The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-05-15
SAINT AGNES.

W SAINT AGNES.
y how beautiful is the ohaste penerat;,
" m manu- g.oIy, exclaimed the wise man; "ti
- memory Thereof is immortal, because it ia knov
u Doth with God and with man. IT. il ~
20 Sliumpn OF the church of God, that in ali ar.
pass can POINT to those among her children Va
= nen;ed-who, on earth prepared themselves I.
. cG IN heaven, of the number of the elect. thu
sing Se sne Lamp Ian he goeth an.
oet they can sing Great, indeed, is the nra;s'
OF chastity; admirable are they. even anon"
s sne SAINTS, IN whom this vrt1e shines witt
Il brightness but when, dt the same time
a nSpies human nature, it challenges our highest
S damfatlon. The angels of heaven gaze with
With tbsp Gaaste sonls and love to associate
among the lilies" showers upon them hi.
whars Iavors; Hence the narvels of grace
hencs tha read in the lives of the holy virgins
h oIe Cua1 mysterious and ecstatic union with
t ues heavenly bridegroom which characterized
Cne sweet and lovely saint of whom We ara
ABOUT to speak-the blessed Agnes, virgin and
e, nGrn IN Rome of an ancient and illustrious
s sam.y' an the advantages which wealth can
educate mere here used BY her
y winch 1T was hoped, she would one dav ador1
but the views and intentions of men are not ai'
Gays T,ays those Of heaven. The divine lover of
oar s'1 1 Souls nad chosen her as bis own He |
Ea s her special graces to draw her to himself:
;yUu'ntai neart corresponding to these great
J dsSsg ny IL, innocence and purity marked the
even n then mer childhood. and her conversation
oven then seemed ever in heaven rather than
apol eartn. The name she bore, she verified
i;, ner daily Misunderstanding the purity of the
Of Ie w.n sne innocence Of the lamb. The love
=. Jesus was In her heart, and to keep it there
was the sole aim of her life. TO hins she con-
herself, to him she promised that. as n
1Ing,n, sne would never cease to be faithful.
low grand promise this was and how stronr :
must nave been her resolve we cannot dniS
ppreciase unless we reflect, that it was made !;
y lender maiden living in the midst of the
God and his mercy is with his saints and he 4
ath respect for his chosen :" hence what mioht .
ppeaf rash, under ordinary circumstances. in Il
no 80 young and SO much exposed to the dsn
ers and temptations of this world. becomes 81
screeg and worthy of every comrhendation in y y
ne 30 highly favored. ~ n
When she en- tered upon her tbirt..,th sc
e was a perfect model of a christian vonma, a,
dy. Prayer and other religious exercises n, m
e ae 20 her not SO much duties to be fulfilled III
an attract1ve charm and a sweet reIaXationN "
ZIP OF the divine love that gfowed in her In
som. Religion was to her in very deed the ",
no which united her to her Maker, in whose az az
essence a, sne delighted to abide forever Mod cI,
, eentle and reserved, she sought not after en
company OF them, that seem to have no IL
ler reason for their existence here below IKE ke
ii tesIless anxiety to vie with each other hi,
u'sPlaylng their rich and grand finery Nor ir
8 she, on the other hand, so SO ueamis6 "a to IL
luge upon Others her unadorned simplicity. CT,
TnS aver custom and Roman hospitality re- r.
req that social entertainments shonld ba ~ I
en- 9 at the mansion of her noble father sen
rio still held unintcrrnntaJ i!ies, ner stii
rcising in peTson the 49,; ror nov IRON the
poor. For how could she be the favored 90
re Oh the heavenly king, unless she recognize on
ngs of his posneI b,d L ING gao 9th
lt1ess herself 1nd nnsnsn;n;o" e eaGhed sici
clad with the armor of I'll .a osh' sue nat
u her days in gathering treasures for s sne
Q, however who in III. ,or5 rem
led our first parents of tbaiSS ;. vi 1aen disc
!, could not bear that beauty and virtue, 81
Dihea In the person of our saint should Sy
@ upharmed and unassailed the streets of s sen
70. wherefore he projected the most artful Iie
es 0AA ih'o his tofoI
mes, according to the custom at that time uuce
ing In Rome; attended school with other sne
eng OF her own age and rank. One day, as tha ', ,
on of Symnhronins o"vsrnns no t Rom
&c hsF = sasI
at once to seek her in marria0e oreal
egan by making inquiries about her. and
=! tearneo that she was of q noble and pr
lit her parents, taking VIII b S%y ne vent Cove
with jewelry, and other ornamants 90 80 ca
kno calculated to excite the admiration prov
most any young person, upon whom the its III
s Oh Sne treasures of this earth can make cont
he was respectfully admitted, but when ro1;
entioned the object of his coming. the =; ",
Is OF Agnes,-thinking that she was too ~ r ~ ~
! to settle for life,-were by no means in. OF tn.
to encourage the proposal of the you9g pulpi
man. Nevertheless they permitted him by ii
We an Interview with their daughter in CathC
own presence. Agnes apparently listened to VIII
words, and looked at the presents placed cent?,
her, but in reality was quite nncon fire to
of both but her thoughts were with her said =
ana treasure far beyond the skies The H. ~
ointed sutton, stood astonished at the t Sno o o
indifference of the virgin mas pl
as he was, he could not understand how the pr
rs stones could be looked upon as empty
those who possess within themselves The
OF priceless value-the kno wledye the SERVER
nd fear of God. sai,
result of this first interview sonSt;
discourage the son of the governor | tor ~;
ng that the display of riches which he | som".;
ide was the cause OfGhis failure. he red $50
that there should be nothing WANTING | ohnsi,
respect If he had once more the gooS 0 s,;tu
OF addressing the object of his aff.c / oreat =
s~h:!. =. IA - ne sale
ami To .basa foo 1Ie 20 his own n long
vi quo family OF the peranc;