St. Marcellus, Pope and Martyr, A.D. 310.
by VP
Posted on Thursday January 16, 2025 at 12:00AM in Saints
"He was bishop of Rome. Pray for the present Bishop of that Holy See; that God would please to assist him with His heavenly grace, answerable to the greatness of his charge. Pray for all other bishops and pastors of Christ's Church.
St. Marcellus, by enforcing the canons of holy penance, drew upon himself the contradictions and persecutions of many tepid and refractory Christians; and for his severity against a certain apostate, he was banished by the tyrant Maxentius. He died in 310, having sat one year, seven months, and twenty days; and is styled a martyr. Pray for a spirit like his, that you may be ready to embrace all kinds of humiliations. God may be served in all lawful states: be but faithful, and God will be so too. If your lot and manner of life be contemptible to the world, patience and humility will make it honorable in the sight of God. Grieve not therefore, nor be uneasy at your condition, whatever it be. The laborious Christian is much better than the idle one. He that eats by the sweat of his brow, is in a much safer way, than he that lives at ease. If your difficult circumstances will not allow you the time you desire to pray; remember that patience, and humble suffering and laboring, are all praying. God regards not the form, but a sincere heart. Pray what you can; and never doubt but your desires will be heard.
God makes every thing serve for the sanctification of His
servants. He wonderfully ordains and directs all human events to their
spiritual advancement, both in prosperity and adversity. In their
persecutions and trials, especially, we shall discover, at the last day, the tenderness of His infinite love, the depth of His unsearchable wisdom, and the extent of His omnipotent power. In all His appointments, adore these His attributes, earnestly imploring His grace, that according to the designs of His
mercy, you may make every thing, especially all afflictions, serve for
your exercise and improvement in virtue, and progress in perfection." The Catholic Year by Rev. Fr. John Gother
#23 Acts of Adoration Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament in reparation for all the offenses committed against Him by mankind [Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament]
by VP
Posted on Thursday January 16, 2025 at 12:00AM in Thursday Reparation
23. We adore Thee, most worthy object of the love and affection of men and Angels! And to repair the profanations committed in Thy churches by the effusion of so much innocent blood, as also to make some atonement for the poor and indigent manner Thou art entertained there, we offer up to Thee the piety of all the blessed Saints, and the distress and want in which Thy persecuted servants were. Eternal praise and thanksgiving be to the Most Holy and Most Divine Sacrament.
O Queen of heaven and earth, hope of mankind, who adores thy Divine Son incessantly! We entreat thee, that, since we have the honor to be of the number of thy children, thou would interest thyself in our behalf and make satisfaction for us, and in our name, to our Eternal Judge, by rendering to Him the duties which we ourselves are incapable of performing. Amen.
CAPGHerod's Vengeance
by VP
Posted on Thursday January 16, 2025 at 12:00AM in Meditations
"1. When Herod found that the Magi did not return with the information respecting the King Whom they were seeking, he became uneasy. The plan he had cunningly devised had come to naught; the rival Monarch seemed likely to escape his hands. One day perhaps he or his children would be dethroned by Him. O empty fears ! That little Child seeks no worldly honor; He will not interfere with any earthly monarch. The secret fear that destroys the peace of unscrupulous men is often as empty as Herod's. The terrors they suffer are the just rewards of their evil deeds. How often I have been anxious and troubled because my pride could not brook being humbled !
2. But Herod was utterly unscrupulous as well as ambitious. There was one way in which he could secure his end. By putting to death all the young children in the country round Bethlehem, he would compass the death of this royal Child Who threatened his safety. Pride and ambition not only blind men, but make them utterly indifferent to the sufferings of others and the laws of right and wrong. I, too, have often recklessly made others suffer to gratify myself and carry out my own selfish ends.
3. When Herod came to die, how awful must have been the terrors of his guilty conscience! The blood of those children slaughtered at his command had long cried out to Heaven for vengeance. Each one of them added to his remorse and eternal misery in hell. If evil men could foresee the consequences to themselves of the sins they commit, they would dread sin, even venial sin, far more than any earthly misery they could suffer."
Meditations for Christmas . By Rev. Richard F. Clarke S.J. The Catholic Truth Society, London 1891
