From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   Angels--Their Unclouded Happiness   
      
   Happiness consists in the unimpeded activity of every part of our   
   nature. The nobler our nature, the greater our capacity for happiness.   
   Perfect happiness consists in full activity of a perfect nature. The   
   Angels have a nature perfect in its order and degree, and their whole   
   nature is occupied with the joy of seeing God face to face. Hence   
   their happiness is perfect. So too will my happiness be one day, if I   
   am faithful to God.   
      
   Happiness requires that we should look forward to the future without   
   any misgivings or fear lest we should forfeit our present joy. The   
   Holy Angels know that for all eternity nothing in Heaven or on earth   
   can cloud the brightness of their vision of God, or hinder the streams   
   of delight that flow thence to them unceasingly. We on the other hand   
   dread coming evils. Yet why should we do so, when all things work   
   together for good to those who love God? If we loved God more, what we   
   now fear as evil would lose all its power to terrify us. What we now   
   dread most would be gladly accepted by us as certain in the end to   
   work for our good.   
      
   The Holy Angels never have their wills crossed, never are thwarted,   
   never are disappointed, because they have no will save God's. Before   
   they know His will, they tend to do what seems to them the greatest   
   good. But they always do so under the condition that God does not will   
   otherwise. Their own will disappears when His is known to them. This   
   is the secret of happiness in this world as well as in the next.   
      
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   November 19th - The Holy Prophet Obadiah   
   (Also known as Abdias. Abdis)   
      
   Memorial   
       19 November   
       15 Tobi (Coptic)   
      
   This name is the Greek form of the Hebrew `Obhádhyah, which means "the   
   servant [or worshipper] of Yahweh". The fourth and shortest of the   
   minor prophetical books of the Old Testament (it contains only 21   
   verses) is ascribed to Abdias. In the title of the book it is usually   
   regarded as a proper name. Some recent scholars, however, think that   
   it should be treated as an appellative, for, on the one hand, Holy   
   Writ often designates a true prophet under the appellative name of   
   "the servant of Yahweh", and on the other, it nowhere gives any   
   distinct information concerning the writer of the work ascribed to   
   Abdias. It is true that in the absence of such authoritative   
   information Jews and Christian traditions have been freely circulated   
   to supply its place; but it remains none the less a fact that "nothing   
   is known of Abdias; his family, station in life, place of birth,   
   manner of death, are equally unknown to us" (Abbé Trochon, Les petits   
   prophètes, 193). The only thing that may be inferred from the work   
   concerning its author is that he belonged to the Kingdom of Judea.   
      
   The short prophecy of Abdias deals almost exclusively with the fate of   
   Edom as is stated in its opening words. God has summoned the nations   
   against her. She trusts in her rocky fastnesses, but in vain. She   
   would be utterly destroyed, not simply spoiled as by thieves (1-6).   
   Her former friends and allies have turned against her (7), and her   
   wisdom shall fail her in this extremity (8,9). She is justly punished   
   for her unbrotherly conduct towards Judea when foreigners sacked   
   Jerusalem and cast lots over it (10-11). She is bidden to desist from   
   her unworthy conduct (12-14). The "day of Yahweh" is near upon "all   
   the nations", in whose ruin Edom shall share under the united efforts   
   of "the house of Jacob" and "the house of Joseph" (16-18). As for   
   Israel, her borders will be enlarged in every direction; "Saviours"   
   shall appear on Mount Sion to "judge" the Mount of Esau, and the rule   
   of Yahweh shall be established (19-20).   
      
   More information   
      
   The Holy Prophet Obadiah [or Abdia] is the4th of the 12 Minor   
   Prophets, and he lived during the ninth century B.C. He was from the   
   village of Betharam, near Sichem, and he served as steward of the   
   impious Israelite King Ahab. In those days the whole of Israel had   
   turned away from the true God and had begun to offer sacrifice to   
   Baal, but Obadiah faithfully served the God of Abraham, Isaac and   
   Jacob in secret.   
      
   When Ahab's wife, the impious and dissolute Jezebel, hunted down all   
   the prophets of the Lord (because of her quarrel with the Prophet   
   Elijah), Obadiah gave them shelter and food (3/1 Kgs 18:3 ff). Ahab's   
   successor King Okhoziah [Ahaziah] sent 3 detachments of soldiers to   
   arrest the holy Prophet Elijah. One of these detachments was headed by   
   St Obadiah. Through the prayer of Elijah, two of the detachments were   
   consumed by heavenly fire, but St Obadiah and his detachment were   
   spared by the Lord 4/2 Kgs 1).   
      
   From that moment St Obadiah resigned from military service and became   
   a follower of the Prophet Elijah. Afterwards, he himself received the   
   gift of prophecy. The God-inspired work of St Obadiah is the fourth of   
   the Books of the Twelve Minor Prophets in the Bible, and contains   
   predictions about the New Testament Church. The holy Prophet Obadiah   
   was buried in Samaria.   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   Eternal God, behold me prostrate before your immense majesty, humbly   
   adoring you. I offer you all my thoughts, words, and actions of this   
   day. I offer them all to be thought, spoken, and done entirely for   
   love of you, for your glory, to fulfill your divine will, to serve   
   you, to praise you, and bless you. I wish and intend to do everything   
   in union with the most pure intentions of Jesus and Mary.   
   --St. John Leonardi   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   But according to him that hath called you, who is holy, be you also in   
   all manner of conversation holy: Because it is written: You shall be   
   holy, for I am holy.  (1 Peter 1:15-16 ) DRB   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)