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"This saint lived at Constantinople in the time of St. John Chrysostom. Her husband having been dead some time, the Emperor Theodosius proposed to her to marry Elpidius, his own near relation: to whom she answered, that God having taken away her husband, because she was not fit for the duties of the married state, she was resolved no more to engage in it. She was true to her resolution; and employed both her money and time in the relief of widows, orphans, and the sick. Her austerities were great, her habit mean, her humility edifying, her tears continual: and that nothing might be wanting to consummate her virtue, she was persecuted by the Emperor Arcadius, for espousing the cause of oppressed innocence in the person of her pastor, St. John Chrysostom. For this, being forced into banishment, she found her way by a happy death, to a better country which she had long desired.

Make use of this example as your state requires. There are difficulties in all conditions, and that of marriage cannot properly be Christian, without the self-denials of the cloister. If humility and charity helped her to heaven, will not prodigality and vanity shut you out from it? Take not your measures from the world, but from the gospel; and then say who has given you power so much to dispense with it. Follow the gospel, if you hope to come to the promises of the gospel. The saints all studied to husband every moment to the best advantage, knowing that life is very short, and that the night is coming on apace when no man can work. Let no moments be spent merely to pass away time. Diversions and corporal exercise ought to be used with moderation, only as much as may seem requisite for bodily health and the vigour of the mind. Every one is bound to apply himself to some serious employment. This, and his necessary recreations, must be referred to God, sanctified by a holy intention, and seasoned by humility, patience, prayer, and other virtues. Thus will our lives be an uninterrupted sacrifice of divine praise and love." The Catholic Year by Fr. John Gother

"He was a bishop: pray for all the bishops in God's Church. Who knows, but if the faithful constantly joined in presenting their most earnest petitions to Almighty God, as often as the festivals of holy prelates return throughout the year, He might bless the Church with a succession of holy pastors, who by word and example might be as so many lights to the faithful, to conduct them to a happy eternity?

St. Eusebius was bishop of Vercelli, and a powerful opponent of the Arian heresy, which at that time desolated the Church, under the protection of the Emperor Constantius By this emperor, he was sent into banishment for defending the Nicene Creed, and refusing to subscribe to the condemnation of St. Athanasius. The holy man suffered much in his exile from hunger, thirst, scourging, and various kinds of cruel treatment; but he had learned to undervalue his own life for the cause of Christ, and he cheerfully abandoned his body to his persecutors. Neither torments, nor enticements, could ever move him to consent to the enemies of his faith.

On the death of Constantius, he was permitted to return to his see, and came to Alexandria to concert measures with St. Athanasius for applying proper remedies to the evils of the Church. He afterwards travelled over the East, and through Illyricum, confirming in the faith those that were wavering, and bringing back many that were gone astray. St. Jerome places his death in 371; and he is styled a martyr, and honoured as such in the offices of the Church.

Pray for patience in all sufferings for yourself, and others who are under any trials. If you honour a martyr, suffer something this day with more than ordinary meekness. Consider how often you are in a passion, how easily you are disquieted, how inconsiderable a thing provokes you, how ordinary temptations overcome you. Are these the steps of a martyr? Is this according to the Gospel? Blush then, and be confounded at your weakness: pray for new strength, and beseech this holy martyr to pray for you." The Catholic Year by Fr. John Gother

• "Woe to us who have been born in this wretched age, an age - I say it weeping - in which anyone who has any zeal whatever for the glory of God, and casts his eyes on the men and women who now live, will be moved to tears to see everything turned upside down, the beautiful order of virtue overthrown, the bright light of life quenched, and scarce anything left in the Church but open iniquity and feigned sanctity. The light of good example is extinguished in those who ought to shine as luminaries to the whole world, like watch-towers and beacons on the mountains. No light, alas! comes from them, but horrid darkness, and pestilent mischief, by which innumerable souls are falling into destruction." -- St. John Fisher; Bishop of Rochester, Cardinal, Tower of London, 1535

• Prayer for Holy Bishops (Saint John Fisher): Lord, according to Your promise that the Gospel should be preached throughout the whole world, raise up men fit for such work. The Apostles were but soft and yielding clay till they were baked hard by the fire of the Holy Ghost. So, Good Lord, do now in like manner again with Thy Church Militant; change and make the soft and slippery earth into hard stones; set in Thy Church strong and mighty pillars, that may suffer and endure great labors, watching, poverty, thirst, hunger, cold and heat; which also shall not hear the threatenings of princes, persecution, neither death but always persuade and think with themselves to suffer with a good will, slanders, shame, and all kinds of torments, for the glory and laud of Thy Holy Name. By this manner, good Lord, the truth of Thy Gospel shall be preached throughout all the world. Therefore, merciful Lord, exercise Thy mercy, show it indeed upon Thy Church. Saint John Fisher (Sermon in 1508) from Saint John Fisher Forum

1. When the apostles on Mount Olivet were gazing after their Master, Who had just ascended into heaven, two angels stood by them and announced to them that He Who had just vanished from their sight would return in like manner. Our Lord Himself had already declared that He would come again with power and great glory and would sit upon the throne of His glory. At the sound of His approach the dead will rise from their graves to meet Him, and the nations of the world who have not accepted His sway will be filled with unspeakable terror and dismay. What will be the dispositions with which I shall rise again to meet Christ? What would they be now if He were to come to-day?

