- Psalm 46:1-3 -
God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
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When we are in God's will, we're in his perfect love; and perfect love
casts
out fear (1 John 4:18). If you're fearful today, perhaps you're
underestimating the keeping power of his care and concern for you.
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February 16th - Saint Onesimus, Bishop of Ephesus and Martyr
(d. 95)
Onesimus was a Phrygian by birth and a slave to Philemon, a person of
influence who had been converted to the faith by Saint Paul. Having
offended
his master and been obliged to flee, he sought out Saint Paul, then a
prisoner for the faith at Rome. The Apostle baptized him and sent him back
to his master, with the beautiful letter we know as the Epistle to
Philemon,
asking for the liberty of Onesimus, that he might become one of his own
assistants.
Philemon pardoned him and set him at liberty, and Onesimus returned to his
spiritual father, as Saint Paul had requested; thereafter he faithfully
served the Apostle. We know that Saint Paul made him, with Tychicus, the
bearer of his Epistle to the Colossians. (Col. 4:7-9)
Later, as Saint Jerome and other Fathers testify, he became an ardent
preacher of the Gospel and a bishop. It is he who succeeded Saint Timothy
as
bishop of Ephesus. He was cruelly tortured in Rome, for eighteen days, by
a
governor of that city, infuriated by his preaching on the merit of
celibacy.
His legs and thighs were broken with bludgeons, and he was then stoned to
death. His martyrdom occurred under Domitian in the year 95.
Reflection. With what excess of goodness does God communicate Himself to
souls who open themselves to Him! With what caresses does He often visit
them! With what a profusion of graces does He enrich and strengthen them!
In
our trials and temptations let us then offer our hearts to God,
remembering,
as Saint Paul says, "To those who love God, all things work together unto
good." (Rom. 8:28)
Source: Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints, a compilation based on
Butler's Lives of the Saints and other sources by John Gilmary Shea
(Benziger Brothers: New York, 1894).
Saint Quote:
We always stressed in public life the principles of God's eternal law
regardless of whether we spoke about Croats, Serbs, Jews, Gypsies,
Catholics, Muslims, Orthodox or whoever else.... The Catholic Church does
not recognize races that rule and races that are enslaved.
-- Blessed Alojzije Stepinac, 1943
Bible Quote:
But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea
doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the
knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of
all
things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ. (Philippians
3:7-8)
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Litany in Honor of the Holy Cross;
kdrawn from the Imitation of Christ by Thomas A Kempis, 1380-1471.
The word of the Cross is folly to those who are peri****ng, but to us who
are
being saved it is the power of God. (1 Cor. 1:18)
Antiphon: God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord
Jesus
Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
(Gal. 6:14)
Jesus has many who love His Kingdom in heaven, but few who bear His Cross.
He has many who desire comfort, but few who desire suffering. He finds
many
to share His feast, but few His fasting. All desire to rejoice with Him,
but
few are willing to suffer for His sake. --- Ant.
Why do you fear to take up the Cross, which is the road to the Kingdom? In
the Cross is salvation and life, protection against our enemies, infusion
of
heavenly sweetness; in the Cross is strength of mind, joy of spirit,
excellence of virtue, perfection of holiness. There is no salvation of
soul,
nor hope of eternal life, save in the Cross. --- Ant.
Take up the Cross, therefore, and follow Jesus, and go forward into
eternal
life. Christ has gone before you, bearing His Cross; He died for you on
the
Cross, that you also may bear your cross, and desire to die on the Cross
with Him. For if you die with Him, you will also live with Him. And if you
share his sufferings, you will also share His glory. --- Ant.
See how in the Cross all things consist, and in dying on it all things
depend. There is no other way to life and to true inner peace, than the
way
of the Cross. Go where you will, seek what you will; you will find no
higher
way above nor safer way below than the road of the Holy Cross. --- Ant.
The Cross always stands ready, and everywhere awaits you. You cannot
escape
it, wherever you flee; for wherever you go, you bear yourself, and always
find yourself. Look up or down, without you or within, and everywhere you
will find the Cross. And everywhere you must have patience, if you wish to
attain inner peace, and win an eternal crown. --- Ant.
Let us pray:
Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us to follow Thee not only to the Breaking
of
Thy Body, but also to the drinking of the Blood of Thy Passion. Help us to
love Thee, for Thine own sake, and not for the sake of comfort for
ourselves. Make us worthy to suffer for Thy name, Jesus, our Crucified and
risen Lord and Saviour, now and forever. Amen.
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