BIOGRAPHICAL GLEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK'S CALENDAR.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVI, Issue 29, 24 November 1898, Page 5

BIOGRAPHICAL GLEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK'S CALENDAR.

y (Written for the N.Z. Tablet.) Novkmbbb 27, Sunday.-—First of Advent. „ 28, Monday.—St. Gregory 111., Pope and Confessor. „ 29, Tuesday.—Vigil of the Apostle St. Andrew. „ 30, Wednesday.—St. Andrew, Apostle. December 1, Thursday.—St. Didacus, Confessor. „ 2, Friday .—St. Bibiana, Virgin and Martyr. „ 3, Saturday.—St. Francis Xavier, Patron of Australia. ADVENT. The name Advent is applied to that period of the year during which the Church requires the faithful to prepare for the celebration of the Feast of Christmas. This mystery of the Coming, or Advent, of Jesus is at once simple and threefold. It is simple, for it is the one same Son of God that is coming ; it is threefold, because he comes at three different times and in three different ways. lln the first Coming,' says St. Bernard, 4 he comes in the flesh and in weakness, in the second he comes in spirit and in power, in the third he comes in glory and in majesty, and the second Coming is the means whereby we pass from the first to the third.' The second coming takes place each year at the feast of Christmas, when the new birth of the Son of God delivers the faithful from that yoke of bondage under which the enemy would oppress them. The Church, therefore, during Advent, prays that Bhe may be visited by Him who is her Head and her Spouse ; visited in her hierachy; visited in her members, of whom some are living and some are dead, but may come to life again ; visited, lastly, in those who are not in communion with her, and even in the very infidels that so they may be converted to the true light, which shines even for them. ST. ANDREW, APOSTLE. One day when St. John the Baptist was walking on the banks of the Jordan with two of his disciples, he beheld our Blessed Lord pass by, whereupon he exclaimed : ' Behold the Lamb of God, behold Him who taketh away the sins of the world !' His disciples, on hearing these words, left him and went after Jesus, who turning to them said : ' Whom seek ye V They answered : ' Master, where dwellest thou V Being invited by our Blessed Lord to come and see, they followed Him and stayed with Him the remainder of that day. One of these disciples was St. Andrew the Apostle, brother of St. Peter and son of Jonah, who was a fisherman of Bethsaida, on the shores of Lake Genesareth. St. Andrew had thus the honour of being the first of the Apostles who followed Jesus, and also of introducing to our Lord his brother Simon (Peter), who was destined to be the head of the Apostolic College. The two brothers were present at our Lord's first miracle at the marriage feast of Cana, and were shortly afterwards baptised in the name of Jesus. In the autumn of the same year they received a formal call to the Apostleship, when our Blessed Lord, finding them engaged in fishing in the lake, bade them follow him, for that henceforth they should be fishers of men. And immediately they left all and followed Jesus. After our Lord's resurrection and the descent of the Holy Ghost, St. Andrew preached the Gospel in Scythia, and afterwards in Greece. His glorious martyrdom took place at Patras. Like his brother St. Peter, St. Andrew had the honour of being crucified after the example of his Divine Master. When he was preaching the mystery of the Cross and converting a great number of people, the Proconsul Egeus said to him in a rage : ' Cease boasting of Christ; all his fine discourses did not hinder him from being crucified by the Jews.' In answer to this Andrew reminded him that our Blessed Redeemer submitted of his own accord to the death of the cross in order to save mankind. Thereupon the Prooonsul exhorted him to save his own life by sacrificing to the idols. To this the Apostle replied : ' I offer sacrifice each day to the One Allpowerful and True God. And to Him I sacrifice on the altar not the flesh of oxen or of goats, but the Lamb without spot—the Lamb who after He haß been immolated and eaten by all the people remains for ever living and entire.' On hearing these words Egeus, transported with rage, ordered him to be cast into a dungeon. The people were desirous to rescue him, and they could easily have done co, but Andrew earnestly entreated them not to deprive him of the glorious crown of martyrdom. Having been condemned by the Proconsul to die upon the cross, the apostle full of joy was led to the place of execution. As soon as he beheld the cross on which he was to suffer, he cried out: ' Hail, precious cross, that hast been consecrated by the Body of my Lord and adorned with His limbs as with rich jewels! I came to thee exulting and glad, receive me with joy into thy arms. O good cross that hast received beauty from our Lord's limbs, I have ardently loved thee, long have I desired and sought thee ! Now thou art found by me and art made ready for my longing soul. Receive me into thy arms, taking me from among men, and present me to my Master, that He who redeemed me on thee may receive me by thee.' It is related that for two days Andrew hung suspended on the gibbet, never ceasing to give thanks to God and to preach the mystery of the Cross to the assembled people. Then he raised his eyes to heaven, and having (Aonmended his soul to God. happily expired. Soots honour Sfc, Andrew as principal patron of their country, and their historians tell us that a certain abbot called Regilius brought over to Scotland some relics of the apostle, which he reposited in the Monastery Church of Abernethy, in the city of St. Andrew. Hungus, king of the Picts, soon after the year 800, in thanksgiving for the great victory which he had gained over the Northumbrians, gave to this church the tenth part of all the land of his dominions,

gramme were entertained by Miss E. M-Adam, Miss 0. Connelly and other young ladies, who presided over an abundant ppread in an anti-room behind the hall. The church in course of erection »t Addmgton will be completed shortly.