Friends at Court

New Zealand Tablet, 4 July 1918, Page 3

Friends at Court

GLEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK'S CALENDAR ■ i July 7, Sunday.—Seventh Sunday after Pentecost. ~ /8, Monday.—St. Elizabeth, Queen and Widow. ~ 9, Tuesday.—Of the Feria. ~ 10, Wednesday.—The Seven Brothers, Martyrs. ~ 11, Thursday.—St. Pius 1., Pope and Martyr. ~ 12, Friday.—St. John Gualbert, Abbot. ~ 13, Saturday.—St. Anacletus, Poi>e and Martyr. The Seven Brothers, Martyrs. The seven saints whose glorious death is commemorated to-day were sons of St. Felicitas, and suffered at Rome about the middle of the second century. They were exhorted to constancy in suffering by their heroic mother, who herself soon after received the crown of martyrdom. St. John Gualbert, Abbot. St. John was born at Florence of noble parents in 999. Like many of the class to which he belonged, he grew up imbued with a pride which would neither brook opposition nor allow any injury to pass unavenged. Having, however, on one occasion, in obedience to the promptings of Divine Grace, forgiven a defenceless enemy, this exercise of Christian charity proved the beginning of his complete conversion. lie entered a Benedictine monastery, and afterwards founded the famous abbey and Order of Vallombrosa. He died in 1073. St. Anacletus, Pope and Martyr. St. Anacletus, the second successor of St. Peter, was martyred under Trajan about the beginning of the second century. GRAINS OF GOLD. A DONA NOBIS PACEM. O God, who sitt'st beyond the stars. And seest men go down, Rank upon rank, in myriads, In forests, fields, and town Who freest Thy faithful ones despoiled By hate's fierce, bloody lust ; The smiling earth in ruin laid, Thy temples turned to dust— Stretch .forth Thy hand, O God of Might, In some vast miracle, Like that which blotted out the sun And raised the dead from hell ! Once Thou didst pour heaven's waters down To wash away earth's shame. And once didst deluge it afresh With Thy destroying flame ; Once Thou didst say, "Let there be light !" And darkness fled away ; Say now, O God, "Let there be peace!" And peace shall come to stay. —Margaret 11. Lawless, in "Ave Maria.'' What an inspiration is friendship, says Amadeus O.S.F. To feel that we are trusted f To be thought well of by anyone should be enough to bring out the best that is in us, so that we might reach the standard to which we are raised in the estimation of our acquaintance. To hold the regard and affection of a friend— of it? One may be very insignificant in the eyes of the world and at the same time be everything to the heart of his friend ; magnet-like, the trust and confidence of his friend should prove sufficiently strong to draw from him all that is noblest and most elevating.