Friends at Court

New Zealand Tablet, 18 March 1915, Page 3

Friends at Court

/jj GLEAN IN FOR NEXT WEEK’S CALENDAR March 21, Sunday. Passion Sunday. 1 ~ 22, Monday.Of the Peria. \ ~ . 23, Tuesday.— Of the Peria. ~ 24, Wednesday.— Of the Peria. ~ 25., Thursday. —The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. ■ ~ 26, Friday. The Seven Dolours of the Blessed Virgin Mary. ~ 27, Saturday*. — St. John Damascene, Confessor and Doctor. Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. * The Angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee .called Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whosename was Joseph, and the virgin’s name was Mary. • . . . And the angel said to her: “Pear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God. Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name “Jesus.” ’ (Gospel of St. Luke.) St. John Damascene, Confessor and Doctor.^ St. John was born at Damascus, in Syria, which was then under the dominion of the Mahometans. So great was his reputation for prudence and integrity that on the death of his father he was appointed, notwithstanding his religion, to the important post of Prime Minister of the Caliph. After some years he resigned this dignity, and placed himself under the direction of some holy monks near Damascus. He died about 780. St. John rendered great service to the Church b} his writings against the Iconoclast heretics whose doctrines he triumphantly refuted. DRAINS OP GOLD. BEFORE THE TABERNACLE. Thou gazest down with loving kindness, Dear Lord, upon Thy suffering child ; And into light is changed my blindness, As night before the sunbeams mild. With many wounds, with deep, deep sadness, I come before Thee, Lord, to-day; But all is changed to heavenly gladness, And at Thy feet has passed away. Thy love sheds blessings all around us, As once in far Judea’s land; With many graces Thou hast bound us Thy captives in a holy band : And, oh! Thine.eyes, with lovelight shining, Console my griefs, and make me know That I can rest, till life’s declining, Within Thy care Who lov’st me so ! How sweet Thy Presence on Thine altar ! How near, how near, Thou art to me ! Oh, never let me change or falter, My heart shall live alone for Thee. Here let me kneel in adoration, Here at Thy feet, beneath Thy gaze. This is my rest, my soul’s safe station. . Be Thou my all, through all my days! Without the assistance of natural capacity, rules W. , and precepts are of no efficacy. I The ideal function of criticism is to discern the true character -of the thing criticised. „ Honor is an old-world thing, but it smells sweet to those in whose hand it is srong. Attend to the matter which is before thee, whether it is an opinion or an act or a word. , Prayer is the wing wherewith the soul flies to heaven ; meditation the eye with which we see God. Keep young, keep innocent. Innocence docs not come back, and repentance is a poor thing beside; it.