From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   On Peace and Spiritual Progress (6)   
      
   It is hard to give up old habits, and harder still to conquer our own   
   wills. But if you cannot overcome in small and easy things, how will   
   you succeed in greater? Resist your evil inclinations in the   
   beginning, and break off evil habits, lest they gradually involve you   
   in greater difficulties. Oh, if you could only know how great a peace   
   for yourself and how great a joy for your fellows your good endeavour   
   would win, you would have greater care for your spiritual progress.   
   --Thomas à Kempis --Imitation of Christ Bk 1, Ch 11   
      
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   August 12th - St. Murtagh (Muredach) of Killala, Bishop   
   Died c. 455.   
      
   The foundation of the diocese of Killala dates from the time of St.   
   Patrick, who placed his disciple St. Muredach over the church called in   
   Irish Cell Alaid. In a well that still flows close to the town, beside   
   the sea, Patrick baptized in a single day 12,000 converts, and on the   
   same occasion, in presence of the crowds, raised to life a dead woman   
   whom he also baptized. Muredach is described as an old man of Patrick's   
   family, and was appointed to the Church of Killala as early as 442 or   
   443. His feast-day is 12 August. It is probable that he resigned his see   
   after a few years, and retired to end his life in the lonely island in   
   Donegal Bay which has ever since borne his name, Innismurray. It was at   
   Killala that Patrick baptized the two maidens whom he met in childhood   
   at Focluth Wood by the western sea, and whose voices in visions of the   
   night had often pathetically called him to come once more and dwell   
   amongst them.   
      
   Reflection:   
   Sufferings were to the martyrs the most distinguishing mercy,   
   extraordinary graces, and sources of the greatest crowns and glory.   
   All afflictions which God sends are in like manner the greatest   
   mercies and blessings; they are the most precious talents, to be   
   improved by us to the increasing of our love and affection to God, and   
   the exercise of the most heroic virtues of self-denial, patience,   
   humility, resignation, and penance. They are also most useful and   
   necessary to bring us to the knowledge of ourselves and our Creator,   
   which we are too apt to forget without them. Wherefore, whatever   
   crosses or calamities befall us, we must be prepared to bear them with   
   a patient resignation to the Divine Will, we ought to learn from the   
   martyrs to comfort ourselves, and to rejoice in them, as the greatest   
   blessings.  How base is our cowardice, and how criminal our folly, if,   
   by neglecting to improve these advantageous talents of sickness,   
   losses, and other afflictions we make the most precious mercies our   
   heaviest curse!   
      
      
   Bible Quotes:   
   "The land of a certain rich man brought forth plenty of fruits. And he   
   thought within himself, saying: What shall I do, because I have no   
   room where to bestow my fruits? And he said: This will I do: I will   
   pull down my barns and will build greater: and into them will I gather   
   all things that are grown to me, and my goods. And I will say to my   
   soul: Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years, take thy   
   rest: eat, drink, make good cheer. But God said to him: Thou fool,   
   this night do they require thy soul of thee: and whose shall those   
   things be which thou hast provided?  (Luke 12:16-20)   
      
   Saint Quote:   
   “In  the Gospel we see that merely because the rich man rejoiced in   
   having stored up goods for many years, God was so angered He told him   
   he must give an account of his soul that very night. We should   
   believe, therefore, that as often as we rejoice vainly, God is   
   watching and planning some chastisement and bitter drink according to   
   our merits; for at times the sadness redounding from the joy is a   
   hundred times greater than the joy.   
      
   "What Saint John says of Babylon in the Apocalypse is true, that she   
   would receive torment in the measure in which she rejoiced and lived   
   in delights. Yet the text does not mean that the sadness will not be   
   greater than the joy. It shall be greater, since eternal torments are   
   inflicted for brief pleasures. But it indicates that no fault will   
   escape a particular punishment. For He Who will punish the idle word   
   will not pardon vain joy."   
   --St. John of the Cross (Doctor, 1542-91) - "Ascent of Mount Carmel"   
      
      
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   Thanksgiving for Baptismal Graces   
      
   I BELIEVE in Thee, O God the Father Almighty,   
   Creator of Heaven and earth.   
      
   Thou hast accepted me as Thy child, and in the laver of regeneration,   
   Thou hast constituted me as an heir of Thy Kingdom.   
      
   I believe in Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, only-begotten Son, Who hast   
   suffered and died for me, and through Thy Precious Blood hast   
   ransomed me from the slavery of Satan.   
      
   I believe in Thee, O Holy Spirit, Who hast made me and consecrated   
   me as Thy temple and chosen me as a vessel of grace.   
      
   I renounce the devil with all his works and all his pomps. I renounce   
   all the evil desires of the flesh and the world with all its vanities.   
   and deceits, and I firmly resolve to lead a truly Christian life. May   
   the Most Holy Trinity strengthen my purpose, by whom I seal this   
   renewal of my Baptismal vows, in the Name of the Father, + and of the   
   Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)