From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   September 22nd - St. Emmeramus, bishop, martyr   
      
   This holy missionary preached the gospel with indefatigable zeal around   
   Poitiers, of which city he is often stated to have been bishop; but his name   
   does not appear in the episcopal lists of that or any other see.   
      
   After having laboured thus several years, St Emmeramus was so touched with   
   compassion for the unhappy state of so many thousands of idolaters in   
   Germany and beyond the Danube that he went to preach the gospel in Bavaria.   
   Duke Theodo detained him at Regensburg, as he was later to try to detain St   
   Corbinian, to minister to his subjects. Emmeramus, after having preached   
   there three years and gained to God a number of infidels and sinners,   
   undertook a pilgrimage to Rome. He set out on his journey south but when he   
   had reached Kleinhelfendorf, between Munich and Tirol, he was overtaken by,   
   apparently, some representatives of Duke Theodo, who brutally mishandled   
   him. The saint managed to reach Feldkirchen, but there died of the injuries   
   he had received. His body was shortly afterwards translated to Regensburg.   
   It is not known that he was ever bishop of that city or founder of the   
   monastery there that bore his name.   
      
   The motive and circumstances of the murder of St Emmeramus are a mystery   
   (the Roman Martyrology says oracularly that he patiently suffered a most   
   cruel death for Christ's sake that he might set others free). Less than a   
   century after, his life was written by Aribo, Bishop of Freising, who gives   
   an account of it that is a characteristic example of hagiographical   
   invention, exaggeration, embroidery, or all three, for the sake of popular   
   edification. We are told that before St Emmeramus left for Italy the   
   daughter of Duke Theodo, Oda, confided to him that she was with child by a   
   nobleman of her father's court, and she feared the duke's anger both for   
   herself and her lover. Emmeramus authorized her to state that he himself was   
   the partner of her guilt. The pious Aribo expects the reader to admire the   
   magnanimity and self-sacrifice of Emmeramus, but, quite apart from the fact   
   that he was recommending a lie, and a lie that would cause great scandal, it   
   is difficult to see what would he gained by it except protection for the   
   guilty man. However, the lady Oda acted accordingly when her secret was   
   discovered, and her brother Lantbert and his men set off in pursuit of   
   Emmeramus. When they came up with him at Kleinhelfendorf they tied him to a   
   ladder, tore out his eyes and tongue, cut off his members, and left him to   
   die amid an outbreak of supernatural marvels. St Emmeramus was at once   
   acclaimed a martyr by the people.   
      
   Much has been written about St Emmeram (perhaps more correctly spelt   
   Haimbrammus). There are lives by Bishop Arbeo or Aribo (in two recensions),   
   another by Meginfrid of Magdeburg, and a third by Arnold, who belonged to   
   the monastery called by the name of the saint himself. In the critical   
   edition of Arbeo prepared for MGH., Scriptores Merov., vol. iv, pp. 452-520,   
   B. Krusch has shown that the text printed by the Bollandists (Acta   
   Sanctorum, September, vol. vi) represents substantially Arbeo's genuine work   
   and that it was written about the year 772. But even in its authentic form   
   the data provided by Arbeo's life are not trustworthy. See also A.   
   Bigelmair, Die Anfange des Christentums in Bayern.' in Festgabe A. Knopfler   
   (1907), and J. A. Endres in the Romische Quartalschrift for 1895 and 1903.   
   The genuine tomb of the saint is believed to have been discovered in 1894;   
   on this see especially J. A. Endres, Beitrage zur Geschichte des M. A.   
   Regenburgs (1924).   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   He who does not give up prayer cannot possibly continue to offend God   
   Habitually.   
   Either he will give up prayer, or he will stop sinning.   
   - St. Alphonsus Liguori   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the strong.  (I Cor.   
   1:27)   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   The Little Office of the Holy Angels   
      
   At Compline (Night Prayer)   
      
    Ant. God has given His angels charge of you, that they keep thee in all thy   
   ways. Amen.   
      
    V. Convert us, O God, our Savior.   
   R. And avert Thy anger from us. O God, incline unto my aid.   
      
     Glory be to the Father, etc. Alleluia.   
      
   HYMN   
      
   AND Raphael of the glorious seven who stand   
    Before the throne of Him Who lives and reigns;   
    Angel of health I the Lord has filled thy hand   
   With balm from heaven to soothe or cure our pains   
    Heal or console the victim of disease,   
   And guide our steps when doubtful of our ways.   
      
    Ant. O holy angels, our guardians, defend us in the combat, that we perish   
   not in the dreadful judgment.   
      
   V. In sight of Thy angels I will sing to Thee, my God.   
   R. I will adore at Thy holy temple, and confess to Thy. name.   
      
   PRAYER   
      
   O God, Who, with unspeakable providence, has granted to appoint Thy holy   
   angels to be our guardians grant to Thy humble suppliants to be always   
   defended by their protection, and to enjoy their everlasting society through   
   Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You forever and   
   ever. Amen.   
      
   COMMENDATION   
      
   O Holy guardian at thy feet   
   This wreath of humble flowers I lay;   
   O that their odor were as sweet   
   As he desires, who sings the lay,   
   Protect me at death's awful hour,   
   Receive my soul to thy embrace,   
    Rich with the wonders of thy power,   
    To thank, to praise thee, face to face. Amen.   
      
   Antiphon to the Archangel Michael   
      
   HOLY archangel Michael   
   defend us in battle,   
   that we may not perish in the   
   tremendous judgment.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)