St. Melania

St. Melania – December 31st

This Saint was the daughter of one of the richest men of Rome. She and her family were Christians, but her father was not willing to let Melania follow her vocation to become a religious. He engaged her to Pinian, the son of the ruler of Rome, and when she was only fourteen, they were married. Melania told her young husband that she would be happy if they could give themselves completely to Jesus. Pinian, however, was like Melania’s father-a good man but very much concerned about pleasing important people and being admired.

After a couple of years, Melania became gravely ill, and her husband promised God that if He would spare her life, he would let her live in the holy way she desired. She got better, but her father made her keep on dressing and behaving like the other great ladies of Rome. Then, he too, fell ill, and as he lay dying, he asked her forgiveness. “Fearing the ridicule of evil tongues,” he said, “I have made you sad by opposing your heavenly vocation.”

Melania’s mother and husband joined her in giving up worldly pleasures. They moved to a country village and made it a center of charity to travelers, poor people, slaves, and even whole families. St. Melania had huge estates all over the empire, left her by her father. Now she sold them and gave the money to churches, monasteries, captives, sick people, pilgrims and everyone who needed help. In two years, she set eight thousand slaves free.

Melania’s husband, too, became so holy and good that wherever they visited people recognized the virtues of this blessed couple. After living in Africa and practicing great mortifications, St. Melania went with her dear ones to the Holy Land. There her beloved husband and mother died. The Saint built a cell for herself near their graves and many disciples came to share her holy life. It was there, in the land of Jesus, that she died peacefully, surrounded by her religious, and saying over and over: “As the Lord willed, so it is done.”

We should obey our parents in all things. But should God call us to be His, and should our parents oppose it, first we must obey God.

St. Anysia

St. Anysia - December 30th

Anysia lived in Thessalonica, an ancient city to which St. Paul himself had first brought the faith of Jesus. Anysia was a Christian and after her parents' death, she used her great fortune to help the poor.

In her day, there was a cruel persecution of Christians in Thessalonica. The Governor Dulcitius was especially determined to stop all Christians from meeting together for Holy Mass. But Anysia started out one day to try to go to a Christian meeting. As she passed a certain gate, called Cassandra, a guard took notice of her. Stepping out in front of her, he demanded to know where she was going. Frightened, Anysia stepped backwards, making the sign of the cross on her forehead.

At that, the soldier grabbed her and shook her roughly. "Who are you?" he shouted. "And where are you going?" Anysia took a deep breath and replied, "I am a servant of Jesus Christ," she said. "And I am going to the Lord's assembly."

"Oh yes?!" sneered the guard. "I will stop that. I will take you to sacrifice to the gods. Today we worship the sun." At the same time, he snatched off the veil that hung over her face. Anysia put up a good struggle, and the pagan grew more and more furious. Finally in a rage, he drew his sword and ran it through her. The Saint fell dead at his feet.

When the persecution ended, the Christians of Thessalonica built a church over the spot where St. Anysia had given her life for Christ.

I will take this Saint's resolution for my own-"Death, but not sin!"

St. Thomas Becket

St. Thomas Becket – December 29th

Thomas was born in London and after his parents died, he went to work in an office. As a young man, he loved hunting and other sports, and nearly lost his life in a roaring mill stream. When Thomas was about twenty-four, he found a position in the household of the Archbishop of Canterbury and began to study to become a priest. He was handsome, very intelligent and so pleasant to talk with that before long, he had become a great favorite of the King himself. People said that the King and Thomas had only one heart and one mind-such close friends were they. When Thomas was thirty-six, King Henry made him his Chancellor.

As Chancellor of England, Thomas had a great household and lived in splendor. Yet he was also very good to the poor, and although he was proud and quick-tempered, he made many mortifications and prayed even during the night. When the Archbishop of Canterbury died, the King wanted the Pope to give Thomas this position, after he had been ordained a priest. But Thomas told him plainly that he did not want to be Archbishop of Canterbury because he knew that at times the King would want him to give him what belongs to the Church. And Thomas realized that since he would have to defend the Church, there would be trouble. “Your affection for me would turn into trouble. “Your affection for me would turn into hatred,” he warned King Henry. The King paid no attention, and Thomas as was made Archbishop.

