Ponder on these things for the new year:
The Feast of New Years by Father Francis Xavier Weninger, 1876
"We are absent from the Lord."
2 Cor. v, 6.
The swiftly flying hours have come and gone, and another year has forever vanished into the dim and shadowy past, while with faltering steps we enter upon a period of time which will bring for us--we know not what.
Yes, the years come and pass; and not only that, but we pass with them; for we have not been created for this world. "We have not here a lasting city," but our destination is a happy abode in heaven. In other words, we are not at home, but on our way thereto, and our life is a pilgrimage, of which the words of the Apostle, which I have chosen for my text today, can not fail to remind us.
Every thing depends solely on this: whether we are truly on the way to salvation, and perform our parts in every way to insure a happy termination of this pilgrimage to eternity. In order to understand clearly the individual conditions with which we have to comply, to bring about the above so-much-to-be-desired result, we need only think what preparations a traveler makes before venturing upon a long and dangerous journey. In this regard, generally speaking, to insure a prosperous journey there are three essentials, the first of which is stability of purpose. Whoever intends setting out upon a journey must begin with decision, go vigorously forward, and remove all obstacles which stand in the way of his desired aim.
O Mary, unto thy patronage we fly; bless us, thy children, especially today at the beginning of the year, that, with unwavering zeal, we may tread the path of virtue pointed out to us by thy example, O queen of heaven! I speak in the most holy name of Jesus, for the greater honor and glory of God!
In order to arrive safely at the termination of the pilgrimage of life, and reach the goal for which we strive--the joy of heaven--we must imitate the course of the careful traveler who, when about to set out on an earthly pilgrimage, leaves nothing undone that he may arrive securely where he wishes to go. The requisite precautions are in general three: first, he must be thoroughly in earnest. This disposition is the more necessary the more dangerous the journey is found to be, and the greater length of time it is expected to last. How essential, therefore, is it not in our pilgrimage to the eternal shore! How much depends upon its possession!
It implies a firm resolution to follow Christ, and to secure a place on the road by which He went before us. In other words, it is that firm will, which angelic spirits wished to men of good will at the birth of our Redeemer: "Peace on earth to men of good will."
The journey is long, for it lasts until the very latest breath we draw. It is wearisome, and every step is fraught with perils; therefore the urgent necessity for firmness and a determination to resist every temptation to loiter along the broad and pleasant path which will take us far from our eternal destination. But, alas! such dispositions are to be found among the smallest number, even of those who are of "the household of the faith," and all are not generous enough to say, and to act upon the declaration: "Cost what it may, I will save my soul." How many there are, even of those whose silvery locks and faltering steps show that their end is nigh, who could not with truth point to one year in their lives which they have entered upon with a resolution to amend, so firm, that they have never once faltered therein! who have said, and fulfilled the promise: "I will strive to do better during the coming year; to come daily and hourly nearer heaven; to increase my store of merits for that glorious place. I will therefore make constant use of all those means which God has left with His Church; I will lead a life for Him, even though it cost me my dearest earthly joys."
The careful traveler is, above all, mindful to learn every particular in regard to the road which he proposes to take, so that he may more speedily and more safely arrive at his journey's end. Let us thank God that we are children of His holy Church, which, in the most explicit manner, tells us all we wish to know. Yes; she informs us by her holy faith, which brilliantly illuminates the way to heaven, that none can fail to find the path, or to remain in ignorance of what is essential to know, in order to fulfill the holy will of God.
The traveler is always concerned as to the enjoyment and happiness which will be his when his destination has been happily reached, and gives frequent thought to the trouble he would experience should he fail to reach it at all. This shows how essential it is that the pilgrim, who aims at heaven, should, at the recurrence of every year, consider with deep attention how he can live on earth so as to increase his bliss in heaven, and dwell forever amid its celestial joys.
