From: richarra@gmail.com
The grace of Christ bears us up
"'My yoke is easy and my burden light'... The prophet says this
about the burden of sinners: 'Because my iniquities lie on top of my
head, so they have also placed a heavy burden on me' (Psalm 38:4)...
'Place my yoke upon you, and learn from me that I am gentle and humble
of heart.' Oh, what a very pleasing weight that strengthens even more
those who carry it! For the weight of earthly masters gradually
destroys the strength of their servants, but the weight of Christ
rather helps the one who bears it, because we do not bear grace; grace
bears us. It is not for us to help grace, but rather grace has been
given to aid us."
from an anonymous early Christian teacher(excerpt from the INCOMPLETE
WORK ON MATTHEW, HOMILY 29: PG 56:780)
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July 11th - St. Olga of Kiev
Also known as
Helena
Helga
Olga Prekrasa
Olga the Beauty
Olha
d. 969
Married in 903 to Prince Igor I of Kiev, Russia, she was a cruel and
barbarous woman until baptized at Constantinople in 957
She scalded her husband's murderers to death in 945 and murdered
hundreds of their followers, until baptized at Constantinople in 957.
She then requested Emperor Otto I to send missionaries to Kiev.
Although St. Adalbert of Magdeburg was sent and the queen exerted
great efforts the mission proved a failure as did her attempts to
convert her son, Svyatoslav. Christianity was introduced however by
her grandson St. Vladimir.
ST OLGA is venerated with her grandson St. Vladimir as the first-born
of the new Christian people of Russia: the monk Jacob in the eleventh
century grandiloquently refers to them as "the new Helen and the new
Constantine, equals of the Apostles". Olga was before her conversion
no less cruel and barbarous than Vladimir; her husband, Prince Igor of
Kiev, was assassinated, and she punished his murderers by scalding
them to death with hot steam and treacherously slew hundreds of their
followers.
Olga is popularly regarded as the first in Russia ever to be baptized.
This is now seen to be far from the truth; but it is still generally
held that her baptism took place at Constantinople, about 957.
Nevertheless she does in some measure represent the Germanic element
in Russia's evangelization, for she about 959 sent a request for
missionaries for "the land of Kiev" to the emperor Otto I, which
resulted in the abortive mission of St. Adalbert of Magdeburg. Her
efforts for the conversion of her own son, Svyatoslav, came to
nothing: "My men would laugh at me if I took up with a strange
religion", he declared feelingly. St. Olga died at an advanced age in
969. Her feast is observed by the Russians, Ukrainians and others.
Among the scattered sources are Constantine Porphyrogenitus, De
cerimoniis aulus byzantinae, ii, 15, in PG., vol. cxii, and the
chronicle of Cedrenus, p. 329 of vol. ii in the Bonn edition. See the
bibliography of St. Vladimir, July 15.
Readings
Through thy prayers, Holy Father, may I be preserved from the crafts
and assaults of the devil!
– Saint Olga of Kiev
MLA Citation
“Saint Olga of Kiev“. CatholicSaints.Info. 25 July 2019. Web. 10 July
2020.
Bible quote:
The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou
shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant
shall be healed. (Matthew 8:8)
There is a certain analogy between the faithful of the time of St.
Pius I and today’s faithful. Today’s good Catholics do not suffer a
bloody persecution.
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Constant Prayer
to the Precious Blood of Jesus
By St Catherine of Siena (1347-1380)
Doctor of the Church
Precious Blood,
Ocean of Divine Mercy,
Flow upon us!
Precious Blood,
most pure Offering,
Procure us every grace!
Precious Blood,
Hope and Refuge of sinners,
Atone for us!
Precious Blood,
Delight of holy souls,
Draw us!
Amen
--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)
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