St. Eugenius of Africa

Random saint of the day from SQPN Patron Saints Index.

Wikipedia entry

Bartleby.com entry

Catholic Encyclopedia entry:

Unanimously elected Bishop of Carthage in 480 to succeed Deogratias (d. 456); d. 13 July, 505. The election was deferred owing to the opposition of the Arian Vandal kings and was only permitted by Huneric at the instance of Zeno and Placidia, into whose family the Vandals had married. The bishop's wise government, charity to the poor, austerity of life, and courage underpersecution, won the admiration of the Arians. In his uncompromising defence of the Divinity of the Word he was imitated by the members of his flock, many of whom were exiled with him, after he had admitted Vandals into the Catholic Church, contrary to royal edict, and had worsted in argument Arian theologians, whom the king pitted against the Catholics. Both sides claimed the name "Catholic", the Arians calling their opponents "Homoousians". The conference was held some time between 481 and February, 484, and ended by the withdrawal of the chief Arian bishop on the plea that he could not speak Latin. TheArians being enraged, Huneric persecuted the Catholics, exiling forty-six bishops to Corsica, and three hundred and two to theAfrican deserts. Among the latter was Eugenius, who under the custody of a ruffian named Antonius dwelt in the desert of Tripoli. On setting out he wrote a letter of consolation and exhortation to the faithful of Carthage which is still extant in the works of Gregory of Tours (P.L., LVII, 769-71). Gunthamund, who succeeded Huneric allowed Eugenius to return to Carthageand permitted him to reopen the churches. After eight years of peace Thrasamund succeeded to the throne, revived thepersecution, arrested Eugenius, and condemned him to death, but commuted the sentence into exile at Vienne, near Albi(Languedoc), where the Arian Alaric was king. Eugenius built here a monastery over the tomb of St. Amaranthus, the martyr, and led a penitential life till his death. He is said to have miraculously cured a man who was blind.

He wrote: "Expositio Fidei Catholicae", demanded of him by Huneric, probably the one submitted by the Catholic bishops at the conference. It proves the consubstantiality of the Word and Divinity of the Holy Ghost. He wrote also an "Apologeticus pro Fide"; "Altercatio cum Arianis", fragments of which are quoted by Victor de Vita; also pleas for the Catholics, addressed to Huneric or his successors. His letter to the faithful of Carthage has been mentioned above.

The Finding of the Child Jesus

The Fifth Joyful Mystery: The Finding of the Child Jesus


(Diary 1437)

Christmas Eve 1937

After Holy Communion, the Mother of God gave me to experience the anxious concern she had in Her heart because of the Son of God. But this anxiety was permeated with such fragrance of abandonment to the will of God that I should call it rather a delight than an anxiety. I understood how my soul ought to accept the will of God in all things. It is a pity I cannot write this the way I experienced it. My soul was plunged in deep recollection all day long. Nothing could tear me away from this recollection, neither duties, nor the business I had with lay people.

The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple

The Fourth Joyful Mystery: The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple


(Diary 915)

O Mary, today a terrible sword has pierced Your holy soul. Except for God, no one knows of Your suffering. Your soul does not break; it is brave, because it is with Jesus. Sweet Mother, unite my soul to Jesus, because it is only then that I will be able to endure the trials and tribulation, and only in union with Jesus will my little sacrifices be pleasing to God. Sweetest Mother, continue to teach me about the interior life. May the sword of suffering never break me. O pure Virgin, pour courage into my heart and guard it.

The Birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ

The Third Joyful Mystery: The Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ


(Diary 1442)

When I arrived at Midnight Mass, from the very beginning I steeped myself in deep recollection, during which time I saw the stable of Bethlehem filled with great radiance. The Blessed Virgin, all lost in the deepest of love, was wrapping Jesus in swaddling clothes, but Saint Joseph was still asleep. Only after the Mother of God put Jesus in the manger, did the light of God awaken Joseph, who also prayed. But after a while, I was left alone with the Infant Jesus who stretched out His little hands to me, and I understood that I was to take Him in my arms. Jesus pressed His head against my heart and gave me to know, by His profound gaze, how good He found it to be next to my heart. At that moment Jesus disappeared and the bell was ringing for Holy Communion.

