ARCHER, JAMES A Discourse for the 16 th Sunday after Pentecost [65] Et respondens Jesus dixit ad Lesisperitos et Pharisoæs: si licet sabbato curare? And Jesus answering, spoke to the Lawyers and Pharisees. Saying: is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day? Words taken out of 14 St. Luke and 3 rd Ch. There is no Commandment in the Law expressed in stronger terms than this. When God orders his people to sanctify the Sabbath Day, he seems to mistrust their fidelity in this point even more than any other. Remember, saith he, thou keep holy the Sabbath day. He commanded Moses to tell the Israelites that if they should prophane this day they should be put to death. He useth a very powerful motive to excite them to the obedience of just a duty, in laying before their eyes their deliverance from the Egyptian Captivity and omits nothing whereby to avert them from the profanation of these holy days. The Church following the footsteps of her Divine Spouse and Master hath fulminated anathemas and excommunications against the prophaners of Sundays and Holidays and nevertheless the most dreadful threats and rigorous punishments do not suffice t to stay the licentiousness of men and nothing is more common the [than[the profanation of these holy days an may it not be said that there is no time [2] in which crimes are so frequent as on the days consecrated to the Lord. It is to avert you from so great an evil that I have proposed speaking to you on this important subject. I shall shew you in the first part of my Discourse what God hath commanded for the Sanctification of Sundays and holidays and in the second what he forbids. The precept of sanctifying the Sabbath Day, which was the seventh day of the week is as antient as the World. For it is written in the Book of Genesis, that God having created the world and all things in it ceased to create on the seventh day, thathe blessed it and sanctified it. The Church hath changed this day and translated it from Saturday to Sunday for several reasons which St. Leo assigns in his ninth Epistle to Diocoursis, Bishop of Alexandria, L. 83. For whatsoever, says he, Almighty God has ever done, that was truly great was done upon this day. First The Creation of the world was begun on this day. Secondly the Redemption of Mankind by the Resurrectiojn of Christ, was completed on this day, when death was was overcome and life renewed. Thirdly upon this day the Apostles received their Commussion to preach to, and teach the whole world, and to baptise all nations. Fourthly upon this day they were endowed with the power to forgive and retain sins, as St John (Chap. 20) assures us in his Gospel, Whose sins you shall forgive they are forgiven and whose sins you shall retain they are retained. [3]
Upon this Day also the gifts of the Holy Ghost were poured upon the Apostles, when he descended, in fiery tongues and filled their minds and Hearts with the knowledge of Truth, heavenly zeal and a true Christian courage, fitting them for the Conversion of the World. Upon this account it is justly called the Lord s day. The Church had added certain other solemnities to honour the Mysteries of our Lord, the Blessed Virgin and the Saints and Angels. All these solemnities and in particular the Sundays were instituted to pay Almighty God the tribute of time, to honour his rest after the creation of the world, to celebrate the remembrance of the eternal rest in Heaven, which God hath prepared for us to hopnour the saints, to merit by their powerful protection and to labour in a special manner on those days in the great affair of our Salvation. Now in order thereunto there are certain things to be performed and other to be avoided. In the first place on those days we must hear Mass, this the Church obliges all the faithful to do under pain of Mortal sin, if they be not lawfully hindered either by such necessary business as is inconsistent with this Duty and will really excuse them in the sight of God or be prevented by infirmity or very bad weather, where persons are at a great distance or the like. Now you will easily judge this precept of the Church to be very reasonable, if you consider but only some of the motives of it. For, [4] first, Without doubt, the Sacrifice of the Mass is the most sublime and the most august Mystery that is in the Church of God. By it only we render to God that supreme honour due to his sovereign Majesty. Now if we be obliged as creatures to worship God, from whom we have our very life and Being, and in the best Manner, we are able, as without doubt we are, it evidently follows that we must offer to him this Dictum of his only Son, which is so agreeable to him that no other victim was ever acceptable, but on the account of this, as Emblems and Figures of it. And whatever value they had, or whatever Grace they conferred, it was all derived from hence as the Fountain. Since then the goodness of God has been pleased so far to condescend to us as to put this Blessing into our hearts, to make a just acknowledgement of his sovereign Power over us, and our absolute dependence on him. No doubt we are indispensably obliged to offer it to him, at one time or other, with all imaginable Respect and devotion. Now the Church determines this time, and annexes the Duty to Sundays and Holy Days, as being a time otherwise assigned to and marked out for the worship and service of God. 2ndly. If we be obliged to gratitude, as we find it ingrafted in our very nature, if Benefits deserve a return, what must we render to our God, who has made us what we are, and [5] given us what we have? We have nothing of our own that bears any proportion either with our obligation or his Blessings; and he knew it well; therefore to free us from confusion, he left us this inconceivably great and inexhaustible Treasure, the Sacrifice of the Mass, which we need not be ashamed to present to him,, as he is ever willing to receive it from us. Surely then we are obliged to offer it to him and therefore the Church determines the Days for this duty, and obliges all to it; knowing well the unworthy behaviors of many who do not willing own any favors; and of others who are ungrateful to none but their God. Sine God, then has not only given us Blessings but also furnished us with a present so honorable to us and so acceptable to himself, how great must not our ingratitude be if
