From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   The surpassing gift of love   
      
   "Again, the kingdom of heaven is said to be like a merchant who is   
   seeking fine pearls. He finds one really precious pearl, and, having   
   found it, he sells everything he has in order to buy it. In the same   
   way, he who has a clear knowledge of the sweetness of heavenly life   
   gladly leaves behind all the things he loved on earth. Compared with   
   that pearl, everything else fades in value. He forsakes those things   
   that he has and scatters those things that he has gathered. His heart   
   yearns for heavenly things, and nothing on earth pleases him. The   
   allure of earthly things has now dissipated, for only the brilliance   
   of that precious pearl dazzles his mind. Solomon justly says of such   
   love, 'Love is strong as death' (Song of Solomon 8:6 ), because just   
   as death destroys the body, so ardent desire for eternal life cuts off   
   the love for material things. For love makes insensitive to extraneous   
   earthly desires the person whom it has swept off his feet."   
    by John Chrysostom (347-407 AD) (excerpt from FORTY GOSPEL HOMILIES 11.2.1)   
      
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    September 9th - SS. Gorgonius, Dorotheus, and Companions, Martyrs   
      
   A.D. 304.   
   DOROTHEUS was first chamberlain to the Emperor Diocletian; Gorgonius   
   and Peter were sub-chamberlains. They were the 3 principal eunuchs of   
   the palace; had sometimes borne the weight of the most difficult   
   affairs of state, and been the support both of the emperor and of his   
   court. When the palace of Nicomedia was set on fire, probably by the   
   contrivance of Galerius, who unjustly charged the Christians with it,   
   Dorotheus, with Gorgonius, and several others under his dependence,   
   were very cruelly tortured, and at length strangled. Peter having   
   refused to sacrifice, was hung up unclothed in the air, and whipped on   
   all parts of his body. After the executioners had torn his flesh in   
   such a manner that the bones protruded, without being able to shake   
   his constancy, they poured salt and vinegar into his wounds; then had   
   a gridiron brought, and a fire made, on which they broiled him as we   
   do meat, telling him at the same time that he should continue in that   
   condition if he would not obey; but he was resolute to the last, and   
   died under the torture. The bodies of St. Dorotheus and his companions   
   were cast into the sea by an order of Diocletian, lest the Christians   
   should worship them as gods, as Eusebius mentions. This mistake of the   
   heathens could only arise from the veneration which Christians paid to   
   the relics of martyrs.   
      
   The martyr Gorgonius's name was famous at Rome. The Liberian Calendar,   
   published by Bucherius, mentions his tomb on the Lavican way, and he   
   was honoured with an office in the sacramentary of Pope Gelasius.   
   Sigebert in his chronicle on the year 764, Rabanus Maurus in his   
   martyrology, and others, relate that St. Chrodegang obtained from   
   Rome, of Pope Paul, the relics of St. Gorgonius, and enriched with   
   that treasure his great monastery of Gorze, situated two leagues from   
   Metz. Among the poems of Pope Damasus is an epitaph on St. Gorgonius.   
   [1]   
      
   The martyrs show by example, that a true Christian is invincible in   
   virtue and fortitude; for, as St. Gregory Nazianzen says, he looks   
   upon misfortunes and crosses as the seeds of the most heroic virtues;   
   therefore he exults in adversity. Torments do not discompose the   
   serenity of his countenance; much less do they change the   
   steadfastness of his heart. Nothing is able to pull him down;   
   everything yields to the magnanimity and wisdom of this philosopher.   
   If he be stripped of the goods and conveniences of life, he has wings   
   to raise him even to heaven. He flies even to the bosom of God, who   
   abundantly gives him recompence for all, and is to him all things. He   
   is in the world with a body as if he were a pure spirit. In the midst   
   of passions and sufferings, he is as invincible as if he were   
   impassible: he lets himself be vanquished in everything except in   
   courage; and where he submits he triumphs by humility, patience, and   
   constancy, even in torments, and in death itself. Do we maintain this   
   character even under the light trials we meet with?   
      
   From Lact. l. de Mort. Persec. et l. 6, Instit. Euseb. l. 8.   
      
   Note 1. Damas. Carm. 14, p. 156.   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   "What we gain by fasting is not so great as the damage done by anger;   
   nor is the profit from spiritual reading as great as the harm done   
   when we scorn or grieve a brother."   
   --St. John Cassian   
      
   Bible Quote:   
    For which cause I please myself in my infirmities, in reproaches, in   
   necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ. For when I am   
   weak, then am I powerful.   
   [2 Corinthians 12:10] DRV   
      
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   We must always pray, and not faint.--Luke 18:1-- September: Prayer   
      
   20. It is well to imagine sometimes in prayer that insults or affronts   
   are inflicted upon us, or that misfortunes fall upon us, and then to   
   strive to accustom our hearts to pardon them and bear them all with   
   patience, in imitation of our Saviour; for in this, much spiritual   
   strength is gained.   
   --St. Philip Neri   
      
   When St. Ignatius was once confined to his bed by illness, he began to   
   think whether anything could happen which could disturb him. After   
   having imagined many troubles and trials, he found that nothing could   
   afflict him and take away his peace, except to see the destruction of   
   his Society. But after meditating several times upon the point, he   
   gained the mastery over himself to such a degree that he thought if   
   this should happen, a quarter of an hour spent in praying would   
   suffice to make him tranquil and resigned.   
       ( "A Year with the Saints")   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)