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Martyrology - 24th December
The morrow is the Eve of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Upon the same 24th day of December, were born into the better life:
At Antioch, forty holy Virgins and martyrs, who there finished their testimony by diverse torments in the persecution under the Emperor Decius.
At Spoleto, the holy Priest Gregory (of Spoleto), a martyr in the time of the Emperors Diocletian and Maximian, he was beaten with knotted cudgels, laid upon a grating over fire, imprisoned, his knees hammered with iron combs, burning lamps set to his sides, and at last beheaded.
At Tripoli, the holy martyrs Lucian, Metrobius, Paul, Zenobius, Theotimus, and Drusus.
At Nicomedia, the holy martyr Euthymius, who sent many before him to martyrdom, in the persecution under the Emperor Diocletian, and then was himself pierced through with the sword, and so followed them unto their crown.
At Bordeaux, holy Delphinus, Bishop (of that see from 380-404, when he died,) who was a burning and shining light of holiness in the time of the Emperor Theodosius.
In Poland, (in the year 1473,) the holy Confessor John of Kenty, a secular Priest, famous for his learning, his zeal for the spreading of the faith, his graces, and his miracles, whose feast we have kept upon the 22nd day of October.
At Rome, (about the year 550,) the holy Virgin Tharsilla, father's sister to holy Pope Gregory, of whom he witnesseth that at the hour of her going forth she saw Jesus coming unto her.
At Trier, the holy Virgin Irmina, daughter to King Dagobert (II. She was Abbess of the monastery of Horrein, and lived from about the year 672 to about the year 715.)
And elsewhere many other Holy Martyrs, Confessors and Holy virgins.
R. Thanks be to God
Meditations
As Christmas Day falls on a Sunday this Year, there are no Meditations by Fr Hamon for 'Saturday in the fourth Week of Advent'.
Perhaps this Meditation from the very start of Advent would be a good reflection on the Advent Season now coming to an end and a final preparations for the Solemnity of the Nativity of our Lord.
From the first Sunday of Advent - Summary of the Morrow’s Meditation.
The holy season on which we have entered is intended on the part of the Church to make us meditate on the three great advents of the Saviour upon earth: the first in the humility of the crib in order to save us; the second in the splendour of His glory at the last day in order to judge us; the third in the secret of our hearts by His grace in order to sanctify us. After having meditated on these three advents we will make the resolution: first, to enter upon a new life of recollection and prayer suitable to the season of Advent; second, to take particular care with regard to the perfection of every one of our ordinary actions, which will be the best manner of sanctifying this holy season. Our spiritual nosegay shall be the words of St Paul: “Behold now is the acceptable time; behold now is the day of salvation” (2co vi:2).
Meditation for the Morning
Let us adore the Spirit of God inspiring the Church with the institution of Advent, to prepare us for the great solemnity of Christmas, of which the whole of this season is as the vigil, St Charles says; “a vigil,” remarks this holy Cardinal, “which ought not to appear long to whoever rightly appreciates the excellence of the feast for which it prepares us” (Lit. S. Car., de Adventu). It is in this spirit that the holy Church cries to heaven: God, send Thy all-powerful grace to dispose our hearts (Collect. Adventus), and that she exclaims in the epistle of today: “Come forth out of your torpor; awake, children of men, prepare your hearts; the birth of the Saviour is at hand” (rom viii:11). It is in this same spirit that she substitutes penitential vestments for her festal vestments, and special and longer prayers for her ordinary prayers; and that where she has it in her power she summons to her pulpits distinguished preachers, who may be able to touch the hearts of the faithful by the accents of a voice to which they are not familiar. Let us enter with our whole heart into the mind of the Church during this holy season.
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