From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   The cross is called Christ’s glory   
      
   The cross is called Christ’s glory; it is saluted as his his triumph.   
   We recognize it as the cup he longed to drink and the climax of the   
   sufferings he endured for our sake. As to the cross being Christ’s   
   glory, listen to his words: Now is the Son of Man glorified, and in   
   him God is glorified, and God will glorify him at once. And again:   
   Father, glorify me with the glory I had with you before the world came   
   to be. And once more: “Father, glorify your name”. Then a voice came   
   from heaven: “I have glorified it and will glorify it again”. Here he   
   speaks of the glory that would accrue to him through the cross. And if   
   you would understand that the cross is Christ’s triumph, hear what he   
   himself also said: When I am lifted up, then I will draw all men to   
   myself. Now you can see that the cross is Christ’s glory and triumph.   
   -- Saint Andrew of Crete   
      
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   May 28th - St. William of Gellone   
      
   d. 812   
   IN the time of Pepin the Short, the wife of Thierry, count of   
   Toulouse, gave birth to a son to whom they gave the name of William.   
   Upon attaining manhood William went to court, where he soon became a   
   favourite with Charlemagne, who by this time had succeeded to his   
   father’s throne. He filled various offices to the monarch’s   
   satisfaction and then was sent by him against the Saracens who were   
   threatening France. At the same time he was created duke of Aquitaine.   
   William vanquished the Saracens, and raised the prestige of   
   Christianity amongst the Moslems by his bravery, justice and piety.   
   Amongst those of his own faith also he came to be regarded as the   
   ideal Christian knight, and he figures as the principal character in   
   several chansons de gene, such as La price d’Orange and Aliscans. He   
   could not, however, rest satisfied with serving his king; he desired   
   to place himself at the disposal of the King of kings. With this   
   object in view he sought for a suitable site on which to build a   
   monastery, and discovered it at Gellone, at about an hour’s distance   
   from the celebrated abbey of Aniane. There he founded his monastery,   
   which he peopled with monks from the neighbouring religious houses,   
   especially from Aniane. He also built in the vicinity a convent for   
   women, in which his sisters took the veil.   
      
   For some time William continued to live in the world, attending the   
   royal court, where he was regarded with great favour, but the call to   
   abandon all came to him as it had done to his sisters. He obtained the   
   requisite permission from Charlemagne, and then made his way to   
   Brioude in the Auvergne, where he hung up his weapons in the church of   
   St. Julian after he had laid an offering on the altar. From thence he   
   went to Gellone, where he received the habit from St. Benedict of   
   Aniane, who became from that time his director and spiritual guide.   
   Perfect as had been St. William’s conduct as a layman, it was equally   
   perfect as a monk. He died on May 28, 812, and was buried in his own   
   monastery, which was afterwards renamed St. William in the Wilderness.   
      
   The life printed in the Acta Sanctorum, May, vol. vi, cannot be the   
   work of a contemporary, as it purports to be, but it is relatively   
   sober. See “L. Clarus” (W. Volk), Herzog Wilhelm von Aquitanien (1865)   
   G. Morin in the Revue Charlemagne, vol. ii (1913), pp. 116-126; A.   
   Becker, Die alt-französische Wilhelm-sage (1896); Bédier, Les Légendes   
   Épiques (1926), t.i.   
      
      
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   Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the earth.  [Matt. 5:4 ]   
   11. As without faith it is impossible to please God, so without   
   mildness it is impossible to please men and to govern them well.   
   --St. Bernard   
      
   The same Saint proved this by his example. When he was made Abbot, he   
   proceeded at first with much austerity and severity; and though his   
   monks had a high opinion of him, they could not adapt themselves to   
   each other. Therefore, he was warned by God to show more suavity and   
   sweetness; and when he did so, he gained for himself the affection of   
   all, and a most exact obedience.   
      
   Nicetus, in his Annals, tells of a certain emperor who at his death   
   called together the chief men of the empire, and said to them: "My two   
   sons, as you see, are both good; but I consider the younger better   
   fitted to govern than the elder, for, besides his other virtues, he is   
   inclined to clemency and docility, and when he has made any mistake,   
   he follows the counsels of others, and obeys the voice of reason. The   
   other is easily made angry, and in his fits of passion he cannot   
   control himself. This trait is most opposed to good counsel, and   
   brings ruin on the wise."   
      
      
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   Two prayers:   
      
   Grant me grace, O merciful God, to desire ardently all   
   that is pleasing to Thee, to examine it prudently, to   
   acknowledge it truthfully, and to accomplish it perfectly,   
   for the praise and glory of Thy Name.  Amen.   
      
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   O Mary, Mother of mercy and Refuge of sinners, we   
   beseech thee, be pleased to look with pitiful eyes upon   
   poor heretics and schismatics.  Thou who are the Seat of   
   Wisdom, enlightened the minds that are miserably   
   enfolded in the darkness of ignorance and sin, that they   
   may clearly know that the Holy Catholic Church is the   
   one true Church of Jesus Christ, outside of which neither   
   holiness nor salvation can be found.  Call them to the   
   unity of the one fold, granting them the grace to accept   
   all the truths of our holy Faith, and to submit themselves   
   to the Supreme Roman Pontiff, the Vicar of Jesus Christ   
   on earth; that so, being united with us in the sweet chains   
   of divine charity, there may soon be one only fold under   
   the same one Shepherd; and may we all, O glorious   
   Virgin, sing forever with exultation: Rejoice, O virgin   
   Mary, thou only last destroyed all heresies in the whole   
   world.  Amen.   
      
   Hail Mary... (thrice)   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)