Eudocia was a very beautiful young women who loved rich clothes and jewels. People called her the most beautiful women of her times. She lived a carefree, sinful life in her rich house in Egypt. One night she awoke because the sound of singing was coming from the next house. After the singing stopped, she heard the same voice reading aloud about what sinners suffer in hell, and what the Saints enjoy in Heaven. Eudocia was so frightened that she could not sleep any more. The next morning she found out that the strange voice was a monk’s. He was the guest of her neighbor and had gotten up at night, as he always did, to praise God and pray. She asked him to explain to her what he had read. When she began to cry over her sins, the holy monk told her not to be discouraged. He told her to start leading a good life from then on.
Eudocia was taught all about the Christian religion and was then baptized. Right afterwards she freed all her slaves. She encouraged them to become Christians, too. No more did she care for money and left her rich house. From then on, she became a model Christian because of the great virtue she practiced.
Eudocia went off to live alone and serve Jesus with prayer and penance. She ended her life by gaining the crown of martyrdom during the Emperor Trajan’s persecution of the Christians.
When we make the resolution to become better, the devil tries to make us break it. Let us never listen to him. Instead, we must pray and go to Confession and Communion often. Then we will be strong enough to overcome every temptation.
