From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   December 15th - St. Maximin or Mesmin of Verdun   
   Abbot of Micy (died ca. 520)   
      
   Saint Maximin was a native of Verdun. A priest named Euspicius, uncle of   
   Maximin, brought about a reconciliation between the French monarch Clovis   
   and   
   his subjects of that city, after the latter had engaged in a revolt. Clovis,   
   appreciating the virtues of the good priest, persuaded Euspicius to take up   
   his   
   residence at the court in Orleans; and the servant of God took Saint   
   Maximin,   
   his nephew, with him. Maximin was ordained a deacon by the bishop of   
   Orleans,   
   and then a priest.   
      
   A site about two leagues from the city was given by Clovis to Euspicius for   
   a   
   monastery. He with Maximin and several disciples built there the large   
   monastery, of which he then took charge. His young assistant knew well how   
   to   
   attract many young men of admirable piety and fervor to the religious state.   
      
   At the death of the Abbot two years later, the young priest was appointed to   
   replace him. Solitaries left their cells to come and place themselves under   
   his   
   direction, and soon the gift of miracles was bestowed upon the abbot. He   
   multiplied wine and grain during a famine, to assist the afflicted people;   
   he   
   delivered a possessed man and cured two blind men, though he knew one of   
   them   
   had become blind only after he maliciously cut down a tree belonging to the   
   monastery. Through his prayers he brought about so many other prodigies that   
   he   
   was called the thaumaturge (wonderworker) of his century.   
      
   His soul was soon ripe for the beatitude he had earned, and after having   
   governed his monastery for ten years, he died as he had lived, in the odor   
   of   
   sanctity, and in the arms of his spiritual sons, on the 15th of December in   
   about the year 520.   
      
   Reflection: Few are called to serve God by great actions, but all are bound   
   to   
   strive for perfection in the ordinary actions of their daily lives. "This is   
   the   
   Will of God - that you be saints." (Saint Paul, I Thessalonians 4:3)   
      
   Source: Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints, a compilation based on   
   Butler's   
   Lives of the Saints and other sources, by John Gilmary Shea (Benziger   
   Brothers:   
   New York, 1894).   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   Oh, how great must be the love that the Sun of God bears to the poor! for He   
   chose the state of poverty. He wished to be called the teacher of the poor,   
   and   
   counts most especially as done to Himself whatever is done for His poor.   
   -St. Vincent de Paul   
      
   Bible Quote   
    And at midnight, Paul and Silas praying, praised God. And they that were in   
   prison, heard them. 26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that   
   the   
   foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were   
   opened, and the bands of all were loosed.  (Acts 16:25-26)   
      
      
   <><><><><>   
   The Litany of Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows,   
   composed by Pope Pius VII:   
      
   Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us.   
   Lord, have mercy on us.   
   Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.   
   God, the Father of heaven, Have mercy on us.   
   God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.   
   God the Holy Ghost, Have mercy on us.   
   Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.   
   Holy Virgin of virgins, pray for us.   
   Mother of the Crucified, pray for us.   
   Sorrowful Mother, pray for us.   
   Mournful Mother, pray for us.   
   Sighing Mother, pray for us.   
   Afflicted Mother, pray for us.   
   Forsaken Mother, pray for us.   
   Desolate Mother, pray for us.   
   Mother most sad, pray for us.   
   Mother set around with anguish, pray for us.   
   Mother overwhelmed by grief, pray for us.   
   Mother transfixed by a sword, pray for us.   
   Mother crucified in thy heart, pray for us.   
   Mother bereaved of thy Son, pray for us.   
   Sighing Dove, pray for us.   
   Mother of Dolors, pray for us.   
   Fount of tears, pray for us.   
   Sea of bitterness, pray for us.   
   Field of tribulation, pray for us.   
   Mass of suffering, pray for us.   
   Mirror of patience, pray for us.   
   Rock of constancy, pray for us.   
   Remedy in perplexity, pray for us.   
   Joy of the afflicted, pray for us.   
   Ark of the desolate, pray for us.   
   Refuge of the abandoned, pray for us.   
   Shield of the oppressed, pray for us.   
   Conqueror of the incredulous, pray for us.   
   Solace of the wretched, pray for us.   
   Medicine of the sick, pray for us.   
   Help of the faint, pray for us.   
   Strength of the weak, pray for us.   
   Protectress of those who fight, pray for us.   
   Haven of the shipwrecked, pray for us.   
   Calmer of tempests, pray for us.   
   Companion of the sorrowful, pray for us.   
   Retreat of those who groan, pray for us.   
   Terror of the treacherous, pray for us.   
   Standard-bearer of the Martyrs, pray for us.   
   Treasure of the Faithful, pray for us.   
   Light of Confessors, pray for us.   
   Pearl of Virgins, pray for us.   
   Comfort of Widows, pray for us.   
   Joy of all Saints, pray for us.   
   Queen of thy Servants, pray for us.   
   Holy Mary, who alone art unexampled, pray for us.   
      
   V. Pray for us, most Sorrowful Virgin,   
   R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.   
      
   Let us pray, O God, in whose Passion, according to the prophecy of Simeon,   
   a sword of grief pierced through the most sweet soul of Thy glorious   
   Blessed Virgin Mother Mary: grant that we, who celebrate the memory of her   
   Seven Sorrows, may obtain the happy effect of Thy Passion, Who lives and   
   reigns world without end, AMEN.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)