Subj : April 22nd - Saint Leonidas To : All From : rich Date : Sat Apr 21 2018 10:08:17 From: rich April 22nd - Saint Leonidas of Alexandria (Also known as Leonides) (d. 202) The Emperor Severus, in the year 202, the tenth of his reign, raised a bloody persecution which filled the entire empire with martyrs, but especially Egypt. The most illustrious of those who by their triumphs ennobled and edified the city of Alexandria was Leonides, father of the great Origen. He was a Christian philosopher and excellently versed both in the profane and sacred sciences. He had seven sons; the eldest was Origen, whom he brought up with very great care, returning thanks to God for having blessed him with a son of such an excellent disposition for learning, and so remarkable a piety. After his son was baptized, he would come to his bedside while he was asleep and, bending over the child, would kiss his breast respectfully, as the temple of the Holy Spirit. When the persecution reached Alexandria in 202, under Laetus, governor of Egypt, Leonides was cast into prison. Origen, who was then only seventeen years of age, burned with a fervent desire for martyrdom, and sought every opportunity of facing it. His ardor redoubled at the sight of his father's chains, and his mother was forced to lock up = all his clothes to oblige him to stay at home. She conjured him not to forsake her; thus, unable to do more, he wrote a letter to his father in very moving terms, strongly exhorting him to look at the crown that was offered him with courage and joy. He added this exhortation: =E2=80=9CT= ake heed that for our sakes you do not change your mind!=E2=80=9D Leonides was indeed beheaded for the faith in 202. Sources: Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints, a compilation based on Butler's Lives of the Saints and other sources Saint Quote: Never see a need without trying to do something about it. --Blessed Mary Mackillop Bible Quote: Woe to the worthless shepherd that leaveth the flock! The sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye; his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye utterly darkened. (Zech 11:17) <><><><> Humility Humility so greatly pleases God that, in coming upon earth, He made it His own special virtue. In order to understand it, let us rise above the highest heavens to that sublime solitude where the infinite excellence of His Being places Him--at an incommensurable distance from all created beings. This will be the starting-point which will enable us to measure the humility of the Incarnate Word. He descends first to the dazzling order of the Seraphim, which, for God, is already an immense descent; it is to traverse the infinite. He still descends, and descends until He arrives at our nature. It is in our clay He wills His majesty to be. But in this clay there are different degrees. There is the clay which shines beneath the splendor of gold and of purple. It is doubtless a false splendor, but yet it shines; the Word of God will have none of it. He, therefore, descends yet lower. First, He finds a stable, then the dwelling of an artisan. He finds a poor woman, who gains her bread by labor. He descends even lower than this, and He hides Himself in her womb; He chooses this obscure person to be His first dwelling upon earth. O abyss of humility! Who, after this, would desire esteem and glory? Who would wish to appear in public, to attract notice, to make himself applauded? Who would not love a hidden life? --Rev. M. Hamon, Meditations for All the Days of the Year, 19th century --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2 * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4) .