The Family Circle

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LII, Issue 6, 11 February 1925, Page 61

The Family Circle

•i\ AT CLOSE OF DAY. ’vE&ere’s a certain tender foolin’ That I notice comes a-stealin’ Round mi' heart and never seems to go away Till our work has been completed And once more we all are seated Jo enjoy the restful closin’ of the day. Darkness somehow always finds us In a state o’ mind that binds ns lo the fireside we have learned to know so well; Home to us is still a treasure. And wo get a heap o’ pleasure Erom its comforts, more than tongue can ever toll. Folks who cherish home and stay there. Those who eat an’ sleep an’ play there, Aio the folks who know what happiness can be. Oh there nothing half so pleasin’ When the world outside is freeizn’ As this cozy nook that love keeps warm for me. W’hen old-age at last has found me. When its shadows creep around me, And life’s sunshine slowly fades air disappears, Then with heart still .free from sadness In this home where all i s gladness I'll enjoy the peaceful twilight of the yea rs! 0. Lawrence authorin'. "V, - A CHILD’S NEEDLESS TEARS. J Those beautiful words of Cardinal Ncw■mans—“A child’s needless tear is a bloodblot upon the earth”—make ns think! How o. ten are we so wrapped up in our own roubles as to make ourselves completely unaware of the Agonised suffering through which our children mentally pass? I do not say all of them. One does come across an instance of a child who is almost insensible to a sharp word; but that I think is flic exception. We, who have reached the age of maturity, can speak with open hearts of our keenest anxieties. There is scarcely one who has not some sympathetic friend to confide in ■Hut the sensitive child is utterly tragically alone. Many are the nights spent. in feverish tears, by these little atoms of humanity, because someone, whom they love intensely (as only they can love), has thoughtlessly wounded a tender heart. I am not speaking of necessary correction —that is an entirely different matter of the needless tear. Is it not the child who teaches ns to laugh? May we return that lesson with happiness. For children belong to God; He lends them to ns, to be instruments of his love. Let them lie the guests V of our hearts, that the blood-blots upon the may be obliterated b\ r sweet affection ; may wo listen with open ears to their merry pipings, for the sake of Him Who came to us in the form of a little Child.— Alma Shelley.

CATHOLIC CUSTOMS AND SYMBOLS. Holy Water. One of the first things to attract the attention of a Protestant upon entering on© of our churches is the font or stoup containing Holy Water. He has doubtless heard of our Catholic reverence for it, but probably misunderstands it, since the so-called Ldonned Churches consider its use as unscriptural and superstitious. This fact will strike us as a curious rejection by the 'Reformers of what is at once a. beautiful symbolism and a salutary custom, recognised as such hy the Greek, Russian, and Oriental Churches, as well as by the Catholic Church. A Beautiful Symbolism, 1 here is a beautiful symbolism here. For water lias been looked upon in id! ages, and b\ the ancient Jewish ritual as well as in that of many pagan cults, as both a. natural symbol of purity and a method of spiritual purification. Hoad, for instance, the nineteenth chapter of Numbers (to give only one example from the Old Testament). ' The waters of expiation or purification are refer i cd to several limes in that one chapter, hurt we can almost see the sprinkling of Holy Water before High Mass in the direction (eighteenth verse) that a clean man shall dip hyssop in the waters of purification and spi inkle therewith the tout, the furniture, the men there. The “baptism of John.” the precursor of our Saviour, was only a baptism "milo penance,” symbolical of that true purification which was afterwards constituted as a Christian sacrament by Our Lord. In each instance, water was used as a symbol. he rise of Holy Water is, however, not merely a beautiful symbolism, hut as well a salutary practice. It is only a sacramental, for it was instituted by the Church, whereas Baptism is a sacrament, having been instituted hy Christ Himself. Do not misunderstand the word “only” as I have used it. I have wished to make a distinction between works which of themselves confer grace, like the sacraments, and works which confer it partly through the power of the Church’s blessing, and partly through the pious disposition of those who use the sacramental. Baptism brings “sanctifying” grace; Holy Whiter, if devoutly used, brings “ actual ” grace. The purpose of Holy Whiter is indicated in the words of its blessing. The salt that is to he placed in it is first exorcised in order that it may be “for the salvation of them that believe, for the health of body and soul,” and similar thoughts are expressed in exorcising the water. When the salt has been put into the water in the form of a cross, both are blessed in a prayer asking that the Holy Whiter may prove a. powerful protection against the wiles and terrors of Satan, An Act of Purification. There is a. symbolism, their, in thus purifying ourselves before venturing to appear in flic holy temple of God, and the font is placed in the vestibule to permit ns to do so.

