From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   Signs from God   
      
   When the religious leaders pressed Jesus to give proof for his claims   
   to be the Messiah sent from God, he says in so many words that he is   
   God's sign and that they need no further evidence from heaven than his   
   own person. The Ninevites recognized God's warning when Jonah spoke to   
   them, and they repented (Jonah 3:5). And the Queen of Sheba recognized   
   God's wisdom in Solomon (1 Kings 10:1-9). Jonah was God's sign and his   
   message was the message of God for the people of Nineveh.   
   Unfortunately the religious leaders of Jesus' day were not content to   
   accept the signs right before their eyes. They had rejected the   
   message of John the Baptist and now they reject Jesus as God's   
   Anointed One (Messiah) and they fail to heed his message.   
      
   Simeon had prophesied at Jesus' birth that he was destined for the   
   fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken   
   against... that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed (Luke   
   2:34-35). Jesus confirmed his message with many miracles in   
   preparation for the greatest sign of all--his resurrection on the   
   third day.   
      
   ============   
   August 2nd - Saint Eusebius of Vercelli   
   (283-371), by Jacob   
      
   Saint Eusebius of Vercelli was the  first bishop of northern Italy,   
   confessor, and early Church father.  Born to a noble family on the   
   isle of Sardinia, Saint Eusebius learned what it meant to stand up for   
   the Christian faith at an early age. His father was imprisoned and   
   later died as a martyr for the faith. His mother, now a widow, brought   
   he and his infant sister to Rome, where he was instructed in the   
   practice of piety, and in the study of sacred learning, and ordained   
   lector by Saint Sylvester.   
      
   Having served as a lector for most of his childhood, Eusebius was   
   naturally drawn to the priesthood. He studied in Vercelli (in   
   Piedmont), where he was later ordained. Saint Eusebius served the   
   Church of Vercelli with such zeal that when it came time to appoint a   
   new bishop, he was unanimously chosen by both clergy and the   
   congregation.   
      
   Saint Eusebius approached religious life in a different manner than   
   his peers. He is the first to link the monastic life with that of   
   diocesan clergy, establishing a community of zealous priests under the   
   principle that the best way to sanctify the people was to have them   
   witness a clergy formed in solid virtue and living in community. Saint   
   Eusebius had his clergy live like the desert monks of the East in that   
   they shared a common life of prayer and penance, in a single   
   residence, that of the bishop. Saint Eusebius was very careful to   
   instruct his flock in the maxims of the Gospel. The force of the truth   
   which he preached, together with his example, brought many sinners to   
   a change of life.   
      
   At that time, the Church was in danger from the heretical beliefs of   
   the Arians—that Jesus Christ was not eternal, but created. Arius, the   
   originator of these teachings, described the Arian beliefs as follows:   
      
   “But we say and believe and have taught, and do teach, that the Son is   
   not unbegotten, nor in any way part of the unbegotten; and that he   
   does not derive his subsistence from any matter; but that by his own   
   will and counsel he has subsisted before time and before ages as   
   perfect God, only begotten and unchangeable, and that before he was   
   begotten, or created, or purposed, or established, he was not. For he   
   was not unbegotten. We are persecuted, because we say that the Son has   
   a beginning, but that God is without beginning.”   
      
   In response to the Arian threat, Pope Liberius dispatched Saint   
   Eusebius on a mission to the Emperor Constantius to try to resolve the   
   troubles between Arians and Catholics. Constantius was leaning toward   
   accepting Arianism, due to political and military pressure. Under   
   advisement from the Pope, however, the emperor convened a council in   
   Milan in 355. The Arians attended, forcing their will on the others,   
   and condemning Saint Athanasius—a friend of Saint Eusebius, and the   
   chief opponent of Arianism. While most were afraid of the power of the   
   Arians, Saint Eusebius courageously placed the Nicene Creed (written   
   by Saint Cyril of Jerusalem years earlier, and adopted by the full   
   Church), and demanded that everyone sign the Creed before condemning   
   Athanasius. The Nicene Creed directly contradicts Arian teaching by   
   proclaiming that Jesus is ‘one in being with the Father.’ Saint   
   Eusebius’ copy of the Creed was torn from his hands in anger, and his   
   pen was broken.   
      
   Emperor Constantius had grown tired of his arguments, and insisted   
   that Saint Eusebius condemn his colleague. Under pain of imprisonment,   
   torture, and death, the emperor demanded their participation. Along   
   with Saint Dionysus of Milan and Lucifer of Cagliari, Saint Eusebius   
   refused to condemn Athanasius as a heretic. Rather than death, the   
   three were exiled to Palestine by the emperor.   
      
   In Palestine, for the next several years, Eusebius suffered great   
   humiliation, as he was immediately imprisoned by the Arians, who took   
   to dragging him naked through the streets for others to mock him. He   
   was subjected to torture and solitary confinement in prison. Through   
   it all, he refused to compromise the true faith, and he continued to   
   write letters of encouragement to his flock and to the other true   
   Catholics. Saint Dionysus died in prison, causing him great sadness.   
   Saint Eusebius was moved to Asia Minor, and then to Egypt, treated   
   cruelly in each prison. However, he continued to confound his   
   tormentors with unwavering faith and hope in the Lord.   
      
   When Constantius died in the year 361, the new Emperor Julian allowed   
   all the exiled Prelates to return to their sees. Saint Eusebius went   
   to Alexandria to consult with Athanasius about convoking a synod,   
   which in 362 was held there under their joint leadership. During that   
   synod they extended leniency to all the Catholic bishops whose faith   
   had wavered during the Arian heresy.   
      
   Following the council in Alexandria, Saint Eusebius returned to Italy,   
   where he continued his fight against Arianism in the west. He returned   
   to Vercelli, advanced in age, where he peacefully died in   
   approximately 371. Because of the sufferings for the Faith he endured   
   during his life, the Church honors him with the title of martyr. His   
   relics are in a shrine in the Cathedral of Vercelli.   
      
   The early life of Saint Eusebius was one marked by accolades, respect,   
   and great accomplishments by his faith and zeal. The latter part of   
   his life found him imprisoned, hated, and tortured for his faith.   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)