From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   On Asking God's Help and the Certainty of his Grace [II]   
      
       The mind of man is prone to delusions, but to be deceived by the   
   suggestions of the Devil is a sign of spiritual weakness. Satan does   
   not care whether it be by truth or falsehood that he mocks and   
   deceives you; or whether he obtains your downfall through love of the   
   present or fear of the future. Therefore, let not your heart be   
   troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27) Trust in Me, and put   
   your whole confidence in My mercy. (Ps.91:2) When you think I am far   
   away, then often I am nearest to you. And when you think the battle   
   almost lost, then the reward of all your toil is often near. All is   
   not lost when anything turns out contrary to your plans. Therefore do   
   not allow your feelings of the moment to obscure your judgement, nor   
   yield to depression as though all hope of recovery were lost.   
   --Thomas à Kempis --Imitation of Christ, Bk 3, Ch 30   
      
      
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   February 18th – Saint Leo of Patera   
   Died c. 260.   
      
    Saint Leo witnessed the martyrdom of Saint Paregorius at Patara,   
   Lycia, and found his heart divided between joy for his friend's   
   glorious victory, and sorrow to see himself deprived of the happiness   
   of sharing in it.   
      
   In the absence of the proconsul of Asia, the governor of Lycia   
   demonstrated his piety to the gods by publishing an order obliging all   
   citizens to offer sacrifice to Serapis. Leo, sad to see both the   
   pagans and some Christians going to adore the idol, went to the tomb   
   of Saint Paregorius and passed the temple of Serapis en route.   
      
   The heathens that saw him knew that this was a Christian because of   
   his modesty. From his youth, Leo had practiced austerity and the   
   devotions of an ascetic life. Returning home he fell asleep and   
   dreamed that God was calling him to martyrdom, too.   
      
   The next time he visited Paregorius's tomb he walked boldly through   
   the market place and passed the temple of Fortune, which he saw   
   illumined by lanterns. He pitied their blindness and, moved with zeal   
   for the living God, broke many of the lanterns and trampled on the   
   tapers, saying, "Let your gods revenge the injury if they are able to   
   do it." The priest of the temple cried out, "Unless this impiety be   
   punished, the goddess Fortune will withdraw her protection from the   
   city."   
      
   An account of the affair soon reached the governor's ears. He ordered   
   the saint brought before him, and said: "Wicked wretch, your   
   sacrilegious action surely bespeaks that you are either ignorant of   
   the immortal gods, or downright mad, in flying in the face of our most   
   divine emperors, whom we justly regard as secondary deities and   
   saviors."   
      
   The martyr replied, "You are under a great mistake, in supposing a   
   plurality of gods; there is but one, who is the God of heaven and   
   earth, and who does not stand in need of being worshipped after that   
   gross manner that men worship idols. The most acceptable sacrifice we   
   can offer him is that of a contrite and humble heart."   
      
   Offered the choice of sacrificing or dying, Leo chose the narrow way   
   rather than the broad, commodious path offered by the governor. "When   
   I called it narrow," said the martyr, "this was only because it is not   
   entered without difficulty, and that its beginnings are often attended   
   with afflictions and persecutions for justice' sake. But being once   
   entered, it is not difficult to keep in it by the practice of virtue,   
   which helps to widen it and render it easy to those that persevere in   
   it, which has been done by many."   
      
   After continued debate, the saint was mercilessly scourged. The   
   governor relented because of Leo's venerable age and told him he would   
   only have to acknowledge the gods and not sacrifice, but still Leo   
   refused. He was then dragged by his feet to his place of execution.   
   After his death his executioners threw his body over a precipice into   
   a deep pit, but it received only a few bruises. The Christians   
   recovered Leo's body and found it of a lively color, and entire, and   
   his face appeared comely and smiling, and they buried it in the most   
   honorable manner they could (Benedictines, Husenbeth).   
      
      
   Saint Quote   
   What a weakness it is to love Jesus Christ only when He caresses us,   
   and to be cold immediately once He afflicts us. This is not true love.   
   Those who love thus, love themselves too much to love God with all   
   their heart.   
   -- Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you.   
   May those who long for your help   
   always say, "God be glorified!"   
   Here I am, afflicted and poor.   
   God, come quickly! You are my help and deliverer.   
   LORD, do not delay!  (Ps 70: 5,6)   
      
      
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   John points to Jesus' saving mission   
      
   "No longer does John need to 'prepare the way,' since the one for whom   
   the preparation was being made is right there before his eyes... But   
   now he who of old was dimly pictured, the very Lamb, the spotless   
   Sacrifice, is led to the slaughter for all, that he might drive away   
   the sin of the world, that he might overturn the destroyer of the   
   earth, that dying for all he might annihilate death, that he might   
   undo the curse that is upon us... For one Lamb died for all (2   
   Corinthians 5:14), saving the whole flock on earth to God the Father,   
   one for all, that he might subject all to God."   
   by Cyril of Alexandria (excerpt from the COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF   
   JOHN 2.1)   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)