught, because Our

              Lord did not command them to write, but to preach; and

              He Himself never wrote any of His doctrines.  Again

              Catholics are accused of superstition for keeping the relics

              of saints.  Yet when General Grant died and was buried

              in New York, many citizens of every denomination,

              anxious to have a relic of the great man they loved and

              admired, secured, even at a cost, small pieces of wood

              from his house, of cloth from his funeral car, a few

              leaves or a little sand from his tomb.  Now, if it was not

              superstition to keep these relics, why should it be

              superstition to keep the relics of the saints?

 

Explanation:  Even God Himself honored the relics of saints, for He

              has often performed or granted miracles through their

              use.  We read in the Bible (4 Kings 13:21) -- and it is the

              word of God -- that once some persons who were burying

              a dead man, seeing their enemies coming upon them,

              hastily cast the body into a tomb and fled.  It was the

              tomb of the holy prophet Eliseus, and when the dead

              body touched the bones of this great servant of God, the

              dead man came to life and stood erect.  Here is at least

              one miracle that God performed through the relics of a

              saint.

 

Explanation:  God does not forbid the mere making of images, but only

              the making of them as gods.  He gave the

              Commandments to Moses and afterwards told him to

              make images; namely, angels of gold for the temple. (Ex.

              25:18).  Now, God does not change His mind or

              contradict Himself as men do.  Whatever He does is done

              forever.  Therefore if He commanded Moses by the First

              Commandment not to make any images, He could not tell

              him later to make some.  It is not the mere making,

              therefore, that God forbids, but the adoring.  What He

              insists upon is:  "You shall not adore or serve the images

              you make."  This is very clear if we consider the history

              of the Israelites, to whom God first gave the law.  They

              were the only nation in the whole world that knew and

              worshipped the true God, and often, as I told you, they

              fell into idolatry and really worshipped images. When

              Moses delayed on the mountain with God, and they

              thought he was not coming back, they made a golden calf

              and adored it as a god. (Ex. 32).

 

Explanation:  The Israelites fell into idolatry chiefly by associating with

              persons not of the true religion.  Let us learn from their

              sins never to run the risk of weakening or losing our faith

              by making bosom friends and steady companions of those

              not of the true religion or of no religion at all.  You are

              not, however, to treat any person with contempt or to

              despise anyone, but to look upon all as the children of

              God, and pray for those not of the true religion, that they

              may be converted and saved.

 

Question 342: Is it right to show respect to the pictures and images of

              Christ and His saints?

 

Answer:       It is right to show respect to the pictures and images of

              Christ and His saints, because they are the representations

              and memorials of them.

 

Question 343: Is it allowed to pray to the crucifix or to the images and

              relics of the saints?

 

Answer:       It is not allowed to pray to the crucifix or images and

              relics of the saints, for they have no life, nor power to

              help us, nor sense to hear us.

 

Question 344: Why do we pray before the crucifix and the images and

              relics of the saints?

 

Answer:       We pray before the crucifix and the images and relics of

              the saints because they enliven our devotion by exciting

              pious affections and desires, and by reminding us of

              Christ and of the saints, that we may imitate their

 

 

           Lesson 32:  FROM THE SECOND TO THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT

 

Question 345: What is the Second Commandment?

Question 346: What are we commanded by the Second Commandment?

Question 347: What is an oath?

Question 348: When may we take an oath?

Question 349: What is necessary to make an oath lawful?

Question 350: What is a vow?

Question 351: Is it a sin not to fulfill our vows?

Question 352: What is forbidden by the Second Commandment?

Question 353: What is the Third Commandment?

Question 354: What are we commanded by the Third Commandment?

Question 355: How are we to worship God on Sundays and holy days of

              obligation?

Question 356: Are the Sabbath day and the Sunday the same?

Question 357: Why does the Church command us to keep the Sunday

              holy instead of the Sabbath?

Question 358: What is forbidden by the Third Commandment?

Question 359: What are servile works?

Question 360: Are servile works on Sunday ever lawful?

 

Question 345: What is the Second Commandment?

 

Answer:       The Second Commandment is:  Thou shalt not take the

              name of the Lord thy God in vain.

 

Explanation:  "In vain" -- that is, without necessity.

 

Question 346: What are we commanded by the Second Commandment?

 

Answer:       We are commanded by the Second Commandment to

              speak with reverence of God and of the saints, and of all

              holy things, and to keep our lawful oaths and vows.

 

Explanation:  A very common sin against this Commandment is to use

              the words and sayings of Holy Scripture in a worldly or

              bad sense.  The Church forbids us to use the words and

              sayings of Holy Scripture to convey any meaning but the

              one God intended them to convey, or at least to use them

              in any but a sacred sense.

 

Question 347: What is an oath?

 

Answer:       An oath is the calling upon God to witness the truth of

              what we say.

 

Explanation:  We declare a thing to be so or not, and call God to be

              our witness that we are speaking truly.  This is one of the

              most solemn acts that men can perform in the presence of

              their fellowman.  All the nations of the earth regard an

              oath as a most sacred thing, and one who swears falsely

              is the vilest of men--a perjurer.  God is infinite truth and

              hates lies.  What a frightful thing then to call Him to

              sanction a lie!

 

Question 348: When may we take an oath?

 

Answer:       We may take an oath when it is ordered by lawful

              authority or required for God's honor or for our own or

              our neighbor's good.

 

Explanation:  An oath is generally taken in a court of law when the

              judge wishes to find out the truth of the case.  We may

              be a witness against one who is guilty, or in defense of an

              innocent person, and in such cases a lie would have most

              evil consequences.  The judge has a right, therefore, to

              make us take an oath that we will testify truly.  Officers

              of the law, magistrates, judges, etc., take an oath when

              entering upon their duties that they will perform them

              faithfully.

 

Question 349: What is necessary to make an oath lawful?

 

Answer:       To make an oath lawful it is necessary that what we

              swear be true, and that there be a sufficient cause for

              taking an oath.

 

Question 350: What is a vow?

 

Answer:       A vow is a deliberate promise made to God to do

              something that is pleasing to Him.

 

Explanation:  "Deliberate" -- that is, with full consent and freedom.  If

              we are forced to make it, it is not valid.  "To God," not

              to another; though we may vow to God that we will do

              something in honor of the Blessed Virgin, or of the

              saints, or for another.  "Something pleasing," because if

              we promise something that is forbidden by God or

              displeasing to Him, it is not a vow.  A solemn promise,

              for instance, to kill your neighbor or steal his goods could

              not be a vow.  You would commit a sin by making such

              a vow, and another by keeping it, for if you promise

              something you cannot do without committing sin then you

              must not keep that promise.  We have an example in the

              life of St. John the Baptist.  King Herod was leading a

              sinful life, and St. John rebuked him for it.  The wife of

              the king's brother -- Herodias was her name -- hated St.

              John for this, and she sought to have him killed.  Once

              when the king had a great feast and all his notables were

              assembled, this woman's daughter danced before them,

              and the king was so pleased with her that he vowed to

              give her whatever she asked.  He should have said, if it

              is something pleasing to God, but he did not.  Her mother

              made her ask for the head of John the Baptist.  The king

              was sad, but because he had made the vow or promise he

              thought he had to keep it, and ordered St. John to be

              beheaded and his head brought to her. (Matt. 14).  He

              was not bound to keep any such vow, and sinned by

              doing so.

 

Explanation:  Again, they also commit sin who become members of

              such secret societies as the freemasons or similar

              organizations, promising to do whatever they are ordered

              without knowing what may be ordered; for they sin not

              only by obeying sinful commands, but by the very fact of

              being in a society in which they are exposed to the

              danger of being forced to sin.  Such secret societies are

              forbidden by the Church because they strive to undermine

              its authority, and make their rules superior to its teaching.

              They also influence those in authority to persecute the

              Church and its ministers, and do not hesitate to

              recommend even assassination at times for the

              accomplishment of their ends.  Therefore the Church

              forbids Catholics to join societies of which

 

Explanation:  the objects are unlawful, where the means used are sinful,

              or where the rights of our conscience and liberty are

              violated by rash or dangerous oaths.

 

Explanation:  The Church does not oppose associations founded on law

              and justice; but on the contrary, has always encouraged

              and still encourages every organization that tends to

              benefit its members spiritually and temporally, and

              opposes only societies that have not a legitimate end.

              Therefore you may understand that labor unions and

              benefit societies in which persons are leagued together for

              their own protection or the protection of their interests are

              not secret societies, though they may conduct their

              meetings in secret.

 

Question 351: Is it a sin not to fulfill our vows?

 

Answer:       Not to fulfill our vows is a sin, mortal or venial according

              to the nature of the vow and the intention we had in

              making it.

 

Explanation:  "Vows" -- that is, lawful vows.  When a man who is in

              the habit of getting intoxicated vows not to take liquor for

              a certain time, he generally intends to bind himself only

              under venial sin; that is, if he breaks that pledge or

              promise it will be a venial and not a mortal sin; but he

              can make it a mortal sin by intending, when he takes the

              pledge, that if he breaks it he will be guilty of mortal sin.

 

Question 352: What is forbidden by the Second Commandment?

 

Answer:       The Second Commandment forbids all false, rash, unjust,

              and unnecessary oaths, blasphemy, cursing, and profane

              words.

 

Explanation:  "Rash" -- swearing a thing is true or false without

              knowing for certain whether it is or not.  "Blasphemy" is

              not the same as cursing or taking God's name in vain.  It

              is worse.  It is to say or do something very disrespectful

              to God.  To say that He is unjust, cruel or the like, is to

              blaspheme.  We can blaspheme also by actions.  To defy

              God by a sign or action, to dare Him to strike us dead,

              etc., would be blasphemy.  We have a terrible example

              of blasphemy related in the life of Julian the Apostate.

              An apostate is one who renounces and gives up his

              religion, not one who merely neglects it. Julian was a

              Roman emperor and had been a Catholic, but apostatized.

              Then in his great hatred for Our Lord he wished to falsify

              His prophecies and prove them untrue.  Our Lord had

              said that of the temple of Jerusalem there would not be

              left a stone upon a stone.  To make this false Julian began

              to rebuild the temple.  In making the preparation he

              cleared away the ruins of the old building, not leaving a

              single stone upon a stone, and thus was instrumental

              himself in verifying the words of Our Lord; for while the

              ruins remained there were stones upon stones.  He wished

              to defy God, but when he began to build, fire came forth

              from the earth and drove back the workmen, and a strong

              wind scattered the materials.  Afterwards Julian was

              wounded in battle, an arrow having pierced his breast.

              He drew it out, and throwing a handful of his blood

              toward heaven, said:  "Thou hast conquered, 0 Galilean,"

              meaning Our Lord.  This was a horrible

              blasphemy--throwing his blood in defiance, and calling

              the Son of God a name which he thought would be

              insulting (see Fredet's Modern History, Life of Julian).

