CROSS and CROWN EIHTED BT THE DOMINICAN FATHERS OF THE PROVINCE OF ST. AEBERT THE GREAT VOLUME I B. HERDER BOOK CO. ST. f.OUl' 2. M'J Ft.; 6 CROSS AND ( ROW N of the thing;» of God. Thirdly. lit- ιγ.ιμ ak<, he genvrous in the usee examples, and know well effects through which he can on occisi·-· explain causes. Hence [the Apintlc] speaks of the licnd of k,Kra!c.i^ which is rhe knowledge of the things of man: for ‘rhe invisible things of God arc clearly seen, being understood by the things which are made' " (la Ilae, q. 111, a. 4). Moreover, this most prudent warning and precept of our Consti­ tutions must be continually kept in mind: “In all questions adherirc faithfully to the pure truth of faith with, submission of mind and hear to the magisterium of the Church nor only in its definitions but ah in its declarations, let our Brethren ever pursue the doctrine of th Angelic Doctor, clearly and strongly assert it, work untiringly for h acceptance, and in theology and philosophy firmlv maintain it . avoiding in all things novel tv of expression and science falsely so called” (no. 628). As to complete fidelity to the directives of the Church, it is well ti recall these words of St. Thomas: “The very teaching of Catholic doctors has its authority from the Church; hence we must rest mort on the authority of the Church than on the authority of Augustine oJcroine or any other doctor” (Ha Ilae, q. 10, a. 12). A fortiori this must be said of those teachers or writers who are far from possessing the authority of the above-mentioned doctors. The very competent and devoted start of editors will. We are con­ fident, attend to all these points. There remains for Us only to beg God’s copious blessing on rhe editors, the contributors, and the readers of Cross and Crown. Fr. Ε.Μ.ΜΑΝΙΈΓ. Master General Rome, 15 February, 1949 SUAREZ, OP- The Crown of Life ECENTLY I received a letter from the United States inviting me to write an article for a new magazine, Cross and Crown. Greatly honored bv the request, I was even more intrigued by the name of the nev. revic-A and rhe desire t > know whit type of magazine it could be. ():i learning it-» .iscerical-mx-tica! nature. I was profoundly moved by this Chrbnan paradox, that the New World. prosperous and, as has often been said, materialistic, so energetically dedicated to material things and to marvelous productions of technology, is now starting m pursuit of things far higher than its skyscrapers. more precious than its fold and minerals: in a word, it is more specifically interested m spiritual R things. I do not mean to say that rhe things of rhe spirit were n· -r appreciated in the United States before this. The evangelical leaven has always made sentie. silent pmgrv" there and. in the course of jears, has pro­ foundly penetrated rhe American Catholic soul. How many beautiful churches, schools, and c-d’ege.- flourish on Amvriein ή·:!’. The cause or explanation of this phenomenon h surety to be found in the mrcnsity ot tiic spiritual life of priors. ·>ί both, men and women religious, and of rhe faithful who by their personal sacrifices have labored for the diffusion of rhe Christian and Catholic faith in the United States. However, the founding of this review gives evidence nf a desire for something more specific on the very nature of the spiritual Ide and on the princïn’.cs of the direction >.-f sou's according to the scientific teach­ ing of theology. I aia greatly pleased to see the sons of St. Dominic of the Province of St. Albert, both of whom were such great disciples ot CROSS AND CROWN 8 the Blessed Virgin Mary, begin a magazine of this ty p«~ θ’- ' tainly be a Cross and a Crows for them ) I am eten JPPlCl ‘, ■ wish to follow the sound, lofty, and strong doctrine ot t tc -O ■ Doctor of the Church, our dear brother, St. Thomas Aquinas, . the world greatly needs his reaching, that it may reach an on ercu s tion of the weight)· problems confronting everyone, ; To attain this solution, the final goal must first of all be clearly e visaged. Consequently 1 have decided ro begin by discussing tie end of our u hole life, and, therefore, more particularly of °ur or interior life. , In the present period of uncertainty, threatened, as we arc. witu ·» third world war, so close upon the two preceding ones, rhe Lord < believers to make an earnest effort ro lite more profoundly by the-· faith, that it may become firm, Vning, penetrating, and communicati’· eHe asks this in order that we may help the many souls seeking rhe way. of truth and salvation and quite frequently coining to us for light anJ comfort. We Christian·, must 11·. e more and more by our faith, by our trust in G«>d. and by rim-re and generous love of God and of out neighbor. \\c do ΐ-1-.