Friends at Court

New Zealand Tablet, 23 December 1915, Page 3

Friends at Court

.• GLEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK’S CALENDAR December 26, Sunday.—St, Stephen, First Martyr. ~ 27, Monday.—St. John, Apostle and Evangelist. ~ 28, Tuesday.—The Holy Innocents, Martyrs ~ 29, Wednesday.—St. Thomas, Bishop and Martyr. ~ 30, Thursday.—Of the Octave. ~ 31, Friday.—St. Silvester 1., Pope and Confessor'. January 1, Saturday.—The Circumcision of Our Lord. Holy Day of Obligation.

St. Stephen, First Martyr,

St. Stephen was one of the seven who were chosen to assist the Apostles in the daily distribution of alms, and who, by the imposition of the Apostles’ hands, were raised to the Order of Deacons, and qualified to discharge some of the inferior duties of the sacerdotal office. By his zealous efforts for the propagation of the Gospel, he stirred up the hatred of some of the Jews, who stoned him to death. He thus had tiro honor of being the first among Christ’s disciples tn seal his faith with his blood. GRAINS OF GOLD. THE BABE OF BETHLEHEM. Oh, Mary’s Child ! A shelter rude Was thine that ‘ holy night,’ The beasts around the manger stood. And only stars gave light. Grant me to make within my heart, A little home for Thee, Of-gold inwrought with wondrous art, And purple tapestry. The gold shall be Faith, Hope and Love, The purple tapestry,— My blood that I would shed to prove My loyalty to Thee. —Catholic Bulletin. CHRISTMAS THOUGHTS. On this day our Saviour is born ; let us rejoice, for there should be no sadness where life appears. This life removes all fear and gives us the joy of a promised eternity. This day should be a day of joy to Sail, because our Lord, the destroyer of sin and death, has come to deliver us. Let saints rejoice, because grace and perseverance are secured to them ; let sinners rejoice, because pardon has been purchased for them; let the Gentiles be filled with confidence, for they are 'Called to eternal life. The Son of God —in the fulness of time, which He Himself in the inscrutable designs of His infinite wisdom had determined—took human nature to reconcile man with his Creator, in order that the demon, the author of death, might be vanquished by that which he had caused.—St. Basil. The Divine Child, Fie Who is the splendor of heaven, lay in a crib. A little straw formed a bed for Him to Whom the earth and all it contains belong. And she who is Queen of heaven and earth is near -- 'A that, crib. There she watches and is attentive to all 4PTthe wants of her Divine Son. With what respectful care she touches Him, and holds Him, knowing Him to be her Lord and her God ! With what joy and confidence she embraces Him and presses Him to her bosom! She was the most humble of creatures, she was also the most prudent and watchful. She was never wanting in the most tender care for Him, and during His whole life upon earth she never failed in the least in the fulfilment of any duty toward Him.— St. Bonaventure. •