14 MAY – SAINT BONIFACE (Martyr)

 

Boniface, a citizen of Rome, had held illicit sexual relations with a rich lady, by name Aglaë. He afterwards was so grieved for this immoral conduct that, by way of penance, he devoted himself to the looking for and burying the bodies of martyrs. In one of his travels he left his companions and finding, on arriving at Tarsus, that many were being put to various tortures for the Christian Faith, he approached them, kissed their chains, and did all in his power to urge them to bear patiently the short labour of sufferings which were to be followed by eternal rest.

 

For this he was seized, and his flesh was torn by iron hooks. Sharp reeds were also thrust up his fingernails, and melted lead was poured into his mouth. His only exclamation, in the midst of these tortures, was: “I give you thanks, Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God!” He was then put, head foremost, into a cauldron of boiling pitch, and when he was taken out, and found to be unhurt, the judge, in a fit of anger, ordered him to be beheaded. During his execution a great earthquake was felt, and many of the pagans were converted to the Faith of Christ our Lord.

 

On the day following, his companions, who were in search of him, were told that he had suffered martyrdom. They bought his body for five hundred pieces of silver, and having embalmed and shrouded it, they had it taken to Rome. All this was made known to Aglaë, who had devoted herself to penance and good works. She therefore went to meet the martyr’s relics. She built a Church which was named after the Saint, and in which he was buried on the Nones of June (June 5). The martyr’s soul passed into Heaven on the day before the Ides of May (May 14), at Tarsus in Cilicia under the emperors Diocletian and Maximian.

Dom Prosper Guéranger:

The Apostle of the Gentiles, explaining the mystery of the Pasch, tells us that Baptism is the sepulchre of our sins, and that we rise from it together with our Redeemer, having our souls radiant with the life of grace (Romans vi.). Our holy Faith teaches us that he who gives his life for Christ or his Church, washes away, in his own blood, every stain from his soul and rises to life everlasting: it is as though he received a second Baptism which reproduces all the effects belonging to the great Sacrament of Regeneration. We have today a sinner who, being purified by martyrdom and re-baptised in his own blood, is numbered among the privileged ones who share in the glory of our Risen Jesus. Boniface, by his immoralities, had scandalised the city where he lived. But his repentance was most complete. He longed to suffer the crudest tortures for the love of the God he had offended, and thus make atonement for the sinful pleasures in which he had indulged. His wish was granted, suffering transformed him into the Saint whose feast is kept on this day, and whose virtues are a homage to the Divine Conqueror of sin and death.

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The Angels rejoiced more at your conversion, O Boniface, than at the fidelity of the ninety-nine just. But their joy was redoubled when they found that Heaven gained in you, not only a Penitent, but a Martyr too. Receive, also, the congratulations of holy Church which celebrates the memory of your victory. Rome is still in possession of thy holy relics which repose in the Church on Mount Aventine where once stood the house of her that imitated your repentance. In both her and you, we have a proof of the infinite mercy of our Risen Jesus who called the two sinners from spiritual death to the life of grace. Have compassion, O holy Martyr, on those poor sinners, whom this Easter has not yet brought back to their Redeemer. The Alleluia has resounded through the whole universe, and yet it has failed to rouse them from their sleep of sin. Pray for their resurrection. Their days are numbered and perhaps they are not to see another Easter. Yet do we hope in the Divine Mercy which has shown us its power by making you and Aglaë to be vessels of election.

We, therefore, unite our prayers with yours, O Boniface, that our Lord may grant a resurrection to our brethren. Hope is our armour in this peaceful contest with Divine Justice which delights in being vanquished by prayer. Present our prayer before the throne of God, and many of those that are now spiritually dead will come to life again, and their conversion will cause joy to the Angels, as yours did.

Also on this day according to the ROMAN MARTYROLOGY:

In France, St. Pontius, martyr. Having by his preaching and his zeal converted to the faith of Christ the two Caesars Philip, he obtained the palm of martyrdom under the emperors Valerian and Gallienus.

In Syria, the holy martyrs Victor and Corona, under the emperor Antoninus. Victor was subjected to various horrible torments by the judge Sebastian. As Corona, the wife of a certain soldier, was proclaiming him happy for his fortitude in his sufferings, she saw two crowns falling from heaven, one for Victor, the other for herself. She related this to all present, and was torn to pieces between two trees. Victor was beheaded.

In Sardinia, the holy martyrs Justa, Justina and Henedina.

At Rome, Pope St. Paschal who took up from the crypts many bodies of the holy martyrs and placed them honourably in various churches.

At Ferentino in Tuscany, the holy bishop Boniface who was renowned from his childhood for holiness and miracles, as was related by Pope St. Gregory.

At Naples in Campania, St. Pomponius, bishop.

In Egypt, St. Pachomius, an abbot, who erected many monasteries in that country, and wrote a monastic rule which was dictated to him by an angel.

And in other places, many other holy martyrs, confessors and virgins.

Thanks be to God.