 Section 1 of Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints, Volume 1, January through March. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints, Volume 1, January through March by John Gilmary Shea. Moveable Feasts Moveable Feasts are so-called because they have no fixed place in the calendar, their celebration happening sooner or later, year by year, according as the Feast of Easter itself occurs at a different period. The latter feast is always celebrated on the Sunday which accompanies or follows the first full moon after the spring equinox. Moveable Feasts afford useful lessons we ought to take them fully to heart. Advent The time of Advent cannot exactly be considered festival, nor can it be classed among the movable feasts, and yet the first day of Advent is, in another sense, movable, in as much as it happens always on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, which festival itself falls on different days of the week. Advent means coming, and the four weeks whereof it consists represent the 4,000 years which preceded the coming of the Son of God into this world. Formerly, Advent time was observed by fasting, abstinence, and mortification, but not in a manner so rigorous as that of Lent. Notwithstanding the alleviations which the Church has thought well to introduce in the course of time, Advent has still remained a period of recollection and prayer. The true Christian ought to take advantage thereof, and by pious yearnings entreat for the coming of the Son of God into his heart by grace and into the world at large by the spreading of the Gospel. Reflection All the days in which I am now in warfare I await until my change come. Thou shalt call me, and I will answer thee. Qunquajesimah Sunday, The Forty Hours Devotion Qunquajesimah Sunday is the third day preceding Ash Wednesday. That holy season is approaching when the Church denies herself her songs of joy and order the more forcibly to remind us, her children, that we are living in a Babylon of spiritual danger and to excite us to regain that genuine Christian spirit which everything in the world around us is striving to undermine. If we are obliged to take part in the amusements of the few days before Lent, let it be with a heart deeply imbued with the maxims of the Gospel. But as a substitute for frivolous amusements and dangerous pleasures, the Church offers a feast surpassing all earthly enjoyments and a means whereby we can make some amends to God for the insults offered to His Divine Majesty. The Lamb that taketh away the sins of the world is exposed upon our altars. On this is thrown a mercy who receives the homage of those who come to adore Him and acknowledge Him for their King. He accepts the repentance of those who come to tell Him how grieved they are at having followed any other Master. And He offers Himself again to His eternal Father as a propitiation for those sinners who yet treat His favors with indifference. It was the pious Cardinal Gabriel Palioti, Archbishop of Bologna, who in the sixteenth century first originated the admirable devotion of the forty hours. His object in this solemn exposition of the most blessed sacrament was offered to the Divine Majesty some compensation for the sins of man and at the very time when the world was busiest in deserving His anger. To appease it by the sight of His own Son, the mediator between heaven and earth. Pope Benedict XIV granted many indulgences to all the faithful of the faithful states who during these days should visit our Lord in this mystery of His love and should pray for the pardon of sinners. This favor at first so restricted afterwards was extended by Pope Clement the thirteenth to the universal church. Thus the forty hours devotion has spread throughout the whole world and become one of the most solemn expressions of Catholic piety. Reflection. Let us then go apart for at least one short hour from the dissipation of earthly enjoyments and kneeling in the presence of our Jesus. Merit the grace to keep our hearts innocent and detached. Ash Wednesday. Man drawn from the dust must return to it and all that he does meanwhile with the exception of what good he may achieve is what dust and vanity. The good alone survives. Such are the truths which the church wishes to engrave in the memory but still more in the hearts of her children by the sprinkling of ashes on this first day of Lent. This custom dates from the first centuries of the church and was then observed not toward all the faithful without distinction but toward public sinners who had submitted themselves to canonical penance to obtain thereby reconciliation with the church and admission to a share in the divine Eucharist. The bishop imposed on them the obligation of wearing the hair-shirt and penitent garb placing ashes on their head and then excluding them from the church until the day of Easter. Meanwhile they had to remain humbly prostrate at the church porch imploring the prayers of those who more happy than they might assist at the divine mysteries within the sacred building. The custom of putting ashes on the head in token of penitence is even more ancient than Christianity. The Jews practiced it and the Holy King David tells us that he had submitted to the observance. It may be said rather to date from the first ages of the world for the holy man Job, long before even the time of Moses, followed the custom. Nothing is in fact more calculated to lead the sinner to enter into himself than the remembrance of his last end. Nothing is better fitted to beat down pride and put a check on futile projects and guilty purposes than the terrible and sad memento, remember that thou art but dust, empires, riches, honors, and dignities, resplendent palaces, triumphal cars, fair adornments, beauty, strength, and power all crumble away, and their very possessors but are ruined, and ere a few days have sped will have dwindled into dust. Reflection, bear ever in mind then men and sinners that you are dust and unto dust you shall return. The five wounds of our Lord. Ye that delight in decking your head with costly and superb adornments who love to cumber your hands with golden precious jewels who revel in luxury and in soft garments approach and see to what a condition Jesus Christ your captain and savior is reduced. His head is crowned with thorns and streaming with blood, and every base and dignity heaped thereon by ruffian executioners. His feet and hands are pierced by nails, his side gaping with a wide open wound. Such are the mournful accents uttered by the church on the first Friday of Lent. Two days after she has strewed ashes on the heads of the faithful. For you it is, she exclaims, that the Son of God, the Word made flesh, has undergone these heart-rending affronts with intent to expiate your evil doings, and to teach you that the idol of your body, which you deck out with so much care and eager delight, deserves on the contrary not but affliction and suffering. How can you, while wreathing yourselves with flower, venture to tread in the footsteps of a master who bears a thorny crown? And with what mind do you propose becoming the disciples of such a master? That forehead made lustrous with borrowed splendor, those limbs delicately clad and brilliantly adorned will first become the food of the graveworm, and afterward the prey of that fire that quenches not, if you strive not to bend them down to that lowliness which is native to them, to the state of subjugation for which they were created, and to the penitence they have merited by reason of sin. Reflection May the contemplation of the wounds of our Saviour engrave deeply in our mind the maxim uttered by his own divine lips. If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. The most precious blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. The church inspired by the Holy Ghost has established a special feast in honour of the most precious blood of our Lord. This saving blood was first shed at the circumcision of the divine infant. It was next poured out in the bloody sweat of agony in the Garden of Olives. Again it flowed under the cruel blows of the savage soldierry. Then when the crown of thorns was pressed onto his temples, and finally when one of the soldiers with a spear opened his side and therefore came out blood and water. St. Augustine explaining these words of St. John points out that the evangelist does not use the words struck or wounded, but says distinctly, one of the soldiers with a spear opened his side, that we may understand thereby that the gate of life was open and from that sacred side issued all those sacraments of the church without which we can never hope to gain eternal life. This precious blood was symbolized by the victim of the old law, but while these latter sacrifices served only to purify the outer man, the blood of Jesus Christ by virtue of its infinite efficacy washes us free from all sin, provided we avail ourselves of the means established by our divine Saviour in his church for the application of its infinite merits. Reflection. Let us hasten to profit by the graces offered us. Let us wash away the stains of sin and the sacrament of penance and nourish ourselves with the most blessed body and blood of the Holy Eucharist. Let us ever be attentive at mass where this adorable blood mystically pours forth again upon the altar to plead our cause before the throne of divine justice. The Seven Dolores of the Blessed Virgin. Eve, when placed by the hand of God in a garden of delights, received but one precept to be obeyed so as to be forever happy. A precept easy of accomplishment, the non-observance whereof should needs be inexcusable in as much as neither urgent want nor strong inclination led to its violation. There was conjoined moreover the assurance of death following inevitably upon the transgression of the precept. But the serpent, kindling with jealousy and hate, came to tempt her. She gazed on the forbidden fruit, gathered thereof and carried it to her husband. And together they ate, incurring the fatal loss involving mankind in their downfall. Mary, preceded by the God-made man, went toiling with him up the arid steep of calvary in order to accomplish the most heart-rend during of all sacrifices. Eve had rebelled. Mary surrendered her will. Eve had yielded to the enticing voice of the tempter. Mary heard the voice of the same demon of jealousy and hate buttering by the mouth of the righteous Jews blasphemies and maledictions, but she was not frightened from her purpose. Eve and her disobedience stretched forth her hand toward the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Mary and her submission to the designs of God stretched forth hers to the tree of the cross. Eve had sacrificed to her caprice the spouse through whom she had received being. Mary assists at the sacrifice of the son through whom she has given being. Eve was born a man without the agency of a mother. Mary gave birth to the man-God without the intervention of a spouse. Eve, after her disobedience, became the mother in the order of nature of a race accursed. Mary, through her submission, has become in the order of grace the mother of a race sanctified. These points of resemblance and contrast themselves spontaneously to the mind, provided we ponder somewhat over the remembrance celebrated by the church on the Friday and Holy Week under the title of the Seven Dolores of the Blessed Virgin. A mother's heart can alone comprehend the agony of tortured, endured