              Therefore we can blaspheme by actions or words, doing

              or saying things intended to insult Almighty God.

              "Profane words" -- that is, bad, but especially irreverent

              and irreligious words.

 

Question 353: What is the Third Commandment?

 

Answer:       The Third Commandment is:  Remember thou keep holy

              the Sabbath day.

 

Question 354: What are we commanded by the Third Commandment?

 

Answer:       By the Third Commandment we are commanded to keep

              holy the Lord's Day and the holy days of obligation, on

              which we are to give our time to the service and worship

              of God.

 

Explanation:  "Holy days" we are bound to keep holy just in the same

              manner we do Sundays -- that is, by hearing Mass and

              refraining from servile works.  Those who after hearing

              Mass must attend to business or work on those days

              should make this known to their confessor, that he may

              judge if they have a sufficient excuse for engaging in

              servile works, and thus they will avoid the danger of

              sinfully violating an important law.  There must always

              be a good reason for working on a holy day.  Those who

              are so situated that they can readily refrain from servile

              work on holy days must do so.  And, where it is

              possible, the same opportunity must be afforded to their

              servants.

 

Explanation:  "Of obligation," because there are some holy days not of

              obligation.  We celebrate them, but we are not bound

              under pain of mortal sin to hear Mass or keep from

              servile works on such days.  For example, St. Patrick's

              Day is not a holy day of obligation.  The great feast of

              Corpus Christi is not a holy day of obligation.  Not

              satisfied with doing only what the Church obliges us to

              do on Sundays and holy days, those who really love God

              will endeavor to do more than the bare works

              commanded.  Sunday is a day of rest and prayer.  While

              we may take innocent and useful amusement, we should

              not join in any public or noisy entertainments.  We may

              rest and recreate ourselves, but we should avoid every

              place where vulgar and sometimes sinful amusements,

              scenes, or plays are presented.  Even in taking lawful

              recreation we may serve God and please Him if we take

              it to strengthen our bodies that we may be enabled to do

              the work He has assigned to us in this world.

 

Explanation:  Sunday is well spent by those who, after hearing Mass.

              devote some part of the day to good works, such as pious

              reading, teaching in Sunday school, bringing relief to the

              poor and sick, visiting the Blessed Sacrament, attending

              Vespers, Rosary, etc.  Not that I mean they should do

              nothing but pray on Sundays; but they should not give the

              whole day to useless enjoyment or idleness, and forget

              God.  Some begrudge God even the half--hour they are

              obliged to give to Mass on Sundays:  they stand near the

              door, ready to be the first out, and perhaps were the last

              in; or they come late, and do not give the full time

              necessary to hear the entire Mass.  Others spend the

              whole day in reading newspapers, magazines, or useless

              -- I will not say sinful -- books.  It is not a sin to read

              newspapers, etc., on Sunday; but to give the whole time

              to them, and never read anything good and instructive, is

              a willful waste of time--and waste of time is sinful.  There

              should be in every family, according to its means, one or

              more good Catholic newspapers or magazines.  Not all

              papers that bear the name of Catholic are worthy of it.

              A truly Catholic paper is one that teaches or defends

              Catholic truth, and warns us against its enemies, their

              snares, deceptions, etc.; one, too, that tells us what is

              being done in the interests of religion, education, etc.

              Besides such a paper there should be a few standard good

              books in every family such as the New Testament, the

              Imitation of Christ, a large and full catechism of Christian

              doctrine, etc.  On the other hand, all the books in your

              house need not be books treating of religion or piety.

              Any book that is not against faith or morals may be kept

              and read.  A book may not be bad in itself, but it may be

              bad for you, either because it is suggestive of evil, or you

              misunderstand it, and take evil out of it.  In such a case

              you should not read it.  At the present time there are so

              many bad books that persons should be very careful as to

              what they read.

 

Explanation:  Not only should we keep Sunday well ourselves, but we

              should endeavor to have it so kept by others.  We must

              be careful, however, not to fall into the mistake of some

              who wish the Sunday to be kept as the Pharisees of old

              kept the Sabbath, telling us we must not walk, ride, sail,

              or take any exercise or enjoyment on that day.  This is

              not true, for Our Lord rebuked the Pharisees for such

              excessive rigor; God made the Sunday for our benefit,

              and if we had to keep it as they say we must, it would be

              more of a punishment than a benefit.

 

Question 355: How are we to worship God on Sundays and holy days of

              obligation?

 

Answer:       We are to worship God on Sundays and holy days of

              obligation by hearing Mass, by prayer, and by other good

              works.

 

Question 356: Are the Sabbath day and the Sunday the same?

 

Answer:       The Sabbath day and the Sunday are not the same.  The

              Sabbath is the seventh day of the week, and is the day

              which was kept holy in the Old . Law; the Sunday is the

              first day of the week, and is the day which is kept holy in

              the New Law.

 

Explanation:  "Old Law" means the law that God gave to the Jews, the

              New Law, the law that Our Lord gave to Christians.

 

Question 357: Why does the Church command us to keep the Sunday

              holy instead of the Sabbath?

 

Answer:       The Church commands us to keep the Sunday holy

              instead of the Sabbath because on Sunday Christ rose

              from the dead, and on Sunday He sent the Holy Ghost

              upon the Apostles.

 

Explanation:  We keep Sunday instead of Saturday also to teach that the

              Old Law is not now binding upon us, but that we must

              keep the New Law, which takes its place.

 

Question 358: What is forbidden by the Third Commandment?

 

Answer:       The Third Commandment forbids all unnecessary servile

              work and whatever else may hinder the due observance

              of the Lord's day.

 

Question 359: What are servile works?

 

Answer:       Servile works are those which require labor rather of

              body than of mind.

 

Explanation:  "Servile" -- that is, work which was formerly done by the

              slaves. Therefore writing, reading, studying, etc., are not

              servile, because they were not the works of slaves.

 

Question 360: Are servile works on Sunday ever lawful?

 

Answer:       Servile works are lawful on Sunday when the honor of

              God, the good of our neighbor, or necessity requires

              them.

 

Explanation:  "Honor of God"; for example, erecting an altar that could

              not be erected at another time, so that the people may

              hear Mass on that day.

 

Explanation:  "Good of our neighbor" -- such as reconstructing a

              broken bridge that must be used every day; or clearing

              away obstacles after a railroad accident, that trains may

              not be delayed. "Necessity" -- firemen endeavoring to

              extinguish a fire, sailors working on a ship at sea, etc.

 

 

              Lesson 33:  FROM THE FOURTH TO THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT

 

Question 361: What is the Fourth Commandment?

Question 362: What are we commanded by the Fourth Commandment?

Question 363: Are we bound to honor and obey others than our parents?

Question 364: Have parents and superiors any duties towards those who

              are under their charge?

Question 365: What is forbidden by the Fourth Commandment?

Question 366: What is the Fifth Commandment?

Question 367: What are we commanded by the Fifth Commandment?

Question 368: What is forbidden by the Fifth Commandment?

Question 369: What is the Sixth Commandment?

Question 370: What are we commanded by the Sixth Commandment?

Question 371: What is forbidden by the Sixth Commandment?

Question 372: Does the Sixth Commandment forbid the reading of bad

              and immodest books and newspapers?

 

Question 361: What is the Fourth Commandment?

 

Answer:       The Fourth Commandment is:  Honor thy father and thy

              mother.

 

Question 362: What are we commanded by the Fourth Commandment?

 

Answer:       We are commanded by the Fourth Commandment to

              honor, love, and obey our parents in all that is not sin.

 

Explanation:  "In all that is not sin," because if our parents or

              superiors, being wicked, bid us do things that we know

              to be certainly sinful, then we must not obey them under

              any circumstances.  God will not excuse us for doing

              wrong because we were commanded.  But if, on the

              contrary, we are forced in spite of our resistance to do

              the sinful act, then not we but they have to answer for the

              sin.  If. however, you simply doubt about the sinfulness

              of the act, then you must obey; because you must always

              suppose that your superiors know better than you the

              things that concern their duty.  Even if they should be

              mistaken in the exercise of their authority, God will

              reward your obedience.  Besides obeying them, you must

              also help and support your parents if they need your

              assistance.  You must not scoff at or despise them for

              their want of learning or refinement, because they

              perhaps have made many sacrifices to give you the

              advantages of which they in their youth were deprived.

              Do we not sometimes find persons of pretended culture

              ignorantly slighting their plain--mannered parents, or

              showing that they are ashamed of them or unwilling to

              recognize them before others, ungratefully forgetting that

              whatever wealth or learning they themselves have came

              through the love and kindness of these same parents?

              Again, is it not sinful for the children, especially of such

              parents, to waste their time in school, knowing that they

              are being supported in idleness by the hard toil and many

              sacrifices of a poor father?  Never, then, be guilty of an

              unkind or ungrateful act.  No matter who they are or

              what their condition, never forget those who have helped

              you and been your temporal or spiritual benefactors.  If

              you cannot return the kindness to the one who helped

              you, at least be as ready as he was to do good to another.

              It is told of a great man that, wishing always to do good,

              he made it a rule never to stand looking at the effects of

              a disturbance, disaster, or accident unless he could do

              some good by being there.

 

Explanation:  Wherever you are, ask yourselves now and then, Why am

              I in this particular place; what good am I doing here? etc.

              St. Aloysius when about to perform any action used to

              ask himself, it is said, What has this action to do with my

              eternal salvation? and St. Alphonsus de Liguori made a

              vow never to waste a moment of his time.  These were

              some of the great heroes of the Church, and this is one of

              the reasons why they could accomplish so much for God.

 

Question 363: Are we bound to honor and obey others than our parents?

 

Answer:       We are bound to honor and obey our bishops, pastors,

              magistrates, teachers, and other lawful superiors.

 

Explanation:  "Magistrates" -- that is, civil rulers, like the president,

              governor, mayor, judges, etc.

 

Question 364: Have parents and superiors any duties towards those who

              are under their charge?

 

Answer:       It is the duty of parents and superiors to take good care

              of all under their charge and give them proper direction

              and example.

 

Explanation:  It is so much their duty that God will hold them

              responsible for it, and punish them for neglecting it; so

              that your parents are not free to give you your own way.

              They have to do God's work, and, as His agents, punish

              you when you deserve it.  You should take their

              punishment as coming from God Himself. They do not

              punish you because they wish to see you suffer, but for

              your good. Think of the terrible responsibility of parents.

              Let us suppose that the parents of a family give bad

              example; their children follow their example, and when

              they become heads of families their children also will

              grow up in wickedness:  and thus we can go on for

              generations, and all those sins will be traced back to the

              first bad parents.  What is true for bad example is true

              also for good example; that is, the good done by the

              children will all be traced back to the parents.  Sometimes

              you may be punished when you are not guilty; then think

              of the times you were guilty and were not punished.

