Friends at Court

New Zealand Tablet, 16 December 1915, Page 3

Friends at Court

GLEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK’S CALENDAR

December 19, Sunday.—Fourth Sunday of Advent. ~ 20, Monday,Of the Feria, „ 21, Tuesday.— St. Thomas, Apostle. „ 22, Wednesday. Of the Feria. „ 23, Thursday.- Of the Feria. ~ 24, Friday. Vigil of the Nativity. Fast Day. ~ 25, Saturday. Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ. 'Holy Day of Obligation.

Vigil of the Nativity.

It was formerly the custom of the faithful to spend the night before a great solemnity in the church. Hence the term vigil, or watch, which we now give to the whole day preceding a solemn festival.

Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ,

To-day the Church rejoices over the birthday of her Divine Founder— Redeemer of mankind. The time appointed for the entrance of the Sou of God into the world having arrived, Mary and Joseph were led by Divine Providence into Bethlehem. Failing to obtain admittance into the inns, they were compelled to take refuge in a grotto which served, as a shelter for cattle. There our Blessed Saviour was born to a life of poverty, humiliation, and suffering. He came to redeem the world, and to draw to Himself the affections of men, and, therefore, He presented Himself in the most amiable form that can be imagined —that of an innocent, helpless babe.

GRAINS OF GOLD

OFFERING OF CHILD AT BAPTISM. I offer Thee, O Sacred Heart,

This little sinless life,

And beg of Thee to make it strong To face all earthly strife,

To make it leal and brave and true, 5 When woe and sin are rife. «>

I offer Thee, O Sacred Heart,

• This little angel heart. Oh, keep it, and the tempter’s wiles, Forever far apart; Grant it ne’er may wounded be By satan’s cruel dart.

I offer Thee, O Sacred Heart, This little child of mine,

And pray that o’er the path it treads Thy light may always shine, Until it comes at close of day To Mary’s throne and Thine. —lrish Messenger.

When a hard thing is to be done, the natural inclination of most of us is to allow ourselves to think on the effort necessary to do it, instead of going ahead and doing it. And here we make one of the most common mistakes in our lives. When one is confronted by a severe task, a duty which seems almost beyond one’s powers, it is fatal to pause to consider its difficulties. Never mind how hard it may seem, nothing should be tolerated in the mind except the consideration of accomplishing it. It is a wise'economy in daily life to train the mind to take the attitude of determination in the beginning; to be deaf to the self which insists upon dwelling upon difficulties, and at once to bring into action the self that is determined to succeed. , . ■ ■ , ~ .