From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   Be eager to serve God in humility   
      
      Do not give yourself up madly to pride; and do not exalt yourself   
   in vain pretense over one who, if assessed justly, shines with a   
   greater desire of eternal life than you burn with yourself, and who   
   for his heavenly ardor is invited to the height of blessedness by him   
   who loves all lovers of truth. For if you do, he who by his   
   inspiration summoned you to the service of humility and the other to   
   the gift of charity may come with the eye of knowledge and judge you   
   with his righteous judgment, saying, "You lifted yourself up in eager   
   pride to a place for which you are not fit; leave your vainglory and   
   submit in duty, and give this beloved one of mine the place of honor   
   you so rashly seized!"   
   --St. Hildegard of Bingen   
      
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   September 22nd - St Thomas of Villanova, Bishop of Valencia   
   (1488-1555)   
      
   Saint Thomas, the glory of the Spanish Church in the 16th century, was   
   born in the diocese of Toledo in 1488. His mother was a Christian of   
   extraordinary tenderness for the poor. God worked a miracle for her   
   one day, when her servants had given away absolutely all the flour in   
   their storeroom. When another beggar came to the door, she told them   
   to go back once more and look again, and they found the storeroom   
   filled with flour. Her little son followed his mother’s example, and   
   one day gave away, to six poor persons in succession, the six young   
   chicks which had been following the hen around in the yard. When his   
   mother asked where they were, he said, “You didn’t leave any bread in   
   the house, Mama, so I gave them the chicks! I would have given the hen   
   if another beggar had come.”   
      
   At the age of 15 years he began his studies and succeeded so well he   
   was judged fit to teach philosophy and theology in a college of   
   Alcala, and then at Salamanca. When his father died he returned to   
   Villanova to dispose of his patrimony. He made his house into a   
   hospital, keeping only what was needed for his mother, and gave the   
   rest to the poor. At the age of 28 he entered the Order of the Hermits   
   of Saint Augustine at Salamanca, becoming professed in 1517.   
      
   When ordained a priest three years later, he continued his teaching of   
   theology, but also began to preach so remarkably well that he was   
   compared with Saint Paul and the prophet Elias. The city was reformed,   
   and after the Emperor Charles V heard him once, he returned and often   
   mingled with the crowd to listen, finally making Saint Thomas his   
   official preacher.   
      
   He became Prior of his Order in three cities, then three times a   
   Provincial Superior. His sanctity continued to increase, and he was   
   nominated archbishop of Valencia in 1544; he had refused a similar   
   offer 16 years earlier, but this time was obliged to accept. After a   
   long drought, rain fell on the day he assumed his new office. He   
   arrived as a pilgrim accompanied by one fellow monk, and was not   
   recognized in the convent of his Order when the two travelers came   
   asking for shelter during the rain. He was obliged to reveal his   
   identity when the Prior, who wondered where the awaited archbishop   
   might be, asked him if perchance it was he.   
      
   The new Archbishop was so poor that he was given money for   
   furnishings, but he took it to the hospital for the indigent. On being   
   led to his throne in church, he pushed the silken cushions aside, and   
   with tears kissed the ground. His first visit was to the prison.   
   Two-thirds of his episcopal revenues were annually spent in alms. He   
   daily fed 500 needy persons, made himself responsible for the bringing   
   up of the city’s orphans, and sheltered neglected foundlings with a   
   mother’s care. During his 11 years’ episcopate, not one poor maiden   
   was married without an alms from the archbishop. Spurred by his   
   example, the rich and the selfish became liberal and generous. And   
   when, on the Nativity of Our Lady, 1555, after one week of illness,   
   Saint Thomas was about to breathe his last, he gave his bed to a poor   
   man and asked to be placed on the floor. It has been said that at his   
   death he was probably the only poor man in his see.   
      
   Reflection: When a refractory priest had not heeded his bishop’s   
   remonstrances, Saint Thomas took him into a room apart, uncovered his   
   shoulders and knelt before his crucifix, saying: “My brother, my sins   
   are the reason you have not changed your life and listened to my   
   warnings. It is just for me to bear the penalty of my fault.” And he   
   scourged himself cruelly. This frequent practice brought many to tears   
   and reform of their lives. In this way a perfect Pastor inspired his   
   entire flock with truly Christian sentiments.   
      
   Source: Les Petits Bollandistes: Vies des Saints, by Msgr. Paul Guérin   
   (Bloud et Barral: Paris, 1882), Vol. 11.   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   "If we fear to preach the truth because that causes us some   
   inconvenience, how, in our gatherings, can we chant the combats and   
   triumphs of our holy martyrs?"   
   --St Cyril of Alexandria.   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   But to every one of us is given grace, according to the measure of the   
   giving of Christ. Wherefore he saith: Ascending on high, he led   
   captivity captive; he gave gifts to men.  (Ephesians 4:7-8) (DRB)   
      
      
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   Prayer in honor of the Immaculate Heart of Mary   
      
   Prostrate at thy sacred feet, O august Queen of heaven,   
   I venerate thee with the most profound respect,   
   and I believe that thou art the daughter of the eternal Father,   
   the Mother of his divine Son, and the Spouse of the Holy Ghost.   
   Full of grace and virtues and heavenly gifts, thou art the purest   
   temple of the most holy Trinity, thou art the treasury and   
   dispenser of divine mercy.   
      
   Thy Immaculate Heart, full of charity, sweetness and tenderness,   
   has given thee the name of Mother of divine clemency.   
   Therefore, in my affliction and agony I present myself   
   with confidence before thee, our most loving Mother,   
   and I pray thee to make me experience the love which   
   thou bearest us; Grant me (specify the favor) if it   
   be the will of God and for the good of my soul. Amen   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)