SAINT CECILIA [SECOND OR THIRD CENTURY]
MEMORIAL: 22 NOVEMBER
St. Cecilia, patroness of music, is invoked in the canon of the Mass as a virgin martyr. According to tradition, she was a Roman girl of noble family and a Christian even as a child. She fasted and wore penitential garb beneath her conventional clothing. When her father arranged a wedding with a pagan, Valerian, Cecilia spent the time of the banquet after the wedding in prayer. Cecilia begged Valerian to be baptized. When Valerian returned from his baptism, he saw an angel with flaming wings next to his wife.
After this, Valerian and his convert brother expended their energies helping the church. When the brothers were sentenced to execution for refusing to make sacrifices to the pagan gods, the Holy Spirit descended upon their executioner who himself became a Christian and died a martyr. Before Cecilia was tortured to death, she gave all her worldly possessions to the poor and made over her house as a church. It is thought that her role as patroness of singers and of music comes from her listening to the voice of her angel.
For your life. St. Augustine wrote that he who sings prays twice. Even if our voices are not the best, we can praise God through church singing and support music ministries, which raise us above our humdrum concerns to joy in worship. Many people play classical or popular Christian audio-tapes in their homes and cars in order to elevate their everyday activities as well.
Short Prayer: Heavenly Father, in Your mercy listen to our prayers, which we offer you under the patronage of Saint Cecilia. We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Note: The text (except the short prayer) is taken from Ronda De Sola Chervin, Treasury of Women Saints, Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines: St. Pauls, 1994, pages 131-132