From: rich <
richarra@gmail.com>
January 13th - St. Potitus, Martyr
d. ca 160
The Holy Martyr Potitus suffered under the emperor Antoninus Pius
(reigned 138-161). Having become familiar with the Christian teaching,
the young Potitus believed in the true God and accepted holy Baptism
at thirteen years of age. When he learned of this, his pagan father
was extremely upset and tried, first by endearments, and then by
threats to dissuade his son from his faith in Christ the Savior, but
his efforts were in vain. Impressed by the boy's firmness of faith,
the father also came to believe in the Son of God and became a
Christian himself.
St. Potitus traveled through many lands preaching about Christ, and by
the power of God he worked wondrous miracles.
In the region of Epiros, lived the illustrious woman Kyriake, the wife
of a senator; she was afflicted with leprosy. Hearing of St. Potitus,
she summoned him and asked him to heal her. The saint declared that if
she believed in Christ, she would be healed. The woman accepted holy
Baptism and was immediately made well. Seeing such a miracle, her
husband and all their household believed in Christ and were baptized
as well.
After this, the saint settled on Mount Garganus and lived in solitude,
among the animals. He was found there by servants of the emperor
Antoninus, whose daughter was possessed by a demon. Through the lips
of the maiden, the devil said that he would come out of her only if
Potitus should come. They brought the holy youth to the emperor, and
through the prayers of St. Potitus the demon released the girl. But
instead of being grateful, the emperor treated the saint with inhuman
cruelty. For his firm confession of faith in Christ the Savior, and
for his refusal to offer sacrifice to the pagan gods, to whom the
emperor imputed the healing of his daughter, he ordered that the
saint's tongue be torn out, and that he be blinded. After lengthy
torture, St. Potitus was finally beheaded.
Saint Quote:
"Little children follow and obey their father. They love their mother.
They know nothing of covetousness, ill-will, bad temper, arrogance and
lying. This state of mind opens the road to heaven. To imitate our
Lord's own humility, we must return to the simplicity of God's little
ones."
--Saint Hilary of Poitiers.
Bible Quote:
And thou shalt say in that day: I will give thanks to thee, O Lord,
for thou wast angry with me: thy wrath is turned away, and thou hast
comforted me. Behold, God is my saviour, I will deal confidently, and
will not fear: because the Lord is my strength, and my praise, and he
is become my salvation. =C2 (Isaiah 12:1-2)DRB
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The Importance of Humility =C2 [I]
Humility is not only important to the welfare of our souls, but it is absolutely necessary in order to obtain grace from Almighty God. He
resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble. Pride is an
insuperable bar to the entrance of grace into the soul, and as we can
do nothing good in the sight of God without the assistance of His
grace, we must have at least some degree of humility before we can do
anything pleasing to Him. In proportion to our humility will be the
grace given us, and the supernatural virtue to which we shall attain.
The first thing I must do if I wish to please God more is to humble
myself more.
Humility is not only necessary to the obtaining of grace, but without
it we are the enemies of God. He resists the proud; that is, they have
God fighting against them, and regarding them as His enemies. How
awful a thing to have God for our adversary. It was this that rendered
the devils for ever accursed. It was the humility of their subjection
that in one moment confirmed the holy Angels in the love of God, in
perfect happiness to all eternity. If I wish God to fight for me, not
against me, the first condition is humility.
Humility is a necessary condition of entrance into the Kingdom of
Heaven. "Unless you become as little children," says our Divine Lord,
"you cannot enter into the Kingdom of God." He loves the humble, and
no one who has in his heart the spirit of humility need have any fear
of death and judgment. O my God, am I really-humble? Is there not
still in me, alas! a spirit of pride hateful to Thee? Drive out from
me all pride and fill me with true humility, that I may be fit for
Thee and fit for Heaven.
--- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
* Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)