How the generality of Christians can give so little thought to this, is indeed a mystery. They think more of the worldly goods, honors, and pleasures which they may gain in the course of the year than of heaven, one joy of which by far outweighs them all. Thus they are but too often not in earnest in their resolution to begin a life which would lead them nearer to heaven, but are content to live as every-day Christians, advancing no further in the fervent love of God.
The second condition necessary for arriving safely at a desired destination is health; therefore, whoever intends setting out on a journey must take all possible care not to fall ill. This indicates an essential requisite for a happy pilgrimage to eternity; which is, that he who is traveling thither must preserve his soul in the state of sanctifying grace--the principle of the supernatural life of the soul.
Every mortal sin which man is so unfortunate as to commit withdraws this principle of spiritual life from him; therefore, beloved in the Lord Jesus, if this day finds you in the state of mortal sin, cleanse your souls therefrom by a good, a sincere, and contrite confession, that, with the beginning of the year, the grace of God may enable you to do all things. But merely to live is not enough for the happy ending of a long and perilous journey, especially if it be made on foot, which, indeed, is the most fitting way for the pilgrim, and typifies the course of the wanderer whose goal is heaven, and who must proceed step by step alone, depends on health.
Health being essential for a safe and pleasant earthly journey, the application, in a spiritual sense, is this: we must not, and dare not, feel spiritually weak and ill, but strong and resolute, courageous and hopeful, and in these dispositions grasp firmly the staff of the path of salvation, never looking back, but, with unshaken determination, striving to advance daily in the way marked out by Christ.
It is also necessary to provide, in time, for all that will be needed on a journey, to guard, by this means, against any delay on the road. And this also has its application in a spiritual sense. At the beginning of the year, therefore, it is well to make firm resolutions to employ its every moment in promoting the great affair of our salvation, not losing any precious time.
That we may be able to do this: Let us examine ourselves with the utmost diligence as to what may have caused us to fritter away so many golden moments in the past. Was it by undue anxiety as to temporal affairs? by unprofitable or even injurious companionship? by idleness or some other cause equally hurtful to spirituality? Oh, what a bright era in our heavenward way might not this new year become, if, as its days roll on and pass away, we would not, through any fault of ours, lose one single moment of its precious time! To aid us in this, we should, at the beginning of every day, make an intention to do every thing for the love of God, and frequently renew our resolution to fail in nothing which He requires of us, fulfilling in the most perfect manner possible all the duties of our state.
Yet, beloved in Christ, we must not be content with this, for, whoever wishes to reach the loftier heights of virtue will zealously use every opportunity, and even search for such, to practise acts of Christian heroism in working for the salvation of souls. We must be fervent in prayer, in hearing Mass, in the practice of spiritual reading, and the frequent reception of the Sacraments. The more use we make of these means of grace during the present year, the more rapidly we shall proceed on our heavenward way, and the sweeter joy will constantly animate our hearts. Happy he who thus proceeds on his pilgrimage to heaven. He feels no weariness of spirit, but, on the contrary, may cry out with holy David: "I have run in the way of thy commandments when thou didst enlarge my heart."
The third condition necessary for a successful journey is final perseverance, which is the reward of courage and fidelity in the resolution to conquer all difficulties, impediments, and dangers. In regard to the way of salvation, there is but one impediment, and that is sin; for, whatever others may exist, true love of the cross will not only overcome them all, but transform them into means by which the goal is more speedily reached. All sin, even the slightest, is, and will ever be, an impediment, and is so conducive to everlasting destruction that, by listening but once to the tempter's voice, we often entirely deviate from the way to heaven, or at least retrograde sadly thereon. The cautious traveler looks not only before, but all around him, in every direction to avoid falling into any danger which may lurk unseen; and the Christian must, in a spiritual point of view, do the same, that he may guard against all those temptations which lie in wait to wreck his soul.
Dearly beloved in Christ Jesus, as pilgrims journeying to a heavenly land, make good use of these rules which I have laid before you, during the year of which you have been permitted to see the beginning, and apply them also during each succeeding year that God in his mercy permits you to behold. Do so with everincreasing zeal, with aspirations constantly directed towards heaven; then you shall undoubtedly, through the assistance of the Most High, arrive at the longed for termination of your pilgrimage, the true home of the just--heaven! Amen!
