Page:SermonsFromTheLatins.djvu/504



Ex. : I.  Widow  and  son. II. Miracle. III. History's repetitions.

I. Causes  and  objections :  1. Religion and  irreligion. 2. Ignorant  pride,  human  respect,  vice. 3. Old, change, civilization.

II. Indispensable : 1. All peoples. 2. State  of  infidel. 3. Crime  against  God.

III. Results of  irreligion  :  1. Picking and  choosing. 2. Man minus religion. 3. Death-bed.

Per. : Pray  that  miracle  may  be  repeated.

Brethren, the  Gospel  of  this  morning's  Mass  presents to  my  mind  a  picture  and  a  subject  for  discourse. A picture — that  of  Christ  meeting  the  funeral of  the  son  of  the  widow  of  Nairn;  a  subject  for discourse — the necessity  of  religion. As Our  Lord was entering  the  town,  behold  a  dead  man  was  carried out — the  only  son  of  his  mother  and  she  was  a widow. And seeing  the  poor  mourner  the  tender heart of  Christ  melted  with  pity  and  He  said  to  her: " Daughter,  weep  not." And touching  her  son  He said:  "Young  man,  I  say  to  thee,  arise,"  and  the dead sat  up  and  began  to  speak,  and  He  gave  him  to his  mother,  and  the  astonished  multitude  cried  out: " A  great  prophet  is  risen  up  among  us  and  God hath  visited  His  people."

Alas! brethren, how  history  repeats  itself. Here to-day in  many  of  you  I  see  that  picture  reproduced;