December 24th - Saints Tarsilla and Emiliana, Virgins, Visionarys
Waldtraud
(Sixth Century)
Tarsilla and Emiliana were two paternal aunts of Saint Gregory the Great,
and it is this holy Pope who narrates their touching story. They renounced
the world together, together consecrated their virginity to God and remained
in their house as if in a convent, far removed from the conversation of the
world. Encouraging one another to virtue by discourse and example, the two
sisters soon made considerable progress in spiritual life.
They had a sister named Gordiana, who had taken the same engagements, but
little by little fell back into affection for the world, to the great grief
of Tarsilla and Emiliana. With gentleness they reproached her, but the
inconstant spirit of Gordiana soon forgot their charitable lessons. One day
Tarsilla had a vision, in which Pope Saint Felix, her uncle, appeared to her
and showed her a palace of marvelous beauty, saying to her: "Come; I will
receive you into this habitation of light." She fell ill with a fever the
next day, which rapidly grew worse. While in her agony, with her eyes lifted
to heaven, she cried out to those surrounding her, "Make way! Jesus is
coming!" Soon after speaking these words, as she gazed at the vision, her
soul was delivered from the bonds of the flesh. It was December 24th. The
fragrance with which the room was filled confirmed the vision the virgin had
had before dying.
A few days afterwards she appeared to her sister Emiliana, saying: "My
sister, come! I did not celebrate with you the birth of the Lord, but
together we will celebrate the feast of the Epiphany." "If you call only
me," Emiliana replied, "what will become of our sister Gordiana?" "Come,"
Tarsilla answered sadly; "Gordiana has decided to remain with the
worldlings." And after that vision, Emiliana fell ill and joined her sister
for the feast day.
Reflection: Saint Gregory reminds us, as he tells of the three sisters, that
only the one who perseveres to the end will be saved, and that it is of no
use to begin, if we do not complete the work of saving our soul.
Source: Vie des Saints pour tous les jours de l'ann�e, by Abb� L. Jaud
(Mame: Tours, 1950).
Saint Quote:
If the Church is true, all in her is true; he who admits not the one,
believes
not the other.
--Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich
Bible Quote:
O God, when thou didst go forth in the sight of thy people, when thou didst
pass
through the desert: 9 The earth was moved, and the heavens dropped at the
presence of the God of Sina, at the presence of the God of Israel. (Psalm
67:8-9)
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Today is the Vigil of the Feast of the Nativity. During the season of
Advent we longed for the coming of Christ. In Christmastide we experience
the joy of His coming into the world. The Church is full of the Mystery of
the Incarnation of Christ. Jesus as God, begotten of the substance of the
Father before all the ages and born of the substance of His Mother in the
world, is given to us. "And His Name shall be called the Angel of Great
Council."
By the union of our souls with Jesus born to human life, we are born to the
divine life. "As many as received Him to them He gave power to become Sons
of God."
In the birth of Jesus we learn to know God as His Father: "My Father has
entrusted everything into My hands; none knows the Son truly except the
Father, and none knows the Father truly except the Son, and those to whom
it is the Son's good pleasure to reveal Him."
Mother of the Word Incarnate, pray for us.
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Mary, Guardian of the Flowers
In a garden of souls stands a Lady so fair,
She caresses each petal growing weak from despair,
Breathes the strength down upon them,
Brings the waters of life,
Feeds the plants that have weakened
From the earth's constant strife.
The flowers spread out in colors profuse,
Each a bud a fair promise of heavenly use.
Tender hands take the bent stalk
Grown weak from the flight,
From the darkness of soil that has shut out the light.
Turned the blossoming petal with soft tender hands,
To face up to the Light that shines down from His land
Sprinkles stardust to cover the flowers with grace
As they grow on the path
That leads straight to the place.
Where the fairest of Flowers sits next to Her Son,
As She welcomes you all
From a mission well done!
-St. Teresa