From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   Everything Works Together for Charity:   
      
   "All these endeavors for fasting are concerned not about the rejection   
   of various foods as unclean, but about the subjugation of inordinate   
   desire and the maintenance of neighborly love.   
    Charity especially is guarded: food is subservient to charity, speech   
   to charity, customs to charity, and facial expressions to charity.   
   Everything works together for charity alone."   
   Augustine,--Customs of the Catholic Church 33, 70   
      
   Prayer: How great was your love for us, kind Father! You did not spare   
   your only-begotten Son but surrendered him for the sake of us sinners!   
   Augustine, Confessions 10, 43   
      
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   14 May – Blessed Giles of Santarem OP   
      
    (1185-1265)   
    Dominican Friar, Confessor, Penitent – born Gil Rodrigues de   
   Valadares in 1185 at Vaozela, Portugal and died on 14 May 1265 in   
   Santarem, Portugal of natural causes.   
      
   Blessed Giles was born at Vouzella, near Coimbra, Portugal, about   
   1185. His father was the governor of Coimbra and a Counsellor of   
   Sancho I, the king of Portugal. Although his father wanted Giles to   
   enter the ecclesiastical state and the King was lavish in bestowing   
   ecclesiastical benefices on Giles, while still a child, Giles,   
   however, wanted to study medicine. After some time studying philosophy   
   in Coimbra, Giles left to study medicine in Paris.   
      
   Blessed Giles was intercepted by a kind stranger on his trip to Paris,   
   who promised to teach him magic if he would sign his soul over to the   
   devil in blood. Blessed Giles, the legend continues, signed away his   
   soul and studied magic for seven years before going to Paris where he   
   excelled in his medical studies and was noted for many fantastic   
   cures. However, we know that at some point Blessed Giles reformed his   
   life and repented.   
      
   He returned to Portugal and took the Dominican habit at a newly   
   erected convent in Palencia in about 1224. Shortly after arriving in   
   Palencia, his Dominican superiors sent Blessed Giles to the Dominican   
   convent at Scallabis, present day Santarem, Portugal. There he led a   
   life of prayer and penance and for seven years was tormented about the   
   compact he had entered into with the devil. However, according to   
   Blessed Giles’ biographer, finally Satan was compelled to surrender   
   Giles’ soul and placed the compact he had signed before the Altar of   
   the Blessed Virgin.   
      
   After this experience, Giles returned to Paris to study theology. On   
   his second return to Portugal, he became famous for his piety and   
   learning. He was twice elected provincial of the Dominican Order in   
   Spain.   
      
   Noted for his humble service to his brethren, he died at Santarem on   
   14 May 1265. Blessed Giles was Beatified by Pope Benedict XIV (cultus   
   confirmed) on 9 May 1748.   
      
   https://anastpaul.com/2020/05/14/   
      
      
   The Refuge of Sinners   
      
   “Refuge of sinners, pray for us.”   
   This is one of the most beautiful invocations in the Litany of Loreto.   
   In the second half of the Hail Mary, the Church, knowing that we are   
   all sinners, teaches us to pay to our heavenly Mother: “Pray for us   
   sinners, now and at the hour of our death.”   
   When a mother sees her sons going astray or behaving badly, she does   
   not cease to love them.   
   One might say that, she loves them all the more, because, in addition   
   to her natural affection, she develops a sense of anxious compassion   
   for them when she thinks of the way in which they have risked their   
   eternal salvation by sinning.   
   Mary’s attitude to us is like this.   
   The only difference is, that our earthly mothers suffer as a result of   
   our transgressions and ingratitude without being able to do much to   
   change us.   
   Mary, on the other hand, being the Mother of Jesus as well as our   
   Mother, is not only willing but able, to help us.   
   No matter how enormous our sins may be, no matter how irresistible our   
   carnal instincts may seem, no matter how hopelessly we may have   
   plunged into the depths of evil, it is enough for us to raise our eyes   
   in confidence towards Mary.   
   Like a merciful Mother, she will obtain for us from God, forgiveness   
   and the strength to return to the path of penitence and of peace.   
   “Poor ship-wrecked sinners,” says St Bonaventure, “have recourse to   
   Mary and she will lead you to the port of salvation.” (In Ps 8).   
   Our good Mother, St Bernard tells us, does not shrink in horror from   
   the most wretched of sinners.   
   He need only turn to her for help and she will save him from damnation   
   (Or Pan ad BV).   
   How comforting it should be for us to realise that we have such a   
   merciful and powerful Mother.   
   Let us turn to her with trust and humility and she will certainly assist us.”   
   by Antonio Cardinal Bacci   
      
   Saint Quote:   
   It is clear through unlearned men that the cross was persuasive; in   
   fact, it persuaded the whole world.   
   -- Saint John Chrysostom   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   Labor as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.  (II Tim. 2:3)   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   Psalm 81:1, 12-16   
      
   1 Sing aloud to God our strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob.   
   11 "But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me.   
   12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels.   
   13 O that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!   
   14 Then I would quickly subdue their enemies, and turn my hand against   
   their foes.   
   15 Those who hate the LORD would cringe before him, and their doom   
   would last forever.   
   16 I would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from   
   the rock I would satisfy you."   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)