by this mother at the foot of the cross whereon her son was immulated. We do not attempt to describe nor are any mere human lips indeed able to express it. Reflection. Let us adore this divine and mysterious abyss of charity in whose depth our salvation was worked out at the price of so much suffering. And let us bear in mind what we have cost that mother to whose guardianship we were made over even from the sublime height of the cross. The most holy crown of thorns of our Lord Jesus Christ. The most holy crown of thorns consecrated by the head and the blood of our divine Savior has always been looked upon as one of the most precious of relics. Having been carried to Constantinople it was there carefully kept during the reign of the French emperors up to the beginning of the 13th century. At that time the emperor Baldwin II was sorely pressed by the Saracens and Greeks. And considering Constantinople as no longer secure he sent the precious relic to his cousin St. Louis who accepted it with delight. St. Louis in requital afterward voluntarily paid off a large sum which the emperor had borrowed from the Venetians. In 1239 the sacred treasure was carried in a sealed case with great devotion by holy men to France. St. Louis accompanied by many prelates in his entire court met it five leagues beyond sins. The pious king with his brother Robert of Artois both barefooted carried it into that city to the cathedral of St. Stephen accompanied by a numerous procession. Two years later it was taken to Paris where it was received with great solemnity and placed in the Holy Chapel which St. Louis built for its reception. Every year on the 11th of August the transfer of this relic from Venice to Paris is celebrated in the Holy Chapel. Palm Sunday. Lessons without end at once lofty and hallowing might be deduced from the triumphant entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem celebrated by the church on this day. We limit ourselves however to considering the event under one aspect merely in order to draw there from a moral lesson for our spiritual instruction. Jesus Christ enters Jerusalem and the people of Northwood improvise a triumph all the more noble because it has crossed neither blood nor tears and so much the more touching because it is spontaneous. The whole town is in commotion. The roadway is strewn with branches and covered with the garments of the bystanders. Every mouth resounding with acclamations and blessings and praise. Jesus Christ has proclaimed the son of David the king of the nation and the king of the world. There are a few days are sped the very people that had applauded it now clamor for his death curse and insult him and assist at his degrading death with fiendish cries of triumph. Even thus pass away the glories of the world its joys, its possessions even life itself. Today at the height of greatness tomorrow in the deepest abasement but yesterday the idol of a today the object of its hate now surrounded with prosperity and yet a little while worn down by misfortune one day full of life and vigor and the next consigned to the tomb. Foolish then are they who would account as of any value or would cling to things perishable. What bitter awakenings have not such poor diluted beings to expect and what chagrin and tearful disappointments do they not create themselves. The Christian who places the aim of his hopes in the center of his affections at a higher range is both wiser and more happy. Prosperity does not blind nor inebriate him since he knows it to be capricious and changeful. Adverse fortune does not overwhelm him because he was prepared for it and awaited it with calmness. The unforeseen alone affords any ground for fear or Christian there is nothing that is unforeseen. Reflection the recommendation given by the great apostle may be aptly brought to mind and they that we be as though they wep not and they that rejoice as though they rejoice not and they that use this world as though they used it not for the fashion of this world pass it away. Mondi Thursday On Thursday the eve of the passion Jesus Christ took bread and having blessed it broke and distributed to his apostles saying to them take and eat this this is my body which shall be delivered for you. Then taking the chalice he blessed it and gave it to them saying drink ye all of this for this is the chalice of my blood which shall be shed for you. He thereafter added this do in remembrance of me. These words and all their precision simplicity and clearness contain the institution of the adorable sacrament of the Eucharist and irrefutable proof of the real presence of Jesus Christ in this sacrament and a demonstration of his perpetuity in the church but rather than indulge in reasoning let us set forth briefly the principal effect. Jesus Christ before instituting it had said that this sacrament would communicate life eternal to those receiving it in this in one aspect at least and so far as it is given to man to understand the mysteries of God is comprehensible. Sin had implanted in man the germ of death and vice. By reason of his disobedience man had become incapable of good or even of a holy thought as the great apostle tells us. Now in God is the source of being of life, good, virtue and all excellence. God by communicating himself substantially to man by means of this august sacrament implants the germ of immortality and virtue. Man if limited to his own powers could not even think out a useful way of becoming virtuous for when should he take the principle of virtue and the means of putting it in practice. He would consequently have to incur eternal loss since salvation without virtue is a thing utterly impossible. But once pervaded with the principle of grace by an intimate union with God he is only to let it develop and to cultivate the good seed sown in him. Thus does the diamond of itself colorless and dim absorb the light when exposed there too becoming a sparkling center of light shining with a radiant luster. The more vivid the more brilliantly will the diamond shine if it be pure. In like manner the more man launches himself into the divine substance the more will he therewith be inundated by holy communion. The more potent also will his life become in virtues strong and manifold and consequently ensure claims to salvation. Reflection With what respect, love and art are ought we not to receive this divine food which maketh to live forever. Good Friday Jesus Christ was nailed to the cross about midday expired thereon in the afternoon and was taken down in the evening toward sunset for the sixth hour. According to the language of Saint Paul thus did he by his blood pacify heaven and earth. If this form of expression convey not simply the reconciliation of heaven with the earth it veils a mystery impenetrable to feeble reason by this very reconciliation is itself the greatest mystery. For man always vainly tries to explain it by recurring to comparisons and considerations of human conception merely which are vastly insufficient from the fact of there being human. And what matters it after all whether we understand or not so great a mystery. And not for us that it has produced its effect and that we are able to adore it in gratituding love. That philosophy should rail at what it does not fathom is sheer foolishness. In credulity may scoff at what it does not recognize. It concerns it however to know whether reason be on its side. Let heresy explain after human fashion things divine. As for Christians let us fix our gaze on the mediator between God and man raised aloft between heaven and earth with arms out stretching in order to unfold the universe with head down bent to give to the world the kiss of peace and reconciliation after having at the cost of his blood purchase peace and let us humble our whole being in heartfelt thanksgiving and love let us reverently imprint our lips on this cross the instrument of our salvation let us bend down trembling before the just God who takes such noble revenge for our guilt by our works let us make some return for the price we have cost by our penitence and tears let us apply to ourselves the merit of his redemption and henceforth live only for heaven since we have been made heirs to heaven. Reflection the cross to the Jews indeed a stumbling block into the child's foolishness is with all the instrument of Christ's power and of the wisdom of God. Holy Saturday three hours after Jesus Christ had uttered his last sigh on the cross two of his disciples Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea went to ask Pilate for the body that they might give it burial having obtained it they embalmed it according to the custom of the Jews and deposited it far from the place of Calvary in the tomb hewn in the rock wherein no one had yet been laid Pilate caused the entrance to be sealed up and placed to guard over it lest the body should be taken away. The Savior thus remained from nightfall on the Friday till the first razor dawn on the Sunday. He had himself said that he was to pass this time in the tomb and had quoted as an example the abiding of the prophet in the furnace for the same space of time in the whale's belly. It was then a real death that was associated with these signs and precautions and the sacrifice had been consummated and was irrevocable. Well might we then marvel at such excessive love covering ourselves with confusion at the thought of how feebly we love him who hath so greatly loved us and of how little we do for him who hath much for us. But we should enter upon another consideration with Jesus Christ died also the ancient world with its hideous worship the synagogue with its symbols and mysteries and the man of sin the old Adam with its concubesances yea even death itself which had been inflicted on man in punishment for sin. With Jesus Christ died sin and sin was placed in the tomb with him for according to the beautiful expression of the apostle the Savior fastened the sins of men to the cross. Now the cross itself was buried on the spot where Christ had suffered as was the custom among the Jews and was fully shown by the finding thereof in conjunction with those of the two thieves three centuries later by St. Helen. Once it follows that among us Christians the disciples that is of Christ and regenerated by his death there out never to lurk any shadow of Jewish superstition or pagan morals any remnant of the old Adam or man of sin concubesances disorderly passions and love of the world should no longer exist but as the memory of a time that is no more. Reflection for we are buried together with him by baptism unto death as Christ is risen from the dead by the glory of his father so we also may walk in newness of life for if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death we shall be also of his resurrection knowing this that the old man is crucified with him that the body of sin may be destroyed and that we may serve sin no longer. Easter Sunday the resurrection of the dead is one of the most consoling truths of Christianity to die forever would be the most terrible of all destinies the plant and the animal unendowed with reason die never to live again but they have not at least any apprehension as to what death is to die is to them one of the thousand accidents bound up with life to the plant it is as nothing and for the animal without reason a merely transitory pain death being but the affair of a moment for man on the contrary death has terrors which precede it