From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
    -- Proverbs 29:25 --   
      
   25 The fear of man lays a snare,   
       but he who trusts in the Lord is safe.  RSVCE   
   ==============================   
   Fear of people can hamper everything you try to do. In extreme forms, it can   
   make you afraid to leave your home. By contrast, fear of God--respect,   
   reverence and trust--is liberating. Why fear people who can do no eternal   
   harm? Instead, fear God who can turn the harm intended by others into good   
   for those who trust him.   
      
       "It is only the fear of God that can deliver us from the fear of man."   
      
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   February 22nd - Chair of St. Peter   
      
   Since early times, the Roman Church has had a special commemoration of   
   the primatial authority of St. Peter. As witness one of the most   
   renowned of the Apostolic Fathers, the Roman See has always held a   
   peculiar place in the affection and obedience of orthodox believers   
   because of its "presiding in love" and service over all the Churches   
   of God.   
      
   "We shall find in the Gospel that Jesus Christ, willing to begin the   
   mystery of unity in His Church, among all His disciples chose twelve;   
   but that, willing to consummate the mystery of unity in the same   
   Church, among the twelve He chose one. He called His disciples, said   
   the Gospel; here are all; and among them He chose twelve. Here is the   
   first separation, and the Apostles chosen. And these are the names of   
   the twelve Apostles: the first, Simon, who is called Peter. [Mt. 10,   
   1-2] Here, in a second separation, St. Peter is set at the head, and   
   called for that reason by the name of Peter, "which Jesus Christ,"   
   says St. Mark, "had given him," in order to prepare, as you will see,   
   the work which He was proposing to raise all His building on that   
   stone.   
      
   "All this is yet but a beginning of the mystery of unity. Jesus   
   Christ, in beginning it, still spoke to many: Go, preach; I send you   
   [see Mt. 28, 19]. Now, when He would put the last hand to the mystery   
   of unity, He speaks no longer to many: He marks out Peter personally,   
   and by the new name which He has given him. It is One who speaks to   
   one: Jesus Christ the Son of God to Simon son of Jonas; Jesus Christ,   
   who is the true Stone, strong of Himself, to Simon, who is only the   
   stone by the strength which Jesus Christ imparts to him. It is to him   
   that Christ speaks, and in speaking acts on him, and stamps upon him   
   His own immovableness. And I, He says, say to you, you are Peter; and,   
   He adds, upon this rock I will build my Church, and, He concludes, the   
   gates of hell shall not prevail against it. [Mt. 16, 18] To prepare   
   him for that honor Jesus Christ, who knows that faith in Himself is   
   the foundation of His Church, inspires Peter with a faith worthy to be   
   the foundation of that admirable building. You are the Christ, the Son   
   of the living God. [Mt. 16, 16] By that bold preaching of the faith he   
   draws to himself the inviolable promise which makes him the foundation   
   of the Church.   
      
   "It was, then, clearly the design of Jesus Christ to put first in one   
   alone, what afterwards He meant to put in several; but the sequence   
   does not reverse the beginning, nor the first lose his place. That   
   first word, Whatsoever you shall bind, said to one alone, has already   
   ranged under his power each one of those to whom shall be said,   
   Whatsoever you shall remit; for the promises of Jesus Christ, as well   
   as His gift, are without repentance; and what is once given   
   indefinitely and universally is irrevocable. Besides, that power given   
   to several carries its restriction in its division, while power given   
   to one alone, and over all, and without exception, carries with it   
   plenitude, and, not having to be divided with any other, it has no   
   bounds save those which its terms convey."   
      
   Excerpted from The See of St. Peter, Jacques Bossuet.   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   Mary was raised to the dignity of Mother of God rather for sinners   
   than for the just, since Jesus Christ declares that he came to call   
   not the just, but sinners.   
   --St. Anselm   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   Never suffer pride to reign in thy mind, or in thy words:   
   for from it all perdition took its beginning. (Tobias 4:14)   
      
      
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   Sighing for the Holy Spirit    
      
   O MILDEST Comforter, Holy Spirit, come to me. My soul sighs for Thee! My heart   
   thirsts for Thee! Thou alone canst satisfy my longing; Thou alone canst make   
   me happy. Despise not, O Divine Bridegroom, the dwelling of my poor heart.     
      
   My heart, alas, is unclean, but Thou canst purify it.    
    My heart is dark, but Thou canst illuminate it.    
    My heart is wicked, but Thou canst penetrate it with love.    
    My heart is sad, but Thou canst comfort it.    
    My heart is weak, but Thou canst strengthen it.    
    My heart is cold, but Thou canst inflame it.    
      
    My heart clings to earth, but Thou canst fill it with heavenly desires.    
      
    My heart is full of sin, but Thou canst adorn it with all virtues.    
    My heart is inconstant and wayward, but Thou canst make it docile.    
      
   Come then, O Holy Spirit, Thou Father of the poor,    
   come and fill me with Thy love. Amen.    
      
   Father, Father, send us the promised Paraclete,    
   through Jesus Christ Our Lord.    
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)