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| Religion Forum Index » Religions - Miscellaneous » — Jeremiah 33:3 —... |
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| Weedy... |
 Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 6:54 am |
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- Jeremiah 33:3 -
'Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and
unsearchable
things you do not know.'
__________________________
I asked for strength and God gave me difficulties to make me
strong.
I asked for wisdom and God gave me problems to solve.
I asked for prosperity and God gave me brain and brawn to work.
I asked for courage and God gave me danger to overcome.
I asked for love and God gave me troubled people to help.
I asked for favors and God gave me opportunities.
I received nothing I wanted.
I received everything I needed.
<<>><<>><<>>
October 28th - St. Salvius, Seer of Heavenly Mysteries
The feeling of reverence which I have for him compels me to say
something
about St. Salvius. He often used to tell how, during his years as a
layman,
while he was occupying himself with worldly affairs he never permitted
himself to be ensnared by the carnal desires which so frequently fill
the
minds of young people. When the Holy Spirit finally found a place in
his
heart, he gave up the struggle of worldly existence and entered a
monastery.
As one now consecrated to Almighty God, he understood that it was
better to
serve the Lord in poverty and to humble oneself before Him, rather
than to
strive after the wealth of this transient world. He spent many years
in his
monastery and observed the rule instituted by the Fathers.
When the time came for the abbot of this monastery to die, Salvius
took over
the charge of feeding the flock, for he had by then reached the
fullness of
his physical and intellectual powers. Once he had been given this
appointment, it was his duty to be more with the brethren, in order to
maintain discipline; but instead he became even more withdrawn, and
chose
for himself a cell which was still more remote. Once he was elected
abbot,
he lived just as ascetically as before, devoting all his time to
reading and
prayer. He was persuaded that it was more fitting for him to remain
secluded
among his monks, than to appear in public and be addressed as abbot.
Being
thus persuaded, he bade farewell to the monks. He became a recluse,
and in
the solitude of his cell he subjected himself to even greater
abstinence
than before. At the same time he took good care to observe the law of
Christian charity, offering up prayers for all who came to visit the
monastery, and giving them the bread of offering with abundant grace.
Again
and again those who came with grave afflictions went away healed.
One day when Salvius lay in bed, gasping for breath and weakened by a
high
fever, his cell was suddenly filled with a bright light and the walls
seemed
to shake. He stretched out his hands to heaven, and as he gave thanks
he
breathed forth his spirit. The monks, together with his own mother
carried
his dead body out of the cell with lamentation; then they washed it,
vested
it and placed it upon a bier. They passed the long night in weeping
and
singing psalms.
When morning came and all was ready for the funeral, the corpse began
to
move on the bier. Salvius' cheeks became flushed, he stirred himself
as if
awakened from a deep sleep, opened his eyes, raised his hands and
spoke: "Oh
merciful Lord, why hast Thou done this to me? Why hast Thou decreed
that I
should return to this dark place where we dwell on earth? I would have
been
much happier in Thy compassion on high, rather than having to begin
once
again my profitless life here below." Those around him were in
perplexity.
When they asked him the meaning of the miracle which had occurred, he
gave
no reply. He rose from the bier, feeling no ill effects from the
illness
which he had suffered, and for three days he remained without food or
drink.
On the third day he called the monks, together with his mother. "My
most
dear friends," he said, "hear what I am about to say. You must
understand
that all you see in this world is entirely without value. All is
vanity,
exactly as the prophet Solomon proclaimed. Blessed is he who behaves
in such
a way in this earthly existence that he is rewarded by beholding God
in His
glory in heaven."
As he said this, he wondered whether he should say more or stop with
this.
He was silent for a while, but the monks begged him to tell them what
he had
seen. "When my cell shook four days ago," he continued, "and you saw
me
lying dead, I was raised up by two angels and carried to the highest
peak of
heaven, until I seemed to have beneath my feet not only this miserable
earth, but also the sun and moon, the clouds and stars. Then I was
conducted
through a gate that shone more brightly than the light of the sun and
entered a building where the whole floor shone with gold and silver.
The
flight was impossible to describe. The place was filled with a
multitude of
people, neither male nor female, stretching so far in all directions
that
one could not see where it ended. The angels made a way for me through
the
crowd of people in front of me, and we came to the place towards which
our
gaze had been directed even when we had been far away. Over this place
there
hung a cloud more brilliant than any light, and yet no sun or moon or
star
could be seen; indeed, the cloud shone more brightly than any of these
with
its own brilliance. A voice came out of the cloud, as the voice of
many
waters. Sinner that I am, I was greeted with great respect by a number
of
beings, some dressed in priestly vestments and others in ordinary
dress; my
guides told me that these were the martyrs and other holy men whom we
honor
here on earth and to whom we pray with great devotion. As I stood here
there
was wafted over me a fragrance of such sweetness that, nourished by
it, I
have felt no need of food or drink until this very moment."