-.S. t|,,t ,Vc p-.y ,.fV ΛΡ1(1.Λ ΟΙι-Λΐ.’ f(1 ';K. Pui-ri ·’.■ riant >.■·;>>:< m t?.e '.v,iftd. that we mav not let our^ek^ !’e cmr -.'■un by ùitm-u’tiv·-. rear wc ma>. rcn ajn firn. jnsrcad of yidd- ‘he di’":'c trim-: cm < .-,ir preser-.'·g ■■'·■■ Wei-··.?·.· qrb ‘heir η ή The F.-.-K·.-·. in the sri· - u ’ t:'·.· < h S. ■ · ?:· ■ir v. e have no rwht to yield or surrender ' Uf.es. We are faced with rhe task *«t η·'', .m·.; -supernatural life and of communi•ur<. -.K-s-rible to others for their .’.·■ by rbe grace of God for erernitv n rM ,ρ-ΙήτπΛ writers live often said tk.it '■'·"· advance, falls back. Why- P. Oii® the same tiling is true for th did .1 in rhe rn? '.rd <··■ ■ k-: ■* grow and becoi»c λ π’-γπίΙ ,uh he dnes i’i·' "■.".4···. ..’··’’ »«*.■ an abnci’in I .·■:■ formed dv·.·’ lib; i v ■.-.-■jd •hîrt gross- ‘n dhpoiporri ■ > his sunire. Jr i· 1 π \ -h·,· 1 -t n must grow ur.nl he .;nes .n THE CROWN OF LIFE 9 d*1?. r*k*ise ic is a supernatural law of the interior life that the ,™ who u advancing toward God should grow in charity and all '. “ end of *“ We on earth, when he u ill lx judged aecording to his works, be they good or bad. rÎT· ^‘S BtrLLC’ 'r ‘s highly fitting to discuss spiritual progress, , that of sauetifymg grace, of charity, of the «her ritU and .* " a™ 8"B'” !h' > Inly (.host that always accompany eharitv .o are Mnecttal «ιΛ it. V1 thcsc virr„C!> ζ St. Tnomas.· Ufa. the fivc fingers ,lf , = to® consideration should always be given first to the final end of «hv Pro=ress’ in v’ew of which the means are chosen, we can see Moiinvf °r‘* ;2t rîie beginning of i lis ministry in rhe Sermon on the nn-inri 'tartCu 'Gth the evangelical beatitudes which are in us the thevr,e °· eterna^ beatitude·. Blessed are the poor in spirit, rhe meek, rhe nU- ’Cr tn’rsr ;l^rvr justice, the merciful, the clean of heart, is the ^trs' dur suiter persecution for justice’ sake, for theirs "tt Go j11"· nea'etî- I hey will be consoled, satiated: they will h-.rniV ^1C’V Uiî* atuin ccernii beatitude. All men naturally desire exist Th* °/ren they are deceived in seeking it where it Joes not l:4i ti’enGp15 jWhy.St' T‘‘on)as begins his exposition of moral andspiritoeath’XP tllC tFaCt "n ti:c u!ri!nare end of life and of eternal ri:-'n· ^fOn'e''lv‘ent’y· important to answer wei! rhe primordial ques- \ W;1S nUn crented? Grain is made to nourish man. domestic w,_ him in his labors, the nlow to till the land. But wbv ;asn’"mmade?T; -h ...";q î tnevirable question maybe veil or badlv answered·, be n.u-14 k*’ to examine \t it is t<> reply badlv. badly, to deviate from the goal to t-n decrease, to annihilate oneself. K k >- 1 y ï ’ I·· ■ ί ■■■ 7 - World. or radier the spirit of rhe world, has three answers, which 2·^ ώ n..t suffice to give the happiness desired or to provide a ïf*- n- 1-5. As; 11 THE CROWN OF LIFE 10 ,\ii they CROSS AND CROWN foundation for duty. These answers may tempt us under a less gre' form, and it is well to recall them at the beginning, the better to see by contrast the grandeur of the true answer, which is that of the Gospel ifo by themselves when they wish to get along " can do is to tear each other to pieces. Thh answ er to the problem of life is so ^^^pora! third, which is also deceiving. The first of these answers states that man is made for pleasure, to enjoy earthly goods, pleasures of every kind. Among these, some very delicate ones are appreciated by the dilettante who, according to th’: theory, would be the wise man. Man would have no duty toward a Being superior to himself; his good pleasure would be his rule, the was the maxim of paganism, especially in its decline, and there is appalling return to this maxim today. People desert the country where, they say. the work is too hard. They go to the cities to find, together with as little work as possible, all desirable pleasures: movies, gambling, sports, as if man were his own end and had to do nothing but w hat iwralitv, is easy. Such conduct does not lead to the desired happiness. 'Fhe search for pleasure vi'.m.ur any higher rule leads to disillusion· menr. to weariness, tn ennui-ro that ennui which worldlings drag over ; ■_ . 