From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   March 22nd - St. Basil of Ancyra, Martyr   
      
   Died June 29, 362. Saint Basil suffered and died for his confession of the   
   true faith in opposition to the Arians, who denied the divinity of Jesus. He   
   was a priest of Ancyra, Galatia (now Ankara, Turkey), who loyally supported   
   his Catholic bishop, Marcellus, against the heretics, even after the   
   latter's banishment in 336 by Emperor Constantius. In 360, the Arians tried   
   to stop Saint Basil even from leading Christian worship; but he despised the   
   unjust order; and boldly defended the Catholic faith before Constantius   
   himself. Basil's refusal to give way to the Arians (and the fact that he was   
   running through the streets urging Christians to remain steadfast), under   
   severe threats, led the authorities to claim that he was unfaithful to the   
   emperor Julian the Apostate. He was captured, tried, and tortured at Ancyra.   
   At Caesarea in Palestine he was hung up, first by the wrists, and then   
   upside down from his ankles. His body was torn with rakes and finally he was   
   slaughtered. His acta appear to be authentic. This is the longer version of   
   what they say:   
      
   Julian the Apostate was traveling from Constantinople to Antioch in   
   preparation for his Persian expedition. He stopped en route at the famous   
   temple of Cibele in Galatia to offer sacrifice. "When Julian arrived at   
   Ancyra, Basil was presented before him, and the crafty emperor, putting on   
   an air of compassion, said to him: 'I myself am well skilled in your   
   mysteries; and I can inform you, that Christ, in whom you place your trust,   
   died under Pilate, and remains among the dead.'   
      
   "The martyr answered: 'You are deceived; you have renounced Christ at a time   
   when he conferred on you the empire. But he will deprive you of it, together   
   with your life. As you have thrown down his altars, so will he overturn your   
   throne: and as you have violated his holy law, which you had so often   
   announced to the people [Julian had been a reader in the church], and have   
   trodden it under your feet, your body shall be cast forth without the honor   
   of a burial, and shall be trampled upon by men.'   
      
   "Julian replied: 'I intended to let you go, but your impudent manner of   
   rejecting my advice . . . force me to do you ill. It is therefore my   
   command, that every day your skin be torn off in seven different places,   
   till you have no more left.'. . ."   
      
   Julian went on his way; Basil endured the torture several days then asked to   
   speak to the emperor. Julian ordered that the two should meet in the temple   
   of Esculapius. Julian "pressed him to join him in sacrifices. But the martyr   
   replied that he could never adore blind and deaf idols. And taking a piece   
   of his flesh which had been cut out of his body that day, and still hung to   
   it by a bit of skin, he threw it upon Julian. The emperor went out in great   
   indignation: and count Frumentinus, fearing his displeasure, studied how to   
   revenge an insult . . . He therefore mounted his tribunal, and ordered the   
   torments of the martyr to be redoubled; and so deep were the incisions made   
   in his flesh, that his bowels were exposed to view, and the spectators wept   
   for compassion. The martyr prayed aloud all the time, and at evening was   
   carried back to prison.   
      
   "Next morning Julian set out for Antioch, and would not see Frumentinus. The   
   count resolved to repair his disgrace, or at least to discharge his   
   resentment by exerting his rage upon the servant of Christ. But to his   
   thundering threats Basil answered: 'You know how many pieces of flesh have   
   been torn from my body: yet look on my shoulders and sides; see if any   
   wounds appear? Now that Jesus Christ this night hath healed me. Send this   
   news to your master Julian that he may know the power of God whom he has   
   forsaken. He has overturned his altars, who was himself concealed under them   
   when he was sought by Constantius to be put to death. But God hath informed   
   me that his tyranny shall be shortly extinguished with his life.'   
      
   "Frumentinus seemed no longer able to contain his rage, and Frumentinus   
   commanded the saint to be laid upon his belly, and his back to be pierced   
   with red-hot iron spikes. The martyr expired under these torments"   
   (Attwater2, Benedictines, Bentley, Encyclopedia, Husenbeth). Saint Basil is   
   depicted in art with a lioness by his side, sometimes he is torn by the   
   lioness (Roeder).   
      
      
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   "Some pursue their own taste and satisfaction in spiritual things in   
   preference to the way of perfection which consists in denying their own   
   wishes and tastes for the love of God, If such persons perform some exercise   
   through obedience, even though it suit their inclination, they soon lose the   
   wish for It, and all devotion in It, because their only pleasure is in doing   
   what their own will directs, which ordinarily would be better left undone.   
   The Saints did not act thus"   
   --St. John of the Cross   
      
    The blessed Seraphino, a Capuchin lay-brother, said to a friend that he   
   would be glad to be in the house of Loretto or at Rome, that he might serve   
   as many Masses as possible. When it was suggested that he might ask this   
   favor of the Superiors, who would have readily granted it, he replied: ''Oh,   
   not that! Any holy desire would he profaned by one's own will, and every   
   good intention ought to be subject to obedience, the only true directress of   
   all holy thoughts."   
      
   (Taken from the book "A Year with the Saints".  March - Mortification)   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   Now those men, when they had seen what a miracle Jesus had done, said: This   
   is of a truth the prophet, that is to come into the world.  (John 6:14)   
      
      
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   PRAYER TO SHARE THE LIFE OF JESUS   
      
   Loving Father,   
   faith in Your Word is the way to wisdom.   
   Help me to think about Your Divine Plan   
   that I may grow in the truth.   
   Open my eyes to Your deeds,   
   my ears to the sound of Your call,   
   so that my every act may help me share   
   in the life of Jesus.   
   Give me the grace to live the example of the love of Jesus,   
   which I celebrate in the Heart   
   and see in the Gospel.   
   Form in me the likeness of Your Son   
   and deepen His Life within me.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)