From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   From the treatise by Basil on The Holy Spirit   
      
      "The Spirit restores paradise to us and the way to heaven and   
   adoption as children of God; he instills confidence that we may call   
   God truly Father and grants us the grace of Christ to be children of   
   the light and to enjoy eternal glory. In a word, he bestows the   
   fullness of blessings in this world and the next; for we may   
   contemplate now in the mirror of faith the promised things we shall   
   someday enjoy.  If this is the foretaste, what must the reality be? If   
   these are the first fruits, what must be the harvest?"   
   --Basil the Great (329-379 AD), an early church father, explains the   
   role of the Holy Spirit in our lives:(From the treatise by Basil on   
   The Holy Spirit)   
      
      
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   December 24th - Saints Emiliana and Tarsilla   
   (died sixth century)   
      
   Saints Emiliana and Tarsilla were virgins of the Church, and aunts of   
   Saint Gregory the Great. What we know of their lives was recorded by   
   the holy pope, who was deeply moved by their model of Christian life   
   and virtue.   
      
   Born in Rome, Emiliana and Tarsilla were the daughters of senator   
   Gordian and Saint Silvia. Nieces of Pope Saint Felix III, the young   
   women were destined for lives of holiness, and together, while quite   
   young, renounced the world. As young women, they together consecrated   
   themselves to the Lord, desiring to stay pure. Their house was as a   
   convent, and the two spent so much time kneeling in prayer that their   
   knees and elbows arthritically locked in the position of prayer.   
   Living as hermits, they encouraged one another in the ways of the   
   faith, drawing deeper and deeper into the spiritual life.   
      
   Tarsilla and Emiliana had a third sister, Gordiana, who had initially   
   made the same vows and consecrated herself to the Lord. Gradually,   
   however, she withdrew from her sisters, returning to the world. Their   
   reproaches fell on deaf ears, and caused them significant sadness and   
   grief.   
      
   Saint Tarsilla died prior to Saint Emiliana, but not before she   
   received a vision of her uncle, Pope Saint Felix. In her vision, the   
   pope appeared to her, showing her a place of great beauty. He said,   
   “Come, I will receive you into this habitation of light.” Immediately,   
   she fell ill with fever. Her sister ministered to her, but to no   
   avail. By the following day, her illness had grown worse. Saint   
   Tarsilla, in agonizing pain, called out to those around her; “Make   
   way! Jesus is coming!” With her eyes fixed firmly on heaven, she died   
   soon thereafter, and a heavenly fragrance filled the room, confirming   
   her visions.   
      
   Saint Emiliana was deeply saddened, made more difficult by missing her   
   sister on Christmas. Emiliana received consolation in the form of a   
   vision of her sister, however. In this vision, Tarsilla encouraged,   
   “My sister, come! I did not celebrate with you the birth of the Lord,   
   but together we will celebrate the feast of the Epiphany.”   
      
   “If you call only me,” Emiliana replied, “what will become of our   
   sister, Gordiana?”   
      
   “Come,” Tarsilla sadly answered. “Our sister has decided to remain   
   with the world.”   
      
   Soon thereafter, Saint Emiliana fell ill, and promptly joined her   
   sister in heaven. Their relics are kept at the Oratory of Saint Andrew   
   on the Celian Hill in Rome.   
      
   Pope Saint Gregory the Great recounted the tale of his aunts   
   throughout his lifetime. He used it to illustrate the point that we   
   must work constantly to save our souls, repenting for our actions. To   
   Saint Gregory, there is no point in beginning the work of salvation,   
   if we do not plan to see it through to the end. As we prepare for the   
   birth of Our Lord, we look to our own commitments. Are we ready to   
   greet the infant Christ, come to redeem and save us?   
      
   Tonight, we echo the sentiment of Saint Tarsilla: "Make way!  Jesus is   
   coming!"  How might we use this dark night--lit by the choirs of   
   angels--to prepare for the coming of the Lord?   
      
   Happy soul! she shall discover   
   What joy, what bliss,   
   How many heavens at once it is,   
   To have a God become her Lover!   
      
   Reflection: Saint Gregory reminds us, as he tells of the three   
   sisters, that only the one who perseveres to the end will be saved,   
   and that it is of no use to begin, if we do not complete the work of   
   saving our soul.   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   The good man out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and   
   the evil man out of his evil treasure produces evil; for out of the   
   abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.  Luke 6:45  RSVCE   
      
      
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   TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE JESUS CAME.   
      
    Twas the night before Jesus came and all through the house   
    Not a creature was praying, not one in the house.   
    Their Bibles were lain on the shelf without care   
    in hopes that Jesus would not come there.   
      
    The children were dressing to crawl into bed.   
    Not once ever kneeling or bowing a head.   
    And Mom in her rocker with baby on her lap   
    Was watching the late show while I took a nap.   
      
    When out on the East there arose such a clatter.   
    I sprang to my feet to see what was the matter.   
    Away to the window I flew like a flash   
    Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash!   
      
    When what to my wondering eyes should appear   
    But angels proclaiming that Jesus was here   
    With a light like the sun sending forth a bright ray   
    I knew in a moment this must be THE DAY!   
      
    The light of His face made me cover my head   
    It was Jesus! returning just like He had said.   
    And though I possessed worldly wisdom and wealth.   
    I cried when I saw Him in spite of myself.   
      
    In the Book of Life which He held in His hand.   
    Was written the name of every saved man.   
    He spoke not a word as He searched for my name:   
    When He said "It's not here" my head hung in shame.   
      
    The people whose names had been written with love   
    He gathered to take to His Father above   
    With those who were ready He rose without a sound   
    While all the rest were left standing around.   
      
    I fell to my knees, but it was too late:   
    I had waited too long and thus sealed my fate.   
    I stood and I cried as they rose out of sight:   
    Oh. if only I had been ready tonight.   
      
    In the words of this poem the meaning is clear:   
    The coming of Jesus is drawing near.   
    There's only one life and when comes the last call   
    We'll find that the Bible was true after all !   
      
   "Then I saw Heaven opened, and behold, a white horse.   
   And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True.   
   He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and   
   His name is called the Word of God.   
   And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name   
   written: King of Kings and Lord of Lords."   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)