Friday 8 July 2016 Friday of week 14 in Ordinary Time

From a letter to the Corinthians by Saint Clement, pope

We are blessed if we fulfill the commands of the Lord in the harmony of love

Beloved, see what a marvelous thing love is; its perfection is beyond our expression. Who can truly love save those to whom God grants it? We ought to beg and beseech him in his mercy that our love may be genuine, unmarred by any too human inclination. From Adam down to the present time all generations have passed away; but those who were perfected in love by God’s grace have a place among the saints who will be revealed when the kingdom of Christ comes to us. As it is written: Enter your chambers for a little while, until my wrath and anger pass away; and I shall remember a good day and raise you from your graves. We are blessed, beloved, if we fulfill the commands of the Lord in harmonious, loving union, so that through love our sins may be forgiven. For it is written: Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputes not iniquity, and in whose mouth there is no deceit. This is the blessing that has been given to those who have been chosen by God through our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

  We should pray then that we may be granted forgiveness for our sins and for whatever we may have done when led astray by our adversary’s servants. And for those who were the leaders of the schism and the sedition, they too should look to the common hope. For those who live in pious fear and in love are willing to endure torment rather than have their neighbour suffer; and they more willingly suffer their own condemnation than the loss of that harmony that has been so nobly and righteously handed down to us. For it is better for a man to confess his sins than to harden his heart.

  Who then among you is generous, who is compassionate, who is filled with love? He should speak out as follows: If I have been the cause of sedition, conflict and schisms, then I shall depart; I shall go away wherever you wish, and I shall do what the community wants, if only the flock of Christ live in peace with the presbyters who are set over them. Whoever acts thus would win great glory for himself in Christ, and he would be received everywhere, for the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof. Thus have they acted in the past and will continue to act in the future who live without regret as citizens in the city of God.

PLEASE HELP

Tuesday, June 28……It is 12:45 in the morning and the lightning is flashing, the thunder is thundering, the wind is blowing and the rain is pouring down. This is pretty early for the rains and perhaps it is just a warning of what will be happening over the next three months. The mosquitoes are here already but soon there will be hordes of them after the rain forms puddles everywhere. They breed in discarded bottles, broken pots and in old sardine cans that folks often just toss into the bush; in potholes in the dirt roads or even in the holes in the cement blocks used in construction and anywhere else where water collects and there is no drainage.
BUT...I believe it is also a warning for me to swallow my pride and let you know that we are seriously needing your help in order to procure the medicine so necessary for the cure of Malaria .Just last Thursday we treated 6 patients with malaria and this; even before the rains began.
 In Africa, over a million people die each year because malaria is a killer. When folks having malaria come to Nazareth hermitage and we have the curative medicine, the malaria attack will be over during the 3 day dosage period. Usually after the day 1 the patient will feel much better but malaria parasites remain in the body until the last dosage is taken on day 3. I can certainly attest to this as I nearly died from malaria last year which put me into the hospital for a week. 
People were so generous when I went to the U.S. for a 3 week retreat and during the remaining time, because of your kindness, I was able to purchase medicines
and supplies which are not available here. For this reason I felt ashamed to ask for your kind help again but I must as the sick poor need our help…instructions follow below:

1. People make checks payable to "Monastery of Christ in the Desert"

2. Memo must read: Nazareth Hermitage - sick poor or Nazareth Hermitage
 Gambia sick poor

3. Address envelope to: Monastery of Christ in the Desert,
                                     St. Paul's Hermitage
                                      P.O. Box 270
                                     Abiquiu NM 87510

 4. My name should not appear anywhere on the check.

Thus the Monastery receives the donation and will send you an acknowledgement for tax purposes (should you need it) and then the check will be taken over to to St. Paul's hermitage and your donation for medicines for the sick poor will be deposited in my bank account in Santa Fe by the hermit at Christ in the Desert.

May our merciful Lord bless your kindness and shine His face upon you,

brother dismas Mary