Subj : January 17th - St. Anthony of Egypt To : All From : rich Date : Tue Jan 16 2018 09:15:57 From: rich January 17th - St. Anthony of Egypt (250-356) This St. Anthony was the son of well-to-do Egyptian Christian parents. He could have afforded a broad education, but he detested school and preferred his own company. This was perhaps providential, considering his monastic calling. When Anthony was about 20, both his father and his mother died, leaving him a good estate and a young sister to raise. Now, one day when he was attending Mass, he heard read the scripture message in which Jesus told the rich young man, =E2=80=9CGo, sell what you have, and g= ive it to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven.=E2=80=9D Anthony took this literally, and disposed of most of his property for the benefit of the poor. Not long afterward, he heard read Christ's other words= , =E2=80=9CBe not solicitous for tomorrow.=E2=80=9D That passage prompted him= to get rid of the rest of his property, entrust his sister to the care of some pious women, and go off to be tutored by a holy man of the locality in the virtues of poverty, chastity and obedience. Then he moved farther from his home town, and there for over a dozen years he wrestled to bring his will into subjection by prayer, abstinence and manual labor. St. Athanasius, the first writer to recount the life of this contemporary fellow countryman, tells of the battles that Anthony fought with the devil during these years. Satan left no means untried to tempt him in body and soul, and even beat him within an inch of his life. God seemed far away from the hermit during those awful hours. When the trial was finally over, Anthony asked Him, =E2=80=9CWhy were you n= ot here to help me?=E2=80=9D God answered, =E2=80=9CAnthony, I was here the wh= ole time; I stood by you and watched your combat; and because you have manfully withstood your enemies, I will always protect you, and render your name famous throughout the earth.=E2=80=9D After that, Anthony went into a more remote mountain country, where he spent the next 20 Years. But about the year 305, to satisfy the pleading of other ascetics he founded a monastery for them at Fayum. The several monasteries that St. Anthony founded were not of the type we have today. They were more like colonies of hermits, each of whom worked and prayed in his own cell. They came together only for common devotions. Anthony himself visited them only occasionally. But when he gathered them for a conference, he counseled them out of his own rich experience. =E2=80=9CDo every action as if it were the last in your lives,= =E2=80=9D he would say. Or, =E2=80=9CThe Devil dreads fasting, prayer, humility and good works.=E2=80=9D Or, =E2=80=9CIf prayer becomes too difficult, turn for a wh= ile to manual labor.=E2=80=9D The Roman persecutions were still on in those days, and in 311, Emperor Maximinus started a new one in Alexandria. Despite his dislike of crowds, St. Anthony felt duty-bound to go to Alexandria for a while and encourage those Christians on trial for their faith. He thus exposed himself to martyrdom, but the governor ignored him. God evidently preferred to have him continue his living martyrdom. Only once after that did he return to Alexandria. When the Arian heresy broke out, he went there at the request of the bishops to defend the divinity of Christ. At that time crowds of citizens joyfully gathered to see and hear this already legendary man, and many were converted. But when some invited him to stay, he replied, =E2=80=9CAs fish die if they are taken from the water, so does a monk wither away if he forsakes his solitude.=E2=80=9D He worried that in future days his monks might becom= e citified and tepid. His wisdom and meekness impressed people, and all who spoke to him went home full of comfort. A few months after returning to his cell, Anthony took ill and bade a gentle farewell to his monk companions. He died quickly and calmly at 105. Old age was certainly the cause of death, for despite his long austerity he had never been sick or lost his vision or even lost one of his teeth. St. Paul said, =E2=80=9COur battle is not against human forces, but against the principalities and powers, the rulers of this world of darkness, the evil spirits in regions above.=E2=80=9D (Ep., 6:12). Creatures do tempt us, but it is because Satan uses them as instruments. We seem to have forgotten sin in our times. But St. Anthony still reminds us that it exists, and shows us how to repudiate Satan, the mortal enemy that seeks to destroy us. Saint Quote: "To suffer for Christ's sake is patiently to endure whatever happens to us.= " --St. Gregory of Sinai. Bible Quote: 17 Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation;[a] the old has passed away, behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation [2 Corinthians 5:17-18] RSVCE <><><><> Come, Thou Redeemer Of The Earth (By Saint Ambrose of Milan) Come, Thou Redeemer of the earth, and manifest Thy virgin birth: let every age adoring fall; such birth befits the God of all. Begotten of no human will, but of the Spirit, Thou art still the Word of God in flesh arrayed, the promised fruit to man displayed. The virgin womb that burden gained with virgin honor all unstained; the banners there of virtue glow; God in his temple dwells below. Forth from his chamber goeth He, that royal home of purity, a giant in twofold substance one, rejoicing now his course to run. From God the Father He proceeds, to God the Father back He speeds; His course he runs to death and hell, returning on God's throne to dwell. O equal to Thy Father, Thou! Gird on thy fleshly mantle now; the weakness of our mortal state with deathless might invigorate. Thy cradle here shall glitter bright, and darkness breathe a newer light, where endless faith shall shine serene, and twilight never intervene. All laud to God the Father be, all praise, eternal Son, to Thee; all glory, as is ever meet, to God the Holy Paraclete --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2 * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4) .