Friends at Court

New Zealand Tablet, 3 February 1916, Page 3

Friends at Court

GLEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK'S CALENDAR February 6, Sunday.—Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany. „ 7, Monday.—St. Komuald, Abbot. ~ 8, Tuesday.—St. John of Matha, Confessor. ~ 9, Wednesday.—St. Cyril of Alexandria, Bishop, Confessor, and Doctor. ~ 10, Thursday.—St. Scholastica, Virgin. ~ 11, Friday.—Blessed Virgin Mary of Lourdes ~ 12, Saturday. The Seven Founders, Confessors. St. John of Matha, Confessor. The life of St. John of Matha was one long course of self-sacrifice for the glory of God and the good of his neighbor. As a child his chief delight was serving the poor, and he often told them he had come into the world for no other end but to wash their feet. He studied at Paris with such distinction that his professors advised him to become a priest, in order that his talents might render greater service to others; and for this end John gladly sacrificed his high rank and other worldly advantages. At his first Mass an angel appeared, clad in white, with a red and blue cross on his breast and his hands reposing on the heads of a Christian and a Moorish captive. To ascertain what this signified John repaired to St. F3lix of Valois, a holy hermit living near Meaux, under whose direction he led a life of extreme penance. The angel again appeared, and they set out for Rome to learn the will of God from the lips of the Sovereign Pontiff, who told them to devote themselves to the redemption of captives. For this purpose they founded the Order of the Holy Trinity. The leligious fasted every day, and, gathering alms throughout Europe, took them to Barbary to redeem the Christian slaves. They devoted themselves also to the sick and prisoners in all countries. Worn out by his heroic labors, John died in 1213 at the age of 53. St. Scholastica, Virgin. St. Scholastica, sister of St. Benedict, was born at Nursia, Italy, and lived near him in the monastery of Plombariole, which she caused to be built about five miles from that of Monte Cassino. GRAINS OF GOLD. MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE. We kneel before thee; Queen of Peace, All confident to-day That Europe soon her strife will cease, Her warring hands will stay. Thine eyes look sadly down upon Her dying and her dead, Her ruined homes and faces wan, "•"■' And hearts whence joy hath fled. Ah, Mother! 'tis alas! too true Our sins God's wrath provoke, And scourge and cross are but our due When we despise His yoke. Yet, if thou pleadest, can He still His sword of justice wield ? Will it not rather be His will To thee, our hope, to yield ? Then in the litany, we'll sing To 'Mary, Queen of Peace,' A title which new joy will bring And lqve for thee increase. — Franciscan Heralds