From: trudie.Miller@cox.net   
      
   October 23rd - Feast of the Holy Redeemer   
      
   A redeemer is one who pays the debt of another, to deliver him from an   
   unfortunate situation from which he finds himself unable to be liberated   
   without aid. As an example, we can recall the religious Orders whose members   
   dedicated themselves to the redemption of captives, paying for their release   
   or offering to serve in the place of those who had become slaves of the   
   Moors.   
      
   Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Redeemer of all mankind. From what misfortune   
   did He free us? The mystery of original sin and man's enslavement to the   
   influence of the demons, is the key to the other mysteries of our religion,   
   although it is the most difficult for us to grasp. Our Lord did for us what   
   two thousand years earlier He had done for the holy man Job. (Cf. Book of   
   Job)   
      
   Our Lord has re-established man in a state more enviable than that of our   
   first father, Adam, who until his sin was the possessor of remarkable gifts   
   and immortality. With Job we can say: "I know that my Redeemer liveth," for   
   we have known Christ and His doctrine, and we possess Him in His Sacrament   
   of love. The evils from which He has delivered us are both of the present   
   life and of the future life, if indeed we cooperate with His plan for our   
   salvation. The evils of the present life are those which affect the body,   
   sickness and death, and those which affect the soul. Of these latter - the   
   more important - first of all is ignorance. Before Christ came, this   
   ignorance was so great, the darkness so thick, that men had reached the   
   point of no longer knowing what it was most important for them to know -   
   their origin, their nature and their future destinies. The second evil of   
   the soul is concupiscence, that crowd of bad inclinations which make us all   
   tend toward evil and often carry us into it. Thirdly, we have to bear a   
   hereditary burden of sin - first, original sin, in which we are all   
   conceived; then actual sins, into which concupiscence leads all men to a   
   greater or lesser degree.   
      
   But Jesus has delivered His faithful Christians, and all who so desire. He   
   has delivered from ignorance by revealing to us the truths we must believe   
   to be saved, and by teaching us through His holy Church, the continuing work   
   of Redemption. He has delivered us from concupiscence by actual graces,   
   which if they do not extirpate all bad inclinations, at least give us the   
   strength to overcome them and tame them. And God can well say to us, as He   
   once said to Saint Paul, "My grace is sufficient for thee." (I Cor. 12:9)   
   And there is no sin for which Jesus has not earned our pardon, if we ask for   
   it. Do not the sacraments of Baptism and Penance have the power to take away   
   every sin, even if they should be as numerous as the hairs of our head, and   
   redder than scarlet?   
      
   We are not delivered from the exterior power of sin's chastisements   
   affecting the body, but Jesus has made it possible to convert them into   
   blessings, for He has won for us the strength to bear them with patience and   
   sanctify them by submission to the holy Will of God, and thereby to make of   
   them a very great source of merits. Death itself will not dominate us   
   forever. After having felled us, it will be victim in its turn, for Christ   
   will raise us up some day, as He raised Himself up, and then we will die no   
   more. Let us say in our hearts, an unending "Thank You" to our Redeemer.   
      
   Source: Les fêtes chrétiennes, by Canon R. Turcan (P. Téqui: Paris, 1929 )   
   Vol. I.   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   "Let married people remain on their cross of obedience, which is in   
   marriage. It is the best and most practical cross for them and one of the   
   most demanding, in that there is almost continual activity - and occasions   
   for suffering are more frequent in this state than in any other. Do not   
   desire, therefore, to descend from this cross under any pretext whatever.   
   Since God has placed you there, remain there always."   
   -St. Francis de Sales (Doctor, 1567-1622) - "The Sermons of St. Francis de   
   Sales for Lent   
      
   Bible Quotes:   
   "if thou take a wife, thou hast not sinned. And if a virgin marry, she hath   
   not sinned: nevertheless, such shall have tribulation of the flesh" - 1 Cor   
   7:28   
      
   "But I would have you to be without solicitude. He that is without a wife is   
   solicitous for the things that belong to the Lord: how he may please God.   
   But he that is with a wife is solicitous for the things of the world: how he   
   may please his wife. And he is divided" - 1 Cor 7:32-33   
      
      
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   Novena - Prayer to St. Philomena   
      
   Illustrious Virgin and Martyr, Saint Philomena, behold me   
   prostrate at the foot of the throne, where it is has pleased the   
   Most Holy Trinity to place you. Full of confidence in your   
   protection. I beseech you to intercede for me with God. Ah!   
   From the height of your heavenly throne, deign to look upon   
   your humble servant. Spouse of Jesus Christ, in my trouble   
   console me: strengthen me in temptations; protect me from the   
   dangers that surround me on all sides: obtain for me...   
   (make request)   
      
   and especially and above all, assist me at the hour of my   
   death.  Amen.   
      
   Saint Philomena, Virgin and Martyr, pray for us, so that through   
   your powerful intercession we may obtain that purity of mind   
   and heart which leads to the perfect love of God.  Amen.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)