Appreciating God's Grace

[Weedy]

Appreciating God's Grace

Be grateful, therefore, for the least gift and you will be worthy
to receive a greater. Consider the least gift as the greatest, the
most contemptible as something special. And, if you but look to the
dignity of the Giver, no gift will appear too small or worthless. Even
though He gives punishments and scourges, accept them, because
He acts for our welfare in whatever He allows to befall us.
He who desires to keep the grace of God ought to be grateful when
it is given and patient when it is withdrawn. Let him pray that it
return; let him be cautious and humble lest he lose it.
--Imitation of Christ:-- a Kempis Bk II Ch 10

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April 10th - St. Terence with Africanus, Pompeius, & Comp.
(a group of 50 martyrs )

In Africa, under Emperor Decius and the prefect Fortunian, the holy
martyrs Terence, Africanus, Pompey, and their companions, who were
scourged, racked and subjected to other torments. Their martyrdom
ended by beheading.

Cruelly martyred during the persecutions of Emperor Trajanus Decius.
According to tradition, they were forced into a pit filled with
serpents and stinging rep tiles; those who survived this ordeal were
beheaded.

The Holy Martyr Terence and his companions suffered under the emperor
Decius (249-251). The emperor issued an edict commanding all subjects
to offer sacrifice to the pagan idols.

When the governor of Africa Fortunianus received this edict, he
gathered the people into the city square, set out cruel instruments of
torture and declared that everyone without exception had to offer the
sacrifice to the idols. Many, afraid of torture, complied.

St. Terence and forty other Christians bravely affirmed their faith in
the Savior and ridiculed the idols. Fortunianus was amazed at their
boldness and he asked how they as rational people, could confess as
God, One Whom the Jews crucified as a malefactor.

St. Terence answered that their belief was in the Savior, Who
voluntarily endured death on the Cross and rose on the third day.
Fortunianus saw that Terence inspired the others by his example, and
so he ordered him to be isolated in prison with his three closest
companions: Africanus, Maximus, and Pompeius. Fortunianus was
determined to force the rest of the martyrs, including Zeno, Alexander
and Theodore, to renounce Christ.

Neither threats nor terrible tortures could sway the holy martyrs.
They burned them with red-hot iron, they poured vinegar on the wounds,
they sprinkled on salt, and they raked them with iron claws. In spite
of their sufferings, the saints did not weaken in their confession of
Christ, and the Lord gave them strength.
Forunatian gave orders to lead the martyrs into the pagan temple, and
once again he urged them to offer sacrifice to the idols. The valiant
warriors of Christ cried out, "O Almighty God, Who once sent down fire
on Sodom for its iniquity, destroy this impious temple of idolatry."
The idols fell down with a crash, and then the temple lay in ruins.

The enraged governor gave orders to execute them, and the martyrs,
glorifying God, bowed their necks beneath the executioner's sword.
After the execution of the thirty-six martyrs, Fortunianus summoned
Terence, Maximus, Africanus and Pompeius before him. He showed them
the martyrs' bodies and again urged them to offer sacrifice to the
idols. The martyrs refused. The governor put heavy chains on them, and
gave orders to starve them to death. By night, an angel of the Lord
removed the martyrs' chains and fed them.

In the morning, the guards found the saints cheerful and strong. Then
Fortunianus ordered sorcerers and conjurers to carry snakes and all
kinds of poisonous creatures into the prison. The guards looked into
the cell through an opening in the ceiling and saw the martyrs
unharmed, praying, and the snakes crawling at their feet. When the
sorcerers opened the door of the prison cell, the snakes bit them. The
furious Fortunianus gave orders to behead the holy martyrs. Christians
took up their holy bodies and buried them with reverence outside the
city.


Saint Quote:
To think ourselves imperfect, and others perfect--that is happiness.
That creatures recognize we are without virtue takes nothing from us,
makes us no poorer; it is they who by this lose interior joy; for
there is nothing sweeter than to think well of our neighbor.
--St. Therese of Lisieux

Bible Quote:
Surely he hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrows: and we
have thought him as it were a leper, and as one struck by God and
afflicted. [5] But he was wounded for our iniquities, he was bruised
for our sins: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his
bruises we are healed.
[Isaias 53:4-5] DRV


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Lucis Creator Optime
O Blest Creator of the Light
By St Gregory the Great (540-604)
Pope, Father & Doctor
“Father of the Fathers”

O blest Creator of the light,
Who mak’st the day with radiance bright,
And o’er the forming world did’st call
The Light from Chaos First of all.

Whose wisdom join’d in meet array
The morn and eve and nam’d them day;
Night comes with all its darkling fears;
Regard Thy people’s pray’rs and tears.

Lest, sunk in sin and whelm’d with strife,
They lose the gift of endless life;
While thinking but the thoughts of time,
They weave new chains of woe and crime.

But grant them grace that they may strain
The heav’nly gate and prize to gain;
Each harmful lure, aside to cast,
And purge away each error past.

O Father, that we ask be done,
Through Jesus Christ, Thine only Son;
Who, with the Holy Ghost and Thee,
Shall live and reign eternally.
Amen

This hymn is used for Vespers (II) on Sundays throughout the year in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Breviary.
Trans John M Neale (1818-1866), 1851.
Tune: “Lucis Creator Optime” Gregorian Chant, Mode VIII, traditional.