- 1 Peter 2:21-23 -
To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you
an
example, that you should follow in his steps.
"He committed no sin,
and no deceit was found in his mouth." When they hurled their insults
at
him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead,
he
entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
We may suffer for many reasons. Some suffering is the direct result of our
own sin; some happens because of our foolishness; and some is the result
of
living in a fallen world. Peter is writing about suffering that comes as a
result of doing good. Christ never sinned, and yet he suffered so that we
could be set free. When we follow Christ's example and live for others, we
too may suffer. Our goal should be to face suffering as he did with
patience, calmness and confidence that God is in control of the future.
<<>><<>><<>>
August 14th - St. Marcellus of Apamaea, Martyr
Born in Cyprus; died in Syria, 389. In 380, Emperors Theodosius the Great
and Gratian decree that all should profess the faith of the bishops of
Rome
and Alexandria. Enforcement of the decree was stepped up in 388, when
Theodosius sent soldiers into Egypt, Syria, and Asia Minor to destroy
pagan
temples. Of course, this angered the pagans.
Soldiers are not necessarily demolition experts. When they arrived in
Apamaea, Syria, they had a particularly difficult time pulling down the
large and well-built temple of Zeus. Bishop Marcellus, who had been
elected
to the see because he was a conscientious civil magistrate, told the
soldiers that he would be responsible for its destruction and the next day
found a volunteer willing to do it for double his normal wages. Marcellus
agreed and the temple was destroyed by undermining the sup****ting columns
and then burning it.
Marcellus proceeded to have other temples in the area destroyed in the
same
way until they came to one at Aulona, that was stoutly defended by those
who
wor****pped in it. They party was attacked and Marcellus, who suffered from
gout and therefore could not run, was killed by being thrown into the
flames. After his death his sons wanted to seek revenge but were
restrained
by the provincial council, which said that they should rejoice that God
had
accounted their father worthy to die for the faith (Benedictines,
Encyclopedia, Walsh).
In art, Saint Marcellus is shown overturning a statue of Jupiter (Roeder).
Saint Quote:
And we ourselves experience this, that when we enter ornate and clean
Basilicas, adorned with crosses, sacred images, altars, and burning lamps,
we most easily conceive devotion. But, on the other hand, when we enter
the
temples of the heretics, where there is nothing except a chair for
preaching
and a wooden table for making a meal, we feel ourselves to be entering a
profane hall and not the house of God.
-St. Robert Bellarmine
Bible Quote
1 The wise men will seek out the wisdom of all the ancients, and will be
occupied in the prophets. 2 He will keep the sayings of renowned men, and
will enter withal into the subtilties of parables. (Ecclesiasticus
39:1-2)
<><><><>
STAR-BRIGHT FOREVER
From now to eternity,
A star ****nes so bright,
The filament never grows dim,
Be it day or night.
The light is of love
And of goodness sublime
That's passed down to us
Through the shadows of time.
Her hands send the rays
Of hope and assurance
That just to believe
Will need love and endurance.
But all so worthwhile,
We will find as we try
To keep our minds here,
But our hearts in the sky.
To follow the road
That leads to Our Lord,
To ask for His grace-
That He'll never hoard-
To join all the saints
In the light of their glory.
For here you will find,
There's the truth to this story:
A little time spent,
Through we suffer and toil
On an earth filled with sadness
And trials that do foil.
But keep just above it-
Just say that you'll love it,
For the sake of Our Jesus,
Who rose all above it.
For there in His heart
Was a wish for us all
To join Him in paradise
When He makes His call.
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