From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   On the Value of Frequent Communion  [IV]   
      
   O Lord God, Creator and Giver of life to all souls, how wonderful is   
   Thy kindness and mercy to us, that Thou should stoop to visit the poor   
   and humble soul, and to satisfy her hunger with Thy whole Divinity and   
   Humanity! Happy the mind and blessed the soul that deserves to receive   
   Thee with devotion, and in receiving Thee, to be filled with spiritual   
   joy! How great a Lord does the soul receive! How beloved the Guest she   
   welcomes! How delightful the Companion she invites to enter! How   
   faithful the Friend she makes! How gracious and noble the Spouse she   
   embraces -- one to be loved and desired above all others! O dear and   
   most beloved Lord, let Heaven and earth in all their beauty keep   
   silence before Thee; for whatever of praise and beauty they possess   
   comes from Thy generous goodness. They cannot approach the beauty of   
   Thy Name, and Thy Wisdom is infinite.(Ps. 147:5)   
   --Thomas à Kempis --Imitation of Christ Book 4 Ch. 3   
      
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   November 24th - St. Romanus of Le Mans   
      
   Died at Blaye, France, in 385. Romanus appears to be an average   
   person. Yet just as the Church never leaves any of us completely   
   alone, she never lets any of us completely useless. In the most   
   unexpected times and places, across the ages, across vast distances,   
   we will always encounter someone in her whose existence takes on   
   mysterious meaning and power, whose life is suddenly filled with love.   
      
   Romanus was an introvert by nature and never aspired to leave his   
   native Italy until his Uncle Julian called him across the Alps. Bishop   
   Julian had been sent to Le Mans in Gaul by Pope Clement; and under the   
   circumstances Romanus, who was destined for holy orders himself, could   
   hardly refuse to go.   
      
   The success of the new missionary and his companions was reported to   
   be breathtaking—miracles, cures, even resurrections from the dead. Yet   
   Romanus was not a demonstrative or emotional man, so he rejoiced in   
   silence. Rare indeed is the man who knows how to be happy and admiring   
   and keep silent.   
      
   As soon as he had settled in, his uncle, who had already become known   
   as the great Saint Julian, honored as first bishop of Le Mans,   
   ordained him a priest; then he sent him off with his pilgrim's staff   
   to preach the Gospel at the mouth of the Gironde. It wasn’t that   
   Romanus was very eloquent—he wasn't much of a talker and even less of   
   an organizer—but he didn't need to be because what he was bringing was   
   life.   
      
   And so clear was his message that those who heard it came to be   
   baptized by him immediately. Calmly and quietly he put sin to death   
   and then, with the waters of baptism brought them to life again. From   
   time to time he cast out a small demon, effected a cure, cast out   
   another demon ... but reluctantly almost shyly.   
      
   In general uncles die before their nephews. When Julian died, Romanus   
   returned to Le Mans, where all he wanted was to be allowed to stay   
   near the tomb of the man he venerated as a father.   
      
   Saint Thuribe succeeded St. Julian as bishop and entrusted Romanus   
   with the care of the tomb, which was in the basilica of the Holy   
   Apostles. And Romanus stayed there faithfully. Thuribe died and was   
   buried next to Julian. Romanus watched over them and led the people in   
   worship of God.   
      
   A churchyard quickly developed, for it was the custom among early   
   Christians to bury their dead near the bodies of saints. And so, near   
   the graveyards, there sprang up little communities of clerics who   
   looked after the burial of their Christian brothers. They formed a   
   minor order called the "Grave-diggers."   
      
   Romanus was a "Grave-digger." He and his companions received the   
   bodies of the Christians of Le Mans that were brought to be buried   
   near their first bishops, Julian and Thuribe, thereby continuing the   
   bond with the baptism of the bodies and souls. When he felt that his   
   end was near, Romanus wanted to see Rome once again. Pavace, the   
   former deacon who had now become bishop, allowed him to go on   
   condition that he promised to return.   
      
   Romanus kept his promise. He returned just in time for his death,   
   which he faced without fear.   
      
   At dawn on the 7th of November, probably in 385, with Pavace   
   officiating and his brother Grave-diggers around him, Romanus was laid   
   to rest in the basilica, next to Julian and Thuribe.   
      
   People continued to come to the basilica, but Romanus gradually faded   
   from the memory of men. But not from the memory of the Church which,   
   happily, forgets nothing (Benedictines, Encyclopedia).   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   If it were given a man to see virtue's reward in the next life, he   
   would occupy his intellect, memory and will in nothing but good   
   works--regardless of danger or fatigue.   
   --St Catherine of Genoa   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his   
   angels: and then will he render to every man according to his works.   
   (Matthew 16:27)   
      
   <><><><>   
   Psalm CIX   
      
   The Messias, King and Priest, victorious   
    over His enemies   
      
           The Lord said to my Lord: Sit Thou at my right hand.   
          Until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool.   
          The Lord will send forth the scepter of Thy power out of Sion:   
   rule Thou in the midst of Thine enemies.   
          Thine is dominion in the day of Thy power, amid the brightness   
   of the saints: from the womb before the day-star have I begotten Thee.   
          The Lord hath sworn, and He will not repent: Thou art a priest   
   forever after the order of Melchisedech.   
          The Lord upon Thy right hand: hath overthrown kings in the day   
   of His wrath.   
          He shall judge among the nations; He shall fill the land with   
   the fallen. He shall smite in sunder the heads in the land of many.   
          He shall drink of a brook in the way: therefore shall He lift   
   up His head.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)