• July 28th - St. Samson

    From rich@1:396/4 to All on Fri Jul 27 10:08:53 2018
    From: rich <richarra@gmail.com>

    July 28th - St. Samson

    Saint Samson was born in Wales around the year 485 and is considered
    one of the greatest missionaries to come from Britain. At the age of
    seven, his parents dedicated him to the service of God in gratitude
    for his birth after a long period of childlessness. He was enrolled
    under Saint Illtud at his monastery at Llanwit, Glamorgan; when he
    reached manhood Samson was ordained deacon and priest by Illtud
    himself. This caused considerable jealously among a number of the
    monks, and two nephews of Illtud attempted to murder Samson, who
    therefore left the community to live as a hermit on the island of
    Caldey off the coast of Pembrokeshire.

    Samson's father Amon and his uncle Umbrafel joined him on the islan=
    d
    after Amon had recovered from a serious illness, having received the
    last rites from his son. When the abbot Piro died, Samson succeeded
    him but resigned after a trip to Ireland and resumed his eremitical
    life in Wales with Amon and two others.

    After a time, Samson went to Cornwall were he was consecrated bishop
    as well as abbot of Saint Dubricius Monastery. He then traveled
    throughout Cornwall, working as a missionary, founding monasteries and churches, and gathering to himself many followers. He crossed the
    Channel to continue his missionary activities in Brittany. There he
    was given some land on which to build a monastery; this site in time
    became the town of Dol, which became the spiritual center of Brittany.

    Sensing that the end of his earthly life was near, Samson undertook a
    journey throughout the whole region of Neustria, moving slowly from
    parish to parish, often stopping to preach or to celebrate the Divine
    Office. His missionary activities throughout Britain and Brittany
    ended only with his death around the year 565.

    During his life and after his death many miracles were attributed to
    Saint Samson. Some of his relics, including an arm and a crosier, were
    acquired in the 10th century by King Athelstan of Wessex for his
    monastery at Milton Abbas in Dorset, which is why Samson's feast is
    kept in many places in England. Samson's name is still greatly revered throughout Brittany and Wales.


    Lessons--Samson

    1. St. Samson was a great missionary of his time, spreading the Word
    of God throughout Britain and Brittany. While we pray for all
    missionaries, let us not forget that we too are called to be
    missionaries, called to bring the Word of God to all those we come in
    contact with.

    2. St. Samson's work in the Lord's vineyard didn't =
    end until his
    death. If we are retired or approaching retirement age, let us not
    forget that the spreading of the Gospel is not something we should
    ever retire from. Whatever our age, whatever our walk in life, we can=E2=80=94and must=E2=80=94all work to bring Christ to the world.


    Saint Quote:
    "Let no one wear a mask, otherwise he will do ill; and if he has one,
    let him burn it."
    --St Philip Neri

    Bible Quote:
    Give in to God: resist the devil, and he will run away from you. The
    nearer you go to God, the nearer he will come to you. Humble
    yourselves before the Lord and he will lift you up. (James 4:7-8,10 )


    <><><><>
    A prayer to Christ to overcoming a sin of passion:

    Beloved Jesus, in the Sacrament of the Altar, be forever thanked and
    praised. Love, worthy of all celestial and terrestrial! Who, out of
    infinite love for me, an ungrateful sinner, didst assume my nature, didst
    shed Thy most Precious Blood in the cruel scourging, and didst expire on a shameful cross for my eternal welfare.

    Now, illumined with lively faith, with the outpouring of my whole soul and
    the fervor of my heart, I humbly beseech Thee, through the infinite merits
    of Thy painful sufferings, give me strength and courage to destroy and ever=
    y
    evil passion which sways my heart, to bless Thee in my greatest
    afflictions, to glorify Thee by the exact fulfillment of my duties,
    supremely hate all sin, and thus to become a Saint. Amen.
    --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
    * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)