1 t' . world. bee..:.: ‘..;ν - - < ί Γ ■ are i mpty and uti'citistk-d. Th-.s boredom often leads even to disgu.-t because peo­ ple ask fn-m ροι- firme ends what these cannot give. The result is rhe ruin of ind”· .dual fife ί-i' ^'νΛ " by the growing number of despondent -ouS. o? ί’ήί ide.). the rum of Gnilj. Ute (by birth control, divorce, rhe i.rtft r.et - .f children wirr.nur Λη·, :1.·>ϊ·.ιΐ mining >, rhe ruin .-.f J.-l· v the cm?’ aiùsïruggk- -if clades, a 'truggk which omtimrdiv increases the .'-rmc or tie necesriries of lire!: it also rtsuirs m b irred V' O’vj :ten and ·ν<··τ·.·. ■.·. arc. i divine law is no longer i<. k?u"iicd‘’-,:.i. even a natura. ■,£·*·. to pre^erve a certain order the pouce fures is c···-‘.ι”’«ίΊν increased within the c -antry. and armi- r. cts igiir^t foraeiww " ' 's 1 srsri; permanent war. at a r. ■ r v '.n ■· ;.r, g-. -.· f’cace, attai bip'.v'ix··. nn.-; beer, proclaimed Kspcciai of his earthly, individual, family, national interests ·ιη^ of ar no matter what cost, a desirable position f»>r *’ccOlnes a l-lWUJrC tranAccordingly for a number of people, virtue · oi *‘ cnTCd assured livelihood, of a certain reputation s‘“'tpey ür'· quillitv in life. This is the theory of climber’· ·* ;<■ J.ocs not ’"'•^ΚηΜΓ· ......................... Wh.it is this theory worth? It one does >■< ^q-iich i·»·. lead above egoism, cither individual or collt-c1 ^°r ^.Viv in cotn- The first answer given by the spirit of the world is so inferior that it attempts itself to correct this reply by the second, and lastly by the pleased him. The critique of this moral <>f pleasure, which is the negation of all itselt \nd tins egoism has never given joL.s n»r λσηαΚ5 as t?.c soul still remain empty, and disillusion111 L^jf, m'.m je jncss i-ς v itb its consequences. Then, to excuse vir_ ' the noblest aspirations ο» ‘ three and sacrifice no longer have any meaning-ths- v rc;> •.-.hich unite us to God and our neig (-,f an eSJ would be only the fruits of the jmagmatmn iry. Religion would no longer have *nl· '...■■■lai patrimony of humuûty would h-1%c • people call progress. I.isdy the spirit of the world proposes a Gospel se;1sibilir;tual and this is .,11 formuh«d in ,-.Μ bn d^ip!»· the past by the Stoics and in modern tinn-S gevck>f»ncn’ " T.ns answer tells us that man L made tor r” persona .. * ’■ .v \ •.■fected only throug re . juÿgg. whicn nc r.-ty and the practice of his individual an soc adverb, for man "■> iccomplish ‘‘reliijiously.’' Here rcligm·1 i- ^nve ΛΠ·, if nuthûnse t tcniams his own last end; he must love βν tjv.s route *,,c ί ‘■ncividualh, at least humanity which e1,0 church believes in ’ ■> ’ i, "1 w.v “ V-pes in Him. and loves Him above «.· I CROSS AND CROWN 12 humanity, hopes in it, and loves it with a platonic or theoretical lu., above all else.4 The dignity of the human person would be the sunanii of evolution; there would be nothing above it, or only the Unknow­ able, in regard to which we can not have special duties. ” This third reply is deceiving and false like the preceding one. It the answer of pride, which has never given happiness to anyone. Th»- ; man might love himself above all or love humanity more than in­ humanity would have to be wisdom itself, truth itself, the sovereign . good. Now humanity with its tares and its formidable reversions toward barbarism, so manifest in the last two world wars, is far fro»· being wisdom itself, truth itself, the sovereign good. Absolute evolu* tionisin says that humanity is God who is becoming, and who will never be, for He will always become. But to deny the existence of tbt true God is not sufficient to make Him cease to be. η This negation b an additional proof that man is appallingly limited from rhe physica:· intellectual, and moral point of view; Xis still often perverse,' very se.tsiul, cruel, and, as H. Taine says, ‘‘When society deviates from th« Gospel, it becomes a cut-throat place and an evil place.” Min who cot-xs .. ......... bra« into cUstence and Jid K ~vc himstJf clisI. witu ,vjn. he recdred6thcni 1&l J"’"'-·'· '·<«■'■ «d it » only through rhe hd? ζΦ./*ΙΟ „......... Γ?'”'!?1''" i:’· sPirc hl·' nppo.inon -o 'he „ X'at mi"iry· :he Chu?!-·” Wn-.es ,n G-’· u-..:·-: Krow- hon to auure Bin..’ ft is we? ι™?71' lnJ’ ain<>ng the sects. sh; contradictions ’ t.ut Proudhun’s mind .-Jxiuiideil i>'· ' ts «^rcadisr. '.