From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   The Inward Conversation of Christ with the Faithful Soul   (2)   
      
      Consider these things, my soul, and close the door of your senses,   
   so that you can hear what the Lord your God speaks within you. “I am   
   your salvation,” says your Beloved. “I am your peace and your life.   
   Remain with Me and you will find peace. Dismiss all passing things and   
   seek the eternal. What are all temporal things but snares? And what   
   help will all creatures be able to give you if you are deserted by the   
   Creator?” Leave all these things, therefore, and make yourself   
   pleasing and faithful to your Creator so that you may attain to true   
   happiness.   
    --Thomas à Kempis --Imitation of Christ Book 3, Chapter 1   
      
      
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   January 11th – St. Theodosius the Cenobiarch, hermit, abbot   
   (423-529)   
      
    Roughly translated, cenobitical means “people who have a life in   
   common,” and refers to the monks who joined Saint Theodosius’   
   community. These monks, of many nationalities, devoted themselves to   
   the Lord, but did not remain in seclusion. Rather, they socialized and   
   interacted with the outside world, which was a new approach to   
   monasticism at that time!   
      
      
   Theodosius was born to pious parents in Mogarissos, Cappadocia (modern   
   Turkey). Attracted to the academic life, he began his studies at an   
   early age, impressing all with his intellect and mind, and became a   
   lector while still young. Even as a child, he felt a desire to imitate   
   Abraham by leaving his parents, friends, relatives and everything else   
   for the love of God. Acting upon his calling, Theodosius left home and   
   set out for Jerusalem at the time of the Holy Fourth Ecumenical   
   Council of Chalcedon held in 451.   
      
   On his way to Jerusalem, Theodosius stopped in Antioch, where he was   
   greeted by Saint Simeon the Stylite. Simeon, greeting him by name,   
   invited Theodosius to climb his pillar. Together, the two spent time   
   in prayer and blessing, and Saint Simeon prophesied great spiritual   
   work for Theodosius. Following this momentous meeting, Theodosius   
   continued on to Jerusalem, visiting the Holy Places, and eventually   
   entering a monastery under the direction of abbot Longinus. Theodosius   
   began to live the life of a hermit in the desert, settling near the   
   Tower of David, but eventually became well known and respected, and   
   was sought out by pilgrims and disciples.   
      
   To escape the steady stream of pilgrims, Theodosius withdrew further   
   into the wilderness, settling on a mountaintop, residing in a cave   
   that tradition tells us is the same cave that the three Magi spent the   
   night in following their paying homage to Jesus (and later received   
   the angel’s message, warning them to return to their home countries   
   without returning to Herod).   
      
   Theodosius lived for many years in his cave, practicing extreme forms   
   of austerity and asceticism. He generally refused to sleep and eat,   
   standing and praying throughout each day and night. To prevent falling   
   asleep, he tied a rope from the roof of the cage to hold him up, lest   
   he be overcome. Theodosius ate only enough to live--surviving on   
   dates, carob, wild vegetables, legumes, and hearts of palm. Again, his   
   dedication to the Lord and his pious practices attracted many   
   followers from the neighboring countries, and Theodosius eventually   
   founded a small community of monks near Bethlehem.   
      
   This cenobitical community, which later became the Monastery of Saint   
   Theodosius, attracted many followers of varied cultures and languages,   
   and grew rapidly. The monks service to the sick, elderly, and mentally   
   impaired is legendary. Theodosius used his influence as the abbot of   
   the many cenobitical communities that developed to oppose the spread   
   of heresies and fight for the true teachings of the Church. Due to his   
   zealous preaching and many followers, he was at one time exiled, but   
   later recalled. He spent the last years of his life in poor health,   
   but never stopped working for his communities and praying constantly.   
   Saint Theodosius died at the age of 105, and was buried in his   
   hermit’s cave. This site has become a noted place of pilgrimage and   
   miracles.   
      
   The life of Saint Theodosius the Cenobiarch was one of sacrifice and   
   suffering for the Lord and for his people. He willingly gave up his   
   home, his friends, and his family, traveling great distances to follow   
   the call of the Lord. He suffered poor health, exile, and hunger--all   
   the while, shining as an example of Christian love, devotion to   
   prayer, and concern for one’s fellow human beings. The charity of   
   Saint Theodosius came at a great cost to him, and inspires us today to   
   be charitable to our neighbors, remembering that charity is sometimes   
   not easy… that there is cost to us as well.   
      
      
   O God, whose blessed Son became poor that we through his poverty might   
   be rich: Deliver us from an inordinate love of this world, that we,   
   inspired, by the devotion of your servant St. Theodosius the   
   Cenobiarch, may serve you with singleness of heart, and attain to the   
   riches of the age to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives   
   and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.   
   Amen.   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   I pray You to destroy in me all that is not of You. Grant that I may   
   live but in You, by You and for You, so that I may truly say, with   
   Saint Paul, "I live--now not I--But Christ lives in me.   
   -- Saint John Gabriel Perboyre   
      
   Bible Quote   
   From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, who was slain   
   between the altar and the temple: Yea I say to you, It shall be   
   required of this generation.  (Luke 11:51)   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   A pledge to Mary Our Mother    
      
   My Queen!  My Mother!  I give myself entirely to thee; and to show my   
   devotion to thee, I consecrate to thee this day my eyes, my ears,   
   my mouth, my heart, my whole being without reserve.   
   Wherefore, good Mother, I am thine own, keep me, guard me,   
   as thy property and possession.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)