From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   Walk Before God In Truth and Humility  (I)   
      
    CHRIST.   
    My son, walk before Me in truth, and constantly seek Me in simplicity of   
   heart.   
    He who walks before Me in truth shall be protected against the   
   assaults of evil; truth shall deliver him from his deceivers and from   
   the slanders of the wicked.   
    If truth set you free, you are truly free, and need care nothing for   
   the vain words of men.   
      
    THE DISCIPLE.   
    Lord, this is true; let it be as you have said. Let Thy truth be my   
   teacher and my guard, and lead me to salvation in the end. Let it free   
   me from every evil affection and lawless love, and I will walk before   
   Thee in complete freedom of heart.   
   --Thomas à Kempis --Imitation of Christ Bk 3, Ch 4   
      
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   July 25th - St. Christopher, Martyr, Patron of Travelers   
      
   Memorial   
   25 July (Roman calendar)   
   9 March (Greek calendar)   
   9 May (some Eastern calendars)   
   16 November (Cuba)   
   10 July (some areas of Spain)   
      
   (c. 250)   
      
   This saint does not have to wait until his feast-day for any special   
   veneration: he is continuously in the minds of men, for he is the   
   patron of travelers.   
      
   Yet the scholars have nothing but doubts about the ' facts of his   
   life. He died a martyr, probably in Lycia, in the persecution ordered   
   by the Emperor Decius in 250. The rest is legend and speculation.   
      
   Christopher had no official biographer; but stories about him   
   containing elements of folk-tale, allegory and word-play upon his name   
   have persisted. His legend appears to have been formulated first in   
   the east in the sixth century and to have reached the west some three   
   centuries later. In succeeding years, pious story-tellers have added   
   to the story, or altered its setting. To some, Christopher was a   
   peasant (one tradition says that before his conversion he had the head   
   of a dog), whilst to others he was a prince who, through the   
   intercession of our Lady, was born to a heathen king. Some have set   
   the scene in Syria, some in Canaan and some in Arabia. His name,   
   before his conversion, is given as Offerus, Offro, Adokimus, Reprobus   
   or Reprebus.   
      
   The essence of his legend, though, has the beauty of simplicity:   
   Christopher, a man of great strength but of a sensitive nature, vows   
   to serve the greatest king in the world. Thus begin the travels of   
   this gentle giant in search of truth which are commemorated in many a   
   journey today.   
      
   First, Christopher serves the greatest king of the region, but he soon   
   finds that there is one whom he fears: the Devil. So Christopher seeks   
   out Satan, and serves him, until he finds that there is one of whom   
   even Satan stands in awe: Jesus Christ. Christopher's search for   
   Christ is long and hard; eventually he encounters a hermit--some say   
   it was St. Babylas of Antioch --who converts him, and tells him that   
   he can serve Christ best by doing well the earthly task for which he   
   is best fitted. So Christopher becomes a ferryman, carrying on his   
   broad shoulders any traveler who wished to cross a nearby river.   
      
   One night of storm and driving rain, Christopher carries over the   
   river a small child who insists on making the journey at that moment.   
   With each step he takes, Christopher's burden becomes heavier;   
   half-way over he feels certain that his strength will fail, and that   
   he and his passenger will sink to the depths of the river. When at   
   last he reaches the opposite bank, the child tells him that he has   
   carried on his shoulders all the sins of the world, and asks him to   
   plant his great walking-staff in the ground. At once a wonderful tree   
   springs up miraculously. Then Christopher recognizes the Christ-Child,   
   and sees face to face the King whom he has vowed to serve.   
      
   Some legends say that, having borne Christ, he should now bear his   
   name, and so henceforth Offero becomes Christ-Offero. As the Golden   
   Legend puts it: 'And afterwards he was named Christopher, which is as   
   much as to say bearing Christ.'   
      
   After such an experience it is not surprising that, in spite of all   
   dangers, Christopher should preach Christ to all who came his way,   
   with such conviction and zeal that the earthly agonies of martyrdom   
   were as nothing to him. It is not surprising either that, despite lack   
   of hard facts, such an inspiring story should remain and grow in the   
   minds of men; that in the middle ages his picture was to be found at   
   the entrance of churches or at the gates of cities, prompted by the   
   belief that those who gazed upon his image should not that day be a   
   prey to sudden death: and that today, no matter where men may travel,   
   St Christopher should go with them.   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   If you do not hope, you will not find what is beyond your hopes.   
   --St. Clement of Alexandria   
      
   Bible Quote:   
    I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth   
   comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the   
   creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of   
   God; 20 for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own   
   will but by the will of him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the   
   creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain   
   the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole   
   creation has been groaning in travail together until now; 23 and not   
   only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the   
   Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption as sons, the redemption   
   of our bodies. [Romans 8:18–23]   
      
      
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   Models of Humility: (2) The Blessed Virgin   
      
   No one of all the children of Adam ever approached the Blessed Virgin   
   Mary in humility. What had she to make her humble? No sin or   
   imperfection for which to humble herself before God. Yet the greatest   
   of sinners never humbled himself as did Mary. How was this? It was   
   because no one save she ever recognized her own nothingness in God's   
   sight. This is the surest basis for humility. It is because we do not   
   recognize our utter insignificance and the absence of any good in us   
   save what is the gift of God, that we are so wanting in humility.   
      
   Thus it was that, because Mary had a right to the highest place, she   
   always sought the lowest. This is the law that everywhere prevails.   
   Those who deserve the lowest place seek the highest, and those who   
   deserve the highest seek the lowest. It is the enemies of God who do   
   not like to come down. His friends recognize the lowest place as the   
   place most suitable for them. Am I in this respect one of God's   
   friends or one of His enemies?   
      
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)