From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
    -- 1 Peter 1:15-16 --   
      
      But according to him that hath called you, who is holy, be you   
   also in all manner of conversation holy:  Because it is written: You   
   shall be holy, for I am holy.  DRB   
   ============   
       After people commit their lives to Christ, they usually still feel   
   a pull back to their old ways. Peter tells us to be like our heavenly   
   Father--holy in everything we do. Holiness means being totally devoted   
   or dedicated to God, set aside for his special use and set apart from   
   sin and its influences. We're to be set apart and different, not   
   blending in with the crowd, yet not being different for the sake of   
   being different. What makes us different are God's qualities in our   
   lives. Our focus and priorities must be his. We cannot become holy on   
   our own, but God gives us his Holy Spirit to help us obey and to give   
   us power to overcome sin. Don't use the excuse that you can't help   
   slipping into sin. Call on God's power to free you from sin's grip.   
      
   <<>><<>><<>>   
   June 9th - St. Pelagia, Virgin and Martyr   
      
   SHE was a tender virgin at Antioch, only 15 years of age when she was   
   apprehended by the persecutors in 311. Being alone in the house, and   
   understanding that their errand was to carry her before the judge   
   where her chastity might be in danger, she desired leave of the   
   soldiers to go up stairs and dress herself. But fearing to be an   
   innocent occasion to others’ sin, threw herself from the top of the   
   house, and died on the spot by her fall: in which action, says St.   
   Chrysostom, she had Jesus in her breast inspiring and exhorting her.   
   She probably hoped to escape by that means; and might lawfully expose   
   her life to some danger for the preservation of her chastity; but   
   nothing can ever make it lawful for any one directly to procure his   
   own death.   
      
     Whoever deliberately lays violent hands upon himself is guilty of a   
   heinous injury against God, the Lord of his life, against the   
   commonwealth, which he robs of a member, and of that comfort and   
   assistance which he owes to it; also against his friends, children,   
   and lastly against himself, both by destroying his corporal life, and   
   by the spiritual and eternal death of his soul; this crime being   
   usually connected with final impenitence, and eternal enmity with God,   
   and everlasting damnation. Nor can a name be found sufficiently to   
   express the baseness of soul, and utmost excess of pusillanimity,   
   impatience, and cowardice which suicide implies. Strange that any   
   nation should by false prejudices be able so far to extinguish the   
   most evident principles of reason and the voice of nature, as to deem   
   that an action of courage which springs from a total want of that   
   heroic virtue of the soul. The same is to be said of the detestable   
   practice of duels. True fortitude incites and enables a man to   
   bear all manner of affronts, and to undergo all humiliations, dangers,   
   hardships, and torments for the sake of virtue and duty. What is more   
   contrary to this heroic disposition, what can be imagined more   
   dastardly than not to be able to put up a petty affront, and rather to   
   offend against all laws divine and human, than to brook an injury or   
   bear a misfortune with patience and constancy, than to observe the   
   holy precept of Christ, who declares this to be his favourite   
   commandment, the distinguishing mark of his followers, and the very   
   soul of the divine law! Mention is made of a church at Antioch and   
   another at Constantinople, which bore the name of this saint in the   
   fifth century.   
      
   On St. Pelagia, see the Roman Martyrology, June 9. St. Chrysostom,   
   Hom. de S. Pelagia, t. 2. p. 592. ed. Ben. St. Ambrose, ep. 37. ed.   
   Ben. and l. 3. de Virgin. l. 7. and Janning the Bollandist, t. 2.   
   Junij, p. 158.   
      
      
   Bible Quote:   
   11 Thou dost show me the path of life;   
       in thy presence there is fulness of joy,   
       in thy right hand are pleasures for evermore.  Psalm 16:11  RSVCE   
      
   Saint Quote:   
   ”The man who seeks a quid pro quo from God builds on uncertainty,   
   whereas the man who considers himself a debtor will receive sudden and   
   unexpected riches.”   
   --Saint John Climacus   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   Prayer to the Holy Name   
   By St Bernardine of Siena (1380-1444)   
      
   Jesus, Name full of glory,   
   grace, love and strength!   
   You are the refuge of those who repent,   
   our banner of warfare in this life,   
   the medicine of souls,   
   the comfort of those who morn,   
   the delight of those who believe,   
   the light of those   
   who preach the true faith,   
   the wages of those who toil,   
   the healing of the sick.   
   To You our devotion aspires;   
   by You our prayers are received;   
   we delight in contemplating You.   
   O Name of Jesus,   
   You are the glory of all the saints for eternity.   
   Amen   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)