Υ,Τ* Λ* ? Vf,rsn? r.-.i- vho wi-hcii t.· ϊ Λ— 'T. · . l,!t|J -at «> hwn: £7?"^· ΧΠ-Λ. ί • Pr‘yw, >.·.■ υ· ac > Λ XI1«: ''sX ’.-i' W..À £ R··’·^ ’Mr R an athei# ,Α. !ν. THE CROWN OF LIFE 13 of the Creator and of His providence that man can attain the term of his destiny and find the truth and the good that do not pass. The True Answer St. Philip Neri excelled in lifting souls up to the consideration of their last end. One day near Rome he said to a peasant who was work­ ing in a sunlit field: “Why do you work so hard, Francesco?” “To have grain and to feed my family.” “Nevertheless, my friend, in spite of all the grain that you and your family harvest, you will die.” “Of course we shall.” “And after death, what will there be for you and yours?" “After death?” “Yes. Recall what the catechism says: after death there will be cither purgatory followed by heaven, or hell. So, my dear Francesco, you would do better to work not only to have grain and to feed your family, but also for Cod. The one does not hinder the other; on the contrary, you would work with greater zest, in peace, and with joy, if you were thinking that you were thereby earning eternal life. And at evening you would bring your children not only bread for their bodies, but food for their souls, and they would love vou much more because they would sec in you the image •>f God, our Father.” St. Philip Neri spoke in the same manner to an officer whose greatest desire was to become a captain, and co a mon­ signor who was somewhat too eager for a nunciature and who did not think enough about God. To all he used to say: "And what do you desire after death?” Consciiuentlv the three answers ot the world to the problem of life have no value for the hereafter, neither have they any for rhe present r.te. which should prepare that of eternity- Divine revelation, which is preserved in its original form among all peoples in spite of the ’-har.nes to which it has been subjected, tells us that there will be a ladgment after death. This opinion was also that of the best philos'T-bers of paiian mtiiiuirv. those who admitted a future life, which •>e modem world shockingly forgets, for it is as if immersed in fleet- and evanescent goods. Recently a ladv in Turin, out walking with her finie six-year-old ^nrar.'ner a *hom ‘i,ul *oùt the general situation in Europe The gentleman launched mto a 15 THE CROWN OF LIFE CROSS AND CROWN 14 I political dissertation not at all interesting to the Lttle girl, y ho k , tueeine at her mother's skirts to go on. F inally her motnet said to her “Listen to this gentleman who is one of the best informed men m country.” Looking up at him. the child asked. Sir. tun were ye created and placed'in the world?” Though a Catholic, the man momentarily at a loss for a reply; he was not expecting this questio... to which he had given little thought. Then looking directly at hr>’.'·· the little gin ^.ii-.fro Ιι:·.·ΐ: “Sir. you were crewed -and place·.! in îik world to know God, to love Him, to serve Him. anil in rlus way ·· obtain eternal life.” lhe gentleman was delighted with the loftino· of her answer·, he remembered that he had learned it in the catéchisaibut hail never thought seriously about it. He believed he had been made especially- for politics, and now this child reminded him of the word of (ind ahum rite real last end of all our life.7 ■ bodv and a It God hid created us in a purely natural state v rational and immortal soul, but without the hfe ot £ know reived in baptism, even then, our last end would ha'·'t|w God and to love Him. Bur we would have known I,',iV_r..m reflection of His perfections in His creatores. 7 * the first philosophers knew Him. He would hare ,,,iit.-Piuence "hwh Ciuse of the universe and of our nature, rh- 1 , \ptlmr o- urdered all things. W’c v.<>fc. «!wpb itf<·«<·,!. tx/r' r *eccnr ** •'k for T rj |Λ giv.'-g ;·πκ been the servants respect, and eraritude, without that sweet is in the heart of the children of God. V c "1 i>f God, but not Flis children by adoption. , pjfry. immensely However, this narurtl last end i- *n -w ‘ ? ,'>rjje propose to ussupurior to all that rhe spirit of rhe wor.· , cnj anf reason in itself suffices ro show us the falsity of the trorM*- maxims and to ret! us that nan's last end consists in knowing i ».-d md Viimw I Vn, abo-e dl else. The end of our intellect is, in fact. r.. km··.·· -kt t-.i.’