Make each challenge pay
Challenge can make you stop, or it can make you unstoppable. It all
depends
on how you respond.
Challenge can compel you to make valuable improvements that you never
would
have attempted otherwise. Challenge can open your eyes to a whole new
level
of possibilities.
When the challenges come, gladly accept the energy that they have to give
you. Greet each challenge with the expectation that it will make you
stronger, more capable, more experienced, more effective.
Then jump right in and get to work on that challenge. The more quickly and
enthusiastically you get started, the more real value you'll be able to
gain.
Challenge will give you the opportunity to discover how very much you can
accomplish. And knowing how much you can accomplish sets you up to
accomplish even more.
When there is a challenge in your life, it's only a matter of time and
effort before that challenge can be transformed into a real and lasting
treasure. Take the time, put forth the effort, and you'll surely make each
challenge pay.
-- Ralph Marston
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December 7th - St. Buithe (Buite, Boethius) of Monasterboice & Scotland
Died 521. Saint Buithe was a Scot who spent some years in Italy and
elsewhere on the continent before returning to Scotland to evangelize the
Picts. It is said that Buithe raised the son of King Nectan of the Picts
from the dead (or the king himself in some versions). In gratitude the
king
gave the saint a church-- Carbuddo ("Castrum Butthi"), which appears to
have
taken its name from him (originally Kirkbuddo or the church of Buithe).
About 500 AD, Buithe founded a school at Monasterboice in County Louth,
which gained dominance in the 9th and 10th centuries when the Viking raids
threatened the great schools of Ireland. This school was known for its
sculpture; the Crosses of Monasterboice are world renowned. They
incorporate
representation of Biblical subjects directly on the Crosses, visual
lessons
for the faithful and less likely to be destroyed than were books. Two of
these crosses, including the Muireadach Cross dating from 923, survive at
Monasterboice. Fourteen historical poems of its Abbot Flann (11th century)
also survive in old Gaelic books, especially in the "Book of Leinster"
(Benedictines, D'Arcy, Healy, Kenney, Montague, Moran, Porter,
Simpson,Skene, Stokes).
Troparion of St Buithe tone 8
Great wonderworker and ascetic, O Father Buithe,
who by the power of thy prayers didst restore the slain to life,/
intercede with Christ our God that He will grant us life eternal
in the realms of the blessed.
Images of the Muireadach Cross, Monasterboice:
http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/muiredach/muiredach3.html
Saint Quote
O Lord, grant us that love which can never die, which will enkindle our
lamps but not extinguish them, so that they may shine in us and bring
light
to others. Most dear Savior, enkindle our lamps that they may shine
forever
in your temple. May we receive unquenchable light from you so that our
darkness will be illuminated and the darkness of the world will be made
less. Amen.
--Saint Columba
Bible Quote:
He who causes a sinner to be converted from his misguided way, will save
his
soul from death, and will cover a multitude of sins. James 5:20
Saint Ambrose
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From The Passion and Death of Jesus Christ, by Saint Alphonsus Liguori:
We read in history of a proof of love so prodigious that it will be the
admiration of all ages.
There was once a king, lord of many kingdoms, who had one only son, so
beautiful, so holy, so amiable, that he was the delight of his father, who
loved him as much as himself. This young prince had a great affection for
one of his slaves; so much so that, the slave having committed a crime for
which he had been condemned to death, the prince offered himself to die
for
the slave; the father, being jealous of justice, was satisfied to condemn
his beloved son to death, in order that the slave might remain free from
the
punishment that he deserved: and thus the son died a malefactor's death,
and
the slave was freed from punishment.
This fact, the like of which has never happened in this world, and never
will happen, is related in the Gospels, where we read that the Son of God,
the Lord of the universe, seeing that man was condemned to eternal death
in
punishment of his sins, chose to take upon Himself human flesh, and thus
to
pay by His death the penalty due to man: He was offered because it was His
own will (Is. 53:7). And his Eternal Father caused him to die upon the
cross
to save us miserable sinners: He spared not his own Son, but delivered Him
up for us all (Rom. 8:32). What dost thou think, O devout soul, of this
love
of the Son and of the Father?
Thou didst, then, O my beloved Redeemer, choose by Thy death to sacrifice
Thyself in order to obtain the pardon of my sins. And what return of
gratitude shall I then make to Thee? Thou hast done too much to oblige me
to
love Thee; I should indeed be most ungrateful to Thee if I did not love
Thee
with my whole heart. Thou hast given for me Thy divine life; I, miserable
sinner that I am, give Thee my own life. Yes, I will at least spend that
period of my life that remains to me only in loving Thee, obeying Thee,
and
pleasing Thee.
O men, men! let us love this our Redeemer, who, being God, has not
disdained
to take upon Himself our sins, in order to satisfy by His sufferings for
the
chastisement which we have deserved: Surely He hath borne our infirmities,
and carried our sorrows (Is. 53:4)
St. Augustine says that our Lord in creating us formed us by virtue of His
power, but in redeeming us He has saved us from death by means of His
sufferings: "He created us in his strength; he sought us back in his
weakness."
How much do I not owe Thee, O Jesus my Saviour! Oh, if I were to give my
blood a thousand times over,--if I were to spend a thousand lives for
Thee,--it would yet be nothing. Oh, how could anyone that meditated much
on
the love which Thou hast shown him in Thy Passion, love anything else but
Thee? Through the love with which Thou didst love us on the cross, grant
me
the grace to love Thee with my whole heart. I love Thee, infinite
Goodness;
I love Thee above every other good; and I ask nothing more of Thee but Thy
holy love.
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