“So Great a Cloud of Witnesses” by Melanie Rigney (@melanierigney)
Brothers and sisters: Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. (Hebrews 12:1-2)
They will praise you, Lord, who long for you. (Psalm 22:27b)
Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who has touched my clothes?" But his disciples said to him, "You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, Who touched me?" And he looked around to see who had done it. The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth. He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction."(Mark 5:30-34)
Piety
St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan, and all the evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen (St. Michael the Archangel prayer).
Study
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| By Giovanni Battista Tiepolo [Public domain] |
Seven martyred women saints are included in the Eucharistic prayer during Mass: Felicity, Perpetua, Agatha, Agnes, Lucy, Cecilia, and Anastasia. The legends about them can be downright gory. Consider, for example, St. Agatha, whose feast we celebrate today. She was such a beautiful, kind, Christian noblewoman that Sicily’s ruler fell in love with her. Then when she rejected him, he sought to humiliate and subjugate her by any means available. Those means, we are told, included sending her to a house of prostitution, torturing her on the rack, chopping off her breasts, rolling her over glass and hot coals, and more. But Agatha continued to refuse both his advances and the demand to deny her faith. She died about 251.
Now, just how many of those tortures Agatha actually suffered, we’re not exactly sure. But we are sure that she stood firmly by her belief in Christ throughout. And that is what matters. That is what inspires us as we face the slings and arrows of the world today and tomorrow and the next day.
St. Agatha, pray for us!
Action
As she went to prison, Agatha is reported to have prayed, “Lord, my Creator, you have ever protected me from the cradle; you have taken me from the love of the world, and given me the patience to suffer: receive now my soul.” Consider adding her prayer to your own today.
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