Happiness

"Since happiness is nothing but the enjoyment of the Supreme Good, and
since the Supreme Good is above us, we cannot be happy unless we rise
beyond ourselves. Since we cannot reach above ourselves in our own
strength, we must be helped by supernatural strength, lifted up by a
higher power that stoops to raise us. However much we structure our
inner lives and make progress, it does us no good unless our efforts
are accompanied by help from on high. Divine aid is available for
those who seek it with a devout and humble heart; this is done by
fervent prayer. Prayer is, therefore, the source and origin of every
upward journey toward God. Let us each, then, turn to prayer and say
to our Lord God: 'Lead me, O Lord, on your path, that I may walk in
your truth.'"
--[From St. Bonaventure:]

===========
June 3rd - St. Genesius, Bishop and Confessor

FROM his infancy he was a model of innocence and piety, and despising
in his youth the honours which great riches and high birth insured to
him in the world, he chose to serve God in the lowest rank among the
clergy of the diocese of Auvergne, in which province his family was
one of the most distinguished. Against his inclinations he was
promoted to the dignity of archdeacon, in which his example was to the
clergy under his care, a spur to the perfect spirit and practice of
all Christian virtues. Austere to himself he treated his own body as
an enemy, to prevent its rebelling against the spirit. His charity to
the poor seemed to have no bounds. The respect with which he performed
the sacred functions, inspired all the assistants with awe and
devotion.

God usually employs the ministry of saints to form others to perfect
sanctity. The holy archdeacon was the instrument which he made use of
to sow by his grace the seeds of virtue in the heart of St. Prix of
Clermont, whose education was intrusted by his parents to the care of
St. Genesius. But the master preceded him in the episcopal chair of
Auvergne or of Clermont, to which St. Genesius was promoted upon the
death of Proculus in 656, and he was ordained by compulsion by the
bishops of the province. He extirpated the seeds of the Novatian
heresy and of that of Jovinian; spared nothing to make chastity,
charity, and all virtues flourish in his flock, and to furnish
perpetual examples of the perfect evangelical spirit, he founded the
great abbey of Manlieu, in Latin Magnus Locus, now of the Order of St.
Bennet, in a borough of the same name.

He founded a great hospital at Clermont, and died about the year 662.
He was buried in the church which he had built under the title of St. Symphorian, the martyr of Autun, though it long since bears the name
of St. Genesius. In the diocese of Clermont, and in the Gallican
Martyrologies he is honoured on the 3rd of June.

See his life in John Savaron, in Origen. Claromont. et de SS.
Ecclesiis Monast. Claromont; also Branche, in Vies des SS. d’Auvergne,
Gallia Christ. Nova, &c.


Saint Quote:
Labor without stopping; do all the good works you can while you still
have the time.
--Saint John of God

Bible Quote:
 Seek ye the Lord, while he may be found: call upon him, while he is
near.  Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unjust man his
thoughts, and let him return to the Lord, and he will have mercy on
him, and to our God: for he is bountiful to forgive. For my thoughts
are not your thoughts: nor your ways my ways, saith the Lord.  For as
the heavens are exalted above the earth, so are my ways exalted above
your ways, and my thoughts above your thoughts. [Isa 55:6-9 ] DRB


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Your Will Alone
By St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)

Oversee, O my God, my life,
that I may do what You ask of me;
allow me to see and permit me to do
whatever is fitting and profitable to my soul.
Lead me not, O Lord my God,
into excessive wealth or want,
lest I put my trust in riches,
or despair in misery.
Let me take no joy or sorrow,
save in what would lead me
to You or from You.
Let me delight only in pleasing You
and fear only displeasing You.
O Lord, let all passing things
seem worthless to me
and let everything eternal, become my treasure.
May I despise any joy apart from You
and seek nothing that is without You.
Make carrying the burdens
for You my relaxation, O Lord
and rest without You, itself a burden.
Amen

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Happiness

"Since happiness is nothing but the enjoyment of the Supreme Good, and
since the Supreme Good is above us, we cannot be happy unless we rise
beyond ourselves. Since we cannot reach above ourselves in our own
strength, we must be helped by supernatural strength, lifted up by a
higher power that stoops to raise us. However much we structure our
inner lives and make progress, it does us no good unless our efforts
are accompanied by help from on high. Divine aid is available for
those who seek it with a devout and humble heart; this is done by
fervent prayer. Prayer is, therefore, the source and origin of every
upward journey toward God. Let us each, then, turn to prayer and say
to our Lord God: 'Lead me, O Lord, on your path, that I may walk in
your truth.'"
--[From St. Bonaventure:]

