From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   The Word of Life was seen and touched   
      
   "Given that this same John also said, 'No one has ever seen God' (John   
   1:18, 1 John 1:4:12), how can he assure us that the living Word of   
   Life has been seen and touched? It is clear that it was in his   
   incarnate and human form that he was visible and touchable. What was   
   not true of him by nature became true of him in that way, for he is   
   one and the same indivisible Word, both visible and invisible, and   
   without diminishing in either respect he became touchable in both his   
   divine-human nature. For he worked his miracles in his divinity and   
   suffered for us in his humanity."   
    by Severus of Antioch (488-538 AD) (excerpt from CATENA)   
      
      
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   January 2nd - St. Macarius, Hermit   
   (c. 300-390 A.D.)   
      
   St. Macarius the Elder was one of the greatest of the Christians who   
   pioneered the monastic life in the deserts of Egypt. Many anecdotes   
   have come down to us of his struggle for perfection in a crude world.   
      
   Macarius started off as a cattle-raiser in the Upper Nile district.   
   But while still a youth he sensed a personal call to undertake the   
   life of a desert hermit, a life of prayer, austerity and labor.   
      
   During the early period of his apprenticeship, he became the object of   
   a vicious slander that brought upon him undeserved mistreatment. A   
   woman of the desert locale, for some unknown motive, accused him   
   publicly of having assaulted her. She must have talked a good case,   
   for the people of the neighborhood accepted the charge. They upbraided   
   Macarius as a wolf in sheep’s clothing; they seized him bodily,   
   paraded him through the streets, and beat him severely.   
      
   What was the hermit’s reaction? In true Christian meekness, he decided   
   not to defend himself, and to work extra hard at his manual tasks in   
   order to provide for the care of the infant with whom his accuser was   
   pregnant. Surely, he thought to himself, the real father would not   
   provide for that child!   
      
   Fortunately, the truth came out through other circumstances. When the   
   woman’s hour had come, the birthing was hard until she admitted that   
   the father was other than Macarius. Shaken by this confession, the   
   neighbors who had been so ready to blame the hermit now changed their   
   tune, praising him for his humility.   
      
   Macarius no doubt thanked God for rescuing his reputation, but he by   
   now had had enough of public opinion. He fled to the mountainous   
   desert of Skete near the delta of the Nile. Then about 30, he would   
   pass the remaining 60 years of his life at that place as the spiritual   
   director of the multitude of other monks who hastened to place   
   themselves under his tutelage. Up to now, Macarius, like most of the   
   Egyptian hermits, had been a layman. After a while, however, the local   
   bishop ordained him a priest so that he might provide the sacraments   
   for his followers.   
      
   The monks of Skete were especially noted for their austerity. Although   
   this was sometimes excessive, it was nevertheless impressive. Later on   
   Macarius himself would declare, “I have never once eaten, drunk or   
   slept as much as nature required.” Yet he kept warning his disciples   
   against becoming proud of their fasting.   
      
   Macarius’ chief teaching, however, continued to be, “Leave everything   
   that happens, good or bad, in God’s hands.” Even when counseling on   
   prayer, he said that the best prayers are not always those that are   
   long or eloquent. Short ones are equally pleasing to God, like “O God,   
   come to my assistance”; or “Lord, show me mercy as you know best.”   
   This absolute mildness and patience communicated itself, and was   
   responsible for many conversions.   
      
   Yet the saint kept studying self-control.   
      
   Once God pointed out to him that two married women who lived nearby   
   were holier than he was. He therefore went to see them and learn of   
   their dispositions. “What are your methods for achieving holiness?” he   
   asked. They answered, “We live in humility and patience, charity and   
   conformity to the dispositions of our husbands. We carefully avoid   
   idle or rash conversations, and by consecrating all our powers of body   
   and soul to the glory of God, we sanctify every action by prayer.”   
   Such was the revealing lesson that these two wives taught to the   
   celibate monk.   
      
   A disciple once asked St. Macarius how to begin to live in Christ. The   
   saint told him to go to the cemetery and first scold all the dead, out   
   loud, and then praise them. When he returned, the Master asked what   
   reply the dead had made to the reproof and the praise. “Nothing,” the   
   disciple answered. Macarius (thinking perhaps of his earlier suffering   
   from slander), said, “Go then and learn neither to be moved by praise   
   or flattery. If you die to the world and to yourself, you will begin   
   to live in Christ.”   
      
   St. Macarius was not spared trials from without. At one point the   
   heretical bishop of Alexandria exiled him and his monks to an island   
   in the Nile. But the exiles lost no time, and converted the pagan   
   islanders. At length they were released. The people loved them too   
   much to allow that to happen again.   
      
   Macarius, then, still advises us: “Do not fear false accusations: God   
   always knows the truth.”   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   Beside each believer stands an Angel as protector and shepherd,   
   leading him to life.   
   -- St. Basil the Great   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   18 But the path of the just is like shining light,   
   that grows in brilliance till perfect day.*   
   19The way of the wicked is like darkness;   
   they do not know on what they stumble.  (Proverbs 4:18-19)   
      
      
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   God will protect you from the forces of evil   
      
      God will protect you from the forces of evil, if you will rely on   
   Him. You can face all things through the power of God, which   
   strengthens you. Once God has set on you His stamp and seal of   
   ownership, all His strength will serve and protect you. Remember that   
   you are a child of the Father. Realize that the Father's help is   
   always ready and available to all His children, so that they can face   
   anything. God will do all that is necessary for your spiritual   
   well-being, if you will let Him live His way.   
   --From Twenty-Four Hours a Day   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)