From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   Do not lose the key of knowledge   
      
   Jesus in the key of knowledge that opens God's kingdom for us   
   What does Jesus mean when he says they have taken away the key of   
   knowledge? The religious lawyers and scribes held the "office of the   
   keys" since they were the official interpreters of the Scriptures.   
   Unfortunately their interpretation of the Scriptures became so   
   distorted and difficult to understand that others were "shut off" to   
   the Scriptures. They not only shut themselves to heaven--they also   
   hindered others from understanding God's word. Through pride and envy,   
   they rejected not only the prophets of old, but God's final prophet   
   and Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is the "key of David" (see   
   Isaiah 22:22; Revelations 3:7) who opens heaven for those who accept   
   him as Lord and Savior. He is the "Wisdom of God" and source of   
   everlasting life. [Luke 11:47-54]   
      
   <<>><<>><<>>   
   March 21st - St. Enda, Abbot, and St. Fanchea   
      
   THE little which is recorded of St. Fanchea (whose day is January 1,   
   March 21 on some calendars) is of a very fabulous character, and is   
   nearly all contained in the Life of St. Enda, her brother. Fanchea,   
   who along with other Irish maidens had consecrated herself to God,   
   knew that Enda had taken part in a raid against his enemies, one of   
   whom had been slain in the fight. The shouts of the victors as they   
   returned from their expedition penetrated the convent walls. Fanchea   
   recognized her brother’s voice, but at the same time received a   
   supernatural intimation that he was called to serve God in great   
   sanctity of life. She accordingly reproved him for the deed of blood   
   upon which he had been engaged, and when he promised to settle   
   peacefully at home if she would give him one of her maidens in   
   marriage, she pretended to be ready to comply. But it pleased God that   
   the maiden in question should die at that very time, and when she   
   brought her brother to see the bride that had been promised him, he   
   found only a corpse, pale and rigid in death. Enda thereupon gave   
   himself up to a monastic life; but even so thoughts of warlike   
   exploits still recurred, and his sister impressed it upon him that   
   when these temptations came he ought to put his hand to his shaven   
   head to remind himself that he now wore, not a regal diadem, but the   
   tonsure (corona) of his Master, Christ.   
      
   Finally, still by her advice, Enda left Ireland and went to Rome,   
   whither, after a long interval, Fanchea, with some of her nuns, set   
   out to visit him, only spreading her cloak upon the sea, and being   
   wafted over the waters. In Rome she asked Enda to return to Ireland   
   for the good of his people. He promised to do so after a year, but she   
   herself on reaching home surrendered her soul to God before he could   
   follow her. It has been stated that St. Fanchea built a nunnery at   
   Ross Oirthir, or Rossory, in Fermanagh, and that her remains were   
   deposited and long venerated at Killaine, but the evidence does not   
   seem very satisfactory.   
      
   All that we are told of St. Enda’s history previous to his settlement   
   at Aranmore is quite legendary, except perhaps for an important stay   
   at Candida Casa, the monastery founded by St. Ninian in Galloway.   
   After his alleged visit to Rome, where he was ordained priest, Enda   
   landed at Drogheda and built churches on both sides of the river   
   Boyne. Afterwards he crossed Ireland and went to see Oengus, King of   
   Munster, who was married to another of his sisters, and lived at   
   Cashel. From his brother-in-law he asked for the isle of Aran that he   
   might found a religious establishment there. Oengus urged him to   
   choose a more fertile place nearer at hand, but when St. Enda   
   persisted that Aran was to be the place of his resurrection and that   
   it was good enough for him, Oengus yielded, declaring that he   
   willingly gave it to God and to Enda, whose blessing he craved in   
   return.   
      
   To this island St. Enda brought his disciples, and the fame of his   
   austerity and sanctity led many others to join them. The saint built,   
   on the eastern side of Aranmore, a great monastery at Killeany, over   
   which he presided, and half the land was apportioned to it, whilst the   
   rest of the island was divided between ten other smaller houses which   
   he founded and over which he set superiors. We are told that not only   
   did he live a most penitential life himself, but that he exacted a   
   very strict discipline from all under his charge. A legend relates   
   that every night he tested his brethren by putting them in turn into a   
   curragh, or wicker-work canoe, and setting it afloat without the hide   
   covering which rendered it watertight. If a man was free from sin, the   
   water could not get in. All the monks--including the abbot   
   himself--escaped a wetting, except Gigniat the cook, who when   
   questioned admitted that he had added a little to his own portion of   
   food from that of Kieran, son of the artificer. St. Enda ordered him   
   to leave the island, saying, “There is no room here for a thief; I   
   will not permit this at all”.   
      
   With St. Finnian of Clonard, St. Enda was a father of monarchism in   
   Ireland. With him organized monasticism, properly speaking, seems to   
   have begun. One of his best-known disciples was St. Kieran of   
   Clonmacnois, just referred to.   
      
   The Latin Life of Enda has been printed by Colgan and in the Acta   
   Sanctorum, March, vol. iii, but more critically by Plummer in his VSH,   
   vol. ii, pp. 60-75, and cf. J. Healy, Ireland’s Ancient Schools and   
   Scholars, pp. 163-187. See J. Ryan, Irish Monasticism (1931), pp.   
   106-107. Fanchea’s name is variously written Faenche, Faenkea,   
   Fainche, Fuinche, etc.   
      
      
   “Sanctity consists in the accomplishment   
   of the duties God lays upon us.   
   In this way, one who fulfills well the duties of his station   
   and, much more, one who fulfills them well for God,   
   will become a real saint – nothing more is needed.”   
   --Blessed Louis-Édouard Cestac (1801-1868)   
      
   Saint Quote:   
   I have never sacrificed, nor do sacrifice to any other than to one   
   God, and to our Lord Jesus Christ, his Son, who was born and suffered   
   for us.   
   -- Saint Crispina   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.   
   (Matthew 10:28)   
      
   <><><><>   
   Splinters from the Cross:   
      
   Little headaches, little heartaches   
   Little griefs of every day,   
   Little trials and vexations   
   How they throng around our way!   
      
   One great cross, immense and heavy,   
   So it seems to our weak will,   
   Might be borne with resignation,   
   But these many small ones kill,   
   Yet all life is formed of small things,   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)