The Visitation

The Second Joyful Mystery: The Visitation

(Diary 397)
That morning I arrived at Warsaw, and at eight o'clock that evening I was already home. What a joy it was for my parents and for the whole family! It is difficult to describe it. My mother's health had improved a bit, but the doctor gave no hope of complete recovery. After greeting each other, we knelt down to thank God for the grace of being able to be together once again in this life.

3 1/2 Time-Outs Tuesday

1. Today is the feast day of St. Josemaria Escriva. The picture above comes from R. Leon, who does beautiful clip art and other art over at his blog. Go check it out.

2. "Your flesh is tender and raw. That's how you are. Everything seems to make you suffer in your mind and in your senses. And everything is a temptation to you...
     "Be humble - I insist. You will see how quickly all this passes. The pain will turn into joy, and the temptation into firm purpose.
     "But meanwhile, strengthen your faith; fill yourself with hope; and make constant acts of love, even though you think they come only from your lips." (The Way, 727)

3. On a totally different topic, it's been really hot here lately, which means the kids and I are all cranky, hot and tired. Yesterday we spent 3 hours in the pool. Which lead to us being cranky and tired. Vicious cycle.

3 1/2. I'm considering changing my name to a little less anonymous, a little more revealing. Still mulling it over though.

Go see LarryD at Acts of the Apostasy for more time-outs!

The Annunciation

The First Joyful Mystery: The Annunciation


(Diary 136)
And the Lord gave me to know that the whole mystery depended on me, on my free consent to the sacrifice given with full use of my faculties. In this free and conscious act lies the whole power and value before His Majesty. Even if none of these things for which I offered myself would ever happen to me, before the Lord everything was as though it had already been consummated.

At that moment, I realized I was entering into communion with the incomprehensible Majesty. I felt that God was waiting for my word, for my consent. Then my spirit immersed itself in the Lord, and I said, "Do with me as You please. I subject myself to Your will. As of today, Your holy will shall be my nourishment, and I will be faithful to Your commands with the help of Your grace. Do with me as You please. I beg You, O Lord, be with me at every moment of my life."

The Crucifixion

The Fifth Sorrowful Mystery: The Crucifixion

(Diary 1628)

Source

During Holy Mass, I saw Jesus stretched out on the Cross, and He said to me, My pupil, have great love for those who cause you suffering. Do good to those who hate you. I answered, "O my Master, You see very well that I feel no love for them, and that troubles me." Jesus answered, It is not always within your power to control your feelings. You will recognize that you have love if, after having experienced annoyance and contradiction, you do not lose your peace, but pray for those who have made you suffer and wish them well.

The Carrying of the Cross

The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery: The Carrying of the Cross

(Diary 963 & 964)

Oh, if only the suffering soul know how it is loved by God, it would die of joy and excess of happiness! Someday, we will know the value of suffering, but then we will no longer be able to suffer. This present moment is ours. This morning during Holy Mass, I saw the Suffering Jesus, His Passion was imprinted on my body in an invisible manner, but no less painful.

The Crowning with Thorns

The Third Sorrowful Mystery: The Crowning with Thorns

(Diary 349 & 350)
In the morning, during meditation, I felt a painful thorn in the left side of my head. The suffering continued all day. I meditated continually about how Jesus had been able to endure the pain of so many thorns which made up His crown. I joined my suffering to the sufferings of Jesus and offered it for sinners. At four o'clock when I came for adoration, I saw one of our wards offending God greatly by sins of impure thoughts. I also saw a certain person who was the cause of her sin. My soul was pierced with fear, and I asked God, for the sake of Jesus' pain, to snatch her from this terrible misery.

Jesus answered that He would grant her that favor, not for her sake, but for the sake of my request. Now I understood how much we ought to pray for sinners, and especially for our wards.

