Sermons of the Rev. Francis A. Baker, Priest of the Congregation of St. Paul: With a Memoir of His LifeBaker, Francis A. (Francis Aloysius)
Religion
Sermons of the Rev. Francis A. Baker, Priest of the Congregation of St. Paul: With a Memoir of His Life
Baker, Francis A. (Francis Aloysius)
Baker, Francis A. (Francis Aloysius), 1820-1865; Catholic Church -- Sermons; Sermons, American -- 19th century
reason for the last judgement, that God may publicly give honor
to the good. "_Whosoever shall glorify me, him will I
glorify_," says the Almighty; [Footnote 28] and they who are
saved will be admitted to heaven with respect and solemnity, as
those whom the King delights to honor.
[Footnote 28: 1 Ki. ii. 30.]
This is represented to us in the description of the last
judgment: "Then shall He turn to them on the right hand and say:
'Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess the kingdom prepared for
you from the foundation of the world.'" See how He praises them.
See how He honors them and makes kings out of them. They are
astonished: it seems too much. They know not how they have
deserved it. But He insists upon it as their right. He repeats
the good actions they have done. "I was hungry and ye gave me
meat, I was thirsty and ye gave me to drink. I was naked and ye
clothed me." Do you hear this, my brethren? So will it be with
you when you stand before God to be judged. He will hold in His
hand a beautiful diadem of gold, and he will say: "This is for
thee." And thou shalt be amazed and shalt say: "No, Lord, this is
not for me. I am nothing but a laboring man. I am but a poor boy.
I am only a servant-girl. I am not the child of the rich and
great. No one ever made way for me in the street, or rose up when
I came into their company." But Christ shall say: "Nay! a prince
thou art, for thou hast done the deeds of a prince."
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Then He will begin to mention them one by one--your kindness to
your old mother and father--your humble confession that it was so
difficult to make, and which you made so well--the time you
overcame that great temptation, and resolved, once for all, to be
virtuous--the occasion of sin you renounced--the prayers you
said in humility and sincerity--the sacrifices you made for your
faith--the true faith you kept with your husband or wife--the
patience you practised in pain or vexation. Then He will show you
your throne in heaven, so bright you will think it an apostle's,
or the Blessed Virgin Mary's, or that it belongs to God himself;
and then the tears of joy and surprise will drop from your eyes,
and your heart will be nigh bursting with confusion; but He will
smile upon you, and take you by the hand, and say: "Yes, thou
hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over
many things." Then He will give thee a certain jurisdiction, a
certain power of intercession; make thee an assessor in His high
court of heaven, and make thee to sit on a throne with Him,
judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And others shall honor thee.
The saints shall honor thee. The Blessed Virgin shall honor thee.
Now thou honorest her, so much at a distance from thee, and
callest her Lady; but then it shall be as it was when St. John
and the Blessed Virgin dwelt together in one home. Thou shalt
still honor her as the Mother of Jesus, and she shall honor thee
as His disciple. St. Peter and St. John and St. James and St.
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