• =?UTF-8?Q?December_20th_=E2=80=93_St=2E_Philogonius=2C_Bishop_of_Antioc

    From rich@1:396/4 to All on Thu Dec 19 08:42:52 2019
    From: rich <richarra@gmail.com>

    December 20th =E2=80=93 St. Philogonius, Bishop of Antioch

    St. Philogonius was brought up to the law, and made a considerable name at = the bar for his eloquence, integrity and ability to make =E2=80=9Cthe wrong=
    ed stronger than the wronger=E2=80=9D. While still a layman, with a wife an=
    d daughter, he was in 319 placed in the see of Antioch upon the death of Vi= talis.

    St. John Chrysostom mentions the flourishing state of that church in his ti=
    me as proof of his zeal and excellent administration. In the storms, which = were raised against the Church by Maximinus and Licinius, St. Philogonius c= onfessed his faith and was imprisoned. His festival was celebrated at Antio=
    ch on December 20 in the year 386, at which Chrysostom pronounced his paneg= yric, touching lightly on his virtues because, as he says, he left the deta=
    il of them to the bishop Flavian, who was to speak after him.

    Chrysostom speaks in moving terms of the peace which this saint now enjoys =
    in a state where there are no conflicts, no insurgent passions, no more of = =E2=80=9Cthose icy words, =E2=80=98mine =E2=80=98 and =E2=80=98yours=E2=80= =99,=E2=80=9D which fill the world with wars, families with quarrels, and i= ndividuals with disquiet, envy and malice. St. Philogonius had so renounced=
    the world that he received in this life the earnest of Christ's sp=
    irit in its fullest degree. A soul must here learn that spirit and state of=
    the blessed if she hopes to reign with them hereafter: she must have some = acquaintance beforehand with the mysteries of grace and the works of love a=
    nd praise. People are not invited to consort even with a temporal king, as = St. Macarius says, until they have been instructed in the manners and custo=
    ms of a court, so that they may not come to it in complete ignorance of its=
    ways.

    Here again all the information we possess comes from a single source, a ser= mon of St. John Chrysostom. The text is printed in Migne, PG., vol. xlviii,=
    pp. 747-756. On the degree of credit which attaches to the evidence of suc=
    h panegyrics see the warnings given by Delehaye in his book Les Passions de=
    s Martyrs et les Genres litt=C3=A9raires (1921), ch. ii, pp. 183-235.


    Saint Quote:
    The sorest afflictions never appear intolerable, but when we see them
    in the wrong light: when we see them in the hand of God, Who dispenses
    them; when we know that it is our loving Father who abases and
    distresses us; our sufferings will lose their bitterness and become
    even a matter of consolation.
    --Brother Lawrence

    Bible Quote:
    Do not love the world, or the things that are in the world. If anyone
    loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. =C2 (1 St. John
    2:15)


    <><><><>
    Behold Me at Your Feet

    Behold me at Your feet, O Jesus of Nazareth, behold the
    most wretched of creatures, who comes into Your presence
    humble and penitent! Have mercy on me, O Lord, according
    to Your great mercy! I have sinned and my sins are always
    before You. Yet my soul belongs to You, for You created it,
    and redeemed it with Your Precious Blood.

    Ah, grant that Your redeeming work be not in vain! Have pity
    on me; give me tears of true repentance; pardon me for I am
    Your child; pardon me as You pardoned the penitent thief;
    look upon me from Your throne in heaven and give me Your
    blessing.

    I believe in God, etc. - Amen.

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