From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   February 21st - St. Severianus, Bishop and Martyr   
      
    (Died ca. 452)   
      
   During the reign of Marcian and Saint Pulcheria in the Eastern Empire, the   
   ecumenical Council of Chalcedon, which condemned the Eutychian heresy of   
   oriental origin, was approved by Saint Euthymius, an abbot of great   
   authority in Palestine, and by most of the monks of that country. But an   
   ignorant Eutychian monk by the name of Theodosius, a man of tyrannical   
   temper, unjustly usurped the see of Jerusalem, forcing its bishop to   
   withdraw. He was acting under the protection of the Empress Eudoxia, widow   
   of Theodosius the Younger, who was living in that city. He perverted many of   
   the monks, and in a cruel persecution which he raised, filled Jerusalem with   
   blood; then, at the head of a band of soldiers, he wrought havoc all over   
   the land. Many Christians, however, had the courage to stand their ground   
   against his persecution.   
      
   No one resisted him with greater zeal and resolution than Saint Severianus,   
   the courageous bishop of Scythopolis, and his reward was the crown of   
   martyrdom, for the furious soldiers seized him, dragged him out of the city   
   and massacred him, towards the end of the year 452 or in the beginning of   
   the year 453.   
      
   Reflection. When we consider the crime of apostasy, with what floods of   
   tears can we sufficiently bewail so grievous a misfortune, and implore the   
   divine mercy on behalf of so many souls! How ought we to be alarmed at the   
   consideration of so many dreadful examples of God's unfathomable judgments,   
   and tremble for ourselves! "Let him who stands, take heed lest he fall." (I   
   Cor. 10:12) "Hold fast what thou hast," says the oracle of the Holy Ghost to   
   every one of us, "lest another bear away thy crown." (Apoc. 3:11)   
      
   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:   
   He who was raised from the dead will raise us also, if we do His will and   
   live by His commands and love what He loved, refraining from all injustice,   
   covetousness, love of money, evil-speaking, false witness, not returning   
   evil for evil or abuse for abuse, or blow for blow, or curse for curse, but   
   remembering what the Lord said when He taught: Do not judge, so that you may   
   not be judged; forgive and you will be forgiven; have mercy so that you may   
   be shown mercy; with the measure you use men will measure back to you; and   
   blessed are the poor and those who are persecuted for their uprightness, for   
   the kingdom of Heaven belongs to them.   
   -St. Polycarp, Letter to the Philippians   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   1. If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of   
   charity, if any society of the spirit, if any bowels of commiseration: 2.   
   Fulfil ye my joy, that you may be of one mind, having the same charity,   
   being of one accord, agreeing in sentiment. 3. Let nothing be done through   
   contention, neither by vain glory: but in humility, let each esteem others   
   better than themselves: 4. Each one not considering the things that are his   
   own, but those that are other men's. 5. For let this mind be in you, which   
   was also in Christ Jesus:   (Philippians 2:1-5)   
      
      
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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.   
      
   TWENTIETH DAY   
      
   He whom we mourn is in Heaven, safe from all miseries and he awaits us.   
      
   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.   
      
   Most merciful Jesus, by the merits of Thy five wounds, hear our prayers in   
   behalf of the faithful departed now awaiting Thy word in Purgatory. Grant, O   
   Lord, to show particular mercy to the soul that did most to propagate the   
   devotion to Thy Sacred Heart while on earth. Speed his journey to Heaven,   
   that he may join Thy angels in praising Thee forever   
      
   See Whole Prayer at:   
   http://www.dailycatholic.org/deprofun.htm   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)