From: rich <
richarra@gmail.com>
April 28th - Saint Vitalis of Ravenna, Martyr
(d. 171)
Saint Vitalis was a first century Christian citizen of Milan and the
father of the twin brothers and future martyrs, Saints Gervasius and
Protasius. He is the principal patron of Ravenna, where he was
martyred.
Divine providence had conducted him to that city, where he saw come
before the tribunal there a Christian physician named Ursicinus, who
had been tortured and who then was condemned to lose his head for his
faith. Suddenly the captive grew terrified at the thought of death,
and seemed ready to yield. Vitalis was extremely moved by this
spectacle. He knew his double obligation to prefer the glory of God
and the eternal salvation of his neighbor to his own corporal life; he therefore boldly and successfully encouraged Ursicinus to triumph over
death, saying, =E2=80=9CUrsicinus, you who cured others would want to drive into your soul the dagger of eternal death? Do not lose the crown the
Lord has prepared for you!=E2=80=9D Ursicinus was touched; he knelt down an=
d
asked the executioner to strike him. After his martyrdom Saint Vitalis
carried away his body and respectfully interred it.
Saint Vitalis now resigned his post as judiciary assistant to
Paulinus, who had been absent on the occasion of the sentence of
Ursinius. Paulinus had his former assistant apprehended, and after
having him tortured, commanded that if he refused to sacrifice to the
gods, he be buried alive, which sentence was carried out. Afterwards,
his wife Valeria, as she was on her way from Ravenna to Milan, was
beaten by peasants because she refused to join them in an idolatrous
festival and riot. She died two days later in Milan, and is also
honored as a martyr and Saint. Gervasius and Protasius, their sons,
sold their heritage and for ten years before their own martyrdom,
lived a penitential life of prayer.
Reflection. We are not all called to the sacrifice of martyrdom; but
we are all bound to make our lives a continuing sacrifice of ourselves
to God, and to perform every action in this spirit of sacrifice. Thus
we shall both live and die to God, perfectly resigned to His holy will
in all He ordains or permits.
Sources: Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints, a compilation based on
Butler's Lives of the Saints and other sources
Saint Quote:
Devils take great delight in fullness, and drunkenness, and bodily
comfort. Fasting possesses great power and it works glorious things.
To fast is to banquet with angels.
--St. Athanasius
Bible Quote:
6 And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is an unrighteous world among
our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the cycle of nature,[a]and set on fire by hell.[b] 7 For every kind of beast and
bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by humankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue=E2=80=94a restless evil=
,
full of deadly poison. James 3:6-8 RSVCE
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Short Prayers
O saving Victim, opening wide
The gate of heaven to man below,
Our foes press on from every side;
Thine aid supply, Thy strength bestow.
To Thy great Name be endless praise,
Immortal Godhead, one in three;
Oh, grant us endless length of days
In our true native land with Thee.
Amen.
Blessed is He Who cometh in the Name of the Lord:
Hosanna in the highest.
Jesu, bread of life, protect us;
Shepherd King, do not reject us;
In Thy happy fold collect us,
And partakers of the bliss elect us,
Which shall never see an end.
Thou, the wisest and the mightiest,
Who us here with food delightest,
Seat us at Thy banquet brightest
With the blessed Thou invitest
An eternal feast to spend.
Amen.
--- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
* Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)