- Ecclesiastes 3:14 -
I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be
added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere
him.
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What is the purpose of life? It is that we should receive the all-powerful
God. To revere God means to respect and stand in awe of him because of who
he is. Purpose in life starts with whom we know, not what we know or how
good we are. It is impossible to fulfill your God-given purpose unless you
revere God and give him first place in your life.
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December 3rd - St Cassian of Tangiers
d. 298
Martyr mentioned in a hymn by St. Prudentius, also called Cassian of
Tangiers. He was a court recorder at the trial of St. Marcellus the
Centurion. Aurelius Agricola, deputy prefect in the Roman province in
North
Africa, conducted the trial. When the death penalty was imposed on St.
Marcellus, Cassian threw down his pen and declared that he was a
Christian.
He was arrested immediately and put to death. Cassian is patron of modern
stenographers
********
St Cassian had been in charge of a school for boys and sat as a teacher of
reading and writing with a great throng round him, and he was skilled in
putting every word in short signs and following speech quickly with swift
pricks on the wax. But at times the young mob, feeling his teaching harsh
and stern, were moved with anger and fear, for the teacher is ever
distasteful to the young learner and CHILDHOOD NEVER TAKES KINDLY TO
TRAINING."
"Now there came a cruel tempest battering the faith and pressing hard on
the
people devoted to the Christian glory. The governor of the flock of pupils
was dragged from the midst of his class because he had scornfully refused
to
wor****p at the altars, and when the contriver of punishments asked of what
profession this man of such high and unruly spirit was, he answered: 'He
teaches a company of young children, giving them their first lessons in
writing down words with signs invented for the purpose.'
'Take him away,' he cried, 'take him away a prisoner, and make the
children
a present of the man who used to flog them. Let them make s****t of him as
they please, give them leave to mangle him at will, let them give their
hands a holiday and dip them in their master's blood. It is a pleasant
thought that the strict teacher should himself furnish s****t to the pupils
he has too much held down.'
"So he is stripped of his garments and his hands are tied behind his back,
and all the bands are there, armed with their sharp styles. All the hatred
long conceived in silent resentment they each vent now, burning with gall
that has last found freedom.
Some throw their brittle tablets and break them against his face, the wood
flying in fragments when it strikes his brow, the wax-covered box-wood
splitting with a long crack as it is dashed on his blood-stained cheeks,
the
broken slab wet and red from the blow. Others again launch at him the
sharp
iron pricks, the end with which by scratching strokes the wax is written
upon, and the end with which the letters that have been cut are rubbed out
and the roughened surface once more made into a smooth, glossy space. With
the one the confessor of Christ is stabbed, with the other he is cut; the
one end enters the soft flesh, the other splits the skin. Two hundred
hands
together have pierced him all over his body, and from all these wounds at
once the blood is dripping.
A greater torturer was the child who only pricked the surface than he who
bored deep into the flesh; for the light hitter who will not wound to the
death has the skill to be cruel with only the piercing pains, but the
other,
the farther he strikes into the hidden vitals, gives more relief by
bringing
death near.
'Be stout, I beg,' he cries, 'and outdo your years with your strength.
What
you lack in age let a savage spirit make up.' But the young boys from lack
of vigor fail in their efforts and begin to be fatigued; the torments
worsen
while the tormentors grow faint.
'Why do you complain?' calls one; 'you yourself as our teacher gave us
this
iron and put the weapon in our hands. You see we are giving you back all
the
thousands of characters which as we stood in tears we took down from your
teaching. You cannot be angry with us for writing; it was you who bade us
never let our hand carry an idle style. We are no longer asking for what
was
so often refused when we were under your instruction, you stingy
teacher,-a
holiday from school. We like making pricks, twining scratch with scratch
and
linking curved strokes together. You may examine and correct our lines in
long array, in case an erring hand has made any mistake. Use your
authority;
you have power to punish a fault, if any of your pupils has written
carelessly on you.'
And finally-he died.
Saint Quote:
"Lay me not with sweet spices: for this honour avails me not; Nor yet
incense and perfumes: for the honour benefits me not. Burn sweet spices in
the Holy Place: and me, even me, conduct to the grave with prayer. Give ye
incense to God: and over me send up hymns. Instead of perfumes of spices:
in
prayer make remembrance of me."
--Ephraem,His Testament (A.D. 373)
Bible Quote
2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving; and make a joyful
noise
to him with psalms. (Psalms 94:2)
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The Novena of Grace of St. Francis Xavier:
Preparatory Prayers
V: In the Name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. O Jesus,
answer our petitions as we kneel before Thee.
R: O Heart of Jesus, hear and grant our prayers.
V: Pray for us, Saint Francis Xavier,
R: that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
V: Let us pray: Come, Holy Ghost, fill the hearts
of Thy faithful. Enkindle in them the fire of Thy
love. Send forth Thy spirit and they shall be
created,
R: and Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.
V: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to
the Holy Ghost,
R: as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever
shall be, world without end. Amen.
All: O most lovable and loving Saint Francis Xavier in union with
thee I adore the Divine Majesty. The remembrance of the favors
with which God blessed thee during life and of thy glory after death
fills me with joy; and I unite with thee in offering to Him
my humble tribute of thanksgiving and of praise. I implore thee to
secure for me through thy powerful intercession the inestimable
blessing of living and dying in the state of grace. I also
beseech thee to obtain for me the favor I ask in this novena.
(PAUSE FOR PETITIONS) --
But if what I ask is not for the glory of God
and for the good of my soul do thou obtain for me what is more
conducive to both. Amen.
Our Father -- Hail Mary -- Glory Be
V: Pray for us, Saint Francis Xavier,
R: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Hymn to Saint Francis Xavier
Oh, Father Saint Francis, we kneel at thy feet,
While blessings and favors we beg and entreat,
That thou from thy bright throne in heaven above
Wouldst look on thy clients with pity and love.
Saint Francis Xavier, Oh pray for us!
Saint Francis Xavier, Oh pray for us!
Oh, Father Saint Francis, thy words were once strong
Against Satan's wiles and an infidel throng.
Not less is thy might where in heaven thou art;
Oh, come to our aid, in our battle take part.
Saint Francis Xavier, Oh pray for us!
Saint Francis Xavier, Oh pray for us!
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