Friends at Court

New Zealand Tablet, 13 January 1921, Page 3

Friends at Court

GLEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK’S CALENDAR. January 16, Sunday.— Second Sunday after Epiphany: ~ 17, Monday. —St, Anthony, Abbot. ~ 18, Tuesday.— St. Peter’s Chair at Rome. ~ 19, Wednesday. — SS. Marius and Companions, Martyrs. ~ 20, Thursday.—SS. Fabian and Sebastian, Martyrs. ~ 21, Friday,—St. Agnes, Virgin and Martyr. ~ 22, Saturday.— St. Raymund Pennafort, Con- • lessor. St. Anthony, Abbot. St. Anthony was a native, of Upper Egypt. He was left by his father in the possession of considerable wealth, but, as soon as praticable, he made ' over his property to the poor, and retired into the desert, where for many years he led a life of considerable austerity. He died in 356, at the age of 105. Chair of St. Peter..at Rome. This feast commemorates the residence and pontificate of St. Peter at Rome. At first he had fixed his See at Antioch, but, thinking it advisable that the Supreme Head of the Church should reside in the capital of the then known world, he came to Rome. His residence there extended, according to the more commonly received opinion, from A.D. 42 to his martyrdom in 67. SS. Fabian and Sebastian, Martyrs. St. Fabian was elected Pope in 236, and governed the Church for 14 years. His life, like that of so many of the early Popes, was closed by martyrdom, A.D. 250. St. Sebastian was an officer of high rank in the Imperial Guard. Owing to his virtue and courage, he was much esteemed by the Emperor Diocletian, and was enabled by the influence thus acquired to protect numbers of his persecuted fellow-Christians. Pie was beaten to death with clubs about the year 288. St. Agnes, Virgin and Martyr, ;i St. Agnes is one of the best known of the many martyrs' whom the persecutions of the Roman Emperors gave to the Church. St. Jerome, quoted by Alban Butler, says: “The tongues and pens of all nations are employed in the praises of this saint, who overcame both the cruelty of the tyrant and the tenterness of her age, and who crowned the glory of chastity with that of martyrdom.” She was but 13 years of age at the time of her glorious death, in 304. GRAINS OF GOLD RESIGNATION. Serene, I fold my hands and wait, Nor care for wind, or tide, or sea; I rave no more ’gainst Time or Fate, For lo! my own shall come to me. Asleep, awake, by night or day, The friends I seek are seeking me No wind can drive my barque astray, Nor change the tide of destiny. The-stars come nightly to the sky, The tidal wave unto the sea; Nor time, nor space, nor deep, nor high, Can keep my own away from me. . • Serene, I fold my hands and wait Whate’er the storms of life may be; : : 7 Faith guides me up to Heaven’s gate, And love will bring my own to me. * ; —John Burroughs, ’ c'