The Scourging at the Pillar

The Second Sorrowful Mystery: The Scourging at the Pillar

(Diary 1666): Good Friday (April 15, 1938)

I saw the Lord Jesus, tortured, but not nailed to the Cross. It was still before the crucifixion, and He said to me, You are My Heart. Speak to sinners about My mercy. And the Lord gave me interior knowledge of the whole abyss of His mercy for souls, and I learned that that which I had written is truly a drop.

Poetry Follow-Up

In writing this poem, I had to stop myself from interrupting the "flow" - because there were other thoughts crowding in, trying to make space. The poem was partially inspired by Audrey Assad's "Wherever You Go", where she talks about a person running from silence in their head, blessing in the wound, demons at their door; and yes, I feel like I'm running from all of that but also running from what a friend said "You're pretty sure the act of loving Him will leave you shattered and raw." Yes and more.

I already feel like my skin has been scraped raw and bitter from life's travails lately, and though I love God, I feel like the act of loving Him (and others, and myself) - even though it is good - is a treatment my broken heart and body can't handle right now.

I also realized in writing this, that though I fear being broken by God, I am already broken. I came into the world a broken being. What I actually fear is being made whole. All I've ever known is this frail, weak and broken body/soul, I know nothing different. But the comfort of my brokenness seems better than the unknowing of wholeness.

The Agony in the Garden

The First Sorrowful Mystery: The Agony in the Garden

Diary 1394:

Source

In the course of this retreat, the Lord has given me the light to know His will more profoundly and to abandon myself completely to the holy will of God. This light has confirmed me in profound peace, making me understand that I should fear nothing except sin. Whatever God sends me, I accept with complete submission to His holy will. Wherever He puts me, I will try faithfully to do His holy will, as well as His wishes, to the extent of my power to do so, even if the will of God were to be as hard and difficult to me as was the will of the Heavenly Father was fulfilled in this way in His well-beloved Son, it will be fulfilled in us in exactly the same way: by suffering, persecution, abuse, disgrace. It is through all this that my soul becomes like unto Jesus. And the greater the sufferings, the more I see that I am becoming like Jesus. This is the surest way. If some other way were better, Jesus would have shown it to me. Sufferings in no way take away my peace. On the other hand, although I enjoy profound peace, that peace does not lessen my experience of suffering. Although my face is often bowed to the ground, and my tears flow profusely, at the same time my soul is filled with profound peace and happiness. 

(Diary of St. Faustina)

Mysteries of the Rosary using St. Faustina's Diary

One of the ladies of my Bible study went through St. Faustina's Diary and found passages that would correspond to each of the mysteries of the Rosary. These mysteries are just too good to keep to our group, so I thought I would share them with you all. This week, I'll start with the Sorrowful Mysteries, one a day, then I'll collect the links into one post. I hope that you will enjoy and use these meditations.

Running

I'm restless
But I'm running
Covering my ears
Hardening my heart

For fear that You will
   take all of me
For fear of surrender
For fear of breaking
   down, being broken
For fear of becoming
   more weak
   more frail

So I ignore every call
   every heralding of my name
and I keep running
Running
   Trying to put distance between us
But hoping
   secretly, that you won't let
me go, won't stop calling me

Because even though I'm running
   Running away
I can't help but thrill when
   you say my name.

(I was listening to this song by Audrey Assad, which is what spurred this poem.)

Update: Poetry Follow-Up

Do You Feel Radiant Enough Yet?!

Seriously.

Now there is Tampax Radiant? Yes, because menstruation makes me feel radiant. Kotex tells me that "your period is as unique as you are". Puh-leeze. And though I love this commercial, I realize it's just something Kotex said to get me to buy their product.




 But, I agree with this, sort of: (start at 1:00)

Ugh.

I don't feel radiant, I don't feel unique. I feel pissy and upset and cranky. And every time I see an ad that extols the virtues of menstruation, I want to punch them in the face.

