- Psalm 103:1-5 -
Praise the LORD, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits -
who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
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David's praise focused on God's glorious deeds. It's easy to complain
about
life, but David's list gives us plenty for which to praise God - he
forgives
our sins, heals our diseases, redeems us from death, crowns us with love
and
compassion, satisfies our desires and gives righteousness and justice. We
receive all of these without deserving any of them. No matter how
difficult
your life's journey, you can always count your blessings - past, present
and
future. When you feel as though you have nothing for which to praise God,
read David's list.
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July 8th - St. Procopius of Scythopolis, Martyr
Born in Jerusalem; died at Sycthopolis (Bethshan), July 7, 303. Saint
Procopius was one of the first victims of Emperor Diocletian's persecution
of the Christians in Palestine. The church historian Eusebius was bishop
of
Caesarea, where Procopius suffered, at the time of the martyrdom. Eusebius
left this simple account of Procopius's martyrdom:
"The first of the martyrs of Palestine was Procopius, a man filled with
divine grace, who from his childhood had devoted himself to chastity and
the
practice of all virtues. He had mortified his flesh until his body seemed
to
be like that of one who was dead, but his soul drew such strength from the
word of God that the body itself was refreshed by it. He lived on bread
and
water, and ate only every second or third day, and sometimes prolonged his
fast for a whole week.
"Meditation on the divine work so filled his being that he remained
absorbed
in it day and night without fatigue. Filled with gentleness and goodness,
holding himself to be the least of men, he edified all who heard him by
his
discourses. The word of God was his only study, and of other matters he
had
but little knowledge.
"He was born at Jerusalem, but had gone to live in Scythopolis, where he
held three ecclesiastical offices. He was reader and interpreter in the
Syriac language, and cured those possessed of evil spirits.
"Sent with his companions from Scythopolis to Caesarea [Maritima], he had
barely passed through the city gates when he was brought before the
governor; and even before being put in chains and taken to the prison he
was
urged by the judge Flavian to sacrifice to the gods. But in a loud voice
Procopius said that there are not several gods, but One only, the creator
and author of all things.
"Finding nothing to say in answer, the judge tried to persuade him at
least
to sacrifice to the emperors, but the martyr of God scorned his pleas.
'Listen,' he said, 'to this verse from Homer: It is not good to have
several
masters; let there be only one ruler and one king.'
"At these words, as though he had spoken threats against the emperors, the
judge ordered him to be executed. His head was cut off, and he passed
happily to eternal life by the shortest road. This was the first martyrdom
that took place at Caesarea."
This simple, reliable account was not enough to satisfy the legend makers.
In later stories Procopius is made a soldier, then an ascetic, then a
Persian, and then a prince of Alexandria-sometimes he was said to be all
four of these at once. In each case, his conversion was made to bear a
remarkable resemblance to that of Saint Paul.
When he was imprisoned in these legends, he is supposed to have converted
his guards. When brought before the judges, he was said to have astounded
them with a string of quotations from Plato, Aristotle, Galen, Homer, and
Socrates. When subjected to the most horrible and fantastic tortures, he
emerged unscathed. And when approached by his would-be executioners, he is
said to have paralyzed them on the spot. At some point in the story, he is
reputed to have slain no fewer than 6,000 barbarian invaders simply by
confronting them with a wonder-working cross.
In the most popular of these legends, Procopius was originally named
Neanias. He was born at Jerusalem, then made duke of Alexandria by
Diocletian, who sent him to proceed against the Christians there. On the
way
from Antioch Neanias experiences a vision similar to that of Saint Paul on
the road to Damascus, as a consequence of which he declares himself a
Christian.
He is taken in chains to Caesarea, where the governor Oulcion has him
tortured and imprisoned. He is then baptized in a vision by Christ
himself,
and given the name Procopius. Oulcion dies suddenly, and is succeeded by
Flavian, with whom Procopius has long arguments, interspersed with bouts
of
unbelievable torture. At last Flavian pronounces sentence, and Procopius
is
executed. The narrative is decorated with marvels throughout the tale: the
miraculous cross mentioned above; his mother, Theodosia, and 12 other
noble
ladies suddenly converted and martyred; etc.
Notice that of Eusebius's historical particulars only the names of some
persons and places survives in the legends. Even the hero himself is no
longer a humble cleric but a young heathen officer. The legends are sheer
invention, and such was the confusion engendered by them that some
compilers
of calendars produced three martyrs named Procopius-the cleric, the
officer,
and the unexplained Saint Procopius of Persia.
That the martyr described by Eusebius was publicly venerated is proven by
the existence of shrines in his honor at Caesarea and Scythopolis from at
least the 5th and 6th centuries. Thank God that we have a contem****ary
account of what actually happened! (Attwater, Benedictines, Bentley,
Delehaye, Encyclopedia).
This Version taken from:
http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/ss-index.htm
Saint Quote:
On behalf of Christ crucified I tell you: refuse to believe the counsels
of
the devil, who would hinder your holy and good resolution. Be manly in my
sight, and not timorous. Answer God, who calls you to hold and possess the
seat of the glorious Shepherd St. Peter, whose vicar you have been. And
raise the standard of the
--Saint Catherine of Siena to Pope Gregory XI
Bible Quote:
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God,
to
them who are the called according to his purpose.
-Romans 8:28
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Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,
have mercy upon me a sinner.
HYMN OF THE EVENING
O joyful Light! Light and Holy Glory of the Father immortal, the heavenly,
holy, the Blessed One; O Jesus Christ. Now that we have reached the
setting
of the sun, and see the evening light, we sing to God, Father + Son, and
Holy Spirit. It is fitting at all times to raise a song of praise in
measured melody to You, O Son of God, the giver of life. Behold the
universe
sings your glory.
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