"Then I heard a voice which said: 'Let this man go back into the
world, for
our churches have need of him.' I heard the voice, but I could not see
who
was speaking. Then I prostrated myself on the ground and wept. 'Alas,
alas,
O Lord!' I said. 'Why hast Thou shown me these things only to take
them away
from me again? Thou dost cast me out today from before Thy face and
send me
back again to a worldly life without substance, since I am powerless
to
return on high. I entreat Thee, O Lord: turn not Thy mercy away from
me. Let
me remain here, I beseech Thee, lest, falling once more to earth, I
perish.'
The voice which had spoken to me said: 'Go in peace. I will watch over
you
until I bring you back once more to this place.' Then my guides left
me and
I turned back through the gate by which I had entered, weeping as I
went."
As he said this, those who were with him were amazed. The holy man of
God
wept. Then he said: "Woe to me that I have dared to reveal such a
mystery!
The fragrance which I smelled in that holy place, and by which I have
been
nourished for three days without food or drink, has already left me.
My
tongue is covered with sores and has become so swollen that it fills
my
whole mouth. It is evident 'that it has not been pleasing in the eyes
of my
Lord God that these mysteries should be revealed. Thou knowest well, O
Lord,
that I did this in the simplicity of my heart, and not in a spirit of
vainglory. Have mercy on me, I beseech Thee, and do not forsake me,
according to Thy promise." When he had said this, Salvius became
silent;
then he began to eat and drink.
As I write these words, I fear that my account may seem quite
incredible to
some of my readers; and I am mindful of what the historian Sallust
wrote:
"When we record the virtue or glory of famous men, the reader will
readily
accept whatever he considers that he might have done himself; anything
which
exceeds these bounds of possibility he will regard as untrue." I call
Almighty God to witness that everything that I have related here I
have
heard from the lips of Salvius himself.
Many years later Saint Salvius was forced to leave his cell in order
to be
elected and consecrated bishop against his will. According to my
reckoning,
he had held this position for 'ten years when the plague broke out in
Albi
and most of the people died of it. Only a few of the citizens remained
alive, but Saint Salvius, as a good shepherd, refused to leave his
city. He
stayed there, exhorting those still among the living to pray without
ceasing, not to grow faint in their vigils, and to concentrate their
minds
and bodies on doing only what was good. "Always act in such a way," he
would
say, "that if God should decide to call you from this world, you may
enter
not into His judgment, but into His peace."
After a certain council which Salvius and I attended together, I was
about
to depart for home when I realized that I could not leave without
bidding
farewell to Salvius and embracing him. I found him and told him that I
was
about to leave. We went a little way outside the house and stood there
conversing. "Look at the roof of 'that building," he said; "do you see
what
I see?" I answered, "I see only the new tiling which the King has had
put
there not too long ago." "Can you see nothing else?" he asked. "No," I
replied, "I can see nothing." I began to think that he was mocking me.
"Tell
me if you can see something else," I said. He sighed deeply and said:
" I
see the naked sword of the wrath of God hanging over that house." He
was not
wrong in his prophecy. Twenty days later the two sons of King
Chilperic
died.
When the time came that God revealed to Salvius the nearness of his
own
death, he prepared his own coffin, washed himself carefully, and put
on his
shroud. He died in blessed contemplation, with his thoughts turned
towards
heaven. He was an extremely holy man. He had no desire at all for
possessions and refused to accept money; if anyone forced him to
accept it,
he would immediately give it to the poor.
While he was bishop, the patrician Mummolus carried into captivity
many of
the inhabitants of Albi, but Salvius followed him and persuaded him to
free
them all. The Lord gave him such influence over these people that the
captors accepted a reduction in the ransom which they had asked and
even
gave presents to Salvius. In this way he liberated the people of his
own
diocese and restored them to their former condition.
I have heard many other edifying stories about him. He died in the
ninth
year of the reign of King Childebert (584 A.D.).
This Version Taken From:
http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/death/stsalvius.aspx
Saint Quote:
Nothing but self-will can separate us from God
-St. Alphonsus Liguori
Bible Quote
1 Sing ye to the Lord a new canticle: let his praise be in the church
of the
saints. (Psalms 149:1)
<><><><>
QUESTIONING HEART
Mary is crying!
I care...do you?
Jesus is bleeding anew,
And I care...do you?
Do you ever say "I love You?"
He cares for you-
Will you love Him till the end time?
There's Heaven then for you! |
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