anguish accompanying it and apprehensions consequent upon it the most strongly a temperate spirit shudders and reflecting that it must incur death the most selfish man has attachments which he with difficulty severs the most determined unbeliever experiences doubts as to the shadowy tomorrow of death man would then be the most pitiable among all beings were religion not at hand to say to him the grave is a place of momentary rest you will come forth thence one day the God that gave being to your limbs will restore them the resurrection of Jesus Christ gives thereof an assured pledge this confidence in the future resurrection is a subject of the greatest joy to the children of God the groundwork of their faith the mainspring of their hope in the most lasting comfort amid the evils of this life for if Christ had not risen says the Apostle Saint Paul in vain would we believe in him he would be convicted of having been an impostor in his apostles of being mad his death would not have availed us anything and we should still be dwelling in the bonds of sin those dying in Jesus Christ as we perish and are hoping him not extending beyond the present life we should be the most unfortunate of men in as much as after having had as our portion in this life sufferings and afflictions we should not be able to console ourselves with the expectation of future good but Jesus Christ having come forth living from the tomb his doctrine is confirmed by his resurrection it establishes the certitude of his mission the character is son of God the efficacy of the sacrifice he offered on the cross the divinity of his priesthood the rewards of the other life and the glorified resurrection of the flesh reflection we shall one day rise again but let us range by the side of such a consoling expectation that terrible warning of the prophet Daniel many of those that sleep in the dust will awake some unto life everlasting and others unto reproach eternal the ascension the mystery which the church honors on this day is at the same time that of the triumph of Jesus Christ and the hallowed hope of his disciples the savior after having accomplished his mission on earth ascends to heaven to put his manhood in possession of the glory due to it he is there for us in abiding place he ascends thither as our king, liberator, chief and mediator our king because he has purchased us at the cost of his blood our liberator because he has conquered death and sin and has ransomed us from the thraldom of Satan our chief because he wishes that we should follow in his footsteps and that we should be where he is even as he himself declared we can have access to the father only through him he ascends thither as our high priest in order to offer unceasingly to God the blood which he has shed for us in his character of man and to obtain for us through the merits of his sacrifice the remission of our sins let us then by means of faith follow him in his ascension to heaven and abide there hence forth in heart and spirit let us remember that heaven is wholly ours as our inheritance and amid the temptations and miseries of this life let us think often of this home of peace, of glory and of bliss eternal we must not flatter ourselves however that without earnest efforts on our part we shall have any share in the kingdom of Jesus Christ there are many mansions in the house of our heavenly Father but there are not as many roads leading thither Jesus Christ has traced out for us the way of humiliation and suffering and it is the only one that conducts to eternal peace if the hardships of the journey and the sight of our own weakness strikes us with dread we should gather energy by leaning on the promises of the God man he will be with us even unto the end and if we love him all will become easy reflection let us cherish hope Christ being come a high priest of the good things to come hath entered into the holy of holies by his own blood having obtained eternal redemption with Sunday 50 days after Easter the apostles and disciples of Jesus Christ were assembled in an upper chamber engaged in prayer according to the recommendation of the divine master and awaiting the accomplishment of the promise he had made to them of sending them a comforting spirit the paraclete who should teach them all things lo a great noise as of a rushing tempest was suddenly heard the house was rocked to and fro and tongues of fire were seen resting on the head of each one at once all were changed into new men their minds being endowed with full understanding of the scriptures and of the wonders they had hitherto witnessed without comprehending their souls were filled with strength from on high thenceforth they belong no more to themselves but to the work of the gospel from that time forth this divine spirit has not ceased to pour himself forth upon the church to enlighten, confirm, protect and guide he has not ceased communicating himself to each of the faithful individually either by means of the sacraments or by grace whenever he has found hearts well disposed the fathers of the church and all theologians are of one mind and recognizing in the works of the Holy Ghost in the hearts of the faithful seven chief gifts wisdom, understanding counsel, fortitude knowledge, piety and the fear of the Lord the gift of wisdom helps us to judge healthily of all things concerning our last end the gift of understanding to apprehend the truths revealed and to submit our hearts thereto the gift of counsel to choose in all things the part best fitted for the sanctification of our souls the gift of fortitude to resist temptations and overcome dangers the gift of knowledge to discern the best means of sanctifying ourselves the gift of piety or godliness causes us to love religion in the practices having reference to divine worship the gift of the fear of the Lord turns us aside from sin and from whatever may displease God reflection they that are according to the flesh mind the things that are of the flesh but they that are according to the spirit mind the things that are of the spirit for the wisdom of the flesh is death but the wisdom of the spirit is life and peace Trinity Sunday the Holy Trinity is one God and three persons the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost equal in all things in co-eternal the Father gives being to the Son and the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son the most adorable truly of all mysteries and likewise the most impenetrable St. Ulsum has endeavored to explain it from a single point of view only and has accomplished this in a masterly yet necessarily insufficient manner the Father he says cannot exist a single instant without knowing himself because in God to know is to exist even as to will is to act this knowledge personified is the word his Son the Son is then co-eternal with the Father the Father and the Son cannot exist a single instant without loving each other their mutual love is again personified because in God to love is still to exist God being love itself this third person thus co-eternal with the other two persons is the Holy Ghost but the inhabitants with God can alone understand these wonders and they understand because they see them the free thinker surrounded by the mysteries of nature and who is to himself a complete mystery is not willing to admit of any religion I only wish to believe he says what I understand the poor fool would not believe much were he taken at his word he would neither believe in the food he takes seeing that he could not explain how it imparts nourishment or in the light of the Son since he does not apprehend how it brings him into relation with distant objects nor even in his own arguments since he does not comprehend how his mind evokes and gives them shape literally speaking there exist no mysteries there are only truths but truth becomes a mystery to him who does not understand it it is a mystery to one who knows not how to read it ceases to be so to anyone who has received instruction according as we educate the soul and widen the measure of knowledge mysteries begin to disappear in proportion therefore is it that there are no mysteries in heaven because the angels and the blessed behold with open gaze the objects whereof we now possess but the mysterious definition to deserve to behold them in their heavenly company one condition is requisite namely to adore them meanwhile with steadfast and perfect faith in the word of God which proposes them for our belief in the realm of nature a mystery is a truth not understood which one believes with all because one sees it in the sphere of religion a mystery is a truth not understood which one believes because God has revealed it reflection wherefore rebel against the word of God is it not as if the clay should rebel against the potter and the work shall say to the worker thereof thou understandeth not corpus christi till the 13th century the church had not thought of establishing a special festival in honor of the blessed sacrament being satisfied with celebrating on holy thursday the institution of this divine mystery at that period however heresy arcs dared to attack the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist and numerous miracles and special revelations had occurred to concentrate the attention of the Christian world on this dogma Pope Urban IV decreed in 1244 that a special feast should be instituted which by its solemnity and pump should be as a protestation in favor of the unwavering faith of the church but at the same time offer an honorable reparation for the blasphemies of impious men but this pontiff happening to die soon after the bull had not the effect intended and it was only after the council of Vien held in 1332 that the feast of the blessed sacrament or corpus christi was definitively established throughout the catholic world the holy council of Tret newly approved in a formal and feminist manner both the worship itself and its attendant pop the feast of corpus Christi is then a solemn act of faith in the real presence of Jesus Christ in the blessed Eucharist and this belief to which the church attaches an importance of the highest moment is the very groundwork of catholicity or rather is the very essence of all Christianity for if Jesus Christ be not present really and corporally under the elements of bread and wine as he himself formally told us his word is no longer reliable he is no longer God and there remains of religion not save a beautiful but sterile philosophy which each one can remodel after his own mind if it be allowable as protestants contend to interpret in a purely allegorical sense words of such clearness that there are not throughout the whole of the gospel any more positive or precise it is permissible to interpret everything at will and the gospel remains an enigma the solution whereof is nowhere to be found it is furthermore the intention the church to make an avowal of her love and gratitude to our savior Jesus Christ and offer reparation for all the profanations and sacrilegious to which this adorable sacrament has been exposed reflection O weak hearted and lukewarm Christians O ye infidels unbelievers and heretics of all ages if you did but know the gift of God you would perhaps have asked of him and he would have given you living water end of section one section two of little pictorial lives of the saints volume one January through March this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org little pictorial lives of the saints