From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   April 28th - Saint Vitalis of Ravenna, Martyr   
      
   (d. 171)   
      
   Saint Vitalis was a first century Christian citizen of Milan and the father   
   of   
   the twin brothers and future martyrs, Saints Gervasius and Protasius. He is   
   the   
   principal patron of Ravenna, where he was martyred.   
      
   Divine providence had conducted him to that city, where he saw come before   
   the   
   tribunal there a Christian physician named Ursicinus, who had been tortured   
   and   
   who then was condemned to lose his head for his faith. Suddenly the captive   
   grew   
   terrified at the thought of death, and seemed ready to yield. Vitalis was   
   extremely moved by this spectacle. He knew his double obligation to prefer   
   the   
   glory of God and the eternal salvation of his neighbor to his own corporal   
   life;   
   he therefore boldly and successfully encouraged Ursicinus to triumph over   
   death,   
   saying, "Ursicinus, you who cured others would want to drive into your soul   
   the   
   dagger of eternal death? Do not lose the crown the Lord has prepared for   
   you!"   
   Ursicinus was touched; he knelt down and asked the executioner to strike   
   him.   
   After his martyrdom Saint Vitalis carried away his body and respectfully   
   interred it.   
      
   Saint Vitalis now resigned his post as judiciary assistant to Paulinus, who   
   had   
   been absent on the occasion of the sentence of Ursinius. Paulinus had his   
   former   
   assistant apprehended, and after having him tortured, commanded that if he   
   refused to sacrifice to the gods, he be buried alive, which sentence was   
   carried   
   out. Afterwards, his wife Valeria, as she was on her way from Ravenna to   
   Milan,   
   was beaten by peasants because she refused to join them in an idolatrous   
   festival and riot. She died two days later in Milan, and is also honored as   
   a   
   martyr and Saint. Gervasius and Protasius, their sons, sold their heritage   
   and   
   for ten years before their own martyrdom, lived a penitential life of   
   prayer.   
      
   Reflection. We are not all called to the sacrifice of martyrdom; but we are   
   all   
   bound to make our lives a continuing sacrifice of ourselves to God, and to   
   perform every action in this spirit of sacrifice. Thus we shall both live   
   and   
   die to God, perfectly resigned to His holy will in all He ordains or   
   permits.   
      
   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. 5.   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   Humility is the mother of many virtues.  From it spring obedience, holy   
   fear,   
   reverence, patience, modesty, mildness, and peace; for, whoever is humble   
   easily   
   obeys all, fears to offend any, maintains peace with all, shows himself   
   affable   
   to all, is submissive to all, does not offend or displease any, and does not   
   feel the insults which may be inflicted upon him.  He lives happy and   
   contented,   
   and in great peace.   
   -St. Thomas of Villanova   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   And when you fast, be not as the hypocrites, sad. For they disfigure their   
   faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Amen I say to you, they have   
   received their reward. 17. But thou, when thou fastest anoint thy head, and   
   wash   
   thy face; 18. That thou appear not to men to fast, but to thy Father who is   
   in   
   secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret, will repay thee.  (Matthew   
   6:16-18)   
      
   Bible Quote   
   "Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter   
   anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your   
   words be few." - Eccelsiastes 5:2   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   Angel Child   
      
   Once upon a time there was a child ready to be born. So one day he asked   
   God,   
   "They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow but how am I going to   
   live   
   there being so small and helpless?"   
   God replied, "Among the many angels, I chose one for you. She will be   
   waiting   
   for you and will take care of you."   
      
   But the child wasn't sure he really wanted to go. "But tell me, here in   
   Heaven,   
   I don't do anything else but sing and smile, that's enough for me to be   
   happy."   
   God smiled. "Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you every   
   day.   
   And you will feel your angel's love and be happy."   
      
   "And how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me," the   
   child   
   continued, "if I don't know the language that men talk?"   
   God patted him on the head and said, "Your angel will tell you the most   
   beautiful and sweet words you will ever hear, and with much patience and   
   care,   
   your angel will teach you how to speak."   
      
   The child was sad. "And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?"   
   But God had an answer for that question too. "Your angel will place your   
   hands   
   together and will teach you how to pray."   
      
   The baby then turned to God and asked, "I've heard that on earth there are   
   bad   
   men, who will protect me?"   
   "Your angel will defend you even if it means risking its life!"   
      
   "But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore," the child   
   continued warily.   
   God smiled on the young one. "Your angel will always talk to you about me   
   and   
   will teach you the way for you to come back to me, even though I will always   
   be   
   next to you."   
      
   At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from earth could   
   already be heard. The child knew he had to start on his journey very soon.   
   He   
   asked God one more question, softly, "Oh God, if I am about to leave now,   
   please   
   tell me my angel's name."   
      
   God touched the child on the shoulder just before he departed and answered,   
   "Your angel's name is of no importance. You will simply call her Mommy."   
      
      
   Probably By Erma Bombeck   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)