From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   Humility of John the Baptist   
      
   "John the Baptist was regarded by some people as the Messiah but he   
   told them: "I am not the one whom you think." He refused to accept the   
   error of someone in order to derive glory from it.   
      
   John admitted what he was, declared what he was not, and humbled   
   himself. He clearly recognized where his salvation came from, for he   
   understood that he was the lamp, and he feared being extinguished by   
   pride."   
   --St. Augustine--Sermon 293, 4   
      
   Prayer: Thanks and praise to you, my God, who sound in my ears and who   
   illuminate my heart. Keep me away from every temptation.   
   --St. Augustine--Confessions 10, 31   
      
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   June 25th – St. Maximus of Turin B (RM)   
      
   Born in Vercelli, Italy; died c. 470. Bishop Saint Maximus of Turin   
   (Italy) was indefatigable in his preaching. Many of his famous   
   homilies about the primary feasts, several saints (Stephen, Agnes,   
   Cyprian, Laurence, and others, especially the martyrs of Turin), and   
   other associated writings are still available for our study. He   
   writes: "All the martyrs are to be honored by us, but especially those   
   whose relics we possess. They assist us by their prayers; they   
   preserve us as to our bodies in this life, and receive us when we   
   depart hence."   
      
   In his two homilies on thanksgiving, he earnestly inculcates the duty   
   of praising God daily, especially using the Psalms. He strongly   
   insists that no one ought ever to neglect morning and evening prayer,   
   or his thanksgiving before and after every meal. This saintly bishop   
   exhorts us to make the sign of the cross before every action, saying,   
   "that by the sign of Jesus Christ (devoutly used) a blessing is   
   ensured to us in all things." The saint criticizes the abuses of New   
   Year's Day, especially the then prevalent custom of giving presents to   
   the rich without at the same time giving alms to the poor, and the   
   hypocritical formalities of friendship in which the heart has no   
   share. He also wrote "Against heretics who sell the pardon of sins,"   
   whose pretended priests exacted money for absolving penitents instead   
   of bidding them do penance, and weep for their offenses.   
      
   Maximus participated in the council of Milan in 451, and at that of   
   Rome under Pope Saint Hilary, in 465, in which latter he subscribed   
   just after the pope. He had to endure much during his episcopacy   
   because of the barbarian incursions into Italy (Benedictines,   
   Encyclopedia, Husenbeth). In art, Saint Maximus is a bishop with a   
   hind near him (Roeder).   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   Separate me from myself and from all that is not you, in order to   
   unite and incorporate me with you. Empty me of myself and of all   
   things, destroy me utterly, in order to fill  me with yourself and to   
   form and establish yourself in me. Cause me henceforth to be a   
   perfect image of yourself; just as you are a most perfect image of   
   your Father.   
   --St. John Eudes   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   Save us, O Lord, our God: and gather us from among nations:   
   That we may give thanks to thy holy name, and may glory   
    in thy praise. (Psalms 105:47)   
      
      
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   The Serenity Prayer   
      
   God grant me the serenity   
   to accept the things I cannot change;   
   courage to change the things I can;   
   and wisdom to know the difference.   
      
   Although known most widely in its abbreviated form above,   
   the entire prayer reads as follows:   
      
   Full Original Serenity Prayer   
   by Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971)   
      
   God, give us grace to accept with serenity   
   the things that cannot be changed,   
   Courage to change the things   
   which should be changed,   
   and the Wisdom to distinguish   
   the one from the other.   
      
   Living one day at a time,   
   Enjoying one moment at a time,   
   Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,   
   Taking, as Jesus did,   
   This sinful world as it is,   
   Not as I would have it,   
   Trusting that You will make all things right,   
   If I surrender to Your will,   
   So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,   
   And supremely happy with You forever in the next.   
   Amen.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)