Dom
Prosper Guéranger:
“And the Spirit and the Bride say: Come! And he that hears, let him say: Come! — Surely I come quickly: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (Apocalypse xxii. 16, 17).
While we honour the Church Triumphant with our chants and succour the Church Suffering with our prayers, let us also turn our thoughts to the Church Militant during these days when the closing Cycle presents her to us as about to complete her work on Earth. Now the Church is our model, but especially at the close of our pilgrimage ought we to make her attitude our own. The above-cited dialogue which will terminate the world’s history shows clearly the sentiments with which the Holy Spirit inspires her in preparation for the final hour. As the sufferings of the dying man break the last ties that bound him to the life of the senses, so the last social convulsions, however violently they may shake the Church, will eventually disengage her from the trammels of a world which she will no longer be able to save from ruin. Free, therefore, to give herself up to her desires, which had been pent up for ages and kept under control by so many labours, she will have but one word to utter: Come! And in the universal destruction, when the sun will be darkened and the moon will hide her light, and the powers of Heaven will be moved, she will rejoice, knowing that in the midst of that awful night the cry will be heard: Behold the Bridegroom comes!
Let him that hears, let everyone of us say also: Come! If we love our Lord, if we would be recognised as members of His dear Church, let us be worthy of that beautiful title. Let us see all things with the Church’s eyes. Let us appreciate all things, and especially death, according to her heart. Let us look on the last passage, both for our dear ones and for ourselves, as the entrance into the eternal nuptial feast. We know well that if anyone sincerely desires our Lord, our Lord will not be wanting to him. Even if, after this life, we have yet some debts to pay, if some adornment be wanting to our wedding garment ere we can take our place at the heavenly banquet: the blessed passsage, nevertheless, places all the just, at once and entirely, in a state of impeccability, and in the secure possession of eternal love. Such, as we will have occasion to see, were the sentiments of our forefathers.
On this day according to the ROMAN MARTYROLOGY:
St. Zachary, priest and prophet, father of St.
John the Baptist.
Also St. Elizabeth, mother of the same most holy
precursor.
At Terracina in Campania, the birthday of the holy
martyrs, Felix, priest, and Eusebius, monk. The latter having buried
the holy martyrs Julian and Caesarius, and converted to the faith of
Christ many who the priest St. Felix baptised, was arrested with him,
and both being led to the tribunal of the judge who could not succeed
in intimidating them, they were shut up in prison, and as they
refused to offer sacrifice, were beheaded that same night.
At Emesa in Phoenicia, during the persecution of
Decius, the holy martyrs Galation, and Epistemis, his wife, who were
scourged, had their hands, feet and tongue severed from their bodies,
and finally consummated their martyrdom by decapitation.
Also the holy martyrs Domninus, Theotimus,
Philotheus, Silvanus and their companions, under the emperor
Maximinus.
At Milan, St. Magnus, bishop and confessor.
At Brescia, St. Dominator, bishop.
At Treves, St. Fibitius, who was made bishop of
that city while filling the office of abbot.
At Orleans in France, St. Laetus, priest and
confessor.
And in other places, many other holy martyrs,
confessors and virgins.
Thanks be to God.
