November 24th - SS. Flora and Mary VM (RM)
Died 856. The story of Flora and Mary is told by Saint Eulogius of Cordova
in his Exhortation to Martyrdom. Flora was the daughter of an Islamic
father, born in Cordova, Spain, and secretly raised a Christian by her
mother.
Flora was betrayed by her brother, scourged, and put into his custody that
he might persuade her to apostatize. She escaped, but later while praying
in
St. Acislus Church she met Mary, sister of a deacon who had been martyred,
and they both decided defiantly to give themselves up to the magistrate as
Christians. The magistrate locked them up in a cell, threatening to sell
them to a brothel if they did not defy Christ. St. Eulogius wrote to them,
"They threaten you with a shameful slavery, but do not fear: no harm can
touch your souls whatever infamy in inflicted on your bodies." When their
ordeal failed to shake their constancy, they were beheaded by order of
Abderrahman (Abd ar-Rahman) II (Attwater, Benedictines, Delaney,
Encyclopedia).
Flora and Mary are depicted as two maidens beheaded by Moors; flowers
spring
from Flora's severed head. Venerated at Cordova (Roeder).
Saint Quote:
No one is to be called an enemy, all are your benefactors, and no one does
you harm. You have no enemy except yourselves.
-St. Francis of Assisi
Bible Quote
And they sung to thy holy name, O Lord, and they praised with one accord
thy
victorious hand. For wisdom opened the mouth of the dumb, and made the
tongues of infants eloquent. (Wisdom 10:20-21)
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The Power of the Mass
At the hour of death the Holy Masses
you have heard devoutly will be your greatest consolation.
Every Mass will go with you to Judgement and will plead for
pardon for you.
By every Mass you can diminish the tem****al punishment due
to your sins, more or less, according to your fervour.
By devoutly assisting at Holy Mass you render the greatest
homage possible to the Sacred Humanity of Our Lord.
Through the Holy Sacrifice, Our Lord Jesus Christ supplies
for many of your negligences and omissions.
He forgives you all the venial sins which you are determined
to avoid. He forgives you all your unknown sins which you never
confessed. The power of Satan over you is diminished.
By piously hearing Holy Mass you afford the Souls in
Purgatory the greatest possible relief.
Through Holy Mass you are preserved from many dangers and
misfortunes which would otherwise have befallen you. You shorten
your Purgatory by every Mass.
Through the Holy Mass you are blessed in your tem****al goods
and affairs.
When you hear Holy Mass devoutly, offering it to Almighty
God in honour of any particular Saint or Angel, thanking God for
the favours bestowed on him, etc., you afford that Saint or
Angel a new degree of honour, joy and happiness, and draw his
special love and protection on yourself.
Every time you assist at Holy Mass, besides other
intentions, you should offer it in honor of the Saint of the Day.
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