• January 13th - St. Hilary of Poiters

    From rich@1:396/4 to All on Sat Jan 12 08:06:17 2019
    From: rich <richarra@gmail.com>

    January 13th - St. Hilary of Poiters
    (A.D. 368)

    Today, January 13, marks the memorial of Saint Hilary of Poiters ,
    Church bishop and doctor. Known as a staunch defender of the faith,
    Saint Hilary suffered persecution and exile for asserting the truth of
    the divinity of Jesus. At that time, the early church was undergoing
    attack from outside, but also from within in the form of heresy. Even
    church leaders asserted mistruths about the faith in efforts to
    justify allegiances to powerful governments or lapses in their own
    lives. Saint Hilary orthodoxy and public defense of the faith led to
    exile on the coast of then, Phyrgia (now Turkey). While in exile he
    penned a 12 volume set of books devoted to exploration of the divinity
    of Christ and the Holy Trinity.

    Throughout his life, in the midst of strife, Saint Hilary fought to
    speak and write the truth. He facilitated meetings and discussions
    amongst the various rifts in the church at the time, counseling
    patience and understanding, while never compromising the tenets of the
    faith. A favorite motto of St. Hilary was, Ministros veritatis decet
    vera proferre, "Servants of the truth ought speak the truth."

    Speaking the truth is rarely easy when it comes to our Christian
    beliefs. Many would choose not to hear it, which oftentimes makes us reluctant=E2=80=94whether we are afraid of argument, condemnation, mockery,=
    or
    just seeming foolish. How often do we discount, deny, or modify the
    truth of Christ to be more accepted in today=E2=80=99s society? Saint Hilar=
    y
    stands as an example to us=E2=80=94he lost his home, his family (he was bis= hop
    prior to church doctrine on celibacy of priests and bishops), his
    freedom because he refused to back down from preaching the truth of
    the Gospel. Today, I continue to pray for those who are fearful and
    afraid, as well as the courage to be truthful.


    Saint Quote:
    Without fail, [the vice of sodomy] brings death to the body and
    destruction to the soul. It pollutes the flesh, extinguishes the light
    of the mind, expels the Holy Spirit from the temple of the human
    heart, and gives entrance to the devil, the stimulator of lust.
    --Saint Peter Damian

    Bible Quote:
    When Jesus therefore was born in Bethlehem of Juda, in the days of
    king Herod, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem.
    Saying, Where is he that is born king of the Jews? For we have seen
    his star in the east, and are come to adore him. (Matthew 2:1-2) DRB


    <><><><>
    =E2=80=9CMy soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit rejoice=
    s
    in God my savior.=E2=80=9D With these words Mary first acknowledges the
    special gifts she has been given. Above all other saints, she alone
    could truly rejoice in Jesus, her savior, for she knew that he who was
    the source of eternal salvation would be born in time in her body, in
    one person both her own son and her Lord. =E2=80=9CFor the Almighty has don=
    e
    great things for me, and holy is his name.=E2=80=9D Mary attributes nothing=
    to
    her own merits. She refers all her greatness to the gift of one whose
    essence is power and whose nature is greatness, for he fills with
    greatness and strength the small and the weak who believe in him.

    =E2=80=93 Saint Bede the Venerable from a homily

    Saint Bede the Venerable's patronage:lectors; English writers;
    historians; and Jarrow, England.
    --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
    * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)