From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   — Proverbs 15:1 —   
      
   A gentle answer turns away wrath,   
   but a harsh word stirs up anger.   
   ========================   
   Have you ever tried to argue in a whisper? It is equally hard to argue   
   with someone who insists on answering gently. On the other hand, a   
   rising voice and harsh words almost always trigger an angry response.   
   To turn away wrath and seek peace, choose gentle words.   
      
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   16 August – St Stephen of Hungary   
      
    (c 975-1038)   
   Apostle of Hungary, King and Confessor, Marian devotee,  Apostle of   
   Charity, Evangeliser and Missionary – born at Esztergom, Hungary and   
   died on 15 August 1038 at Szekesfehervar, Hungary. Also known as –   
   Stephen the Great, Apostolic King, Istvan. Patronages – Patron saint   
   of Hungary, of kings, masons, stonecutters, stonemasons and   
   bricklayers and a protector against child death.   
      
   The fourth Duke of the Huns of Hungary, by the name of Geysa, was   
   converted to the Faith and baptised with his wife and several   
   ministers. With the Christian missionaries, he laboured to convince   
   his pagan subjects of the divinity of this religion. His wife saw in a   
   vision the protomartyr Saint Stephen, who told her they would have a   
   son who would perfect the work already begun. This son, born in the   
   year 977, was given the name of Stephen.   
      
   The little prince was baptised by Saint Adalbert (c 956-997), bishop   
   of Prague, who preached to the Hungarians for a time and was educated   
   under the care of that bishop and a pious count of Italy.   
      
   When he was 15 years old, his father gave him the command of his   
   armies, seeing his virtue and Christian ardour. Already Stephen was   
   beginning to root out idolatry and transform the pagan customs still   
   existing among the people. At twenty years of age, he succeeded his   
   good father, who died in 997. He suppressed a rebellion of his pagan   
   subjects and founded monasteries and churches all over the land. He   
   sent to Pope Sylvester, begging him to appoint bishops to the 11 sees   
   he had endowed and to bestow on him, for the greater success of his   
   work, the title of king. The Pope granted his requests, and sent him a   
   cross to be borne before him, saying that he regarded him as the true   
   apostle of his people.   
      
   Saint Stephen’s devotion was fervent. He placed his realms under the   
   protection of our Blessed Lady and kept the feast of Her Assumption   
   with great affection. He established good laws and saw to their   
   execution. Throughout his life, we are told, he had Christ on his   
   lips, Christ in his heart and Christ in all he did. His only wars were   
   wars of defence, and in them he was always successful. He married the   
   sister of the Emperor Saint Henry, who was a worthy companion for him.   
   God sent him many grievous trials amid his successes, one by one his   
   children died, though his successor, Emeric, survived and was the love   
   of his heart but he too died as a young adult.   
      
   He often went out in disguise to exercise his charities and one day a   
   troop of beggars, not satisfied with the alms they received, threw him   
   down, tore out handfuls of his hair and beard and took his purse. He   
   prayed to the Lord and thanked Him for an insult he would not have   
   suffered from enemies but accepted gladly from the poor who, he said   
   to Him, “are called Your own and for whom I can have only indulgence   
   and tenderness.” He bore all reversals with perfect submission to the   
   Will of God.   
      
   When Saint Stephen was about to die, he summoned the bishops and   
   nobles and told them to choose his successor. He urged them to nurture   
   and cherish the Catholic Church, which was still a tender plant in   
   Hungary, to follow justice, humility and charity, to be obedient to   
   the laws and to show at all times a reverent submission to the Holy   
   See. Then, raising his eyes towards heaven, he said:  “O Queen of   
   Heaven, August Restorer of a prostrate world, to Thy care I commend   
   the Holy Church, my people and my realm and my own departing soul.” It   
   was on his favourite feast day, the Assumption, that he died in peace,   
   in the year 1038.   
      
   St Stephen’s Canonisation ceremony began at Stephen’s tomb, where on   
   15 August 1083 masses of believers began three days of fasting and   
   praying. The opening of Stephen’s tomb was followed by the occurrence   
   of healing miracles. Stephen’s biographers also say that his   
   “balsam-scented” remains were elevated from the coffin, which was   
   filled with “rose-coloured water”. On the same day, Stephen’s son,   
   Emeric and the bishop of Csanád, Gerard, were also canonised.   
      
   “Having completed the office of Vespers the third day, everyone   
   expected the favours of divine mercy through the merit of the blessed   
   man;  suddenly with Christ visiting His masses, the signs of miracles   
   poured forth from heaven throughout the whole of the holy house. Their   
   multitude, which that night were too many to count, brings to mind the   
   answer from the Gospel which the Saviour of the world confided to   
   John, who asked through messengers whether he was the one who was to   
   come:  the blind see, the lame walk, the deaf hear, the lepers are   
   cleansed, the crippled are set straight, the paralysed are   
   cured…”…Bishop Hartvic, Life of King Stephen of Hungary   
      
      
   “Be HUMBLE in this life,   
   that God may raise you up in the next.   
   Be truly MODERATE   
   and do not punish or condemn anyone immoderately.   
   Be GENTLE,   
   so that you may never oppose justice.   
   Be HONOURABLE,   
   so that you may never voluntarily   
   bring disgrace upon anyone.   
   Be CHASTE,   
   so that you may avoid all the foulness of lust   
   like the pangs of death.”   
   “Be merciful to all   
   who are suffering violence,   
   keeping always in your heart   
   the example of the Lord   
   who said,   
   ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’”   
   --St Stephen of Hungary (c 975- 1038)   
      
   “So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not   
   forgive your brother from your heart.”…Matthew 18:35   
      
   If you show favouritism, you commit sin and are convicted by the law…..James   
   2:9   
      
   REFLECTION – “Do not show favour only to relations and kin, or to the   
   most eminent – whether they are leaders or the wealthy or neighbours   
   or citizens of the same country. Show favour to all who come to you.   
   By fulfilling your duty in this way, you will reach the highest state   
   of happiness.”…St Stephen of Hungary   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)