From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   -- Ecclesiastes 8:1 --   
      
       Who is like the wise man?   
       Who knows the explanation of things?   
       Wisdom brightens a man's face   
       and changes its hard appearance.   
    Wisdom is the ability to see life from God's perspective and then to   
   know the best course of action to take. Most people would agree that   
   wisdom is a valuable asset, but how can we acquire it? Proverbs 9:10   
   teaches that the fear of the Lord (respect and honor) is   
   the beginning of wisdom.   
   =================================   
   Wisdom comes from knowing and trusting God; it is not merely the way to find   
   God. Knowing God will lead to understanding and then to sharing this   
   knowledge with others.   
      
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   May 1st - Saint Theodard of Narbonne   
   Also known as Audard, Teodardo   
      
   d. 893   
   The birthplace of St Theodard (“Audard”) was Montauriol, a little town   
   which formerly occupied a site covered by the present city of Montauban. He   
   appears to have studied law at Toulouse, for we first hear of him as the   
   advocate retained by the    
   cathedral authorities in a curious suit brought against them by the Jews of   
   Toulouse, who, not unnaturally, objected to a sort of religious pageant in the   
   course of which a Jew was publicly struck on the face before the cathedral   
   doors. This ceremony    
   took place three times a year--at Christmas, on Good Friday, and on the feast   
   of the Assumption. Archbishop Sigebold, who came to Toulouse for the hearing   
   of the case, was so greatly taken with the young lawyer that he took him back   
   with him to Narbonne.    
   Soon afterwards Theodard received holy orders and became Sigebold’s   
   archdeacon. The Montauban breviary describes him as “an eye to the blind,   
   feet to the lame, a father of the poor, and the consoler of the afflicted”.   
   Greatly beloved by all, he was    
   unanimously chosen archbishop of Narbonne at the death of Sigebold, who had   
   nominated him as his successor. The perils which then beset travellers did not   
   deter the newly-elected prelate from undertaking a visit to Rome, where he   
   received the pallium.   
      
   As an archbishop he worked unremittingly to repair the ravages wrought by the   
   Saracens and to revive the drooping faith of the people. He practically   
   rebuilt his cathedral, and in 886 restored the bishopric of Ausona (now Vich)   
   which had long fallen into    
   abeyance. To buy back those who were taken captive by the Saracens in their   
   raids, and to feed the hungry during a three years’ famine, he not only   
   spent his whole income, but also sold some of the vessels and other treasures   
   of his church. The    
   strenuous life he led and his anxieties for his flock seriously impaired his   
   health; he could not sleep and suffered from continual fever. It was thought   
   that he might recover in his native air, and he accordingly returned to   
   Montauriol. The monks of St    
   Martin received him joyfully, but they soon realized that he had only come   
   back to die. After making a general confession in the presence of all the   
   brethren St Theodard passed peacefully away as if in sleep. Afterwards the   
   abbey was renamed St Audard in    
   his honour.   
      
   The life of St Theodard printed in the Acta Sanctorum, May, vol. i, dates only   
   from the close of the 11th century. See also Gallia Christiana, vol. vi, pp.   
   19-22, and Duchesne, Fastes Épiscopaux, vol. i, p. 306. A popular account of   
   the saint has been    
   written in French by J. A. Guyard (1887).   
      
   Saint Quote:   
   It is by the path of love, which is charity, that God draws near to   
   man, and man to God. But where charity is not found, God cannot dwell.   
   If, then, we possess charity, we possess God, for "God is Charity" (1   
   Jn 4:8)   
   --Saint Albert the Great   
      
   Bible Quote   
   "Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which   
   endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto   
   you: for him hath God the Father sealed." (John 6:27)   
      
      
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   Prayer to Mary, Mother of Divine Providence   
      
   Virgin Mary, Immaculate Mother of Divine Providence,   
   protect our life and sanctify us with the gift of grace.   
   Obtain for us from the Father of mercy   
   and the God of consolation, pardon for our sins,   
   reconciliation with our brothers and sisters   
   and comfort in the midst of afflictions.   
   Renew our hearts,   
   that they may be come worthy dwelling places   
   of your Divine Son, Jesus.   
   Help us in our struggles against mediocrity,   
   self-seeking and pride,   
   so we can generously serve our neighbour.   
   We entrust ourselves to you, o Mary,   
   in our pilgrimage in this world.   
   We invoke you as our guide   
   and our defence against dangers.   
   In the present tribulations, give us secure refuge.   
   O sweet Mother of Divine Providence,   
   turn your eyes toward us,   
   you who are our hope on earth.   
   Grant that we may have you as our Mother   
   in the glory of heaven.   
   Amen   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)