From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   Walk as Christ has walked   
      
   "When the Lord tells us in the Gospel that anyone who wants to be his   
   follower must renounce himself, the injunction seems harsh; we think   
   he is imposing a burden on us. But an order is no burden when it is   
   given by one who helps in carrying it out. To what place are we to   
   follow Christ if not where he has already gone? We know that he has   
   risen and ascended into heaven; there, then, we must follow him. There   
   is no cause for despair--by ourselves we can do nothing, but we have   
   Christ’s promise... One who claims to abide in Christ ought to walk as   
   he walked. Would you follow Christ? Then be humble as he was humble.   
   Do not scorn his lowliness if you want to reach his exaltation. Human   
   sin made the road rough. Christ’s resurrection leveled it. By passing   
   over it himself, he transformed the narrowest of tracks into a royal   
   highway. Two feet are needed to run along this highway; they are   
   humility and charity. Everyone wants to get to the top--well, the   
   first step to take is humility. Why take strides that are too big for   
   you--do you want to fall instead of going up? Begin with the first   
   step, humility, and you will already be climbing."   
   by Caesarius of Arles (470-543 AD)(excerpt from  SERMONS 159, 1.4–6)   
      
      
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   January 18th – Blessed Christina Ciccarelli, Virgin   
   Also known as   
      
   Christina of Aquila   
   Christine of l’Aquila   
   Matthia Ciccarelli   
      
   d. 1543   
      
   THE family name of this Christina was Ciccarelli, and when she was   
   born in the Abruzzi she received in baptism the name of Matthia.   
   Entering the convent of Augustinian hermitesses at Aquila at an early   
   age, she was there called Sister Christina. In the cloister she showed   
   herself a model of virtue, but she was especially remarkable for her   
   humility and love of the poor. She gave long hours to prayer, was   
   often rapt in ecstasy, and seemed to possess a knowledge of future   
   events. She is also said to have practised severe penance, and to have   
   worked many miracles, but our information about her is scanty. When   
   she died on January 18, 1543, it is stated that the children of Aquila   
   went through the town proclaiming the news of her death by “shouting   
   and singing”, with the result that an enormous concourse of people   
   attended her obsequies. The cultist paid to her from time immemorial   
   was confirmed in 1841.   
      
    Two facts stand out as distinctive in the life of Christine: her   
   devotion to the eucharist ­ she had a famous vision once on the feast   
   of Corpus Christi; and her devotion to the passion.   
      
   She died on 18 January, the eve of the opening of the Council of   
   Trent. She was laid to rest in the monastery of Saint Lucy and, when   
   it was suppressed in 1908, her remains were transferred to the   
   Augustinian monastery of Sant’Amico, also in L’Aquila.   
      
   Her feast is celebrated by the Augustinian Family on 18 January.   
      
   See P. Seeböck, Die Herrlichkeit der Katholischen Kirche (1900), p.   
   297, and biographical details in the decree of confirmation.   
      
      
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   PRAYER TO THE COMING SAVIOUR   
      
       Jesus, our Lord, save me from my sins.   
       Come, protect me from all dangers and lead me to salvation.   
      
       Come! Wisdom of our God Most High,   
       guiding creation with power and love:   
       teach me to walk in the paths of knowledge!   
      
       Come! Leader of ancient Israel,   
       giver of the Law of Moses on Sinai:   
       rescue me with Your might power!   
      
       Come! Flower of Jesse's stem,   
       sign of God's love for all His people:   
       save me without delay!   
      
       Come! Key of David,   
       opening the gates of God's eternal Kingdom:   
       free the prisoners of darkness!   
      
       Come, Emmanuel, God's presence among us, our King, our Judge:   
       save us, Lord our God!   
      
       Come, King of all nations,   
       source of Your Church's unity and faith:   
       save all mankind, Your own creation!   
      
       Come, Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, Sun of Justice:   
       shine on those lost in the darkness of death!   
      
       Come, Lord Jesus, do not delay;   
       give new courage to Your people who trust in Your love.   
       By Your coming, raise us to the joy of Your Kingdom,   
       where you live and reign with the Father   
       and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever.   
      
       Amen   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)