Friends at Court

New Zealand Tablet, 1 December 1910, Page 1955

Friends at Court

■— » . GLEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK’S CALENDAR December 4, Sunday.— Second Sunday in Advent. ~ .5, Monday.— St. Martin, Pope and Martyr. ~ 6, Tuesday. — St. Nicholas, Bishop and Confessor. ~ 7, Wednesday.— St. Ambrose, Bishop, Confessor, and Doctor. „ 8, Thursday. lmmaculate Conception of the t*i !_j it; ; Blessed Virgin Mary. ~ 9, Friday. —St. Eutychian, Pope and Martyr. ~ 10, Saturday.—Octave of St. Francis Xavier, Confessor. St. Ambrose, Bishop, Confessor, and Doctor. St. Ambrose, son of a Roman magistrate, was born in France about the year 340. In 374 he was consecrated Bishop of Milan. His administration of this important archdiocese extended over twenty-three years, and was one continuous victory over paganism and heresy. Completely forgetful of his worldly interests and personal comfort, St. Ambrose was always at the command of anyone who sought his assistance and advice. Though full of tenderness and compassion towards all, lie knew how to be firm and unyielding when the interests of religion were at stake. His theological writings and sermons have gained him a place in the foremost rank of the Doctors of the Church. St. Ambrose died in 397. The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Her Immaculate Conception was the first of the privileges by which the Blessed Virgin was prepared for the dignity of Mother of God. This privilege signifies that Mary never contracted the stain of original sin; that her soul, in the first moment of its union with her body, was pure and spotless. She was thus excepted from the universal doom in virtue of which every member of the human race enters the world stained by Adam’s sin. This doctrine so admirably in keeping with what the holiness of Mary’s Son required though expressed more or less explicitly in every age of the Church’s history, was not formerly defined until the year 1834. GRAINS OF GOLD NOT FORSAKEN. I feel Thee near me, Sacred Heart, Near when Earth’s storm clouds lower; I know Thou wilt not leave me In this, my darkest hour; I feel Thee near me, Sacred Heart, And midst my trouble smile — Sure of that resting place After Earth’s little while. I feel Thee near me. Sacred Heart, With Thy great Heart of Love Yearning o’er me a sinner E’en till I go above; Then Thou wilt still be near me In that dear Land of Best, Who art with God, Our Father, And Mary, Our Mother Blest.

— Boston Pilot.

There are three things which never return — time, a spoken word, and a neglected opportunity. Be content to your purpose, and desirous only of the praises which belong to patience and discretion. When the turbulent and tempestuous sea threatened to engulf the tiny boat in which the Apostles were seated while crossing the Sea of Galilee, the words of Christ calmed the waves, and serenity and peace ensued. In a like manner will the Saviour of men calm the storms of doubt, despair, perplexity, and pain which rise and rage within us, threatening to end life’s little voyage. Like the Apostles we have but to call upon Him and He will arise and come unto us; and, lo! as He speaks, the waters subside and sweet tranquility reigns once more. All of us at times are afflicted more or less with the feeling that we have accomplished much less in the world than we might have accomplished had we tried harder. We have done nothing to attract the attention of mankind • wo are filling, day by day, positions as humble as they are apparently unimportant; we have looked constantly, daily, hourly, for some great work or noble opportunity for brilliant. service, and it lias not come ; we feel that we are almost failures. And yet, if we have not attracted the attention of the world, we have at least, by our care in doing our duty, led the man who has the'desk next to us to do his, when otherwise he would probably have failed. Our positions may be humble, but in them' we are like pieces of the mechanism of a great machine. If we were not there and did not do our part, then the work of the machine would be imperfect. No man need be termed an absolute failure this side of the grave.