out of sloth, negligence or indifference we refuse to make it to him. Thus it is called Eucharist, that is, Thanksgiving, and with just reason, for what can be more agreeable to Heaven that [than?] the only Son of God? or what can recommend us there, more that [than?] this present his Gospel made ours? If then we prove neglectful of ourselves, has not the Church reason to oblige us to this Duty? 3rdly. That which detains worldly Persons from this pious Duty with most Appearance of Reason is Family Business, and temporal Concerns that seem pressing even on that day; if this happens, it is generally either out of a precedent, Sloth or want of contrivance and forecast, so to order their affairs [6] as to have time for their devotions. Besides what are all human Endeavours? insignificant and unavailing, if they be not assisted from above, if God does not give a Blessing to them? And what blessing can we expect from him, if we ask it not as we ought and when we ought? There is no blessing promised to the Careless and the Slothful, but to those that ask, to those that knock, and to those that seek. Ask, says our Saviour (Like 11), and you shall receive; seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you. This true some will say, but alas! My poor prayers are of little force with Almighty God; I should be very glad some good pious person would pray for me; it may be God might grant me a Blessing on their account. Dear Christians, you would have an Advocate to intercede for you and can you have a better than Jesus Christ? Him you may have in the adorable Sacrifice of the Mass. Here he lies a victim to his Father, and a powerful Advocate for us; what our poor prayers dare not presume, his will obtain. No doubt he is the Son of God and sits at the right Hand of his Father, whom he adores, and to whom we pray. He is the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world, and will be our Judge another day. But now under the quality of a Victim he is sacrificed for us, and is a propitiation for all our Sins. But now he is our Advocate, he intercedes for us, and gives himself to us, to be offered up by us to his eternal Father in Heaven, to satisfy for all that is due [7] from us and to obtain all that is wanting to us. Ah! What a Favor, what a Blessing is this! These are Truths at which the Heavens may stand astonished, but we have much more reason to be astonished to see Christians so negligent in this duty, to see those who pretend to Heaven and the Salvation of their Souls, who pretend to adore and worship their Creator, who gave them their Being and all they have, and from whom must come all they hope and all they fear; I say to see those lay hold of any Pretence to be excused from hearing Mass on Sundays and Holy Days and thus deprive themselves of all these Blessings. Another great means of Sanctifying the Sunday and Holy Days is the frequenting the Scaraments of penance and the Blessed Eucharist. It is the Sacrament of penance that by virtue of the Blood of Jesus Christ, by the fire of Divine love, and the water of our tears our sould are purified from the filth of sin; And as we daily contract new blemishes we ought frequently to approach thereunto. It is the intention of the Chrurch that we should fulfill this just duty particularly on Sundays and Holy Days. It wishes moreover that we should receive on these days the adorable body of Jesus Christ for food and nourishment of our Souls. But would to God, Dear Christians, we could see all the faithful approach the
sacraments once a month. How many do we not see that do not even once in three or four months and are there not some who would never approach there unto were they not threatened with excommunication. O, ungrateful people! Is it thus that you answer to the tender affection of your God. You despise his most precious gifts, while you are busying yourselves about trifles and follies. Do you not deserve to have these treasures which are confided to you taken from you and given to others that will make a better use of them? [8] There are other works that are great means of sanctifying the Sundays and Holy Days and which ought to be practiced on those days such are the acts of Virtues of Faith, Hope, charity and Contrition, the Spiritual and Corporal works of mercy towards our Neighbour. The Heads of Families, Fathers and Mothers, Masters and Mistresses ought particularly on these Holy Days to correct and instruct those whom God hath committed to their charge, they ought to inspire them with the love of virtue and a horror for Sin; they ought to teach them the means of sanctifying their Souls and of arriving at eternal happiness. Such hath been the conduct of the Saints and of your state of life and such is still the practice of all those who are desirous of fulfilling this duty annexed to their condition. We ought all of us on these days to pay to the sovereign Lord that adoration which is due to him, we ought to make our just acknowledgments for the Blesssings we have received and to beg a continuation of those favours we ought to enter into ourselves and to consider for what End we had our Being, what use we have made of it in order to this End, and how our Accounts stand betwixt God and us? How we discharge each duty [9] God and his Church requires of us, what Horror we have for sin, and what desire to increase in Virtue, what care we take to prevent eternal Misery and what we do to gain Heaven and to secure that which alone can make us eternally happy, and without which we shall for ever be wretchedly miserable. I have briefly shewed you what we ought to do to sanctify the Sundays and Holidays. It now remains for us to examine what is forbidden on those days. The occupations which are contrary to the sanctification of Sunday and Holy Days the Divines reduce to three different kinds. Manual occupations which is work; dangerous occupations which are divertions and evil occupations which are sins. The first sort of occupations which are against the Sanctifications of Sundays and Holy Days is manual labor, that is, that which is the ordinary employment of servants and trade peoples to gain their livelihood. I will here cite a part of the 50 Canon of the sixt Council held at Paris where it forbids all Country Business, Merchandizing, Bargains and the like: By doing those things you darken the light of Christianity, and give too just an Occasion of Calumny to those who blaspheme the Name of Christ. Although servile works are in general forbidden on Sundays, and Holy Days, however, there are occasions in which they are permitted, that is, when there is a sufficient necessity. For example in time
