From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   Gathering and Separating   
      
       "And he will separate them one from another as a shepherd   
   separates the sheep from the goats." So then, people on earth are   
   intermingled, and not only intermingled in that the righteous live   
   side by side with the wicked, but they are also indistinguishable.   
   Between the righteous and the wicked there is no apparent difference.   
   Even as in wintertime you cannot tell the healthy trees apart from the   
   withered trees but in beautiful springtime you can tell the   
   difference, so too each person according to his faith and his works   
   will be exposed. The wicked will not have any leaves or show any   
   fruit, but the righteous will be clothed with the leaves of eternal   
   life and adorned with the fruit of glory. In this way they will be   
   separated by the heavenly shepherd and Lord. The earthly shepherd   
   separates animals by their type of body, whereas Christ separates   
   people by their type of soul. The sheep signify righteous people by   
   reason of their gentleness, because they harm no one, and by reason of   
   their patience, because when they are harmed by others, they bear it   
   without resistance. He refers to sinners as goats, however, because   
   these vices characterize goats--capriciousness toward other animals,   
   pride and belligerence."   
    by an anonymous early author from the Greek church (excerpt from   
   INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW, HOMILY 54, the Greek fathers).   
      
      
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   January 25th - Saint Bretannion of Tomi   
   4th v.   
      
      At Tomis in Scythia, St. Bretannio, bishop, who worked in the   
   Church shewing great sanctity and zeal for the Catholic faith, and was   
   at the same time bravely opposed to the Arian emperor Valens.   
      
   In the reign of the Arian Emperor Valens, whom he fearlessly opposed,   
   he flourished in the Church in wondrous sanctity and zealous devotion   
   to the Catholic faith.  Saint Bretannio (Bretanion, Vetranio,   
   Vetranion) a bishop of Tomi (today Constanta, Romania) during the   
   fourth century. Of Cappadocian origin, he occupied the see of Tomi   
   from 360.   
      
   According to Sozomen, during the campaign against the Goths in this   
   region, the emperor Valens stopped at Tomi and urged the populace to   
   convert to Arianism and reject the Nicene Creed. Bretannio spoke out   
   against this and for this he was exiled. However, due to public outcry   
   over the bishop’s exile, he was allowed to return.   
      
   Basil the Great requested of the ruler of Scythia Minor, Junius   
   Soranus (Saran), that he should send him the relics of saints of that   
   region. Basil was sent the relics of Sabbas the Goth in Caesarea,   
   Cappadocia, in 373 or 374 accompanied by a letter, the 'Epistle of the   
   Church of God in Gothia to the Church of God located in Cappadocia and   
   to all the Local Churches of the Holy Universal Church'. The sending   
   of Sabbas' relics and the writing of the actual letter has been   
   attributed to Bretannio. This letter is the oldest known writing to be   
   composed on Romanian soil and was written in Greek.   
      
   He may have represented Tomi at the council held in Constantinople in   
   381, but his name may have been confused with the name of the bishop   
   Gerontius (Terentius) of Tomi, who may have been the actual   
   participant at this council. Baronio, in compiling his martyrology,   
   seems to have arbitrarily assigned him the feast day of January 25.   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   An explanation of how repentant sinners are to be freed from their   
   sins is given through the prophet Isaiah in the words: Wash yourselves   
   and be clean. Remove the evil from your souls; learn to do what is   
   right. Be just to the orphan, vindicate the widow. Come, let us reason   
   together, says the Lord. If your sins are like scarlet, I will make   
   them white as wool; if they are like crimson, I will make them white   
   as snow.   
   --Saint Justin Martyr   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   “And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will,   
   to see the Just One and to hear a voice from his mouth; for you will   
   be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and heard. And   
   now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized, and wash away your sins,   
   calling on his name,’” (Acts 22:14-16). [RSV]   
      
      
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   TO OVERCOME EVIL PASSIONS   
   AND TO BECOME A SAINT   
      
       Dear Jesus, in the Sacrament of the Altar,   
       be forever thanked and praised.   
       Love, worthy of all celestial and terrestrial love!   
       Who, out of infinite love for me,   
       ungrateful sinner,   
       didst assume our human nature,   
       didst shed Thy most Precious Blood in the cruel scourging,   
       and didst expire on a shameful Cross   
       for our eternal welfare!   
       Now illumined with lively faith,   
       with the outpouring of my whole soul   
       and the fervor of my heart,   
       I humbly beseech Thee,   
       through the infinite merits of Thy painful sufferings,   
       give me strength and courage   
       to destroy every evil passion which sways my heart,   
       to bless Thee by the exact fulfillment of my duties,   
       supremely to hate all sin,   
       and thus to become a Saint.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)