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Show ' GOQDJRIDAY I solutions for the Problem of Life Vary ! St. Paul Takes in the Tragedy of Cal- j vary what One Leaves at the Foot 1 of the Cross The Inanity of the World's Best Gifts World Elated 1 Over Modern Discoveries Gloomy j Aspects Doctrine of the Cross Op- posed A Contrast. i ? i (Writion for The Intermountain Catholic.) jPnt will soon close. The last scenes in the life nt'tb Snvior were commemorated on Good Friday. The Crs and its Victim serve as an object lesson to all. T" the unbeliever it is. as it was to the pa- Ipan world, a scandal; for the Christian it solves the problem 'f life. Various explanations for this prave problem are offered by an unbelieving age. Like the ("'utiles, after their apostasy from the svnaropue. doubt and uncertainty give nothing but rmfiisfd thoughts and hazy notions of the prob- ilmi. Tin' uncieiit philosophers differed widely ami ,,'Jv pavr views of this grave question which were in line with their thoughts, environments and pas-iimis. pas-iimis. The Stoic philosophers contradicted the Kpiciirriins. Modern philosophers and men1 of sci-nice. sci-nice. when touching the question, give us nothing hit uncertainty and doubt. What solution does Christianity give of this all- Orbing question ? St. Paul answers: "Neither j l'v the blood of goats, or of calves, but by his own I Hiir.ii. entered once into the Holies, having obtained I fvrnsl redemption. For if the blood of goats and I exen. and the ashes of an heifer being sprinkled, I notify such as are defiled, to the cleansing of the fb: Hfw much more shall the blood of Christ,'' tv. The tragedy of Calvary, commemorated on Friday, is the solution certain and conclusive J fording to ancient prophecies .and its effects and i r.xn influence on the human race for twenty ccn- 1 rd,s-. I Gazing on the Cross and its Victim, one learns i' place a true value on the world and its surround-ii;r. surround-ii;r. Honors, dignities, wealth, pleasures, pride asid ambitions are measured according to their true and real value. It reconciles the apparent or real, 'IN ivpancies of life.. It teaches man how to live, Wtri usp the world; what he may expect, what he h.mld desire and what to hope. The birth of some dignitary is heralded, the pomp that surrounds the w'lit and the rich treasures placed at the cradle of the new-born are described. The engagement of a millionaire's daughter is flashed over the wires and "!iat may happen is told ad nausea. To what pur-pr.sf pur-pr.sf ; jo honor the child of man. to bend the knee to the golden calf. All vain glory, but what is its worth? With uplifted eyes gazing on the Cross End it Victim a ready and true answer is instinc-tivr-ly suggested. One reads and hears of war and threats of war. The political aspect of the world is disturbed. Xa- iii'ii jealous of nations bring forth their armies I t ;jd See? in battle array. Study the pulses of the ivanous nations of the universe, the yearnings of the fcitiiiitious and the intrigues of the crafty. What ill he lb.- result f Death! And its measure will ""the Cro-. Look at the world of science. Mark "marvelous discoveries of the twentieth century, ! in us infancy. Elated beyond measure, reason ;rrae itself before the transitory things of this I 'r- W1;;m is the consequence of this overween- cjr.iidenee t To form a correct judgment, one ; I "1Us1 s'nl,v the tragedy of Calvary. Viewing the I dark side , f the picture, the problem of life pre-I pre-I s-nts many gloomy aspects. What of the many I murder-, suicides, wholesale robberies!! Poverty.. 'auty eio'hii- pain and sorrow have done thoir j -lital rot:; -luring the past winter, and as a result I '"any ha vp died 0f starvation. What could be more I r,,;,dt:r.p i i j iiii age Gf progress "and enlighten-.1 enlighten-.1 I'nt; 1 1 v.-foim a true estimate of these deplora- i? r-K v roj,lf, jn ppJrit to Calvary. There I ic" ri:f'''t- It is the focus toward which every- ,'j'r " r-t-s. To it all is subservient, and in it I jw"I)r' .'!' r completion. It is the center and in-f in-f (T,ret.'iti(,. , f 11 - for Jesus was lifted on the I r!T -l f' might draw all men unto himself. ! . ? 0 Xu ' Solution of the problem of life furnished , , 'f' ' opposed that of passion, the world ' 'f u";- A an left to himself naturally would, M .' tter. Having the capacity and ten- !,y r -u ,-ti enjoyment, and the world supplying !l" ; ' - i.y separate both, by asking for a ..;''!"s ; " wh feelings, and taking as a sub-i sub-i , ';it' , an entirely different road in the I " 'ouM not R,cn a solution of the I "; iil'e make it more difficult? This diffi- I wi' n''"'-,: seduction of Adam and Eve, who, I v-T' the fruit of the forbidden tree v.r0""'.- 1'lf'refore to be desired. It is no iW7 Th..'L 'beir descendants, tainted and I'int? .:'1?'!.''T" ''J' that fall, should see their hap-f.p"SK hap-f.p"SK i!l f"rbidden fruits which the world of- inid 1 ". l!' '' "' 'ns0H- worcl' witn a ts a,"ety j"vi.,1ri!'''.1''"s" sc'r'ms to be made for man's en-inifU'nt' en-inifU'nt' v . 1no vision of the Cross is gloomy ,jr,.s"rr."u'!'- On ihe one side is seen the world OmT "! height of fashion and no restraint. s;vt(' 'f'''"'v bi deep contrast with this is seen the ''mlr ' '1;i,itv i her somber garb with the Cross Ma, h ,,V !"r h'"do- What a contrast! Be it so. in'Tif '" ,'1",'s uty to a,3Sain from worldly cn-iir' cn-iir' yK if sinful it certainly is. It was the V,my i,ni".is('(1 in the Garden of Eden. lr.,1,! :'rv: at n safe solution of this grave 'c'ra i' is necessary to probe beneath the sur- ; face of worldly happiness for which the senses crave. The doctrine of the Cross teaches, but more forcibly, what experience has taught in every age. The world's pleasures may be sweet to the lips, yet very bitter to the taste. They please at first, but not at last. Outwardly they are all fair, but beneath be-neath the surface often pain and sorrow are concealed. con-cealed. Youth may "refuse restraint, but as the years roll by, a sad experience teaches a woeful lesson. "Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity," and if he has no religion to guide his tottering steps, there will be disappointment, and as a necessary consequence pain. and sorrow.. The judgment of God, severe and inevitable, may be concealed.-but come it will in time. Hence, the doctrine of the (Jross is anticipating the sinners' bitter experience I of the world. When the glitter of the world shines, the Cross bids its recipient to be careful and avoid its allurements, as its sun will some day set. ff they refuse for the love of Him who bore man's sins in the tree of the Cross, then, without doubt, those sins will recoil upon the guilty. The surface presents its best and brightest appearance. The Cross is concealed from mortal gaze. When the veil is removed, the senses, if not trained to subjection, subjec-tion, will naturally revolt at its first sight, still this i the true doctrine and the only solution of the . problem of life. Truth is rarely found in the surface. sur-face. It lies deep down. ! "Errors like straws upon the surface7 flow: lie, who would seek for pearls, must dive below." As it is with this truth itself, so it is with the soul in which it is securely planted. It becomes the guiding principle of a truly religious life, but is . carefully hidden from the vulgar gaze, and this in accordance with the command of the good Master who tells persons that fast to anoint their heads and . wash their face, to appear cheerful, so that sorrow, buried deep in the secret recesses of their hearts, be known only to God. F. D. |