Start February 16 for Feast of St. Joseph March 19
Monday, April 24, 2017 Feast of St. George
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1 SAMUEL, Chapter
22, Verse 23
Stay with me. Do not be afraid; whoever seeks your life must
seek my life also. You are under my protection.”
David said this to Abiathar: the sole survivor of Eli’s household which Saul
killed for giving aid to David. David now has in his service the only priest of
the Lord left in the land and exclusive access to the ephod for consulting the
Lord. David later appoints Abiathar co-high priest with Zadok in Jerusalem.
Yet, when I read this
verse I hear the Lord saying this to us all-Stay with me-do not be afraid.
Today go to the Blessed Sacrament and spend some time with the Lord. There our
Lord will pull us to Himself and transform us into warriors and conquerors.
Draw near to Him and He will transform your disenchantment with the world and
help you along the road to holiness and sainthood.
Our lives are songs; God writes the
words and we set them to music at pleasure; and the song grows glad, or sweet
or sad, as we choose to fashion the measure.
The traditional legends have offered a historicized narration of George's
encounter with a dragon. The modern legend that follows below is synthesized
from early and late hagiographical sources, omitting the more fantastical
episodes. Saint George likely was born to a Christian noble family in Syria
Palaestina, during the late third century between about 275 AD and 285 AD. He
died in Nicomedia in Asia Minor. His father, Gerontios, was from Cappadocia, an
officer in the Roman army; his mother, Polychronia, was a native of Lydda. They
were both Christians from noble families so their child was raised with
Christian beliefs. They decided to call him Georgios, meaning "worker of
the land" (i.e., farmer). At the age of 14, George lost his father; a few
years later, George's mother, Polychronia, died.Eastern accounts
give the names of his parents as Anastasius and Theobaste. George then decided
to go to Nicomedia and present himself to Emperor Diocletian to apply for a
career as a soldier. Diocletian welcomed him with open arms, as he had known
his father, Gerontius — one of his finest soldiers. By his late 20s, George was
promoted to the rank of Military Tribune and stationed as an imperial
guard of the Emperor at Nicomedia. On 24 February AD 303, Diocletian
(influenced by Galerius)
issued an edict that every Christian soldier in the army should be arrested and
every other soldier should offer a sacrifice to the Roman gods of the time.
However, George objected, and with the courage of his faith, approached the
Emperor and ruler. Diocletian was upset, not wanting to lose his best tribune
and the son of his best official, Gerontius. But George loudly renounced the
Emperor's edict, and in front of his fellow soldiers and tribunes he claimed
himself to be a Christian and declared his worship of Jesus Christ. Diocletian
attempted to convert George, even offering gifts of land, money, and slaves if
he made a sacrifice to the Roman gods; he made many offers, but George never
accepted. Recognizing the futility of his efforts and insisting on upholding
his edict, Diocletian ordered that George be executed for his refusal. Before
the execution, George gave his wealth to the poor and prepared himself. After
various torture sessions, including laceration on a wheel of swords during
which he was resuscitated three times, George was executed by decapitation
before Nicomedia's city wall, on 23 April 303. A witness of his suffering
convinced Empress Alexandra and Athanasius, a pagan priest, to become
Christians, as well, so they joined George in martyrdom.
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