From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   Christ, our universal pledge   
      
      The Son of God clothed himself in human flesh and in that flesh   
   suffered and rose from the dead, in order to show in his own body what   
   our resurrection will be like. This is why he is called the mediator   
   between God and humankind, for while living in heaven, he preserves as   
   his own the human nature entrusted to him. Moreover, he possesses this   
   human nature as a universal pledge: just as in Christ flesh and blood   
   already possess the kingdom of God, so we too, when we rise from the   
   dead in that same flesh, shall obtain the kingdom of God through   
   Christ.   
      God formed the human body with his own sacred hands, treating it as   
   his very own work, and breathed into it a soul in the likeness of his   
   own life; he then set it over his whole creation to dwell in it as its   
   rule and make it fruitful. In addition, he fortified it through his   
   sacraments and teaching, and gave it eternal life in the resurrection.   
   Thus, the body is washed so that the soul may be purified; the body is   
   anointed so that the soul may be consecrated; the body is signed so   
   that the soul may be saved; the body is overshadowed by the laying on   
   of hands so that the soul may be enlightened by the Holy Spirit; the   
   body eats and drinks the body and blood of Christ so that the soul may   
   feed itself on God. In the time of reward, therefore, these two that   
   have been united in their actions are not to be separated.   
   --Gregory of Elvira   
      
   ==================   
   July 8th - Saint Procopius of Ceasarea   
   (Also known as Neanius, Procopio)   
   d. 303   
      
   In the world Neanius, a native of Jerusalem, lived and suffered during   
   the reign of the emperor Diocletian (284-305). His father, an eminent   
   Roman by the name of Christopher, was a Christian, but the mother of   
   the saint, Theodosia, remained a pagan. He was early deprived of his   
   father, and the young child was raised by his mother. Having received   
   an excellent secular education, he was introduced to Diocletian in the   
   very first year of the emperor's accession to the throne, and he   
   quickly advanced in government service. Towards the year 303, when   
   open persecution against Christians began, Neanius was sent as a   
   proconsul to Alexandria with orders to mercilessly persecute the   
   Church of God.   
      
   On the way to Egypt, near the Syrian city of Apamea, Neanius had a   
   vision of the Lord Jesus, similar to the vision of Saul on the road to   
   Damascus. A divine voice exclaimed, "Neanius, why do you persecute   
   Me?"  Neanius asked, "Who are you, Lord?"  "I am the crucified Jesus,   
   the Son of God."   
      
   At that moment a radiant Cross appeared in the air. Neanius felt an   
   inexpressible joy and spiritual happiness in his heart and he was   
   transformed from being a persecutor into a zealous follower of Christ.   
   From this point in time Neanius became favorably disposed towards   
   Christians and fought victoriously against the barbarians.   
      
   The words of the Savior came true for the saint, "A man's foes shall   
   be those of his own household" (Mt. 10:36). His mother, a pagan   
   herself, went to the emperor to complain that her son did not worship   
   the ancestral gods. Neanius was summoned to the procurator Judaeus   
   Justus, where he was solemnly handed the decree of Diocletian. Having   
   read through the blasphemous directive, Neanius quietly tore it up   
   before the eyes of everyone. This was a crime, which the Romans   
   regarded as an "insult to authority." Neanius was held under guard and   
   in chains sent to Caesarea of Palestine, where the Apostle Paul once   
   languished. After terrible torments, they threw the saint into a dank   
   prison. That night, a light shone in the prison, and the Lord Jesus   
   Christ Himself baptized the suffering confessor, and gave him the name   
   Procopius.   
      
   Repeatedly they led St. Procopius to the courtroom, demanding that he   
   renounce Christ, and they subjected him to more tortures. The   
   stolidity of the martyr and his fiery faith brought down God's   
   abundant grace on those who witnessed the execution.  Inspired by the   
   example of Procopius, many of the holy martyr's former guards and   
   Roman soldiers went beneath the executioner's sword together with   
   their tribunes Nikostrates and Antiochus. Twelve Christian women   
   received martyr's crowns, after they came to the gates of the Caesarea   
   Praetorium.   
      
   Struck by the great faith and courage of the Christians, and seeing   
   the firmness of her son in bearing terrible sufferings, Theodosia   
   became repentant and stood in the line of confessors and was executed.   
   Finally the new procurator, Flavian, convinced of the futility of the   
   tortures, sentenced the holy Great Martyr Procopius to beheading by   
   the sword. By night Christians took up his much-tortured body, and   
   with tears and prayers, they committed it to the earth. This was the   
   first martyrdom at Caesarea .   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   On behalf of Christ crucified I tell you: refuse to believe the   
   counsels of the devil, who would hinder your holy and good resolution.   
   Be manly in my sight, and not timorous. Answer God, who calls you to   
   hold and possess the seat of the glorious Shepherd St. Peter, whose   
   vicar you have been. And raise the standard of the holy Cross.   
   --Saint Catherine of Siena to Pope Gregory XI   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   28 We know that in everything God works for good[a] with those who   
   love him,[b] who are called according to his purpose.   (Romans 8:28 )   
    RSVCE   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,   
   have mercy upon me a sinner.   
      
      
   HYMN OF THE EVENING   
      
   O joyful Light! Light and Holy Glory of the Father immortal, the   
   heavenly, holy, the Blessed One; O Jesus Christ. Now that we have   
   reached the setting of the sun, and see the evening light, we sing to   
   God, Father + Son, and Holy Spirit. It is fitting at all times to   
   raise a song of praise in measured melody to You, O Son of God, the   
   giver of life. Behold the universe sings your glory.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)