From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   Endurance for God's sake   
      
      The apostle writes: With patient endurance we run the race of faith   
   set before us. For what has more power than virtue? What more firmness   
   or strength than patient endurance? Endurance, that is, for God's   
   sake. This is the queen of virtues, the foundation of virtue, a haven   
   of tranquility. It is peace in time of war, calm in rough waters,   
   safety amidst treachery and danger. It makes those who practice it   
   stronger than steel. No weapons or brandished bows, no turbulent   
   troops or advancing siege engines, no flying spears or arrows can   
   shake it. Not even the host of evil spirits, nor the dark array of   
   hostile powers, nor the devil himself standing by with all his armies   
   and devices will have power to injure the man or woman who has   
   acquired this virtue through Christ.   
   --St. Nilus of Ancyra   
      
   ================   
   October 18th - St. Mono of Nassogne, Hermit, Martyr   
   (Also known as Monon, Muno, Monone)   
   Died c. 645.   
      
   Mono was an Irish monk or Scottish pilgrim who crossed over to the   
   continent and lived as a hermit in the Ardennes, where he is highly   
   venerated by the people. He was murdered in his cell at Nassogne   
   (Nassau), in Belgian Luxembourg by some robber whom he had reproved.   
   His tomb in the village at a place now encompassed by Saint Hubert's   
   abbey was the site of many miracles. There is a church near Saint   
   Andrew's in Scotland dedicated to him called Monon's Kirk. In 1920,   
   Cardinal Mercier of Belgium told the persecuted bishops of Ireland,   
      
   "For long have the eyes of Belgian Catholics turned towards Ireland   
   full of admiration and gratitude. Is it not the first pioneers of   
   Christian civilization that Belgium herself owes in large degree the   
   grace, greatest of all graces, of belonging to Christ?  The names of   
   Irish missionaries who in the Merovingian epoch evangelized the north   
   of France, Saint Columban, Saint Foillan, Saints Monon and Eton, Saint   
   Lievan [Lebwin], the bishops Saint Wiro and Saint Plechelm and their   
   deacon Saint Odger, Saint Fredegand finally, and many other have   
   remained popular among us. More than 30 Belgian churches are dedicated   
   to saints from your island" (Benedictines, D'Arcy, Encyclopedia,   
   Fitzpatrick, Husenbeth, Kenney).   
      
      
   Troparion of St Monon tone 4   
      
   Thou hast revealed to us the treasures of solitude, O Father Monon,   
    /and, fearing nothing, thou didst rebuke the lawless men for their   
   ungodliness. Wherefore, pray to God for us   
   / that we may have the courage to confront evil,   
   / even though like thee   
   /we thereby receive the crown of martyrdom,   
   / that we may be found worthy of eternal salvation.   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   Beware of becoming vexed or impatient at the faults of others;   
   for it would be folly when you see a man falling into a ditch,   
   to throw yourself into another to no purpose.   
   --St. Bonaventure   
      
   Bible Quote   
   And you, O children of Sion, rejoice, and be joyful in the Lord your   
   God: because he hath given you a teacher of justice, and he will make   
   the early and the latter rain to come down to you as in the beginning.   
   And the floors shall be filled with wheat, and the presses shall   
   overflow with wine and oil.  (Joel 2:23-24)   
      
   <><><><>   
   THIRTY-ONE DAYS OF PRAYER FOR THE HOLY SOULS   
   FROM THE PURGATORIAN MANUAL  (Imprimatur 1946)   
      
   Twentieth Day   
      
   LOVE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN TOWARDS THE SOULS IN PURGATORY   
      
   Since our Divine Redeemer has given us Mary as a mother, when, dying   
   upon the cross, He. spoke to His disciple, "Behold thy mother," the   
   Blessed Virgin regards us all as her beloved children, but she harbors   
   most tender feelings of maternal love towards the suffering souls in   
   Purgatory. Let us then afford the Mother of love the satisfaction of   
   giving abundant suffrages to the souls in Purgatory. Taking into   
   consideration the great prerogatives of the Blessed Virgin, and the   
   infinite love of the Holy Trinity towards her, we cannot doubt that by   
   her merit and intercession every penitent suffering soul would be   
   delivered, that Purgatory could be emptied at once, were such   
   according to the inscrutable ways of God.   
      
   But God has His own designs, founded on His infinite wisdom, justice,   
   and mercy. The Blessed Virgin does not pray to have all the suffering   
   souls delivered at once, for her will is in perfect conformity to the   
   Will of God, and she exercises her dominion over the souls in   
   Purgatory in perfect union with this Divine Will.   
      
   St. Bernardine of Siena applies to Mary the text of Holy Writ, "I have   
   walked in the waves of the sea," (Eccl. xxiv. 8) and adds, "She   
   descends into that sea of fire, quenching the flames for the suffering   
   souls." Denys the Carthusian attests that the souls in Purgatory   
   experience the same joy and relief, at the mere mention of her name,   
   that consoling words bring to the bedridden sick.   
      
   Prayer: O most holy and glorious Virgin Mary, Blessed Mother of our   
   Lord! we place our petitions for the suffering souls into thy hands;   
   cleanse them from all imperfections, and, by thy intercession, obtain   
   for them eternal rest. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our   
   Lord.     Amen.   
      
   Special Intercession: Pray for the souls who were most zealous in   
   their devotion to the Blessed Virgin.   
      
   Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine   
   upon them; may they rest in peace. Amen. (Three times)   
      
   Practice: Say the Litany of the Blessed Virgin for the suffering souls.   
      
   Invocation:   My Jesus, mercy !   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)