At first, things went along as well as ever, but all too soon, the King began to demand money which Thomas felt he could not rightly take from the Church. The King grew more and more angry with his former friend, and finally he began to treat him harshly. For a while, Thomas was tempted to give in a bit, but when he realized just how Henry hoped to control the Church, Thomas was very sorry that he had even thought of giving in to the King. He did penance for his weakness, and ever after held firm.

One day, the King, in a fit of anger, said, “Will no one rid me of this pesky archbishop?” Some of his knights took him seriously and went off to murder the Archbishop. They attacked him in his own Cathedral, and he died, saying, “For the name of Jesus and in defense of the Church, I am willing to die!”

All the people of Christendom were horrified at such a crime, and at once King Henry did penance for forty days and then again in public, and once more, after Thomas a Becket was canonized.

Who are my friends? I can recognize the good from the bad by what they say and what they do.

The Holy Innocents

The Holy Innocents – December 28th

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the Wise Men came from the East to worship Him. They went to Herod, the King, to ask him where they might find the new-born King of the Jews, the Savior. Herod was a cruel, clever tyrant, and when he heard these Wise Men speak of a newborn King, he began to worry about losing his throne. But he did not let the Wise Men know what he was thinking. He called in the chief priests and asked them where the Bible says the Messias was to be born. They answered that the Messias was to be born in Bethlehem.

“Go and find out about this child,” the wicked King said to the Wise Men. “When you have found out where He is, come and tell me, that I, too, may go and worship Him.” The Wise Men went on their way, and they found Jesus, the Messias, with Mary and Joseph. When they had adored Him and given Him their gifts, they were warned in their sleep not to go back to Herod. And an angel came to tell St. Joseph to take Mary and Baby Jesus into Egypt. In this way, God spoiled the murderous plans of Herod concerning the Divine Child.

When Herod realized that the Wise Men had not come back to him, he became furious. Already, he was an evil, violent man, and now the fear of losing his throne made him worse. He sent his soldiers to kill the boy babies of Bethlehem, in the hope of killing the Messias, too! The soldiers carried out the bloody order, and there was great sorrow in the little town of Bethlehem, as mothers wept over their murdered babies.

These little children are honored today by the Church as martyrs. They are called the Holy Innocents.

Let us always respect little children. They are innocent and pleasing to God. Let us never do or say anything which could give bad example to them.

St. John the Evangelist

St. John the Evangelist - Patron of Asia Minor - December 27th

St. John was a fisherman in Galilee and was called to be an apostle with his brother, St. James the Greater. Jesus gave these sons of Zebedee the nickname, “sons of thunder.” St. John was the youngest of all the apostles and was dearly loved by our Lord. At the Last Supper, it was John who was permitted to lean his head on the breast of Jesus, and John was the only apostle who stood at the foot of the Cross. The dying Jesus gave the care of His Blessed Mother Mary to this beloved apostle. Turning to Our Lady, He said, “Behold your son.” And then to John, He said, “Behold your mother.” So for the rest of her holy life on earth, the Blessed Mother lived with St. John. He alone had the great privilege of honoring and assisting the all-pure Mother of God.

John wrote one of the four Gospels, in which he shows us that Jesus is truly God. He also wrote the last book in the holy Bible, called the Apocalypse, and three Letters to Christians, which we find in the Bible, too. All his long life, St. John taught Christians to love one another, and he himself practiced great charity. Once when he heard that a young Christian whom he knew and loved had become an outlaw and a robber, he set off at once to find him. Old as he was, the Saint rode into the outlaw territory alone, and was taken prisoner. As soon as the robber saw St. John, he turned away in shame.

“Son,” cried the apostle, “why are you running away from me, your father, an old man without weapons? There is time for repentance. I will answer for you to Jesus Christ. I am ready to lay down my life for you. I am sent by Christ!” The young robber stopped when he heard those words. Suddenly he began to weep. He was won over by the love of St. John. Before he left that city, the beloved Apostle made sure that the young man had become a good member of the Church once more.

When he had grown so old and weak that he had to be carried to church, St. John used to say to his people over and over again, “My little children, love one another.” The Christians once asked him why he said the same thing each time he spoke to them. St. John answered, “Because it is the word of the Lord, and if you keep it, you will be doing enough.”

Today I will try to resemble St. John at least in one of his three great virtues-purity of heart, charity toward all, and love for the Blessed Mother.

