ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN SEPTEMBER
Saints celebrated on the 2nd of September
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.
ST JUSTUS, ARCHBISHOP OF LYON, CONFESSOR
His virtues rendered him so conspicuous whilst he served the church of Vienne in quality of deacon, that he was advanced to the metropolitan see of Lyons about the year 350.
In this exalted station he showed by the whole tenor of his conduct that he feared nothing but God, hoped for nothing but from God; and regarded not the applause or presents, but the wants of those who approached him.
DISCIPLINE AND GOOD ORDER
His patience and temper were proof against every trial: the ardour of his zeal made him severe in reproving every thing that deserved reproof.
His attachment to discipline and good order was inviolable, and his love of peace, concord, and unity, sincere and constant. He was circumspect every where and in all things.
THE COUNCIL
A great council of western prelates being assembled at Aquileia, in the reign of Gratian, in 381, St Justus of Lyons, with two other bishops from Gaul, assisted at it. The chief affairs there debated regarded the Arians, and St Ambrose managed everything in that venerable assembly. That holy bishop had a particular respect for our saint, as appears from two letters which he addressed to him concerning certain questions of the holy scripture.
It happened a little before this council, that at Lyons a certain madman who had stabbed some persons in the street, took sanctuary in the great church; and St Justus, in order to appease the mob, delivered him into the hands of a public officer, upon a promise that the prisoner’s life should be spared. Notwithstanding this he was despatched by the populace. The good bishop was apprehensive that he had been accessary to his death, and was by that irregularity disqualified for the ministry of the altar; and having long desired to serve God in retirement, he made use of this occasion to resign the pastoral charge.
HE DESIRED TO SERVE GOD IN RETIREMENT
The extreme opposition of his flock seemed an impediment to his design. But his journey to the council afforded him a favourable opportunity, and in his return he stole from his friends in the night at Torrente, and bending his course to Marseilles he there took shipping with a lector of his church named Viator, and sailed to Alexandria.
HE LIVED UNKNOWN IN A NUMEROUS MONASTERY IN EGYPT
Concealing his character he lived unknown in a numerous monastery in Egypt, surpassing the whole community in the fervour of his penance.
After some years he happened to be discovered by one who came from Gaul, to visit the monasteries in Egypt. The whole house was much surprised at so extraordinary an example, and the church of Lyons had no sooner notice, but a priest called Antiochus was sent to conjure him, in the name both of the clergy and people, to return; but he was not to be prevailed upon.
HIS HOLY DEATH
Antiochus determined to bear him company in his solitude and penance, and the saint shortly after died in his arms, about the year 390. His body was soon after translated to Lyons.
HIS BODY WAS TRANSLATED TO LYONS
St Justus is commemorated on this day in the Roman Martyrology, and in those of Bede, Ado, and Usuard. The village of St Just in Cornwall takes its name from this saint.
(From Fr Butler's Lives of the Saints - 📷 1. St Justus, 2. St Just in Penwith Church, St Just, Cornwall)
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