2. The object of His coming will be to judge the living and the dead. All that is now hidden will be made manifest before the world. All the secret thoughts and whispered words, and actions concealed from the eyes of men, will then be made manifest. How should I like to have all my base and low motives dragged to light, all my unkind words revealed to those against whom they were spoken, all those actions, of which I cannot myself think without shame, proclaimed so that all may behold them ?

3. Our Lord will come, radiant in majesty and glory, to crush His enemies under His feet and reward His faithful soldiers and servants. How great then will be the ignominy and shame of the mighty men of earth, if they have not bowed their neck to the King of kings! How full of joy will be the hearts of all who have humbled themselves before Him! How will they be beautiful beyond compare, and honored before His holy angels! Learn now to humble yourself under the yoke of Christ. "Meditations #16 for Advent . By Rev. Richard F. Clarke S.J. The Catholic Truth Society, London 1891

Saint Andrew Christmas Novena: Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires, [here mention your request] through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother. Amen. (15 times)

Saint John the Baptist Sees Jesus from Afar (Saint Jean-Baptiste voit Jésus de loin) - James Tissot

"There hath stood One in the midst of you, whom you know not." - St. John 1. 26.

1. St. John the Baptist causes the character of the Messias to be revealed.

2. How blessed are we to know Him so well.

3. Christ's dealings with men all mercy and love.

"The prophets had foretold and partially described the Messias that was to come. But was it not most appropriate that the most explicit testimony of Him and revelation of His character should be given us by and through means of the Baptist? Therefore we find in Advent that St. John is brought before us in the gospels. His preaching, his works had led men to think that he himself was perhaps the Messias. But "he confessed, I am not the Christ," to the priests and levites, who had been sent to question him. "And the next day,' says the gospel," John saw Jesus coming to him and he saith: "Behold the Lamb of God, behold Him who taketh away the sins of the world." "And John gave testimony, saying: "I saw the Spirit coming down as a dove from heaven, and He remained upon Him. and I saw and gave testimony that this is the Son of God" (John 1.).

Moreover, the Baptist later on, when cast into prison by Herod, sent two of his disciples to our Lord, and by his questions causes our Blessed Lord to reveal Himself openly to us — the character and description of our divine Lord given us by Himself! What excuse can man have not to know Him; and knowing Him, not to love Him and follow Him? John's disciples gave his message, "Art Thou He that art to come, or look we for another?" "And Jesus making answer, said to them: "Go and relate to John what you have heard and seen. The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead rise again, the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he that shall not be scandalised in Me" (Matt. 11. 3). Thus the Baptist drew from Christ the description of the character by which He would be known by man. The God of Truth made Man gave testimony of Himself.

TEMPTATIONS.-There are temptations which every one may avoid, and this is a positive duty; for "he who loves the danger shall perish therein," says the Holy Gospel. Some there are which no man can fly from, inasmuch as he bears them about him; neither the desert, nor the cloister, nor the solitary retreat shuts them out; fasting, prayer, and confidence in God are the only safeguards. St. Paul, the first hermit, St. Anthony, and St. Jerome, are cases in point. St. Paul, an anchorite of Bithynia, experienced temptations while on the arid rocks of Mount Latre, whither he had betaken himself. Although living merely on raw herbs, bitter acorns, and the water flowing near his grot, he had terrible conflicts to endure; but at length the spirit, or rather the power of grace, triumphed over the flesh. The outer world became aware of his virtues and admired him; he founded several retreats, or monasteries, for anchorites. Emperors, princes, pontiffs, and prelates sought the aid of his counsel and profited thereby, for holiness is a good counsellor. He died in 956.

MORAL REFLECTION.—“God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able, but will make also with temptation issue, that you may be able to bear it." -(1 Cor. x. 13.)

"She was a holy virgin. Pray for all who live in the profession of that state. She obtained leave of her mother to sell what was settled for her portion, and gave it to the poor. Pray for all that are under the temptations of their youthful age; when vanity, self-love, curiosity, prodigality, levity, and the immoderate desire of being admired and esteemed, press with greatest violence upon them, and the solicitude of pleasing themselves diminishes the compassion due to their neighbours. Pray for remedy against all the indiscretions and follies of that unsettled age; that they may ever remember that they are but dust and clay; that they are made for another world, and not for this; that a little given to the poor, is much more to the purpose than all they lay out upon themselves; while all this expense is only to court the world, which ought to be forsaken, and the other is to purchase everlasting rest.