Unbroken Circles: The Four Lepers
We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, and we remain
silent.
2 Kings 7:9
RECOMMENDED READING
2 Kings 7:3-10
The lepers in 2 Kings 7 were trapped between the Syrian army and the town
of
Samaria which was under siege and slowly starving. During the night, the
Lord
created a cacophony of sounds, like the onrush of a mighty army. Jolted
awake,
the Syrians fled in confusion, leaving their plunder behind.
When the lepers ambled into the Syrian camp, they were amazed to find it
deserted with all the food and treasures there for the taking. But while
ransacking the booty, a thought struck them: "We are not doing right. This
is a
day of good news, and we remain silent." Running to the city gates, they
shared
their message and told the good news - the enemy was defeated, food was
available, and the nightmare had ended in victory.
The lesson is hard to miss. In a desperate world, we have Good News! How
can
we
then remain silent? Today someone needs the Gospel that we've discovered
for
ourselves, and now is the time for sharing. Someone today is waiting to
see
or
hear Jesus through you.
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March 12th - Saint Theophanes
Chronicler, born at Constantinople, about 758; died in Samothracia,
probably
12
March, 817, on which day he is commemorated in the Roman Martyrology. He
was
the
son of Isaac, imperial governor of the islands of the White Sea, and of
Theodora, of whose family nothing is known. After the early death of his
parents
he came to the Court of Constantine Copronimus. He was married at the age
of
twelve, but induced his wife to lead a life of virginity, and in 799,
after
the
death of his father-in-law, they separated with mutual consent to embrace
the
religious state, she choosing a convent on an island near Constantinople,
while
he entered the monastery called Polychronius in the district of Sigriano
near
Cyzicus. Later he built a monastery on his own lands on the island of
Calonymus
(now Calomio). After six years he returned to Sigriano, founded an abbey
known
by the name "of the great acre", and governed it as abbot. As such he was
present at the second General Council of Nicaea, 787, and signed its
decrees
in
defense of the sacred images. When the emperor Leo the Armenian again
began
his
iconoclastic warfare, he ordered Theophanes to be brought to
Constantinople
and
tried in vain to induce him to condemn what had been sanctioned by the
council.
Theophanes was cast into prison and for two years suffered cruel
treatment;
he
was then banished to Samothracia, where, overwhelmed with afflictions, he
lived
only seventeen days and wrought many miracles after death.
At the urgent request of his friend George Syncellus (d. 810), Theophanes
undertook the continuation of his chronicle, during the years 810-15 (P.
G.,
CVIII, 55). He treated of the time from the year 284-813, and made use of
material already prepared by Syncellus, probably also the extracts from
the
works of Socrates, Sozomenus, and Theodoret, made by Theodore Lector, and
the
city chronicle of Constantinople. The work consists of two parts, the
first
giving the history, arranged according to years, the other containing
chronological tables, full of inaccuracies, and therefore of little value.
It
seems that Theophanes had only prepared the tables, leaving vacant spaces
for
the proper dates, but that these had been filled out by someone else
(Hurter,
"Nomencl." I, Innsbruck, 1903, 735). The first part, though lacking in
historical precision and criticism, which could scarcely be expected from
a
man
of such ascetical disposition, greatly surpasses the majority of Byzantine
chronicles (Krumbacher, "Gesch. der byz. Litt., 1897, 342). The chronicle
was
edited at Paris in 1655 by Goar; again at Venice in 1729 with annotations
and
corrections by Combefis. A Latin version was made by Anastasius
Bibliothecarius,
and both were ably edited by de Boor (Leipzig, 1883).
This Version taken from:
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14623a.htm
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Whoever humbleth himself shall be exalted. -Lk. 14:11
"Sometimes a soul rises more towards perfection by not excusing herself
than
by
ten sermons. Since by this means one begins to acquire freedom, and
indifference
as to what good or evil may be said. Nay more; by a habit of not replying,
one
arrives at such a point that when he hears anything said of himself, it
does
not
seem as if it related to him, but rather like an affair belonging to
someone
else"
-St. Teresa
Father Alvarez, the confessor of St. Teresa, having been falsely accused
of
a
grave fault in a provincial assembly and seriously reproved for it in
public,
said nothing, either in public or private, in his own defense. Afterwards,
God
rewarded this heroic silence with extraordinary favors.
(Taken from the book "A Year with the Saints". February - Humility)
Bible Quote:
15 Saying: O Lord God of heaven and earth, behold their pride, and look on
our
low condition, and have regard to the face of thy saints, and shew that
thou
forsakes not them that trust on thee, and that thou humblest them that
presume
of themselves, and glory in their own strength. (Judith 6:15)
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PRAYER IN MEMORY OF
THE SCOURGING
Jesus, in Thy cruel scourging
in which Thou shed Thy Blood
most painfully and abundantly,
offering it to Thine Eternal Father
in payment for our impatience and our wantonness,
how is it, then,
that we do not curb our wrath and self-love?
Oh! let us henceforth
try to be more patient in our trials,
to cultivate self-control,
and to bear in peace the injuries that men do us.
O Jesus, Thou art the Love and Life of my soul.
I find true peace
and real happiness only in Thy love,
in Thy service,
and in the imitation of Thy virtues.
I offer myself to Thee;
do what Thou willest with me;
henceforth my motto shall be,
"All for Jesus!"
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