From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   May 5th - St. Hilary, Bishop   
      
   Born in Lorraine, France, c. 400; died 449.   
      
   While still a pagan, Hilary attained a high office in the local   
   administration because of his excellent education and native abilities. His   
   friend and close relative Saint Honoratus recognized that Hilary was being   
   called to the special service of God. For a short time Honoratus left his   
   recently founded monastery of Lérins to seek out Hilary and invite him to   
   join him on the island, but his friend resisted. Hilary later wrote: "On the   
   one side I felt that the Lord was calling me, while on the other hand the   
   seductions of the world held me back. My will swayed backwards and forwards,   
   now consenting, now refusing. But at last Christ triumphed in me."   
      
   When Hilary made up his mind, he never looked back. He gave away all that he   
   possessed to the poor, then he was baptized, made his profession, and joined   
   the community at Lérins as a monk. Honoratus treated Hilary as his favorite   
   son. When Honoratus became bishop of Arles in 426, he made Hilary his   
   secretary, and groomed him to succeed as bishop. Hilary did not want to   
   leave Arles but Honoratus himself came to get him. When Honoratus died, the   
   grieving Hilary looked forward to returning to Lérins. Enjroute to the   
   island he was stopped by messengers, sent by the citizens of Arles, asking   
   him to be their archbishop. Thus, he was consecrated.   
      
   Hilary was an energetic, devoted, and impetuous bishop, zealous in charity   
   and zealous in asserting the rights of his episcopate. In the latter he   
   twice went too far and was censured by the pope. But each time Hilary, even   
   though he had defended himself, submitted to the superior authority.   
      
   The limits of his province as metropolitan of southern Gaul had never been   
   settled. On a visitation in a disputed area, he deposed a bishop called   
   Chelidonius because he had married a widow before ordination and, as a   
   magistrate, had passed a death sentence. Either of these charges, if   
   substantiated, would have disqualified him for the episcopate. When Hilary   
   realized that the man was appealing to Rome, he followed. Chelidonius   
   cleared himself of the charges before Pope Saint Leo the Great. A council   
   was called, during which Hilary contended that the case ought to have been   
   tried by the papal commissaries in Gaul. Hilary left Rome before a decision   
   was rendered against him.   
      
   Soon after there was another complaint. A Gaulic bishop named Projectus was   
   on the point of death, when Hilary appointed another bishop to the see. The   
   sick man recovered, leaving two men claiming the same diocese. Hilary   
   supported his own nominee, perhaps because the first was too sick to carry   
   out his duties. Saint Leo, however, judged that Hilary's actions were wrong   
   and could lead to schism. Therefore, the pope censured him, forbade Hilary   
   to appoint any more bishops, and transferred the dignity of metropolitan to   
   the bishop of Fréjus. Nevertheless, after Hilary's death in 449, Pope Leo   
   the Great wrote of 'Hilary of sacred memory.'   
      
   Perhaps Hilary's impetuous zeal arose because he was still a young man,   
   barely thirty when he became bishop of Arles. Even as bishop, the saint   
   lived as though he were still in the monastery, observing the regular   
   monastic hours of prayer. He presided over several church councils. He is   
   chiefly remembered for the discourse he delivered on the life of Saint   
   Honoratus, the text of which has survived (tr. by F. R. Hoare in The Western   
   Fathers, 1954); however, the sanctity of his life is what won for him   
   popular veneration in life and after death (Attwater, Benedictines, Bentley,   
   Walsh).   
      
   In art, Saint Hilary is portrayed as secretary to the bishop with the chain   
   of office, biretta, book and a dove at his ear. He may also be shown (1) as   
   bishop consecrating a virgin with a dove at his ear; (2) at a council of   
   bishops, the earth rises to enthrone him and an empty tomb is seen nearby;   
   or (3) driving serpents or dragons from the island of Lérins (Roeder).   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   Complain as little as possible of your wrongs, for, as a general rule, you   
   may be sure that complaining is sin: ... because self-love always magnifies   
   our injuries.   
   -François de Sales   
      
   Bible Quote   
   So also you now indeed have sorrow; but I will see you again, and your heart   
   shall rejoice; and your joy no man shall take from you.   (John 16:22)   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   HAPPINESS IS JESUS THE LORD   
      
   I wake up in the morning to face another day,   
   A day filled first with gladness,   
   For I have learned to pray.   
   I lift my eyes to Heaven, and ask what I can do to   
   Face another working day   
   Along the path to You?   
   Temptations are beside me, for me to cast aside;   
   For there has been a promise   
   To be Your loving bride.   
   I open wide the door, steadfastly on my way,   
   To give and take the worst and best   
   With every passing day.   
   My mission fills my heart,   
   There is no room for fear,   
   I'll always tell the story   
   Of when you came so near.   
   They'll never quite believe me,   
   Though what I say is true   
   That all these visions that I saw,   
   Were gifts that came from You!   
      
   St. Teresa   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   When Using Holy Water   
      
   By this holy water and by Your Precious Blood, wash   
   away all my sins, O Lord.   
      
   St. Theresa of Avila on holy water: "From long experience   
   I have learned that there is nothing like holy water to put   
   devils to flight and prevent them from coming back again.   
   They also flee from the cross, but return; so holy water   
   must have great value."   
      
   Holy water is a means of spiritual wealth - a sacramental   
   that remits venial sin. The Church strongly urges its use,   
   especially when dangers threaten. The devil hates holy   
   water because of its power over him. He cannot long   
   abide in a place or near a person that is often sprinkled   
   with this blessed water.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)