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Old Calendar: St. Edward, king, confessor
St. Edward (1003-1066), called the Confessor, was the grandson of St. Edward, king and martyr, and became king of England at the age of forty-seven. As king he was noted for his gentleness, humility, detachment and angelic purity. He preserved perfect chastity in his wedded life. So little was his heart set on riches that he freely dispensed his goods at the palace gate to the sick and poor. His reign was one of almost continuous peace. The people were prosperous and ruined churches were rebuilt. All spoke affectionately of the wise measures of the "good King Edward." According to the 1962 Missal of St. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is his feast.
Also today in Fatima in 1917, the marvelous miracle of the sun took place in the sky before 70,000 witnesses.
St. Edward
Edward, the last king of the Anglo-Saxons, a grandson of the martyr-king Edward, passed his youth in exile with his uncle, a Norman leader. In an environment of sin he preserved innocence of life. Called to the throne of England in 1042, he sought to put into practice the Christian ideals for a ruler, with the help of God's grace. His first efforts were directed toward a renewal of religion in the hearts of his people. Priests were invited into his kingdom, churches were built. Yielding to pressure, he married, but is said to have retained virginity during his whole married life.
His favorite saint was St. John the Evangelist; he would not deny any request asked in his name. One day the Beloved Disciple appeared to him in the form of a beggar and asked alms in the name of the fourth evangelist; as Edward had no ready money, he gave up the ring on his finger. Shortly thereafter St. John returned the ring with the message that his death was near. The king ordered public prayers to be said for himself and died in the Lord on the day foretold, January 5, 1066.
Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch
Patron: Difficult marriages; kings; separated spouses.
Symbols: Elderly king offering a ring or coin to Saint John who is disguised as a beggar; ring in his hand; scepter surmounted by a dove; purse; St. John's Gospel; sealed scroll; crown; ring.
Things to Do:
27th Week in Ordinary Time
I shall return to my home from which I came. (Luke 11:24)
We have all experienced it: the frustration of a besetting sin or a difficult relationship dynamic that keeps popping up. Just when we think weve got it licked, a stronger temptation arises, or an upsetting conversation occurs. We suddenly feel as though were right back where we started. Its no accident. Thats just the way the devil works.
Do we need any more proof that the devil never takes a vacation? Satan is relentless. He never stops harassing us and trying to trip us up. He never stops trying to return to his old homes: the weak spots in our character, our habits of sin, the hurts caused by broken relationships.
Thats why Jesus cautions us against settling for just being swept clean and put in order (Luke 11:25). Yes, baptism washes us clean of original sin, and Confession cleans us up again after we have sinned. But what about the time in between confessions? As relentless as the devil is, he will always be looking for openings to come back and harass us. He will always be alert for a new opportunity to tempt us and draw us away from the Lord.
This is why St. Peter urges us to be sober and vigilant (1 Peter 5:8). He knows that our enemy, the devil, is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (5:8). How can we be vigilant? By paying attention to the thoughts that arise in our hearts. If anything leads us to become judgmental, resentful, or lustful, we can be sure its coming from our enemy.
So how do we deal with these devilish tactics? By following St. Pauls example and taking up the armor of God, especially the shield of faith and the sword of Gods word in Scripture (Ephesians 6:11, 16, 17).
All this talk of the devil can seem frightening, but we can take heart. God hasnt left us defenseless. He has given us all the tools and all the armor we need to guard the home of our hearts.
The devil never takes a vacation, so dont make yourself an easy target.
Father, set me free and strengthen me by your grace. Help me to be vigilant against the wiles of the devil. Lord, I place my life in your hands.
Joel 1:13-15; 2:1-2
Psalm 9:2-3, 6, 8-9, 16