              Remember also how Our Lord was falsely accused before

              Herod and Pilate, and yet He never opened His lips to

              defend Himself, but suffered patiently.  God sees your

              innocence and will reward you if you bear your trial

              patiently.  Indeed, we are foolish not to bear all our

              sufferings patiently, for we have to bear them anyway,

              and we might just as well have the reward that patient

              suffering will bring us.  Those who suffer should find

              comfort in this:  by suffering they are made more like

              Our Lord and His blessed Mother.  She lived on earth

              over sixty years, and during all that time she seems never

              to have had any of those things that bring worldly

              pleasure and happiness.  She was left an orphan when

              quite young, and spent her early life in the temple, which

              was for her a kind of school; then she was married to a

              poor old carpenter, and must have found it very hard at

              times to get a living.  Our Lord was born while she was

              away from home in a strange place.  After she had

              returned and had just settled down in her little dwelling,

              she had to fly with St. Joseph into Egypt to save the life

              of the little Infant Jesus, whom the king's officers were

              seeking to kill.  In Egypt they were strangers, among

              people not of their own nationality or religion, and St.

              Joseph must have found great difficulty in providing for

              them; yet they had to remain there for some time.  Then

              when our divine Lord was grown to manhood and could

              be a great comfort to His Mother, He was seized and put

              to death in her presence.  Her most beloved and innocent

              Son put to death publicly as a criminal before all her

              neighbors!  The same persons who insulted Our Lord

              would not hesitate to insult and cruelly treat His blessed

              Mother also.  At His death He left her no money or

              property for her support, but asked a friend, St. John, to

              receive her into his house and do Him the favor of taking

              care of her.  She must have often felt that she was a

              burden in that man's house; that she had no home of her

              own, but was living like a poor woman on the charity of

              kind friends, for St. Joseph died before Our Lord's public

              life began.  The Blessed Mother was, however, obliged

              to remain upon earth for about eleven years after Our

              Lord's Ascension.  Thus we see her whole life was one

              of trials and sorrows.  Now certainly Our Lord loved His

              Mother more than any other son could; and certainly also

              He, being God, could have made His blessed Mother a

              queen upon the earth, rich and powerful among men, and

              free from every suffering or inconvenience.  If, then, He

              sent her sorrows and trials, it must have been because

              these were best for her, and because He knew that for

              this suffering here upon earth her happiness and glory in

              Heaven would be much increased; and as He wished her

              to have all the happiness and glory she was capable of

              possessing, He permitted her to suffer.  If, then, suffering

              was good for Our Lord's Mother, it is good also for us;

              and when it comes we ought not to complain, but bear it

              patiently, as she did, and ask Our Lord to give us that

              grace.

 

Question 365: What is forbidden by the Fourth Commandment?

 

Answer:       The Fourth Commandment forbids all disobedience,

              contempt, and stubbornness towards our parents or lawful

              superiors.

 

Explanation:  "Contempt."  Showing by our words or actions that we

              disregard or despise those placed over us.  A man who is

              summoned to appear in court and does not come is

              punished for "contempt of court," because he shows that

              he disregards the authority of the judge.  A thing not very

              bad in itself may become very bad if done out of

              contempt.  For example, there would be a great

              difference between eating a little more than the Church

              allows on a fast--day, simply because you were hungry,

              and eating it because you wanted to show that you

              despised the law of fasting and the authority of the

              Church.  The first would be only a venial sin, but the

              latter mortal.  So for all your actions. An act which in

              itself might be a venial sin could easily become a mortal

              sin if you did it through contempt.  "Stubbornness'L--that

              is, unwillingness to give in, even when you know you are

              wrong and should yield.  Those who obey slowly and do

              what they are ordered in a sulky manner are also guilty

              of stubbornness.

 

Question 366: What is the Fifth Commandment?

 

Answer:       The Fifth Commandment is:  Thou shalt not kill.

 

Question 367: What are we commanded by the Fifth Commandment?

 

Answer:       We are commanded by the Fifth Commandment to live in

              peace and union with our neighbor, to respect his rights,

              to seek his spiritual and bodily welfare, and to take

              proper care of our own life and health.

 

Explanation:  "Proper care of our own life."  It is not our property, but

              God's.  He lends it to us and leaves it with us as long as

              He pleases:  nor does He tell us how long He will let us

              have the use of it.  Thus suicide, or the taking of one's

              own life, is a mortal sin, for by it we resist the will of

              God.  One who in sound mind and full possession of

              reason causes his own death is guilty of suicide.  But it is

              sometimes very difficult to determine whether the person

              was really sane at the time he committed the act; hence,

              when there is any reasonable doubt on that point, the

              unfortunate suicide is usually given the benefit of it.  It is

              also a sin to risk our lives uselessly or to continue in any

              habit that we are sure is injuring our health and

              shortening our lives.

 

Explanation:  Thus an habitual drunkard is guilty of sin against the

              Fifth Commandment, for besides his sin of drunkenness,

              he is hastening his own death.  So, too, boys or girls who

              indulge in habits which their parents forbid are guilty of

              sin. For example, a boy is forbidden to smoke, and he

              does smoke.  Now to smoke is not in itself a sin, but it

              becomes a sin for that boy, because in the first place he

              is disobedient, and secondly is injuring his health.  Thus

              persons who indulge in sinful habits may commit more

              than one kind of sin, for besides the sins committed by

              the habits themselves, these vices may injure their health

              and bring sickness and disease upon their bodies.

 

Question 368: What is forbidden by the Fifth Commandment?

 

Answer:       The Fifth Commandment forbids all willful murder,

              fighting, anger, hatred, revenge, and bad example.

 

Explanation:  Therefore it forbids all that might lead to murder.  So we

              can violate any of the Commandments by doing anything

              that leads to breaking them. "Revenge" is a desire to

              injure others because they injured you.

 

Question 369: What is the Sixth Commandment?

 

Answer:       The Sixth Commandment is:  Thou shalt not commit

              adultery.

 

Question 370: What are we commanded by the Sixth Commandment?

 

Answer:       We are commanded by the Sixth Commandment to be

              pure in thought and modest in all our looks, words, and

              actions.

 

Explanation:  We should be most careful about this Commandment,

              because almost every violation of it is a mortal sin.  For

              example, if you steal only a little, it is a venial sin; for in

              stealing the greatness of the sin will depend upon the

              amount you steal -- but if you do a very bad action, or

              think a very bad thought against the Sixth Commandment,

              it will be a mortal sin, no matter how short the time.

              Again, we have more temptations against this

              Commandment, for we are tempted by our own bodies

              and we cannot avoid them:  hence the necessity of being

              always guarded against this sin.  It enters into our soul

              through our senses, they are, as it were, the doors of our

              soul.  It enters by our eyes looking at bad objects or

              pictures; by our ears listening to bad conversation; by our

              tongue saying and repeating immodest words, etc.  If

              then, we guard all the doors of our soul. sin cannot enter.

              It would be foolish to lock all the doors in your house but

              one, for one will suffice to admit a thief, and we might as

              well leave them all open as one.  So, too, we must guard

              all the senses -- for sin can enter by one only as well as

              by all.

 

Question 371: What is forbidden by the Sixth Commandment?

 

Answer:       The Sixth Commandment forbids all unchaste freedom

              with another's wife or husband:  also all immodesty with

              ourselves or others in looks, dress, words, or actions.

 

Question 372: Does the Sixth Commandment forbid the reading of bad

              and immodest books and newspapers?

 

Answer:       The Sixth Commandment does forbid the reading of bad

              and immodest books and newspapers.

 

Explanation:  Reading brings us into the company of those who wrote

              the book.  Now we should be just as careful to avoid a

              bad book as a bad man, and even more so; for while we

              read we can stop to think, and read over again, so that

              bad words read will often make more impression upon us

              than bad words spoken to us.  You should avoid not only

              bad, but useless books.  You could not waste all your

              time with an idle man without becoming like him--an

              idler.  So if you waste your time on useless books, your

              knowledge will be just like the books--useless.  Many

              authors write only for the sake of money, and care little

              whether their book is good or bad, provided it sells well.

              How many young people have been ruined by bad books,

              and how many more by foolish books! Boys, for

              example, read in some worthless book of desperate deeds

              of highway robbery or piracy, and are at once filled with

              the desire to imitate the hero of the tale.  Young girls, on

              the other hand, are equally infatuated by the wonderful

              fortunes and adventures of some young woman whose life

              has been so vividly described in a trashy novel.  As the

              result of such reading, young persons lose the true idea

              of virtue and valor of true, noble manhood and

              womanhood, and with their hearts and minds corrupted

              set up vice for their model.

 

Explanation:  Again, these books are filled with such terrible lies and

              unlikely things that any sensible boy or girl should see

              their foolishness at once.  Think, for example, of a book

              relating how two boys defeated and killed or captured

              several hundred Indians!  Is that likely?  The truth is, if

              two Indians shook their tomahawks at as many boys as

              you could crowd into this building, every single one of

              them would run for his life.

 

Explanation:  Let me give you still another reason for not reading

              trashy books.  Your minds can hold just so much good or

              evil information, and if you fill them full of lies and

              nonsense you leave no room for true knowledge.

 

Explanation:  Do not, therefore, get into the habit of reading foolish

              storypapers and cheap novels.  Read good books in which

              you can find information that will be useful to you all

              through your life.

 

Explanation:  If now and then you read story--books for amusement or

              rest from study, let them be good story--books, written by

              good authors.  Ask someone's advice about the books

              you read--someone who is capable of giving such advice:

              your pastor, your teachers, and frequently your parents

              and friends.  Learn all through your life to ask advice on

              every important matter.  How many mistakes in life

              would have been prevented if those making them had

              only asked advice from the proper persons and followed

              it.  Your parents have traveled the road of life before

              you.  Now it is known to them and they can point out its

              dangers.  To you the road is entirely new, and it will be

              only after you have traveled it and arrived nearly at its

              end in the latter days of your life that you also will be

              able to advise others how to pass through it in safety.

              This road can be traveled only once, so be advised by

              those who have learned its many dangers by their own

              experience.  You should be very glad that those of

              experience are willing to teach you, and if you neglect

              their warnings you will be very sorry for it someday.

 

 

                Lesson 34:  FROM THE SEVENTH TO THE

                   END OF THE TENTH COMMANDMENT

 

Question 373: What is the Seventh Commandment?

Question 374: What are we commanded by the Seventh Commandment?

Question 375: What is forbidden by the Seventh Commandment?

Question 376: Are we bound to restore ill--gotten goods?

Question 377: Are we obliged to repair the damage we have unjustly

              caused?

Question 378: What is the Eighth Commandment?

Question 379: What are we commanded by the Eighth Commandment?

Question 380: What is forbidden by the Eighth Commandment?

Question 381: What must they do who have lied about their neighbor

              and seriously injured his character?

