Liturgical Calendar

Saint of the day

Saint Bibiana (d.361)

Saint Bibiana was a virgin and martyr. Very little is known about her life, except what we know from a later tradition. Her parents, Saints Flavian and Dafrosa, were martyred during the persecution of Julian the Apostate. Bibiana and her sister were impoverished and left to suffer. However, they continued to fast and pray in their home. After officials saw that poverty and starvation had no effect on the girls, they called for them. Bibiana's sister was killed during the meeting, but Bibiana was turned over to a women who tried to force her into prostitution. Bibiana stayed true to her faith and virginity, and did not succumb. Infuriated that Bibiana did not renounce her faith, officials had her tied to a pillar and beaten until she perished. Bibiana bore her torture with the joy of staying true to her faith. Saint Bibiana is the patron saint against epilepsy, mental illness, headaches, and of torture victims.

Reflection

Although our society does not violently persecute Catholics, Saint Bibiana is an example to us of the long tradition of Catholics who were willing to sacrifice their lives for their faith. If you were in a society like that of Saint Bibiana, would you be willing to practice your Catholic faith even if you knew it might be dangerous? Would you fearlessly face death for your beliefs? Many Catholics around the world are still targeted and victimized for their faith.

Prayer

Pray for the Christians and Catholics throughout the world who are being treated poorly and sometimes violently attacked for their faith. Ask God to help others love them and treat them with compassion.

Meditations

Meditation for Responsorial Psalm

If I only knew what God wanted of me, I'd do it. But how do I know? Most of us don't wake up with a note from God on our dresser. When we were children, God spoke to us through our parents or other caring adults. We knew we had a loving God because most of us experienced loving adults in our lives. As a young adult, you must now being to take responsibility for your own prayer life and relationship with God. You will find that God speaks to you through other people, through the events in your life, through the Scriptures, and through your prayer and reflection. All those things will shape your vision of how you can make a difference in the world. (Taken from “Take Ten – Daily Bible Reflections for Teens”)

Meditation for Gospel

Beginning with the First Sunday of Advent, we will be reading from the Gospel of Luke. The readings from Luke are the foundation of the readings for Cycle C. Luke was not one of the original twelve Apostles; he instead was a second-generation Christian, perhaps converted by Paul. From his writing style, he appears well educated with a mastery of the Greek language. Luke writes with a historical bent, in short, sharply defined vignettes that give us a rich, descriptive narrative. In the Gospel of this Sunday, Luke wants the Christian community to be aware that harsh times are coming and that their faith will be challenged. His writings warn Christians that they can expect experiences that will shake their foundations, but he also tells them that if they are vigilant and maintain a rich prayer life, they will have no reason to fear. Even if the world seems to be coming to an end, Christians need not fear because Christ is always with them. (Taken from "Youth Engaging Scripture: Diving into the Sunday Gospels")