From: rich <
richarra@gmail.com>
August 16th =E2=80=93 Bl. Laurence Loricatus, Solitary
Born at Fanello or Facciolo, Apulio, Italy, c. 1190; died at Subiaco
in 1243; cultus approved in 1778 by Pius VI., and while
still a young man had the misfortune accidentally to kill another. In
expiation he made a pilgrimage of penance to Compostela, and on his
return in 1209 went to Subiaco, where he joined a community but was
soon given permission to be a solitary.=C2 He lived in a mountain cave
near by the Sacro Speco of St. Benedict for 33 years, and practised
terrific mortifications of the body: the name Loricatus, "the
cuirassier", was given to him because of the coat of mail studded with
sharp points which he wore next his skin.=C2 His cultus was approved in
1778.
An account of him is given in the Acta Sanctorum, August, vol. iii,
which possesses interest from the fact that it embodies documents
compiled in 1244 during an investigation undertaken at the insistence
of Pope Innocent IV.
Laurence was raised to be a soldier, but when he
accidentally killed a man, he was overcome with remorse.
Laying aside his arms, he made a pilgrimage of penance
and expiation to Santiago de Compostella. Upon his return to Italy, he
entered the Benedictine monastery of Subiaco. He obtained permission
to begin his 34 years of eremitical life among the ruins of one of the
12 monasteries founded on the mountain by Saint Benedict. There he
practiced the strictest poverty by giving away any offerings left by
visitors to the poor. Shepherds and pilgrims who discovered his hiding
place soon joined him in building a small community. He was given the
surname "loricatus" because he wore a coat of chain mail next to his
skin as an act of penance. His fame attracted Cardinal Hugolino
(a.k.a. Pope Gregory IX) who persuaded Laurence in 1224 to take off
his breastplate.
=C2 At the death of Laurence, Amico de Canterano, who had shared his life
for 24 years, succeeded him as the leader. He wrote a book of prayers
that is still extant. Although Pope Innocent IV opened the
canonization process for Laurence in 1244--just a year after his
death, it was never completed. His relics, including a manuscript in
his own hand and his breastplate, are enshrined at the Sagro Speco
(Saint Benedict's Cave) at Subiaco (Benedictines, Farmer) .
Saint Quote:
=C2 =C2 Jesus is working on the ups and downs of human existence: prep=
aring
his three leaders for the trials of the Passion by giving them
something to remember, a moment of glory. Peter wants it to go on for
ever, to settle down there where it felt so good. Instead Jesus brings
them down the mountain, bracing them for the bad times ahead.
=C2 =C2 We must pray without tiring, for the salvation of mankind does=
not
depend on material success, but on Jesus alone.
--St. Frances Xavier Cabrini
Bible Quote:
=C2 =C2 "Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help, trusting in hors=
es,
and putting their confidence in chariots, because they are many; and
in horsemen, because they are very strong; and have not trusted in the
Holy One of Israel, and have not sought after the Lord. Egypt is man,
and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit; and the Lord
shall put down his hand, and the helper shall fall, and he that is
helped shall fall, and they shall all be confounded together." (Isa.
31:1,3).
<><><><>
Angels--Their Unclouded Happiness
Happiness consists in the unimpeded activity of every part of our
nature. The nobler our nature, the greater our capacity for happiness.
Perfect happiness consists in full activity of a perfect nature. The
Angels have a nature perfect in its order and degree, and their whole
nature is occupied with the joy of seeing God face to face. Hence
their happiness is perfect. So too will my happiness be one day, if I
am faithful to God.
Happiness requires that we should look forward to the future without
any misgivings or fear lest we should forfeit our present joy. The
Holy Angels know that for all eternity nothing in Heaven or on earth
can cloud the brightness of their vision of God, or hinder the streams
of delight that flow thence to them unceasingly. We on the other hand
dread coming evils. Yet why should we do so, when all things work
together for good to those who love God? If we loved God more, what we
now fear as evil would lose all its power to terrify us. What we now
dread most would be gladly accepted by us as certain in the end to
work for our good.
The Holy Angels never have their wills crossed, never are thwarted,
never are disappointed, because they have no will save God's. Before
they know His will, they tend to do what seems to them the greatest
good. But they always do so under the condition that God does not will otherwise. Their own will disappears when His is known to them. This
is the secret of happiness in this world as well as in the next.
--- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
* Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)