St. Stephen

St. Stephen - Patron of Stonemasons - December 26th

Stephen’s name means, “crown,” and he was the first disciple of Jesus to receive the martyr’s crown. Stephen was a deacon in the early Christian Church. The Apostles had found that they needed helpers to look after the care of the widows and the poor. So they ordained seven deacons, and Stephen is the most famous of these.

God worked many miracles through St. Stephen and he spoke with such wisdom and grace that many of his hearers became followers of Jesus. The enemies of the Church of Jesus were furious to see how successful St. Stephen’s preaching was. At last, they laid a plot for him. They could not answer his wise arguments, so they got men to lie about him, saying that he had spoken sinfully against God. St. Stephen faced that great assembly of enemies any fear. In fact, the Holy Bible says that his face looked like the face of an angel.

The Saint spoke about Jesus, showing that He is the Savoir God had promised to send. He scolded his enemies for not having believed in Jesus. At that, they rose up in great anger and shouted at him. But Stephen looked up to heaven and said that he saw the heavens opening and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

His hearers plugged their ears and refused to listen to another word. They dragged St. Stephen outside the city of Jerusalem and stoned him to death. The Saint prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” Then he fell to his knees and begged God not to punish his enemies for killing him.

After such an expression of love, the holy martyr went to his heavenly reward.

If you are tempted to take revenge, pray from your heart for the one who had offended you. Jesus said: “Forgive and God will forgive you your faults.”

St. Anastasia

St. Anastasia – December 25th

This second Christmas Station dates from the 6th century, when there was on the Palatine at Rome a Byzantine governor with a court Eastern functionaries; their nearest church was St. Anastasia’s. Besides, this saint (mentioned in the Canon of the Mass, second list) was an oriental virgin and martyr, burnt alive at Sirmium (the present Mitrowitza in Yugoslavia) one 25th December, during the persecution of Diocletian (beginning of the 4th century). The Byzantine court obtained from the Pope that, between the Night-Mass at St Mary Major, and the Day-Mass (then at St. Peter’s) he should celebrate at dawn a Mass in honour of St. Anastasia, on her “dies natalis” and in her church.

When Rome ceased to belong to the Byzantine empire, this Station remained, but the text of the Mass was altered into a second Nativity-Mass, keeping only the commemoration of St. Anastasia.

After this Mass at dawn, the Pope, instead of going to St Peter’s for the third Station, returned to St Mary Major, because the distance was shorter.

The Child whom the liturgy makes us greet with gladness, lying in the crib, is in reality He who should in truth be called “Wonderful, God, the Prince of peace, the Father of the world to come: of whose reign there shall be no end” (Inroit). He is the Man-God who comes to transform our human life and, by allowing us to partake of His divine life, to make us “heirs of life everlasting” (that is the note running through the whole of this Mass). The dawn which the Church calls on us to greet this morning is, therefore, the dawn of that day of salvation which, begun on earth, stretches out into eternity and never comes to a close.

Let us make haste to go with the shepherds to whom almighty God showed forth the Incarnation of His Son (Gospel), to adore at the altar, our manger, the Word born from all eternity of His heavenly Father, born of Mary upon earth, and who should be born increasingly by grace in our hearts, while we await the time when He will cause us to be born into His glorious life in heaven.

Christmas, the Birthday of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Christmas, the Birthday of Our Lord Jesus Christ

– December 25th

When the time had come in which the Son of God was to become man for love of us, His mother Mary and St. Joseph had to leave this home in Nazareth and go to Bethlehem. The reason for this journey was that the Roman Emperor wanted to count the number of his subjects, and so every Jewish family had to go to the city of their ancestors. Since Mary and Joseph belonged to the royal family of David, they had to go to David’s city of Bethlehem. The Emperor had made the law, but it served to fulfill God’s plan, for in the Holy Bible, it was written that the Savoir was to be born in Bethlehem.


It was a slow, hard journey for our Blessed Mother over the mountainous country to Bethlehem, but she knew she was doing God’s will and she was happy thinking of her Divine Son soon to be born. When Mary and Joseph reached Bethlehem, they found that there was no place for them to stay. At last, they had to go into a cave, where the breath of an ox and a donkey kept them warm. There in that rough stable, the Son of God was born on Christmas Day. His Blessed Mother wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger. Our Lord chose to be born in such poverty so that we would learn not to desire riches and comforts.


