From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   May 18th - SS. Theodotus, Thecusa & Companions, Martyrs   
      
   Died at Ankara, Turkey, 304. According to tradition, Saint Theodotus   
   of Ancyra (Ankara), Galatia (Turkey), was an innkeeper who not only sold   
   wine but also sheltered his Christian friends from persecution. Whenever he   
   could, he also recovered the bodies of the martyred and gave them Christian   
   burial.   
      
   When returning one day to Ancyra in the company of fellow Christians, he   
   stopped for a meal by the roadside and sent one of his companions to a   
   nearby village to invite a Christian priest, who lived there, to join them.   
   The priest came and invited them to his own house, but they decided that it   
   was pleasant eating in the open, and Theodotus remarked: "What a lovely spot   
   for a confession! Why don't you build an oratory here?"   
      
   The priest replied: "My friend, you are too precipitous. We must have the   
   martyr before we can have the church."   
      
   To which Theodotus answered: "Ancyra is the scene of many conflicts now.   
   Build the church, and I will provide you with the martyr. Here, take this as   
   the token and return it when I have redeemed the pledge." And removing a   
   gold ring from his finger, he placed it on the priest's.   
      
   A tragic episode followed. Seven Christian women-Thecusa, Alexandra,   
   Claudia, Faina (Phaina), Euphrasia, Matrona, and Julitta-including the aunt   
   of the innkeeper, were called before the magistrates and condemned to suffer   
   gross indignities. Stripped and mocked, they were compelled to take part in   
   offensive processions and ceremonies with an image of a pagan goddess, after   
   which they were drowned in a lake, each with a heavy stone attached to her   
   neck, and a guard was posted to prevent the recovery of their bodies.   
      
   Then Theodotus went with others, armed with sickles to cut the cords that   
   bound the stones to the dead women. It was a dark, stormy night with   
   lightning and thunder, and their way lay past the place of public execution   
   with its grinning skulls and headless bodies. In pouring rain and through   
   thick mud they made their way to the lake where, fortunately, the guards had   
   left their posts to take shelter, and Theodotus and his friends were able to   
   wade into the water and recover the bodies of the victims, which they loaded   
   on to pack animals and removed for burial.   
      
   When the loss of the bodies was discovered, the authorities had no mercy.   
   Theodotus was betrayed by his own brother and, though warned to escape,   
   turned himself into the court. He resisted every torture and finally was   
   executed, and a night-watch of soldiers was set to guard his body.   
      
   That same night the priest was journeying to Ancyra with a load of wine, and   
   at midnight came upon this group of soldiers, who told him the tavern was   
   closed and invited him to share their camp. He untethered his donkey and   
   joined them, but when he learned from them the story of the dead victim in   
   their care, he made them drunk with his wine and while they slept, recovered   
   the body of his friend and returned with it to his own village.   
      
   "Ah, Theodotus," he said, "you have indeed redeemed your pledge." And taking   
   the gold ring from his hand, he replaced it on that of his friend, and   
   buried him in the place where he had begged him to build a church.   
   (Attwater2, Benedictines, Coulson, Gill).   
      
   In art, Saint Theodotus is depicted with a torch and sword. He is, of   
   course, patron of innkeepers (Roeder).   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   "There are some characters which appear very gentle as long as everything   
   goes well with them; but at the touch of any adversity or contradiction,   
   they are immediately enkindled, and begin to throw forth smoke like a   
   volcano. Such as these may be called burning coals hidden under ashes. This   
   is not the meekness which Our Lord aimed to teach, that He might make us   
   like Himself. We ought to be like lilies among thorns, which, though they   
   come from amid such sharp points, do not cease to be smooth and pliable"   
   --St. Bernard   
      
   This virtue also shone forth in St Jane Frances de Chantal. When she was, on   
   various occasions, ill-treated by many, she never showed the least sign of   
   resentment or displeasure, but in return gave presents to one, bestowed   
   favors obtained from God or from persons of rank, upon another. Nor was her   
   love for any of them diminished.   
      
   (Taken from the book "A Year with the Saints".  May-Meekness)   
      
   Bible Quote   
   22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own   
   selves. 23 For if a man be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he shall be   
   compared to a man beholding his own countenance in a glass. 24 For he beheld   
   himself, and went his way, and presently forgot what manner of man he was.   
   (James 1:22-24)   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   Lamb of God   
      
   Christ is the "Lamb of God." The spotless sacrifice offered to our heavenly   
   Father as the price of our redemption. The one who laid down His own life so   
   each of us might live. Every day Christ invites us to join a spiritual   
   banquet where He is present as the guest of honor.   
      
   There Christ intercedes for us as He offers himself to the Father as perfect   
   satisfaction on our behalf for all we lack. We may join with Christ as he   
   praises the Father, pleads forgiveness for our sins, gives thanks for all   
   our blessings and asks for all the graces He knows we need.   
      
   Christ so loves us, He desires to give each of us an ember of His divinity,   
   a morsel of His Sacred Heart, become our spiritual food and drink. Saint   
   Thomas Aquinas, the Angelic Doctor concisely expresses the striking thought   
   that the Holy Eucharist produces in each one of us the same effect as the   
   Incarnation produced with respect to mankind in general: "Just as by coming   
   visibly into the world He conferred upon the world the life of grace...so   
   also coming sacramentally into man He causes the life of grace, as John   
   says: He who eats me will live because of me."   
      
   We should actively celebrate each Mass; drawing close to Christ as He gives   
   us His fellowship, acts as our advocate, and gives us life. We can learn how   
   to do this from Christ's close friends, the many Saints who used the Hosts   
   as stepping-stones to Heaven. Their pious, though eloquent, whispers to the   
   Divine Physician of Calvary can open our eyes, cleanse our hearts, lift our   
   souls, and help us to provide a proper reception for our great and loving   
   God.   
      
   You are invited.   
      
   Blessed are those who are called to His Supper.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)