From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   March 12th - St. Maximilian of Theveste, Martyr   
    (Also known as Maximilian of Tebessa)   
      
   Died 296. In the African churches of the late Roman Empire, it was not   
   uncommon   
   for liturgies to include readings from the acta and passios of martyrs. The   
   one   
   often included for Saint Maximilian is the authentic record of his trial in   
   Numidia (now Algeria) and execution for refusing to be conscripted into the   
   Roman army. Maximilian resisted because he didn't want to be tainted by the   
   idolatry of wearing the emperor's image around his neck.  Maximilian also   
   refused because he was a pacifist, perhaps one of the earliest conscientious   
   objectors. There has long been a debate within the Church concerning the   
   radical   
   pacifism advocated by Our Lord and the less stringent, but more practical,   
   position allowing self-defense and just war. Prior to the Edict of Milan and   
   the   
   toleration of Christianity, Christians believed that bearing arms   
   contradicted   
   the Gospel. Tertullian, for example, prohibited military service. Saint   
   Hippolytus said that it was impossible to be a soldier and a catechumen-as   
   contradictory as being a prostitute and catechumen (at least part of his   
   reasoning dealt with the association of soldiers with pagan gods and   
   sacrifices). The Church moderated its position. The Council of Arles (314)   
   said   
   that soldiers who left the army during peacetime would be excommunicated.   
      
   About 295, the proconsul Dion went to Theveste to recruit soldiers for the   
   third   
   Augustan legion stationed there. At this time the Roman army was mainly   
   volunteers, but sons of veterans were obliged to serve. Maximilian, the   
   21-year-old son of the Roman army veteran Fabius Victor, was presented to   
   the   
   recruiting agent. The advocatus Pompeianus, seeing that Maximilian would   
   make an   
   excellent recruit, asked for him to be measured: he was 5'10" tall. The   
   ensuing   
   dialogue between the proconsul Dion and Maximilian has been preserved to   
   this   
   day.   
      
   When asked his name, Maximilian replied, "Why do you wish to know my name? I   
   cannot serve because I am a Christian." Nevertheless, orders were given for   
   him   
   to be given the military seal. He answered, "I cannot do it: I cannot be a   
   soldier." When told he must serve or die, he said, "You may cut off my head,   
   but   
   I will not serve. My army is the army of God, and I cannot fight for this   
   world," it was pointed out to him that there were Christians serving as   
   bodyguards for the emperors Diocletian and Maximian. To this he replied,   
   "That   
   is their business. I am a Christian, too, and I cannot serve." Dion then   
   told   
   Victor to correct his son. Victor, who had become a Christian like his son,   
   said, "He knows what he believes, and he won't change his mind."   
      
   Dion insisted, "Agree to serve and receive the military seal." "I already   
   have   
   the seal of Christ, my God . . . I will not accept the seal of this world;   
   if   
   you give it to me, I will break it for it is worthless. I cannot wear a   
   piece of   
   lead around my neck after I have received the saving sign of Jesus Christ,   
   my   
   Lord, the son of the living God. You do not know Him; yet He suffered for   
   our   
   salvation: God delivered Him up for our sins. He is the one whom all   
   Christians   
   serve; we follow Him as the Prince of Life and Author of Salvation."   
      
   Again Dion stated that there are other Christians who are soldiers.   
   Maximilian   
   answered, "They know what is best for them. I am a Christian and I cannot do   
   what is wrong." Dion continued, "What wrong do those commit who serve in the   
   army?" Maximilian answered, "You know very well what they do."   
      
   Threatened with death if he remained obstinate, Maximilian answered, "This   
   is   
   the greatest thing that I desire. Dispatch me quickly. Therein lies my   
   glory."   
   Then he added, "I shall not die. When I leave this earth, I shall live with   
   Christ, my Lord." He was sentenced accordingly: "Whereas Maximilian has   
   disloyally refused the military oath, he is sentenced to die by the sword."   
      
   Just before his execution, Maximilian encouraged his companions to persevere   
   and   
   asked his father to give his new clothes to the executioner. We are told   
   that   
   Fabius Victor "went home happily, thanking God for having allowed him to   
   send   
   such a gift to heaven."   
      
   The place of Maximilian's death is given as Theveste (Tebessa) in Numidia,   
   but   
   it may have been nearer Carthage, where his body was taken for burial by a   
   devout woman named Pompeiana. It was buried close to the relics of Saint   
   Cyprian.   
      
   As a side note, in 295, Diocletian issued an edict linking pagan religious   
   practice to marriage and children. In 300, all soldiers were required to   
   sacrifice to the civic gods (Attwater, Benedictines, Bentley, Encyclopedia,   
   Farmer, Husenbeth, Markus).   
      
   In art, St. Maximilian is a warrior with a banner that says In hoc vinces   
   (Roeder).   
      
      
   Saint Quote   
   Girded with a faith, and the performance of good works, let us follow in   
   Christ's path by the guidance of the Gospel; then we shall deserve to see   
   him   
   "who has called us into his kingdom." If we wish to attain a dwelling place   
   in   
   his kingdom, we shall not reach it unless we hasten there by our good deeds.   
      
   Just as there exists an evil fervor, a bitter spirit, which divides us from   
   God   
   and leads us to hell, so there is a good fervor which sets us apart from   
   evil   
   inclinations and leads us toward God and eternal life. No one should follow   
   what   
   he considers to be good for himself, but rather what seems good for another.   
   Let   
   them put Christ before all else; and may he lead us all to everlasting life.   
   -from the Rule of Saint Benedict   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   35. Let your loins be girt, and lamps burning in your hands.  36. And you   
   yourselves like to men who wait for their lord, when he shall return from   
   the   
   wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open to him immediately.   
   37.   
   Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when he cometh, shall find   
   watching.   
   Amen I say to you, that he will gird himself, and make them sit down to   
   meat,   
   and passing will minister unto them. (Luke 12:35-37)   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   Prayer to St. Dymphna - Prudence   
      
   You were marked in life, St. Dymphna, by a high degree of   
   prudence. You sought and followed the advice of your   
   confessor and spiritual guide. You fled from temptation even   
   when it meant exile and poverty. In your last extremity you   
   chose to die rather than offend God. Please help us now by   
   your merits not only to know what is right, but procure for us   
   also the strength to do it. Amen.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)