Friends at Court

New Zealand Tablet, 13 June 1912, Page 3

Friends at Court

©LEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK'S CALENDAR June 16, Sunday.—Third Sunday after Pentecost. St. Antoninus, Bishop and Con r : , , t fessor. ~ 17, Monday.—St. Paschal 1., Pope and Confessor ~ 18, Tuesday. — St. Isidore, Confessor; ~ 19, Wednesday, —St. Juliana Falconieri, Virgin. ~ 20, Thursday. —St. Silverius, Pope and Martyr. ~ 21, Friday.—St. Aloysius Gonzaga, Confessor. ~ 22, Saturday. Blessed Innocent V., Pope and Confessor. St. Antoninus, Bishop and Confessor. St. Antoninus, a native of Florence, became at an early age a member of the Order of St. Dominic. At the invitation of Pope Eugene IV., he assisted at the General Council of Florence. Elected Archbishop of Florence, he gave a signal example of Christian charity on the occasion of a pestilence which raged in that city during a whole year. St. Antoninus died in 1459. St. Paschal 1., Pope and Confessor. St. Paschal ascended the papal throne in 817. During a pontificate of nearly eight years he manifested great energy in building churches, hospices, and convents, and in restoring and beautifying the sacred edifices which already existed. He was also solicitous in providing for the wants of the Greek Christians whom the persecutions of the Iconoclasts had driven from the East. St. Isidore, Confessor. St. Isidore was a farm labourer near Madrid, ignorant of worldly knowledge, but learned in the science of the saints. He sanctified his labor by continual prayer, but never allowed his devotions to impede the fulfilment of the duties which he owed to his master. He died in 1170, at the age of 60. GRAINS OF GOLD IF WE BUT KNEW. If we but knew that through the closing door Some one we love would enter nevermore, Would we not hasten with our richest store? If we but knew ! If we but knew that from the market place Soon we would miss some kind, familiar face, Would our cold greeting not be touched with grace ? If we but knew ! If we but knew some heart beside our own Had walked in dark Gethsemane alone, Oh, with what largeness would our love be shown ? If we but knew ! Dear Jesus, patient, understanding, kind We are Thy lost sheep in a winter wind, Forgive us that we are so wilful blind! Teach us to know ! We sanctify ourselves to communicate, we communicate to sanctify ourselves. —Eucharistic Thoughts. We must make our way towards eternity, never regarding what men think of us or our actions, studying only to please God.— St. Francis Borgia. It must be a very shallow erudition that does not teach reverence for human kind. There is no more fascinating study than humanity with its history, its struggles, its ideas and problemsnot masses nor classes, but individuals, alike but forever different, each with a separate story to be worked out. There is a charity which consists in withholding words, in keeping back harsh judgment, in abstaining from speech, if to speak is to condemn. Such charity hears the tale of slander, but does not repeat it; listens in silence, but forbears comment; then locks the unpleasant secret up in the very depths of the heart.