I'm Slightly Obsessed

With this rendition of Bruno Mars song "Runaway Baby", especially about 2:10:

June: The Sacred Heart

"From among all the proofs of the infinite goodness of our Savior none stands out more prominently than the fact that, as the love of the faithful grew col, He, Divine Love Itself, gave Himself to us to be honored by a very special devotion and that the rich treasury of the Church was thrown wide open in the interests of that devotion." These words of Pope Pius XI refer  to the Sacred Heart Devotion, which in its present form dates from the revelations given to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque in 1673-75.
     The devotion consists in the divine worship of the human heart of Christ, which is united to His divinity and which is a symbol of His love for us. The aim of the devotion is to make our Lord king over our hearts by prompting them to return love to Him (especially through an act of consecration by which we offer to the Heart of Jesus both ourselves and all that belongs to us) and to make reparation for our ingratitude to God.

Invocation
O Heart of love, I put all my trust in Thee; for I fear all things from my own weakness, but I hope for all things from Thy goodness. (St. Margaret Mary Alacoque)
     Indulgence of 300 days; plenary indulgence once a month on the usual conditions, if this invocation is repeated daily with devotion. (232)

Prayer to the Sacred Heart
Devotion to the Sacred Heart was the characteristic note of the piety of St. Gertrude the Great (1256-1302), Benedictine nun and renowned mystic. She was, in fact, the first great exponent of devotion to the Sacred Heart. In our efforts to honor the Heart of Jesus we have this prayer as a model for our own. 

Hail! O Sacred Heart of Jesus, living and quickening source of eternal life, infinite treasure of the Divinity, burning furnace of divine love. Thou art my refuge and my sanctuary, O my amiable Savior. Consume my heart with that burning fire with which Thine is ever inflamed. Pour down on my soul those graces which flow from Thy love, and let my heart be so united with Thine, that our wills may be one, and mine in all things be conformed to Thine. May Thy divine will be equally the standard and rule of all my desires and of all my actions. Amen.

St. Gertrude

For the Church

O most holy Heart of Jesus, shower Thy blessings in abundant measure upon Thy holy Church, upon the Supreme Pontiff and upon all clergy; to the just grant perseverance; convert sinners; enlighten unbelievers; bless our relations, friends and benefactors; assist the dying; deliver the holy souls in purgatory; and extend over all hearts the sweet empire of Thy love. Amen.

     Indulgence of 500 days; plenary indulgence once a month on the usual conditions for the daily devout recitation of this prayer. (262)

A Prayer of Trust

O God, who didst in wondrous manner reveal to the virgin, Margaret Mary, the unsearchable riches of Thy Heart, grant that loving Thee, after her example, in all things and above all things, we may in Thy Heart find our abiding home.

Roman Missal

Act of Love

Reveal Thy Sacred Heart to me, O Jesus, and show me Its attractions. Unite me to It for ever. Grant that all my aspirations and all the beats of my heart, which cease not even while I sleep, may be a testimonial to Thee of my love for Thee and may say to Thee: Yes, Lord, I am all Thine; the pledge of my allegiance to Thee rests ever in my heart and will never cease to be there. Do Thou accept the slight amount of good that I do and be graciously pleased to repair all my wrong-doing; so that I may be able to bless Thee in time and in eternity. Amen. 

Cardinal Merry Del Val

     Indulgence of 500 days; plenary indulgence on the usual conditions, if this prayer is recited daily for a month. (267)

Memorare to the Sacred Heart

Remember, O most sweet Jesus, that no one who has had recourse to Thy Sacred Heart, implored its help, or sought its mercy was ever abandoned. Encouraged with confidence, O tenderest of hearts, we present ourselves before Thee, crushed beneath the weight of our sins. In our misery, O Sacred Heart of Jesus, despise not our simple prayers, but mercifully grant our requests. 

*The faithful who devoutly take part in public services in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus during the month of June may gain: an indulgence of 10 years on any day of the month; plenary indulgence if they are present at these services on at least 10 days of the month and, in addition, make their confession, receive Holy Communion and pray for the intentions of the Sovereign Pontiff.

     Those who perform their devotions privately during such a month may gain: an indulgence of 7 years once on any day of the month; a plenary indulgence on the usual conditions, provided that they perform these devotions daily throughout the month and are lawfully excused from taking part in public exercises where the latter are held. (253)