From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   Eternal Joys   
      
       "All the good deeds of our present life, however many they may   
   appear to be, are few in comparison with our eternal recompense. The   
   faithful servant is put in charge of many things after overcoming all   
   the troubles brought him by perishable things. He glories in the   
   eternal joys of his heavenly dwelling. He is brought completely into   
   the joy of his master when he is taken into his eternal home and   
   joined to the company of angels. His inner joy at his gift is such   
   that there is no longer any external perishable thing that can cause   
   him sorrow."   
   by Gregory the Great (excerpt from FORTY GOSPEL HOMILIES 9.2)   
      
      
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   October 5th - St. Placidus and his Companions, Martyrs   
   by Fr. Francis Xavier Weninger, 1876   
      
   St. Placidus, a religious of the Order of St. Benedict, was born at   
   Rome. Tertullus, his father, was greatly esteemed in the city, not   
   only for his ancient nobility but also for his great wisdom, which   
   raised him to the highest offices of the state. As he was as pious as   
   he was noble, rich and learned, he gave Placidus in charge of St.   
   Benedict, when the child had not yet reached his 7th year. Placidus   
   made such progress in learning and in all Christian virtues, that he   
   served as an example even to the religious, and when further advanced   
   in years, he desired to be admitted among the disciples of St.   
   Benedict. Tertullus not only consented to his son's wish, but also   
   gave the holy Founder several estates, which lay not far from Monte   
   Cassino, that the monastery which he had begun might be completed, and   
   that he might have means to maintain it. Besides this, he gave him an   
   estate in Sicily, consisting of 18 villages, as he thought that his   
   property could not be better used than in the maintenance of those who   
   served God zealously, and who faithfully educated the young.   
      
   Some who lived in the neighborhood of this estate, were displeased at   
   this generous gift, and each of them appropriated as much of the   
   ground as he could to himself. Benedict, informed of this, thought it   
   best to send Placidus to Sicily; for, though he was only 21 years of   
   age, he possessed such deeply rooted virtue and was endowed with such   
   abilities, that the holy Founder promised himself the best result from   
   his mission. Fortified with the blessing of the Saint and accompanied   
   by two religious, Placidus commenced his journey. The Almighty favored   
   him with many miracles on the way. He restored two sick persons to   
   health, he gave sight to a blind man, and speech and hearing to the   
   dumb and deaf, and cast out the unclean spirits from the possessed.   
   The fame of these miracles spread quickly, and had reached Sicily   
   before the Saint's arrival. Hence he was received with great honors   
   and had but little difficulty in regaining possession of that portion   
   of the estate which had been usurped by others.   
      
   Having happily concluded this affair, with the consent of St.   
   Benedict, he selected a suitable spot whereon to build a monastery for   
   the order. He chose a place not far from the harbor of Messina, where   
   he erected a monastery and a chapel. As soon as he had made his   
   dwelling there with his brethren, several came who desired to live   
   under his guidance. He received them, and led them in the path of   
   perfection with so much wisdom and ability, that they all loved and   
   honored him like a father. Not only by words, but also, and more   
   especially, by his example, did he teach those under him. He devoted   
   many hours to prayer, which he seldom performed without tears. During   
   Lent, he partook of bread and water, on Sundays, Tuesdays and   
   Thursdays; on the other days he abstained from food altogether. He   
   never tasted wine, and always wore his rough hair-shirt. He gave very   
   little time to rest at night and slept sitting. He was very   
   circumspect in speaking, and never permitted any one to say a   
   disparaging word of a neighbor in his presence, as he himself never   
   spoke ill of others. He was kind and good to all, and no one ever saw   
   him angry, which is surely worthy of admiration. Each moment he   
   endeavored to use to a good purpose; he was never idle, but always   
   occupied in good works.   
      
   He had two brothers and a sister, who resided at Rome, but who went to   
   visit him in Sicily, as they had heard so much that was praiseworthy   
   spoken of their brother. Soon after their arrival, it happened that   
   Manucha, a powerful pirate of the Moorish king of Africa, and a bitter   
   enemy of the Christians, sailed into the harbor of Messina, and   
   invaded the monastery of St. Placidus. After having robbed and   
   plundered the whole building, the barbarians took St. Placidus, his   
   two brothers, his sister, the two monks whom St. Benedict had given   
   him as companions, with 30 other religious, as prisoners. Manucha   
   commanded them to deny Christ, but as they refused to obey him, the   
   pirate commenced to torture them, especially St. Placidus, as he   
   encouraged the others to remain constant. The savage daily invented a   
   new torment: they were most cruelly scourged; hung up by the feet over   
   a fire, so that the smoke might suffocate them; and as this did not   
   kill them, they were hung by their hands, with heavy stones tied to   
   their feet, besides being tortured in numberless other ways. St.   
   Placidus, who, during all this terrible suffering, did not cease to   
   sing praises to God, had all his teeth knocked out with a stone, and   
   his tongue torn from his mouth. Seeing at length that they could not   
   be conquered, the inhuman tyrant had them all beheaded.   
      
   Memorable was the end of Flavia, the sister of St. Placidus, Manucha   
   had her brought before him, and endeavored to make her deny Christ.   
   When he perceived that he could gain no power over her, he ordered her   
   to-be hung up by the feet, and scourged most barbarously. He then said   
   to her: "You pretend to be a noble Roman lady, and are not ashamed to   
   appear naked!" Flavia answered: " What I suffer for the Christian   
   faith cannot dishonor me. Do you not know any other torments? I am   
   ready to suffer and to die." Manucha, enraged at these words, gave her   
   up to his servants. This was more terrible to the chaste virgin than   
   all other suffering, and she called on God for aid. The Almighty   
   delayed not to succor her. When the wretches went to seize her, their   
   arms became powerless, and thus the purity of the virgin was saved.   
   She ended her life by the sword.   
      
   See more at:   
   http://catholicharboroffaithandmorals.com/St.%20Pacidus%20and%20Companions.html   
      
      
   Bible quote:   
   "Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye   
      
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   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)