From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   Happiness   
      
   "Since happiness is nothing but the enjoyment of the Supreme Good, and   
   since the Supreme Good is above us, we cannot be happy unless we rise   
   beyond ourselves. Since we cannot reach above ourselves in our own   
   strength, we must be helped by supernatural strength, lifted up by a   
   higher power that stoops to raise us. However much we structure our   
   inner lives and make progress, it does us no good unless our efforts   
   are accompanied by help from on high. Divine aid is available for   
   those who seek it with a devout and humble heart; this is done by   
   fervent prayer. Prayer is, therefore, the source and origin of every   
   upward journey toward God. Let us each, then, turn to prayer and say   
   to our Lord God: 'Lead me, O Lord, on your path, that I may walk in   
   your truth.'"   
   --[From St. Bonaventure:]   
      
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   August 25th - St. Gregory of Utrecht, Abbot   
   Also known as Gregory of Pfalzel   
      
   This Gregory was born in the territory of Trier about the year 707.   
   One day when he was 15 years of age he was desired by his grandmother,   
   the abbess of Pfalzel, near Trier, to read to the nuns. St. Boniface,   
   who was travelling from Friesland into Hesse and Thuringia, was   
   present. After he had finished reading, Gregory was asked to explain   
   what he had read for the benefit of those who did not understand   
   Latin; but this he said he was not able to do. Whereupon St. Boniface   
   got up and expounded the passages, and added a homily on the need and   
   beauty of an apostolic and virtuous life by way of commentary. Gregory   
   was so moved by his discourse that he resolved upon the spot to follow   
   the holy man wherever he went. St. Boniface took him with him, and was   
   himself his master and instructor, made him his constant attendant,   
   and always loved him as his son. The disciple was a faithful imitator   
   of his spirit and virtues, assisted him in his missions, and   
   accompanied him on his journeys.  St. Boniface a little before his   
   death sent Gregory to Utrecht to govern a monastery lately founded   
   there, dedicated in honour of St. Martin. In 754 St. Boniface received   
   the crown of martyrdom and at the same time St. Eoban, who had   
   administered the see of Utrecht since the death of St. Willibrord.   
   Thereupon St. Gregory had to take upon himself the care of that   
   church. He never received episcopal consecration, though he   
   administered the diocese during twenty years, to his death; that he   
   never was more than priest appears from his life written by St.   
   Ludger, though he is called bishop in the Roman Martyrology and   
   elsewhere.   
      
     The abbey of St. Martin became a great missionary centre under the   
   rule of St. Gregory; candidates came to it from all the neighbouring   
   countries, not least from England: among its alumni were St. Ludger,   
   just mentioned, St. Lebwin and St. Marchelm, all three associated with   
   England, the last two as natives and Ludger being a student at York.   
   By his preaching and care St. Gregory made the diocese for which he   
   was responsible a fitting surrounding to the abbey. St. Ludger speaks   
   particularly of his prudence, generous alms-deeds and spirit of   
   forgiveness. The last trait was exemplified after his two half-   
   brothers had been treacherously killed. When the murderers were sent   
   to him to be put to what death he should think fit, according to the   
   barbarous custom of the country in that age which left the punishment   
   of assassins to the direction of the relations of the deceased person,   
   the saint gave every one of them an alms, and dismissed them with good   
   advice. For the last three years of his life St. Gregory bore with   
   fortitude and patience a creeping paralysis.  He died at Maastricht on   
   August 25, about the year 775, and his feast is kept at Utrecht and   
   Trier as well as by the Canons Regular of the Lateran.   
      
   As mentioned above St. Ludger wrote a life of Gregory which is our   
   principal source of information. It has been printed by Mabillon and   
   in the Acta Sanctorum August, vol. v. Moreover it has been critically   
   re-edited in Pertz, MGH., Scriptores, vol. xv. See further H.   
   Timerding, Die christliche Frühzeit Deutschlands, vol. ii,  Die   
   angelsachsische Mission " (1929), and J. A. Coppens, Kerkgeschiedenis   
   van Noord-Nederland (1902), pp. 62-70; with Hauck, Kirchengeschichte   
   Deutschlands, vol. ii.   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   An explanation of how repentant sinners are to be freed from their   
   sins is given through the prophet Isaiah in the words: Wash yourselves   
   and be clean. Remove the evil from your souls; learn to do what is   
   right. Be just to the orphan, vindicate the widow. Come, let us reason   
   together, says the Lord. If your sins are like scarlet, I will make   
   them white as wool; if they are like crimson, I will make them white   
   as snow.   
   -- Saint Justin Martyr   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   And they sung to thy holy name, O Lord, and they praised with one   
   accord thy victorious hand. For wisdom opened the mouth of the dumb,   
   and made the tongues of infants eloquent.  (Wisdom x. 20-21 )   
      
      
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   Rend your hearts,   
   not your garments,   
   and return to the Lord, your God.   
   For gracious and merciful, is He,   
   slow to anger,   
   rich in kindness,   
   and relenting in punishment.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)