From: rich <
richarra@gmail.com>
April 22nd - Saint Leonidas of Alexandria
(Also known as Leonides)
(d. 202)
The Emperor Severus, in the year 202, the tenth of his reign, raised a
bloody persecution which filled the entire empire with martyrs, but
especially Egypt. The most illustrious of those who by their triumphs
ennobled and edified the city of Alexandria was Leonides, father of
the great Origen. He was a Christian philosopher and excellently
versed both in the profane and sacred sciences. He had seven sons; the
eldest was Origen, whom he brought up with very great care, returning
thanks to God for having blessed him with a son of such an excellent disposition for learning, and so remarkable a piety. After his son was baptized, he would come to his bedside while he was asleep and,
bending over the child, would kiss his breast respectfully, as the
temple of the Holy Spirit.
When the persecution reached Alexandria in 202, under Laetus, governor
of Egypt, Leonides was cast into prison. Origen, who was then only
seventeen years of age, burned with a fervent desire for martyrdom,
and sought every opportunity of facing it. His ardor redoubled at the
sight of his father's chains, and his mother was forced to lock up =
all
his clothes to oblige him to stay at home. She conjured him not to
forsake her; thus, unable to do more, he wrote a letter to his father
in very moving terms, strongly exhorting him to look at the crown that
was offered him with courage and joy. He added this exhortation: =E2=80=9CT= ake
heed that for our sakes you do not change your mind!=E2=80=9D Leonides was indeed beheaded for the faith in 202.
Sources: Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints, a compilation based on
Butler's Lives of the Saints and other sources
Saint Quote:
Never see a need without trying to do something about it.
--Blessed Mary Mackillop
Bible Quote:
Woe to the worthless shepherd that leaveth the flock! The sword shall
be upon his arm, and upon his right eye; his arm shall be clean dried
up, and his right eye utterly darkened. (Zech 11:17)
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Humility
Humility so greatly pleases God that, in coming upon earth, He made it
His own special virtue. In order to understand it, let us rise above
the highest heavens to that sublime solitude where the infinite
excellence of His Being places Him--at an incommensurable distance
from all created beings. This will be the starting-point which will
enable us to measure the humility of the Incarnate Word. He descends
first to the dazzling order of the Seraphim, which, for God, is
already an immense descent; it is to traverse the infinite. He still
descends, and descends until He arrives at our nature. It is in our
clay He wills His majesty to be. But in this clay there are different
degrees. There is the clay which shines beneath the splendor of gold
and of purple. It is doubtless a false splendor, but yet it shines;
the Word of God will have none of it. He, therefore, descends yet
lower. First, He finds a stable, then the dwelling of an artisan. He
finds a poor woman, who gains her bread by labor. He descends even
lower than this, and He hides Himself in her womb; He chooses this
obscure person to be His first dwelling upon earth. O abyss of
humility! Who, after this, would desire esteem and glory? Who would
wish to appear in public, to attract notice, to make himself
applauded? Who would not love a hidden life?
--Rev. M. Hamon, Meditations for All the Days of the Year, 19th century
--- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
* Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)