··-. i:-.d es· ecially xuprewc truth :n the measure in which tiiii truth incessible to ;t. Likewise our will re made to love -mJ will ■■ 1 ’mv c u the so crei?n go.d. which l, God. in rhe me.w.e ,r:on which "Oidd nts session of it injuring another’s and eng.te w* mdentlv desired material -?■’ 1 end therefore unires souls, w.iere.. end. and still more pride, divides them. vnowledce of God .Moreover, this natural end of man docs not grow weary which would never produce satiety. - s pi)t w.eary of the -f the blue of the heavens, rhe.^lkr^;^’crror. And (mm. this .nmvledgc ot God. especially rttt J* which would not weary knowledge normally proceeds a lo·e ’he heart either, since God is the sovereign goo I ta rhh nMral « radnn?l hysterics in regard to the intimate ■ factions to subsist. H··"'. for houndle«s mercy-? How reconcik θ'" r assi.-m of physical and of moral es i ■ “ γ were to receive only natural ne·^ . infinite justice -and odness and the perof a period of trial, intellect would not be God c of 11 ■ ' -ef-K··. T..■■. - y’.:.y ■ ,.·ηι.ηΛ co—..re t^e :if·.· <» ere·-1' a’.’, truth find «nndness. creative cans hen, what happiness THE CROWN OF LIFE 16 CROSS AND CROWN What the most powerful human reason and the > intellect could not discover, divine revelation has u’.a c According to revelation, our last end is to know Got i He knows Himself, and to love Him as He loves Himsel v & ness. And we shall not be able to express our contemplation even by any interior word. This contemplation will L»c absolutely incn.iblc, for there is only one word that can express the divine essence, and that is the Word engendered from all eternity. As a person who is absorbed by a spectacle of ravishing beauty can­ run express it, so the immediate vision of the divine essence will be be­ yond all expression. And this first gaze on God will always be new. with an eternal freshness, for it will be measured by the single instant of immobile eternity. In eternity one instant does not pass and anot.Kr ing us was not obliged to make us share in I lis intimate i y arrive·, there is no past or future, but an eternal present in its ever new I. could do so. and by entirely gratuitous goodness 1 le wines it. freshness, like an eternal morning or an eternal springtime. St. Paul tells us: “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither^^ This face-to-face vision of God inhnitcly excels the most suol.me entered into the heart of man what things God hath prepares philitsophv and also the natural knowledge of the highest angels, that love Him. But to us God hath revealed them, by His are called to see all the divine perfections together, iuc .fined m » the Spirit scarcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. eminent source; to see h<>w the renderest mercy and η- ι ,os* * Lord Himself says in the Gospel of St. John: “This is eternal Mebls justice proceed from one and the same infinitely gene.ou ;n they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christfinitelv holy love; how the same eminent quality of iu-we are Thou Imm sent.’*’1 St. John adds: We know that, when He sha 1 . _ I itself attributes in .appearance so contrary; how mercy .uv i pear, we shall be like to Him: because vc shall see Him ^-s He 1· , ; united in all the works of God. \\ e are called to ’ ι1(Λν in face to face." says >t. Piul." The Psalmist had already said: b,1J' ' even in its freest good pleasure, is identical with pure: w is^ be sitkficd when Thy glorv shall appear.·’4 .■ this love there is nothing that is not wise. and in 1 c he are. therefore, called to see God nor merely in the mirror _ lothing that is not converted into love. Me are ca u· etcrnity. how iTcattsres, pertcct as thev may be. or only bv His radiation in t ■i..ve is identical with the supreme good, loved Γ°*" *^η<ΛνΓΛ huw all -λ «*rld vf pure spirits, bur we are called to see God without the ino-1 divine wis.l*>m is identical with the first truth a A is, mt diary *-t any creature, more clearly indeed than we see here on cao 1 these perfections are but one in the tery whf eternally substem «on.,; to ’ contemplate the eternal generation o ^ ncHaWc spir-.iti' this the principle of rnc-w operanoo,. atioiis Avions. If wc arc delighted here on earth by the rctlccrion ot rhe iininc I tions shared bv creatures, by the splendor of a sunlit ocean. bcautv of a starry sky. and even more by the spiritual splendors ot lives of the saints; what shall we feel when wc sec God. infiniiC ncaui_ - pardcip-n< this truth cicarl) we undeM»'”1 vtcrnitv God the r.