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Show OUT OF HIS ELEMENT. Condition of a Catholic in the State of Mortal Sin. (From the 'Ave Maria.) There is one phrase denoting by uni-versay uni-versay acceptance a state which is the very antitthesis of happiness "being out of one's element." A fish out of water, an eagle in a dungeon, a scholar among boors, a light-hearted boy among elderly misanthropes, a village mechanic among Wall street brokers, or the mechanic's wife among the Newport New-port ."smart set" all these would be the reverse of happy because deprived of their proper and natural environment environ-ment out of their element. Now, it is worth while to consider for a moment what is the proper environment, the congenial atmosphere for a Christian, a Catholic. He has been baptized and so made a child of God, an heir to the kingdom of heaven. He has been confirmed, receiv- j ing the gifts and graces adequate to make him a valiant soldier of Christ, a strong and perfect Christian. Do what he will, the supernatural must play a prominent part in his life drama; he cannot possibly for any appreciable length of time ignore it. His soul, its eternal destiny, and its actual state or condition, inevitably claim his attention atten-tion at more or less frequent intervals: and unless that soul be in union with God, it is utterly impossible for him to be happy. A Catholic in the state of mortal sin is distinctly out of his element: and just as long as he remain, re-main, hi that stale must he be a stranger to any genuine peace of mind, permanent contentment, or abiding cheerfulness. "Our hearts are Uis- 1 quieted." says St. Augustine, "until thev repose, O God, in Thee!" To be well with Almighty God. to preserve His friendship through every vicissitude vicissi-tude of the coming months, is the one . infallible method of making 1003, and ' every other New Year, a truly happy one. ' |
