- St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (1917). Founder or Foundress, Religious, Virgin. Patroness of immigrants. (Traditional)
- Sts. Chaeremon & Ischyrion (250). Martyr. (Historical)
ISCHYRION was an inferior officer who attended on a magistrate of a certain city in Egypt. His master commanded him to offer sacrifice to the idols; and because he refused to commit that sacrilege, reproached him with the most abusive and threatening speeches. By giving way to passion and superstition, the officer at length worked himself up to such a degree of frenzy as to run a stake into the bowels of the meek servant of Christ, who, by his patient constancy, attained to the glory of martyrdom.
REFLECTION: It is not a man’s condition, but virtue, that can make him truly great or truly happy. How mean soever a person’s station or circumstances may be, the road to both is open to him; and there is not a servant or slave who ought not to be enkindled with a laudable ambition of arriving at this greatness, which will set him on the same level with the rich and the most powerful
WORD OF THE DAY
GOOD WORKS. Morally good acts that, when performed in the state of grace, merit supernatural reward. The term became highly controverted in Reformation times, when the leaders of Protestantism, notably Martin Luther (1483-1546), claimed that faith alone, and not good works, justifies. Implicit in the Catholic doctrine on good works is the belief that man’s nature has not been totally depraved by reason of Adam’s fall. Man is able freely to co-operate with divine grace to perform good works. His liberty is not totally enslaved by sin.
Modern Catholic Dictionary, Fr. John Hardon SJ (Get the real one at Eternal Life — don’t accept an abridged or edited version of this masterpiece!)
Advent & The Great Truths
Advent: Short Meditations and The Great Truths Day 26 (Dec 22) O Rex Gentium & The Temporal Consequences of Adam’s Sin (Advent Meditation)
