Lectio altera |
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Elógium sancti Fidélis presbýteri et mártyris |
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Vir nomine et re Fidelis
Cathólicæ fídei assertórem Benedíctus papa Décimus quartus his verbis sanctum Fidélem celebrávit:
«Caritátis suæ plenitúdinem ad extérnum proximórum levámen et auxílium exténdens, omnes calamitósos patérno sinu ampléxus, páuperum numerósos greges colléctis úndique eleemósynis sustentábat.
Pupillórum et viduárum solitúdinem, comparáta eísdem potentiórum ac príncipum ope, sublevábat; carcéribus inclúsos ómnibus, quibus póterat, spiritálibus et corporálibus soláciis iuváre, ægrótos quóslibet sédulo invísere, recreáre ac Deo conciliátos ad extrémam subeúndam luctam armáre non desistébat.
Quo quidem in génere nullam hábuit uberiórem meritórum ségetem, quam cum austríacus exércitus, in regiónibus Retórum statiónes habens, epidémico morbo univérsim fere corréptus, miserándum de se pábulum languóribus et morti præbébat».
Simul cum hac caritáte, vir nómine et re Fidélis, excélluit stúdio fídei cathólicæ defendéndæ, quam ímpigre prædicávit et, paucis diébus ántequam suo sánguine confirmáret, in última contióne hábita, véluti testaméntum his verbis relíquit:
«O fides cathólica, quam stábilis, quam firma es, quam bene radicáta, quam bene fundáta super firmam petram! Cælum et terra transíbunt, tu autem præteríre numquam póteris. Totus orbis a princípio tibi contradíxit, sed tu potentíssime de ómnibus triumphásti.
Hæc est enim victória, quæ vicit mundum, fides nostra; hæc reges potentíssimos Christi império subiugávit, hæc pópulos Christi obséquio mancipávit.
Quid fecit sanctos Apóstolos et mártyres diros agónes et acérrimas pœnas subíre, nisi fides, de resurrectióne præcípue?
Quid fecit anachorítas, contémptis delíciis, spretis honóribus, calcátis divítiis, cǽlibem in solitúdine vitam ágere, nisi fides viva?
Quid hódie veros christícolas facit móllia abícere, dúlcia relínquere, áspera subíre, laboriósa sufférre?
Viva fides, quæ per caritátem operátur. Hæc facit spe futurórum præséntia bona dimíttere, et futúris præséntia commutáre».
| Second Reading |
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From a eulogy for Saint Fidelis of Sigmaringen, priest and martyr |
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Faithful in name and in truth
Pope Benedict XIV praised Fidelis as a confessor of the Catholic faith in these words: “He practised the fullness of charity in bringing consolation and relief to his neighbours as well as strangers. With a father’s love he embraced all those who were in trouble. He supported great numbers of poor people with the alms he had collected from every quarter.
“With wealth collected from the powerful and from princes, he comforted widows and orphans in their loneliness. He was always helping prisoners in their spiritual and bodily needs. He showed constant zeal in visiting and comforting the sick whom he would win back to God and prepare for their last struggle.
“The most outstanding example of this meritorious way of life occurred when the Austrian army, stationed in the area of Raetia, was almost totally destroyed by an epidemic. To show compassion he used to bring food for the weak and the dying.”
In addition to this charity, he was faithful in truth as well as in name. His zeal for defending the Catholic faith was unsurpassed and he preached it tirelessly. A few days before he shed his blood to bear witness to his preaching, he gave his last sermon. These are the words he left as a testament: “O Catholic faith, how solid, how strong you are! How deeply rooted, how firmly founded on a solid rock! Heaven and earth will pass away, but you can never pass away. From the beginning the whole world opposed you, but you mightily triumphed over everything. This is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith. It has subjected powerful kings to the rule of Christ; it has bound nations to his service.
“What made the holy apostles and martyrs endure fierce agony and bitter torments, except faith, and especially faith in the resurrection?
“What is it that today makes true followers of Christ cast luxuries aside, leave pleasures behind, and endure difficulties and pain? It is living faith that expresses itself through love. It is this that makes us put aside the goods of the present in the hope of future goods. It is because of faith that we exchange the present for the future.”
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Responsorium |
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2 Tim 4, 7-8 a; Phil 3, 8 b-10 |
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℟. Bonum certámen certávi, cursum consummávi, fidem servávi:* In réliquo repósita est mihi iustítiæ coróna, allelúia.
℣. Omnia detriméntum feci ad cognoscéndum Christum, et communiónem passiónum illíus, confórmans me morti eius.* In réliquo.
| ℟. I have run the great race, I have finished the course, I have kept faith,* and now the prize, the garland of righteousness awaits me, alleluia.
℣. I have lost everything that I may learn to know Christ and what it means to share his sufferings, moulded into the pattern of his death,* and now the prize, the garland of righteousness awaits me, alleluia.
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