- Psalm 86:17 -
Give me a sign of your goodness,
that my enemies may see it and be put to shame,
for you, O LORD, have helped me and comforted me.
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It is right to pray for a sign of God's goodness - it may be just what we
need.
But let us not overlook the signs he has already given; the sup****t of
family
and friends, the fellow****p of other Christians, the light of each new
day. And
we can be confident that he knows our situation no matter how desperate it
becomes, and he cares.
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December 8th - St. Romaric. (Romaricus}
d. 653
In the account of St. Amatus of Remiremont it is related how he brought
about the conversion to God of a Merovingian nobleman named Romaric, who
became a monk at Luxeuil; and how they afterwards went together to the
estate of Romaric at Habendum in the Vosges, and established the monastery
which was later known as Remiremont (Romarici Mons).
The father of Romaric had lost his life and his lands at the hands of
Queen
Brunehilda, and his young son became a homeless wanderer; but at the time
of
his meeting St. Amatus, Romaric was a person of distinction at the court
of
Clotaire II, with considerable property and a number of serfs. These he
enfranchised, and it is said that when he was tonsured at Luxeuil several
of
these newly freed men presented themselves to the abbot for the same
purpose. Remiremont was founded in 620 and St. Amatus was its first abbot,
but his duties soon devolved upon St. Romaric, who at the time of his
death
had governed for thirty years.
Among the early recruits was the friend of Romaric, St. Arnulfus of Metz,
who about 629 came to end his days in a nearby hermitage. Shortly before
his
death St. Romaric was disturbed by the news that Grimoald, the son of
another old friend, Blessed Pepin of Landen, was plotting to exclude the
young prince Dagobert from the Austrasian throne. The aged abbot made his
way to Metz, where he remonstrated with Grimoald and warned the nobles who
sup****ted him. They heard him quietly, treated him with courtesy, and sent
him back to his monastery. Three days later St. Romaric died.
Quote:
"Lay my body anywhere, only this I beg of you: remember me at the altar of
God."
-St. Monica (AD 337)
Bible Quote
31 That, as it is written: He that glorieth, may glory in the Lord. (1
Cor. 1:31)
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Today is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin
Mary. With the words, "I will put enmities between thee and the woman,"
the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary was announced to our
first parents. It was to be the reversal of the friend****p with the
serpent contracted by Eve, when she listened to his voice and fell under
his power. The second Eve was never to be under the power of the devil;
the enmity between them was to admit of no possible exception. This
involved the grace of being conceived IMMACULATE. Mary's Immaculate
Conception was the foundation of all her graces. The absence of any stain
or spot of sin distinguished her from all the rest of mankind. It
distinguished her from the holiest of the Saints, since they, one and all,
were sinners. Her perfect sinlessness was the source of all her glory and
all her majesty; it was this which opened the door to the unlimited graces
that she received from God; it was this that qualified her for her divine
maternity, and raised her to her throne as Queen of heaven.
"O Queen, conceived without original sin, pray for us, who have recourse
to
thee." *
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Prayer
We beseech Thee, O Lord, to bestow on Thy servants the gift of heavenly
grace, that, for those to whom the Blessed Virgin's maternity was the
beginning of salvation, the votive solemnity of her immaculate conception
may procure increase of peace. Through Christ our Lord, etc. Amen.
When I say,"Hail Mary"
the heavens bow down,
the angels rejoice,
the earth jubilates,
hell trembles,
and the devils take flight!
St. Francis of Assisi
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