-ust remember that, according to rcvciatioi . > > ■ Father engenders a Son equal tn Himself, the W ord. o i™:all His nature, without dividing Him to be "Light of light, true God of true Goo. ^<·' t s■ nt* He has willed to lîave in time adopted sons, according to .. „ · ■ P crcative source of all the life of creation? This jov will be that of so strong and absolute a love of God tlw not onlv moral and legal, real makes and intima c. participate --an e-itirclv gratuitous love,but which us truly in the W nothii'.ii will ■.-.er be .ib'.c t<> di-tn,·,· ir oi v’.ci :>> di;;w,'sh r. HiR LÜ-C will doubtless be composed of admiration, rcspecr. gratitude, but e. pecially of friendship, with the simplicity and intimacy which &-·· implies. Even more, it will be the love which St. I cresa calls r>a ecn-iini anted truisforming union, like the spiritual fusion of the g>·’ rified soul and God. In spite of the infinite distance between the Creato, and rhe creature. He will sav to us: “Enter thou into the joy d -is He knows Iliimuiï. and in loving Him as He loves Hiinsc-i· Bur this know ledge and supernatural love arc possible onlv if God. s° to speak, cernes <·;ιγ higher faculties and our souls. Even in the natura; ■•r.icr. >.s eap.ible nt intellectual knowledge and of an enlightened ■.·.•’•e super.·;r t-> -en.-iblc hive only because he has a spiritual soul. Fa use manner we wi;’, fie capable m a divine knowledge and of a divine i·;· e <<η·ν ;r. w e ‘.i.ivc rcccncd a participation in the divine nature or the - f ( «· d. onlv ? wir s-nds base been, in a sense, dcitied by principle of His intimate life. As St. Paul says. \X m.n <■ He also predestinated to be made conformable to thetmagc o. g- ·.;: t>■· ·, ■ c a new kte. wry superior r·· their natural ■ T'irrpigh fsi_;r Lord le^U' ΐ·ηΐ prcca-is pronêscv r:ut •u me di· ine nature: flying rhe ■■■■■ et ï 1 Ï *- · » tnat Ik might be the first-born amongst nraa\ oretnr^n. Sort is & ««. ,.f the ««ml life which CnJ resencs «» t.»« « • ho Im-c 1 lim. It is what "eye hath, not seen, nor car nca. , . v ■*· · · hearts could not naturally desire. It is what. God has revealcu to us ll'.s 'Spirit, which “st-archeth all tilings, yea. the d«.cp tn.i.^s i.t ■ «...... ...... familv of God; they enter rhe cycle ot . ®®ilW«B«e»w-wsw ... Ine elect belong to the very family ot Word in them; the Father tee Blv-sed Trinits'. God His Infused chanty even now forth engenders love in them. - the beatiiic vision will li^n us to t.ic ’■"J the Sun breathe to... a-in'rcnd^r '■· ike-, us tike the Holv Ghost; us like tlx Father of whom He is rue ce.-.g·,·. ThenHimself evidently . ■'•(■re. who w it will be true to say that Jac h-sv -w-n and ’:,.VCJ. wiH in us as in a rcmple of glory; and at tne v ......... . „ . i -τ'· ·. ·- .r ίν-ίπσ. oi rbouiinr. ano c summit < - ··■-’ we ‘•han he in rhe ί riir.t) iniate end of spiritual progress. it is sufficient to seek plcash'ûctï vs me gi;.u ή ·■··· ·-. , •W.crcas the spirit or rhe world tcl>s as full ta.unatural >r. i. development of our us that we must rend infinitely ·-·’<· >.=r wuridlv interests, or ■.i.ga'.n rm divine revelation teaches conformable to the image of His > t'.f se-j Him as itoJebecome '•cii * to love Him as He loves eternally. in au instant which will never pass and which u ill csp its newncxi and its freshness like an eternal youth which ?. 20 THE CROWN OF LIFE CROSS AND CROWN 2l The life of grace and the life of glory are the same supernatural fifc Such is rhe message of the Son of God, bur as rhe Parable of the in spite of two differences. Here on earth, we do not see God. but we Guests says: “The kingdom of heaven is likened to a king, who made i know Him with certitude in the obscurity of faith. In addition, We marriage for his son. And he sent his servants t<> call them that were hope one day to possess Him, but we can lose Him because of the invited to the marriage; and they would not come. . . . But they neg­ fickleness of our free will. In spite of these two differences, it is thc lected. and went their way, one to his farm, and another to his mer­ :.U’.’