Page:SermonsFromTheLatins.djvu/408

 man's salvation,  the  Church  militant  can  never  even for a  moment  cease  to  be  a  tangible,  visible  reality. " How  narrow  is  the  gate,"  says  Christ,  "  and  straight the  path  that  leadeth  to  life,  and  few  there  are  that find  it." But not  even  a  few — no,  not  one — could  He expect  to  find  an  invisible  portal  or  trace  out  an  unseen path. Or are  we  to  conclude  that  Christ  has ever mocked  man's  blindness? Are we  to  suppose Christ was  unheard  of  the  Father  when  He  prayed Him to  keep  us  from  evil,  to  sanctify  us  in  truth,  to give  us  eternal  life? No, there  is  to-day,  as  there ever has  been,  a  Church  whose  history  proves  her  to have  been  and  to  be  all  that  Christ  intended. True, composed of  mortals  as  she  is,  with  men,  not  angels for her  ministers,  her  seamy  human  side  has  been  at times  unduly  evidenced,  but  still  while  never  wholly forfeiting her  claim  to  holiness,  she  has  been  in  her dogma and  her  discipline  always  one,  Catholic  in  her dimensions, and  apostolic  in  duration. No need  of  a fictitious  invisibility  to  trace  her  history  back  to  the days of  Christ. She alone  is  the  kingdom  that  has never been  delivered  up  to  her  enemies,  but  has broken in  pieces  and  consumed  all  other  kingdoms. She alone  has  proven  herself  to  be  the  pillar  and  the ground of  truth. Her numberless  saints  and  martyrs attest the  indwelling  of  the  Holy  Spirit. Her miraculous preservation  against  the  united  attacks  of earth  and  hell  proves  that  Christ  is  still  mindful  of His  spouse. She alone  is  founded,  not  on  the  shifting sand  but  on  the  firm  rock — on  Peter. She alone can say  now,  and  she  alone  shall  be  left  to  say  to  her