Jan. 20
ST. SEBASTIAN, MARTYR.
AV prayer & text.
St. Sebastian (d.288), a native of Milan, was an officer in Diocletian’s imperial guard. He became a Christian and encouraged others imprisoned for their faith till he suffered martyrdom. He is commonly depicted tied to a post or tree and shot with arrows. However, he was rescued and healed before meeting his death upon orders of the emperor.
Below you have the 2nd reading of today’s Divine Office. Cordially inviting you to like our Facebook page www.facebook.com/CatholicsstrivingforHoliness so we could have a greater apostolic reach and thus help more people in their Christian life. Thanks and God bless! Fr. Rolly A.
Second Reading
From an exposition of psalm 118 by Saint Ambrose, bishop
Faithful witnessing to Christ
To enter the kingdom of God we must endure many tribulations. If there are many persecutions, there are many testings; where there are many crowns of victory, there are many trials of strength. It is then to your advantage if there are many persecutors; among many persecutions you may more easily find a path to victory.
Take the example of the martyr Sebastian, whose birthday in glory we celebrate today. He was a native of Milan. At a time when persecution either had ceased or had not yet begun or was of a milder kind, he realised that there was only slight, if any, opportunity for suffering. He set out for Rome, where bitter persecutions were raging because of the fervour of the Christians. There he endured suffering; there he gained his crown. He went to the city as a stranger and there established a home of undying glory. If there had been only one persecutor, he would not have gained a martyr’s crown.
The persecutors who are visible are not the only ones. There are also invisible persecutors, much greater in number. This is more serious. Like a king bent on persecution, sending orders to persecute to his many agents, and establishing different persecutors in each city or province, the devil directs his many servants in their work of persecution, whether in public or in the souls of individuals. Of this kind of persecution Scripture says: All who wish to live a holy life in Christ Jesus suffer persecution. “All” suffer persecution; there is no exception. Who can claim exemption if the Lord himself endured the testing of persecution? How many there are today who are secret martyrs for Christ, giving testimony to Jesus as Lord! The Apostle knew this kind of martyrdom, this faithful witnessing to Christ; he said: This is our boast, the testimony of our conscience.
Responsory
℟. Fearless in the sight of wicked men, this saint died in defence of the law of God,* for he was built on rock.
℣. This is he who rejected the life of this world and gained the kingdom of heaven,* for he was built on rock.
Let us pray.
Grant us, we pray, O Lord, a spirit of fortitude, so that, taught by the glorious example of your Martyr Saint Sebastian, we may learn to obey you rather than men. Through our Lord.
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