How Surrender Of Self Brings Freedom Of Heart [I]

[Weedy]

How Surrender Of Self Brings Freedom Of Heart [I]

CHRIST.
My son, renounce self and you shall find me. (Matt. 16:24) Retain no
private choice or personal interest and you will always be the gainer.
As soon as you yield yourself unreservedly into My hands, I will grant
you even richer graces.

THE DISCIPLE.
How often shall I yield myself and in what way forsake myself, Lord?

CHRIST.
Always and at all times, in small things as well as in great. I make
no exceptions, for I desire to have you wholly divested of self:
otherwise, unless you are wholly stripped of self-will, how can you be
Mine, or I yours? The sooner you do this the better it will be with
you and the more completely and sincerely you do it, the better you
will please Me and the greater will be your gain.
--Thomas à Kempis --Imitation of Christ Bk 3 Ch 37

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29 August – Bl. John of Perugia`OFM Priest and Bl. Peter of Sassoferrato OFM

(Died 1231)
Lay Brother, Martyrs, Confessors, Friars of the Friars Minor. Both
were beheaded in 1231 in Valencia, Spain. We have no artworks of the
two Saints, those below are generic Franciscans.

The two Friars Minor, Blessed John of Perugia, a Priest, and Peter of
Sassoferrato, a lay brother, were sent to Spain with a large number of
Friars by St Francis himself. There, they were assigned to the kingdom
of Aragon, where they built a small Convent in the little town of
Teruel and reaped much fruit, by their holy lives, their prayers and
their sermons on penance.

Their longing for the conversion of the infidels and the hope of
obtaining the Palm of Martyrdom urged Friars John and Peter to go to
the larger city of Valencia, which was governed, at that time, by the
Moorish King Azotus. The Friars began to preach in public that Jesus
Christ is the true Son of God and that only through Him, can we be
saved. Azotus was a bitter enemy of the Christians.

Hearing of the activities of the Friars, he had them seized and cast
into prison. He used every possible means to force them to apostatise.
But when promises and threats alike, failed to shake their constancy,
he condemned them to be beheaded. The Friars thanked the King,,
praying fervently to God to enlighten their persecutor and in His
mercy, to grant him the grace of conversion to the true Faith. Then,
Blessed John of Perugia and Peter of Sassoferrato were beheaded. This
occurred in the year 1231.

A few years later, James I, the Catholic King of Aragon, made war on
Valencia. His army defeated the army of Azotus, who by this ill
fortune and by the grace which the holy Martyrs had won for him from
God, recognised Mohammed as a false prophet and Christ as the Saviour
of the world. King James rejoiced exceedingly when Azotus asked to be
Baptised. After his Baptism, Azotus offered the Friars Minor, his
former palace, for a Convent.

“When I was still an infidel,” he told them, “I caused your brethren
to be executed at Teruel. I sincerely regret this crime and desire to
make reparation for it. Accept my palace, in which the blood of many
holy Martyrs has been shed and convert it into a convent.”
The palace was remodeled into a Convent and, next to it, a Church was
erected in honour of the two Martyrs. On 11 September 1704, Pope
Clement XI approved the public veneration which was paid to them and
in 1783, Pope Pius VI again honoured them by confirming their cultus.

https://anastpaul.com/2022/08/29/


And he beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head in a dish: and
gave it to the damsel, and the damsel gave it to her mother.
[Mark 6:28] DRV

REFLECTION – “In what way, then, was this just man harmed by this
demise, this violent death, these chains, this imprisonment? Who are
those he did not set back on their feet — provided they had a penitent
disposition — because of what he spoke because of what he suffered,
because of what he still proclaims in our own day — the same message
he preached, while he was living. Therefore, do not say: “Why was John
allowed to die?” For what occurred was not a death, but a crown, not
an end, but the beginning of a greater life. Learn to think and live
like a Christian. You will not only remain unharmed by these events,
but will reap the greatest benefits.”
St John Chrysostom (347-407) Archbishop of Constantinople, Father and
Doctor of the Church (On the Providence of God 22).

PRAYER – May the great festival of St John the Baptist, Thy Precursor
and Martyr, we beseech Thee, O Lord, assure for us the results of Thy
saving help. Who lives and reign with God the Father, in the unity of
the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).