From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   Good deeds done for God   
      
     "Every good deed that is done for God is universally good for   
   everything and everyone. Deeds that are not seen to benefit everything   
   and everyone, however, are done on account of man, as the present   
   matter itself demonstrates. For example, those who build reliquaries   
   and adorn churches seem to be doing good. If they imitate the justice   
   of God, if the poor benefit from their goods and if they do not   
   acquire their goods through violence against others, it is clear that   
   they are building for the glory of God. If they fail to observe God’s   
   justice... and if the poor never benefit from their goods and if they   
   acquire their goods from others by means of violence or fraud, who is   
   so foolish not to understand that they are building for human respect   
   rather than for the glory of God? Those who build reliquaries in a   
   just manner ensure that the poor do not suffer as a result of it. For   
   the martyrs do not rejoice when they are honored by gifts for which   
   the poor paid with their tears. What kind of justice is it to give   
   gifts to the dead and to despoil the living or to drain blood from the   
   poor and offer it to God? To do such things is not to offer sacrifice   
   to God but to attempt to make God an accomplice in violence, since   
   whoever knowingly accepts a gift which was acquired by sinful means   
   participates in the sin."   
   --Author unknown, from the 5th century (excerpt from an incomplete   
   Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, HOMILY 45)   
      
   <<>><<>><<>>   
   2 September – Blessed Antonio Franco   
      
   Monsignor, Priest, penitent, ascetic – born 26 September 1585 in   
   Naples, Italy and died 2 September 1626 in Santa Lucia del Mela,   
   Messina, Italy. Patronage – Santa Lucia del Mela. His body is   
   incorrupt.   
      
   Bl Antonio was born in 1585 in Naples to a noble family of French   
   origins. He was born as the third of six children to Orlando Franco   
   and Francesca Pisana di Antonio.  He studied theology and obtained a   
   doctorate in civil and canon law on 23 September 1602 and he later   
   pursued further studies at the behest of his father in Rome.  He then   
   moved to Madrid to serve at the royal court at the insistence of his   
   parents.   
      
   He was ordained to the priesthood in 1610 and he was requested by King   
   Philip III to be a member of his court. On 14 January 1611 he was   
   named a royal chaplain and Bl Antonio was later appointed as the major   
   chaplain of the Kingdom of Sicily in 1616.  With that appointment came   
   the Prelature of Santa Lucia del Mela. His appointment was confirmed   
   by Pope Paul V. He was formally installed in 1617.   
      
   Franco was regarded as a man of extreme holiness who deprived himself   
   of the pleasures in life. He didn’t eat much and he slept on the   
   floor. He wore two chains all the time. He died at the age of 41 due   
   to his penances and his remains are incorrupt.  He is buried in the   
   Basilica of Santa Lucia del Mela.   
      
   The cause of Beatification for Franco commenced on 11 April 1984 under   
   St Pope John Paul II with the declaration of “nihil obstat” – this   
   stated there were no objections to the commencement of the cause. That   
   meant he could be made a Servant of God. Pope Benedict XVI declared   
   him to have lived a life of heroic virtue and proclaimed him to be   
   Venerable on 14 January 2011. He later approved a decree ratifying the   
   existence of a miracle on 20 December 2012 leading to his   
   Beatification.   
      
   He was Beatified on 2 September 2013 by Pope Francis. Beatification   
   recognition celebrated in the Co-Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta,   
   Santa Lucia del Mela, Messina, Italy, presided over by Cardinal Angelo   
   Amato.   
      
   From Anastpaul 2019   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   Do not grieve over the temptations you suffer. When the Lord intends   
   to bestow a particular virtue on us, He often permits us first to be   
   tempted by the opposite vice. Therefore, look upon every temptation as   
   an invitation to grow in a particular virtue and a promise by God that   
   you will be successful, if only you stand fast.   
   --St. Philip Neri   
      
   Bible Quote:   
    “I hate, I despise your feasts,   
       and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.   
    Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and   
   cereal offerings,   
       I will not accept them,   
   and the peace offerings of your fatted beasts   
       I will not look upon.   
    Take away from me the noise of your songs;   
       to the melody of your harps I will not listen.   
    But let justice roll down like waters,   
       and righteousness like an everflowing stream. [Amos 5:21-24]  RSVCE   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   Raise My Heart   
   St John Henry Newman (1801-1890)   
      
   O my God,   
   whatever is nearer to me than You,   
   things of this earth   
   and things more naturally pleasing to me,   
   will be sure to interrupt   
   the sight of You,   
   unless Your grace interfere.   
   Keep You my eyes,   
   my ears, my heart,   
   from any such miserable tyranny.   
   Keep my whole being fixed on You.   
   Let me never lose sight of You   
   and while I gaze on You,   
   let my love of You   
   grow more and more everyday.   
   Amen   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)