From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   Few Love the Cross of Jesus (3)   
      
      If a man give all his wealth, it is nothing; if he do great   
   penance, it is little; if he gain all knowledge, he is still far   
   afield; if he have great virtue and much ardent devotion, he still   
   lacks a great deal, and especially, the one thing that is most   
   necessary to him. What is this one thing? That leaving all, he forsake   
   himself, completely renounce himself, and give up all private   
   affections. Then, when he has done all that he knows ought to be done,   
   let him consider it as nothing, let him make little of what may be   
   considered great; let him in all honesty call himself an unprofitable   
   servant. For truth itself has said:   
      “When you shall have done all these things that are commanded you,   
   say: ‘we are unprofitable servants.’” (Luke 17:10).   
     Then he will be truly poor and stripped in spirit, and with the   
   prophet may say: “I am alone and poor.” (Ps. 24:16.)   
      No one, however, is more wealthy than such a man; no one is more   
   powerful, no one freer than he who knows how to leave all things and   
   think of himself as the least of all.   
   --Thomas à Kempis --Imitation of Christ Book 2, Chapter 11   
      
   ==========   
   July 23rd - Saint Phocas the Gardener   
    (died 303)   
      
    Saint Phocas is considered the patron saint of gardeners, as despite   
   being quite poor himself, spent his time growing crops to feed those   
   who were hungry. His charity and care for others--even the soldiers   
   who were dispatched to execute him--remind us of our call to social   
   justice, service, and care for our fellow man.   
      
   Saint Phocas was a Christian gardener, who lived at Sinope on the   
   Black Sea, in Paphiagonia (modern-day Turkey). He earned his living by   
   cultivating a garden near the city gate, where he spent his days in   
   quiet prayer and contemplation while he tilled his soil and created a   
   beautiful green space. Despite his own poverty, he shared whatever he   
   grew with those who were poorer than he, and opened his home to poor   
   travelers who had no place to stay. Over time, through his quiet   
   witness, he became known readily as a pious Christian man, and   
   attracted the attention of the pagan Roman authorities during the   
   persecution of Christians under Emperor Diocletian.   
      
   Roman soldiers were dispatched to find and arrest him. Having traveled   
   a long way, the solders arrived in Sinope tired and hungry, and found   
   themselves at the door of a kindly man who offered them food and   
   lodging. Unaware this was the man they were charged with capturing,   
   they accepted his gracious offer, speaking throughout dinner of the   
   mission they were on. Once his soon-to-be-captors were asleep, Phocas   
   spent the evening in prayer, outside the home, while digging his own   
   grave.   
      
   In the morning, after feeding the soldiers breakfast, Phocas led them   
   to his grave and confirmed his identity. When they were aghast and   
   hesitated to execute him as ordered, he encouraged them to complete   
   their task and behead him. Eventually, the soldiers did as commanded,   
   and Saint Phocas was beheaded, earning the golden crown of the   
   Martyrs.   
      
   The soldiers, with deep respect, buried the holy martyr Phocas in the   
   grave that he had prepared in the garden. The place of his burial was   
   glorified by miracles, and later a church was built there. Saint   
   Phocas is venerated as a patron saint of both gardeners and mariners.   
   Phocas is the Greek word for "seal,” which may explain his patronage   
   of sailors and mariners. A sailors' custom was to serve Phocas a   
   portion of every meal; this was called "the portion of Saint Phocas."   
   This portion was bought by one of the voyagers and the price was   
   deposited in the hands of the captain. When the ship came into port,   
   the money was distributed among the poor, in thanksgiving to their   
   benefactor for their successful voyage.   
      
   Saint Phocas remains a reminder of our duty as Christians to espouse   
   virtuous charity: complete selfless concern for the good of others,   
   regardless of whether we like them or not, and regardless of what we   
   will get in return. We pray today for the strength and obedience to   
   live loving and charitable lives.   
    by Jacob   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   Lord, grant that I might not so much seek to be loved as to love.   
   -- St Francis of Assisi   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   "Forgetfulness of God, defiling of souls, changing of nature, disorder   
   in marriage, and the irregularity of adultery and uncleanness" ... for   
   two things they shall be punished, because they have thought not well   
   of God ... and have sworn unjustly in guile despising justice.   
   (Wisdom 14:22-26)   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   Keep me, O God, from pettiness; let me be large in thought, in word,   
   in deed. Let me be done with fault-finding and self-seeking. May I put   
   away all pretense and meet everyone face to face without self-pity and   
   without prejudice. May I never be hasty in judgment and always   
   generous. Let me take time for all things. Make me grow calm, serene   
   and gentle. Teach me to put into action my better impulses,   
   straightforward and unafraid. Grant that I may realize it is the   
   little things of life that create differences and that in the big   
   things of life we are one. And, O Lord God, let me not forget to be   
   kind! Amen.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)