April 17th
St Stephen Harding (d. 1134), Abbot, Confessor; Dorset, England; Feast day April 17th

"I assure you that I go to God in fear and trembling.  If my baseness should be found to have ever done any good, even in this I fear, lest I should not have preserved that grace with the humility and care I ought."


St Simeon (AD 341); Bishop, Martyr; Persia; Feast day April 17th

"I would not adore you, O king; and you far excel the sun, being endued with reason.  We Christians have no Lord but Christ, who was crucified."
"Hear me, O Jesus, though most undeserving and unworthy, grant that I may drink this cup on this day, and at the hour of Your passion.  May all know that Simeon was obedient to his Lord and was sacrificed with Him."

St Augustine (354-430), Confessor, Bishop, Father of the Church; Thagaste, Algeria; Feast day August 28th

"Men go to Hell through hope, as well as through despair: through a presumptuous hope during life, and through despair at the hour of death."