From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   The Proving of a True Lover (3)   
      
   (The Voice of Christ)   
    All is not lost, then, if you sometimes feel less devout than you   
   wish toward Me or My saints. That good and sweet feeling which you   
   sometimes have is the effect of present grace and a certain foretaste   
   of your heavenly home. You must not lean upon it too much, because it   
   comes and goes. But to fight against evil thoughts which attack you is   
   a sign of virtue and great merit. Do not, therefore, let strange   
   fantasies disturb you, no matter what they concern. Hold strongly to   
   your resolution and keep a right intention toward God.   
   --Thomas à Kempis --Imitation of Christ Book 3, Chapter 6   
      
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   April 3rd - St. Richard of Chichester, Bishop   
      
    (1197-1253)   
   Saint Richard of Chichester was born in 1197 in a little town a few   
   miles from Worcester, England. He and his elder brother were left   
   orphans while still young, and his brother was imprisoned as a result   
   of their property’s unpaid debts. Richard gave up the studies which he   
   loved, to farm his brother’s impoverished estate. His brother, in   
   gratitude for Richard’s successful labors, proposed to turn over to   
   him all his lands; but he refused both the estates and the offer of a   
   brilliant marriage, to study for the priesthood at Oxford.   
      
   In 1235 Saint Richard was appointed, for his learning and piety,   
   chancellor of that University and afterwards chancellor of his diocese   
   by Saint Edmund, Archbishop of Canterbury. The new Chancellor stood by   
   the Saint in his long contest with the king, and then accompanied him   
   into exile in France, in the Abbey of Pontigny. After Saint Edmund’s   
   death there, he studied theology in Orleans before returning to   
   England to toil as a simple parish priest. He was, however, soon   
   elected by the Canons of Chichester, when their see became vacant, for   
   their Bishop. This election greatly displeased the king, who had   
   nominated another candidate whom the Canons judged unworthy.   
      
   The king in revenge refused to recognize the election, and seized the   
   revenues of the see. Thus Saint Richard found himself fighting the   
   same battle in which Saint Edmund had died. He went to Lyons, where he   
   was consecrated bishop by Innocent IV in 1245, and returning to   
   England he exercised fully his episcopal rights despite his poverty   
   and the king’s hostility, and thoroughly reformed his see. Young and   
   old loved Saint Richard, and after two years his revenues were   
   restored. To feed the poor and heal the sick, he gave all he had and   
   worked miracles; and when the rights or the sanctity of the Church   
   were concerned, he was inexorable.   
      
   A priest of noble blood polluted his office by sin; Richard deprived   
   him of his benefice, and refused the king’s petition in his favor. On   
   the other hand, when a knight violently imprisoned a priest, Richard   
   compelled the knight to walk around the priest’s church with the same   
   log of wood on his neck to which he had chained him. And when the   
   burgesses of Lewes tore a criminal from the church and hanged him,   
   Richard made them dig up the body from its unconsecrated grave, and   
   bear it back to the sanctuary they had violated. Richard died in 1253   
   while preaching, at the Pope’s command, a crusade against the   
   Saracens.   
      
   Reflection. As a loyal brother, as Chancellor and as Bishop, Saint   
   Richard faithfully performed each duty of his state without a thought   
   for any personal interest. He who is faithful in little things, will   
   also be faithful in the great ones, declared Our Lord; and the   
   contrary is also an invariable law.   
      
   Sources: Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints, a compilation based on   
   Butler’s Lives of the Saints and other sources by John Gilmary Shea   
   (Benziger Brothers: New York, 1894)   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   Thanks be to Thee, my Lord Jesus Christ For all the benefits Thou hast   
   given me, For all the pains and insults Which Thou has borne for me. O   
   most merciful Redeemer, Friend, and Brother, May I know Thee more   
   clearly, Love Thee more dearly, Follow Thee more nearly, Day by day.   
   Amen.   
   -- Saint Richard of Chichester   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   Everyone who has listened to the Father, and has learned, comes to Me.   
   (John 6:45)   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   An act of the Firm Purpose of Amendment, for Confession:   
      
   O Almighty and Eternal God, would from the bottom of my heart that I   
   had never sinned against Thee; but since I have been so unhappy as to   
   sin against Thine Infinite Majesty, O grant me now Thy grace, that I   
   may never do so again.   
      
   Thou hast said, "I Will not the death of a sinner, but rather that he   
   be converted and live;" convert me, then, and save my soul.  "Have   
   mercy on me, according to Thy great mercy; and according to the   
   multitude of Thy tender mercies, blot out mine iniquities."   
      
   I abhor and detest all of my sins, and firmly purpose to walk   
   henceforth in the path of holiness and justice.  Accept, O Lord, of   
   this my resolution, and grant that by the help of Thy Holy grace, and   
   through the infinite merits of Thine only Son our Lord Jesus Christ, I   
   may keep it faithfully during the whole course of my life.   
      
   O most gracious and bountiful Lord, Thou hast ordained the day for   
   labour and the eve for us to take our rest, I praise Thee for the   
   blessing of this day past, and I beseech Thee to protect me during   
   this night.  Look upon me with a merciful Eye, and let Thy holy Angels   
   keep their watch over me, that, being safely delivered from all   
   dangers, I may be enabled to perform so faithfully the duties of my   
   state, that, having passed my days in Thy holy service and love, I may   
   end them in Thy favour, and reign with Thee for ever in Thy Heavenly   
   Kingdom, through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who, with Thee and   
   the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth ever one God, world without end.   
   Amen.   
      
   Holy Mary, Mother of confessors, pray for me a sinner   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)