From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   Whole nations seized upon the apostles' teaching   
      
    Supposing two men come to a city without food, money, or a change of   
   clothes. Who do you think would welcome them, where would they find an   
   open door? Who would want to know them? What sort of lodging would   
   they find and where would they start to look for it? One must surely   
   marvel at the power of one who could send his disciples out in such a   
   way, and at the faith of those whom he sent.   
      Why be so amazed that the apostles were believed, or that they   
   themselves could believe, and that they returned home safely after   
   being welcomed everywhere? But these are truly great marvels and we   
   should not fail to realize this. Unknown strangers, poorly dressed and   
   without contacts, traveled all over the world proclaiming someone who   
   had been crucified, and offering a life of fasting in place of   
   drunkenness, and irksome self-restraint in place of sensuality. It can   
   hardly have been easy for those addicted to such vices to receive   
   these exhortations to renounce them and live upright lives. And yet   
   whole peoples seized upon this teaching, whole nations embraced it.   
   --Eusebius of Emesa   
      
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   August 24th- Saint Eutychius of Troas   
      
   Eutyches The Hieromartyr , a disciple of the holy Apostles John the   
   Theologian and Paul, lived from the first century into the beginning   
   of the second century, and was from the Palestinian city of Sebastea.   
      
   Although St. Eutyches is not one of the 70 Apostles, he is called an   
   Apostle because of his labors with the older Apostles, by whom he was   
   made bishop. After hearing about Christ the Savior, St. Eutyches first   
   became a disciple of the Apostle John the Theologian. Later he met the   
   Apostle Paul, and preached together with him on the early journeys.   
      
   St. Eutyches underwent many sufferings: they starved him with hunger,   
   beat him with iron rods, they threw him into the fire, and then to be   
   devoured by wild beasts. Once, a lion was let loose upon the saint,   
   which astonished everyone because it praised the Creator with a human   
   voice. The hieromartyr Eutyches completed his labors in his native   
   city, where he was beheaded with a sword at the beginning of the   
   second century .   
      
   Readings   
   On the first day of the week when we gathered to break bread, Paul   
   spoke to them because he was going to leave on the next day, and he   
   kept on speaking until midnight. There were many lamps in the upstairs   
   room where we were gathered, and a young man named Eutychus who was   
   sitting on the window sill was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul   
   talked on and on. Once overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third   
   story and when he was picked up, he was dead. Paul went down,* threw   
   himself upon him, and said as he embraced him, “Don’t be alarmed;   
   there is life in him.” Then he returned upstairs, broke the bread, and   
   ate; after a long conversation that lasted until daybreak, he   
   departed. And they took the boy away alive and were immeasurably   
   comforted. – Acts 20:7-12   
      
   Saint Quote:   
   I am a Christian.  It seemed a while ago as if God rejected me as a   
   stone unfit to enter His building, but He has the goodness to take me   
   now to be placed in it; I am ready to suffer all things for His name,   
   that I may have a part in His kingdom with His Saints.   
   --St. Serenus   
      
   Bible Quote   
   This is my commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved   
   you.  Greater love than this no man hath, that a man lay down his life   
   for his friends.  You are my friends, if you do the things that I   
   command you.  (John 15:12-14)   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   From The Glories Of Mary, by Saint Alphonsus de Liguori:   
      
   Most Holy, Immaculate Virgin and my Mother Mary! To thee who art the   
   Mother of my Lord, the Queen of the world, the Advocate, the Hope, and   
   the Refuge of sinners, I have recourse today, I who am the most   
   miserable of all.   
      
   I render thee my most humble homage, O great Queen, and I thank thee   
   for all the graces thou hast conferred on me until now, especially for   
   having delivered me from Hell, which I have so often deserved.   
      
   I love thee, O most amiable Lady; and for the love which I bear thee,   
   I promise to serve thee always and to do all in my power to make   
   others love thee also. I place in thee all my hopes; I confide my   
   salvation to thy care.   
      
   Accept me for thy servant and receive me under thy mantle, O Mother of   
   Mercy. And since thou art so powerful with God, deliver me from all   
   temptations; or rather, obtain for me the strength to triumph over   
   them until death. Of thee I ask a perfect love for Jesus Christ.   
      
   Through thee I hope to die a good death. O my Mother, by the love   
   which thou bearest to God, I beseech thee to help me at all times, but   
   especially at the last moment of my life. Leave me not, I beseech   
   thee, until thou seest me safe in Heaven, blessing thee and singing   
   thy mercies for all eternity.   
   Amen. Thus, I hope. Thus, may it be.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)