From: richarra@gmail.com

-- John 8:31-32 --

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my
teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth,
and the truth will set you free."
===================
Jesus himself is the truth that sets us free (John 8:36-- 'So if the
Son sets you free, you will be free indeed'). He is the source of
truth, the perfect standard of what is right. He frees us from the
consequences of sin, from self-deception, and from deception by Satan.
He shows us clearly the way to eternal life with God. Thus Jesus does
not give us freedom to do what we want, but freedom to follow God. As
we seek to serve God, Jesus' perfect truth frees us to be all that God
wants us to be.


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September 25th – St. Cadoc of Llancarvan, Martyr
(Also known as Cadog)
Died c. 580; Feast day was formally January 24

Cadoc was the son of a robber, one of the lesser kings of Wales, who
with an armed band of 300 men had stolen the daughter of a neighboring chieftain for his wife. In this ugly episode 200 of his followers
perished, and out of this unpromising union was born Cadoc, the Welsh
saint, founder of the monastery of Llancarvan.

It is hardly credible that from so wild and barbarous a background
should have come such a gentle and enlightened prince, but fortunately
his erratic and impulsive father placed him in the care of an Irish
monk whose cow he had stolen and who had been bold enough to demand
its return. From this good man Cadoc learned the rudiments of Latin,
and after pursuing his studies in Ireland, preferred the life of a
priest to that of a prince.

Legends are told of how one day in his poverty, during a famine, when
he sat with his books in his cell, a white mouse ran suddenly on to
the table from a hole in the wall and put down a grain of corn. Cadoc
followed it and found in the cellar beneath him an old Celtic
subterranean granary stacked with grain. It is also said that once he
hid himself in a wood from an armed swineherd of an enemy tribe, and
there came a wild boar, white with age, who, disturbed by his
presence, made three fierce bounds in his direction and then
disappeared. Cadoc marked the spot with three tree branches, and it
became the site of his great church and abbey of Llancarvan. He
himself took an active part in its building, and it became a busy
center of industry, "The best of patriots," he said, "is he who tills
the soil."

When, on one occasion, a band of robbers came to pillage the
monastery, Cadoc and his monks went out to meet them with their harps,
chanting as they went, and the marauders were so surprised by their
attitude and so enchanted by the music that they withdrew.

But the best story is that of his parents' conversion. It was a happy
day when by the river they made public profession of their faith. The
robber king had found his Savior, and father and son together recited
the Psalm: "The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble."

Cadoc later took refuge from the Anglo-Saxons in the Isle of
Flatholmes, and then in Brittany, where he established another
monastery upon a small island to which he built a stone bridge so that
the children could cross to his school. Finally he returned to Britain
and, obeying his own maxim: "Would you find glory? March to the
grave," deliberately cut himself off from the shelter of his own
monastery of Llancarvan, and lived among the Saxon settlements to
console the native Christians who had survived the massacres of the
pagan invaders. This was at Weedon in Northamptonshire, and there he
met with a martyr's death. While celebrating Mass one day, the service
was rudely disturbed by Saxon horsemen, and Cadoc was slain as he
served at the altar (Gill).


Saint Quote:
The best way to acquire that peace which is born of the love of God,
the inexhaustible Source of all virtues, is to accept all
tribulations, whether spiritual or temporal, as coming directly from
the paternal hand of God; to look upon all unpleasant events as very
costly gifts presented to us by our heavenly Father; to repeat often
the sacred word of Our Saviour: "Yea Father, for so hath it seemed
good in Thy sight. (Matt. xi. 26.)'
--St. Paul of the Cross

Bible Quote:
But at that time Michael shall rise up, the great prince, who standeth
for the children of thy people: and a time shall come, such as never
was from the time that nations began, even until that time. And at
that time shall thy people be saved every one that shall be found
written in the book. (Daniel 12:1)


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STORMING HEAVEN

I have one foot in Heaven dear Jesus,
So don't think of slamming the door!
My arms are quite loaded with graces;
Please don't say that I'll need much more!
I could ransom my soul with a good heart,
Or the souls that I've tried to bring Thee.
I could gather the Prayers, the hard knocks,
The sparse wares--
But would that be enough to please Thee?
In my hand there's an earthly visa
Signed by Mary and dear Saint Theresa.
They had told me--it's true,
That whatever I do,
Do with love, and it's sure to please Thee!
So I'll plead my cause once more--
Won't thou please Jesus, open the door?
My soul may have been weak with sin,
But that all changed when I let Thee in!
So those doors will be opened wide--
I'll see all Paradise inside.
Then I'll bask in the light that binds,
A true soul to the Heaven he finds!

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: www.darkrealms.ca (1:229/2)