Many persons bless-themselves with, the Holy Water also when leaving the church. The symbolism is lost in this case, according to one liturgical authority, although, of- course, no pious intent will go without its appropriate reward. Right Rev. H. T. Henry, Litt.D.

TO MAKE A HAPPY HOME. Learn to govern yourselves and be gentle and patient. Guard your tempers, especially in seasons of irritation and trouble, and soften them by prayer and a sense of your own shortcomings and errors. Remember, that valuable as is the gift of speech silence is often more valuable. Beware of the first disagreement. Learn to speak in a gentle tone of voice. Study the character of each and sympathise with all in their troubles, however small. Do not neglect little things, if they can effect the comfort of others in the smallest degree. Avoid moods and pouts and fits of sulkiness.

A NURSE’S PRAYER. Dearest Lord, may 1 see Thee to-day and every day, in the person of Thy sick, and whilst nursing them minister unto Thee. Though Thou hidest Thyself behind the unattractive disguise of the irritable, the exacting, the unreasonable, may I still recognise Thee and say, “Jesus, my Patient, how sweet it is to serve Thee!” Lord, give me this seeing faith; then ray work never will be monotonous. I will ever find a new joy in humoring the fancies and gratifying the wishes of all poor sufferers. Oh ! beloved sick, how. doubly dear you are to me when i on personify Christ, and what a privilege is mine to be allowed to nurse yon. .Sweefce.sU Lord, make me appreciate the dignity of my high Vocation and its many responsibilities. Never permit mo to disgrace it hy giving ay to coldness, unkindness or impatience; and my God, while Thou art Jesus my Patient, deign also to be my patient Jesus, bearing with my many faults, looking only to my intention, which is always to love and serve Thee in the person of each and every one of Thy sick. Lord, increase my faith, bless my efforts, sanctify my work now and for ever. Amen.

MOTHER. I have a friend whose love means all to me, Who greets me with such trusting smiles each day, Who cheers and comforts me along the way, And chases every fear across the lea, And says her life is empty but for me. This makes my heart feel very glad and gay, And throws around my path a cheerful ray. My love for her would fill eternity. If I could cheer some heart as she has mine, And cast a beam of sunshine o’er a life, If every day I’d help some one in need, And bring more souls to love their God divine, I d then have eased my own most bitter strife, And know that He had marked my smallest deed. —Holy Ghost Magazine.

A NURSERY NOTION. During the absence- of the family in the country the nursery in town had been redecorated and rearranged. , Elsie, aged six, was delighted at the changes, and especially at the placing ol , a mirrv against her cot. “Now, mummy,” she said, “I shall be able to see myself sleeping.” GONE FOR. GOOD. A man entered the vestibule of an hotel and placed his umbrella in the stand, but before going upstairs he tied to the umbrella a card on which he had written: “N.B. —This umbrella belongs to a champion boxer. Back in ten minutes.” In twenty minutes he returned, but the umbrella was gone. The card, however," was there; and on it someone had written: “P.S. —Umbrella taken by a champion longdistance runner. Won’t be back at all.” THE CONFESSION. “Once again my orders have been disobeyed,” said the master in a certain school, sternly. “Who is the miscreant?” There was silence. “This matter must he settled once and for all,” lie went on in the same icy manner, “and if none will tell, every buy in the class must be punished.” The boys, therefore, were caned, but not one would disclose the culprit’s name, until suddenly, as the last boy was about to receive his punishment, the cane was withheld. Fixing a keen look on the lad, the master said: “Now, if you will tell me who did this action I will not punish you.” “All right, sir; I did it,” came the hesitating reply. SMILE RAISERS. Doctor; “'Deep breathing, you understand, destroys microbes.” Patient: “But, doctor, how can I force them to breathe deeply?” s? Mrs. Torker (sighing): “Ah, one half of the world doesn’t know bow the other half suffers.” Airs. Kaustic: “We l !, cheer up, my dear; it isn’t your fault.” *? “Hullo, Brown! I sa\, that your dog? Jolly little chap, fs he clever?” “Clever? J should say so. If I say to him, ‘Are you coming or aren't you?’ he comes —or he doesn’t.” *? Frenchman : “Ah, so zis is your leetle son! He look to bo similaire to you.” Father: “Yes, there is a likeness.” “Ah, he is—how you call eet? ‘ A cheep of ze old blockhead,’, is oet not?” *? Wife; “Anything exciting happen to-dry, dear?” Husband: “Well, I thought 1 saw a vacant seat on tire tram car coming home.” He (trying to start ear): “This self-starter refuses to work. There is a short circuit somewhere.” She: “Well, why don’t you lengthen it?”