volume one January through March by John Gilmary Shay lives of the American saints placed in the proper for the United States at the special petition of the third plenary council of Baltimore Saint Philip of Jesus martyr patron of the city of Mexico Philip de la Casa was born in the city of Mexico where his parents settled after setting out for the new world from Ilesgas in Spain they were earnest in all their religious duties and brought up their family piously two sons entering the Augustinian order one to die by the hands of the heathen Philip at first showed little care for the pious teaching of his parents an example of his brothers but at last he too resolved to forsake the world and entered the reformed Franciscan convent of Santa Barbara at Pueblo he was not yet weaned from the world in its vanities and soon left the Nubishia grieved at the inconsistency of his son Alonso de la Casa sent him to the Philippian islands with a large stock of goods and money to make purchases in vain did Philip seek to satisfy his heart with pleasure he could not but feel that God called him to a religious life gain encouraged by prayer he entered the Franciscan convent of Our Lady of the Angels at Manila and persevered taking his vows in 1594 his novitiate had produced a great spirit of poverty obedience and prayer and he sought by austerity to atone from the errors of his youth as infomerian brother Philip of Jesus beheld Our Lord in the person of the sick and attended them with holy care the richest cargo that he could have sent to Mexico would not have gratified his pious father as much as the tidings that Philip was a professed friar Alonso de la Casa obtained from the commissary of the order directions that he sent to Mexico he embarked on the Saint Philip in July 1596 with other religious storms drove the vessel to the coast of Japan and it was wrecked while endeavoring to enter a port amid the storm Philip saw over Japan a white cross in the shape used in that country which after a time became blood red and remain so for some time it was an omen of his coming the commander of the vessel sent our saint and two other religious to the emperor to solicit permission to continue their voyage but they could not obtain an audience he then proceeded to may echo to a house of his order to seek the influence of the fathers there but the pilot of the vessel by Eid al-Bos had excited the emperor's fear of the Christians and that he the ruler resolved to exterminate the Catholic missionaries in December officers seized a number of the Franciscan fathers three Jesuits and several of their young pupils Saint Philip was one of those arrested while they were in the choir seeing the office Philip bore with heroic patience the insults of the rabble who assailed the martyrs on their way to prison and heard with holy joy that sentence of death had been passed on them all he offered his first fruits of his blood to God for the salvation of that heathen land the martyrs would led through the streets of several towns with inscriptions declaring the cause of their death they at last reached Nengasaki where crosses had been erected on a high hill near the bay when Saint Philip was led to that on which he was to die he knelt down in claspin exclaiming oh happy ship oh happy galleon for Philip lost for my gain lost no loss for me but the greatest of all gain he was bound to the cross but the rest under him gave way so that he was strangled by the cords while repeating the holy name of Jesus he was the first of the happy band to receive the death stroke a lance being driven across through his body to the right shoulder then another to the left a third stroke being given to the Spanish and Japanese Christians who witnessed his triumph caught his blood in their hats and in cloths to preserve his relics miracles attested the power before God of these first martyrs of Japan Pope Urban VIII granted permission to say in office and mass in their honor and Pope Pius IX formally canonized them the devotion to Saint Philip of Jesus and his native city throughout Mexico has always been very great a church in convent of Capuchin nuns are dedicated to him his feast was in Spanish times kept with great solemnity in New Mexico Texas and California and a settlement in Arizona bore his name Saint Philip died at the age of 25 he is an example to encourage those who falter in the path of God's service his prayers will aid those who are tempted and enable them to acquire strength to recover lost ground and go on with renewed courage in the narrow way of the cross his feast is celebrated Feb. 5 Saint Turibias Archbishop of Lima Turibias Alphonsus Mogrobejo whose feast the church honors on April 27 was born on the 6th of November 1538 at Mallorca in the Kingdom of León in Spain brought up in a pious family where devotion was hereditary his youth was a model to all who knew him a tender devotion to the Blessed Virgin and a love of the poor marked this boy he recited the rosary in the little office every day and fasted every Saturday in honor of the mother of God as a schoolboy he gave away his own food to the poor his life as a student at Valdolid and Salamanca showed no relaxation from his early spirit of prayer all his leisure was given to devotion or to works of charity his austerities were great and he frequently made long pilgrimages on foot the fame of Turibias as a master of canon and civil law soon reached the years of the second who made him judge at Granada that monarch marked the exalted virtue and ability of Mogro Bejo about this time the sea of Lima in Peru fell vacant and among those proposed Philip found no one who seemed better endowed than our saint with all the qualities that were required at that city where much was to be done for religion he sent to Rome to be judged and the sovereign pontiff confirmed the choice Turibias and Vane sought to avoid the honor and wrote a long treatise which he forwarded to Rome to show how irregular it was to appoint a layman to such a position the pope in reply directed him to prepare to receive holy orders and be consecrated King Philip was equally deaf to his appeals confessor he prepared by a long retreat to receive minor orders and the sub-deaconship and deaconship then he was ordained priest and consecrated he arrived at Lima in 1587 and entered on his duties always soon edification an order in his Episcopal city the model of all virtue himself he confessed daily and prepared for mass by long meditation the influence of the holy man was soon felt Saint Turibias then began a visitation of his vast diocese which he traversed three times his first visitation lasting seven years and his second four he held provisional councils framing decrees of such wisdom that his regulations were adopted in many countries Saint Turibias preached catechized and confirmed far and wide he held diocesan synods and encouraged his bishops to do the same almost his entire revenues were bestowed on his creditors as he styled the poor and he bore with intrepid patience the vexatious opposition raised to many of his reforms maintaining the liberties of the church with apostolical courage while discharging with zeal his duties of priest and bishop he was seized with a fatal illness during his third visitation and died on the 23rd of March in the year 1666 at Santa exclaiming as he received the sacred viaticum I rejoiced in the things that were said to me we shall go into the house of the Lord his holy austere and devoted life had made the people regard him as a saint and a constant benefactor they regarded him now as their patron in heaven and miracles rewarded their faith the proofs of his holy life and of the favors granted through his intercession induced Pope Innocent the 11th to beatify him and he was canonized by Pope Benedict the 13th in the year 1726 Saint Turebius was a model for all states as a holy youth as a pious and zealous layman as a great and exemplary bishop Saint Francis Solano the diocese of Cordoba in Spain was the birthplace of this saint who won many thousands of souls to God from his earliest years he was characterized by a modest behavior prudent silence and edifying maintenance while still very young he was always able to affect a reconciliation between the most bitter enemies once when he came upon two Spaniards who were engaged in deadly strife he threw himself between them and kneeling down prayed with so much fervor that the fierce combatants sheathed their daggers and became reconciled to one another his education was entrusted to the Jesuit fathers but his desire to follow the poor and humble Jesus and perfect poverty and humility induced him to enter the order of Francis soon he excelled everyone in the house in humility, obedience fervor and prayer and self-denial sometimes he would pass the entire night on his knees before the tabernacle if he saw a religious zealous for God's honor and love he would say to him brother let us see which of us can show Jesus more proofs of love fervor and self-denial during this week the word of God in simple unadorned language but with so much fervor and heartfelt emotion who had been traveling on the broad road of vice abandoned it and entered upon the narrow road of a virtuous life it was no less zealous indeed than a word for when the pestilence was raising in granada he was untiring and fearless in his service to the plague-stricken it was such assiduous and as it were maternal care that the wondering people praised God for the visible protection he manifested towards his servant in the year 1589 he sailed for South America to preach the gospel to the Indians in Peru on the same vessel with him were 600 negro slaves while still at some distance from shore the ship struck a ledge of rocks where drowning was imminent the captain hurried the officers and principal passengers into the only boat there was and tried to induce the missionary to accompany them but he refused to do so in these terms sir you have done your duty now I shall do mine I stay here he then consoled the remaining passengers directing their thoughts to heaven he knelt down with them and prayed fervently they had been baptized instructing those who were not and comforting all meanwhile the vessel was sinking and the passengers trembled with fear but not so the zealous missionary he alone kept up his hope in God's mercy thus three dreadful days were passed until at last the captain came with a lifeboat and all were taken off in safety the missionary did not confine his ministry to Lima he visited the forests and deserts inhabited by the Indians who were cruel and bloodthirsty by nature and who hated the Spaniards because they had often times been cruelly treated by them but God protected his fearless servant to whom he had given the gifts of eloquence and power over wild beasts lions, tigers and snakes obeyed him and the birds perched on his shoulders singing with him the praises of God by degrees he won the trust of the Indians who marveled at his kindness they listened to his instruction allowed him to baptize them and followed him as grateful children followed their father in this way 9000 Indians were converted and everything was in the most promising condition when the missionary was recalled by an order from his superior to Lima which at that time was like the godless city Nineveh Francis preached with great effect to the hardened sinners he carried his mission everywhere in the public streets into the shameless theaters and