<<>><<>><<>>
August 25th - St. Gregory of Utrecht, Abbot
Also known as Gregory of Pfalzel

This Gregory was born in the territory of Trier about the year 707.
One day when he was 15 years of age he was desired by his grandmother,
the abbess of Pfalzel, near Trier, to read to the nuns. St. Boniface,
who was travelling from Friesland into Hesse and Thuringia, was
present. After he had finished reading, Gregory was asked to explain
what he had read for the benefit of those who did not understand
Latin; but this he said he was not able to do. Whereupon St. Boniface
got up and expounded the passages, and added a homily on the need and
beauty of an apostolic and virtuous life by way of commentary. Gregory
was so moved by his discourse that he resolved upon the spot to follow
the holy man wherever he went. St. Boniface took him with him, and was
himself his master and instructor, made him his constant attendant,
and always loved him as his son. The disciple was a faithful imitator
of his spirit and virtues, assisted him in his missions, and
accompanied him on his journeys.  St. Boniface a little before his
death sent Gregory to Utrecht to govern a monastery lately founded
there, dedicated in honour of St. Martin. In 754 St. Boniface received
the crown of martyrdom and at the same time St. Eoban, who had
administered the see of Utrecht since the death of St. Willibrord.
Thereupon St. Gregory had to take upon himself the care of that
church. He never received episcopal consecration, though he
administered the diocese during twenty years, to his death; that he
never was more than priest appears from his life written by St.
Ludger, though he is called bishop in the Roman Martyrology and
elsewhere.

  The abbey of St. Martin became a great missionary centre under the
rule of St. Gregory; candidates came to it from all the neighbouring
countries, not least from England: among its alumni were St. Ludger,
just mentioned, St. Lebwin and St. Marchelm, all three associated with
England, the last two as natives and Ludger being a student at York.
By his preaching and care St. Gregory made the diocese for which he
was responsible a fitting surrounding to the abbey. St. Ludger speaks particularly of his prudence, generous alms-deeds and spirit of
forgiveness. The last trait was exemplified after his two half-
brothers had been treacherously killed. When the murderers were sent
to him to be put to what death he should think fit, according to the
barbarous custom of the country in that age which left the punishment
of assassins to the direction of the relations of the deceased person,
the saint gave every one of them an alms, and dismissed them with good
advice. For the last three years of his life St. Gregory bore with
fortitude and patience a creeping paralysis.  He died at Maastricht on
August 25, about the year 775, and his feast is kept at Utrecht and
Trier as well as by the Canons Regular of the Lateran.

As mentioned above St. Ludger wrote a life of Gregory which is our
principal source of information. It has been printed by Mabillon and
in the Acta Sanctorum August, vol. v. Moreover it has been critically
re-edited in Pertz, MGH., Scriptores, vol. xv. See further H.
Timerding, Die christliche Frühzeit Deutschlands, vol. ii,  Die angelsachsische Mission " (1929), and J. A. Coppens, Kerkgeschiedenis
van Noord-Nederland (1902), pp. 62-70; with Hauck, Kirchengeschichte Deutschlands, vol. ii.


Saint Quote:
An explanation of how repentant sinners are to be freed from their
sins is given through the prophet Isaiah in the words: Wash yourselves
and be clean. Remove the evil from your souls; learn to do what is
right. Be just to the orphan, vindicate the widow. Come, let us reason together, says the Lord. If your sins are like scarlet, I will make
them white as wool; if they are like crimson, I will make them white
as snow.
-- Saint Justin Martyr

Bible Quote:
And they sung to thy holy name, O Lord, and they praised with one
accord thy victorious hand. For wisdom opened the mouth of the dumb,
and made the tongues of infants eloquent.  (Wisdom x. 20-21 )


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Rend your hearts,
not your garments,
and return to the Lord, your God.
For gracious and merciful, is He,
slow to anger,
rich in kindness,
and relenting in punishment.

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