From: hildegard8@excite.com   
      
   February 22nd - Chair of St. Peter   
      
   Since early times, the Roman Church has had a special commemoration of the   
   primatial authority of St. Peter. As witness one of the most renowned of the   
   Apostolic Fathers, the Roman See has always held a peculiar place in the   
   affection and obedience of orthodox believers because of its "presiding in   
   love" and service over all the Churches of God.   
      
   "We shall find in the Gospel that Jesus Christ, willing to begin the mystery   
   of unity in His Church, among all His disciples chose twelve; but that,   
   willing to consummate the mystery of unity in the same Church, among the   
   twelve He chose one. He called His disciples, said the Gospel; here are all;   
   and among them He chose twelve. Here is the first separation, and the   
   Apostles chosen. And these are the names of the twelve Apostles: the first,   
   Simon, who is called Peter. [Mt. 10, 1-2] Here, in a second separation, St.   
   Peter is set at the head, and called for that reason by the name of Peter,   
   "which Jesus Christ," says St. Mark, "had given him," in order to prepare,   
   as you will see, the work which He was proposing to raise all His building   
   on that stone.   
      
   "All this is yet but a beginning of the mystery of unity. Jesus Christ, in   
   beginning it, still spoke to many: Go, preach; I send you [see Mt. 28, 19].   
   Now, when He would put the last hand to the mystery of unity, He speaks no   
   longer to many: He marks out Peter personally, and by the new name which He   
   has given him. It is One who speaks to one: Jesus Christ the Son of God to   
   Simon son of Jonas; Jesus Christ, who is the true Stone, strong of Himself,   
   to Simon, who is only the stone by the strength which Jesus Christ imparts   
   to him. It is to him that Christ speaks, and in speaking acts on him, and   
   stamps upon him His own immovableness. And I, He says, say to you, you are   
   Peter; and, He adds, upon this rock I will build my Church, and, He   
   concludes, the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. [Mt. 16, 18] To   
   prepare him for that honor Jesus Christ, who knows that faith in Himself is   
   the foundation of His Church, inspires Peter with a faith worthy to be the   
   foundation of that admirable building. You are the Christ, the Son of the   
   living God. [Mt. 16, 16] By that bold preaching of the faith he draws to   
   himself the inviolable promise which makes him the foundation of the Church.   
      
   "It was, then, clearly the design of Jesus Christ to put first in one alone,   
   what afterwards He meant to put in several; but the sequence does not   
   reverse the beginning, nor the first lose his place. That first word,   
   Whatsoever you shall bind, said to one alone, has already ranged under his   
   power each one of those to whom shall be said, Whatsoever you shall remit;   
   for the promises of Jesus Christ, as well as His gift, are without   
   repentance; and what is once given indefinitely and universally is   
   irrevocable. Besides, that power given to several carries its restriction in   
   its division, while power given to one alone, and over all, and without   
   exception, carries with it plenitude, and, not having to be divided with any   
   other, it has no bounds save those which its terms convey."   
      
   Excerpted from The See of St. Peter, Jacques Bossuet.   
      
      
   Saint Quotes:   
   "The Lord is loving toward men, swift to pardon but slow to punish. Let no   
   man despair of his own salvation. Peter, the first and foremost of the   
   apostles, denied the Lord three times before a little servant girl, but he   
   repented and wept bitterly"   
   -Cyril of Jerusalem (Catechetical Lectures 2:19 [A.D. 350]).   
      
   "[Simon Magus] so deceived the city of Rome that Claudius erected a statue   
   of him . . .While the error was extending itself, Peter and Paul arrived, a   
   noble pair and the rulers of the Church, and they set the error aright. . .   
   . [T]hey launched the weapon of their like-mindedness in prayer against the   
   Magus, and struck him down to earth. It was marvelous enough, and yet no   
   marvel at all, for Peter was there-he that carries about the keys of heaven   
   [Matt. 16:19]" (ibid., 6:14).   
   -Cyril of Jerusalem   
      
   "[Jesus said:] Simon, my follower, I have made you the foundation of the   
   holy Church. I betimes called you Peter, because you will support all its   
   buildings. You are the inspector of those who will build on Earth a Church   
   for me. If they should wish to build what is false, you, the foundation,   
   will condemn them. You are the head of the fountain from which my teaching   
   flows; you are the chief of my disciples. Through you I will give drink to   
   all peoples. Yours is that life-giving sweetness which I dispense. I have   
   chosen you to be, as it were, the first-born in my institution so that, as   
   the heir, you may be executor of my treasures. I have given you the keys of   
   my kingdom. Behold, I have given you authority over all my treasures"   
   -Ephraim the Syrian  (Homilies 4:1 [A.D. 351]).   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   "In the power of the same Holy Spirit, Peter, both the chief of the apostles   
   and the keeper of the keys of the kingdom of heaven, in the name of Christ   
   healed Aeneas the paralytic at Lydda, which is now called Diospolis" [Acts   
   9:32-34] (ibid., 17:27).   
      
   <><><><>   
   Heart of Jesus   
      
   Heart of Jesus, once in agony, pity the dying. Jesus, I ask You to pour down   
   your blessing on the dying. Give them grace to bear their sickness, and   
   strength to conform themselves to Your blessed will. Pity them and help them   
   by Your mercy, that in the final hour they may not lose courage, but may   
   have fortitude to fight the good fight for You to the end.   
      
   God of power and mercy, You have made death itself the gateway to eternal   
   life. Look with love on our dying brother (sister), and make him (her) one   
   with Your Son in His sufferings and death, that sealed with the blood of   
   Christ, he (she) may come before You free from sin. - Amen.   
      
   Into Paradise   
      
   May the Angels lead him (her) into Paradise. May the Martyrs receive him   
   (her) at his (her) coming and take him (her) to Jerusalem, the Holy City.   
   May the Choirs of Angels receive him (her), and may he (she), with the once   
   poor Lazarus, have rest everlasting. - Amen.   
      
   At Judgment Time   
      
   Have pity upon every man, Lord, in that hour when he has finished his task   
   and stands before Thee like a child, whose hands are being examined. - Amen.   
   -Paul Claudel   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)