of the harvest, it is permitted to work as much as is necessary to prevent the fruits of the earth from being spoilt. [10] But it must be observed that if it can be done before the Sunday or Holy Day it must not be put of[f] till those Days. And it must moreover be observed that to work on those days there must be a true and real necessity and not a supposed and imaginary one and have leave from their Ecclesiastical Superior. The second sort of works forbidden on the Lord s days are dangerous diversions and even indifferent ones when taken to to excess. It is evident the [that] the former is not permitted as we ought not at any time to expose ourselves rashly to the dangers of offending God. He that loveth danger, saith the Holy Ghost, shall perish in it. The latter ought to be taken but with moderation as a benefit or remedy for health and with prudence, not to give scandal. The third sort of works forbidden on these holy Days are sin, all criminal actions, drunkenness, impurities and in general everything that if forbidden by the law of God. Who can here sufficiently deplore the blindness of wicked Christians who spend Sunday in excesss and abominations and seem to regard them as a time set aside for them to divest themselves and to satisfy Passions. God [....]thing complaints and horrible threats on this subject. Your Sabbaths and your Feats, saith he, I will not abide, your assemblies are wicked, my soul hateth your Calends and your Solemnities. They are become tedious to me, I have labored in sustaining them and when you shall stretch forth your hands, I will turn my eyes away from you; and when you shall multiply your prayers, I will not hear, for your Hands are full of Blood, that is, of Wickedness. What forcible terms Almighty God uses to shew the great aversion he has for the prophanation of the days destined for his Service. [11] There is an authentic proof thereof in the sixt Council held at Paris, where it is said: There are many who have been struck dead for working on these days; of many of these we have been Eye witnesses ourselves, and of many more we have heard by the relation of others. There are also others who have been punished by the sudden Contraction of their nerves; and more have been struck dead by Fire, and for their sins their Bodies and their very Bones havein a Moment been reduced to ashes: besides many other terrible Judgments there have been, and still are, whereby it is it is sufficiently declared how much God is offended by the Profanation of so great a Day. The Book of Numbers furnishes us with another memorable instance of the judgment of God against those who violate these Holy Days. It relates to us that a person who was gathering a few sticks on the Sabboth Day, was discovered, seized and cast into Prison for it, and his Case brought before Moses and Aaron: Moses would not determine anything till he had consulted Heaven what was to be done. Almighty God order[ed] the Criminal to be taken out of the Prison and to be carried into the Fields where the Fault was committed and there to be stoned to Death by the whole Multitude; and it was immediately executed, and he soon lay buried under a vast heap of Siones, as a Monument of God s just anger, and a warning to all others, that they might not prophane the Lord d Day.
These great Judgments of God upon the Profaners of these Days are sufficient to animate the Pastors of God s Church to advertise the people of God s anger so apparent in the visible Punishments, the sudden and unprovided [?] Deaths of many of their guilty Neighbours [12] and the impending Danger that hung over their Heads for the like abuses. Tho those are not most guilty who are most remarkably punished, as our Saviour seems to say (Luke13,4.) of those who were punished to death by the fall of the Tower of Siloe. Yet sure the wrath of God falls heavy upon such who are made examples for the good of others, and to reclaim them from Wickedness. Yet how much greater Punishment do those deserve, who are guilty of the like abuses, and will take no warning but still run on in their evil ways, till God s Judgments overtake their willful neglect. Remember then dear Christians to keep holy the Sundays and Holy Days. Remember on those Holy Days the graces and Blessings you have received from God, and return him thanks for them. Remember to ask of him those helps you stand in need of for your Sanctification. Remember that on these days you ought efficaciously to labor for your Salvation ; and is it just that after having employed six days in your temporal affairs that you should consecrate at least one in the great and only affair of eternity? Remember for this end and to approach to the Sacraments with holy dispositions, to hear Mass, to assist at all the instructions that are given, to practice christian virtues and to exercise the corporal and spiritual works of Mercy. Remember that upon these holy days you are obliged to abstain from all servile works, profane and dangerous diversions, and with far greater reason, from all voluntary and deliberate sin; and that if you take some recreation that it always be done in a Christian like manner. By these means after having past holily the Solemnities ordained by Religion, you will have the happiness to be admitted to the Eternal Solemnity and never ending repose in Heaven which I sincerely wish you. In the name of JC.
for the 16 Sunday after Pentacost