St. Juliana Falconieri, VIRGIN, A.D. 1340.
by VP
Posted on Wednesday June 19, 2024 at 01:00AM in Saints
"This saint in her infancy seemed almost to anticipate the use of reason by her early piety; and the first words she learned to pronounce were the sacred names of Jesus and Mary. Fervent prayer and mortification chiefly took up her attention, at an age which usually seems incapable of any thing serious. Such was her angelical purity, that she never durst look any man in the face: and so great was her horror of sin, that the very name of it made her almost swoon away. In her sixteenth year, she bid adieu to the world, and consecrated her virginity to God, receiving the religious veil from the hands of St. Philip Beniti. She entered an order instituted for the service of the sick, and other offices of charity. The reputation of her prudence and sanctity drawing to her many devout ladies, who desired to follow the same institute, she was obliged to accept the charge of prioress. Though she was the spiritual mother of the rest, she made it her delight to serve every one. She often spent whole days in prayer, and frequently received great heavenly favours. She seized every opportunity of performing offices of charity, especially of reconciling enemies, reclaiming sinners, and serving the sick. She practiced incredible austerities. In her old age she bore various painful distempers with inexpressible joy and cheerfulness. In her last sickness, she was much afflicted at not being able to receive the Blessed Sacrament on account of her stomach not being able to retain any food. The sacred host, however, was brought into her cell, and there suddenly disappeared out of the hands of the priest. After her death, the figure of the sacred host was found imprinted on the left side of her breast; by which it was judged that our Blessed Saviour had miraculously satisfied her holy desire. She died in 1340, at the age of seventy.
Pray for her spirit of charity and self-denial. If you are eagerly bent on your own ways and will, indulge your inclinations, gratify your passions, love niceness and softness, study your palate and appetite, your faith may be right, but your practice is not. This is not the spirit of the Gospel, but of corruption; and must be reformed." The Catholic Year by Fr. John Gother
Prayer to St. Juliana Falconieri: O Faithful spouse of Jesus Christ and most humble servant of the Virgin Mary, Mother of sorrows, glorious St. Juliana; at the end of a life entirely spent in the exercise of heroic virtues thou didst undergo one last trial, in that thou couldst not be united in holy Viaticum to thy Beloved by reason of bodily infirmity. But this trial was so acceptable to thy heavenly spouse, Jesus that He deigned Himself to the reward it with an extraordinary miracle; for at thy request Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament was placed on thy virginal breast, and He instantly entered within, leaving outwardly im pressed the image of Him self crucified, while with a sweet smile thou didst breathe forth thy soul in his holy embrace. O great saint and my special patroness obtain from God, I beseech thee, that like thee I may live a good life and die a holy death; and that being so prepared for the last passage, fortified with the holy sacraments, and invigorated by divine grace, I may finish my days in holiness and be preserved from eternal death.
