March 24th - St. Irenaeus of Sirmium
Died 304; feast day formerly March 25 (due to an error in the Roman
Martyrology)
and originally on April 6, the date of his death. Saint Irenaeus, bishop
of the
capital of Pannonia, suffered martyrdom under Diocletian at Sirmium
(Mitrovica)
in Serbia near Budapest. His acta are authentic and most touching. These
relate
that Irenaeus was a handsome young bishop, who was arrested and tried
before
Governor Probus of Pannonia. When the governor informed him of his civic
obligation to sacrifice to the gods, Irenaeus answered: "The law of my God
commands me rather to suffer all torments than to sacrifice to the gods."
When
threatened with torture, Irenaeus responds, "You cannot do me a greater
pleasure; for by that means you will make me partake of the sufferings of
my
Savior. When prodded on the rack, Irenaeus says, "I sacrifice to my God,
by
confessing his holy name, and so have I always sacrificed to him."
The torture was all the greater because Irenaeus' entire family was
gathered
round him, expressing great concern for his well-being. His children
embraced
his feet, crying out: "Father, dear father, have pity on yourself and on
us."
His weeping wife threw herself about his neck, tenderly embraced him, and
begged
him to save himself for her sake, his innocent children, and the pledges
of
their mutual love. His sobbing mother sighed and cried, together with
their
servants, neighbors, and friends. Difficult as it was, Irenaeus recalled
our
Savior's words, "If anyone renounce me before men, I will renounce him
before
the Father who is in Heaven."
The governor tried to use his family to tempt him to sacrifice out of
compassion
for the many who mourned his fate. Unmoved, Irenaeus was sent to prison,
where
he was repeatedly tormented. During his second hearing, the governor asked
if he
had living relatives. Irenaeus answered, no. Probus then questioned, "Who
then
were those that wept for you at your first examination?" Irenaeus replied
from
Scripture: "Our Lord Jesus Christ hath said: 'He that loves father or
mother,
wife or children, brothers or relations more than me is not worthy of me.'
So,
when I lift up my eyes to contemplate that God whom I adore and the joys
he hath
promised to those who faithfully serve him, I forget that I am a father, a
husband, a son, a master, a friend."
Probus said: "But you do not therefore cease to be so. Sacrifice at least
for
their sakes."
Irenaeus replied: "My children will not lose much by my death; for I leave
them
for Father that same God whom they adore with me; so let nothing hinder
you from
executing the orders of your emperor upon me."
Probus: "Don't throw yourself away. I cannot avoid condemning you."
Irenaeus: "You cannot do me a greater favor, or give me a more agreeable
pleasure."
Probus then sentenced him: "I order that Irenaeus, for disobeying the
emperor's
commands, be cast into the river."
Irenaeus replied: "After so many threats, I expected something
extraordinary,
and you content yourself with drowning me. How comes this? You do me an
injury;
for you deprive me of the means of showing the world how much Christians,
who
have a lively faith, despise death, though attended with the most cruel
torments." The enraged Probus added that he should be beheaded first.
Irenaeus
returned thanks to God as for a second victory.
His last words were: "Lord Jesus Christ, who deigned to suffer for the
world's
salvation, let Your heavens open that Your angels may take up the soul of
Your
servant Irenaeus, who suffers all this for Your name and for the people
formed
of your Catholic Church of Sirmium. I ask and implore Your mercy to
receive me
and to strengthen them in Your faith." Thereafter, he was taken to the
bridge of
Diana, stripped, beheaded, and thrown into the river (Attwater2,
Benedictines,
Farmer, Husenbeth).
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Whoever will come after Me, let him deny himself. (Matthew 16:24)
"Make it your constant effort to mortify and trample underfoot your own
will, to
such a degree as not to satisfy it in anything, if It be possible. Be
careful,
therefore, to desire and rejoice that it may be often crossed; and when
you see
anyone oppose it either in tem****al or spiritual things, follow his will
rather
than your own, if only his be good, even though your own be better. For,
contending with another, by lessening your humility, tranquillity, and
peace,
will always inflict upon you a loss greater than the advantage brought by
any
exercise of virtue performed through your own will, in opposition to
another's" -St. Vincent Ferrer
St. Catherine of Genoa practiced this. She loved to submit her preference
to
that of others, in all things; and if a wish to pursue any course arose in
her
own mind, it was sufficient to make her avoid it.
When Father Thomas Sanchez would go to his Superiors to make a request,
he used
first to ask God, if it might be according to His pleasure, to move their
hearts
to refuse it.
(Taken from the book "A Year with the Saints". March - Mortification)
Bible Quote
14 Now about the midst of the feast, Jesus went up into the temple, and
taught.
15 And the Jews wondered, saying: How doth this man know letters, having
never
learned? 16 Jesus answered them, and said: My doctrine is not mine, but
his that
sent me. (John 7:14-16)
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The first glorious mystery prayer of the Eucharistic Rosary, to
be offered before the Blessed Sacrament:
The Resurrection of Our Lord, offered for Faith, Hope, and
Charity:
O Christ Jesus! Thou comest forth glorious from the tomb,
victorious over all infernal powers; henceforth sufferings and
death have lost their empire over Thy glorious humanity.
What a consolation for us to know that, though confined to
the humble condition of Thy sacrament, Thou art in full
possession of the life, joy, and glory of Thy resurrection!
We adore Thee, O immortal King of ages, and we beg of
Thee, through the intercession of Thy holy Mother a lively and
loving faith in Thy real and life-giving presence in the Blessed
Sacrament.
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