On Contempt for Worldly Honors [II]

[Weedy]

On Contempt for Worldly Honors [II]

But because I have so often and grievously sinned against Thee, every
creature is rightly in arms against me. Shame and contempt are my just
due; but to Thee, O Lord, be praise, honor and glory. Unless I am
ready, willing and glad to be despised and abandoned by all creatures
and to be regarded as of no consequence, I cannot obtain inward peace
and stability, nor can I become spiritually enlightened and fully
united to You.
--Thomas à Kempis --Imitation of Christ Bk 3 Ch 41

<<>><<>><<>>
May 17th - Saint Solochon

A native of Egypt imperial army in regiment of tribune Campanus
suffered for Christ during the reign of the emperor Maximian
(284-305). The holy martyrs Pamphamirus and Pamphalon also gave their
lives for Christ at the same time. All of them served in the imperial
army in the regiment of the tribune Campanus.

During the persecution against Christians by the emperors Maximian and
Diocletian, Campanus was sent to the city of Chalcedon with his
soldiers. All the soldiers of his regiment were required to offer
sacrifice in a pagan temple. The three soldiers, Sts. Solochon,
Pamphamirus and Pamphalon, refused to offer sacrifice to idols,
explaining that they worshiped only the true God, the Lord Jesus
Christ.

On the orders of Campanus they were subjected to terrible tortures,
during which the holy martyrs Pamphamirus and Pamphalon died. St.
Solochon survived the torture and remained alive, glorifying Christ.
In great anger, the torturer gave orders to open St. Solochon's mouth
and force him to drink blood offered to idols. But St. Solochon
clenched his teeth so strongly, that they could not open them even
with iron. The sword bent, and the saint broke his bonds and stood
before the torturer, continuing to glorify Christ.

St. Solochon heard a voice from the heavens encouraging him to
persevere to the end. The saint endured a merciless beating, after
which they dragged him over sharp stones, demanding that he renounce
Christ, but the holy martyr remained steadfast. Then he was hung up by
one hand, with a heavy weight tied to his leg. St. Solochon remained
in this position for about three hours. When finally they cut the
ropes, then to everyone's surprise, St. Solochon stood upright on his
feet, like a healthy man. Insane with anger, Campanus took a stylus
and thrust it into the martyr's ear.

The sufferer fell down, and Campanus and the soldiers departed,
casting him aside. Christians carried the martyr to the house of a
certain pious widow and placed him on a cot. The saint ate some food
and conversed with the Christians, exhorting them to stand firmly for
the Faith, and then after he prayed and lifted up his eyes to heaven,
he surrendered his soul to the Lord Jesus Christ.


Saint Quote:
How can one be pleasing to God when one is inflated with pride and
self-love under the pretense of striving for God's glory, while in
fact one is seeking one's own glory?
-- Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska

Bible Quote:
But at that time shall Michael rise up, the great prince, who standeth
for the children of thy people: and a time shall come such as never
was from the time that nations began even until that time. And at that
time shall thy people be saved, every one that shall be found written
in the book. [Daniel 12:1] DRV


<><><><>
The believer and the unbeliever

When I hear that Christ was crucified I am filled with amazement
at his love for us, but to the unbeliever this shows weakness. When I
hear that Christ became a servant I am astonished at his solicitude
for us, but to the unbeliever this is a disgrace. When I hear that
Christ died I marvel at his power, since he was not conquered by
death, but instead put an end to death. The unbeliever, however, sees
Christ's death as a sign of helplessness.
The unbeliever regards the resurrection as pure fiction, but I
accept the proven facts and venerate God's saving plan. In baptism the
unbeliever sees only water, but I perceive not only what meets the
eye, but also the purification of the soul by the Holy Spirit. The
unbeliever thinks only the body is cleansed, but I believe that the
soul also is made pure and holy, and I am reminded of the tomb, the
resurrection, our sanctification, justification, redemption, adoption,
and inheritance, of the kingdom of heaven and the gift of the Holy
Spirit. I judge outward appearances not by what I see but by the eyes
of the mind. When the body of Christ is mentioned, the words have one
meaning for me, another for the unbeliever.
--Excerpt from sermon of John Chrysostom: