• September 1st - St. Giles, Hermit and Abbot

    From rich@1:396/4 to All on Thu Aug 31 10:07:13 2017
    From: rich <richarra@gmail.com>

    September 1st - St. Giles, Hermit and Abbot
    from Mary, Help of Christians, 1908

    Athens, in Greece, was the native city of St. Giles. He was of noble
    parentage, and devoted himself from early youth to piety and learning.
    After the death of his parents he distributed his rich inheritance to
    the poor, and to escape the applause of men for his charity left his
    country to bury himself in obscurity.

    He sailed for France, and on his arrival there retired to a deserted
    country near the mouth of the river Rhone. Later he made his abode
    near the river Gard, and finally buried himself in a forest in the
    diocese of Nimes. In this solitude he passed many years, living on
    wild herbs and roots, with water for his drink. It is related that for
    some time a hind (deer) came daily to be milked by him, thus
    furnishing him additional sustenance. Here he lived, disengaged from
    earthly cares, conversing only with God, and engaged in the
    contemplation of heavenly things.

    One day the king instituted a great hunt in the forest where Giles
    lived, and encountered the hind. Giving chase, the royal hunter was
    led to the saint's hut, where the panting animal had sought refuge.
    The king inquired who he was, and was greatly edified at the holiness
    of his life. The fame of the saintly hermit now spread far and wide,
    and was much increased by the many miracles wrought through his
    intercession. The king tried to persuade him to leave his solitude,
    but prevailed upon him only in so far, that Giles accepted several
    disciples and founded a monastery in which the rule of St. Benedict
    was observed, and of which he was chosen the abbot. He governed his
    community wisely and well, and at the earnest solicitation of his
    monks was ordained priest.

    The fame of St. Giles' sanctity induced the Frankish King, Charles
    Martel to call him to his court to relieve him of a great trouble of conscience. The saint made the journey, and told the king that he
    would find relief and comfort only by the sincere confession of a sin
    which he had hitherto concealed. The king followed his advice, found
    interior peace and dismissed Giles with many tokens of gratitude. On
    his homeward journey the saint raised the recently deceased son of a
    nobleman to life.

    After a short stay in his monastery St. Giles went to Rome, to obtain
    from the Pope the confirmation of some privileges and the apostolic
    blessing for his community. The Pope granted his wishes, and presented
    him, besides, with two grand and beautifully carved doors of cedar
    wood for his church. St. Giles died at a ripe old age on September 1,
    725. Many miracles were wrought at his tomb.


    LESSON

    St. Giles left his native country and retired into solitude to escape
    the notice and applause of the world, and served God as a recluse. To
    lead such a life, there must be a special call from God. It is not
    suited to all, and even inconsistent with the duties of most men. But
    all are capable of disengaging their affections from the inordinate
    attachment to creatures, and of attaining to a pure and holy love of
    God. By making the service of God the motive of their thoughts and
    actions, they will sanctify their whole life.

    In whatever conditions of life we may be placed, we have opportunities
    of subduing our evil inclinations and mortifying ourselves by frequent self-denials, of watching over our hearts and purifying our senses by recollection and prayer. Thus each one, in his station of life, may
    become a saint, by making his calling an exercise of virtue and his
    every act a step higher to perfection and eternal glory.

    See more at:
    http://catholicharboroffaithandmorals.com/St.%20Giles.html


    Saint Quote:
    When tempted, invoke your Angel. he is more eager to help you than you
    are to be helped! Ignore the devil and do not be afraid of him: He
    trembles and flees at the sight of your Guardian Angel.
    --St. John Bosco

    Bible Quote
    "You see now that it is by deeds, and not only by believing, that
    someone is justified. There is another example of the same kind: Rahab
    the prostitute, was she not justified by her deeds because she
    welcomed the messengers and showed them a different way to leave?"
    [James 2:24-25]

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    Prayer:
    Correct in me, O Lord; that indolence of mind in which I
    squander away my time with trifles, and that uselessness of thought
    which withdraws me from the enjoyment of Thy presence, and distracts
    my attention in the time of prayer; or if, when I recite my prayers, I
    cannot always think of Thee, grant that my distractions may not be
    voluntary, so that whilst they divert my mind, they may never withdraw
    my heart from Thee. Teach me, O Lord, before prayer, to prepare my
    soul, that, urged by my many necessities, and by a desire of pleasing
    Thee, I may fulfill this important duty with a becoming sense of Thine
    awful presence, and of the subject on which I seek relief from Thy
    bounty and mercy. Amen
    --Thomas =C3 Kempis, From the Imitation of Christ
    --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
    * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)