.e life, for, when faith disappears to give place to vision, and hope chandise. And tlie rest laid hands on his sonants, and having trcatc'·'1 gives place to the inamissible possession of God, sanctifying grace them contumcliously, put them to death. Bur when the king had heard ; and cbaritv, which are in the souls of the just, will endure forever, of it he was angry and. sending his armies, he destroyed those murder­ ‘■('.haritv never fallcth away.” says St. Paul.2* Chanty will never fall ers and burnt their city. I lien he saith to his servants: The marriage away; moreover, it is inseparable from sanctifying grace and is con­ indeed is ready; but they that were invited were not worthy. Go ye nected with the infused moral virtues and the sewn gifts of the Holy therefore into the highways; and as many as you shall find call to the marriage. - \\c read the same message in the Magnificat: “He Iwt» JI tl Illi ii Jii WiBSJiBliiitll® filled the hungry with good things; and the rich He hath sent empty This is why our Lord said to the Samaritan woman·. “If thou didst away/Poor people understand the divine message of the Gospel : know the gift of God, and who He is that saith to thee. Give Me to while tnnsc who are infatuated with their wealth or their pseudo* drink; thou uerhans wouldst have asked of Hun. and He would haw refuse to receive it. Tnis is the mystery <· .v-rh in Me iwith a living taith, united >t ie ch·;.! cannot become .1 man unless he has a rational soul, though ot uvinü water. =1 He that behevetn m i* . . >' n-u y=.t awakened ir, him. Similarly in the supernatural order the v. charityl hath everlasting life.- that * eternal life. This assc π ion recurs six . J.s C.'.jStiAn on Warth cannot become one of die bkssvd in l'j.u en unies* ne uns already received the seed, of dix ine life. Thb is why all Chr?·v.X 39; 6-.4Π, 47. n. Tn® « w. y Ncither .hey tian tradition siv*. Grana est semen storiae/’ sanctifvintr urace is rhe -gdoin of God cometh not with °,ûSC . \incdl>m of G,xl is with · say: Behold here, or behold there. For 10, >{ 200j wiV1. £-.,,s in you.”* Ry ,And charity Gf sanctifying grace charity in the soul of a baptized child is more precious thanthe natur» good of the entire universe. And not only is it worth more than die entire physical universe, but more than all angelic natures taken «gether; for gracc is a gratuitous gift for the angel as well as for us. k i>, therefore, greatly superior to the loftiest angelic nature, and even to all «eatable angelic natures, for grace is a participation in the inti­ mate life of Cod. This idea is not difficult t<> understand. In the naturi order, the smallest blade of grass, because it is living, is worth more than rhe entire mineral kingdom, than mountains of wold or of <&' monds; the slightest sensation of the tiniest ant is of greater worth than the whole vegetable kingdom·, rhe slightest human thought is more v doable than the entire animal kingdom. Mim wC. then, be astonished that the least degree of grace and of charity, a participation in the in­ timate life of Cud, is more precious than all angelic natures taken to- ; ■ ■ I ’ i In hi>. Icr.icer. Past'd say>: All bodies, the firmament and its star*’ the eart ■ *·. 1 ir. : i r-s. rot t pui -, rj-æ h-ucsr mimi; f..r !;-i< kn--=.^ ti-.ese an ir-J.·’, .-.·ι<1 t-. bo.li·;,. r-uhi:·:-. ,V'i b..d:c< ’’ cr· ami -ill minds together, and all their productions are not cqt-Zto the slightest nmvement of charity, which is of another and infinitclv high­ er order. From all bodies together, men cannot obtain even one little thought; to do s.> ΰ imp.»sibk. and thought is of another order. From all bodies and minds. .,ne cannot draw a movement of true charitv; ω do FO is :mpc.«h|e because charity belongs to another order' the supemariral .”*· Where us minerals share in existence. pl»w in vegetable life, animals lR sensible knowledge, men and angels share in intellectual lite, but the just man. through sarctifying grace, shares in rhe Deity, in what ndas God God. m very nature or Hfc intimare life The Deirv c .nta.-> formal·}· and eminently being, lift. aa rne-e p=rt.-crons cm be shared in naturally, die Dei-y ■« such can be !- o d m , nr. h-ongh grace. We do nor yet know b M ft « in [tself. ”S-: λ Ha . ii >. ·*!·-ΐ er (r ?