From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   On the study of divine truths   
      
   We therefore grossly deceive ourselves in not allotting more time to   
   the study of divine truths. It is not enough barely to believe them,   
   and let our thoughts now and then glance upon them: that knowledge   
   which shows us heaven, will not bring us to the possession of it, and   
   will deserve punishments, not rewards, if it remain slight, weak, and   
   superficial. By serious and frequent meditation it must be concocted,   
   digested, and turned into the nourishment of our affections, before it   
   can be powerful and operative enough to change them, and produce the   
   necessary fruit in our lives. For this all the saints affected   
   solitude and retreats from the noise and hurry of the world, as much   
   as their circumstances allowed them.   
   --St. Apollinaris   
      
   <<>><<>><<>>   
   November 17th - St. Gregory The Wonder Worker, Bishop of Neocaesarea.   
      
   On this day in the year 270 AD, St Gregory the wonder worker departed   
   this life. He was the Bishop of New Caesarea (Roman one), where he was   
   born to rich pagan parents. He studied philosophy at an early age, to   
   the extent that he surpassed many of his colleagues. He then traveled   
   to Beirut, where he studied Greek and Latin. From there he went to   
   Caesarea of Palestine where he studied under the erudite Origin. He   
   studied divinity and the interpretation of the holy books. In 235 AD   
   he visited the City of Alexandria, where he completed his studies in   
   the subjects in which he lacked knowledge. He returned to his town in   
   237 AD. In 239 AD he was baptized into the holy faith and became a   
   Christian, for he had realised the vanity of the world and chose the   
   way of the everlasting kingdom of heaven. He then directed all of his   
   attention to the salvation of his soul. When he heard that the Bishop   
   of his town was seeking him to assist him in his bishopric duties, he   
   escaped into the desert, devoting himself to prayer and ardent worship   
   forsaking the world and the futility of its glories.   
      
   When the Bishops of his town departed, they sought him in order to   
   make him the new bishop but they did not know where to find him. It   
   happened that while the Christians were gathered they heard a voice   
   instructing them to seek Gregory the hermit and set him as Bishop over   
   them. They sent some people to search for him in the desert and   
   mountains but they could not find him. The angel of the Lord appeared   
   to St Gregory the wonder worker in the desert and said to him,"Arise   
   and go to your town, for they seek you as Bishop over it and refuse   
   not, for it is the will of God." He did not hesitate and rose up   
   immediately and descended from the mountain and went to his town, The   
   people went forth with great honour to meet him and they completed his   
   enthronement in the year 244.   
      
   The Lord performed many signs and wonders at his hands. As a result he   
   was called the wonder worker. Reports of the signs and wonders which   
   Christ did through him were heard throughout the earth. Finally, when   
   he had completed his strife, he departed this life in peace on this   
   day in the year 270.   
      
   May his prayers be with us and Glory to God, now and forever, Amen.   
      
   From:   
   http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/4652.htm   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   The devil is afraid of us when we pray and make sacrifices. He is also   
   afraid when we are humble and good. He is especially afraid when we   
   love Jesus very much. He runs away when we make the Sign of the Cross.   
   --St. Anthony of Egypt   
      
   Bible Quote   
   And all these being approved by the testimony of faith, received not the   
   promise;  God providing some better thing for us, that they should not be   
   perfected without us.  (Hebrews 11:39-40)   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   14. The measure of charity may be taken from the want of desires. As   
   desires diminish in a soul, charity increases in it; and when it no   
   longer feels any desire, then it possesses perfect charity.   
   --St. Augustine   
      
   St. Francis de Sales used to say of himself: "I wish for very few   
   things, and those few I wish for very little. I have almost no desire,   
   and if I were to begin life again, I should wish to have none at all."   
      
   St. Teresa was so fully persuaded of this truth that she exclaimed:   
   "Oh Love, that lovest me more than I love myself, and more than I can   
   understand! How shall I be able, O Lord, to desire more than Thou art   
   willing to give me?"   
      
   ("A Year with the Saints".   November: Charity)<   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)