From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   -- John 3:20-21 --   
      
   For every one that doth evil hateth the light and cometh not to the   
   light, that his works may not be reproved. But he that doth truth   
   cometh to the light, that his works may be made manifest: because they   
   are done in God.  [Jn 3:20-21] DRB   
   __________________________   
      
   Sin is like mold--it grows best in the dark. Expose it to the light,   
   and it starts to dry up. We need to bring our sin into the light. True   
   repentance lets nothing get in the way of change, not even reputation.   
   Are you confessing your sin to a trusted Christian? Are you going to   
   him or her for accountability? Have you told those individuals, (such   
   as your spouse) who are affected by your sin? It is not always   
   appropriate to tell a wide circle of people. But you should freely and   
   willingly confess to those to whom you're accountable. You've not done   
   this yet? You're reluctant? Then your reputation still matters more   
   than your holiness. Ongoing guilt makes your opinion the one that   
   matters most; shame makes people's opinion what matters most.   
   Repentance makes God central and accepts his declaration that you're   
   righteous in Christ.   
      
      
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   June 16th – St. Benno of Meissen B (RM)   
      
   Born at Hildesheim, Germany, in 1010; died on June 16, 1106; canonized   
   in 1523 or 1525 by Pope Adrian VI; feast day formerly August 3.   
      
   Benno, a spirited saint who died at a great age, was a noble Saxon by   
   birth. He was educated at Saint Michael's Abbey in Hildesheim. After   
   serving at court, he became a canon of Goslar, an important imperial   
   chapel, and chaplain to Emperor Henry IV. The emperor also nominated   
   him to be bishop of Meissen, Saxony. Benno is one of the protagonists   
   in the quarrel between Pope Gregory VII (Hildebrand) and Henry IV over   
   lay investiture. He upheld the former but not at all times with equal   
   zeal.   
      
   Thus the history begins. During the war between Henry and the Saxons,   
   Benno provided lukewarm support to his compatriots. In consequence of   
   his disloyalty to the emperor, when Henry invaded Meissen, his   
   soldiers occupied the bishopric's property until Henry was   
   excommunicated by the pope. At that time Benno regained his liberty.   
      
   Then Benno participated in the synod of Florsheim (1078), when Rudolf   
   was elected emperor. In 1085 Benno supported Gregory VII, but was   
   deposed by Henry's partisans at the Diet of Mainz. After Gregory's   
   death that year, Benno pledged allegiance to the antipope Guibert and   
   recovered his see. In 1097, however, he once again supported the   
   lawful pope, Urban II.   
      
   In the midst of all this strife, Benno remained a zealous diocesan   
   bishop. He preached frequently, visited his diocese, enforced   
   discipline, and abolished simony as much as possible. He was also an   
   accomplished musician, who was especially devoted to the chants of his   
   native Hildesheim. He also found the time and the energy to write   
   exegetical works on the Gospels.   
      
   Before obeying one summons to Rome, he took the precaution of bidding   
   two trusty canons to lock his cathedral doors in case Henry should try   
   to occupy it and throw the keys into the Elbe. He did. When the bishop   
   returned the keys were recovered—under the fin of an obliging fish.   
      
   In his later years he preached to the Wends. (a Slavic tribe) Bishop   
   Benno was buried in his cathedral. When the cathedral was rebuilt in   
   1285, his relics were translated—an occasion of many cures. When   
   Saxony became Protestant, the bishop translated Benno's relics to his   
   castle at Stolp. From there they were moved to Munich in 1580, at   
   which time Benno became the patron of the city.   
      
   Benno's life was written in 1512 by Jerome Emser, a doctor of canon   
   law, author of a dialogue as to whether potation (The act of drinking)   
   is to be tolerated in a properly constituted State, and of tracts   
   against the more spiritual intemperances of Luther and Zwingli.   
   Benno's canonization in 1525 roused Luther to fury. In response he   
   composed a diatribe against his cultus, which was refuted by Jerome   
   Emser (Benedictines, Encyclopedia, Farmer).   
      
   The following story is related about Saint Benno (His erudite frog in   
   the story had to know his Pliny to catch the allusion.)   
      
   "It was often the habit of the man of God to go about the fields in   
   meditation and prayer; and once as he passed by a certain marsh, a   
   talkative frog was croaking in its slimy waters: and lest it should   
   disturb his contemplation, he bade it to be a Seraphian, inasmuch as   
   all the frogs in Seraphus are mute. But when he had gone on a little   
   way, he called to mind the saying in Daniel: 'O ye whales and all that   
   move in the waters, bless ye the Lord. O all ye beasts and cattle,   
   bless ye the Lord.'   
      
   "And fearing lest the singing of the frogs might perchance be more   
   agreeable to God than his own praying, he again issued his command to   
   them, that they should praise God in their accustomed fashion: and   
   soon the air and the fields were vehement with their conversation"   
   (Emser).   
      
   In art, Saint Benno is a bishop holding a fish with the keys of   
   Meissen Cathedral in its mouth. At times the fish may be laying on a   
   book and hold two keys (Roeder). Benno is the patron of cloth weavers,   
   fishermen (Roeder), and Munich (Farmer).   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   It is by the path of love, which is charity, that God draws near to   
   man, and man to God.   
   But where charity is not found, God cannot dwell. If, then, we possess charity,   
   we possess God, for "God is Charity" (1 Jn 4:8)   
   --Saint Albert the Great   
      
   Bible Quote   
   "Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which   
   endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto   
   you: for him hath God the Father sealed."   (John 6:27)   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   A Prayer to Mary, the Star of the Sea   
      
   "She is the star, the sign of help and of joy."   
   --St. Ephrem   
      
   Ave Maria! thou Virgin and Mother,   
   Fondly thy children are calling on thee;   
   Thine are the graces, unclaimed by another,   
   Sinless and beautiful--Star of the Sea.   
      
   Ave Maria! thy children are kneeling--   
   Words of endearment are whispered to thee;   
   Softly thy spirit upon us is stealing,   
   Sinless and beautiful--Star of the Sea.   
   Ave Maria! the night shades are falling,   
   Softly our voices arise unto thee;   
   Earth's lonely exiles for succour are calling,   
   Sinless and beautiful--Star of the Sea.   
      
   Ave Maria! thy arms are extending,   
   Gladly within them for shelter we flee;   
   Are thy sweet eyes, on thy lonely ones bending?   
   Sinless and beautiful--Start of the Sea.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)