Friends at Court

New Zealand Tablet, 17 March 1910, Page 403

Friends at Court

GLEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK’S CALENDAR March 20, Sunday.—Palm Sunday. ~ ‘ 21, Monday.— the Feria. „ 22, Tuesday.Of the Feria. „ 23, Wednesday. the Feria. „ 24, Thursday.—Holy Thursday. ~ 25, Friday,— Good Friday. „ 26, Saturday, —Holy Saturday. * Wednesday in Holy Week. On this and the two following days the Office of Tenebrae is chanted in those churches in which the presence of a sufficient, number of priests is obtainable. The Office consists of a number of Psalms, with lessons from the Sacred ■ Scriptures, and the writings of the Fathers of the Church appropriate to the season. The name of Tenebrae (darkness) is given to the Office because, at its close, the lights are 'extinguished to express the mourning of the Church, and to represent the darkness which covered the face of the earth on the death of Our Blessed Lord. Holy Thursday. • For a short time to-day the Church puts off her mourn- ; ing. At the Mass her ministers are vested in white, the bells are heard, the organ peals forth. For a moment she desists from her meditations on the sufferings of her Divine Founder to contemplate the tender love which led Him to institute the Blessed Eucharist on the very night before His Crucifixion. In cathedral churches the Bishop consecrates the Holy Oils which are used in the administration of certain -Sacraments, and also in some ecclesiastical functions. Good Friday. This day is called Good because on it we were liberated from the dominion of Satan, and the happiness which God had in view in creating us was placed once more within our reach. We ' must not forget, however, by what means this was accomplished, and that the day so pregnant with blessings for us was marked by unspeakable sufferings on the part of Our Divine Redeemer, Who for our sake yielded Himself to a shameful death. This should be the subject of' our meditations to-day. We cannot enter the church without being reminded of it. At the morning office the celebrant and his ministers are vested in black, and the history of the Passion is chanted. When the ceremonies are over, the altar is bared of its ornaments. The •statues and images of the saints remain veiled. The crucifix alone is uncovered a striking reminder of the intensity ,of God’s love for man, and in particular an emblem of hope &o the repentant sinner. GRAINS OF GOLD ' ALTAR GIFTS. ‘ Hearts of silver and hearts of gold Men had brought in days of old To Thy shrine for offering,’ Lord My King! Gold and jewels, incense rare, Roses with their heart’s blood fair. Saints and martyrs had Thee given,. Christ My Heaven. Rose nor incense, blood nor gem, Have 1 for Thy diadem; Worthy of Thy smallest thought . Have I naught. Poor and common are my flowers, Worthless all my days and hours, , > ■ Yet beneath Thine altar’s shade Be they laid. —Ave Maria. There is no day too poor to bring tis an opportunity, and we are never so rich that we can afford to spurn what the day brings. Opportunities for character always bloom along the pathway of our duty, and make it fragrant even when it is thorny. ' The plain, homely sayings which come from a soul that has learned the lesson of patient courage in the school of real experience, fall upon the wound like drops of balsam, and like a soothing lotion upon the eyes smarting and blinded with passioh. As from studying a great picture we may feel the soul expressed, or in hearing a great symphony,' we may feel the spirit which inspired it, so in the contemplation of nature we may feel the spirit which moves it and of which it is an expression. In children this is a mere feeling, but later it becomes a conscious realisation; and when this consciousness begins to develop in the little ones, let us nurture it very tenderly, and be ever ready with response and sympathy.