Rev. Fr.
Leonard Goffine's
The Church's Year
INSTRUCTION
ON THE SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER EASTER
This Sunday and the whole
week should serve as a preparation for the festival of Pentecost,
that we may be enabled by good works and pious devotional exercises,
to receive the gifts of the Holy Ghost. At the Introit the Church
sings:
INTROIT
Hear, O Lord, my voice, with
which I have cried to thee, allel. My heart bath said to thee: I
have sought thy face, thy face, O Lord, I will seek: turn not away
thy face from me, allel. allel. The Lord is my light and my salvation:
whom shall I fear? (Ps. XXVI. 7-9.) Glory be to the Father, etc.
COLLECT
Almighty, everlasting God, grant us ever to have a will
devoted to Thee, and to serve Thy majesty with a sincere heart.
Through .etc.
EPISTLE
(1 Peter IV. 7-11.) Dearly beloved, be prudent, and watch in prayers.
But before all things, have a constant mutual charity among yourselves;
for charity covereth a multitude of sins. Using hospitality one
towards another without murmuring: as every man hath received grace,
ministering the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold
grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the words of God:
if any man minister, let him do it as of the power which God administereth;
that in all things God may be honored through Jesus Christ, our
Lord.
EXPLANATION
The practice of the virtues which St. Peter here prescribes for
the faithful, is an excellent preparation for the reception of the
Holy Ghost, for nothing renders us more worthy of His visit than
true love for our neighbor, the good use of God's gifts; and the
faithful discharge of the duties of our state of life. Strive, therefore,
to practise these virtues and thus make yourself less unworthy of
the gifts of the Holy Ghost. Say daily during the week the following
prayer: Come, Holy Spirit, who bast assembled the people of all
tongues in unity of faith, fill the hearts of Thy faithful, and
kindle in them the fire of Thy divine love.
GOSPEL
(John XV. 26-27., to XVI. 1-4.) At that time, Jesus said to his
disciples: When the Paraclete cometh, whom I will send you from
the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceedeth from the Father,
he shall give testimony of me: and you shall give testimony, because
you are with me from the beginning. These things have I spoken to
you, that you may not be scandalized. They put you out of the synagogues:
yea, the hour cometh, that whomsoever killeth you will think that
he doth a service to God. And these things will they do to you,
because they have not known the Father, nor me. But these things
I have told you, that, when the hour shall come, you may remember
that I told you.
Why is
the Holy Ghost called the Paraclete?
Through the apostles and
disciples whom He made so eloquent and so courageous that they intrepidly
professed and preached Christ to be the Son of God, and the true
Messiah. This doctrine He confirmed by astounding miracles, and
sealed it by their blood which they shed in its defence The Holy
Ghost still gives testimony of Christ through the Church, that is,
the clergy, through whom He speaks, and who must, therefore, be
listened to reverently. We must also give testimony of Christ and
profess by our lives, by patience in crosses and afflictions that
He is our Teacher, our Lord, and our God; for if we do not thus
acknowledge' Him in this world He will deny us before His Father
in heaven. (Matt X. 33.)
Did the
Jews sin in persecuting and putting to death the apostles?
Undoubtedly; for although
they erroneously believed they were doing God a service, their ignorance
and error were very sinful and deserving of punishment, because
they could easily have known and been instructed in the truth.
Those Christians who neglect
all religious instruction hardly know what is necessary for salvation,
and make light of many things which are grievous sins; as also those
who are in doubt whether they justly or unjustly possess certain
goods, and yet through fear of being compelled to make restitution,
neglect to settle the doubts such are in culpable ignorance.
What must
every Christian know and believe in order to be saved?
That there is but one God,
who has created and governs all things; that God is a just judge,
who rewards the good and punishes the wicked; that there are in
the Deity three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost;
that the Son of God became man for love of us, taught us, and by
His death on the cross redeemed us; that the Holy Ghost sanctifies
us by His grace, without which we cannot become virtuous or be saved;
that man's soul is immortal.
PETITION
Send us, O Lord Jesus ! the Paraclete, that He may console and strengthen
us in all our afflictions. Enlighten us by Thy Holy Spirit that
we may learn and live in accordance with the truths of faith. Amen.
INSTRUCTION
ON SCANDAL
These things have I spoken
to you, that you may not be scandalized. (John XVI. 1.)
How is
scandal given?
By speaking, doing or omittihg
that which will be, to others an occasion, of sin: Scandal is given
in different ways, for instance: if you dress improperly, speak
improper words, or sing bad songs; by which you can see, that your
neighbor will be tempted to think, desire or act wrongly; or what
is worse, if you act sinfully, in the presence of, others, or bring
bad books., books against good morals, or against the holy faith,
among people; if you incite others to anger, cursing, and vengeance,
or if you prevent them from attending church, the sermon, or catechetical
instruction, etc. In all these things you become guilty of scandal,
as well as of all the sins to which it gives rise.
If at the Last judgment we
will be unable to, give an account of our own sins, how, then can
we answer for the innumerable sins caused by, he scandal we have
given? Therefore Christ pronounces a terrible, woe upon those who
give scandal. Woe to that man, He says, by whom the scandal cometh!
It were better for him, that a millstone should be hanged about
his neck, and that he should be drowned in the depth of the sea.
(Matt. XVIII.)
How do
parents give scandal?
By giving their children
bad example; by excessive anger, cursing and swearing; by avarice,
injustice and cheating; by discord and quarrels; by gluttony in
eating and drinking; by extravagance and vanity in dress; by sneering
at religion, good morals, etc.; by not keeping their children from
evil company, but sometimes even bringing them into it; by not punishing
and endeavoring to eradicate their children's vices. How much parents
sin, through such scandals, cannot be expressed; at the Day of judgment
their children will be their accusers!
How do
masters give scandal to their servants and those under their care?
In the same way as parents
do to their children; by keeping them away from, or not urging them
by their own example or command to attend church on Sundays and
holy-days; by giving them meat on fast-days; by commanding them
to do sinful things, such as stealing, injuring others, etc.
INSTRUCTION
ON PREPARATION FOR PENTECOST
1). We should withdraw, after
the example ef the Blessed Virgin and the apostles, to some solitary
place, or at least avoid, intercourse with others, as much as possible;
speak but little, and apply ourselves to earnest and persevering
prayer; for in solitude God speaks to man.
2). We should purify our
conscience by a contrite confession, become reconciled to our neighbor,
it we have lived in enmity; for the Holy Ghost, as a spirit of peace
and purity, lives only in pure and peaceful souls. (Ps. IXXV. 3.)
3). We should give alms according
to our means, for it is said in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts X.)
of the Gentile centurion Cornelius, that by prayer and alms-deeds
he made himself worthy of the gifts of the Holy Ghost.
4). We should fervently desire
to receive the Holy Ghost, and should give expression to this longing
by frequent aspirations to God, making use of the prayer: "Come,
O Holy Ghost, etc."
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