Question 382: What is the Ninth Commandment?

Question 383: What are we commanded by the Ninth Commandment?

Question 384: What is forbidden by the Ninth Commandment?

Question 385: Are impure thoughts and desires always sins?

Question 386: What is the Tenth Commandment?

Question 387: What are we commanded by the Tenth Commandment?

Question 388: What is forbidden by the Tenth Commandment?

 

Question 373: What is the Seventh Commandment?

 

Answer:       The Seventh Commandment is:  Thou shalt not steal.

 

Explanation:  Stealing is one of those vices of which you have to be

              most careful. Children should learn to have honest hearts,

              and never to take unjustly even the smallest thing; for

              some begin a life of dishonesty by stealing little things

              from their own house or from stores to which they are

              sent for goods.  A nut, a cake, an apple, a cent, etc., do

              not seem much, but nevertheless to take any of them

              dishonestly is stealing.  Children who indulge in this

              trifling thievery seldom correct the habit in after life and

              grow up to be dishonest men and women.  How do you

              suppose all the thieves now spending their miserable lives

              in prison began?  Do you believe they were very honest

              never having stolen even the slightest thing--up to a

              certain day, and at once became thieves by committing a

              highway robbery?  No; they began by stealing little

              things, then greater, and kept on till they made stealing

              their business and thus became professional thieves.

              Again, the little you steal each day does not seem much

              at the time, but if you put all the "Tittles" together you

              may soon have something big, and almost before you

              know it--if you intend to continue stealing you may have

              taken enough to make you guilty of mortal sin. If you

              intended to steal, for instance, only a small amount every

              day for the whole year, you would at the end have stolen

              a large amount and committed a mortal sin.  There are

              many ways of violating the Seventh Commandment.

              Workmen who do not do a just day's work, or employers

              who cheat their workmen out of wages earned; merchants

              who charge unjust prices and seek unjust profits; dealers

              who give light weight or short measure or who

              misrepresent goods; those who speculate rashly or gamble

              with the money of others, and those who borrow with no

              intention or only slight hope of being able to pay back,

              all violate this Commandment.  You violate it also by not

              paying your just debts or by purchasing goods that you

              know you will never be able to pay for.  Moreover,

              besides the injustice, it is base ingratitude not to pay your

              debts when in your power to do so.  The one who trusted

              or lent you helped you in your need and did you a great

              favor, and yet when you can you will not pay, and what

              is worse, frequently abuse and insult him for asking his

              own.  Though such dishonest and ungrateful persons may

              escape in this world, they will not escape in the next, for

              Almighty God will make them suffer for the smallest debt

              they owe.

 

Explanation:  Again, others often suffer for the dishonesty of those I

              have mentioned, for when some good person who really

              intends to pay is in great need and wishes to borrow or be

              trusted, he is refused because others have been dishonest.

              Everyone should pay his debts, and even keep from

              buying things that are not really necessary till he is thus

              enabled to pay what he owes.  You must pay your just

              debts even before you can give anything in charity.

 

Question 374: What are we commanded by the Seventh Commandment?

 

Answer:       By the Seventh Commandment we are commanded to

              give to all men what belongs to them and to respect their

              property.

 

Explanation:  "Respect their property" -- that is, acknowledge and

              respect their rights to their property and do nothing to

              violate these rights.

 

Question 375: What is forbidden by the Seventh Commandment?

 

Answer:       The Seventh Commandment forbids all unjust taking or

              keeping what belongs to another.

 

Explanation:  "Taking," either with your own hands or from the hands

              of another; for the one who willingly and knowingly

              receives from a thief the whole or part of anything stolen

              becomes as bad as the thief.  Even if you only help

              another to steal, and receive none of the stolen goods,

              you are guilty.  There are several ways of sharing in the

              sin of another; namely, by ordering or advising him to do

              wrong; by praising him for doing wrong and thus

              encouraging him; by consenting to wrong when you

              should oppose it--for instance, a member of a society

              allowing an evil act to be done by the society when his

              vote would prevent it; again, by affording wrongdoers

              protection and means of escape from punishment for their

              evil deeds.  This does not mean that we should not

              defend the guilty.  We should defend them, but should

              not encourage them to do wrong by offering them a

              means of escape from just punishment.  We share in

              another's sin also by neglecting to prevent his bad action

              when it is our duty to do so. For example, if a police

              officer paid for guarding your property should see a thief

              stealing it and not prevent him, he would be as guilty as

              the thief Your neighbor indeed might warn you that the

              thief was stealing your goods, but he would not be bound

              in justice to do so, as the officer is, but only in charity,

              because it is not his duty to guard your property.  Parents

              who know that their children steal and do not prevent

              them or compel them to bring back what they stole, but

              rather encourage them by being indifferent, are guilty of

              dishonesty as well as the children, and share in their sins

              of theft.  But suppose you did not know the thing was

              stolen when you received it, but learned afterward that it

              was, must you then return it to the proper owner?  Yes;

              just as soon as you know to whom it belongs you begin

              to sin by keeping it. But suppose you bought it not

              knowing that it was stolen, would you still have to restore

              it?  Yes, when the owner asks for it, because it belongs

              to him till he sells it or gives it away.  If you have bought

              from a thief you have been cheated and must suffer the

              loss.  Your mistake will make you more careful on the

              next occasion. Suppose you find a thing, what must you

              do?  Try to find its owner, and if you find him give him

              what is his, and that without any reward for restoring it,

              unless he pleases to give you something, or unless you

              have been put to an expense by keeping it.  If you cannot

              find the owner after sincerely seeking for him, then you

              may keep the thing found.  But suppose you kept the

              article so long before looking for the owner that it

              became impossible for you to restore it to him, either

              because he had died or removed to parts unknown during

              your delay--what then?  Then you must give the article or

              its value to his children or others who have a right to his

              goods; and if no one who has such a right can be found,

              you must give it to the poor, for you have it

              unjustly--since you did not look for the owner when it

              was possible to find him--and therefore cannot keep it.

 

Question 376: Are we bound to restore ill--gotten goods?

 

Answer:       We are bound to restore ill--gotten goods, or the value of

              them, as far as we are able; otherwise we cannot be

              forgiven.

 

Explanation:  "Ill--gotten" -- that is, unjustly gotten.  "Value."  It

              sometimes happens that persons lose or destroy the article

              stolen, and therefore cannot return it.  What must be done

              in such cases?  They must give the owner the value of it.

              However, when you have stolen anything and have to

              restore it, you need not go to the owner and say, "Here

              is what I stole from you."  It is only necessary that he

              gets what is his own or its value.  He need not even

              know that it is being restored to him, unless he knows

              you stole it; and then it would be better for your own

              good name to let him know that you are making amends

              for the injustice done.  Therefore, no one need have any

              excuse for not restoring what he has unjustly, because he

              has only to see that it is returned in some way to its

              owner, or to those who have the next right to it, or to the

              poor.  But you must remember you cannot make

              restitution by giving to the poor if you can restore to the

              proper owner.  You must restore by giving to the poor

              only when the owner cannot be found or reached.  Some

              persons do not like the duty of restoring to the proper

              owner, and think they satisfy their obligation by giving

              the ill--gotten goods to the poor; but they do not.  You

              cannot give even in charity the goods of another without

              being guilty of dishonesty.  If you wish to be charitable,

              give from your own goods.  It is a sin to delay making

              restitution after you are able to restore.  You must restore

              just as soon as you can, because the longer you keep the

              owner out of his property and its benefits, the greater the

              injury you do him and the greater the sin.  One who,

              after being told by his confessor to make restitution, and

              promising to do so, still delays or keeps putting off, runs

              the risk of being guilty of sacrilege by receiving the

              Sacraments without proper dispositions.  But suppose a

              person cannot restore; suppose he lost the thing stolen

              and has not the value of it. What must he do?  He must

              have the firm resolution of restoring as soon as he

              possibly can; and without this good resolution he could

              not be absolved from his sins--even if he had not the real

              means of restoring.  The good intention and resolution

              will suffice till he has really the means; but this intention

              must be serious, otherwise there will be no forgiveness.

 

Question 377: Are we obliged to repair the damage we have unjustly

              caused?

 

Answer:       We are bound to repair the damage we have unjustly

              caused.

 

Question 378: What is the Eighth Commandment?

 

Answer:       The Eighth Commandment is:  Thou shalt not bear false

              witness against thy neighbor.

 

Explanation:  Either in a court, while we are acting as witnesses, or by

              telling lies about him at any other time.

 

Question 379: What are we commanded by the Eighth Commandment?

 

Answer:       We are commanded by the Eighth Commandment to

              speak the truth in all things, and to be careful of the

              honor and reputation of everyone.

 

Explanation:  "Reputation."  If it be a sin to steal a man's money,

              which we can restore to him, it is certainly a much

              greater sin to steal his good name, which we can never

              restore, and especially as we have nothing to gain from

              injuring his character.  It is a sin to tell evil things about

              another--his sins, vices, etc.--even when they are true.

              The only thing that will excuse us from telling another's

              fault is the necessity to do so in which we are placed, or

              the good we can do to the person himself or others by

              exposing faults.  How shall you know when you have

              injured the character of another?  You have injured

              another's character if you made others think less of him

              than they did before.  If you have exposed some crime

              that he really committed, your sin is called detraction; if

              you accuse him of one he did not commit, your sin is

              calumny; and if you maliciously circulate these reports to

              injure his character, your sin is slander.  But how shall

              you make reparation for injuring the character of another?

              If you have told lies about him, you must acknowledge to

              those with whom you have talked that you have told what

              was untrue about him, and you must even compensate

              him for whatever loss he has suffered by your lies:  for

              example, the loss of his situation by your accusing him of

              dishonesty.  But if what you said of him was true, how

              are you to act?  At every opportunity say whatever good

              you can of him in the presence of those before whom you

              have spoken the evil.

 

Question 380: What is forbidden by the Eighth Commandment?

 

Answer:       The Eighth Commandment forbids all rash judgments,

              backbiting, slanders, and lies.

 

Explanation:  "Rash judgment" -- that is, having in your mind and

              really believing that a person is guilty of a certain sin

              when you have no reason for thinking so, and no

              evidence that he is guilty.  "Backbiting" -- that is, talking

              evil of persons behind their backs.  You would not like

              your neighbor to backbite you, and you have no right to

              do to him what you would not wish him to do to you.

              Besides, everyone hates and fears a backbiter; because as

              he brings to you a bad story about another, he will in the

              same manner bring to someone else a bad story about

              you.  It is certainly an honor to be able to say of a

              person:  "He never has a bad word of anyone"; while on

              the other hand, he must be a despicable creature who

              never speaks of others except to censure or revile them.

