Friends at Court

New Zealand Tablet, 2 October 1913, Page 3

Friends at Court

GLEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK'S CALENDAR / October 5, Sunday .—Twenty-first Sunday after PenteI/ •■"'■-'-■;- cost. .-'-" Feast of the Holy If lis Rosary. - J . fkf 6 > Monday.—St. Bruno, Confessor. V I J,~ 7, Tuesday.St. Mark, Pope and Confessor. -.' „ 8, Wednesday.—St. Bridget, Widow. r" „ 9, Thursday,— ' Denis and Companions, Martyrs. - 7 v ~, 10, Friday.St. Francis Borgia, Confessor. a » 11, Saturday.—St. Canice, Abbot. _ St. Mark, Pope and Confessor. St. Mark's youth was passed in Rome in the closing years of the pagan persecutions. In 336 he was elected Pope, but held this office only a few months. ' St. Bridget, Widow. St. Bridget belonged to the royal family of Sweden. From childhood she was remarkable for charity, love of retirement, and a distaste for worldly enjoyments. On the death of her husband she divided her property amongst her children, and withdrew into ft convent which she herself had founded. .She died in Rome in 1373, at the age of seventy-one, on her return from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. SS. Denis and Companions, Martyrs. St. Denis, the first Bishop of Paris, and one of the most illustrious writers of the early Church, is believed to have been identical with Denis the Areopagite, converted by St. Paul. He was martyred, with several companions, on the hill of Montmartre, in Paris, about the year 119. GRAINS OF GOLD ■ ' PATHS OF GOLD. An angel of the Royal Court Looked down from heav'n's height, And saw the fair land bath'd afresh . In streams of radiant light. 1 Behold,' said he, the joyous, rosy birth, Ones more of a pure dawn to mother earth!' A sound, the tend'rest, softest sound, Came floating up on high; ;\ The angel smiled, and further lean'd To hear that wond'ring cry; Below, a mother stretch'd her arms to take "*~_A tiny child, in this world, scarce awake. At noon, again, the angel came; The sun was overcast, Cloud heaped on cloud until they seem'd . ■■ Like mountains grey and vast : He gazed; he cried, * Most Potent Lord, my King, My God! All's well! Thou sees't thing !' -'•?.- A sound, the wildest, saddest sound - Came floating up on high; ■ The angel paused and further leaned •. To hear that rending cry; : , Below, a mother begged Almighty God h-.-K To save her son from the avenging rod. i : At evening, when the angel looked, . The clouds had rolled away, * And far beneath, the drowsy earth >»/ In tranquil beauty lay; Jj Then cried that angel pointing west, ' Behold! ' The noon-hour mountains are now paths of gold.' 'A third time from below a sound i r Came floating on the air; |,v , A stricken man' the angel saw : Beside a grave yet bare v, The angel spoke, 'Behold, God's vict'ry won! A penitent now kneels the erring son.' . * A. Hastings.