From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   April 18th - Saint Apollonius, Martyr   
   (d. 186)   
      
   The Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius had persecuted the Christians, but his son   
   Commodus, who in 180 succeeded to the throne, was favorable to them, out of   
   regard to his Empress Marcia, an admirer of the Faith. During this calm the   
   number of the faithful greatly increased, and many persons of first rank,   
   among   
   them Apollonius, a Roman senator, enlisted themselves under the banner of   
   the   
   cross. He was already very well versed both in philosophy and Holy   
   Scripture, as   
   we learn from Saint Jerome, who had read and admired his discourse in the   
   Senate   
   of Rome on behalf of the Christian religion. The loss of this document is   
   much   
   regretted.   
      
   In the midst of the peace which the Church enjoyed, Saint Apollonius was   
   publicly accused of Christianity by one of his own slaves. What followed   
   evokes   
   our surprise. Marcus Aurelius, during his reign, had published an edict   
   ordering   
   that the accusers of Christians be put to death, but he had done so without   
   repealing the former laws against convicted Christians. Thus the slave was   
   immediately condemned to have his legs broken and be put to death; but   
   immediately afterwards, to ascertain whether the accusation was true, the   
   same   
   judge sent an order to Saint Apollonius to renounce his religion if he   
   valued   
   his life and fortune. The Saint courageously rejected such ignominious terms   
   of   
   safety, whereupon the judge referred him to the Roman senate, to give an   
   account   
   of his faith to that body, very hostile to Christians. Persisting in his   
   refusal   
   to comply with the condition, Saint Apollonius was condemned by their decree   
   and   
   beheaded.   
      
   Reflection. Every Christian by his way of life should bear witness to the   
   sanctity of his faith. Such would then be the force of universal good   
   example,   
   that no libertine or infidel could resist it.   
      
   Sources: 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); Les Petits Bollandistes: Vies des Saints, by Msgr. Paul   
   Guérin   
   (Bloud et Barral: Paris, 1882), Vol. 4.   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   An evil thought defiles the soul   
   when it is deliberate and consented to.   
   Our Lord placed evil thoughts at the head of all crimes,   
   because they are their principle and source.   
   -St. John Baptist de la Salle   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   Since we have a kingdom nothing can destroy, let us please God by serving   
   him   
   with thankful hearts, and with holy fear and awe. For our God is a consuming   
   fire.  (Hebrews 12:28-29)   
      
      
      
   <><><><>   
   A Prayer by St. Thomas More   
      
   (written while imprisoned in the Tower of London.)   
      
   Give me the grace, Good Lord To set the world at naught.   
   To set the mind firmly on You and not to hang upon the words of men's   
   mouths.   
      
   To be content to be solitary.   
   Not to long for worldly pleasures.   
   Little by little utterly to cast off the world and rid my mind   
   of all its business.   
   Not to long to hear of earthly things, but that the hearing of worldly   
   fancies may be displeasing to me.   
      
   Gladly to be thinking of God, piteously to call for His help.   
   To lean into the comfort of God. Busily to labor to love Him.   
   To know my own vileness and wretchedness.   
   To humble myself under the mighty hand of God.   
   To bewail my sins and, for the purging of them, patiently   
   to suffer adversity.   
   Gladly to bear my purgatory here.   
   To be joyful in tribulations.   
   To walk the narrow way that leads to life.   
   To have the last thing in remembrance.   
   To have ever before my eyes my death that is ever at hand.   
   To make death no stranger to me.   
   To foresee and consider the everlasting fire of Hell.   
   To pray for pardon before the judge comes.   
   To have continually in mind the passion that Christ suffered for me.   
   For His benefits unceasingly to give Him thanks.   
   To buy the time again that I have lost.   
   To abstain from vain conversations.   
   To shun foolish mirth and gladness.   
   To cut off unnecessary recreations.   
   Of worldly substance, friends, liberty, life and all,   
   to set the loss at naught, for the winning of Christ.   
   To think my worst enemies my best friends,   
   for the brethren of Joseph could never have done him   
   so much good with their love and favor as they did him   
   with their malice and hatred.   
   These minds are more to be desired of every man than all   
   treasures of all the princes and kings, Christian and heathen,   
   were it gathered and laid together all in one heap.   
      
   Amen   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)