Page:TheYoungMansGuide.djvu/167

 zeal a  good  life,  a  thoroughly  upright  life. Mark this  well!

Those members  of  the  Catholic  Church  who live in  mortal  sin,  for  instance,  in  sins  of  intemperance, enmity,  or  impurity;  Catholics  who do not  give  up  improper  connections,  and  do  not seek to  avoid  occasions  of  sin,  who  steal  and cheat, are  dead  members  of  the  mystical  body  of Christ,  and  do  but  dishonor  Him,  and  put  Him to shame.

If, however,  such  persons  show  at  least  a  certain regard  for  the  Church  and  speak  well  of her  ministers,  and  never  assume  a  hostile  position in  regard  to  her,  but  on  the  contrary  defend her, in  short,  although  they  are  grievous  sinners, but not  as  much  from  malice  as  from  human weakness, they  are  yet  better  than  those  merely nominal Catholics,  who  unite  to  a  sinful  life contempt for  the  commands  of  the  Church  and hatred for  her  priests. For the  former  sin grievously in  one  respect,  the  latter  in  a  double sense, according  to  the  words  of  Our  Lord  Himself: "If  he  will  not  hear  the  Church,  let  him be  as  the  heathen  and  publican"  (Matt,  xviii.  17).

6. Wherefore  be  and  remain  a  good,  pious Catholic, true  to  your  convictions,  a  Catholic who honors  and  loves  his  Church,  obeys  her, and rejoices  her  by  leading  a  truly  Christian life. For it  is,  and  must  remain  true,  that  a Catholic  who  does  not  honor  and  love  his Church, but  refuses  to  obey  her,  is  not  acknowledged by  God  to  be  His  child. This opinion was expressed  1600  years  ago  by  the  Bishop, Doctor of  the  Church,  and  martyr  St.  Cyprian in the  beautiful  words:  "He  who  will  not  have the  Church  for  his  mother,  can  not  have  God for  his  father." Therefore see  that  you  are  a