gambling dens where cross and hand he frightened the evil doers by the might of his words which echoed like the trumpet sounds of the last judgment the result of his labors was that the whole city became converted he wrote many miracles but was in himself the greatest miracle of all ever busy, humble, joyful and never uttering a single useless word in his leisure time he composed songs to the Christ child and his blessed mother and sung them to the accompaniment of the violin so sweetly that his hearers were enraptured his love of his neighbor was unbounded he never thought evil of anyone and put a good construction on every thought even when persecuted, culminated and held in suspicion by his religious brethren the proverb as our life is so shall be our death was fulfilled in Francis's case in his last painful sickness he prayed thus, oh Jesus how do I deserve such grace thou art nailed to the cross and I am served by my brethren thou art stripped of thy clothes and I am well covered thou dist received blows and I only receive good things, oh my God his last words were God be praised after uttering which his soul departed this earth on July 14th 1610 his remains were honored by a grand funeral and he was declared blessed by Pope Clement X in 1675 in Canada as Benedict XIII in 1726 St. Francis' Feast is held July 24th End of Section 2 Section 3 of Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints Volume 1, January through March This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints Volume 1, January through March by John Gilmary Shea January 1st The Circumcision of Our Lord Circumcision was a sacrament of the old law and the first legal observance required by Almighty God descendants of Abraham was a sacrament of initiation in the service of God and a promise and engagement to believe and act as he had revealed and directed The law of circumcision continued in force until the death of Christ and our Savior being born under the law became him who came to teach mankind obedience to the law of God to fulfill all justice and to submit to it Therefore he was circumcised that he might redeem them that were under the law by freeing them from the servitude those who were in the condition of servants before might be set at liberty and receive the adoption of sons and baptism which by Christ's institution seceded to circumcision On the day that the divine infant was circumcised he received the name of Jesus which signifies Savior which had been given him by the angel before he was conceived that name so beautiful and child does not wish to bear it for one moment without fulfilling its meaning even at the moment of his circumcision he showed himself a Savior by shedding for us that blood a single drop of which is more than sufficient for the ransom and salvation of the whole world Reflection Let us profit by the circumstance of the new year and of the powerful renewal brought in the world by the mystery of this day to renew in our hearts an increase of fervor and of generosity in the service of God may this year be one of fervor and of progress it will go by rapidly like that which has just ended if God permits us to see its end how glad and happy we shall be to have passed it holily End of Section 1 Section 4 of little pictorial lives of the saints January through March This is a LibriVox recording A LibriVox recording is in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints Volume 1 January through March by John Gilmary Shea January 2nd St. Volgentius Bishop and St. Macarius of Alexandria Family Troubles and Delicate Health Volgentius was appointed at an early age procurator of his province at Carthage This success however did not satisfy his heart Leaving the taxes proved daily more distasteful and when he was 22 St. Austen's treatise on the Psalms decided him to enter religion After six years of peace his monastery was attacked and Volgentius himself driven out destitute to the desert He now sought the solitude of Egypt but finding that country also a schism he turned his steps to Rome There the splendors of the imperial court only told him of a greater glory of the heavenly Jerusalem and at the first lull and the persecution he resought his African cell Elected Bishop in 508 he was summoned forth to face new dangers and was shortly after banished by the Arian king Thrasimune with 59 Orthodox prelates to Sardinia Though the youngest of the exiles he was at once the mouthpiece of his brethren and the stay of their flocks By his books and letters which are still extant he confounded both Pelasian and Arian heresyarchs and confirmed the Catholics in Africa and Gaul An Arian priest betrayed Volgentius to the Numidians and ordered him to be scourged This was done His hair and beard were plucked out and he was left naked even the Arian bishop was ashamed of this brutality and offered to punish the priest if the saint would prosecute him But Volgentius replied that Christian must not seek revenge God knows how to right his servants wrongs and if I were to bring the punishment of man on that priest I should lose my own reward with God And it would be a scandal to many little ones that a Catholic and a monk or for unworthy he be should seek redress from an Arian bishop On Thrasimune's death the bishops returned to their flocks and Volgentius having reestablished discipline in the sea retired to an island monastery where after a year's preparation he died in peace in the year 533 Reflection Each year may bring us fresh changes and trials Let us learn from saint Volgentius to receive all that happens as from the hand of God and appoint it for our salvation Macarius when a youth left his fruit stall at Alexandria to join the great saint Anthony The patriarch Worn by a miracle of his disciples sanctity named him the heir of his virtues His life was one long conflict with self I am tormenting my tormentor replied he to one who met him that double with a basket of sand in the heath of the day Whenever I am slothful and idle I am pestered by desires for distant travel When he was quite worn out he returned to his cell but at times overpowered him he kept watch for twenty days and nights Being about to faint he entered his cell and slept and henceforth slept only at will An at-stung him he killed it In revenge for the softness he remained naked in a marsh till his body was covered with noxious bites and he was recognized only by his voice Once when thirsty he received a present of grapes but passed them untouched by a hermit who was toiling in the heat This one gave them to a third who handed them to a fourth Thus the grapes went the round of the desert and returned to Macarius who thanked God for his brethren's abstinence Macarius saw demons assailing the hermits at prayer They put their fingers into the mouths of some and made them yawn They closed the eyes of others and walked upon them when asleep They placed vain and sensual images before many of the brethren and then mocked those who were captivated by them None vanquished the devils effectively save those who by constant vigilance repelled them at once Macarius visited one hermit daily for four months but never could speak to him as he was always in prayer So he called him an angel on earth After being many years superior Macarius fled and disguised to St. Pacomius He began again as his novice but St. Pacomius, instructed by a vision, bade him return to his brethren who loved him as their father In his old age, thinking nature tamed he determined to spend five days alone in prayer On the third day the cell seemed on fire and Macarius came forth God permitted this delusion he said lest he be ensnared by pride At the age of 73 he was driven into exile and then brutally outraged by the Aryan heretics He died AD 394 Reflection Prayer is the breath of the soul but St. Macarius teaches us that mind and body must be brought to subjugation before the soul is free to pray End of section number 4 Section 5 of Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints 1 January through March This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints Volume 1 January through March by John Gilmary Shee January 3 St. Genevieve, Virgin Genevieve was born at Nantere, near Paris St. Germanus when passing through especially noticed a little shepherdess and predicted her future sanctity At seven years of age she made a vow of perpetual chastity After the death of her parents Paris became her abode but she often traveled on works of mercy which, by the gifts of prophecy and miracles, she unfailingly performed At one time she was cruelly persecuted Her enemies, jealous of her power called her a hypocrite and tried to drown her But St. Germanus having sent her some blessed bread as a token of esteem the outcry ceased and ever afterwards she was honored as a saint During the Siege of Paris by Chalderic, King of the Franks Genevieve went out with a few followers and procured corn for the starving citizens Nevertheless Chalderic, though a pagan respected her and at her request spared the lives of many prisoners By her exhortations again when Attila and his Huns were approaching the city the inhabitants, instead of taking flight gave themselves to prayer impenance and averted as she had foretold the impending scourge Clovis, then converted from paganism by his holy wife Saint Glatilda made Genevieve his constant advisor and in spite of his violent character became a generous and Christian king She died within a few weeks of that monarch in five years aged eighty-nine A pestilence broke out in Paris in eleven twenty-nine which in a short time swept off fourteen thousand persons and in spite of all human efforts daily added to its victims At length on November twenty-six the shrine of Saint Genevieve was carried in solemn procession through the city That same day but three persons died, the rest recovered and no others were taken ill This was but the first of a series of miraculous favors which the city of Paris has obtained through the relics of its patron saint Reflection Genevieve was only a poor peasant girl but Christ dwelt in her heart She was anointed with his spirit and with power She went about doing good and God was with her End of section five Recording by Maria Therese Section six of Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints Volume one, January through March This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints Volume one, January through March by John Gilmary Shea January fourth Saint Titus, Bishop and Saint Gregory, Bishop Titus was a convert from heathenism a disciple of Saint Paul one of the chosen companions of the apostle and his journey to the council of Jerusalem and his fellow laborer in many apostolic missions From the second epistle which Saint Paul sent by the hand of Titus to the Corinthians we gain an insight into his character and the strong affection which his master bore him Titus had been commissioned to carry out a two-fold office needing much firmness, discretion and charity he was to be the bearer of a severe rebuke to the Corinthians who were giving scandal and were wavering in their faith and at the same time he was to put their charity to a further test by calling upon them for abundant alms for the church at Jerusalem meanwhile was anxiously awaiting the result at Trois he writes I had no rest in my spirit because I found not Titus my brother he set sail to Macedonia here at last Titus brought the good news his success had been complete he reported the