Subj : April 22nd - Saint Leonidas of Alexandria To : All From : rich Date : Tue Apr 21 2020 10:38:35 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: For there are three ways of performing an act of mercy: the merciful word, by forgiving and by comforting; secondly, if you can offer no word, then pray -- that too is mercy; and thirdly, deeds of mercy. And when the Last Day comes, we shall be judged from this, and on this basis we shall receive the eternal verdict. --Saint Faustina Kowalska 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.=C2 (Zech 11:17) <><><><> On Certain Temptations Against Humility It is not easy to be humble when we are praised and flattered. Our self-love sucks in with eagerness the words of compliment. We think they must be partly true, or at least we are tempted to exult in the high opinion that others profess of us. Such occasions are very perilous to humility. We should do well to think of Herod when the people listened to his oration, and shouted out: "It is the voice of a god and not of a man." We read that because he took the glory to himself instead of giving it to God, he was smitten down by the Angel of the Lord and died miserably. (Acts xii.) Yet we cannot help being pleased when others speak kindly of us, and we ought to be pleased when our superiors commend us. But we must observe certain precautions. (1) We must take care to rejoice rather in the kindness of others than in their praise. (2) We must strive and forget ourselves, and raise our heart to God, and offer Him our success. (3) We must make an act of humility at the thought that if those who praise us saw us as God sees us, they would despise, not honor us. If we find that we are puffed up by praise, this is a fresh proof of our imperfection. The Saints disliked and dreaded praise, and when they were blamed unjustly, thanked God and took it as a mark of His love and favor. Father Lancicius used to consider unjust reproaches as pure gain, because they had no drawback of self-reproach or regret. Which do I accept most gladly, undue praise or undeserved blame? --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2 * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4) .