Rich
2020-08-06 06:55:30 UTC
Jesus goes before us
“Jesus goes before us to show us the way, both up the mountain and
into heaven and--I speak boldly--it is for us now to follow him with
all speed, . . .Let us run with confidence and joy to enter into the
cloud like Moses and Elijah, or like James and John. Let us be caught
up like Peter to behold the divine vision and to be transfigured by
that glorious transfiguration. Let us retire from the world, stand
aloof from the earth, rise above the body, detach ourselves from
creatures and turn to the Creator, to whom Peter in ecstasy exclaimed:
‘Lord, it is good for us to be here.'”…St Anastasius (died 628)
<<>><<>><<>>
August 6th - SS. Justus and Pastor
† 304
Alcala and Madrid in Spain share two child patrons saints, the
brothers Justus and Pastor. When they were executed, Justus was
thirteen; Pastor was nine.
The story of their martyrdom, as it comes down to us (perhaps
imperfectly), is as follows: Diocletian and Maximian Hercules, Roman
co-emperors around 300 AD, authorized the last great Roman persecution
of Christians. Their prefect (governor) in Spain, a man named Dacian,
carried out the imperial edicts with pagan zeal, touring Spain in
search of Christians so that he might convert or erase them.
The governor’s tour brought him to Complutum, an old Roman city called
today Alcala de Henares, which is not far from the present Madrid. The
Complutensian Christians were rooted out by the police and brought
before his tribunal for judgement.
Among the Christian children of Alcala there were two little brothers,
Justus and Pastor. Their family background is unknown, but they must
have come from educated and devoutly Christian stock. They were in
class at the elementary school at the time of Dacian’s arrival.
Learning of what was happening at the governor’s court to their
grown-up fellow Christians, they burned with a desire to share in
their witness to the faith. So they threw down their books and writing
tablets and ran off to the place where Dacian had set up his public
tribunal. With boyish enthusiasm they elbowed their way up to where
the adult Christians were on trial, caught the eye of the civil
officials, and made it quite clear to them that they, too, where
Christians and not afraid to suffer for it.
The police eventually brought the lads up in front of where Dacian
sat. Had he been a man of heart, he could have been touched at the
sight of the innocent heroism of the young brothers. Being without
compassion, he was simply annoyed with the boys for their intrusion.
Sassy kids who trivialized the dignity of an imperial prefect deserved
punishment. A good whipping, he thought, would destroy their
“courage;” so he ordered them to be given a beating. The whippers laid
on brutally, but with the strokes the boys’ commitment to their faith
grew stronger, rather than weaker. Amazed at their steadfastness, the
adult Christians, some of whom had been weakening, took inspiration,
and began to encourage each other to be firm in faith. Embarrassed by
his inability to master Justus and Pastor, Dacian ordered the pair
beheaded.
The thought may occur to us, could children nine and thirteen really
deserve to be crowned as saints by the Church? The answer is, Why not?
It might be difficult to prove that children of that age had achieved
heroic virtues apart from martyrdom, but a number of children have
been proclaimed saints or blesseds who died in defense of Christian
faith and virtue. Ordinarily, the basic requirement would be that they
had reached the age of reason, were able to discern right from wrong,
and chose to die rather than betray their consciences. In their
innocence, young children can often see issues like this more clearly
than adults, and follow through. I should think that the main problem
with a persecuted child would be his or her natural fear. But God’s
grace can take care of that.
May the spiritual courage of Ss. Justus and Pastor inspire us as it
inspired the wavering adult Christians of Alcala. Their story reminds
us of the truth that if we stand by Him, He will always stand by us.
Prudentius numbers them among the most glorious martyrs of Spain.
Their names also are recorded in the “Hieronymianum”, on August 25.
See the Acta Sanctorum, August, vol. ii.
Saint Quote:
Blessed the one who loves truth continually and has not lent his mouth
as an instrument of impiety by lying, for he fears the commandment
about idle speech.
--St. Ephrem of Syria
In Ephesians 1:4-5 Paul writes, "Thus he chose us in Christ before the
world was made to be holy and faultless before him in love, marking us
out for himself beforehand, to be adopted sons, through Jesus Christ."
Paul expresses this same teaching of God's plan of salvation for
humanity
<><><><>
Little Acts of Love
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.
My loving Jesus, out of the grateful love I bear Thee and to
make reparation for my unfaithfulness to grace, I give Thee
my heart, and I consecrate myself wholly to Thee, and with
Thy help I purpose never to sin again.
Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that we, who,
glorifying in the most Sacred Heart of Thy Beloved Son,
cherish within us the especial benefits of that love, may be
equally gladdened both by their action and by their fruit.
