From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   The 'new temple' of God's presence in the world   
      
   Jesus is the new temple (John 1:14; 2:19-22). In the Old Testament God   
   manifested his presence in the "pillar of cloud" by day and the   
   "pillar of fire" by night as he led them through the wilderness. God's   
   glory visibly came to dwell over the ark and the tabernacle (Exodus   
   40:34-38). When the first temple was built in Jerusalem God's glory   
   came to rest there (1 Kings 8). After the first temple was destroyed,   
   Ezekiel saw God's glory leave it (Ezekiel 10). But God promised one   
   day to fill it with even greater glory (Haggai 2:1-9; Zechariah 8-9).   
   That promise is fulfilled when the "King of Glory" himself comes to   
   his temple (Psalm 24:7-10; Malachi 3:1).  Through Jesus' coming in the   
   flesh and through his saving death, resurrection, and ascension we are   
   made living temples of his Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16-17). Ask   
   the Lord to renew your faith in the indwelling presence of his Spirit   
   within you. And give him thanks and praise for coming to make his home   
   with you.   
      
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   February 1st – St. Severus of Ravenna, Bishop   
      
   Died c. 348.   
    Severus was a poor weaver of Ravenna, Italy, who never dreamed that   
   God would one day call him from his weaver's loom to rule a diocese,   
   but God has strange ways of calling His servants and sometimes lays   
   His hand upon them in the least likely places: from the plough and the   
   bench have come some of the greatest of His apostles.   
      
   So it happened that when the bishopric of Ravenna fell vacant in 283   
   and the cathedral was filled with those who had gathered to elect a   
   new bishop, Severus said to his wife, Vincentia, that he would visit   
   the minister and see what was going on. She replied that he had much   
   better remain at home and not show himself in his working clothes   
   among the nobles and well-dressed citizens. "What harm is there in my   
   going?" he asked. "Why, you have work to do here," she answered,   
   "instead of gadding about sightseeing." When he persisted, she said,   
   "Go, and may you come back with a good box on your ear," and added   
   sarcastically: "Go, then, and get elected bishop."   
      
   Severus, accustomed to her sharp tongue, set out and, entering the   
   crowded cathedral, stood at the back, ashamed of his working clothes   
   covered with flocks of wool. When, in the course of the service, the   
   power of the Holy Spirit was invoked in prayer, there appeared in the   
   cathedral a white dove that attracted the attention of the assembly,   
   and which after flying around fluttered at the ear of the poor   
   spinner. He beat it off, but it returned and finally came to rest upon   
   his shoulder. Every eye was now turned in his direction, and the   
   people, regarding it as a heavenly sign, with one accord chose him to   
   be their bishop.   
      
   Vincentia was still at home, and when a neighbor came running,   
   breathless, to her door with the news, she laughed and would not   
   believe it. "What a tale," she said, "that a man who tosses a shuttle   
   should be made a prelate!" But when another came with the same story,   
   and yet another, and a crowd gathered at her door, and she found it   
   was true, she was speechless.   
      
   Thus, it came to pass that Severus the weaver became bishop of Ravenna   
   and who can doubt that he was a good weaver, well respected for his   
   work and character, and that he was chosen not only because of a good   
   omen but also for his own fine qualities. For these he was chosen to   
   accompany the papal legate to the synod of Sardica in 344.   
      
   He made a good bishop, and when at last he came to die, he said his   
   last Mass before all the people, then quietly dismissed them with his   
   blessing. When all had departed save a single boy who served at the   
   altar, he bade the boy close the doors, and clothing himself in his   
   episcopal robes, went to the tomb of his wife and daughter, who had   
   died before him. There with the help of the boy he raised the stone,   
   and descending into the grave, laid himself down, and after a prayer   
   closed his eyes and fell asleep. After his death he was canonized a   
   saint, and is usually portrayed in his bishop's robes and with a   
   weaver's shuttle (Benedictines, Gill).   
      
   It may be that the dove was a common phenomenon, or that it was simply   
   a pious addition to the story of unlikely bishops, but it occurs in   
   several stories.   
      
   In art, St. Severus is a bishop weaving. He may have a loom and   
   weaver's tools and, possibly, a dove on his shoulder (Roeder). He is   
   the patron of glove makers, hatters, and weavers (Roeder).   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   It is by the path of love, which is charity, that God draws near to   
   man, and man to God. But where charity is not found, God cannot dwell.   
   If, then, we possess charity, we possess God, for "God is Charity”.   
   --Saint Albert the Great   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   Labor as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.  (II Tim. 2:3)   
      
      
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   PRAYER FOR A SICK PERSON # 2   
      
       Dear Jesus,   
       Divine Physician and Healer of the Sick,   
       we turn to You in this time of illness.   
       O dearest Comforter of the Troubled,   
       alleviate our worry and sorrow with Your gentle love,   
       and grant us the grace and strength to accept this burden.   
       Dear God,  we place our worries in Your hands.   
       We ask that You restore Your servant to health again.   
       Above all, grant us the grace to acknowledge Your holy will   
       and know that whatsoever You do,   
       You do for the love of us.     Amen.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)