Saints celebrated on the 20th of July
Prayer to the Angels and the Saints
Heavenly Father, in praising Your Angels and Saints we praise Your glory, for by honouring them we honour You, their Creator. Their splendour shows us Your greatness, which infinitely surpasses that of all creation.
In Your loving providence, You saw fit to send Your Angels to watch over us. Grant that we may always be under their protection and one day enjoy their company in heaven.
Heavenly Father, You are glorified in Your Saints, for their glory is the crowning of Your gifts. You provide an example for us by their lives on earth, You give us their friendship by our communion with them, You grant us strength and protection through their prayer for the Church, and You spur us on to victory over evil and the prize of eternal glory by this great company of witnesses.
Grant that we who aspire to take part in their joy may be filled with the Spirit that blessed their lives, so that, after sharing their faith on earth, we may also experience their peace in heaven. Amen.
SS. JUSTA AND RUFINA, MARTYRS
These holy martyrs were two Christian women at Seville in Spain, who maintained both themselves and many poor persons by selling earthen ware.
A fervent soul finds in the most ordinary course of life occasions of exercising many heroic acts of virtue, and makes every ordinary action a perfect holocaust by performing it with a most ardent desire of pleasing God with the entire sacrifice of itself.
SUCH WERE THE LIVES OF THESE TWO FAITHFUL SERVANTS OF GOD
Such were the lives of these two faithful servants of God in the world. So perfect a virtue deserved to be honoured with the crown of martyrdom.
Though these saints gave all their substance to the poor, and were desirous to serve every one for the edification of their souls; yet no motives could draw them into any criminal condescension.
THEY REFUSED TO SELL VESSELS FOR THE USE OF HEATHENISH SACRIFICES
Not to concur to the idolatrous superstitions, they refused to sell vessels for the use of heathenish sacrifices.
The Pagans, offended at their religious scruple, when Diocletian’s edicts renewed the persecution, broke all the ware in their shop, and impeached them for their faith before the governor.
THEIR FIDELITY WAS NOT TO BE SHAKEN
The prefect, after they had boldly confessed Christ, commanded them to be stretched on the rack, and their sides in the mean time to be torn with iron hooks.
An idol was placed near the rack with incense, that if they would offer sacrifice, they should be that moment released; but their fidelity was not to be shaken. Justa expired on the rack: which when the judge saw, he ordered Rufina to be strangled, and their bodies to be burnt. They suffered in the year 304.
(From Fr Butler's Lives of the Saints)
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