Popes SS. Soter and Caius| Daily Meditation| Daily Quote by S. Padre Pio| Divine Mercy Reflection
Today in the Latin Calendar we celebrate the Feast Day of SS. Soter and Caius, Popes and Martyrs of the early Church. A story about this Feast Day can be found by Clicking Here.
Another Story:
St Soter Pope & Martyr
Saint Soter was raised to the papacy upon the death of Saint Anicetus in 161. By the sweetness of his discourses he comforted all afflicted persons with the tenderness of a father, and assisted the indigent with liberal alms, especially those who suffered for the Faith. He liberally extended his charities, according to the custom of his predecessors, to remote churches. He aided in particular that of Corinth, to which he addressed an excellent letter. Saint Dionysius of Corinth in his letter of thanks to Saint Soter, adds that the Pontifical letter together with the letter of Saint Clement, Pope, was read for the edification of the faithful on Sundays, during their assemblies to celebrate the divine mysteries.
One of Saint Soter’s ordinances required all Christians except those in public penance to receive Communion on Holy Thursday. Saint Soter vigorously opposed the heresy of Montanus, and governed the Church up to the year 170. He was martyred on April 22, 170, under the emperor Marcus Aurelius, and buried on the Appian Way in the cemetery of Callixtus.
St Caius, Pope & Martyr
Pope Saint Caius, born in Dalmatia, was a relative of the emperor Diocletian. The cruel emperor did not for that reason spare him or his family during the bloody persecution of the years 283 to 296, during which the Christians of Rome were obliged to conceal themselves in caverns and cemeteries.
Saint Caius counseled a patrician named Chromatius to receive the tracked disciples of Christ in his country residence. He himself went to visit them on a Sunday, and said to the faithful assembled there that Our Lord Jesus Christ, knowing the fragility of human nature, established two degrees in the practice of Christianity, confession and martyrdom. Our Saviour did so, he said, “so that those who do not believe they could stand up under torment, may nonetheless conserve the grace of the faith by their confession.” Our Lord had indeed specified, “When you are persecuted in one city, flee to another…” Then he said, “Those who wish to stay in the house of Chromatius, remain with Tiburtius, while those who prefer to return with me to the city, come.” Several followed him back to Rome; among them are the martyrs of the same persecution, the brothers Saints Marcus and Marcellinus, and Saint Sebastian.
Saint Caius himself received the crown of martyrdom in the final year of the persecution, 296, and was buried in the cemetery of Callixtus, where his body was found in 1622, with an inscription identifying him as Vicar of Christ.
Daily Meditation
Perfect Sacrifice:
Jesus freely chose to give His life for me. In the midst of His pain and suffering, at any moment He could have said, "Enough," but he did not. Rather He endured the cross for me.
Quote by S. Padre Pio:
Courage!... This day of (God's coming) will not be long in coming... This beautiful day is already on its way, and happy are those who will be able to shout with joy.
Divine Mercy Reflection
Reflections on Notebook Two: 112-188
We now enter into Notebook Two of the six notebooks that make up the Diary of Saint Faustina. The reason for having more than one notebook is simply that when one notebook was filled by Saint Faustina she began with a new one. Therefore, there is nothing particularly different from one notebook to the other. However, for the purpose of this current book of daily reflections, each reflection will begin to be lengthened, starting here with Notebook Two, so as to help you, the reader, enter more deeply into the beautiful mysteries of faith and our shared spiritual life that have been revealed in these writings of Saint Faustina.
You are invited once again to take one reflection each day and to ponder it throughout the day. Try to pray the prayer for each reflection each morning, noon and evening. Allow each mystery reflected upon to become a source of wisdom and understanding for you.
Reflection 112: Love of God Increases Our Desire for God
When you love God and rejoice in that love, your desire for God will increase. The more you know Him, the more you will want to know Him, and the more you want to know Him, the more you will know Him. Similarly, the more you love Him, the more you will want to love Him, and the more you want to love Him, the more you will love Him. Finally, the more you serve Him, the more you will want to serve Him, and the more you want to serve Him, the more you will serve Him. Knowledge, love and service increase the desire for these, and the increase in desire for these three increases each one (See Diary #525).
Do you want to know, love and serve God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength? Hopefully you do. How is this achieved? It’s achieved by growing in these virtues and allowing them to increase your desire for them all the more. Look, today, at your desires. Inquire, within, about the desires of your heart. If you do not see a wholehearted desire to know, love and serve God, then commit yourself to these ends by choosing them. From there, the Lord will take over and direct you in accord with His own merciful Heart.
Lord, increase my desire for You and for Your Divine Will. Help me to know, love and serve You with my whole being. Increase, also, my desire for You in these ways. Jesus, I trust in You.