From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   How Man has no Personal Goodness of which to Boast {III}   
      
   3 Wherefore, but I did know well, how to cast from me all human   
   comfort, either for the sake of devotion, or through the necessity by   
   which I am compelled to seek Thee, because there is no man that can   
   comfort me. Then might I deservedly hope in Thy favor, and rejoice in   
   the gift of a new consolation. Thanks be to Thee from Whom all things   
   proceed, as often as it happens to me. I, indeed, am but vanity, and   
   nothing in Thy sight , an inconstant and weak man. Where, therefore,   
   can I glory, or for what do I desire to be thought of highly?   
   --Thomas à Kempis --Imitation of Christ Bk 3 Ch 40   
      
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   December 18th - The Expectation of Our Lady   
   (654) assigned at the Tenth Council of Toledo in 656   
      
   Mary in the Midst of Israel's Waiting (IX) "We have been healed by his   
   bruises" (Is 53:5)   
      
   The mystery of the Messiah thickens in some prophecies that evoke his   
   self-abasement and his suffering, in contrast to the promises of glory   
   and kingship. How would the Blessed Virgin have understood what was   
   written about the Lord's "servant" (Is 42:1), who must first "restore   
   the tribes of Jacob and bring back the survivors of Israel" (Is 49:6)?   
      
   "He was despised, and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and   
   acquainted with grief: and as one from whom men hide their face he was   
   despised; and we didn't respect him (Is 53:3). "Surely he has borne   
   our infirmities, and carried our diseases; yet we esteemed him   
   stricken, struck by God, and afflicted" (Is 53:4). "But he was wounded   
   for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the   
   chastisement that brings us peace was on him; and we have been healed   
   by his bruises" (Is 53:5).   
      
   "The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Is 53:6). "By the   
   knowledge of himself shall my righteous servant justify many; and he   
   shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion   
   with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because   
   he poured out his soul to death, and was numbered with the   
   transgressors: yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for   
   the transgressors" (Is 53:11-12).   
      
   "A pack of dogs surrounds me, a gang of villains closing in on me as   
   if to hack off my hands and my feet. I can count every one of my   
   bones, while they look on and gloat; they divide my garments among   
   them and cast lots for my clothing (Ps 22:16-18). And: "They will look   
   to me whom they have pierced; and they shall mourn for him, as one   
   mourns for his only son, and will grieve bitterly for him, as one   
   grieves for his firstborn" (Zech 12:10-12).   
      
   Mary must have trembled before these awful prospects.   
      
   "Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look and see if there be   
   any sorrow like my sorrow" (Lam 1:12).   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   Eating and drinking don't make friendships--such friendship even   
   robbers and murderers have. But if we are friends, if we truly care   
   for one another, let's help one another spiritually....Let's hinder   
   those things that lead our friends away to hell.   
   -- Saint John Chrysostom   
      
   Bible Quote:   
    "I was gazing into the visions of the night, when I saw, coming on   
   the clouds of heaven, as it were a son of man. He came to the One most   
   venerable and was led into his presence. On him was conferred rule,   
   honor and kingship, and all peoples, nations and languages became his   
   servants. His rule is an everlasting rule which will never pass away,   
   and his kingship will never come to an end."  [DANIEL  7:13–14]   
      
      
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   Excerpt from Dom Guéranger   
   (1805 - 1875), Liturgical Year - Dec. 18th (Année Liturgique)   
      
   "O valiant warriors of Christ! Do not cast away your everlasting   
   crowns of victory because of the tears of your relatives.   
      
   Do not remove your feet from the necks of your enemies who lie   
   prostrate before you, lest they regain their strength and attack you   
   more fiercely than before. Raise your banner high over every earthly   
   attachment.   
      
   If those whom you see weeping knew that there is another life where   
   there is neither sickness nor death, where there is unceasing gladness   
   and everything is beautiful, then assuredly they would wish to enter   
   it with you.   
      
   Anyone who fears to exchange this brief earthly life for the unending   
   joys of the heavenly Kingdom is foolish indeed.   
      
   For he who rejects eternity wastes the brief time of his existence,   
   and will be delivered to everlasting torment in Hades."   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)