From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   Spare no effort...   
      
     It is not your circumstances that need altering so much as yourself.   
   After you have changed, conditions will naturally change. Spare no   
   effort to become all that God would have you become. Follow every good   
   leading of your conscience. Take each day with no backward look. Face   
   the day's problems with God, and seek God's help and guidance as to   
   what you should do in every situation that may arise. Never look back.   
   Never leave until tomorrow the thing that you are guided to do today.   
   --From Twenty-Four Hours a Day   
      
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   February 24th - SS. Montanus, Lucius and Companions   
      
   Emperor Valerian persecuted Christians with vengeance during the days   
   of the early Church. He had permitted St. Cyprian's execution in   
   September 258. The Roman official who had actually sentenced Cyprian   
   died himself soon after. The new official, Solon, was nearly the   
   victim of an uprising which included a plot on his life. It seems he   
   suspected the plot to be in revenge for the death of St. Cyprian. He   
   arrested 8 innocent people. All were Christians; most were clergy.   
   Each had been a devoted follower of St. Cyprian.   
      
   The Christians were taken down into dark dungeons. They found others   
   there whom they knew. The filth and dampness circled the group. They   
   realized that they would soon be facing death and eternity. The   
   Christians were kept many months in the prison. They worked during the   
   day and often were denied food and water without any reason. Somehow   
   in such inhuman conditions, the little Christian community bonded and   
   helped one another. The lay people protected the bishops, priests and   
   deacons who were especially targets of the emperor's cruelty.   
      
   When the Christians were finally called to the place of execution,   
   each was permitted to speak. Montanus, who was tall and strong, spoke   
   bravely to all the Christian crowd. He told them to be true to Jesus   
   and to die rather than give up the faith. Lucius, who was small and   
   frail, walked quietly to the place of execution. He was weak from the   
   harsh months in prison. In fact, he had to lean on two friends who   
   helped him arrive at the spot where the executioner waited. The people   
   who watched called to him to remember them from paradise.   
      
   As each of the Christians were beheaded one after another, the crowd   
   became more and more courageous. They wept for those who suffered such   
   injustice. But they were joyful, too. They realized that these martyrs   
   would bless them from heaven. Montanus, Lucius and their companions   
   were martyred in 259.   
      
   Kindness and love for one another marked these saints' lives. Today,   
   we might consider thinking of doing something good for someone with   
   whom we do not particularly find it easy to get along.   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   "He who is truly humble must desire in truth to be despised, mocked,   
   persecuted, and blamed, although wrongfully. If he wishes to imitate   
   Christ, how can he do it better than in this way? Oh, how wise will   
   he, one day, be seen to be, who rejoiced in being accounted vile and   
   even a fool! for such was Wisdom itself esteemed"   
   --St. Teresa   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   A vain man is lifted up into pride, and thinketh himself born free   
   like a wild ass's colt.  (Job 11:12)   
      
   <><><><>   
   Prayer to the Holy Spirit   
      
   Most Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, Father of the poor, Comforter of the   
   afflicted, Light of hearts, Sanctifier of souls; behold me prostrate   
   in Thy presence.   
      
   I adore Thee with profoundest homage: I bless Thee a thousand times,   
   and with the Seraphim who stand before Thy throne, I also say: "Holy,   
   holy, holy."   
      
   I firmly believe that Thou art eternal, consubstantial with the Father   
   and the Divine Son.   
      
   I hope in Thy goodness that Thou wilt deign to save and sanctify my soul.   
      
   I love Thee, O Divine Love, with all my affections above all the   
   things of this world, because Thou art Infinite Goodness, alone worthy   
   of all love.   
      
   And since in my ingratitude and blindness to Thy holy inspirations, I   
   have so often offended Thee by my sins, with tears in my eyes I beg   
   Thy pardon a thousand times, and am more sorry for having offended   
   Thee, the Sovereign Good, than for any other evil.   
      
   I offer Thee this most cold heart of mine, and I pray Thee to pierce   
   it with a ray of Thy light, and with a spark of Thy fire, which shall   
   melt the hard ice of my iniquities.   
      
   Thou who didst fill the soul of the most holy Mary with immense   
   graces, and didst inflame the hearts of the Apostles with holy zeal,   
   inflame, I beseech Thee, my heart also with Thy love.   
      
   Thou art the Divine Spirit; give me courage against all evil spirits.   
   Thou art Fire; enkindle in me Thy love.   
      
   Thou art Light; enlighten my mind with the knowledge of eternal things.   
   Thou art the Dove; give me innocence of life.   
   Thou art the gentle Breeze; disperse the storms of my passions.   
   Thou art the Tongue; teach me how to bless Thee always.   
   Thou art the Cloud; shelter me under the shadow of Thy protection.   
      
   And lastly, Thou art the Giver of all heavenly gifts; animate me, I   
   beseech Thee, with Thy grace; sanctify me with Thy charity; enlighten   
   me with Thy wisdom; adopt me by Thy goodness as Thy son, and save me   
   in Thy infinite mercy; so that I may ever bless Thee, praise Thee, and   
   love Thee; first during this life on earth, and then in heaven for all   
   eternity. - Amen.   
   -- Saint Alphonsus M. de' Liguori   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)