Re: Love -- The Distinguishing Sign

On 29/08/2023 6:10 pm, Rich wrote:
> Love -- The Distinguishing Sign
> 
>     Love is the only sign that distinguishes the children of God from
> the children of the devil. To prove this, let them all sign themselves
> with the cross of Christ. Let them all respond: Amen. Let all sing:
> Alleluia. Let all build the walls of churches.
>     There is still no way of discerning the children of God from the
> children of the devil except by love!"
> --St. Augustine--Sermon on 1 John 5, 7
> 
> Prayer: Come to my aid, O God, the one eternal, true reality! In you
> there is no strife, no disorder, no change, no need, no death, but
> supreme harmony, supreme clarity, supreme permanence, supreme life.
> --St. Augustine--Soliloquies 1, 1
> 
> <<>><<>><<>>
> August 29th - Bl. Richard Herst, English Martyr
> 
> ON the day following the martyrdom of Bl. Edmund Arrowsmith at
> Lancaster there suffered in the same town Bl. Richard Herst, whose
> story is one of the most remarkable in the histories of the English
> and Welsh martyrs.  He was hanged, ostensibly for willful murder.
> 
> Richard Herst (Hurst, Hayhurst) was born in a year unknown, near
> Preston, probably at Broughton, and was a yeoman farmer, comfortably
> off. Being a recusant, on a day in 1628 the bishop of Chester sent a
> pursuivant, Norcross, with two men, Wilkinson and Dewhurst, to arrest
> him.  They found him ploughing, and as Norcross handed him the
> warrant, Wilkinson struck at him with a stick. A girl at work in
> another part of the field, seeing this, ran to summon her mistress,
> who came running out with a farm-servant and another man. The
> process-servers turned to meet this diversion and Wilkinson knocked
> the two men down, whereat the girl (unfortunately the name of this
> spirited young woman is not known) hit Dewhurst over the head. The
> pursuivant's men then ran away, but Dewhurst, "partly on occasion of
> the blow, partly also to apply himself close to Wilkinson, made more
> haste than good speed, and ran so disorderly over the hard ploughed
> lands, as that he fell down and broke his leg". The fracture mortified
> and 13 days later Dewhurst died of it, after declaring that his fall
> had been quite accidental. Nevertheless Herst was indicted for murder
> before Sir Henry Yelverton and convicted, in defiance of all evidence,
> the known facts of the case, and the finding of the coroner's jury;
> the criminal jury was unwilling to bring in a verdict of guilty, but
> the judge told the foreman in private that it must be done "for an
> example".
> 
> A petition of reprieve was sent to King Charles I, supported by Queen
> Henrietta Maria, but the contrary influence was too strong; his life
> was offered him if he would take the oath which had been condenmed by
> the Holy See, which fact alone shows the humbug of the murder charge.
> Three short letters are extant from Bl. Richard to his confessor.
> 
> In one he says, "I pray you remember my poor children, and encourage
> my friends about my debts; and let it appear that my greatest worldly
> care is to satisfy them as far as my means will extend";  in another,
> "Although my flesh be timorous and fearful, I yet find great comfort
> in spirit in casting myself upon my sweet Saviour with a most fervent
> love, when I consider what He hath done and suffered for me, and my
> greatest desire is to suffer with Him.  And I had rather choose to die
> a thousand deaths than to possess a kingdom and live in mortal sin;
> for there is nothing so hateful to me as sin, and that only for the
> love of my Saviour." On his way to the gallows, he looked up to where
> Bl. Edmund Arrowsmith's head was displayed above the castle; "I look",
> he said, "at the head of that blessed martyr whom you have sent before
> to prepare the way for us", and then turned to the minister who was
> questioning him, and said, "I believe according to the faith of the
> Holy Catholic Church".  He spent some time in prayer at the foot of
> the scaffold and then, seeing that the hangman was fumbling over
> fixing the rope, called up to him, "Tom, I think I must come up and
> help thee".  He left behind in the world six young children, and one
> yet unborn.
> 
> 
> Saint Quote:
> My hope is in Christ, who strengthens the weakest by His Divine help.
> I can do all in Him who strengthens me. His Power is infinite, and if
> I lean on him, it will be mine. His Wisdom is infinite, and if I look
> to Him for counsel, I shall not be deceived. His Goodness is infinite,
> and if my trust is stayed in Him, I shall not be abandoned.
> -- Pope Saint Pius X
> 
> Bible Quote:
> Now seeing the constancy of Peter and of John, understanding that they
> were illiterate and ignorant men, they wondered: and they knew them
> that they had been with Jesus.  [Acts 4:13] DRB
> 
> <><><><>
> Each new day brings an opportunity:
> 
>    Each new day brings an opportunity to do some little thing that will
> help to make a better world that will bring God's kingdom a little
> nearer to being realized on earth. Take each day's happenings as
> opportunities for something you can do for God. In that spirit, a
> blessing will attend all that you do. Offering this day's service to
> God, you are sharing in His work. You do not have to do great things.
> --Twenty-Four Hours a Day

The love of so many has grown cold these days. Growl!