From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   Love God's Creation   
      
   "Suppose a man should make a ring for his betrothed, and she should   
   love the ring more wholeheartedly than the betrothed who made it for   
   her. Certainly, let her love his gift: but if she should say, 'The   
   ring is enough. I do not want to see his face again,' what would we   
   say of her?   
      
   The pledge is given her by the betrothed just that, in his pledge, he   
   himself may be loved. God, then has given you all these things. Love   
   him who made them."   
   --St. Augustine--Sermon on 1 John 2, 11   
      
   Prayer: Lord, let those who understand, praise you, and let those who   
   understand you not, praise you, too.   
   --St. Augustine--Confessions 11, 31   
      
   <<>><<>><<>>   
   July 27th - The Seven Sleepers of Ephesus   
      
   The Seven Sleepers of Ephesus--Saints Maximian, Malchus, Martinian,   
   Dionysius, John, Serapion, and Constantine—were martyrs for the faith.   
   As recorded in the Golden Legend, the story of the Seven Sleepers is   
   one where good men fall asleep, only to wake up to a world changed for   
   the better. Akin to the resurrection of the body, which we shall all   
   experience on earth, the story of the 7 sleepers is a foretaste of the   
   glory of the Risen Christ. The Church’s martyrology describes the   
   feast as the "Commemoration of the 7 Holy Sleeper of Ephesus, who, it   
   is recounted, after undergoing martyrdom, rest in peace, awaiting the   
   day of resurrection."   
      
   It was during the time of Christian persecution that our story   
   unfolds. Emperor Decius (249-251) traveled to the town of Ephesus (in   
   modern-day Turkey) to enforce his laws against Christians. In Ephesus,   
   Decius found 7 noble young men (depicted in art as beardless, and   
   often in legend referred to as “boys”), named Maximian, Malchus,   
   Martinian, Dionysius, John, Serapion, and Constantine. Each of these   
   young noblemen had proclaimed the Christian faith, being baptized into   
   it. Following a brief trial, Decius sentenced them to death, but gave   
   them some time to consider changing their faiths. He declared that   
   should they still be Christian upon his return to the town, they would   
   be executed.   
      
   Following his departure, the young men held firm in their faith. They   
   gave their property to the poor, and taking only a few coins with them   
   traveled to a cave on Mount Anchilos to pray and prepare for death.   
   There they lived in hermitude, contemplation, and holy prayer until   
   the emperor returned to Ephesus. Upon his return, he asked their   
   whereabouts, and upon his approach to their cave, the martyrs said   
   their last prayer, giving themselves up, and falling asleep. Decius   
   told his soldiers to find them, and when they were found asleep in the   
   cave, he ordered it to be closed up with huge stones and sealed.   
   Buried alive, and deprived of food and water, the 7 became martyrs for   
   the faith. Shortly thereafter, local Christians visited the sealed   
   entrance to the cave, and wrote the names of the 7 and their story on   
   the cave wall for all to see. Their sacrifice became a living witness   
   to the Christian faith.   
      
   Two centuries later, during the reign of Emperor Theodosius the   
   Younger (408-450), persecution of Christians had ceased in Europe. In   
   fact, Christianity was now the official faith of the empire. In is   
   during this time that some heretics denied the resurrection of the   
   body. While this controversy went on, a rich landowner named Adolios   
   had the Sleepers' cave opened, to use it as a cattle-stall. The 7   
   youth awoke from their sleep, unaware that almost two hundred years   
   had passed. Their bodies and clothing were completely undecayed. They   
   discovered they were preserved when one went into the city to buy   
   bread and heard the name of Jesus spoken freely, presenting an   
   outdated coin with the image of Decius to buy bread. Bewildered he was   
   taken to the Bishop of Ephesus who eventually spoke to all 7 youths   
   and discovered that God allowed this miracle to end the dispute   
   concerning the resurrection of the dead. The Emperor also went to   
   Ephesus to examine this miracle and after speaking with them they were   
   allowed to go back into their cave without the royal honors the   
   Emperor wanted to lavish on them, and there they fell asleep   
   permanently. Overall it has been determined that the holy youths fell   
   asleep in the cave in 250 and awoke in 434, which means that they   
   slept for 184 years. Each year, their feast is celebrated in the   
   cathedral built atop the cave. The cave in which their bodies were   
   found became a place famous for devout pilgrimages, and is still shown   
   to travelers.   
      
   The lives of the Seven Sleepers marks a true historical event. While   
   the length of their sleep, and the eventual resurrection of their   
   bodies is difficult to confirm, archeological remains indicate that 7   
   young men were buried in the cave in question in Turkey--the tombs and   
   relics remain, dated from the time period in which the miracles were   
   said to have occurred. The lives of the Seven Sleepers are recorded in   
   numerous sources, including the Koran.   
      
   The Seven Sleepers give us hope and confidence in the Lord. Whether   
   historically accurate, or a more mystical metaphor for the joy of the   
   resurrection, we look forward to the moment when our sleeping selves   
   awaken to grace, and purified, and then rest in the Lord for all   
   eternity!   
    by Jacob   
      
   Saint Quote:   
   Heresy is from the Greek word meaning 'choice'.... But we are not   
   permitted to believe whatever we choose, nor to choose whatever   
   someone else has believed. We have the Apostles of God as authorities,   
   who did not...choose what they would believe but faithfully   
   transmitted the teachings of Christ. So, even if an angel from heaven   
   should preach otherwise, he shall be called anathema.   
   --Saint Isidore of Seville   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   For the rest, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever modest,   
   whatsoever just, whatsoever holy, whatsoever lovely, whatsoever of   
   good fame, if there be any virtue, if any praise of discipline: think   
   on these things.  [Philippians 4:8 ] DRB   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   The “fourteen angels” of the lost children’s prayer in the Composer,   
   Engelbert Humperdinck’s (1854-1921) fairy opera, ‘Hansel and Gretel’,   
   are the Fourteen Holy Helpers.   The English words are familiar and   
   very beautiful:   
      
   Prayer to the Fourteen Holy Helpers   
   By St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)   
   Great princes of heaven, Holy Helpers,   
   who sacrificed to God all your earthly possessions,   
   wealth, preferment and even life   
   and who now are crowned in heaven   
   in the secure enjoyment of eternal bliss and glory;   
   have compassion on me,   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)