eternity! Therefore to-day at least I will labor in earnest; all my thoughts, words, and daily duties shall be directed to heaven by the good intention; heaven shall spur me on to true devotion and to the frequent practice of virtue; heaven shall make me humble, patient in adversity, constant in temptation, until at last I shall possess for all eternity as an exceeding great reward for my labor that happiness which is now shown me afar off by the faith. Amen.
Another introduction to the same sermon for the Feast of the Ascension.
Text.
Qui crediderit, et baptizatus fuerit, salvus erit.—Mark xvi. 16.
“He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.”
Introduction.
Rejoice and be glad, Catholic Christians! Heaven is ours! Listen: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” But we are all baptized. We have no reasonable cause to doubt that. Thanks be to Thee, O most generous God! for having granted us this happiness in preference to so many heathens! We all believe without exception, and with the only true, saving, Catholic faith. Again thanks to Thee, O good God! for having given us this light in preference to so many heretics! Therefore we shall all be saved! Truly, there can be no doubt of that; we have a document to that effect signed by the infallible word of Jesus Christ. He speaks clearly enough: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” But let us not rejoice too soon; the devil might otherwise rob us of our joy. It is true, says St. Gregory, speaking of the words of the text, that he shall be saved whose faith is shown by his works. Alas! there is an end to my joy! The words of Christ are and remain true, my dear brethren; but when I consider their works, I see that many Catholics have not the true faith, and therefore they shall not enter heaven. I do not now intend to examine the articles of faith; I have done so on another occasion. I will confine myself simply to the consideration of heaven, where Jesus Christ, the Head of all the faithful, ascended on this day, and where He invites us to share in His joy and glory. I say then—Plan of Discourse as above.
