From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   Of a Pure Mind and Simple Intention (1)   
      
   MAN is raised up from the earth by two wings-simplicity and purity.   
   There must be simplicity in his intention and purity in his desires.   
   Simplicity leads to God, purity embraces and enjoys Him. If your heart   
   is free from ill-ordered affection, no good deed will be difficult for   
   you. If you aim at and seek after nothing but the pleasure of God and   
   the welfare of your neighbor, you will enjoy freedom within.   
   --Thomas à Kempis --Imitation of Christ Book 2, Chapter 4   
      
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   August 21st - Ss. Luxurius, Camerinus and Cisellus   
   The Passion of (BHL 5092)   
      
   1. In their time the emperors Diocletian and Maximian were aroused by   
   the devil to great savagery against the Christians, to tear down their   
   churches, and burn their books. They were afflicted with varied punishments   
   many who believed in Christianity. They hoped that by their cruelty   
   they would be able to overcome those whom the Lord in his mercy called   
   to the palm of victory. Thus when idolaters were not so mad as to rage   
   against Christians in their own lands, the emperors sent judges   
   throughout the whole world with their instructions to persecute   
   Christians, so that they might be converted to the worship of their   
   gods, or be killed by various penalties. At that time they sent a   
   certain governor, Delphius, to Sardinia in order to fufil in that   
   province which had been entrusted to him their instructions. When he   
   was searching various areas to see if he could find any Christians who   
   could agree with him, it happened that Luxurius a staunchly pagan   
   apparitor was called to the Lord, and his soul was filled with divine   
   inspiration.   
      
   2. He used to keep a psalter on him since he wanted to read it; and   
   when he read rapidly through the series of psalms he came to the 85th   
   psalm where the prophet David says, "All the nations which you have   
   made will come and worship in your presence, Lord, and will honour   
   your name since you are great and achieve miracles; you alone are   
   God." When he read this psalm carefully Luxurius' mind was opened, and   
   he hastened to become a Christian. When he was marked by the sign of   
   the cross of Christ he was made a catechumen. He then entered a church   
   and heard people singing the psalm, "Repay your servant; I will live   
   and I will guard your words." Upon hearing this he was strengthened in   
   his faith in Christ, rejoiced in his heart and praised him. Therefore   
   he began to curse the vain and worthless statues, and keep watch for   
   the day of judgement as the days went by, and devoted his mind   
   ceaselessly to the scriptures. Within a short time he had memorized   
   the psalter and some of the prophets.   
      
   3. Having read through sacred scripture in part, he examined the moral   
   teaching, and with total longing he received holy baptism. Thereafter   
   he committed the Apostles and the holy gospels to memory. His soul had   
   been brought alive, and although he was attending negligently to his   
   earthly military career, and was secretly a Christian, he was   
   unwilling to bring the matter out into the open. When Luxurius had   
   achieved Christian innocence, that opponent and enemy of innocent   
   minds insinuated to the governor through his attendants that the   
   apparitor Luxurius held contempt for his authority, and wished to   
   follow the superstition of the Christians. Upon hearing this the   
   governor was moved to anger, and he ordered the other apparitores to   
   present Luxurius bound to him so that he might have someone against   
   whom to unleash his malice.   
      
   4. On seeing him he addressed him thus, "What madness has led you   
   astray from the good conduct of your life? I held you in the highest   
   regard, and I had thought of giving you a place of honour among my   
   highest officials. Yet in contempt of the emperors and to the   
   detriment of the gods you secretly considered removing yourself from   
   my authority." Luxurius said in reply to him, "If I had been engaged   
   in the error of idolatry still, I would never have attained real   
   honour. But I believe that I will now attain special honour through   
   the living God Jesus Christ." The governor said to him, "Is he whom   
   you mention better, then, than our emperors or the immortal gods?”   
   Luxurius replied, "My Lord Jesus Christ is the king of Heaven. He   
   suffered, died, and rose again, and will endure for eternity. However   
   your gods never even existed." The governor said, "If you want to   
   escape the power of my sword, sacrifice to the gods." And Luxurius   
   replied, "I have learned to offer the sacrifice of righteousness, that   
   is to pray to the Lord Jesus Christ, and not to worship the worthless   
   demons, since those who take their side will perish for eternity with   
   them." The governor announced, "Let Luxurius be returned to his cell   
   bound by most weighty chains, and consider to himself what is the   
   practical thing for him."   
      
   5. When he had been freed again there were brought with him two   
   neophyte youths, Cisillus and Camerinus. Then the governor, to whom   
   the soldiers had brought them, asked the soldiers what they had   
   learned about them. They said to him, "We heard that they are   
   Christians." And because they were not old enough to be questioned by   
   interrogation, he ordered that they be kept in the care of his office.   
   After some days he ordered that Luxurius be presented again to his   
   tribunal. When he was present he spoke thus to him in a grim voice,   
   "How long will you distress yourself amidst these torments? Think   
   about your safety. Deny your God, and sacrifice to the Gods." Luxurius   
   responded, "I cannot deny my God Jesus Christ, he whom the Christian   
   soul confesses, just as I also do." The governor said, "Worship the   
   power of the gods that your life might be conceded to you." Luxurius   
   said, "How can I revere and adore constructions of wood, gold or   
   silver which cannot move their eyelids to see me, or open their mouths   
   to speak to me?”   
      
   6. The governor was moved to anger by these words, and ordered that   
   Luxurius be whipped by four groups of four soldiers. However the   
   servant of God remained steadfast in his faith as if someone other   
   than he was being ordered to be continuously beaten. Then the emperor   
   ordered that he be beaten with clubs. Steadfast and brave God's chosen   
   one sung the praises of the Lord amidst the blows of the clubs so that   
   you might have thought that his body did not feel the torture. However   
   when the most wicked governor saw that Luxurius could not be overcome   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)