From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   December 22nd - Bl. Adam of Loccum   
      
   This monk, with others of the name, is called Blessed in menologies of the   
   Cistercian Order. The little that is known of him is derived from the   
   Dialogue   
   of Visions and Miracles of his fellow Cistercian, Caesarius of Heisterbach.   
   Adam   
   was priest and sacristan of the abbey of Loccum in Hanover, and while still   
   a   
   schoolboy was twice miraculously delivered from ill-health, as he related to   
   Caesarius. While he was at Loccum the church of the monastery was being   
   repaired, and Adam began to carve a piece of the stone that was lying among   
   the   
   builder's materials. His schoolmaster saw him and, after the manner of many   
   of   
   his kind, peremptorily told him to put the stone down or he would be   
   excommunicated. Young Adam was so frightened by this threat that he was   
   taken   
   ill, and even believed to be dying. However, he saw in a vision St. Nicholas   
   and   
   St. Paternian, who decided that he should not die just then, and he was well   
   in   
   the same hour.   
      
   Another time he was at school at Munster in Westphalia and got up one   
   morning to   
   go to church, when he found he had made a mistake in the time and the church   
   was   
   not yet open. He therefore knelt down and said the Angelical Salutation   
   thrice   
   according to his custom when entering a church, and upon looking up saw that   
   the   
   door was open and seven beautiful women sitting therein. Adam was at that   
   time   
   suffering from eczema, and one of them asked him why he didn't look after   
   his   
   head. He replied that he did but the physicians had not done it any good.   
   Then   
   the lady told him that she was the Mother of Christ and that she knew his   
   devotion to her, and commanded him to approach. He was to wash his head in a   
   decoction of the wood of the spindle-tree three times before Mass, in the   
   name   
   of the Holy Trinity. She laid her hand on his head, and when he had done as   
   he   
   was told his complaint was cured never to return.   
      
   "It is clear that there is nothing more efficacious and no remedy more sure   
   than   
   the medicine of the Blessed Virgin", observes the novice in the Dialogue. To   
   which the monk replies: "And no wonder. For it was she who brought to us the   
   medicine of the whole human race, as it is written, 'Let the earth bring   
   forth   
   the living creature', that is to say, let Mary bring forth the man Christ."   
   Bl. Adam told other marvels to Caesarius, but these were not written down   
   for   
   our delectation and improvement.   
      
   This holy Cistercian is spoken of by Caesarius in his Dialogus de Miraculis   
   in   
   bk vii, chs. 17 and 25, as well as in bk viii, ch. 74. Nothing more seems to   
   be   
   known of Bl. Adam than Caesarius tells us. There is an English translation   
   of   
   the Dialogus (2 vols., 1929). The monastic buildings at Loccum are now a   
   Protestant seminary, and the Lutheran land-bishop of Hanover has the   
   official   
   title "Abbot of Loccum".   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   Far be it from Christians that to do such deeds [as our done by pagan   
   sinners]   
   should enter their mind; for temperance dwells with them, self-restraint is   
   practiced, monogamy is observed, chastity is guarded, injustice is   
   exterminated,   
   sin is rooted out, righteousness is exercised, law is ministered, reverence   
   is   
   preserved, God is acknowledged: truth controls, grace guards, peace   
   protects,   
   the holy word guides, wisdom teaches, life directs, God reigns.   
   -Saint Theophilus of Antioch   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   The world with its lust passes away, but he who does the Will of God abides   
   forever.  (I John 2:17)   
      
      
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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.   
      
   FIFTEENTH DAY   
      
   Death cannot destroy the affection your loved ones bore for you in life, but   
   that affection is now sweeter, purer, more constant. United with God in   
   Heaven,   
   or offering atonement to Him in Purgatory, they love us with a deeper,   
   everlasting love.   
      
   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.   
      
   O Lord Jesus, deign to harken to the voice of the Souls in Purgatory. Grant   
   them   
   remission of their sins because of the love they bore Thee, and bring them   
   with   
   Thee to Heaven, that they may forever praise Thee.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)