From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   January 5th - St. Charles of Sezze   
      
    (1613-1670)   
      
   Charles thought that God was calling him to be a missionary in India, but he   
   never got there. God had something better for this 17th-century successor to   
   Brother Juniper.   
      
   Born in Sezze, southeast of Rome, Charles was inspired by the lives of   
   Salvator Horta and Paschal Baylon to become a Franciscan; he did that in   
   1635. Charles tells us in his autobiography, "Our Lord put in my heart a   
   determination to become a lay brother with a great desire to be poor and to   
   beg alms for his love."   
      
   Charles served as cook, porter, sacristan, gardener and beggar at various   
   friaries in Italy. In some ways, he was "an accident waiting to happen." He   
   once started a huge fire in the kitchen when the oil in which he was frying   
   onions burst into flames.   
      
   One story shows how thoroughly Charles adopted the spirit of St. Francis.   
   The superior ordered Charles - then porter - to give food only to traveling   
   friars who came to the door. Charles obeyed this direction; simultaneously   
   the alms to the friars decreased. Charles convinced the superior the two   
   facts were related. When the friars resumed giving goods to all who asked at   
   the door, alms to the friars increased also.   
      
   At the direction of his confessor Charles wrote his autobiography, The   
   Grandeurs of the Mercies of God. He also wrote several other spiritual   
   books. He made good use of his various spiritual directors throughout the   
   years; they helped him discern which of Charles' ideas or ambitions were   
   from God. Charles himself was sought out for spiritual advice. The dying   
   Pope Clement IX called Charles to his bedside for a blessing.   
      
   Charles had a firm sense of God's providence. Father Severino Gori has said,   
   "By word and example he recalled in all the need of pursuing only that which   
   is eternal" (Leonard Perotti, St. Charles of Sezze: An Autobiography, page   
   215).   
      
   He died at San Francesco a Ripa in Rome and was buried there. Pope John   
   XXIII canonized him in 1959.   
      
   Comment:   
      
   The drama in the lives of the saints is mostly interior. Charles' life was   
   spectacular only in his cooperation with God's grace. He was captivated by   
   God's majesty and great mercy to all of us.   
      
   Saints Quotes:   
   Father Gori says that the autobiography of Charles "stands as a very strong   
   refutation of the opinion, quite common among religious people, that saints   
   are born saints, that they are privileged right from their first appearance   
   on this earth. This is not so. Saints become saints in the usual way, due to   
   the generous fidelity of their correspondence to divine grace. They had to   
   fight just as we do, and more so, against their passions, the world and the   
   devil"   
   --St. Charles of Sezze: An Autobiography, page viii   
      
   God does not command us to live in hair shirts and chains, or to chastise   
   our flesh with scourges, but to love Him above all things and our neighbor   
   as ourselves.   
   -Saint Charles of Sezze   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   Canticle to the Holy Face   
   12 August 1895   
      
   Jesus, Your ineffable image   
   Is the star which guides my steps.   
   Ah, You know, Your sweet Face   
   Is for me Heaven on earth.   
   My love discovers the charms   
   Of Your Face adorned with tears.   
   I smile through my own tears   
   When I contemplate Your sorrows.   
      
   Oh! To console You I want   
   To live unknown on earth!   
   Your beauty, which You know how to veil,   
   Discloses for me all its mystery.   
   I would like to fly away to You!   
      
   Your Face is my only homeland.   
   It's my Kingdom of love.   
   It's my cheerful meadow.   
   Each day, my sweet sun.   
   It's the Lily of the Valley   
   Whose mysterious perfume   
   Consoles my exiled soul,   
   Making it taste the peace of Heaven.   
      
   It's my Rest, my Sweetness   
   And my melodious Lyre   
   Your Face, O my Sweet Savior,   
   Is the Divine Bouquet of Myrrh   
   I want to keep on my heart!   
      
   Your Face is my only wealth.   
   I ask for nothing more.   
   Hiding myself in it unceasingly,   
   I will resemble You, Jesus   
   Leave in me, the Divine Impress   
   Of Your features filled with sweetness,   
   And soon I'll become holy.   
   I shall draw hearts to You.   
      
   So that I may gather   
   A beautiful golden harvest,   
   Deign to set me aflame with Your Fire.   
   With Your adorned mouth,   
   Give me soon the Eternal Kiss!   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)