From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   On Control of the Heart  (II)   
      
   CHRIST:   
   Take care, therefore, not to rely overmuch on any preconceived desire   
   without asking My counsel, lest you regret or become displeased at   
   what first pleased you, and for which you were eager. For not every   
   feeling that seems good is at once to be acted upon, nor is every   
   feeling that runs contrary to your inclinations to be immediately   
   rejected. It is sometimes necessary to restrain even your good   
   intentions and endeavors, lest by over-eagerness your mind becomes   
   distracted; lest by lack of discipline you cause offence to others; or   
   lest you suddenly become confused and upset by the opposition of   
   others.   
   --Thomas à Kempis --Imitation of Christ, Bk 3, Ch 11   
      
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   March 9th – St. Pacian, Bishop of Barcelona   
      
      There are many saints whose lives and works inspire us, but about   
   whom we can't learn as much as we would like, because the records are   
   missing.   
      
   One of these is St. Pacian. He had an impressive career as bishop of   
   Barcelona, Spain, in the last two decades of the 4th century. He has   
   left three letters and two sermons, but these are so good we hanker   
   for more.   
      
   Pacian was outstanding enough to merit inclusion in the “who's who”   
   called On Men of Distinction, written by the great 4th-century   
   scholar, St. Jerome. Jerome did not know the bishop personally, but he   
   did know Pacian's son, Flavius Dexter, an officer who served Emperors   
   Theodosius and Honorius. It was to Flavius that Jerome dedicated “On   
   Men of Distinction”. The author was well informed on the bishop. He   
   praised his personal integrity and simple eloquence, and declared that   
   his way of life was even more illustrious than his works.   
      
   One of Pacian's writings that was not preserved, but about which we   
   know, was his Cervellus. Cervellus (“The Little Stag”) dealt with an   
   immoral pagan New Year's celebration. It was a sort of Mardi Gras   
   centering around a little deer. The pagan participants would wear   
   masks, dress up like animals, and then act like animals (or worse).   
      
   Since this was an ancient and popular observance, Christians sometimes   
   yielded to the temptation to take part. Bishop Pacian was faced with a   
   dilemma that bishops still face today. Should he publicly denounce   
   this immoral rite or not? It was his duty to warn the faithful, but   
   denunciation also gave a “box office” publicity to the Cervellus. If   
   he warned the faithful, he would be fulfilling his duty to save their   
   souls. But the very warning would prompt others, out of curiosity or   
   defiance, to join in the pagan rite, and their souls might thus be   
   lost.   
      
   Well, he did give public warning, and the practice eventually died   
   out. As for the danger of publicity, he simply left this, I suppose,   
   in God's hands. Sometimes we have to tolerate the bad side effects of   
   our good actions.   
      
   Pacian preached clearly on the need to ask God's forgiveness for all   
   our sins. He reminded his flock that when Jesus gave the authority to   
   bind and loose sins to his apostles - and through them to their   
   successors - this authority extended to every sin, slight or serious:   
   “Whether it be great or whether it be small.”   
      
   Yes, there are smaller sins, he said. These, too, can be forgiven in   
   confession. But the venial sins can also be forgiven or atoned for by   
   other means. He doubtless meant prayer, self-denial, etc. This is good   
   for us to remember, especially in Lent: Our Lenten prayers, acts of   
   self-denial (like fasting and abstinence) and almsgiving make up to   
   God for our lesser sins. (Indeed, they can be applied to the sins of   
   the faithfully departed, too, towards the release of their souls in   
   purgatory.) On the other hand, mortal sins (like idolatry, irreverence   
   towards the Blessed Sacrament, murder and illicit sex) can be forgiven   
   only through the sacrament of reconciliation (penance).   
      
   Pacian sensed that some would object (as they do today) to confessing   
   their sins to a priest: “I am embarrassed to confess these grave   
   sins.” The saint answered pointedly, “You were not ashamed to commit   
   the sin, but now are ashamed to confess it?”   
      
   A good comment! We should be embarrassed to confess serious sins.   
   Embarrassment is itself an appropriate act of penance. By undergoing   
   it, we prove to God that we are humble enough to deserve his   
   forgiveness.   
      
   Pacian is best remembered, however, for adopting and clarifying the   
   word “Catholic”. A heretic once rebuked the bishop for his use of the   
   term “the Catholic Church”. St. Pacian replied, “Christian is my name,   
   Catholic my surname. The one name puts me in a class; the other gives   
   me a character. The second is a testimonial; the first is a label.” A   
   Catholic Christian, he went on to explain, is a Christian who follows   
   the correct teaching of the Catholic (i.e. universal) Church.    
   This, like much else that Pacian said 17 centuries ago, is still true today.   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   Prudence must precede every action which we undertake; for, if   
   prudence be wanting, there is nothing, however good it may seem,   
    which is not turned into evil.   
   -- St. Basil   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   PIOUS INVOCATIONS   
      
   O saving Victim, opening wide   
   The gate of heaven to man below,   
   Our foes press on from every side;   
   Thine aid supply, Thy strength bestow.   
      
   To Thy great Name be endless praise,   
   Immortal Godhead, one in three;   
   Oh, grant us endless length of days   
   In our true native land with Thee.   
   Amen.   
      
   Blessed is He Who cometh in the Name of the Lord:   
    Hosanna in the highest.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)