By Fr. Antony Christy, SDB –
St. Agatha is probably the most venerated of the virgin martyrs of the early centuries. She is mentioned as one among the seven women named in the Eucharistic Prayer of the Catholic Liturgy. She was just 20 when she gave up her life, after unimaginable tortures, for the sake of her faith and her love for Christ.
Agatha was born in Sicily, Italy in the year 231 and was killed in what was called the Persecution of Decius (which lasted from 250 to 253) by the Roman Prefect Quintanus in the year 251. Her story is very disturbing. Very early in life, she pledged her purity to the Lord out of a singular love for the Saviour. Owing to her beauty and grace, there were many a young suitor who tried to persuade her but in vain.
Quintanus who was the head of the Prefecture was one among those who desired her and forced her to comply. When she was unmoved in her pledge to the Lord, he used his authority and arrested her on the grounds that she was a Christian (which was a crime those days) and produced her before the judge – which was himself! He sentenced her to be imprisoned in a brothel and tried his best to break her moral strength. Seeing that it was futile, he subjected her to bodily torture, he even severed her breasts in contempt.
It is said that she had a spiritual experience of St. Peter and an Angel who visited her in the prison and healed her of her wounds of torture. Finally, Quintanus ordered her to be roasted alive on fire. She bore everything with a fortitude and devotion that was incredible and everyone who witnessed it gave praises to God.
Nothing could hinder a tradition among the people, of venerating her heroic faith and spiritual fortitude. Pope Gregory I in the 6th century confirmed this tradition and that she was without doubt a saint to be honoured. Nothing could take her away from the singular love that she had for the Lord, not even death!
Dear Young Friends,
– these days the media is flooded with instances and means to give into impure thoughts and life style – how strong are you against them, for the sake of the love of the Lord?
– purity is not merely an attitude of elitism, but a singular devotion to the love of the Lord – how strong is your personal relationship with our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
YOU CAT
How we are to have life in Christ is Part III of the You Cat and the very first chapter in this section is the Dignity of the Human Person (Questions 279-321). We shall conclude our reflection on this chapter with a summary of Questions 310 – 321. Having spoken in the prior questions about dignity, freedom and virtues that define a human person in this world, now we come to discuss the source of these virtues: the Holy Spirit who gives us the gifts and enables us to bear fruits of dignity and grace.
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit are special spiritual graces given to a person, in order that the person can live in constant relationship with the Trinitarian God. They are seven: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety and Fear of the Lord. It is obvious that when I am filled with these gifts of the Spirit, I would be enabled to bear fruits such as, what St. Paul beautifully enlists: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal 5: 22-23).
In contrary to these, we are called to beware of sins, that is, thoughts, words and deeds that can disrupt or sever the relationship that we have with God. There can be sins that drastically turn us away from God or there could be sins that are committed due to mere carelessness or negligence – however when we are not attentive these can become vices which, opposed to virtues, are habitual sins or habitual choices against God and against what is acceptable to God. The ideal is to avoid such occasions. But when one finds oneself in such a situation, he or she has to immediately have recourse to the sacrament of confession and mend one’s relationship with God.
– Are you aware of the working of the Spirit within you? Have there been moments when you found yourself spiritually strong? Are there some weaknesses that you need to tackle without delay?
KNOW YOUR CHURCH
#2. Do you know about Ecumenical Councils?
The 21 Ecumenical Councils recognised as such by the Church are divided into categories of various kinds – keeping their themes (as theological, christological, ecclesiological etc), or keeping their geographical index (Eastern and Western) or many others. One least problematic categorisation would be chronological and we shall adapt that for our understanding. Thus, the first category of Councils is called the Councils of Antiquity. There are 7 Councils that can be brought under this.
The first of the Councils, apart from the one referred to in the Bible, was convoked by the Emperor Constantine, with Pope Sylvester I on the throne of Peter as the 33rd Successor. It was held at Nicaea, in the year 325 (May 20 to July 25). The main theologian at this Council was St. Athanasius. This Council addressed an important heresy (or a faulty teaching) which was propagated by a person called Arius and his followers, saying Jesus was just a special human person and cannot be equated to God.
The Council very strongly taught that the Son of God was of the same substance as God the father, and that the Son of God, was God. Even today some of us speak of and interpret Jesus as a heroic person and a committed revolutionary – that is not a complete understanding of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The Council also fixed the date of Easter as the first Sunday after the first full moon closest to the March Equinox – that tradition continues till date. Third important contribution of the Council was the beginning of the formulation of a uniform Creed, the formulation of our faith experience. This Council is known as the First Council of Nicaea.
DO CAT
Safeguarding Creation – The Environment (Questions 256-269) – The part (Questions 263-269) within this section that we are about to summarise, holds out three key principles for us to understand within Environmental Ethics: Sustainability, Solidarity and Subsidiarity. Sustainability is safeguarding the stability of the earth’s ecosystem and its natural ability to regenerate its resources. In other words it is ensuring the future generations too can have their necessities of nature catered to.
Protecting nature and protecting human kind are two sides of the same coin. Solidarity is the international, social, political need for common effort towards responding to the challenge of sustainability of the ecosystem. Subsidiarity is another principle that has to be insisted upon today, as we cannot always expect a regulation from above, or from higher authoritative organisations. Instead, in every particular case the consciousness of sustainability and human dignity has to be ensured. Where does faith come in here?
As Christians we need to understand that we cannot absolutise prosperity, but only a prosperity that is just, can be human. Our faith teaches us that God has made this universe for humanity and for the entire humanity, not merely for the dominant. In the people who care for others, in people who yearn to regenerate the plundered earth and in people who unceasingly cry out to their fellow human beings to be sensitive to every human person who is and who is to come, God is at work creating the Paradise we dream of. As people of God, we are obliged to take up this responsibility.
- Are you presently involved in any practical means of sustainable care of ecology? Can you think of something as your personal contribution?
Fr Antony Christy is a Salesian Priest from 2005, who has a Masters in Philosophy (specialisation in Religion) and a Masters in Theology (Specialisation in Catechetics). He has completed his doctoral research in Theology at Salesian Pontifical University, Rome. Walking with the Young towards a World of Peace and Dialogue is the passion that fires him on.