• On Knowing Ourselves:

    From Weedy@21:1/5 to All on Sat Dec 18 23:42:50 2021
    On Knowing Ourselves:

    2. The spiritual man puts the care of his soul before all else;
    (Matt.16:26) and whoever diligently attends to his own affairs is
    ready to keep silence about others. You will never become interior and
    devout unless you refrain from criticism of others, and pay attention
    to yourself. If you are wholly intent on God and yourself, you will be
    little affected by anything outside this (I Cor.4:3). Where are you
    when you fail to attend to yourself? And when you have occupied
    yourself in countless affairs, what have you gained, if you have
    neglected your soul (Mark 8:36)? If you really desire true peace and
    union with God, attend to yourself, and set aside all else.
    --Thomas à Kempis --Imitation of Christ, Bk 2 Ch 5

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    19 December - St Berardo Valeara of Teramo OSB

    Benedictine Monk, Bishop of Teramo, Evangelist, Apostle of Charity
    and Peace – also known as Bernard Paleara, Bernard Pagliara, Bernhard, Berard, Bernardo – born in c 1050 in the castle of Pagliara near
    Castelli, Isola del Gran Sasso, Teramo, Abruzzo, Italy and died on 19
    December 1122 of natural causes.

    Saint Berardo was born into the noble family da Pagliara, whose castle
    bore their name near the town of Isola del Gran Sasso in the Abruzzo
    region of Italy. Important information concerning his life is found in
    the ancient church records from this area as well as the chronicles of
    his successor, the Bishop Sassone. Saint Berardo entered the monastery
    in Montecassino as a young man and was later associated with the Abbey
    of San Giovanni in Venere. He became well known for his good works and
    upon the death of the Bishop Uberto, Berardo was asked to become a
    pastor in the territory of Teramo. He took on this role for seven
    years beginning in 1116 and focused his efforts on helping the poor
    and making peace amongst the warring factions of the local citizenry.

    Saint Berardo died in 1123. He was buried in what today is known as
    Saint Anne’s chapel in the ancient Teramo Cathedral of Santa Maria Aprutiensis (now Sant’Anna dei Pompetti). This is one of the few
    locations which were not destroyed by the siege and burning of Teramo
    carried out by the Norman commander, Roberto di Loretello.

    Around 1174, upon the initiative of the Bishop Attone, the remains of
    Saint Berardo were transferred to the newly completed cathedral of
    Teramo, first to a crypt where they remained for 600 years and
    finally, in 1776, to a chapel built by the people of Teramo in his
    honour during the leadership of the Bishop Pirelli.

    Several miracles have been attributed to him. A 16th-century bust and
    a 17th-century likeness of his arm giving a blessing, both in silver,
    can be found in Teramo Cathedral. A stone statue of Saint Berardo
    which formerly covered his crypt, is now located at the summit of a
    chapel dedicated to his honour. Within the cathedral’s sacristy is a 17th-century altarpiece by the Polish painter Sebastiano Majeski
    bearing the likeness of the saint entitled The Miracle of Saint
    Berardo. Also located in the cathedral is a painting by Giuseppe
    Bonolis, depicting The Virgin Mary and Saint Berardo liberating the
    city of Teramo from the siege of the Duke of Atri and numerous other
    works depicting the life of Saint Berardo. An outstanding and varied
    collection of engravings and prints related to Saint Berardo was
    chronicled and organised by Raffaele Aurini in 1973. It is a
    comprehensive biographical and iconographical source of information
    related to the life of this saint.

    Over the years, the municipal authorities of Teramo have practised the
    yearly custom of lighting a large candle in honour of Saint Berardo.

    https://anastpaul.com/2018/12/19/

    Saint Quote:
    He who remembers the presence of God is less open to other thoughts,
    especially bad thoughts. As long as we believe that God sees us, we
    are restrained from daring to sin before such a Witness and Judge. In
    two ways the presence of God is an antidote against sin: first,
    because God sees us, and secondly, because we see God.
    -- St. Ignatius

    Scripture
    Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,
    from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man. Psalm 71:4

    Prayer
    O ROOT OF JESSE,
    that stands for an ensign of the people,
    before whom the kings keep silence
    and unto whom the Gentiles shall make supplication,
    come, to deliver us and tarry not.


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    Daily Thoughts and Prayers for Our Beloved Dead

    "Have pity on me, have pity on me, at least you my friends, because
    the hand of the Lord hath touched me" Job. 19-21.

    14th Day

    Prayers for the Faithful departed are more acceptable to God than
    prayers for the living: for the suffering souls are in the greatest
    need and cannot help themselves.

    Prayers: Our Father, Three Hail Marys, Gloria, De Profundis.

    De Profundis

    Out of the depths, I have cried to Thee,
    O Lord, Lord, hear my voice.
    Let Thine ears be attentive to the
    voice of my supplication.
    If Thou, O Lord, shalt mark my iniquities,
    O Lord, who shall stand it?
    For with Thee there is merciful
    forgiveness: and by reason of Thy
    law I have waited for Thee, O Lord.
    My soul hath relied on His word;
    my soul hath hoped in the Lord.
    From the morning watch even until
    night; let Israel hope in the Lord.
    Because with the Lord there is mercy;
    And with Him plenteous redemption.
    And He shall redeem Israel from
    all its iniquities.
    Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,
    And let perpetual light shine upon them:
    May they rest in peace. Amen.

    O Lord Jesus, shower down on us Thy divine graces and blessings. Unite
    our will to Thine, and make our prayers more acceptable to Thee, and
    more beneficial to the Souls in Purgatory who cry out, Have pity on
    me, for the Hand of God has touched me.

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