Yes, the years come and pass; and not only that, but we pass with them; for we have not been created for this world. "We have not here a lasting city," but our destination is a happy abode in heaven. In other words, we are not at home, but on our way thereto, and our life is a pilgrimage, of which the words of the Apostle, which I have chosen for my text today, can not fail to remind us.
Every thing depends solely on this: whether we are truly on the way to salvation, and perform our parts in every way to insure a happy termination of this pilgrimage to eternity. In order to understand clearly the individual conditions with which we have to comply, to bring about the above so-much-to-be-desired result, we need only think what preparations a traveler makes before venturing upon a long and dangerous journey. In this regard, generally speaking, to insure a prosperous journey there are three essentials, the first of which is stability of purpose. Whoever intends setting out upon a journey must begin with decision, go vigorously forward, and remove all obstacles which stand in the way of his desired aim.
O Mary, unto thy patronage we fly; bless us, thy children, especially today at the beginning of the year, that, with unwavering zeal, we may tread the path of virtue pointed out to us by thy example, O queen of heaven! I speak in the most holy name of Jesus, for the greater honor and glory of God!
In order to arrive safely at the termination of the pilgrimage of life, and reach the goal for which we strive--the joy of heaven--we must imitate the course of the careful traveler who, when about to set out on an earthly pilgrimage, leaves nothing undone that he may arrive securely where he wishes to go. The requisite precautions are in general three: first, he must be thoroughly in earnest. This disposition is the more necessary the more dangerous the journey is found to be, and the greater length of time it is expected to last. How essential, therefore, is it not in our pilgrimage to the eternal shore! How much depends upon its possession!
It implies a firm resolution to follow Christ, and to secure a place on the road by which He went before us. In other words, it is that firm will, which angelic spirits wished to men of good will at the birth of our Redeemer: "Peace on earth to men of good will."
The journey is long, for it lasts until the very latest breath we draw. It is wearisome, and every step is fraught with perils; therefore the urgent necessity for firmness and a determination to resist every temptation to loiter along the broad and pleasant path which will take us far from our eternal destination. But, alas! such dispositions are to be found among the smallest number, even of those who are of "the household of the faith," and all are not generous enough to say, and to act upon the declaration: "Cost what it may, I will save my soul." How many there are, even of those whose silvery locks and faltering steps show that their end is nigh, who could not with truth point to one year in their lives which they have entered upon with a resolution to amend, so firm, that they have never once faltered therein! who have said, and fulfilled the promise: "I will strive to do better during the coming year; to come daily and hourly nearer heaven; to increase my store of merits for that glorious place. I will therefore make constant use of all those means which God has left with His Church; I will lead a life for Him, even though it cost me my dearest earthly joys."
The careful traveler is, above all, mindful to learn every particular in regard to the road which he proposes to take, so that he may more speedily and more safely arrive at his journey's end. Let us thank God that we are children of His holy Church, which, in the most explicit manner, tells us all we wish to know. Yes; she informs us by her holy faith, which brilliantly illuminates the way to heaven, that none can fail to find the path, or to remain in ignorance of what is essential to know, in order to fulfill the holy will of God.
The traveler is always concerned as to the enjoyment and happiness which will be his when his destination has been happily reached, and gives frequent thought to the trouble he would experience should he fail to reach it at all. This shows how essential it is that the pilgrim, who aims at heaven, should, at the recurrence of every year, consider with deep attention how he can live on earth so as to increase his bliss in heaven, and dwell forever amid its celestial joys.
How the generality of Christians can give so little thought to this, is indeed a mystery. They think more of the worldly goods, honors, and pleasures which they may gain in the course of the year than of heaven, one joy of which by far outweighs them all. Thus they are but too often not in earnest in their resolution to begin a life which would lead them nearer to heaven, but are content to live as every-day Christians, advancing no further in the fervent love of God.
