From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   Life through death   
      
   "Did you make it possible for yourselves to merit God's mercy because   
   you turned back to him? If you hadn't been called by God, what could   
   you have done to turn back? Didn't the very One Who called you when   
   you were opposed to Him make it possible for you to turn back? Don't   
   claim your conversion as your own doing. Unless He had called you when   
   you were running away from Him, you would not have been able to turn   
   back."   
   --St. Augustine--(Commentary on Psalm 84, 8)   
      
      
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   March 10th - Saint Anastasia the Patrician   
   Also known as Anastasia of Skete, Anastasia the Eunuch, Anastasius….   
      
   d. 567   
      
   Saint Anastasia the Patrician was a young woman who gave up all she   
   had to avoid breaking her vow of chastity, fleeing a privileged and   
   noble life to life in the desert as a monk. Saint Anastasia’s   
   sacrifice reminds us of our own opportunities to sacrifice and life in   
   repentance and conversion during this Lenten season.   
      
   Anastasia was born a Christian Byzantine noble and lady-in-waiting to   
   the Empress Theodora in the court of Emperor Justinian of   
   Constantinople. An image of virtue and chastity from birth, she was   
   greatly admired and respected by the emperor, which concerned her a   
   great deal. Wishing to give up the world and it’s trappings, Anastasia   
   fled Constantinople, moving to Alexandria and founding a small   
   monastery there. She spent her days in prayer and penance, devoting   
   herself fully to the Lord.   
      
   Upon the death of Empress Theodora, Emperor Justinian launched a   
   search for his fair Anastasia, whom he had never forgotten. When   
   Anastasia learned of this, she left her monastery, journeying further   
   into the remote desert, and searching for a well-known and pious monk,   
   Abba Daniel, for assistance.   
      
   To protect her, Daniel dressed her as a male monk, and referred to her   
   only as “the eunuch Anastasius.” He settled her in an extremely remote   
   cave, and provided her with a rule of prayer and cloister. From that   
   moment on, Anastasia never left her cave, nor did she receive any   
   visitors. Only one other monk knew of her existence, and it was his   
   task to bring her a pitcher of water and a loaf of bread once each   
   week, leaving it at the entrance. In this manner, Anastasia lived in   
   solitude with the Lord for 28 years, avoiding the detection of   
   Justinian.   
      
   During her communion with the Lord, it was revealed to Anastasia the   
   hour and day of her death. Understanding fully, she wrote “Bring the   
   spades and come here” on a piece of pottery, and left it at the   
   entrance of her cave. The monk who found this message brought it to   
   Abba Daniel, who immediately understood that her time approached. He   
   brought all that was necessary for burial, and upon his arrival found   
   her still alive. Together they contemplated the Holy Mysteries, and   
   following a blessing (which Abba Daniel requested from the pious   
   woman), Anastasia said, “Lord, into Thy hands I commend my spirit.”   
   With that she died peacefully, in the year 567.   
      
   While dressing Anastasia for burial, the monk noticed that she was a   
   woman, and upon questioning, Abba Daniel related her life of   
   sacrifice, commitment, and love for the Lord. The monk, in turn,   
   recorded her story. Eventually, in 1200, Saint Anastasia’s relics were   
   translated to Constantinople, and placed near the Church of Hagia   
   Sophia, where they are venerated today.   
      
   The life of Saint Anastasia the Patrician inspires us today. When   
   Anastasia identified those things in her life that might lead her into   
   temptation and away from the Lord, she took measures--drastic   
   measures--to ensure the safety and sanctity of her soul. During this   
   Lenten season, we might pause to consider her example. What in our   
   lives leads us into sin?   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   By the virtue of modesty the devout person governs all his exterior   
   acts. With good reason, then, does St. Paul recommend this virtue to   
   all and declare how necessary it is and as if this were not enough he   
   considers that this virtue should be obvious to all.   
   --St. Padre Pio   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   These things Jesus spoke, and lifting up his eyes to heaven, he said:   
   Father, the hour is come, glorify thy Son, that thy Son may glorify   
   thee. As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he may give   
   eternal life to all whom thou hast given him. (John 17:1-2) DRB   
      
      
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   One time, a glorious patrician, Venerable Anastasia,   
      
   Money, flattery, abandoned she all,   
   To Christ, her entire life she directed;   
   Christ, her bread; Christ, her water;   
   Christ, her joy and freedom,   
   Christ, the restorer of her soul,   
   Christ, the bridge over death.   
   Anastasia became shriveled,   
   The spirit through her withered face shines;   
   The spirit raises her higher to God,   
   With the Spirit of God, she breathes,   
   Until illuminated, she became,   
   By Grace enlightened,   
   By the power of God strengthened   
   And among the Living inscribed.   
   All she forgave, all she loved,   
   And for the entire world, she prays,   
   Like an angel, she was indeed,   
   Wholly fixed on Christ;   
   By the power of God, more powerful was she   
   And by riches, more wealthy   
   Than the Empress Theodora   
   Amidst the opulence of the imperial court.   
   (St. Nikolai Velimirovich)   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)