From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   How There is no Security From Temptation [III]   
      
   Do you imagine that you can always have spiritual joys at will? My   
   Saints did not, but had many troubles, countless trials and great   
   desolation of soul. But they patiently endured all these things and   
   trusted in God rather than themselves, knowing that 'the sufferings of   
   this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to be   
   won hereafter. (Rom.8:18) Do you wish to enjoy immediately what many   
   others have only won after much sorrow and struggle? Wait for the   
   Lord; fight manfully and with high courage.(Ps. 26:14) Do not despair,   
   do not desert your post, but steadfastly devote yourself body and soul   
   to the glory of God. I will give you a rich reward,(Matt.16:27) and   
   will be with you in all your troubles.(Ps. 91:15)   
   --Thomas à Kempis --Imitation of Christ Bk 3, Ch 35   
      
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   August 9th - St. Julian anti-Iconoclast Martyr   
      
   A group of ten Christians who were arrested, tortured and executed for   
   defending an icon of Christ in defiance of orders from Emperor Leo the   
   Isaurian. We know the names of three, but nothing else about them   
   –Julian, Marcian, and Mary   
      
   By decree of the emperor, all icons were to be confiscated from homes   
   and churches and then destroyed. At Constantinople from the time of   
   the holy Emperor Constantine the Great (324-337) there was over the   
   so-called "Copper Gates" a wonderworking icon of the Savior, made of   
   copper.   
      
   The emperor and heretical Patriarch Anastasius gave orders to seize   
   this icon. The gathered crowd became outraged at this sacrilege. In   
   the crowd was the Patrician Maria, a woman of illustrious family, who   
   with many others rushed to the ladder and pulled it from the wall to   
   keep the soldier from touching the icon. The ladder came down, and the   
   soldier standing on it fell to his death. This occurred on January 19,   
   730. The Protospatherios ("Sword-Captain") Gregory and the nun St.   
   Theodosia (May 29) also took part in the defense of the icon.   
      
   Learning of this, the emperor executed a multitude of the faithful,   
   the names of whom are known only to the Lord. The Protospatherios   
   Gregory also received a martyr's death. Some of the Orthodox are   
   known, however: Julian, Marcian, John, James, Alexius, Demetrius,   
   Leontius, Photius and Peter, who were locked up in prison and kept   
   there for about eight months, each day receiving 500 blows. In these   
   torments they remained alive by the power of Christ and bravely   
   endured their sufferings.   
      
   By order of the emperor they were burned with a red-hot iron and their   
   heads cut off. St. Maria the Patrician, who had not been locked up in   
   prison, learning about the executions, voluntarily accepted a martyr's   
   death. The bodies of the martyrs were buried in a coastal area near   
   the church of the holy Martyr Theodore, and were discovered incorrupt   
   139 years later .   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   Is not Jesus worthy of thy heart's warmest affection? If thou feelest   
   no very ardent love, still wish and pray to thy Blessed Saviour that   
   the holy fire may be kindled within thy breast. Think often that thy   
   Redeemer's labors and pains were endured for thee, an ungrateful   
   sinner. For thy sake Jesus shed His Blood and died upon a cross;   
   submitting to a temporal death, that thou mightest attain to life   
   eternal. He took upon Himself thy delinquencies, and canceled thy   
   outstanding debt by fastening it to His Cross. In fine, He parted with   
   all His precious merits to enrich thy poverty-stricken soul.   
   -- Ven. Blosius   
      
   Bible Quote   
   For as in one body we have many members, but all the members have not   
   the same office: So we being many, are one body in Christ, and every   
   one members one of another.  (Rom. 12:4-5)   
      
      
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   PRAYER TO OBTAIN THE GRACE OF ALL THE WORLD'S MASSES   
      
   Eternal Father we humbly offer Thee our poor presence   
   and that of the whole of humanity from the beginning to   
   the end of the world at all the Masses that ever have or   
   ever will be prayed. We offer Thee all the pains, suffering,   
   prayers, sacrifices, joys and relaxations of our lives, in   
   union with those of our dear Lord Jesus here on earth.   
   May the Most Precious Blood of Christ, all His blood and   
   wounds and agony save us, through the sorrowful and   
   Immaculate Heart of Mary.  Amen!   
      
   (This prayer should be prayed daily, and Made known.)   
      
   Dear St. Philomena pray for us for that purity of mind and   
   heart which lead to the Perfect Love of God!   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)