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We say "religion" because nothing that is in man escapes the Providence and Mercy of God. It is just as easy for God to work in a cellar as a first floor, as well in the realm of emotions as in the realm of reason. The very uneasiness of the subconscious mind with its fears and dreads and anxieties is a kind of chaos for what might be called an anti-peace. But this chaos might be likened to the chaos in the second verse of Genesis, when the first creative word was rejected and left nothing behind but disorder. And over that chaos the Spirit hovered like a doe bring order out of the disorder of creation, as the Holy Spirit, later on, breathing over Mary, brought order out of the chaos of humanity.
God speaks more frequently through our subconscious mind, probably, than through our conscious mind, simply because our self-consciousness puts up obstacles to Him. God can guide us quite naturally in a particular direction without our being aware of it. What was it, for example, that induced Paul Claudel, an agnostic and unbeliever, to enter Notre Dame Cathedral at midnight on Christmas, and ultimately to receive the gift of faith? Here was a reasonable man who was guided unreasonably. Very often stupid people come to God through very reasonable arguments, and reasonable people come to God through no argument at all.
There is an outward force operating on the subconscious mind which changes its direction. If a ball is thrown across a room, it will go in an unhindered path unless a foot or a hand is put out to divert it. The subconscious mind may be governed once by vice, and then suddenly turn in the direction of love. This change of attitude and transformation requires that an outside Power or Spirit that acts like a catalyst bring together discordant elements into a new unity. If a person corresponds with this impulse from without, it is like turning on radio waves of speech, music, humor and learning which fill the air. But these blessings do not affect the person until he is at the proper wavelength and tunes himself in.
The world is not as irreligious as it seems at first glance. Religion has moved out of churches, to a large extent, to cope with our frustrations, despairs, shames and neuroses. The only mistake the churches can make in the new order is to assume that everybody must come to them instead of their going to everybody.
418 A.D.
Death of Saint Gaudentius, Bishop of Novara, Italy and martyred for Christ at Bergell.
628 A.D.
Death of Saint Anastasius, a Persian soldier who was strangled and decapitated on the shores of the Euphrates River because he would not renounce his faith but rather converted all the prisoners and prison guards; so much so that even torture could not turn the flood of converts to this mystical, holy man. Miracles attributed to his intercession were said to have occurred abundantly after his death.
1045 A.D.
Death of Brithwold, Benedictine Bishop of Ramsbury and Sarum. He possessed mystical gifts, receiving visions and messages from above.
1588 A.D.
Pope Sixtus V issues his decree "Immense aeterni" reforming the Roman Curia.
1795 A.D.
Death of Saint Vincent Pallotti,priest and teacher of theology in Rome who was canonized during the Second Vatican Council by Pope Paul VI.
287 A.D.
Death of Saint Asclas from Antinoe who died for his faith during the fierce persecution of Dioceletian. His bleeding body was tossed into the nile where crocodiles devoured him.
304 A.D.
Death of Saint Ermerentiana, foster sister of Saint Agnes who was stoned to death while grieving at the tomb of her late relative just a few days after Agnes' death . Ermerentiana also died a virgin and martyr. She is considered the patron saint for those with stomach ailments.
309 A.D.
Deaths of Saint Clement and Saint Agathangelus, both martyred at Ancyra under the command of the Roman emperor Diocletian. Clement was the Galatian Bishop of Ancyra and Agathangelus was a Roman soldier who was converted and baptized by Clement while he was in prison.
356 A.D.
Death of Saint Amasius, Greek bishop of Teano, Italy who the Arians targeted because he refused to go along with the heresy.
667 A.D.
Death of Saint Ildephonsus of Toledo, Spanish abbot, Cardinal and Archbishop of Toledo who unified the Spanish liturgy and was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church.
841 A.D.
Death of Saint Barnard of Vienne, French abbot and archbishop of Vienne who was raised in the inner sanctum of the court of Charlemagne.
880 A.D.
Death of Saint Maimbod, Irish missionary who was martyred by pagan tribes in the Alsace region of France.