sorrow the zeal, the generosity of the Corinthians till the apostle could not contain his joy and sent back to them his faithful messenger with the letter of comfort which we have quoted Titus was finally left as a bishop in Crete and here he in turn received the epistle which bears his name and here at last he died in peace the mission of Titus decorum shows us how well the disciple caught the spirit of his master he knew how to be firm and to inspire respect the Corinthians we are told received him with fear and trembling he was patient and painstaking St. Paul gave thanks to God who would put such carefulness for them in the heart of Titus and these gifts were enhanced by a quickness to detect and call out all that was good in others and by a joyousness which overflowed upon the spirit of St. Paul himself who abundantly rejoiced in the joy of Titus Reflection Saints win their empire over the hearts of men by their wide affection and sympathy was the characteristic gift to St. Titus as it was of St. Paul St. Francis Xavier and many others St. Gregory was one of the principal senators of Autun and continued from the death of his wife of Whittower till the age of 57 at which time for his singular virtues he was consecrated he was consecrated Bishop of Longres which see he governed with admirable prudence in zeal 33 years sanctifying his pastoral labors by the most profound humility the siguous prayer and extraordinary abstinence and mortification an incredible number of infidels were converted by him from idolatry and worldly Christians from their disorders he died about the beginning of the year 541 but some days after the epiphany out of devotion to St. Bedingus he desired to be buried near the saint's tomb at Dijon this was executed by his virtuous son, Tetricus who seceded him in his bishopric end of section 6 section 7 of Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints volume 1 January through March this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints volume 1 January through March by John Gilmary Shea January 5th St. Simeon Stylites 1 winter's day about the year 401 the snow lay thick around Cissan a little town in Cilicia a shepherd boy who could not lead his sheep to the fields on account of the cold went to the church instead of the eight Beatitudes which were read that morning he asked how these blessings were to be obtained and when he was told of the monastic life a thirst for perfection arose within him he became the wonder of the world the great saint Simeon Stylites he was warned that perfection would cost him dear and so it did a mere child he began the monastic life and therein passed a dozen years in superhuman austerity he bound a rope round his waist till the flesh was putrefied he ate but once in seven days and when God led him to a solitary life kept fast of forty days thirty-seven years he spent on the top of pillars exposed to heat and cold day and night during the majesty of God perfection was all in all to St. Simeon the means nothing except in so far as God chose them for him the solitaries of Egypt were suspicious of a life so new and so strange and they set one of their number to bid St. Simeon come down from his pillar and return to the common life in a moment the saint made ready to descend but the Egyptian religious was satisfied with his proof of humility stay he said and take courage your way of life is from God cheerfulness, humility and obedience set their seal upon the austerities of St. Simeon when God put into his mouth brought crowds of heathen to baptism and of sinners to penance at last in the year 460 those who watch below notice that he had been motionless three whole days they ascend it and found the old man's body still bent in the attitude of prayer but his soul was with God extraordinary as the life of St. Simeon may appear it teaches us two plain and practical lessons we must constantly renew within ourselves an intense desire for perfection secondly we must use with fidelity and courage the means of perfection God points out reflection St. Augustine says this is the business of our life by effort and by toil by prayer and supplication to advance in the grace of God till we come to that height of perfection which with clean hearts we hold God and of Section 7 Section 8 of Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints Volume 1 January to March this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Larry Wilson Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints Volume 1 January to March by John Gilmary Shea January 6 the Epiphany of Our Lord the word epiphany means manifestation and it has passed into general acceptance throughout the universal church from the fact that Jesus Christ manifested to the eyes of men his divine mission on this day first of all when a miraculous star revealed his birth to the kings of the east through the dangers of a long and tedious journey through deserts and mountains almost impassable hastened at once to Bethlehem to adore him and to offer him mystical presence as to the king of kings to the God of heaven and earth and to a man with all feeble and mortal the second manifestation was when going out from the waters of the Jordan after having received baptism from the hands of Saint John the Holy Ghost descended on him in the visible form of a dove and a voice from heaven was heard saying, this is my beloved son and whom I am well pleased the third manifestation was that of his divine power when at the marriage feast of Cana he changed the water into wine at the site whereof his disciples believed in him the remembrance of these three great events concurring to the same end the church has wished to celebrate in one and the same festival reflection admire the almighty power of this little child who from his cradle makes known his coming to the shepherds and magi to the shepherds by means of his angels to the magi by the star in the east admire the docility of these kings Jesus is born behold them at his feet let us be little let us hide ourselves and the divine strength will be granted to us let us be docile and quick in following divine inspirations and we shall then become wise of the wisdom of God powerful of his mighty power End of Section 8 1 January through March by John Gilmary Shea January 7 Saint Lucian Martyr Saint Lucian was born at Samosata in Syria having lost his parents in his youth he distributed all his worldly goods of which he inherited and abundant share to the poor and withdrew to Edessa to live near a holy man named Macarius who imbued his mind with the knowledge of the holy scriptures and led him to the practice of the Christian virtues having become a priest his time was divided between the external duties of his holy state the performance of works of charity and the study of sacred scripture he revised the books of the Old and New Testaments expunging the errors which had found their way into the text either through the negligence of copious or the malice of heretics thus preparing the way for Saint Jerome who shortly afterwards to give to the world the Latin translation known as the Vulgate having been denounced as a Christian Lucian was thrown into prison and condemned to the torture which was protracted for twelve whole days some Christians visited him in prison on the Feast of the Epiphany and brought bread and wine to him while bound and chained down on his back he consecrated the divine mysteries upon his own breast and communicated the faithful who were present he finished his glorious career in prison and died with the words I am a Christian on his lips reflection if we would keep our faith pure we must study its holy truths we cannot detect falsehood till we know and love the truth and to us the truth is not an abstraction but a person Jesus Christ God and man and section 9 section 10 of Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints volume 1 January through March this is a LibriVox recording while LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints volume 1 January through March by John Gilmary Shea January 8th Saint Apollinarus the Apologist Bishop Claudius Apollinarus Bishop of Hierapolis in Furgia was one of the most influential prelates of the Second Age notwithstanding the great Enconiums bestowed on him by Eusebius, Saint Jerome, Theodoret and others but little was known of his actions and his writings which then were held in great esteem seem now to be all lost. He wrote many able treatises against the heretics and pointed out at Saint Jerome testifies from what philosophical sect each heresy derived its errors. Nothing rendered his name so illustrious however as his noble apology for the Christian religion which he addressed to the emperor Marcus Aurelius about the year 1875. Soon after the miraculous victory that prince had obtained over the Quata by the prayers of the Christians Saint Apollinarus reminded the emperor of the benefit he had received from God through the prayers of his Christian subjects and implored protection for them against the persecution of the pagans Marcus Aurelius published an edict in which he forbade anyone under pain of death to accuse a Christian of his religion. But by a strange inconsistency he had not the courage to abolish the laws that enforced against the Christians and as a consequence many of them suffered martyrdom though their accusers were also put to death. The date of Saint Apollinarus's death is not known. The Roman Martyology mentions him on the 8th of January. Reflection to you. All things whatsoever you ask when you pray, believe that you shall receive and they shall come unto you. End of Section 10 Section 11 of Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints Volume 1 January through March This is a LibriVox reporting. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints Volume 1 January through March by John Gilmary Shea January Night Saints Julian and Basilisus Martyrs Saint Julian and Saint Basilisus, though married, live by mutual consent in perpetual chastity. They sanctify themselves by the most perfect exercises of an aesthetic life and employ their revenues in relieving the poor and the sick. For this purpose they converted their home into a kind of hospital which they sometimes entertained a thousand poor people. Basilisus attended those of Hersex in separate lodgings from the men. These were taken care of by Julian, who from his charity is named the Hospitalerian. Egypt, where they lived, had then begun to abound with examples of persons who either in the cities or in the deserts devoted themselves to the exercises of charity, penance, and mortification. Basilisus, after having stood seven persecutions, died in peace. Julian survived for many years and received the crown of a glorious martyrdom. Together would Celsus, a youth, Antony, a priest, Anasthasius and Marcianilla, the mother of Celsus. Many churches and hospitals in the east and especially in the west bear the name of one or other of these martyrs. Four churches at Rome and three out of five at Paris, which bear the name of St. Julian, were originally dedicated under the name of St. Julian the Hospitalerian and martyr. In the time of St. Gregory the Great, the skull of St. Julian was brought out of the east into France and given to Queen Brunhove. She gave it to the nunnery, which she founded at Ed Tempest. She had present in the monastery of Mourigny near Ed Tempest in part in the church of the regular caninesis of St. Basilisus at Paris. Reflection God often rewards men for works that are pleasing in a sight by giving them grace and opportunity to do other works higher still. St. Augustine said I've never seen a compassionate and charitable man die a bad death. Section 11. Section 12 of Little Pictorial Lives of Saints. Volume 1. January through March. