Wednesday, November 22, 2017

SAINT CECILIA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR

Wisdom, Chapter 17, Verse 12-15

¹² For fear is nought but the surrender of the helps that come from reason; ¹³ and the more one’s expectation is of itself uncertain, the more one makes of not knowing the cause that brings on torment. ¹⁴ So they, during that night, powerless though it was, since it had come upon them from the recesses of a powerless Hades, while all sleeping the same sleep, ¹⁵Were partly smitten by fearsome apparitions and partly stricken by their souls’ surrender; for fear overwhelmed them, sudden and unexpected.

A distressed conscience always magnifies misfortunes therefore terror is surrender to insanity, hence, when the terrors come reason that God is greater than the night.

Fear Reason and the Last Judgement

Vatican City, Dec 11, 2013 / 05:11 am (CNA/EWTN News).- In his general audience Pope Francis reflected that the reality of the Final Judgment allows us to trust in God even if we are afraid, emphasizing also that our judgment begins each day through the way we live. “Dear brothers and sisters, reflecting on the final judgment – despite that it instinctively raises a certain fear in us – gives elements of comfort and trust,”…“in life everlasting,”…“at Christ’s coming in glory as judge of the living and the dead, we will be held accountable before God for the good we have done or failed to do in this life.” We have the tendency to “regard this final judgment with trepidation, but the Church invites us to see it as a source of consolation and joyful hope.” Recalling how the early Christians communities used the Aramaic expression “Maranatha,” or “come, Lord!” in their liturgies, the Pope emphasized that this “encourages” us to think about the final judgment as a time when “we will be considered worthy to be clothed with glory and to enter the wedding feast with Christ, the Bridegroom.” Using the phrase “Maranatha” to “invoke Christ’s return, the early Christians hope for “the great wedding feast of a humanity reconciled with God. Looking to the moment when each of us will face our own judgment, we will not be alone,” and that this gives us a reason to be consoled because “Jesus, our advocate with the Father, will be at our side, together with all the saints.” In that moment, he stated, “we will be able to count on the intercession and benevolence of so many of our brother saints, who have preceded us in the path of faith.” Another element that allows us to be comforted “is the idea that the judgment starts now through the way which we live, through our existence,” “God’s judgment takes place in our lives each day, by the way in which we respond to Christ’s teaching and imitate him in serving our brothers and sisters.” “Jesus constantly gives us so we can be filled with the Father’s mercy, and we have the responsibility to open ourselves up to that grace or, on the contrary, be closed and exclude ourselves from communion with God.”
“Let us prepare, then,” encouraged the Pope, to meet our judge with confidence and joyful trust in his promises.”

“Do not be afraid of this executioner, but be worthy of your brothers and accept death, so that in the time of mercy I may receive you again with them." (2 Mc.7:29)

St. Cecilia[1]

Her martyrdom probably occurred during the reign of Emperor Alexander Severus, about the year 230. In 1599 her grave was opened and her body found in a coffin of cypress wood. It lay incorrupt, as if she had just breathed forth her soul. Since the middle Ages, Cecilia has been honored as patroness of Church music. Cecilia led a life of prayer and meditation and had vowed lifelong virginity, but a youth by the name of Valerian, relying upon the approval of her parents, hoped to marry her. When the wedding night arrived, she confided to Valerian, "There is a secret, Valerian, I wish to tell you. I have as a lover an angel of God who jealously guards my body." Valerian promised to believe in Christ if he would be enabled to see that angel. Cecilia explained how such was impossible without baptism, and Valerian consented to be baptized. After he was baptized by Pope Urban and had returned "He found Cecilia in her little room lost in prayer, and next to her the angel of the Lord was standing. When Valerian saw the angel, he was seized with great terror." The angel handed to them a bouquet of fiery red roses and snow-white lilies as a reward for Cecilia's love of chastity, a bouquet that would not wither, yet would be visible only to those who love chastity. As a further favor Valerian besought the conversion of his brother Tiburtius. Upon arriving to congratulate the newlyweds, Tiburtius was astounded by the unspeakably beautiful roses and lilies. As soon as he was informed regarding their origin, he too asked for the waters of baptism. "St. Cecilia said to Tiburtius: Today I acknowledge you as a brother-in-law, because the love of God has made you despise the idols. Just as the love of God gave me your brother as a spouse, so it has given you to me as a brother in-law." When Almachius, the prefect, heard of the conversions, he ordered Maximus, his officer, to arrest and imprison all of them. Before being put to death, they instructed Maximus and his family, and baptized them during the night preceding execution. At dawn Cecilia roused the two brothers to struggle heroically for Christ, as the glow of morning disappeared, Cecilia called: "Arise, soldiers of Christ, throw away the works of darkness and put on the armor of light." Cecilia pursued her victory as the soldiers willingly listened, "We believe that Christ is the true Son of God, who has chosen such a servant." Led before the prefect, she professed her faith in Christ, "We profess His holy Name and we will not deny Him."

In order to avoid further show, the prefect commanded her to be suffocated in the baths. She remained unharmed and prayed, "I thank You, Father of my Lord Jesus Christ that through Your Son the fire was extinguished at my side." Beheading was next in order. The executioner made three attempts (the law prohibited more) and let her lie in her blood. She lived for three days, encouraging the poor and dedicating her home into a church.

Things to Do[2]

· Read and discuss the Church documents on music and liturgy. Read the Fitting Role of Sacred Music in the Liturgy by John Paul II. Adoremus has a collection of the most important music documents. Although these documents cover over a century, all of the recent documents on the liturgy and music pull from these original documents. Very little has changed in the directives on music, even with Vatican II.

· For more reading on sacred music, see Adoremus Bulletin on Music.

· If you are a parent spend some time thinking about how you can teach your children to practice the virtue of fortitude — read this article, Educating in Virtue, by James Stenson which offers some excellent advice.

· St. Cecilia's body was found to be incorrupt in the Catacombs of Saint Callistus. Her body was later moved to St Cecilia in Trastevere. See Crypt of St. Cecilia for some more information on the catacombs. Every year there is a festival, Festa di Santa Cecilia on her feast day at Santa Cecilia in Trastevere and Catacombs of San Callisto.

· Read the account from The Golden Legend by Jacob Voragine about the life and death of St. Cecilia to your children.

· One legend of St. Cecilia tells of "pipes" played at her wedding. Although these pipes were probably the bagpipes common throughout Europe, ancient translations rendered the word "organ pipes." Consequently, St. Cecilia has often been portrayed near a pipe organ. Another legend calls her "the inventor of the organ," while another says an angel fell in love with her because of her musical skill. This heavenly visitant gave both her and her husband a crown of martyrdom, brought from heaven. With such ample fable and long-standing tradition, she is considered the patron of music and musicians. Since St. Cecilia is the patron of music (her music was the outpouring of a heart filled with love for God), have a family night of singing or playing instruments, or if you are not graced with musical talent, listen to some of the beautiful traditions the Church has in Her sacred music, such as Gregorian Chant and Polyphony.

In honor of the three blows of the blade to St. Cecilia offer up to God three hours of prayer between now and your Thanksgiving meal.

Daily Devotions

· Drops of Christ’s Blood

· Offering to the sacred heart of Jesus

· Pray the 54 Day Rosary for our Pope and President

· Please pray for me and this ministry