From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   January 15th - Sts. Placid and Maurus   
      
   Various traditions have developed about these two saints, but the only valid   
   historical data available is what we read in the 2nd Dialogues of Pope St.   
   Gregory the Great. In chapter 3 of the Dialogues, two Roman noblemen brought   
   their sons to St. Benedict for schooling in the Lord's service.   
      
   Euthicius brought his son Maurus and Tertullus, his son Placid. Maurus was   
   the   
   older boy and had already begun to develop a sense of virtuous living.   
   Placid   
   was still a young child. In chapter 4, Benedict asks Maurus if he sees the   
   devil   
   leading a young monk out of the chapel during private prayer time. After   
   praying   
   for two days the young boy does see him. St. Benedict then chastises the   
   monk   
   and he returns to prayer.   
      
   In chapter 5, St. Benedict takes the young boy Placid up the mountain with   
   him   
   to a rocky place where they spend a long time praying for some monks who   
   needed   
   a closer source of water. The following day these monks dug at the spot   
   where   
   Benedict and Placid had prayed and a stream began to flow.   
      
   In chapter 6 we again meet Maurus who intercedes for another monk whose work   
   tool had broken, the blade falling into the deep part of the lake. Maurus   
   goes   
   to St. Benedict to intercede for the man and St. Benedict comes down, puts   
   the   
   handle into the lake, and the blade reattaches itself to the handle.   
      
   In chapter 7 of the Dialogues we hear the famous story of Placid's rescue,   
   in   
   which the boy goes to the lake for water, and filling the jug too quickly,   
   he   
   looses his balance and falls into the lake. St. Benedict in a vision sees   
   what   
   is happening and sends Maurus to rescue Placid. Maurus runs across the water   
   and   
   grabs Placid by the hair and runs back to shore. When he reaches the shore   
   he   
   realizes that he had been running across water not land. This miracle is   
   attributed to St. Benedict.   
      
   In chapter 8 we meet the infamous priest Florentius who out of jealousy   
   tries to   
   get rid of Benedict by giving him a "gift" of poisoned bread. When this   
   fails he   
   tries to entice the monks to sensual sin. St. Benedict leaves to prevent   
   further   
   harassment to the monks. As he is leaving the valley, Florentius is standing   
   on   
   his balcony jeering at St. Benedict. The balcony collapses and Florentius is   
   crushed to death. Maurus runs to overtake St. Benedict and tells him that he   
   can   
   return to the monastery because his enemy is dead. Benedict's response is to   
   severely chastise Maurus for taking pleasure in this happening.   
      
   The Dialogues primarily focus on the life and miracles of St. Benedict, so   
   this   
   is all the factual knowledge we have of Placid and Maurus. Because there is   
   no   
   further mention of them after Benedict goes to Monte Casino, it is believed   
   that   
   they both remained at Subiaco and subsequently Maurus was appointed superior   
   of   
   one of the monasteries there.   
      
   There has been a tradition which places Maurus at Glanfeuil, France, as its   
   abbot, based on the finding in the 9th century of a parchment describing a   
   monk   
   and deacon named Maurus who arrived in France at the time of King Theodebert   
   and   
   who died on the 18th of February. There is also a tradition which places   
   Placid   
   in Sicily as abbot of a monastery there. The historic details of both of   
   these   
   traditions is uncertain.   
      
   What is more important than biographical details is that both of these young   
   men   
   chose a life in the "School of the Lord's Service," which was what Benedict   
   called the monastery. It was a life whose sole focus was to "seek God." One   
   might ask, "Is this what God is calling me to?"   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   We must begin with a strong and constant resolution to give ourselves wholly   
   to   
   God, professing to Him, in a tender, loving manner, from the bottom of our   
   hearts, that we intend to be His without any reserve, and then we must often   
   go   
   back and renew this same resolution.   
   -St. Francis de Sales   
      
   Bible Quote   
   11 For the grace of God our Saviour hath appeared to all men; 12 Instructing   
   us,   
   that, denying ungodliness and worldly desires, we should live soberly, and   
   justly, and godly in this world, 13 Looking for the blessed hope and coming   
   of   
   the glory of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, 14 Who gave himself   
   for   
   us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and might cleanse to himself   
   a   
   people acceptable, a pursuer of good works. 15 These things speak, and   
   exhort   
   and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.  (Titus 2:11-15)   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   Father, I abandon myself into Your hands;   
   Do with me whatever You will.   
   Whatever You may do, I thank You.   
   I am ready for all, I accept all.   
   Let only Your will be done in me,   
   And in all Your creatures.   
   I wish no more than this, O Lord.   
   Into Your hands I commend my spirit;   
   I offer it to You, Lord,   
   and so need to give myself,   
   to surrender myself into Your hands,   
   Without reserve and with boundless confidence,   
   For You are my Father.   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   Indulgenced Prayers   
      
   O most merciful Jesus, lover of souls, I beseech Thee, through the agony of   
   Thy   
   most holy Heart and through the sorrows of Thy Immaculate Mother, wash in   
   Thy   
   Blood the sinners of the whole world who are now in their agony and will die   
   today.   
   Amen.   
   V. Heart of Jesus once in agony.   
   R. Pity the dying.   
      
   (a) V. Praised be Jesus Christ.   
   R. Amen - or - Forever.   
   (b) V. Praised be Jesus and Mary.   
   R. Today and forever.   
   (c) V. Glory to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.   
   R. Glory to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.   
      
   Graciously grant, O Lord, peace in our times, that, aided by the help of Thy   
   mercy, we may always be free from sin and secure from all disturbance.   
   Through   
   Christ Our Lord. Amen.   
      
   Burn, O Lord, our loins and our hearts with the fire of the Holy Ghost, that   
   we   
   may serve Thee with a chaste body and please Thee with a pure heart. Through   
   Christ Our Lord. Amen.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)