From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   December 20th - Saint Philogonius, Bishop of Antioch   
   (d. 322)   
      
   Saint Philogonius, born in Antioch in the third century, was educated for   
   the   
   law and appeared at the bar with great success. He was admired for his   
   eloquence, but still more for his integrity and the sanctity of his life.   
   This   
   was considered a sufficient motive for dispensing with the canons which   
   require   
   that time be spent as a priest, before a layman can be placed in the higher   
   echelons of the Church's hierarchy. By this dispensation Saint Philogonius   
   was   
   chosen to be placed at the head of the see of Antioch, following the death   
   of   
   its bishop in 318.   
      
   When Arius introduced his blasphemies in Alexandria in that same year of   
   318,   
   Saint Alexander, Patriarch of Alexandria, condemned him and communicated the   
   sentence in a synodal letter to Philogonius. Afterwards the bishop of   
   Antioch   
   strenuously defended the Catholic faith before the assembly of the Council   
   of   
   Nicea. In the storms which raged against the Church, caused first by the   
   Roman   
   emperor Maximin II and the Oriental emperor Licinius, Saint Philogonius   
   earned   
   the title of Confessor by his sufferings. He died in the year 322, the fifth   
   of   
   his episcopal dignity. We possess an excellent panegyric in his honor,   
   composed   
   by Saint John Chrysostom.   
      
   Reflection: Saint Philogonius had so perfectly renounced the world and   
   crucified   
   its inordinate desires in his heart, that he received in this life the gage   
   of   
   Christ's Spirit, and was admitted to the sacred council of the heavenly King   
   with unhindered access to the Almighty. Let us imitate his zeal for the   
   glory of   
   God and the Church, to share his reward. (Rev. Alban Butler)   
      
   Source: Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints, a compilation based on   
   Butler's   
   Lives of the Saints and other sources, by John Gilmary Shea (Benziger   
   Brothers:   
   New York, 1894).   
      
   Saint Quote:   
   The sorest afflictions never appear intolerable, but when we see them in the   
   wrong light: when we see them in the hand of God, Who dispenses them; when   
   we   
   know that it is our loving Father who abases and distresses us; our   
   sufferings   
   will lose their bitterness and become even a matter of consolation.   
   -Brother Lawrence   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   Do not love the world, or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves   
   the   
   world, the love of the Father is not in him. (I St. John 2:15)   
      
      
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   Sub Tuum Præsidium   
      
   We turn to you for protection, holy Mother of God.   
   Listen to our prayers and help us in our needs.   
   Save us from every danger, glorious and blessed Virgin.   
      
      
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   Daily Thoughts and Prayers for Our Beloved Dead   
      
   "Have pity on me, have pity on me, at least you my friends, because the hand   
   of   
   the Lord hath touched me" Job. 19-21.   
      
   FOURTEENTH DAY   
      
   Prayers for the Faithful departed are more acceptable to God than prayers   
   for   
   the living: for the suffering souls are in the greatest need and cannot help   
   themselves.   
      
   Prayers:  Our Father, Three Hail Marys, Gloria, De Profundis.   
      
   De Profundis   
      
      Out of the depths, I have cried to Thee,   
   O Lord, Lord, hear my voice.   
      Let Thine ears be attentive to the   
   voice of my supplication.   
      If Thou, O Lord, shalt mark my iniquities,   
   O Lord, who shall stand it?   
      For with Thee there is merciful   
   forgiveness: and by reason of Thy   
   law I have waited for Thee, O Lord.   
   My soul hath relied on His word;   
   my soul hath hoped in the Lord.   
      From the morning watch even until   
   night; let Israel hope in the Lord.   
   Because with the Lord there is mercy;   
   And with Him plenteous redemption.   
      And He shall redeem Israel from   
   all its iniquities.   
      Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,   
   And let perpetual light shine upon them:   
      May they rest in peace. Amen.   
      
   O Lord Jesus, shower down on us Thy divine graces and blessings. Unite our   
   will   
   to Thine, and make our prayers more acceptable to Thee, and more beneficial   
   to   
   the Souls in Purgatory who cry out, Have pity on me, for the Hand of God has   
   touched me.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)