From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   August 12th - St. Murtagh (Muredach) of Killala, Bishop   
      
   Died c. 455.   
      
   The foundation of the diocese of Killala dates from the time of St.   
   Patrick, who placed his disciple St. Muredach over the church called in   
   Irish Cell Alaid. In a well that still flows close to the town, beside   
   the sea, Patrick baptized in a single day 12,000 converts, and on the   
   same occasion, in presence of the crowds, raised to life a dead woman   
   whom he also baptized. Muredach is described as an old man of Patrick's   
   family, and was appointed to the Church of Killala as early as 442 or   
   443. His feast-day is 12 August. It is probable that he resigned his see   
   after a few years, and retired to end his life in the lonely island in   
   Donegal Bay which has ever since borne his name, Innismurray. It was at   
   Killala that Patrick baptized the two maidens whom he met in childhood   
   at Focluth Wood by the western sea, and whose voices in visions of the   
   night had often pathetically called him to come once more and dwell   
   amongst them.   
      
   Reflection:   
   Sufferings were to the martyrs the most distinguishing mercy, extraordinary   
   graces, and sources of the greatest crowns and glory. All afflictions which   
   God   
   sends are in like manner the greatest mercies and blessings; they are the   
   most   
   precious talents, to be improved by us to the increasing of our love and   
   affection to God, and the exercise of the most heroic virtues of   
   self-denial,   
   patience, humility, resignation, and penance. They are also most useful and   
   necessary to bring us to the knowledge of ourselves and our Creator, which   
   we   
   are too apt to forget without them. Wherefore, whatever crosses or   
   calamities   
   befall us, we must be prepared to bear them with a patient resignation to   
   the   
   Divine Will, we ought to learn from the martyrs to comfort ourselves, and to   
   rejoice in them, as the greatest blessings.  How base is our cowardice, and   
   how   
   criminal our folly, if, by neglecting to improve these advantageous talents   
   of   
   sickness, losses, and other afflictions we make the most precious mercies   
   our   
   heaviest curse!   
      
      
   Bible Quotes:   
   "The land of a certain rich man brought forth plenty of fruits. And he   
   thought   
   within himself, saying: What shall I do, because I have no room where to   
   bestow   
   my fruits? And he said: This will I do: I will pull down my barns and will   
   build   
   greater: and into them will I gather all things that are grown to me, and my   
   goods. And I will say to my soul: Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for   
   many   
   years, take thy rest: eat, drink, make good cheer. But God said to him: Thou   
   fool, this night do they require thy soul of thee: and whose shall those   
   things   
   be which thou hast provided?  (Luke 12:16-20)   
      
   Apocalypse 18 7  "As much as she hath glorified herself, and lived in   
   delicacies, so much torment and sorrow give ye to her ... But I say unto   
   you,   
   that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall render an account for   
   it   
   in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy   
   words thou shalt be condemned."  (Matthew 12:36)   
      
   Saint Quote:   
   "In  the Gospel we see that merely because the rich man rejoiced in having   
   stored up goods for many years, God was so angered He told him he must give   
   an   
   account of his soul that very night. We should believe, therefore, that as   
   often   
   as we rejoice vainly, God is watching and planning some chastisement and   
   bitter   
   drink according to our merits; for at times the sadness redounding from the   
   joy   
   is a hundred times greater than the joy.   
      
   "What Saint John says of Babylon in the Apocalypse is true, that she would   
   receive torment in the measure in which she rejoiced and lived in delights.   
   Yet   
   the text does not mean that the sadness will not be greater than the joy. It   
   shall be greater, since eternal torments are inflicted for brief pleasures.   
   But   
   it indicates that no fault will escape a particular punishment. For He Who   
   will   
   punish the idle word will not pardon vain joy."   
   -St. John of the Cross (Doctor, 1542-91) - "Ascent of Mount Carmel"   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   Psalm 95   
      
   The Lord, the universal King and judge   
      
   Sing a new song to the Lord,   
    sing to the Lord, all the earth.   
   Sing to the Lord, bless his name;   
    day after day, proclaim his saving power.   
   Proclaim his glory to the nations,   
    proclaim to all peoples the wonders he has done.   
      
   For the Lord is great; great is the praise we owe him,   
    he is to be feared above all gods.   
   The gods of the nations are foolishness,   
    but the Lord made the heavens.   
   Majesty and splendour are all about him,   
    power and honour in his holy place.   
      
   Bring to the Lord, clans of the peoples,   
    bring to the Lord glory and power,   
    bring to the Lord the glory that belongs to his name.   
   Bring your offerings, enter his courts,   
    worship the Lord in holy attire.   
   Tremble at his presence, all the earth.   
    Say to the nations: "The Lord reigns!".   
   For he has set the world firm, so that it cannot be shaken,   
    and he will judge the peoples with fairness.   
      
   Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad,   
    let the sea and its fulness resound.   
   The fields will rejoice, and all that is in them,   
    all the trees of the woods will rejoice   
    at the Lord's presence - for he comes,   
    for he comes to judge the earth.   
   He will judge all the world with justice.   
    He will judge all the peoples with fairness.   
      
   Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,   
    as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,   
    world without end.   
   Amen.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)