 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
July 29
St. Martha, Virgin:
St. Martha accompanied her sister St. Mary Magdalen
and her brother St. Lazarus into Gaul, where she closed
her holy life. Her sacred relics are venerated at
Tarascon, in Provence.
The ways by which God leads men’s souls are very
varied; one way may be more perfect than another, but
each soul must sanctify itself in its own fashion. Grace
does not do violence to nature, but perfects it; thus,
although St. John tells us that Jesus loved Martha, Mary
and Lazarus, each of the sisters always retains her own
individual character in the Gospel narrative. Mary feels
more deeply, and, therefore, though she is habitually
more recollected, yet she is also a woman of an eager
and pleasing disposition, more courageous in her
actions.
The virtues of Martha, the elder sister of Lazarus, on the
other hand, are more commonplace and less
exceptional. She is a good housekeeper, diligent,
affectionate, and forebearing in undertaking the
additional labor which Mary’s different nature puts upon
her. And discharging her daily duties she looks at life
chiefly from the practical side. The Savior loves her
much, because, though Mary is eager to receive spiritual
food from him, Martha, on the contrary, shows a mother’
s tender care both for Him and for His disciples, who
were always received as members of the family in her
home in Bethany. (Source: The New Roman Missal,
Rev. F. X. Lasance)
Sts. Felix II, Simplicius,
Faustinus, and Beatrice,
Martyrs:
The martyr-Pope St. Felix II governed the Church during
the exile of Pope Liberius, in the middle of the Fourth
Century. Simplicius and Faustinus were drowned in the
Tiber, probably in 303, when the great persecution
under Diocletian was at its height.
Beatrice, their sister, with the aid of the priest Priscus,
recovered their bodies in order to give them burial; for
which offence she was strangled in prison.
In the Fourth Century a basilica was built at the side of
the sepulcher of the two brothers and their sister.
(Source: The New Roman Missal, Rev. F. X.
Lasance)
St. Martha, Virgin:
St. Martha accompanied her sister St. Mary Magdalen
and her brother St. Lazarus into Gaul, where she closed
her holy life. Her sacred relics are venerated at
Tarascon, in Provence.
The ways by which God leads men’s souls are very
varied; one way may be more perfect than another, but
each soul must sanctify itself in its own fashion. Grace
does not do violence to nature, but perfects it; thus,
although St. John tells us that Jesus loved Martha, Mary
and Lazarus, each of the sisters always retains her own
individual character in the Gospel narrative. Mary feels
more deeply, and, therefore, though she is habitually
more recollected, yet she is also a woman of an eager
and pleasing disposition, more courageous in her
actions.
The virtues of Martha, the elder sister of Lazarus, on the
other hand, are more commonplace and less
exceptional. She is a good housekeeper, diligent,
affectionate, and forebearing in undertaking the
additional labor which Mary’s different nature puts upon
her. And discharging her daily duties she looks at life
chiefly from the practical side. The Savior loves her
much, because, though Mary is eager to receive spiritual
food from him, Martha, on the contrary, shows a mother’
s tender care both for Him and for His disciples, who
were always received as members of the family in her
home in Bethany. (Source: The New Roman Missal,
Rev. F. X. Lasance)
Sts. Felix II, Simplicius,
Faustinus, and Beatrice,
Martyrs:
The martyr-Pope St. Felix II governed the Church during
the exile of Pope Liberius, in the middle of the Fourth
Century. Simplicius and Faustinus were drowned in the
Tiber, probably in 303, when the great persecution
under Diocletian was at its height.
Beatrice, their sister, with the aid of the priest Priscus,
recovered their bodies in order to give them burial; for
which offence she was strangled in prison.
In the Fourth Century a basilica was built at the side of
the sepulcher of the two brothers and their sister.
(Source: The New Roman Missal, Rev. F. X.
