Counsels on the Inner Life (X)

[weedy]

Counsels on the Inner Life (X)

What will the flames feed upon, but your sins? The more you spare
yourself now, and indulge the desires of the body, the more severe
will be your punishment hereafter, and the more fuel you gather for
the flames. In whatever things a man sins, in those will he be the
more severely punished (Wisd.11:17). Then will the slothful be spurred
by fiery goads, and the gluttonous tormented by dire hunger and
thirst. Then will the luxurious and pleasure-loving be plunged into
burning pitch and stinking sulphur, while the envious will howl their
grief like wild dogs.
--Thomas à Kempis --Imitation of Christ Bk 2 Ch 1

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• November 19th - St. Ermenburga of Thanet, Widow

I think it is worth mentioning today a saint not commemorated in the
Russian calendar, but whose feast falls today (Nov 19, that is) in the
Roman and old English calendars – Ermenburga, foundress of the
monastery at Thanet. In fact, she has been mentioned here before in
connection with several other saints in her immediate family.
[celt-saints] comes through again:

‘St. Ermenburga of Thanet, Widow (Ebba, Eormenburh, Domneva) Died c.
650-700. Saint Ermenburga was a Kentish princess of distinguished
lineage. Her father was Ermenred, the brother of King Erconbert of
Kent. She married Merewald, said to be the son of King Penda of
Mercia, by whom she bore four children, including Saints Mildred (f.d.
July 13), Milburga (f.d. February 23); eldest of the three girls), and
Mildgith (f.d. January 17; youngest daughter), and Merefin, who died
in his youth. Ermenburga’s own siblings included Saints Ethelred and
Ethelbert (f.d. October 17).

When they were cruelly murdered at Eastry near Sandwich by Egbert’s
counsellor Thunor, their sister received the “wergild” in the form of
land at Kent. In her old age Ermenburga used this land to found the
convent of Minster on Thanet, where the place name Ebbsfleet still
perpetuates her memory. She became its abbess about 670 and was
succeeded by her daughter Mildred, who had been trained at Chelles in
France. Domneva is a contraction of Domna Ebba (Lady Ebba).’

One of the two Anglican ‘flying bishops’ (bishops without a
geographical see, who minister to those parishes who have signed up to
the ABC resolutions against having women priests) is the Bishop of
Ebbsfleet. How can a church call itself one, in which some of the
people refuse to acknowledge some of the priests? Holy women of
Thanet, pray for the Church of England.


Bible Quote
That he was caught up into paradise, and heard secret words, which it
is not granted to man to utter. For such an one I will glory; but for
myself I will glory nothing, but in my infirmities. (2 Corinthians
12:4-5) DRB

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7. It should be observed that perfect love of God consists not in
those delights, tears, and sentiments of devotion that we generally
seek, but in a strong determination and keen desire to please God in
all things, and to take care, as far as possible, not to offend Him,
and to promote His glory.
--St. Teresa

St. Jane Frances de Chantal showed how well she understood this great
truth, by a letter she sent to the Superior of a Religious who was
looked upon as a soul filled with the love of God, because she enjoyed
extraordinary consolations. "This good girl:' she wrote, "greatly
needs to be undeceived. She believes herself highly elevated in the
love of God, yet she is not much advanced in virtue. I believe that
these fervors and exaltations which she feels are the work of nature
and self-love. Therefore, she should be shown that the real strength
of love consists not in enjoying the Divine sweetness, but rather in
exact observance of the Rules, and the faithful practice of solid
virtue--that is, in humility, the love of contempt, patient endurance
of insults and adversities, self-forgetfulness, and a love that seeks
not to be known except by God. This alone is true love, and these are
its unerring tokens. May God preserve us from that sensible love which
allows us to live in ourselves, while the true leads us to die to
ourselves."

Such was the love of St. Thomas Aquinas, of whom it is recorded that
he kept his soul always as pure and true as that of a child five years
old.

Taken from the book "A Year with the Saints". November: Charity)