Friends at Court

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XLIX, Issue 40, 12 October 1922, Page 3

Friends at Court

1:'{GLEANINGS fOR NEXT WEEK’S CALENDAR. : .: '■ - • y ■ ' ■ • ■>.■:>-■■"'■ ■:'■ ' : : : .-: r •■■-• ■.; ; .-'!V ■■ -October 15, Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost. /; }',■ „ : 16, Monday.—Of the Fdria. . / . v „ ■ 17, Tuesday. — St. Hedwige, Widow. ; , 18, Wednesday.—St. Luke, Evangelist. ~ ; 19, Thursday. St. Peter Alcantara, Confessor. ; „ 20, Friday.St. John Cantius, Confessor. fe;,, : 21, Saturday. of the Blessed Virgin Mary. ’ . ■> ' ' SP, ' (j* . St. Luke, Evangelist. . 'J.; One of the four Evangelists, and a disciple of St. Paul, -whom. he joined at Troas in the year 53. He was a native of . Antioch, in Syria, a physician by profession, and a painter of no mean skill. St, Luke , shared the travels and trials of St. Paul, and was with him in his second imprisonment. He afterwards returned to Macedonia and Achaia, and died a martyr at Patrae, at the age of 74. St. Luke is the author of the third Gospel and of the Acts ;of the Apostles. He wrote both works in Greek. f‘Xt V ■ St. Peter of Alcantara, Confessor. - St. Peter was born at Alcantara, a town in Spain. While still a mere -youth he entered the Order of’ St. Francis. His life in the Order was a perfect example of humility, meekness, obedience, and almost incredible austerity. He died in 1563, in the 64th year- of his age. ISPv : :?v-• WWOW fl - Grains of Gold GOD’S LOVERS. The cruellest dart i ; 4 ' That ever pierced a human Is the Love of God He exacts our love C- W freely give it; > He demands our love— We bestow it; z.' He desires our love We offer it; / / • He craves our love ■'.si'. We overwhelm Him with it! Is • .... , " The prayer-bell at matins ;; Is as music to the ear, i --The y Angelas at eventide ■ As the calling of Angels; ' ; V7 ‘ The cold step of the Altar, A downy cushion; ‘ . i 'C‘\- The hard oak seat of the cloister \k~, ..' - Is as a couch of soft lamb’s wool; The cold marble of the chapelle floor ■ Is as a yielding Persian, prayer-rug. The grey dawn filtering through stained window ; Glitters as the light of many lamps, - ~ The, coarse woollen habit of the Sisterhood \ Is as the silken robe of the courtier, And the feet of the servants are shod %•' . As the feet of princesses.. “ His silence is as the dawn before sunrise; . The invisibleness of Him \ . • Is as a veil of impenetrable purple; The humble Tabernacle where He abides But the outer portal to His royal throne; k The flowers, the candles, the incense, ( ' v :*' The gold, the silver, the silken curtanis <" That mysteriously hide the Holy of Holies, Are but the visible offerings : 7 Of God’s lovers! ■; V; To wear out a heart in longing. for His service, •N* ; To turn one’s face from everything one holds dear, ■ To lay down life willingly. on the altar of sacrifice—- • These are His measures. ; . t ' v - 1 V ; Wherefore,, ye who do hot ,understand, , k- >: The friends of God are many; : ' , ; . ' His lovers Few!* v., ■■ . cl*' !■' ' '' i - • -- •. • ; ■■■;:><■■ ■ .-.i ... , )*.v ' Maire Hartnett, in the ■ Irish Catholic. s.’' ‘ v .'