Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Feast of St. Agatha, Virgin and Martyr

"I cling to the Lord Jesus Christ, who renews all things by His word alone."  ~Lauds for the Feast of St. Agatha, Antiphon 2

Ave Maria!  Being a consecrated virgin, I have a great love for the virgins among our saints, especially those of the early Church.  Not much is historically certain about St. Agatha except that she was martyred in Sicily during the persecution of Emperor Decius in 251.  As I reflect upon her steadfastness in the midst of torture and death, I am reminded of these words from the "Prayer of Consecration" that Archbishop Joseph Fiorenza prayed over me when he consecrated me as a virgin:
"Be yourself their glory, their joy, their whole desire. Be their comfort in sorrow, their wisdom in perplexity, their protection in the midst of injustice, their patience in adversity, their riches in poverty, their food in fasting, their remedy in time of sickness. They have chosen you above all things; may they find all things in possessing you."
Dear St. Agatha, pray for me that I may always cling to Him who has espoused Himself to me and made me His bride forever!  Amen.

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