Better are the God-fearing who have little understanding than
those of great intelligence who violate the Law.
Today we honor the martyrdom
of Saint Agnes, a God-fearing child of 12, when she faced her death. Here is
St. Ambrose’s account of her demise.
This
treatise has a favorable beginning, since it is the birthday of the holy Virgin
Agnes, of whose name, modesty, and martyrdom St. Ambrose speaks in
commendation, but more especially of her age, seeing that she, being but twelve
years old, was superior to terrors, promises, tortures, and death itself, with
a courage wholly worthy of a man.[1]
And my task begins favorably, that since today is the birthday of a virgin,
I have to speak of virgins, and the treatise has its beginning from this
discourse. It is the birthday of a martyr, let us offer the victim. It is the
birthday of St. Agnes, let men admire, let children take courage, let the
married be astounded, let the unmarried take an example. But what can I say
worthy of her whose very name was not devoid of bright praise? In devotion
beyond her age, in virtue above nature, she seems to me to have borne not so
much a human name, as a token of martyrdom, whereby she showed what she was to
be.
But I have that which may assist me. The name of virgin is a title of
modesty. I will call upon the martyr, I will proclaim the virgin. That
panegyric is long enough which needs no elaboration, but is within our grasp.
Let then labour cease, eloquence be silent. One word is praise enough. This
word old men and young and boys chant. No one is more praiseworthy than he who
can be praised by all. There are as many heralds as there are men, who when
they speak proclaim the martyr.
She is said to have suffered martyrdom when twelve years old. The more
hateful was the cruelty, which spared not so tender an age, the greater in truth
was the power of faith which found evidence even in that age. Was there room
for a wound in that small body? And she who had no room for the blow of the
steel had that wherewith to conquer the steel. But maidens of that age are
unable to bear even the angry looks of parents, and are wont to cry at the
pricks of a needle as though they were wounds. She was fearless under the cruel
hands of the executioners, she was unmoved by the heavy weight of the creaking
chains, offering her whole body to the sword of the raging soldier, as yet ignorant
of death, but ready for it. Or if she were unwillingly hurried to the altars,
she was ready to stretch forth her hands to Christ at the sacrificial fires,
and at the sacrilegious altars themselves, to make the sign of the Lord the
Conqueror, or again to place her neck and both her hands in the iron bands, but
no band could enclose such slender limbs.
A new kind of martyrdom! Not yet of fit age for punishment but already
ripe for victory, difficult to contend with but easy to be crowned, she filled
the office of teaching valour while having the disadvantage of youth. She would
not as a bride so hasten to the couch, as being a virgin she joyfully went to
the place of punishment with hurrying step, her head not adorned with plaited
hair, but with Christ. All wept, she alone was without a tear. All wondered
that she was so readily prodigal of her life, which she had not yet enjoyed,
and now gave up as though she had gone through it. Everyone was astounded that
there was now one to bear witness to the Godhead, who as yet could not, because
of her age, dispose of herself. And she brought it to pass that she should be believed
concerning God, whose evidence concerning man would not be accepted. For that
which is beyond nature is from the Author of nature.
What threats the executioner used to make her fear him,
what allurements to persuade her, how many desired that she would come to them
in marriage! But she answered:
It would be an injury to my spouse to look on any one as likely to please me. He who chose me first for Himself shall receive me. Why are you delaying, executioner? Let this body perish which can be loved by eyes which I would not.She stood, she prayed, she bent down her neck. You could see the executioner tremble, as though he himself had been condemned, and his right hand shake, his face grow pale, as he feared the peril of another, while the maiden feared not for her own. You have then in one victim a twofold martyrdom, of modesty and of religion. She both remained a virgin and she obtained martyrdom.
Pray that we may emulate Agnes who
was martyred rather than forsake her betrothal to Christ and exhibited the
traits of a true marriage.
Catechism
of the Catholic Church
IN BRIEF
2392 "Love is the fundamental and innate vocation of every human
being" (FC 11).
2393 By creating the human being man
and woman, God gives personal dignity
equally to the one and the other. Each of them, man and woman, should
acknowledge and accept his sexual identity.
2394 Christ is the model of chastity. Every baptized person is
called to lead a chaste life, each according to his particular state of life.
2395 Chastity means the integration of
sexuality within the person. It includes an apprenticeship in self-mastery.
2396 Among the sins gravely contrary to chastity are masturbation, fornication,
pornography, and homosexual practices.
2397 The covenant which spouses have
freely entered into entails faithful love. It imposes on them the obligation to
keep their marriage indissoluble.
2398 Fecundity is a good, a gift and an
end of marriage. By giving life,
spouses participate in God's fatherhood.
2399 The regulation of births
represents one of the aspects of responsible fatherhood and motherhood.
Legitimate intentions on the part of the spouses do not justify recourse to morally unacceptable means (for
example, direct sterilization or contraception).
2400 Adultery, divorce, polygamy, and
free union are grave offenses against the dignity
of marriage.
Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death and brought life to light
through the Gospel. (2 Tm. 1:10)
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