Ecstasy
date December 2, 1878
“I
am Saint Hermenegild, I suffered martyrdom for God and His Holy
Cause. I was born to a high condition, a family of nobility. There
are penalties and crosses everywhere, in the homes of the rich as in
the homes of the poor.
They
tried to shake my faith and courage in threatening me with torture
and death. I stood up and I told my tormentors: "I am a
Christian and a soldier of Jesus Christ. My life is in your power,
but my soul will never deny my faith and my God!" It was decided
to pronounce my death and I heard my conviction. I remained
inflexible, my faith and my courage inspired me and strengthened me.
I was bound and dragged on the pavement and was torn apart by blows
and instruments of torture. Then, this demand was made to me:
"Have
you decided to obey to save your life? You are from a high scion, we
hope that you will hold on to your title."
Immediately,
I opened my tunic, I took the Crucifix that I had since my youth and
I told them:
“This
is my title! My Glory! Here is my Good!”
These
three words strongly irritated the tyrant and he ordered that my head
be cut off. I climbed to the scaffold and singing in my heart about
the departure from this life and the entrance into glory. I received
several blows on my body that were very terrible and on the most
sensitive parts. Nothing shook me, I persevered and I died a
Christian, a child of God and of His Church. I was beheaded amidst
blaspheming and mocking. But all these blasphemies and ridicules
could not give me any thought of distraction. They let fall the
instrument of death and my head was separated from my body. Never was
there a joy and a happiness so sweet. Never had so much peace reigned
in my soul.
The
hangman and the chief of my executioners ordered that my body be cast
out of this place because he looked upon me like a foul poison. My
body was dragged to a remote place and there I remained for weeks,
when an unknown and disguised traveller passed this place. O Sweet
Providence! He collected my body, wrapped it in some of his clothes
and laid it to rest under a stone that was in this place. This is
where the Lord had manifested His glory more than once. (I.e.
miraculous marvels took place there.) Later, when all these times of
confusion had passed, my body was taken away by the hands of
Christians and laid in consecrated ground in the place where they
bury all Christians. The Lord rewarded my martyrdom by making signs
and wonders about my courage and my faith.
Now
a word on behalf of Our Lord.
Dear
brothers and sisters, that still live on this earth, keep your
courage, die rather than deliver (I.e. lose) your soul that is a
Divine Temple. Oh! He who draws sublime strength in the Christian
Faith! … Oh! He who draws sublime rewards and riches in the
suffering of this life! It is a crowning glory of this mortal
life! ... Suffering is a fountain that washes us and cleanses us, and
it develops the immortal seed that death can not destroy. This
immortal seed that death will not take is holiness produced by
suffering.
All
of you, dear brothers and sisters, you are prisoners of Calvary, the
prisoners of the word of Mary, the prisoners of the dew of the
fertile Sacred Wounds of the Saviour. Your jail is not built of
stones and earth. It is built of pearls mixed with diamonds. These
are the walls of your prison. It is closed and covered by the Supreme
and Divine Will of God. It is furnished as suffering, hardship,
persecution and sacrifice and of merits ... Your prison is paved by
the thoughts, words of Our Divine Lord. It is fragrant with the
perfume of the Heart of Mary and the fire that warms you is not
produced by the wood of the earth, it is the Love of Jesus that is
the foyer of your jail, it is the love of Cross that is wood to the
wood of the flame, it is the love for the Heart of Mary that embalms
this
asylum
after Jesus …
At
the foot of the Cross, it is there as at all times the Divine
appoints you, where all souls receive the
preparation of the immortal crown. It is at the foot of the Cross
that the crown is given. I leave you, courage! ...”
:::::::::::
Notes:
Saint Hermenegild was the son of Leovigild, King of the Visigoths of
Spain in the sixth century. He was raised an Arian at the court of
Seville. Despite his father's opposition, he became a Catholic when
he married the daughter of King Sigebert of Austrasia, (then King of
the Franks), who converted him. After his conversion, his father disinherited him.
Hermenegild took up arms to reclaim his rightful inheritance, was
defeated, captured, and when he refused to give up his Catholic
faith. was martyred on Easter Sunday at
the instigation of his stepmother in 585 AD because he refused to take Holy Communion from an Arian bishop. St. Gregory the Great attributes to the intercession of St. Hermenegild the conversion of the Goths. Feast Day, April 13.
:::::::::::
Go to:
