The Family Circle

New Zealand Tablet, 10 November 1921, Page 45

The Family Circle

SIZE DOESN'T COUNT. A little child I am indeed, And little do I know; Much care and help I yet shall need, That I may wiser grow, If I would ever hope to do Things great and good and useful too. But even now I ought to try To do what good I may; God never meant that such as I Should only live to play, And talk and laugh and eat and drink, And sleep and wake and never think. One gentle word that I may speak, * Or one kind, loving deed, May, though a trifle poor and weak, Prove like a tiny seed; And who can tell what good may spring From such a very little thing? Then let me try each day and hour To act upon this plan What little good is in my power, To do it while I can; If to be useful thus I try, I may do better by and by. THE PARTS OF THE MASS. PREPARATION OF THE PEOPLE The priest having said one or two little ejaculations as he goes up the steps to the altar, as a mark of reverence kisses it; he then goes to the book and begins the second part of the Mass, which consists in preparing the people for it. As this part of the Mass is especially for their instruction and edification, they should try to join in and follow it as far as they can. It consists of prayers and acts of devotion, which are easy to learn. After a verse or two said out of the Missal and called the Introit, the priest says alternately with the people, or servers, nine times:

1. Kyrie eleison, or "Lord, have mercy on us." 2. The hymn of praise, Gloria in excels?s, or "Glory to God in the highest." 3. One or more collects or prayers, which he says for the people, calling on them to join by turning and saying, Dominus Vobiscum, "The Lord be with you." 4. The Epistle, a passage taken from the Old Testament or the Epistles, giving some exhortation or instruction suitable to the feast of the day. 5. After some verses of a psalm said or sung, the Gospel (said at the other end of the altar). This consists, not of the words of a Prophet or Apostle, but of Our Lord Himself; so all stand up to show their attention and readiness to listen to and set about doing what He commands. 6. After the 'Gospel on all the greater feasts the priest recites the profession of faith, called the Nicene Creed. This part of the Mass being intended for the people who assist/ many of the prayer-books contain the Collects, ■c Epistles, and Gospels for the year, that the people may study them; and' on Sundays it is usual to read the Epistle and Gospel in the language of the country, and generally to preach "on it. But the Kyrie eleison, the Gloria in excelsis, and the Nicene Creed being always the same, may ~, easily be learned by heart. THE PREPARATION OF THE SACRIFICE The people being in this way exhorted and instructed, and having joined with the priest in prayer and acts of faith and praise, the priest enters on the third part of the Mass, the preparation of the secrifice. This is also *■■ called the Offertory, and is an essential part ,of the Mass. For sacrifice, it must be remembered, consisted from the ~. • earliest times in setting aside something of our goods from »£ our own use, and dedicating them to the service of God. In the times of the Patriarchs and the Jews, men took [.-_• wine and cakes of flour, and the first fruits of the harvest

and the best of their flocks, and made, each one, his offering in the house of God. And when these old sacrifices were changed for the one great Sacrifice of the New Law, the Christians still kept up the practice of bringing their offerings of bread and wine, and laying them at the foot of the altar. The deacons and acolytes used to receive them and lay them on the credence-table at the side of the altar; and they used to be divided, and given part to the bishop, part for the support of the priest and ministers of the Church, and part for the poor. So the practice of making a collection at this part of the Mass is not a new thing; it is a part of the old service of offering sacrifice, which was made out of what the people brought as an offering to God. They joined in the sacrifice by their offerings as well as their prayers. These offerings are now made in money; but in ancient times the deacons used to take from the bread and wine offered by the people as much as was wanted for the sacrifice; and you may still see them at this part of the Mass bring the bread and wine from the credence table. The priest offers first the oblation of bread and then of wine, with some short prayers. Next, if it is a High Mass, he incenses the offering and the crucifix and the whole altar; and he is incensed himself; and then washes his hands at the corner of the altar, that he may be ready to touch the Holy Sacrifice. Then he turns to the people and says, Orate fratres, —“Pray brethren,”—to ask the people to join with him in the sacrifice he is now going to offer. Lastly, he says some prayers in silence, and so these are called the secret prayers. But he ends these by singing or saying the last words of them, Peromnia saecula saeculorum, out loud. This was probably done for the same reason as we now ring the bell, to call the attention of the people who are not near enough to hear and see what the priest does, that they may know that the most solemn part of the Mass, in which the sacrifice is actually offered, is now commencing. Indeed the solemn prayer or address to God that the priest says or sings is called the Preface, as coming at the commencement of the principal part of the Mass. The last words of the Preface, called the Sanctus, are said in a low' tone by the priest, but are sung by the choir.

A BABY'S FEET. Dear little feet that one might hold Just in the hollow of a hand, Not ready yet to walk alone In this strange land. Too hard its paths for such "frail things, Too rough and soiled for baby feet, They must be hidden from all harm, In shelter sweet. Fwonder! Ah, I wonder where Your strange untrodden path will be, When, all the helpless frailty gone You wander free. ' Love fain would watch with tender care To guide you, in that distant day; If Love's strength fails, may angels strong Beside you stay. N. Habinson. RIGHT UNDERSTANDING OP THE NEEDS OF YOUTH. In order to have any permanent influence with young people it is necessary to be tolerant and sympathetic to their needs and outlook on life. And with a friendly, kindly, sympathetic note in all family discussions, instead of a dogmatic, hectoring, and. overbearing one, much may be achieved towards a better understanding between the young people of a household and their parents. .If parents more understood the value of sympathy and companionship between their sons and daughters and themselves they would be taking steps towards the establishment of altered conditions as far as the comings and goings of their children were concerned. And if they only realised the need of, cultivating an atmosphere of mutual sympathy and community of tastes and interests in their homes there would be less need for. the objectionable latchkey and the "boarding-house" tendency of most modern homes.

SUCCESS AT LAST. "Ah," said the lady palmist, as the stranger entered her studio, "you come to be enlightened? You desire to dip into the future?" "Well, really, I've just called to " "I know—l know! Now look at me.- Yes, I see you have suffered many grievous disappointments lately." "That's correct. I " "Hush! Something which you have striven for and sighed for without avail will shortly come within your grasp." "That's good!" "Only be patient. Remember that the hard times are past, and that success is now yours." "Thank you! You've relieved me immensely!" said the caller, diving his hand into his breast-pocket. "I've been here about five times for last quarter's gas-bill. I'm jolly glad to hear that I'm going to get it at last. SPOILED EVERYTHING. The amateur dramatic society had spent many anxious nights in practice and rehearsal, and at length the great evening that was to show their powers arrived. One of the amateurs had found it inconvienient to attend, and his place was taken by an understudy. But, as he was allotted a part with only one sentence, no hitch was anticipated. He was the headsman. Arrayed in all the glory of black tights and mast, he strode on to the stage, and folding his arms, exclaimed "My lord, my lord! I have beheaded the maid!" "Oh, you have, have you?" returned the local butcher, who was taking the part of the cruel king. "Well, then, allow me to tell you that you've spoiled the blessed show. You've done it two acts too soon!" SMILE RAISERS. Proud Mother: "Claude has learned to play the piano in no time."

Musician: "Yes, he's playing just like that now I" Barracker (at local football match): "How do you think we shall get on?" Captain: "Well, sir, our goal-keeper ain't much use, our centre-forward 'as a. gammy, knee, and left 'alf-back may not turn up, but—my brother Jim is refereeing for us." <P "What's the charge, officer?" "Vagrancy, your honor. He was loafing around a street corner." "Ah, impersonating an officer." More Brains (at piano recital): "What is that charming thing he is playing?" Less Brains: "A piano, f dub." First Undergrad: "What shall we do?" Second Undergrad: "I'll spin a coin. If it's heads we'll go to the movies; tails we go to the dance, and if it stands on edge we'll study." Mrs. Brown: "I hear the vicar thinks your daughter has a real genius for reciting, Mrs. Smith." Mrs. Smith: "Yes. All she wants, he says to me, is a course of electrocution, just to finish 'er off like. «F "Sedentary work," said the college lecturer, "tends to lessen the endurance." "In other words," butted in the smart student, "the more one sits the less one can stand." "Exactly," retorted the lecturer; "and if one lies a great deal one's standing is lost completely."