*» ’ rd. Q .,1 2. MT IT. Î. - HIE GROWN' OF LIFE 23 in rtjard to the Deity we are like men who do not know white light. :,i:r only the seven colors of the rainbow which proceed from it. In .kaven we shall sec the Deitv as It is m Itself and in It rhe tnree dhine Persons. Even now Thcv dwell in the ju>t son! as m a temple that is still dark, says St. Paul.3u Our Lord says so: “If anyone love Ale, he will keep My word, and Aly Father will love him, and e will come ti> him, and will make Our abode with him.’'n At the same time Jesus promises to send us the ITolv Ghost. And from time to time, says St. Paul: •’The Spirit Himself giverh testimony to our spirit, that we are the suns of God." -’ He «jives us this testimony by the filial los e for Hvai which lie inspires in us. Such is the nature of the life of grace, the seed of eternal life in us; wdthus we sec what the last end of spiritual progress is. the inamissible P'^ess’.on of God. Even now i\e perceive that the contemplation of ■«.•veileJ mysteries. a contemplation proceeding from living faith ntuniined by the gifts of knowledge, understanding, and wisdom, is in tie normal wav <>f sanctity, since these gifts are in all the iu.-t and grow '•multancousb,· with charitv. which ought always to grow until our -eith and to last forever. “piritual progress is nor made especially along rhe horizontal one of which advances toward an uncertain future ancient Greece after its decline i. Spiritual progress sh'.kîc along rpe vertical line which, by true merit. links up the various Tr*nients of fleering rime with rhe single instant of immobile eternity. Froir. this poinr of view, sonic past centuries considerably surpass ours: ι··ε first century with Jesus and rhe apostles; then the Golden Age of tne teaching of the Fathers (the fourth and fifth centuries*; next, the r®st glorious period of rheology in the thirteenth century, in which r,e’c v-as also tl pyiaJ of saints. Those am«»ug us who have been called i&e prophets of the past,” like Joseph de Maistre, repeat, in order to !f.-s up. rhe grandeur of file masters of other rimes, the elevation ot ■"-u· thought and nf their lives."A It is true that rhe worid nas grown ? T! av.-v - -d-r·’ ill K Ui ίίΙίΙΙΙΙββί^· CROSS AXD CROWN S dd and cannot b"' « « wishes ”r,,be «th nr the thirteenth eentapl t "“’”=■ of the past îts f’ard God· « «« «"<< in the spirit' “«rd eternity. me Much is an ascending p«rK B«ore this ravkh; ” “ fuitouslv invito " g SPecta^e of our -c ·■ . " hat a’ diX 'hc Christian sod 5|Wu,d Μ Coi P Beatitude of Σ T “ «ai» these grc ““ fn,n' “ pretwr^ r beautiful heav™ ΣhoPcs' noc to share m the ’tighten us” Wlra lovc Him'' B1* 4"’oJr,'ss ‘ God’s fault J "“T fail to Γκκ11 h ’ hc lollounig thought shouii th. «ni “ta " ,1Wt °f taXÎ 1 do “ bt “tarp fear, and '"U ** dazzled by neighbor, wh:rf "me of cr„<-, « ‘ Æ T' ” This decree, my brother, is buried from the eyes of everyone whose wit is not matured within love’s flame. But since this target much is aimed at, and dis­ cerned but little, I will declare why such mode was more worthy. Dante, Parjdiso. Canto VII ^HRISTTAXITY it the religion of the cross. Its very heart is the A,cdmnng in this manae, “,cnB °f humility. of «· "f 'O' e G°d “d “ “■'T God ealh ttetk of „Ur , ' ""'«t· am! ,h , ' ’’at doth it (mft end· “f the happiness e· ( .J" article Wc soul?· ””"· ‘f p"'" t/,c wh“' 'fi™* Β,,^ theT dK Itanta 'rXr *l*h gtas XTg· f1*’· .'.■-’i'-' 'i' “«tah'Æ"·»» should be f ’' fOre',ea<1 "f ""t Xo '■Ord· «U Aiotta"™1^ «· ’he hT for, « the rMr ,1{ . SHî,'Oi 'Î^'«axî;e, O.R Sons Through the Cross 1 mystery of Caharv; ail its life-giving activity pulses with the flow 5' Christ s blood. With unfailing constancy the Church of Cod admin- every sacrament and performs every rite under the sign of Christ's '-‘ ■ss. as a continual reminder that all holiness lives through the power ° His passmn. At the very outset of life, the water of baptism traces • ■- .orm ot a cross on the babe's head to vitalize its soul with the saving i v" RcdcmP»»n· at life’5 close, it is the cross of anointing •■-ch seals the senses for death. Whv the cross? Because Christianity • ■••xit the cross is a contradiction in terms. assertion becomes strikingly clear as one studies the heroes of —istianity. God’s saints. The stirring biographies of today strive to .....’•■'•hauze these great men and women, breathing inn? each a vibrant læ^^lhy. This tendency follows rhe spirit of our times; for the ,1S seeking its own exaltation in rhe emergence of the individual. ‘ ■‘•■'.H.re tne saints, too, have been psychoanah"zed. The method has n.ents. But not evcn our modern emancipation of the individual *1*1 ever rob rhe saints of that common characteristic which is, at the most personal to each: namely, conformity with Christ cru-