-- Isaiah 29:15 –

-- Isaiah 29:15 =E2=80=93

 Woe to you that are deep of heart,
to hide your counsel from the Lord:
 and their works are in the dark, and they say:
 Who seeth us, and who knoweth us?  [Isaiah 29:15] DRB
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
How strange that so many people think they can hide from God. In Psalm
139 we learn that God has examined us and knows everything about us.
Would you be embarrassed if your best friends knew your personal
thoughts? Remember that God knows all of them. Take some time today,
get alone with God and read Psalm 139 to him.

<<>><<>><<>>
April 7th - St. Calliopius, martyr
(also known as Calliope)

Died c. 303
The Holy Martyr Calliopius was born in Perge, Pamphylia of the pious
woman Theoklia, wife of a renowned senator. Theoklia was childless for
a long time. She fervently prayed for a son, vowing to dedicate him to
God.  Soon after the birth of her son Theoklia was widowed. When St
Calliopius reached adolescence, a fierce persecution against
Christians began.

Theoklia, learning that her son would be denounced as a Christian,
sent him to Cilicia in Asia Minor.

When the saint arrived at Pompeiopolis, Paphlagonia there was a
celebration in honor of the pagan gods. They invited the youth to take
part in the proceedings, but he said he was a Christian and refused.
They reported this to the prefect of the city Maximus. St. Calliopius
was brought before him to be tried. At first, he attempted to persuade
Calliopius to worship the gods, promising to give him his own daughter
in marriage. After the youth rejected this offer, Maximus subjected
him to terrible tortures. He ordered the martyr to be beaten on the
back with iron rods, and on the stomach with ox-hide thongs. Finally,
the prefect had him tied to an iron wheel, and he was roasted over a
slow fire. After these tortures, they threw the martyr Calliopius into
prison.

When Theoklia heard about the sufferings of her son, she wrote her
last will, freed her slaves, distributed her riches to the poor, and
hastened to St. Calliopius.

The brave mother gave money to the guard and got into the prison to
see her son. There she encouraged him to endure suffering to the end
for Christ.  When on the following day the saint refused to renounce
Christ, Maximus gave orders to crucify the martyr. The day of
execution happened to be Great Thursday, when the Savior's last meal
with His disciples is commemorated.

Theoklia begged the guard to crucify her son head downward, since she
considered it unworthy for him to be crucified like the Lord. Her wish
was granted.

 The holy martyr hung on the cross overnight and died on Great Friday
in the year 304.

When the holy martyr was removed from the cross, Theoklia gave glory
to the Savior. She embraced the lifeless body of her son and gave up
her own spirit to God. Christians buried their bodies in a single
grave.

Saint Quote:
The vigor with which you resist the enemy will be the measure of the
reward which will follow the combat.
--St. Ignatius of Loyola

Bible Quote:
They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they
shall...walk and not faint.  (Isaiah 40:31)


<><><><>
Reflection:
  Every saint is eminently a man of prayer; but this is the peculiar
perfection of holy hermits and monks. This was the means by which so
many in that state had been raised to such wonderful heights in heroic
virtue, so as to seem seraphim rather than men on earth. As a vessel
at sea is carried by a favourable wind with incredible ease and
swiftness, so a soul, which is borne upon the wings of a true spirit
of prayer, makes sweetly, and without experiencing either difficulty
or pain, quick and extraordinary progress in the paths of all interior
virtues, particularly those of a close union of her affections and
powers with God, and those of divine charity, the queen and form of
all perfect Christian virtue. In this spirit of prayer a simple idiot
has outstripped the most subtle philosopher, because its foundation is
loud by profound humility, and perfect simplicity and purity of heart;
and compunction and love require neither penetration nor depth of
genius, nor elegance of words, to express or raise their most tender
affections. St. Bruno was an eloquent and learned man; yet in his most
sublime contemplation he expressed to God all the burning sentiments
of his soul by a single word, which he wished never to cease
repeating, but to continue actually to pronounce it for all eternity
with fresh ardour and jubilation: =E2=80=9CO goodness! O goodness! O infini=
te
goodness!=E2=80=9D But by this word his heart said more than discourses cou=
ld
express in many years or ages.