Friends at Court

New Zealand Tablet, 28 July 1921, Page 3

Friends at Court

GLEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK'S CALENDAR. July 31, Sunday.—Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost. August 1, Monday.—St. Peter's Chains. ~ 2, Tuesday.—St. Alphonsus, Bishop, Confessor, and Doctor. „ 3, Wednesday.—Finding of the Relics of St. Stephen, Protomartyr. - ~ 4, Thursday.—St. Dominic, Confessor. ~ 5, Friday.—Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Snows. ~ 6, Saturday.—Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus

Christ.

St. Peter's Chains.

This feast commemorates the miraculous deliverance of St. Peter from the prison into which he had been cast by order of King Herod Agrippa. The circumstances of this miracle are narrated by St. Luke in the twelfth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles.

St. Alphonsus, Bishop, Confessor, and Doctor.

St. Alphonsus Liguori was born at Naples in 1696. At the age of 30 he abandoned the legal profession, in which he had already made a name for himself, and, in spite of the opposition of his father, he became a priest. Applying himself zealously to the duties of his sacred calling, he touched by his fervent discourses the hearts of the most inveterate sinners. Still more abundant was the fruit which he gathered in the tribunal of penance, where he joined a singular prudence and firmness to the most tender sentiments of paternal affection. He founded and for a long time governed the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. For eight years he was Bishop of St. Agatha, but at length obtained leave to resign this responsible office, which he had accepted only very reluctantly. In the midst of his labors he found time to compose a number of doctrinal and devotional works, which have earned for him the title of Doctor of the Church. St. Alphonsus died in 1787, at the age of 90.

Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

The miraculous Transfiguration of Our Blessed Lord. in the presence of the Apostles Peter, James, and John, is narrated by St. Matthew in that portion of his Gospel which is read at Mass on the second Sunday in Lent.

GRAINS OF GOLD BEFORE THE TABERNACLE. Seek I a cell for penitential thought,

Contrition's grace to win?

Behold, the house for me God's love has wrought, His sacred wounds within.

Here to forget, 0 tide of Precious Blood, The little wrongs I mourn,

And here to quench within this sacred flood The fires that seer and burn.

A callous gaze upon the Crucified Too long for me sufficed; I cast self-pity and self-love aside

To weep alone for Christ.

What means the Reed unto the worldly wise? A cross-piece on a tree;

Here silent at His feet, with downcast eyes—'Tis Love who died for me. A PRAYER. TO THE SACRED HEART. Sweet Friend Jesus, it is hard to see my life running into ebb, hard to know my youth is gone and my maturer years fast numbered in the past. Hard, yes, Lord, very hard unless I realise that each day that brings me to the grave, brings me nearer home to You ! Oh, how that drives the shadows back that crowd around the grave! Home to You and Mother Mary and all Your Saints! 0 death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting? If the Lord of all, my Friend, is at my side to see me safely home? Dear Jesus, I trust You for my journey home. Oh, speed me in my coming! ■