From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
    -- James 5:1-3 --   
      
   Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming   
   upon you. 2 our riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten.   
   3 Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be evidence   
   against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up   
   treasure for the last days.   
   =================================   
   The Venerable Bede writes that the sin of the rich and proud is that   
   they put their trust in their own strength: "God punishes robbers,   
   perjurers, gluttons and other sinners because they are in contempt of   
   his commandments, but it is said that he resists the proud in a   
   special way. This is because those who trust in their own strength,   
   who neglect to submit themselves to God's power who really think that   
   they can almost save themselves and therefore have no time to seek   
   help from above these are all deserving of greater punishments.   
      
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   March 19th - St. John of Panaca, Abbot   
   6th v.   
      
   DURING the monophysite disturbances in the East, a Syrian called John   
   left his native land and, coming to the West, settled not far from   
   Spoleto. There he built an abbey of which he became superior, and he   
   also founded another religious house near Pesaro. An untrustworthy   
   legend informs us that when the holy man was leaving Syria, he prayed   
   Lord God of Heaven and earth, God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, I   
   beseech thee, the true light, to enlighten me who hope in thee and to   
   prosper my way before me, and to let it be to me for a sign of my   
   resting-place when the person to whom I shall give my psalter shall   
   not return it to me that same day.“ He landed in Italy and had   
   travelled as far as the neighbourhood of Spoleto when he met a   
   handmaid of the Lord, to whom he lent his psalter. When he asked her   
   to return it, she said, “Where are you going, servant of God? Remain   
   here and resume your journey to-morrow.” John agreed to tarry the   
   night, and remembering his prayer he said to himself, “This is indeed   
   what I asked of the Lord here will I stay.” The next morning he   
   received back his psalter and had walked the distance of four   
   bow-shots when there appeared an angel, who led him to a tree under   
   which he told him to sit, adding that it was the Lord’s will that he   
   should remain in that place and that there he would have a great   
   congregation and would find rest.   
      
   It was the month of December and the ground was hard with frost, hut   
   the tree under which John was seated was blossoming like a lily. Some   
   passing huntsmen asked him whence he came and what he was doing there.   
   The holy man told them his whole history and they were filled with   
   astonishment--especially at his clothes, the like of which they had   
   never seen. “Please do not hurt me, my sons“, said John, “for I have   
   come here in the service of God.” But the request was unnecessary, as   
   they had already noticed the tree which was blossoming and recognized   
   that the Lord was with him. Far from wishing to do him harm they were   
   eager to announce his arrival to the bishop of Spoleto, who hurried   
   out to greet him and found him praying under the tree. They wept for   
   joy when they met, and all who were present gave glory to God. In that   
   place John built his monastery, and there he lived until forty-four   
   years later, when he fell asleep in peace and was buried with hymns   
   and songs.   
      
   St. John, who in the Roman Martyrology is said to have built his abbey   
   “apud Pinnensem civitatem”, appears in the Martyrology of Ado. His   
   festival is still kept at Spoleto. See the Acta Sanctorum, March, vol.   
   iii.   
      
   Saint Quote:   
   He who fights even the smallest distractions faithfully when he says   
   even the very smallest prayer, will also be faithful in great things.   
   -- Saint Louis de Montfort   
      
   Bible Quote:   
    Wherefore, casting away all uncleanness and abundance of naughtiness,   
   with meekness receive the ingrafted word, which is able to save your   
   souls.  [Jas 1:21]  DRB   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   The Holy Spirit renews our hope in the promise of God   
      
       Simeon was not alone in recognizing the Lord's presence in the   
   temple. Anna, too, was filled with the Holy Spirit. She was found   
   daily in the temple, attending to the Lord in prayer and speaking   
   prophetically to others about God's promise to send a redeemer.   
   Supernatural hope grows with prayer and age! Anna was pre-eminently a   
   woman of great hope and expectation that God would fulfill all his   
   promises. She is a model of godliness to all believers as we advance   
   in age.   
       Advancing age and the disappointments of life can easily make us   
   cynical and hopeless if we do not have our hope rightly placed. Anna's   
   hope in God and his promises grew with age. She never ceased to   
   worship God in faith and to pray with hope. Her hope and faith in   
   God's promises fueled her indomitable zeal and fervor in prayer and   
   service of God's people.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)