From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   ON the "wise of the world"   
      
   "Deviating from faith, they are implicated in the darkness of   
   perpetual blindness, although they have the day of Christ and the   
   light of the Church before them; while seeing nothing, they open their   
   mouth as if they knew everything, keen for vain things and dull for   
   things eternal."   
      
   ~ Ambrose, Bishop, Father and Doctor of the Church, Saint; commenting   
   in the 4th century on the "wise of the world" who look askance at   
   Christianity, a conflict that has existed from the very birth of the   
   Faith (see "Science and the Church").   
      
   <<>><<>><<>>   
   May 20th - St. Bernardin of Siena   
      
   1380-1444   
   St. Antoninus, archbishop of Florence, begins the biography of   
   Bernardin with the words, "The grace of God, Our Saviour, has appeared   
   in His servant Bernardin, who shone like a bright star in a dark   
   night, and with the heavenly brilliance of his virtue and doctrine   
   frightened away the darkness."   
      
   The great saint descended from the old knightly family of the   
   Albizeschi of Siena, and was born on September 8, 1380, in the town of   
   Massa, a dependency of Siena, where his father was governor. When   
   Bernardin was only 7 years old, he had lost both his parents, but he   
   was reared in the fear of God by devout relatives. He evinced a great   
   love for the poor, with whom, as a little boy, he gladly shared his   
   food. He attended divine services with the most edifying devotion, and   
   listened to sermons with such attention that he could repeat them to   
   his companions.   
      
   He loved purity above all the virtues. While he attended the secondary   
   school in Siena, he could not hear an unbecoming word without blushing   
   for shame, so that those who spoke it themselves blushed. When any   
   indecent conversation was going on among his companions, they stopped   
   as soon as they saw him coming. "Be still," they said, "Bernardin is   
   coming."   
      
   While the holy youth was otherwise very meek, he was friendly to all,   
   he could nevertheless grow extremely angry if decency was violated. A   
   prominent citizen once purposely told him something indecent in the   
   open marketplace. Bernardin gave him a resounding slap in the face,   
   and amid the laughter of the bystanders the disgraced citizen had to   
   withdraw.   
      
   With his great love for purity, Bernardin united a tender devotion to   
   the Blessed Virgin, whom he used to call his beloved. Out of devotion   
   to her he daily visited an image of Mary just outside the town of   
   Siena; he prayed there especially to learn his vocation. The Mother of   
   Grace, who had protected him in the world, now led him to the   
   sanctuary of the convent. In the quiet little convent of St. Mary   
   Colombaio, which St. Francis himself had founded. Bernardin received   
   the holy habit on the feast of the Nativity of Mary in the year 1402.   
   On the same feast in the following year, he made his profession, and   
   after he was ordained and appointed to preach, he also gave his first   
   sermon on the feast of Mary's nativity. Since, however, Bernardin's   
   voice was very weak and hoarse, he seemed ill-fitted for the office of   
   a preacher. Yet here, too, his beloved Mother helped him. AT her   
   intercession his voice suddenly became so powerful and melodious that   
   he became one of the most distinguished missionaries.   
      
   Now he journeyed all over Italy in order to announce to the people the   
   virtues and vices, and the reward of the former and punishment of the   
   latter. In many places such depravity existed that he found it   
   necessary to preach sermons which he himself called sermons for   
   heathens. The effects, however, were so astounding that Pope Pius II   
   compared him with the Apostle of the Gentiles and called him a second   
   Paul. After he had shaken their truths, he poured into them the   
   soothing oil of the sweet name of Jesus, our Saviour and Redeemer, and   
   preached on Mary, the Mother of Mercy.   
      
   His blessed ministry induced many towns to seek him as their bishop.   
   Siena, Ferrara, and Urbino petitioned in turn for this privilege,   
   and the pope offered Bernardin the episcopal dignity. But with   
   unchanging humility, he declined every time. He remained among his   
   religious brethren whom he encouraged in religious perfection. Rich in   
   merits and virtue he died at Aquila on May 20, 1944, Pope Nicholas V   
   canonized him 6 years later, whereupon the citizens of Aquila built to   
   his honor a beautiful church with a magnificent marble tomb.   
      
      
   Reading   
   1. "Blessed are the clean of heart" (Matt 5:8). This praise was   
   merited by Bernardin in his youth and throughout his life. That is why   
   indecent conversation displeased him so very much. Such talk comes   
   from an unclean heart and filthy mind, because "out of the fullness of   
   the heart, the mouth speaks." How detestable it is for a Christian to   
   indulge in shameless and double-meaning speech or lewd songs, since   
   all his bodily members have been sanctified in baptism and have, as it   
   were, become the members of Christ, who is our head. Added to this is   
   the fact that a Christian's mouth receives the most holy Body of   
   Christ in holy Communion. Therefore the Apostle says: "Uncleanness,   
   let it not so much as be named among you, or obscenity, or foolish   
   talking, or scurrility" (Eph 5:4). If such matters do not impress you   
   as abominable, then fear lest your heart be not clean.   
   If no other refuge remains for you in time of danger, then say over   
   and over again the holy names of Jesus and Mary. Recommend yourself,   
   also, to St. Bernardin, that you may remain faithful to God.   
      
   Saint Quotes:   
        "Jesus, crucified for me, with the nails of Your love fasten my   
   whole self to You."   
      --Berardino of Siena.   
      
   By word of mouth, by letters, by miracles, and by the example of his   
   own life, Saint Paul bore the name of Jesus wherever he went. He   
   praised the name of Jesus "at all times," but never more than when   
   "bearing witness to his faith."   
   -- Saint Bernardine of Siena from one of his sermons   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   PRAYER OF THE CHURCH   
   O Lord Jesus, who didst grant to St. Bernardin, Thy confessor, a very   
   special love for Thy most holy name, pour forth in us, we beseech   
   Thee, through his merits and intercession, the spirit of Thy love, Who   
   livest and reignest forever and ever. Amen.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)