Popes SS Cletus and Marcellinus| Daily Meditation| Daily Quote by S. Padre Pio| Divine Mercy Reflection
Today in the Latin Calendar we celebrate the Feast Day of SS. Cletus and Marcellinus, Popes and Martyrs of the Early Church. A story about this Feast Day can be found by Clicking Here.
Other Stories:
Today is the feast day of Saint Cletus and Saint Marcellinus. Orate pro nobis.
SAINT CLETUS
This second successor of St. Peter governed the Roman Church from about 76 to about 88. The “Liber Pontificalis” says that his father was Emelianus and that Cletus was a Roman by birth, and belonged to the quarter known as the Vicus Patrici. It also tells us that he ordained twenty-five priests, and was buried in Vaticano near the body of St. Peter.
He sat twelve years, from 76 to 89. The canon of Roman mass, Bede, and other martyrologists style him a martyr. (2) He received the Crown of Martyrdom in 91 A.D., under the Emperor Domitian and was buried near The Prince of The Apostles.
He was buried near St. Linus, on the Vatican, and his relics still remain in that church.
The feast of St. Cletus falls, with that of St. Marcellinus, on 26 April; this date is already assigned to it in the first edition of the “Liber Pontificalis”. (See CLEMENT I, SAINT, POPE.)
SAINT MARCELLINUS
Pope Marcellinus ruled the Church of Rome for nine years and four months. By order of Emperors Diocletian and Maximian he was taken prisoner and brought forward to offer sacrifice to the idols. At first he refused and was threatened with various kinds of torture, and for fear of the threatened suffering he put down two grains of incense in sacrifice to the gods. This gave great joy to the infidels but caused the faithful immense sadness.
However, under a weak head, members rise up and make little of the threats of the princes, so the faithful came to the Pope and reproached him severely. He realized the gravity of his error and offered himself to be judged by a council of Bishops. The Bishops responded: “It is not possible for the Supreme Pontiff to be judged by anyone, but you yourself weigh your case in your own mind and pronounce your own judgment.”
The Pope, repentant, lamented his fault and deposed himself, but the whole gathering immediately re-elected him. When the Emperors heard of this, they had him arrested again. He absolutely refused to offer sacrifice to the idols, so they sentenced him to be beheaded. Then the persecution was renewed with such a fury that in one month 17,000 Christians were put to death.
He governed The Church from 293 A.D. to 304 A.D., during the terrible persecution of Diocletian, who caused him to be beheaded.
Daily Meditation
Active Listener:
My biggest motivation to be the active listener to my kids is that God is an active listener to me. Since He has no problem allowing me to ramble on in my prayers before finally reaching my point, the least I could do is give my children the same gentle courtesy.
Quote by S. Padre Pio:
Let us always do God's will and always say yes to the Lord.
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 116: God’s Dependence Upon Us
God is wholly independent in that He perfectly sustains Himself. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit form a perfect unity through which they are interconnected and interdependent. And this interdependence is all They need. However, the Trinity freely chose to become dependent upon each one of us in a unique way. By choosing to enter into our lives, uniting with us, and forming a bond of love with us, God, in a certain way, makes Himself dependent upon our trust. His dependence upon our trust relates to the depth of love and the bond He forms with us. Without our trust, God has limited Himself in how deeply He can unite Himself with us. Therefore, God offers Himself to us freely and without reserve, but requires our full participation for this perfect gift of love to become complete (See Diary #548).
Do you understand your role in the life of the Holy Trinity? The Father, Son and Holy Spirit offer you perfect love, but will not impose that love upon you. They invite you to freely reciprocate this love. Only in this free choice, on your part, to accept Them in trust, can God fulfill His choice of being one with you. Allow God to fulfill His longing of union with you. Do not reject this love nor be hesitant to reciprocate it.
My God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I thank You for the gift of Your life and Your love. I freely accept this perfect Gift of Yourself. Help me to daily grow in trust of You so that I may receive You and offer myself back to You with the same generosity that You have shown me. Jesus, I trust in You.