Lasance)
Today's Saint
July 31
St. Ignatius of Loyola,
Confessor:
St. Ignatius, founder of the Society of Jesus, was born at
Loyola in Spain, in the year 1491. He served his king as
a soldier till his thirtieth year. Convalescing from a
severe wound received at the siege of Pampeluna, he
was given, in the absence of other books the Lives of
Jesus Christ and of the Saints. It dawned on his chivalric
nature that the Church has need of her army to defend
under the sovereign Pontiff the interest of God against
heresy and all evil. On his recovery he ascended
Montserrat and in the Benedictine Abbey there he laid
down his sword at the feet of the Blessed Virgin. He
learned here to love the Psalms and canticles of the
Divine Office which he was later to recommend to the
faithful; he desired that those who were to make Spiritual
Exercises should choose a dwelling whence they could
easily go to the Offices of Matins and Vespers as well as
to Mass. Among the Benedictines of St. Paul’s in Rome,
Ignatius pronounced his vows and was regularly elected
the first general of his new Society.
The name of Loyola and the Society founded by him are
synonymous with the highest degree of Catholic life and
activity, so that the enemies of the Church, whilst they
may show toleration for other religious Orders, keep up
an undying hatred for that of St. Ignatius, in which they
justly recognize the most efficient and invincible army
which Providence has placed under the immediate
command of the Vicar of Christ.
Ignatius and his companions, by means of the Spiritual
Exercises tried to raise the clergy to a higher realization
of their own dignity and mission. Their zeal for the
Liturgy led them to restore the churches to their former
cleanliness, dignity and magnificence. Drawn by these
exterior attractions, the faithful were more easily induced
to frequent the Sacraments and Offices of the Church.
From the very beginning they undertook works of
education and missionary labors.
With the sweet name of Jesus on his lips and in his
heart, St. Ignatius gave his soul to God on July 31, 1556.
His body is preserved in Rome in the magnificent church
built by Cardinal Alessandro Farnese and dedicated to
his memory. (Source: The New Roman Missal, Rev.
F. X. Lasance)
St. Ignatius of Loyola,
Confessor:
St. Ignatius, founder of the Society of Jesus, was born at
Loyola in Spain, in the year 1491. He served his king as
a soldier till his thirtieth year. Convalescing from a
severe wound received at the siege of Pampeluna, he
was given, in the absence of other books the Lives of
Jesus Christ and of the Saints. It dawned on his chivalric
nature that the Church has need of her army to defend
under the sovereign Pontiff the interest of God against
heresy and all evil. On his recovery he ascended
Montserrat and in the Benedictine Abbey there he laid
down his sword at the feet of the Blessed Virgin. He
learned here to love the Psalms and canticles of the
Divine Office which he was later to recommend to the
faithful; he desired that those who were to make Spiritual
Exercises should choose a dwelling whence they could
easily go to the Offices of Matins and Vespers as well as
to Mass. Among the Benedictines of St. Paul’s in Rome,
Ignatius pronounced his vows and was regularly elected
the first general of his new Society.
The name of Loyola and the Society founded by him are
synonymous with the highest degree of Catholic life and
activity, so that the enemies of the Church, whilst they
may show toleration for other religious Orders, keep up
an undying hatred for that of St. Ignatius, in which they
justly recognize the most efficient and invincible army
which Providence has placed under the immediate
command of the Vicar of Christ.
Ignatius and his companions, by means of the Spiritual
Exercises tried to raise the clergy to a higher realization
of their own dignity and mission. Their zeal for the
Liturgy led them to restore the churches to their former
cleanliness, dignity and magnificence. Drawn by these
exterior attractions, the faithful were more easily induced
to frequent the Sacraments and Offices of the Church.
From the very beginning they undertook works of
education and missionary labors.
With the sweet name of Jesus on his lips and in his
heart, St. Ignatius gave his soul to God on July 31, 1556.
His body is preserved in Rome in the magnificent church
built by Cardinal Alessandro Farnese and dedicated to
his memory. (Source: The New Roman Missal, Rev.
F. X. Lasance)
July 30
Sts. Abdon and Sennen,
Martyrs:
St. Abdon and Sennen were Persians who, coming to
Rome in the Third Century, courageously confessed the
faith of Christ and were put to death in the persecution of
Decius in 250. (Source: The New Roman Missal, Rev.
F. X. Lasance)
Sts. Abdon and Sennen,
Martyrs:
St. Abdon and Sennen were Persians who, coming to
Rome in the Third Century, courageously confessed the
faith of Christ and were put to death in the persecution of
Decius in 250. (Source: The New Roman Missal, Rev.
F. X. Lasance)