From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   On Putting our Entire Trust in God [VI]   
      
   THE DISCIPLE.   
    O Lord God, most just judge, strong and patient, who know the   
   weakness and wickedness of man, be my strength and all my trust, for   
   my own conscience is not sufficient. You know what is unknown to me,   
   and I should therefore have been humble when blamed, and borne it   
   meekly. Be gracious, and pardon the occasions when I have not done   
   this, and once again give me grace to endure more patiently. Your   
   abundant mercy will better obtain my pardon, than will my fancied   
   innocence satisfy my inmost conscience. For although I may not be   
   conscious of any fault, yet this does not absolve me (I Cor.4:4) If   
   You withhold mercy, no man living can be absolved. (Ps.143:2)   
   --Thomas à Kempis --Imitation of Christ Bk 3 Ch 46   
      
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   July 3rd - St. Thomas, Apostle   
      
   The Apostle Saint Thomas was a Galilean, of no doubt humble birth, and   
   his name is Syriac for "twin"--or Didymus in Greek.  He is remembered   
   as the "doubting Thomas", after denying the physical Resurrection of   
   our Lord. Thomas was made the unfortunate example of our Lord (no   
   doubt for his spiritual benefit, and ours) when eight days later   
   Christ appeared in a closed room, and making Thomas examine his   
   wounds, proclaimed that "Blessed are those that do not see and   
   believe."   
      
   The most persistent Tradition is that Thomas went to preach the gospel   
   in India after the Descent of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost.  This comes   
   from many sources including the Acta Thomae, or Acts of Thomas.  In   
   this third century document, the regions of the world were divided   
   amongst the Apostles, and India fell upon Judas Thomas, as he was   
   known, but he resisted.  Thomas pleaded lack of strength, and also   
   that a Hebrew could not teach the Indian.  Our Lord then came to him   
   in a vision, but even that failed to move the Apostle.   
      
   Thereupon Christ appeared to a merchant in India, and this merchant   
   Abban purchased Thomas as a slave.  When Thomas realized the nature of   
   this act, he relented in spirit.  He told the king of India that he   
   was a carpenter, and builder of many things.  With this, the king gave   
   him the funds necessary to build a castle.  When the king left the   
   province, Thomas instead took this vast money and aided the poor.   
   Upon returning, Thomas told the king that his palace would be visible   
   in heaven.  The king threw Thomas into prison.  Soon after, the king's   
   brother died.  He was shown the palace of heaven Thomas had built with   
   the king's money, and was allowed to return to his brother to show   
   him.  Upon seeing this, the king converted and released Thomas.   
      
   This may have some truth to it, but it is likely to be of human   
   invention as much actual history.  Thomas, by most accounts, is said   
   to have spent time in India going as far as Madras, perhaps even being   
   martyred there. There are a group of Christians in India that claim to   
   be the descendants of those instructed by Thomas himself, and elements   
   of their liturgy have Syriac roots.  They are known as Syro-Malabar   
   Catholics, and are said to still have Apostolic succession.   
      
   The relics of Saint Thomas the Apostle are purported to have been   
   moved from India after his death, to Mesopotamia, to Edessa, and   
   finally to Abruzzi, Italy.   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   We live poverty by filling the hours of the day usefully, doing   
   everything as well as we can, and living little details of order,   
   punctuality and good humor.   
   --St. Jose Maria Escriva de Balaguer   
      
   Bible quote:   
   But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by   
   Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect,   
   establish, strengthen, settle you.  (1 Peter 5:10)   
      
      
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   Be simple as doves.  [Matt. 10:16 ]  July: Simplicity   
      
   20. In human life prudence is indeed necessary, that we may be   
   circumspect in our actions and know how to adapt ourselves to the   
   dispositions of others.   
   --St. Vincent de Paul   
      
   By this virtue the same Saint regulated his actions so well that he   
   succeeded in every undertaking and therefore gained such a reputation   
   for prudence that he was commonly considered one of the wisest men of   
   his time. As a result, persons of every condition and state, even   
   those most conspicuous for rank or learning, had recourse to him as to   
   an oracle in all affairs of importance for direction and advice.   
      
   St. Jane Frances de Chantal was so remarkable for this virtue that   
   many celebrated Bishops regulated their dioceses, and many also their   
   own consciences, by her wise counsels. Even St. Francis de Sales, her   
   beloved spiritual father, and St. Vincent de Paul, her director after   
   him, consulted with her upon their most important business and   
   depended much upon her wise decisions.   
   ("A Year with the Saints".  July: Simplicity)   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)