St. Titus, bishop and martyr, appears to Marie-Julie Jahenny - gives an
account of his apostolate. He teaches us to observe his life:
sanctification can only come through the Cross, through trials,
sufferings and persecution.
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Ecstasy date July 8, 1878:
“I am holy Titus, a disciple of the great St. Paul ... I have come to say a word before you enter the Holy Novitiate. (i.e. the Novitiate of the Love of the Cross, the mission to be entrusted to Marie-Julie Jahenny.)
I suffered a martyrdom of persecution everywhere on earth. I was roughly led by the great St. Paul. I lived in the desert for 33 years. I left early, leaving everything behind me, to follow the path that led me to this dreadful solitude. In the solitude of the desert you are not exempt of the pains and tests than when you live in the middle of the world.
I preached the holy doctrine of the Gospel under the dictation of the great St. Paul. I went through the cities and towns. I announced to the people the Word of God. I have been pursued, beaten, stoned by the obstinate people who looked upon God's Word like (it was) the word of Hell.
I lived on earth without money and without money, covered in miserable clothes, armed with my staff and my Cross. These were all my riches and my treasure.
I was, by obedience, subject to all that the great St. Paul demanded of my will. It was not until after his preaching that I announced the Word of God. Every day, it gathered us under its wings and taught us the great doctrine of God. Having preached and travelled the world, I suddenly felt inspired to leave the solitude and evangelical preaching, but I consulted with the great St. Paul, as I consulted him in everything, and he said, "No, the disciples must preach the holy Christian doctrine!"
So I obeyed and I was sent by St. Paul into the midst of the Luciferians (I.e, those influenced by Satan) where he himself had long preached. So I preached the love of the Cross of Jesus Christ. But I was overwhelmed with reproaches and insults. I remained on the pavement of th e streets, day and night, while I preached, because the people had a horror of us. I heard repeatedly in my ears that the Doctrine of God was foolish.
I suffered, I endured all pains, but I did not reject It. It was during the last years that I acquired the great love of the Divine Perfection, because I was becoming more and more exposed
to all contradictions. God then poured into my heart all kinds of benefits and He brought me into the depths of His ultimate secrets.
Meanwhile, I felt more and more the weight of my mission that overwhelmed me. I found no more taste. (I.e, the mission was distasteful.) Everything was more bitter for me than when I had experienced joy on entering. On leaving the Luciferians, I heard three times a voice saying to me: “Leave the preaching of the Gospel and the Cross. You will preach to a people as stubborn
as this one.” This frightened me a lot and shook me in the deepest parts of the soul. I consulted St. Paul again: "Stay still,” he said, “the time has not come. You are just starting to taste the suffering."
I was in fearful torment that God alone knew. I followed the orders of St. Paul and I embarked to another city just as hostile to God, the Gospel and the Cross. Upon entering the city, I heard once more the same voice that spoke to me. This divine voice floored me. I fell with my forehead on the pavement and asked God for His enlightenment to recognize Him. At once I saw an angel dressed in white who carried in his hand a white banner and showed me a gold writing on which I read: “You have preached enough on the doctrine of God and the Cross to this stubborn people, you will become a Bishop and will preach to another population as pagan as the first.”
When I read this sign, I became calm and I was reassured. The light showed me that God was calling me to this place. I consulted St. Paul again and he replied: "I had the same vision at the same time. You will go by the light of the Cross in the middle of this wild and obstinate people."
I lived in the city of Afra (in Crete) there from which came St. Chaffre, the ascetic hermit. In this large population I found great obstacles. I was consecrated bishop of this city at an advanced age and I lived there 19 years and 10 months where I finished my career. I had great persecution and ribulation in this city. Every day during my preaching, they surrounded me with murmurs and curses. But God reserved a punishment for this ungrateful city. For a short time later, he sent many plagues, that soon put to death most of the population.
Moreover, in that city, I had enemies, my brothers, who have deserted me and reproached my solitude and called me a tramp and rider. (i.e he was even persecuted by his fellow priests). But God allowed that my holiness was made known and radiant. Most of my brothers in the priesthood became blind or became disabled in the most necessary members (of the body).
After the pain and had visited my brothers, God sent me to rescue them, and it was the saliva in my mouth that opened the eyes of my persecutors and revived their paralysed limbs. That is how I left (or overcame) the tests that were known only to God.
After these wonders, I preached the Doctrine of God and the Cross, and I converted many souls and went to God. My body rested in this town, but not in full, one part was translated in the
solitude by the great St. Paul.
(St. Titus's Lesson:) There is no way more necessary for us to comply with the example of our Divine Master than (by) the persecution of men. That is where I gained all, that raised me to the height of divine perfection. My whole life was gall and vinegar despite the divine pleasures. God has made me a martyr of interior trials and external sufferings, through the graces of the Cross I was detached from the earth and perfected ...”
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Notes: the traditional biography of St. Titus (by the 'Friends of Marie-Julie'): Saint Titus was a isciple of St. Paul who met him during his third voyage (55-58 AD) to Ephesus on the Aegean Coast. Having accompanied St. Paul in several of his apostolic missions, whom St. Paul calls his brother and his beloved disciple, Titus settled in Crete, appointed by the Apostle as Bishop of the island. This is where St. Paul wrote him a letter, which the liturgy gives us several extracts, especially on Christmas Day. He has the title of Confessor of the Faith, as he did much for the evangelization of the Mediterranean. His name is often associated with that of St. Timothy, another travelling com anion of Paul named Bishop of Ephesus (now Turkey). He died a martyr for his opposition to the pagan cult of Diana.
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