From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   January 20th - St. Sebastian   
      
   We must picture to ourselves a young soldier, who tears himself away from   
   all   
   the ties of his home at Milan, because the persecution there was too tame,   
   whereas at Rome it was at its fiercest. He trembles with anxiety at the   
   thought   
   that perhaps some of the Christians in the capital may be losing courage. He   
   has   
   been told that at times some of the Emperor's soldiers, who were soldiers   
   also   
   of Christ, have gained admission into the prisons, and have roused up the   
   sinking courage of the confessors. He is resolved to go on a like mission,   
   and   
   hopes that he may also receive the blessing of martyrdom.   
      
   He reaches Rome, he is admitted into the prisons, and encourages to the   
   martyrdom such as had been shaken by the tears of those who were so dear to   
   them. Some of the gaolers, converted by witnessing his faith and his   
   miracles,   
   become martyrs themselves; and one of the Roman Magistrates asks to be   
   instructed in a religion that can produce such men as this Sebastian. He has   
   won   
   the esteem of the Emperors Diocletian and Maximian Hercules for his fidelity   
   and   
   courage as a soldier; they have loaded him with favors. This gives him an   
   influence in Rome, which he so zealously turns to the advantage of the   
   Christian   
   religion that the holy Pope Caius calls him the Defender of the Church.   
      
   After sending innumerable martyrs to Heaven, Sebastian at length wins the   
   crown   
   he had so ardently desired. He incurs the displeasure of Diocletian by   
   confessing himself a Christian. The heavenly King, for whose sake alone he   
   had   
   put on the helmet and soldier's cloak, was to him above all Emperors and   
   Princes. He is handed over to the archers of Mauritania, who strip him, bind   
   him, and wound him from head to foot with their arrows. They let him for   
   dead,   
   but a pious woman named Irene took care of him, and his wounds were healed.   
   Sebastian again approaches the Emperor, who orders him to be beaten to death   
   in   
   the circus, near the imperial palace.   
      
       Defender of the Church, as the Vicar of Christ called thee, lift up thy   
   sword and defend her now. Prostate her enemies, and frustrate the plots they   
   have laid for her destruction. Let her enjoy one of those rare periods of   
   peace   
   during which she prepares for fresh combats. Obtain Christian soldiers,   
   engaged   
   in just wars, the blessing of the God of Hosts.   
      
   From The Liturgical Year by Dom Prosper Gueranger, O.S.B.   
      
      
   Comments of the late Prof. Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira: (died 1995)   
      
   One can take important historic information from this eloquent selection   
   about   
   St. Sebastian by D. Guéranger. St. Sebastian was a young military man living   
   in   
   Milan who resolved to go to Rome to help the Catholics who were in prison   
   awaiting their execution. It is easy to imagine that many, for different   
   reasons, would have feared martyrdom.   
      
   There were two kinds of Catholics who faced martyrdom. First, we have the   
   true   
   martyrs who faced death and considered it an honor to die for the Church.   
   But,   
   second, we have those who were called lapsi, the ones who became afraid to   
   die   
   and denied the faith. After that shameless sin, some returned to the   
   catacombs   
   to ask forgiveness, and remained there spreading their cowardice to those   
   around   
   them. The number of martyrs was great; but the number of lapsi was also   
   high,   
   and the latter exerted a bad influence over the ensemble.   
      
   Therefore, those early Christians who were in prison waiting to die in the   
   arena   
   ran the serious risk of apostasy. This is why Catholics who belonged to the   
   imperial army, protected by their military condition, used to go to the   
   prisons   
   and encourage the prisoners, stimulate them to remain firm, and speak with   
   them   
   about the things of faith to give them confidence.   
      
   St. Sebastian, therefore, went to the very center of the persecution with   
   the   
   intention of helping the prisoners. He obviously realized he was exposing   
   himself to the persecution. He was known by the Emperors and was chosen by   
   them   
   to be commander of the Praetorian Guard, a very powerful military unit that   
   defended the Emperor. The commander of this guard not only directed this   
   division, but he exercised a strong influence over the whole army; he was   
   something like a Minister of Defense.   
      
   Notwithstanding his position, St. Sebastian confronted the Emperor. When   
   questioned, he defended the Catholic Faith. For this reason he was taken to   
   the   
   famous column where he was bound and shot with countless arrows. He   
   survived,   
   and later had another trial and was condemned to death. This time he died.   
      
   You can imagine the young man, with the aura of the grandeur, power, and   
   prestige of commander of the Praetorian Guard, going by night to the prisons   
   looking for the Catholics in order to encourage them. He addresses with   
   charity   
   some old man and women here, several youth there, persons of all social   
   conditions. He stimulates them to persevere, to stand firm in the good   
   position,   
   to be eager to meet Our Lord soon.   
      
   He knew, naturally, that his action would be denounced and bring martyrdom   
   for   
   himself also. But he tranquilly faced such a risk, he who was accustomed to   
   face   
   risks. He faced it with that superior deliberation of a man who had chosen   
   to   
   take up the Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ. He did not tremble, he did not   
   hesitate, he always remained master of himself, always heroic. During the   
   two   
   martyrdoms he suffered, he sustained this same tranquil attitude: the   
   serenity   
   of a soldier facing death, the soldier of Our Lord and of Our Lady.   
      
   The glory of St. Sebastian is the glory of the warrior. It is the glory of   
   the   
   hero who exchanged the risk of the war to face the higher risk of the arena.   
   He   
   did so tranquilly and led many souls to Heaven; and finally, he became a   
   martyr   
   himself.   
      
   We should ask St. Sebastian for the understanding of the moral profile of   
   the   
   Catholic hero. We should also ask him to obtain from Our Lady the grace of   
   defeating the false piety that presents the saints to us in a sentimental   
   and   
   fake way.   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   "There is one Physician who is possessed both of flesh and spirit;   
   both made and not made; God existing in flesh; true life in death;   
   both of Mary and of God; first passible and then impassible, even   
   Jesus Christ our Lord."   
   -St Ignatius of Antioch.   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   And the wine failing, the mother of Jesus saith to him: They have no wine.   
   And   
   Jesus saith to her: Woman, what is that to me and to thee? my hour is not   
   yet   
   come. His mother saith to the waiters: Whatsoever he shall say to you, do   
   ye.   
   (John 2:3-5)   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   Prayer for Families   
      
   God, Our Father, loving and   
   merciful, bring together and keep   
   all families in perfect unity of love   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)