DECEMBER 24 – ST. DELPHINUS, BISHOP – SS. THRASILLA AND EMILIANA, VIRGINS.
LITTLE is known of St. Delphinus before his elevation to the Episcopate. He assisted at the Council of Saragossa, in 330, in which the Priscillianists were condemned, and also at the Council of Bordeaux, which condemned the same schismatics. He baptized St. Paulerius in 388, and the latter, in several letters, speaks of him as his father and his master. St. Delphinus died on the 24th of December, 403.
SS. THRASILLA AND EMILIANA were aunts of St. Gregory the Great. They lived in their father’s house as retired as in a monastery, far removed from the conversation of men; and, exciting one another to virtue by discourse and example, soon made considerable progress in spiritual life. Thrasilla was favored one night with a vision of her uncle, St. Felix, Pope, who showed her a seat prepared for her in heaven, saying: “Come; I will receive you into this habitation of light.” She fell sick of a fever the next day. When in her agony, with her eyes fixed on heaven, she cried out to those that were present: “Depart! make room! Jesus is coming!” Soon after these words she breathed out her pious soul into the hands of God on the 24th of December. A few days after she appeared to her sister, Emiliana, and invited her to celebrate with her the Epiphany in eternal bliss. Emiliana fell sick, and died on the 8th of January.
REFLECTION: We may often think the austerities of the Saints are beyond our strength; let us, then, imitate the guard they kept over their tongue. This is within the reach of all.
WORD OF THE DAY
UNJUST DAMAGE. Violating the property of another in some unfair manner without deriving any advantage from the harm caused. The obligation to undo the damage caused binds under the following conditions: 1. the act of damage must be unjust in the strict sense; 2. the action must be the real and effective cause of the damage, so that an accidental cause would not require restitution; 3. the harmful action must be formally sinful, i.e., deliberately unjust.
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!)
ST. ANDREW NOVENA
Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, o my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires, through the merits of our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother. Amen.
(It is piously believed that whoever recites the above prayer fifteen times a day from the feast of St. Andrew (Nov. 30th) until Christmas, will obtain what is asked). This formula of the prayer bears an Imprimatur from † Michael Augustine, Archbishop of New York. New York, February 6, 1897.
DAILY ADVENT MEDITATIONS
Deepen your appreciation of the Incarnation and our salvation with The Great Truths Series by Fr. Richard Clarke S.J. Read today’s “Christmas Eve & The End Attained” but consider this:
They will also look back with wonder on their earthly life. While it lasted it seemed so long, so tedious, perhaps so miserable, and now it is like a moment in the past, like a shadow that flitted by. How infinitesimal all its sorrows and pains will then seem, all compensated by that first moment of ineffable delight!
This article, DECEMBER 24 – ST. DELPHINUS, BISHOP – SS. THRASILLA AND EMILIANA, VIRGINS. is a post from The Bellarmine Forum.
https://bellarmineforum.org/december-24-st-delphinus-bishop-ss-thrasilla-and-emiliana-virgins/
Do not repost the entire article without written permission. Reasonable excerpts may be reposted so long as it is linked to this page.
