From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   Of a Pure Mind and Simple Intention (1)   
      
   MAN is raised up from the earth by two wings-simplicity and purity.   
   There must  be simplicity in his intention and purity in his desires.   
   Simplicity leads to God, purity embraces and enjoys Him. If your   
   heart is free from ill-ordered  affection, no good deed will be   
   difficult for you. If you aim at and seek  after nothing but the   
   pleasure of God and the welfare of your neighbor, you will  enjoy   
   freedom within.   
   --Thomas à Kempis --Imitation of Christ Book 2, Chapter 4   
      
   ===============   
   April 16th - St. Benedict Joseph Labre   
      
   Benedict Joseph was the oldest of 15 children born to the Labre   
   family on March 25, 1748 at Amettes, France. His father was a   
   prosperous shopkeeper at Amettes and when Benedict was 12 his   
   parents sent him to Érin to study with his uncle who was the parish   
   priest.   
      
   Benedict became more interested in the Scriptures and lives of the   
   saints than in the practical studies and it was at this time that he   
   decided to dedicate his life to God. During his stay at Érin a cholera   
   epidemic occurred and he and his uncle worked long hours everyday   
   caring for the sick and dying. After his uncle died of the disease,   
   Benedict returned home.   
      
   At the age of 18 he attempted to enter the Trappist order, but   
   was refused because he was too young. Subsequently he tried his   
   vocation at other monastic communities. Each time, despite his   
   devotion to the life, his inability to adjust caused him physical   
   illness and required him to leave.   
      
   In 1770 he started a pilgrimage to Rome, living on alms and visiting   
   holy shrines on the way. It was during this time that he came to   
   understand that his vocation was to follow the example of Jesus in the   
   Scriptures. He became a wandering beggar, traveling to all the   
   important shrines of Europe. He shared whatever alms were given to him   
   and he would spend long periods at each of the Churches he visited,   
   praying before the Blessed Sacrament. Often he was treated with   
   contempt and even unjustly beaten, which he accepted humbly and   
   quietly. He spent the next six years traveling to shrines in Italy,   
   Switzerland, France, Germany and Spain.   
      
   Dressed in ragged clothing he would spend hours in prayer before the   
   crucifix. He had a very special love for the "Forty Hours" devotion,   
   and would seek out churches where this devotion was practiced. He   
   attracted the attention of many by his humility, sincerity and   
   prayerfulness. Tradition tells of bread multiplying when he was   
   feeding poor beggars and of his prayers healing the sick.   
      
   After 1776, Benedict ceased his pilgrimages and remained in Rome,   
   spending his nights in the ruins of the Coliseum and his days in   
   churches throughout the city. Increasing illness finally forced him to   
   accept lodging at a poor house in Rome. His holiness and charity   
   brought many to conversion in their own lives. In 1783 his frail   
   health finally gave way and he died during Holy Week, April 15, 1783.   
      
   "The Little Beggar of Rome," as he came to be known, is truly an   
   example of total trust and love for God. Tradition tells us that   
   Benedict would seldom even beg. If no one gave him any alms, he would   
   simply eat the peelings of fruit or leftovers that he would find in   
   the local trash bins. It is not Benedict's actions per se that are   
   impressive to us today, but the great love for God that was his. He   
   totally believed in God's love and his life was spent giving thanks   
   and adoration to his creator for that love.   
      
   Patronage   
   bachelors; beggars; hobos; homeless people; insanity; mental illness;   
   mentally ill people; people rejected by religious orders; pilgrims;   
   tramps; unmarried men   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   Everyone--past, present, and future--will be judged. Now, then, is the   
   time for mercy, while the time to come will be the time for justice   
   only. For that reason, the present time is ours, but the future time   
   will be God's only!   
   --St. Thomas Aquinas   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   I charge thee, before God and Jesus Christ, who shall judge the living   
   and the dead, by his coming, and his kingdom: 2 Preach the word: be   
   instant in season, out of season: reprove, entreat, rebuke in all   
   patience and doctrine. 3 For there shall be a time, when they will not   
   endure sound doctrine; but, according to their own desires, they will   
   heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears: 4 And will indeed   
   turn away their hearing from the truth, but will be turned unto   
   fables. 5 But be thou vigilant, labour in all things, do the work of   
   an evangelist, fulfill thy ministry. Be sober.  (2 Tim. 4:1-5)   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   Prayer to Saint Benedict Joseph Labre   
      
   Saint Benedict Joseph Labre, you gave up honor, money and home for love of   
   Jesus.  Help us to set our hearts on Jesus and not on the things of this   
   world.  You lived in obscurity among the poor in the streets.  Enable us to   
   see Jesus in our poor brothers and sisters and not judge by appearances.   
   Make us realize that in helping them we are helping Jesus. Show us how to   
   befriend them and not pass them by.   
      
   Saint Benedict Joseph Labre, you had a great love for prayer. Obtain for us   
   the grace of persevering prayer, especially adoration of Jesus in the Most   
   Blessed Sacrament.   
      
   Saint Benedict Joseph Labre, poor in the eyes of men but rich in the eyes of   
   God, pray for us. Amen.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)