The very night in which Jesus was born, God sent His angels to announce His Birth. The angels were not sent to the Emperor or the King, nor even to the learned doctors and chief priests. They were sent to poor, humble shepherds who were watching their flocks on the hillside near Bethlehem. As soon as they heard the angels’ message, these good, simple men hurried to adore the Savior of the world. Then they went home giving praise and glory to God.


The great Patriarchs and Prophets of the Old Testament had been comforted by the thought that someday the Savior would come into the world. Now that He had come, all good men rejoiced. Christ came for all of us. The Bible says: “God so loved the world that He sent His only-begotten Son.” If those who lived in the hope of His coming were happy, how much more ought we to rejoice! We have His teachings, His Church, and Jesus Himself on our altars. Christmas is the time when we realize more than ever how much God loves us!


Today I will offer myself to Baby Jesus with all my heart.



The Birth of Jesus

Now it came to pass in those days, that a decree went forth from Caesar Augustus that a census of the whole world should be taken. This first census took place while Cyrinus was governor of Syria. And all were going, each to his own town, to register.

And Joseph also went to Galilee out of the town of Nazareth into Judea to the town of David, which is called Bethlehem – because he was of the house and family of David – to register, together with Mary his espoused wife, who was with child. And it came to pass while they were there, that the days for her to be delivered were fulfilled. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.




The Shepherds at the Crib


And there were shepherds in the same district living in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them and the glory of God shone round about them, and they feared exceedingly.


And the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which shall be to all the people; for today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you, who is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign to you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men of good will.”


And it came to pass, when the angels had departed from them into heaven, that the shepherds were saying to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.”


So they went with haste, and they found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger. And when they had seen, they understood what had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard marvelled at the things told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept in mind all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, even as it was spoken to them.
-Luke 2:1-20

Blessed Paula Cerioli

Blessed Paula Cerioli – December 24th

Paula’s name before she became a nun was Constance. She was the last of sixteen children born to an Italian countess. When Constance was only nineteen, her parents arranged a marriage for her with a rich man who was sixty years old! He was a good man, but a bit odd and quite unattractive. The poor girl could have been miserable all her life, but instead, she made the best of things, and drew closer and closer to Jesus. She counted on His help always.

Constance’s husband died nineteen years later, and she was left with a great fortune. Something her parish priest happened to say made her decide to devote her time and money to poor children and orphans. At once she took two orphans into her great mansion, and her work had started.

Other ladies joined her and they took the vows of a nun. The new community was called the Sisters of the Holy Family. Constance tool the name, Sister Paula. Some years afterwards, a group of men formed themselves into a community of brothers to help Sister Paula in taking care of orphan boys.

Sister Paula especially wanted to train farm children so that they would know how to farm the land well and not suffer poverty. She knew they would all probably spend their lives on farms and she wanted them to be happy in this way of life.

Sister Paula was always very devoted to the Holy Family, and God gave her the grace of dying peacefully one Christmas Eve.

Since I cannot offer much to help poor children, I will be very kind to them.

St. Servulus

St. Servulus – December 23rd

From boyhood, this Saint of Rome had the disease called palsy. All his life, he was helpless. He could not stand or even sit up straight. He could not feed himself or even turn from one side to another.

Every day, his mother and his brother carried him to the great Church of St. Clement. There on the church steps he stayed, and people passing by gave him money. But Servulus was by no means an ordinary beggar. First of all, he never complained about his sufferings or asked for pity. Indeed, he was so cheerful that people were amazed to hear him singing hymns of thanksgiving to God. And any money he had left over after paying for his own needs he would give to people poorer than himself.

St. Servulus’ one great desire was to give God praise and honor. He offered up his constant pain for the love of God. Little by little the Saint saved up enough money to buy himself some books of the Bible. He could not read, but he would ask others to read to him, and he listened so carefully that he learned all the books he had by heart.

After years of living in pain and spiritual joy, Servulus fell ill. As he lay dying, he asked the poor people he had helped to gather round him and sing hymns with him. Then he suddenly cried out, “Listen! Do you hear the marvellous music of heaven?” Right afterwards, he passed away, and his body was buried in St. Clement’s Church, where he had spent his life.

This Saint had a very good heart. What about me? Am I generous?