🇹🇷🇻🇦 Saint Phocas of Sinope Feast: 22 September

 

 Saint Phocas of Sinope
Martyr ( c. 4th century Anno Domini A.D.)         Feast: 22 September
Fortitude

Saints Who Display Gifts of the Holy Spirit 

Saint Phocas, like all martyrs, showed the highest form of wisdom in accepting suffering from the hand of God. The fear of the Lord that is the beginning of wisdom is also evident in the legend of his life, which shows him not only willing to die...

#Catholic

https://us.magnificat.net/

https://www.lentmadness.org/2018/03/phocas-the-gardener-vs-katharina-von-bora/

https://gab.com/adagioforstrings/posts/111104587081651345

but [ Phocas relished] things normally distasteful as he prepared for his death. But it is the gift of fortitude that is most manifest in his martyrdom. Phocas is said to have lived as hermit near the gate of the city of Sinope (present-day Turkey ). Pilgrims & travelers found a welcome at his home & were fed from his excellent garden   which he tended himself. The poor, too, were supplied by his generosity & skill.

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https://youtu.be/EkYs-UlI_6Y?si=Q6HRTlDlmK85OW8i

https://gab.com/adagioforstrings/posts/111104637754992406

When persecution arose, Phocas was denounced as a Christian , & soldiers were dispatched to find & kill him. But they came to the city after the gates were shut  so they took shelter at the house of Phocas, not realizing who he was. Realizing what they were up to, Phocas offered to tell them where their prey was the next day. As they slept  he dug his own grave   & prepared himself spiritually for death 

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https://youtu.be/oFdi1WK2CVA?si=SNvbCHXhEIolQ71Y

https://gab.com/adagioforstrings/posts/111104721570930789

On the morrow, Phocas assured the surprised soldiers, stunned by his courage, that he would be grateful for martyrdom. Soon after his death, pilgrims came to seek his intercession. As a fellow saint, St. Asterius, bishop of Amasea , wrote in his praise, "He draws all men to his house."

#Catholic

https://youtu.be/AKG7UkLowLc?si=G7DnuXuJDRfDmghJ

https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=5449

https://gab.com/adagioforstrings/posts/111104788837450058

 O Holy Spirit  help me to welcome death & suffering, & give me gratitude for the gift of the cross  

#SaintPhocasOfSinope #PrayForUs 

#Catholic

https://youtu.be/84FsyRrdrjw?si=i6Uk5xjukl0HHw38

https://gab.com/adagioforstrings/posts/111104821842376056

🇮🇱 🇪🇹 🇻🇦 Saint Matthew

 

   Saint Matthew
Apostle ( 1st C Anno Domini A.D.)           Feast: 21 September

Once upon a time there was a tax gatherer named Levi . The Jews did not like him. He took their tax money & gave it to the Romans. But Levi was not a bad man. He only did what he thought was his duty. One day Jesus  saw him. He saw good in him that others did not see. "Come & follow Me!" Jesus said quietly to the tax gatherer. Levi looked up in surprise

#Catholic

https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/11488662

https://gab.com/adagioforstrings/posts/111100551700053911

Levi had never seen such a wonderful Man before. Why, it would be the greatest honor to be one of His followers! Instantly he got up. He left his table with all the money on it He went after our Lord. And Jesus  made him one of His 12 Apostles. He changed his name to Matthew. He wrote the wonderful Gospel According to Saint Matthew  He saw all that Jesus did. He heard all that Jesus said. He walked with Him & grew to love Him more & more

#Catholic

https://youtu.be/xgy6TWuUkK0?si=tzQMeP3NPtoA-TnA

https://gab.com/adagioforstrings/posts/111100633794567071

To make sure that the world would never forget Jesus  , Matthew wrote all this down in his beautiful Gospel. Gospel, you know, means Good News. He died a blessed martyr. With Saint Mark  , Saint Luke  and Saint John  he is one of the Four Evangelists.

#Catholic

https://youtu.be/4LhuMNq1JwI?si=_EYbkSSGrMwJ6MVG

https://gab.com/adagioforstrings/posts/111100745791541290

#SaintMatthew #PrayForUs 

#Catholic

https://youtu.be/DkWpfl5zSzM?si=ToArS5oMXyQm_9Cu

https://gab.com/adagioforstrings/posts/111100825368801951

🇰🇷🇻🇦 Saint Francis Choe Kyong-hwan & 🇰🇷🇻🇦 Blessed Maria Yi Seong-rye Feast: 20 September

 

 Saint Francis Choe Kyong-hwan ( 1839 Anno Domini A.D.)
 Blessed Maria Yi Seong-rye ( 1840 A.D.)
Martyrs Feast: 20 September
Saints Who Established Schools 

"A soldier going to war needs his battle instructions…At a time like this we must study all the books more earnestly." Francis Choe Kyong-hwan lived in 19th century Korea where Catholics had been without priests for decades & their faith was waning 

#Catholic

http://us.magnificat.net/

https://signum-crucis.tumblr.com/post/21077894334/st-francis-choe-kyong-hwan-all-the-world-is-full

https://gab.com/adagioforstrings/posts/111094835073309173

Francis decided to establish a Catholic village to help fortify his fellow believers. Working in the fields by day   & teaching at night   Francis educated his own children & the other members of the community. Faced with persecution, he encouraged the people to hide their sacramentals   so they would bot be desecrated. But he urged them not to bury the books    for they were essential weapons in the battle for faith.

#Catholic

https://youtu.be/GktSkg5Y5fQ?si=tkjtY5_kqRRBKUEb

https://gab.com/adagioforstrings/posts/111094918198409574

When soldiers came to arrest the Christians   Francis welcomed them. He gave them food & shelter, & accepted arrest peacefully along with his wife. He suffered martyrdom shortly thereafter, whereupon his wife, who had been subjected to terrible tortures, renounced her faith, but she soon repented & followed him in death. Francis was canonized in 1984 A.D. & Maria was beatified in 2014 A.D.

#Catholic

https://youtu.be/QtFI2Ttudhg?si=lAP8e4e8JaFQw_98

https://gab.com/adagioforstrings/posts/111094977546816915

Francis & Maria 's eldest son, Thomas Choe Yang-eop , became the 2nd Korean-born priest, & the cause for his beatification has been opened.

 Almighty Father, grant that Catholic communities & families may be strengthened through faithful study  & become schools of heroic virtue 

#SaintFrancisChoeKyongHwan and #BlessedMariaYiSeongRye #PrayForUs 

#Catholic

https://youtu.be/rgMjRE1zWUU?si=fAELLOV3Xqd7TCij

https://gab.com/adagioforstrings/posts/111095049126265161