From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   Touchiness   
      
   It is not enough to stop at our natural affections. We must not spare   
   our sensitiveness, that excessive touchiness which reduces us to tears   
   at the slightest word or the least contradiction, at the mere   
   appearance, I do not say of contempt but of inattention or   
   indifference or coolness on the part of others. There are very few   
   Christians who have brought their sensitiveness completely under   
   control, who in the course of their ordinary day ask for nothing, take   
   exception to nothing and are indifferent to praise or blame. Alas!   
   people complain, and not without reason, that pious folk are actually   
   more sensitive, more difficult to get on with, take umbrage more   
   quickly, than others. Do not give cause for this reproach, both for   
   your own sake and for the honour of religion. Extreme sensitiveness is   
   an unfailing source of distress. Our peace of mind is destroyed, we   
   become suspicious of our neighbours, we look upon everything with a   
   jaundiced eye, charity is lessened, and we run the risk of giving a   
   fatal form to our feeling of resentment.   
      
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   December 19th - Saint Nemesion, Martyr   
   †. 250   
      
   In the persecution of Decius, Nemesion, an Egyptian, was apprehended   
   at Alexandria upon an indictment for theft. The servant of Christ   
   easily cleared himself of that charge, but was immediately accused of   
   being a Christian. Hereupon he was sent to the Augustal prefect of   
   Egypt, and confessing his faith at his tribunal, he was ordered to be   
   scourged and tormented doubly more grievously than the thieves: after   
   which he was condemned to be burnt with the most criminal amongst the   
   robbers and other malefactors; whereby he had the honour and happiness   
   more perfectly to imitate the death of our divine Redeemer.   
      
   There stood at the same time near the prefect’s tribunal four   
   soldiers, named Ammon, Zeno, Ptolemy, and Ingenuus, and another   
   person, whose name was Theophilus, who, being Christians, boldly   
   encouraged a confessor who was hanging on the rack. They were soon   
   taken notice of, and presented to the judge, who condemned them to be   
   beheaded: but was himself astonished to see the joy with which they   
   walked to the place of execution.   
      
   Heron, Ater, and Isidore, both Egyptians, with Dioscorus, a youth only   
   15 years old, were committed at Alexandria in the same persecution.   
   First of all the judge took the youth in hand, and began to entreat   
   him with fair speeches; then he assailed him with various torments;   
   but the generous youth neither would bow at his flatteries, nor could   
   be terrified or broken by his threats or torments. The rest, after   
   enduring the most cruel rending and disjointing of their limbs, were   
   burnt alive. But the judge discharged Dioscorus, on account of the   
   tenderness of his years, saying, he allowed him time to repent, and   
   consult his own advantage, and expressing that he was struck with   
   admiration at the dazzling beauty of his countenance. In the Roman   
   Martyrology Saint Nemesion is commemorated on the 19th of December,   
   the rest of these martyrs on other days.   
      
   Saints Meuris and Thea, two holy women at Gaza in Palestine, when the   
   persecution raged in that city under the successors of Diocletian,   
   bore up bravely against all the cruelty of men, and malice of the   
   devil, and triumphed over both to the last moment. Meuris died under   
   the hands of the persecutors: but Thea languished some time after she   
   had passed through a dreadful variety of exquisite torments, as we   
   learn from the author of the life of Saint Porphyrius of Gaza, written   
   about the close of the fourth century. Their relics were deposited in   
   a church which bore the name of Saint Timothy; on whom see August 19.   
      
   Can we call to mind the fervour of the saints in labouring and   
   suffering cheerfully for God, and not feel a holy ardour glow in our   
   own breasts, and our souls strongly affected with their heroic   
   sentiments of virtue? This Saint Macarius of Egypt used to illustrate   
   by the following familiar apophthegm: “As he that goes into a shop,   
   where are ointments and perfumes, and takes a few turns in it, though   
   he neither buys nor tastes of anything, yet he enjoys the scent, and   
   is perfumed thereby: even so he that converses with the holy fathers,   
   (or reads their actions,) derives a salutary influence from them. They   
   show him true humility; and both their discourses and example are of   
   service, and as a wall and fence against the incursions of demons.”   
      
   MLA Citation   
   Father Alban Butler. “Saint Nemesion, Martyr, etc.”. Lives of the   
   Fathers, Martyrs, and Principal Saints, 1866   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   "And simply by being Christ's you are that progeny of Abraham, the   
   heirs named in the promise." Galatians 3:29   
      
   Bible Quote   
   "Christ himself died once and for all for sins, the upright for the   
   sake of the guilty, to lead us to God...1Peter 3:18a   
      
      
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   TO GOD THE FATHER OF ALL LIFE   
   (By Fr. Frank Pavone)   
      
   Eternal God,   
   You have revealed Yourself as the Father of all Life.   
   We praise You for the Fatherly care   
   which You extend to all creation,   
   and especially to us,   
   made in Your image and likeness.   
      
   Father, extend Your hand of protection   
   to those threatened by abortion,   
   and save them from its destructive power.   
   Give Your strength to all fathers,   
   that they may never give in to the fears   
   that may tempt them to facilitate abortions.   
      
   Bless our families and bless our land,   
   that we may have the joy of welcoming and nurturing the life   
   of which You are the source   
   and the Eternal Father.   
      
   Amen.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)