Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Sunday, 16th February A.D. 2014

SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

 St. Onesimus, Disciple of St. Paul, Bl. John de Britto, martyr

 

SAINT ONESIMUS

Disciple of St. Paul

(1st century)

        He was a Phrygian by birth, slave to Philemon, a person of note of the city of Colossæ, converted to the faith by St. Paul. Having robbed his master and being obliged to fly, he providentially met with St. Paul, then a prisoner for the faith at Rome, who there converted and baptized him, and sent him with his canonical letter of recommendation to Philemon, by whom he was pardoned, set at liberty, and sent back to his spiritual father, whom he afterwards faithfully served.

       That apostle made him, with Tychicus, the bearer of his Epistle to the Colossians, and afterwards, as St. Jerome and other Fathers witness, a preacher of the Gospel and a bishop. He was crowned with martyrdom under Domitian in the year 95.

Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]

BLESSED JOHN DE BRITTO

Martyr

(+ 1693)

        Don Pedro II. of Portugal, when a child, had among his little pages a modest boy of rich and princely parents. Much had John de Britto—for so was he called—to bear from his careless-living companions, to whom his holy life was a reproach. A terrible illness made him turn for aid to St. Francis Xavier, a Saint so well loved by the Portuguese; and when, in answer to his prayers, he recovered, his mother vested him for a year in the dress worn in those days by the Jesuit Fathers. From that time John's heart burned to follow the example of the Apostle of the Indies. He gained his wish.

        On December 17, 1662, he entered the novitiate of the Society at Lisbon; and eleven years later, in spite of the most determined opposition of his family and of the court, he left all to go to convert the Hindus of Madura. When Blessed John's mother knew that her son was going to the Indies, she used all her influence to prevent him leaving his own country, and persuaded the Papal Nuncio to interfere. "God, Who called me from the world into religious life, now calls me from Portugal to India," was the reply of the future martyr. "Not to answer the vocation as I ought, would be to provoke the justice of God. As long as I live, I shall never cease striving to gain a passage to India."

        For fourteen years he toiled, preaching, converting, baptizing multitudes, at the cost of privations, hardships, and persecutions. At last, after being seized, tortured, and nearly massacred by the heathens, he was banished from the country. Forced to return to Portugal, John once more broke through every obstacle, and went back again to his labor of love.

        Like St. John the Baptist, he died a victim to the anger of a guilty woman, whom a convert king had put aside, and, like the Precursor, he was beheaded after a painful imprisonment.

Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]

Readings:

• Book of Sirach 15:15-20.
• Psalms 119(118):1-2.4-5.17-18.33-34. 
• First Letter to the Corinthians 2:6-10.
• Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 5:17-37. 

The Holy Mass will be celebrated by bishop c. Raphael Zimer at 

12:00 PM SLT in Saint Francis Cathedral

TELEPORT

Cardinal Bishop Raphael Zimer will also celebrate Consecration of the All Saints Church in City of Detriot Parish today at 10:00 AM SLT. All welcome.

Have a good Sunday!