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kelvinf
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August 9
Today is the Feast day of
Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross
Among many other saints.
Every woman who wants to fulfill her destiny must look to Mary as the ideal.
Edith Stein
August 9
Today is the Feast day of
Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross
Among many other saints.
Every woman who wants to fulfill her destiny must look to Mary as the ideal.
Edith Stein
Edith SteinEvery woman who wants to fulfill her destiny must look to Mary as the ideal.
Spiritual NewsletterAugust 1943. In Berlin’s Tegel Military Prison, a man condemned to death clumsily writes the following lines: «Even if I write with chained hands, it is better than having my will chained. Sometimes God shows Himself by giving His strength to those who love Him and do not put earthly things above eternal realities. Neither prison, nor chains, nor even death, can separate one from the love of God, or rob him of his faith and free will. God’s power is invincible.» This «martyr of conscience» was beatified by the Church on October 27, 2007, with his 94-year-old wife in attendance.
What a narrative! He showed so much bravery at his death.Saint Lawrence of Rome
Deacon and Martyr.
Saint Lawrence is one of those saints whose martyrdom is said to have made a deep impression on the early Church. According to Tradition, he was born at Huesca, Spain. He was a deacon of Pope Saint Sixtus II; specifically he was chief of the seven deacons of the congregation at Rome, i.e., the seven men who, were in charge of administering the church budget, particularly with regard to the care of the poor.
At the beginning of the month of August in 258, Emperor Valerian issued an edict commanding that all bishops, priests and deacons should immediately be put to death.
The imperial command was carried out in Rome. On Aug. 6, Pope Sixtus II was apprehended in one of the catacombs. As the Pope and four of his seven deacons were being led to die, Lawrence was so overwhelmed with grief that he was not being taken too. Crying out to the Pope he asked,
”Will you go to heaven and leave me behind?" The Pope reportedly consoled him thus: **“Do not cry my son, in three days you will follow me!” **
Overjoyed at this prediction, Lawrence sold many of the Church’s possessions and donated the money to the poor.
When the Prefect of Rome heard this, he had Lawrence brought before him and demanded all the treasures of the Church for the Emperor. Lawrence said he would need three days to collect them. He then used the three days to assemble the sick, the aged, and the poor, the widows and orphans, the blind, the crippled and other unfortunates. He presented them to the prefect, and said, **“These are the treasures of the Church.” **The prefect was enraged. He ordered the Saint to be roasted alive on a gridiron.
Accordingly, Saint Lawrence was placed naked on a red-hot grill. He bore the agony with unbelievable equanimity, and in the midst of his torment, with a touch of humor, instructed his executioners thus: **“You may turn me over; I am done on this side.” **And so it was, that Saint Lawrence died, on 10 August 258. while praying for the city of Rome.
The spectacle of his death reportedly led to the conversion of Rome and signaled the end of paganism in the city.
He was buried at the Campus Veranus on the Via Tiburtina where a basilica in his honor was erected.
He is mentioned in the First Eucharistic Prayer, and in liturgical art, he depicted as a deacon with a grid-iron grill.
Saint Lawrence of Rome’
Pray for us!
Yes, Saint Lawrence’s martyrdom was among some of the most cruel. Sometimes we humans are kinder to animals than to human beings; not that I am advocating cruelty to animals, noWhat a narrative! He showed so much bravery at his death.
Nice!In the Magnificat, Prayer of the Morning, for today, there is a wonderful hymn for this Feast day of St. Clare.
This hymn can be sung to the tune used for O Worship the King.
"O woman of light, ablaze with the Sun
Of Christ your Beloved, with whom you are one.
The fire of his love burns like gold in your prayer,
The joy of the cross shines like flame in the air.
Unburdened by wealth, untrammeled and free,
The light-footed daughter of high poverty,
You run like the lightening across summer skies;
With Christ in your heart, you shine, holy and wise.
With prodigal hand, you scatter on earth
The fruits of your penance, the coins of your mirth,
Enriching all hearts with the treasure you chose
To store up in heaven for God to dispose.
O holy Saint Clare, we beg you today
To hold your torch high and shed light on our way
Through gate old and narrow and up the steep road
That led you to dwell in God’s promised abode."
Holy Saint Clare, pray for us!
God bless,
~Rae
I particularly like the last two verses.In the Magnificat, Prayer of the Morning, for today, there is a wonderful hymn for this Feast day of St. Clare.
This hymn can be sung to the tune used for O Worship the King.
"O woman of light, ablaze with the Sun
Of Christ your Beloved, with whom you are one.
The fire of his love burns like gold in your prayer,
The joy of the cross shines like flame in the air.
Unburdened by wealth, untrammeled and free,
The light-footed daughter of high poverty,
You run like the lightening across summer skies;
With Christ in your heart, you shine, holy and wise.
With prodigal hand, you scatter on earth
The fruits of your penance, the coins of your mirth,
Enriching all hearts with the treasure you chose
To store up in heaven for God to dispose.
O holy Saint Clare, we beg you today
To hold your torch high and shed light on our way
Through gate old and narrow and up the steep road
That led you to dwell in God’s promised abode."
Holy Saint Clare, pray for us!
God bless,
~Rae
**I asked the Mother of God what was to become of me. Then she came to me holding two crowns, one white, the other red. She asked if I was willing to accept either of these crowns. The white one meant that I should persevere in purity, and the red that I should become a martyr. I said that I would accept them both. - Saint Maximilian
**"One of these, named Franciszek Gajowniczek, a father of nine, wailed: “No, God! Not me, please! What will become of my poor wife and children?” Deeply moved, Fr Kolbe stepped out of the ranks and standing before Commandant Fritsch, pointed to Sergeant Gajowniczek and said: “I am a Catholic priest from Poland. I am old. I want to take his place because he has a wife and children”,