On the Few Lovers of the Cross of Jesus [III]

[Weedy]

On the Few Lovers of the Cross of Jesus [III]

Oh, how powerful is the pure love of Jesus, free from all
self-interest and self-love! Are they not all mercenaries, who are
always seeking comfort? Do they not betray themselves as lovers of
self rather than of Christ, when they are always thinking of their own
advantage and gain? Where will you find one who is willing to serve
God without reward?
--Thomas à Kempis --Imitation of Christ Bk 2, Ch 11

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10 July – Saints Rufina and Secunda of Rome

(3rd Century)
Virgin Martyrs, sibling sisters. Martyred in 257 in Rome, Italy. The
entry in the Roman Martyrology states: “At Rome, in the persecution of
Valerian and Gallienus, the holy virgins and martyrs, Rufina and
Secunda, sisters, who, after being subjected to torments, the one
having her head split open, the other being decapitated, departed for
Heaven. Their bodies are kept with due honour in the Lateran Basilica,
near to the Baptistry.”

“The honours of this day whereon the Church sings the praises of true
fraternity, are shared by two valiant sisters. A century had passed
over the empire and the Antonines were no more. Valerian, who at first
seemed like them, desirous of obtaining a character for moderation,
soon began to follow them along the path of blood. In order to strike
a decisive blow, he issued a decree whereby all the principal
ecclesiastics were condemned to death without distinction and every
Christian of rank was bound under the heaviest penalties to abjure his
faith. It is to this edict that Rufina and Secunda owed the honour of
crossing their palms with those of Sixtus and Lawrence, Cyprian and
Hippolytus. They belonged to the noble family of the Turcii Asterii,
whose history has been brought to light by modern discovery. According
to the prescriptions of Valerian, which condemned Christian women to
no more than confiscation and exile, they ought to have escaped death
but, to the crime of fidelity to God they added that of holy
virginity, and so, the roses of martyrdom were twined into their
lily-wreaths. Their sacred relics lie in St John Lateran’s, close to
the Baptistery of Constantine and the second Cardinalitial See, that
of Porto, couples with this title, the name of St Rufina, thus
claiming the protection of the blessed Martyrs.” – By Abbot Dom
Prosper Guerenger OSB (1805-1875)

Rufina and Secunda were sisters and Roman virgins. Their parents had
betrothed them to Armentarius and Verinus but they refused to marry,
saying that they had consecrated their virginity to Jesus Christ. They
were, therefore, apprehended during the reign of the Emperors Valerian
and Gallienus. When Junius, the prefect, saw he could not shake their
resolution either by promises or by threats, he first ordered Rufina
to be beaten with rods. While she was being scourged, Secunda thus
addressed the Judge: “Why do you treat my sister thus honorably, but
me dishonorably? Order us both to be scourged, since we both “confess
Christ to be God.”

Enraged by these words, the Judge ordered them both to be cast into a
dark and fetid dungeon – immediately a bright light and a most sweet
odour filled the prison. They were then shut up in a bath, the floor
of which was made red-hot but ,from this also, they emerged unhurt.
Next they were thrown into the Tiber with stones tied to their necks
but an Angel saved them from the water and they were finally beheaded
ten miles out of the City on the Aurelian Way. Their bodies were
buried by a matron named Plautilla, on her estate and were afterwards
translated into Rome.

Their place of burial was at the ninth milestone of the Via Cornelia,
as is stated in the Berne manuscript of the “Martyrologium
Hieronymianum” (ed. De Rossi-Duchesne, 89). These martyrs are also
recorded in the Itineraries of the seventh century, as on the road
just mentioned (De Rossi, “Roma sotterranea,” I, 18283). Pope Damasus
erected a Church over the grave of the Saints. The Town on this spot
named after St. Rufina, became the See of one of the Suburbicarian
Diocese that was later united with Porto.

https://anastpaul.com/2021/07/10/


Saint Quote:
"What are all the gains, all the fortunes, all the offices and
careers, even all the kingdoms of the world, compared to an offence
against God, to a sin which is the greatest evil in the world? There
is no work greater or more noble either in heaven or on earth than
this: to prevent offences [sins] against God."
--St. Joseph Cafasso (Confessor, 1811-1860)--"The Priest The Man Of
God. His Dignity and Duties

Bible Quote:
Let no man therefore despise him: but conduct ye him on his way in
peace, that he may come to me. For I look for him with the brethren.
And touching our brother Apollo, I give you to understand that I much
entreated him to come unto you with the brethren: and indeed it was
not his will at all to come at this time. But he will come when he
shall have leisure. [1Co 16:11-12]

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Prayer:
"Lord Jesus, inflame my heart with your love that I may always pursue
what matters most--love of you, my Lord and my God, and love of my
fellow neighbor whom you have made in your own image and likeness.
Free my heart from selfish evil desires that I may only have room for
kindness, mercy, and goodness toward every person I know and meet."