Friends at Court.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVII, Issue 29, 20 July 1899, Page 7

Friends at Court.

BIOGRAPHICAL GLEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK'S CALENDAR.

(Written for the N.Z. Tablet.) July 23, Sunday. — Ninth Sunday after Pentecost. „ 24, Monday. — St. Francis Solano. „ 25, Tuesday. — St. James, Apostle. „ 26, Wednesday.— St. Anne. „ 27, Thursday. — St. Veronica Giuliani. „ 28, Friday. — St. Innocent 1., Pope. „ 29, Saturday.— St. Martha.

ST. ANNE.

St. Anne was the spouse of St. Joachim, and was chosen by God to be the mother of Mary, His own blessed mother on earth. They were both of the royal house of David, and their lives were wholly occupied in prayer and good works. One thing only was wanting to their union — they were childless, and this was held as a bitter misfortune among the Jews. For long years Anne ceased not imploring the Divine mercy to grant her the joys of maternity ; and at length when she was an aged woman Mary was born, the fruit rather of grace than of nature, and the child more of God than of man. With the birth of Mary the aged Anne began a new life : she watched her every movement with reverent tenderness, and felt herself hourly sanctified by the presence of her immaculate child. But ■he had vowed her daughter to God, to God Mary had consecrated herself again, and to Him Anne gave her back. Mary was but three years old when Anne and Joachim led her up the Temple steps, saw her pass by herself into the inner sanctuary, and then saw her no more. Thus was Anne left childless in her old age, and deprived of her purest earthly joy just when she needed it most. She humbly adored the Divine will, and began to watch and pray again till God called her to unending rest with the Father and the Spouse of Mary in the Home of Mary's Child.

God has been pleased by sensible effects to testify how much He is honoured by the devotion of the faithful to this saint, who was the great model of virtue to all engaged in the married state, and charged with the education of children. It was a sublime dignity and a gzeat honour for this saint to give to a lost world the advocate of mercy, and to be parent of the mother of God. But it was a far greater happiness to be, under God, the greatest instrument of her virtue, and to be spiritually her mother by a holy education in perfect innocence and sanctity. St. Anne being herself a vessel of grace, not by her name only, which in Hebrew (signifies gracious, but by the possession of that rich trea->ure, was chosen by God to form His most beloved Spouse to perfect virtue ; and her pious care of this illustrious daughter was the greatest means of her own sanctification and her glory in the Church of God to the end of ages. It is a lesson to all parents whose principal duty is the holy education of their children. By this they glorify their Creator, perpetuate His honour on earth to future ages, and sanctify their own souls. St. Paul says that it is by the education of their children that parentß are to be saved. Nor will He allow anyone who has had children ever be admitted to serve the altar, whose sons do not, by their holy conduct, give proofs of a virtuous education. Nevertheless, we see parents solicitous about the corporal qualifications of their children, and earnest to procure them an establishment in the world ; yet supinely careless in purchasing them virtue, in which alone their true happiness consists.

ST. JAMKS

St. James was the son of Zebedee, a fisherman on the Lake of Galilee, and it was from his father's ship, and while engaged in mending his nets, that he and his younger brother St. John were nailed to be fishers of men. Among the twelve three were again chosen aa the familiar companions of our Blessed Lord, and of the>-e James was one. He alone with Peter and John was admitted to the house of Jairus when the dead maiden was raibed to life. They alone were taken up to the high mountain apart, and saw the face of Jesus shining as the sun, anil His garments white as snow; and these three alone witnessed the fearful agony in Gethseinane, when His face was bowed down to earth and His garments were dyed with blood. What was it that won James a place among the favourite three ? Faith, burning, impetuous, and outspoken, but which needed purifying before the ' Son of Thunder ' could proclaim the Gospel of peace. It was James who demanded fire from heaven to consume the inhospitable Samaritans, and who sought the place of honour by Christ in His kingdom. Yet our Lord, in rebuking his presumption, prophesied his faithfulness to death. 'My chalice,' He said, 'indeed you shall drink ; but to sit on My right hand is not Mine, but My Father's to give.' Both the one and the other were his. First among the Apostles he drank the chalice of his passion, and first again entered into the kingdom, and took his place on the Apostles' throne. We must all detire a place in the kingdom of our Father ; but can we drink the chalice which He holds out to each .' Potsumux, we must &ay with St. James — ' VNe can ' — but only in the strength of Him Who has drunk it first, for us.