From: trudie.Miller@cox.net   
      
   February 18th - SS.  Leo and Paregorius, Martyrs   
      
   Died c. 260. Saint Leo witnessed the martyrdom of Saint Paregorius at   
   Patara, Lycia, and found his heart divided between joy for his friend's   
   glorious victory, and sorrow to see himself deprived of the happiness of   
   sharing in it.   
      
   In the absence of the proconsul of Asia, the governor of Lycia demonstrated   
   his piety to the gods by publishing an order obliging all citizens to offer   
   sacrifice to Serapis. Leo, sad to see both the pagans and some Christians   
   going to adore the idol, went to the tomb of Saint Paregorius and passed the   
   temple of Serapis en route.   
      
   The heathens that saw him knew that this was a Christian because of his   
   modesty. From his youth, Leo had practiced austerity and the devotions of an   
   ascetic life. Returning home he fell asleep and dreamed that God was calling   
   him to martyrdom, too.   
      
   The next time he visited Paregorius's tomb he walked boldly through the   
   market place and passed the temple of Fortune, which he saw illumined by   
   lanterns. He pitied their blindness and, moved with zeal for the living God,   
   broke many of the lanterns and trampled on the tapers, saying, "Let your   
   gods revenge the injury if they are able to do it." The priest of the temple   
   cried out, "Unless this impiety be punished, the goddess Fortune will   
   withdraw her protection from the city."   
      
   An account of the affair soon reached the governor's ears. He ordered the   
   saint brought before him, and said: "Wicked wretch, your sacrilegious action   
   surely bespeaks that you are either ignorant of the immortal gods, or   
   downright mad, in flying in the face of our most divine emperors, whom we   
   justly regard as secondary deities and saviors."   
      
   The martyr replied, "You are under a great mistake, in supposing a plurality   
   of gods; there is but one, who is the God of heaven and earth, and who does   
   not stand in need of being worshipped after that gross manner that men   
   worship idols. The most acceptable sacrifice we can offer him is that of a   
   contrite and humble heart."   
      
   Offered the choice of sacrificing or dying, Leo chose the narrow way rather   
   than the broad, commodious path offered by the governor. "When I called it   
   narrow," said the martyr, "this was only because it is not entered without   
   difficulty, and that its beginnings are often attended with afflictions and   
   persecutions for justice' sake. But being once entered, it is not difficult   
   to keep in it by the practice of virtue, which helps to widen it and render   
   it easy to those that persevere in it, which has been done by many."   
      
   After continued debate, the saint was mercilessly scourged. The governor   
   relented because of Leo's venerable age and told him he would only have to   
   acknowledge the gods and not sacrifice, but still Leo refused. He was then   
   dragged by his feet to his place of execution. After his death his   
   executioners threw his body over a precipice into a deep pit, but it   
   received only a few bruises. The Christians recovered Leo's body and found   
   it of a lively color, and entire, and his face appeared comely and smiling,   
   and they buried it in the most honorable manner they could (Benedictines,   
   Husenbeth).   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   Whoever humbleth himself shall be exalted. -Lk. 14:11   
      
   "I am despised and derided, and I resent it; just so do peacocks and apes. I   
   am despised and derided, and I rejoice at it; thus did the Apostle. This is   
   the deepest grade of humility, to be pleased with humiliation and abjection,   
   as vain minds are pleased with great honors; and to find pain in marks of   
   honor and esteem, as they find it in contempt and affronts"   
    -St. Francis de Sales   
      
         St. Dominic remained more willingly in the diocese of Carcassone than   
   in that of Toulouse, where he had converted so many heretics. On being asked   
   his reason, he replied that in the latter he received many honors, but in   
   the former only injuries and insults.   
      
        St. Felix the Capuchin experienced great affliction in seeing himself   
   honored and esteemed; and he was often heard to say that he would have been   
   glad to be frightfully deformed, that all might abhor him. He repeated many   
   times that it would have been more agreeable to him to have been dragged and   
   scourged through the streets of Rome, than to have been reverenced by the   
   people.   
      
   (Taken from the book "A Year with the Saints". February - Humility)   
      
   Bible Quote   
   20 But the prophet, who being corrupted with pride, shall speak in my name   
   things that I did not command him to say, or in the name of strange gods,   
   shall be slain. (Deuteronomy 18:20)   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   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)