The Family Circle

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LI, Issue 36, 3 September 1924, Page 53

The Family Circle

THE ROYAL NAME OF MARY. Sing for the men whose fearless pen Was never known to vary, Nor pause to weigh how much ’twould say . In love and praise of Mary. They gave her name a world-wide fame, They raised to Heaven her story, But ne’er could reach what God would teach :, If He should tell her glory. ' Who dares to-day that God must weigh The gifts of grace He’ll render, Lest he should light a thing so bright As to outshine His splendor ? Who dares to think that Ho would shrink, Nor crown, o’er every other, The one whose claim lay in the name And royal right of Mother? Then bless the men whose fearless pen Was never known to vary, But still to write, in dazzling light, The Royal name of Mary. They gave her name a world-wide fame,' They sketched from Heaven her story, But ne’er could reach what God will teach When He shall tell her glory. — Sister M. A. Dominic. A JEWEL BEYOND PRICE. There is no happier condition in life than that which is blessed with a good conscience. It is much better to be honest than knavish, to be clean and pure of heart than a lover of the obscene and vile pto practice sobriety and temperance in all things than to be gluttonous and intemperate. In the calm and sweetness of a good conscience the trials of life become light, for the virtue of patience renders their burden easy. The good Christian endures his labors, crosses, trials, and sufferings because he sees and hears God, when His will chastens him. There is a joy and blessing in a good conscience, in obeying its dictates, which sanctifies our lot in "life, which keeps us ever in communion with God, and gives us strength and courage in the end, when the hour of our great trial comes. The lesson of our daily lives should be always to be faithful to conscience in all things, no matter how small and trivial they may be. Then peace and happiness will make a boon which surpasses the possession of every other earthly good. MOTHER MOST PURE. This title in Our Lady’s Litany prefaces three others of apparently similar import: Mater Castissima, Mater Inviolate, Mater Intemerata. Perhaps this was the thought of the anonymous author of a little volume published at Derby in 1846, entitled A Wreath Out of the Hoses of Loreto, or Rhymes to Our Lady, being a Paraphrase of the Litany. While the plan of the work assigned a poem to each title, all four of the titles mentioned above were grouped together for a single interpretation in poetic form. The author was a, convert, and his editor was a Catholic priest. Doubtless their view was that entertained by nearly all who recite the Litany. - The Abbot Smith, 0.5.8., takes a different point of view in his‘work entitled The Spirit of Our Lady’s Litany.

He gives separate treatments to Purissima and Oastissima, but combines Inviolata and Intemerata in one treatment. On the other hand, both Father Purbick, S.J., in his May Papers , and Father Lepicier, 0.5. M., in his The Fairest Flower of Paradise, give separate treatments to all four of the titles.' w . v Do all four titles mean the same thing? One would hardly suppose this, considering the fact that the Litany omits many beautiful titles of Our Lady recorded especially in the works of the Eastern Church. Let us take the titles one by one for briefest consideration. Mater PurissimaMother most pureasserts the universal stainlessness of Mary. We may recall that when the dogma of the Immaculate Conception was defined, Father Faber wrote his exquisite hymn, “0 purest of virgins, sweet Mother, sweet Maid” in honor of the doctrine that no stain of original sin had ever been in Mary’s soul. Popularly, however, “purity” has been considered as synonymous with “chastity”—a general term with a specific one. Mater Castissima —Mother most chastecan be specifically differentiated from Mater Purissima, according to the explanation given above. Religious do not take the vow of “purity,” but that of “chastity,” using words accurately. % Mater Inviolata — inviolate — the verse in the antiphon “Alma Redemptoris Mater”: Post partum ,, Virgo, inviolata permansisti , declaring the perpetual virginity of Our Lady, a doctrine combated occasionally down the ages, but always triumphantly asserted by the Church, Mater Intemerata —Mother undefiled recalls a liturgical phrase in her honor in the Mass of Christmas. (infra actionem following immediately after the Preface) heatae Mariae intemerata virginitas huic mundo edidit Salvatorem “the stainless virginity of Blessed * Mary brought forth into the world the Saviour.” Abbot Smith links together for a single treatment the titles Inviolata. and Intemerata, although it would seem that at least a theoretical distinction between them is quite possible. The Church has had to fight many battles to vindicate the glorious prerogatives of the Mother of God, and echoes of the long strife are found in these expressions of her sacred liturgy and in titles of her beloved Litany.—Monsignor Henry in an Exchange. WWWA CHILD’S COMMENT. Children like pictures. Children observe. Children are, unfortunately, only too apt to tell hat they observe. A little non-Catholic child was paying a visit to some Catholic neighbors one day, in the course of which she wandered around at will for a while. They noticed that she was admiring the pictures on the walls, and rather enjoyed her silent peregrination. In due time she returned to the starting point. Finger in mouth, she turned to her hostess and said: .. “You must like God an awful lot in this house!” “Why, dearie?” asked the lady of the house, laughing. , “’Cause you’ve got Him all over on your walls.” How about your home? “A NUN’S PRAYER BEFORE THE BLESSEDSACRAMENT.” Again I come before Thee, Lord, To fill my post of love. To join in praise and homage here The angels’ choirs above. My heart I left before Thy throne When duty called me hence; And Thou in this sweet Sacrament Hast been my soul’s defence. The moments fly and from Thy feet How soon must I arise;My wants, my sorrows and my fears Are all before Thy eyes. The souls I hold for Thee, preserve; v The little children bless; The sinner save*; the dying soothe; The weak and frail caress.

