Friends at Court

New Zealand Tablet, 5 March 1914, Page 3

Friends at Court

GLEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK’S CALENDAR March. 8, Sunday. Second Sunday in Lent. ",, 9, Monday.—St. Frances of Rome, Widow. ~ , 10, Tuesaay.—The Forty Martyrs. ~ 11, Wednesday.—SS. Perpetua and Felicitas, Martyrs. ~ 12, Thursday.—St. Gregory the Great, Pope, Confessor, and Doctor. „ 13, Friday.—St; John of God, Pope, Confessor, and Doctor. ~ 14, Saturday.—Of the Feria. St. John of God, Confessor. St. John was born in Portugal, of poor parents, A.D. 1495. He spent the greater part of his youth as a servant, his principal duty being to tend the flocks of his master. ; Having, at the age of twenty-seven, enlisted as a soldier, the evil example of his companions had the effect of lessening his fervor, and causing him to give up some of his devotional practices. For this remissness he. afterwards endeavored to atone by a life entirely devoted to the care of the sick poor. His charity and humility, his untiring activity in . doing good to all, were such as to win for him the admiration of the city of Granada, where a considerable portion of his life was spent. St. John died in 1550. St. Gregory the Great, Pope, Confessor, and Doctor. St. Gregory was born in Rome about the year 540. In 590 he endeavored in vain to decline the dignity of Supreme Pontiff, to which he was elected on the death of Pelagius 11. In the calamities which befell Italy in consequence of the invasion of the Lombards, St. Gregory showed himself a father to all in distress. He was most successful in maintaining the purity of Catholic doctrine in some of the countries where heresies had arisen. In 597 he sent a number of monks, with St. Austin at their head, to preach the Gospel in England. He died in 604, having by his eminent holiness, great erudition, and illustrious achievements earned for himself the title of The Great.’ GRAINS OF GOLD. AN EVENING PRAYER. Night is come, O Lord, and I Wearied to my cot do hie; Gracious watch, O Father, keep O’er my pillow whilst I sleep ! What I did amiss to-day Lay not to my charge, I pray; Jesus’ blood and heavenly grace All transgressions can efface. Let my dear ones, Father blest. In Thy hand forever rest; • Bless all men, both great and small; Keep, preserve Thy creatures all. Let Thy moon shed kindly light O’er the quiet earth to-night. Next to having wisdom yourself is the ability to profit by the wisdom of others. A virtuous life may lie under more burdens than a free-and-easy one, but it is supported by all the strength of charity and religion, and these burdens are delightful. Old friends are the great blessings of one’s later years. Half a word conveys one’s meaning. They have a memory of the same events, and have the same mode of thinking.' , i Every sun that sets in the heavens, every clock that strikes the hour, every pulsation of our heart, warns us that the time of our dissolution is approaching and is bringing us nearer to the brink of eternity.