Friends at Court

New Zealand Tablet, 4 September 1919, Page 3

Friends at Court

GLEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK'S CALENDAR. Sept. 7, Sunday.—Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost. ~ 8, Monday. -Nativity.-;.' of the Blessed Virgin Mary. ~ 9, Tuesday.—St. Gorgonius, Martyr. . ~ 10, Wednesday.—St. Nicholas of Tolentino, Con- • fessor. '-' ~ 11, Thursday.SS. Protius and Hyacinth, Martyrs. ~ 12, Friday. The Holy Name of Mary. ~ 13, Saturday.—Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary has been, from very ancient times, the occasion of a special feast in the Church. Conceived without stain, she was brought forth into the world pure, holy, and beautiful adorned with all the most precious graces which became her who was chosen to be the Mother of God. The Church finds an additional reason for rejoicing in the fact that, as the aurora heralds the sunrise, so the birth of the Blessed Virgin announced that the advent of the promised Redeemer was nigh. St. Nicholas of Tolentino, Confessor. St. Nicholas receives his surname from a small town in the Papal States, where he spent the greater part of his life. He was remarkable for his austerity, being accustomed to fast on bread and water several days in the week. In the pulpit and in the confessional his zeal and prudence were productive of an incalculable amount of good. He died in 1306.

GRAINS OF GOLD "OUR MOTHER'S BIRTHDAY." 'Tis thy birthday, sweetest Mother; All thy children know it well, And the gift we want to offer - Fondest, love and joy must tell. Just a spray of fairest, blossoms Blossoms of the soul's own wealth, And the safest way to send them. Is by Jesus dear Himself. Deeds of love will bear sweet rosebuds, Violets Humility's flower, Waft with Lily's breath of purity Sweetly to thy heavenly bower. There to ask thy fond protection Through this fearful bloody strife, That our world so black in anger Soon may brighten into life. O sweet Mother, ask our Jesus That thy birthday gift this year May be peace for thy poor children, ;' Trembling 'neath this scourge in fear. •Anna Mary Bornman, in the Catholic Columbian. r REFLECTIONS. | The life of Jesus must animate our interior and exterior acts so as to conform them to the sentiments of God-made man, either in His intimate relations with God His Father or in those which He has deigned to have with man His creature and His brother by adoption. Mother M. of the Sacred Heart. ' The chief thing for us to remember, as the sure basis of our devotion, is that Mary's power with Our Lord is still the same as it was during His life upon earth, for natural feelings are not destroyed- in glory, but are exalted and perfected. Therefore, the Most Blessed Virgin need never fear a refusal. Christ's own love pleads on the side of Mary's prayers.—Bossuet.