St. Sabbas, Martyr, A.D. 372.
by VP
Posted on Friday April 12, 2024 at 01:00AM in Saints
"He was by birth a Goth, converted to the faith in his youth, and a faithful imitator of the obedience, mildness, humility, and other virtues of the apostles. He was affable to all men, yet with dignity; a lover of truth, an enemy to all dissimulation or disguise, intrepid, modest, of few words, and a lover of peace; yet zealous and active. To sing the divine praises in the Church, and to adorn the altars, were his great delight. He was so scrupulously chaste, that he shunned all conversation with women, except what was indispensable. He often spent whole days and nights in prayer, and devoted his whole life to the exercises of penance. By his charity he kept peace with all. He was humble amidst a world of admirers; and ever ready to serve aud help all. He esteemed silver as contemptible earth, never providing beyond absolute necessity. He avoided all visits and entertainments, and whatever could serve only as a dissipation; that so his prayers might have less interruption.
Being apprehended for his
faith, he was dragged over thorns and briars, and forced along with
whips and staves. His hands and feet were afterwards stretched and
bound; and in this situation he was tormented for a considerable part of the night. Being violently struck with a javelin, so that all thought he was killed, the saint declared that he felt no more pain than if the javelin had been a lock of wool. He was at length thrown into a river, praising God to the last, and beseeching him to have mercy on his
judge, that he might not be lost eternally, who had put him in so
compendious a way to heaven. He blessed God, and surprised at his
goodness, admired that he should be called to this glory, who was so
unworthy.
Here is a disposition of soul which you have reason to ask of God,
that when death approaches, it may not be your anguish, but your joy.
Ought not that to be your joy, which puts an end to your banishment, and
opens you a way to your God? It will be so, if you love God. But for
this, prepare your soul by the method of this
saint. Keep peace with all, renounce pride, love not money, avoid
unprofitable conversation, let your rule be to supply only necessity.
Thus if you fence your heart against the world, the love of God will take place, and this will make death more a mercy than a punishment." The Catholic Year by Rev. Fr. John Gother
