From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   August 27th - St. Poemen, Abbot   
      
   The abbot Poemen was one of the most celebrated of the fathers of the   
   desert. He forsook the world and went into the Egyptian desert of Skete, one   
   elder and several younger brothers of his accompanying him. In 408 they were   
   driven away from their first settlement by raids of Berbers, and took refuge   
   in the ruins of a temple at Terenuthis. Anubis, the eldest, and Poemen   
   governed the little community of hermits by turns.  Of the twelve hours of   
   the night, four were allotted to work, four to singing office, and four to   
   sleep ; in the day they worked till noon, read till three in the afternoon,   
   and then went to gather firing, food and other necessaries.   
      
      St Poemen often passed several days, sometimes a whole week, without   
   eating, but it was his constant advice to others that their fasts should be   
   moderate, and that they should take sufficient nourishment every day:  "We   
   fast", he said, "to control our bodies, not to kill them."  But he taught   
   that no monk ought ever to taste wine or to seek any deliberate   
   gratification of the senses:  "for sensuality expels the spirit of penance   
   and the holy fear of God from the heart as smoke drives away bees; it   
   extinguishes grace, and deprives a soul of the comfort and presence of the   
   Holy Ghost".   
      
   St Poemen feared the least occasion that could interrupt his solitude, or   
   make the distractions of the world break in upon him; and on one occasion he   
   even went so far as to refuse to see his mother, foregoing that happiness   
   then that they might enjoy it more hereafter.  He is chiefly remembered for   
   his "sayings". Among them it is related that, when one who had committed a   
   fault told him he would do penance for it three years, the saint advised him   
   to confine his penance to three days, but to be very fervent about it. A   
   monk was grievously molested with thoughts of blasphemy; Poemen comforted   
   him, and bade him confidently say to the Devil, whenever he suggested any   
   abominable thought, "May your blasphemy fall on you; it is not mine, for my   
   heart detests it". But to another who spoke of the Devil he said, "Devil!   
   It's always the Devil that's blamed. I say that it's self-will." And another   
   time, "Never try to have your own way. Those who are self-willed are their   
   own worst tempters, and require no devil to tempt them."  St Poemen used   
   strongly to exhort to frequent communion and to a great desire for that   
   divine food, as the stag pants after the water-brooks.  "Some aver", said   
   he, "that stags feel a violent inward heat and thirst because in the desert   
   they eat serpents and their bowels are parched with the poison.  Thus souls   
   in the wilderness of this world always suck in something of its poison, and   
   so need perpetually to approach the body and blood of Jesus Christ, which   
   fortifies them against all such venom."  To one who complained that his   
   neighbour was a monk of whom derogatory tales were told, and gave the   
   authority of another monk to prove their truth, he said, "There could not be   
   worse evidence than scandalous stories told by a monk; by telling them he   
   shows himself unworthy of credence".  It was another saying of this abbot   
   that "silence is no virtue when charity requires speech"; that "people   
   should not waste other people's time by asking advice when no advice is   
   necessary or wanted" ; and that "a living faith consists in thinking little   
   of oneself and having tenderness towards others".   
      
      St Poemen took over complete control of the community on the death of   
   Anubis. "We lived together", he said, "in complete unity and unbroken peace   
   till death broke up our association. We followed the rule Anubis made for   
   us; one was appointed steward, and he had care of our meals.  We ate such   
   things as were set before us, and no one said,  "Give me something else; I   
   cannot eat this."  He returned from Terenuthis to Skete but was again driven   
   out by raids.  Later he was present at the death of St Arsenius on the rock   
   of Troe, near Memphis "Happy Arsenius!"   he cried, "who had the gift of   
   tears in this life!  For he who does not weep for his sins on earth will   
   bewail them for ever in eternity."  St Poemen himself died very soon   
   afterwards.  He is named in the Roman Martyrology and in the Byzantine   
   liturgical books is referred to as "the lamp of the universe and pattern of   
   monks".   
      
     A short Greek life with other miscellaneous references will be found in   
   the Acta Sanctorum, August vol. vi; but the most convenient source of   
   information concerning Poemen and the other fathers of the desert is the   
   Vitae Patrum of Father Rosweyde.  His "sayings"are printed in Migne, PG.,   
   vol. lxv, cc. 317-368.   
      
   St. Poemon taught that no monk ever taste wine or seek any deliberate   
   gratification of the senses:  "for sensuality expels the spirit of penance   
   and the holy fear of God from the heart as smoke drives away bees; it   
   extinguishes grace, and deprives a soul of the comfort and presence of the   
   Holy Ghost".  Noted for his saintly demeanor, his wisdom, and his insistence   
   upon frequent Communion.   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   Son, nothing in this world now affords me delight. I do not know what there   
   is now for me to do or why I am still here, all my hopes in this world being   
   now fulfilled.   
   -Saint Monica, about the conversion of Saint Augustine of Hippo   
      
   Bible Quote:   
    Where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there am I in the   
   midst of them. (Matt18:20)   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   Perceptio Corporis Tui (Let the Receiving of Thy Body):   
      
   This prayer is taken from the Priest's private prayers before   
   communion. It was first seen in the 9th century and has been   
   a part of the Mass since the 10th century. This form is from   
   the Missal of 1962, and is wholly suitable for recitation   
   before reception of Holy Communion.   
      
   Let the receiving of Thy Body, O Lord Jesus Christ, which I,   
   though unworthy, do presume to receive, turn not to me for   
   judgment and condemnation, but, according to Thy mercy, let   
   it be profitable to me for the receiving of protection and   
   healing, both of soul and body: Who livest and reignest for   
   ever and ever. Amen.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)