Friends at Court

New Zealand Tablet, 1 February 1917, Page 3

Friends at Court

February 4, Sunday.—Septuagesima Sunday, ;;.;.: r ; ~ ' 5, Monday.—St. Agatha, Virgin and Martyr ~ 6, Tuesday.St. Titus, Bishop and Confessor ~ 7, Wednesday.-— St. Romuald, Abbot. ~ 8, Thursday. St. John of Matha, Confessor. „ 9, Friday. —St. Cyril of Alexandria, Bishop, Confessor, and Doctor. ~ 10, Saturday.—St. -Scholastica, Virgin.. St. Agatha, Virgin and Martyr. St. Agatha was born at Palermo, Sicily, and martyred on February 5, 251, at Catanea during the persecution of Decius. Quintianus, the Governor of Sicily, seeing his love for her repudiated, took revenge by accusing her of being a Christian, and caused her to suffer most cruel torments. She was scourged, burned with hot irons, torn with hooks, and then placed on a bed of live coals and glass. From all these tortures St, Agatha went forth triumphant, and finally died in her prison. The inhabitants of Catanea invoke her, especially during an outbreak of Mount Etna. 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. Felix 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 religious 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. to 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. • A MEMORY. Over the hills and down the vales I walked for miles in summer hours, With not a stone to trouble me, My ev’ry path was buds and flow’rs. As birds and bees and all the winged I was removed from earth and clay ; When daisies died I thought that I Should know again life’s barren way. But Heaven sweet with blooms of grace Continued fair the paths I trod—- ■ Who’s lived above the world cannot Deny its need of Beauty, God. Boston Pilot.