Page:SermonsFromTheLatins.djvu/303

 But besides  this  she  exhorts  the  rich  to  almsgiving for sweet  mercy's  sake. She commands  them  in  the name of  Christ,  and  she  threatens  them  in  the  words of Holy  Writ,  saying:  "  Go  to,  now,  ye  rich — weep  and  howl  in  your  miseries.  Your  riches  are corrupted,  your  garments  moth-eaten;  your  gold and  silver  cankered,  the  rust  whereof  shall  be  for  a testimony  against  you  and  eat  your  flesh  like  fire; you  have  stored  up  wrath  for  the  last  day;  for  the alms  you  gave  not  cry  out  against  you  and  their  cry hath  entered  into  the  ears  of  the  Lord  of  Sabaoth." The Church  presents  herself  to  the  rich  as  the  divinely appointed  channel  through  which  their  superfluous wealth  may  flow  down  into  the  hands  of  the deserving poor. Lastly, the  Church  holds  up  to  rich and poor  alike  the  doctrine  of  the  life  here  and  of  the life hereafter. Pointing to  the  life  here  she  asks, After all,  where  are  we  to  look  for  real  happiness  and contentment? Among the  ungodly  rich? No, but among the  Christian  poor. Why, even  Christ  Himself sought  and  found  happiness  in  a  lowly  cabin,  and His miseries  began  only  when  His  mission  forced Him thence  into  the  homes  of  the  rich  and  the  palaces of  kings. Where do  we  find  the  true  heroes  and heroines of  our  age? Among the  great  ones  of  the earth? No, but  among  the  humblest  of  the  humble. The Christian's  King  was  a  carpenter's  apprentice, and His  lowly  followers  are  the  true  Christian  nobility. O God  bless  the  poor  and  the  lowly  for  their cheerful dispositions,  their  tender  sympathy  for  each other's ills  and  their  ready  willingness  to  share  the