From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
     — 1 John 2:17 —   
      
   And the world passeth away and the concupiscence thereof: but he that   
   doth the will of God abideth for ever. DRB   
   ========================   
   "Blessed are the ears that catch the pulses of the divine whisper and   
   give no heed to the whispering of the world."   
   Thomas á Kempis   
      
   <<>><<>><<>>   
   September 28th - St. Lioba of Bischoffsheim, Abbess, Virgin   
   (Also known as Liobgytha)   
      
   Born at Wimborne, Dorsetshire, England; died at Schornsheim (near   
   Mainz), Germany, c. 779.   
      
   Saint Lioba's mother, descended from an illustrious family and closely   
   related to Saint Boniface (f.d. June 5), had been barren for a long   
   time before the saint was born. Nevertheless, Ebba immediately offered   
   her to God and raised her in piety. She received her first education   
   at Minster-in-Thanet. While Lioba was still young, she was placed in   
   the care of the king's sister Saint Tetta (f.d. today) at the   
   Benedictine convent in Wimborne (Winburn or "fountain of wine"). Lioba   
   matured spiritually and emotionally under Tetta's tutelage, and   
   eventually took the religious veil.   
      
   Tetta also ensured that she had a good education. Letters to Boniface   
   reveal that Lioba understood and wrote verse in Latin. She limited her   
   reading, however, to books that would stir her spirit to love of God.   
   She knew by heart the divine precepts of the Old and New Testaments,   
   the principal canons of the Church, the holy maxims of the Fathers,   
   and the rules of the monastic life.   
      
   Boniface kept in touch with his young relative through frequent   
   correspondence. Recognising her virtue and abilities, in 748, he   
   requested of her bishop and abbess that she be sent to him with about   
   30 pious companions to undertake charitable work with women in   
   Germany. Although Tetta regretted the loss of her protege, she could   
   not refuse.   
      
   Upon their arrival in Germany, Boniface settled the women religious at   
   Tauberbischofsheim ("bishop's home," possibly his own previous   
   residence). Lioba's zeal attracted so many vocations that her convent   
   was populating many other foundations throughout the country. Lioba's   
   convents were one of the most powerful factors in the conversion of   
   Germany.   
      
   The saint organized her convents in the true monastic tradition with a   
   combination of manual labour (in scriptorium, kitchen, bakery,   
   brewery, and garden), intellectual study (all had to learn Latin),   
   community devotions, and leisure. No extreme austerities were   
   permitted to interfere with the corporate life established by the   
   Rule.   
      
   Her love of God was so appealing. She was always ready to set her hand   
   to any task she might ask of others and did it with cheer and modesty.   
   It is said that she was beautiful, that her countenance was angelic,   
   and that her nuns loved her. Perhaps this is so because Lioba took to   
   heart Saint Paul’s advice: "Do nothing out of selfishness or out of   
   vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than   
   yourselves" (Philippians 2:3) and "anticipate one another in showing   
   honour" (Romans 12:9b). Thus, Lioba often washed the feet of her   
   sisters in emulation of her Lord. The corporal acts of mercy were her   
   delight, especially extending hospitality to strangers and caring for   
   the poor. She was always patient, kind, and accessible to all who   
   needed her.   
      
   Nevertheless, kings and princes honoured and respected her, especially   
   Pepin the Short, Blessed Carloman (f.d. August 17) and Charlemagne.   
   Charlemagne often called her to court at Aix-la-Chapelle (Aachen) to   
   seek her advice. His wife, Blessed Hildegard (f.d. April 30), loved   
   her deeply and always heeded her advice, as did some of the bishops.   
      
   Before his martyrdom, Saint Boniface commended Lioba and her community   
   to the care of Saint Lullus (f.d. October 16) and his monks at Fulda,   
   and requested that her bones be buried next to his at their deaths   
   that they might be raised at the resurrection and spend eternity   
   together. It is said that the tender affection uniting Boniface and   
   Lioba forms one of the most charming episodes in church history.   
   Following Boniface's death in 754, Lioba frequently visited Fulda. By   
   special dispensation, she would be allowed with two elder sisters to   
   join in the choir.   
      
   Upon the advice of Lullus, Lioba resigned her offices in her old age   
   and retired to the convent at Schornsheim, where she redoubled her   
   prayer and penance. Occasionally she would answer Empress Hildegard's   
   plea to visit her, but return to her cell as quickly as she could. On   
   her last visit, she embraced the queen, kissed her on her garment,   
   forehead, and mouth, then said: "Farewell, precious part of my soul;   
   may Christ, our Creator and Redeemer, grant that we may see each other   
   without confusion in the day of judgement."   
      
   After her death, Lioba was interred at Fulda, on the north side of the   
   high altar, near the tomb of Saint Boniface. Her tomb was honoured   
   with miracles; her biographer, Rudolph of Fulda, assures us he was   
   himself an eyewitness to several. Her relics were translated in 819   
   and again in 838 to the church of Mount Saint Peter. Her name was   
   first inserted into a martyrology by Hrabanus Maurus c. 836.   
   (Attwater2, Benedictines, Bonniwell, Coulson, Farmer, Husenbeth).   
      
      
   Bible Quote:   
   And Jesus passing by, saw a man, who was blind from his birth: 2 And   
   his disciples asked him: Rabbi, who hath sinned, this man, or his   
   parents, that he should be born blind? 3 Jesus answered: Neither hath   
   this man sinned, nor his parents; but that the works of God should be   
   made manifest in him. 4 I must work the works of him that sent me,   
   whilst it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. 5 As long as   
   I am in the world, I am the light of the world.  (John 9:1-5)   
      
   Saint Quote:   
   He who communicates most frequently will be freest from sin, and will   
   make farthest progress in Divine Love.   
   --Saint Alphonsus Liguori   
      
   <><><><>   
   Jesus, gentlest Savior,   
   God of might and power,   
   Thou Thyself art dwelling   
   In us at this hour.   
   Nature cannot hold Thee,   
   Heaven is all too strait   
   For Thine endless glory   
   And Thy royal state.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)