From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   On the Few Lovers of the Cross of Jesus  [V]   
      
   Let him not regard as great what others might esteem great, but let   
   him truthfully confess himself an unprofitable servant. For these are   
   the words of the Truth Himself: `When you shall have done all those   
   things that are commanded you, say, "We are unprofitable servants"   
   (Luke 17:10). Then he may indeed be called poor and naked in spirit,   
   and say with the Prophet, `I am alone and poor' (Ps. 25:16). Yet there   
   is no man richer, more powerful or freer than he who can forsake   
   himself and all else, and set himself in the lowest place.   
   --Thomas à Kempis --Imitation of Christ Bk 2, Ch 11   
      
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   September 29th - Saint Theodota of Thrace   
      
   TOWARDS the end of the reign of Licinius, on a Friday, in September,   
   in the year 642 from the death of Alexander the Great, that is, of   
   Christ 318, a persecution was raised at Philippi, not the city so   
   called in Macedon, which was at that time comprised in the empire of   
   Constantine, but that called Philippopolis, anciently Eumolpias, in   
   Thrace.*   
      
   Agrippa the prefect, on a certain festival of Apollo, had commanded   
   that the whole city should offer a great sacrifice with him. Theodota,   
   who had been formerly a harlot, was accused of refusing to conform,   
   and being called upon by the president, answered him, that she had   
   indeed been a grievous sinner, but could not add sin to sin, nor   
   defile herself with a sacrilegious sacrifice. Her constancy encouraged   
   seven hundred and fifty men (who were, perhaps, some troop of   
   soldiers) to step forth, and, professing themselves Christians, to   
   refuse to join in the sacrifice. Theodota was cast into prison, where   
   she lay twenty days; all which time she employed in continual prayer.   
   Being brought to the bar, as she entered the court she burst into   
   tears, and prayed aloud that Christ would pardon the crimes of her   
   past life, and arm her with strength, that she might be enabled to   
   bear with constancy and patience the cruel torments she was going to   
   suffer. In her answers to the judge she confessed that she had been a   
   harlot, but declared that she was become a Christian, though unworthy   
   to bear that sacred name. Agrippa commanded her to be cruelly   
   scourged. The pagans that stood near her, ceased not to exhort her to   
   free herself from torments by obeying the president but for one   
   moment. But Theodota remained constant, and under the lashes cried   
   out: “I never will abandon the true God, nor sacrifice to lifeless   
   statues.”   
      
   The president ordered her to be hoisted upon the rack, and her body to   
   be torn with an iron comb. Under these torments she earnestly prayed   
   to Christ, and said: “I adore you, O Christ, and thank you, because   
   you have made me worthy to suffer this for your name.” The judge,   
   enraged at her resolution and patience, said to the executioner: “Tear   
   her flesh again with the iron comb; then pour vinegar and salt into   
   her wounds.” She said: “So little do I fear your torments, that I   
   entreat you to increase them to the utmost, that I may find mercy and   
   attain to the greater crown.” Agrippa next commanded the executioners   
   to pluck out her teeth, which they violently pulled out one by one   
   with pincers. The judge at length condemned her to be stoned. She was   
   led out of the city, and, during her martyrdom, prayed thus: “O   
   Christ, as you showed favor to Rahab the harlot, and received the good   
   thief, so turn not your mercy from me.” In this manner she died, and   
   her soul ascended triumphant to heaven.   
      
   See her authentic Chaldaic Acts, published by Stephen Assemani, Acta   
   Martyr. Occid. t. 2, p. 221.   
      
   Notes   
    *Constantine the Great declared openly in favour of the Christians in the   
   West, after the defeat of Maxentius, and out of compliment to him, Licinius   
   favoured them in the East. His colleague Maximin was a cruel persecutor; but   
   his death, in 313, put an    
   end to the persecution raised by Dioclesian, though it was afterwards revived   
   in the East for a short time, when war broke out between Licinius and   
   Constantine, in 318, and continued till the defeat of the former. Licinius   
   seems to have begun his    
   persecution in Thrace, where he then resided. St. Theodota received her crown   
   in the first fury of this storm.   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   Let us run with confidence and joy to enter into the cloud like Moses   
   and Elijah, or like James and John. Let us be caught up like Peter to   
   behold the divine vision and to be transfigured by that glorious   
   transfiguration. Let us retire from the world, stand aloof from the   
   earth, rise above the body, detach ourselves from creatures and turn   
   to the creator, to whom Peter in ecstasy exclaimed: Lord, it is good   
   for us to be here.   
   --Saint Anastasius of Sinai   
      
   Bible Quote   
   From the beginning, and before the world, was I created,   
   and unto the world to come I shall not cease to be,   
   and in the holy dwelling place I have ministered before him.   
   And so was I established in Zion, and in the holy city likewise I rested,   
   and my power was in Jerusalem. And I took root in an honourable people,   
   and in the portion of my God his inheritance, and my abode is in the full   
   assembly of saints.  [Ecclesiasticus(Sirach) 24:14-16] DRB)   
      
      
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   To Obtain the Grace of the Holy Spirit   
      
   O GOD, before Whom every heart lies open, to Whom every will speaks,   
   and from Whom no secret is hidden, purify, we beseech Thee, our hearts   
   by the inpouring of the Holy Spirit, that we may come to love Thee   
   perfectly and praise Thee worthily. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)