              Never listen to a backbiter, detractor, or slanderer--it is

              sinful. Another way of injuring your neighbor is revealing

              the secrets he has confided to you.  You will tell one

              friend perhaps and caution him not to repeat it to another;

              but if you cannot keep the secret yourself, how can you

              expect others to keep it?  Again you may injure your

              neighbor by reading his letters without his consent when

              you have no authority to do so.  This is considered a

              crime in the eyes even of the civil law, and anyone who

              opens and reads the letters of another can be punished by

              imprisonment.  It is a kind of theft, for it is stealing

              secrets and information that you have no right to know.

              It is dishonorable to read another's letter without his

              consent, even when you find it open.  To carry to

              persons the evil things said about them by others so as to

              bring about disputes between them is very sinful.  The

              Holy Scripture (Rom. 1:29) calls this class of sinners

              whisperers, and says that they will not enter into

              Heaven--that is, as long as they continue in the habit.  If

              ever, then, you hear one person saying anything bad

              about another, never go and tell it to the person of whom

              it was said.  If you do, you will be the cause of all the sin

              that follows from it--of the anger, hatred, revenge, and

              probably murder itself, as sometimes happens.

 

Question 381: What must they do who have lied about their neighbor

              and seriously injured his character?

 

Answer:       They who have lied about their neighbor and seriously

              injured his character must repair the injury done as far as

              they are able, otherwise they will not be forgiven.

 

Question 382: What is the Ninth Commandment?

 

Answer:       The Ninth Commandment is:  Thou shalt not covet thy

              neighbor's wife.

 

Question 383: What are we commanded by the Ninth Commandment?

 

Answer:       We are commanded by the Ninth Commandment to keep

              ourselves pure in thought and desire.

 

Question 384: What is forbidden by the Ninth Commandment?

 

Answer:       The Ninth Commandment forbids unchaste thoughts,

              desires of another's wife or husband, and all other

              unlawful impure thoughts and desires.

 

Question 385: Are impure thoughts and desires always sins?

 

Answer:       Impure thoughts and desires are always sins, unless they

              displease us and we try to banish them.

 

Question 386: What is the Tenth Commandment?

 

Answer:       The Tenth Commandment is:  Thou shalt not covet thy

              neighbor's goods.

 

Explanation:  "Covet" means to long for or desire inordinately or

              unlawfully.  If I should desire, for example, my friend to

              be killed by an accident, in order that I might become the

              owner of his gold watch, I would be coveting it.  But if

              I desired to have it justly--that is, to be able to purchase

              it, or another similar to it, that would not be

              covetousness.

 

Question 387: What are we commanded by the Tenth Commandment?

 

Answer:       By the Tenth Commandment we are commanded to be

              content with what we have, and to rejoice in our

              neighbor's welfare.

 

Question 388: What is forbidden by the Tenth Commandment?

 

Answer:       The Tenth Commandment forbids all desires to take or

              keep wrongfully what belongs to another.

 

 

         Lesson 35:  ON THE FIRST AND SECOND COMMANDMENTS OF THE

CHURCH

 

Question 389: Which are the chief commandments of the Church?

Question 390: Is it a mortal sin not to hear Mass on a Sunday or a holy

              day of obligation?

Question 391: Why were holy days instituted by the Church?

Question 392: How should we keep the holy days of obligation?

Question 393: What do you mean by fast--days?

Question 394: What do you mean by days of abstinence?

Question 395: Why does the Church command us to fast and abstain?

Question 396: Why does the Church command us to abstain from

              flesh-meat on Ash Wednesday and the Fridays of Ient and

              to abstain from flesh-meat or do some other chosen

              penance on the other Fridays of the year?

 

Question 389: Which are the chief commandments of the Church?

 

Answer:       The chief commandments of the Church are six:

 

Explanation:  To hear Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation. To

              fast and abstain on the days appointed. To confess at least

              once a year. To receive the Holy Eucharist during the

              Easter time. To contribute to the support of our pastors.

              Not to marry persons who are not Catholics, or who are

              related to us within the third degree of kindred, nor

              privately without witnesses, nor to solemnize marriage at

              forbidden times.

 

Question 390: Is it a mortal sin not to hear Mass on a Sunday or a holy

              day of obligation?

 

Answer:       It is a mortal sin not to hear Mass on a Sunday or a holy

              day of obligation, unless we are excused for a serious

              reason.  They also commit a mortal sin, who, having

              others under their charge, hinder them from hearing

              Mass, without a sufficient reason.

 

Explanation:  "Serious reason" -- that is, a very good reason, such as

              sickness, necessity of taking care of the sick, great danger

              of death, etc.  Some persons when they go to the country

              in the summer believe themselves excused from hearing

              Mass because the church is a little further from them or

              the Mass at more inconvenient times than in the city.

              When they are in the country they are bound by the same

              obligations as the Catholics who live in that parish the

              whole year round, and they must go to Mass as these do,

              even if it is more inconvenient than in the city.  Persons

              who have it in their power to select their own summer

              resort, should not, without great necessity, select a place

              where there is no Catholic church, and where they will be

              deprived of Mass and the Sacraments for several months,

              and where there is danger of their dying without the

              Sacraments.  Some excuse themselves from going to

              Mass because they are too tired to rise in the morning.

              They should be ashamed to give such an excuse.  Was

              our Blessed Lord not tired when He carried His Cross?

              He was tired, for He fell under it several times.  And

              where was He going?  To Calvary, to offer up the bloody

              sacrifice of the Cross for you.  Will you plead fatigue as

              an excuse when you come to be judged by Him?  Others

              again have a great habit of coming late for Mass.  No

              matter at what hour the Mass may be, they will always be

              late; and I am afraid these persons will also be too late to

              enter Heaven.  By coming late they show disrespect to

              Our Lord and distract others; and to avoid doing so, they

              should, when late, take a place in the rear of the church.

              When you are very late for one Mass, you should wait

              for the next--at least, for as much of the next as you did

              not hear in the first.  You should not, however, begrudge

              a little extra time to God.  To hear Mass properly, you

              should be in your place a few minutes before the priest

              comes out, and make up your mind what blessing you

              will ask, or for what intention you desire to hear the

              Mass.

 

Explanation:  "Having others under their charge."  Some parents are

              very careless about their children attending Mass,

              especially on holy days.  Now, they must remember that

              in such neglect the sin will be theirs as well as the

              children's. Again, masters and mistresses do not at times

              give their workmen and servants sufficient opportunity to

              hear Mass, above all on holy days.  All masters and

              mistresses must remember that they are bound not only to

              give their servants an opportunity to hear Mass, but they

              are bound as far as they conveniently can to see that they

              embrace the opportunity, just as they should see to their

              children in such matters.  Catholics having in their

              employ others, such as engineers, drivers, conductors,

              etc., must make some arrangement between their men by

              which they will be able to attend Mass on Sundays and

              holy days.  The same holds good for companies and

              corporations having under their charge a large force of

              men who are obliged by circumstances to work on

              Sundays.

 

Question 391: Why were holy days instituted by the Church?

 

Answer:       Holy days were instituted by the Church to recall to our

              minds the great mysteries of religion and the virtues and

              rewards of the saints.

 

Explanation:  For just the same reason that the government has legal

              holidays.  What would the people of this country know or

              think at the present time about the Declaration of

              Independence, and all connected with it, if they did not

              celebrate from childhood every year, on the Fourth of

              July, the great day on which their forefathers claimed to

              be free and independent from the nation that was

              persecuting them?  The Fourth of July keeps alive in our

              memory the struggles of our ancestors of one hundred

              years or more ago--their great battles, their sufferings and

              triumph, the blessings they secured for us, and for which

              we praise them.  In like manner, the feast of the

              Resurrection of Our Lord keeps us in mind of the sad

              condition in which we were before Our Lord redeemed

              us, and how He liberated us from the slavery of the devil

              and secured for us so many wonderful blessings.  Again,

              what would we remember about George Washington if we

              did not celebrate his birthday?  That holiday keeps before

              our minds the life and actions of that great man and all he

              did for our benefit. So, too, when we celebrate every

              year the feast of a saint in the Church, it keeps before our

              minds his works and all that he did for God and the

              Church, and makes us anxious to imitate his virtues.  On

              every day in the year the Church honors some mystery of

              our holy faith or some saint by saying Mass all over the

              world in honor of the feast, and by obliging the priests

              and bishops to say the divine office for the same purpose.

              The feast--day of a saint is generally the day on which he

              died; because that is considered the day on which he

              entered into Heaven -- the day on which he was born into

              the new world.

 

Explanation:  The "divine office" is a collection of prayers, hymns,

              lessons, and psalms which every priest and bishop must

              read every day of his life.  As it is said each day in honor

              of some particular mystery or saint, the greater part of it

              differs for each day.  The prayers are to God, asking

              some grace or blessing in honor of the saint--generally

              such graces as were granted to the saint.  The hymns are

              in the saint's honor; the lessons are parts of the Holy

              Scripture, or an account of the saint's life; and the psalms

              are those beautiful poems that King David composed and

              sang to God.  The divine office is the prayer of the

              universal Church for its children, and if a priest neglects

              to say it he commits a mortal sin.  It takes about an hour

              to say the whole divine office, but it is not intended to be

              said all at once.  It is so divided that it is said at three

              times in the day.  The part called "Matins" and "Lauds"

              is said very early in the morning and before Mass.  The

              part called "Little Hours" is said later in the day; and the

              part called "Vespers" and "Compline" is said in the

              afternoon.  See, therefore, how anxious the Church is for

              the good of its children, when it makes its bishops,

              priests, and religious pray daily for all the faithful, and

              send up in one voice the same prayer to the throne of

              God.

 

Question 392: How should we keep the holy days of obligation?

 

Answer:       We should keep the holy days of obligation as we should

              keep the Sunday.

 

Question 393: What do you mean by fast--days?

 

Answer:       By fast--days I mean days on which we are allowed but

              one full meal.

 

Explanation:  According to the traditional Catholic method of fasting,

              one may eat "one full meal" each day with meat included,

              plus two smaller meatless meals, both of which together

              do not equal the one full meal.  No eating between meals

              is allowed, although drinking beverages such as coffee

              and tea are allowed and are not considered to break the

              fast. (Milk, juice, and soft drinks are also considered not

              to break the fast, although they are in fact foods and

              mitigate the effects of the fast and work contrary to its

              intent because they satisfy one's hunger to some extent,

              since they have food value.) They, therefore, who follow

              the above regulations obey the Catholic method of

              fasting.  Today the prescribed days of fast for the whole

              Church are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday (these are

              also days of abstinence).  However the Church today says

              that the meaning of the law of fasting during Lent

              remains, although the extent of the obligation has been

              changed.  In other words, Lent remains as a season of

              penance in the Church, but how it is to be observed is

              greatly up to the individual, though no one may think

              himself excused from all penance whatsoever, and those

              who are in the fasting age group should still practice the

              Church's form of fasting, since fasting is a primary and

              very efficacious form of penance.

