From: rich <richarra@gmail.com>

April 4th =E2=80=93 St. Zosimas of Palestine
(also called Zosima)
Born c. 460, Palestine=C2 =C2 Died c. 560, Palestine

Saint Zosimas was born in the 2nd half of the 5th century, during the
reign of Emperor Theodosius the Younger. He became a monk in a
monastery in Palestine at a very young age, gaining a reputation as a
great elder and ascetic. At the age of 53, now a hieromonk, he moved
to a very strict monastery located in the wilderness close to the
Jordan River, where he spent the remainder of his life.

He is best known for his encounter with St. Mary of Egypt
(commemorated on April 1). It was the custom of that monastery for all
of the brethren to go out into the desert for the forty days of Great
Lent, spending the time in fasting and prayer, and not returning until
Palm Sunday. While wandering in the desert he met Saint Mary, who told
him her life story and asked him to meet her the next year on Holy
Thursday on the banks of the Jordan, in order to bring her Holy
Communion. He did so, and the third year came to her again in the
desert, but he found that she had passed away and he buried her. St
Zosimas is reputed to have lived to be almost one hundred years of
age.

All that we know of Zosimas' life comes from the Vita of St. Mary of
Egypt,[1] recorded by St. Sophronius, who was the Patriarch of
Jerusalem from 634 to 638. Sophronius based his work on oral tradition
he had heard from Palestinian monks. This Vita is traditionally read
as a part of the Matins of the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete, on
the fifth Thursday of Great Lent.

A type of eucharistic miracle was recorded by St. Zosimus of Palestine
in the sixth century. This miracle concerns St. Mary of Egypt, who
left her parents at the age of 12 and became a prostitute. Seventeen
years later, she found herself in Palestine. On the feast day of the
Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Mary went to the church, looking for
customers. At the door of the church, she saw an image of the Virgin
Mary. She was overcome with remorse for the life she had led and asked
for our Lady's guidance. A voice told her, "If you cross the Jordan
River, you will find peace."

The next day, Mary did so. There, she took up the life of a hermit and
lived alone in the desert for forty-seven years. As the Virgin had
promised, she found peace of soul. One day she saw a monk, St. Zosimus
of Palestine, who had come to the desert for Lent. Although they had
never met, Mary called him by his name. They spoke for a while, and at
the end of the conversation, she asked Zosimus to come back the
following year and bring the Eucharist for her.

Zosimus did as she requested, but Mary was on the other side of the
Jordan. There was no boat for him to cross to her, and Zosimus thought
that it would be impossible to give her Communion. St. Mary made the
sign of the cross and walked across the water to meet him, and he gave
her Communion. She again asked him to return the following year, but
when he did, he found that she had died. Next to her corpse was a note
asking that he bury her. He reported that he was assisted by a lion in
the digging of her grave.

Notes
=C2 =C2 1. ^ A Vita is the life of a saint, often the earliest formal hagiography of that particular individual.


Saint Quote:
"Whatever you do, think not of yourselves but of God."
--Saint Vincent Ferrer.

Bible Quote:
=C2 It is written in the prophets, =E2=80=98And they shall all be taught =
by God.'
Every one who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me.
(John 6:45)=C2 RSVCE


<><><><>
Prayer for Healing of Mind

O Jesus, come into my sorrows,
anxieties, mental troubles
and to every stages of my growth and formation.
Deliver me from the painful memories of the past.
Fill me with your Holy Spirit.
I forgive all those who hurt me
and fill all of them with your Holy Spirit.
Thank you Jesus.
Praise you Jesus.

Amen.
--- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
* Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)