The Roman Church confines herself today to the Office of the Feria, but to that she joins a Commemoration of Saint Sabas, Abbot of the celebrated Laura of Palestine, which still exists under his name. This Saint who died in 533 is the only one of the Monastic Order of whom the Church makes any mention in her Liturgy during the whole period of Advent. We might even say that he is the only simple Confessor whose name occurs in the Calendar of this part of the year, for, as regards Saint Francis Xavier, the glorious title of Apostle of the Indies puts him in a distinct class of Saints. Here again we should recognise Divine Providence which has selected for these days of preparation for Christmas those Saints whose characteristic virtues would make them our fittest models in this work of preparation. We have the feasts of Apostles, Pontiffs, Doctors, Virgins: Jesus, the Man-God, the King and Spouse of men, is preceded by this magnificent procession of the noblest of His servants: simple Confession has but a single representative, the Anchoret and Cenobite Sabas who, by his profession of the monastic life, is of that family of holy solitaries which began with the Prophet Elias under the Old Testament, and continued up to the time of Saint John the Precursor, who was one of its members, and will continue on, during the New Covenant, until the last Coming of Jesus. Let us, then, honour this holy Abbot towards whom the Greek Church professes a filial veneration, and under whose invocation Rome has consecrated one of her Churches.
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O Sabas, thou man of desires! In your expectation of that Lord who has bid His servants watch until He comes, you withdrew into the desert, fearing lest the turmoil of the world might distract your mind from its God. Have pity on us who are living in the world, and are so occupied in the affairs of that world, and yet who have received the commandment which you so took to heart: of keeping ourselves in readiness for the Coming of our Saviour and our Judge. Pray for us that when He comes, we may be worthy to go out to meet Him. Remember also the Monastic State, of which you are one of the brightest ornaments. Raise it up again from its ruins. Let its children be men of prayer and faith, as of old. Let your spirit be among them, and the Church thus regain, by your intercession, all the glory which is reflected on her from the sublime perfection of this holy State.
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Let us look again at the Prophecy of Jacob. The holy Patriarch not only foretells that the Messiah will be the Expectation of nations. He adds that when this promised Deliverer comes, “the sceptre will have been taken away from Judah” (Genesis xlix. 10). This oracle is now filled. The flag of Caesar Augustus floats on the ramparts of Jerusalem. The Temple is still untouched. The abomination of desolation stands not yet in the holy place. Sacrifices are there still offered up to God: but then, the true Temple of God, the Incarnate Word, has not yet been built. The Synagogue has not denied Him who was her expectation. The Victim that was to supersede all others has not been immolated. Yet Judah has no Chief of her own race. Caesar’s coin is current throughout all Palestine, and the day is not far off when the leaders of the Jewish people will own, in the presence of the Roman Governor, that they have not the power to put any man to death (John xviii. 31). So that there is now no King on the throne of David and Solomon, that throne which was to abide forever. O Jesus! Son of David and King of Peace, now is the time when you must show yourself and take possession of the Sceptre which has been taken in battle from the hand of Judah and put, for a time, into that of an Emperor. Come! for you are King, and the Psalmist, your ancestor, thus sang of you: “Gird your sword on your thigh, O thou most Mighty! With your comeliness and your beauty set out, proceed prosperously, and reign, because of truth and meekness and justice, and your right hand will conduct you wonderfully. Your arrows are sharp: under you will people fall: your arrows will go into the hearts of the King’s enemies. Your throne is for ever and ever; the sceptre of the kingdom is a sceptre of uprightness... God, your God, has anointed you, Christ! who takes thence your name, with the oil of gladness above your fellows, who have been honoured with the name of King” (Psalm xliv.) When you are come, O Messiah! men will be no more as sheep going astray without a shepherd. There will be but one fold in which you will reign by love and justice, for all power will be given to you in Heaven and on Earth. When, in the hour of your Passion, your enemies will ask you: “Are you King?” You will answer them in all truth: “Verily, I am” (John xviii. 37). Come, dearest King, and reign over our hearts. Come, and reign over this world which is yours because you created it, and will soon be yours because you will have redeemed it. Reign, then, over this world, and delay not the manifestation of your royal power until the day of which it is written: “He will break Kings in the day of His wrath” (Psalm cix.) Reign from this very hour, and let all people fall at your feet and adore you in one grand homage of love and obedience.Also on this day according to the ROMAN MARTYROLOGY:
At Thebesta in Africa, during the time of Diocletian and Maximian, St. Chrispina, a woman of the highest nobility, who refused to sacrifice to idols and was beheaded by order of the proconsul Anolinus. Her praises were often celebrated by St. Augustine.
At Thagura in Africa, the holy martyrs Julius, Potamia, Crispinus, Felix, Gratus and seven others.
At Nicaea near the river Var, St. Bassus, bishop. In the persecution of Decius and Valerian, he was tortured by the governor Perennius for the faith of Christ, burned with hot plates of metal, beaten with rods and whips garnished with pieces of iron, and thrown into the fire. Having come out of it unhurt, he was transfixed with two spikes, and thus terminated an illustrious martyrdom.
At Pavia, St. Dalmatius, bishop and martyr, who suffered in the persecution of Maximian.
At Pelino in Abruzzo, St. Pelinus, bishop of Brindisi. Under Julian the Apostate, because by his prayers he caused a temple of Mars to fall to the ground, he was most severely scourged by the idolatrous priests, and being pierced with eighty-five wounds, merited the crown of martyrdom.
Also St. Anastasius, martyr, who, thirsting for martyrdom, voluntarily offered himself to the persecutors.
At Treves, St. Nicetius, bishop, a man of great sanctity.
At Polybotum in Asia, St. John, bishop, surnamed Wonder-Worker.
And in other places, many other holy martyrs, confessors and virgins.
Thanks be to God.