 

Explanation:  Those who, for sufficient reasons, are excused from the

              obligation of fasting, are not on that account freed from

              the law of abstinence, for all who have reached their

              fourteenth birthday are bound to abstain from flesh--meat

              on days when it is forbidden -- Ash Wednesday and the

              Fridays of Lent.  The following persons are excused from

              fasting:

 

Explanation:  those who are not yet twenty--one or who have begun

              their sixtieth year (from their 59th birthday onward);

              those whose infirmity, condition, or occupation renders it

              impossible or dangerous for them to fast.

 

Explanation:  If you think you should be excused from fasting or

              abstaining, state your reasons to your confessor and ask

              his advice.  On a fast--day, therefore, you have to look

              both to the quantity and the kind of food, while on a day

              of abstinence--as the Fridays in Lent other than Good

              Friday--you have to look only to the kind.

 

Question 394: What do you mean by days of abstinence?

 

Answer:       By days of abstinence I mean days on which we are

              forbidden to eat flesh--meat, but are allowed the usual

              amount of food.

 

Question 395: Why does the Church command us to fast and abstain?

 

Answer:       The Church commands us to fast and abstain in order that

              we may mortify our passions and satisfy for our sins.

 

Explanation:  "Mortify our passions," keep our bodies under control,

              do bodily penance.  Remember it is our bodies that

              generally lead us into sin; if therefore we punish the body

              by fasting and mortification, we atone for the sin, and

              thus God wipes out a part of the temporal punishment due

              to it.

 

Question 396: Why does the Church command us to abstain from

              flesh-meat on Ash Wednesday and the Fridays of Ient and

              to abstain from flesh-meat or do some other chosen

              penance on the other Fridays of the year?

 

Answer:       The Church commands us to abstain, from flesh-meat on

              Ash Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent and to abstain

              from flesh-meat or do some other chosen penance on the

              other Fridays of the year in honor of the day on which

              Our Saviour died.

 

 

 

                   Lesson 36:  ON THE THIRD, FOURTH, FIFTH,

                     AND SIXTH COMMANDMENTS OF THE CHURCH

 

Question 397: What is meant by the command of confessing at least

              once a year?

Question 398: Should we confess only once a year?

Question 399: Should children go to confession?

Question 400: What sin does he commit who neglects to receive

              Communion during the Easter time?

Question 401: What is the Easter time?

Question 402: Are we obliged to contribute to the support of our

              pastors?

Question 403: What is the meaning of the commandment not to marry

              within the third degree of kindred?

Question 404: What is the meaning of the command not to marry

              privately?

Question 405: What is the meaning of the precept not to solemnize

              marriage at forbidden times?

Question 406: What is the nuptial Mass?

Question 407: Should Catholics be married at a nuptial Mass?

 

Question 397: What is meant by the command of confessing at least

              once a year?

 

Answer:       By the command of confessing at least once a year is

              meant that we are obliged, under pain of mortal sin, to go

              to confession within the year.

 

Explanation:  "Within the year"--that is, the time between your

              confessions must never be longer than a year, or, at least

              not longer than the period between the beginning of one

              Eastertime and the end of the next.  All persons who have

              attained the age of reason are bound to comply with this

              precept, and parents should remind their children of it.

 

Question 398: Should we confess only once a year?

 

Answer:       We should confess frequently, if we wish to lead a good

              life.

 

Explanation:  Some seem to think that they need not go to confession if

              they have not committed sin since their last confession.

              Two graces are given in penance, as you already know:

              one, to take away the sins confessed, and the other, to

              strengthen us against temptation and enable us to keep

              our good resolutions. Now, as we are always tempted, we

              should go frequently to confession to get the grace to

              resist.  The saints used to go to confession very

              frequently, sometimes every day.  They used to go when

              tempted, to obtain the grace to resist and to expose their

              temptations to their confessor and ask his advice. Again

              the Holy Scripture tells us that the just man falls seven

              times; and "just man" in Holy Scripture means a very

              good man, that is, one doing for God, his neighbor, and

              himself what he ought to do.  St. Joseph is called in the

              Scripture a "just man" and he was the foster--father of

              Our Lord.  Now, if the good man falls seven times, he

              must arise after each fall; for if he did not get up after the

              first fall, he could not fall the second time.  This teaches

              us that we all commit some kind of sin, at least, and have

              always something to confess if we only examine our

              conscience closely.  It teaches us also that when we have

              the misfortune to fall into sin, we should rise as quickly

              as possible.

 

Question 399: Should children go to confession?

 

Answer:       Children should go to confession when they are old

              enough to commit sin, which is commonly about the age

              of seven years.

 

Explanation:  "To commit sin" that is, when they know the difference

              between good and evil.

 

Question 400: What sin does he commit who neglects to receive

              Communion during the Easter time?

 

Answer:       He who neglects to receive Communion during the Easter

              time commits a mortal sin.

 

Question 401: What is the Easter time?

 

Answer:       The Easter time is, in this country, the time between the

              first Sunday of Ient and Trinity Sunday, inclusive.

 

Explanation:  Trinity Sunday is the eighth Sunday after Easter.

              Therefore the whole Easter--time is from the first Sunday

              of Lent--that is, seven weeks before Easter--to Trinity

              Sunday, eight weeks after it, or fifteen weeks in all; and

              anyone who does not go to Holy Communion sometime

              during these fifteen weeks commits mortal sin.

 

Question 402: Are we obliged to contribute to the support of our

              pastors?

 

Answer:       We are obliged to contribute to the support of our

              pastors, and to bear our share in the expenses of the

              Church and school.

 

Explanation:  And any charitable institution connected with the Church.

              The Holy Land was divided among the tribes of Israel,

              who were the descendants of the twelve sons of Jacob.

              Now, one of these twelve tribes was made up entirely of

              priests and persons who served in the temple of God,

              called Levites.  They received none of the land, but were

              to be supported by the other eleven tribes.  All the people

              were obliged by the law to give what they called

              first--fruits, and tithes--that is, one tenth of their income

              in goods or money each year to the temple for its support

              and the support of those who served it. In the New Law

              no definite amount is assigned, but every Christian is left

              free to give what he can to God's Church according to his

              generosity.  But if God left you free, should you therefore

              be stingy with Him?  Moreover, all that we have comes

              from God, and should we return Him the least and the

              worst?  For every alms you give for God's sake He can

              send you a hundred blessings; and what you refuse to

              give to His Church or poor He can take from you in a

              thousand ways, by sending misfortunes.  We read in the

              Bible (Gen. 4) that Adam's sons, Cain and Abel, both

              offered sacrifice to God.  Abel's sacrifice was pleasing,

              but Cain's was not.  Why?  Because, as we are told, Cain

              did not offer to God the best he had, but likely the worst;

              or at least, he offered his sacrifice with a bad disposition.

              Then when he saw that his brother's sacrifice was

              pleasing to God, being filled with jealousy, he killed him;

              and in punishment God marked him and condemned him

              to be a wanderer on the face of the earth.  We are told he

              was always afraid of being killed by everyone he saw.

              See, then, what comes of being unwilling to be generous

              with God.. What we give Him He does not need, but by

              giving, we worship and thank Him.  Do not people in the

              world often give presents to those who have done them a

              favor, that they may thus show their gratitude?  Now,

              God is always doing us favors, and why should we not

              show our gratitude to Him by giving generously in His

              honor?  When we give to the orphans, etc., we give to

              Him; for He says:  "Whatsoever you give to these little

              ones you give to Me." Again, when Our Lord tells what

              will happen on the Day of Judgment (Matt. 25:31, etc.),

              He says, the Judge will divide all the people of the world

              into two bodies; the good He will place on His right hand

              and the wicked on His left.  Then He will praise the good

              for what they did and welcome them to Heaven; but to

              the wicked He will say, "Depart from Me, because when

              I was hungry you gave Me not to eat; when I was thirsty

              you gave Me not to drink; you clothed Me not" etc.  And

              then the wicked shall ask, when did we see You in want

              and not relieve You?  He will tell them that He

              considered the poor just the same as Himself; and as they

              did nothing for His poor, they did nothing for Him.

 

Question 403: What is the meaning of the commandment not to marry

              within the third degree of kindred?

 

Answer:       The meaning of the commandment not to marry within

              the third degree of kindred is that no one is allowed to

              marry another within the third degree of blood

              relationship.

 

Explanation:  "Third Degree," What relatives are in the third degree?

              Brother and sister are in the first degree; first cousins are

              in the second degree; second cousins are in the third

              degree.  Therefore all who are second cousins or in

              nearer relationship cannot be married without a

              dispensation from the Church allowing them to do so.  A

              dispensation granted by the Church is a permission to do

              something which its law forbids.  Since it made the law,

              it can also dispense from the observance of it.  The

              Church could not give permission to do anything that

              God's law forbids.  It could not, for example, give

              permission to a brother and sister to marry, because it is

              not alone the law of the Church but God's law also that

              forbids that.  But God's law does not forbid first or

              second cousins to get married; but the Church's law

              forbids it, and thus it can in special cases dispense from

              such laws.  God's law is called also the natural law.  You

              must be very careful not to confound the marriage laws

              that the Church makes with the marriage laws that the

              State makes.  When the State makes laws contrary to the

              laws of God or of the Church, you cannot obey such laws

              without committing grievous sin.  For instance, the State

              allows divorce; it allows persons to marry again if the

              husband or wife has been sentenced to imprisonment for

              life; it does not recognize all the impediments to marriage

              laid down by the Church.  Such laws as these Catholics

              cannot comply with; but when the State makes laws

              which regard only the civil effects of marriage, such as

              refer to the property of the husband or wife, the

              inheritance of the children, etc., laws, in a word, which

              are not opposed either to the laws of God or of His

              Church, then you may and must obey them; for the

              authorities of the government are our lawful superiors,

              and must be obeyed in all that is not sin.  What we have

              said with regard to the marriage laws is true for all the

              rest.  Thus the civil court might, on account of some

              technicality, free you legally from the payment of a debt;

              but that would not free you in conscience from paying

              what you justly owe.  Again, the court might legally

              decide in your favor in an unjust suit; but that would not

              give you the right in conscience to keep what you have

              thus fraudulently or unjustly obtained.

 

Question 404: What is the meaning of the command not to marry

              privately?

 

Answer:       The command not to marry privately means that none

              should marry without the blessing of God's priests or

              without witnesses.

 

Explanation:  If persons wishing to be married suspect that there is any

              impediment existing between them, they should express

              their doubts and the reasons for them to the priest.

 

Explanation:  Here it is well for you to know that if any Catholic goes

              to be married before a Protestant minister, he is, by the

              laws of the Church in the United States, excommunicated.