THE JEWEL ROBBERY. ■ : The great mystery play was about to start, when the heroine rushed into the manager’s office. “What shall I do ? ” she cried. “My dresser has fled with the jewels I’m to wear to-night.’’ “What’s gone?” asked the manager, sternly. “The diamond tiara, the ruby necklace, and all the diamond rings and gold bracelets!” The manager frowned and pondered. “You must pay for this!” he said. “You were responsible for the jewel chest. I shall deduct two-and-nine-pence from your week’s salary.” SOLD! Sandy, the porter of a large school, had a small dog •of which he was very fond, and when teased about the •animal he would say: “I woodna take twenty shillings for ma we© doggy.” Some of the older boys decided to test Sandy’s assertion, and made up twenty shillings between them. Then they led up to the familiar statement, and one of them ■said; “Now, Sandy, I’d like that dog myself, and here’s twenty shillings if you will sell him.” .- He counted out twenty shillings. Without a smile, ■Sandy drew a sixpence from his pocket and said, as ho took up the money: “Weel, I didna say I W'oodna take nineteen shillings and sixpence for him. The wee doggy’s yours.” MOTHER’S METHOD. Ho loved her and she loved him. Her parents, however, said that they were far too young to indulge in such bliss, and so it was decided to give them a lesson. “Lilian,” said the girl’s mother one evening, “it’s time all children were in bed —it’s nearly nine o’clock. To hide her embarrassment from her lover, Lily flew to her room. The mother then produced a large slice of bread •and jam and, presenting it to the youth, said: “Harold, it ■is quite late. Your mother will be getting anxious about you. Run along home, nowthere’s a good boyand you may play with Lily again to-morrow.” Then Harold disappeared. wmw SMILE RAISERS. Sceptic; “Six feet in his boots? Nonsense! Why, they might as well tell me that the man has six heads in his hat!” V Visitor; “Well, does my hat interest you?” Little Anne: “Yes, mother said it was enough to give anybody a fright, but it doesn’t frighten me.” V “I’m sorry that my engagements prevent my attending your charity concert, but I shall be with you in spirit.” “Splendid! And where would you like your spirit to sit? 1 have tickets for half-a-crown, five shillings, and ten shillings.” SJ2 After a long talk on the value of peace, good-will, and disarmament, a teacher asked his class if they objected to war. “Please, sir, I do,” said one boy. “Good! Now tell us why.” “Recause wars make history—and I hate history!” ( . * A policeman, whose evidence was taken on commission f deposed: “The prisoner called me an ass, a dolt, a scarecrow,, ragamuffin, and an idiot!” And, this being the conclusion of his depositions, his signature was preceded by the formal ending, “All of which I swear is true!” SKIN CONTAGION. , ■ Rid yourself of eczema rashes, pimples, and all skin initations by using “Exmacura” which soothes, protects, and heals. Price 2/6 and 4/6, post free from BAXTER’S Pharmacy, Theatre Buildings, Timaru. ' >