God can be your shield

God can be your shield. Then no problems of the world can harm you.
Between you and all scorn and indignity from others is your trust in
God, like a shining shield. Nothing can then have the power to spoil
your inward peace. With this shield, you can attain this inward peace
quickly, in your surroundings as well as in your heart. With this
inward peace, you do not need to resent the person who troubles you.
Instead, you can overcome the resentment in your own mind, which may
have been aroused by that person.
I pray that I may strive for inward peace. I pray that I may not be seriously upset, no matter what happens around me.
--From Twenty-Four Hours a Day

==============
December 17th – Saint Lazarus of Bethany

At Marseilles in France, blessed Lazarus, brother of the Saints
Mary Magdalene and Martha, of whom we read in the Gospel that our Lord
called him his friend and raised him from the dead.
Lazarus, the friend of Jesus, the brother of Martha and Mary, was the
one of whom the Jews said, "See how much he loved him." In their sight
Jesus raised his friend Lazarus from the dead.

Legends abound about the life of Lazarus after the death and
resurrection of Jesus. He is supposed to have left a written account
of what he saw in the next world before he was called back to life.
Some say he followed Peter into Syria. Another story is that despite
being put into a leaking boat by the Jews at Jaffa, he, his sisters
and others landed safely in Cyprus. There he died peacefully after
serving as bishop for 30 years.

A church was built in his honor in Constantinople and some of his
reputed relics were transferred there in 890. A Western legend has the
oarless boat arriving in Gaul. There he was bishop of Marseilles, was
martyred after making a number of converts and was buried in a cave.
His relics were transferred to the new cathedral in Autun in 1146.

It is certain there was early devotion to the saint. Around the year
390, the pilgrim lady Etheria talks of the procession that took place
on the Saturday before Palm Sunday at the tomb where Lazarus had been
raised from the dead. In the West, Passion Sunday was called Dominica
de Lazaro, and Augustine tells us that in Africa the Gospel of the
raising of Lazarus was read at the office of Palm Sunday.

Comment: Many people who had a near-death experience report losing all
fear of death. When Lazarus died a second time, perhaps he was without
fear. He must have been sure that Jesus, the friend with whom he had
shared many meals and conversations, would be waiting to raise him
again. We don’t share Lazarus’ firsthand knowledge of returning from
the grave. Nevertheless, we too have shared meals and conversations
with Jesus, who waits to raise us, too.


Saint Quote:
Our Lord's words teach us that though we labour among the many
distractions of this world, we should have but one goal. For we are
but travellers on a journey without as yet a fixed abode; we are on
our way, not yet in our native land; we are in a state of longing, not
yet of enjoyment. Do you wish to know what we will have there? The
Lord himself tells us when he says of his servants, Amen, I say to
you, he will make them recline and passing he will serve them.
-- St. Augustine

Bible Quote:
Fulfil ye my joy, that you be of one mind, having the same charity,
being of one accord, agreeing in sentiment. Let nothing be done
through contention: neither by vainglory. But in humility, let each
esteem others better than themselves: Each one not considering the
things that are his own, but those that are other men's.
[Philippians 2:2-4] DRB


<><><><>
Hymn: The Cross of Christ

Gal. vi. 14:--"God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of
our Lord Jesus Christ." "When we rise, the cross; when we lie down,
the cross; in our studies, the cross; everywhere and at every time,
the cross--shining more glorious than the sun."
--St. Chrysostom.

O Child of God, remember,
When thou to Christ wast born,
How then across thine infant breast
His sacred sign was drawn.

And when confirming Chrism
Upon thy brow was laid,
How in that sign the Holy Ghost
His grace upon thee shed.

Therefore, when sleep invites thee
To take thy needful rest,
Be sure that with the sacred cross
Thou sign thy brow and breast.

The cross hath wondrous virtue
All evil to control;
To scatter darkness, and to calm
The tempest of the soul.

What though in sleep this body
May helpless seem to lie?
I nothing fear, assured that
One Stronger than all is nigh.

On Him my heart shall ponder,
E'en while my rest I take;
My shield and shelter while I sleep.
My joy when I awake.

Music: Crux Fidelis, O Crux Ave and O Sacred Head Surrounded

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)