In Memoriam [first anniversary] Sept. XXIX

MEMORIAL TO MY MOTHER

WHO RESTS IN THE SURE

HOPE OF THE RESURRECTION

Saint Justa

by Murillo

Saint Justa, a vendor of clay pots, together with her sister Saint Rufina. After refusing to sell their pots for use in pagan worship were set upon by the pagans of Seville who destroyed their whole stock of pots. The saintly sisters in full Christian indignation then overturned the cult idol of the pagans, smashing it. They were denounced as Christians before the imperial authorities, a fact, which they did not deny. Having thus confessed the name of Christ they suffered martyrdom, and gained paradise.

O most blessed Saint Justa, pray for the soul of she who in this life so joyfully bore your name.

Prayer to Saint Michael [Sept. XXIX]

Saint Michael the Archangel

defender of the Holy Church of God

Saint Michael

the Archangel,

defend us in battle.

Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.

May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;

and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host -

by the Divine Power of God -

cast into hell, satan and all the evil spirits,

who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls.

Amen.

Bl. Mary of Jesus [Sept. XII]

Blessed Mary of Jesus

Born in 1560 at Tartanedo (Spain), she took the Discalced Carmelite habit at Toledo in 1577 and made her profession the following year. She spent the rest of her life serving God in that Carmel, except for a brief period in 1585 when she helped with a foundation at Cuerva. She died at Toledo on September 13, 1640. St. Teresa of Jesus thought extremely highly of her. She was a great contemplative, intensely devoted to our Lord, and often drawing inspiration from the liturgy.

Our Day of Charity [Sept. VIII]

Our Lady of Charity

pray for us.

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary [Sept.VIII]

The birth of the Mother of God

Thy birth, O Virgin Mother of God,


heralded joy to all the world.


For from thou hast risen the Sun of justice,


Christ our God.

Destroying the curse, He gave blessing;


and damning death, He bestowed on us
life everlasting.

Blessed art thou among women


and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.


For from thou hast risen of Sun of justice,
Christ our God.

Saint Adrian of Nicomidia

Saint Adrian Nicomidia

Feast: September 8th.

The holy martyrs Adrian and Natalia were married in their youth for one year prior to their martyrdom, and lived in Nicomedia during the time of the emperor Maximian (305-311). The emperor promised a reward to whomever would inform on Christians to bring them to trial. Then the denunciations began, and twenty-three Christians were captured in a cave near Nicomedia.

They were tortured, urged to worship idols, and then brought before the Praetor, in order to record their names and responses. Adrian, the head of the praetorium, watched as these people suffered with such courage for their faith. Seeing how firmly and fearlessly they confessed Christ, asked: "What rewards do you expect from your God for your suffering?" The martyrs replied: "Such rewards as we are not able to describe, nor can your mind comprehend." St Adrian told the scribes,"Write my name down also, for I am a Christian and I die gladly for Christ God."

The scribes reported this to the emperor, who summoned St Adrian and asked: "Really, have you gone mad, that you want to die? Come, cross out your name from the lists and offer sacrifice to the gods, asking their forgiveness."

St Adrian answered: "I have not lost my mind, but rather have I found it." Maximian then ordered Adrian to be thrown into prison. His wife, St Natalia, knowing that her husband was to suffer for Christ, rejoiced, since she herself was secretly a Christian.

She hastened to the prison and encouraged her husband saying: "You are blessed, my lord, because you have believed in Christ. You have obtained a great treasure. Do not regret anything earthly, neither beauty, nor youth (Adrian was then 28 years of age), nor riches. Everything worldly is dust and ashes. Only faith and good deeds are pleasing to God."

On the pledge of the other martyrs, they released St Adrian from prison to tell his wife about the day of his execution. At first St Natalia thought that he had renounced Christ and thus had been set free, and she did not want to let him into the house. The saint persuaded his wife that he had not fled from martyrdom, but rather had come to give her the news of the day of his execution.

They tortured St Adrian cruelly. The emperor advised the saint to have pity on himself and call on the gods, but the martyr answered: "Let your gods say what blessings they promise me, and then I shall worship them, but if they cannot do this, then why should I worship them?" St Natalia did not cease to encourage her husband. She asked him also to pray to God for her, that they would not force her into marriage with a pagan after his death.

Saint Teresa Margaret Redi of the Sacred Heart

Saint Teresa Margaret of Redi

of the Sacred Heart

Teresa Margaret was born in Arezzo in Tuscany in 1747 of the noble Redi family, and entered the Discalced Carmelites at Florence on September 1, 1764. She was given a special contemplative experience concerning the words of St John, “God is love.” She felt deeply that her vocation was to live a hidden life of love and self-immolation. That vocation was confirmed by her heroic exercise of fraternal charity, but was soon completed: she died in 1770, aged twenty-three.