Subj : The pledge of the Holy Spirit
To   : All
From : rich
Date : Sat Aug 05 2017 10:06:06

From: rich <richarra@gmail.com>


The pledge of the Holy Spirit 

Recall then that you have received the spiritual seal, the spirit of
wisdom and understanding, the spirit of right judgment and courage,
the spirit of knowledge and reverence, the spirit of holy fear in
God's presence. Guard what you have received. God the Father has
marked you with His sign; Christ the Lord has confirmed you and has
placed His pledge, the Spirit, in your hearts"
--by Ambrose of Milan, 339-397 A.D.(excerpt from De Mysteriis 7, 42).


<<>><<>><<>>
August 6th - The Transfiguration of Our Lord
(32AD)

Our divine Redeemer, being in Galilee the summer before His sacred
Passion, took with Him Saint Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, Saint
James and Saint John, and led them to the heights of a solitary
mountain. Tradition assures us that this was Mount Tabor, which is
exceedingly high and beautiful, and in those days was covered with
green trees and shrubs. It rises alone in the midst of a vast plain of
Galilee.

It is here that the God-Man appeared in His glory. While Jesus prayed,
He permitted the glory which was always due to His sacred
humanity--and of which for our sake, not to alarm us, He deprived
it--to diffuse its brilliance over His whole body. His face was
transfigured and shone as the sun, and His garments became white as
snow. Moses and Elias were seen in His company by the three apostles
on this occasion, and were heard discoursing with Him of the death
which He was to suffer in Jerusalem. The three were wondrously
delighted with this glorious vision, and Saint Peter cried out to
Christ, =E2=80=9CLord, it is good for us to be here! Let us make three tent=
s,
one for Thee, one for Moses, and one for Elias.=E2=80=9D

While Saint Peter was speaking, suddenly there came a bright cloud
from heaven, emblem of the presence of God's majesty, and from out =
of
this cloud was heard a voice which said, =E2=80=9CThis is My beloved Son, i=
n
whom I am well pleased; hear Him.=E2=80=9D By these words, God made known t=
hat
in Christ they must recognize the One He had foretold to Moses,
saying: =E2=80=9CI will raise up from among them a Prophet like you; I will
put My words in His mouth, and He will tell them all I command Him. If
anyone does not want to hear the words that this Prophet will speak in
My Name, it is to Me that he will have to answer for it.=E2=80=9D (Deut.
18:18-19) When the Jews asked John the Baptist if he was the Prophet,
this was the Expected One they referred to. The apostles understood
perfectly now what these words meant; the prophecy was known to all
who listened to the Scriptures read each week in their synagogues.
Hearing this voice, they were nonetheless seized with a sudden fear,
and fell upon the ground; but Jesus, going to them, touched them, and
bade them rise. They immediately did so, and saw no one but Jesus
standing there in His ordinary state. This vision happened during the
night. As they went down the mountain early the next morning, Jesus
forbade them to tell anyone what they had seen, before He had risen
from the dead.

Reflection: From the contemplation of this glorious mystery we ought
to conceive a true idea of future happiness. If this idea enters our
souls, we will think nothing of the difficulties or labors we meet
with here, but will regard with great indifference all the goods and
evils of this life, provided we obtain our portion in the kingdom of
God's glory.

Source: Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints,


Bible Quote:
that God's knowledge of human destiny is an unfathomable mystery: "How
rich and deep are the wisdom and knowledge of God!  We cannot reach to
the root of his decisions or his ways. Who has ever known the mind of
the Lord?" [Romans 11:33-34a]

Saint Quote:
When we find ourselves in some grave danger we must not lose courage
but firmly trust in God, for where there is the greatest danger, there
is also the greatest help from Him who wants to be called our 'Help'
in times of peace and in times of tribulation.
--St. Ambrose


<><><><>
From a sermon by Pope Saint Leo the Great on the Transfiguration:

The Lord took chosen witnesses and in their presence revealed his
glory. That is to say, the form of body which he had in common with
other men, he so transfigured with light, that his face did shine as
the sun, and his raiment became exceeding white, even as snow. Now the
chief purpose of this Transfiguration was to remove from the hearts of
the disciples their fear of the Cross. So, before their eyes, was
unveiled the splendour of his hidden majesty, that the lowliness of
his freely-chosen suffering might not confound their faith. But
nonetheless there was also thus set forth, by the providence of God, a
sure and certain hope for holy Church, whereby the whole Body of
Christ should know with what great a change it is yet to be honoured.
For the members of that Body whose Head hath already been transfigured
in light may promise themselves a share in his glory.
--- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
 * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)

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