              I You must know excommunication means cut off from

              the communion of the Church and the body of the

              faithful; cut off from the Sacraments and from a share in

              all the holy Masses and public prayers offered by the

              Church throughout the world.  It is a punishment the

              Church inflicts upon its disobedient children who will not

              repent but persist in wrongdoing. If they die willfully

              excommunicated, they die in mortal sin, and no Mass or

              funeral prayers can be publicly offered for them; nor can

              they be buried in consecrated ground.  Besides the

              excommunicated, there are others who cannot be buried

              in consecrated ground:  namely, infants or others who

              have not been baptized; those who deliberately committed

              suicide; those who have publicly lived sinful lives and

              evidently died in that public sin; and all persons who are

              not Catholics.  If a Catholic who is not publicly a sinner

              dies suddenly, we cannot judge that he is in mortal sin;

              and hence such a one may be buried in consecrated

              ground.

 

Explanation:  It is the desire of the Church that all its faithful children

              should be buried in the ground which it has blessed for

              their remains; and wherever it is possible Catholics must

              have their own burying ground.

 

Question 405: What is the meaning of the precept not to solemnize

              marriage at forbidden times?

 

Answer:       The meaning of the precept not to solemnize marriage at

              forbidden times is that during Ient and Advent the

              marriage ceremony should not be performed with pomp

              or a nuptial Mass.

 

Explanation:  Persons may be married at these times quietly, wherever

              it is not positively forbidden by the laws of the diocese.

 

Question 406: What is the nuptial Mass?

 

Answer:       The nuptial Mass is a Mass appointed by the Church to

              invoke a special blessing upon the married couple.

 

Explanation:  It is a Mass especially for them and cannot be said for

              anyone else.  At the most solemn parts of the Mass the

              priest turns to them and prays that God may bless their

              union.

 

Question 407: Should Catholics be married at a nuptial Mass?

 

Answer:       Catholics should be married at a nuptial Mass, because

              they thereby show greater reverence for the holy

              Sacrament and bring richer blessings upon their wedded

              life.

 

Explanation:  The Church wishes to give to the marriage of its children

              observing its laws all the solemnity possible, and to

              impress its dignity and sanctity so deeply upon their

              minds that they may never forget the solemn promise

              made at the altar of God.  The thought of that day will

              keep them from sin.  On the other hand, the Church

              shows its great displeasure when Catholics do not keep its

              laws, but marry persons not of their own religion.  At a

              mixed marriage the couple cannot be married in the

              church, nor even in the sacristy; the priest cannot wear a

              surplice or stole or any of the sacred vestments of the

              Church; he cannot use holy water, or the Sign of the

              Cross; he cannot bless the ring or even use the Church's

              language--Latin.  Everything is done in the coldest

              manner, to remind Catholics that they are doing what is

              displeasing to their mother the Church.

 

Explanation:  Again the Church wishes its children to prepare for the

              Sacrament of Matrimony just as they would prepare for

              any other Sacrament--Penance, Holy Eucharist, Holy

              Orders, etc.

 

Explanation:  Imagine a boy going up for First Communion laughing,

              talking, or gazing about him, without any thought of the

              great Sacrament he is about to receive; thinking only of

              how he appears in his new clothing, of those who are

              present, etc., and spending all his time of preparation not

              in purifying his soul, but in adorning his body!  Think of

              him returning from Holy Communion and immediately

              forgetting Our Lord!  Now, Matrimony is deserving of all

              the respect due to a Sacrament, and hence the Church

              wishes all its children to be married at Mass; or at least

              in the morning.  It does not like them to marry in the

              evening, and go to the reception of the Sacrament as they

              would to a place of vain amusement.  For on such

              occasions they cannot show the proper respect in the

              church, and possibly turn the ceremony into an occasion

              of sin for all who attend; for they often seem to forget the

              holiness of the place and the respect due to the presence

              of Our Lord upon the altar.  Indeed it should be

              remembered, at whatever time the marriage takes place,

              that conduct, dress, and all else must be in keeping with

              the dignity of the place and the holiness of the Sacrament,

              and the women should not come into the Church with

              uncovered heads.

 

 

                  Lesson 37:  ON THE LAST JUDGMENT AND THE

                  RESURRECTION, HELL, PURGATORY, AND HEAVEN

 

Question 408: When will Christ judge us?

Question 409: What is the judgment called which we have to undergo

              immediately after death?

Question 410: What is the judgment called which all men have to

              undergo on the last day?

Question 411: Why does Christ judge men immediately after death?

Question 412: What are the rewards or punishments appointed for men's

              souls after the Particular Judgment?

Question 413: What is Hell?

Question 414: What is Purgatory?

Question 415: Can the faithful on earth help the souls in Purgatory?

Question 416: If everyone is judged immediately after death, what need

              is there of a general judgment?

Question 417: Will our bodies share in the reward or punishment of our

              souls?

Question 418: In what state will the bodies of the just rise?

Question 419: Will the bodies of the damned also rise?

Question 420: What is Heaven?

Question 421: What words should we bear always in mind?

 

Question 408: When will Christ judge us?

 

Answer:       Christ will judge us immediately after our death, and on

              the last day.

 

Explanation:  "Immediately." In the very room and on the very spot

              where we die, we shall be judged in an instant, and even

              before those around us are sure that we are really dead.

              When we have a trial or judgment in one of our courts,

              we see the judge listening, the lawyers defending or

              trying to condemn, and the witnesses for or against the

              person accused.  We are in the habit of imagining

              something of the same kind to take place in the judgment

              of God.  We see Almighty God seated on His throne; our

              angel and patron saint giving their testimony about

              us--good or bad--and then we hear the Judge pronounce

              sentence. This takes place, but not in the way we

              imagine, for God needs no witnesses:  He knows all.  An

              example will probably make you understand better what

              really takes place.  If you are walking over a very muddy

              road on a dark night, you cannot see the spattered

              condition of your clothing; but if you come suddenly into

              a strong light you will see at a glance the state in which

              you are.  In the same way the soul during our earthly life

              does not see its own condition; but when it comes into the

              bright light of God's presence, it sees in an instant its

              own state and knows what its sentence will be.  It goes

              immediately to its reward or punishment.  This judgment

              at the moment of our death will settle our fate forever.

              The general judgment will not change, but only repeat,

              the sentence before the whole world.  Oh, how we should

              prepare for that awful moment!  See that poor sick man

              slowly breathing away his life.  All his friends are

              kneeling around him praying; now he becomes

              unconscious; now the death rattle sounds in his throat;

              now the eyes are fixed and glassy.  A few minutes more

              and that poor soul will stand in the awful presence of

              God, to give an account of that man's whole life--of

              every thought, word, and deed. All he has done on earth

              will be spread out before him like a great picture. He

              will, towards the end of his life, have altogether forgotten

              perhaps what he thought, said, or did on a certain day

              and hour--the place he was in and the sin committed, etc.;

              but at that moment of judgment he will remember all.

              How he will wish he had been good!  How, then, can we

              be so careless now about a matter of such importance,

              when we are absolutely certain that we too shall be

              judged, and how soon we know not.  When you are

              about to be examined on what you have learned in school

              or instructions in six months or a year, how anxious you

              are in making the necessary preparation, and how you

              fear you might not pass, but be kept back for a while!

              How delighted you would be to hear that a very dear

              friend, and one who knew you well, was to be your

              examiner!  Prepare in the same way for the examination

              you have to stand at the end of your life. Every day you

              can make a preparation by examining your conscience on

              the sins you have committed; by making an act of

              contrition for them, and resolving to avoid them for the

              future.  You should never go to sleep without some

              preparation for judgment.  But above all, try to become

              better aquainted with your Examiner--Our Lord Jesus

              Christ; try by your prayers and good works to become

              His special friend, and when your judgment comes you

              will be pleased rather than afraid to meet Him.

 

Question 409: What is the judgment called which we have to undergo

              immediately after death?

 

Answer:       The judgment we have to undergo immediately after

              death is called the Particular Judgment.

 

Explanation:  "Particular," because one particular person is judged.

 

Question 410: What is the judgment called which all men have to

              undergo on the last day?

 

Answer:       The judgment which all men have to undergo on the last

              day is called the General Judgment.

 

Explanation:  "General." because every creature gifted with intelligence

              will be judged on that day--the angels of Heaven, the

              devils of Hell, and all men, women, and children that

              have ever lived upon the earth.  The Holy Scripture gives

              us a terrible account of that awful day. (Matt. 24--25).

              On some day--we know not when, it might be tomorrow

              for all we know--the world will be going on as usual,

              some going to school, others to business; some seeking

              pleasure, others suffering pain; some in health, others in

              sickness, etc.  Suddenly they will feel the earth beginning

              to quake and tremble; they will see the ocean in great

              fury, and will be terrified at its roar as, surging and

              foaming, it throws its mighty waves high in the air.  Then

              the sun will grow red and begin to darken; a horrid glare

              will spread over the earth, beginning to burn up. Then,

              says the Holy Scripture, men will wither away for fear of

              what is coming; they will call upon the mountains to fall

              and hide them; they will be rushing here and there, not

              knowing what to do.  Money will be of no value then;

              dress, wealth, fame, power, learning, and all else will be

              useless, for at that moment all men will be equal.  Then

              shall be heard the sound of the angel's great trumpet

              calling all to judgment.  The dead shall come forth from

              their graves, and the demons rush from Hell.  Then all

              shall see our Blessed Lord coming in the clouds of

              Heaven in great power and majesty surrounded by

              countless angels bearing His shining Cross before Him.

              He will separate the good from the wicked; He will

              welcome the good to Heaven and condemn the wicked to

              Hell.  The sins committed shall be made public before all

              present.  Imagine your feelings while you are standing in

              that great multitude, waiting for the separation of the

              good from the bad.  To which side will you be sent?  Our

              Lord is coming, not with the mild countenance of a

              saviour, but with the severe look of a judge.  As He

              draws nearer and nearer to you, you see some of your

              dear friends, whom you thought good enough upon earth,

              sent over to the side of the wicked; you see others that

              you deemed foolish sent with the good, and you become

              more anxious every instant about the uncertainty of your

              own fate.  You see fathers and mothers sent to opposite

              sides, brothers and sisters, parents and children, separated

              forever.  Oh, what a terrible moment of suspense!  How

              you will wish you had been better and always lived a

              friend of God!  The side you will be on depends upon

              what you do now, and you can be on the better side if

              you wish.  Do, then, in your life what you would wish to

              have done at that terrible moment.  Learn to judge

              yourself frequently.  Say this, or something similar, to

              yourself.-- "Now I have lived twelve, fifteen, twenty, or

              more years; if that judgment came today, on which side

              should I be?  Probably on the side of the wicked.  If then

              I spend the rest of my life as I have lived in the past, on

              the last day I shall surely be with the wicked.  If my good

              deeds and bad deeds were counted today, which would be

              more numerous?  What, then, must I do?  It will not be

              enough for me simply to be better for the future--I must

              try also to make amends for the past.  If a man wishing

              to complete a journey on a certain time, by walking a

              fixed number of miles each day, falls behind a great deal

              on one day, he must not only walk the usual number of

              miles the next, but must make up for the distance lost on

              the previous day.  So in our journey through this life we

              must do our duty each day for the future, and, as far as

              we can, make up for what we have neglected in the past.

