From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   On Peace and Spiritual Progress (6)   
      
   It is hard to give up old habits, and harder still to conquer our own   
   wills. But if you cannot overcome in small and easy things, how will   
   you succeed in greater? Resist your evil inclinations in the   
   beginning, and break off evil habits, lest they gradually involve you   
   in greater difficulties. Oh, if you could only know how great a peace   
   for yourself and how great a joy for your fellows your good endeavour   
   would win, you would have greater care for your spiritual progress.   
   --Thomas à Kempis --Imitation of Christ Bk 1, Ch 11   
      
      
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   February 16th - Saint Juliana of Cumae   
   (also known as Juliana of Nicomedia   
    died 305   
      
    Saint Juliana became widely venerated in Medieval times, with epic   
   poems written about her battle and eventual victory over the Devil.   
   Her Acts, recorded by the Venerable Saint Bede, and detailed in the   
   Golden Legend, are thought to be Holy Legend, although like most Holy   
   Legend, remain inspirational today.   
      
   Juliana was born in Cumae, Italy, the daughter of a pagan official   
   named Africanus. Betrothed at a young age to a nobleman named Evilase,   
   Juliana refused to marry until he first became the prefect of   
   Nicomedia. While he was working to meet this demand--which he   
   eventually did--Juliana converted to Christianity, and made a vow of   
   chastity. She then insisted that Evilase convert as well prior to   
   marriage. Of course, as a Roman prefect, this was not something he was   
   able to do and maintain his position and status.   
      
   Juliana’s father, who himself despised Christians, beat and abused her   
   in attempts to change her mind, but she would not relent, holding firm   
   to her faith in Christ. Evilase, now well established as prefect,   
   called Juliana before the tribunal, and denounced her as a Christian.   
   As this was during the persecution of Christians under the order of   
   Emperor Maximianus, there was little choice than to have her executed   
   unless she would recant her faith. Of course, Juliana refused, finding   
   her refuge in the Lord, and was subjected to horrible torture.   
      
   From the poem, “Juliana,” written by the English poet Cynewulf, we   
   learn that during this torture, the Devil, disguised as an angel from   
   Heaven, appeared to her and suggested she give in to the torturer’s   
   request:   
      
   “Then suddenly came into the prison the Enemy of mankind, skilled in   
   evil; and he had the form of an angel. Wise was he in afflictions,   
   this enemy of the soul, this captain of Hell, and unto the holy maid   
   he said, “Why sufferest thou who art most dear and precious unto the   
   King of glory, our God ? This judge hath prepared for thee the worst   
   tortures, torment without end, if thou wilt not prudently sacrifice   
   and make propitiation unto his gods. Be thou in haste when he bids   
   thee be led outward hence, that thou make a sacrifice, an offering of   
   victory, before that death come upon thee, death in the presence of   
   the warriors. In this wise shalt thou survive the anger of this judge,   
   O blessed maid!””   
      
   Juliana is not to be fooled by the snares of the Devil, and prays to   
   the Lord for guidance. In return, she receives a message from God:   
      
   “Then unto her spake a glorious voice from the clouds and uttered this   
   word: “Do thou seize this vile one and hold him fast, till that he   
   rightly declare unto thee his purpose, even from the beginning what   
   his kinship may be.” And the heart of the glorious maid was glad; and   
   she seized upon that devil.”   
      
   Juliana captures the Devil, holding fast to him, and forces him to   
   recount his sinfulness.  As he recounts a very long list of deceit and   
   trickery,  Juliana is dragged before the tribunal.  She drags the   
   Devil with her--he, all the while, pleading for freedom:   
      
   “I entreat thee, gracious Juliana, by the grace of God, that thou work   
   upon me no further insult or reproach before men than thou hast   
   already done, when thou overcamest the wisest in the prison shades,   
   the king of the dwellers in Hell, in the city of fiends, who is our   
   father, the lord of death. Behold thou hast afflicted me with painful   
   blows, and in truth I know that, before or since, never did I meet in   
   the kingdoms of the world a woman like unto thee, of more courageous   
   heart, or more perverse, of all the race of women. Clear is it to me   
   that thou wouldst be in all things unashamed in thy wise heart.”   
      
   Juliana let the Devil go, and he embarrassedly returned to Hell.   
   Juliana, for her part, bravely met her executioner. Per her Acts, she   
   was first partially burnt in flames, then plunged into a pot of   
   boiling oil, and finally beheaded.   
      
   While Saint Juliana was martyred in Nicomedia, her relics were   
   translated to Cumae, the place of her birth, where they were first   
   enshrined. In the 13th century, her relics were again translated, this   
   time to Naples, Italy, where they are venerated today.   
      
   Saint Juliana bravely battled the Devil, in the same manner we battle   
   temptations every day. In the case of her legend, Satan appeared to   
   her in the guise of a heavenly angel, encouraging her to accept the   
   things of the world as Godly and perfect, rather than renouncing   
   temptation and focusing on the Lord. In much the same way, we all too   
   often fall victim to the Devil’s snare, placing great importance on   
   earthly temptations and desires at the expense of our relationship   
   with God. When Juliana wasn’t convinced, she prayed, called upon the   
   Lord, who answered her prayer and opened her eyes to the Devil’s   
   trickery. Today’s holy saint reminds us to be vigilant and to keep our   
   eyes firmly fixed on the Lord--from whom our help and salvation comes!   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   When the heart is occupied with worldly things, especially   
   superfluousones, it forsakes the Lord--the Source of life and   
   peace--and is therefore deprived of life and tranquility, of light and   
   strength; but when it repents of its care for vain things, and wholly   
   turns from corruptible things to the incorruptible God, then the   
   fountain of living water again begins to flow into it, and peace,   
   tranquility, light, strength, and boldness before God and man one more   
   dwell within it. We must live wisely.   
   --St. John of Kronstadt.   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and   
   proclaimed, “If any one thirst, let him come to me and drink  38 He   
   who believes in me, as[e]the scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart   
   shall flow rivers of living water.’” 39 Now this he said about the   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)