Friends at Court

New Zealand Tablet, 19 May 1910, Page 763

Friends at Court

GLEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK’S CALENDAR

May 22, Sunday.—Trinity Sunday. ~ 23, Monday.—St. John Baptist de Rossi, Confessor. ~ 24, Tuesday.—Blessed Virgin Mary, Help of Christians.

„ 25, Wednesday.St. Gregory VII., Pope and Confessor.

~ 26, Thursday.—Corpus Christi. ~ 27, Friday.—St. John I.,sPope and Martyr. ~ 28, Saturday.—St. Urban 1., Pope and Martyr.

St. John Baptist de Rossi, Confessor.

At the age of thirteen St. John left his birthplace in the north of Italy and directed- his steps to Rome, where, after having completed the usual course of studies, he was ordained priest. Whilst yet a student, he labored so successfully to promote the spiritual welfare of his companions that he was called the ‘Apostle of the School.’ As a priest entrusted with the charge of one of the parishes of Rome, he found a wider field for his zeal, and was enabled to do an incalculable amount of good to all classes of people. He died in 1764, at the age of 65.

Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Help of Christians. This feast was instituted by Pope Pius VII. at the beginning of the last century. Napoleon, in his ambitious attempt to become autocrat of the world, found a formidable obstacle in the opposition of the Supreme Pontiff, who refused to surrender the patrimony of the Church, or to allow the French Emperor to control the management of ecclesiastical affairs. As a consequence of his firmness, Pius VII. was detained in captivity for several years. In gratitude for his liberation, which seemed an answer to the prayers of the Church, invoking the intercession of the Blessed Virgin on his behalf, he ordered the present feast to be celebrated. Under the title of ‘ Help of Christians,’ the Blessed Virgin Mary has been selected as patron of the Catholic Church in Australasia.

GRAINS OF GOLD

GOD’S LOVE.

He gave me life, when none but He would miss, Or know of an existence unfulfilled; He gave me place on earth, and promised bliss When life was run and all its throbbings stilled — He loved me!

He,gave me royal giftsa heart and mind; He led my reason slowly to its throne; And, though I knew His law was sweet and kind, I turned me from His will and did my own He loved me still!

He gave me blessings rare — precious grace; He watched me through the day and through the night; He took my grudging love, nor turned His face, But added grace that I might see aright— He loved me still!

He scattered peace and brightness on my way; He stood and ever waited for my call He sweetly whispered when I knelt to pray; He asked for little, while He gave me all He loved me so 1

Dear Lord, sweet Saviour, take my feeble hand ! Oh, lead me on! My faith shall never cease — My trust, my joy, my love. At Thy command, I lean on Thee, my sweet, my only Peace! — My Love ! my Rest!

Ave Maria.

The road to right is not nearly so narrow as some folks would have us believe. It is a bit narrow in one or two places, but having passed these, you’ll find it wide enough for every right desire and every high ambition.

There is no duty we so much underrate as the duty of being happy. By being happy wo throw anonymous benefits upon the world, which remain unknown even to ourselves, or, when they are disclosed, surprise nobody so much as the benefactor.

It is right to seek the good will of all men, and to ’desire that they speak well of us, but when we lie down to die it will be an empty pillow if this is all we can rest on. When we are through with life and all its applause, and we are awaiting the final call, we want something more substantial than a friendly salute. When the faces we love grow dim to our vision, and we are lying in the twilight of two worlds, there are voices we should much rather hear than the plaudits and acclaim of the world, and one of them is: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord,’