 

Question 411: Why does Christ judge men immediately after death?

 

Answer:       Christ judges men immediately after death to reward or

              punish them according to their deeds.

 

Question 412: What are the rewards or punishments appointed for men's

              souls after the Particular Judgment?

 

Answer:       The rewards or punishments appointed for men's souls

              after the Particular Judgment are Heaven, Purgatory, and

              Hell.

 

Question 413: What is Hell?

 

Answer:       Hell is a state to which the wicked are condemned, and

              in which they are deprived of the sight of God for all

              eternity, and are in dreadful torments.

 

Explanation:  "Deprived of the sight of God," This is called the pain of

              loss, while the other sufferings the damned endure are

              called the pain of sense--that is, of the senses.  The pain

              of loss causes the unfortunate souls more torment than all

              their other sufferings; for as we are created for God

              alone, the loss of Him--our last end--is the most dreadful

              evil that can befall us.  This the damned realize, and

              know that their souls will be tortured by a perpetual

              yearning never to be satisfied.  This is aggravated by the

              thought of how easily they might have been saved, and

              how foolishly they threw away their happiness and lost all

              for some miserable pleasure or gratification, so quickly

              ended.

 

Explanation:  Besides this remorse, they suffer most frightful torments

              in all their senses. The worst sufferings you could

              imagine would not be as bad as the sufferings of the

              damned really are; for Hell must be the opposite of

              Heaven, and since we cannot, as St. Paul says, imagine

              the happiness of Heaven, neither can we imagine the

              misery of Hell.  Sometimes you will find frightful

              descriptions of Hell in religious books that tell of the

              horrible sights, awful sounds, disgusting stenches, and

              excruciating pains the lost souls endure.  Now, all these

              descriptions are given rather to make people think of the

              torments of Hell than as an accurate account of them.  No

              matter how terrible the description may be, it is never as

              bad as the reality.  We know that the damned are

              continually tormented in all their senses, but just in what

              way we do not know.  We know that there is fire in Hell,

              but it is entirely different from our fire; it neither gives

              light nor consumes what it burns, and it causes greater

              pain than the fire of earth, for it affects both body and

              soul.  We know that the damned will never see God and

              there will never be an end to their torments.  Now, all

              this is contained in the following:  Hell is the absence of

              everything good and the presence of everything evil, and

              it will last forever. Now, a priest coming out to preach on

              Hell would not say to the people:  "Hell is the absence of

              everything good and the presence of everything evil, and

              it will last forever," and then step down from the altar

              and say no more.  He must give a fuller explanation to

              those who are unable to think for themselves.  He must

              point out some of the evils present in Hell and some of

              the good things absent, and thus teach the people how to

              meditate on these dreadful truths. If, then, you bear in

              mind that there is nothing good in Hell and it will last

              forever, and often think of these two points, you will

              have a holy fear of the woeful place and a deep sorrow

              for your sins which expose you to the danger of suffering

              its torments.

 

Explanation:  It should be enough, therefore, for you to remember:

              there is nothing good in Hell, and it will last forever.

              Think of anything good you please and it cannot be found

              in Hell.  Is light good?  Yes.  Then it is not in Hell.  Is

              hope good?  Yes.  Then it is not in Hell.  Is true

              friendship good?  Yes.  Then it is not in Hell.  There the

              damned hate one another.  There the poor sufferers curse

              forever those who led them into sin.  Hence, persons

              should try to bring back to a good life everyone they may

              have led into sin or scandalized by bad example.

 

Question 414: What is Purgatory?

 

Answer:       Purgatory is the state in which those suffer for a time who

              die guilty of venial sins, or without having satisfied for

              the punishment due to their sins.

 

Explanation:  "Punishment,"--that is, temporal punishment, already

              explained to you. After the general judgment there will be

              Heaven and Hell, but no Purgatory, for there will be no

              men living or dying upon the earth in its present

              condition to go there.  All will be dead and judged and

              sent to their final abodes.  Those in Purgatory are the

              friends of God; and knowing Him as they do now, they

              would not go into His holy presence with the slightest

              stain upon their souls; still they are anxious for their

              Purgatory to be ended that they may be with God. They

              suffer, we are told, the same pains of sense as the

              damned; but they suffer willingly, for they know that it is

              making them more pleasing to God, and that one day it

              will all be over and He will receive them into Heaven.

              Their salvation is sure, and that thought makes them

              happy.  If, therefore, you believe any of your friends are

              in Purgatory, you should help them all you can, and try

              by your prayers and good works to shorten their time of

              suffering. They will help you--though they cannot help

              themselves--by their prayers.  And oh, when they are

              admitted into Heaven, how they will pray for those that

              have helped them out of Purgatory!  If you do this great

              charity, God will, when you die, put in some good

              person's heart to pray for you while you suffer in

              Purgatory.  There must be a Purgatory, for one who dies

              with the slightest stain of sin upon his soul cannot enter

              Heaven, and yet God would not send him to Hell for so

              small a sin.  But why does God punish those He loves?

              Why does He not forgive everything?  He punishes

              because He is infinitely just and true. He warned them

              that if they did certain things they would be punished;

              and they did them, and God must keep His promise.

              Moreover He is just, and must give to everyone exactly

              what he deserves.

 

Question 415: Can the faithful on earth help the souls in Purgatory?

 

Answer:       The faithful on earth can help the souls in Purgatory by

              their prayers, fasts, almsdeeds; by indulgences, and by

              having Masses said for them.

 

Question 416: If everyone is judged immediately after death, what need

              is there of a general judgment?

 

Answer:       There is need of a general judgment, though everyone is

              judged immediately after death, that the providence of

              God, which, on earth, often permits the good to suffer

              and the wicked to prosper, may in the end appear just

              before all men.

 

Explanation:  "Providence of God," Sometimes here on earth we see a

              good man always in want, out of employment, sickly,

              unsuccessful in all his undertakings, while his neighbor,

              who is a very bad man, is wealthy and prosperous, and

              seems to have every pleasure.  Why this is so we cannot

              understand now, but God's reason for it will be made

              known to us on the Day of Judgment.  Sometimes the

              wicked do good actions here on earth--help the poor, or

              contribute to some charity, for instance; and as God on

              account of their wickedness cannot reward them in the

              next world, He rewards them chiefly in this world by

              temporal goods and pleasures.  For all their good deeds

              they get their reward in this world, and for the evil their

              punishment in the next.  The good man who suffers gets

              all his reward in the next world, that even his sufferings

              here atone partly for the evil he has done.

 

Explanation:  A second reason for a general judgment is to show the

              crimes of sinners and the justice of their punishment; also

              that the saints may have all their good works made known

              before the world and receive the glory they deserve.  On

              earth these saints were sometimes considered fools and

              treated as criminals, falsely accused, etc., and now the

              whole truth will stand out before the world.  But above

              all, the general judgment is for the honor and glory of

              Our Lord.  At His first coming into the world He was

              poor and weak; many would not believe Him the Son of

              God, and insulted Him as an impostor.  He was falsely

              accused, treated shamefully, and was put to death, many

              believing Him guilty of some crime.  Now He will appear

              before all as He really is--their Lord and Master, their

              Creator and Judge.  How they will tremble to look upon

              Him whom they have crucified!  How all those who have

              denied Him, blasphemed Him, persecuted His Church,

              and the like, will fear when they see Him there as Judge!

              How they will realize the terrible mistake worldlings

              made!

 

Question 417: Will our bodies share in the reward or punishment of our

              souls?

 

Answer:       Our bodies will share in the reward or punishment of our

              souls, because through the Resurrection they will again be

              united to them.

 

Question 418: In what state will the bodies of the just rise?

 

Answer:       The bodies of the just will rise glorious and immortal.

 

Explanation:  We honor the dead body and treat it with great respect

              because it was the dwelling place of the soul and was

              often nourished with the Sacraments; also because it will

              rise in glory and be united with the soul in the presence

              of God forever.  For these reasons we use incense and

              holy water when the body is to be buried, and even bless

              the ground in which it is laid.  "Faithful departed" means

              all those who died in a state of grace and who are in

              Heaven or Purgatory.  They may be in Purgatory, and so

              we pray for them.  We pray that they may "rest in

              peace"--that is be in Heaven, where they will have no

              sufferings.

 

Question 419: Will the bodies of the damned also rise?

 

Answer:       The bodies of the damned will also rise, but they will be

              condemned to eternal punishment.

 

Question 420: What is Heaven?

 

Answer:       Heaven is the state of everlasting life in which we see

              God face to face, are made like unto Him in glory, and

              enjoy eternal happiness.

 

Explanation:  The most delightful place we could possibly imagine as

              Heaven would not be near what it really is.  Everything

              that is good is there and forever, and we shall never tire

              of its joys.  All the pleasures and beauties of earth are as

              nothing compared with Heaven; and though we think we

              can imagine its beauty and happiness now, we shall see

              how far we have been from the real truth if ever we reach

              this heavenly home.

 

Explanation:  "God face to face,"--that is, as He is.  We shall not see

              Him with the eyes of the body, but of the soul.  That we

              may see with our natural eyes, two things are necessary:

              first, an object to look at, and secondly, light to see it.

              Now, to see God in Heaven we need a special light,

              which is called the "light of glory." God Himself gives us

              this light and thus enables us to see Him as He is.  This

              beautiful vision of God in Heaven is called the "beatific

              vision," and thus our whole life in Heaven--our joy and

              happiness--consists in the enjoyment of the beatific vision.

 

Question 421: What words should we bear always in mind?

 

Answer:       We should bear always in mind these words of Our Lord

              and Saviour Jesus Christ:  "What doth it profit a man if

              he gain the whole world and suffer the loss of his own

              soul, or what exchange shall a man give for his soul?

              For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father

              with His angels:  and then will He render to every man

              according to his works.

 

Explanation:  What does it benefit the poor creatures in Hell to have

              been rich, or beautiful, or learned, or powerful?  If they

              had been good, it was all that was necessary to escape all

              their sufferings.  Is there anything on earth that they

              would not give to be released?  Why, then, did they sell

              their souls for so little while on earth?  The present is the

              only time you have to merit Heaven and escape Hell.

              The past you cannot recall, and of the future you are not

              sure.  Then use the present well and decide daily whether

              you wish to be in Heaven or in Hell.

 

Explanation:  NOTE--Wherever in the foregoing pages explanations

              have been omitted after certain questions or answers it is

              because the matter they contain has been explained in

              some preceding question, or is to be explained in some

              following question, or is clear enough in itself without

              explanation.  The explanations of such questions or

              answers can be easily found by referring to the index.