1998 A.D.
Pope John Paul II, while in Cuba during his papal visit, condemns the United States policy of the three decade-long embargo against Cuba, imploring President Clinton to lift it for the sake of the people of Cuba. To this date Clinton has still not responded affirmatively.
254 A.D.
Death of Saint Felician, Bishop of Foligno who is purported to be the first prelate other than a Pope to be presented the woolen pallium. This was done by Pope Saint Victor I when the Holy Father traveled to Felician's site in Italy to ordain him a bishop and make the presentation. Felician governed his see for five decades before being arrested by Decius and condemned to death. He died at the age of 94 from excessive torture and whippings being dragged behind a Roman chariot outside of Foligno.
268 A.D.
Death of Saint Zama, first Bishop of Bologna who was consecrated by Pope Saint Dionysius.
396 A.D.
Death of Saint Artemius, Bishop of Clermont who converted to the faith and became a priest and then a bishop. He had been a legate for the Spanish monarchy when he was delayed in France due to sickness and there his life experienced a conversion process that paved the way for his religious life.
580 A.D.
Death of Saint Suranus, Abbot of the Sora Monastery. Legend has it that when the Lombards threatened the village at Sora St. Suranus gave the refugees fleeing the city anything they could carry with them for survival, totally depleting the monastery for he knew the Lombards would level it anyway. They did as well as making St. Suranus a martyr on this date in 580 when they realized there was nothing to salvage.
772 A.D.
Death of Pope Stephen III, 94th successor of Peter who was born in Sicily and served as Supreme Pontiff for four years. Preceded by two antipopes, he immediately made good the harm caused by them. He corrected the conduct of Charlemagne and encouraged in every way the Christians in Palestine.
817 A.D.
Death of Pope Stephen IV, 97th successor of Peter. This Roman-born Vicar of Christ served for only nine months. During this short time he tried to avoid internal riots and rebellion by the institution of an oath to the Emperor subject to the latter's loyalty to the Pope. At Rheims he crowned Emperor Ludovico as King of the Franks.
1118 A.D.
John of Gaeta is elected Pope Gelasius II, 161st successor of Peter. He would die a year later. His pontificate would be short but stormy for he would be attacked in the Basilica of the Lateran and imprisoned by the rebel Cencio Frangipane. Genoese sailors would release him a few months later and he would return to Gaeta, dress in the disguise of a pilgrim and return to Rome under cover. Just before his death he would move to Cluny.
Will you refuse the pleas of your God Who waits for you in My Sacrament of Love? If you would possess My Peace you must come as a humble little child and surrender all to Me. Am I not God? Will I not provide for you in every circumstance?
Therefore, let all who hear Me and believe with open heart renew their fervor in their devotion to Me. Let every home have an image of My Sacred Heart, which shall be given the place of honor. If you reverence Me, I promise to be with you and I will keep all of My promises as I made long ago to My beloved Saint Margaret Mary.
Let all the earth come to My Sacred Heart. Let every lip proclaim My Holy Name. Let every knee bend before their God. If you do that which I ask then shall My Mother's Heart triumph sooner, shortening the chastisement and mitigating the Father's Divine Justice.
Time is running out. You must permit Me to be All and to reign in your life and in your world. I love and bless all who so honor Me.
I give to you My Peace. Be not afraid. I am with you!
Then, my children, you will recognize all that I have spoken from LaSalette to the present day is true, and has been fulfilled. If the world does not return to God after my repeated pleas, then the full weight of the Justice shall come when you least expect it.
Therefore, consecrate and dedicate yourselves every day to my Immaculate Heart and do not let the evil voices which surround you cause you to weaken in your resolve. As your Mother I love you with the Infinite Love of God. I have come to take you to Him, and to fulfill that which God has revealed to you in Sacred Scripture. I am among you for only a short time. Therefore, you must pray, and be strong in your faith which shall be shaken by the mighty storm of apostasy, schism and heresy.
Come to me and I will be your true Mother whose only desire is to take you to my Divine Son. I love and bless you. I thank you for your commitment. Do not lose heart, but pray, pray, pray!
