From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   No anxiety concerning self   
      
      Examine yourself to see whether worldly cares may still have a hold   
   on you; whether you are very preoccupied with feeding and clothing   
   your body, and with your other pursuits and your recreation, as though   
   your own power kept you alive, and you were obliged to make provision   
   for yourself, when you have been commanded to have no anxiety whatever   
   concerning yourself. If you believe that you will receive everlasting,   
   eternal, abiding, and bounteous blessings, how much more should you   
   not believe that God will provide you with these transitory, earthly   
   benefits, which he has given even to impious people and to beasts and   
   birds?   
   -- Macarius of Egypt   
      
   <<>><<>><<>>   
   July 20th - St. Joseph Barsabas, Confessor   
      
   HE was one of the 72 disciples of our Lord, and was put in competition   
   with St. Matthias to succeed the traitor Judas in the apostleship. [1]   
   St. Chrysostom [2] remarks that St. Joseph was not displeased, but   
   rejoiced in the Lord to see the preference given to St. Matthias.   
   After the dispersion of the disciples he preached the gospel to many   
   nations; and among other miracles, drank poison without receiving any   
   hurt, as Papias, and from him Eusebius, testify. [3] This saint, from   
   his extraordinary piety, was surnamed the Just.   
      
     The lives of the apostles and primitive Christians was a miracle in   
   morals, and a sensible effect of Almighty grace. Burning with holy   
   zeal, they had no interest on earth but that of the divine honour,   
   which they sought in all things; and being warmed with the expectation   
   of an eternal kingdom, they were continually discoursing of it, and   
   comforting one another with the hopes of possessing it; and they did   
   little else but prepare to die. Thus by example, still more than by   
   words, they subdued their very enemies to the faith, and brought them   
   to a like spirit and practice. Their converts, by a wonderful change   
   of manners, became in a moment new creatures. Those who had been the   
   most bitter enemies, long bent to lust and passion, became the most   
   loving, forgiving, and chaste persons in the world. Has grace wrought   
   in us so perfect a conversion? Do our lives glorify God’s name in this   
   manner, by a spirit and practice agreeable to the principles of our   
   divine faith?   
      
   Note 1. Act. i. 20.   
   Note 2. Hom. 3, in Act.   
   Note 3. Eus. Hist. l. 3, c. 39.   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   Let us look at our own faults, and not other people's. We ought not to   
   insist on everyone following in our footsteps, nor to take upon   
   ourselves to give instructions in spirituality when, perhaps, we do   
   not even know what it is.   
   --St. Teresa of Lisieux   
      
   -Bible Quote:   
    "Nobody should be looking for selfish advantage, but everybody for   
   someone else's."  [1 Corinthians 10:24]   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   Litany in Honor of the Holy Cross; drawn from the Imitation of Christ by   
   Thomas A Kempis, 1380-1471.   
      
   The word of the Cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are   
   being saved it is the power of God. (1 Cor. 1:18)   
      
   Antiphon: God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus   
   Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.   
   (Gal. 6:14)   
      
   Jesus has many who love His Kingdom in heaven, but few who bear His Cross.   
   He has many who desire comfort, but few who desire suffering. He finds many   
   to share His feast, but few His fasting. All desire to rejoice with Him, but   
   few are willing to suffer for His sake.   
      
   —- Ant.   
      
   Why do you fear to take up the Cross, which is the road to the Kingdom? In   
   the Cross is salvation and life, protection against our enemies, infusion of   
   heavenly sweetness; in the Cross is strength of mind, joy of spirit,   
   excellence of virtue, perfection of holiness. There is no salvation of soul,   
   nor hope of eternal life, save in the Cross.   
      
   —- Ant.   
      
   Take up the Cross, therefore, and follow Jesus, and go forward into eternal   
   life. Christ has gone before you, bearing His Cross; He died for you on the   
   Cross, that you also may bear your cross, and desire to die on the Cross   
   with Him. For if you die with Him, you will also live with Him. And if you   
   share his sufferings, you will also share His glory.   
      
   —- Ant.   
      
   See how in the Cross all things consist, and in dying on it all things   
   depend. There is no other way to life and to true inner peace, than the way   
   of the Cross. Go where you will, seek what you will; you will find no   
   higher way above nor safer way below than the road of the Holy Cross.   
      
   —-Ant.   
      
   The Cross always stands ready, and everywhere awaits you. You cannot escape   
   it, wherever you flee; for wherever you go, you bear yourself, and always   
   find yourself. Look up or down, without you or within, and everywhere you   
   will find the Cross. And everywhere you must have patience, if you wish to   
   attain inner peace, and win an eternal crown.   
      
   —- Ant.   
      
   Let us pray:   
      
   Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us to follow Thee not only to the Breaking of   
   Thy Body, but also to the drinking of the Blood of Thy Passion. Help us to   
   love Thee, for Thine own sake, and not for the sake of comfort for   
   ourselves. Make us worthy to suffer for Thy name, Jesus, our Crucified and   
   risen Lord and Saviour, now and forever. Amen.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)