The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-09-29
rHr pRopHrCy an sTMpoN

The prophetic words OF Holy Simeon in
the temple first pierced her mothers heart
She came with her child to the temple.
though she was exempt from the law. be.
cause obedience and humility were precious
in her sight. and there where she had
spent so many happy days as a spot,ess
virgin before God, there the words of
simeon fell IKE the fall Of bitter
ness upon her ears This child is set up
for a sign that shall be coutradicted and
thy own soul a sword shall pierce" IL
was then she recalled the oft-pondered
words Of Isaiah "Despised and the most
abiect Of men; a man Of sorrows acquaint-
ed With iniirmity. He shall be led
as sheep to the slaughter and shall be
dumb as a lamb before his shearer and
shall not open his mouth" Is ILL., Z.
Words which abe then well knew were to
he one day fulfilled In the intensified suffer
lngs OF her son. and which tender mother
was to witness in all their dreadful reality
Then came the warning from on high that
there was danger In the blast, that the
tiniIe % persecution was Redeemed In the
blood OF Innocent and tender infants: that
Mary and her infant must ny for safety 10
the strange distant land of Egypt. With
no time TO prepare the little band Of three
set out with uncertainty before them and
fear behind them, fear that made them
choose the most difficult by-ways, untrod.
den by man aud untrequented by beast
They crossed the Asiatic deserts boundiess
and deep as inhnity, with a burning sun
above aud binding sand around Them.
no friendly tree to shelter them. no
eeoh.s stream 70 quench their burning
ilirst We're they 10 be oyertaken nv
nursuers. were they 20 be captured and en-.
shaved by wandering Arabs, We're they ever
70 leave the wild and trackless desert and
lfead the strange Egyptian land7 All was
uncertainty ana desoiatlon excent The one
ray OF spiritual light aud consolation that
| came from their abiding trust In God Yet
SANITY writers tell us that Mary felt a
antsp r9rtTg
SORROW AT THE SEPARATION.
She sought her son along the coun-
try roads and through the festive
streets OF old Jerusalem; it was the
first time she had experienced the tor
ture of separation from the son she loved
more than life. she thought that perhaps
he was lost through any fault Of hers,
and she might never meet Him any more:
therefore the Scripture tells US that for
three days abe sought Him sorrowIng
Again we find her turning corner in Jeru-
salem, She suddenly meets a face that once
was sweet snd calm and beautiful, now Il
Is broken, bruised and bleeding beEmeared
with blood and splttle IL was the face OF
her beloved Jesus On his head a crown
or thorns, on his shoulders q rough heavy
cross he Is led like a sheep to the
slaughter; He Is dumb as a lamb before
MS shearcr In her 9th sorrow we hnd
her st the foot Of the cross. There stood
py the Cross az Jesus His mother" She
saw the agoniaing the shrinking muscles
the streaming blood She heard and treas.
urea up every precious word that fell from
b hls dying lips, hut especially Woman, be
mold my som words which gave her John
instead OF Jesus. the servant for the Muster,
the creature for the Creator She beholds
the soldiers shining lance plunged into the
heart whose throhs she had felt SO often.
but which now throbbed no more.
MARY AT TOMB OF CHRIST.
LastlH she receives into her virginia.
arms the lfeless body from the crosse and
With her trembling mothers hands arrauges
Il In the tomb The tomb closes, Mary's
seventh sorrow Is complete ana sorrow i
crown OF sorrow'' weighs hard and heavily
upon the brow OF the desolate virgin
mother, In the sorrowful hymn OF this
day's mass her grief Is summed up;
Who could keep from tears OF anguish,
Gould he see Chrlst's mother languish
Lhus IN grief a suffering wlldf
who his agony could smother
Gould he see this gentle motner
sorrowing with her only childG"
Truly there Is no sorrow IKE unto her
sorrow, but there is no joy IKE unto her
Joy, HIS life was constant hendinr Of
JOY and sorrow Toy for the presence az
Jesus, sorrow that he should one day be
yea IKE sheep TO the slaughter.
II Is ever thus that God deals with his
creatures. He blends the lights ana
shadows. Lest they should be Overcome
Win the weight Of sorrow He brightens on
their lives with hsshes ~ periodic tov. IL
Mary the immaculate mother Of God. the
queen of saints ana angelo. had 70 tread
me serrowfnl way OF the cross, shall we,
who deserve 70 suffer, refuse TO tread 40
her company Parents are sometimes In,
conSolable AZ the death OF 4 child Mary
had "a see her divine son crucided with
thieves The road Of the cross Is the
road, aud the only road, 70 heaven. LET
US DOT think strange thu burning heat