From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   A Rule of Life   
      
   "Hold dear the example of those who persevere and imitate it; weep for   
   those who fall, lest you grow proud. Do not proclaim your   
   righteousness but submit yourself to God who frees who from blame.   
   Pardon the sins of others and pray for your own. Avoid future falls by   
   vigilance and blot out past falls by confession."   
   --St. Augustine--Holy Virginity 52, 53   
      
   Prayer: Come, Lord, get to work on us. Call us back, kindle us, and   
   clasp us to your heart. Be fragrant to us all, and attract us by your   
   loveliness. Let us love you and run to you.   
   --St. Augustine--Confessions 8, 4   
      
   ================   
   November 19th - The Holy Prophet Obadiah   
   (Also known as Abdias. Abdis)   
      
   Memorial   
       19 November   
       15 Tobi (Coptic)   
      
   This name is the Greek form of the Hebrew `Obhádhyah, which means "the   
   servant [or worshipper] of Yahweh". The fourth and shortest of the   
   minor prophetical books of the Old Testament (it contains only 21   
   verses) is ascribed to Abdias. In the title of the book it is usually   
   regarded as a proper name. Some recent scholars, however, think that   
   it should be treated as an appellative, for, on the one hand, Holy   
   Writ often designates a true prophet under the appellative name of   
   "the servant of Yahweh", and on the other, it nowhere gives any   
   distinct information concerning the writer of the work ascribed to   
   Abdias. It is true that in the absence of such authoritative   
   information Jews and Christian traditions have been freely circulated   
   to supply its place; but it remains none the less a fact that "nothing   
   is known of Abdias; his family, station in life, place of birth,   
   manner of death, are equally unknown to us" (Abbé Trochon, Les petits   
   prophètes, 193). The only thing that may be inferred from the work   
   concerning its author is that he belonged to the Kingdom of Judea.   
      
   The short prophecy of Abdias deals almost exclusively with the fate of   
   Edom as is stated in its opening words. God has summoned the nations   
   against her. She trusts in her rocky fastnesses, but in vain. She   
   would be utterly destroyed, not simply spoiled as by thieves (1-6).   
   Her former friends and allies have turned against her (7), and her   
   wisdom shall fail her in this extremity (8,9). She is justly punished   
   for her unbrotherly conduct towards Judea when foreigners sacked   
   Jerusalem and cast lots over it (10-11). She is bidden to desist from   
   her unworthy conduct (12-14). The "day of Yahweh" is near upon "all   
   the nations", in whose ruin Edom shall share under the united efforts   
   of "the house of Jacob" and "the house of Joseph" (16-18). As for   
   Israel, her borders will be enlarged in every direction; "Saviours"   
   shall appear on Mount Sion to "judge" the Mount of Esau, and the rule   
   of Yahweh shall be established (19-20).   
      
   More information   
      
   The Holy Prophet Obadiah [or Abdia] is the 4th of the 12 Minor   
   Prophets, and he lived during the ninth century B.C. He was from the   
   village of Betharam, near Sichem, and he served as steward of the   
   impious Israelite King Ahab. In those days the whole of Israel had   
   turned away from the true God and had begun to offer sacrifice to   
   Baal, but Obadiah faithfully served the God of Abraham, Isaac and   
   Jacob in secret.   
      
   When Ahab's wife, the impious and dissolute Jezebel, hunted down all   
   the prophets of the Lord (because of her quarrel with the Prophet   
   Elijah), Obadiah gave them shelter and food (3/1 Kgs 18:3 ff). Ahab's   
   successor King Okhoziah [Ahaziah] sent 3 detachments of soldiers to   
   arrest the holy Prophet Elijah. One of these detachments was headed by   
   St Obadiah. Through the prayer of Elijah, two of the detachments were   
   consumed by heavenly fire, but St Obadiah and his detachment were   
   spared by the Lord 4/2 Kgs 1).   
      
   From that moment St Obadiah resigned from military service and became   
   a follower of the Prophet Elijah. Afterwards, he himself received the   
   gift of prophecy. The God-inspired work of St Obadiah is the fourth of   
   the Books of the Twelve Minor Prophets in the Bible, and contains   
   predictions about the New Testament Church. The holy Prophet Obadiah   
   was buried in Samaria.   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   Eternal God, behold me prostrate before your immense majesty, humbly   
   adoring you. I offer you all my thoughts, words, and actions of this   
   day. I offer them all to be thought, spoken, and done entirely for   
   love of you, for your glory, to fulfill your divine will, to serve   
   you, to praise you, and bless you. I wish and intend to do everything   
   in union with the most pure intentions of Jesus and Mary.   
   --St. John Leonardi   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   But according to him that hath called you, who is holy, be you also in   
   all manner of conversation holy: Because it is written: You shall be   
   holy, for I am holy.  (1 Peter 1:15-16 ) DRB   
      
      
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   I have a place in God’s counsels, in God’s world, which no one else has;   
   whether I be rich or poor, despised or esteemed by man,   
   God knows me and calls me by my name.   
   God has created me to do Him some definite service;   
   He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another.   
   I have my mission–I never may know it in this life, but I shall be   
   told it in the next.   
   Somehow I am necessary for His purposes,   
   as necessary in my place as an Archangel in his   
   –if, indeed, I fail, He can raise another, as He could make the stones   
   children of Abraham. Yet I have a part in this great work;   
   I am a link in a chain, a bond of connexion between persons.   
   He has not created me for naught.   
   I shall do good, I shall do His work;   
   I shall be an angel of peace,   
   a preacher of truth in my own place, while not intending it,   
   if I do but keep His commandments and serve Him in my calling.   
      
   Therefore I will trust Him.   
   Whatever, wherever I am, I can never be thrown away.   
   If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him;   
   in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him;   
   if I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him.   
   My sickness, or perplexity, or sorrow may be necessary causes of    
   some great end, which is quite beyond us.   
   He does nothing in vain; He may prolong my life, He may shorten it;   
   He knows what He is about.   
   He may take away my friends,   
   He may throw me among strangers,   
   He may make me feel desolate,   
   make my spirits sink, hide the future from me   
   –still He knows what He is about.   
      
   -- Blessed John Henry Newman   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)