Friends at Court

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXIII, Issue 23, 8 June 1905, Page 31

Friends at Court

GLEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK'S CALENDAR June 11, Sunday. —Pentecost Sunday. „ 12, Monday.— Whit Monday. „ 13, Tuesday.— Whit Tuesday. „ 14, Wednesday.— Ember Day. „ 15, Thursday.— Of the Octa\e. „ 16, Friday.— Ember Day. „ 17, Saturday.— Ember Day.

Pentecost. Pentecost was the name given to the feast among the Jews, neki on tne fiftieth day after the Passover in celebration of the ' ingathering,' and in thanksgiving for the harvest. From the Jewish use, it was introduced into the Christian, and with special solemnity as being the day of the descent of the Holy Ghost on the Apostles, and of the first solemn preaching of the Christian leligion. From early times Pentecost has been regarded as one of the great festivals of the Christian year, and it was chosen as one of the times for the solemn administration of Baptism. The English name of the festival, Whit Sunday, is derived from the white robes in which the newly baptised were clad It is regarded as especially sacred to the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, in whofe honor the services of the day are directly addressed. Ember Days. The Ember Days are the first Wednesday, Friday, and Sat in day of each of the four seasons of the year', sot apart as fast da} s by the Church. According to the testimony of Pope Leo, they originated in the time of the Apostles, who were inspired by the Holy Ghost to dedicate each season of the year to Gou by a 'few days of icn-ince, or, as it were, to pay three days' interest every three months, on the graces ie.cei\ed from God. 'I he Church aKo commander! the Faithful to fast at the beginning of each of the four seasons of the year because it is at this time that she ordains the priests and other servants of the Church, which e\en the ApoSrties did with much prayer and fasting. Thus she desires that duiin-g the Ember days Christians should icrvently asl of God by prayer, fasting, and other good works, for worthy pastois and servants, on whom derends iho welfare of the whole Christian flock; she also desired that in the snring Ember Days we 'should as.k God's blessing foi the fntility of the earth- in summer for the preservation of the fiuits of the 'field ; i-i .T'lumn when Iheh,ir\est is rme, and in w inter when it is sheltered, that we shoi-ld offer to God, by fasting and I'luer. a s.icnfice of than 1 s petitioning Him to assist is, lhat we dmv not u^e Pis rifts for our soul's detriment, b-it refer all praise to Him, the fountain of all good, and assist our neighbor according to our means.