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org. Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints. Volume 1. January through March by John Gilmary Shea. William Archbishop. William Berrier of the illustrious family of the ancient counts of Nevers was educated by Peter the Hermit Archdeacon of Sussan, his uncle by the mother's side. From his infancy William learned to despise the folly and emptiness of the world to abhor its pleasures and to tremble at its dangers. His only delight was in sobriety and in his studies in which he employed his whole time with indefatigable application. He was made canon first of Sussan and afterwards of Paris, but he soon resolved to abandon the world and retired into the solitude of Grand Monde where he lived with great regularity in that austere order until finally joined the Cistercians, then in wonderful odor of sanctity. At some time he was chosen prior of the abbey of Pontigny and afterwards became abbot of Charlize on the death of Henry de Sully, Archbishop of Borge. William was chosen to secede him. The announcement of this new dignity which had fallen on him overwhelmed him with grief and he would not have accepted the office had not the pope and his general, the abbot of Sitot, commanded him his first care in his new position was to conform his life to the most perfect rules of sanctity. He redoubled all his austerity was incumbent on him now to do penance for others as well as for himself. He always wore a hair-shirt under his religious habit and never added to his clothing in winter or diminished it in summer. He never ate any flesh meat though he had it at his table for strangers. Soon near his end he was at his request laid on ashes in his hair-claw and in this posture expired on the 10th of January 1209. His body was interred in his cathedral and being honored by many miracles was taken up in 1217 in the year following William was canonized by Pope Honorius III. Reflection The champions of faith proved the truth of their teachings no less by the holiness of their lives than by the force of their arguments. Never forget that to convert others we must first see to our own souls. End of section 12 Section 13 of Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints Volume 1, January through March This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints, Volume 1 January through March by John Gilmary Shea January 11 Saint Theodosius The Xenobiorg Theodosius was born in Cappadocia in 423. The example of Abraham urged him to leave his country and follow Jesus Christ attracted him to the religious life. He placed himself under Longinus, a very holy hermit who sent him to govern a monastery near Bethlehem. Unable to bring himself to command others he fled to a cavern where he lived in penance and prayer. His great charity however forbade him to refuse the charge of some disciples who few at first became in time a vast number. He became a large monastery in three churches for them. He became eventually superior of the religious communities of Palestine. Theodosius accommodated himself so carefully to the characters of any of his subjects that his reproofs were loved rather than dreaded. But once he was obliged to separate from the communion of the others a religious guilty of a grave fault. Instead of humbly accepting his sentence the monk was arrogant enough to pretend to excommunicate Theodosius in revenge. Theodosius thought not of indignation nor of his own position but meekly submitted to this false and unjust excommunication. This so touched the heart of his disciple that he submitted it once and acknowledged his fault. Theodosius never refused assistance to any in poverty or affliction. On some days the monks laid more than one. In times of famine Theodosius forbade the arms to be diminished and often miraculously multiplied the provisions. He also built five hospitals in which he lovingly served the sick while by assiduous spiritual reading he maintained himself in perfect recollection. He successfully opposed the Eutycean heresy in Jerusalem and for this was banished by the emperor. He suffered a long and painful malady and refused to pray to be cured, calling it a salutary penance for his former successus. He died at the age of 106. Reflection Saint Theodosius for the sake of charity sacrificed all he most prized his home for the love of God and his solitude for the love of his neighbor. Can ours be true charity if it costs us little or nothing? End of Section 13 Section 14 of Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints Volume 1, January through March This is a LibriVox recording while LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints Volume 1, January through March by John Gilmary Shea January 12, Saint Elred Abbot One thing thou lackest and these words God called Elred from the court of a royal saint David of Scotland to the silence of the cloister. He left the king, the companions of his youth and a friend most dear to obey the call. The conviction that in the world his soul was in danger alone enabled him to break such ties. Long afterwards the bitterness of the parting remained fresh in his soul and he declared that though he had left his dear ones in the body to serve his Lord, his heart was ever with them. He entered the Cistercian order and even there his yearning for sympathy showed itself in a special attraction to one among the brethren named Simon. This holy monk had left the world in his youth and appeared as one deaf and dumb so absorbed was he one day Elred, forgetting for the moment the rule of perpetual silence spoke to him. At once he prostrated himself at his feet in token of his fault but Simon's look of pain and displeasure haunted him for many a year and taught him to let no human feeling disturb for one moment his union with God. A certain novice once came to Elred saying that he must return to the world but Elred had begged his soul of God and answered, brother, ruin not thyself nevertheless thou canst not even though thou wouldst. However he would not listen and wandered among the hills thinking all the while he was going far from the Abbey. At sunset he found himself before a convent strangling like reform and so it was the first monk he met was Elred who fell on his neck saying, son why hast thou done so with me? I have wept for thee with many tears and I trust in God that as I have asked of him thou shalt not perish. The world does not so love its friends at the command of his superiors Elred composed his great works the spiritual friendship and the mirror of charity. In the latter he says that true love of God is only to be obtained by joining ourselves in all things to the passion of Christ. He died in 1167 founder and abbot of Revol the most austere monastery in England and superior some 300 monks. Reflection When a man has given himself to God, God gives back friendship with all his other gifts a hundred fold. Friends are then loved no longer for themselves only but for God and that with a love lively and tender for God can easily purify feeling. It is not but self-love which corrupts friendship. End of section 14 Section 15 of Little Pictorial Dives of the Saints Volume 1, January the March This is LibriVox Recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Little Pictorial Dives of the Saints Volume 1, January the March by John Gilmary Shea January 13th St. Veronica of Milan Veronica's parents were peasants of a village near Milan. From her childhood she toiled hard in the house and the field and accomplished cheerfully every menial task. Gradually the desire for perfection grew within her. She became deaf to the jokes and songs of her companions and sometimes when reaping and hoeing would hide her face and weep. Knowing no letters she began to be anxious about her learning and rose silently at night to teach herself to read. Our lady told her that other things were necessary but not this. She showed Veronica three mystical letters which would teach her more than books. The first signal purity of intention the second abhorrence of murmuring or criticism. The third daily meditation on the passion. By the first she learned to begin her daily duties for no human motive but for God alone. By the second to carry out what she had thus begun by attending to her own affairs never judging her neighbor but praying for those who manifestly erred. By the third she was unable to forget her own pains and sorrows and those of her Lord and to weep hourly but silently over the memory of his wounds. She had constant ecstasies and saw in successive visions the whole life of Jesus and many other mysteries. Yet by a special grace neither her raptures nor her tears ever interrupted her labors which ended only with death. After three years patient waiting she was received as a lay sister in the convent of St. Martha at Milan. The community was extremely poor and Veronica's duty was to bag through the city for their daily food. Three years after receiving the habit she was afflicted with constant bodily pains yet never would comment to be relieved of any of her labors or to omit one of her prayers. By exact obedience she became a living copy of the rule and obeyed with a smile the least hint of her superior. She sought to the last the most hard and humbling occupations and in their performance enjoyed some of the highest favors ever granted to St. She died in 1497 on the day she had foretold her six months illness aged 52 years and in the 30th of her religious profession. Reflection when Veronica was urged in sickness to accept some exemption from her labors her one answer was I must work while I can while I have time. Dare we then waste ours. End of section 15 Recording by Maria Therese Section 16 of Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints Volume 1 January through March This is a LibriVox recording. While LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints Volume 1 January through March by John Gilmary Shea January 14th St. Hilary of Portier St. Hilary was a native of Portier in Aquitaine born and educated to pagan it was not till near middle age that he embraced Christianity moved there too many by the idea of God presented to him in the Holy Scriptures he soon converted his wife and daughter and separated himself ridgely from all un-Catholic company in the beginning of his conversion St. Hilary would not eat with Jews or heretics nor salute them but afterwards for their sake he relaxed this severity he entered Holy Orders and in 353 was chosen Bishop of his native city Arianism under the protection of the Emperor Constantius was just then in the height of its power and St. Hilary found himself called upon to support the Orthodox cause in several Gallic councils in which Arian Bishops formed an overwhelming majority he was in consequence accused to the Emperor who banished him to Fyrgia he spent his three years in more of exile in composing his great works on the Trinity in 359 he attended the Council of Seleucia in which Arians, semi-Arians and Catholics contended for the mastery with the deputies of the council he proceeded to Constantinople and there so dismayed the Arian party that they