From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   Knowing without loving   
      
      "Those words show clearly that the demons had much knowledge, but   
   entirely lacked love. They dreaded receiving their punishment from   
   him. They did not love the righteousness that was in him. He made   
   himself known to them to the extent he willed; and he willed to be   
   made known to the extent that was fitting. But he was not made known   
   to them as he is known to the holy angels, who enjoy participation in   
   his eternity, in that he is the Word of God. To the demons he is known   
   as he had to be made known, by striking terror into them, for his   
   purpose was to free from their tyrannical power all who were   
   predestined for his kingdom and glory, which is eternally true and   
   truly eternal. Therefore, he did not make himself known to the demons   
   as the life eternal, and the unchangeable light which illuminates his   
   true worshipers, whose hearts are purified by faith in him so that   
   they see that light. He was known to the demons through certain   
   temporal effects of his power, the signs of his hidden presence, which   
   could be more evident to their senses, even those of malignant   
   spirits, than to the weak perception of human beings.   
   --St. Augustine--(excerpt from CITY OF GOD 9.21)   
      
   <<>><<>><<>>   
   21 July – St Victor   
      
    (3rd century) Martyr and Confessor – also called St Victor of   
   Marseilles – a Christian Roman army officer – Patronages – against   
   lightning, cabinetmakers, millers, torture victims, Marseilles,   
   France, Davoli, Italy. San_Vittore_A   
      
   The Emperor Maximian, reeking with the blood of the Thebæan legion and   
   many other martyrs, arrived at Marseilles, where the Church then   
   flourished. The tyrant breathed here, nothing but slaughter and fury   
   and his coming, filled the Christians with fear and alarm. In this   
   general consternation, Victor, a Christian officer in the troops, went   
   about at night, from house to house, visiting the faithful and   
   inspiring them, with contempt of a temporal death and the love of   
   eternal life.   
      
   He was caught doing this and brought before the prefects Asterius and   
   Eutychius, who exhorted him, not to lose the fruit of all his services   
   and the favour of his prince, for the worship of a dead man, as they   
   called Jesus Christ. He answered, that he renounced those recompenses,   
   if he could not enjoy them without being unfaithful to Jesus Christ,   
   the eternal Son of God, who vouchsafed to become man for our salvation   
   but who raised Himself from the dead and reigns with the Father, being   
   God equally with Him. The whole court heard him with shouts of rage.   
      
   Victor was bound hand and foot and dragged through the streets of the   
   city, exposed to the blows and insults of the populace. He was brought   
   back bruised and bloody to the tribunal of the prefects who, thinking   
   his resolution must have been weakened by his sufferings, pressed him   
   again to adore their gods. But the martyr, filled with the Holy   
   Spirit, expressed his respect for the emperor and his contempt for   
   their gods. He was then hoisted on the rack and tortured a long time,   
   until, the tormentors being at last weary, the prefect ordered him to   
   be taken down and thrown into a dark dungeon. At midnight, God visited   
   him by His angels; the prison was filled with a light brighter than   
   that of the sun and the martyr sung with the angels the praises of   
   God.   
      
   Three soldiers who guarded the prison, Saints Longinus, Alexander and   
   Felician, seeing this light, cast themselves at the martyr’s feet,   
   asked his pardon and desired Baptism. Victor instructed them as well   
   as time would permit, sent for priests the same night and, going with   
   them to the seaside, had them baptised and returned with them again to   
   his prison. The next morning Maximian was informed of the conversion   
   of the guards and in a transport of rage sent officers to bring them   
   all four before him. The three soldiers persevered in the confession   
   of Jesus Christ and by the emperor’s orders were forthwith beheaded.   
      
   Victor, after having been exposed to the insults of the whole city and   
   beaten with clubs and scourged with leather thongs, was carried back   
   to prison, where he continued three days, recommending to God his   
   martyrdom with many tears. After that term the emperor called him   
   again before his tribunal and commanded the martyr to offer incense to   
   a statue of Jupiter. Victor went up to the profane altar and by a kick   
   of his foot threw it down. The emperor ordered the foot to be   
   forthwith chopped off, which the Saint suffered with great joy,   
   offering to God these first-fruits of his body. A few moments after,   
   the emperor condemned him to be put under the grindstone of a   
   hand-mill and crushed to death. The executioners turned the wheel and   
   when part of his body was bruised and crushed the mill broke down. The   
   Saint still breathed a little but his head was immediately ordered to   
   be cut off.   
      
   His and the other three bodies, were thrown into the sea but, being   
   cast ashore, were buried by the Christians in a grotto hewn out of a   
   rock.   
      
   In the 4th century, Saint John Cassian (c 360-435), the disciple of St   
   John Chrysostom, built a monastery over the site where their bodies   
   had been buried in a cave, which later became a Benedictine abbey and   
   minor basilica. This is the Abbey of St Victor (Abbaye Saint-Victor)   
      
   Saint Victor’s feast day, along with Saints Longinus, Alexander and   
   Felician, is celebrated today, 21 July.   
      
   https://anastpaul.com/2019/07/21   
      
   /   
   Saint Quote:   
   Never believe you have attained such purity as you should, whilst your   
   will is not freely and gladly submissive to the holy will of God, as   
   to all, and in all, even in things most repugnant.   
   --St. Francis de Sales   
      
   Bible Quote   
   But the souls of the just are in the hand of God, and the torment of   
   death shall not touch them. 2 In the sight of the unwise they seemed   
   to die: and their departure was taken for misery: 3 And their going   
   away from us, for utter destruction: but they are in peace.  (Wis.   
   3:1-3)   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   HAPPINESS IS JESUS THE LORD   
      
   I wake up in the morning to face another day,   
   A day filled first with gladness,   
   For I have learned to pray.   
   I lift my eyes to Heaven, and ask what I can do to   
   Face another working day   
   Along the path to You?   
   Temptations are beside me, for me to cast aside;   
   For there has been a promise   
   To be Your loving bride.   
   I open wide the door, steadfastly on my way,   
   To give and take the worst and best   
   With every passing day.   
   My mission fills my heart,   
   There is no room for fear,   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)