From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   The Royal Road of the Holy Cross (16)   
      
      If, indeed, there were anything better or more useful for man’s   
   salvation than suffering, Christ would have shown it by word and   
   example. But He clearly exhorts the disciples who follow Him and all   
   who wish to follow Him to carry the cross, saying: “If any man will   
   come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and   
   follow Me.” Luke 9:23.   
     When, therefore, we have read and searched all that has been   
   written, let this be the final conclusion--that through much suffering   
   we must enter into the kingdom of God.   
   --Thomas à Kempis --Imitation of Christ Book 2, Chapter 12   
      
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   April 1st - Saint Gilbert de Moray   
   (Also known as Gilbert of Caithness)   
      
   d. 1245 of natural causes   
      
   For his alleged defence of the liberty of the Scottish church, when   
   threatened with subordination to England, St. Gilbert was formerly   
   held in honour by his fellow-countrymen as a great patriot. Born in   
   Moray, he received holy orders and became archdeacon of Moray. Legend   
   declared that while still a young man he was summoned with the heads   
   of the Scottish church to a council at Northampton in 1176. As   
   spokesman for the Scottish bishops he opposed with fervour and   
   eloquence a proposal that the northern prelates should be suffragans   
   to the archbishop of York. From the time that Scotland had received   
   the Christian faith it had been free, he maintained, and was subject   
   to no outside authority except that of the pope. It would be   
   iniquitous to place it under an English metropolitan--especially since   
   the English and the Scots were constantly at war. He seems to have   
   carried his point. There was, no doubt, an ecclesiastic named Gilbert   
   who made such a speech, but it is barely conceivable that he can be   
   the man who was made bishop of Caithness in 1223.   
      
   According to the Aberdeen Breviary, St. Gilbert was high steward to   
   several monarchs, and a legend relates that enemies maliciously burnt   
   the books in which he kept his accounts, hoping thereby to discredit   
   him, but that the books were restored intact in answer to his prayers.   
   After, the death of Bishop Adam, who was murdered, King Alexander   
   nominated Gilbert bishop of Caithness, and he ruled that northern   
   diocese wisely and well for 20 years. He built several hospices for   
   the poor as well as the cathedral of Dornoch, and both by preaching   
   and example did much to civilize his flock.   
      
   As he lay dying, he said to those who stood by him: “Three maxims   
   which I have always tried to observe I now commend to you: first,   
   never to hurt anyone and, if injured, never to seek revenge; secondly,   
   to bear patiently whatever suffering God may inflict, remembering that   
   He chastises every son whom He receives; and finally to obey those in   
   authority so as not to be a stumbling-block to others.”   
      
   See Forbes, KSS., pp. 355-356, the Aberdeen Breviary (1854), and the   
   DNB. (vol. xxi, p. 317), with the references there indicated.   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   Every virtue in your soul is a precious ornament which makes you dear   
   to God and to man. But holy purity, the queen of virtues, the angelic   
   virtue, is a jewel so precious that those who possess it become like   
   the angels of God in Heaven, even though clothed in mortal flesh.   
   --St. John Bosco   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   Jesus saith to him: Begone, Satan: for it is written: The Lord thy God   
   thou shalt adore, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil left   
   him; and behold angels came and ministered to him.  (Matt. 4:10-11)   
   DRB   
      
      
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   Hail, Most Precious   
   and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord!   
   By St John Damascene (675-749)   
   Confessor, Father   
   and Doctor of the Church   
      
   Let God arise and let His enemies be scattered   
   and let those, who hate Him,   
   flee from His Presence.   
   As smoke vanishes, let them vanish   
   and as wax melts by the presence of fire,   
   so let the demons perish by the presence   
   of those who love God   
   and who sign themselves   
   with the Sign of the Cross   
   and say in gladness:   
   Hail, Most Precious   
   and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord,   
   for Thou drives away the demons   
   by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ   
   Crucified on thee, Who went down to hell   
   and trampled on the power of the devil   
   and gave us thee, His venerable Cross,   
   for driving away all enemies.   
   O Most Precious and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord,   
   help me with our holy Lady,   
   the Virgin Mother of God   
   and with all the Saints throughout the ages.   
   Amen.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)