From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   February 20th - St. Sadoth, Visionary & Comp., Martyrs   
   (Also known as Shahdost, Schadost, Schiadustes)   
      
   Died c. 342.   
      
   Sadoth, meaning friend of the king in Persian, succeeded Saint Simeon   
   Barsabbae   
   as bishop of Seleucia-Ctesiphon, the two main cities of Persia situated on   
   the   
   Tigris River. A new persecution of Christians by King Shapur II began soon   
   after   
   his election. Sadoth and his clergy hid, although they remained in close   
   contact   
   with their flock.   
      
   During this time, Sadoth had a vision that God was calling him to shed his   
   blood. He called his clergy together to relate the message: "I saw in my   
   sleep,   
   a ladder environed with light and reaching from earth to the heavens. Saint   
   Simeon was at the top of it, and in great glory. He beheld me at the bottom,   
   and   
   said to me, with a smiling countenance: 'Mount up, Sadoth, fear not. I   
   mounted   
   yesterday, and it is your turn today': which means, that as he was slain   
   last   
   year, so I am to follow him thus." He urged them to serve God with increased   
   zeal to ensure they were ready to take possession of their inheritance. They   
   did   
   not seek death but were ready to embrace it.   
      
   Saint Maruthas, who wrote Sadoth's acta, meditated: "A man that is guided by   
   the   
   Spirit, fears not death. He loves God, and goes to him with an incredible   
   ardor;   
   but he who lives according to the desires of the flesh, trembles, and is in   
   despair at its approach: he loves the world, and it is with grief that he   
   leaves   
   it."   
      
   During the second year of the persecution, Sadoth and 128 others were   
   arrested.   
   Most of these were martyred immediately after their arrest, but Sadoth and   
   eight   
   others were detained for five months in a filthy dungeon at Bei-Lapat and   
   tortured before being executed. Three times they were racked and questioned.   
   Amid the sound of bones being broken and urgings to apostatize, Sadoth   
   answered   
   in the name of all, that the sun was but a creature, the work of God, made   
   for   
   the good of mankind; that they would pay supreme adoration to none but the   
   Creator of heaven and earth, and never be unfaithful to him; that it was   
   indeed   
   in their power to take away their lives, but that this would be the greatest   
   favor they could do them. And the soldiers urged them to renounce Christ.   
      
   As with one voice the martyrs cried: "We shall not die, but live and reign   
   eternally with God and his Son Jesus Christ. Kill us as soon as you please;   
   for   
   we repeat it to you that we will not adore the sun." The king sentenced them   
   to   
   death. The martyrs thanked God and encouraged one another. They were chained   
   two   
   and two together, and led out of the city to execution, singing psalms and   
   canticles of joy as they went. At the place of their martyrdom they sang   
   louder   
   and even more joyfully, giving thanks to God for his mercy, and begging for   
   the   
   grace of perseverance and that by this baptism of their blood they might   
   enter   
   into his glory. These prayers and praises of God did not cease until the   
   last of   
   this blessed company was beheaded.   
      
   Shapur II ordered that Sadoth be separated from his flock and sent into the   
   province of the Huzites, where he was beheaded and rejoined his happy flock   
   in   
   the kingdom of glory. Ancients Chaldaic writers quoted by Assemani say that   
   Simeon Barsabbae was Sadoth's maternal uncle (Attwater, Benedictines,   
   Husenbeth).   
      
   In art, Saint Simeon appears on a ladder and invites Sadoth to ascend to   
   heaven   
   (Roeder).   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   "Inventers of unlawful heresies who indeed refer to the Scriptures,   
   but do not hold such opinions as the saints have handed down, and   
   receiving them as the traditions of men, err, because they do not   
   rightly know them, nor their power. Therefore Paul justly praises the   
   Corinthians, (1st Cor. 11:2) because their opinions were in accordance   
   with his traditions."   
   -St Athanasius the Apostolic. 298-373 AD.   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and   
   to   
   give his life a ransom for many. (Mark 10:45)   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   Prayer to the Eternal Father   
   To be said before a Crucifix in Times of Calamity   
      
   Eternal Father, behold Your Son Jesus Christ, crucified for us!   
   Have mercy on us, poor sinners, in His Name and by His merits.   
   We repent and have recourse to Your infinite mercy. Let Yourself   
   be touched and have mercy on us, for we are His heritage. O   
   Lord, do not violate the pact You have made: to answer the   
   prayers Your children address to You.   
      
   It is true that our great iniquities have provoked Your justice. But   
   You, my God, are good by nature. Make the greatness of Your   
   infinite mercy shine forth. O Lord, if You look upon our iniquities,   
   who could stand in Your presence? O Lord, we confess it: we   
   are very guilty, and our sins have called down these scourges   
   upon us. But You, Lord, have desired that we call You Our   
   Father" every day. Look down upon Your children's affliction and   
   spare them such great calamities. Spare us, my God, by the   
   merits of Jesus Christ. Spare us, by the love You have for   
   Yourself. Forgive us, by the love of the Virgin Mary, our Mother!   
      
   Remember, Lord, that we are called Your people. Have mercy   
   on human folly. Send down a ray of Your divine light to dispel the   
   darkness of our intelligence. May our amended souls change   
   their ways and no longer steep the Heart of their God in   
   bitterness!   
      
   O Lord, only the hand of Your infinite mercy can save us from so   
   many calamities. O Lord, we are reeling with affliction from within   
   and from without, have mercy on us! O Lord, turn Your face   
   away from our sins and look upon Jesus Christ, who gave You   
   satisfaction by suffering and dying for us, for He is Your Son!   
   Thus will we celebrate Your infinite mercy.   
      
   Hasten, Lord, to answer us, or our courage will fail because we   
   have fallen into such wretchedness. Hasten, Lord, to show us   
   Your mercy, for we have no hope left but in You alone. You are   
   our Father and Creator. You must preserve and save those who   
   are Yours forever. Amen.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)