prevailed upon the Emperor to let him return to Gaul he traversed Gaul, Italy and Illyria where ever he came discomforting the heretics in procuring the triumph of Orthodoxy after seven or eight years of missionary travel he returned to Portier where he died in peace in 368 Reflection to a lifelong contest with heretics we shall secede in proportion as we combine hatred of heresy with compassion for its victims End of Section 16 Section 17 of Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints Volume 1 January through March this is a LibriVox recording while LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information please visit LibriVox.org Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints Volume 1 January through March by John Gilmary Shea January 15th St. Paul the First Hermit St. Paul was born in Upper Egypt about the year 230 and became an orphan at the age of 15 he was very rich and highly educated fearing less the tortures of a terrible persecution might endanger his Christian perseverance he retired into a remote village but his pagan brother-in-law denounced him and St. Paul rather than remain where his faith was in danger entered the barren desert trusting that God would supply his wants and his confidence was rewarded for on the spot to which Providence led him he found the fruit of the palm tree for food leaves for clothing and the water of the spring for drink his first design was to return to the world when the persecution was over but tasting great delights in prayer and penance he remained the rest of his life 90 years in penance, prayer and contemplation God revealed his existence to St. Anthony who sought him for three days seeing a thirsty she-wolf on the rocks Anthony followed her to look for water and found Paul they knew each other at once and praised God together when St. Anthony visited him a raven brought him a loaf and St. Paul said see how good God is for sixty years this bird has brought me half a loaf every day now thou art come Christ has doubled the provision for his servants he called Anthony that he was about to die and asked to be buried in the cloak given to Anthony by St. Athanasius Anthony hastened to fetch it and on his way back saw Paul rise to heaven in glory he found his dead body kneeling as if in prayer and two lines came and dug his grave Paul died in his one hundred and thirteenth year reflection we shall never repent untrusted in God for he cannot fail those who lean on him nor shall we ever trust in ourselves without being deceived End of Section 17 Section 18 of Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints Volume 1 January through March this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints Volume 1 January through March by John Gilmary Shea January 16 St. Honoratus Archbishop St. Honoratus was a Councillor Roman family settled in Gaul in his youth he renounced the worship of idols and gained his elder brother Venantius to Christ convinced of the hollowness of the things of this world he was obliged to renounce it with all its pleasures but a Von Pagan father put continual obstacles in their way at length taking with them St. Caprice a holy hermit for their director they sailed from Marseilles to Greece with the intention to live there unknown in some desert Venantius soon died happily at Methone and Honoratus being also sick was obliged to return the first letter hermetical life in the mountains near Frasius two small islands lying the senior that coast on the smaller now known as St. Honoratus are st. settled in being followed by others he there found at the famous monastery of Leherens about the year 400 some of his followers he appointed to live in community others who seem more perfect in separate cells as anchorance from that of St. Pacomius nothing can be more amiable than the description St. Hillary is given of the excellent virtues of this company of saints especially of the charity concord humility compunction and devotion which reigned among them under the conduct of our holy habit he was by compulsion consecrated Archbishop of Arles in 426 and died exhausted with austerities and apostolicolabers in 429 reflection the soul cannot truly serve God while it is involved in the distractions and pleasures of the world St. Honoratus knew this and chose to be a servant of Christ his Lord resolve and whatever state you are to live absolutely detached from the world and to separate yourself as much as possible from it end of section 18 section 19 of Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints volume 1 January through March this is a LibriVox recording while LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints volume 1 January through March by John Gilmary Shea January 17th St. Anthony Patriarch of Monks St. Anthony was born in the year 251 in Upper Egypt hearing at mass the words if thou wilt be perfect go sell what thou hast and give to the poor he gave away all his vast possessions he then begged an aged hermit to teach him the spiritual life he also visited various solitaries copying in himself the principal virtue of each to serve God more perfectly Anthony entered the desert and immured himself in a ruin building up the door so that none could enter here the devils assaulted him most furiously appearing as various monsters and even wounding him severely but his courage never failed and he overcame them all by confidence in God and by the sign of the cross one night whilst Anthony many devils scorched him so terribly that he lay as if dead a friend found him thus and believing him dead carried him home but when Anthony came to himself he persuaded his friend to carry him in spite of his wounds back to his solitude here prostrate for weakness he defied the devils saying I fear you not you cannot separate me from the love of Christ after more vain assaults God in Christ appeared to Anthony in glory his only food was bread and water which he never tasted before sunset and sometimes only once in two, three or four days he wore sackcloth and sheepskin and he often knelt in prayer from sunset to sunrise many souls flocked to him for advice and after twenty years of solitude he consented to God them in holiness thus founding the first monastery his numerous miracles attracted such multitudes that he fled again into solitude where he lived by manual labor he expired peacefully at a very advanced age Saint Anathias his biographer says that the mere knowledge of how St. Anthony lived is a good God to virtue reflection the more violent were the assaults of temptation suffered by St. Anthony the more firmly did he grasp his weapons namely mortification and prayer let us imitate him in this if we wish to obtain victories like his end of section 19 section 20 of little pictorial lives of the saints volume one January through March this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public demand for more information or to volunteer visit LibriVox.org little pictorial lives of the saints volume one January through March by John Gilmary Shea January 18th St. Peter's chair at Rome St. Peter having triumphed over the devil in the east the latter pursued him to Rome in the person of Simon Magus he who had formerly trembled at the voice of a poor maid now feared not very thrown of idolatry and superstition the capital of the empire of the world and the center of impiety called for the zeal of the Prince of Apostles God had established the Roman Empire and extended its dominion beyond that of any form or monarchy for the more easy propagation of his gospel its metropolis was of the greatest importance for this enterprise St. Peter took that province upon himself in repairing to Rome there preached the faith and established his ecclesiastical chair that St. Peter preached in Rome founded the church there and died there by martyrdom under Nero are facts the most incontestable by the testimony of all writers of different countries who lived near that time persons of unquestionable veracity and who could not but be informed of the truth in a point so interesting and of its own nature so public and notorious this is also attested by monuments of every kind by the prerogatives rights and privileges which that church enjoyed from those early ages and consequence of this title it was an ancient custom observed by churches to keep an annual festival of the consecration of their bishops the feast of the chair of St. Peter is found in ancient martyologies Christians justly celebrate the family of this mother church the center of Catholic communion and thanksgiving to God for his mercies to his church and to implore his future blessings reflection as one of God's greatest mercies to his church let us earnestly beg of him to raise up in it zealous pastors eminently replenish with his spirit which he animated his apostles end of section 20 section 21 of little pictorial lives of the saints volume 1 january through march this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org little pictorial lives of the saints volume 1 january through march by John Mary Shea january 19 St. Canutas King and Martyr St. Canutas King of Denmark was endowed with excellent qualities of both mind and body it is hard to say whether he excelled more in courage or in conduct in skill and war but his singular piety eclipsed all his other endowments he cleared the seas of pirates and subdued several neighboring provinces which infested Denmark with their incursions the kingdom of Denmark was elected till the year 1660 and when the father of Canutas died his eldest brother Harold was called to the throne Harold died after reigning for two years and Canutas was chosen to secede him he began his reign by a successful war against the troublesome barbarous enemies of the state by planting the faith in the conquered provinces amid the glories of his victories he humbly prostrated himself at the foot of the crucifix laying there his dieting and offering himself in his kingdom to the king of kings after having provided for the peace and safety of his country he married Eltha daughter of Robert Earl of Flanders who proved a spouse worthy of him his next concern was to reform abuses at home for this purpose he enacted severe but necessary laws for the strict administration of justice and repressed the violence and tyranny of the great without respect to persons he countenanced and honored holy men and granted many privileges and immunities to the clergy his charity and tenderness towards his subjects made him study by all possible ways to make them a happy people he showed a royal munificence in building an adorning church and gave the crown which he wore of exceeding great value to a church in his capital and place of residence where the kings of Denmark are yet buried to the virtues which constitute a great king Canutas added those which prove the great saint a rebellion having sprung up in his kingdom the king was surprised at church by the rebels perceiving his danger he confessed to sins at the foot of the altar in the communion stretching out his arms before the altar the saint fervently recommended his soul to his creator in this posture he was struck by a javelin thrown through a window and fell a victim for Christ's sake reflection the soul of a man is endowed with many noble powers and feels a keen joy in their exercise but the keenest joy we are capable of feeling consists in prostrating all our powers of mind and heart in humblest adoration before the majesty of God End of section 21