On February 24, 1861
Venerable John Henry Newman, C.O., preached a sermon, of which the following notes survive:

State of Innocence
1. INTROD.—State of our first parents. Image and likeness .

2. Image in nature. All things are in a way in the image of God, as being His creatures. Man in a special way.

Soul (1) a spirit; (2) immortality; (3) knowledge illimitable ; (4) free will; (5) Godlikeness, as Satan said .

Body—beautifulness, perfection of form, etc., etc. but still defects.

Soul—passions against reason; body—mortality.

Thirdly, war of soul with body, as having different ends. Strange the body cannot be without the soul, nor the soul well without the body; yet they cannot agree together.

3. Almighty God knows what He has created, and therefore He did not leave man thus, but gave him a supernatural gift.

4. Likeness—(explain)—sanctity. In fact [also] health and strength, viz. three subjections: (1) Soul to God, (2) passions to reason, and (3) body to soul .

5. Hence a knowledge of mysteries. An absence of passions, only good affections.

6. Yet we need not lament paradise—on account of the future glory promised to us.

7. 'Lest he take of the tree of life.'

The Feast of St. Praetextatus, Bishop and Martyr
is today. There is information on him here.

Mr. Riddle....
has a fine post with an extensive quotation from the Venerable.

The Feast of St. Polycarp of Smyrna, Bishop and Martyr
is today. There is information on him here.

Hear St. Polycarp's words, when the heathen magistrate urged him to blaspheme Christ: "Eighty and six years," said he, "have I served Him, and He hath never wronged me; and how can I blaspheme my King, who hath saved me?"

Venerable John Henry Newman, Sermons Bearing on Subjects of the Day

AAAAAUUUUGH !
My mother became ill over the weekend. She's feeling much better now, but in all my flurry I missed the Venerable's birthday !
Prayers for his canonization would be most welcome anyway. .... sigh....