Through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.
“Jesus goes before us to show us the way, both up the mountain and
into heaven and--I speak boldly--it is for us now to follow him with
all speed, . . .Let us run with confidence and joy to enter into the
cloud like Moses and Elijah, or like James and John. Let us be caught
up like Peter to behold the divine vision and to be transfigured by
that glorious transfiguration. Let us retire from the world, stand
aloof from the earth, rise above the body, detach ourselves from
creatures and turn to the Creator, to whom Peter in ecstasy exclaimed:
‘Lord, it is good for us to be here.'”…St Anastasius (died 628)
<<>><<>><<>>
August 6th - SS. Justus and Pastor
† 304
Alcala and Madrid in Spain share two child patrons saints, the
brothers Justus and Pastor. When they were executed, Justus was
thirteen; Pastor was nine.
The story of their martyrdom, as it comes down to us (perhaps
imperfectly), is as follows: Diocletian and Maximian Hercules, Roman
co-emperors around 300 AD, authorized the last great Roman persecution
of Christians. Their prefect (governor) in Spain, a man named Dacian,
carried out the imperial edicts with pagan zeal, touring Spain in
search of Christians so that he might convert or erase them.
The governor’s tour brought him to Complutum, an old Roman city called
today Alcala de Henares, which is not far from the present Madrid. The
Complutensian Christians were rooted out by the police and brought
before his tribunal for judgement.
Among the Christian children of Alcala there were two little brothers,
Justus and Pastor. Their family background is unknown, but they must
have come from educated and devoutly Christian stock. They were in
class at the elementary school at the time of Dacian’s arrival.
Learning of what was happening at the governor’s court to their
grown-up fellow Christians, they burned with a desire to share in
their witness to the faith. So they threw down their books and writing
tablets and ran off to the place where Dacian had set up his public
tribunal. With boyish enthusiasm they elbowed their way up to where
the adult Christians were on trial, caught the eye of the civil
officials, and made it quite clear to them that they, too, where
Christians and not afraid to suffer for it.
The police eventually brought the lads up in front of where Dacian
sat. Had he been a man of heart, he could have been touched at the
sight of the innocent heroism of the young brothers. Being without
compassion, he was simply annoyed with the boys for their intrusion.
Sassy kids who trivialized the dignity of an imperial prefect deserved
punishment. A good whipping, he thought, would destroy their
“courage;” so he ordered them to be given a beating. The whippers laid
on brutally, but with the strokes the boys’ commitment to their faith
grew stronger, rather than weaker. Amazed at their steadfastness, the
adult Christians, some of whom had been weakening, took inspiration,
and began to encourage each other to be firm in faith. Embarrassed by
his inability to master Justus and Pastor, Dacian ordered the pair
beheaded.
The thought may occur to us, could children nine and thirteen really
deserve to be crowned as saints by the Church? The answer is, Why not?
It might be difficult to prove that children of that age had achieved
heroic virtues apart from martyrdom, but a number of children have
been proclaimed saints or blesseds who died in defense of Christian
faith and virtue. Ordinarily, the basic requirement would be that they
had reached the age of reason, were able to discern right from wrong,
and chose to die rather than betray their consciences. In their
innocence, young children can often see issues like this more clearly
than adults, and follow through. I should think that the main problem
with a persecuted child would be his or her natural fear. But God’s
grace can take care of that.
May the spiritual courage of Ss. Justus and Pastor inspire us as it
inspired the wavering adult Christians of Alcala. Their story reminds
us of the truth that if we stand by Him, He will always stand by us.
Prudentius numbers them among the most glorious martyrs of Spain.
Their names also are recorded in the “Hieronymianum”, on August 25.
See the Acta Sanctorum, August, vol. ii.
Saint Quote:
Blessed the one who loves truth continually and has not lent his mouth
as an instrument of impiety by lying, for he fears the commandment
about idle speech.
--St. Ephrem of Syria
In Ephesians 1:4-5 Paul writes, "Thus he chose us in Christ before the
world was made to be holy and faultless before him in love, marking us
out for himself beforehand, to be adopted sons, through Jesus Christ."
Paul expresses this same teaching of God's plan of salvation for
humanity
<><><><>
Little Acts of Love
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.
My loving Jesus, out of the grateful love I bear Thee and to
make reparation for my unfaithfulness to grace, I give Thee
my heart, and I consecrate myself wholly to Thee, and with
Thy help I purpose never to sin again.
Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that we, who,
glorifying in the most Sacred Heart of Thy Beloved Son,
cherish within us the especial benefits of that love, may be
equally gladdened both by their action and by their fruit.
Through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.