• July 16th - St. Sisenandus of Cordova, Martyr

    From rich@1:396/4 to All on Wed Jul 15 09:31:54 2020
    From: rich <richarra@gmail.com>

    July 16th - St. Sisenandus of Cordova, Martyr
    =C2 (also known as Sisenando of Cordoba

    Born at Badajoz, Estremadura, Portugal; died at Cordova, Spain, 851.
    Sisenandus was a man of the cross. He made the sign of the cross on
    himself and on everything-on the face of the morning, on his bread, on
    the road that he travelled. At every step, at every turn, the cross
    was before him: the cross that can be seen planted in the earth or
    elevated above the altar, and the cross that cannot be seen, the cross
    that is secret and hidden.
    From his youth he was filled with faith, and from his faith he learned
    hope, and from his contemplation of the cross he learned charity. Led
    by the cross he went to Cordova to study Latin, theology, canon law,
    liturgy, and all that was needed to become a priest. He was ordained a
    deacon at Cordova.

    He lodged in the church of Saint Acisclus, martyred under Diocletian,
    and it was to Saint Acisclus that he prayed for help, as if he already
    knew what his own fate was to be. He prayed to the saint fervently,
    constantly, appealing to him on the fellowship of the cross, not yet
    knowing just what it was that drew him on. Nevertheless, he answered
    the call, acknowledging the smallness of his understanding in the
    embrace of divine logic; and gradually, as he prayed, his resolution
    grew, his hesitation lessened and he prepared-not without fear-to
    answer the call of Peter, Wallabonsus, Sabinian, Wistremundus,
    Habentius, and Jeremias, all of them martyred by the Moors.

    They were claiming him as one of them, and Sisenandus put himself into
    the hands of Jesus Christ. The Moors under Abderrahman II had just
    unleashed a new epidemic of persecutions against the Christians, but
    Sisenandus had put himself in the hands of Jesus Christ, so how could
    he be other than joyful?

    He was imprisoned, but prison did not deprive him of his freedom for
    with the cross as his key no doors were locked to him. He lived
    without thought for the morrow and prayed for the conversion of his
    guards. He wrote to one of his friends, but had to break off the
    letter and end it with a cross, for he knew before they arrived that
    his guards were coming to take him to his death.

    God had seen his strength and courage and found him worthy enough to
    know that his death was coming and to go out and meet it. When the
    guards came and dragged him out of the prison with insults and blows,
    he made the sign of the cross as if he were entering a church. And
    when he was taken in front of the large crowd to be bound and
    beheaded, he crossed himself for the last time (Benedictines,
    Encyclopedia).


    Saint Quote:
    Occupy your minds with good thoughts, or the enemy will fill them with
    bad ones. Unoccupied, they cannot be.
    -- Saint Thomas More

    Bible Quote:
    =C2 For the word of the Lord is right, and all his works are done with faithfulness.=C2 [Psalm 33:4]=C2 DRB


    <><><><>
    ACT OF CONSECRATION
    By St. Francis de Sales

    MOST Holy Mary, Virgin Mother of God, I (full name), most unworthy
    though I am to be thy servant, yet touched by thy motherly care for me
    and longing to serve thee, do, in the presence of my Guardian Angel
    and all the court of Heaven, choose thee this day to be my queen, my
    advocate, and my mother, and I firmly purpose to serve thee evermore
    myself and to do what I can that all may render faithful service to
    thee.

    Therefore, most devoted Mother, through the Precious Blood thy Son
    poured out for me, I beg thee and beseech thee, deign to take me among
    thy clients and receive me as thy servant forever.

    Aid me in my every action, and beg for me the grace never, by word or
    deed or thought, to be displeasing in thy sight and that of thy most
    holy Son.

    Think of me, my dearest Mother, and desert me not at the hour of death. Ame=
    n.


    Saint Quote:
    Whatever a man prefers to God, that he makes a god to himself.
    -- Saint Cyprian of Carthage
    --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
    * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)