Saint Brigid Patroness of Ireland
by VP
Posted on Saturday February 01, 2025 at 12:00AM in Saints
LOVE OF GOD AND YOUR NEIGHBOR.-St. Brigid, patroness of the Irish, who esteemed her as a second Mary, was born in the year of our Lord 453, and from an early period of her life devoted herself to the service of God. The sanctity of this consecrated maiden has been justly celebrated by the Venerable Bede and other great writers, who described her as having been constantly occupied in holy contemplation or the active exercise of charitable works. She founded the far-famed monastery of Kildare, where she lived as abbess, and died in the year 523, after having glorified God for long years by the many virtues and miracles recorded in her history. With the example of this holy virgin before them, the Irish youth of both sexes made rapid progress in the acquisition of all those eminent characteristics which secured for them, through many ages, the designation of children of the Saints.
Moral Reflection: -Let us always bear in mind that,
no matter what our state of life may be, we can sanctify ourselves by
communing with God, and contributing to our neighbour's edification.
"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy
whole soul, and thy neighbour as thyself." Pictorial half hours with the saints by Rev. Fr. Auguste François Lecanu LeCanu 1865
Prayer:
"O holy St. Brigid, thou who art the light, the ornament, and the glory of the Church of Ireland, be the heavenly patron of its people, and be the especial friend and the protectress of the priests of the sanctuary. Let those who offer sacrifice to the name of God, be worthy of their exalted duties.
Shew forth in their lives the form of all
perfection and cover them with the robe of holiness. Let them love
justice and hate iniquity. Let their prayer be like incense in the sight
of heaven. Let their doctrine be saving and salutary to the people, and
let the odor of their lives be the delight of the Church of God." Source: Ecclesiastical Meditations, page 254
Saint Ignatius of Antioch (BISHOP AND MARTYR, A.D. 107.)
by VP
Posted on Saturday February 01, 2025 at 12:00AM in Saints
"16. Do not be deceived, my brethren. Those who ruin homes will not inherit the kingdom of God. Now, if those who do this to gratify the flesh are liable to death, how much more a man who by evil doctrine ruins the faith in God, for which Jesus Christ was crucified! Such a filthy creature will go into the unquenchable fire, as will anyone that listens to him.
17. The Lord permitted myrrh to be poured on His head that He might breathe incorruption upon the Church. Do not let yourselves be anointed with the malodorous doctrine of the Prince of this world, for fear he may carry you off into captivity, away from the life that is in store for you. Why do we not all become wise, having received knowledge of God, that is Jesus Christ! Why do we perish in folly, failing to appreciate the gift which the Lord has sent us in truth!" Source: St. Ignatius of Antioch Epistles To the Ephesians, 1946 p 66.
"He was the third bishop of Antioch after St. Peter and Evodius, and governed that Church above forty years with apostolic zeal and piety, which has rendered him eminent to all succeeding ages. Pray for all bishops of Christ's Church, that his spirit may be revived in them. Pray for the people of that city and diocese, now subject to the tyranny and errors of the Turks, that they may once more be the object of his mercy.
St. Ignatius was apprehended by order of the Emperor Trajan, and by him sentenced to be carried to Rome, there to be devoured by lions in the amphitheatre. He received his sentence with joy, having long desired to offer himself a sacrifice to Christ. Being shipped under the custody of ten soldiers, whom he calls leopards, he suffered very much by their cruelty but "their iniquity," says he, "was my instruction."
The spirit of this holy prelate, and the earnest desire he had of suffering for Christ, is plainly discovered in his epistle written to the Romans, which he sent before him. "I wish," says he, "I may come to those beasts, which are prepared for me; I hope they will be ravenous to devor me; I will provoke them to their prey, lest they should spare me, as they have done other martyrs. And if they will not seize me, I will force them; I will put myself upon them, that I may be devoured. Pardon me, my children, I know what advantage it will be to me. It is now I begin to be a disciple of Jesus Christ: I desire nothing upon earth, that so I may find Christ."
Being exposed in the theatre, and hearing the lions roar, he cried out: "I am the wheat of Christ, let the teeth of lions grind me, that I may become pure bread, fit to be offered to him." He was forthwith torn by the lions, and his relics were carried by his disciples to Antioch. Pray for the spirit of this holy man, and that love of God which inflamed his breast." The Catholic Year by Rev. Fr. John Gother