The second condition necessary for arriving safely at a desired destination is health; therefore, whoever intends setting out on a journey must take all possible care not to fall ill. This indicates an essential requisite for a happy pilgrimage to eternity; which is, that he who is traveling thither must preserve his soul in the state of sanctifying grace--the principle of the supernatural life of the soul.
Every mortal sin which man is so unfortunate as to commit withdraws this principle of spiritual life from him; therefore, beloved in the Lord Jesus, if this day finds you in the state of mortal sin, cleanse your souls therefrom by a good, a sincere, and contrite confession, that, with the beginning of the year, the grace of God may enable you to do all things. But merely to live is not enough for the happy ending of a long and perilous journey, especially if it be made on foot, which, indeed, is the most fitting way for the pilgrim, and typifies the course of the wanderer whose goal is heaven, and who must proceed step by step alone, depends on health.
Health being essential for a safe and pleasant earthly journey, the application, in a spiritual sense, is this: we must not, and dare not, feel spiritually weak and ill, but strong and resolute, courageous and hopeful, and in these dispositions grasp firmly the staff of the path of salvation, never looking back, but, with unshaken determination, striving to advance daily in the way marked out by Christ.
It is also necessary to provide, in time, for all that will be needed on a journey, to guard, by this means, against any delay on the road. And this also has its application in a spiritual sense. At the beginning of the year, therefore, it is well to make firm resolutions to employ its every moment in promoting the great affair of our salvation, not losing any precious time.
That we may be able to do this: Let us examine ourselves with the utmost diligence as to what may have caused us to fritter away so many golden moments in the past. Was it by undue anxiety as to temporal affairs? by unprofitable or even injurious companionship? by idleness or some other cause equally hurtful to spirituality? Oh, what a bright era in our heavenward way might not this new year become, if, as its days roll on and pass away, we would not, through any fault of ours, lose one single moment of its precious time! To aid us in this, we should, at the beginning of every day, make an intention to do every thing for the love of God, and frequently renew our resolution to fail in nothing which He requires of us, fulfilling in the most perfect manner possible all the duties of our state.
Yet, beloved in Christ, we must not be content with this, for, whoever wishes to reach the loftier heights of virtue will zealously use every opportunity, and even search for such, to practise acts of Christian heroism in working for the salvation of souls. We must be fervent in prayer, in hearing Mass, in the practice of spiritual reading, and the frequent reception of the Sacraments. The more use we make of these means of grace during the present year, the more rapidly we shall proceed on our heavenward way, and the sweeter joy will constantly animate our hearts. Happy he who thus proceeds on his pilgrimage to heaven. He feels no weariness of spirit, but, on the contrary, may cry out with holy David: "I have run in the way of thy commandments when thou didst enlarge my heart."
The third condition necessary for a successful journey is final perseverance, which is the reward of courage and fidelity in the resolution to conquer all difficulties, impediments, and dangers. In regard to the way of salvation, there is but one impediment, and that is sin; for, whatever others may exist, true love of the cross will not only overcome them all, but transform them into means by which the goal is more speedily reached. All sin, even the slightest, is, and will ever be, an impediment, and is so conducive to everlasting destruction that, by listening but once to the tempter's voice, we often entirely deviate from the way to heaven, or at least retrograde sadly thereon. The cautious traveler looks not only before, but all around him, in every direction to avoid falling into any danger which may lurk unseen; and the Christian must, in a spiritual point of view, do the same, that he may guard against all those temptations which lie in wait to wreck his soul.
Dearly beloved in Christ Jesus, as pilgrims journeying to a heavenly land, make good use of these rules which I have laid before you, during the year of which you have been permitted to see the beginning, and apply them also during each succeeding year that God in his mercy permits you to behold. Do so with everincreasing zeal, with aspirations constantly directed towards heaven; then you shall undoubtedly, through the assistance of the Most High, arrive at the longed for termination of your pilgrimage, the true home of the just--heaven! Amen!
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